Interview Questions

In order to diligently prepare for interviews with veterinary schools, students should familiarize themselves with common interview questions asked by vet schools and practice delivery by doing mock interviews. Students interested in doing a mock interview with UofL veterinarian faculty to prepare for their veterinary college interviews should contact the Department of Biology. Often, interview questions are tailored to the individual student so it is important to reread your application and letter of purpose as you prepare for your interview. Interviewers may also ask about current events around the world affecting the veterinary profession or past influential events. Students should research their schools and come up with questions of their own to ask during their interview. Below are some common questions asked in vet school interviews, as well as some sample questions students could ask. 

 Sample questions you may be asked at your interview:

1. Tell us about your veterinary experience.

2. Why do you want to be a vet? How can you be sure?

3. Briefly tell us about yourself.

4. How do you feel about mandatory spay/neuter laws?

5. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? How about 20 years?

6. How do you feel about using animals for research and surgery teaching purposes?

7. Talk about three things affecting the veterinary profession globally and expand upon them.

8. How much debt will you be in when you graduate vet school? How do you plan to deal with that debt?

9. What would you do if a client repeatedly ignored your advice?

10. What are you strengths and weaknesses? How would those affect you as you practice veterinary medicine?

11. How do you think veterinary medicine in the U.S. could be improved? How would you go about helping to influence those changes?

12. What will you do if you are not accepted into veterinary school next year?

13. What would you do if an owner brought their healthy pet to you and asked you to euthanize it because they are moving out of the state? 

14. What would you do if you killed a patient through mistreatment or misdiagnosis?

15. Tell us about a teamwork experience you were involved in that you are proud of. What was your role? 

16. How do you feel about free clinics?

17. What would you do if you accidentally euthanized the wrong patient? (E.g., you have two black labs in your clinic: one is brought in for a nail trim and the other has been brought in for euthanasia. You euthanize the lab brought in for a nail trim.)

18. What have you accomplished since your application?

19. Can you explain what happened to your grades here?

20. What do you think a veterinarian's role is in a community? How will you participate in your community after vet school?

21. What do you think is the current "hot topic" in veterinary medicine? What's your opinion on the matter?

22. What was the best part of your experience working/volunteering at ______? What about the worst?

23. What skills are essential to becoming a successful veterinarian and why?  Which of these skills do you have? Which do you not have? How will not having these skills affect you?

24. What is the biggest challenge facing the veterinarian community today? What would you do to resolve/overcome it?

25. Why do you want to go to school here? If you are accepted into two schools, what are your deciding factors to choose between the two? 

Remember, many questions will be tailored to your individual application. It is important to review your application until you are completely familiar with it -- you should be able to answer questions comfortably and naturally. You can find more sample questions by searching the internet, as well as at The Student Doctor Network forums. 

Sample questions to ask at your interview:

1. What is one thing you love about this school?

2. If I have to pick between this school and another, why should I pick this one?

3. What do you think are the strongest areas of this school in terms of research, small animals, large animals, etc.?

4. How active are the vet school clubs here? How much hands on experience do they get? Do they require a huge time commitment?

5. Beyond the obvious, what are you looking for in an applicant?

6. What is one piece of advice you would give to a new veterinarian?