The following is a list of questions that medical school panels often ask. You will see many of the questions we have been asking for some time. For those that are not familiar the format changes significantly depending on where you go. Locally, The University of Minnesota, twin cities campus has a very casual interview while walking around their campus. There are some sit down sessions but all in all very relaxing for the students. UMD will conduct interviews with one or two panel members. Some students have visited with only one person. The UND process has a panel in that includes Ph.D., MD, students and local citizens. The panel will have 3 or 4 members.
Most interviews last 30 - 40 minutes.
These questions come from a feedback form that I have been giving students. Additional questions are from interview websites specific for the three aforementioned institutions. The intensity and depth of questions will vary depending on who is giving the interview and not as much which school is conducting the interview.
Good websites for info on the interview are:
http://medplaza.com/premed/index.php3
and
as well as
I have a handout called Whatcha gonna do when they come for you? Preparing your responses for your interview. This is from the Winter 1998 vol. 18 of The Advisor. It helps students learn to manage the interview preparation and responses.
The questions are listed in no particular order.
- Why should we pick you over another student with the same credentials
- Why do you want to go into medicine and not PA school, nursing or teaching? (research can be inserted here depending on the applicant).
- You've just finished your first year of med school and you find out your roommate has been cheating. This has been a long time activity. What are you going to do? - The idea is to get them to think about the quality of care this physician will give to patients.
- If you enjoy research so much, why don't you get a Ph.D.?
- What is your view on abortion?
- What would you do if a fifteen year old girl came to you requesting (birth control / abortion or a really cool tattoo - OK that one was mine to see if you are reading these).
- What is/are the last/few books you've read?
- What would you consider to be your failures in life?
- Tell me about your patient care experience. What did it teach you?
- You have a 14-year-old patient with acute appendicitis who needs an operation immediately. You are prepared to perform the procedure but the parents will not sign the consent form due to religious beliefs. What will you do?
- Who is your role model?
- What are your hobbies?
- What two things that has influenced you to make you who you are today?
- Examine both sides of the euthanasia debate
- How did you develop an interest in family medicine?
- What type of patient would you find most difficult to deal with?
- If you walked into an exam room and a 15-year old girl confessed that she (is pregnant / wanted birth control pills - depro ) what would you do?
- Describe a situation where you were part of a team?
-
What are your interests outside of school?
-
Tell me about
yourself
-
Why do you
want to be a doctor?
-
What do you
see yourself doing in 10/15 years?
-
What are your
strengths and weaknesses (positive/negative qualities)?
-
Why do you
want to come to our school?
-
What other
schools have you applied to
-
What
questions do you have for me
- Expect a current events question about health care, HMOs, etc.
- What personal characteristics do you have that would make you an outstanding X?
- What are the strengths of your training? Weaknesses?
- Which area of . . . interests you the most?
- What do you hope to be doing ten years from now?
- How do you feel about increasing governmental involvement in the health professions?
- How do you feel about socialized medicine?
- How has a major in . . . prepared you for . . . school?
- If you had your education to do over again, what would you do differently?
- Do you think medicine is an art or a science?
- Describe yourself for me.
- Tell me about your family background.
- What do you know about our school?
- How do you feel about euthanasia? How is it similar and different from "mercy killing?"
- What special area of . . . interests you the most? The least?
- What do think is the single greatest problem facing . . . today?
- Would you tell a patient that he is dying? How would you go about it?