11 Pointers on Interview

Personally, I was about to piss in my pants when faculty started pulling people out for their interviews. I was so scared that my hands were shaking and I knew people could hear my heart beat out loud. Once I got in the room, man it completely different. I was relaxed, calm and composed. They really don’t grill you, but it sort of depends on who you get. Did I scare you? Hahaha relax.

Here are few pointers, question that you might want to consider before you go:

1. Dress professional, but nothing like GQ or model type. It states that you are a professional and you want to be one and it shows respect.
2. Know what you are getting into. Research about current dentistry related articles in news. Collect ideas, facts, and events that are online in this field. Base you opinion on a few of those positive or negative. Trust me, it will help you.
3. Research the positive and negatives about dentistry. And don’t say there is nothing negative about dentistry.
4. Purpose: It is a brush on your application. Kind of adding dimension. Most importantly, it shows that you can communicate. Communication is the key in any profession, especially this one where there is doctor-patient interactions. It is also useful to get more personal feedback on your application such as a low score in any one section of your DATs, GPA, grade conflict, or simply to just see that you are sane person.
5. What do you get out of it? Take your time to inspect the interviewer and learn about the school. What are they offering to you? What benefits dental students get being in that particular program? How well do dental students perform on National board I and II?
6. Why dentist as oppose to other profession for instant medical school? Example: I was a pharmacology major and worked at Eckerd’s Pharmacy in my undergraduate, at UMDNJ I was ask why not pharmacy school.
7. This is an interesting one:Have you thought about which career path in dentistry you would like to follow. I stole some from ADEA website.

Completion of DDS/DMD-> Private/Group Practice

Completion of DDS/DMD-> Specialize –> Private/Group Practice

Graduation -> Advanced Dental Education Program -or- MS/PhD -> Faculty Appointment

Completion of DDS/DMD -> Faculty Appointment

Graduation ->AEGD/GRP -or- Advanced Dental Education Program -> Private Practice -> Part-time Faculty -> Faculty Appointment

8.  If you did research, you might be asked about it. So, sit down with you PI and know what is your research about.

9.  Don’t try to suck up, because they will know. They interview thousands of students and they can tell if you are really sucking up.

10.  Be yourself! Don’t put a front up because they will know.

11. Research your school, their philosophy, and try to read through some of the important faculty members there. If you have time just google them up. If the faculty member is in research try  to read some of their recently published or well-known published papers. If the conversation allows, throw it in. It shows that you took a keen interest in actually looking up. And this is not sucking up, it’s called being-smart-like-Tej!

Filed under: Application Process, Pre-dental , Application Process, Interview, Pre-dental