Interview Suggestions
(From Osteopathic Medical College Information Book: Entering Class 2003,
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine)

• Confirm the day, date, and time of your scheduled interview
• Arrive 10-15 minutes early for your scheduled appointment(s), allowing time to arrive on campus and deal with any last minute changes
• Be neatly and appropriately dressed in professional business attire.
• Be polite and courteous to all members of the college community you are visiting. Not only your interviewers, but also admission office staff, and current students may be asked to comment on your personal conduct while on campus.
• Understand and articulate your genuine interest in osteopathic medical education. (Ed. note: You can change that last phrase to whatever is appropriate.)
• Prepare through intensive research specific to the college you are visiting by reading their catalog, viewbook, visiting their web site and, if possible, talking in advance with current students;
• Be prepared to clearly articulate your interest in the college by asking college-specific questions, understanding any unique programs of the college and discussing the relationship between your background and college mission;
• Thoroughly review your application, essay, personal statement and academic record. Interviewers are likely to inquire about your background and accomplishments. Be certain of what you have written.
• If for any reason you must cancel, reschedule, or withdraw from an interview, contact the school promptly, courteously and honestly. The college will utilize the opportunity to invite another candidate, and it is a positive reflection on you and your professional demeanor.
• Answer questions honestly, thoroughly and sincerely. If you do not know the answer to a question, indicate this and move on.
• Have one or two questions for your interviewer that makes some connection between your credentials and the medical school.

• Lie about any of your credentials or experiences;
• Display a lack of tact or diplomacy;
• Appear to be insincere during any portion of your interview;
• Try to guess what the interviewer wants to hear;
• Be afraid to discuss your successes and most positive traits;
• Disparage or condemn your past experiences;
• Give overly vague or general experiences;
• Make excuses for past difficulties or challenges;
• Act with a negative attitude or use a negative tone in your responses;
• Underestimate the effort and determination you have utilized to get to this point;
• Arrive under or unprepared for this discussion;
• Be afraid to tell people what you can bring to their medical school community.