BSMS Students’ Advice on Interview Preparation for Medical Schools

Once again, it’s that time of year when admissions exams have been completed, UCAS applications have been filed, and the wait for medical interviews has begun. It can be extremely nerve-racking for prospective medical students to prepare for a medicine interview or to wait to hear whether they have been invited. There is a ton of information available online about what to do and how to prepare for this stressful process. 

We asked our current BSMS medical students for their best advice on how to be ready for medical school interviews, and we’ve compiled it into a list of things you can do the week before, the month before, and the day of the interview to feel as ready as possible on the big day.

Though we may be the experts on the BSMS interview procedure, we also recognize that many other medical schools operate differently, so in addition, we’ve provided a list of top-notch resources to aid in your research, practice, and preparation for your medical school interviews. Besides, attending a professional medicine interview course definitely helps in getting your preparation to the next level. Experts tutors guide students to the proper pathway of preparation and shortcuts to get fully prepared. 

So without further ado, how can you be ready for your interviews at medical school?

Thivya, a second-year BSMS student, offers her best advice for getting ready for an interview. Check out her video down below.

Look up the most recent health news.

During your interview, you can be asked about various advancements and challenges pertaining to healthcare, therefore it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the current state of medical affairs. Make an effort to read these articles thoughtfully and acknowledge your own thoughts as you go.

” I first created a comprehensive list of every question I could find online to obtain a basic sense of what I may be asked after doing extensive study on current medical challenges and advancements as well as the NHS.” — Emily, second year

Examine the NHS’s principles.

The NHS frequently comes up in medical interviews, and medical schools are searching for future physicians who share the NHS’s basic beliefs and possess the abilities and attributes necessary to become excellent physicians. Make sure you are able to respond to questions that demonstrate how you uphold these ideals by reading up on the NHS and looking over its constitution.

“Read around the NHS, its values and the issues it faces.” – Waqar, Second Year

Think back on your past encounters.

In relation to abilities and attributes, medical schools want you to be able to demonstrate that you possess the potential to become a superb physician. This entails demonstrating your resilience, empathy, communication skills, and other qualities with proof rather than merely stating that you possess them. Consider your past experiences (volunteering, clubs, sports, job experience, etc.) and come up with concrete examples that demonstrate the abilities and traits of a superb physician.

“Creating a table with important transferable skills, instances from my work experience where I saw them applied, and instances of my own usage really helped,” the author says. In the event that you are requested for instances during the interview, this table will essentially serve as a summary sheet of important details.” – Maisha, Second Year

Make use of free internet resources to get ready.

You may find a wealth of preparation resources online, including question banks and certain premium courses. We’ll include links to some of the abundantly available free information that our students suggested is more than suitable for usage at the conclusion of this piece.

” I looked up interview questions online and wrote down my general responses to each one.” – Thivya, Year 2

” I made use of advice and materials from Medic Portal and other websites.” – Nandana, Year 3

” There are many fantastic social media accounts that offer interview tips; they may not be specifically medical interviews, but the general advice on how to present yourself and how to behave in interviews is applicable and very helpful. It’s also worth looking at tips and video examples from recruiters/organizations on social media.” – Callum, Year 5

Practice!

Although it seems easy, this is actually rather significant. Work on it with pals. Work on it with your family. Work on your skills with teachers. Practice alone. Try to participate in mock MMIs if your school offers them or if you can see ones online. You may practice answering questions by finding them online. Get used to answering difficult questions that you are unsure of the answers to, as well as becoming used to being questioned about yourself and your experiences. Practice!

“Remember to always practice! Ask everyone to do mock interviews for you, including your instructors, relatives, and any friends or parents who have had a lot of interview experience themselves.” – Callum, Fifth Year 

” Practicing keeping cool during challenging or awkward talks is a great approach to prepare. In the end, I participated in as many public speaking events as I could find and grew accustomed to being asked questions I hadn’t prepared for; after all, if you can do well in front of a large crowd, you can certainly perform well in an interview.” Amelia, Year 2

“I have to learn to be more comfortable answering questions about myself since I find it quite awkward and difficult at times. To help me get used to being questioned on the spot, I printed up a long list of possible questions and asked others to ask me them. This allowed me to answer succinctly and naturally.” – Evie, Year 4

Look into the medical school.

You have an interview with a certain medical school next week. Doing extensive study on them can help you understand what they’re all about, so do that. Consider your reasons for wanting to study there as well as the activities you hope to participate in.

“Research the medical school, the local health and the syllabus.” – Wendencer, Second Year.