Healthcare Graduate School Questions
Health Profession Graduate School Interview Questions
for Medical/Dental/Optometry/Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy Schools
 How
are you today? (Not as innocent as it may seem. Prepare 30-second intro that
stresses what you want them to know about you. Be careful that it does not
sound canned.)
Tell
me about yourself. (Avoid rambling)
What
are your strengths and weaknesses? (Turn weaknesses into strengths/end on a
positive note) Similar questions:
Have
you always done the best work of which you were capable?
What
will be the toughest aspect of medical education for you?
Tell
me about a time you failed. What did it teach you about yourself?
Tell
me three of your worst qualities and three of your best qualities.
What
do you think the hardest thing about being a physician is?
Who
are your heroes? (Find someone)
Describe
three people who have profoundly influenced you.
If
you could invite any three guests (living or deceased) to a dinner party,
who would it be?
What
do you do in your spare time? (Tell them you do more than just study)
What
are you currently reading?
What
are your hobbies?
What
do you do just for fun?
What
are your plans for a family? (May be an illegal question but is asked often.
Respond in a way to show that your outside life will not affect your
performance)
Why
do you want to be a physician/physical therapist...etc? (Do not become bored
with your own answer.)
How
do you explain your low grades/dropping of classes/low MCAT, DAT, etc.
scores? (Do not sound defensive. A deficiency in one area doesn’t have to be
a liability unless you react adversely. Be honest. Explain that you worked
and went to school, that you had adjustment problems your first year, point
out your high major GPA, or how your grades steadily improved over your
college career, etc.)
What
will you do if you are not accepted this time? (Make sure they know you will
do what it takes to apply again)
Do
you have any questions for us? (Always say yes. Refer to CDC worksheet,
“Interview Questions to Ask Health Related Professional Schools” for ideas).
Expect the unexpected. Here are some questions
designed to test your quick thinking abilities or how you handle stress.
 If
you could be any cell in the human body, which would you choose to be and
why?
I
don’t think you’d be right for a medical career, why don’t you be a nurse/
teacher/other occupation?
Teach
me something not related to your schoolwork in five minutes.
How
do you normally handle conflict?
What
is your most important coping skill?
If
your house were burning, what three objects would you save?
Tell
me about a time when you had to tell someone something unpleasant.
Ethical
and current event questions are popular. However, be careful. Stay away from
soapboxes. You don’t know the views of those who ask the question. Stick
with general facts to show that you are well read.
How
do you see the delivery of health care evolving in the twenty-first century?
What
would you do if you were in a position to treat someone for an injury who
had just stabbed your best friend?
How
emotionally involved should a physician become with the health of his or her
patients?
What
is the most important ethical question that you will face as a physician in
the next decade?
What
are your opinions about physician assisted suicide/stem cell
research/genetic testing/other controversial current topics?
If
you could spend one hour with the President of the United States, what would
you want to discuss with him?
Some questions are designed to find out how much first hand knowledge you
have of your chosen profession. (Hint: you need a lot!)
Tell
me about your volunteer experiences.
What
clinical experiences have you had?
Tell
me about the patient from whom you learned the most.
What
percentage of your time do you anticipate devoting to basic research and
clinical medicine?
Where
do you see healthcare in 20 years?
Some
questions are designed to relate your skills and personality type to what is
required in the field.
What
do you think is the most important quality a doctor/dentist/OT/PT should
have?
What
three traits do you possess that you are most proud of?
When
you experience the death of a patient, is it something that you will take
with you, or will you leave it at the hospital when you go home?
What
kind of fulfillment do you expect from patient contact?
What
do you have to offer your fellow medical students?
The following are actual questions at several
health profession school interviews:
What
would you do if all medical schools in America were to close today?
What
do you want to be doing in 10 years?
Do
you think it’s important for people to know two languages?
What
good qualities have you seen in doctors, and what bad qualities have you
seen?
What
is something your mother would say about you, and what is something your
best friend would say about you?
Know your personal statement: a lot of discussion can come from this.
Should
an uncooperative patient receive more or less time than a cooperative
patient?
Rate
your humility on a scale from 1-10. |
