To the ~220 of you out there that are lucky enough to have received an interview at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine this year — Congratulations! It’s an exhilarating feeling to receive an invitation, but it may often be followed with a feeling of absolute terror.
That’s why, for those of you who are able to, I suggest making your way up to UC Davis next week for the Interviewee Orientation. I think this is a very valuable experience for a few reasons:
- Get to know the school. For those of you who have never been here, this is an opportunity to see the school in an environment that is meant to be relaxed and fun. You can see the campus, sit in the classrooms, and go on a tour of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH).
- Talk to first year students. You’ll have an opportunity to meet and talk to first year students who were in your shoes last year. You can ask them anything and everything you want and without any judgment. I will be one of a handful of first year students on the student panel that will be fielding questions, so I can assure you that we will be honest and I can guarantee you that you will have an awesome time as it is a really fun group we’ve got on the panel!
- See the interview room. It’s your ONLY opportunity to see where you will be interviewing – the room, the tables, etc. Since so much of the interview is unknown and variable from person to person, getting a nice image in your head of where the events will unfold can do a lot to calm your nerves.
- Free lunch. If you’re not yet a poor student, you’ll soon learn to love and appreciate free food.
Last year, I bit the bullet and booked two flights up to Davis (one weekend after the other) to attend the workshop and then interview the following week. It was well worth it.
Much luck to you and I hope to meet you next week at the workshop!