Medical school interview attire

Medical School Interview Attire

Congratulations! You received a med school interview invitation because you are being strongly considered.  After all the preparation and hard work, you surely would not want to decrease your acceptance chance because of poor judgment on your dress code. Dr. Rachel Rizal and Dr. Rishi Mediratta often get asked how to dress for a medical school interview. Below are med school interview attire tips for both men and women.There’s been quite a bit of debate in other non-medical industries lately about medical school interview attire. With the surge in technology-related startups where people dress casually, for example, interview attire has become even more ambiguous.

It is important to recognize, however, that applying to medical school is a professional activity and medicine is a fairly traditional industry. It’s best to project an image of professionalism in front of an admissions committee during a medical school interview.

When it comes to the medical school interview attire, you should dress to impress. What does this mean?

Medical school interview attire

Female Med School Interview Attire Tips

Hi ladies! Here are some tips on what to wear to a medical school interview. We include tips on accessories too! The medical school interview process is grueling. If you need help preparing for your upcoming medical school interview, we can help you STAND OUT through our mock interviews!

How to Dress for Medical School Interview Tip #1 – Suit & Shirt vs. Dress

There are a number colors and styles you can choose from for your med school interview attire. What’s important is to keep things simple. Black, gray, and navy-blue suits always do the trick. You can wear a suit blazer with either dress pants or a skirt. The skirt should not be too short; if possible, your skirt should be about knee-length.

One question our Cracking Med School Admissions team receives often is what shirt is appropriate for ladies. Wearing a button-down dress shirt or a nice blouse works. Med school interviews are professional, hence require rather conservative attires. Avoid loud bright colors and patterns. And definitely do not wear a blouse that has too revealing of a v-neck (low-cut).

We often get asked, “Can you wear a dress to a med school interview?” The answer is yes. However, just like the suit and pants / skirt, make sure your outfit is dark colored and conservative. It should not be too short or too revealing.

 
How to Dress for Medical School Interview Tip #2 – Make-up and Accessories

Same thing applies with make-up and accessories – go for simple.

Make-up: You can wear a light concealer or powder. You can also wear mascara, eyeliner, eye shadow, lipstick, and lip gloss. But remember to avoid anything too conspicuous.

Jewelry: Avoid anything distracting for your jewelry. Simple necklaces, earrings, watches, and bracelets can be nice touches, but they are not necessary. For earrings, studs look more professional than dangling earrings.

Nail polish: If you decide to wear nail polish, go for neutral tones. Again, avoid anything too bright or elaborate.

Tattoos: Cover up all tattoos.

 
How to Dress for Medical School Interview Tip #3 – Shoes

You are likely to do a lot of walking around the campus during your med school interview day. Your feet should feel comfortable with whatever shoes you choose. In our opinion, heels (including low heels) look more professional than flats, but it’s okay to wear either style. Make sure your shoes are closed-toe. Again, go for matching and neutral colors. We have seen girls wear bright red or bright pink shoes, and they attract too much attention.

How to Dress for Medical School Interview Tip #4 – Other Things to Bring

Besides the above, you may also need to carry along the following: a winter coat, scarf, and gloves because it often gets cold. You’ll also need to carry an interview portfolio folder, which you may want to keep in a large purse. Read our blog on 5 essential things to bring to a medical school interview.

 
Tip #5 – Dont’s

To briefly re-iterate – do not:

  • try to be too trendy
  • wear short skirts
  • wear low-cut shirts
  • wear bright colors
  • wear open-toed shoes
  • have funny new hairstyles or distracting hair accessories
  • wear distracting necklaces or other jewelry
  • come with brightly, died hair
  • wear visible tattoos
What to wear to med school interview female: any considerations for virtual interviews? 

During your virtual interview day, your interviewer will only see the top half of your body. Therefore, many applicants do not wear their formal dress pants or dress skirts; instead, they wear comfy yoga pants or sweat pants. This is okay, but make sure there are no events, such as mixers and group interviews, where you will have to stand up and show the bottom half of your body!

We have also heard students want to “feel” more like an in-person interview, so they do wear the complete suit. It’s your choice! 

Either way, we suggest to not wear heels or uncomfortable shoes during virtual interviews.

Men Med School Interview Attire Tips

Our biggest suggestion for Interview Day Attire: 

Don’t be afraid to venture away from a black suit and white shirt. We recommend individuals to wear more colorful clothing, like light pink or baby blue dress shirts. 

Hi gents! Here are some tips on what to wear to a medical school interview. We include tips on accessories too!

Perfect your medical school performance through working with our Cracking Med School Admissions interview team. We’ll help refine your interview skills so you can gain an acceptance!

Medical School Interview Attire Tip #1 –Suit

The general tone of med school interview attire is conservative. When looking for a suit, go for something both professional and comfortable. Black, grey, and navy blue suits are always associated with professionalism. Please wear your suit jacket or formal blazer during your medical school interview.

As mentioned, the suit should be comfortable. It should be well cut down to your size. Remove any tags, stickers (including previous name tags that you wore at other interviews), and pins before the med school interview. Ensure your suit is properly cleaned and ironed.

Med School Interview Attire Tip #2 – Dress Shirt and Ties

Your dress shirt, tie, and suit should all match. One question we often receive is whether males have to wear white dress shirts to their interview. Our opinion is – no. In fact, we like solid-colored or patterned shirts with some color to them. But make sure your dress shirts are not too bright.

Ties can give an outfit personality. Again, make sure it matches and looks professional. Some people try to match their tie color with the medical school’s colors.

Medical School Interview Attire Tip #3 – Dress Shoes

Your shoes need to match the rest of your outfit. Men have a simple choice between black and brown. They are both conservative and professional.

Medical School Interview Attire Tip #4 – Other Things to Bring

Besides the above medical school interview outfit, you may also need to carry along the following: a winter coat, scarf and gloves, because it often gets cold. You’ll also need to carry an interview portfolio folder. Read more below on 5 essential things to bring to a medical school interview.

What about facial hair?

For the past few years, facial hair has become increasingly acceptable towards a professional interview look. Gents – if you’re going to have facial hair, then make sure it’s trimmed and neatly groomed. Or, if you want to play it safe, go for the traditional clean-shaven look!

What to wear to med school interview male: any considerations for virtual interviews? 

During your virtual interview day, your interviewer will only see the top half of your body. Therefore, many applicants do not wear their formal dress pants; instead, they wear comfy sweat pants. This is okay, but make sure there are no events, such as mixers and group interviews, where you will have to stand up and show the bottom half of your body!

One of our suggestions is to wear comfy pants that still look formal, just in case you have to stand up during your interview. One recent fashion trend is that there are many stretch dress pants or garter pants that look formal. It might be a good investment to purchase one for interview season! 

What to bring to your interview day

Is there anything else you need to bring to your medical school interview? Yes!

For in-person medical school interviews, we have a whole blog post and list of things you should bring, including: directions, an interview folder, and a couple of black or blue pens.

For online interviews, make sure your laptop is fully charged and that your laptop charger is plugged in. Be in a place with good internet. We also recommend to have a pen and notebook ready in case you want to write down notes or somebody’s email address. If you want to show the interviewer something – like a piece of artwork – have that handy. Finally, we like to recommend our students to have post-its with “Words of Encouragement” or reminders.

Other items to bring to your medical school interview

If you are prepared, the Cracking Med School Admissions interview gives you the perfect opportunity to standout and shine by sharing with people what you are passionate about.

Med School Admissions Interview Guide eBook Cover

Common Med School Interview Attire Questions

Q: When do medical schools offer interviews? 

Some medical schools start giving out invites in late August and early September. A majority of med school invitations are given to applicants between late September to mid-December. There are still several invites that are given in January and February. Please note that even for medical schools that start giving interview invites early, they can still give their last medical school interview invites to applicants until December or January. 

 
Q: When is medical school interview season?

Medical school interview season lasts from September to February. It is important to keep in mind that each medical school has its own timeline.

Q: Should I send thank you emails after my medical school interview?

Definitely! Read medical school interview thank you letter samples here

Q: What are common medical school interview questions?

Download the most common medical school interview questions in our Cracking Med School Admissions Interview Guide above!

Contact Us About Med School Interviews

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