CONGRATS! You got an INTERVIEW!
Excitement, followed by... DREAD?!?!
Interview tips, PART 1
Congrats! You’ve been selected for an interview! Now, bring on the worries, the feeling like there is no way to truly prep, and then be judged for who you are!!!!
It doesn’t have to be this way and I’m going to help you.
**IMPORTANT: Not many vet schools have started sending Interview requests. DO NOT get stressed because you haven’t heard. It will likely start after Christmas break! This is to help you in advance!!
2 Types of Interviews:
A) Traditional Interviews
B) Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs)
Most schools do Traditional Interviews, which I’ll cover in this post!
Schools that use MMIs give you several situations and you have to figure out what yo would do in that situation, and then they give you another one.
Those schools are usually often at Texas A&M, UC Davis, Michigan, Oregon and VA Maryland. They tell you this in the email that says “You got an interview!”
OK BIG TIPS, for everyone!
Prep about 1-2 weeks prior. More on this later.
The night before, lay out your outfit, try it on, and go to bed early! If it’s a virtual interview, update your zoom, etc, and then find good lighting! Put natural light on your face, and make a “Do Not Disturb or I’ll kill you” sign for your door.
The day of, dress professional. Stay true to yourself, just a bit polished! Keep jewelry to a minimum. I usually recommend a blazer for both men and women, with a simple, solid colored button down shirt or blouse beneath. If you wear makeup, keep it simple and clean.
OK BIG TIP: SMILE PEOPLE!!! You are nervous. You are scared. But you must smile. This will make them feel at ease, make them want to like you and identify with you, but it will also tell your body that you are not under attack and these are real humans, to relax!
Introduce yourself! AND WAVE! Showing your palms to a person can help them to subconsciously like you, be at ease with you. It makes you friendly! Wave hello and goodbye at the camera.
I rec putting a sticky note by your laptop’s camera, that says SMILE! and has an arrow pointing to the green video camera!!! It is hard to look at this camera rather than your screen. But it can make a big difference! Try to look at the camera when you are answering the questions. Look at interviewer when they are talking, but look at the camera when you are answering. Easier to do if you practice this!
The first part of the Interview:
“Tell me about yourself!”
PREP THIS. Write it out, practice with your roommate, practice! You think you know what you’re going to say, but you don’t!! Or you might leave out a cool thing about yourself! Or you might get off on a tangent!
**Some Vet Schools allow their interviewers to have the “folder”/ application / resume of the Prospective Student. Others go in blind! It’s best to assume they know NOTHING about you :)
It should be a few sentences long, 3-4 mins.
Start by introducing yourself, full name! Also you can add a fun fact about yourself- “I’m one of 5 kids!” or “I’m a first gen student!” etc.
Then describe where you went to undergrad, and major, and year in school (if you are in school).
Then you can mention your coolest Vet Experiences, and possibly the cool things/ lessons/ vet qualities you learned about there!
If still looking for some things to talk about, you can mention your goals in life and in vet med.
Middle part of Interview: Questions!
The middle part of the interview (after introductions), is when the interviewers will ask you a few questions. Some of these might be follow up questions about parts of your “Tell me about yourself” segment! Those should be pretty easy to answer! (This is why it’s good to put rich, interesting details about what makes you YOU in that part. It makes them immediately interested, and makes you different!!)
Here are some examples:
Tell me about a tough time in undergrad or your life, when you overcame an obstacle, or a tough class. How did you overcome? What strengths and techniques did you use to do so? (Idea: tough class, you went to office hours, got a tutor, changed up your study technique, etc)
How do you plan to pay for vet school? (ideas: loans, applying for scholarships, saving and investing now to help pay for the loans, taking out as little as possible)
Tell me about a specific time when you had to work with a team, or had to work your way through a stressful situation.*
Have you ever had to navigate through a conflict with a teammate/ coworker?*
What would you do if a client didn’t agree with your diagnosis or treatment plan?*
What makes you want to apply here over other schools?
Questions with a * : Try to answer using an example or story. This beats all!!!
It paints a real picture of you, in real life. HUGE TIP!
Closing, end of Interview
*Remember to smile!! (The tougher questions may make you think hard, so be sure to smile and show your personality!)
Some schools will ask, “Well, Jane, do you have any questions for us?”
Its good to prepare for this!!
Some ideas:
Ask about how they each decided the route of veterinary medicine they took.
Ask them what kinds of resources they provide for their vet students if they aren’t grasping a subject or are struggling in a class.
Ask them to describe the last year of school- some have the distributive model, where clinics are off-campus, others give tons of freedom with externships, etc.
Read up on their website and Reddit threads- lots of ideas there!
Thank them! Smile!
More Info coming soon, next post! Stay tuned!
If you need help practicing, please reach out to me! Set up a time to talk to Dr. Katie about her Mentorship Program here:
And please share this with a friend! We all support each other in this field, and that starts now! Give good vibes, get good vibes!
This application process feels like you are competing against the other people in your pre-vet club. But you’re not. You’re competing against your best self. Try to be the best you can be and help everyone else. Trust me on this. This mentality will help you for years. Best to start helping and working with others NOW!