Interview Preparation

Interviews are stressful and a scary prospect, but practically every University will have them for Medicine so you might as well start preparing now



Things to do:

• Speaking - are you a good communicator? Do you have good body language/ posture? If the answers "don't know", find out. Borrow a camera off someone and film yourself presenting some information, arrange a mock interview with a friend or teacher, practice sitting up straight and projecting your voice, if you have any little nervous habits, find them and be aware so you can stop them


• Basic questions - why do you want to be a Doctor? The answer to this question should be well kown, well rehearsed and GOOD. Tell as many people as possible why you want to do medicine, why you'd be a good doctor etc So you get use to answering it and making it sound natural, practically every interviewer will you ask this question, so get it right.


• Medical Stuff - read up on basic medical physics such as x-rays and ultrasounds. Make sure you have a good knowledge of basic scientific concepts (even if this means revising a topic you dropped at 16!) Look at x-rays etc on the internet and try to get use to identfying things on them. Look over your AS/ A2 notes, especially on the structure of cells and their functions.
• Personal statement - look over your personal statement and make sure you know any books/ articles you've read well. Also think about obvious questions they could ask you e.g. if you've put down you're a keen runner they may ask you about the cardiovascular system and the effects exercise has on it, or if you have said you are interested in alzheimers, they may ask you about the effects mental health issues have on society. Most universities will use your personal statement to shape an interview, make sure you can talk about everything you've put down CONVINCINGLY.
• Ethics - brush up on NHS ethical systems, and what protocol has been put in place. You should be able to discuss basic ethical issues such as euthanasia, abortion, suicide, Jehovas Witness and blood transfusions, transplantation, stem cell research and IVF treatment. Make sure you can fight for both sides of the argument and never show too much of a strong opinion; it will make you look arrogant.
• Specialist topic - you may have mentioned a specific aspect of medicine or science your really interested in somewhere in your personal statement, read around this topic and make sure you could talk about various aspects of it for about 5 minutes. This will impress interviewers and mean there's something you can confidently talk about in interview, perhaps giving you some reassurance.
• The unknown - you can't know, or guess, everything they will ask you. Mentally prepare yourself for being put out and asked something you haven't got a clue how to answer. When these questions arise just take some breathes and even ask for a minute to organise your thoughts, be LOGICAL in your reply and you should be okay.

Some last tips:

1. Look like a doctor; wear a suit or smart clothes. This is essentially an interview for a job for life, you need to look the part.
2. Shake their hands! Smile, eye contact - doctors need to communicate effectively!
3. Never be afraid to say you don't know something - if you haven't covered a topic at school, say, and they will hopefully move on. There more interested in how you think than your ability to wrote learn medical journals.
4. NEVER make the dreaded "umm ermm" noises, this is off-putting, annoying and distracting for interviewers, just remain silent while you're thinking of an answer, or ask for a second to put your words in order.

Good Luck!!