What was your experience of coming to an interview at Hull York Medical School?
It was my first medical school interview so naturally I was a bit nervous. However, it was very welcoming owing to the friendly atmosphere of the interview. I really enjoyed speaking to the interviewers as well as the student ambassadors which helped me say everything that I wanted while being calm and composed.
After each station, we had the opportunity to interact with student ambassadors which is a great way to relax before you meet the interviewers. It was also a really good opportunity to ask current students about the course.
What was the reality of the interview in comparison to what you were expecting?
I thought it was going to be very daunting but I could not have been more wrong. As I said, the interviewers, staff and students were extremely welcoming which helped me calm down and stay confident throughout the interview and the interview as a whole was very well organised given the unprecedented times.
At the end of the interview as well as in between stations, we were asked to give feedback about our experience.
The staff and student ambassadors were extremely supportive too.
I realised that as long as we are well-prepared and confident, there is nothing to worry about. Think about the interview as an opportunity for Hull York Medical School to get to know you better and to know if you would be a good fit for medical school.
How did you prepare for your interview?
My first step during interview preparation was to have a thorough look at the Hull York Medical School website and familiarise myself with the course structure, teaching style, clinical exposure etc. I enjoy maintaining a good balance between academic and extra-curricular activities so I made sure to have a look at the various societies and clubs that I could be a part of.
There is a plethora of resources available online pertaining to medical school interview preparation but I found The Medic Portal the most helpful. They had lots of questions related to hot topics, ethical scenarios, personal insight and team working skills, background and motivation.
I also made it a point to regularly read news articles related to current health related topics on the BBC website. Around the time I had my interview, COVID-19 was at its peak so I could figure out that questions related to it were sure to come.
I used a technique called STARR (Situation, Task, Action, Result, Reflection) to help answer the questions in a structured manner which is a very simple method of explaining how you handled specific situations, and the outcome. I made sure that I was thorough with my personal statement and tried to use examples of my relevant leadership skills, personal experience and work experience at every opportunity. I also practised questions before my interview. This is extremely important as it helps you deliver an answer that has your own personal touch to it and this helps you stand out compared with someone who gives a very generalised answer.
How did your interview at Hull York Medical School compare to interviews at other medical schools?
What I found most impressive was that before the interview, Hull York Medical School organised a virtual webinar where we had the opportunity to interact with current medical students and ask them questions, which helped me get a greater understanding and insight into studying medicine. Since the current medical students had already gone through the process of being interviewed, it was great to get some reassurance and tips from them.
The pre-interview webinar was held a day before my interview and after attending the session and getting lots of tips from current students and the support and reassurance provided by the admissions committee, I was relaxed and in fact looking forward to attending the interview.
The interviewers were extremely friendly and always ready to clarify any doubts that you had. The friendly atmosphere helped me remain calm and structure my answers well. There was nothing I had to worry about.
Overall, I was very happy with my interview at Hull York Medical School as it was very welcoming and I had a great time.
Is there anything you would do differently, with the benefit of hindsight?
There were some instances where I felt that I could have added a few more points in my answer or that I hadn't performed as well as I thought I could in a particular station. However, now that I look back at it, I would say please do not panic or dwell on mistakes you think you might have made as this will hamper your confidence and performance in the subsequent stations. Always remain calm and remember that even if you feel you haven't performed as well as you could in one station, you have the opportunity to perform even better in the coming stations.
Remember, there is no perfect answer because it is not a test — it's just an opportunity for Hull York Medical School to get to know you better and to know if you would be a good fit for medical school.