Medical School Interviewing

WorkshopAMSA - 5 points (Academic/Workshop)November 19, 2015

Workshop Format - Speed Friending

Review basic facts about TAMHSC and UTHSCSA

Practice QuestionsGroup A and Group B

1) Discuss things to keep in mind

2) 3 min (90 sec/person) - answer question

3) review good/bad answers

4) Switch groups and repeat :)

Rules for Workshop

Shake hands at the start

Thank the “interviewer” at the conclusion of the “interview”

Act as if you have never met

Be open and honest

Constructively criticize the answers

NO JUDGEMENT ZONE. What is said here stays here.This includes information about personal hardships, grades, oranything personal that is shared with you.

General Tips

Yes:Maintain good posture

Sustain eye contact

Be sincere and show your passion

Talk slowing and enunciate clearly

Prepare beforehand

Be polite (Yes ma’am, yes sir)

Thank them for their time

Shake hand firmly

Avoid:“like,” “uhm,” and “you know.”

fidgeting, playing with hair, and other extraneous movements.

“Do you know what I mean?” and “Does that make sense.” Say instead, “Did I answer your question?”

Texas A&M Health Sciences

CenterWhat are they known for?

TAMHSC Quick FactsLocation: Bryan/College Station, Texas (main campus)Class Size:

Applications Received: 2898Total Interviewed: 865Acceptances Offered: 447Matriculated Students: 200

Tuition: Resident: $16,432Non-resident: $29,532

AveragesGPA: 3.72MCAT: 30

USMLE Pass Rate/Mean Score: Step 1 - 98%/ 229; Step 2 - 98%/236GREAT Student Academic Support

1-on-1 consultation, USMLE Prep, study skills, test-taking strategies, test analysis, Stress Management Strategies, regular seminars, Academic Success Plans, Content Peer Review

Large military presence

Different Tracks

Bryan/College StationCollege Station Medical Center, Scott & White Hospital -

College Station, St. Joseph Health System, The Physician’s Centre

DallasBaylor University Medical Center, Cook Children’s Hospital,

Timberlawn Mental Health SystemRound Rock/Austin

Dell Children’s Medical Center, Lone Star Circle of Care, Scott & White Hospital - Round Rock, Seton Medical Center Williamson, St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center, Austin State Hospital

HoustonHouston Methodist Hospital

TempleCentral Texas Veterans Health Care System, Carl R. Darnall

Army Medical Center, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Temple

TAMHSC Curriculum

1.5 years pre-clerkship, 2.5 years clerkshipSelf-contained blocksPatient Encounters Foundational Medicine for first 8 months, organ blocks for last 8 monthsOptional classes, mandatory labs Built in Opportunity Time

Special ProgramsA&M Integrated Medicine Track (AIM)Medical Spanish Immersion in Costa Rica

Dual Degree ProgramsMD/Ph.DMD/MPHMD/MS (Master of Science)MD/MS (Master of Science in Education for Healthcare Professionals)MS/MBA

Grading Scale: H/P/FH = top 15% of class for pre-clerkship, top 20% for clerkship

CSIE: Clinical Synthesis and Integration Exercises - small group, Team-based learning

A&M Integrated Medicine Program (AIM)

For students who are on the Bryan/College Station trackGreat for those interested in primary care Longitudinal integrated clerkships, allows for continuous exposure to different

specialties Built in Opportunity Time Each week you go to:

Family MedicineOB/GYNSurgeryPsychiatryPediatricsEmergency Department Internal Medicine

Sample Schedule: http://medicine.tamhsc.edu/aim/components.html

University of Texas Health Sciences Center

San AntonioWhat are they known for?

UTHSCSA Quick Facts

Location: San Antonio, TexasClass Size: 220Tuition:

Resident: $17,133Non-resident: $31,540

AveragesGPA: 3.6MCAT: 30

USMLE Pass Rate/Mean Score: 95%, 225Residency Match Rate: 97%Affiliated Hospitals: University Hospital, Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital, University Family

Health Center

UTHSCSA Curriculum

CIRCLE curriculum- Curricular Integration: Researchers, Clinicians, Leaders, Educators

Pre-Clinical Component: taught in sequential systems-based learning modules( 9 organ systems) and two longitudinal modules (language of medicine and clinical skills)

Third Year Clinical Component: core clerkships6-12 week blocks per clerkshipelectives-explore specialties or engage in research

Fourth Year Clinical Component: students learn additional specialties or return to a core specialty with additional responsibility

8 weeks of selectives, 18 weeks of electives, 5 weeks of didactics, and 10 weeks of vacation (USMLE prep, interviews)

Grading Scale: Honors, A, B, C, D, F

UTHSCSA Curriculum

Interview Questions!

There may be repeats, but this is great practice!

Interview Day FormatsTAMHSC - LONG day

Day before: dinner with current students.Breakfast, lunch (provided by military programs) - discussions with current studentspresentation about TAMHSC & Academic SupportTour of Teaching Hospital - Scott & WhiteCampus Tour, BRAND-NEW anatomy lab, LRCArmy/Navy PresentationsStudent PanelDiversity and Curriculum PresentationsInterviews - 2 30-minute interviews

UTHSCSAbreakfast and lunch provided - discussions with current studentsIntroduction to UTHSCSASenior medical student panelUniversity Hospital and campus tour2 30-minute interviews in the library

Keep in Mind...

Be relaxed

The interviewers truly do want to get to know you.

Have several things to reference for questions for when you draw a blank

Ex: meaningful leadership, service, personal experiences, etc.

Some interviewers have your entire application and others have only your essays.

**Why medicine?

They may have your personal statement, but they want to know that the person on paper is the person you are in real life. Or they have your personal statement and just want to clarify or learn more.

Be open, honest, and share your experiences. Stay genuine. DO NOT LIE! They will be able to tell. Don’t say, “to help people” or “I love science” or “doctors make a lot of money” - go

deeper and figure out whyShow that you have thought about your future.

Which field? Why? Specific experiences, people you know, etc. How do you skills fit with that field?Make sure you know that this could change as you go through medical school.

**Explain your/you family member’s experience with ___ (medical condition) as if I were your medical colleague. Now explain it as if I am your patient’s child.

Discussion with colleague: show you did your research about the conditions you or someone close to you dealt

with show that you understand treatment plans from the physician’s perspective

Discussion with child:show that you truly understand the condition because you can use more simply

words and still get the point acrossshows your empathy and ability to break bad news to a patient

I LOVED this question!

**Tell me about an experience you had with a physician that you really enjoyed.

Talk about clinical experiences (jobs, shadowing, etc)Do not violate HIPAAWhy did you enjoy it?

learned a lot about medicinehad a “click moment” where you realized you wanted to be in healthcarelearned about the life of a physiciandeveloped a relationship with a mentorliterally anything else

**Tell me about an experience you had with a physician that you didn’t enjoy. What would you have done differently?

Talk about clinical experiences (jobs, shadowing, etc)Do not violate HIPAASpecify why would didn’t like it - how it made you feel, the reactions

you saw in the other staff members/in the patientShow that you have thought about ways to improve that interaction

and how you would handle a similar one in the future.

**Would you perform plastic surgery on a child in order for him/her to look more “normal” and to have a more “normal” life?

Devil’s advocate question

Whatever you choose, just stick to your guns! - be confident and show that you can hold your ground

**How do you feel about your MCAT score/grade in ___ class? Are you happy with it?

Opportunity to explain specific negative circumstances that caused a bad grade/less than stellar MCAT score

DO NOT BLAME OTHERS!

Use this to show that you have changed since ___ class and in the next class you did much better.

Turn a bad grade into a strength - you learned from it, learned how to study, etc.

**What has been your favorite and least favorite class at Baylor?

You don’t have to choose a “pre-med” classFavorite class example reasons:

class that was difficult but taught you study skillsclass that allowed you to explore a passion, discover skills, work off stress class where you met your BFF/mentor

Least Favorite Class:don’t say because it was hard or because the teacher gave you a bad gradeShow what you learned by the fact that you didn’t enjoy that class

needed to change majorsneeded to switch to your pre-health field

**What are you most proud of in your college career?

Look for specific examples that show your passion and show what you would bring that is unique to the medical school class.

Choose topics that you haven’t discussed yet or use this as an opportunity to elaborate on a previously discussed topic.

Examples:An organization or event that you started

A service event you have continuously attended

A time when you helped someone

Maintaining good grades while working, etc.

Which part of the interview day did you enjoy most?

Shows you were paying attention

Use this to show the reasons why you are interested in the school

Tell me more about ___ from your application.

This gives you an opportunity to elaborate on things that you wrote about in your personal statement.

Be sure to review your application before your interview so that you remember everything

Where did you grow up? What kind of education do your parents have?

Question-guided “tell me about yourself.”They may ask about:

family, where you grew upwhat you enjoyed in high schoolhow you became interested in medicineBaylor, your major (why you chose it), experiences while at Baylorwhat you do for fun