Had Your Interview? Here Are Your 3 Next Steps

If You Have Another Interview, Think About How You Can Improve

If you have another interview coming up, or if you’re still waiting for any other interview invites, then you need to use your time wisely. But now that you’ve already had an interview, you can use this to your advantage and make the most of the experience.

Many people feel like their first interview is the one most affected by nerves, so hopefully you now feel a little calmer about your next one because you have a better understanding of what to expect.

My advice would be to write down everything that happened in your first interview. Make a note of every question that came up, everything you remember saying in your answers, and then analyse it all. Were you pleased with your performance? Is there anything you would want to change? Are there any areas that you need to do more reading about, such as medical ethics or NHS hot topics? Learn from your mistakes, and use them to enhance your next performance.

Keep Preparing For Your A-Levels

Remember that you still need to keep studying! Your mind might be preoccupied with your interviews, but it’s vital that you stay on top of all your revision as well.

It can be easy to get caught up in the Med School application process and forget about your A-Levels! But you need to remember that even if you receive an offer after interview, this isn’t the final step, because you won’t be accepted into Medical School unless you achieve the A-Level grades required.

So try to balance your time appropriately and organise your notes early.

Keep Calm!

I believe this is the most important piece of advice. The application process can be a very stressful experience – perhaps even more stressful than Medical School itself, some would argue!

However, there are (at least) 3 reasons why you should focus on keeping calm:

1. The calmer you are, the better you will perform in any upcoming interviews and examinations. If you’re feeling stressed, you won’t be working at your optimal level.
2. If you do enter a career in Medicine, coping with pressurised situations needs to become second nature, because exams, interviews and emotionally draining situations will never stop coming at you.
3. A career in Medicine is wonderful, but it should not cost you your happiness. It’s perfectly possible to have both. Med Schools place so much emphasis on your extra-curricular activities because successful Doctors need to be healthy and balanced.