Interview Week

Application Tip:

Applicants can have as much as a few months to as little as a few days to be invited to an interview. We encourage applicants to beginning preparing for interviews towards the end of secondaries.

2024 Interview Week Series

September 9th - 12th | 4pm - 5pm

All current applicants for health professional programs are strongly encouraged to attend the interview workshop series. 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 Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs).

The key to a successful interview cycle is to understand what schools are looking for, practice, and receive feedback. This workshop series will feature presentations on the strategies to prepare, tips to keep in mind, and practice questions if time allows.

Register for Interview Week

Separate registration for Mock Interviews is required. Please see the registrations below.

2024 Interview Week Schedule

  • Preparing for Interviews
  • Monday, September 9th from 4pm - 5pm

    Interviews can be daunting, from the long wait to receive one to the uncertainty of what to expect. Join us to learn how to effectively prepare for both in-person and virtual interviews. We'll cover best practices, strategies, appropriate attire, and how to confidently tackle common questions like "Tell me about yourself", “Why this school”, and “Tell me about a challenge”. Plus, discover tips on how to practice and polish your responses.
  • Traditional Behavioral Interviews and Situational Judgement Tests
  • Tuesday, September 10th from 4pm - 5pm

    Many schools use Situational Judgment Tests, such as CASPer and AAMC PreView, to assess key personal and professional attributes like communication and collaboration. Traditional interviews may be conducted by faculty members, current students, admissions representatives, or health professionals, with questions ranging from "Tell me about yourself" to "Why are you interested in [specific health profession]?" or "I noticed [specific detail] on your application...". Additionally, you may encounter behavioral questions involving hypothetical ethical scenarios that require thoughtful responses. Join us to learn about common interview questions, scenarios, and effective preparation strategies. 
     
  • Preparing for MMIs
  • Wednesday, September 11th from 4pm - 5pm

    Many health professional schools have adopted the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format, where interviewees rotate through various stations, each presenting a different question or scenario. Some schools have also transitioned to conducting MMIs virtually. Questions can range from "Why [specific health profession]?" to complex ethical scenarios, with up to seven minutes allotted to respond at each prompt. Join us to learn more about the MMI structure and effective preparation strategies in preparation for a Mock MMI session.
     
  • Interview Preparation Q&A
  • Thursday, September 12th from 4pm - 5pm

    Have questions about upcoming interviews? Join us to get answers to your most pressing questions. Whether you're wondering about specific interview formats, common questions, or how to present yourself confidently, this session is your opportunity to gain insights and tips directly from an HPA Advisor. Prepare yourself to succeed in your health professional school interview!

2024 Mock Interviews

  • HPA: Mock Interview 
  • Friday, September 13th from 2pm - 4pm

    The key to a successful interview cycle is to understand what schools are looking for, practice, and receive feedback. Prepare for Mock Interview sessions by attending or watching recordings from the interview week 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. Space will be limited and priority will be given to applicants.

    Registration is Closed
    Registration is full, please join the waitlist. You will be notified if any spots become available.
    Space is limited, advanced registration required.
  • CC x HPA: Pre-Vet Mock Interview
  • Friday, October 18th from 2pm - 4pm (in-person)

    Veterinary medicine applicants can prepare for the specific questions that they can expect in a vet school interview.

    Registration is Closed
    Registration is full, please join the waitlist. You will be notified if any spots become available.
    Space is limited, advanced registration required.
  • HPA: All Health Professions Virtual Mock Interview
  • Friday, November 8th from 2pm - 4pm

    Health Professions Mock MMI Waitlist
    Registration is full, please join the waitlist. You will be notified if any spots become available.
    Space is limited, advanced registration required.

Additional Opportunities

  • Pre-Health Conference
  • This is an opportunity for all applicants to connect with admissions representatives and make a positive impression. Learn more and register for Pre-Health Conference here. 
  • Advising
  • UC Davis students and alumni are welcome to schedule 30 minute advising appointments and visit 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.)
  • Communicating with Schools after Application Submission
  • Learn how to write update and 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