College of Osteopathic Medicine Interview Questions and Guide (2023)

School of Osteopathic Medicine Questions and Interview Guide

Now that your AACOMA and subapplications are out of the way, it's time to wait for that decisive interview invitation to show up in your inbox. If you've heard of your DO schools, congratulations! Like MD institutions,make schoolsthey also make a significant cut in applicants between high school and interviews. So if you get a response, you're on the right track. Now is the time to prepare for theosteopathic medicine college interview questionswhat awaits you

College of Osteopathic Medicine Interview Questionsthey are an opportunity for you to highlight your specific interests and goals in medicine. In addition, interviewers will use the process to determine if you have a sufficient understanding of the DO philosophy and if you have the ideal qualities of an Osteopathic Physician. To help make your interview process a stress-free experience, I've outlined an overview of DO school interviews, how they compare to MD interviews, how you should prepare, as well as a list ofosteopathic medicine college interview questionspractice before embarking on the approach to this important component.

Summary of the interviews of the School of Osteopathic Medicine

DO interviews generally take place from September to April once the institution has gone through its secondary and AACOMAS applications. On the day of the interview, applicants usually visit the school with other interviewees, and if it is during the week, some schools allow applicants to attend a class.

College of Osteopathic Medicine Interview Questionsassess students' compatibility with OD methods and ideas, as well as whether they have the knowledge and skills that are sought in a physician. Admissions committees don't just want applicants to say they want a more holistic approach to treatment; they want to know how candidates specifically prepared for a DO career. Respondents must demonstrate knowledge of the DO method, transmit altruism, empathy and tolerance, in addition to being able to elaborate their extracurricular activities in relation to osteopathic medicine. Once the interview process is complete, applicants typically receive a response within two weeks.

Types of Osteopathic Interviews

More and more DO schools began to adaptvarious mini interviews(MMI) in the interview process. Students go through 8-12 stations in 5-8 minutes and answer the questions after being presented with a scenario (with 1-2 minutes of preparation time when the question is asked). Osteopathic medical schools that have switched to the MMI format include:

• IN IT. Still University in Arizona
• Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine,
• University of the Pacific Northwest College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Western Pacific University of Osteopathic Medicine

The MMI is an effective way to assess medical school candidates' non-academic and non-cognitive skills, such as empathy, emotional maturity, and interpersonal skills. Candidates are tested on their communication skills while interviewers observe whether the student listens and answers questions appropriately.

Logistics Interview

The exact logistics of the interview process vary from school to school. Along with preparing forosteopathic medicine college interview questionsYou should also research the interview format that you can find at each of your schools. Check out the specific interview logistics listed by five OD institutions to get an idea of ​​the different types of formats you may encounter:

As you can see, whether you are faced with a traditional interview or a series of mini interviews is entirely up to the school. You can find this information ahead of time by checking the interview policies on the school website.

DO Interviews vs MD Interviews

Osteopathic and allopathic schools.differ significantlywhen it comes to the number of schools available, double degree options, and the percentage of graduates in career specialties. But both types of schools only interview a small percentage of the best applicants. For example, the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine interviewed only 15% of applicants for the Class of 2023, while the Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine invited 12%. Some DO schools have a specific number of candidates they invite, while others operate from year to year depending on the quality of the candidate. At MD and DO schools, your chances of admission increase significantly once you pass the interview. For example, while Western University of Osteopathic Medicine has an overall acceptance rate of 7%, 30% of students surveyed received acceptance letters—that's a big difference!

DO schools look at how students' specific passions and goals align with osteopathic philosophies. While there are certainly overlapping questions about his personality and views on the current state of medicine, mostosteopathic medical school interview questionswill assess your interest and enthusiasm for the profession, and specifically for osteopathic medicine. Like MD schools, DO schools conducttraditional interviews or multiple mini interviews(MMI).

Preparing for the interview

Preparing for your DO interviews must follow certain protocols that are similar to preparing for any other interview. Keep in mind basic interview guidelines such as dressing appropriately, arriving 10-15 minutes early, and being polite and courteous to the interviewer. Refamiliarize yourself with the components of the application so that your interview answers are consistent with what you have written in other parts of the process.

Thoroughly research the specific institution you're interviewing at to find out exactly what the school appeals to you and how it fits your goals. Be prepared to show your knowledge of the school's unique programs and discuss the similarities between your own background and the mission of the program.

Content to cover in your answers

When thinking about your answer to the question "why osteopathy", go beyond saying that you want to treat the body as a whole rather than a specific disease. Yes, that is the purpose of osteopathic medicine, but that is not a sufficient reason to sway the admission decision in your favor. Interviewers will think that you are being too general and that you have not made an informed decision about pursuing a career in DO. Instead, you should talk more about how your experiences prepared you for a career in osteopathy, how you realized you might be a good fit for a career as a DO, how your extracurricular activities are geared toward osteopathy, and how they helped you make an informed decision. .

Be prepared to discuss significant experiences involving patient interaction, whether accompanying a physician or volunteering. Focus on how they instilled in you the traits that DO schools look for, such as effective communication skills, compassion, and dedication to helping your community.

What to ask your interviewer

You will probably be askedosteopathic medicine college interview questionsby more than one person. Be sure to practice answering enough questions so that you don't get stuck at any point. At the end of all the questions that have been prepared for you, the interviewer will ask you if you have anything to ask. Don't show up to the interview unprepared for this part, trying to ask questions on a whim. Think carefully about what you want to ask them.

These questions may focus on their experience in osteopathic medicine, what they like best about the particular school and its location, and challenges they may have faced in osteopathy. It's important to ask unique questions because you want interviewers to remember your enthusiasm when they review your application later.

School of Osteopathic Medicine Interview Questions to Prepare

To help you prepare, I've included 50 examples ofosteopathic medicine college interview questionsThey fall into different categories. In addition to knowing how to articulate your background, interests, and goals in medicine, you should read about current events in the world to formulate your position on different ethical issues in medicine today.

Questions about you and your interests

1. Tell us about you.
2. What are your greatest strengths?
3. What are your biggest weaknesses?
4. If you could have dinner with someone dead or alive, who would it be and why?
5. Tell us about a particular significant extracurricular activity.
6. Who are your role models?
7. What is the last book you read?
8. Describe an experience in which you helped others.
9. If you are a minority candidate, how do you think your education uniquely prepares you to be, and will influence your role as a physician?
10. What university degree did you like the most and why?
11. What is the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome?
12. How would the person who knows you best describe you?
13. If you could be any type of cell in the human body, what type of cell would you choose and why?
14. What do you like to do in your free time?
15. How well do you feel that you function under pressure?
16. What are your hobbies? Do you plan to continue these hobbies while you're in medical school?

Questions about its application and its objectives in medicine

1. Why do you want to be DO?
2. Why are you drawn to osteopathic medicine?
3. Why did you choose our school specifically?
4. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
5. What area of ​​medicine interests you the most?
6. What area of ​​primary care medicine interests you most?
7. What do you think are the most important qualities of a doctor?
8. What are your goals in medicine?
9. What experiences have you had in the medical field?
10. What did you learn by accompanying a doctor?
11. What have you learned from your volunteer experiences?
12. What qualities do you consider most important to be a good medical student?
13. If you had to choose between clinical and academic medicine as a profession, which would you choose? What do you think you could lose if you are forced to choose?
14. Who was your greatest inspiration to decide to dedicate yourself to medicine?
15. What will you do if you don't get accepted to medical school this year? Do you have an alternative career?
16. What aspects of medicine attract you to a medical career?

Ethical/scenario-based questions

1. Would you get out of your car to help a victim after observing an accident?
2. An unwed 15-year-old pregnant teenager walks into your office asking for an abortion. What would you do? Would you inform his parents?
3. What are your thoughts on euthanasia?
4. You observe a fellow medical student cheating on a test. What would you do?
5. How would you tell a newly diagnosed cancer patient that they only have a few weeks to live?
6. If a close family member runs a red light, would you inform the authorities?
7. You have two patients admitted after a serious accident. Both require immediate attention to survive. A patient is 20 years old; the other is 60 years old. What life would you save?
8. Are you aware of any current controversy in the area of ​​medical ethics? List and discuss some of them.
9. How would you feel treating a patient who tested positive for HIV?

Questions about current events

1. What do you know about current trends in our country's health system?
2. List three problems facing medicine today. Of the three, which is the most important to you and why?
3. How do you think national health insurance affects doctors, patients and society?
4. Can you think of any example in our society where health is a right? When is it a privilege? When the lines are blurred?
5. Do you think doctors earn too much or too little? Because?
6. What is your opinion about the latest changes in the Medicare program?
7. How would you improve access to health care in this country?
8. What have you recently read in the press about health care?
9. What do you think should be done to control healthcare costs in this country?

Don't be afraid to talk about your accomplishments and best qualities. Interviewers need to understand why he would be successful as an osteopathic physician and how he could contribute to the campus community. Be honest in your answers instead of guessing what the committee is looking for.

When it comes toosteopathic medicine college interview questions, your responses should demonstrate a strong interest in a OD career rather than just a desire to become any type of doctor. Show the school that you are suited for a profession specifically in osteopathy and that it is not just an alternative option for you. By practicing beforehand, you can easily become familiar with the types of questions you can expect from your schools. Good luck!

General FAQ