General Interview Discussion 2018

[Crow]

Won't be saying another gap year, but would it be ok to say that I will probably take up a degree in health sciences field such as Paramedicine or Dentistry, try again mid-degree or postgrad but if all else fails I'd happily work in this field, considering I'd still be making a great impact on the lives of others? (Better worded, hopefully, but something along those lines)

Absolutely, that’s a great answer - shows that you are still motivated to pursue medicine but understand that you can apply these motivations* elsewhere in another field (and that you are mature enough to not have the “medicine is the be all and end all” philosophy).

ETA: *So long as you can articulate what these motivations are in an interview setting and how paramedicine/dentistry will also satisfy these motivations.

My plan was to bring it up in "tell us about yourself" - that last year I took a gap year where I did this volunteering, this paid work and travelled a bit.

This would be completely appropriate - so long as you follow the given advice and use it to describe how the gap year helped you develop as a person (rather than that you used it to resit UMAT), which you clearly understand by your post.

Good luck

 

[DrDrLMG!]

In regards to Adelaide, Armidale and WSU interviews, Ive been told the interview process takes 3 hrs for each. I understand JMP goes longer cause of the PQA. But WSU is just a similar MMI length and Adelaide is 2 x 15 minute interviews with 5 mins between them. Why do they need 3 hours then?

I can only comment on JMP and WSU. You’ve already mentioned why JMP takes long. Each time slot is split into two cohorts. If your cohort does the MSA first, PQA second, you’ll finish much faster than the other way around as the PQA is really quick to do and you can leave straight after.

For WSU, there’s registration and an orientation type session at the start where they give you info about the Uni, the course, and the interview process. Then there’s the MMIs themselves. Then there’s a debrief at the end.

 

[A1]

Thanks LMG. Anyone else know about Adelaide? 3 hrs time seems really long

Adelaide was about an hour for me including the 10mins I arrived early.
(but it could have changed since this was 3 years ago)

 

[Jaburi]

Hey so for the type of question of "tell me about a conflict in your life and how you solved it", can we talk about an inner conflict as a way to differentiate ourself from other applicants? I feel like most people will talk about a conflict with someone else - which one do you think would be better?

 

[Trinhcent]

Hey so for the type of question of "tell me about a conflict in your life and how you solved it", can we talk about an inner conflict as a way to differentiate ourself from other applicants? I feel like most people will talk about a conflict with someone else - which one do you think would be better?

Others on this thread - please feel free to input more on this.
The way I see this question is that the scenario isn't the most important aspect of the question, but more rather how you responded to the scenario and resolved it. I would aim to acknowledge the conflict, the possible different perspectives and conflict of interests at the time, and walk them through the process of how I solved it (with justification and perhaps also go into detail about what I would have done if certain things had gone differently).
In my opinion, an external conflict provides more to work with than something internal which is probably why most candidates will have something external. The process and response to the conflict is what I think will differentiate you, rather than the scenario you choose (pick a good one tho, you'll have more to to talk about).

this is just my two cents - Gl with the med interviews!

 

[Saintz11]

Anyone know the total number of interviewees (estimate?) in each university?

- WSU
- JMP
- UNSW
- JCU
- UoAdelaide
- Flinders
- Curtin
- UWA
- Monash

Thanks!!!

 

[Crow]

Anyone know the total number of interviewees (estimate?) in each university?

- WSU
- JMP
- UNSW
- JCU
- UoAdelaide
- Flinders
- Curtin
- UWA
- Monash

Thanks!!!

Hey Saintz, check out the right hand column of this post by A1: [Undergrad] - (2018 Updated) Med schools Selection Criteria Y12s & Non-standards

JCU interviews anywhere between 700-900 and Adel around 800 (iirc) based off what we know (different numbers get thrown around and official data isn’t released by the universities). Flinders don’t hold interviews at all, place offers are made off 90% ATAR and 10% UMAT.

A1 or LMG! should know for WSU and UWA. Not sure if anyone will have any concrete info about Curtin.

Added by A1:
WSU about 400 (20 per session * 4 sessions/day * 5 interview days) for 110 places.
In the Guide two years ago Curtin said interview : place ratio 3 to 1, so around 220-250 for 70 places.
UWA probably same ratio, 450-500 for 140 places.

 

[Saintz11]

Hey Saintz, check out the right hand column of this post by A1: [Undergrad] - (2018 Updated) Med schools Selection Criteria Y12s & Non-standards

JCU interviews anywhere between 700-900 and Adel around 800 (iirc) based off what we know (different numbers get thrown around and official data isn’t released by the universities). Flinders don’t hold interviews at all, place offers are made off 90% ATAR and 10% UMAT.

A1 or LMG! should know for WSU and UWA. Not sure if anyone will have any concrete info about Curtin.

Thank you very much!

Oops, didn't mean to add Flinders...

 

[NecroTed]

Does WSU ask purely scenario-based questions (including actor/video stations)? Are there typically any follow-up type questions or ones that assess any personal questions (why medicine, why WSU, tell us a bit about yourself etc.)?

 

[BethMark25]

Does WSU ask purely scenario-based questions (including actor/video stations)? Are there typically any follow-up type questions or ones that assess any personal questions (why medicine, why WSU, tell us a bit about yourself etc.)?

Last year it was mostly scenario based, “how would you respond in situation X”, “why do you think people behave a certain way (with regards to a scenario)?”, and some role play.

I don’t remember any questions as direct as what you have put, but you may find a way to work it into a station if appropriate. Generally my impression was that they prefer to assess your suitability based on their interpretations of your actions and words as opposed to you directly telling them.

 

[weebuforreal]

Last year it was mostly scenario based, “how would you respond in situation X”, “why do you think people behave a certain way (with regards to a scenario)?”, and some role play.

I don’t remember any questions as direct as what you have put, but you may find a way to work it into a station if appropriate. Generally my impression was that they prefer to assess your suitability based on their interpretations of your actions and words as opposed to you directly telling them.

Does anybody know if this is the same for JMP MMIs? Like, do they ask direct questions at all, e.g. "why med?" or even something like "give us an example of when you've been in this situation"? Or are the questions purely referencing the scenarios (I understand that you can add your own experiences anyway if necessary)?

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Does anybody know if this is the same for JMP MMIs? Like, do they ask direct questions at all, e.g. "why med?" or even something like "give us an example of when you've been in this situation"? Or are the questions purely referencing the scenarios (I understand that you can add your own experiences anyway if necessary)?

Keeping it vague due to the NDAs I signed but, in my experience, JMP was far less scenario based than WSU. WSU felt like a series of role plays and related 'what would you do' scenarios, whereas JMP felt like a series of mini-tests (with a - weird - role play thrown in at one point). For the most part, standardised 'what would you do's for JMP came in the PQA.

I can't give you examples of exact questions or scenarios due to the previously mentioned NDAs.

 

[NecroTed]

Keeping it vague due to the NDAs I signed but, in my experience, JMP was far less scenario based than WSU. WSU felt like a series of role plays and related 'what would you do' scenarios, whereas JMP felt like a series of mini-tests (with a - weird - role play thrown in at one point). Standardised 'what would you do's for JMP came in the PQA.

I can't give you examples of exact questions or scenarios due to the previously mentioned NDAs.

What exactly do you mean by the 'mini-tests' (keeping within the lines of the NDA of course).

 

[Crow]

What exactly do you mean by the 'mini-tests' (keeping within the lines of the NDA of course).

It’s probably unlikely you could get given any more details than this without someone breaching their NDA.

 

[DrDrLMG!]

What exactly do you mean by the 'mini-tests' (keeping within the lines of the NDA of course).

Haha, your "what exactly" would seem to indicate you'd like me to forget the NDA

ETA: For me, as I've spoken about here previously, there was a definite difference in 'feel' between the two experiences I had* (at JMP and WSU). That difference largely equates to what I've said above, but that's about as far as I can explain.

* Obviously others may have had completely different experiences.

ETA2: I guess, the reason I think what I'm saying is useful, and I've said this to other MSO people, too, is that doing WSU first (for example) and then moving to JMP and expecting it to be exactly the same isn't helpful (in my experience). So don't get caught up in that or in comparisons or start freaking out that things are different. Just accept that they're likely to be and concentrate on what is in front of you, rather than worrying that you're feeling more awkward or confused or whatever than you did during a previous interview. And, likewise, don't think feeling awkward or unsure during one interview, means the next is also going to be like that. I think people get stuck on the notion that JMP and WSU do the same thing, but they don't. They don't even call it the same thing. So my main point is, don't freak out on the day! Just do your best and don't start second guessing anything.

 

[NecroTed]

Haha, your "what exactly" would seem to indicate you'd like me to forget the NDA

ETA: For me, as I've spoken about here previously, there was a definite difference in 'feel' between the two experiences I had* (at JMP and WSU). That difference largely equates to what I've said above, but that's about as far as I can explain.

* Obviously others may have had completely different experiences.

Ah ok, no worries. I wasn't sure to what extent you could expand on that.

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Ah ok, no worries. I wasn't sure to what extent you could expand on that.

I just added another ETA that might be more useful in a roundabout kinda way

 

[Dr Dent]

Hey, just to let you know, I was told by one of the graduates giving campus tours for CSU Dent that there's apparently an intake of 50 students this year (10 international, 20 rural and 20 non-rural).

Hey NecroTed,
When was your interview at CSU?

 

[MimmaE]

Hi everyone. Interview this week at UWA. No idea what to do in the “explaining skills exercise “ can someone please help ! Thank you

 

[NecroTed]

Hey NecroTed,
When was your interview at CSU?

I did mine on the 23rd of November