Medicine Interview Common Qs
Discuss a problem that you think the NHS is dealing with right now, the ethical debate around it and how you would deal with it.
- Mental health crises (for doctors and for patients, part of the 10-Year Plan)
If you could change two things about yourself, what would they be?
- My overthinking nature - Sometimes my impatience (desire to move on to other things that draw my attention
Tell us about something that you read about recently, which is medically related Testing wider reading
- New Scientist perimenopausal treatment for infertility by injecting plasma-rich blood - Leber's hereditary neuropathy treatment where injected bacteriophages can transfer along the optic nerve to the other eye (which I find fascinating but is a testament to the fact that medicine doesn't always work the way you want it to, and the importance of problem-solving)
What are the attributes of a good team leader?
- Being the glue between the team - Being respectful, and willing to listen on and seriously consider any perspectives given - Good listener - Able to delegate work (and not hog it) - Able to shoulder responsibility (can't run away as the leader); being able to take blame and not just throwing it onto somebody else - Being a good representative of the team, because in most scenarios people will turn to you to discuss on behalf of the whole team - Being willing to let others talk - Being willing to put down your own ideals
What is your biggest weakness? What are your greatest weaknesses overall?
- Biggest weakness:
Avoid these in/before your interviews!
- Don't be afraid to take some time to think about questions, show your ability to think - But before your interview, talk to friends and family to get into the mood of talking; being silent and scared is going to make your performance worse - Don't be arrogant by a) answering the exact question you're given and b) supplementing everything you say with examples
What are the causes of aggression, anger or stress in a hospital environment?
- Fear, animosity
What would you do if you couldn't be a doctor?
- Go into research, looking at the mechanisms behind medicine and other related fields - Find another way to impact as many people as possible, whether that be through outreach or teaching or volunteering
What would you do on a gap year?
- Go into research, looking at the mechanisms behind medicine and other related fields - Find another way to impact as many people as possible, whether that be through outreach or teaching or volunteering - Honestly, take some time out; after the stresses of the IB exam period I would like to take some time to myself not only to build my skills through the things I've mentioned previously, but to relax and reflect
How good are your organisational skills?
- Have developed them over the past few years, trying out different timetabling schedules and organisation using agendas - Have found that some methods (e.g. planning months in advance) really don't work well for me and they apply excessive unnecessary pressure)
What do you want to achieve in your medical career? Testing romanticisation/true desire
- Hope to impact my community, hopefully both the Glaswegian and my Hong Kong community, as much as possible through my care - I realise that as just one doctor, it would be an exaggeration to say I'd love to change the world singlehandedly, but I would be very excited to join up-and-coming research (e.g. into precision medicine cancer, treating the cancer in that patient in particular) with my fascination with developing science - CAMP structure
What steps have you taken to find out whether medicine is the right career for you? What have you read/experienced to prepare for entry into medicine?
- IYRC reflections, EE reflections (on realising I really enjoyed research) and Vietnam Service and HKCOVSA reflections (engaging with the public and people) - Marrying those two ideas is one of the strongest reasons why I've decided medicine is for me (besides my work experience opportunities as well: InvestIn, BSMS, Physio etc.) - Reading including New Scientist articles (into the new vaccine, into perimenopausal treatments for fertility, obesity and cancer) and BBC Health (one particular article I was intrigued by was how test-and-trace isn't working as well in the UK, nor is Protect Scotland, and the tier system)
Modern use of the Hippocratic Oath?
- Ideas still very much integrated into the GMC values (e.g. being a good teacher to future doctors, passing the discipline on) - Useful framework for ethical considerations (e.g. beneficence, confidentiality) - Hippocrates was arguably the first advocate for EBM
If you don't know how to answer
- If you don't know how to answer a question, don't panic and try and use what you know (buy yourself time by repeating back the question), and work it out (ask for help!; ask the interviewer for some time to collect ideas) - Don't have to answer the question directly (e.g. what ethical dilemmas have you seen in the past few weeks... could talk about COVID vaccine and then tie in to the debate around that)
Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
- Medical school providing solid foundation for training to specialise as a paediatrician (although I am very open to other opportunities, having looked into Glasgow's COMET programme I am inspired to perhaps pursue a GP route to more deeply engage with the community) - Academic perspective: pursue research - Management: would like to take on some form of responsibility for example keep on teaching languages or music in my free time, or help run different societies in these fields as a junior doctor - Personal: would still love to keep up sports like TKD and badminton, just to help me hit that work-life balance
How do you manage your time?
- Notion timetables
Tell us about your work experience. How did what you see inspire you, and what did you learn?
- S: Explain it briefly: shadowing a doctor (physiotherapist) help rehabilitate a 2nd time stroke patient - T: Don't take as many notes; be in the moment (patient is a real human being, take advantage of the opportunity) > added note - Medicine is far from glamorous, having to deal with heavy experiences and patients who aren't necessarily angry with you but frustrated with themselves; such a sad thought to emphasise with (particularly with this patient who had suffered a second ischaemic stroke, empathised with her as I knew from my own grandfather's experience). - A: Was rather challenging initially to build rapport with patient; must've been awkward to allow a 17-year-old to watch you get treatment in one of your most intimate/helpless moments (putting trust in doctor and in her choice to let me shadow her, needed to live up to that responsibility) - R: Realising that medicine was a bridging between the natural and the social sciences, and the times I saw the doctor take her knowledge of physiology and biomechanics and bridge that into treating a real patient (in a way that I think doctors are the most prepared for as opposed to researchers or nurses) - Also saw the teaching role of a doctor not only when the doctor asked me questions about brain physiology but asked the patient as well, ensuring she had retained information - R: Balance of honesty/kindness: the patient was really struggling to comprehend having to put herself through pain and frustration to improve her posture in particular, and the doctor had to be honest in warning her she wouldn't improve but still kind at the same time not to discourage her - I have realised that the best way for a patient/person to want to open up to you is to lower yourself; opening up to them first (hard step, but often the most beneficial)
Why medicine?
- Start off with anecdote about my grandfather's stroke, quite taken aback but inspired by how the doctors cared for him and even though he deteriorated so rapidly from his previous self before the stroke, I grew inspired by his recovery (albeit painstaking) and grew interested into the neuroscience behind it Took me aback, but I was inspired by how the doctors treated him so carefully and dutifully in one of his darkest moments and it sparked a curiosity in me with neuroscience - Took the initiative thus to explore neuroscience more, participating in the first Brain Bee in Hong Kong and the fascination I fostered through reading the books and gaining a deeper understanding of neuropathology and stroke (as I know QEUH has a designated ward for) - Work experience finally ties it all together; seeing the 2nd-time stroke patient grow frustrated with her slow progress reminded me greatly of my own grandfather's care, and while I had learned about the neuroscience and anatomy behind it I solidified through that work experience and other volunteering that I also really love the human aspect of medicine, being able to impact patients through your care while facing the challenges of delineating your private and personal life; focussed my desire to study the field - Honour/joy of being able to be trusted in so much by patients to open up to you, showing their most intimate aspects of their life they may have told nobody else is a key reason why I'm interested in pursuing medicine
Tell me about your leadership skills. Are you a leader or a follower? Do you work better by yourself or as part of a team?
- Use Vietnam Service opportunity - I do work well as both a leader and a follower, because while I do firmly believe leadership skills are important in medicine (MDTs, responsibility), one of the biggest attributes in being a leader is being a good listener, and sometimes accepting that somebody's ideas may be stronger/more thought out than yours and have them lead - So when I can, I love being a leader, but being a follower or rather a team player I find equally important
How have you developed your communication skills?
- Vietnam Service, Medics Society or Fiesta Club
What is the worst mistake that you have ever made?
- Worst mistake: not preparing enough for a big presentation and ending up looking a little bit dumb in front of everybody
Are you an empathic person?
- Yes, demonstrated this through volunteering opportunities and WE - However, the empathy required by doctors to deal with ever-complex situations is much deeper, and I realise how much i still definitely have to learn (e.g. separating personal from work life)
Why Cambridge Medical School?
3 key reasons why Cambridge 1) Location: right next to Addenbrooke's Hospital; know that it has a strong paediatrics focus which I am motivated to work in as I really am passionate about caring for the fundamentals of our society; also is the major trauma centre serving Eastern England 2) Course structure: enjoy pre-clinical and clinical divide (chance to focus in on medicine); mandatory BScs (hoping to delve deeper into one of the options which I know you specialise in which is Physiology, Development and Neuroscience - combining both medicine and background); Functional Architecture of the Human Body and Social and Ethical Context of Health and Illness; something Dr Song said about doctors being tied to society really struck me, admire Cambridge's purpose even with science (As future doctors, we must recognise that medicine is inseparable from society and thus our care must cater and evolve with it as best as it can) 3) Caius in particular: being in supervision environment is something I enjoy particularly with the large number of talented and friendly medical supervisors in-College, ethos of the school (mitochondrial research into oxidative stress, Dr Giussani); devotion Dr Caius had to medicine itself, following in the footsteps of greats (e.g. Stephen Hawking) and enjoy the intellectual stimulation of their environment, would love to walk in the footsteps of a person so passionate and so devoted to his field; inspired by his ethos of translating some of Galen's texts from Ancient Greek; fascinating idea as I am intrigued by linguistics on top of medicine; cadaveric dissection; believe that this is the best way to study physiology without tearing a live person apart (Caius first years being given a skeleton to study and get really familiar with is so humbling, but really exciting to get so close to the human body) 4) Hobbies: visiting Cambridge/Caius on online tour and previously in person, really enjoying the atmosphere and the vibe I felt, alongside societies: really inclusive and friendly societies that I've heard about from current students e.g. rowing, rugby, the Caius Music Society to achieve work-life balance
Why Glasgow Medical School?
3 key reasons why Glasgow: the location, the course structure and the community - Location: Biggest city in Scotland, hence if I could pick any city to represent the nation, if I picked Glasgow I would be able to see as much as Scotland has to offer in terms of warm-hearted and kind people, alongside ethnic and socio-economic diversity of patients to see as possible Glasgow tragically also has relatively high rates of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, poverty-associated diseases in comparison to the rest of the UK; Glasgow effect; hence picking Glasgow as a place to practice medicine would allow me to work in an area where I could try my best to combat this (e.g. Community Diagnosis Project, COMET programme); could also talk about QEUH, its Clinical Innovation Zone and the Royal Hospital for Children (one of the largest acute hospitals in Europe) - Course structure: unique spiral structured course, which I found intriguing when I first read into Glasgow because it allows students to revisit content they learned in Phase 1 and 2 lectures and apply it to real patients in Phase 3 (with increasing clinical focus, thankful to have some early patient contact); anchoring these to the vertical themes I find gives me a strong purpose for learning the content (tying to Pharmacology, Anatomy and Imaging etc.); also like that the course is systems-based (getting one whole picture at a time); wide range of SSCs and BSCs to choose from - PBL style; allows me to get to know my fellow classmates better while also having some self-directed learning to be able to choose which direction to go in - Societies: really spoilt for choice at the university (in my free time, I do enjoy indulging in other cultures so I'd be really excited to join the Ñ de España Club to do Spanish or the Scottish Country Dance Club); multicultural society of UofG and of Glasgow itself really excites me, and another big reason why I chose the university) - To be able to follow in the footsteps of great doctors like those I have met and shadowed in Hong Kong, and people like Joseph Lister determined to make advancements in their field (surgery, carbolic acid) is greatly inspiring, and hence I find that Glasgow suits me perfectly for a 5-year medical degree
What would you do if you were unsuccessful at getting into medicine this year?
3-point answer: - Would be disappointed, but I would ask for feedback from the University - Keep up more opportunities as much as possible (EE, more research, keep reading into medicine and maybe go through another degree e.g. biomedical sciences) - Hopefully improve my application and reapply next year (even if at Masters or PhD level)
How would you rate your communication skills?
7 - Because I find through my experiences as a teacher and student leader, I have improved my communication skills much further than they were even a couple years ago - However, I definitely acknowledge the long way I still have to go to be as good a communicator as a doctor (saw through my work experience the true nature)
Who should a doctor teach?
Anybody who comes through your hands or who is willing
Tell us about an interesting article/podcast/course that you have read or film that you have seen
BBC Health New Scientist Inside Health/Health Check - Health Check: Oxford and Astrazeneca vaccine - Really interested to learn about the structure of this new vaccine (some kind of bacteriophage monkey virus), and how it could be more easily transported - Effects of lead on brain after 30 years which was interesting having been passionate about neuroscience - Inside Health: HMX
Models to use when answering ethics questions
CAMP - Role of doctors: clinical, academic, management and personal lives Four pillars, 3 Cs 6med ideas - ETHIC (evaluate using 4 pillars, tie in case knowledge, hold firm to your points, indicate/introduce other ideas e.g. QALYs, 3Cs, Fraser guidelines, Mental Health Act etc. and then conclude using wider ethics/realisation statements) Realisation statements - that you must consult patient first and whatever you decide ethically, it is up to the patient (no coercion) and/or you would always be working in an MDT and you would consult others, tiew back into the Hippocratic Oath (usually for values such as you can never kill a patient, respecting for their opinion and to keep teaching) or as a counterargument, the slippery slope argument
Tell me about a time when you have been <skill for medicine>? UP TO YOU WHICH TO TALK ABOUT
Curiosity/passion and motivation in research or empathy
If you had the choice between being a GP, a surgeon or a physician, which would you choose? Testing knowledge of medical training pathway, but also drive
GP - While I respect the talent, dexterity and wide range of knowledge also required to be a surgeon/physician, being a GP I think would allow me to have a holistic approach to medicine, and also encounter many more patients with varying ailments (diversity of care, all different kinds of problem solving daily) - Acknowledge that you might not be able to know a patient as well, but for example if you stayed in one hospital for many years I'm sure common patients would visit and you'd be able to build strong rapports
Why medicine and not nursing? Or why not another healthcare profession, why being a doctor specifically?
General format: respect the role of the other profession (indeed, why not?), then explain some inoffensive differences between the two professions, tie back to why doctor? Not nursing - Do definitely respect the role of nurses in that as the famous saying goes nurses stop doctors from killing patients, and that nurses do a lot of the more challenging ground work such as wrapping up bodies, treating patients with palliative care just before they die - However, I find that doctors have a wider variety of patients to see and Not researcher - Being a doctor means that you are focussed more on patient interactions, and are able to stick with a patient for a prolonged period of time (to see their rises and falls, to truly have time to build a rapport and empathise with them) Not physiotherapist - Respect their role, but I find that their career is very specialised (taking care of specifically physically injured athletes/stroke patients) - From my work experience I have seen that there is diversity and much the same MDT meetings etc. in the field of physiotherapy, but ultimately I'd argue the wider diversity of the field makes it more exciting, hence why I'd like to experience being a doctor first - Whether I specialise later e.g. in paediatrics, I've considered deeply and am definitely up for it
Tell me about yourself.
Give three specific examples of your personality traits and accomplishments - Really love science, and am curious about the natural world around me (hard working and have done research projects to explore this scientific curiosity) - I think one of the traits that I've been told by friends and family defines me is my optimism/happiness and determination; I am always willing to keep working at something - With my work experience and my granddad's stroke, I have realised the pain that illness brings and how I wish to join a career unlike any other (could elaborate on work experience); been fortunate to learn so much from varying experiences in teaching and volunteering to mainly work out my register for different sectors of society and finding my love for the human connection - I believe I am also a well-rounded person, indulging in many other hobbies beyond medicine (languages, TKD, history competitions, music etc.) and I think that a Glaswegian education would suit me perfectly in this way :)
Models to think about for answering medicine questions
STAR(R) - For all questions, generally have 3-4 points (point, some evidence/elaboration, and what you learnt at the most basic level) - Summarise any books/articles into 3 points for a similar reason
Tell me about a non-academic project in which you were involved.
HKCOVSA Working with different people and different sectors of society (teachers, mask sellers etc.) to delegate work and make as big an impact on our community as possible Was a really enjoyable experience, but it was also challenging - group members disagreeing with each other on how to do tasks and deal with certain challenging aspects (e.g. how do we deal with the money we have received?) that had very tangible implications (much like medicine) Was a long-term commitment, so keeping up the drive and motivation (a much smaller-scale representation of medicine) Selling stickers with a little bit of humour was also really great, as it allowed me to take my mind off a little bit with the fears surrounding COVID Alongside that, feeling as though I had made an impact on my community was incredibly gratifying despite the hard work and outreach we had to do, and I am excited to engage with much the same experiences in medicine
Tell me what you know about the history of medicine. Showing your knowledge
Hippocratic Oath (EBM) > Galen and the four humours theory/vitalism and circulation (only heat going through arteries) > bloodletting in the time of the Black Death and alternative medicine > Edward Jenner and vaccines > William Harvey challenging this ideal alongside Lister and surgery, Koch and the purpose of science and microbio, Pasteur and challenging miasma theory and Simpson with anaesthetics for Queen Vic > Fleming and antibiotic development > blood transfusion, organ transplantation, laparoscopy > modern medicine (stem cells, GMO, CRISPR, telomerase)
Give 3 adjectives that best describe you.
Humble/respectful, kind/empathetic and a good listener
What are your main strengths? What attributes do you have that will make you a good doctor?
Humility (through the different experiences I have had, I have realised that medicine and science in particular, no matter how far you get, humility and accepting that you always have room for improvement is crucial) Empathy Good communicator in that I have learnt to talk to different people
What are you looking forward to the most and the least about becoming a doctor?
MOST - Being able to not only explore a love for science, but also be able to make a real impact on people's happiness and lives through my work - Rewarding to teach the next generations of doctors and be taught by former doctors as I go through the pathway LEAST - The long working hours (having to sacrifice family or other time often)
What attracts you the most and the least about our medical school?
MOST: On the flip side, the academic rigour of the course (particularly with the strong scientific focus), alongside the motivations to study medicine LEAST: hypercompetitiveness and the pride that some students carry themselves with having been able to reach (university) - I find that arrogance really puts you off a person, and particularly important for a doctor as doctors need to be receptive and open so patients can open up to them; you must be likeable to do medicine
How does politics influence healthcare decisions?
Medicine and society are inseparable, and as doctors we are only governed by society's ever changing attitudes
Pointers on how to carry yourself in interviews
Show excitement when you realise an answer or as you are talking about something that you are passionate about - If you're not sure, take a moment and tell the interviewer 'That's an interesting question, let me think about that...'; don't be afraid for a short moment of silence - Don't namedrop things you don't know about - Make sure to carry yourself one: maintain eye contact, keep excited with your intonation and flow - Try and mirror how the other person is speaking or acting, but all in all be enthusiastic with your answers; impress them with your energy - Don't get thrown by any strange questions; work systematically - Get used to eye contact - Even if you've mentioned something in your Personal Statement, don't act as though they've read it entirely (make sure your answers explain your experiences in depth regardless of the interviewer) - Can ensure that it will be a two-sided conversation: acknowledge by nodding, showing thinking, and in your answer responding back to what they say - Tell them what you have become, and how you've improved on something (PEEL) - Use quite general terms e.g. I believe, I feel; I think that and show development rather than arrogance (and use things such as you mentioned that to show active listening skills)
Describe to me what you understand about the NHS.
Structure of the NHS: - DHSC (Department for Health and Social Care) branch of the government being broken down into CCGs (clinical commissioning groups) that help commission primary care in different counties and cities across the UK
Models to use when analysing data/scientific questions
TWITCH DEA
Tell us about your volunteering experiences. How did what you see inspire you, and what did you learn?
Vietnam Service: working together with other student leaders on this service trip, while also learning at what level to talk to different people for volunteering (building roads, helping plant trees in kindergarten) Moment of growth for me: first time overseas in a completely new environment while also having to be a leader at the same time Amongst my other student leaders (Year 12), I was in charge of a group of Year 9 boys who were very boisterous to say the least (were really energetic, fun to be around but also very willing to challenge the rules) One moment where they challenged authority (not my own, but the rules in general): first moment I realised that I had authority and had to exercise it carefully to be kind, but not hurtful (constant role of a doctor over patients) At the end, being able to build strong rapport with the Year 9s that I still talk to today and accomplishing something together was incredible, humbling to feel as though I had made an impact on these kids and on the village Gift they gave was resounding in that as a doctor I know that even if I am not allowed to accept monetary or large gifts, the gift of life and a patient's gratitude in their eyes is just so rewarding, and it is a major reason why I chose medicine
Tell us about an interesting book/article/podcast/course that you have read or film that you have seen
When Breath Becomes Air - Really moved by his writings and realism about the challenges of life and death, his love for writing and his family (relate to him in that aspect on a personal level as I love Spanish and creative writing in my free time) - Was really inspired by how Dr Kalanithi, even in the pain of his death, wrote so beautifully about the grace of life, how death is inevitable but also how disease is blind and can touch anybody even if at the height of their lives - Particularly at the beginning of Part II of the autobiography where Paul is diagnosed with cancer, and the fact that he recovered but then relapsed again - Lucy's epilogue particularly struck me with the consequences of death (their child, her visits), especially the moment she mentions that her as a doctor overcame such tragedy to appreciate him and their life even after death