OPTSTUDENT.COM - Undergrad Prep: Interviewing

.


	Undergrad Prep Learn the steps of becoming a successful optometry school applicant!
.

Undergrad Prep: - A Typical Timeline - Undergrad Focus 1) Academics and OAT 2) LORs 3) Shadowing 4) Extracurriculars - Applications - Interviewing	Interviewing If the admissions committee likes your application, you will be granted an interview. I like to think of getting an interview as “getting one foot in the door.” But remember, your foot in the door doesn’t mean you’re in! So preparation is very important. General Tips Yes, I have another link from my school’s advising website – but hey, they couldn’t have put it in better words! Here’s the link: http://advisingservices.ucdavis.edu/advising/hsa/handouts/optometry_school_interview.html Also, the Student Doctor Network has a posting on interview feedback. Check it out here. Practicing and Sample Interview Questions Yes, practice does help a lot! What I did personally was compile a long list of sample interview questions and typed out what I would say. However, it’s important that you don’t memorize what you’re going to say, just have the ideas of your responses in mind. Then, I had someone read each question to me; I was able to answer each question since I already had an idea on how to respond. Here is a list of sample questions (there may be some overlap from the link I provided above): 1. What is an optometrist? 2. What are the differences between opticians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists? 3. What are the differences between clinicians and technicians? 4. What are your weaknesses? 5. What are your strengths? 6. How do we know optometry won't bore you later and you'll want a new career? 7. What would you do if you caught someone cheating on an exam? 8. What influenced you to get into optometry? 9. Why optometry? 10. Tell me about your background. 11. What was the last book you read which was not an assignment? 12. What is low vision (or any other specialties)? 13. Ethical questions (an example): You have a pediatric patient, and you had to put some eye-drops on him, and the kid’s father is not present, and the kid starts to throw a fit, but you really need to put the drops on him, how would you deal with the kid? 14. What do you know about the AOA - American Optometric Association? 15. What could you contribute to the student body? 16. Which inventor would you like to meet? Why? 17. What are your hobbies? 18. What volunteer work have you done? 19. What is your optometry experience? 20. How many different settings can an optometrist work in? 21. Can you continue education after finishing optometry school? 22. Are you a good memorizer? 23. What brings you to an interview at _____? What is it that stands out about _____? 24. What made you choose Optometry as a profession out of any other health related profession such as: dentistry, opthalmology, medicine, pharmacy? 25. Do you know how many units are in a quarter at _____? Do you think you have a problem handling it? 26. Why would you consider an Optometrist as a primary care provider? 27. What do you expect to get out of an education at _____? 28. What do you know about the scope of Optometry? What do you see for the future of Optometry? 29. What type of practice do you hope to pursue and why? 30. Have you been keeping up on the news lately? What is a current issue that you have been concerned with? 31. What are your hobbies? 32. What types of optometric instruments have you worked with? 33. Define Professionalism. What about yourself helps define professionalism? 34. (Another ethical question) Would you continue to see a patient if they wouldn't follow your suggestions/treatment? 35. (Yet another ethical question) Would you see a patient again who didn't pay their previous bill? 36. What's the difference between a professional handyman and a professional doctor? 37. Are you familiar with any of the current legislation? 38. Where do you see optometry in 5 or 10 years? 39. What do you do for fun? 40. How do you handle stress? 41. Where else did you apply. Why? 42. What experience do you have dealing with the community? Interview Day Naturally, most people will be nervous for interview day. But the best thing to do is a very cliché saying, but it does reign true: BE YOURSELF! Also, please avoid rambling too long because it is a sign of nervousness - trust me, I have interviewed some candidates and it looks pretty bad. Don't hesitate to pause briefly on the hard questions. And lastly, it is very important to be specific in your responses - I am always impressed when I hear names, dates, places. Think of it as selling something; compare the statement "you can make lots of money" with "you can earn up to $100 in 30 days with 5% interest" - see what I mean? Besides the actual interview, a typical interview day consists of a campus tour and a short handwritten essay. An essay??? Yes, you do have to write an essay because the admissions committee wants to verify if you really did write your own personal statement. It should be no sweat though; the questions are usually very easy and open ended so don’t worry about it too much. And one last note - some schools e.g. SUNY and Berkeley have a more "informal" interview - but again, that was when I interviewed so things may have changed. The point is, you may or may not be interviewing in the "formal" way where things are pretty serious, but then again it is always best to prepare for a difficult interview.
	.