Interview Prep

Introductory Information  

An interview is a conversation between the applicant and the interviewer. The primary purpose is to: 

  1. Learn more about you. 

  2. Assess your skills and experiences. 

  3. Examine your motivations, work ethic, and fit. 

There are many types of health profession interviews. Your interview could be in-person or virtual. Interviews could be open or closed file. You may be interviewed with a group or on your own. You may be asked to participate in MMIs (Multiple Mini Interviews). Many interviews last 30-45 minutes. It is important to read the details and schedule provided to you, as well as ask questions when needed.  

Many health profession program interviews will include the following themes: 

  1. Opening question – these are designed to help you introduce yourself to the interviewer, discuss your motivation and goals, and explain your strengths and weaknesses as a candidate. 

  2. Behavioral interview questions – questions to help the interviewer understand your abilities and skills with specific examples. 

  3. Ethical questions – questions that pose a scenario in which you walk the interviewer through your decision-making process. 

  4. Larger contextual questions – these are there to show your knowledge of trends and contemporary issues in your related field. 

  5. Closing questions – questions to help gain clarity and conclude the interview. 

Resources 

Preparing for Interviews Guide 

Interview Feedback and Details for Health Profession Programs

Sample questions

  1. Tell me about yourself 
  2. Why are you interested in medicine/this profession? 
  3. Why are you interested in our school? 
  4. What are your greatest strengths 
  5. What is your greatest weakness? 
  1. Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult coworker. 
  2. Tell me about a time when you had to make a difficult decision and how you went about making that decision. 

You find out one of your patients has been infected with HIV, but he refuses to tell his wife she may have been exposed. Do you take action to tell the wife without your patient's consent?  

  1. If you could change one behavior to make people healthier, what behavior would you pick and why? 
  2. How do politics affect health care? 
  1. How did you prepare for this interview? 
  2. Do you have any questions for us? 

Next Steps 

At the conclusion of the interview, you may ask if it is okay to send a follow-up thank you card or email to your interviewers. If appropriate, send a thoughtful thank you to those you worked with.  

Be sure to read any and all correspondence with the school thoroughly before and after the interview to ensure you have all relevant information and know of any next steps you may need to take with the school.  

To make an appointment, log into https://hirejayhawks.ku.edu/ or call the UCC at 785-864-3624.