Congratulations on making it to the home stretch of the application process—the medical school interview! You have successfully intrigued the admissions committee on paper, and now they want to meet the real you. While this may be the final step, it’s also one of the most challenging, as no matter how qualified you are, a poor interview could squash your chances of acceptance.
In this guide, we break down 18 medical school interview FAQs so that you know exactly what to expect from interview season. From what medical schools are looking for to what to wear to common questions to how to best prepare to how you should schedule your interviews, we’ll cover everything you need to know in order to ace your medical school interviews.
1. When Do Medical School Interviews Occur?
Medical school interviews can occur as early as August and as late as May of the following year. The majority of schools will not start sending out interview invitations until September, but some schools send out invites automatically if applicants reach certain GPA and MCAT cutoffs. In these cases, invitations to interview may be sent out in August.
Your interview invite will come through as an email, and it will likely give you a list of dates to choose from. Do not procrastinate under any circumstances. Respond as quickly as possible, as these time slots fill up fast.
It’s important to schedule an interview earlier in the process, as medical schools will offer worthy candidates an acceptance after interviewing them, and there are only so many spots in every first year class. Offers are only made while spots are available, so the longer you delay, the more you hinder your chances of acceptance.
2. How Do Interviews Fit within the Application Process?
Interviews are the last step of the application process. By the time you face interviews, you will have already taken the MCAT, submitted your primary application, which includes a personal statement, letters of recommendation, a Work and Activities section, and possibly either a Casper test or PREview exam, and submitted your secondary applications.
Earning an interview means you have put in the work. Assembling a primary application and then responding to each secondary request within two weeks of receiving it is no mean feat. And the good news is it’s all paid off. Securing an interview means each component of your application has come together to successfully impress and intrigue the admissions committee—at least on paper. Now they want to see if you’re for real.
While interviews are the last step, they’re no less vital than any other piece of your application. Some would argue interviews are the most important step, as despite all of your hard work leading up to this point, a bad interview can ruin your chances of acceptance.
3. How Many Interviews Will I Have?
How many interview invitations you receive completely depends on the strength of your primary and secondary applications. We recommend applying to at least 20 medical schools. From there, it’s possible you could receive just as many secondaries. If each of your secondary essays are thoughtful, mature, enthusiastic, and unique, it’s possible you could receive just as many interview requests, although this is unlikely.
4. What Happens If I Don’t Receive an Interview?
If you don’t receive any interviews, it means your application was not strong enough to impress an admissions committee. Understandably, this can be a very difficult pill to swallow. All of the months and years spent preparing your application have led to no interviews. So what was it all for?
Although extremely disheartening, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. Approximately 50,000 students apply to medical school every year, and about two thirds of them are rejected. While every premed hopes to be in the coveted third of applicants who matriculate, most are not.
Not receiving a single interview means there is one or more glaring issues with your application. You can either decide to give up on becoming a doctor, or you can decide to reapply. If you do decide to reapply, understand that if you don’t thoroughly analyze your application for weak areas and make drastic improvements, you will likely be faced with the same rejection one year later.
Do not rush into reapplying. Take the time to evaluate your application and determine where you went wrong. It’s a good idea to go over your application with a trusted mentor or hire a third party like Med School Insiders so that you can determine where you can make the most valuable improvements with the limited time you have.
Learn more with our Medical School Reapplicant FAQs—13 Questions Answered.
5. Will a Bad Interview Kill My Chances of Acceptance?
Yes, a bad interview will likely kill your chances of acceptance at that particular program.
While everyone has off days, you only have one shot at your interview. Medical schools interview hundreds of applicants every year for a limited number of spots, which means there are hundreds of other worthy candidates who are more than ready to take your place. This means your interviewer won’t show you sympathy or give you preferential treatment if you bomb your interview.
6. What Are Medical School Interviewers Looking For?
Admissions committees are looking for mature students who can enrich the student body, bring diversity to the campus, and share the values, mission, and goals of the school. This is what’s known as “mission fit.”
You can demonstrate mission fit by making yourself intimately aware of and familiar with the school’s values and mission statement, as interviewers will ask you directly why the school and you are a good fit for each other. Does the school prioritize serving underserved communities, advancing research, or both? Is the school’s mission to uplift their surrounding community or medicine as a whole?
For example, medical schools in New Mexico want to accept students from New Mexico who will continue living and practicing in the state to care for residents, usually in primary care. This is part of their mission, so if your passion is research and you plan on leaving the state after medical school, you would not make an ideal fit for schools in New Mexico.
Beyond simply stating that you share the school’s values, you need to act in a way that demonstrates confidence and preparedness. Show the adcoms that you have put in the time and research to understand exactly what the school has to offer and what you have to offer it. Make it clear to the interviewer that their school is not an afterthought or backup choice.
Show enthusiasm for and intimate knowledge of the school’s unique offerings, mission, and values to impress your medical school interviewer.
Learn more with our guide: What Does School Mission Fit Mean? How to Show School Fit.
7. What Are Common Interview Questions?
There are a number of common interview questions you are very likely to be asked on the big day. Some of the most common questions or requests you’ll hear include:
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why do you want to become a doctor?
- What are you looking for in a medical school?
- Why do you want to attend this medical school?
- What makes you a good fit for this medical school?
- How will your experiences contribute to the diversity of our school?
- What specialty are you interested in?
- What interest do you have in research?
- What is your greatest weakness?
- What do you think about (insert current event here)?
- Why should we choose you over other candidates?
- How does our mission statement align with your personal values?
- Do you have any hobbies?
- What is the last book you read?
- Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Learn how to best answer each of these questions in our guide: 21 Medical School Interview Questions and How to Answer.
Knowledge is power, so the more questions you know to expect, the more you can prepare strong answers. However, do not write out a perfect response and then memorize it like a script. The interviewer may ask the question in a different way or come at it from a different angle, and this could trip you up if you’ve memorized your answer in a specific way. Plus, it could leave you sounding robotic.
Build a foundational answer that you can adapt to the interviewer. And remember not to overcomplicate things. You’ve likely already answered most of these questions in your primary and secondary applications. Review your application materials, as anything you included is fair game to be asked about during the interview.
8. What Is a Multiple Mini Interview?
As opposed to the traditional interview where it’s just you and the interviewer, multiple mini interviews (MMIs) are a series of small interviews led by a variety of different interviewers. First pioneered by McMaster University in 2002, MMIs were developed to be a more objective way to evaluate an applicant, as it enabled many different faculty members to form their own opinion of candidates, creating a more well-rounded and objective portrait.
During MMIs, applicants will generally rotate between six to ten stations over the course of a morning or afternoon. While more interviews may not feel like a good thing, they actually are, as if you bomb one of your mini interviews or you don’t vibe with one of your interviewers, you have plenty of other chances to make a strong first impression.
While the exact structure of MMIs vary from school to school and can change from one year to the next, there are some general guidelines you can anticipate.
- You will rotate through 6 to 10 stations, and each may have a different format. One station may ask behavioral questions, another could ask personal questions, and one may have written prompts, and another station could have acted out scenarios.
- Before you enter each station, you will receive a new prompt to read. You will typically be given two minutes to come up with a response before you enter the room.
- Station times are generally 8 minutes each but this varies. If you finish your answer before the time runs out, interviewers may ask follow-up questions or silently wait out the clock with you.
- Many institutions even discourage non-verbal feedback, let alone verbal feedback, so do not be surprised if interviewers seem distant or cold. It’s simply their job to ask questions.
- Some schools may run virtual multiple mini interviews.
Learn more with our comprehensive Multiple Mini Interview Guide: How to Approach MMIs with Confidence.
9. What Mistakes Should I Avoid on Interview Day?
There are myriad mistakes to avoid before, during, and after your interview.
Medical school interview mistakes to avoid include:
- Being rude to staff or students.
- Walking through the halls with your head down.
- Scrolling social media while on campus.
- Dressing inappropriately.
- Wearing strong cologne or perfume.
- Crossing your arms.
- Being late.
- Being negative or sarcastic.
- Swearing during the interview.
- Forgetting to silence or turn off your phone.
- Chewing gum during the interview.
- Sounding too rehearsed or robotic.
- Rambling or going off topic.
- Giving generic or bland answers.
- Lying about your skills or experience.
- Gossiping about other medical schools or fellow applicants.
- Listing your best qualities without backing them up with evidence from your past.
- Asking basic questions that can be answered on the school’s website.
- Neglecting to send a thank you email after the interview.
10. How Do I Prepare the Day Before an Interview?
Use any time you’re not traveling the day before your interview to rest and relax. You’ve spent months preparing for your interviews, so give your brain a bit of a break before the real thing. You’ll need to be on your A game the following day, so don’t burn yourself out with too much practice the day before.
Look over your notes, but put most of your focus on taking it easy. Eat simple meals that won’t upset your stomach. Focus on intentional breathing, reflection, and mindfulness.
Lay out your clothes and prepare your breakfast as well as any snacks or small meals you plan to take. Pack your bag or folder with everything you will bring. Write out a list of what you need and double-check you have everything. Getting everything you could possibly need ready beforehand will ensure you don’t forget anything, even if you’re extremely nervous in the morning.
It’s also important to note that many programs offer an optional social event the night before interview day. Although attendance isn’t necessarily required, it’s certainly a good idea to do so if you can.
Be as professional and polite as possible because you are definitely being watched. Don’t drink alcohol, and don’t stay out too late. Going into your interview hangover is the last thing you want to do. Take advantage of your chance to ask faculty and current students about unique aspects of the school.
It’s also vital that you prioritize a good night’s sleep. Sleep will likely be tough to find the night before your interview because of stress but, hopefully, you already have a solid bedtime routine that you’ve been following over the past several weeks and months. If not, it’s imperative that you design one as soon as possible. The night before your interview is not the time to try out a new nighttime routine. Follow your usual routine to help ensure you get the best sleep possible.
Set multiple alarms for yourself, and if you’re staying in a hotel, schedule a wake-up call. It’s also a good idea to have a trusted friend or family member call you 10-20 minutes after your last scheduled alarm to make absolutely sure you’re up.
11. How Do I Prepare the Day of an Interview?
Get up early so that you have plenty of time to get ready. Extra time is better than not enough, as you never know what could come up.
Get washed and shaved, as it’s imperative you look fresh, clean-cut, and professional. Do not use an overpowering cologne or perfume, but make sure you smell nice. Double-check your list to ensure you have everything you could possibly need.
Eat a light and healthy breakfast, and don’t eat anything you haven’t eaten before. Now is definitely not the time to experiment with your diet. Ideally, your breakfast might consist of oatmeal, whole wheat toast, a banana, or eggs, but if you always have bacon and eggs and pancakes for breakfast, don’t change up what you eat on interview day so that your stomach isn’t thrown any curveballs. It will throw one right back.
Ideally, you will have already figured out how you will get to the school, whether that’s Uber, public transit, driving yourself, or walking. However, with the latter, ensure you won’t be sweating by the time you arrive on campus. Plan your route in advance and potentially scope it out the day before so that you know exactly how long everything will take—but always assume it will take longer than you think. Count on traffic delays or simply taking a wrong turn on campus.
Leave yourself plenty of time. And once you arrive on campus, reset yourself. Is your shirt tucked in? Does your suit have any creases? How is your breath?
Leave absolutely nothing to chance.
12. How Do I Prepare Immediately Before an Interview?
In the moments before your interview, it’s important to set yourself up for success. Find a private space to warm up your body, face, mouth, and vocal cords. A restroom is a good option, and there’s usually one not too far away.
Do face yoga to loosen up your face. Our skin naturally tightens throughout the day, making us appear stiff, disengaged, and bored. Completing some face yoga exercises will make you appear more animated and excited to be there. Open your mouth and eyes as wide as possible, hold it, then pinch your face like you’re impersonating a raisin and hold that. Repeating these actions several times will relax the muscles in your face, making you appear more relaxed and confident.
It’s also vital that you enunciate your answers clearly so that you appear confident and the interviewer doesn’t have to ask you to repeat yourself. Repeat tongue twisters like “she sells seashells by the sea shore,” “red leather, yellow leather,” “unique New York,” and “the tip of the tongue, the teeth, and the lips,” as articulately as possible. Exaggerate the movements of your mouth as if you just bit into a giant sandwich. Focus on enunciating each vowel and consonant.
This way, your face, mouth, and voice will be warmed up and ready for action. You’ll both feel and look engaged, and you’ll be able to speak with clarity and confidence.
Save these Face and Vocal Exercises for Before and Interview.
Don’t slouch or frantically skim through your notes while waiting for your interview to begin. Stand or sit up straight, put your shoulders back, take deep breaths to steady your heart rate, and focus on projecting confidence. This will help you stay calm and engaged with the present moment.
13. What Order Should I Schedule Interviews?
It’s important to schedule your interviews as soon as possible, as interview spots fill up fast. Remember that med schools utilize rolling admissions, which means they evaluate and accept students on a continuous basis as soon as interviews open. Adcoms don’t wait until they’ve interviewed every applicant before they make admissions decisions.
However, if you have received multiple invitations, it is vital to be strategic about how you schedule your interviews.
Avoid scheduling your top schools first, as this is when you will have the least experience. Familiarize yourself with the process and hone your interview skills by scheduling your lower tier schools first. This will give you a better sense of where your strengths and weaknesses lie so that you can improve for next time. Plus, understanding how the interview process works means there’s less left up to the imagination. Knowing what to expect will help you relax, better preparing you for the schools you’re most excited about.
While scheduling lower tier schools first is key, it’s just as important not to schedule your top tier schools last. Not only could this give a leg up to your competition who scheduled their interviews earlier, but scheduling your top schools last could cause you to burn out. Feeling tired and apathetic about the process is not the way you want to enter interviews at the schools you most want to attend.
Place your top schools toward the middle of your interview schedule. Don’t keep them waiting too long, but ensure you’ve had a practice run at lower tier schools first (if possible.)
Learn more: An Ideal Strategy for How to Schedule Medical School Interviews.
14. How Much Interview Preparation Time Is Needed?
How much preparation time you require will depend on how much experience you have with being interviewed and how comfortable you are communicating with strangers one-on-one. Everyone is different, so there is no set amount of time that will guarantee your success. Consider your own strengths and weaknesses as well as your confidence level. If you’re naturally shy, you will require more preparation.
That said, even the most confident person can trip over their words and panic when faced with medical school interviews. Regardless of how confident you feel day-to-day, preparation is absolutely necessary, but just how much will depend on the individual.
Take time to draft foundational answers to common interview questions. Practice answering them in front of the mirror and camera. Pay close attention to your body language and enunciation. Do this early in the application process so that you can evaluate just how much time you need to set aside to interview prep.
15. What Should I Wear on Interview Day?
Regardless of what gender you identify as, there’s only one ultra chic interview day style—and that’s conservative. Med school interviews are not the time to display your unique and colorful personal style. Dress in neutral, dark tones like navy, dark gray, charcoal, or possibly black, and do not wear attention-grabbing ties.
Keep in mind that the most expensive, fashionable suit will still look terrible on you if it doesn’t fit properly. It’s far better to buy a cheap suit and have it tailored to fit your body.
If you plan on wearing a skirt, it must be at least knee length, and be sure to combine with a matching suit jacket. Wear closed toe shoes and avoid high heels, as you will be doing a great deal of walking around campus. Keep any jewelry or accessories subtle and tasteful, and avoid anything that dangles or distracts.
It’s also imperative that you test out your outfit before the big day. Walk around in it and practice sitting down and standing up. Does the outfit breathe? Will you be comfortable wearing it and moving around in it for hours on interview day?
Learn more: The Ideal Attire for Medical School Interviews.
16. Should I Send Thank You Emails?
As long as the school does not explicitly request that students do not send thank you emails, yes, you should send a thank you email.
Send a thank you email to your interviewer as well as any person you had a great conversation with. If you connect with someone on the Admissions Office staff or a current student, ask for their contact information and send them a thank you email.
Sending thank you emails helps you stand out in someone’s mind, which is a major leg up if they have a say in admissions. If not, they’ll still remember you, and should you get accepted, you’ll already have a friend on campus.
Learn How to Write a Medical School Interview Thank You Email.
17. What Can I Do About a Bad Interview?
Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about a bad interview besides learn from it and apply those lessons to the next one. There are no do-overs during interview season.
If you have several bad interviews and ultimately do not gain acceptance, know that you’ll need to dedicate significantly more time to preparation and practice when you reapply. It’s also a good idea to invest in mock interviews with professionals who have served on admissions committees to ensure you don’t make the same mistakes twice.
18. What Are Mock Interviews?
Mock interviews are interviews you use for practice. They’re just like the real thing, only they are conducted by experts in the interview process who will interview you and then provide objective, constructive feedback about your strengths and weaknesses. They’re an invaluable resource when it comes time to prepare for interview season.
Med School Insiders offers mock interviews conducted by advisors who have served on med school admissions committees and interviewed hundreds of medical school applicants. Our advisors have seen it all, from standard to MMI to open to closed file, and we’ll recreate each kind of situation you could face on the big day so that you’re as prepared as possible.
Interview Prep with Instant AI Feedback
By far, the best way to prepare is with the Med School Insiders Interview AI Course.
It will help you every step of the way, including dozens of comprehensive video modules and also interactive practice interview questions with instant AI feedback. It won’t just give you feedback on the content of what you say, but also how you say it. It’s truly cutting-edge, and you have to experience it to believe it.
You’ll have dozens of years of medical school admission committee experience on your side. Our team of top doctors, all with adcom experience, came together to build this course from the ground up to provide you with the ultimate resource to master the medical school interview.
The course includes everything you need to know, from scheduling interviews to making a cheat sheet to common pitfalls to how to address the most common questions. You’ll also see firsthand what to do and what not to do during a medical school interview from our video examples.
Learn more and try it for yourself! If you’re not completely satisfied after 7 days, we’ll give you 100% of your money back!
