Frequently Asked Interview Questions
Source: AAMC Careers in Medicine and ISMMS Office of Medical Student Affairs
Tell me about yourself.
Why did you become a doctor?
How would your friends describe you?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Why are you interested in our program?
What are you looking for in a program?
Why should we choose you?
Can you tell me about this deficiency on your record?
Why are you interested in this specialty?
Tell us about your research experience.
If you could not be a physician, what career would you choose?
What do you see yourself doing in the future?
What leadership roles have you held?
What do you do in your spare time?
What was you favorite course in medical school?
Why did you choose this specialty?
What are your goals?
Are you interested in academic or in clinical medicine?
Do you want to do research?
What was the most interesting case that you have been involved in?
Do you plan to do a fellowship?
What is your most important accomplishment?
What motivates you?
What will be the toughest aspect of this specialty for you?
If you could do medical school over again, what would you change?
What do you think you can contribute to this program?
Do you foresee any problems managing a professional and a personal life?
Are you prepared for the rigors of residency?
How much did lifestyle considerations fit into your choice of specialty?
Describe the best/worst attending with whom you have ever worked.
What is the greatest sacrifice you have already made to get to where you are?
What problems will our specialty face in the next 5-10 years?
How would you describe yourself?
List three abilities you have that will make you valuable as a resident in this specialty.
Describe a particularly satisfying or meaningful experience during your medical training. Why was it meaningful?
What is one event you are proudest of in your life?
What was the most difficult situation you encountered in medical school?
What clinical experiences have you had in this specialty?
What is feedback you received that was difficult & how did you react to it?
If you could invite three people (alive, dead, or fictional) to lunch, who would they be and why?
Teach me something/ Describe your teaching style/how do you teach when there are people at different levels
How would family/friends describe you?
What is an instance of bias you observed? How did you respond?
Describe a time you had a difficult interaction with a patient and how you managed it
Describe a time where you learned something that surprised you
Questions about teamwork - an example where your team worked well together, where it didn't, how you dealt with it, what are your strengths in working with a team, what is something you are still working on, a time you wish you handled something differently, describe a time working with someone different than you
Questions about communication - a time where there was some challenge related to communication & how you handled it, working with people with different communication styles
What questions do you have for me?
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