Medical school interviews can be the most stressful part of the entire application process.  You’ve done what you need to do and submitted your applications, but now you have to impress them in person.  As interview season is approaching I’d like to share some high yield tips that have helped many premeds stand out and shine.  The effort to do these things is relatively minimal, but the impact can be quite significant.

1. Accept the interview promptly and graciously. Enthusiasm matters!  It is important that schools knows you are excited to have the opportunity to interview with them.  To show them this, be prompt in your response.  Often, when invited for an interview, you will be asked to select your interview date.  If possible, take a moment right then and there to identify which date works for you then respond immediately.  Understandably, in many instances you will need time to review your schedule and plan financially for travel.  In these situations, still respond to the invite with a prompt acceptance and simply let them know you will get back to them ASAP with your date selection.  A quick response not only implies that you excited, but on a practical level, helps you get the date you want before it fills up with other applicants.
2. Be early or stay late. Plan to arrive at the school early on interview day.  Being early shows that you are taking the interview process seriously and eager to get things going.  If you have been a part of any team, take a moment to think about some of the more memorable members.  Were any of them individuals who started practice early or stayed late?  I’m willing to bet that’s the case.  Being in one of those groups allows you to have private time speaking with key personnel.  When you send your thank you notes to these key individuals, be sure to specifically thank them for chatting with you either before or after the interview day.
3. Mingle with other applicants. Okay, this one is sounds basic but it’s very important.  Don’t be that guy or gal who appears to be standoffish with other applicants.  Inevitably, you’ll meet this person.  He or she is so focused on the interview that they basically ignore everyone and everything else.  Here’s what you need to know; the admission committee members aren’t just paying attention to how you interact with them, they’re also watching how you interact with each other.  The idea of the interview is to make sure you’re a good fit for their school.  It’s likely that some of the students you interview with will get accepted to that school and therefore there is potential for them to become your classmates.  If you can’t get along with them on interview day, there’s a good chance you won’t get along with them once school starts.
4. Ask questions. Most of your interviews will conclude with the interviewer asking if you have any questions for them.  Not asking may be viewed as a sign of disinterest by some people.  The truth of the matter is that even people who have worked at the school for 20 years still have questions about the place.  If you’ve only been there for one day, there has to be something you can think of.  Try to muster up the energy to ask at least one question to each interviewer, even if it’s the same question.
5. Send a follow up note after your thank you note. It’s a no brainer that you should send thank you notes.  However, many premeds don’t realize that it’s okay to send a follow up note later as well.  This brief message is intended to let the school know that you are still very interested in them, and to update them on any accomplishments you’ve had since interviewing.   At the very least, this message will bring your name back to the mind of your interviewers.  Be sure to time it appropriately so you’re not coming across as overly eager or annoying.  It’s also important to note that some programs attempt to track every extra bit of correspondence they get from applicants, so this note might go straight into your final when the final committee is reviewing you.  #BonusPoints!

The bottom line is that you want to stand out when applying to medical school.  With so many smart students applying, that becomes hard to do.  Leveraging these techniques is a simple method to get the extra edge!

What other tips and strategies do you have which could help an applicant stand out?

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