PREPARING FOR YOUR MEDICINE INTERVIEW

◦ Types of interviews: MMI/panel ◦ What are they looking for? ◦ What to prepare ◦ How to prepare ◦ On the day ◦ Topical issues

Types of interviews ◦ MMI ◦ “Traditional” interview questions ◦ Role play ◦ Other communication tasks ◦ Panel ◦ Traditional interview questions ◦ Questions on an article?

What are they looking for? ◦ Good communication skills ◦ Shake hands with interviewer ◦ Eye contact (but not too much) ◦ Smile ◦ Active listening ◦ Evidence of teamwork (leadership and team player) ◦ Commitment ◦ Enthusiasm for medicine ◦ Ability to balance academic success with co-curricular activities ◦ Ethical scenarios: process of thinking about it > definitive answer ◦ Be yourself!

What to prepare (1) Things to know: ◦ Personal statement ◦ Why you want to study medicine ◦ About the medical school and the course ◦ Core qualities of a doctor ◦ GMC, Tomorrow’s Doctors, Good Medical Practice ◦ About post-grad training

What to prepare (2) Other things to think about: ◦ The multidisciplinary healthcare team and who is in it ◦ The NHS ◦ Ethics

How to prepare ◦ Research the course and medical school thoroughly ◦ Visit the medical school ◦ Practise speaking/answering questions ◦ With someone else ◦ In front of mirror ◦ Read medical journals and keep up to date with the news ◦ Questions on the internet ◦ Useful resources: BMA, GMC, Tomorrow’s doctors, Medical school prospectus/websites, BBC News Health

On the day ◦ Dress smartly (but comfortably) ◦ Be organised the night before- documentation, packed lunch if needed, timings and travel arrangements ◦ Try to relax! ◦ Chat to the other applicants waiting for their interviews if this helps put you at ease ◦ MMIs: When you finish one station, put it out of your mind and move on. ◦ During the interview consider your responses to questions, take some time to think about your answer ◦ Try to avoid “umm” and “like”

Some topical issues “Many young weight-loss surgery patients 'super-obese’.” ◦ “Nearly 40% of under-25s who have weight-loss surgery in the UK are classified as super-obese, according to new figures.” ◦ “Surgeons say this is evidence of "a clear failure of strategies to prevent weight gain in young people".” ◦ BBC News Health, 10/11/14 “Opening of private medical school concerns student leaders” BMA News ◦ £35,000 per year ◦ Outwith UCAS

◦ The case of Nancy Fitzmaurice – mother fought to end severely disabled daughter’s life ◦ “It shouldn't have to be a mother's decision to end their child's life, doctors should be able to take that away from you.” Charlotte Fitzmaurice ◦ Thoughts?