Health Professions Interviews: KEY RESOURCES | PRACTICAL TIPS |
ALUMNI ADVICE PRESENTED BY: Slide 2 What Well Cover Key Elements of
the Interview Process A Peek Into MMIs (Multiple Mini Interviews)
Alumni Advice Resources Available to YOU Practice Slide 3 Key
Elements: Impression Management You are being evaluated from the
moment youre contacted for the interview until after it concludes.
Timeliness and professionalism in all interactions. Confirmation
Thank You ( send to each person within 24 hours !) Everyones voice
counts: from the administrative support person to the Chair of the
program. Tour of facilities, lunch with students, conversations
with other candidates, and beyond. Small details can make a BIG
impact, both good & bad Slide 4 Key Elements: Interviewing
Scenarios People You Might Meet: Admissions committee Faculty
Administrators Medical students One-on-One Interview Panel Group
Interview MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) Slide 5 Key Elements: Look
the Part Dress to Impress Professionally ! Suit is required
Personality is okay Functionality is critical Dont forget about the
little details: Cologne/Perfume Socks Accessories
Pressed/Polished/Trimmed One chance to make a positive first
impression. SMILE. Handshake Eye contact Slide 6 Key Elements: Plan
& Research One of your greatest responsibilities in this
process: RESEARCH The program The institution The people (who youre
meeting with) Current events Hot topics Questions for YOU to ask
Visit in advance Route? Parking? Building? Room? Sounds simple, but
isnt always. Can reduce stress. Ask specific questions about what
the day will entail! Slide 7 Key Elements: The Questions Prepare
for commonly asked interview questions Why medicine? Why this
school/program? Includes ethics-based questions See handouts for
examples/resources. | STAR format Be fresh on all details of your
AAMCAS application, CV, etc. and be prepared to articulate Anything
a bit fuzzy? Refresh yourself! Be able to speak in-depth about your
research Current events and hot topics Questions YOU want to ask. (
ALWAYS have these!) Slide 8 MMI: A Brief Overview Created as a
potentially more effective way to assess qualities outside of the
realm of grades and test scores. GREAT opportunity for you to
showcase these! Uses a series of stations (typically 6-10) to
assess specific skills and qualities. ~6-8 minutes/station Assigns
the same interviewer to rate ALL applicants at a station. May be
used to assess : communication skills, problem-solving abilities,
professionalism, other characteristics critical to success.
Resource: http://www.studentdoctor.net Slide 9 MMI Stations
(Samples) Ethical dilemmas or questions about policy or social
issues Interactions with an actor (scenario provided) Standard
interview questions A task requiring teamwork (with another
applicant(s)) Essay writing (more time may be allocated) Rest
station (many MMIs include this!) Resource:
http://www.studentdoctor.net Slide 10 MMI Preparation Cannot
predict what you will face Get as much information from
school/program as you can (i.e. sample questions, format) Example
of program that provides a LOT of info:
http://school.med.nyu.edu/md-admissions/mmi-faqs# Develop ability
to formulate a logical, thorough response within a strict timeframe
As with a traditional interview format, prepare by: Staying current
on events and policy issues Understanding the approach to ethics
issues Resource: http://www.studentdoctor.net Slide 11 MMI: Video
Clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOVbDD9lNjE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOVbDD9lNjE Alumni perspectives on
MMIs: Can be more of a conversation Read sample questions/scenarios
to prepare May include follow-up questions Slide 12 Advice from
Pards Alexandra Lazzara 14 (Neuroscience major; Medical School)
Michael Rockman 15 (Biochemistry major; MD/PHD programs) Christina
Brown 13 (Biology major; Dental School) Zach Winthrop 13 (Biology
major; Medical School) Slide 13 Advice from Pards: General Be
yourself. Be confident. Be prepared. You must be aware of the
changes impacting medicine/healthcare, and to have opinions related
to these changes. Keep in mind youll likely face very different
types of interviews conversational/relaxed, structured/rigid, and
stress-inducing Refresh YOURSELF on why youre doing this (before
each interview)responses will come across with energy, passion, and
preparation. Slide 14 Advice from Pards: Most Challenging Questions
Tell me about yourself. (sounds easy, doesnt it?) What other
schools did you apply to? Why? Why this school/program? What would
you be if you werent a doctor/dentist/vet/optometrist/podiatrist?
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What is your favorite
non-science class you have taken? Be prepared to address the weaker
points of your application dont be caught off guard! Slide 15
Advice from Pards: Preparation Tips/Strategies Do as many practice
interviews as you can. With Career Services or others to get the
bugs out I dont even want to think about what would have happened
if it (practice) was in an actual interview! Take time to collect
your thoughts; it is okay to not initially know the answer. Have
questions you want to ask ready for the faculty, current students,
etc. make them unique, thoughtful, and genuine. Slide 16 Warm Up
Find a partner (preferably someone you dont know well) 30 seconds
per respondent: Why do you want to be a
doctor/dentist/optometrist/veterinarian? No comments from
Interviewer Now, each person should share feedback on their OWN
response: What worked well Areas to refine/enhance Share with each
other: one thing you will commit to doing in the next week to take
a step forward in preparing for your HPAC interview. Slide 17 Key
Resources Lafayette.InterviewStream.com Career Services Webshops
http://careerservices.lafayette.edu/students/access-career-resources/market-yourself/in-interviews/
On-Campus Mock Interviews Lafayette alumni (!) Handouts (here for
you today): Commonly Asked Qs (medically-related, general,
behavioral-based) MMI Resources Sample Thank you Sample questions
for YOU to Ask Rights and responsibilities of an interviewer Slide
18 Questions? THANK YOU!
