Hello, haven't been around much lately.
I recently attended 3 interviews for 3 different medical schools and while preparing for those interviews, I found that reading accounts of other people's experiences were helpful and somewhat comforting. So, since I am trying hard to relax right now after two consecutive days of tests, I've decided to blog my experiences and share it with you, my non-existent reader.
(it's also great for me to look back at my old posts myself to see how much i've changed over the years ahaha)
SO,
my first interview was for Perdana University (PU-RCSI for short). They are working hand in hand with the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland to provide an international degree whilst still being affordable and easily accessible for Malaysians. The degree awarded at the end of the 5-year medical course would be awarded by RCSI with a slight modification to it's location of study (it'll say PU-RCSI, Malaysia rather than RCSI, Ireland). At least that was the information bombarded on me by their marketing executive when I went to visit their campus to submit my application.
Come interview day - my interview was scheduled at 2pm on a Friday, but I was advised to be there an hour earlier. I had classes in the morning and my mom had half day's work till 12pm. I can't drive when I'm nervous for something lol as I'll get stomach cramps and a little light headed, so my mom had to rush back from work to pick me and then rush to Perdana.
When we got there at 1pm, however, the reception lady gave me a funny face when I told her I was there for an interview scheduled at 2pm. And the marketing exec assigned to me was nowhere to be found. So, my mom and I sat on a couch and chit-chatted for a good hour and a half before the panel was 'ready' for me after a 'typically longer friday lunch break'.
Anyway, moving on the actual interview. My panel of interviewers consisted of an Irish lady professor (teaching microbiology) and a male professor (teaching epidemiology) of a foreign nationality (I was never told where he was from lol). They were really friendly and nice and gave me plenty of time to think of my answers and I could reply them without rushing. The lady asked most of the questions and the guy was writing alot on a piece of paper and that made me more nervous haha.
Some questions I remember them asking were
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What do you know of the curriculum here?
3. Do you like Chemistry? (as i got a B in chemistry for my forecast results lul)
And then they even asked some science-y knowledge questions (totally not prepared for this)
4. What do you think is the difference between Physical Chem and Organic Chem?
5. Give an example of a chemical reaction happening in our bodies right now.
6. What enzyme digests protein?
7. Is Chemistry important in medicine?
I felt like I was being tied to a pole and being prepared to be set on fire for getting a less-than-A forecast grade in chemistry. Next was the situational questions.
8. If you were a dean at a medical school, and you got to know that a student is abusing drugs. One day this student even turns up to take an exam under the influence of drugs. What would you do?
9. If you were working with a colleague attending to a patient one day and he hands you a syringe for the patient. However, when you are halfway through administering the injection to the patient, he tells you that he has given you the wrong medicine. What would you do?
It took about 45 minutes in total but it felt to me like it dragged on forever.
Honestly, I think I botched this interview. I didn't answer with confidence even for the 'tell me about yourself' question. I also answered the second situational question somewhat 'wrongly' albeit honestly, and they really pick up on the questions you are less confident with and drill you with more questions on that subject, putting you on the spot if you had lied or are not firm with your decision.
Overall, it was a challenging interview and a good experience to help me prepare better for interviews in the future. I have not heard from Perdana yet, and I have a feeling that I would not get accepted due to my performance in the interview, but I still gained much from the experience.
On to #2!
Count blessings only.
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