Medical Interview Prep Courses, How Good are They?

[angel-a]

Hiya

Has anyone actually been to any of those courses??
Are they worth the £150 to £300 they charge??

[ISCMEDICAL]

Originally Posted by angel-a

Hiya

Has anyone actually been to any of those courses??
Are they worth the £150 to £300 they charge??

Before I start, I obviously have to say that my opinion will be biased but I will try to remain objective.

It really depend what you are trying to get out of a course. Some people go because they might already be quite good but don't want to leave it to chance. Others might go because they need some reassurance. Others want to discuss specific points (like ethics, or personal situations). Others still want to go because they want to make their revision process more efficient or need guidance.

So in order to answer your question, you need to determine what kind of help you need and then what is the best way for you to get that help. Some people don;t really need to go to courses but simply need a little bit of practice with friends and family. Others might just need to spend a little bit of time reading things up. Others might need more support of a professional nature.

The price is irrelevant in a way. These prices are the product of market forces which result from offer and demand. The problem is that you will never know whether a course would have been needed until after you have received the results of the interview. You might decide not to attend a course but if you fail at your interview then you will wish you had. On the other hand you might decide it would be a waste of money and be successful without one, in which case you'll be doubly happy.

There is no single answer. It is for everyone to determine what is best for them. It is a bit like saying: How many hours of driving lessons do I need to pass my driving test. For some, it could be very few because they learn fast or learnt from their family. For others it might take a lot.

The answer also depends on where you are applying. If you are good at general questions, then you would probably get into St George's without needing a course but if you wanted to get into Kings you might need more support for other questions etc.

Happy thinking!

[demetrius]

hey..... to ISC MEDICAL ... just want to let you guys know that I really appreciate all the help you are giving out here.... good stuff.....
by the way... I would like to know how much of the content in your book about medical interviews overlap with the prep course you are offering? or is there any overlap at all? thanks

[ISCMEDICAL]

Well as ever no answer is as simple as a yes or no.
Both will obviously deal with some of the mainstream questions (why medicine etc. There is also a degree of overlap in terms of the techniques taught since both are designed to be used standalone.

But, having said that, you get different things from a course than you get from a book. Communication is not just about being given the answers to questions, it is also about learning to be confident, learning how to use your potential to perform well. The advantage of the course is that you can practice and other hear others so that you can get a good feel about what sounds good and what does not. The advantage of the book is that obviously it deals with a lot more questions because you don't have to do everything in one day. Both are useful in different ways.

[hesperus]

Given that a medical school interview can determine the course of your whole life, I would suggest that spending 150-300 pounds on an interview course or two is not a bad idea at all, especially if the course offers feedback on your UCAS personal statement and interview skills. There are a few good one-day courses around, such as getintomedicalschool.org (Oxford-based) and mediprep.co.uk (London-based) and no doubt others too.