Pre-Dental Talk Episode #5: CRACK your VIRTUAL interviews!
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This article accompanies Episode #5 of CrackDAT.com’s Pre-Dental Talk, hosted by Iman. Check out the podcasts here — topics range from information about the dental school application process, to advice for the DAT, to interviews with dental school faculty and students!
Episode #5 is all about the dental school interview process! Iman interviews University of Pennsylvania D1 Isabel and pre-dental student Lauren about their experiences and insight into in-person and virtual interviews.
Listen to Episode #5 here or watch the YouTube video linked below, and read on for a summary of the episode.
BONUS CONTENT: Keep reading for exclusive content not covered in the podcast — Lauren and Iman answer a few quick-fire questions about virtual dental school interviews!
Interview advice from a D1
Isabel, a dental student at Penn, applied to dental school during last year’s application cycle. As a D1, she is adapting to life at dental school, navigating the virtual and in-person components of Penn’s curriculum this semester. Read on for a summary of Isabel’s advice, as someone who successfully made it through the application and interview process!
Don’t forget your secondaries! If any of the dental schools you applied to require secondary applications to supplement the primary (ADEA AADSAS) application, be sure to submit those on time. Many schools will not consider you for an interview until they have received your secondary.
Preparation is key. Isabel used Student Doctor Network (SDN) to gain a sense of the types of questions asked during dental school interviews. While you won’t be able to practice every question you might be asked, you will have plenty of practice coming up with answers and thinking on your feet.
CrackDAT has your back for interview prep! 175 commonly-asked dental school interview questions are available on our website here.
Talk! Isabel asked her friends and family to ask her random questions, which allowed her to practice conveying her ideas. It is particularly important to be able to answer common questions (Why dentistry? What have you done to explore the profession? What are some examples of times you were empathetic?) in a cohesive, professional manner. The more you practice talking to people, the better prepared you will be on interview day (plus, the ability to communicate is central to the dental profession!)
Review your application, and prepare some examples. Go through your primary application to remind yourself of activities you can discuss during your interview. Isabel thought of five versatile experiences from her life, which she was able to apply to a wide variety of questions. Additionally, be sure that you have examples to back up everything you say — instead of simply saying “I’m empathetic,” share examples of moments that demonstrate your empathy.
Be mindful of your interactions with the other interviewees. You very well might see the other interviewees again in the future! Be sure to treat everyone you meet like a potential classmate and colleague.
Want to hear more advice from Isabel? Isabel created two vlogs for Crack the DAT about dental school interviews — head to the Webinars & Blog (Episodes 7+8 of Webinar Series) tab on CrackDAT.com to check them out!
Virtual interview Q&A with a pre-dental
Lauren is a pre-dental student and college senior. Read on for Lauren’s answer to questions about virtual dental school interviews, and keep reading for Lauren’s and Iman’s answers to more questions about virtual interviews!
What is the structure of virtual interviews? It varies! In general, though, most interviews are one-on-one, meaning you will be interviewed alone (without other applicants present). The number of interviewers will vary, typically from 1–3. The rest of the interview day, during which schools often offer an overview of their program and answer questions, tends to be in a group setting. All the other applicants who are interviewing that day will be on the video call.
What is the etiquette for asking questions? You’ll either just unmute yourself and ask, send your questions in the chat, or use the virtual “raise hand” function before speaking up. It depends which method the school you’re interviewing at prefers.
Is there anything about virtual interviews that surprised you? It’s surprising how much you can still learn about a school without physically being there! Dental schools have made an effort to make the experience of virtual interviews great for every applicant, so ask questions and learn as much as possible about the school and everyone you interact with. Even without the face-to-face element of an in-person interview day, with the right mindset, you can get a lot out of a virtual interview.
What is your advice for other applicants? Know that this is just one more aspect of your application, so do your best to relax and think about the interview as a conversation and a chance to show your personality. It also helps to feel prepared — do a test run of your video and audio before interview day, for example, to make sure everything is working properly. Good luck!
BONUS CONTENT: Quick-fire Q&A with Lauren and Iman
Lauren and Iman share their thoughts about these extra questions not covered in the podcast.
Virtual backgrounds: yes or no?
Iman: I used a virtual background of a photo I took when shadowing. It was a nice conversation starter for my interview and it didn’t seem to offend anyone. However, I’d be prepared to remove a virtual background if asked, personally.
Lauren: I had a plain white wall as my background. I think virtual backgrounds are okay as long as they are plain and not distracting, though, but I wanted to keep it simple.
Dress from head to toe?
Iman: I didn’t wear shoes, but wore a full suit. It seems like you can get away with being dressed only from the waist up, but why take the risk?
Lauren: I’m a firm believer that the way you dress can affect the way you carry yourself! Although I didn’t wear shoes, I wore a blouse and jacket with nice pants, which made me feel more confident and professional.
Look into the camera or the screen?
Iman: I looked into the screen. To me it’s hard to have a conversation and make a connection when looking into the camera!
Lauren: I looked into the screen at the person I was talking to. I tried looking into the camera, but found it difficult to have a conversation while doing so. I think as long as you keep your eyes focused while you speak, you can do whichever feels more comfortable for you!
Be sure to listen to the full podcast here. Email hi@crackdat.com with questions or with topic suggestions for future episodes, and stay tuned for more Pre-Dental Talks!
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