Health Pros: General Interview Tips 

Do your homework.

  • Understand the format of the interview — open vs. closed file, traditional vs MMI, group vs individual, etc. If the invitation doesn’t provide details, ask the admissions office for more information.
  • Review your application so your verbal answers are consistent with your written materials.
  • Know the institution. Understand the mission, teaching style, and curriculum. How do your goals and values align with theirs? Check their social media as well as the website to understand what they think is distinctive about their program.
  • Get a handle on current events. Is there anything noteworthy happening in the arena of medicine or public health?
  • Understand the basics of how medical insurance works in the U.S. Be familiar with terms like ACA, HMO, PPO, Medicare, and Medicaid.
  • Practice but don’t memorize your responses. Practice answering questions out loud and use Big Interview to self-evaluate. Schedule a mock interview in Handshake for advisor feedback.

Plan ahead for interview day.

  • Make sure you have appropriate, comfortable attire and accessories. If you are buying a new suit or shoes, “practice” wearing them for a full day before going on interviews to make sure nothing is uncomfortable or distracting.
  • It’s likely you’ll have the opportunity for a tour so your shoes should be comfortable for walking.
  • Give yourself plenty of time to arrive early by planning for rush hour and for inclement weather during the winter interview season.
  • Have some questions prepared to ask interviewers. These can be specific questions you have about the program or general questions such as how they would describe the campus culture. Make sure questions are appropriate for the audience; don’t ask faculty what students’ average rent is or what they do for fun.

Be professional at all times.

  • Be courteous to all faculty, staff, and students you meet. Assume you are being evaluated by everyone with whom you come into contact on interview day.
  • Stay engaged during any downtime by looking at posters and brochures on display. Turn off your cell phone for the day if you might be tempted to check it.
  • Meals and social time with students are part of the evaluation process. Use the time to make the case for why you’d be a good colleague and to learn more about the program.

Always be honest.

  • Share your successes, but don’t exaggerate. Medical schools can – and do – follow up with PI’s, volunteer sites, and undergraduate advisors if things don’t seem to add up.
  • If there are weaknesses or conduct issues in your application, discuss them openly. Take responsibility, explain what you learned, steps taken to address challenges or lapses in judgment, and how you’ve grown and matured in the process.
  • A single minor infraction on your record is unlikely to impact an admission decision but when dishonesty is discovered, it is likely to result in rejection or withdrawal of an admission offer.

Debrief and follow up.

  • Record your impressions of each school/city. If you have multiple interviews, it can be hard to keep details straight later in the cycle.
  • Address any remaining questions you might have. Check the school’s website first, then if questions remain, email an admissions rep or student ambassador. Don’t overdo it – there’s a fine line between seeming interested versus high maintenance.
  • If allowed, send a short thank you note to interviewers, the director of admissions, and any staff who personally assisted you during the interview day. You don’t need to thank every rater in an MMI. It can be emailed or handwritten but in either case, be sure it’s professional (grammar, spelling, greeting/closing). You can mention specific conversation points to help jog their memories and to personalize the note.
  • Don’t forget to thank the individuals who wrote letters to support your application. Update them and your CLS advisor throughout the cycle. If you didn’t authorize AMCAS, AACOMAS, etc. to release your information to your prehealth advisor, please consider adding that permission in the CAS.

Common interview formats

  • One-on-one: A traditional interview style with one interviewer. Some schools will have several one-on-one interviews with a variety of individuals (faculty, students, admissions staff, etc.). It may be highly structured or more free-flowing and conversational.
  • Panel: A traditional style where two or more individuals will ask you a series of questions.
  • Group: You will be interviewed together with several other candidates. If you feel like you are repeating another candidate’s answer, try to build on or extend their points. You might be asked to complete a group task or debate an issue; look for opportunities to collaborate and be a good teammate.
  • Multiple Mini: A scenario-based interview in which you rotate through a series of stations. You will have a few minutes to read a prompt and prepare yourself before beginning the station, where you’ll have a time limit to present your answer, perform a task, write an essay, or participate in a role-playing scenario.
  • One-way Recorded: An asynchronous interview in which you will be shown prompts and your responses will be captured by video recording. Kira is a common platform. Big Interview is a good tool for prepping for this style.
  • Group activity: You will be asked to perform a task, participate in a case study, or solve a problem with a small group of your fellow interviewees. This can be part of a traditional or MMI style interview.
  • Blind/Closed: The interviewer doesn’t have access to your application materials. They won’t know anything about your background, activities, or metrics.
  • Open: The interviewer has access to your full AMCAS and secondary application. Some interviewers will not review your file beforehand so don’t assume they know every detail.
  • Partially Open/Closed: Typically GPA and MCAT are withheld. Often your personal statement and secondary essays are shared. Your activities might be shared as well.
  • Hybrid: Some schools combine formats. For instance, Carver College of Medicine uses a blind panel interview where 50% of the time is structured and 50% is conversational, plus a case-based learning group exercise.