{"id":18290,"date":"2021-05-07T09:38:11","date_gmt":"2021-05-07T09:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=18290"},"modified":"2021-06-17T20:00:52","modified_gmt":"2021-06-17T20:00:52","slug":"the-hardest-medical-school-interview-question","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/the-hardest-medical-school-interview-question\/","title":{"rendered":"The Hardest Medical School Interview Question"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cSo, tell me about yourself.\u201d
\nAt the very start of your medical school interview<\/a>, the admissions officer casually drops this question in your lap and then looks at you expectantly. You pause for a moment and your inner monologue runs through infinite response scenarios. Which one should you pick?
\nIs this a time to bring up that volunteer experience you had? Do you tell your interviewer about your lifelong desire to become a physician? Is the right response a list of your major life achievements up to this point\u2014including eating a balanced breakfast this morning? Do you bring up a quirky hobby or the fact that you\u2019re the only one in your family with green eyes? How do you even begin to tackle such an open-ended interview question?
\nIt\u2019s easy in theory: The one subject that you should be an expert on is yourself. You\u2019ve certainly spent plenty of time with yourself and have hopefully reflected on the qualities that you want to convey during your medical school interview. That said, you want to make sure that you\u2019re meeting the interviewer\u2019s expectations<\/a>.
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What are medical school interviewers looking for?<\/h3>
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\nBy asking an open-ended question rather than a direct question, the interviewer is allowing you to control the narrative. It\u2019s a rare opportunity for you, as the interviewee, to drive the conversation. Take advantage of it.
\nSuccessful medical school interviews<\/a> are about providing a clear, concise narrative. If you deliver an answer that\u2019s short and represents you well, it indicates that you\u2019ve put some thought into your answer. It\u2019s also a chance for you to highlight a characteristic about yourself that may not be as strongly represented in the rest of your application.
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Relevant answers to interview questions are best<\/h4>
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\nA response to an open-ended question is not the time to bring up former romantic relationships, questionable life decisions, family drama, or anything that doesn\u2019t shine a positive light on you as an applicant. Stick to things that are relevant to medical school or that showcase your best traits.
\nYour answer can involve basic details\u2014such as where you\u2019re from, interests you have, research you\u2019ve worked on, volunteer work, your major, your hobbies, your connection to the city where you\u2019re interviewing, etc. There are so many options when it comes to answering this interview question that you shouldn\u2019t need to veer into unrelated or awkward material.
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Brevity is the soul of wit<\/h4>
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\nNo one likes a rambler. Medical school interviews tend to be relatively brief affairs, and if you spend five or ten minutes answering this question, you miss out on other questions that could otherwise highlight your strengths.
\nTaking too long to answer one (albeit difficult) question may also potentially leave your interviewer feeling rushed if they have a list of required interview questions to ask. Two-three minutes is a sufficient duration for any answer.
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Practice Makes Perfect<\/h4>
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\nAs with all your medical school interview responses, you should practice your answer to the dreaded \u201ctell me about yourself\u201d question to make sure that it is relevant, focused, and short\u2014but don\u2019t practice to the point where it seems rehearsed.
\nIf you\u2019re going to use this question as a jumping off point for a good story or hilarious anecdote, do make sure that you\u2019ve practiced telling your story to ensure it flows well and that the content has been approved by family and advisors.
\nWhile the ambiguity of the question may at first seem intimidating, the \u201ctell me about yourself\u201d question is actually very advantageous to you as a student. Use the opportunity to the fullest and you\u2019ll be sure to impress your interviewer.<\/p>\n