Applying to Medical School

10 Articles to Prepare for Med School Interviews

As med school interviews begin, the time to prepare is now. These ten articles will get you thinking about important issues in health and health care, and may just pop into your head at a critical moment in the coming months.

Whether the med school interview format is one-on-one, panel, or Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI), your interviewers want to know more about you than what is written in your primary and secondary applications. This is a simple fact that plenty of applicants forget when nervous or under pressure. By familiarizing yourself with influential authors and current events in medicine, you can broaden your mental repertoire in preparation for med school interviews.

You may find that you are better able to articulate “why I want to be a doctor” after reading someone else’s words. Referencing a writer from whom you draw inspiration demonstrates a level of engagement with the world of medicine that goes beyond your premed courses. Your knowledge of major issues in health and health care delivery may also help you stand out on interview day. Finally, citing a scenario you encountered in an article, particularly during MMIs, can help show that you are thoughtful and analytical.

These ten articles are a great place to start, but as your first interview day approaches, keep on reading!

1. Ethical Questions in Medical School Interviews

Dr. Ali Lotfi explains the type of ethical dilemmas you may be asked during your interview and the proper way of answering them when asked. The takeaway is that interviewers aren’t necessarily interested in your answer, but rather the thought process of how you got there is what’s of interest.

2. Tracking the States Where Abortion Is Now Banned

The New York Times offers a comprehensive review of all 50 states and there stances on abortion. Abortion laws have major implications on a physician’s ability to practice medicine. It’s vital to read up on your home states and the state you’ll be attending medical schools laws so you’ll be prepared on interview day if an ethical question arises.

3. Measuring and Addressing Physician Burnout

Physician burnout is a real problem many practicing physicians face. According to the AMA, at the end of 2021 nearly 63% of physicians reported symptoms of burnout, up from 38% in 2020. It’s plausible for you to be asked what your thoughts are on the current trend and how you’ll combat burnout as a physician.

4. Fewer Doctors Are Choosing to Go into Emergency Medicine

The most recent physician match showed 555 emergency physician residency spots go unfilled. There are a multitude of factors causing this ranging from the pandemic to long work hours. Having a strong understanding of why fewer medical students are choosing to specialize in emergency physician shows extreme interest in the field of medicine.

5. Ethics and Pitfalls of Vaccine Mandates

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented time in history. With states mandating COVID-19 vaccines, many people were unsure of the reprcussions while others felt strongly to have mandates in place. As a future physician, it’s important you have the skills necessarily to deal with patients who are against having vaccines done.

6. Doctors Offer Insider Tips on How to Study in Medical School

Many students coming into medical school think their study methods from undergrad will work just fine in med school. However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Medical school is completely different and will require you to change the study methods you’re acclimated to. Having a study plan in place will show your interviewers you’re readiness for medical school if the topic of studying arises.

7. 4 Tips for Choosing the Right Medical School

You can almost be certain you’ll be asked “Why our medical school?” on your interview day. Make sure your answer involves the medical school’s mission/values. Schools want to admit students who will fulfill the mission of their school.

8. Selecting a Medical School: 35 Questions I Wish I Had Asked

It’s imperative you ask questions on your interview day. As this shows interest in the medical school and opens up the conversation.

9. What To Wear To Medical School Interviews: Men

For men, deciding what to wear to a medical school interview can be very stressful. It’s best to avoid flashy colors and excessive jewelry. Your first impression during your interview will be extremely important and you don’t want your outfit to be in that.

10. What To Wear To Medical School Interviews: Women

Similarly for women, choosing an outfit can be very stressful. The same advice given to men can also be applied to women.

||Read more for a list of common interview mistakes||

Emily Singer

Emily is a writer for ProspectiveDoctor.com. She graduated from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and is currently a general surgery resident at Ohio State University. She is a graduate of Stanford University, holding Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Russian Languages and Literature. After graduating in 2009, Emily worked as a research analyst at a health policy consulting firm and a research scientist studying green products chemistry at a San Francisco-based startup. Emily’s interests include health policy, medical education, and global health.

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