Guest Carolyn Posted March 19, 2001 Report Share Posted March 19, 2001 As president of McMaster's Medical Student Council I have been receiving emails from a variety of appiclants asking questions about the interview. I figured it would be easier and fairer if I just posted a webpage with as many answers as possible! Unfortunately the webpage won't be up until tomorrow some time due to delays with my ISP. Hopefully the following will help! A student perspective on McMaster Medical School Interviews Congratulations on receiving an interview at McMaster! I hope you’ll enjoy your day here. I remember feeling pretty nervous about my interview so I hope this note will help to reduce some of the anxiety that you may be feeling. -> My experience at McMaster I have had an exceptional experience at McMaster. Problem-Based Learning has proven to work extremely well for me. I’m constantly amazed at how much I’ve learned in such a short time. I’ve had the opportunity to meet and learn from some really fun and interesting people; in tutorials, in small and large group sessions and in a variety of electives. At McMaster, we have the opportunity to do many electives (working with a physician in order to get some ‘hands-on’ experience). Many of us started right away with horizontal electives (a couple of hours each week). We have our first block electives (full-time) coming up this summer and while many students are staying in Hamilton, a large number of students are travelling across Canada and overseas. Just last week on my internal medicine elective, I worked with a patient who came into the emergency in congestive heart failure. I did the history and physical exam and learned how to write up the report and orders and fill in all the paperwork so that the patient could be admitted to the internal medicine floor. My supervising physician was there by my side for all of it constantly giving me feedback and teaching me new skills. I was excited to realize that I have already built a very strong skill set which allowed me to write up a sound history, to read the chest x-ray, the ECG, to do a clinical exam to help narrow down the diagnosis, to understand the pathophysiology involved in the patient’s condition, and to understand the pharmacological treatments which we were prescribing. And to think that only a year ago I was busy preparing for my interview! I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to get involved in my medical education. As President, I represent students on a variety of committees. Over half of our class is involved in the Student Council. From the social reps to the unit-planning reps it is evident that we have a lot of opportunities to direct our education. I know that last year I was wondering what a typical week is for a student at Mac. One of the best things about Mac is that there really isn’t a typical week! However, I’ve tried my best to show you the varied experiences we have during the week. You’ll notice that there is a lot of free time to prepare for tutorials, add in electives and still pursue extra-curricular hobbies (including full-nights of sleep!). (This will be posted on the webpage once it is up!) -> How should I prepare for my interview day? -> Video The video is usually a short simulation of a patient(s)/physician interaction. It is an opportunity to illustrate your emotional intelligence. Don’t get overly worried about it – just write down all of your observations. -> Simulated Tutorial The simulated tutorial is an opportunity to show off your interpersonal skills. You will be given a topic of discussion and be asked to contemplate it with 5 or 6 other applicants. The group will be behind a one-way mirror and will be assessed by a team made up of one community member, one faculty member and a student. There is a blackboard there but using it is optional. The purpose of the simulated tutorial is not to show how much you know but your teamwork skills. Your group does not need to come to a conclusion. Try to have fun with it. I realized that I would probably be very nervous in this situation. With five others in my group, what if one of them was over-bearing, or rude, or didn’t say anything? I imagined some horrible scenarios! However, I then realized, having worked in lots of groups before with lots of interesting characters, I had the skills I needed. I thought through these experiences and was prepared to show that I could work in a variety of group environments. In the end my group was great. It was a neat opportunity to meet and get to know some very interesting people. There is also time put aside for feedback. There are a couple of minutes for individual and a couple of minutes for group feedback. Remember that it is imperative to have strong self-assessment skills at McMaster. So if you feel like you or the group could have improved in any way, it is important to identify that in your feedback. It is also important to identify what your strengths were. -> The Interview The interview team is made up of one community member, one faculty member and a student. They have your autobiographical sketch but have NOT read your autobiographical submission (essays). You have an opportunity to prove to this group that you understand what the McMaster programme is all about: a three year intensive programme which uses a problem based, self-directed approach to learning, within the context of small groups. You can show them why Mac would be lucky to have you and why you want to be at Mac. I prepared for this part by coming up with five experiences that I believed illustrated who I was and why I was an excellent candidate. I used the autobiographical essay as a guide, recognizing that the questions asked on the application were the skills I required to be successful at Mac. While the team is asking the questions, recognize that it is your answers that are really leading the interview. Take the opportunity to tell them what you think they should know about you, but also remember to do this within the context of the questions that are being asked. I was told before my interview that the assessors are supposed to remain as neutral as possible, so as not to build false hope in applicants. Remember that people show their neutrality in a variety of ways. Try not to let the interviewers disposition affect how you communicate with them. -> What other resources are available? I would definitely do a literature search on McMaster’s Medical School, check out the articles listed on the website, look at http://www.interviewfeedback.com and read some of the discussion boards on the internet (both http://www.delphi.com/anandmed and http://www.geocities.com/mdpremie are good!). Take advantage of your hosts and hostesses on the day of your interview, they are there to answer any of your questions and hopefully will help to provide you with a better idea of what your experience at McMaster Medical School will be like. All the best. Carolyn Snider President, McMaster Medical Student Council Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Carolyn Posted March 22, 2001 Report Share Posted March 22, 2001 The website which includes a typical week can be found at: webhome.idirect.com/~snider/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hopeful120 Posted March 23, 2001 Report Share Posted March 23, 2001 Hi Carolyn: Thank you for your insight. It was extremely helpful. I am wondering how to get to the webpage you posted. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hopeful120 Posted March 23, 2001 Report Share Posted March 23, 2001 didn't scroll down far enough. sorry! i'm a novice to this board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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