O.K. Here is the scoop... After having felt the strongest motivation of my life to follow medicine, and having had great experiences over the past year on my way to acceptance to the school of my choice, I am frozen with fear while awaiting my interview. I am a 31 year old wife and mother of three, 9, 7, and 4. I finished my degree in 1997 with a 3.15 gpa while taking care of my two under two and commuting four hours a day. I worked in public health as a Microbiologist and then as an Environmental Health inspector. I have a passion for nature and the environment. I want to be a primary care physician in my (somewhat) rural community in Washington State. I live about 2 hours from Seattle. Bill, my husband, has chosen to stay home with our three kids who we are currently homeschooling. He also tinkers with our internet business and take classes over the web. All I really ever wanted in returning to school and applying to medical school is to attend the University of Washington and then return to my cozy little community. Now, I am interviewing there on Friday and I cannot even sleep! I am worried that I will fail miserably and lose all chances of attending UWSOM. And, I am worried I will get in and have to sell my house, find homes for my pets and move my sheltered rural life and family to Seattle. Is this the normal jitters associated with interviewing? I am also afraid that they will ask me, "Why should we let you in?" Or maybe some question about current events that I have not gotten a handle on! Any advice? ENCOURAGEMENT??? Thanks.
Hi there, Congratulations on your interview! In today’s climate, getting an interview means that you have a pretty fair shot of getting in. As for worrying about your interview, either you are going to get in, you are going to be waitlisted and get in or you are waitlisted and don’t get in or you are not going to get in and are rejected after the interview. Have in your head, scenarios for each case and run them through in your mind so that you develop a comfort level with each. If you need some questions to ask, look at the question list from the thread “31 Things that I wished I had asked” printed above. Make a list and have some questions to ask. Don’t worry about them asking you question that you can’t answer. If you don’t know the answer, say that you don’t know and move on. Don’t lie or mis-represent yourself because you think that you are saying what the admissions committee wants to hear. Also, don’t let the other interviewees psyche you into thinking that they are far superior. This is a common traditional pre-med technique. Dress nicely, speak nicely (practice in front of a mirror if you don’t know what you will look like) and answer each question honestly. Be sure to thank your interviewer. Take copies of every thing that you sent to the school. I can’t tell you how many schools didn’t have a copy of this or that when I finally arrived. After my first interview, I came with copies so make copies of your complete application and take them with you. Also, review everything that you wrote on your application in case you are asked to clarify anything. If you put everything in a folder, you can hold onto it while you are sitting there to keep your palms from getting sweaty or to keep you hands from shaking. Make a note of everyone’s name (secretary, assistants, interviewer) on a small index card and write a thank-you note after the interview. Be sure to mention names of specific people who were helpful. If you write your thank-you note to the interviewer specifically, be sure to send a courtesy copy to the Dean of Admissions. Medical school interviews are for the interviewer to get to know you on a personal level. It will be up to the interviewer to sell you to the rest of the committee if the interviewer is a member of the admissions committee. I can’t repeat often enough. Don’t lie, don’t mis-represent yourself. If you truly put your best effort into your application and it was good enough for an interview invitation, then don’t try to embellish during the interview. There was something on those pages that made the committee want to interview you so go from there. Everyone is nervous during an interview but don’t let your nerves keep you from listening to and answering the questions that the interviewer asks. If you are not up on current affairs, state this and move on. Most medical students do not watch the evening news. It’s the nature of the beast. Avoid any strong perfumes, garish make-up, dangly earrings, loud colors and un-polished shoes. Wear conservative but comfortable shoes. When I led tours at my medical school, many women came in very high and very uncomfortable shoes. They were not able to keep up with the tours because their feet hurt. By the time they got to the actual interview, they were distracted. One-inch heels or flat shoes are fine as long as they are well polished and not new. Finally, enjoy this experience. It is just one more step toward attaining your goal. Good luck and let us know how it goes! Remember, that you were not intevited to the interview to find out why they should accept or reject you, you were invited so that they can get to know you better and put a face with the information on the application. Natalie
I am a 31 year old wife and mother of three, 9, 7, and 4. I finished my degree in 1997 with a 3.15 gpa while taking care of my two under two and commuting four hours a day. I worked in public health as a Microbiologist and then as an Environmental Health inspector. I have a passion for nature and the environment. I want to be a primary care physician in my (somewhat) rural community in Washington State. I live about 2 hours from Seattle. Bill, my husband, has chosen to stay home with our three kids who we are currently homeschooling. He also tinkers with our internet business and take classes over the web. All I really ever wanted in returning to school and applying to medical school is to attend the University of Washington and then return to my cozy little community. Now, I am interviewing there on Friday and I cannot even sleep!
Please look at what you just wrote...it's impressive! You've juggled and balanced where others would have given up. Speaks volumes about your character and ability. Congratulations on this interview...it's normal to be a little nervous, but you do need sleep between now and then. Breathe, pray, take a walk, meditate, do some yoga...whatever YOU do to get your head in the right place. Vent to a friend --- like us! --- about how nervous you are. It's okay to do. I'm kinda in the same boat, only on the other side of the interview. I got accepted and now I'm looking at selling our lovely home, moving my family to two states away, and have all those things of that need to fall into place to consider. That's everything from my husband's career, the children's schooling & making new friends, and physically moving to a new home (that we haven't found yet) to getting tranquilizers for our yellow lab who does not like long car rides and finding a new home for our fish. I'ts a lot to handle, but I'll do it...and you probably will too! I can tell you that my interviewers seemed very impressed with the balancing of academics, working, and family. Very!! At the very least, your succuess in this process so far shows your ability to prioritize, work hard and balance your academic and family needs. Most of "the kids" haven't yet had this opportunity to show that...it's a 'selling point' in your interview. So breathe, good luck...you'll probably be fine!
You will do great! You have had some great experiences to draw from when you answer questions so don't worry. It is perfectly normal to feel some jitters but they will dissipate as the interview commences. You should feel really proud. UW is very competetive and a fantastic primary care school, receiving an interview shows really how far you have come. Please let us know how it goes. Good luck from a fellow former health inspector.
Hi There, Have you done a 'mock' interview with anyone at your school's career department? This a wonderful service that you might consider availing yourself of if you are not sure about your articulating skills under stress. It is one thing to think about answers, another to actually speak with some degree of grace. I did two of them! One focused on the stuff Natalie wrote about–what to wear and how to act etc. The other was a person asking common professional interview questions and then giving me excellent feedback on my answers. It made a HUGE difference in my actual interview–because nerves were at play–and when the inevitable questions came, I was prepared–because I had answered them outloud not too long before. (I didn't feel contrived or phony–just well prepared.) The mock interviewer gave me a list of questions after we were done. If you like, I can try to post them for you–or somehow get them to you for your perusal. You can do it!! Sue
: Now, I am interviewing there on Friday and I cannot even sleep! I am worried that I will fail miserably and lose all chances of attending UWSOM. And, I am worried I will get in and have to sell my house, find homes for my pets and move my sheltered rural life and family to Seattle. Is this the normal jitters associated with interviewing? I am also afraid that they will ask me, "Why should we let you in?" Or maybe some question about current events that I have not gotten a handle on!
yes, this is normal jitters - both "what if I don't get in" and "what if I get in" seem to evoke strong emotions no matter what - when you are emotionally invested in the outcome, it is hard not to have these strong feelings. don't worry too much about 'why should we let you in' - that was the secondary. at this point they want to get to know you and see how you would fit with their upcoming class - so they ask questions to make sure you can express your desire for medicine, have thought about what it means to go into medicine at this point in time, etc. You probably won't get many of the "if you were a tree, what kind would you be?" or "describe yourself in one word" questions, but you might. But even if you do, those are just ice-breaker kinds of questions anyway - just to watch you think on your feet. and with your background, you already know how to do that. best of luck on your interview - I know what it is to interview at your #1 choice. Lisa
Hi guys! Thanks for the encouragement. I really appreciate it! I think I am just suffering from the jitters... Hopefully, I can relax and get some sleep in the next two nights. I know I have prepared as much as I can. Reading NYTimes at this point won't help much. I will post after my interview to let you all know how it goes. Lorena
Greetings from a fellow Washingtonian! Congratulations and best wishes on your upcoming interview! Your public health background and desire to practice rural medicine here in the state will serve you well! I know you’ve probably heard this a million times, but it is perfectly normal to be nervous! As the previous posts have stated, relax, and be yourself! BEST WISHES! Jeff in Seattle PS……The UW is really into Medical Ethics. Here is a link to their ethics site: UW Ethics
Hi Again, Here are the questions. Shamelessly lifted in the spirit of helping a fellow OPMer. This and Natalie’s list are the bomb. Sue POTENTIAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL OPEN-ENDED/PERSONAL Who are you? Why medical school? How would a friend describe you? How are you unique? List three things you want me to know about you. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Why should we accept you? Tell me about yourself. MOTIVATION/SINCERITY What other careers have you explored? Do you feel that you have a realistic view of medical school? Do you understand what the life of a doctor entails? What will you do if you don’t get into medical school? Why do you want to attend this school? Is this school your top choice? Where else have you applied? Would you consider a foreign medical school? Where do you see yourself in 10/20/30 years from now? What do you want to specialize in? How do you plan to pay for medical school? What do you hope to get out of medicine? Do you have any concerns about this school? Do you have any ideas about your residency? Have you considered the advantages/disadvantages of living in this area? QUALIFICATIONS and EXPERIENCE What work experience have you had? What health-care experience have you had? Tell me about your research experience. How have you prepared yourself for a career in medicine? What clinical/hospital experience have you had? How have you contributed to your community? Tell me about a time you have helped someone. What volunteer experience have you had? What’s your toughest subject? KNOWLEDGE of THE MEDICAL FIELD What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the field of medicine today? Demonstrate your understanding of HMOs, PPOs, and third-party providers. Are you aware of the upcoming surplus of doctors? How do you feel about it? How do you feel about the debate over the hours residents are forced to work? How would you advise patients who are interested in visiting an acupuncturist or chiropractor? What do you think about medical advice being available on the Web? Express your opinions on: genetic engineering; the future of technology in medicine; government health-care issues; the high cost of health care; doctor’s salaries; hospice care; alternative medicine; the role of spirituality in healing… PERSONALITY and BACKGROUND Tell me about a significant event in your life and how it shaped you. Do you plan to have a family? If so, how will you balance your work and your family life? Do you have a favorite book/class/professor? Who do you not get along with and why? Which of your qualities would you want to pass down to your children? What about yourself would you change if you could? What three material objects are most important to you? What people have influenced you and how? Do you have any heroes? How do you handle stress? Give me an example of a time you contributed to a group effort. Tell me about a cross-cultural experience you have had. What do you do in your free time? What are your hobbies? What is your number one accomplishment? ETHICS/CHARACTER Would you work in an AIDS clinic? Would you prescribe birth control pills to a minor without parental consent? Have you ever cheated or helped a friend cheat? How will you deal with know-it-all patients? Give your opinions on: Genetic engineering; Abortion; Euthanasia; Providing clean needles to addicts; Supplying condoms to schools; Animal research… (Back to “Graduate/Professional School Search” page)
Hi again, I went to my interview today at UW. It went really well. Hopefully I will be hearing from them shortly with an acceptance letter! Thanks for the encouragement and advice. I really appreciate it. Lorena
Express your opinions on: government health-care issues; the high cost of health care; alternative medicine; the role of spirituality in healing… Would you work in an AIDS clinic? Would you prescribe birth control pills to a minor without parental consent? Give your opinions on: ... Abortion; Euthanasia; Providing clean needles to addicts; Supplying condoms to schools; Animal research…
That's a very interesting list. I found it especially interesting that there were this many - let's call them politically - motivated questions in the list. Are they looking for honest answers to these, or are they looking for boilerplate answers to these questions? Case in point: I'd never work in an AIDS clinic - for the same reason I'd never move to India and work in a leper colony. If we're being honest, 90% of us would feel the same way. Would something like "No - I don't plan on specializing in infectious diseases, and I feel that as a GP I'd have a greater variety of professional challenges" be adequate? Or perhaps "No - I think that sort of setting where all your patients were terminally ill would lead to a great deal of professional frustration?" Or do they just want to hear a "Yes?" Likewise, on the needles to addicts question is "I believe that providing the paraphenalia to assist in drug use isn't helping an addict and is a violation of the Hippocratic oath" or "I believe that providing needles to addicts is an improper use of tax dollars" acceptable? Or do you just have to bite your tongue and give them the yes they want to hear?
I don't think medical schools necessarily care how you answer these questions, as long as your answers are educated, well thought out and defendable. I think your answer re: AIDs clinics is fine, although you may be asked the follow up question "As a GP, you will still be faced with patients with HIV and other fatal illnesses. How will you handle this?" The needle exchange question, however, needs a more complete answer in my opinion. Needle exchange isn't *just* about providing clean needles to addicts. It's about protecting the public at large from HIV and HCV, first and foremost. And then it's about harm reduction for the needle user. Many needle exchange sites also provide on-site, on-demand medical and psychiatric care, wound care, medical help for kicking drugs, referals and rides for other services including long-term detox centers, and some are now starting to provide HIV and HCV testing on site, on demand. Now, given all of this other information, does your answer still stand? You might be asked, "If needle exchange doesn't exist, how do you propose to stem the spread of HIV and HCV amoung drug users that resort to sharing needles? (By the way, while the spread of HIV can be ameliorated by cleaning needles with bleach, HCV can't). How do you propose keeping these diseases from spreading to the general public? Does the cost of providing needles exceed the cost of treating HIV and HCV?" All food for thought. Now, I'm not trying to rile you up. But I actually work for an HIV study that looks at HIV in the homeless population, and (surprize surprize ) I'm an HIV test counselor at a needle exchange. So my answers to this would be yes and yes, but even so, I think I might have to defend my own position if it comes up in an interview. Nanon
Hi again, I went to my interview today at UW. It went really well. Hopefully I will be hearing from them shortly with an acceptance letter! Thanks for the encouragement and advice. I really appreciate it. Lorena
The congrats on your interview well done! Let us know when you get your (good) news! Keeping my fingers crossed for you....
Congratulations momof3 on the successful interview! I’m sure you did great, and from your interests, it seems like UW would be a wonderful place for you. I am wishing you the best as you wait for that letter. More so, from the sounds of it, I am frankly expecting good news. Hopefully I’m right!
Boeing, the tone of your comments suggests several problems immediately that an admissions committee might be concerned about. 1. The possibility that underlying your answer is an exaggerated concern for your own safety relative to the risk associated with caring for patients with infectious disease (this comes out in your comparison to leprosy–which is also, as far as my limited knowledge takes me, not a major risk for care providers who work with patients with the disease). 2. A reluctance to care for and care about a major portion of the patients who will be seen in any teaching hospital. 3. An ignorance of the current US reality of AIDS care which is not dealing with “terminally ill” patients but more so, a continuum of patients ranging from healthy to chronically ill, with lots of complex medical management issues (similar to caring for the elderly for instance). These are not political issues but professional ones. If (as it sounds like) you lean to the right of the political spectrum, you might want to consider the question “What would Bill Frist do?” in formulating your responses. Bill Frist cares for people with HIV–in fact, he makes a point of it. I am also confident that he would not hesitate to operate on an HIV+ patient as a surgeon. However, if you distinguish caring for patients with HIV in your practice–be it cosmetic surgery, dermatology, radiology or internal medicine, patients with HIV and exposure to their blood is likely to be a part of your practice–versus focusing on caring for patients with HIV, this is a reasonable distinction, and obviously most doctors do not have a focus on patients with HIV. As for the question of needle exchange, you would need to support your answer with data on the effect of handing out needles to people who use them. My reading of the data and that of most public health professionals contradicts yours, so you should have a good reason why you disagree with the majority of the literature in the field. It is not unreasonable to do so–after all much of the literature in any given field is often proven wrong later in one way or another–but you would want to do so in an informed way. Nanon’s questions would be good ones for you to consider. Your assumption that medical school interviewers would be looking for pat standard liberal answers to these questions is incorrect, since many doctors are in fact fairly conservative. However, they will be looking for you to base your answers on evidence and thoughtful argument rather than prejudice and/or anecdote, since this is a key attribute that distinguishes careful and good doctors from thoughtless and sloppy doctors. It is this, more than the content of your answers, that will be at issue as you approach this sort of question. Finally, there is the issue of compassion. By the tone and content of your comments, I would guess that you didn’t give any particular thought to how your comments on this forum might affect an interviewer (or a fellow oldpremeds member) who is infected with HIV or who has loved ones who are infected with HIV. This thoughtlessness would immediately cause me to not recommend you to an admissions committee, since it is one of the most important negatives that admissions committees are looking to screen out in interviews. This again is distinct from the reasonable career choice of not focusing on HIV in your practice. boston joe
Avoid any strong perfumes, garish make-up, dangly earrings, loud colors and un-polished shoes. Wear conservative but comfortable shoes. When I led tours at my medical school, many women came in very high and very uncomfortable shoes. They were not able to keep up with the tours because their feet hurt. By the time they got to the actual interview, they were distracted. One-inch heels or flat shoes are fine as long as they are well polished and not new. 
