The Medical School Admission Interview: Perspectives on Preparation
The admission interview is the primary means that medical schools use to determine whether applicants possess the personal characteristics suitable for medical practice. In preparation for the interview, prospective students should be able to explain why they chose medicine as a profession and relate experiences that helped them confirm their interests. They should be aware of the economic and ethical atmosphere in which medicine is practiced and should recognize challenges that this environment presents to the profession. Applicants should display good communication skills in their interactions with the interviewers and convey interest in, familiarity with, and enthusiasm about the school where they are interviewing.
Contributor Notes
Carol Elam, Ed.D., is the Assistant Dean for Admissions at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and conducts research on medical school admission interviews and predictors of medical student performance. Readers who are interested in this article and would like more information can contact Dr. Elam at clelaml@pop.uky.edu.
Mary M. Burke, M.D., is Assistant Professor in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. She is program director for the Combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics residency program at the University of Kentucky Medical Center and is working to develop relevant evaluation techniques for medical residents.
John S. Wiggs, M.A., is the Student Development Director of the Office of Minority Affairs at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. A member of the admission committee for both medicine and dentistry, Mr. Wiggs is interested in student advising, recruitment, and retention.
Dexter F. Speck, Ph.D., is a frequent interviewer for both medical and graduate students. He is a member of the College of Medicine Admission Committee, the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Physiology, and an Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology researching the neural control of breathing.
