How Do You Control Stress Before Med School Interviews?

[gradschooldream]

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[Blinkbest]

knowing yourself is a big part of the interview process so accomplishments/resilience/important moments in your life are very valuable because they made you what you are today. If you haven't done it already, I would list down all strengths, weaknesses and other valuable things in your life that makes you the person you are today and help you explain your opinions and why you react in certain ways in different situations. Because interviews are all about that, taking position in different circumstances in relation with all you've been doing and experiencing as a person. 

 

This is not a last minute tip tho, it should have been done before but you can always take a few hours to think about it, that would be the main preparation for interviews in my opinion. I would not loose too much time on scenarios and health related news.

 

Good luck!

[MountainAmoeba]

Just did my interview, and it was hard to know after how it went. It was MMI style. I would say, have grace for yourself. Don't get bent out of shape if you drop the ball on one part. Just collect yourself, take your time, be thoughtful, and be honest to who you are. Good luck!

[freewheeler]

Yes, you are correct that the interviews are weighted heavily in the final admission scores, but keep in mind that they do not require an extraordinary performance.

 

Ideally, you would have spent lots of time engaging in self-reflection and appreciating what sort of self-care strategies work for you in helping support your mental, emotional and physical health--ex. what types of exercise you enjoy and find beneficial such as yoga, running, weightlifting, stress management techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises, progressive muscular relaxation, etc. and would perform these habits on a regular basis to keep yourself in a good spot with respect to your health and stress levels in general.

 

In terms of managing stress and anxiety on the day of the interview, keep the following in mind:

 

1) It is perhaps most important to remember that everyone feels anxious and stressed on interview day, so this isn't something you need to feel guilty about or judge yourself over. It's entirely normal. In fact, I would encourage you to accept those feelings and to continue to put your best foot forward anyway, rather than fixate on them to your detriment.

 

2) If you have some regular stress management practice--ex. deep breathing, meditation, etc. then you should perform that on the day of as well to help manage your feelings of stress/anxiety on the day of.

 

3) Remember that much is out of your control and that there is nothing you can do other than simply being honest, answering questions directly and essentially being yourself.

 

Just continue to do your best as you move forward and let the chips fall where they may. You either win or you learn.

 

As an aside, I would caution you from thinking too much. This is in regards to your question about what to talk about with other premed students. Consider getting more comfortable with feeling into the moment and learning to enjoy the spontaneity of interactions rather than having pre-meditated talking points. Also, I would make the case that the content of most social conversations is rather boring and it is more about the vibe and emotions shared than it is about the content being discussed that makes things interesting.

 

 

There are no secrets to doing well in a medical school interview. Simply be a normal human being, compassionate, self-aware, relatable, non-judgmental and honest.

[Sauna]

Sing this in the shower the morning of your interview:

 

 

Followed by this:

 

 

Sing at the top of your lungs and I promise you, you will feel prepared! It works for me every time

 

Also, I totally get what you mean regarding talking to the other applicants before the interview. For me personally, I don’t want the interviewers to be the first people I talk to all day lol  I definitely need some “warm up” time in order to be socially comfortable and then let my personality take over from there, so think of talking to other applicants/the first year med students as a warm-up that will help get you in the zone!

[bundleofhers]

Sing this in the shower the morning of your interview:

 

 

Followed by this:

 

 

Sing at the top of your lungs and I promise you, you will feel prepared! It works for me every time

 

Also, I totally get what you mean regarding talking to the other applicants before the interview. For me personally, I don’t want the interviewers to be the first people I talk to all day lol  I definitely need some “warm up” time in order to be socially comfortable and then let my personality take over from there, so think of talking to other applicants/the first year med students as a warm-up that will help get you in the zone!

 

Wow what are the chances? The Fight Song was my anthem during MCAT studying and was what I listened to right before my exam.  

[IMislove]

Sauna, nice choice with cascada hah. This is my all time fave and motto for walks and relaxing. 

[Sauna]

Wow what are the chances? The Fight Song was my anthem during MCAT studying and was what I listened to right before my exam.

 

Haha awesome! I binged game of thrones while studying for the MCAT so I just listened to the Targaryen theme while driving to the test centre and pretended I was Daenerys going to take over Westeros

 

MCAT = Westeros

Chem/Physics = Baratheons / Stormlands

CARS = Lannisters / Westerlands 

Bio = Tyrells / The Reach

Psyc/Soc = Starks / The North

 

Sauna, nice choice with cascada hah. This is my all time fave and motto for walks and relaxing. 

 

That's dope! Right now I can't stop listening to this:

 

 

I listened to this damn song all day yesterday while in the shower, vacuuming/cleaning, AND studying. For the record, I AM A DUDE! Ain't nothing wrong with listening to girls wanna have fun and pretending to be Danaerys, ok?

 

Also, OP: sorry for hijacking your thread with song suggestions lol. I know you're just looking for interview tips so here are some (as a fellow applicant):

 

Try not to think about what's at stake, because that will likely stress you out even more. I was being 100% serious when I suggested to sing in the shower the morning of. Another thing I like to do before interviews (i.e. the night before) is watch stand up comedy or something I enjoy.

 

Practice like crazy and trust in your preparation, and when it's time for the interview just aim to have fun, feel good, and enjoy your interview weekend (because not many get to be in your position) and walk in there confidently - at least that's how I'm approaching my interviews.