Vet School Interview Links and Tips
Doc of All Trades: Preparing For the Vet School Interview (Updated Sept. 2020)
Be prepared to answer ethical questions surrounding euthanasia.
Read up on current trends in veterinary medicine and industry challenges.
Understand One Health and be prepared to answer detailed questions.
Good article by a former vet school interviewer. Behind the Scenes: How I Interview Vet Student Applicants (April 2020)
Although the topics will vary, the preparation is the same/similar to preparing for the medical school interviews. Please go to Newport’s comprehensive interview page for literally, hundred of links, questions and resources to prepare.
Sample Interview Questions from the University of Louisville
University of Minnesota explains behavioral interview style
8 Vet School Interview Questions You Should Prepare For from St. George’s University
Keep up with vet news for your interview:
MMI RESOURCES (MULTIPLE MINI INTERVIEWS)
Multiple Mini Interviews are just what the title suggests. Instead of one or two longer interviews with just one or two individuals that could invite bias, applicants are placed in multiple (6-10) smaller stations on a timed circuit of about 6-10 minutes at each stop. Think…speed dating. The virtual MMIs seems to be more on the 6 min. cycle whereas in the in person MMIs were more on the 8-10 min. cycle. Stations can include tasks, interviews or scenarios that test for the most part your analytical and communication skills. Since the applicant interacts with many different people in multiple scenarios, schools can elicit various opinions and observations from the day. If a student feels they performed weak on one station they might excel at the next. Below are some resources to better understand the format of MMIs and subsequently how to prepare for these interviews. To learn the basics of MMIs, read the AAMC description of MMIs. Although this is for medical school applicants, the same concepts will apply to vet school applicants. Vet schools will still use the MMI format in the virtual interviews by moving you into breakout rooms on a circuit. Since this is a virtual format, you may be cut off mid-sentence so plan accordingly. They usually have a timer on the screen, however, so you can judge when to wrap up your ending. The admissions person on the screen may or may not smile or otherwise engage with you. Don’t be surprised if they give you a stone cold look. Don’t let this throw you off. Carry on! Answer the question. Remember to smile and engage with each interviewer using more animated facial expressions……not too animated but realize it’s harder to see emotion and enthusiasm via zoom. Some schools like Texas A&M use the Kira Talent format for their MMIs. Read more about Kira below.
HELPFUL MMI LINKS
MMI Tips for preparing for Vet School Interviews from the VIN Foundation
AAMC Summary of Interview Procedures for 2022 interview cycle
From NYU, What to Expect from the MD MMI.
How to Prepare for MMIs from Carleen Eaton, MD
Johns Hopkins has great resources on interviewing and understanding MMI format.
Tips from Ohio State Associate Dean on interviewing
Myths and Misconceptions about MMIs
Sample Scenarios. Although it's from a Canadian perspective, the questions are still excellent. (MMIs were actually created by McMaster University Medical School in Canada.)
10 Sample Station questions. Good to use when practicing with someone who is not familiar with the MMI format. Just follow the prompts.
Preparing for Ethical Questions and Scenarios
Chegg’s Bioethics Scenario Flashcards. Print them out and have your friends quiz you.
Ethics Scenarios from the Center for Practical Bioethics
Ethics: Today Hot Topics for Medscape from Sept 22, 2020
KIRA TALENT TEST
Like CASPer, Kira Talent is another online platform (designed by the Canadians, again) to assess your professional competencies. It’s popular with professional business schools and a few vet schools use this platform, but no med schools. It includes 2-6 questions (short video and writing). Just so you know, spelling and grammar count on the Kira and the length of each scenario/questions can vary since each school can tailor the length to fit their school specifications. Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine utilize Kira for their MMIs.