I’ve hosted hundreds of BS/MD mock interviews throughout my years as a mentor. Throughout my tenure, I have seen so many different styles that easily distinguish a good interviewer from a great one. Considering how high the stakes are, avoiding these mistakes in your BS/MD faculty interview or BS/MD MMI Interview matters. If you want to work with me for mock interviews and get personalized feedback for your upcoming BS/MD Interview or MMI, click here to get started.
Only Reading or Watching Videos
Many students like to prepare with books or videos for interview prep. However, in order to improve your interviewing schools, practicing out loud is key (and ideally with feedback). Reading books or watching videos is very passive and can only teach you a limited amount of information. Conveying your knowledge or reflections, on the other hand, is much more difficult as the way we think about problems is much different from the way we verbally communicate.
I always suggest practicing out loud with a trusted person, preferably one with interviewing experience (like your family or friends)! This is an easy way to get feedback. They should be able to tell you what they believe is the point of your answer, which should ideally be similar to the message you were trying to convey.
If practicing with someone is not possible, then I always suggest practicing in front of a mirror or even recording yourself on Zoom. Hearing yourself speak can help you recognize flaws in your argument as well as refine the presentation of your answers.
Going Off Topic
This one may seem obvious, but I’ve seen many students make this mistake because they don’t think about the question before answering. When you are given a question, it’s important to actually think about what the question is asking. Prior to giving your answer, consider the purpose of your story or example. Does it fit what the question is asking? If not, choose a different story or example. Going off topic may make you seem disorganized or confused during your BS/MD or medical school interviews.
Having Unspecific Goals
Anyone who has prepped with me knows I’m a stickler for goals– none of my students ever leave a session without brainstorming them. Your goals should be beyond “I want to be a doctor” and “I want to help people”. These, of course, should be your baseline for applying to BS/MD or medical school. Without having clear goals, it becomes obvious that a candidate is not adequately prepared for the medical field. Pursuing a medical career is arduous, draining, and requires a lot of sacrifice. However, your goals act almost as a light at the end of the tunnel to help you get through challenging moments. By having goals, you can demonstrate to medical school your preparedness for the field you are about to enter. Specific goals should detail how you envision your career as a physician.
Having A Shallow Understanding of Medicine
This is a mistake that I especially see for BS/MD students, although many premedical students are not exempt either. As I mentioned above, medicine is incredibly tough and navigating the American healthcare system is confusing. Without a solid understanding of medicine, students may come across as naive or unprepared to face these challenges as a doctor.
Understanding the personal and professional challenges a physician may face is also important. Medical schools want you to have a realistic understanding of medicine. Not only do you need to know what these challenges may be, but it’s crucial to also identify practical solutions.
I often find that my students who understand the healthcare system are the ones who are able to successfully obtain acceptances to BS/MD or medical school. In addition to understanding the issues in healthcare, they are also able to discuss practical solutions.
Not Reflecting On Your Experiences
Perhaps one of the most common mistakes I see is storytelling without reflecting on your experiences. Many students will tell elaborate stories and conclude with a positive outcome. My response to this in interview prep is “so what?”. Reflection is such an important component of writing essays and interviewing; yet many interview coaches and students do not actually know how to do this well. When reflection is done well, it can show medical schools or BS/MD programs that you have the maturity and ability to improve yourself, both of which are required for a career in medicine. Without reflecting on your experiences, it can leave your interviewer wondering what the purpose of your story was.
Only Talking About Healthcare-Related Experiences
While it’s not wrong to talk about healthcare-related experiences, medical schools are looking for well-rounded individuals. At a prep company I previously worked for, I would often get students who worked with other coaches that only highlighted healthcare-related experiences in their applications. When I trained these students for interviews, their answers reflected this same notion. However, upon reading their resumes, I learned that they were actually archers, philanthropists, crafters, or community leaders.
Think about it this way- anyone applying to BS/MD or medical school has probably done research or volunteered at a hospital. Interviews give you the unique opportunity to show medical schools your life experiences and what else you bring to the table. I always recommend drawing from personal experiences or even activities that may not have already shown up on your application.
Following Bad Advice
Nowadays, anyone on the internet can be an expert. Between forums, social medical, and Youtube videos, there is so much content out there that makes it difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Even with premedical counselors, it’s important to select the right one. Many counselors have not experienced the medical field themselves. Even if they have, they need to be very well-versed in the medical school admissions process.
A lot of the advice I see or hear is either speculation or misleading. For example, many students will be prepped with the classic “what is your weakness?” question during mock interviews. Many students who have had other interview coaches often relay that they were told to turn a weakness into a positive. However, if these coaches or advisors knew anything about the medical school admissions process, they would know that this is terrible advice. Medical schools want to see your authentic reflection of a weakness.
So how do you know if the advice you’re reading from me is actually legitimate? 4/4 students who prepared with me got into Case Western BS/MD, a school with only 20 seats. Last year, 5/5 students who prepared with me got into UMKC BS/MD, while 4/5 got into Drexel BS/MD. How is my success rate so high? I have studied what it takes to get into medical school for years; it also helps that I went through the process myself. My strategies and teachings come from the experience understanding what a successful application or interview answer looks like, rather than just my personal experiences. This is why my teachings for interviews are so specific and I often nitpick at answers until they’re perfect. If you’re going to take advice from anyone, I suggest looking at their track record and how specific their feedback is.
Final Thoughts
As you prepare for your BS/MD interview or medical school interview, I suggest avoiding these key mistakes in your interview practice. I would recommend knowing your application inside and out, and brainstorming stories that positively reflect your character. You will also need to strongly convey your motivation for medicine and understanding the healthcare system. Happy practicing!
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