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Understanding Interview Formats

Interview Formats Vary by School and Program.

Professional healthcare schools use a variety of interview formats and approaches. Your interview experience may include one format or a combination of several.

Regardless of the format, many programs begin the interview experience with a brief check-in, welcome, and overview of the interview schedule. This introduction can help you become familiar with the day���s activities and know what to expect.

Before your interview: Carefully review all instructions and information provided by the admissions team in your interview invitation. These details may include the interview format, schedule, location or virtual platform, expectations, and other important preparation information.

Your interview may include one or a combination of the interview formats described below.

Behavioral Interview Questions: What to Expect

Interviewers use behavioral questions to learn how you have approached situations, challenges, decisions, and interactions in the past. Your responses can provide insight into how you think, communicate, solve problems, work with others, reflect, and respond to situations you may encounter in professional school and your future healthcare career.

• Draw from authentic experiences. Use a variety of examples from your academic, clinical, service, research, employment, leadership, extracurricular, and life experiences. Choose examples that allow the interviewer to understand your actions, reasoning, and growth.
• Be specific and reflective. Focus on what you did, why you approached the situation as you did, what happened as a result, and what you learned from the experience.
• Use STAR+ method to organize your response. When providing an example, consider the STAR+ method: Situation, Task, Action, Result, + Reflection. (Free resources: Interview Practice - Phase 1).泭
• Expect questions that require reflection. Some behavioral questions may initially catch you off guard. Take a moment to think before responding. A thoughtful, honest response can demonstrate self-awareness, maturity, judgment, and readiness for professional school.

Interview Preparation Strategy

Before advancing to mock interviews, utilize the:

• STAR+ Healthcare Interview Preparation method in written self-reflection first (Interview Practice - Phase 1).
• Free Downloadable Worksheets!
• Identify several meaningful experiences and practice organizing each into a clear story. The goal is not to memorize or script responses, but to become comfortable reflecting on your experiences and communicating what you learned from them.
• Note: You might be asked to describe a specific time when you demonstrated specific qualities or such as teamwork, communication, leadership, adaptability, resilience, ethical judgment, conflict resolution, or self-awareness.泭You are welcome to expand the STAR+ method with additional competencies, if helpful.

A group interview typically involves several candidates (often three to seven) interviewing at the same time. Candidates may be asked the same or similar questions and given opportunities to respond in turn. This format allows interviewers to learn about each candidate while also observing how individuals communicate, listen, interact, and demonstrate professionalism within a group setting.

Group Interview Tips:

• Be patient and respect the process. Wait for your opportunity to respond. Allow others to complete their thoughts without interruption.
• Listen actively. Give other candidates the same attention and respect you would give an interviewer. Avoid appearing distracted while preparing your own response.
• Build on the conversation, when appropriate. If another candidate raises a relevant point, you may briefly acknowledge it before contributing a new perspective or idea. Avoid simply repeating what has already been said.
• Focus on contributing, not competing. You do not need to outperform or challenge the other candidates to make a positive impression. Let your preparation, perspective, and professionalism distinguish you.
• Remain respectful. Avoid criticizing, correcting, or dismissing another candidate���s response, even when your perspective differs.
• Visualize the other candidates as future colleagues. Approach the interview with the mindset that everyone in the room could become part of your future professional school class and healthcare community.

Remember: Being memorable does not require being the loudest voice in the room. Demonstrate confidence through thoughtful contributions, active listening, and respect for others.

An individual interview is a one-on-one conversation or scenario question between you and an interviewer. It provides an opportunity for the interviewer to learn more about your experiences, motivations, qualities, and readiness for professional school overall, no matter what question they ask.

Depending on the program, your interview experience may include one individual interview or several separate one-on-one interviews with different interviewers throughout the day.

This interview style may feel more like a professional, yet casual conversation, with the interviewer asking questions and allowing the discussion to develop naturally. Your responses may lead to follow-up questions as the interviewer explores your experiences, perspectives, or motivations in greater depth.

Even when the conversation feels informal or relaxed, remain focused and professional while allowing your personality to come through authentically.

Tips: Be prepared, stay engaged, and always be yourself.

The Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) consists of a series of brief, structured interview stations that candidates rotate through in-person or virtually. Each station presents a different question, scenario, or activity designed to assess how you communicate, think, respond, and interact with others.

MMIs may help admissions committees evaluate qualities such as verbal and nonverbal communication, interpersonal skills, teamwork, judgment, and your ability to engage effectively with future patients, colleagues, and other members of the healthcare community.

What to Expect:

MMIs typically include multiple stations (often 6���10) with 5���8 minutes at each station. The number, length, and format of stations vary by professional school.

Depending on the program, stations may include:

• Scenario-based interactions:泭Respond to a hypothetical scenario, sometimes through an interaction with an actor or standardized participant.
• Traditional interview questions: Respond to a written, video, or verbally presented prompt.
• Teamwork situation: Work with other candidates to complete a task or address a problem posed.
• Ethical, social, or equity-related scenarios: Questions asked that ask you to consider different perspectives and discuss the implications of a situation, issue, or policy.
• Essay writing: Complete a brief writing / reflection exercise.
• "Rest" station: Often a rotational, short break between stations before continuing the interview (if higher number of stations).

Approach Each Station as a Fresh Start.

Each station is a new opportunity to demonstrate how you listen, communicate, reason, consider different perspectives, and respond thoughtfully. If one station feels challenging, avoid carrying that experience into the next. Refocus and approach each new station independently.

Tips & Resources:

• MMIs are not simply about arriving at the ���right��� answer.
• Focus on clearly communicating your thought process, considering relevant perspectives, and responding professionally and authentically.
• For additional information: .泭

A panel interview typically involves meeting with several interviewers (often two to four) at the same time. Panel members may take turns asking questions and engaging with you throughout the interview.

The panel may include individuals from different areas of the professional school and healthcare community, such as faculty, staff, current students, alumni, healthcare professionals, or community members. This format allows multiple interviewers to learn about your experiences, perspectives, communication skills, and readiness for professional school.

Tip: Engage with the entire panel. Direct your initial response toward the person asking the question while maintaining appropriate eye contact and connection with the other panel members throughout your answer.

Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs) present realistic, hypothetical scenarios and ask you to consider how you would respond, what actions you would take, or how you would evaluate possible responses to a particular situation.

These assessments are designed to provide professional schools with additional insight into how applicants approach decisions, navigate interpersonal situations, exercise judgment, and respond to challenges that may be relevant to future professional education and healthcare environments.

What to Expect:

Depending on the assessment, you may be asked to select, rank, rate, or explain possible responses to a scenario. Some assessments may also ask you to describe what you would do and why.

Rather than trying to memorize ���correct��� answers, focus your preparation on becoming comfortable with carefully evaluating situations, considering multiple perspectives, communicating your reasoning, and responding thoughtfully.

While extensive preparation is generally not necessary, familiarize yourself with the assessment format and review the official sample questions and scenarios provided below. Be prepared to communicate clearly, remain flexible, and think thoughtfully on your feet.

Remember, they don't expect you to have medical or healthcare training knowledge to answer these types of questions.

Before You Apply:

Requirements vary by profession, school, and application cycle. Review your specific programs of interest and confirm if they require a Situational Judgment Test.泭泭

If so, explore the two most widely used tests and resources below:

• AAMC PREview
• Casper

A stress interview is designed to observe how you respond and communicate when faced with pressure, uncertainty, or challenging questions.

At times, the interview may feel more intense or probing than a traditional interview. It might feel as if you are being put under a magnifying glass. The intention is to see how you function under a stressful, pressured situation.

Interviewers may ask unexpected, challenging, or uncomfortable questions to assess how you manage pressure, organize your thoughts, maintain professionalism, and communicate both verbally and nonverbally.

Questions may also explore sensitive or complex topics to better understand your reasoning, perspective, self-awareness, and ability to respond thoughtfully when you are outside your comfort zone.

How to Approach a Stress Interview

Remember that the interviewer may be evaluating how you respond just as much as what you say. Take a moment to gather your thoughts, remain composed, listen carefully, and respond thoughtfully and professionally.

Tip: You do not need to rush your response. Stay composed, be authentic, and focus on demonstrating thoughtful reasoning and professional communication, even when a question feels challenging or unexpected.