Frequently Asked Medical School Interview Questions
The medical school entrance interview is full of opportunities. Your chosen school gets a chance to know you better—not only as an academic, but as a person with goals, standards, a work ethic, and values. You have an opportunity to stress your greatest strengths and to paint a picture of the person you are and who you will become through hard work.
Entering one of the world's most respected professions is no easy task, and the prospect of dissecting your own character face to face can be an intimidating one. But going in with a good idea of the questions you will be asked (as well as the kind of response expected of you) will help you build confidence to formulate a solid approach. Here are three common medical school interview questions asked of prospective students.
- Why do you want to be a doctor?
This is easily one of the most important questions you will be asked in your pursuit of medical licensure, but you may be surprised by how many aspiring physicians don't have a good answer. Take a lot of time considering this question, and try to generate responses that have less to do with the academic pursuit which has led you here—that information is evident from your transcripts—and more to do with the world that you would like to live in and how you see yourself playing an integral role in its creation.
- What do you think will be your greatest challenge in completing medical school or learning how to be a doctor?
This is a question that only you can answer, based on your personal mission statement. Do you have a hard time sacrificing social luxuries in favor of studying? Are you afraid of becoming emotionally tied to your patients and their ailments? Are you bothered by the often bureaucratic nature of big hospitals? Whatever your complaints about the medical industry or the profession itself—and no admissions officer will believe that you don't have any—be painstakingly honest in your response.
The only way to get this question wrong is to gloss over the truth about your feelings in an effort to give the board a response that you would like to hear. A little healthy apprehension is a good thing that's even better when it's buffered by a plan for overcoming your known challenges.
- In your view, what is the most pressing problem facing medicine today?
The admissions board will ask this question, not as an invitation for you to launch into a scathing diatribe on, say, the pharmaceutical industry, but more as a gauge of your ability to weigh passion against reason. Medical schools are looking for students who have an innate desire to help the sick, and it is certainly important to thoroughly defend your position while explaining how you feel you can be of service to the cause. But remember that politics is an entirely separate discipline, and an overly enthusiastic tirade might leave you appearing obsessed rather than qualified.
While these are actual questions used in a lot of medical school interviews, the best way to prepare for every possible query is to speak with other students who have been through such interviews. Ask them for details about their experience, and try to anticipate any nervous, social, or speaking obstacles you might run into.
As a final note, don't forget that an equally important part of the medical school interview is the portion where you get to ask the questions. Prepare a good list—and don't get caught speechless.
