interviews!

yes..i better blog about it before i forget. I went to Sheffield interview on the 17th of Jan and Aberdeen interview on the 24th...just one week later.

During Sheffield interview, sad to say, i didn't elaborate much. The interviewers were so stern and strict looking that kinda freak me off. The man, especially, was quite scary. He had that scary frown on his head when he interviewed me. Well, the questions they asked were very common.
1. how long have you wanted to started to do medicine...(which leads on to...)
2. So why medicine?
3. Why Sheffield?
4. Are your parents medical doctors?
5. What other diseases other than asthma did you see during the haze?
6. What is the intramuscular injection used for?
7. How do you cope with stress?
8. English qualifications?
9. Predicted results? do i know it?
10.If you were to change something, what would you change? ( which leads on to...)
11.What do you do to change it?
12.Why UK?

My interview was quite short because my answer was short...hehe...i think i didn't do that well during the interview but it was a good experience coz i think it made me know how to handle an interview next time...phew...i'm so glad sheffield interview was over.

My interview with Aberdeen was quite good. The interviewer was so friendly...he kinda made me forget that i was in an inteview. He didn't ask questions like 'why Aberdeen?' or 'Why medicine'...most of his questions were opinion-based and spontaneous questions which were quite er...ok...Getting into Aberdeen is quite tough. Heard from other people that out of the 13 places offered to overseas student, only 5 places goes to Malaysian. And i'm like the 2nd batch being interviewed. Only out of sooo many people, 5 get chosen.

anyway, these questions were asked during the interview:
1. So you are from Sarawak?
2. When i become a doctor, do i want to work in West malaysia or go back to sarawak? ( I said that i'd no special preferences actually, but i most probably go back to sarawak coz there's a shortage of doctors there bla bla bla...then i said that only 1 doctor in the emergency ward and he sort of...'wah'..so funny)

then the interviewer started giving situations and asking my opinions:
3. let's say you are the doctor, and you are suggesting a treatment to the patient and he rejects it, what would you do? ( i told him that i would advise him and if his family members are beside him, i would personally talk to his family to advise him. If he rejects, i will suggest alternative treament? Then the interviewer asked, 'what if he stil rejects?' then i said that i would refer him to another GP...then interviewer said,' yes, yes, should refer him to another GP. Maybe another second opinion would change his mind..' then the interviewer asked again, 'what if he rejects treatment again?' i said, 'it's the patient's will that he rejects treament, i've tried my best to give him the best possible treatment, and if he still rejects it, there's nothing i can do.'

4. There's a patient lying on the bed and 5 people surrounding it. one of them is a doctor, the other a nurse, a ward warden...the remaining i forgot who already. so what do you think is the most important person among the 5 people? ( I told him the doctor..because doctors make decisions and choose the treatment?)

5. What's my greatest accomplishment so far other than academics? ( Hmm..i said i managed to knit finish a scarf for my sis and it's quite long, said that one line takes 4 minutes...and the whole scarf took me a long time. Then he asked what colour is it? i said black, coz my sister likes black. Then he said...'yea..black...that's nice...' then he asked how long did i take to finish it? i said about 2 months... )

6. What qualities do you have that you think can make you a doctor? (i think this is the hardest question)

7. What medical advancements did you read about and it is conducted in Malaysia ( in Malaysia? i was kinda shocked) then he said, or either in other places in the world?

8. Do I know anybody personally from Aberdeen?

9. oh yea...he asked, if a patient come out from the room after seeing a GP, and the patient was saying the GP was very good. What do you think was the best quality the patient was refering to? ( this one is kinda tough too)

I can't remember what other questions the interviewer asked but it went quite well...hope to get into aberdeen if i get an offer