On my rotation I have the pleasure of meeting so many amazing fourth-year students who are on their audition rotations. Audition rotation or Sub-Internship rotations are generally 2-4 week rotations that fourth-year students apply for in a speciality of their choice at a residency they hope to match into! They have been giving me tons of advice and knowledge about the match, application process, and interview trail. Our conversations inspired me to write about my own interview experience during medical school in hopes of helping those that are applying this cycle.
Best Practices for Medical School InterviewsÂ
- Be Yourself: I know everyone always says this but really be yourself. Of course keep it PG and professional but also feel out your interviewers. If they are making jokes and keeping the environment relax, feel free to take a breath and laugh along. Let your personality shine because that aspect of you could be what sets your apart from other applicants.
- Know Your Application: Before I went on my interviews I would spend the night before reviewing my application just to remind myself of the activities and what I had written about in my personal statement. It might sound silly but interviewers tend to ask deeper questions about that one-liner any your application and you want to make sure that you will have the best answer possible.
- Ask Thoughtful Questions: My advisor told me to keep questions that I can find answers to on the school website to myself. Instead I can ask a secondary question with regards to the research I have done or even something interesting I had heard during the interview day. Having a few questions handy is helpful but I would refrain from asking just to ask and instead make an effort to engage with the interviewer.
- Keep In Touch: A simple hand-written thank you card mailed to the office or an email can go a long way; especially for programs that are high on your radar. Make yourself as memorable as possible and express your genuine interest in the program
I hope that these tips can benefit you all for any type of interview. If you have any other tips that you gained during your medical school interview leave them down below!
