Sample Interview Questions – Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center

For more practice questions please visit BeMo’s webpage for:
Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) Questions

Personal:

Scenarios:

Patient has diabetes & has tried everything to control it; is now at the end of the rope, but refuses to take insulin.
16-year old female patient, in for a check-up; mother asks to accompany daughter; patient agrees but appears reluctant.
When you go to get a medication from the locked pharmaceuticals cabinet, you notice that vials of a controlled substance are missing without having been signed out. You remember seeing your friend/colleague/supervisor exiting the cabinet sometime earlier. How do you handle the situation?
You are taking a med school final exam and notice that one of your fellow students is cheating. How do you handle the situation?
You are caring for a patient from the Middle East who has recently been diagnosed with uterine cancer. She and her husband arrive together for her next appointment, he accompanies her into the examining room (she does not object), and he demands to hear her diagnosis. How do you handle the situation?
Would you prefer to provide less effective treatment to more people or more effective medicine to fewer patients?
How would you design a priority system for organ recipients?
Would you prescribe birth control pills to a minor without parental consent?
You have been offered a full-ride scholarship to a summer program to provide hands-on medical care to an underserved population in a third-world country. How would you decide whether to accept?
Would you work in an AIDS clinic?
How do you plan to respond if you are asked a question that is not allowed? (race, religion, whether you plan to have children, sexual orientation, weight, etc.)

Dentistry

List of Schools:
University of California San Francisco
University of Colorado
University of Iowa
University of Minnesota
University of Missouri – Kansas City

General Questions by the American Student Dental Association (ASDA)

Tell me about yourself.
What is your greatest weakness?
Why are you interested in dentistry?
What was your most meaningful experience with dentistry?
What differentiates you from the rest of the applicants?
What other dental schools have you applied to?
Have you interviewed at any other schools?
What event has made the biggest impact of your life?
We noticed you withdrew from a class, why?
How would you rate your level of hand-eye coordination?
Do you have any plans after graduation?
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
How do you spend your free time?
What was the best day or experience you’ve ever had?
What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle?
What would you like to improve about yourself?
Please elaborate on XXX written on your CV.

University of California San Francisco

Why do you want to be a dentist?
What dental technology was introduced in the past 5 years that you think will greatly impact us in the next 5 years?
Why UCSF?
Greatest accomplishment?
Tell me about a time you made a mistake.
Have you done research? Tell me about it.

University of Colorado

What do you enjoy doing during your spare time?
If you could have dinner with anyone, who would you have dinner with?
Why Colorado?
Greatest accomplishment?
What is the most difficult thing you have overcome?
How do you manage stress?

University of Iowa

If you owned your own private practice and a patient comes to you who is $200 in debt to you, would you still treat that patient?
- What if they were $2000 in debt?
Why Iowa?
Strengths and weaknesses?
There is a new item introduced for patients with a new chemical. Other dentists have informed you that they have received a 30% increase in profit with this new item. What would you do?
Why do you want to be a dentist?
What is the most difficult thing you have overcome?
How would your friends describe you and how would your mom describe you?

University of Minnesota

Give me a time when you faced an ethical dilemma.
Tell us about a time when you had a lot of stress.
Tell me about a time you were in a leadership position and how you handled it.

University of Missouri – Kansas City

What is the difference between personal and professional ethics and provide me an example of a personal experience?
Why do you want to be a dentist?
What is the most difficult thing you have overcome?
Greatest accomplishment?
How will you pay for your dental tuition?
Strengths and weaknesses?
How do you manage stress?

Medicine

For more practice questions please visit BeMo’s webpage for:
Medical School Interview Questions

List of Schools:
Duke University School of Medicine
Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Harvard Medical School
John A. Burns School of Medicine
John A. Burns School of Medicine Imi Ho’ola Program
John A. Burns School of Medicine MHIRT Program
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Mayo Medical School
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine
University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine
University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Weill Cornell Medicine
University of Arizona College of Medicine at Tucson
University of Arizona College of Medicine at Phoenix
University of Utah School of Medicine
Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine at Washington State University

Additional Sample Questions

Duke University School of Medicine

Professional sports athletes make much more money than Doctors, Scientist, and Engineers. What do you think of this and what would you do about it?
You married an individual with a different culture and language. You and this person are having a child. What would you do in terms of the child’s cultural and language education and why?
An Olympic athlete discovered that the country that they will be competing in for the next Olympics has serious human rights issues. Is the athlete responsible for speaking out against the human right issues? What if speaking out leads the athlete to be banned from competition?

Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

Type of interview: Individual semi-blind interview

Harvard Medical School

Why do you want to be a doctor?
What challenges do you expect in medicine?
If you were the governor of Hawai`i, how would you reduce physician shortages in the outer islands?
When did you become interested in education? What do you think about education in K-12?

John A. Burns School of Medicine

Personal Information

School specific questions

Why do you want to go to JABSOM?
Why is JABSOM different from other schools?
Do you have any concerns or see any drawbacks about coming to our school?
What would you do if someone came in and said they didn’t want to be seen by any medical students as part of their care?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the JABSOM curriculum?
Follow-up to the previous question: consider this situation, you are in a PBL group discussing a complication in the large bowl. After the session, you and your teammates are assigned learning outcomes to research. In the following session, your team presents the learning outcome, with the PBL session facilitated by a Ph.D. in Biochemistry. What is the potential downsides of this?
What do you think PBL (problem based learning) tutors do?
How does JABSOMs curriculum compare to that of the other schools you are applying to?
What do you think the benefits of PBL are?
What do you think the downside to PBL is?
Tell us what you know about this school.

On Being a Physician

What are your thoughts regarding the future of healthcare?
What are some qualities you think are important in order to be a physician?
Tell me your thoughts about cultural competency.
What would you do if you’re a resident and a newborn baby dies and the physician asks you “what did you do?!”
What are some challenges of being a doctor?
If you have 10 patients all in serious need of a treatment they can’t afford, but you are able to give it for free to half of them, who would you choose and why?
If a patient came in for an acute emergency and you were unable to discern their ethnic background, they could not choose a language they spoke from a language card, and you could not verbally communicate with them. How would you handle the situation?
If you were a doctor and had to choose between giving a 50 year old drug addict an organ transplant or a 23 year old an organ transplant, who would you give it to?

Future Plans

So, medical school applications is very competitive now. I assume you didn’t put all of your eggs in one basket (i.e. you applied to more than one school)?
If you don’t get into medical school, what are your plans moving forward?
Why medicine and not another field that has similar authority like an APRN?
Have you had exposure to and explored other areas in the health care field? What about other careers not related to the health care field?
What does the ideal healthcare system look like to you?
What are your thoughts regarding the future of healthcare?
If you could sign a contract for your dream job tomorrow, to do for the next 20 years, what would it be?

JABSOM Imi Ho’ola Program

Type of interview: 2 traditional individual interviews with (doctors/faculty/MS4s) and 1 traditional interview with the program director.

What challenges did you have on your path to medical school and how did you overcome them?
Why is communication important?
Why is teamwork important?
What do you think about medicine now?
What are your plans if you are denied admission?

JABSOM Minority Health International Research Training (MHIRT) Program

Type of interview: Panel Interview

Summarize your health disparity essay, and why that health disparity chosen is significant?
What do you know about the countries chosen for the program? What health problems would you expect to see or possible research topic?
Why do you want to go into research?

Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine

Type of interview: Traditional individual interview

Mayo Medical School

Give an example in your life where you saw gender or racial bias. Describe how you overcame it.
Describe a situation where you had to deal with someone challenging. Describe how you overcame it.

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Type of interview: Blind, unbiased Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) with a standard prompt. There are eight 8-minute interviews back to back.

Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Type of interview: One closed file interview by a current medical student and one open file interview by a faculty member.

Saint Louis University School of Medicine

Tell me what you know about this school.
Explain your research experience.
What should I say to the admissions committee about you?

Texas A&M Health Science Center

Type of interview: Two traditional individual interviews.

Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Type of interview: Two traditional individual interviews.

Questions:

Why are you interested in osteopathic medicine?
How did you study for the MCAT?
Questions regarding application

University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine

Type of interview: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)

University of Central Florida College of Medicine

Suppose that you are a third year medical student and are working with a resident and a fellow. During the patient rounds, the resident lied and said that he did the patient history, when in fact he didn’t. What do you do?
Suppose that you are a medical student. Your attending is supposed to see a patient, but has to go to a meeting. The attending asks you to do the patient interview for him. What do you do?
Here’s a statement: After the patient interview, the physician knows the diagnosis 40% of the time. After the physical, the physician knows the diagnosis 50% of the time. After the patient interview and physical, the physician knows the diagnosis about 90% of the time. The physician then runs a test to confirm the diagnosis. What do you think of this?

Weill Cornell Medicine

During a thirty-minute interview: for every two-minutes, stop what you are saying and choose an adjective to describe what you are feeling.
So, what do you think about the Canadian health system compared to the US health system?
Suppose that you did a diagnostic test for a patient and confirmed the diagnosis for a life-threatening form of cancer. According to the patient’s religion, he cannot be told about the diagnosis, otherwise, bad outcomes for his health will occur. The patient tells you to convey all information about the diagnosis and treatment to their children. What do you do?

College of Medicine at Tucson

Type of interview: Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)

College of Medicine at Phoenix

Type of interview: Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)

University of Utah School of Medicine

Type of interview: Standardized video interview prior to the interview day, multiple mini interviews (MMI) and a situational judgement test.

Elon S. Floyd College of Medicine at Washington State University

Type of Interview: Multiple mini interviews (MMI) and one traditional interview with single admissions committee member.

Occupational Therapy

General Questions

List of Schools:
A.T. Still University
Allen College
Barry Univeristy
Central Methodist University
Chatham University
Clarkson University
Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
D’Youville College
Lewis University
Jefferson OT Department
Johnson and Wales University
Indian University
Huntington University
Graduate Programs at the University of Michigan-Flint

General Questions

Questions About You

Tell me about yourself.
What are your two best points?
What are your two weakest points?
What are three things you want to change about yourself?
How do you handle conflict?
Explain your leadership/research/volunteer experiences.
What extracurricular activities are you engaged in?
Which of your college courses interested you the most?
What interests you outside of Occupational Therapy and getting into Occupational Therapy School?
Where do you see yourself in five/ten years?
What do you do in your spare time?
Why did you choose the undergraduate school you went to, and if you could, would you do anything differently?
What do you do to relieve stress?
What course was most academically challenging for you?
What life experiences have made you a better person?

Questions About Your Occupational Therapy School Goals

Why do you want to be an Occupational Therapist?
When did you decide Occupational Therapy was a good career choice for you?
What steps have you taken to confirm that you want to be an Occupational Therapist?
What do you feel are the most important qualities in being a good Occupational Therapist?
What opportunities have you had to observe an Occupational Therapist?
How will you handle the stress of Occupational Therapy school?
Outside of Occupational Therapy school, did you ever consider any other health profession?
Why do you believe you have the ability to undertake the study and work involved in Occupational Therapy school?
Explain the role of an Occupational Therapist.
What did you like/dislike about the Occupational Therapy offices you have observed?
What would you like to do if you are not accepted into Occupational Therapy school?
What steps have you taken to acquaint yourself with the role of an Occupational Therapist?
What aspects of your life experiences do you think makes you a good candidate for Occupational Therapy school?
There are many specializations in Occupational Therapy, which specializations are you more interested in and why?

Questions About Occupational Therapy Program

Why do you want to attend this Occupational Therapy program?
How are you a match for this Occupational Therapy program?
Describe your method of learning. How does this fit with the Occupational Therapy program?
What schools did you apply to and why?
What do you look for in a good Occupational Therapy program?
Why do you want to go to school here?
Why should this Occupational Therapy program choose you over other candidates?

Current Issue/Scenario Questions

If you walked into a hospital room to work with a patient and they wanted to wait until a TV program was over, how would you handle the situation?
You have a patient whose English stills needs some improvement and you do not speak their language, how do you overcome the language barrier to assist them with their needs?
Provide an example of a time that you had to make an ethical decision. What was the situation and what did you do?

A.T. Still University

Type of Interview: Two faculty members interviews one student

Typical Interview Length: 45 minutes

Additional Information: The student will also eat lunch with student ambassadors, get a tour of the campus and get a program overview from the Director. In-person interviews are preferred, but if student has any further questions about a skype/video interview they should contact the OT program coordinator, Darien Belloumini. He can be reached at dbelluomini@atsu.edu

Allen College

Type of Interview: panel of faculty and staff interviewing a student

Additional Information: Majority of the interviews are held on campus, but on rare occasions a Skype interview could be held. The faculty feel it is crucial to have students become connected with the people and facilities-insuring a good fit.

Barry University

Type of Interview: 2 faculty members interviewing a student is typical, but students may specify which interview type they would like to go with.

Typical Interview Length: 30 minutes

Additional Information: In-person interview is preferred, but an AdobeConnect (similar to facetime) interview can be arranged. The interviews can be held before the deadline and a few applicants may be accepted without going through an interview.

Central Methodist University

Type of Interview: panel of experts interviewing a student.

Typical Interview Length: Did not specify, but the interview process is embedded within the Introduction to Occupational Therapy course which is a prerequisite to the program.

Additional Information: The Introduction to Occupational Therapy course is offered as a 16-week seated course or an 8-week online accelerated option with one day on campus. The pre-OTA semester is offered each Fall and the OTA program begins in the Spring semester. Students are generally notified within 2 weeks of the interview process.

Chatham University

Type of Interview: Two students will be interviewed by a faculty member and program alumni.

Typical Interview Length: 45 minutes

Additional Information: Attending an on-campus interview is required.

Clarkson University

Type of Interview: no longer holds interviews

Additional Information: Students notified after the Admissions Committee decides to offer a seat to the student in the cohort. Students will be offered a letter through the OTCAS email.

Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Type of Interview: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)

Typical Interview Length: 1 hour

Additional Information: On the day of the interview the students first get a tour of the campus, lunch with college administration, meet the student panel, and then the actual interview begins. The MMI is part of the entire days experience.

D’Youville College

Type of Interview: No longer holds interview for OT program.

Additional Information: Candidates are selected based on their submission or credentials through OTCAS. Students are encouraged to visit the campus so that faculty can recognize the student and to start networking.

Lewis University

Type of Interview: No longer holds interviews.

Additional Information: They will heavily look at your personal statement as well as the supplemental “Lewis Essay.”

Jefferson OT Department

Type of Interview: Group Interview

Additional Information: There is a group interview day at Jefferson that includes a welcome from admission and faculty and a time to interact with the admissions committee and other candidates in a small group setting. There will also be a tour of the campus and the whole goal for the interview process is for faculty to get to know the students as well as for the students to figure out if Jefferson is the right fit for them.

Johnson and Wales University

Type of Interview: One-on- one, Multi-Model (students will interact with the members of the cohort)

Additional Information: The program at Johnson and Wales is still new so the interviews are still in the “planning process.” If a student needs to attend to an interview virtually, that can also be arranged.

Indian University

Type of Interview: A student gets interviewed by two faculty members.

Typical Interview Length: 20 minutes

Additional Information: In-person interview is mandatory and students get notified for an interview via email on the OTCAS application.

Huntington University

Type of Interview: One-on-one interview meeting with the OT faculty

Typical Interview Length: 25-30 minutes long

Additional Information: Every year the admissions committee formulates questions and the interviews are part of the preview day.

Graduate Programs at the University of Michigan-Flint

Type of Interview: Panel of OT health professionals interviews a student, but the OT program may make it into a group interview as well.

Additional Information: In-person interviews are preferred, but video/skype interviews can also be arranged.

Optometry

General Questions

General Questions

Questions About You

Tell me about yourself.
What are your two best points?
What are your two weakest points?
What are three things you want to change about yourself?
How do you handle conflict?
Explain your leadership/research/volunteer experiences.
What extracurricular activities are you engaged in?
Which of your college courses interested you the most?
What interests you outside of optometry and getting into optometry school?
Where do you see yourself in five/ten years?
What do you do in your spare time?
Why did you choose the undergraduate school you went to, and if you could, would you do anything differently?
What do you do to relieve stress?
What course was most academically challenging for you?
If you could pick any three people to have dinner with, who would they be and why did you pick them?
Who are the three most influential people in your life?

Questions About Your Optometry School Goals

Why do you want to be an optometrist?
When did you decide optometry was a good career choice for you?
What steps have you taken to confirm that you want to be an optometrist?
What do you think being an optometrist entails, apart from treating patients?
What do you feel are the most important qualities in being a good optometrist?
What will you be doing in optometry 10 years from now?
What did you do to prepare for the DAT?
What optometry procedures have you seen?
How will you handle the stress of optometry school?
What do you think will be your greatest challenge in completing optometry school?
Why do you believe you have the ability to undertake the study and work involved in optometry school?
What branch of optometry do you think would interest you? Why?
Does your family support your decision to become an optometrist?
What did you like/dislike about the optometry offices you have observed?
What would you like to do if you are not accepted into optometry school?
What steps have you taken to acquaint yourself with what an optometrist does?
How do you think your role as an optometrist fits in with your role as a member of the community?
Is optometry a rewarding experience?
What aspects of your life experiences do you think makes you a good candidate for optometry school?
If you are accepted into two optometry schools of your top choice, what would you do to make up your mind?
Can compassion be taught and do you need it to be a successful optometrist?

Questions About Optometry School

Why do you want to attend [Optometry School Name]? How are you a match for [Optometry School Name]?
Describe your method of learning. How does this fit with [Optometry School Name]?
What schools did you apply to and why?
What do you look for in a good optometry school?
Why do you want to go to school here?
Why should [Optometry School Name] choose you over other candidates?

Current Issue/Scenario Questions

What do you think about the specialization of optometry?
What do you think is the most pressing issue in optometry today?
One day, an optometry school classmate gives you a sheet containing questions for an upcoming exam. How would you handle the situation and what issues would you consider important in coming to a decision about what to do?
Name a situation where you had to make an ethical decision. What did you do?
Tell me a time when you witnessed dishonesty and what did you do?
What are the responsibilities of an optometrist to a patient?
What do you think about the health care system and which way should it go?
What do you think are the biggest problems with health care in the United States today?
You enter an exam room to see an elderly patient, and they refuses to remove their glasses during the exam. How would you handle the situation?
You have a patient whose English skills need some improvement, and you do not speak their language. How do you overcome the language barrier when determining their vision?

Chicago College of Optometry at Midwestern University

Type of Interview: Two closed file interviews with faculty members from the optometry department.

Additional information: Interviews are conducted from fall season to May.

Illinois College of Optometry (ICO)

Type of Interview: Open file

Why did you choose optometry?
Why do you feel you are prepared to start ICO’s program?
Why do you want to attend ICO?

Additional Information: Interviews are conducted from October to April, and students do not need an OAT score prior to the interview. Look over the ICO curriculum beforehand and think of questions for the school. If you have shadowing experience, you may be asked about the types of tests the optometrists you shadowed performed and why they performed these tests.

Indiana University School of Optometry

Additional Information: No personal interview, applicants participate in a 5-hour admissions day instead. They want to see how you interact with others socially.

MCPHS University School of Optometry

Type of Interview: One-on-one 45 minute closed file interview with a faculty member and one 45 minute writing sample.

Additional Information: Interviews are conducted from September to April. An applicant’s OAT score must be on file in order to be eligible to interview. The interview day has several components, including the interview with a faculty member, writing sample, 1 hour presentation with the Dean, a campus tour, and a lunch panel with current students. The writing sample asks the prospective student to answer one of two prompts, typically either about a goal you accomplished or about a goal you set for yourself but did not accomplish.

Michigan College of Optometry

Type of Interview: 30-45 minute interview with a three-member panel, consisting of one school administrator and two faculty members.

Additional Information: Interview day also includes a student-led tour, a one-on-one session with a current student where you have a chance to ask them questions, and refreshments with students and faculty members. All interviews are conducted in person.

Midwestern University Arizona College of Optometry

Type of Interview: One 25-minute closed file interview with two faculty members. The interviewers only have access to the applicant’s personal statement and resume, so academics are not discussed during the interview.

Why are you interested in Optometry?
Where do you see yourself in the future?
What have you learned about yourself throughout your life?

Additional Information: The interview day lasts from 7:30am-2:15pm consists of several components, including a tour of the campus and the Eye Institute, lunch with current faculty and students, and a meeting with current students and the Dean. Interviews are conducted from fall season to May. All interviews are conducted on campus.

New England College of Optometry

Type of Interview: One-on-one open file interview with a faculty member for about 45 minutes.

Additional information: Applicants must have taken the OAT to be offered an interview. The interview day has several components, including the interview with a faculty member, a tour of the campus and nearby clinic, and lunch with a current student.

Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry

Type of Interview: Panel interview with two Optometry faculty for about 20-25 minutes.

Additional Information: All interviews are conducted in person. The interview day typically lasts from about 8am-1pm.

Pacific University College of Optometry

Type of Interview: Closed file panel interview with two interviewers, a faculty member and a current optometry student. Interviews typically last for 1 hour.

Additional Information: Interviews are typically conducted on Friday’s.

Salus University Pennsylvania College of Optometry

Type of Interview: Open file one-on-one interview with a representative from the Office of Admissions.

Additional Information: All interviews are held on campus.

Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO)

Type of Interview: One-on-one with a faculty member for about 45 minutes.

Why did you choose optometry?
Tell me about your volunteering and leadership experiences.
Why are you applying to SCCO?
How is optometry related to primary care?
What does professionalism mean to you?
Tell me about a time you experienced an ethical challenge when working with patients.
What are the specialties of optometry?

Additional Information: The interview day lasts from about 8:30am-2:30pm and consists of several components, including a student-led campus and clinical facilities tour, lunch with student ambassadors, a financial aid presentation. You are expected to conduct at least basic research into the program before being interviewed.

SUNY College of Optometry

Type of Interview: Group interview with around 4 other students and 3 faculty or clinical instructors as the interviewers.

UC Berkeley School of Optometry

Type of Interview: Students will have two interviews: (1) Group interview with three to four other applicants, as well as a group teamwork task observed by two students; (2) MMI with one faculty member and one 3rd year student, consisting of four to five rounds in which the applicant is given ~30 seconds to read a prompt and then ~2-3 minutes to answer it.

Why did you chose optometry?

Why are you interested in UC Berkeley?

Additional Information: There is an on-site writing sample requirement on the interview day (a “pop” essay). The interview is given the same weight as other application components (i.e. OAT scores, GPA). The interview process is rigorous and highly selective because about 50 percent of students who interview will be a part of the next matriculating class. No virtual interviews are offered.

University of Houston College of Optometry

Type of Interview: Panel interview with clinical faculty, including optometrists and researchers that are actively involved in the first year student curriculum.

Additional Information: The interview day has several components, including a presentation in the morning, lunch with current students, and then the interview in the afternoon. Interviews are typically held on Monday’s. All interviews are held on campus.

University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry

Type of Interview: Panel interview with two faculty interviewers. The interview typically lasts about 30 minutes.

Additional Information: All interviews must be conducted in person. The interview day consists of several components, including a tour, information session, lunch, and meeting with the assistant dean and students. Interviews are typically held on Monday’s and Friday’s.

Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry

Type of Interview: Closed file interview with one or two faculty members.

Why did you chose optometry?
Tell me about your volunteer experience.
Tell me about your leadership experience.
Tell me about a time in your life when things didn’t work out the way you wanted them to, how did your manage?
Tell me about a time you had to overcome a challenge.

Additional Information: The interview day consists of several components, including a welcome breakfast, the interview, lunch with current students, and a tour of the campus and Pre-Clinic laboratories. The interview day typically runs from 8:30am-1:30pm. Interviewers are looking for communication skills, professionalism, and personality fit. All interviews are conducted in person.

Pharmacy

List of Schools:
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
American University of Health Sciences
Appalachian College of Pharmacy
Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy
Belmont University
California Health Sciences University
California Northstate University
Campbell University
Cedarville University
Chapman University School of Pharmacy
Concordia University Wisconsin
Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions
Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy
Drake University
D’Youville College
Fairleigh Dickinson University
High Point University
Jefferson College of Pharmacy
Keck Graduate Institute
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)
Larkin University
Midwestern University
Northeastern University Bouve College of Health Sciences
Oregon Health & Science University
Oregon State University
Regis University Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions
Temple University School of Pharmacy
Texas A&M University
The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy
University of Buffalo
University of California, San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of California, San Francisco
University of Connecticut
University of Florida
University of Michigan
University of North Carolina
University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
University of South Florida Health College of Pharmacy
University of Texas at Tyler: Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy
Washington State University College of Pharmacy
Western University of Health Sciences

Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Type of Interview: Interview with two faculty or staff from the College for about 20 minutes.

Additional Information:This interview would be a discussion to get to know you and ask about any previous experience in healthcare or pharmacy, and your interest in ACPHS. The interviewers do not have access to your admission application, but students may provide them with a CV or resume.

American University of Health Sciences

Type of Interview: Out of state students have a Skype interview with two faculty members. Local students have a face to face interview with two faculty members.

Additional Information: It is a structured interview that will discuss your past experiences, your courses completed, and your interest in the PharmD program.

Appalachian College of Pharmacy

Type of Interview: Interview with two students and two faculty or preceptors for both an average of 10-15 minutes. Closed format interview.

Additional Information: This is a laid back interview, and the goal is to know why you chose the pharmacy profession.

Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy

Type of Interview: One faculty member and one student simultaneously.

Additional Information:Learn about the school. Know about the profession and what may be going on that could affect it. Ask questions about the program or curriculum as well as preparation for either going into the workforce or residency.

Belmont University

Type of Interview: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI): 3 interviews, 12 minutes each. Open file interview and writing sample.

Questions:

Why did you want to come to Belmont?
Why did you choose pharmacy?
What are some strengths and weaknesses?

California Health Sciences University

Type of Interview: 25 minute interview with two faculty members.

Additional Information: Interview questions are behavioral based. Interviewee provides specific examples about their experiences. They would first describe the situation, how they handled it and what the outcome was.

California Northstate University

Type of Interview: Two 15 minute one-on-one sessions. One is with a faculty member and the other is with a faculty member plus a student.

Additional information: You will have a chance to answer a question and then highlight your accomplishments or ask any questions. The interview questions do not require any previous knowledge (for example, you will not be asked questions about biochemistry of calculus). Questions will be about your experiences or how you might respond in a given situation.

Campbell University

Type of Interview: Six Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) with 1 interviewer per station and one group activity lead by 1-2 people.

Additional Information: Includes an information session and lunch with current faculty, staff, and PharmD students. Begins around 9am and finishes no later than 3pm.

Tips: Remain professional and genuinely be yourself. Ask the interviewers questions, even if it is something like what pulled them to Campbell and what keeps them there. Smile.

Cedarville University

Type of Interview: Interviews involve candidates interacting with two faculty members and a current PharmD student.

Additional Information: Typical questions involve how you became interested in the profession, experiences in pharmacy and serving others, and long term ambitions.

Chapman University School of Pharmacy

Type of Interview: One-on-one interviews with two separate faculty members.

Additional Information: Learn as much as you can about the pharmacy profession; treat it like a job interview regarding preparation. It is okay if you do not have experience in the field, but being knowledgeable about the profession speaks volumes to faculty.

Concordia University Wisconsin

Type of Interview: Each student meets with a team of two faculty members, who evaluate the interview.

Additional Information: Interviews will be about academic background, pharmacy experience (work, informational interviewing, shadowing, etc), motivation for pursuing pharmacy & understanding of the profession, and experience with service, leadership, and volunteer activities.

Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions

Type of Interview: Closed-file Interview. One interview with two faculty members for about 30 minutes.

Additional Information: The interview serves more as an opportunity for the faculty to get to know each applicant. It is not meant to feel like or to be an interrogation.

Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy

Type of Interview: 30 minute closed-file interview. In-person or Skype with a DKICP faculty member and staff member simultaneously.

Questions:

Why Pharmacy? Why Hilo?
Tell me about your experience in Pharmacy, what have you done to prepare yourself?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
What is a current issue in pharmacy? How would you address this issue?
What is the process you go through to make a big decision? Can you give us an example?
What traits do you possess that will make you a great pharmacist?
What is your favorite book, TV Show, or Movie?
What is professionalism to you?
Tell me about a time you encountered a clash with someone having a different cultural background/morals and values than you. How did you handle the situation?
What qualities should a pharmacist have and how have you displayed those qualities?
If there was only 1 spot left, why should we choose you?
What would you do if you did not get into Pharmacy School?
What would you do if you saw a student cheating on an exam?
If you were accepted to your top 2 schools, how would you decide on which school to attend?
What is a current issue in pharmacy or medicine that you feel strongly about?
If you could be an animal/plant/flower/musical instrument, what would you be and why?
What is your favorite book and why?
What do you like to do in your free time?
What time period would you like to live in and why?
If you could have lunch with any fictional character, who would it be and why?
If you could be a drug, what drug would you be and why?
Do you think you will be able to acclimate to living in Hilo, Hawaii?
If a patient wanted a drug that conflicted with your beliefs/morals, what would you do?
What is your approach to making important decisions?
If you were a pharmacy manager and a coworker didn’t do his/her work, what would you do and how would you handle the situation?
What was the hardest decision that you had to make?
Do you have any questions for me?

Additional Information: Prepare by doing some research. DKICP’s requirement for cultural diversity courses are generally met by classes such as: World History, World Religions, World Literature, Geography of World Regions, Cultural Anthropology, or generally, a class which exposes the student to different cultures and lifestyles. For the Humanities prerequisite, classes in the following disciplines such as Art, Linguistics, Communication, Performing Arts, English, Philosophy, Ethics, Hawaiian Studies, Indigenous Studies, Religious Studies, and Foreign Languages will satisfy the requirement. You may send a copy of your transcript to pharmacy@hawaii.edu if you would like DKICP to review your coursework.

Drake University

Type of Interview: One will be the traditional aspect (one-on-one) but then other rooms will incorporate a few different aspects.

D’Youville College

Type of Interview: MMI

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Type of Interview: One on one interviews with four different faculty or staff members. Each session lasts about 10-15 minutes.

Additional Information: Questions may be about adaptability, empathy, integrity, and critical thinking.

High Point University

Type of Interview: Two individual interviews with faculty.

Jefferson College of Pharmacy

Type of Interview: One-on-one interview with a JCP faculty member.

Keck Graduate Institute:

Type of Interview: Two interviews with faculty members.

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)

Type of Interview: Individual and group interview. The interviewers will not see your admissions file.

Additional Information:There will be a written essay component to the interview. Interviewers are evaluating communication skills, potential to succeed, leadership ability, teamwork, and professionalism. All of the questions revolve around those five parameters.

Larkin University

Type of Interview: MMI

Midwestern University

Type of Interview: 20 minute closed file interview with a panel. Panel consists of two faculty members and one 3rd year student. They will only be provided with your resume and personal statement.

Northeastern University Bouve College of Health Sciences

Type of Interview: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI), and a one-on-one with the Admissions Coordinator and faculty one-on-one discussion.

Oregon Health & Science University

Type of Interview: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). Four different interviewers for 7 minutes each.

Additional Information: You will be asked to complete a writing sample for 15 minutes that day, which assess how candidates can write on demand. Show your strengths rather than highlight weaknesses.

Oregon State University

Type of Interview: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI): 4 short interviews with faculty for seven minutes each. You will be given 3 minutes to read a scenario and a question posted outside the door of the interview location prior to the actual 7 minute interview.

Additional Information: You will also participate in a group activity with other applicants and current pharmacy students. This is a fun and worry-free activity.

Regis University Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions

Type of Interview: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). You will be given a piece of paper with a discussion topic such as a question of scenario. You will have 2 minutes to review it. Then, the interviewer will come in and will have a 6-minute conversation with you around the topic. The interviewer may be a student, faculty member, or community members.

Additional Information: In addition to the interview, you will also be asked to complete a written exercise. Prepare by familiarizing with the school, mission, and the school of pharmacy. Ask questions.

Temple University School of Pharmacy

Type of Interview: Interview committee of 5 candidates and 2 faculty members for a 1-hour duration.

Texas A&M University

Type of Interview: MMI

The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy

Type of Interview: 15-minute interview.

Questions:

Why do you want to be a pharmacist?

What qualities in a pharmacy school are you looking for?

Additional Information: The interview is not to quiz you about drug information but a way to get to know you.

University of Buffalo

Type of Interview: One interview with a professor from the pharmacy program.

University of California, San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Type of Interview: One interview with a faculty and student together for about 30 minutes.

Information:There will also be an on-site essay.

University of California, San Francisco

Type of Interview: Six Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI), each with a duration of 6 minutes. Interviewers are provided with portions of your application, such as your letter of intent and essay responses. However, they do not have access to you GPA.

Information: For more information about the University of California, San Francisco’s interview process, please visit their Application Process page.

University of Connecticut

Type of Interview: An hour long group interview with 3-4 students.

Additional Information: The interview process is for the interviewers to get to know you as a student and future professional. The questions are not related to your application.

University of Florida

Type of Interview: Closed application interview with two faculty members.

University of Michigan

Type of Interview: Two 35 min interviews with our faculty and current students (very conversational…no tests).

University of North Carolina

Type of Interview: MMI

University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Type of Interview: 20 minute faculty interview, 20 minute student interview, and 50 minute writing exercise.

Additional Information: The faculty interviewers will only have your resume and nothing else. They want to know about what you are doing outside of the classroom, what type of organizations, community service you have been involved with, and also why you are pursuing a career in pharmacy.

University of South Florida Health College of Pharmacy

Type of Interview:Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI).

University of Texas at Tyler: Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy

Type of Interview: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). You will also participate in a Team-Based Learning (TBL) session, complete a math and writing assignment, go on a campus tour, and participate in a Q&A session with Dean Brunner and the Office of Student Affairs.

Additional Information:For more information about the interview process and what to expect, please visit the University of Texas at Tyler: Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy’s Interview Day Information website.

Washington State University College of Pharmacy

Type of Interview: 30 minute closed-file interview with a faculty member and student ambassador.

Western University of Health Sciences

Type of Interview: Closed file interview with one faculty member and one current student simultaneously for 25-30 minutes.

Information:On the day of the interview, students will not only have an interview but also a writing sample and internal assessment (IA) exam. The IA exam is administered in the morning for a 4-hour duration. Only applicants selected for the interview and IA exam will be required to purchase the IA study guide. The interview and written essay are conducted in the afternoon of the same day. You are allotted 40 minutes for the written sample on a random topic.

Physical Therapy

General Questions

List of Schools:
A.T. Still University
AdventHealth University
Belmont University
California State University, Long Beach
Campbell University
Chapman University
Chatham University
Clarkson University
Concordia University Wisconsin
Duke University
Emory University
George Fox University
George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences
High Point University
Marshall University
Mary Baldwin University
Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions
Mercer University
Michigan University
Midwestern University
Mount Joseph University
Nova Southeastern University
Ohio University
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia
Regis University
St. Francis University
University of Colorado
University of Delaware
University of Incarnate Word
University of Indianapolis
University of Maryland, Baltimore
University of Montana
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of New England
University of the Pacific
University of St. Augustine
Upstate Medical University

General Questions

Questions About You

Tell me about yourself.
What are your two best points?
What are your two weakest points?
What are three things you want to change about yourself?
How do you handle conflict?
Explain your leadership/research/volunteer experiences.
What extracurricular activities are you engaged in?
Which of your college courses interested you the most?
What interests you outside of Physical Therapy and getting into Physical Therapy School?
Where do you see yourself in five/ten years?
What do you do in your spare time?
Why did you choose the undergraduate school you went to, and if you could, would you do anything differently?
What do you do to relieve stress?
What course was most academically challenging for you?
What life experiences have made you a better person?

Questions About Your Physical Therapy School Goals

Why do you want to be an Physical Therapist?
When did you decide Physical Therapy was a good career choice for you?
What steps have you taken to confirm that you want to be an Physical Therapist?
What do you feel are the most important qualities in being a good Physical Therapist?
What opportunities have you had to observe an Physical Therapist?
How will you handle the stress of Physical Therapy school?
Outside of Physical Therapy school, did you ever consider any other health profession?
Why do you believe you have the ability to undertake the study and work involved in Physical Therapy school?
Explain the role of an Physical Therapist.
What did you like/dislike about the Physical Therapy offices you have observed?
What would you like to do if you are not accepted into Physical Therapy school?
What steps have you taken to acquaint yourself with the role of an Physical Therapist?
What aspects of your life experiences do you think makes you a good candidate for Physical Therapy school?
There are many specializations in Physical Therapy, which specializations are you more interested in and why?

Questions About Physical Therapy Program

Why do you want to attend this Physical Therapy program?
How are you a match for this Physical Therapy program?
Describe your method of learning. How does this fit with the Physical Therapy program?
What schools did you apply to and why?
What do you look for in a good Physical Therapy program?
Why do you want to go to school here?
Why should this Physical Therapy program choose you over other candidates?

Current Issue/Scenario Questions

If you walked into a hospital room to work with a patient and they wanted to wait until a TV program was over, how would you handle the situation?
You have a patient whose English stills needs some improvement and you do not speak their language, how do you overcome the language barrier to assist them with their needs?
Provide an example of a time that you had to make an ethical decision. What was the situation and what did you do?

A.T. Still University

Type of Interview: 10-minute individual interviews with faculty

Additional Information: Questions will be meant to give the faculty insight on what drives you.

Why physical therapy?

AdventHealth University

Type of Interview: Open file interview. May be over the phone or in-person, 30 minute interview with a faculty member or department chair.

Additional Information: Understand the difference between MD’s and DO’s because they use the whole person healthcare approach in all of their programs, including PT. Do not mention occupational therapy because that is a different field.

Tell me about a positive experience you had working in PT, a negative one, and an area you have no experience in but would like to

Belmont University

Type of Interview: Closed file one-on-one interview with a faculty member.

Additional Information: The faculty member will be looking for interpersonal skills, ability to think on one’s feet, and how one would fit into their program and in the clinic.

California State University, Long Beach

Does not conduct interviews.

Campbell University

Type of Interview: One open file two-on-one interview session along with two other rotations with faculty, staff, students, and/or community partners.

Additional information: One interview day each month with 20+ candidates invited.

Tips: Expect questions about your understanding of PT. Make sure you have a deep understanding of the PT field in general, their passion for rural healthcare, and some of the challenges you may face as a practitioner in a rural setting.

Tell me about a time when you struggled academically and what did you do to overcome this?
Tell me about a time when you recognized a bias. What was it and what did you learn from it?
Why Campbell Physical Therapy?
Why are you interested in PT?

Chapman University

Does not conduct interviews.

Chatham University

Type of Interview: 4 components to interview day. First interview with a faculty member and alumni. Second, interviewees tour the facilities with first-year students. Third component is a writing portion; 50 minutes to answer a few essay questions. Final component is PBL practice.

Clarkson University

Does not conduct interviews.

Concordia University Wisconsin

Type of Interview: Open file individual interview

Duke University

Type of Interview: Two one-on-one interviews with faculty.

Emory University

Type of Interview: Group interview with 2 faculty members and 3-4 applicants.

Additional Information: Interviewers want to see how applicants relate to others.

George Fox University

Type of Interview: individual interview with a couple of faculty and a collaborative activity with fellow interviewees.

George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Type of Interview: Two interview sessions. First session is with one faculty member and 4 applicants. The second session is a one-on-one interview with a faculty member.

Describe a time when you were in a dysfunctional team. What were the problems and how was the dysfunction resolved?
What would you do if the patient of another PT approached you and asked to switch to be your patient?
Have you ever had a mentor in your life and in what ways did they mentor you?
What brings you to George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences?

High Point University

Type of Interview: One interview with a faculty member and a group interview.

Additional Information: Admissions committee treats interviews like a conversation. Questions about your experience might come up, but they also might ask you about your favorite color or your favorite movie.

Mary Baldwin University

Type of Interview: Two individual interviews.

Marshall University

Type of interview: Small group discussion of 8-9 students and one faculty, and then every student meets one-on-one with a member of the admissions committee.

Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions

Only conducts interviews for early decision applicants.

Mercer University

Type of Interview: Individual, group, and panel. The panel interview is with current students.

Additional Information: Interviewers will be able to access grades and personal statements.

Michigan University

Does not conduct interviews.

Midwestern University

Type of Interview: Group interviews with two other students. The interviews will be held by 2 faculty at a time, in 3 different settings. There is also an interview with 2 current students.

Mount Joseph University

Type of Interview: Group interview with two other applicants, and an interview team made up of a faculty member, current student, and clinician.

Nova Southeastern University

Does not conduct interviews unless they feel it is necessary for an applicant.

Ohio University

Type of Interview: 15 minute one-on-one with a faculty member.

Additional Information: Interviews typically held in November.

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia

Type of Interview: Panel interview conducted by faculty members and current students.

Regis University

Type of Interview: Interviewed by faculty members.

St. Francis University

Does not conduct interviews.

University of Colorado

Type of Interview: Interview with 2 faculty members or a faculty member and a clinician.

Additional Information: Interviewers don’t have any of your application available to them. Be prepared to talk about yourself (strengths, weaknesses, etc), how you handle tough situations, important people in your life, reflection upon your decisions, etc.

University of Delaware

Type of Interview: 15-20 minute one-on-one with a faculty member and a group observation.

University of Incarnate Word

Type of Interview: 5 one-on-one interviews held by faculty and admission committee members.

Additional Information: The candidates are rotated through various interview rooms to answer the admissions team questions on specific things about the candidate’s application, extracurricular activities, and experiences.

University of Indianapolis

Type of Interview: 2 one-on-one interviews.

University of Maryland, Baltimore

Type of Interview: Group interview with four applicants and one staff member.

Introduce yourself and how you came to be interested in Physical Therapy.
Why are you interested in the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC)?
Look at the person on your left. If there is one spot left open in this program, why should they get this spot?
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

University of Montana

Type of Interview: Interviews are setup with one faculty member and one affiliated PT from the community as a duo.

Additional Information: A lot of the interview is geared towards getting to know the interviewee and the reasons for interest in becoming a PT.

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Type of Interview: Open file interview by one current faulty member and one alumni.

Additional Information: Be well prepared to reflect upon your abilities and experiences. Emphasize passion and commitment to learning more about the profession.

University of New England

Type of Interview: One-on-one interviews with a faculty member.

University of the Pacific

Type of Interview: Panel interview – one interview with a committee.

Additional Information: Interview duration is 2 hours. Applicants will be invited over the phone. Interviews take place during the Spring semester.

University of St. Augustine

Type of Interview: Group interview with 2-4 individuals in each room. Interviewees return to a large room for further questions.

Upstate Medical University

Type of Interview: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). Interviews are blind, so interviewers only know applicants’ names.

Physician Assistant

General Questions

List of Schools:

A.T. Still University
Barry University
Butler University
Campbell University
Charleston Southern University
College of Saint Mary
Harding University
Idaho State University
Oregon Health & Science University
Stanford University
University of Charleston
University of Mount Union
Yale University

General Questions

by the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA)

Why do you want to be a PA?

Additional Information: Students can check Andrew Rodican’s book and physicianassistantforum.com for example interview questions.

A.T. Still University

Type of Interview: Eight Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) sessions

Questions:

What intrigues you the most about being a PA?
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Did you want to discuss any academic hurdles you have made in the past?

Additional Information: Generally, the questions will include those pertaining to the PA profession, character, and academic questions. Prepare for the MMI stations with scenario-based situations with standardized patients.

Barry University

Type of Interview: Group interview and an interview with a faculty member.

Butler University

Type of Interview: Modified Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) with a variety of interview opportunities.

Additional Information: College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences faculty, staff, alumni, active preceptors, and/or community based PAs evaluate candidates during the on-campus interview. Candidates invited to interview on-campus will have multiple interactions. Candidates will complete a series of stations that are generally task-oriented or interview-based. The stations are designed to assess candidates for characteristics necessary to be successful within this Program and/or discernment to the PA profession. Candidates are ranked based on their cumulative scores from station evaluators.

Campbell University

Type of Interview: A half day of group activities, one-on-one interviews, and information sessions.

Tips: Know what appeals to you about the program, why you want to be a PA, what you have done to prepare, and how you manage your time, overcome challenges, and work

Charleston Southern University

Type of Interview: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)

College of Saint Mary

Type of Interview: Two or three faculty panel interview for fifteen minutes twice, also may have a group interview.

Harding University

Type of Interview: One-on-one interview with two different faculty members, a small group setting to discuss an ethical case, and time with current students. There are no Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI).

Additional Information: The faculty members want to spend time to get to know you, not the rehearsed you.

Idaho State University

Type of Interview: Three 15 minute one-on-one interviews with three different faculty members, a visit with current students, an observation of a portion of a lecture, and lunch with current students and interviewers. Total interview format is approximately 3 hours.

Additional Information: Each interviewer covers a topic: ethical dilemma, communication and fit, altruism and role of a PA. Questions are centered on these topics.

Oregon Health & Science University

Type of Interview: Combination of group, individual, and Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) format.

Additional Information: 14-16 candidates will interview on a given day. Candidates will be given the opportunity to sit in on a lecture, have lunch with current students, tour the campus, and receive a detailed overview of the curriculum.

Tips: Be yourself throughout the interview day. The committee wants to see you and what you have to offer as a future student and graduate of the program.

Stanford University

Type of Interview: Panel style interview.

University of Charleston

Type of Interview: Mix of Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) and group interview and group scenario.

Questions: Faculty choose questions that make you think critically and stand out. Examples may be questions not specifically medically related and also more of the expected interview questions.

University of Mount Union

Type of Interview: Three interviews over a week.

Yale University

Type of Interview: Online one on one interview.

Interview Breakdowns and Sample Questions