If asked what qualities a doctor should have, what should I say and how should I link it to my experiences?

Applying for medical school is a long and can seem like a very draughting process, but understanding what the medicals schools are looking for will help you to stand out as a candidate at interview. There are general qualities that all medical schools look for, and you may see lists of 'catch-phases' of words that medicals schools 'like to hear'. In reality they are trying to pick candidates who will enjoy spending time learning about medicine and many years working as a doctor. The best way to understand what qualities these are is to spend time in hospitals, with patients and talking to doctors.

Through doing this you'll form your own opinion of the qualities which you think form the best doctors and you'll see different behaviours that inspire or interest you. These may include well developed communication skills, such as doctors coming to a patient's eye level and talking at an appropriate pace, or it may be the way in which a doctor works as part of a multidisciplinary team. Having identified the qualities which you think are most important, think about how you're able to practice these. Perhaps writing notes on the effects of different ways you communicate with children as a volunteer at a play school, or the strengths and weaknesses you have identified in your different roles within a sports team. Being able to general qualities of a doctor like this, rather than generate a list of generic words will propel you in an interview and make you stand out as a genuine and intuitive student to the medical school.