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Medical Interviews During Covid: What Did it Look Like?
Looking back on 2020, the rapid spread of COVID-19 placed unprecedented pressure on healthcare systems around the world. Repercussions of the pandemic largely increased the demand for healthcare workers across the country and world-wide.
Reflecting on that period, it is evident that the pandemic significantly reshaped patient care and the broader healthcare landscape. Additional transformations also affected the medical education system and entry into the medical field, influencing both the medical school application process and the medical interview format.
Medical Interview Objectives
Reflecting on the purpose of medical interviews, its clear they have always been designed to assess more than just academic ability. Medical school interviews aim to evaluate applicants approach to challenging questions, responses to scenario-based situations, how applicants communicate under pressure and their motivation to pursue medicine. However, since the pandemic, most Australian medical schools have transitioned their interview process from traditional, in-person interviews, to a virtual interview format.
The current shift to an online medical interview format introduces several challenges and advantages from the traditional interview process. So let's get right into how Covid-19 has shaped med school interview preparation and the interview format.
Advantages of virtual medical interviews
1. Attending Med School Interviews from Home
he most significant difference of the virtual medical school interview format is the luxury of attending interviews from the comfort of your home. Subsequently, many benefits arose from this switch such as reduced logistical stress associated with interview day, less concern about what to wear to the interview, and the avoidance of travel costs for applicants who would usually need to travel long distances to attend interviews.
Another perk of the online medical interview format is that you can avoid the excruciating Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) circuit that usually requires each applicant to traverse through 6 or more MMI stations, that last for a minimum of 50 minutes. The MMI medicine interview is designed to replicate the functionalities of a hospital setting. Hence, interviewers will question you on a wide range of themes concerning the clinical environment. These themes include medical interview questions about ethics, public health, your approach to teamwork and acting-based scenarios.
In a virtual format, the physical movement and time pressure of navigating between rooms are largely eliminated. Due to this change, many applicants have found the online structure to allow increased concentration in forming thoughtful responses. The virtual medical school interview also created opportunities to support applicants’ interviewing performance by keeping small reminders and interview tips on post-it notes near their computer screens, enhancing confidence levels.
However, panel interviews follow the conventional interview format, where two or more medical interviewers question an applicant on various medical scenarios. This interview format had no significant impact due to the pandemic and continues to prevail, similar to an in-person interview.
2. More Focus On Medical Interview Preparation
Preparing for a medical school interview can be pretty confusing if you lack the right kind of resources. Unlike the GAMSAT or the UCAT that has specific preparation material with different approaches to tackling a range of questions, a medical interview ultimately boils down to how you generate impactful interaction and create a good impression with the interviewer.
Although medical interviews assess your interpersonal skills essential for the role of a doctor, you have to understand how to display your experiences clearly and concisely. At Fraser's, we often recommend taking mock interviews that naturally replicate the ambience of a virtual medical interview. Therefore, attempting multiple mock interview questions may increase your chance of performing well at the medical interview, mainly because you get an overall essence of how to conduct yourself online. Additionally, you can register for one of our easily accessible LIVE interview workshops that includes:
- Medical interview tips on what to wear
- Perfecting your medical interview tone
- Common medical interview mistakes to avoid
- How to discuss medical interview strengths and weaknesses
In addition, as you attend the online medical interview at home, confidence levels should increase as you can prepare yourself mentally and rehearse answers in your head without displaying nervousness, unlike an in-person interview.
3. COVID-19 Medical School Interview Questions
Another key difference in the med school interview process that occurred in 2020 was the influence that COVID-19 placed on the nature of interview questions. Since the pandemic, interview questions involving thoughtful reflections on national public health crises have become more common.
A medical interview question about COVID-19 can work better in your favour as most of us have the prerequisite knowledge about its impact on the human body. Moreover, with exposure to daily news and LIVE updates about COVID-19, some of us have a broader understanding of its common symptoms and medical diagnoses. Therefore, prepare well in advance to provide a well-researched response and make the most of this medical interview question.
Disadvantages of Virtual Medical Interviews
1. Loss Of Genuine Interview Exposure
At the same time, virtual medical interviews come with their own challenges. A key drawback is the loss of interacting in intellectual conversation face-to-face and the lack of building rapport with medical interviewers who have extensive experience in the medical field. Additionally, in-person medical interviews are a great way to replicate the key qualities of working as a doctor through working under stress while maintaining professionalism, which again is a missed opportunity through the online medical school interview process.
2. Lack of Witnessing the Medical School Campus
Another shortcoming to the virtual medical interview format is the inability to visit your desired medical school campus. Visiting campuses during interviews can help applicants gain insights into the culture of the institution which are rarely replicated through virtual tours and interviews. Hence, the lack of knowledge around the medical school culture and its faculty members can hinder your judgement about whether or not the medical school is in your best interest.
3. Technical Difficulties During Your Medical Interview
Technical issues during virtual medical interviews are another potential concern with this updated format. Internet disruptions, audio problems, or video lag can interrupt the flow of conversation and add unnecessary stress during an already high-pressure situation which may affect applicants’ performance in the medical interview. Though highly unlikely, these minor technical difficulties might influence the interviewers' judgements and decrease your chances of a medical school offer so it is important to prepare for these issues by testing equipment and ensuring internet connection is stable.
Furthermore, one of the most difficult things to display online is your body language. Try to depict a positive attitude in your tone of voice, this is one of the best ways to prove your authenticity!
While the virtual medical interview format has its pros and cons, the key to success in an MMI station or a panel interview format is adequate preparation. Whatever the interview format may be, strive for success by practising clear communication of ideas, confidence in stressful situations and portraying your most authentic self!
Good luck!
What To Do Next?
Now that you have read through a Fraser’s reflection on med school interviews, check out the Fraser’s Mock Interviews.
What does it include?
Want to know more about what the course offers? Visit our Fraser’s website to access a range of free resources, tools & courses!
