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GEM/A101 Interview Preparation Thread 2018 Entry

Hiya,
So I thought it'd be beneficial to get an interview preparation thread as I know some lucky people have had interviews coming in, and the rest of us are just sat twiddling our thumbs.

So, to get the ball rolling, I *should be* over the GAMSAT cut off for both Nottingham and Liverpool which are both MMI. I am therefore beginning my preparation now. This should give me about 2 months- 8 weeks- of prep.

I've found articles and publications like this very helpful. [url="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.660.5144
(edited 6 years ago)

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Being a philosophy grad I have a bit of a head start with medical ethics/bioethics. I'm going to go back through all my old reading material and dig out some cases - I'll try and do summaries for them and post them on here. I think the main thing is not to try and formulate responses to specific cases in the hope that they come up but become familiar with how to reason around ethical dilemmas. I believe at interview they're looking for your thought processes as opposed to coming to a conclusion and making a decision, although I could be wrong.

With ethical cases the main thing I'd advise is to remain as objective as possible - try not to let any emotional bias' creep through your reasoning process. The 'should paedophiles be castrated' case is a classic one to try and trap people out. Most people react extremely passionately to anything related to paedophilia so struggle to remain objective and discuss it without getting muddied. Particular to medicine, if you reason about the cases from the perspective of a doctor, then you'd need to show you're thinking about things that are important in a physicians ethical reasoning i.e. consent. You could ask the question as to whether in this case, paedophiles would be forced to be castrated, or are presented with the option to be - which changes the dilemma significantly.

If there's a current case I'd prep for that I think is likely to make an appearance, it's the Charlie Gard case. With that you need to be thinking about how to determine what's in the best interests of a patient that can't communicate - and in particular for children, how to navigate complex medical cases with their parents, who are almost as much the patients as the child is. What's unique with the Gard case is how it became politicised, and the patient almost got lost behind a legal/political campaign that sprung up around him.
Original post by darklordofpepsi
Being a philosophy grad I have a bit of a head start with medical ethics/bioethics. I'm going to go back through all my old reading material and dig out some cases - I'll try and do summaries for them and post them on here. I think the main thing is not to try and formulate responses to specific cases in the hope that they come up but become familiar with how to reason around ethical dilemmas. I believe at interview they're looking for your thought processes as opposed to coming to a conclusion and making a decision, although I could be wrong.

With ethical cases the main thing I'd advise is to remain as objective as possible - try not to let any emotional bias' creep through your reasoning process. The 'should paedophiles be castrated' case is a classic one to try and trap people out. Most people react extremely passionately to anything related to paedophilia so struggle to remain objective and discuss it without getting muddied. Particular to medicine, if you reason about the cases from the perspective of a doctor, then you'd need to show you're thinking about things that are important in a physicians ethical reasoning i.e. consent. You could ask the question as to whether in this case, paedophiles would be forced to be castrated, or are presented with the option to be - which changes the dilemma significantly.

If there's a current case I'd prep for that I think is likely to make an appearance, it's the Charlie Gard case. With that you need to be thinking about how to determine what's in the best interests of a patient that can't communicate - and in particular for children, how to navigate complex medical cases with their parents, who are almost as much the patients as the child is. What's unique with the Gard case is how it became politicised, and the patient almost got lost behind a legal/political campaign that sprung up around him.


I think you've very much hit the nail on the head here in terms of using cases not for a formulaic answer but to become used to the thought processes that should be occurring around these discussions. I think also another issue is a problem of maleficence, you are causing unnecessary harm to a patient. This is the reason doctors cannot implement the death penalty, and so it would not be a doctors place to form a castration and as you very rightly said, especially so if it is not consented for.

I did some brief research on the Charlie Gard case. I found that in America parents have autonomy over the child.. I sincerely wonder whether this is underpinned by the fact that in America you are paying for healthcare and I think this changes aspects quite a lot. The most unfortunate with thing with the Charlie Gard case asides the obvious is that the relationship between the parents and doctors broke down to an extent where they no longer believed the doctors were trying to achieve the best for both baby and parents.

In other news.. I was wondering what people are doing in terms of practising their answers? I want to practice them aloud but dont want them to sound too rehearsed and don't have anyone to practice saying things aloud to. I've heard some people are timing their answers?! I'm really intrigued to know what people are doing in terms of vocalizing their answers.
I've also typed out the contents to a medical interview book (ISC is it?) and these have all the general topics to think about if anyone would like that without actually having to purchase the book.
Original post by eilidhchambe
I've also typed out the contents to a medical interview book (ISC is it?) and these have all the general topics to think about if anyone would like that without actually having to purchase the book.



Thanks for making this thread, I think it would be good for everyone to be able to share and bounce ideas off each other!

Could you send me a copy of the book please?
Original post by Pa97_
Thanks for making this thread, I think it would be good for everyone to be able to share and bounce ideas off each other!

Could you send me a copy of the book please?


Unfortunately I don't have the book, a kind person just sent the contents! It's kind of long so I've tried grouping it for ease of use.


Spoiler

Original post by eilidhchambe
Unfortunately I don't have the book, a kind person just sent the contents! It's kind of long so I've tried grouping it for ease of use.


Spoiler



This is brilliant, thanks very much! :biggrin:
I'm currently doing quite a lot of study to prepare myself for interview, I'm not practicing any answers out loud though. I've read articles in the student BMJ that have quoted admissions officers/interviewers as saying that a common shortfall is when students come across as too rehearsed and coached. I also fear that if I have rehearsed answers for specific questions and I am asked a similar question at interview, there is a danger that I might just deliver the rehearsed answer that does not entirely answer the question that was asked. I plan to go in having done a fair amount of reading and thinking/reflecting, but I'm not preparing any answers.
Reply 8
Ive found practicing out loud useful because when im nervous my voice tends to break like im crying. Practicing out loud definitely helps ease that. If you record, you can go back and listen to what youve said and critique yourself (find out what to eliminate or expand on)

I think with the charlie gard case, the break down of the doctor-patient relationship was the most detrimental because in medicine, if you lose the trust of your patient, what else do you have really? Whatever you do or say, the patient can never believe you have their best interest which would then make treating them effectively almost impossible.
Original post by eilidhchambe
I think you've very much hit the nail on the head here in terms of using cases not for a formulaic answer but to become used to the thought processes that should be occurring around these discussions. I think also another issue is a problem of maleficence, you are causing unnecessary harm to a patient. This is the reason doctors cannot implement the death penalty, and so it would not be a doctors place to form a castration and as you very rightly said, especially so if it is not consented for.

I did some brief research on the Charlie Gard case. I found that in America parents have autonomy over the child.. I sincerely wonder whether this is underpinned by the fact that in America you are paying for healthcare and I think this changes aspects quite a lot. The most unfortunate with thing with the Charlie Gard case asides the obvious is that the relationship between the parents and doctors broke down to an extent where they no longer believed the doctors were trying to achieve the best for both baby and parents.

In other news.. I was wondering what people are doing in terms of practising their answers? I want to practice them aloud but dont want them to sound too rehearsed and don't have anyone to practice saying things aloud to. I've heard some people are timing their answers?! I'm really intrigued to know what people are doing in terms of vocalizing their answers.


I also don't have anyone to practice with, whereas everyone I know who has done MMIs before, were in school and had several MMI practice sessions with teachers/careers advisors etc.

I am practicing speaking (I have literally ony done 15 mins of speaking out some points I have written down for about 5 common qs) because I know when I am nervous I end up stuttering so much and then get more nervous and waffle, so I am trying to just familiarise myself with it. I timed it just to have a rough idea of where I was at with it just to have some sort of baseline to go into the interviews (ie if the station says it'll only last for 3 mins I know I would have to not say some of my points), just to help prevent getting flustered.

I am by no means learning answers off by heart or anything, I am just going to print and read them on the train over to my interview.

I am feeling ridiculously underprepared so having a couple of answers semi-written out is the only thing making me feel a bit better haha.
Original post by Laura05Apple
I also don't have anyone to practice with, whereas everyone I know who has done MMIs before, were in school and had several MMI practice sessions with teachers/careers advisors etc.

I am practicing speaking (I have literally ony done 15 mins of speaking out some points I have written down for about 5 common qs) because I know when I am nervous I end up stuttering so much and then get more nervous and waffle, so I am trying to just familiarise myself with it. I timed it just to have a rough idea of where I was at with it just to have some sort of baseline to go into the interviews (ie if the station says it'll only last for 3 mins I know I would have to not say some of my points), just to help prevent getting flustered.

I am by no means learning answers off by heart or anything, I am just going to print and read them on the train over to my interview.

I am feeling ridiculously underprepared so having a couple of answers semi-written out is the only thing making me feel a bit better haha.


I think I'm going to do the same purely as I talk very quickly when I'm nervous and I think I need to reassure myself theres plenty of time to say everything I want to say and I don't need to panic and spit it out at once! I think what I will do is learn the points I want to make and however they flow out in the interview will hopefully sound natural!
Reply 11
I went to an MMI course by the Medic Portal today, they are pretty sold out but anyone who is thinking about it I would recommend! A big point is to not start taking straight away. A lot of people immediately go "umm" or "I think that" or "so" without knowing what they're actually about to say. It's better to sit and think for a few seconds. Also they told me as so many applicants go in with the same answers, the only way you stick out is if you have really nice structure :smile:
Hi all, just thought I'd introduce myself! I'm a pharmacist working in cardiothoracics and i applied to just UKCAT unis. I have interviews in a week for Leicester (5 year), and Birmingham (4). I'm yet to hear from Warwick and Barts.

To prepare I'm trying to study a bit on ethics, hot topics, and general stuff. For current affairs questions, the ones I feel could come up and that I'm reading up on are antibiotic resistance, bed pressures/NHS funding, privatisation, fx of brexit, cancer drug fund and QALYs, Jr doctor contract, and maybe Charlie Gard, whistleblowing, gene therapy/genomics, allocation of organs soft opt in/out (I say this like I've gotten round to half of those yet haha).

What are you guys reading up on and how are you preparing? :smile: x
So I thought I would slowly share my notes so other people on this forum could either benefit or critque me on my ways of thinking etc. Feedback, any additions or comments you want to add on my thoughts below are appreciated. For those that just want to read for their own benefit that is welcome too, just let me know it helped so I know to keep posting (or visa versa).

Charlie Gard Case

The Basics

Spoiler


My thoughts- areas for discussion;

Spoiler

Reply 14
Original post by Dollyandra
Hi all, just thought I'd introduce myself! I'm a pharmacist working in cardiothoracics and i applied to just UKCAT unis. I have interviews in a week for Leicester (5 year), and Birmingham (4). I'm yet to hear from Warwick and Barts.

To prepare I'm trying to study a bit on ethics, hot topics, and general stuff. For current affairs questions, the ones I feel could come up and that I'm reading up on are antibiotic resistance, bed pressures/NHS funding, privatisation, fx of brexit, cancer drug fund and QALYs, Jr doctor contract, and maybe Charlie Gard, whistleblowing, gene therapy/genomics, allocation of organs soft opt in/out (I say this like I've gotten round to half of those yet haha).

What are you guys reading up on and how are you preparing? :smile: x


Hi! I’m also a pharmacist (pre reg) in a hospital. I have an interview next week at Exeter A100 (GAMSAT)... which I was told about on Friday. I wanted to do an interview course before this but seems like I have to crash course it.

The topics are really interesting, maybe EHC in addition? They have the Fraser guidelines and Gilick competence for underage girls.

Good luck in your interviews!

Btw, does anybody know of any good structures to deal with ethical dilemmas?
Original post by Seez
Hi! I’m also a pharmacist (pre reg) in a hospital. I have an interview next week at Exeter A100 (GAMSAT)... which I was told about on Friday. I wanted to do an interview course before this but seems like I have to crash course it.

The topics are really interesting, maybe EHC in addition? They have the Fraser guidelines and Gilick competence for underage girls.

Good luck in your interviews!

Btw, does anybody know of any good structures to deal with ethical dilemmas?


Good luck!!

https://www.themedicportal.com/e-learning/interview/ethics/ This should help, essentially the four ethical pillars. Don't go jumping into a conclusion. As someone said above they sometimes use inflammatory dilemmas. (Lots of medical schools use the example of giving people a kit of sterile equipment to make sure people are safe harming as safely as possible. The knee jerk reaction is that that is awful when it is infact what happens!!).

Discuss, then decide having balanced up the arguments. Sorry if this is pointing out the obvious. Also, these links may be helpful


https://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/good_medical_practice.asp

https://www.gmc-uk.org/Tomorrow_s_Doctors_1214.pdf_48905759.pdf
Reply 16
Original post by eilidhchambe
Good luck!!

https://www.themedicportal.com/e-learning/interview/ethics/ This should help, essentially the four ethical pillars. Don't go jumping into a conclusion. As someone said above they sometimes use inflammatory dilemmas. (Lots of medical schools use the example of giving people a kit of sterile equipment to make sure people are safe harming as safely as possible. The knee jerk reaction is that that is awful when it is infact what happens!!).

Discuss, then decide having balanced up the arguments. Sorry if this is pointing out the obvious. Also, these links may be helpful


https://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/good_medical_practice.asp

https://www.gmc-uk.org/Tomorrow_s_Doctors_1214.pdf_48905759.pdf


Thank you so much for this post and thread! I would have liked more time to research a few things but my 9-5 and such short notice... I appreciate it.

I also bought the Griffiths interview book since his S2 on GAMSAT really helped me with the exam. It seems good so far, have you had a chance to read over it?
Original post by Seez
Thank you so much for this post and thread! I would have liked more time to research a few things but my 9-5 and such short notice... I appreciate it.

I also bought the Griffiths interview book since his S2 on GAMSAT really helped me with the exam. It seems good so far, have you had a chance to read over it?


Yeah I got it! I mean frankly in classic Griffiths style he bangs on about the most obvious stuff just to fill some pages. I remember him waffling for a good half a page about lucozade in the GAMSAT!
Exeter is undergrad so I think you might be in luck with a few 'what are your hobbies' kind of questions. Among the waffle he's got some good tips.
To be honest I think if you're pushed for time I'd hammer in the 4 pillars of ethics, learn what the law says on topics such as euthanasia etc. then read GMC guidelines. I've never done a medical school interview but I genuinely think as long as you're confident on what you're saying (but not over confident), polite, and personable that you'll be fine! Knowing the stuff seems to be like 20% and the rest is just communication skills imho!
I interviewed for 4 different GEM courses last year (waiting listed for 3 of them, then got an offer). 3 of these were MMI and another was two sets of small panel interview. If anyone has any questions I'd be happy to answer them.

Just as a warning, people shouldn't be sharing questions/tasks/roleplays/etc that they were asked about/to do/whatever from interviews. It could land that person in trouble and gives an unfair advantage to others.
The following scenario proposed by the student BMJ

Consider an intelligent 15 year old who needs lifesaving surgery for which blood transfusion will be necessary. She has a close family, which is extremely loving and supportive. All three are devout Jehovah’s Witnesses. The use of blood products is prohibited by their religion. After anguished discussion the child and parents decide against the operation.

The article goes on to say 'based on current law, it is highly unlikely that a decision as serious as this taken by a child will be upheld' but say it did come to the scenario the parents and child were refusing surely you can't forcibly give this care? I'm a little bamboozled, I know you'd take it to court but realistically if a court ruled to still have the treatment you can't physically force it on someone.
(edited 6 years ago)

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