What's with all the rats, cats and corn?
There's a common misconception that the interview is there to weed out people who lack the social skills to pursue a vocation as a doctor. Admittedly, I also held this misconception prior to sitting the first time. Uunfortunately, it's not like any job interview you have or will sit again!
The truth is, there are likely only one or two people out of every cohort interviewed who's personality or behaviour is so pathological as to preclude them from being a doctor. Rather the interview, much like the GAMSAT, is designed to test a unique facet of problem solving and communication skill. What you say is often far less important that how you approach each problem. After all, in medicine there is rarely just one way of doing things and there is almost never a RIGHT answer.
In my first attempt, I was blind-sided by a problem about Matthew Flinders, a boat, some corn, some rats, a cat, a bilge pump and a leak! I did a terrible job of this problem and, with my confidence shattered, did a terrible job of the rest of the interview too. The second time round, I was far better prepared. The question about car parks, football games and days of the week was a cinch. None of the subsequent questions took my by surprise and I owned the interview like a boss. I was offered a place in the first round and the rest, as they say, was history.
As I've said before, getting into medical school isn't a FUN process and you should always try to attempt it as little as possible. If you're fortunate enough to have an interview this year, come and join us for the interview preparation course. We won't guarantee you a spot in medical school, but we will show you what to expect! You'll also get to practice in a mock-up interview with the kind of people who make up the panel on the day. The course runs on Saturday September 15th from 10am-2pm at Flinders University. We'd love to see you there!
