Medical School Mock Interview

Excel in your medical school interview with 50 essential questions covering ethics, clinical scenarios, and motivation.

Question 1 of 50

Why do you want to be a physician? What appeals to you about working in the medical field?

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Community Answers

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

The interviewers at the medical school you are interviewing with would like to understand what drives your pursuit of a career in the medical field. Your core passion will keep you going on the toughest days while attending medical school. For the interviewers to understand how to motivate you, they need to know what fires you up!

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"Several factors drive my passion for a career in medicine. If I had to pinpoint one main driver, I would say that saving the lives of others every day is the most significant for me. Everyone deserves great health care, and I plan to live that mantra by being the best at what I do and giving my all to my patients every day."

Ryan Brunner

Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.

It is okay to share a personal story when answering this question. Perhaps you can discuss what initiated your interest in attending medical school. Whatever drives you, make sure the interviewers can feel your passion, whether that is a desire to help others, being skilled in biological sciences, or a drive to one day help cure a disease.

Dr. Rodman

"I have always been a giving person, thinking about others before myself. I also enjoy learning about science and the human body. Therefore, medicine has only felt like a natural job choice. I believe it will be the most emotionally fulfilling profession."

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Anonymous Answer

My main driver for wanting to become a physician is a fascination with the material and practice itself. I'm very drawn to the study of biology, in particular, human anatomy, cellular function, and disease pathology. Going to medical school to learn more about these topics and how to use that knowledge to save lives and improve people's quality of living seems like the perfect career in my mind.

Rachelle's Feedback

You have some excellent reasons for being on this career path - your passion truly shines through!

Anonymous Answer

I want to become a physician to improve the health of those disproportionately affected by Alzheimer's. When I was a teenager, I watched my grandmother suffer from Alzheimer's disease. My family and I did not know what Alzheimer's disease was and did not have the resources to cope with how the disease affected my grandmother and family. As I learned more about the medical field, I saw how health education, along with resources, can improve the well-being of people, especially African Americans. The life-long learning and improving the health of communities around me is what gravitates me toward medicine.

Rachelle's Feedback

Your mission is so heartfelt, and your genuine nature shines through"”a perfect answer.

Anonymous Answer

Physicians have an amazing capability to be with patients in the first and last moments of their life and the most vulnerable as well. Being able to impact someone at their worst is so humbling. I also love the learning aspect of the role of a physician. Medicine is always evolving, which in turn leads to continual learning. It is so important to be up to date on new topics and ideas for the best treatment for each patient.

Rachelle's Feedback

It seems that continuous learning and making an impact are the most important to you. Try giving a bit more background if you can - as in, what piqued your initial interest in pursuing this career path.

Anonymous Answer

As a child, I was in and out of hospitals and clinics to treat some serious swallowing problems. At 16 I had a ruptured teratoma cyst in my left ovary that left me in the most excruciating pain I have ever been in in my life. The doctors in both instances made purposeful relationships with me and helped ease pain during some of my toughest days. They affected my life immensely and I want to do that with my patients and have a direct impact on making their bad days better.

Stephanie's Feedback

Great response! You do a great job of drawing on your own challenging personal experiences and how these experiences drove you to pursue a career in medicine. The only feedback I have is perhaps emphasizing the aspects of the medical profession itself that attract you (after all, there are more ways to affect the lives of others and improve bad days without being a doctor. What is it about being a doctor specifically that attracts you?)

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50Medical School Interview Questions & Answers

Discovery

1.Why do you want to be a physician? What appeals to you about working in the medical field?

General

2.What is your plan if you are not accepted into medical school this year?

General

3.In your opinion, what is the most concerning issue facing the medical industry today?

General

4.Medical school is expensive. Have you put thought into a solid financial plan for tuition costs?

Educational

5.Tell us about your academic performance during your undergraduate program. Where have you excelled, and where could you improve?

Discovery

6.Why should we accept you over another medical student with the same qualifications?

Discovery

7.What do you feel is the single most important quality a physician should possess?

General

8.We believe in the continual development of our medical students, both professionally and personally. What is your self-development plan?

Educational

9.Talk to us about your current GPA.

Discovery

10.What is your favorite area of medicine so far? Which is your least favorite? Why?

General

11.If you could meet anyone in the history of medicine, who would you choose and why?

Direct

12.What questions do you have for us about our university?

Discovery

13.What do you know about our university, and what about our campus would draw you here?

General

14.Tell us about an area of weakness you would like to improve in medical school.

General

15.What research did you conduct before applying to our university?

General

16.Tell us something that we would not know about you from reading your CV.

Behavioral

17.What achievement are you most proud of so far on your path to medical school?

General

18.What are you reading right now?

Experience

19.Talk to us about your experience handling blood and other bodily fluids. You will be subject to many scenarios as you enter medical school, and we need to know how you feel about this.

Direct

20.What other medical schools have you applied to, and where does our university rank?

Operational

21.As a future physician, you may have to deal with the death of a patient. How will you professionally cope with this reality?

General

22.Which medical-related newspapers, journals or publications do you read to stay in touch with new medical discoveries and current events?

Scenario

23.A woman comes into the ER after a car accident. She needs a blood transfusion, but she states that her religion is against blood transfusions. What decision do you make?

General

24.As a future physician, how do you plan to use your role to benefit members of your community? Do you think volunteering is important?

General

25.Should medical students who receive federal funds have first shots at residency program matches? spend time practicing medicine in a less desired area, to give something in return?

Operational

26.How do you express your opinions on controversial topics such as abortion, euthanasia, physician assisted suicide, and cloning?

General

27.What is your opinion on socialized health care versus privatized health care?

Scenario

28.How would you react if you discovered a medical school classmate was cheating?

General

29.How does your family feel about you attending medical school? Do they support your decision?

General

30.What are your thoughts on animal research and animal testing in the medical field?

Behavioral

31.How do you respond to feedback and criticism in your work? Describe a situation where your work was criticized. What was your immediate reaction to the situation?

General

32.Who in your life has inspired you the most?

Situational

33.Are there any situations when a physician is justified in lying to a patient?

Direct

34.How well do you think you performed in this interview today?

Behavioral

35.When you suffer a setback, how does that emotionally affect you and your work?

General

36.How would you like to see the delivery of healthcare evolve?

General

37.What are your thoughts on alternative medicine? Which aspects do you agree and disagree with?

Discovery

38.As you're interviewing for acceptance into medical school, is there any part of becoming a medical student that you expect to be intimidating?

Behavioral

39.Give us an example of a time you went above and beyond in your work.

Behavioral

40.What has been the biggest change you have had to deal with in your life, and how do you feel this has prepared for the changes about to come entering medical school?

Behavioral

41.Describe a time you motivated yourself to complete an assignment or task that you did not feel like doing.

Discovery

42.What does your dream job as a physician look like?

Communication

43.How would you describe the written communication skills you would bring to our medical school?

Discovery

44.How would you describe the personality you would bring to our medical school program?

Situational

45.How will you handle an angry or upset patient as a medical student?

Operational

46.How do you like to encourage ideas in others, and why is this important as a future physician?

Direct

47.Would you have any issues relocating to join our medical school program?

Discovery

48.If attending medical school was hypothetically not an option for you, what career path would you have chosen outside of medicine?

Operational

49.How will you manage the high amounts of stress that come with medical school training?

Direct

Medical School Mock Interview

Why do you want to be a physician? What appeals to you about working in the medical field?

50Medical School Interview Questions & Answers

1.Why do you want to be a physician? What appeals to you about working in the medical field?

2.What is your plan if you are not accepted into medical school this year?

3.In your opinion, what is the most concerning issue facing the medical industry today?

4.Medical school is expensive. Have you put thought into a solid financial plan for tuition costs?

5.Tell us about your academic performance during your undergraduate program. Where have you excelled, and where could you improve?

6.Why should we accept you over another medical student with the same qualifications?

7.What do you feel is the single most important quality a physician should possess?

8.We believe in the continual development of our medical students, both professionally and personally. What is your self-development plan?

9.Talk to us about your current GPA.

10.What is your favorite area of medicine so far? Which is your least favorite? Why?

11.If you could meet anyone in the history of medicine, who would you choose and why?

12.What questions do you have for us about our university?

13.What do you know about our university, and what about our campus would draw you here?

14.Tell us about an area of weakness you would like to improve in medical school.

15.What research did you conduct before applying to our university?

16.Tell us something that we would not know about you from reading your CV.

17.What achievement are you most proud of so far on your path to medical school?

18.What are you reading right now?

19.Talk to us about your experience handling blood and other bodily fluids. You will be subject to many scenarios as you enter medical school, and we need to know how you feel about this.

20.What other medical schools have you applied to, and where does our university rank?

21.As a future physician, you may have to deal with the death of a patient. How will you professionally cope with this reality?

22.Which medical-related newspapers, journals or publications do you read to stay in touch with new medical discoveries and current events?

23.A woman comes into the ER after a car accident. She needs a blood transfusion, but she states that her religion is against blood transfusions. What decision do you make?

24.As a future physician, how do you plan to use your role to benefit members of your community? Do you think volunteering is important?

25.Should medical students who receive federal funds have first shots at residency program matches? spend time practicing medicine in a less desired area, to give something in return?

26.How do you express your opinions on controversial topics such as abortion, euthanasia, physician assisted suicide, and cloning?

27.What is your opinion on socialized health care versus privatized health care?

28.How would you react if you discovered a medical school classmate was cheating?

29.How does your family feel about you attending medical school? Do they support your decision?

30.What are your thoughts on animal research and animal testing in the medical field?

31.How do you respond to feedback and criticism in your work? Describe a situation where your work was criticized. What was your immediate reaction to the situation?

32.Who in your life has inspired you the most?

33.Are there any situations when a physician is justified in lying to a patient?

34.How well do you think you performed in this interview today?

35.When you suffer a setback, how does that emotionally affect you and your work?

36.How would you like to see the delivery of healthcare evolve?

37.What are your thoughts on alternative medicine? Which aspects do you agree and disagree with?

38.As you're interviewing for acceptance into medical school, is there any part of becoming a medical student that you expect to be intimidating?

39.Give us an example of a time you went above and beyond in your work.

40.What has been the biggest change you have had to deal with in your life, and how do you feel this has prepared for the changes about to come entering medical school?

41.Describe a time you motivated yourself to complete an assignment or task that you did not feel like doing.

42.What does your dream job as a physician look like?

43.How would you describe the written communication skills you would bring to our medical school?

44.How would you describe the personality you would bring to our medical school program?

45.How will you handle an angry or upset patient as a medical student?

46.How do you like to encourage ideas in others, and why is this important as a future physician?

47.Would you have any issues relocating to join our medical school program?

48.If attending medical school was hypothetically not an option for you, what career path would you have chosen outside of medicine?

49.How will you manage the high amounts of stress that come with medical school training?

50.Would you be willing and able to complete our background check process if you were to be accepted into our medical school?