DS invited to first Medical School Interview. All advice welcome!

[Graze8]

I know it's very very early days but my DS has just been given a date for an interview at Durham medical school. He is so excited as am I!
If anyone has any advice, it would really be appreciated.

My ds also has an interview at a different med school. I don't have any advice(I didn't go to uni and am not very academic).

Good luck to your son

Lots of fellow interviewees here! www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=195

My ds' best friend applied last year so any advice I have is slightly second hand....

At his first interview (Birmingham, I think) he was asked to be there at 10.30 but wasn't seen until about 3pm. There were no niceties, no 'I hope you had a good journey, sorry for keeping you waiting...'. It was straight down to business. At least one of his interviews involved up to six 'stations' where he was quizzed, interviewed, questioned, role played, different scenarios. Your ds needs to make sure he is up to date on current health politics.

Hope that helps a bit.

Same here so place marking!

Check on line for all the details- they are all a bit different. Some (eg Newcastle - I went to the open day) it's really a chat about everything- newcastle don't even read your personal statement till after (uh??)but go on UKCAT and predicated grades of AAA only. Others have the mini stations etc

It's all going to be a panel and lots of standardised marking criteria though.

Good luck to everyone's DC! DD1 reapplying with results in hand this year and much improved UKCAT (725 vs 630 last year- turns out revising for it is a good idea after all)

Marking the thread, as DS2 is hoping to be in this position next year! We have already been to a few open days, because we were going with DS1 anyway, and the standard of applicants is so high!

Hey all, I've done these before. I'm happy to give any guidance or help possible. Enough google searching will provide some really good info/guidance/hints.

Wear: Dark suit with new pristine white shirt and sober tie (school tie is ok) Polished shoes, clean nails, clean hair, clean teeth. Take a spare shirt in case the first one gets coffee on it. Turn off mobile. Go to the loo. Take deep breaths. This is not just a uni interview it is a professional career interview.
Read: Relevant interview notes on student forum, BMA student website, General Medical Council website. New Scientist to be aware of current scientific interesting stuff to do with medicine. If you have been silly enough to put a rare medical condition in your PS read up about it.
At interview:
If role playing with a 'patient' smile, look them in the eye, shake hands, introduce yourself by name and surname and ask them if it is ok to ask them questions.
If given an ethical scenario, there is no 'right' answer, every case is individual, you will have to think of the patients and family's wishes, professional knowledge, risks and benefits of treatment as advised by specialists and weigh everything up to come to a decision which causes least harm and most benefit. Lots of ethical advice on GMC website.
If asked about something to which the perfect answer was on your personal statement, repeat what was on the personal statement, as the person asking may not have been the person who read the PS.
Think of an answer to the question 'how do you cope with stress'.
Practice an interview with someone who is not your family.

Ooh, funnyperson, lots of great advice, thank you. Will store it up for next year!

Funny person thanks!
All points noted and discussed with ds -though buying him a couple of decent white shirts that actually fit has been a challenge lol.
He won't wear a school tie as feels that is "pubic school old boy network stuff and I'm not wanting them thinking that at all" which is interesting in that he'd even thought about it.not that he goes to a well known school, and it's state anyway.

Totally echo funnyperson's advice. Its hugely demanding/intensive and it isnt like any other Uni interview because, yes, its a career interview. And it has to be because, to put it bluntly, if they cant cope with this sort of pressure then they wont cope with either training or more importantly, the job. This isnt an occupation for frightened babies.

For any applicant thinking about Medicine next year : the best preperation for this is relevant voluntary work - as much of it as you can get. Special Needs school, Geriatric/Care Home, Drugs Rehab, Homeless Shelter - all of this and more, and long stretches of it, not just 'a day's work shadowing'. It makes them grow up and stop seeing it as a 'job about science' but 'a job about people' - and usually, given the social mix of most Med Students - people way outside their comfort zone.

Good Luck!

Work out what you are going to say if they ask you why you have chosen their university.

Marking place. Dd got her GAMSAT scores yesterday, she did really well( I think!) 63, 65,66. So proud of her, she has worked SO hard. Not just studying working as Carr worker , on track for a First in her degree.
She was offered place in medical school while doing her A levels but sadly did not get required grades
Anyway she has remained determined and put her heart and soul into it. Fingers crossed for interviews now. Good luck to everyone else going through this extremely testing time .