Congratulations on receiving a University of Alabama BS MD Interview Invite! We are super excited for you, and our BS MD Admissions interview team is happy to help you out. In this blog post, we want to give you step-by-step tips on how you can prepare for your University of Alabama BS MD Interview. Our goal is to help you STAND OUT!
In this post, we will cover:
- What does the University of Alabama BS MD program look for in applicants?
- How to prepare for UAB’s Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)
- Research unique opportunities at UAB
- Read about healthcare issues that affect University of Alabama’s community
- Common University of Alabama 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 University of Alabama BS MD Admissions Committee look for?
You’ve been working hard throughout high school and you’ve finally received the coveted BS MD interview at the University of Alabama! 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 UAB BS MD interviewee is going to have strong academics + clinical experience … and likely research too, how will you stand out?
It is important to note the unique traits that the University of Alabama BS/MD Admissions Committee looks for in its applicants.
Highlight the following qualities in your University of Alabama BS MD Interview:
- Ties to Alabama – The University of Alabama is committed to serving the Alabama community. If you have any ties to Alabama or know any college students / medical school students at UAB, definitely mention those connections! From Dr. Rachel Rizal’s and Dr. Rishi Mediratta’s experience, almost every student we’ve met who has received a University of Alabama School of Medicine interview is from Alabama.
- Community Service – The University of Alabama is committed to improving its community. Have ideas about community service opportunities you want to pursue near the University of Alabama campus. These community service opportunities can be both healthcare-related and non-healthcare-related.
- Well-roundedness – UAB loves students who are passionate about other things aside from academics. If you have outside academic interests like dance, sports, the arts, or journalism, you should highlight them in your interview.
- Collaborative – The University of Alabama medical school culture is very chill and collaborative. Therefore, it wants to recruit students who will be good team players and not cut-throat competitive. Be able to give examples where you were part of a team and give examples when you were collaborative.
How To Prepare For University of Alabama's MMI
The absolute best way to prepare for UAB’s BS MD interview is through our Mastering the Multiple Mini Interview course created by Dr. Rachel Rizal herself! It’s the first MMI course in the United States and she uses her experiences from being an applicant who did MMIs herself and her insights from being a Stanford MMI interviewer.
University of Alabama’s Multiple Mini Interview spans a wide range of questions, from ethical scenarios to questions about teams to leadership to healthcare current events. Our Mastering the Multiple Mini Interview course covers all of those types of questions!
Research Unique Opportunities at The University of Alabama
We like to give University of Alabama BS MD applicants very specific opportunities to look up at the University of Alabama campus as well as around Birmingham, Alabama. You need to mention these in your interview! For example, if there is a University of Alabama BS MD interview question about healthcare disparities, then you should discuss a community volunteer opportunity you want to do around UAB that helps improve healthcare disparities!
Research Opportunities at and around Birmingham, Alabama
- 2 clinical opportunities: First and foremost, you are applying to a BS MD program. Therefore, you should look for clinical opportunities you want to pursue at University of Alabama! The University of Alabama Hospital is one of the top hospitals in the region with many specialty centers. You can start looking for clinical opportunities here!
- 2 community opportunities: As we mentioned above, the University of Alabama BSMD Admissions Committee loves to recruit students who want to serve Alabama. Find public health or community service opportunities around Birmingham, Alabama! For example, we’ve heard of premeds volunteers who help at free clinics in Birmingham to help treat underserved patients.
- Think about causes you care about and find community service work around Birmingham that you want to engage with as a college student!
- 1-2 other non-academic extracurricular activities: As we stated above in the “What does the University of Alabama look for in BS MD applicants” section, UAB cares about recruiting well-rounded students who have interests outside of academics. Look up at least one extra-curricular activity you want to be a part of as a UAB undergrad. You can take a look at UAB’s activities and student organizations.
- 2 academic opportunities: Have an idea of 1 or 2 majors you’re interested in. If you’re interested in a minor or specific class, write down those opportunities so that you might be able to weave those into your UAB MMI answers.
- 1 research opportunity: The University of Alabama BS MD Admissions Committee appreciates high schoolers who have already been involved with research, although it is not 100% necessary. However, as the University of Alabama Medicine is a top academic research center, the UAB BS MD Admissions Committee wants to see what type of research you are interested in being involved with as an undergraduate student. Look up 1 research opportunity – remember, it doesn’t have to be bench research. It can be clinical research or public health research. The advantage of going to UAB during college and medical school is that you can do the same research project throughout your entire time there!
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
Read About Current Event Issues That Affect UAB's Community
Read about healthcare issues that affect Alabama
- Look up the Alabama Public Health Department’s website and 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, especially between blacks and whites
- Healthcare disparities among immigrants
- Homelessness
- Mental health issues
- Housing
- Obesity
Common University of Alabama BS MD Interview Questions
While the University of Alabama BS MD Interview is a Multiple Mini Interview, it does not mean it won’t weave in traditional questions. In the past, some interviewers will ask you traditional questions as a follow-up to the original Multiple Mini Interview station’s scenario.
It’s important to prepare STRONG answers for the following questions:
- Why BS/MD vs attending a 4-year university?
- Why do you want to go to the University of Alabama’s BS/MD program?
- What do you look for in an ideal college program?
- What is one healthcare issue that you think is pertinent or prevalent in Alabama?
Scheduling a Mock Interview
Work with Dr. Rachel Rizal to practice for your upcoming University of Alabama BS MD Multiple Mini Interview!
How to schedule a mock University of Alabama MMI interview:
- Purchase the Mastering the Multiple Mini Interview course on this page and click “Enroll today.” Make the payment at the checkout.
- After purchasing the course, you will receive an automatic email that allows you to upload your application materials, including your Common Application plus the University of Alabama’s 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.
- Dr. Rachel Rizal or Dr. Rishi Mediratta will reach out to you to schedule a mock MMI!
- Do the Mastering the Multiple Mini Interview course before your mock interview. You’ll receive feedback on how to improve and then we want you to keep practicing using our MMI practice questions!
- If you want more mock interviews, you can purchase additional mock UAB interviews or mock MMIs for other 4-year colleges / BS MD programs. The additional mock interviews can be purchased here.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. I have an interview soon, can I still purchase the course? Will I have time?
Yes! The course takes 4 hours to complete and we can schedule a mock interview right when you finish the course. Typically, the shortest lead time to schedule a mock Multiple Mini Interview with our team is 3 days before your interview. Please contact us if you want to schedule a mock interview ASAP.
Q. How far in advance should I schedule a mock interview?
We typically tell high school students to take the Mastering the Multiple Mini Interview course as early in the interview cycle as possible, because it helps them even for traditional interviews! The ideal time to schedule a mock MMI interview with our team is 1-2 weeks prior to the interview date. That way, you will still be able to practice using the feedback from the mock interview.
Q. I have other questions. How can I contact you?
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***@*******it.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