Mastering Medical School Admission Interviews in a Virtual Era

Ever since the COVID-19 epidemic, virtual interviews have become more common for medical school admission interviews. They offer a convenient, cost-effective way for applicants to connect with local and out-of-state admission teams. Although virtual interviews aren’t conducted in a traditional setting, admission teams still have high expectations for applicants.

First impressions matter even in online settings. Every detail of your virtual interview—  from the background you choose to your body language—contributes to how medical school admission interviewers perceive you. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to put your best foot forward during your virtual interview.

Three Things to Do Before a Virtual Medical School Interview

Approaching your virtual medical school interview with confidence and professionalism requires a bit of legwork before the big day.

Research the School’s Mission Statement and Review Your Application

Knowing the school’s mission statement and values well before the day of your interview shows your interest in what that school has to offer. By connecting your experiences to the school’s values, you can give memorable responses and show that you’ve done your homework and genuinely want to be in this specific program. For example, let’s say that your desired school strives to improve global health. If you traveled abroad on medical volunteer mission trips as a pre-med student, mentioning this in your interview shows why you’re a good fit for their program.

Some medical schools—like Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM)—have a public directory of their faculty and staff, which can help prospective students learn more about their future mentors. Write down any questions you have about the faculty, school, or program that you’d like answered during your interview. While your interview allows medical school admission teams to decide if you’re a good fit for their program, it’s also a chance for you to do the same.

If you’re unsure what to ask, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has a free PDF that can help you get started.

Make sure you tie your experiences to the school’s values only when it’s appropriate. Researching and drafting answers to questions commonly asked during medical school interviews can help you gauge when you can tie in relevant anecdotes while answering questions. Practice answering using the STAR method—situation, task, action, result—to ensure your responses are clear, detailed, and concise:

• Situation: Briefly describe the context of the situation.
• Task: Describe the task/goal you planned to accomplish.
• Action: Explain the steps you took in that situation.
• Result: Share the outcome and what you learned from that experience.

There’s a very good chance the medical admission teams will ask questions about your personal statement and work/volunteer experiences. Review your application package closely to ensure your answers are consistent, anticipate potential questions, and identify major themes you can reinforce throughout your interview.

Practice Answering Commonly Asked Medical School Interview Questions

Generally speaking, the questions you’ll be asked during the interview process include:

• Behavioral questions
• Ethical questions
• Motivational questions
• Situational questions

Behavioral questions help the admission committee better understand your character and how you historically handled challenging situations. These questions require you to reflect on past experiences and share how you have adapted to changing scenarios and grown into the person you are now.

Some commonly asked behavioral questions may include:

• Tell me about a time you had to handle a stressful situation.
• How have your work, research/volunteer, or extracurricular experiences better prepared you for the responsibilities of being a physician?
• What experiences have you had working with sick people? Have these experiences taught you anything you didn’t know before?

Ethical questions provide a glimpse into your morals, accountability, judgement, and integrity. Professionals in the medical field  must strictly adhere to ethical principles like informed consent and patient confidentiality. On a personal level, you may not always agree with decisions your patient makes, but—as a physician—you may be legally obligated to abide by their wishes. In other cases, there may not be a clear answer, so these questions help medical admission teams gauge how you’ll handle morally gray situations.

Some commonly asked ethical questions may include:

• What are your thoughts on physician-assisted suicide?
• From a professional standpoint, what do you think are negative or restrictive aspects of medicine?
• Can you think of any examples in our society when healthcare is a right or a privilege? Do you think there are times when it’s unclear?

Motivational questions explain why you’re confident this is the right career path for you. Medicine isn’t an easy field, and you’ll likely encounter difficult situations that could make you question why you became a doctor in the first place. Motivational questions assess your reasons for pursuing medicine, what you hope to accomplish in this field, and how a school’s program aligns with your goals.

Some commonly asked motivational questions may include:

• When did you decide to be an MD, and why?
• What will you do if you’re not accepted into our program this year? What are your backup plans?
• What excites you about the field of medicine?

Situational questions gauge how well you can improvise on the spot. These hypotheticals show admission teams how well you can adapt, solve problems, and form logical conclusions as you go. Rather than focusing on what you have done, they focus on what you would do.

Some commonly asked situational questions may include:

• How would you respond to a patient who refuses treatment due to personal beliefs?
• Assume limited resources are available and you have to make decisions in a major emergency. Patients’ backgrounds, ages, and degree of injury varies. Assume there is no right answer to this question. Who would you treat first and why?
• To what extent do you feel you owe a debt to those less fortunate than yourself? Please explain.

Pro tip: Schedule mock interviews with a friend, instructor, career advisor at your college, or another trusted individual. You can practice answering questions using the STAR method and improve your interview techniques. You can also conduct these mock interviews virtually in order to troubleshoot any technical difficulties before the big day.

Optimize Your Technical Setup for a Flawless Interview

Virtual interviews bring the convenience of meeting admission representatives from anywhere you can connect to the call. To make a great first impression, make sure you have a well-lit, quiet, distraction-free space with a neutral background to keep the focus on you and your answers. Keep your camera at eye level throughout the entire interview so you can maintain natural eye contact while answering questions. Using noise-canceling headphones with a microphone attached can suppress any unwanted background noise and ensure clear audio.

Although it may be tempting to use your phone, using a laptop or desktop computer offers better internet stability and video quality. Remember to test your connection and the interview platform leading up to the interview to avoid last-minute issues. Having a backup device at the ready will allow you to quickly switch gears if something goes wrong with your primary device and avoid having to cancel or reschedule because of technical difficulties.

How to Make the Best Impression on Interview Day

Virtual interviews don’t provide a traditional professional setting. Despite this, you should still dress professionally to make a good first impression. Have a printed copy of your resume and any questions you want to ask nearby as a quick reference sheet, and plan to log in to the interview platform 5 to 10 minutes before your scheduled time to ensure your devices work as intended. Throughout your interview, maintain steady eye contact with the camera and sit upright.

Speak clearly when answering questions, nod occasionally to show you’re paying attention, and avoid nervous fidgeting as it could be a distraction.

Use this time to ask your interviewer any questions you have about the program, school, instructors, or graduates. Again, this is your chance to see if they’re a good fit for you and your career goals.

Leave a Lasting Impression With Post-Interview Etiquette

The hard part is over, but you’re not finished with the interview process just yet.

Within 48 hours of the interview, follow up with your interviewer via a thank-you email. This is one last way you can leave a  positive impression on your interviewer. Thank the interviewer for their time, reinforce why you’re excited about their program, and briefly address a key point that stuck with you after the conversation. Keep the email professional, thoughtful, and brief.

If you have multiple interviews scheduled, reflection the interviews  you’ve already had. Make a note of what you think went well and what you want to do differently in future interviews.

How Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) Supports Applicants in the Virtual Era

Preparing for a medical school admission interview is an exciting, albeit slightly daunting time for all applicants. You can contact our admission team for personalized support before your interview and attend on-demand and live events where you can speak to admission representatives, current Rossies, and our alumni. We also have plenty of blogs to address common concerns and give advice to help applicants make the best impression possible in a virtual setting.

Ross Med conducts one-on-one admission interviews virtually via a secure video conferencing platform. You’ll speak with an admission representative who will ask questions that gauge your academic readiness, motivation for becoming a physician, and professionalism. When considering potential Rossies, we’re looking for applicants with strong communication skills as well as the ability to handle ethical dilemmas. We’re also looking for a demonstrated commitment to medicine as well as experience and goals aligned with our mission.

Why Ross Med Is a Strong Choice for Your Medical Education

From the first day of class, Rossies enjoy comprehensive, hands-on training that prepares them for diverse careers in medicine. We emphasize hands-on patient care and provide a global perspective on medicine, equipping our students and graduates with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed in rapidly changing scenarios.

Rossies learn from an experienced faculty dedicated to mentoring future physicians. Each educator brings extensive clinical and research expertise to their classes and fosters a supportive environment for academic excellence. With access to state-of-the-art facilities, advanced simulation labs, and innovating learning technologies, you can enhance your medical training using the latest technology at our disposal.

We understand applying to medical school can be a stressful time for applicants, which is why our admission team offers support to applicants at every step. We’re committed to helping every applicant confidently navigate the admission process and ace their interviews.

Choosing the right medical school plays a key role in creating a strong foundation for aspiring physicians. Ross Med offers a student- and career-centered approach that prepares you for excellence in your new career.

Want to learn more about RUSM’s admission process? Visit our Admission Page!