Interviews

 

All interviews at any medical school (including Oxbridge) are meant to be friendly and informal. However, it is quite easy to see why applicants can feel overwhelmed by having senior lecturers, doctors and sometimes medical students. What you should always remember is that everybody is in the same position as you. Entry into medicine without an interview is near impossible, and besides, as a medic you will be communicating with your peers a lot. So it is essential that you recognise that these people are not monsters! Under no circumstances should you let nerves get the better of you.

To inform you that you have received an interview, medical schools will send you a letter. UCAS is not involved in the interview process and so you won’t hear anything on track. Make sure you read every single piece of paper they send you very carefully. It is likely that the medical school will request confirmation of your attendance either by email, phone or in writing. If in writing be sure to read ‘communicating with medical schools.’ (**LINK**).

Some medical schools also send criminal record and health disclosure forms. Be sure that you fill in all official forms in BLACK INK. Read the instructions on the form and fill the form in carefully. You don’t want to have to ask for a fresh form when you get to your interview. (Don’t worry if you do make a mistake though, they have plenty of forms.) Take any idea required by the university. If you are planning on taking a provisional driving licence, be sure to contact the university to make sure they will accept it and take both parts of the licence.

When you get inside, be sure that the admissions office knows that you are there. Do not just head for the nearest seat. If the interviews are running late you should be told. If you find that five minutes after your expected interview start time you have not been called, ask the admissions officer too check that they know that you are there.

One of the interviewers will come to see you and invite you into the room. When you enter the room be sure to acknowledge the other interviewers by making eye contact. Shut the door behind you and take a seat when asked to do so. From then you have 15-30 minutes to shine, to show the people in that room that you have what it takes to become a doctor. Questions will be centred on you, your hobbies and interests. These will be based on and around your personal statement, so be sure you know what you put. Interviewers may misread or misinterpret your personal statement or something you have say, don’t be afraid to clarify your position. Something like, ‘sorry, that’s not what I meant, I do carpentry as a hobby, not tai chi’ is fine.

Questions towards the end of the interview are related to medicine in the news, ethical dilemmas etc. Herceptin, obesity, euthanasia and animal testing are common ones but there are loads of things you can discuss. Be sure to have an opinion on everything and keep up to date with the latest going on in the world of medicine. Also remember opinions are never wrong, but you must be able to justify that opinion and also put forward a decent argument to backup your case.

Arguments will usually go;

My argument, ‘I believe… and why.’
The opposite argument, ‘however, I can see why people might think…’
Then your argument again, ’but at the end of the day…’

It is unlikely you will be asked about human biology unless you are applying to Oxbridge medical schools.

I’m sure people have lied in their interviews and got away with it. There are also people who have not got away with. Lying isn’t a strategy, it’s a risk. A big one. If you are caught lying at anytime during your application, don’t expect to go any further. Just remember that doctors rely on honesty as a basis of their relationship with the people they meet.

At the end of interview you may be asked, ‘any questions.’ Personally I would recommend you say no, if you have any questions, use the forums or find somebody else to ask. However if there is a burning desire to ask a question, make sure it’s not one that shows the interviewers that you simply failed to read the prospectus properly. Questions such as ‘when should I expect to hear from you,’ are common and pointless.

Some students are able to tell if they are going to get an offer – some are right, others are wrong. The rest leave unsure. The truth is once the interview is over, put it to one side and focus on something else. What was said was said and there is nothing you can do about it. You will find out in due course and if you really want something to do, submit your own personal experience here, or talk to other applicants in the forums.

Related Links

User submission - 'Interview Technique'
User submission - 'Victoria Wood's Interview' (opens in new window on youtube. For comedy purposes!)

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