Interview Preparation (Part 1)
Written by Anthony Siu, Beata Wong
Having gone through the endless days of UCAT, BMAT practise, and finally submitting your personal statement after spending entire nights editing them, it is a relief to see that all those hard work paid off - CONGRATULATIONS on securing an interview offer! Being just one step away from medical school, it's natural to feel excited but nervous at the same time, especially if you are like me, who thinks that they are much better at taking written exams than attending interviews and answering questions on the spot. In fact, a lot of us felt this way during our application, but there weren't any advice online that came to our rescue at the time. By posting tips from our own experience, we hope this blog can help you start your preparation for the upcoming interviews!
First and foremost, let's talk about how to prepare for the questions asked in an interview:
On tackling ethical questions…
Read up on the 4 ethical pillars (autonomy, benevolence, non-maleficence, justice) and other common ethical concepts such as confidentiality, consent. competence. Read a few cases related to these principles if you have time but most importantly, practice tackling different ethical scenarios using the principles.
If you have time, read up on common ethical topics like euthanasia and abortion, or ethical dilemmas that will often happen in a healthcare setting.
On tackling healthcare profession related questions…
Make sure you know the essential qualities of being a doctor and be able to differentiate it from other occupations or healthcare workers. (This will be useful to tackle questions like 'Why would you want to study medicine instead of nursing/pharmacy/physiotherapy?' or 'Why do you think you are suitable for a career in medicine?' or ‘Why should my medical school take you in?’)
Be clear about what you have done during your work experiences and volunteering work and most importantly what you have learnt, what qualities have you observed/gained and how they are a good addition to a career in medicine. I would prefer jotting some special events down in a notebook and read them right before your interview so your memory is refreshed.
Don’t worry if you don’t have any face-to-face/hands on work experiences in the past 1-2 years due to COVID-19! Your virtual exchange/work experiences will also be a precious thing to speak about during your interview, and remember, everyone is on the same boat so you didn’t lose out!
On tackling questions with multiple options to choose from…
Don’t second guess your answer! A lot of the times if you need to choose between options there isn’t a definite right or wrong answer! Even if the professor frowns or challenges you, they are probably just trying to test how you cope with stress or difficult situations. Remember the key is your explanation to why you choose that option!
Some general tips …
Greet your interviewer(s) politely, some would prefer doing handshakes, others don't so it depends on how your interviewer reacts. Don't be afraid to ask for 10-20 seconds of thinking time if you need to recollect your thoughts, it would be much better than just starting off waffling. You could also ask the interviewer to repeat a question politely if you are confused.
You can use hand gestures (count using yours fingers) or numbers (firstly, secondly, etc) to keep your response on tract if you have a few points to list. This will make your answer more structured and organised.
If your interview is in multiple mini interviews (MMI) format…
Remember every station is a new start! It doesn’t matter if you screw up the last one because the other interviewers wouldn't know so you wouldn't have left a 'bad' impression, let alone the fact that you wouldn't know if you have really done badly until the results come out! Practice clearing up your mind after every station and make sure you are completely refreshed for the new one!
Practice working with a friend/family member as it might involve tasks that you will need to cooperate with an actor such as describing a photo, completing a puzzle or doing an origami. Remember to always remain calm and listen carefully if you need to follow instructions from the examiner to complete a task and don't be scared to ask for a repeat if you need to. Speak confidently and clearly if you are the one giving instructions. Be compassionate, encouraging and understanding if the actor couldn't follow you well, this might be a quality that they're testing you on!