***If you have not gotten any interview invites DO NOT STRESS. It is currently SO early. I definitely didn't have any by this time last year. Your time will come don't you worry***
Before Interview Day -
1. Read My Blog Post on MMI's vs. Traditional Interviews - This will give you some insight on what exactly an MMI is, where to find practice questions and what to expect when you are in an interview session.
2. Practice Answering Questions Out Loud - You should absolutely practice both MMI style questions and traditional questions. It may feel silly to tell your mom what you would do if your classmate was cheating off your exam or talk to your dog about "Why Medicine" but it is so important. Practicing different answers out loud will help you feel comfortable speaking about yourself. Bonus - If you practice with your parents, mentors, friends, etc you can also get feedback on your answers. As you fine tune your answers, write down some key points to typical topics such as "Why Medicine"!
3. Research the School - This is pretty straightforward. During the interview they may ask you why you want to attend their school in particular. You want to have a specific answer for this question because it will be pretty obvious if you have a generic answer you use for every school! Remember - this is different than "Why Medical School?" - this is "Why This Medical School?" I suggest writing down some bullet points to read in the morning before the interview!
4. Plan Extra Time into your Travel Schedule - While it might be tempting to avoid hotel costs by taking a super early flight/driving the morning of your interview, it is not worth the risk. Not only do you want to ensure you are well rested and calm, but you really don't want to risk missing your interview due to flight delays or traffic! Interview season is expensive but you can save money by looking into student-host options that most schools offer!
5. Pack Your Interview Outfit in your Carry-On - On the off-chance your luggage is lost, you need to have your suit with you! I have heard horror stories of people not having an interview outfit the night before their interview. Please don't let this be you. I packed my suit, makeup, shoes, and toiletries in my carry-on bag to ensure I would have everything I needed for an interview if something went wrong with my luggage.
6. Limit Your Time on SDN/Reddit - It is so tempting to constantly check these threads for updates about each school you are applying to but try to resist! I made a rule that I would check SDN once a week to see what schools have had movement on II's. Checking everyday or more than once a day will honestly drive you insane so I really suggest limiting yourself to 1-2 times a week! The waiting game sucks sooo much but this may help you stay a little more sane.
Interview Day -
1. BE CONFIDENT - This is the most important advice I can give you. If you are confident in yourself you will interview so much better! More importantly, you have every reason to be confident. If you have made it to an interview that means: you have made it through pre-med classes, written great essays, made it through primary and secondary screenings and are a highly desirable candidate! You should feel incredible! The schools want to impress you just as much as you want to impress them. So with that, speak up, stand up/sit up straight, and smile!!
2. Take Notes on the School - You can do this during presentations or after the day ends! I didn't do this and I honestly wish I did! I felt like all of my interview days blended together in my mind and when it was time to make a decision, I couldn't use my interview experience as a strong indicator. If you didn't like your interview day, be honestly with yourself and make note of that fact.
3. Gather Contact Information for Thank-You Notes - Some schools will tell you to send thank-you's through the portal or to their general email while others will give you individual email addresses. This depends on the school but it is a good thing to keep in mind! This is especially important for traditional interviews.
4. Have So Much Fun - I know this is so cliche but you really should enjoy yourself. Obviously interviews are stressful, but the day is supposed to be enjoyable! In fact, the school that had the most enjoyable interview day is the one I ended up at! It really makes a difference in your experience overall and your performance if you are having fun! So take a deep breath and remember that you belong!
I hope that information was helpful! Good luck to those of you starting interviews! I am so so excited for you.
Happy interviewing
xoxo
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