Medical School Interview Questions & Answers

Medical professionals are some of the most respectable and knowledgeable persons across the world. They not only enjoy stellar recognition in the general society but are also looked upon for suggestions and pieces of advice. “Next to God” is a common term used to define them.

If you are a student willing to become a medical professional and want to take admission in some of the best medical colleges, then preparing hard for the interview session is almost inevitable.

Prepmycareer is a leading career preparation website and has written this article for all the medicine aspirants, who will appear in the upcoming medical school interviews. Always remember to polish your domain knowledge as more than 70% of the total questions would test your knowledge of the subject of Biology.

21 Best Interview Questions To Study

1. Blood Is Our Most Important Connective Tissue. Can You Tell Some Of The Major Functions of Blood In The Human Body?

Sample Answer

Yes sir, Blood is connective tissue and is extra-cellular. It performs several functions in the human body, which are:

Functions of Blood	Explanation
Transportation	This is by far the most important function of blood. It acts as a transporter and transports minerals, vitamins, oxygen, and energy (in the form of A. T. P) across the human body.
P. H. Buffer	Humans consume different types of foods that have different acidity levels. However, blood acts as a PH Buffer and maintains the PH level at 7.4 This largely happens due to the presence of Bicarbonate ions (HCO3) in the human blood
Thermal Maintenance	Blood performs the function of homeostasis and helps to maintain the temperature of the human body. It keeps our body temperature constant at 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
Immunity	Blood acts as a source of immunity and performs the ever crucial function of Phagocytosis. It eliminates all foreign substances and protects our body from bacteria, viruses, and protozoa.

2. Share Some Vital Functions Of The Largest Gland Of The Human Body.

Sample Answer

Sir, the largest gland of the human body is the Liver. It performs various functions, which are:

• It helps in the preparation of anti-bodies and boosts immunity
• It prepares a secretion, which is known as Bile Juice. It helps in the process of emulsification of fats.
• The liver is also responsible for storing vitamins and sugar
• The bile juice prepared by the Liver is stored in the Gall bladder

3. Starch Enters Into The Human Body Through The Ingestion Of Food. State Its Entire Journey and The Respective Catalysts That Work Upon Each Stage.

Sample Answer

Yes sir, starch is present in the food that we eat and enters through the process of ingestion. Its journey and the various catalysts working at each stage are:

• This starch is, first of all, converted into maltose through the help of Salivary amylase and the Pancreatic amylase
• The maltose is then converted into Glucose through the help of the Maltose enzyme
• This glucose is then converted finally into Glycogen through the help of Insulin (produced by Beta cells of the pancreas)

4. The Small Intestine Is A Critical Part Of The Process of Human Digestion. What Do You Know About It and Its Three Parts?

Sample Answer

Yes sir, the small intestine is a critical organ, as most of the digestion of food is carried out in the small intestine. It is a 20 feet long pipe, which receives food directly from the human stomach. The food received from the stomach stays inside it for about 4 hours to 8 hours. This small intestine is divided into three different parts, which are:

• Duodenum (responsible for 90% of the digestion)
• Jejunum and
• Ileum

The last two parts of the small intestine are not responsible for carrying out any digestion.

5. We Are An Established Medical School and All Of Our Students Are Put In A Competitive Environment Where They Compete With Each Other To Excel and Achieve High Grades. How Do You Prevent Yourself From The Negative Effects Of Inferiority Complex, Which Is Quite Common Among The Students?

Sample Answer

Yes sir, inferiority complex strikes the students adversely. It impacts the normal working as well as the behavior of the students. However, I can always manage my inferiority complex because I do not compare myself with others. Rather, I believe in self-comparison. I always compare my present performance with my past performance.

6. Botany Is An Integral Part Of Our Curriculum. Some Useful Medicines and Substances Are Extracted From The Nature. Share At Least Five Extractions and Their Sources.

Sample Answer

Yes sir, mother earth has given us enough to live a sustainable and healthy life. The five extractions are:

Extractions	Source
Nilgiri Oil	Eucalyptus
Reserpine (hypertension drug)	Rauwolfia Serpentina
Blue Dye	Indigo
Quinine (anti-malaria drug)	The bark of Cinchona Tree
Bio-diesel	Jatropha plant

7. What Is The Primary Function Of Meristematic Tissue In The Plants?

Sample Answer

Sir, the meristematic tissue is responsible for the overall growth of plants. There are two varieties of meristematic tissue, which are found in the plants, these are:

• Apical Meristem
  • Responsible for primary growth
  • Increases the length of the stem and roots of the plants
• Lateral Meristem
  • Responsible for secondary growth
  • Increases the width of the plants

8. Human Blood Can Be Divided Into Two Different Parts. Can You Tell The Name, Functions, and Composition Of These Two Parts?

Sample Answer

Yes sir, blood can be categorized into two broad categories, which are:

Parts of Blood	Composition	Explanation
Plasma	55%	This part of blood is more than 90% water. The rest of the composition is made up of: 1) Electrolytes, Nutrients, Hormones, Enzymes 2) Protein, primarily consisting of Albumin, Globulin, Fibrinogen
Hematocrit	45%	This part of the blood contains all its three cells which are: 1) White Blood Cells (Leukocytes) 2) Red Blood Cells (Erythrocytes) 3) Platelets (Thrombocytes)

9. We Have A Stringent Medical Syllabus That Is Practical, Pragmatic, and Focuses More On Establishing Arguments. Consistent Hardwork and Discipline Is The Key To Ace This Syllabus That Usually Leads To Stress Among The Students. How Can You Handle This Situation?

Sample Answer

Sir, in my opinion, stress is a part and parcel of the student’s life. There is pressure to study hard, score high grades and obtain a lucrative employment opportunity. However, it is necessary to maintain a balance between all these wants and bust the ever-rising stress. I do so by practicing yoga daily and engaging in meditation thrice a week.

10. Ingestion Of Food Is A Critical Human Process. Establish A Relationship Between The Esophagus, Epiglottis, and Peristalsis.

Sample Answer

Sir, ingestion refers to the act of intake of food in the human body. The food after entering through our mouth enters Esophagus (food pipe), which connects the mouth and the stomach. We have two different pipes in our body, the first one is Trachea (used for breathing purposes) and the second one is Esophagus.

A small epiglottis is located at the top of both these pipes. It prevents the food from entering the trachea. Peristalsis refers to the process of consistent contractions using which the food travels down into the stomach. Hence, we can now observe that all three parts are associated and linked with each other.

11. The Vertebral Column Of The Human Spine Is Divided Into Several Parts. What Are These Parts and How Many Bones Do They Consist? Further, Also Tell Something About Vestigial Organs.

Sample Answer

Sir, the human spine is made up of 33 different bones that are scattered and aligned through the curvature of the spinal cord. The human spine is divided into five different parts with each having a different count of bones. These parts are:

Region	Regions Of The Spinal Cord	Number of Bones
I	Cervical region	7 bones
II	Thoracic region	12 bones
III	Lumbar Region	5 bones
IV	Sacrum region	5 bones
V	Coccygeal Region (also known as Caudal Region)	4 bones

The last region of the spinal cord, that is Coccygeal region is a part of the Vestigial organs, as they have no significant use in the functioning of the human body.

12. As A Medical Student, You Will Always See Some Hard Times When You Will Not Be Able To Deliver Despite Performing To The Best Of Your Ability. How Do You Manage The Failures That You Face In Your Academic Career?

Sample Answer

Sir, it is true that despite studying hard, sometimes we are not able to secure high grades. Be it the nervousness or be it the exam pressure, the outcome is not what we want. This is termed as “failure” which in itself is a very negative word. I manage my failures through the technique of positive pep talk, through which I constantly motivate myself through self-praise.

13. A Clot Process Is An Important Function That Is Performed Inside Our Human Body. Can You Share Some Clotting Factors and Define The Different Stages Of The Clot Process?

Sample Answer

Yes sir, the “clot process” is one of the most crucial functions in the human body as it restricts the flow of blood by immediately acting upon an open wound/ injury. Some of the common clotting factors are Calcium, Thromboplastin, Anti-hemophilia factor A, Anti-hemophilia factor B, Fibrinogen, etc. There are a total of 13 clotting factors. The different stages of the clotting process are:

Stages	Clot Factors Involved in Each Stage	End Result
I	An association of Prothrombin, Thromboplastin, and Calcium	Thrombin
II	An association of Thrombin and Fibrinogen	Fibrin
III	An association of Fibrin and Platelets	Clot

14. Human Kidneys Function In Three Different Steps. Comment On This Statement.

Sample Answer

Yes sir, the given statement is true. The working of the human kidneys is a three-step process, which are:

• Glomerular Filtration: In this step, the blood passing through the kidney is purified with the help of Bowman’s capsule
• Tubular Re-absorption: The fluid passing through our kidney also consists of some useful substances that must be restored for the effective functioning of the human body. Hence, in this step, the kidney re-absorbs these useful substances and re-installs them back into the bloodstream.
• Tubular Excretion: Finally, after purification and re-absorption, the unwanted substances are excreted out of the body in the form of urine.

15. Medicine Is An Expensive Course. It Is Demanding and Forces All The Medical Schools To Charge High Tuition Fees From The Students. How Are You Planning To Fund Your Education?

Sample Answer

Sir, I understand the relevance of this interview question. I have gone through the fee details for this medical course and I feel I can afford it. I am planning to fund the same through:

• Education loan (80%)
• My father’s savings (15%) and
• My savings (5%)

16. Red Blood Cells (RBCs) Are A Critical Element Of The Human Blood and Makes Up About 44% Of The Total Composition Of Hematocrit. Can You Tell Some Of The Facts You Know About The RBCs?

Sample Answer

Yes sir, the given statement is true. Some of the interesting facts about Red Blood Cells are:

• The shape of an RBC is Biconcave Disk
• RBCs attain their red color due to the presence of Hemoglobin
• The concentration of RBCs is highest in newborn babies due to their need for high oxygen
• RBCs are used for the transportation of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the human body
• A combination of Hemoglobin and Oxygen is known as HbO₂ (Hb + O₂) or Oxyhemoglobin
• The life span of RBCs is 120 days in the human body, after which they are replaced with younger red blood cells

17. Tell Me Something About The Fifth Generation Of Animal Kingdom.

Sample Answer

Sir, the fifth generation of the animal kingdom represents Annelida. Some examples of this class are Earthworms and Leaches. These creatures have the following features:

• Their body is made up of a special protein called Chitin
• They complete their process of respiration through their skin
• The movement of their body is known as Setal
• The process of excretion is executed through Nephridia
• An earthworm has four pairs of heart

18. We Are Three Decade Old Medical School and Have Been Consistently Producing World-Class Medicine Professionals. Thus, We Have A Strict Admission Process and We Only Admit Students That Are Intellectual, Smart, and Intelligent. What Makes You Special and Unique From The Rest Of The Aspirants?

Sample Answer

Sir, it is true. This is a famous medical school and has been regularly giving some of the best medical professionals to the world. In my opinion, I have several distinct qualities that make me special and unique. I can absorb pressure in a better way. This way, I can handle my nerves and never get panicked in times of distress. Further, I also have a knack for making good decisions in tough times.

19. Why Do Humans Prefer To Consume Animal Proteins?

Sample Answer

This is primarily because animal proteins are rich in essential amino acids and are thus called first-class proteins. They help in a variety of ways for the proper development, growth, and repair of muscles.

20. What Happens Due To The Hyper-secretion and Hypo-secretion Of Adrenal Glands, Growth Hormone, and Anti-diuretic Hormone?

Sample Answer

Sir, it leads to several different illnesses, which are presented below:

Cause	Effect
Hypo-secretion Of Adrenal Glands	Addison disease
Hyper-secretion Of Adrenal Glands	Cushing syndrome
Hypo-secretion Of Growth hormone	Dwarfism
Hyper-secretion Of Growth hormone	Gigantism
Hypo-secretion Of Anti-diuretic Hormone	Polyuria
Hypo-secretion Of Anti-diuretic Hormone	Polydipsia

21. Do You Have Any Questions For Us?

Be it an interview session for obtaining a job or be it for getting admission into a medical college. Every interview gets concluded through this question, which presents you with one last chance to impress your interviewer and leave a lasting impression.

To do so you must ask some relevant counter questions from your interviewer which represent your doubts and apprehensions in regards to the medical school. Read out the sample questions mentioned below for a better understanding.

Sample Questions

• Sir, what are the various semesters and the maximum as well as the minimum time to complete this course?
• Please share a list of all the scholarship opportunities offered by this college to its students.
• What are the dorm charges and the criteria for obtaining a bed in the school’s hostel?

References

1. https://www.mdpi.com/1519310
2. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10620-022-07409-8