Mistakes happen
We are all human. Believe it or not, the interviewers know this as well. They know that you are also more likely to make mistakes in high-stakes situations like this one. When the interview finishes, it is also very likely that you will think to yourself: ‘I should have said this and that. Why did I say that?’
However, do remember that we are often our own worst critics. It is entirely possible that whilst you may have identified a mistake that you made, the interviewer didn’t. So try not to dwell too much on them, either after the interview or (worse) during the interview.
Nevertheless, there are some common mistakes that people make at the interview. We will go through some of them here.
Interviewers are not looking for perfection. A small mistake does not automatically mean that a station — or your entire interview — has gone badly.
Mistake 1: Not timing your preparation properly
A common question that people ask is: when should I start my interview preparation?
The answer is that it is a fine balance. On the one hand, you want to ensure that you sound prepared. There is nothing more embarrassing than being asked a question, realising that you haven’t prepared that topic and then being sat in an awkward silence. On the other hand, starting too early can make you sound robotic. Although this may be a bit less uncomfortable for you personally, it makes interviewers lose focus and so can be just as costly.
So, how should you time your interview practice? We believe this can be broken down into different stages.
Informal preparation
In stage 1, you should informally practice discussing medical topics with your friends and family. You should also be keeping yourself up to date with the latest medical news, hot topics within medicine and be able to discuss them at the dinner table.
You can start this stage early - even before you have submitted your medical school application. This will help keep your knowledge up to date, ensuring that you can hit the ground running when the true preparation starts.
Formal interview practice
Stage 2 should then be the beginning of your formal practice. This should take place after you have done your entry tests, but before you receive any interview invites.
Sometimes, you are given short notice between an interview invite and the day of the actual interview. Therefore, don’t get caught out. During this stage, you should go through common interview questions, have an idea of what you’re going to say and ensure that you can say it concisely.
Practise with other people and record yourself answering questions. Do not memorise answers, as this will make you sound robotic.
Mock interview practice
Stage 3 should be the mock interview stage. This stage is difficult to time. On the one hand, you want enough time between your mock interview and the actual interview to go through any deficiencies that are identified. On the other hand, you don’t want it to be too far away from the date of your actual interview so that you forget what feedback was given to you.
The key is to make sure you actually do this stage. Often, people think that stage 2 is enough. However, you need a proper mock as well so that you can get an idea of what the actual interview will feel like.
Do not neglect this - there is a big difference between being able to answer individual questions well, and answering a whole block of questions at once.
There is a difference between knowing how you would answer a question and being able to answer it clearly under pressure. That is why the mock-interview stage matters.
Mistake 2: Sounding like a ‘buzzword’ robot
There are lots of good buzzwords that people are often taught to say at their interview. Things like ‘teamwork’, ‘MDT approach’, ‘holistic care’ and so on. Don’t get us wrong - it is extremely important that you try to mention some of these buzzwords during your answer. They will give the interviewer the impression that you know what you are talking about.
However, don’t sound like a ‘buzzword robot’. Make sure that you can slip buzzwords in seamlessly and concisely, and aren’t trying to hit a list of saying a certain number of buzzwords per answer. This makes people sound unnatural, so don’t feel as though you need to mention a buzzword in every single answer.
Buzzwords should support your answer, not become the answer.
Mistake 3: Mentioning things you don’t fully understand
Remember - you are entering medical school to train to be a doctor. Interviewers don’t expect you to have all the medical knowledge.
Having said that, if you have mentioned a medical topic on your personal statement, or mention a medical topic during the interview, do make sure you know enough to talk about it at interview. A full, in depth knowledge is not expected. However, it is fair game to ask you questions about things that you yourself have mentioned. It is incredibly awkward for both you and the interviewer if you don’t know what you’re talking about.
There have been cases in the past where people have called HIV a bacteria, have gotten confused between a heart attack and a cardiac arrest, or have misinterpreted a medical paper. Whilst it is unlikely that these things on their own will cause you to fail the interview, it can give a bad impression.
If you are called out on incorrect scientific or medical knowledge, acknowledge it, apologise and quickly move on. That is far better than digging yourself a deeper hole (which, sadly, is very common).
If you mention it, know enough to discuss it.
You are not expected to know medicine at doctor level. However, anything you voluntarily introduce into an answer may reasonably lead to a follow-up question.
If you realise that something you have said is incorrect, calmly acknowledging it is usually much better than trying to defend something you know is wrong. How you respond to being corrected can itself show maturity.
Mistake 4: Panicking at an unexpected station
Increasingly, medical schools are introducing more unique stations. This may be in the form of a task that they ask you to do, or role-play a scenario with a trained actor.
The whole point of these stations is to see how you respond to unexpected situations. Too often, candidates get flustered in stations like this one, thinking that they need to be perfect in order to succeed. However, the point of the stations is not to sound perfect.
If you are able to keep calm, cool and collected, you will end up scoring high points. The ones who fall under the pressure will be the ones who will score poorly. So, don’t panic - rather, use stations like these as an opportunity to show your calm, reassuring manner.
How you respond — not whether you already know the answer.
When a station feels strange, resist the urge to assume that you have missed something. Sometimes the unfamiliarity is deliberate. Stay calm, listen carefully and work through what is in front of you.
Mistake 5: In group stations, trying to put other people down
Some medical schools use group stations to assess applicants. Sadly, this can translate into dominating behaviour from some people. Make sure you’re not one of these people, as this actually reflects very poorly. Some examples of this include:
- Talking over other people when they are trying to make a point
- Constantly dismissing other people’s points without offering alternatives
- Not letting other people talk
- Trying to put other people off by commenting on their performance (yes, this can commonly happen - remember you are not the assessor)
Remember that the whole point of the group task is to show that you can work well in a team. Whilst it’s important to ensure that you don’t stay silent throughout the discussion (which, sadly, is also common and often scores 0), you want to avoid overdoing it. Do not try to put other people off and do not constantly be disagreeable.
The strongest person in a group task is not necessarily the person who speaks the most. Good teamwork often means knowing when to contribute, when to listen and how to bring other people into the discussion.
This seems hard - how can I ensure I don’t make any mistakes?
Remember - we are not looking for perfection. We know what it’s like to be on the other side.
It’s a fine balance - on the one hand, you need to ensure that you can speak freely and confidently. On the other, you don’t want to be too relaxed, to the point that you end up getting complacent. This balance will only come from practice - you will find yourself naturally improving through your practice sessions.
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