Congratulations on receiving a VCU 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 VCU BS MD Interview. The Multiple Mini Interview is a counter-intuitive interview style, and our goal is to help you STAND OUT!
In this post, we will cover:
- What does the VCU BS MD program look for in applicants?
- How to prepare for VCU’s Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)
- Research unique opportunities at VCU
- Read about healthcare issues that affect VCU’s community
- Common VCU 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 VCU BS MD Admissions Committee look for?
Given that every Virginia Commonwealth University BS/MD interviewee is going to have strong academics + clinical experience … and likely research too, how will you stand out?
Remember the box down below as you prepare for your VCU BS MD interview!
Highlight the following qualities in your VCU BS MD Interview:
- Commitment to Virginia – Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine cares about recruiting students who are committed to serving the Virginia population. It often recruits students who grew up in Virginia or around the mid-Atlantic. It’s important to show your commitment to improving the health of Virginians. How do you show your commitment to Virginia? 1) Know healthcare issues that affect the Virginia population and 2) Say you want to practice near VCU in the future
- Strong academics – VCU knows that the premed and medical school curriculum is tough. Be able to give examples of how you thrived academically in your VCU BS MD interview.
- Research – VCU loves students who pursue research. The school gives undergraduates and medical students ample opportunity, funding, and resources to pursue research.
- Community Service – VCU is committed to improving its local community. Have ideas about community service opportunities you want to pursue in Virginia. These community service opportunities can be both healthcare-related and non-healthcare-related.
How To Prepare For VCU's Multiple Mini interview
The VCU BS MD interview format is a Multiple Mini Interview. These are “mini interviews” where you have 2 minutes to think about a scenario and 6-8 minutes to give your response.
The absolute best way to prepare for the VCU 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.
Sign up for the Mastering the Multiple Mini Interview course today!
Research Unique Opportunities at VCU
We like to give VCU BS MD applicants very specific opportunities to look up at Virginia Commonwealth University. You need to mention these opportunities in your interview! For example, if there is a VCU MMI interview question about access to care, then you should discuss a community volunteer opportunity at VCU where you can improve access to care. Alternatively, if there is a VCU Multiple Mini Interview question about diversity, then talk about an opportunity at VCU (clinical or non-clinical) where you will increase diversity or serve diverse populations.
How to Research Opportunities at VCU
Overall, VCU recruits students who want to pursue excellence in clinical medicine and excellence in medical research. Therefore, it’s imperative that you look up clinical, academic, and research opportunities.
- 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 VCU! You can start looking for clinical opportunities here!
- 2 academic opportunities: Have an idea of 1 or 2 majors you’re interested in. Also, be able to mention TWO classes or electives you want to take as an undergrad or medical school student.
- 1 research opportunity: From our experience helping students get accepted into VCU’s BS MD program and VCU MD Admissions, VCU LOVES students who pursue research. You can look up research opportunities at VCU here.
- 2 community opportunities: As we mentioned above, VCU loves to serve its local Virginia community. Find public health or community service opportunities around Virginia!
- Think about causes you care about and find community service work around Richmond, Virginia that you want to engage with as a college student!
The VCU Center on Health Disparities could be a good starting point to find research, service, and community opportunities!
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 Virginia
Read about healthcare issues that affect the Virginia community
- Look up the Virginia Department of Health and Human Services website and/or local newspapers to see the most recent pertinent healthcare issues
- Some popular Virginia healthcare issues that our BSMD Admissions team regularly hears about are the following:
- Vaccine hesitancy
- Healthcare disparities, especially rural vs. urban and black vs. white
- Mental health
Common VCU BS MD Interview Questions
While the VCU BS MD Interview is a Multiple Mini Interview, it does not mean it won’t weave in traditional questions. In the past, there has often been 1 traditional interview station at VCU.
It’s important to prepare STRONG answers for the following VCU BS MD Interview Questions:
- Tell me about yourself?
- Why do you want to come to VCU?
- Tell me about your research?
- Tell me about a stressful situation you were a part of and how you navigated through it?
- What do you think will be the hardest part of VCU’s Guaranteed Admission Program for Medicine?
- How do you plan on balancing work and life throughout college?
- Do you have any weaknesses in your application that you would like to discuss?
Scheduling a Mock Interview
Work with Dr. Rachel Rizal to practice for your upcoming VCU BS MD interview!
How to schedule a mock VCU 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 your VCU 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 VCU 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 VCU 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