Medical School Interview Questions

What kind of experiences have you had working with sick people? Have these experiences taught you anything that you didn't know beforehand?

Although for most of my sister's struggle with cancer, I played a less direct role in her care, I was fully immersed in the health care environment. I saw the importance of communicating and communicating clearly and respectfully. I saw the importance of simply listening to a patient and/or his or her family. I saw the importance of a smile, a reassuring look, a simple acknowledgement that one's doctors are doing everything they can to care for a patient. When I began volunteering as an EMT I tried to embrace these lessons and saw the big difference such small actions to make. Obviously, they can't substitute for technical excellence in patient care, but I think they absolutely compliment.

How have the jobs, volunteer opportunities, or extracurricular experiences that you have had better prepared you for the responsibilities of being a physician?

As an EMT, I've been personally responsible for the health and wellbeing of my patients. I've carried the weight of these responsibilities and felt the gratification of providing my patients with excellent care, care that was both technically competent and compassionately provided. As a volunteer at a local community center, I've worked with and for people of all backgrounds and learned the importance of not only meeting their short term needs, but their long term ones as well.

If you could invite four people from the past to dinner, who would they be, and why would you invite them? What would you talk about?

Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, founder of osteopathic medicine - I think it would be fascinating to learn what led him to devise what became the tenets of osteopathic medicine. Hippocrates - What prompted him to think diseases were caused naturally and not by gods. Florence Nightingale My grandparents (Japanese, American, or both) - As interesting as it would be to learn about science and medicine from historical figures, I think it would be equally fascinating to learn what it was like from a lay-perspective, both abroad and in the states. I think that the past is incredibly important and understanding it can help us bettwe see how to move forward.

Does your academic record reflect any major challenges? If so, what are they and why did they occur?

Early on at Skidmore I had a few bumps in my academic record in biology and calculus II. When I took biology, they had just introduced a new curriculum and the department was in a bit of upheaval. Furthermore, I was a freshman and I had so many interests I wanted to pursue I ended up withdrawing from the course. My calc 2 professor died partway through the course, which was not only personally devastating, but led to a rather rough transition during which we had to acclimate to a new professor with a radically different teaching style. My second year at Columbia I struggled, in large part due to a devastating clavicle injury and my sibsequent year long recovery.

Thinking of examples from your recent past, how would you assess your empathy and compassion?

Empathy and compassion aren't something one can really learn about in a classroom or from a book. I think they come from life experiences and, for better or for worse, I've had several such experiences. One of the first things my sister's physician said to her was that she was going to die. I don't think he spoke so bluntly out of any malicious intent but once those words were out, there was no taking them back. Witnessing that, being a part of that, further cemented my belief that empathy and compassion are born of understanding, and that one must take careful stock of ones words and actions. I've seen my dad collapse from multiple heart attacks, I've struggled, along with my family, during my sister's battle with cancer. I've spoken to many families who were facing similar struggles, and they've heightened my awareness of what people on both sides of medicine face.

Why did you choose your undergraduate major?

I chose to study Anthropology because I was, and continue to be, fascinated by people and culture. I think it's especially important in our ever-shrinking world to have an awareness and understanding of those whose backgrounds differ from one's own.

What do you do for fun?

I love to read texts of all varieties, though lately it seems all I read are textbooks. I also love to be outdoors, particularly hiking and rock climbing. I think these activities provide a good balance for all the time I spend indoors studying and they do wonders for my mental and physical health. I also, love music. I think it can be tremendously powerful, transcending borders and bridging cultural divides. Although I'm far from skilled in any particular instrument, I am teaching myself how to play the ukulele.

As a premed, what skills have you learned to help manage your time and relieve stress?

I never use to use a calendar or set reminders but know I use both extensively. I found that careful planning and discipline can really go along way in helping me meet my goals in a timely manner. In my planning, I also allot free time because I think to perform at one's best, sometimes one just needs a break to blow off steam, to clear ones mind so that one doesn't burn out and can come back to a problem with a clear head.

What is "success" in your opinion? After 20 years as a physician, what kind of "success" would you hope to have achieved? Please explain

Success is a difficult thing to define because it can mean so many different things to so many different people, but personally, if I'm happy, doing something I love, and hopefully making a positive impact on those around me, then I would feel pretty comfortable saying I've achieved some measure of success. After 20 years as a physician, I'd hope to have a small practice in a small town and be a contributing member of the community. I'd hope to know my patients on a first name basis and have earned their respect. And I'd hope to have made a positive impact on their lives, improving their overall health and wellbeing.

What excites you about medicine in general?

The future of medicine excites me. I love technology and I'm particularly excited to see how health apps, wearables, and other personal health products advance. I've got a device called the Scanadu Scout that can track blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and SpO2 from a brief temporal scan, with tracking of other health metrics planned for the future. I think right now, we have a glut of devices that aggregate all this information, which is great for observing trends and whatnot, but I don't think is adequately taken advantage of at this point in time. Once we figure out how to best and safely use this information, I think it can really help doctors, and individuals themselves, improve their health.

What do you know about the current trends in our nation's healthcare system?

I think access to healthcare (both physical and financial) absolutely need to improve. I believe in the spirit of obamacare but I think it just doesn't quite work. I wish that health care could be divorced from the partisan politics that dominate our society. I do believe in the movement toward a more holistic, humanistic perspective in healthcare and I think the broadened scope of the MCAT acknowledges this adoption.

What do you believe to be some of the most pressing health issues today? Why?

I think access to healthcare and the lack of equality in access is a problem that plagues not just the States, but communities all around the world. Health care should be a right, not a privilege, yet so many struggle to afford, or simply get to, quality health care. I personally have struggled with such access. I think medicaid does a wonderful job providing insurance for the poor. For the rich, the costs of healthcare are perhaps not inconsequential, but they are more manageable than for most. For those in between, however, it can be a struggle to pay for even decent health care. My wife and I spend probably 1/4 to 1/3 of our net annual income just for insurance, let alone any additional costs. That's an absurd percentage.

What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

I think one of my greatest strengths is my sense of compassion. Although technical and academic excellence is essential to medical care, I believe the ability to provide compassionate care is equally so. Health care is about building a relationship with a person in which each partner collaborates and has a respect for one another. Compassion helps to cultivate that respect and understanding. This will likely sound cliche, but one of my great weaknesses is my perfectionist tendency.

What qualities do you look for in a physician? Can you provide an example of a physician who embodies any of these ideals? How do they do this?

I want a physician who is knowledgeable and technically skilled, but I also want someone I can relate to. I want a physician who understand me as more than a collection of statistics or signs and symptoms. I want someone I can build a relationship with and collaborate with to improve my health and wellbeing. My on-again, off-again PCP is one such physician and part of what I like about him is that he always greets me by name, even if its been years since I've seen him. He's personable, welcoming, and treats me like a human being, not a case.

How do you envision using your medical education?

I want to work as a primary care physician in an underserved community. I want to meet my patients' short term needs through excellence in patient care, but also their long term needs through patient education, at the individual level, community level, and beyond. I really believe that education is a critical aspect of health care because we don't want to patch someone up, only to have them come back for the same thing (and I don't believe they want that either). Through education I think we can reduce the number of "return customers" and reduce the cost of health care.

Tell me about yourself.

I was born in Japan but I've lived in New York for the vast majority of my life. I went to school in upstate New York and absolutely loved the school itself, as well the region. I was an Anthropology major, which allowed me to study abroad in Bolivia. I also did a summer program in Japan and, after I graduated, I lived in Costa Rica for a brief period of time.

How have you tried to achieve breadth in your undergraduate curriculum?

I was fortunate in that Anthropology is applicable in many different fields of study, allowing me to take Anthropology courses in subjects ranging from culture to gender to primates. I also minored in Spanish and Japanese, with my love of languages complementing my interest in cultures. Attending a liberal arts college allowed me great flexibility in pursuing my various academic interests.

Do you have any family members or role models who are physicians?

I'm the first in my family to have earned a Bachelor's degree. My father works in construction, my mother in design. Although I have no family members who are physicians or who even work in a remotely health care related field, I do have a family friend who is a retired osteopathic physician whom I greatly admire. I actually didn't realize he was a DO until recently, but after I made that discovery, I was surprised I hadn't come to it earlier. He often saw me when I was younger. He had a ready smile and would always as me about my life, what I had been doing, what was stressing me out, what was making me happy. He always encouraged me to pursue an active and healthy lifestyle. He had a healing touch and encouraged rest and relaxation over medicating, although he didn't hesitate to do so when necessary.

What travels have you taken and what exposure to other cultures have you had?

I've been incredibly fortunate to have been able to travel throughout the world. I was born in Japan and, growing up, visited family there on an annual basis. In college, I studied abroad in Bolivia and Japan. After graduating I traveled to Costa where I worked in the tourism industry, allowing me to interact not only with local businesses, but also with tourists from around the world. I also traveled around Western Europe, to Prague, Barcelona, Paris, London, and Oxford.

What family members, friends, or other individuals have been influential in your decision to pursue a medical career?

To be honest I don't know that any one individual has been particularly influential in my decision to pursue a medical career. It was more the experiences I've gone through that has pushed me along this path. My father's multiple heart attacks and my sister's struggle with cancer introduced me to the world of healthcare. I saw the struggles others faced in procuring and managing their health care. I saw compassionate and dedicated techs, nurses, physicians, administrators, and other individuals involved in the health care profession. And I also saw individuals who lacked the empathy and compassion that I believe is so essential to exceptional medical care. I decided to pursue a career in medicine because I want to part of the latter group. I want play an active, proactive role in managing the health of myself and others.

If you could be granted three wishes for making the world/society/ your community a better place, what would they be and why (or, If you were given a million dollars to achieve three goals, what would you work on and why)?

I believe education has the potential to mitigate many of societies woes and I would love to spearhead educational efforts on a variety of fronts, including cultural education and health education. By better understanding other cultures, I believe we can minimize conflict and collaborate more fruitfully. By providing better health education, particularly in the realm of preventive health measures, I think we can better make lasting improvements not only to the health of individuals, but to their communities and beyond. In doing so, I think we can also decrease the amount of money people spend on health care. Of course, all of these efforts would be for naught if people don't have access to them equally, so I'd especially focus these efforts in more remote, historically underserved communities.

What do you feel are the negative or restrictive aspects of medicine from a professional standpoint?

The bureaucracy

How has your undergraduate research experience, if any, better prepared you for a medical career?

While I haven't undertaken any traditional scientific research, per say, I did complete an independent study project in Bolivia. I had to carefully plan my entire trip in advance, coordinate with local organizations, collaborate with diverse groups, and maintain my discipline throughout the month-long endeavor. These, and other skills I employed, will be important in medical school and beyond.