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Sue Choi is a dental student at UCSF, Karen Lee and Judy Oh are both students in the University of California School of Optometry, and Chris Hamerski is a first-year medical student at UCSF; they spoke with the Career Center recently about their interview experiences of a year ago. Most health professional schools use the interview to help them decide who is the best match for their program. Physical therapy, nursing, pharmacy, dental, optometry and medical schools are all interviewing Cal students now for Fall 2003 entry.

When preparing for professional school interviews, these experts advise students to get acquainted with the schools' background, the programs they offer, and their research strengths. This knowledge tells the interviewers that you've done your homework; you know enough about their school to be able to say why it is the one for you. Says Karen Lee, " …it shows you've done some research and are serious about attending their school."

It is also helpful to be caught up on current events and field-specific trends. For pre-dents, Sue Choi suggests the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) website for links to various professional organizations and recommends skimming articles and the table of contents in journals such as Mouth Health Quarterly, published by the American Mouth Health Association. Consider registering (it's free) for the New York Times or Los Angeles Times online services for easy access to health-related articles as you prepare for your interviews.

Other than specific resources for your future profession, read the newspaper local to the interview school every day the two weeks before your interview so you'll be comfortable chatting about regional happenings.

In addition to adding to your knowledge about the profession and the school, definitely know your own information. Be fluent about the information on your application and statement and be able to speak honestly and genuinely about your life. You may be asked questions about you, your view of the health profession, of your own educational experiences thus far, and the way your encounter the world around you.

Some questions Sue Choi and her dental school-interviewing friends recall are:

• What is your weakness?
• Why should we pick you over other students?
• Why do you choose dentistry over other professions?

Future optometrists were asked such questions as:

• What is it about optometry that causes you to pursue it as a career?
• What is the most difficult situation you've been in and how did you overcome the difficulties?
• What are your hobbies?
• How would you benefit from the field of optometry?

Some questions that have appeared in interviews for medical students include:

• Tell me about yourself.
• Why are you interested in medicine?
• How have your experiences shaped your interest in medicine?

These questions are just a small fraction of the possible questions that professional schools could ask. When tackling interview questions, Judy Oh advises, "Don't be arrogant, but don't be afraid of the interviewer." All of these recent students agreed that it is very important to know why you are choosing that profession and how your experiences have shaped your interest.

These are the two most common questions, so prepare solid answers by keeping a journal, talking with others, or reading early drafts of your personal statement. Chris Hamerski, a first-year medical student at UCSF, reminds prospective medical school students that, "An interview can make or break you. You must take interviews seriously. Be fluent about the reason why you want to pursue medicine. Do not doubt yourself."

During the interview, alums advise students to be honest about who they are and speak with confidence. Sue Choi suggests that, "Interviewers will appreciate you even more than 'show-offs' if you can speak confidently from the heart."

After talking with other applicants they know well and reflecting on their own experiences, our experts agreed that interviewers will respect honesty over someone who is trying to "impress" them. One suggestion to keep you from being self-conscious is to remember that not only is the school choosing you, but you are also deciding if that school is right for you.

These recent interviewers have named a list of tips, but how did each specifically prepare for their interviews? All alums suggest utilizing the services provided at the Career Center such as setting up mock interviews or having a video-taped mock interview. Some alums practiced with friends, family members, and anyone else who would listen. Successful interviewing does not only depend on what you say but how clearly you deliver your message, so PRACTICE!

Another key element to interviewing is eye contact, which will communicate to your interviewer that you can confidently interact with others. Several of our interviewees practiced wearing their interview clothes to check for comfort; the last thing you need to deal with at your interview is an uncomfortable collar or irritating sleeves. An interview is a high-stakes conversation; you want to be comfortable and relaxed enough to reveal your wonderful self during the conversation.