Traditional Interview Questions

Question 1

Mission of Wayne State University

Answer 1

Educate a diverse student body in an urban environment and within a culture of inclusion, through high quality education, clinical excellence, research, community involvement, and technology in order to prepare physician and biomedical scientific leaders to achieve health and wellness in our society.

Question 2

Why do you wish to attend Wayne State University

Answer 2

1) Location of Detroit –> perfect place to gain a medical education. Being able to interact with such a diverse patient population as a medical student will surely set me up for success as a physician
2) Commitment to the COMMUNITY (community service part of the highways to excellence curriculum) –> as someone who grew up in an underserved area myself in PR and who witnessed many health barriers and inequities when I came to MA, one of my goals as a future physician is to serve those who need it most. By attending Wayne State University SOM there is no question of whether I can get involved or how I can get involved, its more of a “when can I get started?” –> I follow the Street Medicine Detroit Group on instagram and have also read about the involvement that med students can take with the Community Homeless Interprofessional Program (CHIP) Clinic

Question 3

Tell me about yourself

Answer 3

• Raised in Barrio Nuevo Naranjito by my maternal grandparents and my mother
• I moved to MA with my single mother when I was 10
• Back then, I did not speak English and was placed in an ESL class –> BUT I was a determined to work on my language skills outside of class too because I was very eager to be able to communicate with those around me
• Thus, I took the initiative to read books in English outside of class and write down the words I did not understand then going to the school library after school to translate the worlds into Spanish
• Taking this initiative gave me insight into how much I love to learn and read, which to this day is one of my favorite ways to past time
• Some of my other favorite hobbies include photography and graphic design and lately I have been watching baking shows a lot and trying out new recipes for the work week
• I also really love to travel and my first sleep over was actually in Akiruno Japan –> this experience really opened my eyes to the world + how much there is for me to learn when I step outside of my comfort zone
• Since then I have continued to seek opp to explore the world such as by studying abroad in Prague

Question 4

Why medicine?

Answer 4

Growing up, the human body always intrigued me but what really solidified my wish to become a doctor were my own experiences as a patient. More specifically, I became inspired by those physicians treated me as more than just another set of demographics or another illness that needed healing. I remember one female specialist who sought resources for my mom and I back then; seeing her advocate for our housing situation motivated me to become a doctor that analyzes beyond physical symptoms, a doctor who becomes a voice for patients in marginalized communities. Working at Emerson, I have experienced how demanding a day in the office is for the whole staff, especially for the doctor. But, I always remind myself what it is like to be on the other side of the waiting room, feeling uncertain and likely anxious about seeing the doctor. This re-energizes me to continue providing my patients with the best care possible. However, I wish to go beyond the limitations of a medical assistant. I want to gain more knowledge and training in order to be able to treat, empower, and advocate for future pts

Question 5

What are your 3 greatest strengths?

Answer 5

1. Resilient - from the moment I migrated to MA, I was faced with adversity and was able to adapt, learn and grow from these challenges –> not speaking ENG, being w/out home, falling ill
2. Dedicated - have always been dedicated to my goals and to the work that needs to be done in order to accomplish them. In college –> going to tutoring sessions or office hours if I did not understand a concept clearly enough. Sometimes, it meant being one of the last ones to leave a certain lab session because I wanted to make sure I was putting in the work and effort necessary to understand the procedure and logistics behind it. At work –>
3. Creativity - both in arts and outside the arts –> I went to a vocational high school where I took a graphic deisign trade and I am always thinking of possibilities in my mind for any scenario I may encounter. For example, when I was studying abroad, I recall my pencil’s tip being very dull. The classroom had no sharpener but I had a small nail file in my wallet that I used to sharpen my pencil. At work I strive to be creative when patients encounter barriers and I always have a positive attitude towards what others view as “unfixable” problems

Question 6

Tell me about your research

Answer 6

Dr. Simons had previous research data which showed that the genes that code for glucose transporters, specifically SLC2A2 genes are over expressed in certain cancer cells.

So the purpose of this specific study was to analyze whether there was any correlation between the survival of patients with certain cancers and the number of GLU 1 Transporter gene (SLC2A) mutations, with special attention on the SLC2A2 mutations

Looked at 1) Lung Sq Cell Carcinoma 2) Ovarian Serous Cystadenocarcinoma 3) Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma due to their high death rates

We specifically analyzed OS, DFS, PFS
OS - avg time after diag/tx that pt is alive
DFS - avg time after tx where pt no longer has sx
PFS - avg time after tx where the cancer/sx are not aggravated

Results: 1) No sig correlation between the OS and the mutations present in the GLUT 1 Transporter genes
2) Sig correlation between the alterations present in GLUT 1 transporter genes and the PFS
3) An EVEN HIGHER Sig correlation between mutations present in SLC2A2 genes and the PFS of patients

Question 7

If you could change one thing about the US healthcare system, what would it be?

Answer 7

Have a more concrete plan in place for patients who have multiple chronic medical conditions. Working at Emerson I have witnessed how high comorbidities are for patients and how many medications they take. Once, I roomed a patient with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and asthma which is not all that uncommon to have all at once. When I asked her about her medications, she admitted to having to pick and choose which ones which took solely because of cost. She was using her asthma inhaler because that was the condition that bothered her most, but due to the high cost of the inhaler, this meant she had no funds left to pay for her HTN, high cholesterol and diabetes meds, including her daily insulin. I think health insurance has come a long way since the Affordable Care Act but a lot still needs to be addressed for the working class that have such a high need for medical care and yet do not have the income to pay for such a necessity

Question 8

Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

Answer 8

Working as a SI gave me insight into how much I love to mentor others so in 20 years I see myself as an attending physician potentially practicing in a teaching hospital. I would also envision myself partaking in research and helping the community out by volunteering in churches or shelters in order to provide necessary and vital medical care to those who need it most. I’m very excited about my future!

Question 9

What are your 3 greatest weaknesses?

Answer 9

1. Shyness, especially in larger groups where I don’t know the people in the group - Working at Emerson and seeing other pts in need has helped me improve my ability in speaking out more. So its not so much speaking up for pts now that I’m working on but more of speaking up for what I may need (e.g. needing a day off)
2. Attempting to please everyone - This goes along with learning how to set boundaries. I am always thinking about those around me, whether it be my coworkers, family or patients and how my actions can help them. The desire to help others in this way is coming from a good place but I have learned that I need to stop dwelling on things that I cannot control. This is a weakness because it does prevent me at times from moving on with my own work. I have been learning to become aware of when I have tried my absolute best to help others and when it is no longer under my control. This is one step forward in improving this weakness
3. Balancing my schedule –> Too often I get focused on my goals and forget how important other aspects of life are too in order to maintain balance and stay healthy. Studying for the MCAT is a great example of this. I was working full time and studying for the MCAT, so I had no time at all for myself or my family. I knew this was not an ideal scenario but I just pushed through and never sat down to try to figure out how I could establish a balance between all these very important aspects of my life. This poor balancing act led me to scoring poorly on my first MCAT. I have learned that because I love calendars and planning so much, I actually have to pencil in time for myself or for my family. Many people think this is exaggerated but if I don’t actually schedule it in, something else always finds its way into my to do list and I keep pushing off self care.

Question 10

What questions do you have for me? (Wayne State Related)

Answer 10

1. I was reading on the school’s website about the scholarly concentrations, and was wondering if you could speak about it? For example, when do students usually join and what are some of the projects that students have done in the past?
   (Interested in the public health, advocacy, and community engagement concentration or the women’s health)

Question 11

What is the last book you read?

Answer 11

Nov 9 by Colleen Hoover
Fallon + Ben meet on the day that Fallon is moving to the other side of the country. They feel a connection and agree to meet every November 9th. Over the years they come to realize their pasts are more linked that they thought

Question 12

What was your hardest class in college?

Answer 12

Calculus no doubt - very abstract concepts to me. Although we had no SI leader, I was was determined to learn as much as I could and I would go to the Center for Academic Success and Achievement (CASA) to get tutoring whenever it was available

Question 13

How would your friends describe you?

Answer 13

They would describe me as diligent, resilient, and determined. From a young age, my goals motivated me to persist despite various obstacles. While in college, I usually studied by myself, but there were a few times where I studied with my friends, and I remember once we were studying for an organic chemistry quiz, when we hit especially difficult problem. It was on resonance I believe, and we spent about 10 minutes trying to solve it. My friends decided to move on, however I was determined to understand this concept and after our study session, I went by my professors ofc to ask for clarification.

Question 14

Discuss a time when you showed compassion

Answer 14

• Calculus one of my weaknesses
• Pre-calc course summer before taking Calc –> attended all tutoring sessions college offered. These sessions + my persistent studying helped improve my understanding of the concepts being taught
• Night before the final, I noticed a student had stayed in the classroom despite class being dismissed –> she had notes and books scattered over her desk and was seemingly frustrated
• I walked over to her, offered to help
• Began by reviewing a problem she had written on her notes with a ? mark next to it
• She then tried the next problem independently on the chalkboard, and I corrected the errors after she finished
• Throughout the process, I listened carefully to her ?s and encouraged her when she made mistakes, reminding her that such mistakes were a learning opp
• This impromptu study session ended after midnight
• Will always remember the relief on her face when she thanked me
• That night I went home content, knowing I had helped a classmate with a subject I had previously struggled to understand

Question 15

Why should we accept you?

Answer 15

I recognize that there are many other applicants as qualified as I am. However, coming from Puerto Rico, my background and culture is distinct. My experiences studying abroad in Tokyo and Prague also taught me how to better handle uncertain and unknown situations, leading me to get creative at problem solving. Also, my own experiences as a Latina patient will enable me to connect with not just any patient but specifically those from vulnerable backgrounds.

Question 16

Tell me about a failure you once had

Answer 16

I remember getting a 65 on my first chemistry quiz in college - I was devastated. First initial RXN was that I must not be good at this subject. However, I began attending tutoring and office hour sessions - this really helped me understand core concepts and clarify the questions I had. When I began the second semester of chemistry I had fallen in love with the subject and even decided to minor in it and tutor other students

Question 17

Name a meaningful experience you’ve had
and how it has shaped you to pursue work as a physician.

Answer 17

There are many experiences that have sort of just continually confirmed that this is the correct path for me. But I think a meaningful experience that has shaped me to pursue work as a doctor is my current work as a medical assistant. Being able to work alongside doctors, nurses, and other staff members in the office has really shown me how integrated everyone’s role is to ultimately help the patient. As a medical assistant, I have direct contact with the patient and direct communication with the doctors to be able to help the patients as best as possible. From this, I have learned how often we get unfavorable outcomes. I have witnessed many patient’s health deteriorate over time despite every effort. Yet, I am still in awe of the dedication to ensure these patients receive the best quality of life. About one year into my job at Emerson, I roomed a patient who had advanced liver cancer that had metastasized. She had been experiencing more pain than usual. Our goal with her was to minimize this pain and make her as comfortable as possible. So, although her outcome was unfavorable, I still found our approach to her care a beautiful thing.

Question 18

What would you do if medicine weren’t an
option?

Answer 18

If I could not pursue medicine, I would be pretty upset because I really believe it is the best profession for my character and talent. However, if this were my unfortunate reality I would probably pursue being a pharmacist. I would still be helping patients out, and I would be combining my love of chemistry along with this. Even though pharmacists play a vital role in the healthcare field and this profession would satisfy my passion for science, I would still feel like something is missing. I would not be contributing to the patient’s treatment plan directly and I would be missing out of the meaningful human interactions that make up the patient doctor relationship.

Question 19

Why not PA/RN/NP?

Answer 19

Although these professions are extremely important in healthcare, I want to gain as much specific knowledge as I possibly can so that I may be able to help my patients out to the best of my ability. Even though PAs and NPs are able to diagnose and treat, I have witnessed both in my shadowing experiences and in my own working environment how sometimes there are cases that have to be passed on to the doctor because of their level of complexity. I wish to have that deep level of understanding to be able to take and help complex cases.

Question 20

Why not MD-PhD?

Answer 20

Even though I am interested in research and hope to pursue research opportunities while at Wayne State and subsequently as a physician, my priority is clinical care and my focus and goals going into medicine revolve around patient care.

Question 21

What type of doctor do you want to be?

Answer 21

I have had a lot of exposure to neurological diseases in my family, and have seen first hand how devastating diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s are to not just the patient but the whole family. This has really inspired me to learn more about neurological diseases, such as through my honor thesis. Thus, I am really interested in neurology. I am also interested in cardiology and this is because of how interesting I found the cardiovascular system to be while studying anatomy and physiology in college. Nonetheless, I look forward to exploring all different specialties as a medical student and keeping an open mind during all rotations. Medicine is amazing and I want to explore all of it!

Question 22

What was your most rewarding Activity?

Answer 22

Working at Emerson Primary Care - not only have I learned a lot of medical terminology and been able to work as part of a medical team, I have been able to gain many hands-on clinical skills - Patients who enter our exam rooms often say our office is “old school.” From manual weigh scales to measuring patients’ blood pressure manually, I am grateful for the opportunity to have learned these essential clinical skills in an ever-growing digital world.
- Also witnessing the continuity of care in pts (while volunteering i only interacted w/pts and families, while shadowing it was only one day at a time)
- Learning aspects of clinical care such as PAs, PT-1s, HMO vs PPO etc

Question 23

Describe your favorite patient interaction

Answer 23

Definitely a tough one. There have been so many memorable patients over the years. I think I would have to say my favorite interaction with a patient thus far has been with patient Laura. She was the one who came to get an EKG in order to start a new medication and was extremely nervous about getting the EKG. I felt honored in that moment to have been able to gain her trust and be able to explain to her how an EKG worked and what I would be doing. That trust that patients put on us as healthcare workers is so valuable and I was so glad to have been able to show her that her trust was not being misplaced. If this is how patients interact with their medical assistants, I can only imagine how invaluable the patient-doctor relationship is.

Question 24

Talk about your experience working on a
team.

Answer 24

I have worked in many group projects while in school but the experience that comes to mind is my current job at Emerson. It is amazing to be part of a team that works together every day to help others. Specifically, each one of us in the office has our distinct roles that we have to carry out in order to deliver the best possible patient care. For example, as a clinical office coordinator/medical assistant, I may be at the front desk some days answering phones or in the back rooming patients. The doctor is seeing patients, answering phone messages/questions from pts or pharmacists and the office manager is overseeing all of this. There is definitely a synergy effect in the office and we certainly see how much of an impact it makes when a coworker has to miss work because they are sick or has an emergency. We are already in tune with each other’s roles and know how to carry them out - but when someone is missing, we have to re-group and many times re-assign duties in order to continue providing the best care possible.

Question 25

What is your biggest leadership role?

Answer 25

Although I was the student vice president for my university’s phi kappa phi chapter and the vice president for the pre-health club, I consider my biggest leadership role to have been my role as a Chemistry supplemental instructor. I organized lesson plans and served as a student mentor to the students who attended my sessions.

Question 26

What has been your experience with
underserved populations?

Answer 26

The primary care office I work for serves a diverse group of patients, many of which come from underserved communities. I will never forget patient Luz. She often arrived late to appointments or missed them altogether due to a lack of transportation. When I met her, Luz was extremely relieved that I spoke Spanish, as her LEP usually limited her interactions with the staff. Back then, she relayed to me that she was living in a shelter and lacked health insurance. Her health was greatly affected by her circumstances and to me it was clear that Luz needed support in addition to pharmacological intervention. As such, with the assistance of my ofc manager, I provided Luz with Spanish resources on how to apply for state-funded health insurance. Once she was approved, I was able to set up PT-1 rides to her appointments. It has been extremely rewarding to witness Luz arrive to her appointments on time and seeing her health improve over time

Question 27

What is your hardest situation that you
have encountered as a volunteer?

Answer 27

Pt Rafael - age 7 - supervisor asked me to visit him in ICU during each of my shifts if possible. Mother was a single mother like my own mom (I really empathized with her) and she was worried about leaving him alone all that time to go work during the day. I assured her I would try my best to visit her son during my shifts and I would usually stay later if needed to go to his room and read to him. It was very difficult and emotional seeing this young boy not improve over time. Each week I had hope that I would go to his room and he would be able to speak with me and interact with me while I read to him. I never got to hear his voice but I am so thankful I was able to support him and his mother by being always being present and dedicating time to him. His mother was much more calmer when I began to visit Rafael because she knew someone was there to read to him

Question 28

What is your favorite book?

Answer 28

Haven’t read this book in yrs but would say my fav book is “THE BOOK THIEF” by Markus Zusak - young girl Liesel growing up in Germany during World War II and she steals books, learns how to read, and finds comfort in reading. Reminded me a lot of my own exp when I moved to MA and began reading books outside class to learn English -

eventually reading became a hobby of mine and I too find comfort in reading (fantasy, romance etc. Colleen hoover sarah j maas)

Question 29

What questions do you have for me (faculty)?

Answer 29

1. Do you have any advice for somebody like me who is interested in pursuing research as well as community engagement within Detroit and possibly abroad?
2. I was reading on the school’s website about the scholarly concentrations, and was wondering if you could speak about it? For example, when do students usually join and what are some of the projects that students have done in the past?
   (Interested in the public health, advocacy, and community engagement concentration or the women’s health)
3. If you had a niece or daughter who was going through the application cycle, would you want them to attend Wayne State University School of Medicine, and why?
4. Are students able to suggest community programs if an area of need is discovered? If so, how does the process work?
5. Are there resources for board exam preparation?

Question 30

What questions do you have for me (student)?

Answer 30

1. What are the most popular extracurricular activities?
2. I read on the school’s website about the Warrior MD houses and had some questions regarding this and just mentorship in general. –> Are students randomly assigned to these houses during their first year and continue to be a part of them until they graduate? Also, what other resources do students have access to if they are struggling during medical school?
3. Is there anything you would add to the curriculum?
4. Are there resources for board exam preparation?

Question 31

What is the Wayne State curriculum like

Answer 31

Highways to Excellence Curriculum:
- Self-directed learning (asynchronous/maybe recorded lectures)
- Synchronous small group based case scenarios + lab
- Early clinical exp (medical school education that goes beyond the traditional classroom lecture as early as MS1)
- Opp to apply what is learned while helping the community

Question 32

What is your most significant non-medically related volunteer experience?

Answer 32

Although I have not had a long-term non-medically related volunteer experience, in college I participated in various community initiatives. I would say my most-significant being participating in a college wide relief effort to collect and send items to Puerto Rico after hurricane Maria happened. This time for me was very personal, especially because I still have family over there and I lost all communication with them for weeks. It was the beginning of the fall semester for me and I was trying my hardest to focus on classes but I knew I wanted to contribute and help in any way I could. Other students, staff and faculty members felt the same way. So, the communication department made some posters and I helped to place them around campus as well as set up the various bins around campus where people could go and donate relief items. It was an extremely gratifying experience and made me feel more at peace knowing I was doing everything in my power to help Puerto Rico during such a difficult time.

Question 33

What achievement are you most proud of on your path to medical school?

Answer 33

I would say the achievement I am most proud of so far on this path is having graduated college with summa cum laude honors as a first generation student. Similar to other immigrants, my single mother and I did not have the easiest road when we moved to Massachusetts. Being faced with the inability to communicate, ill health and not having a home really make an impact on your character but I chose to use the experiences as lessons and as further inspiration to continue working towards my goals. As we were undergoing these difficulties, my desire to pursue medicine solidified since this is when I started to visit so many doctors. My mom and I knew that in order to become a doctor I first had to attend a 4 year college and I remember the many conversations we had about how we could even afford that type of education. We really had no guidance or family members to ask about the process since no one had ever attended a 4 year college before. Coming to the realization that I not only was able to attend but reap so many of the benefits from my time at Framingham State University and graduate with high honors is definitely my proudest achievement thus far.

Question 34

Tell us about a time you made a mistake

Answer 34

The first time I started to study for the MCAT - made the mistake to think I had to dedicate all my free time to studying. This led me to burning out really fast and not succeeding. Learned that although it feels counter intuitive at times, actually planning breaks in between the many things I have to accomplish, will help me reset and recharge so I can continue on

Question 35

Discuss a time when you went against the orders of your superiors.

Answer 35

Once when I began working at Emerson, I was asked to physically lift a pt from their car into a wheelchair so they could attend their appointment. It really broke my heart but I had to unfortunately go against this request and disagree with it because I was not trained on how to safely lift and move a pt and would be risking the pt’s safety. Moreover, if something went wrong throughout the trans course of me lifting the pt up, the hospital could have faced a legal dilemma since I had no training on how to lift, reposition and transport pts. In the moment I felt disappointed in myself at being unable to directly help this pt but I was indirectly helping them. Thankfully, when I explained this to both the doctor and my manager, they agreed this was a valid point and we waited for two of the nurses who were trained in patient lifting to be able to transport the pt upstairs to our ofc

Question 36

Describe a time when your principles were challenged?

Answer 36

Trying to increase one of our doctor’s panel - manager asked us to tell new patients that he was the only one taking new patients even though this was false. Instead of lying, I would usually straight up offer this doctor to patients first since many were just simply looking for a PCP. One time however, a pt asked if he was a male, when I confirmed, she expressed her wish to see a female. I knew our female doctor was accepting new patients and as such I double checked with the doctor directly and then informed my manager I had already confirmed with the Dr. that it was okay to add this pt on –> my concern first and foremost was that this pt receive the care she needed.

Question 37

Tell me about a time when you were in an ethically questionable situation.

Answer 37

Staff meeting - being recognized for increasing our quality measures but I intervened and mentioned it was a team effort. Although I put a great deal of work into it and called the majority of the patients from the list the hospital gave us, I felt it wasn’t right to not recognize the other staff members who also worked on the project

Question 38

When I present you to the committee, is there anything you would like me to tell them?

Answer 38

My background as a Latina pt raised in a single parent household has shown me how difficult accessing healthcare can be for pts in marginalized communities, motivating me to serve those who need it most as a physician. In addition, working at Emerson as a medical assistant has shown me the impact health inequities have on patients, leading me to recently join the Emerson Health Equity Taskforce Committee in order to address the gaps our patients face daily while trying to get care. Moreover, my experience with Emerson has taught me how interconnected healthcare and community are to one another, and the importance of supporting the community both in and outside the medical office. As such, I believe I fit the mission for Wayne State University SOM, and I look forward to bringing my experiences to campus and learning from others in order to serve our community and continue to improve our delivery of quality healthcare.