Career Services
Medical School Interviews
Some questions asked of pre-med candidates during past interviews:
"Why medicine?"
"Why osteopathic medicine?"
"Where do you see yourself in ten years?"
"If you had the opportunity to change one thing about our health care system, what would it be?"
"What experiences have you had in the medical field?"
"Why did you get a 'C' in Organic Chemistry?"
"Why do you want to go to medical school?"
"Why do you want to go to this medical school?"
"Can you think of some event in your past which may have been pivotal in your decision to pursue medicine as a career?"
"What type of practice do you anticipate entering?"
"What prompted you to want to enter a medical career?"
"What alternative vocation might you choose?"
"What is your opinion of the rise of private, for profit, hospital corps?"
"What is your opinion of the animal rights movement?"
"What is the biggest challenge facing medicine?"
"Should MDs help patients commit suicide?"
"How can costs be controlled in the healthcare system?"
"What do you want to accomplish as a physician?"
"Tell us about a book from your German Literature Course."
"Explain your senior thesis."
"Tell me about yourself: your strengths and weaknesses."
"What do you picture yourself doing in 10 years? 20 Years?"
"What are your plans if you're not accepted?"
"How have your experiences prepared you for this career?"
"What are some of the negative aspects of medicine?"
"They will also put you into ethical dilemmas--choose a side and defend it."
"Tell me about yourself and what you do for fun."
"Where else are you applying? Have you been rejected at any schools? If so, why do you think they rejected you?"
"Why will you be a good doctor?"
"What do you think the future will be like when you are a doctor?"
"Asked about the ethics surrounding organ donation/rationing–giving certain people organs available for transplants, and how to make such decisions. Very tough!"
At the end of the interview : "Anything you want to ask me, or anything to add?"
For an MD/Ph.D. Interview:
"Don't you think you're schizophrenic wanting to be both an MD and a Ph.D.?"
"How active do you expect your lab to be?"
"How well do you think you'll manage people/departmental politics?"
"How do you plan to integrate clinical and research efforts? Describe in detail your research experiences."
Regarding Veterinarians:
"How do you feel about veterinarians advertising on television?"
"Tell us about Feline Urological Syndrome."
"Should animals be used in research?"
"What are common diseases of cats or dogs? Can we vaccinate for these?"
In addition, you should be prepared to discuss your education and your thesis topic, and current issues, trends and politically hot topics in local and national health. Have your own opinions and be prepared to defend them.
Check out the Commonwealth Fund (Required reading for students preparing for medical school interviews. This is an excellent research tool for learning about health care policy issues in the U.S.)
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