Summary Medical and Dentistry Interview Top Tips

Medical and Dentistry Interview Top TipsPanel Interviews These usually involve a panel of two or three interviewers. The interviewers can be a mixture of clinical and faculty staff, a senior medical/dental student or a ‘lay’ interviewer (a member of the public). Panel interviews can be either structured, where specific set of questions are followed, or semi structured, where questions can be influenced by the interviewee’s answers so the process is more conversational. Panel interviews can be 20–30 minutes long and some medical/dental schools require two interviews to be completed over two days. Example: Glasgow University School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing All necessary instructions and guidance will be given on the day (we know candidates may be nervous and are there to help), but to give you a guide as to what to candidates can expect:  The interview session will last around 30 minutes. Candidates will be interviewed by two panels (A and B), swapping mid-point, with two interviewers on each panel. Multiple candidates will be interviewed within rooms.  From the applicant waiting area, candidates will be led to wait outside the interview rooms prior to interview, by candidate grouping A and B. One of the groups will use the waiting time to read and select ONE from two scenarios to discuss. The other group will sit and wait.  Candidate groups A and B will go into their respective rooms for interview. Those who have just selected one scenario will be expected to discuss this with their interviewers at some point during this interview panel.  After the first panel has finished, candidate groups A and B will again wait outside the interview rooms. One of the groups will use the time to read and select ONE from two scenarios to discuss. The other group (who have already discussed the scenario they chose) will sit and wait.  Candidate groups A and B will go into their respective rooms for their second panel interview. Those who have just selected one scenario will be expected to discuss this with their interviewers at some point during this interview panel. Once finished, candidates are encouraged to submit feedback to help develop the candidate experience. This is completely anonymised and has no bearing on interview results. Should candidate concerns be raised during the interview, candidates must report to a member of administrative staff immediately after the interview at the venue, prior to departure. Preparation for Panel Interview  Refer to our undergraduate medical curriculum  Revisit your personal statement  Think of examples of your achievements and skills.  Consider your personal characteristics.  Reflect on previous interactions or experiences. Explore what being a doctor/dentist means and the related themes or topics around this. 4 Multiple-Mini Interviews These are often referred to as MMIs and consist of seven or eight different ‘stations’, or small interview scenarios. Each station will assess candidates for specific attributes and will only last for a short time. Stations can range from discussing personal statements and experience (like in a regular panel interview) to more practical scenarios that involve candidates interacting with an actor who will be playing a role of a patient in distress and/or have a particular issue needing resolved. Before MMIs, candidates are briefed on the structure of their interview and given an opportunity to ask questions. It is worth researching or contacting the medical/dental school before an MMI to find out what information is available about each station. Example: University of Aberdeen School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition Many questions that will be covered in the MMI stations are available in the public domain (examples are at the end of this booklet). Although the exact wording may vary, candidates may find it a useful exercise to be familiar with some questions and to consider their own responses that are based upon their own thoughts and experiences, rather than quoting existing text and the opinion of others. There are many ways that selectors may explore the domains that form part of an MMI. Candidates may be asked to discuss their preparation for entry to Medicine/Dentistry. For example:  Research into undergraduate curricula and postgraduate training  Research then understanding of the implications of a medical career  Experience of caring or other environments  Consider a new situation and discuss their thoughts or suggest a solution to solve a problem  Outline any learning points from previous experiences  Reflect upon their own and others' skills and abilities  Consider their potential contribution to the care of others Candidates should be aware that for some questions there will not be a 'correct' answer – simply that the student's ability to reflect upon and discuss diverse aspects of the problem may be under scrutiny. Given that the pre-interview scoring system selects candidates who appear to have sufficient academic potential, the interview is not intended to:  Test academic knowledge  Include questions directly related to the school curriculum