After Your Med School Interview: FAQs on Follow-Up Strategy

Check out our earlier posts on writing Update Letters and Letters of Intent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send more than one Letter of Intent?

You can send a couple of quasi-Letters of Intent. You can tell up to two schools: "I will likely attend" or "X school is one of my top choices." But only send an "I will attend" letter to your top choice school.

What should I do when I get notified I’ve been put on the waitlist?

Send a Letter of Intent ASAP. If you want to turn your waitlist slot into an acceptance, sending a Letter of Intent to your top choice school is extremely important. We already highlighted what such a letter should generally entail, but waitlistees may also want to do a little more. When you update a school on a major accomplishment, a new Letter of Recommendation based on it by a professor or supervisor adds a little oomph. (Adding a random recommendation that isn't about something that has happened since your application is less likely to have an impact on a school's view of you.)

How do I decide where to send my Letter of Intent?

Be strategic about your note: You only get one, so shoot your letter of intent at a likely target, a safe bet. Of course, you should love the school, but choose a school you have a reasonable chance of getting into.

After Your Med School Interview: Send a Letter of Intent

How to Send a Letter of Intent

If a school is a top contender for you, go a step beyond an Update Letter, and send a Letter of Intent. Send a Letter of Intent one or two weeks after your interview or the instant you have been waitlisted. Your letter should include relevant updates since you submitted your application (what you'd put in an Update Letter). Plus, a reiteration of your interest in the program with shoutouts to favorite offerings. Be specific about why you are interested in the medical school and try to relate those interests to your background, accomplishments, and goals. Have you worked on a study that relates to something happening in one of their labs? Do you want to be a pediatric surgeon and they are affiliated with one of the best children's hospitals in the country? Tell ‘em.

And finally—and this is what makes a Letter of Intent different from an Update Letter—include the yield protection statement: "If admitted I will attend." Keep it tight. No more than one page. Three paragraphs, max.

Medical schools have several reasons for wanting to accept people whom they know will attend. First, they want enthusiastic students who will add to the morale of the student body. They also like to know, especially as the date of matriculation nears, that the applicant they accept will attend because no medical school wants an open seat on the first day of classes. Finally, medical schools like the percentage of accepted applicants who matriculate to be as high as possible since this reflects the desirability of the medical school. (That's their "yield percentage" stat.)

Check back tomorrow for our final post on how to follow-up after your Med School Interview.

After Your Med School Interview: Send an Update Letter

Naturally, you'll have the urge to be proactive as you wait for a school's decision. In the weeks after your interview—say, two to three weeks in—you should send a letter reiterating your interest to keep the admissions office thinking about you.

We're going to go ahead and say that you should send an update letter to every school where you’ve interviewed, unless you absolutely hated one or two and are confident that you'll get in elsewhere. You should also be writing to schools you’ve yet to hear from to remind them that you’re eager to connect. (A Letter of Intent will come later and should be for your one and only true love…but there's some flexibility there. More on that tomorrow.)

"Hey, remember me?”

How to Send an Update Letter

We know of one admissions director who an applicant emailed EVERY DAY after their interview to express their continued interest in the school. Yikes. She gets it. It was beyond too much; it seemed unhinged.

You want to send a maximum of two Update Letters over a six to 10-week period that reiterate your interest in each school with program-specific details. It should include that if admitted, you will likely attend. And only send letters that include a substantive accomplishment. If you don’t think you have one—you do! We like these examples of accomplishments that one might include in an Update Letter:

• "Since submitting my application, I have increased my overall GPA to 3.8, earning an A+ in Biochemistry."

• "As I mentioned during my interview, I began an internship doing clinical research at My Local Hospital in October. In the ensuing weeks, I have pre-screened 75 potential study subjects, gaining valuable research and patient-facing experience."

• "Since applying, I gave a poster presentation on a novel postpartum hemorrhage treatment at The Very Cool National Conference."

Check back tomorrow for our post on how to send your Letter of Intent.

What to Expect in Your MMI: The Writing Station

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

The Writing Station

Not every school’s MMI will have a writing station, but the ones that do will present you with their prompt (or two and you can pick one) and a time limit. That could be eight minutes, it could be 30. The previously mentioned categories cover the type of material you might be presented with at the writing station—it could be a scenario, policy, or personal question. The only thing that makes this station different is that it is testing your written communication skills.

As we have said throughout this guide, focus on clarity in your writing. If you complete your answer, don’t feel the need to add more. You’re allowed to be done early. You might find that you run out of time and that you’re cut off before you complete your response. That’s a shame—but it happens. Don’t dwell on it. The content you have hopefully expresses some strong reasoning, etc. You likely did just fine.

What to Expect in Your MMI: Teamwork Activities

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

Teamwork Activities

Some schools will assess you in teamwork activities that you complete with another applicant. The pair of you might be asked to create an action plan together or one of you may act as an instructor and the other as a doer. (And then that gets flipped in a second exercise.)

An interviewer might ask you to build something with Lego blocks or do a puzzle together within a short timeframe. Only one of you can see a picture of the finished product, and the other person must listen to verbal instructions to assemble it. Medicine is intensely collaborative, so as silly as it seems to build a primary-colored train together, this activity will show some important communication skills. (And because more medical schools are shifting towards small group learning experiences—they want to see how you'd behave in them.)

Other schools may ask you and a larger team to find a solution to a problem or create a plan for a future program together. Things can get a little more heated here because opinions play more of a role. The most important thing to remember is that your teammates are not your competition, they are your colleagues. You won't impress your interviewers by bulldozing the other applicants and dominating the session.

Of course, you want to speak up, express your thoughts and opinions, and show leadership—but you must have a team in order to lead. Introduce yourself to your new teammates; try to remember their names and drop those names in when building upon something someone else has said. Empowering your teammates is a big deal. If you notice someone being left out of the conversation, be the person who asks, "What do you think, Tony?”

You don't have to compliment your teammates’ every suggestion but at least know what they've said so that you're always adding to it—not repeating it. If you're blocking out what a teammate is saying because you're waiting for your turn to speak, you will not do well in this team activity.

What if I don't finish?

That's okay! This isn't really about building the Lego train. You might be paired with a partner who is so nervous that they can't focus. If you're the instructor in this activity, keep your cool and show patience with your partner. Search for new ways of explaining the same concept. If you are the doer, ask thoughtful questions. This is going to reflect well on you, finished project or not.

What to Expect in Your MMI: “Teach Me How to Tie a Shoe.”

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

“Teach Me How to Tie a Shoe.”

Another potential task you might do with an actor or interviewer is walk them through a process step-by-step. One example is telling someone how to tie a shoe. Now that you’ve thought about that for a sec, you see how this might be difficult, right? Be patient with the other person and yourself. Choose your words carefully and if you make a mistake, backtrack without panic. The point of a task like this is to test your communication skills. Are you being clear? Are you being comprehensive? Are you asking your partner what they want to know more about? Are you keeping a calm tone the way we’d want a doctor to when they’re explaining a complex treatment plan?

What to Expect in Your MMI: Role-Playing Scenarios

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

Role-Playing Scenarios

"Enter the room and…" Not every school that utilizes the MMI will use role-play. But if they do, you could be presented with scenarios—in an in-person interview, it is sometimes taped to the door of a room—in which you must enter the room and speak to the actor inside as if they were your patient, a patient's family member, your colleague, or a close friend. An interviewer might be in the room watching, or there might be a camera in the room catching your big debut. (Since more schools have moved to doing interviews remotely, the “room” might be on Zoom or Kira.) Time yourself doing these practice prompts. In addition to other MMI prep, an AP advisor can act as a patient and give you notes at the end of the session.

You're not always going to "win" these scenarios. Your fake patient could continue to push back against your advice, etc. The point here is to show your empathy, thought process, and—this is the part people mess up—your ability to listen. Ask your partner questions about their thoughts, fears, or concerns. Don't give a soliloquy. Yes, this is your interview but in real life, these interactions would be conversations. Encourage an exchange. And don't be afraid to shut up sometimes.

Think about how you'd handle these scenarios:

• A patient is refusing a treatment that would prolong his life because of its side effects. The patient's family passionately wants him to submit to treatment. Speak to this family.

• A physician’s assistant in your gynecology practice has repeatedly misgendered a trans patient. Your patient is upset. Talk to this PA.

• Your patient is terminally ill. Tell them.

• A hostile patient is demanding an opioid prescription for a supposed back injury—his X-ray does not show such an injury. Talk to this patient.

• Your best friend has been struggling with depression and is self-medicating with alcohol. Talk to her.

• You overhear a colleague using a racial stereotype when talking about a patient. Enter the room and talk to him.

• Your patient wants to hold off on starting a cancer treatment plan until after a family vacation in three months. Her condition is advanced, and you don’t think she should do this. Talk to this patient.

What to Expect in Your MMI: The Picture Station

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

The Picture Station

It’s possible that your MMI will include a picture station, where you are presented with an image and asked to describe it. The image could show something emotionally evocative or medicine-related or look like a vacation photo. Like most MMI stations, this one tests your communication skills. The most important thing to do here is to deliver a comprehensive response. Don’t just share what is in the image, share how the image is presented. (“On the right side…”) If the image is related to a current event or medical task, share what you know about it. If the picture makes you feel a certain emotion, share that too.

What to Expect in Your MMI: Healthcare Policy Questions

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

Healthcare Policy Questions

A blunt quiz show question on healthcare today may be in the mix. Something like: "What is an HMO?" As we mentioned in the chapter’s intro, while interviewers will never ask you to diagnose anything, they will try to find out how much you know about the world of healthcare. How well read are you? How informed? The only way to answer a question like this is to be informed. So, know some basics.

And follow the news: Is there an antibiotic shortage? Is there a controversial new Alzheimer’s treatment? Did research scientists recently grow a human nose on a pig’s back? You don’t have to have read every behind-a-paywall study that has been written in the last two years, but certainly be up on the stuff that’s in the mainstream media.

An interviewer may ask for your opinion on hot-button issues in healthcare. Think: "What are your thoughts on stem cell research?" If you don’t have an opinion on a topic because you don’t know much about it, acknowledge that it is an important or controversial topic, then pivot to something relevant that you know about in-depth. Something like: "I have not done a ton of reading on stem cell research. But because of my clinical research position, I have worked with a novel treatment and believe that…" will have to do.

Here are some other questions to ponder:

• What would you say is the biggest challenge facing medicine today? Why?

• Do you think doctors are paid too much?

• What are your thoughts on predictive and pre-symptomatic genetic testing?

What to Expect in Your MMI: Small But Giant Prompts

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

Small But Giant Prompts

Not every MMI prompt will be hypothetical-scenario-based. Some will be like those comically brief traditional interview questions encouraging huge, important answers. Yes, "Why our school?" could rear its head again. To answer this, connect the dots between your past experiences and current interests, with what is happening at the school, what resources they have, etc. Be ready for “Tell me about a time that you failed” and “Tell me about a time when you had a conflict” again too.

Related: What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: "Tell Me About A Time When..."

What to Expect in Your MMI: Critical Thinking Scenarios

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

Critical Thinking Scenarios

Here’s the thing: Every question you’re asked in an MMI is going to require critical thinking and explaining your thought process. We’re simply adding this short selection of questions that obviously require critical thinking so that you can more consciously practice meeting those goals.

• A patient with breast cancer is curious about Eastern Medicine, particularly acupuncture. How would you discuss this topic with her?

• How would you handle multiple patients leaving negative reviews about you online?

• What should be the primary focus of medicine—preventing or treating disease?

• What is responsible conduct in medical research?

What to Expect in Your MMI: Moral & Ethical Scenarios (Part 3)

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

Other Probing Moral and Ethical Prompts.

Consider how you would respond to these additional Moral and Ethical prompts:

• You’re a year-three medical student. A classmate tells you he plans on cheating on your next exam. What do you do?

• Is it ever okay to lie to a patient? To a patient's family?

• Your cousin was injured in a car accident. Her doctor declined to prescribe her prescription pain medication, telling her to take over-the-counter meds instead. She seems to be in a lot of pain—and she has never abused substances. Do you prescribe her a medication?

• A patient has tested positive for an STI and indicates that he will not be telling his partner about it. His partner is also your patient. What do you do?

• You catch a colleague sleeping on the job. Do you address this? How?

• A patient covered in bruises confesses that they're being abused by their partner but insists that they have things under control now. What do you do?

• A meteor is about to hit Earth. You can save five people. Who do you choose?

When Morality and Ethics Collide.

There are times when your personal beliefs may conflict with your ability to provide a legal medical procedure, such as abortion or physician-assisted death. So, what then? You can be a conscientious objector. But that doesn’t preclude you from providing your patient with information on a doctor who would not have the same objections that you do. Would you do that? Walk the interviewer through your thought process and proposed actions.

Conversely, you might find that a patient's or patient’s family’s strong beliefs conflict with your goals as a doctor. “Our applicants struggled with one scenario we presented in the past in which a patient in a coma requires a blood transfusion,” shares one admissions team member. “The patient is a Jehovah’s Witness, and some members—including this patient’s outspoken family—believe their religion forbids blood transfusions. So, what do you do as the patient’s physician? I would struggle with that scenario too.” Your response to this is personal. We just want to set you up for the possibility of such a question and encourage you to break down your reasoning when responding, even if you cannot come to a conclusion that you feel is 100% the right move.

What to Expect in Your MMI: Moral & Ethical Scenarios (Part 2)

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

Moral and Ethical Scenarios.

Think about how you would answer this ethical question: A minor teenage patient asks you for a prescription for birth control pills—and doesn't want their parents to know about it. How would you handle this request?

Here's an example of a response to this question:

"If there are neither state laws limiting my ability nor significant health risks present, I would give my teenage patient a prescription for birth control without their parents’ knowledge. I would not tell their parents because the teen is my patient and deserves doctor-patient confidentiality. But there are things I would want to discuss before providing this prescription.

I would first provide my patient with information on all their birth control options. I'd advise my patient to use condoms as a secondary form of contraception to prevent STIs and ask them what they know about STIs.

Next, I'd want to establish that they want to have sex and that this isn't a case of a partner pressuring them to have sex. If the latter is true, it wouldn't determine whether I'd prescribe birth control, but it would influence our conversation, as I'd want to take care of my patient's mental health as well as their physical health. I'd also ask about their partner's (or partners’) age. Many age of consent laws have a close-in-age exemption, but some do not. I’d inform my patient if that was the case in our state, just so they’re aware of certain risks. If my patient revealed that they were already sexually active with a partner who was older than 18, I'd refer to my state's age of consent. I am required by law to report any suspected child abuse. I would also direct my patient to information on predatory behaviors.

If their partner was their same age, I likely would not weigh in on a 16- or 17-year-old’s choices beyond asking the aforementioned questions and providing helpful resources. But I might respectfully discourage a younger patient from having sex in the same way that I'd encourage a young patient to take care of their still maturing body and mind in other ways. (I know I'd advise my 14-year-old cousin or niece to consider waiting to have sex.) But again, I would still give a prescription to any patient that I legally can prescribe to, whether I was a family doctor or practicing at a sexual health center."

This is not a gut reaction—it's thoughtful, it's careful. This response considers legality—that's important. It involves a thorough conversation between doctor and patient. Wanting to connect shows empathy and asking the patient questions and providing answers to questions that they have or haven’t asked shows strong communication skills. The answer also expresses the respondent's personal beliefs; they would advise a 14-year-old relative to think more before having sex at such a young age. You might think this info has no place in the answer, but the interviewer wants to hear your internal monologue, not only what you'd say aloud to the patient. What matters most is that your resulting action is based on facts and that you showed your patient respect, not harsh judgment. You may not agree with this sample answer—but you should understand why it's a strong one.

What to Expect in Your MMI: Moral & Ethical Scenarios (Part 1)

Schools' MMI questions are randomized and confidential. (You might have to sign a confidentiality agreement before a Multiple Mini Interview.) Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But practicing the various types of MMI responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time. Having an Apply Point consultant administer a mock MMI will add the bonus of thoughtful feedback.

Moral and Ethical Scenarios.

These prompts are the ones that terrify applicants. They feel so high stakes. For example: Decide which of these two patients gets an organ transplant. Geez Louise.

Many MMI questions—especially the ones about morals and ethics—may omit details you might've considered when contemplating your answer. Fill in those blanks and consider them still because your answer could be conditional from an ethical or legal standpoint. "Conditional" does not mean wishy-washy but rather "If X factor is present, then my answer is Y."

Think about how you would answer this ethical question: A minor teenage patient asks you for a prescription for birth control pills—and doesn't want their parents to know about it. How would you handle this request?

You might reflexively have an answer to this—but pause and consider potential conditional factors, even if you ultimately dismiss them. Beyond answering your patient's request, what else might you discuss with your patient? You might ponder these questions:

• Are there legal matters to consider?

• Are there health risks to consider?

• Is your patient sexually active already or considering becoming sexually active?

• Is your patient 13 or 17?

• Will your patient be using a second form of protection to prevent STIs?

• Are they being pressured into a sexual relationship?

• Is there anything you should know about their partner/partners—like how old they are?

• If those things were not factors in your decision making, why not?

Check back tomorrow for a sample response to this question.

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Bonus Thoughts

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety. But there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next week, we will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the question types you can expect and provide response structures and practice questions.  

Throughout this series, we’ve reviewed the key question types that you should expect to answer in your medical school interview. Now, some final thoughts:

• Know who you are presenting. The “you” at your interview should align with the one you presented in your primary and secondary application materials. Some of your interview questions will be like ones you answered in your application, so review your application to stay on message. We even recommend that you take a copy with you on interview day so that you can review it as you wait.

• Everything is on the table. All of the information you included in your application is fair game. The interviewer can ask about a hardship, emotional experience, or disciplinary action. Be prepared to address it calmly. During a Q&A, one dean shared that a prospective student cried during his interview. However sympathetic an interviewer may be, this lack of emotional regulation is not a good look. If there's a topic that could throw you off your game or elicit an emotional response, practice talking about it. 

• Use stories to make your point. We know this has come up a lot, but it’s important. Every answer you give should include a story about one of your experiences or something you've learned, even if the question doesn't outwardly demand a story. (For example, "Why medicine?") 

• Be direct. Keep your answers to most questions between one-and-a half and three minutes. Practice responses to our sample questions aloud. You don't have to memorize your answers. Just acclimate yourself to the topics and time limit. We like using flashcards to prepare for interviews. Put the Q on one side, and bullet points of what you want to say on the other.

• Medical schools are looking for real people. You don’t have to be perfect. Just be you. And within appropriate limits, don’t be afraid to expose some vulnerability.

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Wildcard Questions

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety. But there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next week, we will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the question types you can expect and provide response structures and practice questions.  

Wildcard Questions

In any interview you should expect something… unexpected. It could be a fun question about what makes you special, or it could be a logistical question like: "How will you pay for medical school?" 

As with all interview responses, how you back up an answer matters more than the answer itself. So, even if the question is something like "What do you do for fun?" it should subtly hint at one or two of your finer qualities. You don't have to say, "I study extra hard for fun! All I love is studying because I am a serious person!" That's disingenuous. But if you say, "I take salsa classes," share why in a revealing way: "I take salsa classes. I love Latin music and I am nothing but present on the dance floor. Having a partner reminds me to be attuned to her. And having a place to be every Tuesday night makes me even more diligent at work. I've come in early a few times just so I know I can be out the door by 5 PM to make it to my 6 o'clock class." 

Questions you may be asked:

• Teach me something.

• If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

• How would your best friend describe you?

• Who is someone you admire? Why?

• What do you do for exercise?

• Do you think the MCAT is a good measurement of one’s readiness for medical school?

• How do you think you did during this interview?

• What will you do if you're not accepted to medical school? (Oof, right? Is your plan to gain more clinical or research experience and try again? Try a post-bacc or Master's program and try again?)

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: “What are Your Thoughts on [Current Event in Healthcare]?"

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety. But there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next week, we will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the question types you can expect and provide response structures and practice questions.  

General Healthcare News

You will not be asked medical questions during your interview. No one is going to need you to walk them through setting a bone. But you should be prepared to speak about the medical field and current events related to it. Your interviewers want to know that you're keeping up with the times and that you've deeply considered some of the big questions that come with this work.

Spend some time each day reviewing the news. The New York Times is great for current events related to health care, as are MedPage Today, MedScape, and Stat News. We also recommend that you set up Google alerts for key phrases related to healthcare and/or your research interests and desired specialty to ensure you’re up to date.

You may be asked:

• What have you been following in healthcare news lately that is of particular interest to you?

• What healthcare-related or academic publications do you read?

• Do you have an opinion on the current [X medical news] controversy?

• What would you say is a major problem in the healthcare system today?

• What do you think is the greatest medical development in history?

• What's the difference between Medicare and Medicaid?

• What can be done about rising healthcare costs?

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: “Why Our Medical School?"

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety. But there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next week, we will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the question types you can expect and provide response structures and practice questions.  

Why Our School?

Or: "Tell me why you are interested in this program," etc. This interview prompt will appear, in some form. Obviously, your response should include school-specific details, like what labs or research opportunities you'll take advantage of, what technologies or unique resources they utilize that maybe aren't available at other schools, which professors you're eager to learn from, the student clinics or affiliated hospitals you'd like to work at, and maybe even what you like about the area. And don’t forget to bridge these details with your past experiences and future goals to reinforce your interest in these offerings. 

Whatever you do, don't say something ingratiating and general: "It's an esteemed program where I'll learn from esteemed physicians who lead their esteemed fields." We're teasing about this phrasing, but "esteemed" gets thrown around a lot in responses like this, and what it reads as is essentially: "If I praise you enough, will you let me in?" 

Just answer the question with a couple of salient details and you'll be golden. 

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: “Make a Claim”

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety. But there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next week, we will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the question types you can expect and provide response structures and practice questions.  

Make a Claim and Back it Up Responses

Claim Questions are simple and direct—but your answer should be complex and direct. Just like with your Situation-Action-Result (SAR) responses, you will want to use stories here, not just statements. The question may ask you about attributes or skills you have, but do not be fooled, they're not looking for a list. The interviewer wants to hear examples of when you’ve exhibited those things. Go ahead and use multiple examples! They don't all have to be long, but they should be detailed. 

Some questions will be about the hypothetical future, things you'd do as a medical student or doctor. Think: "What would you do if a colleague made a serious clinical mistake?" An ethical question like this should still be backed up with experiences, if possible, or anecdotes that prove that you have the qualities you claim to have. "In the past, I've been quick to remedy others' mistakes. During my work at a university lab…" You want to show your critical thinking too. Explain your thought process, "If I was close to this colleague, I would…”

Questions could also seem to require opinion-only responses. Something like: "What are your feelings about euthanasia?" But don't get it twisted. This is a "make a claim and back it up"-question. You believe or don't believe in it “because…”

One question that you'll almost certainly be asked: What qualities do you have that will make you a good physician?

Other “make a claim and back it up”-questions that you may be asked:

• How will you add to the diversity of our school?

• What is your greatest strength?

• How do you deal with stress?

• Explain your academic path. (Here, focus on the positives and how they led you to medicine. Illustrate this with maybe three poignant experiences.)

• Where do you see yourself in 10 years? (Here, you can share both past experiences and what you hope to learn in medical school that will help you achieve this goal.)

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: "Tell Me About A Time When..."

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety. But there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next week, we will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the question types you can expect and provide response structures and practice questions.  

Situation, Action, Result Responses

Using stories to make your point engages your interviewer, brings your personality and background to life, and makes your responses more memorable. Almost every answer you give should include a story about one of your experiences or something you've learned, even if the question doesn't outwardly demand a story. (For example, "Why medicine?")

However, there are some questions that you MUST answer with a story. These are "SAR responses" because you'll describe the situation (20% of the response), the action you took, and the result (collectively, 80% of the response). SAR questions are easily identified as they typically lead with prompts such as “Tell me about a time when…” However, questions such as “Tell me about your biggest failure/mistake/weakness.” also fall into the SAR category. Some SAR prompts will be familiar because many schools use them as Secondary questions. Go right ahead and reuse any applicable application responses. Those were your experiences and your takeaways, after all. 

Practice responses to prompts like these:

• Describe a failure and what you learned from it.

• Tell me about a time when you challenged the group consensus.

• Tell me about a time when you took on a leadership role.

• Tell me about an experience when you've learned from people different from yourself.

• Tell me about an ethical dilemma and what you decided to do.

• Tell me about a time when you came up with an imaginative solution to a problem.