Graduate School Interviews
for Healthcare Majors-Part 2
 Homework:
-Five Questions:
1. What do you want to do?
What are your goals?
2. Tell me some things you have
done to explore the profession?
3. What are your strengths
as they relate to this profession?
4. What are your weaknesses as they relate to this profession?
5. What is the most important issue facing this profession today?
*Break
into two groups
-Hand out and discuss resumes
-Go over five questions with Dr. Davis and members of The Health
Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC). They will provide feedback on
your answers to these questions.
*This committee includes faculty from the departments of biology, chemistry,
physics, nursing and health sciences. There are 12 members on this
committee.
Relevant
Links:
 Resumes
Sample
Resumes by Major
Interviewing
Interview
Sample Questions (Med School)
Interviewing
Videos
Thank
You Notes
Answers/Examples
of Homework:
1.
What do you want to do?
Why do you want to be a doctor? What are your goals?
These are some things the statement should do:
-It should be objective, yet self-revelatory. Write directly and in a
straightforward manner that tells about your experience and what it
means to you. Do not use "academese." This is not a research paper for a
professor.
-It should form conclusions that explain the value and meaning of your
experience, such as what you learned about yourself and your field, your
future goals, and your career plans. Draw your conclusions from the
evidence your life provides.
-It should be specific. Document your conclusions with specific
instances, or draw your conclusions as the result of individual
experience. See below a list of general words and phrases to avoid using
without explanation.
-It should be an example of careful persuasive writing. Career Center
Counselors can help you determine if this is so by reviewing your draft
statement.
-It should get to the point early on and catch the attention of the
reader.
-It often should be limited in length, no more than two pages or less.
In some instances it may be longer, depending on the school's
instructions.
2. Tell me some things you have done
to explore the profession?
This is an excellent opportunity to discuss some
of the strong points in your application such as related community service,
volunteer experiences, internships, clinicals, etc.. Keep in mind that some
interviewers do not have time to read all of your submitted information (but
some will read everything in detail and will ask you questions to double
check some of your statements!)
3. What are your strengths as they relate to this profession?
Describe two or three skills you have that are most relevant to the job.
Avoid cliches or generalities; offer specific evidence. Describe new
ways these skills could be put to use in the new position. If you have
to talk about weaknesses, be honest without shooting yourself in the
foot-avoid pointing out a weakness that could be a major obstacle in
landing the job. For example, it might be wise to mention you barely
have the required work experience for the job; the interviewer has
surely noticed this much, and then you can explain how you're qualified
nonetheless.
"My strengths are interpersonal skills, and I can usually win people
over to my point of view. Also, I have good judgment about people and an
intuitive sense of their talents and their ability to contribute to a
given problem. These skills seem to me directly related to the job. I
notice that you require three years' work experience for this job.
Although my resume shows I've only two years' experience, it doesn't
show that I took two evening college courses related to my field and
have been active in one of the professional societies. I also try to
gain knowledge by reading the industry's trade journals. I'm certain
that my combined knowledge and skill level is the equivalent of that of
other people who do have three years' of work experience. I'm also
currently enrolled in a time-management course; I can already see the
effects of this course at work on my present job."
4.
What are your weaknesses as they relate to this profession?
I’ve historically been a poor time manager. I would get some involved
with the projects that I was working on, that I might run late for a
meeting, or not schedule enough time for another project. In order to
deal with this, I’ve begun adhering to a much tighter schedule on my
calendar. I will organize my projects and schedule a time to work on
each. This has the added bonus of not only helping with my time
management, but enables me to remember all of the projects that I need
to work on. I now carry my pocket calendar with me everywhere. Here, let
me show you what I have scheduled for next week. As you can see…
5. What is the most important issue
facing this profession today?
Example Topics:
1. The poor, as in any other country too, never
get adequate care due to lack of ability to afford life saving procedures
and other such things.
2. Massive malpractice issues that doctors are facing today.
3. Clinicians are losing their autonomy to insurance companies.
4. Clinicians are losing their autonomy to insurance companies may not be
such a bad thing. Think about physician practice variation and the bell
curve. Are all physicians the same? Of course not. Like any population, some
are exceptional, most are merely adequate, and there are some not so good.
Look at the tremendous variation in how we treat cystic fibrosis. Clinical
guidelines often improve care for patients by following evidence-based
practice. Are clinical guidelines always good? No. Are they usually helpful
in assuring that a patient receives the necessary care? Yes.
5. Unified Medical Records - both Presidential Candidates said this was
important, but I don't think there is any plan in place yet.
6. The current healthcare reform legislation.
Click
here for the
SU Healthcare Graduate School Interview Guide.
Click
here for more
questions.
The
Types of Interviews
Different Types of Med School Interviews
Includes an example of a med school that uses that type.
Panel: Eastern Virginia Medical School
This is where more than one interviewer interviews you at the same time. It
can feel like the Spanish Inquisition, but try not to get over intimidated.
Make eye contact with the person who has asked you the question, but also
try to look and engage the other interviewers as you make your points.
Usually panel interviews are made up of people from different disciplines
such as basic science/ research, clinical medicine, or surgery. There is
often a medical student as part of the panel. So be prepared for a real
range of questions...
Blind: George Washington
This is an interview where the interviewer has not seen any part of your
file. He or she does not know your grades or scores and has not read your
essays. Be prepared for the worst of all possible interview questions: "So,
tell me about yourself." Expect to regurgitate a lot of what you have
already written in your various application essays. Your previous prep to
answer so why do you want to be a doctor questions will really help here.
Partial Blind: Loyola
This is where an interviewer only sees part of your applications, such as
your essays and secondary application, but not your grades or scores. This
saves you from defending your C in second semester Organic Chemistry class,
but requires that you look again at what you wrote. I was given a great
ethical question at a partial blind interview.
Open:
MCV (up to the interviewer whether they look at your file or not) (MCV has
only one interview/interviewer)
In this type of interview it is up to the interviewer whether or not he or
she will look at your file ahead of time. Be prepared, therefore, for
"blind" type questions as well as questions addressing what you wrote in
your essays.
Stress Interviews:
Keep your cool and composure and take your time answering your questions. If
they ask personal questions (which you know they aren't allowed to), there
are different ways to approach the situation. You can choose to answer the
question they ask, or turn it around and give an answer which asks why the
interviewer thinks this is relevant, or one which tries to diffuse the
situation.
Post-Interview:
 Don't
forget
to send a thank you note or letter to everyone you met.
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