Medical and Dental Interviews
Preparing for your Medical / Dental Interview
For those fortunate enough to have made it successfully through UCAT, and the cutthroat selection process for interviews… well done! The final stage of realising your career dreams is the successful survival and completion of the Medical Interview / Oral Assessment process. Just as with the UCAT and/or your academic achievement (ATAR / OP / GPA etc.), your performance will be guided by a wide variety of elements such as preparation, self-understanding, specific knowledge, the ability to perform and communicate under pressure and, what some might call, your charm and presentation skills (your ability to display an intriguing or attractive and proactive personality).
The Undergraduate Medical Interview is the final stage of assessing and ranking a range of personal competencies as well as your ability to undertake studies in the respective fields. It is a personal assessment of who you are, what you have to offer and how suitable you will be. Just as with the UCAT and/or your academic achievement, you cannot underestimate the interview or take it too lightly. It is a serious process and is seen as a highly integral element of the selection process. Furthermore, it is a highly competitive forum where you will be assessed against other candidates who have not only strived as hard as you have to achieve their goals, but are also just as sincere and single-minded in their desire to be interviewed successfully. Hence, the ultimate aim is to lift your performance well-above the competition, validating your sincerity and burning positive lasting impressions into the minds of the selection panel.
So how will you achieve success?
How will you be at your best?
How will you gain that slight edge required to outperform the other candidates?
Many people may consider that preparing for Medical Interview is unnecessary, or follow the university's instructions and go unprepared or how they like to call it 'natural'. The truth is that just like any presentation or performance, any well rounded and dedicated professional will prepare as much as possible in order to minimise the negative variables and maximise the positive controls. Furthermore, the interview panel themselves are a professional assessment group. As such, any successful candidate will need to demonstrate a respective level of professionalism – taking the interview seriously, displaying appropriate levels of respect and in essence, being professional enough to be prepared will certainly complement the panel and support the depth of desire you have to be accepted.
Realistically, during an interview you are meeting new people, selling yourself and your skills and often getting the third degree about what you know or do not know. You have one opportunity to be at your best and it will be limited by the time available, the questions asked and how thoroughly and effectively you answer them.
The majority of students find the UCAT NIE Medical Interview Techniques Manual to be an absolutely essential tool for the Medical Interview / Oral Assessment preparation. Yet, for those who feel that they would like an extra edge and complete training, NIE also offers personalised one-on-one mock interviews and coaching with personalised feedback and university-specific training sessions.
