The Dreaded “Tell Us About Yourself” Interview Question for PA school
If you have made it to the point of preparing for your PA school interview – CONGRATS! You have worked hard to achieve this. One of the questions that appear simple on the surface, but causes a lot of people anxiety is, “Tell us about yourself”. Read through to build a template of how to successfully answer this.
Most importantly, and often overlooked, is to be concise. If you start rambling about past experiences and hobbies for 3 or more minutes, the interview team is going to lose interest and not know what is going on. They may even cut you off, ask for a shorter answer or redirect you, YIKES. Try to keep the response to this question between 30-90 seconds long.
The beginning phrase, the hook if you will, must be clean and grab the interview committee’s attention. This sentence should include a professional introduction about yourself, with something that you absolutely want them to know. For example, “I am a first generation college student that has been working as a CNA on the cardiac unit of a hospital for the past 2 years, which has allowed me to see both acutely and chronically ill patients.” Below the surface level, this tells the committee that you are driven, hard working, and willing to figure tasks out on your own. This can be curated for any unique trait and position.
Next you want to tell them something exceptional that will set you apart from the other candidates. This can be a unique experience, such as a mission trip, or skills you have learned on the job that will make you an asset to the program, such as becoming proficient at reading EKGs. An example of each of these would be, “Something that I don’t get to talk a lot about is the month I spent abroad volunteering in a medical clinic. At the clinic, I would assist the team in seeing 20 or more patients a day, providing care to those in need and developing both my bed side and clinical skills.” This sentence shows that you value working with underserved populations and are committed to growing into the best provider you can be.
Another example would be, “During my past 3 years as a paramedic, learning how to navigate different encounters has become a second nature. A skill I am particularly proud of is reading and understanding the clinical correlation behind EKGs.” This sentence also highlights the fact that you are working towards becoming a strong provider and developing critical thinking skills!
Lastly, you want to talk about why you would be a good fit for the program and why they should choose you over another applicant. To do this, you have to say something that aligns with the program’s mission statement and values, which can be found on MYPABOX.
For a program that values working in medically underserved areas, saying something like, “As someone that has volunteered in medically underserved communities for the past several years, attending a program with strong values that align with my own is something I will not waiver on. This is a core reason I am so excited to be here talking to you all today!” Or for a program that values teamwork, saying something along the lines of, “As someone that has been in clubs (or on sports teams) for the majority of my life, I strive and excel in environments that foster teamwork. This is one of the many reasons I was drawn to this program and am so excited to be talking to you all today!”
Let’s bring it all together now.
Interviewer: “Thank you for joining us today. Let’s start off with you telling us a little bit about yourself.”
Interviewee: “Thank you for having me here today! As you know, my name is X. I am a first generation college student that has been working as a CNA on the cardiac unit of a small community hospital for the past 2 years, which has allowed me to see both acutely and chronically ill patients. Something that I don’t get to talk a lot about is the month I spent abroad in X , volunteering in a medical clinic. At the clinic, I would assist the team in seeing 20 or more patients a day, providing care to those in need and developing both my bed side and clinical skills. As someone that has volunteered in medically underserved communities for the past several years, attending a program with strong values that align with my own is something I will not waiver on. This is a core reason I am so excited to be here talking to you all today!”
Remember to show your personality and excitement! We are rooting for you!
Comment below your key interview tips!
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