Tomorrow is the day you have been waiting for, the interview for one of the coveted slots in the program you most want to attend. You want to dazzle them with your brilliance. Yet you want to be seen as compassionate and humble, competent, yet modest.
Hopefully you have already begun to rehearse your answers to the most obvious questions you might be asked. The most important of which will be why do you want to be a PA?
Remaining questions may cover your academic experiences, your experience in the medical field, your experience shadowing one or more Physician Assistants or even more personal questions about your philosophy and motivations.
Multiple people will be asking you questions in hopes of selecting the best candidate who is most likely to succeed in the program. While you cannot anticipate every possible question, this is no time to stumble over your words or qualifications.
Remember, at this point they have to base their questions on either what they desire in a candidate or what they found important in your application. Go back to your application and reread what you entered there; it has been a good while since you filled out the application and you may have forgotten some details.
Look over your transcripts; have you completed additional courses since the application process began? Did it help or hurt your GPA? Reread your narrative, this is a likely place from which they will select questions.
While you cannot see what was said about you by your references, think about what they may have said. Finally look over any notes you have about your experiences in the medical field, including your experience shadowing a PA.
Now relax, have some dinner and get a good night’s rest. Good luck tomorrow, we know you will do great!
I welcome your thoughts and comments below!
Porsha,
you are more than welcome. Thanks
I was previously in medical sales and always put together a “brag book” of pictures and awards/certificates to better explain my past experiences. I also always put together a bound presentation about what I brought to the table, and why I thought that company (school in this case) is the best fit for both of us. Is this looked down upon?
My thoughts were to seek out current students of the university I am being interviewed at, ask for their feedback and a few key questions. I would put this information in a bound booklet along with a summary of my experiences shadowing various PA’s and what I have done since the application process that makes me a stronger candidate. This way they can have a “take-away” summary of who I am and why I would be an excellent student to admit to their graduate program.
Is this approach too forward? What would you think of an applicant that did this? Would you think they were exceptionally proactive and prepared or non-conventional and too bold?
Thanks!
Dave,
I have an interview tomorrow at a school in the top 25. I have been reviewing your website recently; thanks for all the great advice! I’m really nervous because it is my first interview. I have some more in the next couple of weeks, too. Great videos!
Emmy