This document summarizes an interview workshop for health professional school applicants. It outlines the common purposes and styles of interviews, provides examples of typical and healthcare-specific questions, and gives advice on preparing for and having a successful interview. Specific details are provided about interview formats and processes for medical and dental schools in Michigan. The workshop aims to help applicants understand what to expect and how to make the best impression during their interviews.
1. Health Professional School
Interview Workshop
MSU Preprofessional Advising Team
Janae Currington, M.Ed.
Mo Gerhardt, M.S.
Claire Gonyo, M.S.
Heidi Purdy, M.A.
2. Purpose of the Interview
To get to know you beyond the numbers
To assess your ability to interact with people
To evaluate your maturity and motivation
To set you apart from the rest
To assess your fit with the program
To answer your questions about the program
Remember: YOU are interviewing the
schools as well!
3. Interviewing Styles
1:1
Panel
Multiple Mini Interview (MSU College of Human Medicine,
MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, CMU College of Medicine & U of
Michigan Dental School)
Behavior-Based
Blind
Partial Blind
Open
4. “Typical” Interview Questions
Tell me about yourself.
Why do you want to be a _______?
Why is our school a good fit for you?
What are some concerns you have about this
program?
Name three strengths and three weaknesses.
5. Healthcare Interview Questions
What are some of the issues presently
confronting the field?
Choose any ethical topic (abortion, genetics,
etc) and tell me what you think about it?
What do you hope to gain from your
education?
What are some disadvantages to becoming a
_________?
If you had a patient addicted to narcotics
what would you do?
What about this profession does not agree
with your personality?
6. Specific Questions to Application
Why this school, when you live in _____?
You don’t have a significant science background, how do you
think you’ll handle pharmacy school?
How did you become interested in culinary arts/food and wine?
You have a busy life, what do you do to relax?
You’ve done a lot of volunteering, can you explain a difficult
situation you encountered while volunteering at _____ hospital?
You were a restaurant manager, describe a particularly difficult
customer encounter?
Do you see a connection between restaurant management and
being an occupational therapist?
In your personal statement, you mentioned ________. Could you
tell me more about that?
7. Non-Traditional Applicant Questions
You’ve been out of school for awhile, why
physical therapy school now? How do you
know?
How do you know you won’t grow bored with
optometry as you have with other jobs?
What triggered the change of careers?
8. “Random” Interview Questions
If someone came in to the ER with ______
condition, what would be the first steps you would
consider taking?
What interests do you have outside of school?
How do you handle disappointment?
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
If you could invite three people to dinner, (living or
dead) who would they be?
If you don’t get in to your chosen field, what else
would you do?
What does integrity mean to you?
What is the last non-academic book you read?
9. Behavior-Based Interview Questions
Give an example of a situation in which you have
developed and maintained a relationship with
someone else in spite of a differing point of view.
Tell me about a time when you set your sights too
high, or too low.
Tell me about a time when you were creative in
solving a problem.
Tell me about at time when you had to balance
competing priorities and did so successfully.
Describe a time in which you were forced to make
an unpopular decision.
10. Behavior-Based Interview Questions
Give an example of a time when you were unable to
complete a project on time.
Describe a time when you may have been
disappointed in your behavior.
Tell me about a goal that you set that took a long
time to achieve, or one that you are still working
towards.
Give an example of a time you anticipated potential
problems and developed preventative measures.
Tell me about a situation where you had to be
persuasive and sell your ideas to someone else.
11. Topics to Know “Something” About
Healthcare System (HMO, PPO, Single Payer,
etc)
Current events related to healthcare
Government efforts/reforms of healthcare
Euthanasia
Abortion
AIDS
Stem cell transplants/research
Universal Healthcare
Current Healthcare Legislation
Current Events
12. Your Evaluation Criteria
Curriculum
Facilities
Student Body
Interdisciplinary/Extracurricular Activities
Financial Aid
Support & Administrative Services
13. Their Evaluation Criteria
Motivation
Professionalism
Knowledge of health care field
Adaptability
Maturity
Communication skills
Consistency
Your interview begins when you drive on
campus & ends when you drive off!!
14. Proper Interview Attire
People who wear men’s clothes
Suit and tie
Dress shoes
Conservative colors
Well-groomed
Minimal or no cologne
People who wear women’s clothes
Suit (skirt or pants)
Pantyhose/stockings
Button-down shirt
Conservative dress shoes (not open-toed)
Appropriate Makeup/ Jewelry
Minimal or no cologne/perfume
Professional bag/coat
15. Reminders
Ask questions
Re-read your personal statement and supplemental
application
Make eye contact
Turn your cell phone off
Take a minute to think about your answer
Answer the question that was asked
Be honest and upfront about your knowledge (or
lack of knowledge)
Be yourself
Be on time, if not early
Write thank-you notes
16. Preparing for the Interview
Have “real” conversations with others
List your strengths & weaknesses on paper.
Get familiar with the school
Prepare a list of questions that are not blatantly
obvious on the website
17. Day of Interview
Eat breakfast
Plan extra time to get to the school, have a
campus map to be sure you get to the correct
building
Aspects of the Day typically include:
Actual Interview
Financial Aid information
Campus Tour by current students
18. Day of Interview – MI Medical School
Specifics
MSU COM
*Welcome to MSUCOM
*MMI Interview – 6 domains (stations) 10
minutes each
*1:1 verbal station– 10 minutes
19. Day of Interview – MI Medical School
Specifics - continued
MSU CHM
*1:1 with a med student – 30 minutes
*Multiple Mini Interviews – 8 minutes at each of
8 stations
*Partial blind – Have access to personal
statement, AMCAS experiences, and secondary
essays but NO numbers.
20. Day of Interview – MI Medical School
Specifics - continued
OU – William Beaumont
*2 interviews – 25-30 minutes each
*1:1 with faculty/staff member & a physician
*Partial blind – Have access to personal
statement, AMCAS experiences, and
secondary essays but NO numbers.
21. Day of Interview – MI Medical School
Specifics - continued
U of M
*24 Hours in Blue
*6 MMI – 1 hour total
*2 long form interviews – 30 minutes each
*1:1 with faculty members and med students
*Open – have access to entire file
22. Day of Interview – MI Medical School
Specifics - continued
WSU
*1interview – 30-60 minutes each
*1:1 with admission committee member, may
also have med student participate
*Open – have access to entire file
23. Day of Interview – MI Medical School
Specifics - continued
CMU -
*Multiple Mini Interviews – 8-10 stations
10 minutes each, one station is an
expanded 30 minute interview
*Blind – Have NO access to personal
statement, AMCAS experiences, secondary
essays or numbers.
24. Day of Interview – MI Medical School
Specifics - continued
WMU-
*Day and a half
*2 Interviews – 14 minutes each, with a 1 minute
rest in between
*1:1 Interview with faculty member
*Open – have access to entire file
25. Day of Interview – MI Dental School
Specifics
U of M
*Multiple Mini Interviews – 5 minutes at each of
10 stations
*Blind – no prior info available to interviewer
U of Detroit Mercy
*1 interview – 60 minutes
*1:1 – notified in advance who interviewer will be
*Open – have access to entire file
26. Interview Tips for the Future
Budgeting, start saving now
Clothes, travel expenses
Schedule enough travel time
Be aware you might be missing classes to attend
interviews, communicate with professors
Take advantage of orientation programs at
schools
27. Other Considerations
Letter Writers – Keep them updated on your
progress --- they WANT to know!
Oct 15th
– earliest acceptance date for MD
schools
May 15th
– last date to hold multiple
acceptances
Deposits – typically refundable but check
deadline dates
28. Questions? Seek us out!
CNS Preprofessional Advisors
Janae Currington, M.Ed., curringt@msu.edu
Mo Gerhardt, M.S., gerhard4@msu.edu
Claire Gonyo, M.S., gonyocla@msu.edu
Heidi Purdy, M.A., purdyh@msu.edu
Compliments to Candice Eisenhauer, University of Illinois –Chicago, for sharing
the framework for this presentation at CAAHP Conference, April 2009.
Editor's Notes
For the Applicant – project your unique image & gather info about the school
For the School –
Assess your personal characteristics (attitude, maturity, enthusiasm, commitment, etc)
Clarify and/or confirm the image presented in your application
Information Gathering- information not on your application
Recruitment/Marketing- share about school and program
Panel: Applicant is interviewed by a couple of individuals usually with other applicants as well.
Blind: Interviewer does not know any information about applicant
Partial Blind: Interviewer has reviewed some application information (usually personal statement and secondary app) however does not know GPA or MCAT
Open: Interviewer has every piece of information in the applicants application.
Behavior Based: Questions revolve around real-world situations or the applicant must share an experience that provides an example of the question asked.
Multiple Mini Interview: Students go through stations are assessed based upon different scenarios that focus on issues such as communication, ethics, critical thinking, teamwork and opinions on health care issues.
If possible be familiar with the type of interview you will have at a school. Knowing what information the interviewer has potentially read about you already will be helpful.
Example: In a blind interview be aware you might be sharing information that is already part of your application again. During an Open interview feel free to share new information that was not part of your application if that would be relevant.
Do a “mirror check” before leaving your house
Check for tags, wrinkles
Suggest students shop at a “2nd hand” store perhaps if finances would prevent purchasing a new suit.
Also, students could borrow from a friend- be creative.
Be familiar with the school you have applied to and are now interviewing with: What are the strengths of that school and perhaps how they align with your own strengths and interests. This could prompt questions to the interviewer at the end.