Welcome 2023 Applicants

All current applicants for health professional programs are strongly encouraged to watch out interview workshop series recordings. This year's interview week focused on virtual interviews as many schools are reporting they will host virtual or hybrid interview days. 

2023 Virtual Interview Week Schedule & Recordings

• Communicating with Schools after Submission
• Learn how to write update/interest emails, letters of intent, and more information about communicating with schools after submission. Note: Watch the second half of the video.
  
  Watch the Recording
• August 28th - Preparing for Interviews
• Monday, 8/28 12:10 - 1:30 pm
  
  Interviews can be stressful, from being on screen for many hours to remembering your most important experiences. Learn how to generally prepare for interviews including attire, approaching common questions like "Why medicine" and "Tell me about yourself", and how to practice. 
  
  Watch the Recording
• August 29th -Preparing for Online Interviews
• Tuesday, 8/29 12:10 - 1:30 pm
  
  With a lot of programs planning for virtual asynchronous and synchronous interviews this cycle, learn more about general best practices and strategies to prepare. Best practices to consider that we will review will include being aware of your location/background, IT, differences between asynchronous vs synchronous interviews, and more. If there is time, we will review practice questions and how to answer them. 
  
  Watch the Recording
• August 30th - Situational Judgement Tests and Traditional Behavioral
• Wednesday, 8/30 12:10 - 1:30 pm
  
  Many schools utilize Situational Judgement Tests like CASPer, AAMC PreView, and other tests in order to measure personal and professional attributes, including communication and collaboration. Traditional interviews can be conducted by a faculty member, current student, admissions representative, or health professional. Questions they ask can include "Tell me about yourself”, "Why are you interested in __ health profession?", "I saw __ on your application...", etc. Behavioral based questions can be hypothetical ethical situations that you would have to respond to. Learn about common questions, scenarios, and how to properly prepare. 
  
  Watch the Recording
• August 31st - Preparing for MMIs
• Thursday, 8/31 12:10 - 1:30 pm
  
  Many health professional schools have adopted the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format. This interview style has different stations for interviewees to rotate through, and each station has a different question to answer. Some schools have indicated that they plan to use this format virtually as well. Questions can range from "Why __ health profession?" to ethical scenarios. MMIs can give also give you as much as seven minutes to respond to one question. Learn more about the set-up and ways to prepare for an MMI before our upcoming Virtual Mock MMI for tomorrow's session.
  
  Watch the Recording
• September 8th - Mock Interview 
• The key to a successful interview cycle is to understand what schools are looking for, practice, and receive feedback. Prepare for our Mock Interview session by attending or watching recordings from our workshop series.
  
  During the Mock Interview, applicants will have the opportunity to practice multiple questions and receive feedback from multiple interviewers. Interviewers are experienced and trained to provide constructive feedback for what admissions committees are searching for. This session will be hosted from 2 - 4 pm via Zoom on September 8th. (Take the week to rewatch or watch our recordings to prepare!) Space will be limited and priority will be given to applicants.
  
  Event Registration 

Future Events & Support

HPA encourages applicants to begin interview prep after they have complete applications, because interview invites can give notice a few months to days in advance.

• Interview Week Mock Interview*
• See above for regsitration and details.
• Pre-Health Conference*
• Registration required for Pre-Health Conference. This is an opportunity for all applicants to connect with admissions representatives and make a positive impression.
• ICC x HPA: Pre-Vet Virtual Mock Interview*
• Fri. October 27th, 2 - 4 pm
  Registration required. Space is limited.
• ICC x HPA: All Health Professions Virtual Mock Interview*
• Fri. November 3rd, 2 - 4 pm
  Registration required. Space is limited.
• Advising
• UC Davis students and alumni are welcome to schedule 30 minute advising appointments and visit Zoom Drop-In advising for Interview Prep.
  
  For scheduled appointments, select interview in the topic and add in the Notes section any additional information or requests. (Eg. requesting Zoom session for mock interview.)

* Please note this includes all Mock Interview events HPA plans to host for the 2023 - 2024 cycle. 

Why should I attend?

Receiving interviews is an exciting step in the application process and are usually required to gain admission. However, interviews for health professional schools are different from regular internship or job interviews. Schools are often trying to measure specific competencies with different types of questions and the format can vary greatly, including live vs asynchronous, individual vs group, open vs closed file, and MMIs (Multiple Mini Interviews).

The key to a successful interview cycle is to understand what schools are looking for, practice, and receive feedback. Our workshop series will feature presentations on the strategies to prepare, tips to keep in mind, and practice questions if time allows. These are to prepare attendees on upcoming interviews and for the HPA x ICC Mock Interviews in late Fall. Dates and descriptions for 2023 are above!