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Questions
- Tell us who you are. (30 words)
- Describe the most important thing you have done in the past two years. Why was it so important? (50 words)
- Outline some experiences that you would like to have in the next 10 years (50 words)
- Apart from your parents or guardians, identify the person who contributed the most to your success in life to date. In what way did they contribute (40 words)
- What makes you an outstanding candidate for our Medicine Program? (30 words)
As you can see, the UNSW medicine written questions all have one thing in common – they are very short. Your task as an applicant is to be able to convey as much quality information about yourself as possible in the few words you have.
A common misconception is that the word count is insufficient to write a response with substance or detail. Subsequently, many candidates are satisfied in submitting fairly generic answers. To separate yourself from the pack, your responses must show evidence of careful reflection. In doing so, you also reveal a lot more depth about your character and add more value to the answers you provide.
Question 1
Tell us who you are.
What makes you an outstanding candidate for our Medicine Program?
The act of reflecting on your answers is what will set you apart. It shows through the substance of your answer. For these questions, it is easy to list a few qualities, burn through the words and submit an application. In fact, we see many students write sentences like “I’m compassionate, friendly, empathetic, hard-working…” However, the candidates who shine out are ones that talk about how specific traits they have, actually make them outstanding for the program or provide some insight as to who they are as a person. Rather than trying to cram multiple attributes and ultimately providing superficial information…
I am compassionate, friendly, hard-working and empathetic towards others and so am well suited to this medical program.
Instead try picking two traits per question (flexible) you want to focus on and expand on them. See how this example goes far beyond what a typical applicant would write and gives insight to the admissions team on your motivation…
My empathetic nature helps me understand the intricacies of emotions that patients may have, as well as look out for my peers and colleagues. This is key in a profession where collaboration is everything.
Question 2
Describe the most important thing you have done in the past two years. Why was it so important?
When making the choice for which ‘important thing’, do not pick based on ‘impressiveness’. To elaborate, an assessor’s focus is not on whether you held a leadership position or not but rather what you did and learnt in that leadership position. Conveniently, this prioritisation of substance over material means that you can construct a thoughtful, high-quality answer even if you don’t hold a plethora of accolades. To help you brainstorm your answer to this question try an answer these sub-questions:
- What important action you took/experience/anecdote had the most impact on your own outlook towards the world?
- What specifically challenged, provoked, inspired you?
- How did you overcome or deal with that?
- What did you learn from this experience and how did it change you?
Need a trained eye to review?
Want us to have a look at your application and give you detailed, personalised feedback? Give us a call!
Disclaimer: This is a paid service.
Question 3
Outline some experiences that you would like to have in the next 10 years?
Assessors want to get an understanding of your long-term goals – your vision for your own future. Make sure you choose experiences that align with a 10-year period. It’s no small amount of time! We also typically suggest students have a mix of both professional and personal experiences.
Many candidate responses we have read, simply list a few experiences. Some say they want to do a lot of travelling while also having a fulfilling role in the medical profession. Others talk about research. These are all great experiences however, explaining why you want to have that experience is equally important and often the ‘hidden’ part of the question that most candidates don’t touch on at all.
I want to go on a student exchange trip and get a broader understanding and appreciation of the global health care system.
Why do you want to do a lot of travelling? Is it because you think you will be able to broaden your knowledge of different cultures, a skill you can apply in your life? Maybe you want to do some volunteering or charity work for an organisation you feel very passionate about. Frame your sentences in a way that has a driving purpose behind it.
Question 4
Apart from your parents or guardians, identify the person who contributed the most to your success in life to date. In what way did they contribute?
This question seeks to determine two things. Firstly, whether your humility allows you to recognise that no one is self-made and you truly recognise significant people in your life that have made big contributions to your growth. Secondly, that you have reflected on your own personal growth and understand how your strengths and weaknesses have changed as you’ve matured.
My physics teacher taught me valuable learning attitudes – to always be meticulous, have a passion for the nuances and staying confident. She motivated me to constantly challenge myself but also to reflect on and grow from my mistakes.
Need a trained eye to review?
Want us to have a look at your application and give you detailed, personalised feedback? Give us a call!
Disclaimer: This is a paid service.
FAQ
We will add more questions here as they come. If you still have a question unanswered just comment below!
References
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Where: CB11.03.301, Level 3, Building 11, 81 Broadway, Ultimo NSW 2007
When: 2 Days, 4th-5th November 2023, 10am-3pm with a lunch break in between. 
Why: The masterclass is taught by Dr. Jason Yu who is a senior clinician and former interview panelist, and is intended to build on the fundamentals that students have established through the video course and online materials. 
What: We will be covering different universities on each of the days. You will have the opportunity to analyse and breakdown interview questions together with Dr Jason and learn how he approaches these questions. Students will have the opportunity to receive personal feedback on their responses.
