Medical School Interviews

A personal interview precedes medical school admission. This interview is a social interaction as well as an evaluation of you and your preparation and suitability for the practice of medicine.

Important to admissions committees are motivation, maturity, empathy, enthusiasm, a realistic view of the profession, familiarity with current trends and controversies, and the changing nature of medical practice. Do not go unprepared. Read the Science Times, found in the Tuesday edition of the New York Times, and other periodicals and newspapers. In other words, pay attention to articles about this field to which you intend to devote your life. It is not expected that you will have ready answers to difficult questions, but your interest will not seem deep if you are unaware of medical issues. Think carefully in advance about responses to questions you can anticipate.

Interviewers are faculty members, administrative staff and medical students who may or may not be members of the admissions committees and who may or may not have seen your folder before your interview.  Be prepared to discuss current issues of health care and any information you provided in your application, including work you have done, your extracurricular activities, and perhaps an interest or hobby. Be aware that an interview may begin with "Tell me about yourself," and end with "Do you have anything to add?"

Remember that the interview offers the occasion to discuss the interviewer's profession, impressions of student-faculty relationships at the medical school, and so forth. With judicious and thoughtful questions of your own you can learn more about the medical school.

Preparing for the Health Professional School Admission Interview

This presentation provides advice to applicants interviewing for admission to health professional schools.

• Watch the admissions interview presentation

Medical School Interview Reports

Each year we ask medical school applicants to complete a report for each school at which they were interviewed.

• Request a username and password
• Read the reports on-line (login required)

Suggestion for M.D./Ph.D. Interview Preparation

You may want to meet with a faculty member or someone who is familiar with your research to discuss your projects or involvement in research activities. This interactive dialogue may be helpful in preparing for your M.D./Ph.D. interviews.