Congratulations on receiving a Temple BS MD interview! Our Cracking BS MD Admissions team is super excited for you :). You’ve come to the right place to find out tips for your Temple BS MD interview. Our team has written this blog post to give you resources and tips to STAND OUT on your Temple University BS MD interview.
In this post, we will cover:
- What do the Temple Medical School Scholars Program and Lewis Katz School of Medicine look for in BA/MD applicants?
- Research unique opportunities at Temple University and Lewis Katz School of Medicine
- Read about healthcare issues that affect Temple’s community – Philadelphia
- Common Temple BS MD interview questions and how to prepare
- Schedule a mock interview with our Cracking BS MD Admissions team!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Dr. Rishi Mediratta and Dr. Rachel Rizal below!
What does the Temple BS MD Admissions Committee look for?
You’ve been working hard throughout high school and you’ve finally received the coveted Temple BS MD interview invite! So obviously, you had a strong academic track record including good grades and good standardized test scores. You also had patient care and clinical opportunities throughout your time as a high school premedical student.
Given that every single Temple BS MD interviewee is going to have strong academics + clinical experience + research, how will you stand out?
It is important to note the unique traits that the Temple BS MD program looks for in its applicants. Note that if you have a Drexel BS MD interview, the actual interview is different (Drexel has a Multiple Mini Interview style versus Temple has a traditional one-on-one interview style) BUT the schools look for similar traits in its applicants. Take note of the highlighted box right below and incorporate these elements in your Temple interview. If you want to refine and practice your interview skills, schedule a mock interview with our team today!
Highlight the following qualities in your Temple BS MD Interview:
- Commitment to urban health – Temple’s Medical Scholars Program and the Lewis Katz School of Medicine really care about recruiting students who are committed to urban health. Make sure to give plenty of examples of how you have been involved with urban health. Additionally, explain any ideas you have to improve urban health outcomes!
- Ties to Philadelphia – In a similar fashion as the last point, Temple is committed to serving the Philadelphia community. If you have any ties to Philadelphia or know any college students / medical school students at Temple, definitely mention those connections!
- Commitment to clinical medicine – It’s a big commitment to choose a career at 17 or 18 years old. Temple looks for students who are sure they want to practice medicine. Therefore, the Temple BA/MD Program Admissions Committee wants to hear about your clinical experiences and patient care experiences during your Temple BS MD interview. Specifically, you should not only talk about shadowing and observing doctors, but you should also talk about working directly with patients. You need to articulate why you want to be a DOCTOR and not any other healthcare professional in your Temple BS MD interview.
- Research – Temple University and the Lewis Katz School of Medicine love students who pursue research. Temple gives undergraduates and medical students ample opportunity, funding, and resources to pursue research. Be able to talk about your prior research experience during your medical school interview. Many of our mentees at Temple are pursuing research as part of their Medical Scholar BA/MD Program!
Download Our Interview Guide
If you are prepared, the Cracking Med School Admissions interview gives you the perfect opportunity to standout and shine by sharing with people what you are passionate about.
How To Prepare For The Temple BS MD Interview
Here are some steps to take when preparing for your Temple BS MD interview. We were very specific and particular about each and every resource here – and our team made it just for you! So we hope that you find everything helpful 🙂
First, if you receive a Temple BS MD Interview Invite, prepare your answers to traditional interview questions. Here are some helpful resources for traditional BS MD Interviews
- Download our Cracking BS MD Admissions interview guide
- The most important question is “Tell me about yourself.”
- [ Prepare a STRONG response to that question using our step-by-step advice: How to Answer Tell Me About Yourself College Interview]
- Read our tips on how to answer 4 other common BS MD interview questions.
- Why do you want to come to ______ college / BS MD program?
- Why do you want to come to _____ medical school?
- Is there anything else you want me and the admissions committee to know?
- Tell me about _____ activity.
- Read our blog post STAR Method for College Interviews and BS MD Interviews to help guide you on how to answer other behavioral questions
Second, improve your interview skills by scheduling a mock interview with us!
From our experience, we LOVE working with BS MD applicants because they work hard, they are coachable, and they practice a ton. However, with our coaching, we will help you fine-tune your answers.
Take a look at our college interview coaching packages.
A big part of this is actually learning about BS MD interview strategy. What should you highlight in your Temple BS MD interview?
Typically, Temple BS MD applicants have the following weaknesses in their interviews:
- Did not adequately explain why they want to be a doctor.
- Did not bring up their research interests and research experiences during the interview.
- Can improve their explanations about their research projects.
- Can incorporate more specific stories, especially patient stories, throughout the interview
Take a look at our interview preparation packages and if you have questions or are interested, contact Dr. Rachel Rizal and Dr. Rishi Mediratta at he***@bs*******.com or the contact form below.
Mock Interviews: Refine Your Interview Skills With Us 1-On-1
Rachel Rizal, MD
Changing the trajectory of people’s lives
Undergraduate
Princeton
Medical School
Stanford
Awards & Scholarships
Fulbright Scholar
USA Today Academic First Team
Tylenol Scholarship
RISHI MEDIRATTA, MD, MSc, MA
Advising students to attend their dream schools
Undergraduate
Johns Hopkins
Medical School
Stanford
Awards & Scholarships
Marshall Scholar
Tylenol Scholarship
Global Health Scholar
Research Unique Opportunities at
Temple University
We like to give Medical Scholars applicants very specific opportunities to look up at Temple University and Lewis Katz School of Medicine. You need to mention these in your interview!
Research Opportunities at Temple University
- 2 clinical opportunities: Temple’s mission is to educate and inspire physicians who are interested in urban health. Therefore, you should look for clinical opportunities you want to pursue at Temple related to urban health! You can start looking for clinical opportunities here.
- 2 community opportunities: Temple LOVES students who want to serve its local Philadelphia community. Expressing your desire to improve Philadelphia will make you stand out. This is one aspect that the BA/MD Admissions Committee really looks for. Therefore, we strongly recommend our mentees find public health and community service opportunities around Philadelphia!
- 2 academic opportunities: Have an idea of 1 or 2 majors you’re interested in. Additionally, if there are other electives at the medical school you want to take, you should mention those.
- 1 research opportunity: One commonality we’ve seen in Temple applicants who have received interviews is their desire to conduct research in undergrad and medical school. Many high schoolers who receive interviews for the competitive Temple BA/MD program have research experience. Look up one research opportunity and professor you want to work with as an undergrad. Many Temple BS MD interview applicants think that research = bench research. That is not true. You can get involved with public health research and humanities research as an undergrad at Temple University!
Read About Current Event Issues That Affect Philadelphia
Read about healthcare issues that affect the Philadelphia community
- Look up the Philadelphia City Health Department’s website and/or local newspapers to see the most recent pertinent healthcare issues
- Some popular healthcare issues that our BSMD Admissions team regularly hears about are the following:
- Healthcare disparities
- Food insecurity and food deserts
- Homelessness
- Opioid Epidemic
- Mental health issues
- Housing
- Violent crime
Common Temple BS MD Interview Questions
It’s important to prepare STRONG answers for the following common Temple BS MD interview questions:
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why BS/MD vs attending a 4-year university?
- Why do you want to get admitted to the Temple Medical Scholars Program?
- How are you sure that you want to be a physician? (Why do you want to be a doctor?)
- Do you have any idea about what major you want to pursue?
- Talk about your research in high school.
- What activities are you interested in pursuing as an undergrad at Temple University? (implied in this question is why you want to pursue those activities)
- What do you think are some health issues affecting Philadelphia residents?
- What do you think are the biggest health issues affecting America right now?
- Where do you see yourself in 15 or 20 years?
Download Our Interview Guide
If you are prepared, the Cracking Med School Admissions interview gives you the perfect opportunity to standout and shine by sharing with people what you are passionate about.
Scheduling a Mock Interview
Work with our BSMD Admissions interview team for your upcoming Temple BS MD interview!
How to schedule a mock Temple BS MD interview:
- If you have questions, feel free to contact Dr. Rachel Rizal and Dr. Rishi Mediratta about BS MD interview prep.
- If you have no questions, purchase mock interviews here. Most students will purchase 4 mock interviews with your team (and the Mastering the Multiple Mini Interview course if they have an MMI interview) and they will use those 4 mock interviews throughout the interview season. Students will also use mock interviews to prepare for Ivy League or Scholarship interviews!
- After purchasing the mock interview package, you will receive an automatic email that allows you to upload your application materials, including your Common Application plus you Temple BS MD supplemental essays. Additionally, you will be asked for more information like your name, contact information, interview date, time zone, and availability. Please fill out the form thoroughly.
- Our interview team will reach out to you to schedule a mock BS MD interview!
If you have any additional questions, feel free to reach out to Dr. Rachel Rizal and Dr. Rishi Mediratta through the contact form below. Or, you can email us directly at he***@bs*******.com.
Mock Interviews: Refine Your Interview Skills With Us 1-On-1
Rachel Rizal, MD
Changing the trajectory of people’s lives
Undergraduate
Princeton
Medical School
Stanford
Awards & Scholarships
Fulbright Scholar
USA Today Academic First Team
Tylenol Scholarship
RISHI MEDIRATTA, MD, MSc, MA
Advising students to attend their dream schools
Undergraduate
Johns Hopkins
Medical School
Stanford
Awards & Scholarships
Marshall Scholar
Tylenol Scholarship
Global Health Scholar