Types of Medical School Interviews – Successful Prep for Each One

One thing that shocked me while getting ready for medical school is that there are different types of medical school interviews. As if preparing for medical school wasn’t hard enough, now you have to know the different formats and be prepared for each one. However, I don’t want you to freak out. Take a deep breath now and maybe even do a five-minute meditation to bring you back down. This new information can be a little intimidating, but if you made it to this round of the application process then that calls for a party!!!

Interview days are really fun and I’ve put together a list of 16 ways general rules for killing them, regardless which interview type you have. Most schools will give you a heads up or you can research which types of medical school interviews they use. After you get your interview invitation, do some research on which type of interview they use. After doing this, come back here and check out what your interview will look like and how to best prepare for it.

Traditional Interviews

A traditional interview is one of the more popular types of medical school interviews. It looks just like any other interview that you probably have had for a job or organization. It consists of one or two interviewers and lasts for about 30 minutes. Most schools have a tight schedule, so they will be pretty prompt about starting and ending on time. These interviewers will be faculty, students, and staff asking a versatile set of questions.

Their questions will have to do with topics like current healthcare trends, your personal medical interests, career goals, and nonmedical facts about your life. I was once asked about the most recent book I read and something I learned from it. I also was asked about a situation where a child patient’s parents didn’t want a blood transfusion because of religious reasons, what would I do. They vary but are normally conversational, with the goal being that you and the interviewer chat about the questions they’re asking you.

Open vs. Closed Interviews

These interviews can be either closed or open. Open means that they have full access to your application and file. Closed means they have very limited access and are using the interview to get to know you. There are pros and cons to both.

The good thing about open applications is they have already taken the time to look into who you are. You get to spend less of your application providing them with background information. This is a way to justify or explain any interesting or potentially concerning facets of your application. The downside to open applications is they already have a preconceived notion of you. You also have to remember what you said in your application, so it’s important to take the time to review your application before your interview. It’s essentially the in person version of your personal statement.

Closed interviews are a special type of interview because your interviewers have no idea who you are or your story. Most of their questions may revolve around what you want to do in medicine or topics in healthcare. You are entering that interview with a clean slate so it’s sort of a relief. The bad part about closed interviews is that their questions may be a little trickier because they may not be about your pursuit to medicine. Also you may have to quickly explain parts of your story without them having any context.

Prep

• Find a list of practice questions and rehearse your answers.
• Have friends and family ask you random questions and practice answering them concisely and clearly.
• Film yourself answering questions and control your body movements.
• Limit verbal fillers i.e. like, um, you know,
• Review application and memorize what you wrote.
• Read up on current healthcare trends or what’s happening in the news.
• Come prepared to ask questions when the interview is open about the program.

Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)

Multiple Mini Interviews are the most unique but potentially intimidating of the types of medical school interviews. More than likely, you will be able to find out if the school you’re interviewing at will use MMI or hybrid (MMI + Traditional). MMI’s are nothing to be afraid of and there is no prior research or work necessary. They’re just different.

MMIs are 6-10 different interview sessions. You will receive a scenario or case study and have 2-5 minutes to read it and think about it. After that, you are evaluated by the interviewer who scores your response, patient interaction, or analysis of your material. You’ll have anywhere between 6-10 minutes to engage with your prompt. That could be answering questions, interacting with a patient, or reacting to something controversial in healthcare. This is a standardized method of interviewing and hopes to mitigate as many biases as possible.

These interviews are normally closed file so you don’t have to worry much about your application. They want to see how quick on your feet you are and how you handle ethical and moral dilemmas. Having patient care or medical experience may benefit you with these interviews. If you don’t have that, don’t fret. Just stay calm and logical and be yourself. Don’t try to do anything out of the box to impress anyone because it won’t be authentic. This is the time to show who you are and why you deserve to be in medical school.

Prep

• Read up on current healthcare trends.
• Read about MMI interviews and common scenarios or questions.
• Practice reading case studies, analyzing and responding to them.
• Record yourself answering questions and minimize verbal fillers, hand gestures, and nervous behavior.
• Tell yourself it’s not that bad so you stay calm and confident.
• Practice answering interview questions by yourself or with loved ones.

Group Interviews

Group interviews are my least favorite when it comes to types of medical school interviews. However they have their benefits and can be great for those who get nervous in individual settings. Group interviews are like traditional interviews, but you are with other candidates. There is still an interviewer, or interviewers, that ask questions, but you take turns responding.

The benefit to group interviews is you are with others so you won’t have all the heat on you. The negative part of group interviews is that you have to hear about the other candidate’s accomplishments. This can be a little intimidating, so it’s easy to feel insecure or unsure throughout the interview.

What interviewers are most assessing is your teamwork. When they ask questions, they are seeing how you interact with the others, which role you take. There is this misconception that you always have to be the leader, or the most outspoken. This is true if it’s your personality, but in a team there are other components that are just as beneficial. The person who doesn’t say much, but gets a lot done is very important to a team. So is the person who plays the devil’s advocate with the leader in a productive manner to get them to think about other options. Find out which one you are and use it to yours strengths in these interviewers. Don’t let anyone outshine you, but don’t overwhelm yourself either.

Prep

• Practice answering interview questions.
• Record yourself responding to questions so you can check verbal fillers and hand gestures.
• Get a group of friends and family together, have someone moderate, and practice answering questions in a group.
• Read up on healthcare trends and practice explaining your thoughts on them concisely.
• Reflect on your role in a team and practice how to make that best shine through. Examples:
  • If you’re a leader, practice being more receptive or allowing others to speak more.
  • If you’re a role player, or someone that normally takes a backseat, practice speaking up a little more.

These are just a few suggestions on how to go kill your medical school interviews. This is an exciting part of the process, and being informed on what you’re walking in to will do wonders. You’ll feel so much more confident and prepared that it will being pouring out of you with each answer. Make sure to keep practicing and do some research on what you’re school is offering. You’ve got this now go kill it!

Schools and Interview type

Never miss another post! Sign Up for email notifications