After years of hard work as a premed and countless hours spent on your medical school application, you’ve finally made it to interview season. As you prepare answers to common questions and build your confidence, you must take time to intentionally plan your interview attire.
In previous articles, we covered the entire interview process and how to prepare, as well as a guide to managing and packing your interview attire. This post will take a closer look at your suit options and how to properly pair your suit choice with an appropriate shirt, tie, and dress shoes.
Matching a Navy Suit for a Med School Interview
A navy suit is a timeless option that will invite interviewers to take you seriously from the get-go. The deep, rich hue conveys confidence and authority while illustrating refinement. Overall, it’s an excellent choice for anyone looking to make a strong, sophisticated statement in a formal setting, showcasing your commitment to professionalism.
Navy sets itself apart from other shades of blue by matching the formality necessary in a medical school interview. In addition, its versatility allows for a range of pairing options to create a personalized and polished look. You’ll be able to repurpose a quality suite with different shirt and tie options for years to come.
Navy Suit and Shirt Color Combinations
The versatility of a navy suit extends to its compatibility with a wide range of shirt colors. However, for a professional environment such as a medical school interview, opting for a subdued tone complements the navy without overpowering it.
A white dress shirt completes the look seamlessly and leaves room for a range of tie options that can complete the ensemble. Light blue is another classic shirt option that can complement the color of your suit, adding a touch of refinement to the look.
Pale Pink, Ivory, or Cream Dress Shirt
If you are looking for a cohesive and harmonious pairing, you might opt for a shirt in ivory, cream, or lighter hues of pink. These colors enhance the blue of the suit, resulting in a dapper look that remains appropriately formal.
Choose a durable, breathable fabric that’s not prone to wrinkling easily, such as cotton. Note that cotton comes in a variety of weaves, some of which project a looser, relaxed style that may seem out-of-place at an interview. Instead, look for pinpoint oxford, poplin, or twill. These tighter weaves provide a well-structured look.
Tie It Together
While ties may not be a daily necessity in the contemporary workplace, wearing one for interview day is essential. The right tie will elevate your look; it speaks to being prepared to take medical school seriously from the start.
We recommend avoiding bold colors and flashy patterns. Instead, opt for complementary tie colors, such as red, navy, brown, or grey—preferably in darker shades. If you prefer wearing a patterned tie, thin, regimental stripes, small polka-dots, and even a subdued paisley print are all suitable choices for an interview, so long as they remain subtle.
Dress Shoe Color for a Navy Suit
The right dress shoes are essential to round out the look you’ve constructed. Fortunately, black and brown are both timeless and reliable options that can go with many pairings.
A black shoe, in either matte or polished leather, will complement the navy suit seamlessly. On the other hand, a dark brown shoe provides a touch of warmth and complements the blue of the suit.
In terms of style, Oxford or Derby styles are ideal for a formal interview setting. Broguing perforations are suitable if they’re either semi or quarter brogues. That said, it’s best to avoid the longwing brogue style with a navy suit.
Matching a Grey Suit for a Med School Interview
Image from Ask The Gentleman.
A grey suit is understated and modest while being extremely versatile. Grey comes in various shades (from light to dark charcoal), making customization based on personal preference and skin tone easier. Grey also makes for easy pairing with a variety of shirt colors.
The style of a grey suit can vary greatly depending on the shade and the type of fabric used. But one of the most important aspects is that lighter shades of grey are often considered more casual and relaxed while darker shades are considered more formal.
Dark grey suits are a popular first suit choice because the tone goes with so many shirt styles, as well as being an appropriate color for any occasion—interviews, weddings, funerals, and formal events.
Grey Suit & Shirt Color Combinations
The muted tones of a grey suit highlight any color worn under it. In a formal setting, a classic pairing of a white or light blue shirt will work to your advantage and project a calm, collected presence.
You can also wear a low-contrast patterned shirt under a grey suit. Some suitable examples are a micro-check, tiny dots, or a pinpoint oxford pattern—just make sure it’s a subtle pattern if you go that route.
Ties to Wear With a Grey Suit
Navy and burgundy are versatile tie colors that pair well with a charcoal grey suit. Green, plum, and red ties are also great options, as they can add a touch of color to a white shirt and light-medium grey suit combination.
The intensity and saturation of the hue are essential, as well as the tie’s pattern. It’s best to opt for more muted, toned-down colors. Consider the fabric as well. Ties made from high-quality fabrics, such as silk, wool, and linen, are generally more suitable for formal occasions.
Dress Shoe Color
Black, brown, and burgundy shoes are color options that go well with a grey suit. Again, oxford and derbies are the recommended shoe styles, but brogues are also acceptable.
Burgundy oxford shoes add a pop of color to an interview outfit, pairing well with medium to dark grey suits; black and brown shoes are very versatile and can be worn both with light and dark grey suits.
Matching a Black Suit for a Med School Interview
A black suit is a sharp, classic choice that evokes a timeless image. Paired with a white or light blue shirt, it projects power and discipline with its sleek lines and defined silhouette.
The right ties can enhance this effect, with darker hues such as dark blue, grey, or burgundy complementing the black suit. At the same time, wearing a black tie may create an unnecessarily severe, overpowering look.
We recommend choosing a solid tie or muted pattern that accentuates rather than diminishes the overall classy impression. Finish the look off with well-polished black shoes. You might also consider a brown color for a slightly more approachable look, but make sure to select a dark shade of brown shoes if choosing a black suit.
Wearing a Suit for Med School Interview: Styling Tips
Invest in Your Entire Appearance
When getting ready before an interview, remember that an essential part of making a great first impression is your overall well-groomed and polished appearance.
This includes ensuring that your suit, shirt, and tie are neatly pressed and free from wrinkles. An undershirt can help create a fitted look while providing a layer of protection, keeping your dress shirt looking clean and fresh.
Spending a few minutes to clean and shine your dress shoes will further enhance your professional image. If you are in a colder climate and arriving in a winter coat, wearing a smart, neutral-toned coat is recommended to maintain a cohesive look.
Arrange a haircut close to your interview but not right before. Keep your look neat and ensure you leave enough time on the day of your interview to style your hair and groom any facial hair.
Invest in a High-Quality Suit
A tailored suit that is well-constructed and made of high-quality fabric is a wise investment. Not only does it provide a flattering fit, but it also conveys confidence and can be worn on a number of different occasions.
Investing in one quality suit that can be tailored to you is better than purchasing multiple suits of a lesser quality. Ensuring you have a good suit that’s tailored to fit you properly is something you should budget and plan for leading up to medical school interviews.
Avoid Bright Colors and Loud Patterns
It’s important to present a professional appearance for medical school interviews. Wearing bold or flashy attire can detract from your academic achievements and may be perceived as a lack of compliance with the established norms and standards.
For interviews, choose a conservative, understated look in a neutral color palette, such as a navy blue, grey, or black suit worn with a crisp, simple shirt, complementary tie, and well-polished dress shoes.
This professional attire projects a sense of dependability and will allow your interviewers to focus on your qualifications and potential. Muted and conservative hues translate to stability and reliability, conveying your commitment to your career path.
Interview Preparation Tips
1. Practice Common Questions
You may not know exactly what you’ll be asked, but there are common threads between medical school interview questions. Prepare for common questions while also preparing for the unexpected.
Surprise yourself with questions you have to answer on the spot to simulate the experience of a real interview. Don’t memorize your answers word for word, as this could trip you up on the day if you lose your spot or get asked a slightly different question.
Instead, prepare foundational answers and talking points and practice adapting these points to different types of questions.
Some common interview questions include:
- Tell us about yourself.
- What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
- Why do you want to attend this medical school?
- Why should we choose you?
- Describe an obstacle you’ve overcome. What did you learn?
- Describe a time you were met with conflict. How did you deal with the situation?
- Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
- What do you do for fun outside of your studies?
- What questions do you have for us?
21 Medical School Interview Questions and How to Answer Them.
2. Record Yourself and Review
While practicing your answers to common questions, watch yourself in the mirror or take the time to record yourself and play it back.
This way, you can see exactly what your interviewers will see and hear.
How do you sound? How do you look? Are you using gestures appropriately or too much? What do you need to work on to impress your interviewers?
Do this at least once in your interview attire. How does your suit look? Do you feel and look confident in it?
3. Prepare and Test Your Clothing Well in Advance
Your clothing says a lot about you. Did you care enough to dress professionally for your interview? Do you look sharp? Do you look like someone worth hiring?
Take time to pick out your interview attire well in advance. Practice moving around in it and wearing it while answering practice questions.
Are you comfortable? Does everything fit well? Is there anything about your outfit that’s distracting?
4. Check Your Body Language
Your body language conveys quite a bit to the people you’re speaking to.
Slouching, looking at a clock, or fiddling with an aspect of your clothing will make you appear nervous, insecure, and like you don’t want to be there. Plus, poor posture is more likely to wrinkle your suit.
As you prepare for your interview, watch your own body language. What are you conveying to those around you?
Do you look confident? Open? Friendly? Enthusiastic? Even if you don’t feel all that confident, good posture and positive body language can go a long way.
Learn more from our guide: How to Improve Your Medical School Interview Body Language.
5. Warm Up Before the Interview
Just like stretching before exercise, it’s important to warm up your vocal cords before an interview.
It’s essential that your interviewer can hear your answers clearly. You don’t want to be asked to repeat yourself or worse—have your interviewer think you’re a poor communicator.
Without practice, you can easily fall into bad speaking habits. You might not enunciate every syllable, you might trail off at the end of your sentences, or you might not speak loudly enough to be understood.
Shortly before your interview, perform exercises to warm up your vocal cords to prepare you for speaking.
It may feel silly in the moment, but it will be worth it in the end when you speak clearly and with confidence throughout your interview.
Mock Interviews Allow You to Test Your Skills and Appearance
Med School Insiders offers a course on How to Ace the Medical School Interview that provides thorough and thoughtful training that covers the entire interview process.
We offer mock interviews with former interviewers who will provide you with direct feedback on your first impression, how your appearance comes across, and the quality of your answers. Mock interviews provide an opportunity to put your attire and interview skills to the test so that you know exactly what to expect come interview day.
