Welcome to our series of Medicine interview tips

This series of Medicine interview tips, along with our extensive collection of articles and guides, are entirely free as part of Medicine Answered’s commitment to making high-quality information about a career in Medicine free and easily accessible. These series of tips are designed to be used alongside our free database of real Medicine interview questions and answers, with full analysis.

What this specific article covers

In this article, we answer the question of whether you should memorise answers to Medicine interview questions as part of your interview preparation. We will cover:

  1. The problems with memorising answers to medical school interview questions

  2. What two skills does a strong interview candidate possess so that they do not need to use memorised answers to Medicine interview questions?

  3. How can a candidate develop these two skills to answer Medicine interview questions effectively?

  4. How to correctly prepare answers to Medicine interview questions during your medical school interview preparation

After reading this article, you can put what you have learned to use by using our free database of real Medicine interview questions and answers, with analysis.

1. The problems with memorising answers to Medicine interview questions.

A problem with memorising answers to Medicine interview questions is that it can cause candidates to be thrown off by a question that is worded slightly differently to the one that they memorised and were expecting. They are much more likely to respond with the answer they had prepared even though that was not the question posed to them. In this way, they can sound like a politician who is giving a prepared answer to a question, not correctly considering what the interviewer has specifically asked them.

Note, that a skilled Medicine interviewee is able to steer the direction of an interview by doing things such as using cues, using a technique called “signposting” and guiding the discussion into specific areas that they wish to highlight. These techniques are things our doctors cover in our Medicine interview course and provide you with plenty of opportunities to practice with them and gain feedback so you can perfect the skill. However, this steering is performed in a purposeful and skilled manner. This is unlike merely using memorised answers to Medicine interview questions, as in these instances the candidate is not directing the interview in the previously described skilled and purposeful manner; they are merely reeling off a memorised answer as they have limited options to answer Medicine interview questions.

Candidates who memorise answers to medical school interview questions are more likely to sound robotic and lack spontaneity and charisma. They are vulnerable to forgetting their “script”, especially under the pressure of a Medicine interview, and as a result panic. Without their script, they will have limited options to proceed. They will be less skilled at answering unusual Medicine interview questions.

The other issue to consider is that memorising the answers to medical school interview questions makes your Medicine interview preparation much more difficult, time-consuming and laborious than using the correct preparation strategies that the Medicine Answered system teaches in step 4. You want your Medicine interview preparation to be as effective as possible while being as easy and quick as possible, so you can spend your time doing other things. Remember that you must also leave yourself with enough time and energy to pass your exams.

2. What skills does a strong interview candidate possess so that they do not need to use memorised answers to Medicine interview questions?

A person skilled at Medicine interviews is not someone who memorises the answers to Medicine interview questions. Instead, they possess the following two skills. Note, we explain how to acquire these two skills in section 3 (the next section). However, you must first, understand what these skills are. Then in section 4, we discuss how to use these two skills to prepare answers to Medicine interview questions. Section 4 is the process that you should be using to prepare answers for Medicine interview questions.

  • Skill 1 – Creating an internal database: A skilled interviewee has an internal database of experiences, skills, achievements and anecdotes that they are comfortable discussing. Then depending on what specific Medicine interview question is posed to them, they can actively choose particular experiences, accomplishments and anecdotes from their internal database that are relevant to the question and fashion these into an answer. In this way, they can answer any Medicine interview question posed to them in a way that is specific to that question and sounds natural. Of course, they will have still prepared answers to medical school interview questions, and they will know what topics from their database to use for common questions and how to structure their answers. However, this is not done by memorising answers verbatim. Because they have not memorised the answers to interview questions, they have much more flexibility, and their Medicine interview answers will sound more natural. They can easily handle questions asked in a slightly different way to questions that they encountered during their Medicine interview preparation without being thrown off.
  • Skill 2 – Using specific frameworks for answering different categories of Medicine interview questions: A skilled Medicine interviewee has learned the different frameworks/structures for answering the different categories of Medicine interview questions. This is not a general skill or a general feeling that they have; it is because they have learned specific techniques to do this. For example, they know the SBARR framework of how to structure an answer to a “describe a situation that you showed…” Medicine interview question. We teach more of these Medicine interview techniques in our Medicine interview course and give you extensive opportunities to practice these medical school interview techniques with a doctor so you can perfect them. You can also learn about them in our free blogs.
  • When a candidate can combine skills one and two, then they will become a skilled interview candidate who can naturally and easily answer a wide range of questions posed to them. In section 3 below, we discuss how to acquire these two skills. Then in section 4, we discuss a process for using these two skills to prepare answers to medical school interview questions.

3. How can a candidate learn these two skills to answer Medicine interview questions effectively?

  • Skill 1 is about creating a database of experiences, examples, anecdotes, so you become comfortable talking about them at will. You need to develop the skills of taking fuzzy, not fully formed thoughts and experiences in your head and expressing them clearly. Remember, interview examiners cannot mark you on the content inside your mind; they can only mark you on how well you can express these thoughts. Some things are easy to express. Others are not but will become easier as you practice.

The easiest way to create your database is to first think of things to fill your database with. To do this begin by brainstorming. You should brainstorm about yourself, i.e. your motivations; personal attributes; achievements; strengths and weaknesses; compliments; the feedback you have received etc. You should look at your previous certificates, CV (if you have one) etc. You should compile a list of feedback you have received, compliments, criticisms etc. Then brainstorm about things such as examples of excellent communication skills you have seen; examples that you were involved in and so on; examples of teamwork; examples of leadership; five things you learned from your work experience etc.

This process will remind you of things you have forgotten and help you to think of new things you have never previously considered. It will help you to link things to each other and group them. It will develop the skills of taking fuzzy, not fully formed thoughts in your head and expressing them in words. It is possible that this level of introspection is something you may have never had to do before the medical application process.

You can write the headings of the items of your database in a mindmap or a list. The next stage is learning about how to speak about these things. Practice talking about items from your database out loud. This will help develop the skills of taking ideas in your head, shaping them and then coherently expressing them. Thinking of how to say something in your head, is different to actually saying it out loud (even if it is just to yourself or to an object) and uses different areas of your brain.

  • Skill 2 is about learning frameworks for answering different types of Medicine interview question. For example, answering “tell us about an example where you showed…” medical school interview questions. There are frameworks for answering these types of medical school interview questions. Once you know these frameworks, it is straightforward to make an answer by adding your personal experiences to the framework. You can see our free blogs for some examples. Our doctors cover these frameworks in our Medicine interview course and give you extensive opportunities to practice with them and gain feedback.

4. Using these skills to correctly prepare answers to medical school interview questions – how to prepare answers to Medicine interview questions.

Our advice not to memorise answers to medical school interview questions means that during your interview preparation, you should not try to write down answers to Medicine interview questions verbatim and then try to memorise them. Moreover, during the actual interview, you should not rely on memorised answers. Our advice does not mean that you should not memorise a structure for what to include in your interview answers. You must still anticipate questions, prepare answers and practice saying them. However, instead of memorising answers verbatim, here is the correct method of how you should prepare your answers to Medicine interview questions during your interview preparation:

  • Step 1 – Know what message you want to convey before you speak. You will find it hard to express your views clearly if you do not fully understand your own position. Waffling is often due to a candidate being unclear on what message they want to convey but speaking regardless, hoping that some meaning will come together if sentences are put together. Planning the meaning you want to express before speaking makes your words more meaningful and concise, significantly improving their impact and clarity.

Part of knowing what you want to say comes from thinking about what is this medical school interview question assessing and then thinking what overall message do you want to convey in your answer? For example, you recognise that a question is trying to assess evidence of your communication skills. You decide that in your answer you want to convey that you can communicate well in difficult circumstances and that you can adapt your style of communication depending on the situation, person and task. This is your overall message, i.e. step 1. Then start to think about how to convey this message by creating a structure for what you actually want to say in order to answer this Medicine interview question (this is step 2 and 3 below)

A tip related to step 1 that will help you when you are actually answering Medicine interview questions in your interview (as a pose to preparing answers, which we are discussing in this article), is to leave a slight pause before you answer a Medicine interview question. This will give you a second to gather your thoughts and provide a measured response. It will also make you appear more relaxed and confident, and your answer will appear less rehearsed than if you immediately start speaking.

  • Step 2 – Use the appropriate framework to answer the question – Is there a framework for this type of Medicine interview question that you can use? E.g. SBARR for “give examples of a time when…” type questions. If there is then follow this framework as it will make it easier for you to know what to include in your interview answer and how to structure it, i.e. the order etc.
  • Step 3 – Think of the specific points you want to include in your answers and write down the headings. Now you have thought about the overall message you want to get across (by following step 1) – think about what specific points and examples you want to include in your Medicine interview answer. For example, you want to get 3 points across and use 1 example**. Just remember the headings of these points, not verbatim what you want to say about them. If you want, you can make subheadings for what you will discuss about each point, but often this is not necessary. Often mindmaps, if you are familiar with them, are the easiest way to do this.

**Almost always, it is better to make a few points and discuss them well then to mention many little points that you are unable to clarify. A few points made well usually has more impact and is easier to follow and more memorable for interviewers than many points made weakly.

  • Step 4 – Reflective practice. The above method of Medicine interview preparation is better than memorising Medicine interview answers. Now practise answering medical school interview questions. You would not practice for a driving test only by reading books about driving. This is because you need to practice in the same medium as the test.

Similarly, you should not only read and prepare for Medicine interview questions in your mind, but you must also practice answering Medicine interview questions out loud. If you have no one to practice with, then you can practice saying your answers to an object. Speaking out loud uses different areas of your brain to reading and thinking about answering Medicine interview questions. Where you get stuck or pause, are areas you need to focus on practising more. There is a skill in being able to take ideas in your mind and then expressing them clearly in words. As with other skills, the more you practice, the better you will become.

Make sure you practice is reflective – i.e. that you are not just going through the motions. Make sure you are thinking about what you did well, what you did not so well and adjusting accordingly. Why are you able to do these things well? How do you repeat the things you did well, and how do you avoid the things you do not so well?

Medicine interview coming up?

Medicine Answered can help. We have a wealth of free content available on our website to help you in your medical school interview preparation. If you prefer a face to face approach, we offer one day Medicine interview courses and one to one tutoring. Unlike other providers, all of our courses and tutoring are delivered only by doctors who have themselves received all four offers to study Medicine.