tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76382453770018944892024-03-28T13:11:02.122+05:00The AKU Challenge!The Ultimate Guide for getting admission to the Aga Khan UniversitySohaib Qhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635972634119224012noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-29949346727143090362021-10-04T17:28:00.002+05:002021-10-05T13:04:34.797+05:00AKU MBBS Admissions 2021-2022 - Interview Advice<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Congratulations to those of you who
cleared their AKU entrance test. You guys have completed your first big step
towards your dream journey and now it’s time to start learning about the
interview process- after the mini celebration of course. This post will
highlight all the helpful stuff that we have painstakingly gathered over the
past few months; feel free to share it with other applicants (or don’t </span><span face=""Segoe UI Symbol","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">😉</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A big update to our Blogspot this
year is that we’ll be holding mock interviews. We completely understand the
thought of being interviewed can be nerve-wracking for those who’ve never given
one before. Keeping this in mind, our own students will help you get acquainted
with the dynamics of the interview. This mock interview will be taken on campus
or on a Zoom call, whichever’s more convenient. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You can schedule your mock interview
by sending us your acceptance letter (which we assure will be kept confidential
under all circumstances) at our email (akuhelp@outlook.com</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">) and we will
guide you through the next steps.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you have any other queries that
have not been addressed in this post, please feel free to
contact us. We’ll be more than happy to assist you. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Looking forward to meeting you all
soon, good luck!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">•<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Link
to Yasrab's detailed guide about admission and interview process: <a href="https://bit.ly/3mksox3">https://bit.ly/3mksox3</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">•<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Advice
by my senior batches: <a href="https://bit.ly/3Bav5re">https://bit.ly/3Bav5re</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 16.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Arshia
Jahangir, Class of 2025<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1<sup>st</sup> Interviewer - Dr Sara
Khan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She started off by asking some
general questions about my interests, volunteer work, why med, why AKU should
select you, family (what they all do, if I’m a family person, how would my
friends and family describe me etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She asked a lot of questions about
Covid and what measures we took to adapt to the new normal especially online
learning<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She asked some specific questions as
well such as how exactly we restricted ourselves during quarantine, what
expectations I had from people around me regarding following SOPs, how did I
convince my house staff that covid was real<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She asked about my activities during
the lockdown<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She also gave me a scenario which I
don’t remember exactly but it was along the lines of convincing a stubborn
friend of mine about something unethical they were about to do and if I’d
report them or not<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Overall, it was around an hour long.
She was a bit stern, cross questioned a little but fortunately didn’t ask any
weird questions <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2<sup>nd</sup> interviewer Dr Faisal
Ismail:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Started off by asking literally the
same questions as my last interviewer except emphasized a lot on family stuff<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Asked what new skills people should
incorporate to be able to succeed<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Asked why AKU and what makes it
better than other med unis in my opinion (don’t answer this by bashing other
unis pls)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What facilities in AKU do I most
look forward to<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He was very calm and friendly, and
the interview went very smoothly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 16.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Asad
Fatimi, Class of 2025<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Questions about COVID and what I did
during the lockdowns during which we had to stay at home<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was currently enrolled at a
university in the US at the time my interview was happening, so I was asked
about why I was applying to AKU in spite of that; asked if I would choose AKU
over that university, and if so, why<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How did COVID change my perspectives
and how should we adapt<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Asked me about social responsibility
and how I wish to give back to the community<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why do I want to do medicine, what
makes me think I will be good at it<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why AKU<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What qualities do you think a good
doctor has<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Asked about gender-based violence
and my thoughts on it, why does it happen in Pakistan, how it can be addressed<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Asked about studying habits and how
I will balance medical school studies with other things I hope to pursue (Like
ECA’s and social life)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Interviewers were Dr. Laila Akberali
(a little strict, but straightforward and no-nonsense sort of attitude) and Dr.
Asim Baig (very friendly); neither of the interviewers was intimidating as
such. Interview with Dr. Baig was more like a conversation about life and
aspirations and stuff while interview with Dr. Akberali was more like a
traditional formal interview<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Goes without saying, but it is of
utmost importance to be as respectful as possible<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr Asim Baig also asked a very out
of the ordinary question at the end of the interview: how would you measure the
weight of a mountain<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 16.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayesha
Ali, Class of 2025<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Questions from the first
interview: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tell me about yourself</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Family members</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Role you played in covid</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Your opinion about
social accountability</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Volunteer work and ECAs</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Leadership positions you
have taken previously</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">D<span style="color: black;">id you
take tuitions in your academic life?</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What is your role in
your house? What is your relationship with your family like?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why AKU</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Opinion on academic
integrity </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Your core values</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A detailed conversation about Pakistani
education system, decision making for a career and plans after graduation about
pursuing training abroad or in Pakistan. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This interview started
off with generic questions but whatever I answered she picked on it and her
next question was a follow up to it. So, a general rule of thumb would be to
never lie or bring up something you do not have the knowledge to talk about
because there will be a lot of follow up questions.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Questions from the
second interview:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tell me about yourself</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Family members</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Routine in covid during
lockdown</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why has polio not been
eradicated yet</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why should we choose
you?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What will you do for AKU</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why MBBS?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Three words that your
parent will use to describe you</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What do you do for your
parents?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Name your friends and
what do they do</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Will you be able to fit
in the diverse environment of AKU</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Your preferred studying
method and whether you took tuitions</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A failure in your life
and how you overcame it</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Volunteer work and ECAs</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you became the prime minister what is the
first thing you would fix</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-indent: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An overall tip for the
interviews would be to walk in with a calm mind, look presentable and BE
HUMBLE- say salam, be polite, if they ask a question in urdu preferably answer
in urdu and if at any point you get stuck just politely tell them to give you
some time to think about it or if they can come to this question again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 16.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shilpa
Golani, Class of 2025<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 16.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Introduce yourself <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How’s your daily routine? Activities and stuff <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Why do you want to be a doctor? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Social life? Friends? they asked how often I go out
and the approximate number of friends I have and also where do I go with my
friends lmao <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How’s your relationship with your family? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do you have guy friends? How’s your relationship with
them? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">They asked if I am dating anyone<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Who are you closest to? And How would that person
describe you?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">They questioned my outfit lmao (if you are wearing
western in the picture you submitted to them, please wear western and vice
versa) just expect ANYTHING<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">One of my interviewers picked an organization where I
volunteered and literally asked every detail on it so if you are writing
something in the activities form please know every detail even WHY did you
choose to volunteer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How would my friends describe me in three words? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I’m a Hindu, so they asked if I have faced any
problems because of my religion and they gave me a case where I was bullied
because of my religion and asked how I would handle that situation- I swear
nothing like this happens at AKU, they just give you weird situations <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Socio-economic problems in Pakistan <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do you have any regrets in your life? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How does the education system work at AKU?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">They asked what inspired me to apply to AKU? I told a
friend did, we both applied together but he couldn’t clear the test. So, they
asked if we had to choose between you and him, what would you suggest? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Have you ever worked in a team? If yes, give an
example where you faced a problem and how did you handle the situation?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If you don’t get selected, what are your backup plans?
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Will I come back to Pakistan? and why? Please prepare
well for this one haha <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Any questions for them? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In my point of you try to talk about your life more.
Your interview literally depends on you. You direct it. If you give them a
little break, they’ll start random questions like issues in Pakistan, covid,
and global issues, and that way they won’t get to know you so initiate topics
yourself and they'll cross-question yourself.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Lastly, if you get Dr. Laila, I'm sure she'll try to
test your patience. Please try to stay calm, and I kid you not she was
literally screaming at me. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Also, if you know any senior/professor at AKU try to
mention them because some professors know them, and they initiate a
conversation. They are kinda impressed that you have a life other than your own
school too and you are actually interested in AKU. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="li2"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Good luck!! Let me know if you have any specific
questions. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 16.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><br /><p></p>Ayush Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08428978117342166987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-88795391690462280112021-05-12T00:20:00.003+05:002021-05-12T21:39:24.178+05:00Admissions Open for MBBS 2021-2022 (Last Date: 28th July) + Blog Future<div><ul style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><b>MBBS Admissions Page:</b> <a href="https://www.aku.edu/admissions/mbbs/Pages/home.aspx">MBBS | Admissions | The Aga Khan University (aku.edu)</a></li></ul><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Over here, please download the Programme Information Booklet/Admission Information and go through it in detail. You can also download the Sample Test paper that will give you an overview of the format. Generally just familiarize yourself with everything on this page.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: left;"><br /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">If you have any questions, contact AKU at mbbs.query@aku.edu.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><ul style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><b>Preparing for admission into AKU's MBBS program (Written Guide):</b> <a href="https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg" style="color: #cc6411; text-decoration-line: none;">https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg</a></li></ul><div style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">This is the extensive guide I wrote after securing my own admission into AKU's MBBS program. Please ensure you use this link to access it so that you're getting the latest version..</div><ul style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><b>AKU-EB Past Papers + Answers</b></li></ul><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8zG6ETp7LjBcWZRSW5seE5wU1U" style="color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-decoration-line: none;">https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8zG6ETp7LjBcWZRSW5seE5wU1U</a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px;"> <br /></span></div></div><div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div>Hey everyone,<div><br /></div><div>Yasrab here from the MBBS Class of 2022.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Over the past three and a half years, it has been an absolute honor to keep all of you updated with the little nuances and changes that are made each year, to provide help individually to those who've contacted me (some of whom are juniors in AKU today), to gather relevant information from fellow students regarding their own journeys and subsequently provide it all here, and quite simply, to be a source of help for aspiring students.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, as my own workload and responsibilities have begun to pile up, and simply knowing that this is something that needs to be continued down the batches, ensuring that this central reference for future applicants remains alive and active, I have decided to take on board a couple of people from my junior batches (mainly from the Class of 2024) and have them formerly run this blog in the future. That's the next logical step, as this blog was also handed down to me by my own, amazing seniors when I got accepted here. Thus, future posts and email queries will be directed to those individuals. I'll ask them to introduce themselves and mention what they have in mind for the rest of the year, as soon as it's finalized.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>With that out of the way, what is <b>important to note </b>right now is the last date being 28th July. I believe that this is because of the Covid-19 situation and how the admissions and batches are being managed. This does give plenty of time to prepare for the first biggest step, i.e. the entry test. </div><div><br /></div><div>However, there have been certain changes in the process itself over the years, such as who is eligible for the entry test and who isn't, the way the entry test has been divided up and subjects covered, the interview itself, etc. Hence, I suggest thoroughly going through the official Programme Information Booklet. </div><div><br /></div><div>For this post, what I'm going to do is have the important links at the very top for ease of access, and here I'm going to link all of the relevant posts that are important for the time being, so anyone reading this can at least get an idea about how they ought to go about preparation:</div><div><ul style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><b>Admissions Open for MBBS 2020-2021: </b><a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2020/03/admissions-open-for-mbbs-2020-2021-last.html">The AKU Challenge!: Admissions Open for MBBS 2020-2021</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><b>Admissions Open for MBBS 2019-2020:</b> <a href="https://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/04/admissions-open-for-mbbs-2019-2020-last.html">The AKU Challenge!: Admissions Open for MBBS 2019-2020 (Last Date: 16th May)</a></li></ul></div><div><ul style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><b>AKU MBBS Admissions 2019-2020 - Interview Advice: </b><a href="https://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/07/aku-mbbs-admissions-2019-2020-interview.html">The AKU Challenge!: AKU MBBS Admissions 2019-2020 - Interview Advice</a></li></ul><div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Follow these link and then all the links within these posts.</div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">In regards to updates and differences compared to last year, the information will be updated shortly over here.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Till then, feel free to email me at akuhelp@outlook.com, so I can either respond directly or forward the email to whomever would be willing to provide assistance. </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Take care, and good luck!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Regards,</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Yasrab</div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"></ul></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-22037768913498543972020-09-23T01:44:00.001+05:002020-09-23T01:44:34.441+05:00Admissions Open for MBBS 2020-2021<div>Update 22/09/2020: <b>AKU-EB Past Papers (2016-2019) + Answers</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Apologies for the late update. Thanks to a wonderful junior, Alihyder Nazeer from the class of 2024, I am able to share updated AKU-EB past papers <b>with</b> answers. Not only was he kind enough to send this helpful resource over to me, but also confirmed the hunch I had back in 2017 when I applied that the closest we can get to the AKU MBBS entry test is AKU-EB papers. This is important because plenty of you email me regarding <i>authentic</i> (sarcasm intended) past papers for the AKU entry test sold by different academies and stores that are nothing but a scam. I repeat, as I've said countless times before, you will not find genuine past papers of the AKU entry test. However, what you can do is use these other resources to develop an overall strong preparation that should get you through, as many before you have done so in the past. Without further ado, I'm posting the link. It's the same as the one that contained the previous papers, just that there's a new folder within this folder, titled appropriately:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8zG6ETp7LjBcWZRSW5seE5wU1U" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-decoration-line: none;">https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8zG6ETp7LjBcWZRSW5seE5wU1U</a> </div><div><br /></div>Update 05/05/2020: <br /><br />It was brought to my notice that the entry test scoring changed last year after the removal of the English component. Back when I wrote this guide, English had to be passed separately, and everything else was lumped into a “Science” component that had to be passed as well. Since they removed English, they divided the sciences into two different components to pass. To recap, there’s one section of the three major sciences (biology, physics, and chemistry), one section on science reasoning/achievement, and another on math reasoning. To pass the test, you must pass the major sciences component separately and then the science reasoning and math reasoning sections together as one component. <br /><br />From what I understand, this means that you have to do well on the three sciences as well. When I appeared for the test, we could use the math and science reasoning portions to our advantage because they didn’t have negative marking. This meant that they could compensate for relatively poor performance on the major sciences. However, now that the major sciences are a component on their own that you must pass irrespective of math and science reasoning, this means that you need to be extremely careful – keeping in mind that there is negative marking – and wisely choose whether you’re going to make an educated guess and risk losing -0.25 marks or skip the question entirely.<br />
---------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Greetings,<br />
<br />
Time seems to by fly by quicker the older we get. It's the third time the admissions cycle has begun after I got here, yet I remember vividly the days of uncertainty I had to endure when I was in your shoes. Good times.<br />
<br />
Anyway, every batch brings with it tons of advice for the entry test and the interview, so I'll gather it all in one place from the first years (and anyone else who wants to contribute) and put up a post sometime in the future. Till then, the wealth of knowledge already present here is at your disposal. I'll share the links below.<br />
<br />
Compared to last year, there don't seem to be any major changes. <b>However</b>, I did want to point out, and <b>this is very important</b>, the process for allotting scholarships has changed compared to when I applied. In the guide I wrote, I mentioned how back in 2017, after receiving the acceptance letter, AKU asked each of us wanting a scholarship to list their top 5 academic achievements, top 5 extra-curricular achievements, and write an essay explaining why they deserve the scholarship. It was also necessary to have gotten at least 75% in the AKU entry test or (1500 in the SAT if you were an international student). After that they announced the names of the 5 students. In recent years, it seems that AKU has modified that. This is what they say now in their information booklet:<br />
<br />
<i>The University will offer five full scholarships to students joining the MBBS programme. The
eligibility criteria and other requirements are decided by the University Committee for Scholarships.
Applications are not required. The University’s decision is final. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The juniors have said that they simply ask you to apply for the financial aid if you need it, and then based on different criteria (which we don't know, but I'm guessing it's an overall review of the candidate's entry test score and other academic/non-academic achievements + financial need), they directly announce the names. What this means is that if you want the scholarship, just give it your best shot. That's all that can be said now.<br />
<br />
With that out of the way:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>MBBS Admissions Page:</b> <a href="https://www.aku.edu/admissions/mbbs/Pages/home.aspx">https://www.aku.edu/admissions/mbbs/Pages/home.aspx</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
Over here, please download the Programme Information Booklet and go through it in detail. You can also download the Sample Test paper that will give you an overview of the format. You're going to have to apply by the "apply online" link towards the bottom of the main page (also found towards the right as the top link, "Online Application"). And of course, generally just familiarize yourself with everything.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you have any questions, contact AKU at mbbs.query@aku.edu. They always helped me with my issues/queries.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Preparing for admission into AKU's MBBS program:</b> <a href="https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg">https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
This is the extensive guide I wrote after securing my own admission into AKU's MBBS program. Please ensure you use this link to access it so that you're getting the latest version, as I tend to update it from time to time.</div>
<ul>
<li><b>Admissions Open for MBBS 2019-2020:</b> <a href="https://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/04/admissions-open-for-mbbs-2019-2020-last.html">https://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/04/admissions-open-for-mbbs-2019-2020-last.html</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
Follow this link and then all the links in this post. There's no point in listing everything again here if there's already a post for it.</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b>AKU MBBS Admissions 2019-2020 - Interview Advice:</b><br /><a href="https://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/07/aku-mbbs-admissions-2019-2020-interview.html">https://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/07/aku-mbbs-admissions-2019-2020-interview.html</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
This is the only post that was made after the previous post.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
In addition to the above, go through the blog posts that were made back in 2015 and before that on this blog as well, for that also contains great advice that I personally followed. Also check the comments of this blog to see if any of the queries you might have are already addressed.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And of course, feel free to comment below for any questions or email me at akuhelp@outlook.com, and I'll reply as soon as possible. Due to increased workload I may not reply to every email or there might be some delay. Make sure you've already gone through the tons of advice here before emailing.<br />
<br />
Best of luck! :)</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-76144867338023333792019-07-20T22:57:00.000+05:002019-07-21T16:16:52.511+05:00AKU MBBS Admissions 2019-2020 - Interview AdviceSalam,<br />
<br />
As the results for the entry test have been released and interview dates have been announced, I figured I should compile a post for the interview.<br />
<br />
Firstly, as always, my own experience and advice is found the guide I wrote after my own admission back in 2017: <a href="https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg">https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg</a><br />
<br />
Secondly, last year I compiled extensive advice and personal experiences by many seniors here at AKU in this post: <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/09/aku-interview-2018-my-advice-advice-by.html">http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/09/aku-interview-2018-my-advice-advice-by.html</a><br />
<br />
<b>The link above should be your go to source</b> and I personally feel there's little more that can be done apart from adding whatever I'm able to gather from the incoming batches or other seniors, and that is what I'm attaching now.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Advice by Mustafa Aman, Class of 2023</h2>
Hey, I'm Mustafa Aman, an 023. The AKU Challenge blogspot was a tremendous help for me. I mean, I had literally no connection with any AKU student and I had no idea what to do and how to prepare for interview and all. I accidentally discovered this blog and it was a blessing in disguise for me. I'm extremely grateful for the creators behind this blog and for all those who gave their valuable advices. Now that I've finally made it in, I want to share my experience and put in my two-penny worth for all those aspiring candidates who wish to be a part of the lucky 100. Soo here ya go... <br />
<br />
First of all, congratulations for passing the test! You did it, I'm really proud of you! Now you're just one step away from being among the lucky one hundred. It may seem like this one last step is huuugee but worry not, I've got your back covered. I've got a couple of tips and advices regarding the interview and I hope you find them useful. <br />
<br />
But before I move on the interview, heres a list of general tips: <br />
<br />
- Eat well before the interview <br />
-Arrive early <br />
- Dress appropriately. For girls, any modest dress would do. For guys, a formal shirt and dress pants. Coat is optional. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, I couldnt wear a tie but I feel like a tie would make you look more professional. <br />
-Take a brief case of some sorts with you full with any certificates or artwork or the like that you might wanna show to the interviewers. <br />
-Have a good body language (eye contact, shoulders straight, use of hand gestures when talking) <br />
<br />
Ok so now that we are done with the basic stuff, lets get roooight into the real stuff. <br />
<br />
Soo you're gonna have a one on one, interview session twice by two different people. These sessions may be back to back or there might be some time in between. The time for each session varies from 15-20 minutes to 45+ minutes. From what I have gathered from my batch mates and seniors, one of the interviewer will be very lenient to you and so his/her interview will go just fine. The other interviewer will be very harsh. He/she will do this deliberately to see how you deal with pressure situations. One of my interviewers was very kind and showed a very empathetic response to something I told him, the second interviewer gave me a cold shrug to the exact same thing I told her. It really put me off but you should be prepared for it.<br />
<br />
The interviews on their own are pretty basic. They have a set of very simple basic questions that they ask literally everyone (will list them later on) and if you answer them straightforwardly, more likely than not, you wont be able to show the interviewer why you are different from the rest. In order to make your interview unique, you need to hold the conversation by its reigns and guide it by yourself to the places you want it to go. Once you do that, the interview will dig in deep. He/she will ask you questions and try to see what your thoughts, feelings, emotions, experiences are behind everything you say so make sure you know everything about what youve just said and that youre prepared to answer the interviewers questions in a very expressive manner. And please please be honest. Even if youre an infamous con-artist and are very proud if your lying skills, please dont lie about anything. When the interviewers start questioning you about what you said, they somehow always find out if youve been lying or not. And if they do catch you, its going to be extremely embarassing. <br />
<br />
Keep in mind that the interviewers will try to trap you. Since youre a normal human being, you will make mistakes. The interviewer will catch you when you do and push on your buttons even more. If this happens, dont panic. Take a deep breath. You may even ask the interviewer to give you a minute to gather your thoughts. Let me give you my first hand experience of this. <br />
<br />
So my interviewer had asked me about my strengths and weaknesses. Before the interview, I had a very well thought answer about this and I had experiences to back up each and every answer of mine. However, during the flow of the conversation, I said something that I had nothing to back up with. I told her I was very good at utilizing the weaknesses of my team mates and turning them into strengths for the team. My interviewer asked me to expand on this. As I had said this without prior thought, I couldnt think of any experience to back up this claim. So I started panicing. I told her something and she said it didnt prove my claim. I quickly realized my brain was short circuiting so I asked her to give me a minute to gather my thoughts and she was kind enough to do so. During that break, I calmed myself down. Tried to think of something but when I couldnt, I simply apologized to her and told her I said this without prior thought so I dont have anything to back it up with right now. The interviewer smiled and then moved on to the next question.<br />
<br />
Alright, now lets go take a look at the standard set of questions that they will ask you. I wont be giving you my in-depth answers to these because I want you to show the interviewers who YOU are. <br />
<br />
1. "Tell me about yourself"<br />
Dont give the generic, I'm ______, aged ____, lives in ______. <br />
<br />
Say something unique. Tell a fact/hobby about yourself. Be humorous. Be quirky. Youre introducing yourself. Make it memorable. For example, "I'm Ali, but my friends like to call me Robin Hood" or "Hello, I'm Ross, like that guy from Friends" <br />
<br />
I said something like I'm Mustafa from Jhelum, also known as the city of martyrs. Answers like these allow you to take hold of the conversation. Cuz now the interviewer will ask you more about why your friends call you robin hood or why Jhelum is called the city of martyrs. <br />
One important thing, if you are from a small background, a simple family, an underprivileged city, dont shy away from telling this. AKU wants a representation from a diverse background so it will actually play in your favor if you tell them something like this<br />
<br />
2. "Why medicine? Why not XYZ"<br />
Try to think of a very unique and personal reason as to why you want to become a doctor. Dont say something generic like I want to help others or something because you can help others while being a nurse or a fire fighter too. Think really hard about that one particular experience from your life that had a big impact on your career decision. A heredity condition in family? Youre battling with a disease yourself so you know the pain of a patient? You saw healthcare abroad and want to bring that to Pakistan? Say anything thats personal, unique and most importantly honest. <br />
<br />
3. "Why AKU?" <br />
Now heres the time where you take out your knife and start buttering up AKU. Most people will talk about the so and so organizations that have approved of AKU that show its the best and blah blah. You should try to add something personal. For example I told them about that one foriegner doctor who told me how his pakistani students from AKU have been very excellent doctors. <br />
<br />
There are some other questions related to this that the interviewer may ask: <br />
-What do you know about AKU<br />
-What are the programmes being offered in AKU <br />
-Things that make AKU special (HASS, FALAH etc etc) <br />
<br />
For these, you just need to read up about AKU from its website and its wikipedia page. Somethings you may not find on websites: <br />
<br />
-AKU has a module based syllabus. Basically, instead of studying each discipline (anatomy, pathology etc) seperately, you have one big module (Like Cardiovasculure, Head and Neck etc) where you study each discipline together. <br />
<br />
-AKU has Problem based learning sessions. Basically you are divided in groups of tens, you have these sessions twice a week where you are presented with a case and you make learning objectives out of that case and then discuss then in the next session. <br />
<br />
-AKU offers virtual simulations, dummies and computer softwares for learning anatomy and other disciplines instead of real cadavers. <br />
<br />
4. "What are your strengths and weaknesses"<br />
<br />
Pretty simple question. What you need to be VERY careful about is that you have an experience or anything to back up your claims. And for the weaknesses, you need to have a plan that shows how you are/will try to eliminate them. <br />
<br />
5. "Have you ever cheated?"<br />
For some reasons, they always ask you this question. Give an honest reply. If you havent then its well and good. If you have, you need to tell them you know its bad and you wont repeat it. Tell them why cheating is bad. They might ask you AKU's policy on cheating/plagerising (they straight up expel you). <br />
<br />
Now some less important questions that they may or may not ask: <br />
<br />
- "What does ethics mean to you" <br />
Read up about ethics and bio-ethics. Know some ethical dilemmas. They might give you a scenario and ask for your response. One answer that works for literally any bioethical situation is: I will first consult the ethical department of my hospital and see what are the principles of the hospital Im working in. Its very important that I follow the rules of the organization Im a part of. I will also look into the country's laws regarding the situation. I am a law abiding citizen who will abide by the law. And then I'll consider what I think should be done. And then ill try my best to reach a solution that fits all the three sources I mentioned above. <br />
<br />
- "What if you dont get in AKU" <br />
Answer with something like "When one door closes, another opens up so I wont lose hope. Sure ill be a little disappointef considering AKU has been my dream but I always have back up options which Ill be eager to avail if in case I dont get in" <br />
<br />
-"What are your hobbies" <br />
<br />
If you havent told them this already in the introduction, then you gotta talk about something that youre really passionate about. Dont lie and say you read books when you dont. Say something youre actually passionate about. It can be literally anything from going to the gym, to watching movies/youtube, to gaming. Just be honest. <br />
<br />
-"What is/are Pakistan's major issues" <br />
Pretty simple question. Im pretty sure you will find a 100 different answers for this. Talk about the one which is more important to you or you have some personal experience with. <br />
<br />
-Any question about religions/politics in general. <br />
Now be careful. Dont give your opinion straight ahead. Answer by saying, you are not a learned person on this matter so you cannot answer the religious question. You will consult a cleric for this. You like your country a lot but you are still too young to have any proper opinion about its politics. You will leave this matter to the experienced.<br />
<br />
Other than these questions, some other things I want you to know is that one of your interview will go pretty good and the other most likely will not. Dont be disheartened. It happened to all of us. <br />
Secondly, if you are an anxiety prone person like me, I did some things that calmed my nerves down. I asked for minutes of breaks during my interview so as to gather my thoughts. This gave me a quick breather. During those breaks Id take deep breaths and focus on my breathing. This helps bring your attention away from the nervous situation and you feel calmer. If like me, you start stuttering whenever youre too excited/nervous, then switch languages in between. Like if youre speaking english, switch to urdu and vice versa. The interviews arent english only so you are allowed to do this. Switching languages brings your brains attention away from the nervous situation and so you stutter less. Dont over rehearse your interview. It makes you sound monotonous and very robotic. Its okay to make mistakes. Be sure to be confident enough to admit defeat. Dont try too hard to make up an excuse. Its better if you just tell the interviewer its a mistake on your part instead of making up a stupid excuse.<br />
<div>
<br />
If youre a religious person, make sure to ask literally everyone for duain. They do wonders. If in case you dont get in, it completely fine. Sure AKU is great and all but becoming a good doctor is really just on you. You can become the absolute best from anywhere. It is just fine if you dont get in. Make sure you have back up options up.<br />
<br />
Sooo here ya go! Here are my two cents. Hopefully you will find something useful out of this. In case you want to know something more or need any other help, I'd be more than willing to. Email me (<a href="mailto:mustafaaman5@gmail.com">mustafaaman5@gmail.com</a>) anytime you want.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Advice by Arsalan Butt, Class of 2023</h2>
This is what i wrote for myself as main points to remember, after talking to many people and my own personal experience. Arsalan Butt 023<br />
-<br />
Be honest<br />
Be humble<br />
Be confident<br />
Relax<br />
Positive body language<br />
Theyll ask alot of questions about yourself so take the direction of the interview anywhere you want<br />
Questions about yourself so self exploration is very important<br />
Show passion towards the field<br />
Make yourself stand out<br />
Be the better part of yourself<br />
Make your strong parts stand out and make your bad parts look good<br />
Dont lie<br />
Show maturity in each and every question<br />
Confidence confidence confidence<br />
...<br />
Why should we choose you?<br />
Tell me about your hobbies<br />
Which political parties do you support?<br />
Why Aku?<br />
Tell me one good thing and one bad thing about yourself<br />
Tell me more about yourself<br />
What is your dream for the future</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Advice by Ebadullah Shahood, Class of 2023</h2>
If you clear the test they're going to call u for 2 interviews that'll take place on the same day. Both the interviews are almost the same. Each might take 15 mins to an hour. Both of my interviews took almost 20 mins so the time does not matter. First of all they'll ask you to tell them about yourself. You'll start with your name where u are from, where uve studied from, talk about your family, what ur parents do, what ur siblings do if u have any. Talk about ur hobbies. If theres anything ure good at, take your work with u to the interview. I live sketching and i took my portraits with me. I drew a picture of Walter white from breaking bad and the interviewer recognized him so we started talking about him. They'll then ask you about ur strengths and/or weaknesses. Try not to include weaknesses such as drugs or addiction but small weaknesses like procrastination and then tell them how you've overcome these weaknesses. U should know about the ethics of medicine since they might give u ethical scenarios. They will definitely talk about cheating. They'll say ke theres a friend who u caught cheating and reporting him would get him in trouble. Always say that ure strongly against cheating and would definitely report him since hes doing himself and the the whole system wrong. They'll also talk about community problems like poverty, pollution etc and what you would do to solve them. Overall the interview was pretty chill, the first one's to get u into the mood and the second one seems pretty easy. Ah what to wear... i think that u should wear what u are comfortable in. I can only say for the boys that they should be in formal clothes. Atleast a formal shirt and pant with or without ties. You can also wear your suits if you're comfortable. Also remember to get a hair cut beforehand, and keep yourself clean. And don't worry, it'll all be really easy, just practice answering these questions a few times with someone. <br />
Hope this helps<br />
<br />
<h2>
Update 21/07/2019: Advice by Amrah Hashmi, Class of 2021</h2>
<div>
(This was written in 2017)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Hey guys! So the expected time period for AKU's test result to be announced is around end of July/beginning of August. But we'll end up getting busy with our module exam which is why I'm going to post some relevant preparatory material regarding it right now.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So basically you'll have 2 interviews each by a doctor each, on the same day. Now those who get top notch surgeons have a lot of a tougher time than the rest. Now the interview is as weird as you've heard it to be. Honestly there's no right way to it. We have had people who give really good ones end up not clearing it but then people who have a pretty terrible interview (like me) can end up clearing it, so bear it in mind that no matter how it goes, you have just as equal of a shot at clearing it as the next person.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You'll see people heading for coaching centres, registering for crash courses for preparation but really, at the end of the day, the interview ends up reflecting who you are as a person and that can't really be changed. As for how I prepared for it, i got some sample questions to look at, did lots of background research on the overall Aga khan foundation, read up the blogs that people posted regarding the interview and read up some articles on generally how to go about interviews, especially medical university ones. And honestly if you've done that then you should be good to go.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Oh and another thing I'd like to add is that when I mention weird interviews, I mean really weird ones. One of my classmates spent a major chunk of his interview talking about how he makes cheese and what the good types of it are and another talked at great lengths about the different types of curtains. The lengths of the two interviews can greatly vary. One's interview went on for 1 and a half hour and an hour while my first one barely lasted 15 minutes and the other one 20 minutes.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A little bit on my own (hope it won't be a drag but I really want to emphasize on how even a really not-so-nice one can get you in) So my first interviewer didn't show up. They kept calling her but she wouldn't pick up her phone so they asked me to go to some building where they managed to track her down and she seemed really annoyed at being asked to take the interview, even though she had been notified earlier. (Honestly I was confused but one of my seniors told me her interviewer took her to the main cafe to drink tea during the interview so I knew how things could get) She took me to a waiting area of sorts and there I gave a pretty short interview. It was some generic questions, mostly about my life and habits because I had made it clear I didn't want to talk on religion and politics to stay on the safe side. She looked pretty done with the whole situation so I tried to impress her with my Russian speaking skills (because you're adviced to practically demonstrate any talent or skill you may have) but again she looked impassive and asked me to stop. She asked a lot of questions on my stance on cheating (make sure you vehemently oppose it) a bit on ethics and let me go. As I was leaving, I suddenly thought it would be a good idea to shake hands with her, so I did. She showed extreme reluctance, as if I'd asked for something horrible and after the interview I thought Oh goodness, that's what will have destroyed it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Second one was after an hour or so. We had to wait in the waiting area of the dean's office (make sure you act just as sophisticated and try to interact a bit with the other candidates because they supposedly check that too) and this one went pretty normal. It was actually in a proper room with the interviewer behind a table for a change. Again it was mostly about my experiences with the school society, my relationship with my family, who my friends are, my ECAs etc. Somehow it didn't have any of the complicated questions that some candidates have been asked. At the end, as I was leaving, and as I was putting the chair back in its place, I accidentally hit it hard against the table and that sort of rebounded and hit the interviewer, again horrible. So basically I had ended both the interviews in a highly unsophisticated manner, something I would definitely not recommend but it did happen to me so.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well this was about my interview and hopefully it should give you an insight on how things can go.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-10592328294778959712019-04-17T18:08:00.002+05:002019-06-02T12:53:49.506+05:00Admissions Open for MBBS 2019-2020 (Last Date: 16th May)<b>Update 02/06/2019: </b>I'd like to add that while most of us generally know these facts by the end of A Level/FSc, it should be stated that please memorize scientific data and facts that are used in calculations and questions. This includes values like specific heat capacity of water, the first 30 elements of the Periodic Table, the values of sin cos and tan for 30 45 60 90 etc., the gravitational constant, etc. Take a day towards the end to go through these because no data booklet is provided for the calculations nor will you be allowed to have a calculator. The calculations will be simple enough to be done without a calculator but you obviously need to know those values.<br />
<br />
-------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Greetings,<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It's that time of the year again and so the process begins. First of all, here is the main MBBS admissions page:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.aku.edu/admissions/mbbs/Pages/home.aspx">https://www.aku.edu/admissions/mbbs/Pages/home.aspx</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Over here, please download the Programme Information Booklet and go through it in detail. You can also download the Sample Test paper that will give you an overview of the format. You're going to have to apply by the "apply online" link towards the bottom of the main page (also found towards the right as the top link, "Online Application"). And of course, generally just familiarize yourself with everything.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you have any questions, contact AKU at mbbs.query@aku.edu. They always helped me with my issues/queries.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Last year with the blog posts containing extensive resources for the entry test and the interview + the guide I personally wrote elaborating upon my own experience through the process and my advice/tips for future applicants + the several questions that I answered in the comments underneath said blog posts - I believe that more than sufficient material has been compiled to guide you through the process. Thus, I'm simply going to link you to my guide and the blog posts of last year as that should cover about everything.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Preparing for admission into AKU's MBBS program: <a href="https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg">https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg</a></li>
<li>Admissions Open for MBBS 2018-2019 (Last Date: 28th May): <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/03/admissions-open-for-mbbs-2018-2019-last.html">http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/03/admissions-open-for-mbbs-2018-2019-last.html</a></li>
<li>AKU Entry Test 2018 Advice: <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/06/aku-entry-test-2018-advice.html">http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/06/aku-entry-test-2018-advice.html</a></li>
<li>AKU Interview 2018 My Advice + Advice By Fellow Classmates & Seniors: <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/09/aku-interview-2018-my-advice-advice-by.html">http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/09/aku-interview-2018-my-advice-advice-by.html</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>However! </b>Upon inspection of the Sample Test on their website as well as after going through the Programme Information Booklet, it seems that the English section of the AKU entry test has been removed entirely. Thus, any and all discussions surrounding that part can be ignored as you go through these resources.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The other thing I want to mention is that I might make another post or two containing newer advice from the Class of 2023, in particular about the interview, given that they wish to share that. Moreover, it is also possible that seniors/my classmates have tips/resources/interview experiences to share as well, so I'll either keep adding stuff as updates to this post, or I'll make newer posts as I deem fit. Hence, do keep visiting this blog and this post regularly. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In addition to the above, go through the blog posts that were made back in 2015 and before that on this blog as well, for that also contains great advice that I personally followed.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And of course, feel free to comment below for any questions or email me at akuhelp@outlook.com, and I'll reply as soon as possible.<br />
<br />
Best of luck! :)</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-12953200839396543832018-09-25T17:02:00.000+05:002018-10-01T01:25:51.745+05:00AKU Interview 2018 My Advice + Advice By Fellow Classmates & Seniors<span style="font-family: inherit;">Update 10/1/2018: This is a short one so I'll just add it here. Firstly, don't forget to take your ID cards and the proof of the interview or whatever it is that they require. Secondly, if they ask you why medicine and not nursing, reply with something like this (relayed to me by Adil Al-Karim Manji, Class of 2022):</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>It's not that I believe nursing is less important being a doctor but I know that doctors have a greater decision making capacity which is something I want to have one practicing medicine so I can make it's not that I believe nursing is less important than medicine or being a doctor but I know that doctors have a greater decision making capacity which is something I would like.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">---------------------------------------</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(To see updates to this post, scroll down towards the end. I'm adding the word "Update" with a date to indicate when I edited this post last so you can be sure you haven't missed any addition.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">---------------------------------------</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Greetings everyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope that everyone is enjoying the summers and that those of you who put in the right effort and determination were able to pass the test. It is time to give you guys something you can work with for the interview that is to come next.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As always, my first reference is going to be the guide I wrote, which actually contains <i>all</i> that I have to say and all the advice I have for you based on my own experience last year. Here is the link: <a href="https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg">https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm sure you've come across this at some point, but now I want you to go through it specifically with reference to the section on the Stage II Information Form and then the one on my interview experience.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Speaking of the Stage II Information Form, I won't go into details regarding how to fill it in a blog post, however, specific questions are welcome below in the comments and my email (akuhelp@outlook.com) in case you face any issues or confusion, as I personally remember that it can be a tedious task and having passed the test and knowing that you do have a shot at the admission, you don't want to make any silly errors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Alright so let's come to the interview. The point of this post is to not only highlight what I deem important but also relay what some of my own batchmates and seniors have to say to you. so I'll be compiling all of that in this one single post for your ease. Any updates will be added here too, includng tips from more people + I'll try my best to answer questions in the comments below, so do revisit this page once daily.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope this helps! Good luck! :D</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Last Moment Advice I Have To Give</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Outside of the guide I wrote, if I have to give you a set of pointers, they would be the following (not in any order of importance, just off the top of my head):</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">You've passed the test, so keep your hopes and confidence up. If you weren't taking it too seriously before, now is the time to focus on that admission letter. You're part of the small pool of students that passed the test so that does mean you have the potential to get into AKU. Just being aware of this and truly appreciating this fact is going to be give you the confidence boost you need to ace the interview.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm not so sure about mock interviews, but what I'd suggest is mentally rehearsing your interview. Look into the types of questions they ask and try to play the scene out in your head. This is what I did months before the AKU test all the way till the interview itself. It really helps to know how you would respond to potential questions they throw at you. This is especially helpful for the basic ones like, "Tell me about yourself." You need to be clear on that and know exactly how much and what about yourself are you willing to convey to them. Do note that this doesn't mean coming up with untruthful answers, but it's a practice to help you get your thought process working.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Honesty and sincerity are key. The profession you are entering is one that requires you to be genuine towards it and to fellow human beings. Understand this great responsibility. This is medicine. A career of nobility. Yes, ground realities will differ. But we will cross that bridge when we get to it. Right now, it's absolutely necessary to approach the interview with sincerity. That authenticity is going to reflect in your body language and the words you say.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">More important than being honest, I personally feel based on my experience and upon what I've heard from others, is how you present yourself. You should be confident with what you are saying. Maintain eye contact. Sit with your back straight; don't slouch. Don't spend the interview with your arms folded, giving off the impression that you are defensive and don't want to communicate. Make it known that this interview really means something to you. What's going on in your head/heart doesn't matter if you're unable to get it across to the interviewer. Bring your best out with a smile that adorns your face as you speak. Speak politely and succintly; don't rush. Own yourself. If they ask, go ahead and let them know that this is your first interview and that you're a little nervous, but that you look forward to it and are managing yourself well, that you're enjoying this experience. If you feel that the interviwer has somehow misunderstood what you've said, go ahead and clarify that in a respectful manner. Take your time to think before speaking if you have to, to formulate your thoughts or words, so as to avoid saying anything you'd regret (this is why the first point is helpful). No point in saying the truth about not doing drugs or not cheating in any exams if you're hesitating and shaking with nervousness; even the truth is going to seem like a lie at that point, and somebody who is great at lying might just able to slither through. The point is to present yourself as a confident, well-mannered, balanced person, and trust me, you won't be able to do that unless you truly are that way and in that frame of mind before the interview. That does not mean that you're supposed to be perfect. A person who is self-confident knows their weaknesses and is able to talk about them in terms of areas that need improvement and areas that they're working on. I hope you get what I'm trying to convey. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is <i>your</i> interview, and beyond the basic set of questions they ask you, the conversation will depend majorly on your input and things you say. They can drag a conversation if they want regarding anything you've said, so be sure to know what you're talking about and don't talk about something if you won't be able to carry on a conversation about it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Be mentally present and don't let the situation overwhelm you. We plan on telling lots of things about ourselves but somehow things slip our mind when we're in that situation. So don't let that happen to you; ensure that you don't have any regrets at the end of the interview.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Have a nice breakfast but don't overeat. Make sure you use the restroom before your leave your house, for obvious reasons. Anxiety is going to mess around with your gut anyway, so no need to aggravate that.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dress well. Guys can wear a suit and tie. (Girls, ask your seniors and see if you can find anything in this post or the other posts on this blog, which I'll share at the end.) Make sure your shoes are polished. Wear a watch too if you have one, but don't be that person who's frequently looking at the time; it gives off the wrong impression. Make sure the color scheme flows well from your shoes to your belt and to the rest of the suit. Put on some perfume and brush your teeth before you go. Get a nice haircut (unless you plan on keeping long hair, in which case wear that look with pride, but make sure they're nice and tidy) a couple of days before the interview so it sets in. Same goes for your facial hair. If you bite your nails, please, stop just for a week. I know this is a time when you're most likely to do it, but avoid it. Let your hands look as nice as possible.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Google around for general advice when it comes to interviews and how your body language etc. should be.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's not that scary.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Interview Guide by Umer Arif Esbhani, Class of 2021</b></span><br />
<br />
Hi, I’m Umer Arif Esbhani, AKU batch of 2021. You can call me Esbi. I’m gonna help you ace the interview.<br />
<br />
Straightforward intro over, ahem.<br />
<br />
Okay so first off, you will have not one but two interviews, taken by two separate people, back to back on the same day. The exact date and time will be assigned to you by AKU. Show up <b><i>early </i></b>and physically prepared, i.e have a good breakfast, take a shower, smell good, and all that stuff. Your clothing should be <b>formal</b>, eg: suits (or formal shirt + dress pants) for guys and shalwar kameez for girls. Nothing too fancy though. Some people may say clothing doesn’t matter but <i>I think it if I were taking an interview I’d want the student to be in professional attire?</i> :)<br />
<br />
On to the interview itself. They will be approximately 35-40 minutes long, but can go up to an hour at times or be as short as 30 minutes too. Everything about you should be confident the moment you stop through the door, includes eye contact, posture, clear speech, etc. Greet the interviewer and shake hands <b>if </b>you are the same gender as them (if you’re thinking of gender jokes in your head right now, stop that thank you). Ask (and memorize) their name. Your second interviewer might ask you took your first interview and you don’t wanna be like “uhh idk”.<br />
<br />
The conversation will always begin with “tell me about yourself”. Have a long answer prepared for this because they will literally want to know everything. Your past, where you’ve lived, where you have studied, details about your parents and siblings, including <b>the addresses of your home, school, parents’ workplace, siblings’ school or workplace.</b> You can’t lie about anything. If they ask whether you can drive and you say yes, they might ask you for directions to any of these places. A few <b>very important aspects</b> they almost always ask are:<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
1) What are 3 of your strengths and weaknesses? (Needless to say, the weaknesses should be indirect strengths and not just plain “I’m a bad person” things) <br />
2) Have you ever cheated? (You must say no, always, period)<br />
3) What are your hobbies? (Be prepared to talk about this a lot – you want to lead the interview YOUR way and shape the conversation the way you want it – they will cross question you too to make sure everything you’re saying is legit)<br />
<br />
After this intro they’ll move on to the uni talk. The three main things you need to cover are: 1) Why medicine? 2) Why AKU specifically? 3) Why should they take you?<br />
<div>
<br />
While answering these questions, it is very important to link everything that has happened in your life to medicine. Like everything. You’re supposed to sell yourself a bit during this part and talk about how you’ve volunteered or interned, learned stuff, developed empathy, cared for the less fortunate, etc. If you’ve taken part in a science competition for example, tell them how the teamwork during those competitions will help you in your medical practice when you’ll have to team up with other doctors and nurses. This is what I mean by linking things to medicine.<br />
<br />
The difference between an AKU interview and a normal interview is that they won’t just listen to you and nod if they’re happy or shake their head if they aren’t impressed. Instead they will comment or make a remark and then test your reaction to it. This is where your composure and confidence is tested: the ability to withhold your ground and stay true to yourself throughout the interview.<br />
<br />
At times they will deliberately mislead you, or try to piss you off, or undermine you, or find a bad thing in something that you thought was good. It doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate it. They’re just testing to see what you’ll say/do. Eg: if you say you’re the headboy, they’ll test to see if you’re arrogant; or if you say you help poor communities, they’ll say “but those people illegally steal electricity” etc. You will be positively credited if you hold your position and justify it rather than giving in and saying “oh yes sorry” etc. The moment they see that you believe in your statements truly and weren’t just saying cool-sounding fluff, they’ll stop poking you about it and move on.<br />
<br />
Please try not to lie in the interviews. If you get caught, you’re screwed :). Many times they will cross check between the two interviews, ask the same questions again, etc. Your answer must be the same.<br />
<br />
Despite all this, once the conversation starts to flow, time will pass pretty fast. It sounds daunting but once you’re there and once you manage to establish control and a firm ground, you’ll lose all nervousness. They KNOW it’s a big thing for you and they KNOW you will be nervous at the start. So it is okay to feel that way. You just have to show them that you won’t let it get the better of you.<br />
<br />
When concluding the interview, they will always ask you whether you have any questions for them. Do keep a few in mind.</div>
<div>
Now, a few general questions they might ask or things you should generally know about:<br />
<br />
1) Know about Pakistan and the problems faced by people. Major events that have happened recently or this year. Who the president, prime minister, health minister, education minister etc is. Know about health policies, health budget, education budget, etc. They won’t really ask you this stuff but having a general idea about it helps a lot. Imagine if you’re having a conversation about some poor community and problems they face. You can casually slip in the fact about Pakistan’s low budget allocation for healthcare while the interviewer nods and smiles impressed.<br />
<br />
2) PLEASE READ UP ON MEDICAL ETHICS. They ask about this a lot. Google it and understand them properly. Also do ethical dilemmas like abortion, euthanasia, animal testing etc.<br />
<br />
3) Would you rather be a leader or a follower? Your answer should be leader and you should talk about how you value leadership, especially in a country like Pakistan where people need someone to look up to. You should appear willing to take that responsibility (and confidently too). I don’t mean politics, I mean doctors as leaders. Who actually teach people and spread awareness and promote public health rather than just having their own private money making practice.<br />
<br />
4) READ UP ON AKU. Go through the website and learn all the details there about its educational programs, in which parts of the world it’s established, etc. Know what AKDN is and what it is doing in the world right now. You should know about AKU’s MBBS curriculum and societies too, eg: HASS, FALAH, has good faculty, has good research opportunities, state of the art equipment and labs, hostel facilities, sports center facilities (they will love if you mention this). Also let them know that you’re aware of the new CIME building. It’s beautiful and they spent a lot on it. Make them happy.<br />
<br />
That’s about it, fellas. Hope this helps, and best of luck!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Advice by Maaha Ayub, Class of 2022</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hey! I don't know if this has already been said but a lot of people tell students that the interviews are something scary but honestly they're not. Idk about non karachiites but for us the interviews were so chill and more like a one on one conversation. I went in my first interview pretty nervous because of which I stuttered a bit at the start but then unless one's extremely unlucky, the interviewed are mostly friendly and there's absolutely nothing to worry about in there. As long as one's confident, they can tackle any question thrown at them. Also one thing I learnt was that one should never present their achievements as something small. I know that kind of goes against the rules of modesty and all but a lot of people told me to make even my small achievements sound as if they're something huge, and honestly it's not as much about what one says as it is about how one says it so one needs to be smart with their choice of words when talking about themselves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also there are those typical why do you wanna be a doctor question so the students should really come up with answers to these from within themselves and not take an answer someone else like a mentor or whoever offers them because then the interviewers can really probe into the answer and ask them further questions regarding their answer so as long as the why do you wanna be a doctor answer is an honest one coming from within themselves, they'll be able to answer any questions regarding it</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Advice by Muhammad Daiem, Class of 2022</span></b><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">One thing I remember was that i was told by a senior to ask the first interviewer his name and the second one usually asks the name of the first interviewer. So basically ask their names and remember them</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">They also tend to make mistakes on purpose to see if you call them out. Like my first one wrote KIBS instead of KIPS on his paper. And the second said that tuberculosis was a waterborne disease even tho it's air borne when we were discussing communicable diseases in Pakistan</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Usually people say k you won't be asked any science stuff lekin i was randomly asked about the theory of evolution. Darwin waghera bus,</span></div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Was asked about communicable diseases in Pakistan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Advice by Baqir Jafry, Class of 2022</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b>
There are some key points that you need to remember for the interview:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Extracurriculars count a lot. Aku wants to grab well-rounded individuals. It'll be great if you have one extracurricular in which you absolutely stand out( for eg you have a national representation in that). However, having a bunch of small extracurriculars (eg being part of school debate team , participation in school sport activities, internships , volunteerships etc) is also good.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">YOU lead your own interview. So think carefully before you speak.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Your experience is what truly makes your interview unique. So for common questions eg why aku, why medicine etc, try to use YOUR own experience to elucidate your answer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The values, you adhere to, are very important. The interviewer might even ask questions relevant to those values. Foreg, have you ever practised independence, what would you do if your friend tries to cheat in exam etc. In such questions, always stick to your values and show that you won't put them at stake in ANY circumstance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't ever try to speak about controversies. If the interviewer asks a controversial question(eg a religious question) start your answer by saying " in my opinion" and be as precise as possible. Don't go into an elaborative discussion regarding that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">MY INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1ST INTERVIEW:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For common questions like , why aku, I was already prepared. Prior to my interview, I had searched regarding some facilities like Pbls, HASS, research work etc that makes aku unique among all medical institutions in pakistan. So I elaborated on them. For "why doctor" question, I used my experience in NICH internship and AKUH volunteership to answer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The interviewer asked how independent I am and whether I have lived away from home at any point in my life. I had an experience in NSTC Olympiad so I gave a brief description regarding that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was asked whether I applied to universities other than aku. Also, if I don't get into Aku , then what would I do. I stumbled a bit in the second question likin khair itna masla nahi hua.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Overall, the experience was ok. I compensated for this by doing well in my second interview. The questions were more or less, same. The difference was just that the second interviewer was a bit lenient.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">SOME TIPS</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have a good body language.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Be respectful in all circumstances.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't give up in your interview just because your test score isn't that good</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Be honest.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Try to be calm and confident. Even if the interviewer challenges your views, dont panic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Take interview as a discussion where you are simply sharing your own life story.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Advice by Hassan Raja, Class of 2022</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN">After you have passed the entry test, you’ll
receive a pack from AKU, which will contain documents which will need to be
sent to AKU, along with a letter detailing your entry test score and a formal
invitation to the interview. The
documents that need to be sent are related to your extra-curriculars,
internships, hobbies and academic achievements. They are able to give the
admissions committee an insight to the kind of person you are.<br /><br />
When I received the pack, I was so intimidated by all the requirements that it
crossed my mind that I should never have applied. While I was pleased with my
entry test score, the thought of filling out the other forms was daunting to
say the least, especially for someone who’s not the most involved person!
Nevertheless I filled out the forms and sent them, along with the required
attested documents and verification details. Keep in mind that the admissions
committee will verify everything that you’ve written down. So you can’t just
blatantly lie about everything, because that will surely get you disqualified.<br />
<br />
Now onto the interview. I’m sure you’ve probably read countless people giving
their take on the interview, so I’ll try my best to keep it succinct.<br /><br />
You’ll be subject to two interviews, held on the same day by 2 different
interviewers. All the interviews are one to one and all the interviewers are in
some way related to AKU. They may be faculty at AKU, working in AKUH, or even
an AKU graduate. Something to keep in
mind is that the interview itself is NOT as intimidating as you expect. It’s
just a general conversation, and you can often steer it in the direction you
want. But remember DO NOT LIE. That’s extremely important. If you do fabricate
something, somehow, someway, the interviewer will catch onto it and grill you
further, and THAT my friend is not a pleasant experience. <br />
<br />
Before the actual interview, I had a few practice interviews. One was held by
the Biology teachers in my school, another was conducted by my parents (since
they both teach in Shifa, and conduct interviews at undergraduate and
postgraduate levels, they had a fairly good idea what would be asked). I also
arranged an interview with an AKU graduate and talked over the interview with
another doctor who had taken part as an interviewer the previous year. This
helped me prepare myself and understand what’s expected. The thing with me is
that while I have everything in my mind and often come up with great answers to
theoretical questions, when I come to saying them out loud, I get tongue-tied
and never end up saying what I want. So these ‘mock’ interviews helped me
practice my communication skills and improve my confidence. While not a
requirement (many people don’t even need to practice), for anyone who’s nervous
it’s helpful to practice the answers to a few standard questions or arrange a
mock interview with someone.<br />
<br />
My interview was scheduled at 9:00 am on a Saturday in August, so I reached the
venue (Pearl Continental Rawalpindi) at 8:30. As always, it’s good to be early.
The interviews are held in a formal setting, so formal attire is expected.
Though, while speaking to an interviewer, he said none of the interviewers
really mind what you wear and some people just turn up wearing jeans or shorts!
But again it’s best to just go with the trend and not be an exception.<br />
<br />
Now this is the place I’ll be honest... let’s just say my interviews weren’t
the best😶. I mean they were okay, but they could have gone better in a
lot of places. The thing that I was worried about the most was the fact that,
unlike the norm my interviews were very short. The first one was 15 minutes and
the second one barely lasted 10 minutes. Considering most people had interview
times ranging from 30 minutes to 1 hour, I bet you can tell what I was
thinking.<br /><br />
My first interview was conducted by a consultant nephrologist at AKUH. After
some small talk and basic details (name, family, grades, entry test score
etc.), he asked me about my extra-curriculars. I mentioned Peer Teaching, but
gauging his facial expression, I could tell he wasn’t really impressed, I then
mentioned my internships, but he cut me half-way and said that they didn’t
really count as extra-curriculars. I moved on to saying I cycle, play tennis
sometimes and also do a bit of origami, however once again he (correctly)
pointed out that these things were leaning towards hobbies rather than
extra-curriculars (which I agreed with). I think at that point I kind of gave
up and said that I didn’t have that many then. The interviewer smiled and moved
on.<br /><br />Somewhere down the line I had mentioned
that I’m quite sheltered, in the sense that I’m very grateful to have
everything provided for by my parents, he caught onto that and this is how it
went.<br /><br />
Interviewer: So have you ever lived in a hostel?<br />
Me: No<br /><br />
Interviewer: Have you ever been to Karachi?<br />Me: No (I could sense where this was going)
<br /><br />
Interviewer (stone faced): Then how do you expect you’ll be able to survive in
a hostel, alone, 1000 miles away from your family, in a foreign city?<br />Me: Yes, I anticipated that question. Umm, well I’ve thought about it and
honestly right now I recognise that it is a difficulty, but that’s something
I’m willing to overcome. When I was in Year 8, I moved 5000 miles, from my
perceived notion of home (referring to my move from the UK to Pakistan).
Despite the massive cultural shift, I’ve adapted well and adjusted to the
challenges and very different lifestyle here. I even learnt a new language from
scratch (Urdu is a second language for me) and within 2 ½ years managed to get
an A* in the subject at O Levels. Being adaptable is something I pride myself
over. When I was 12, the challenge was moving to Pakistan, 6 years down the
line, the challenge is different, but once more I’m willing to adapt
again. <br /><br />
Interviewer: Yes, that’s all very well and good, but at times hostel life is
very difficult. What will you do if you’re sick, alone in your room? You’re
parents certainly won’t be there to dote over you and make you soup!<br />Me:</span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA">اب ایسی بھی بات نہیں ہے</span><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>۔ (It
isn’t really like that). Both my parents are working parents and even when I am
sick, I’m usually home alone, so I can mange on my own. Yes, I realize that
hostel life is a big step from living at home with family. But if not now, then
when? I’d much rather address my weaknesses now, head on, than shying away from
them and later being troubled by them in my twenties unable to take care of
myself. I know if I’m accepted, the first few months will be rough, but
Insha’Allah after five years I’ll emerge the person I want to be.<br />
<br />Interviewer: I understand, but do you really know what you’re signing yourself
up for? <br />Me: Sir, while at this moment in time I cannot give you any guarantee. What I
can say is that I’ll try my utmost best to adjust to hostel life. That’s as
much as I can do right now.<br /><br />
Thankfully, after this he moved on. He then probed me about my knowledge of
AKU, the programmes and degrees it offers, it’s campuses worldwide etc. For
this it’s important to read the Programme Information booklet and make a mental
note of important facts (date of inception etc.). Also skimming through the
website also helps to get some general information.<br /><br />
After this the interviewer asked me about my connection to my twin sister and
various scenarios if one of us or both of us were accepted. I can’t really
remember the rest but I do remember it came to a rather abrupt end.<br /><br />
My second interview was very rushed. The interviewer, an elderly professor at
AKU, seemed like he had a checklist and he was simply running through it. All
the questions were rapid fire, he wouldn’t let me finish my answers and he very
rarely made eye contact, rather he kept scribbling or ticking on his sheet of paper.
I hardly remember anything here apart from this and that he asked very basic,
standard questions that my first interviewer had already asked. However two or
three other people who were interviewed by the same person had the same
experience, so I guess that was just his style. An important thing to remember
is that the second interviewer will most likely ask who your first interviewer
was, hence it’s important you ask your first interviewer(if they have not
already told you) their name and what they do.<br /><br />
At the end of each interview, the interviewers asked me whether I had any
question. I asked them how working/teaching/studying at Aga Khan has impacted
their careers and what difference has Aga Khan made to them professionally. I
wanted to ask this, because I wanted to judge how studying at Aga Khan would
impact me and what sort of doctor I would become. After they answered, I shook
their hands and left.<br /><br />
Below I’ve highlighted some general questions, which no matter your
circumstances, the interviewers are bound to ask.<br />
<br /><i>
Standard Questions</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><br /></u></span></span>
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Why AKU?</u></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><br /></u></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Its best not to mention some clichéd
answer, such as AKU is the best medical college in Pakistan. Yes, everyone
knows that, but is that why YOU really want to go to AKU, status aside? I talked
about the potential opportunities the university may provide me (unparalleled
research facilities, a springboard for my postgraduate career, the fact that
until recently it was the only JCIA approved hospital and medical college in
Pakistan etc.), the chance for me to be a better more well-rounded, independent
person by living alone. I also mentioned the teaching methodologies in AKU
(PBLs etc.) that will suit my method of learning rather than rote memorisation.
<br />
<br /><u>Do you plan to do USMLE/PLAB? If so
why should AKU invest in you if you’ll leave the country?</u>
</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although I wasn’t asked this question,
I know a few people who were. If I was asked this question, my response would
be along the lines that while I do plan to do USMLE/PLAB, because I want to do
my post-graduate training abroad, by no means does that mean I’m a wasted
investment. AKU has educated many great doctors, who are now practising abroad.
In fact recently the 20th reunion party of AKUites was held in Orlando,
Florida. I saw a video on Dr Faiz Bohra (an AKU alumnus) who is a leading
surgeon in New York, specializing in the use of robotics in surgery. Today he
is one of the leaders in his field, because of the opportunities that had been
provided to him, while training abroad. Would you say that AKU wasted its money
on him? No, most certainly not. Where I end up practising, should be of no
concern, because I’m dedicated to the profession. Also I’d mention (even though
it’d sound clichéd) that I do have the intention of returning once I’ve gained
my training. Whether that’s permanently or for a few months a year is something
I’ll decide later. <br />
<br /><u>Why do you want to become a
doctor?</u>
</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’ll highlight this at the end.<br />
<br /><u>Have you ever cheated?</u></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was quite emphatic about this. In fact
a bit over the top. But this stems from the fact that I really don’t like the
‘cheating’ culture that is prevalent in educational institutions here in
Pakistan. Call me a prick, if you want, but I don’t cheat off anyone nor do I
directly help someone during the paper.
If worst comes to worst the person behind me might sneak a glance of my
paper without me knowing. I told the
interviewer this and he said that by doing this I was indirectly promoting the
very act. At that point I said that I can’t change people perceptions and a
whole culture single-handedly, the important thing is that I myself don’t cheat
and I can’t help if other people do . I will not be disturbed by a random
person in the middle of the paper, by trying to uncomfortably and unsuccessfully
hide my paper. If they’re cheating, it’s their loss not mine. <br />
<br /><u>What if you don’t get into AKU?</u></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
This was a question, I was asked in my actual and my practice interviews. Both
my Biology teachers had told me that I should say something like that if I
don’t get accepted, I’ll apply again next year and even the year after, and
right now I’m completely committed to AKU in the sense that I’ve applied to
NOWHERE ELSE. Both of them were pretty insistent on the fact that you have to
convince the interviewer that you REALLY want to go to AKU. I know someone who
joined AKU in 1st year after dropping out of 3rd year, from another medical
college, while that kind of dedication is admirable but for me it’s something
I’d never do. I thought that the answer that my teachers told me was over the
top and frankly quite ridiculous. Instead I told the interviewer the truth. I
told him that while AKU was my first choice, and I would be disappointed if I
was rejected I would most certainly not wait a whole year to apply again. In
fact I probably wouldn’t apply again. I’d move on and probably pursue medicine
from Army Medical College, Shifa or Rawalpindi Medical College. I also
mentioned the answer that my teachers ‘expected’ of me and the interviewer laughed
and said that he too found that answer absurd. <br />
<br /><u>Have you thought about
what you want to specialise in?</u>
<br /><br />
</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This question is open ended. Just tell the truth and it doesn’t matter if you
haven’t thought about it because it is very premature to think about
specialization even before gaining admission to a medical college.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><br /></u></span></span>
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Problems facing the healthcare
sector in Pakistan</u>
</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ø Under funding (low healthcare budget
and no priority on govt agenda)<br />
<br />
Ø Lack of facilities especially in govt.
hospitals<br />
<br />
Ø Lack of qualified, trained staff due
to brain drain<br />
<br />
Ø Lack of awareness<br />
<br />
Ø Lack of sanitation, clean water.<br />
<br />
Ø Security situation hampering
vaccination drives<br />
<br />
Ø Too many MBBS doctors<br />
<br />
Ø No healthcare structure (for eg.
Primary, secondary, tertiary healthcare)<br />
<br />
Ø Expensive, unaffordable treatments in
private hospitals<br />
<br />
Ø Regulations/Guidelines not properly
enforced. <br />
<br /><i>
General Tips</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Arrive early</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dress smart</span><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Practice a bit, if nervous<br />Don’t worry about how long your
interviews are.<br />Treat the interview as a general
conversation<br />Don’t stress, and relax. Even if
you are nervous, maintain a calm, confident, composed attitude (easier said than done!)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And above all, as mentioned
before, DON’T LIE.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">-----------------------------------------------<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Why Medicine?<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I think for any doctor/doctor-to-be the answer
to this question does not rely on a single factor, rather it depends on a
series of factors, all of which culminate in choosing this profession.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN">Despite both my parents being doctors I was
neither pressured by them nor did I feel I was ever forced to choose this
field. I took Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Maths during my A Levels, and I
absolutely loved Maths. With Maths nothing was too difficult, everything just
seemed natural. But with Biology I always struggled. I had to put the extra
effort in and I found those damn CIE past papers hell (the mark schemes were
always out to kill you</span><span lang="EN">😤</span><span lang="EN">). However
despite the difficulties I faced I was always interested in Biology. I don’t
know why but something about the human body has always fascinated me. I
remember when we did the homeostasis chapter, I read somewhere that there are 1
MILLION nephrons in each kidney. I mean let that sink in... 1 million nephrons
(a number so large that our mind can barely comprehend its magnitude) crammed
into a tiny space, all performing the same function, seemingly effortlessly,
continuously 24/7. We, as humans, are still not able to replicate this, even
the most advanced dialysis machines are mammoth sized compared to a kidney and
are, at best, a temporary measure, they are most definitely NOT a replacement
for the kidney. And this is just one instance. Throughout my course I was
constantly amazed the human's body intricacies, its complexities and its hidden
mysteries. And there are so many things left to uncover, and so many things
that we yet just don't know enough about, take cancer as an example. Everything
about this field piques my childlike curiosity, in a way that engineering,
accounting, finance or any other profession just simply don't. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've also done a fair bit of peer teaching,
and I can't really describe the feeling I used to get when I successfully
conveyed a concept to someone. It was this warm, fuzzy, satisfying feeling. And
that left me with a drive to help others. That drive and that kick is what I
hope I can get with a career in medicine. I mean what can be better than a
career whose roots are entwined with the very concept of service to humanity?
Going off on a religious tangent, we're all sinners to some extent, so as
selfish as this sounds, if I can gain some sort of redemption by dedicating my
life in a service to others, then it'll be worth it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN">I moved to Pakistan, from the UK, around 6
years ago. Honestly the first few years, I hated it here. Everything was so
different and foreign to me. But over the years I've grown to quietly admire
this great nation. This country has enabled me to reconnect with my culture,
language (though admittedly my Urdu is shamefully terrible</span><span lang="EN">😁</span><span lang="EN">), people but most of all it has given me an identity. I wouldn't be
the person I am now today, if I had stayed back yesterday. And yes, while I
have had massive downs and challenges to face, they've made me someone I'm
proud to be. In my small way I'd like to give back, to make a difference to the
place that gave me so much.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unlike other fields, medicine is not stagnant,
rather quite the opposite. It is dynamic and constantly evolving. Techniques
that were prevalent a mere 20 years ago are redundant today, and diseases that
were incurable are now simple to treat. Research, plays a huge role in the
advancement of medicine. And I want to play a part in that. I’ve always enjoyed
working in a lab, so being a scientist is something I’ve considered, however,
for me, it has one big drawback...and that is a lack of human interaction. The
human interaction factor is something that makes medicine unique in the
scientific field, and directly links doctors to their patients. But, nowadays,
doctors who are at the forefront of the specialties not only practice but also
carry out research on international levels. In doing so they are able to
directly see the effect of their efforts. Hence for me, I feel that medicine is
the best of both worlds.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Medicine is hard, and by hard I mean extremely
difficult. Worldwide, medicine is consistently one of the most competitive
fields out there. Doctors are expected to have unbelievable amounts of
knowledge on their fingertips, are expected to make life-changing decisions
often in a short time span and are expected to thrive in stressful,
pressurising environments. As standards and the scrutiny on doctors rises it is
only going to become more difficult. I have seen firsthand how doctors are
expected to be know-it-all robots that simply cannot make an error. While, in
my opinion, this kind of attitude is blatantly wrong, it is a reality of the
world we live in. Knowing these challenges and the hard grafting I have ahead
of me, I'm becoming a doctor, not for the money, not because I have been forced
to, not for the respect in society, but for the lives and stories I can impact
and make a difference to.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Miscellaneous Advice From AKU Students/Seniors</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The following Tips are random, please use only the tips that are relevant to you:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Show up early and physically prepared, i.e have a good breakfast, take a shower, smell good, and all that stuff.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">formal shirt + dress pants + tie </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the "tell me about yourself” question, have a long answer prepared because they will literally want to know everything. Start from your family, then parents and grandparents, their professions, then past education, favorite subjects, extra curriculars where you had a leadership position, hobbies, sports, how you spend your free time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also mention how you use your free time to destress by watching movies, reading books, learning new skills like music editing and practicing photoshop. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you say you read fiction, they'll ask the authors and what the book is about. They may ask you the addresses of your home, school, parents’ workplace. You can’t lie about anything. If they ask whether you can drive and you say yes, they might ask you for directions to any of these places. For everything there must be solid backing so they know you aren't lying. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Take your photoshop/design work with you. Emphasise on how you like to design, as well as edit pictures.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You should know who is the Minister of National Health Services, who is the Finance Minister, etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Know about Social problems include illiteracy, corruption, lack of women's rights, child labour, as well as Economic problems include inflation, unemployment, poverty etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Health structure of Pakistan?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What's the health budget of Pakistan? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What about AKU appeals to you? What if you don't get admitted?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) What are 3 of your strengths and weaknesses? I used to be a pushover and would sacrifice a lot of my time and energy to please others, but i have learnt to cut down on that, because i realised i cannot always please everyone. I had a habit of being hard on myself for any fall backs or failures but i understand now that i must work my hardest and to the best of my ability, everything else will fall into place. I tend to overprepare for things, which results in my being slow to progress at first but i eventually catch up and due to my overpreparedness i feel i do better at things. In terms of strengths, I believe myself to be an effective leader because i have been in a leadership role on many occasions, and love to work in a team, motivating my peers, cooperating and coordinating with them, discussing different insights to tackle a particular task or project from different angles, and delegating tasks according to the strengths of each of the individuals in my team. I have a strong work ethic and love to work, im very passionate for it, especially because good quality progress gives me great satisfaction. I work well under stress, because ive learnt to perceive it in a positive light, because there are 2 types of stress: eustress and distress, and i can identify and replace distress through various activities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) Have you ever cheated? (You must say no, always, period)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) What are your hobbies? (Be prepared to talk about this a lot – you want to lead the interview YOUR way and shape the conversation the way you want it – they will cross question you too to make sure everything you’re saying is legit)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After this intro they’ll move on to the uni talk. The three main things you need to cover are: 1) Why medicine? 2) Why AKU specifically? 3) Why should they take you?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">While answering these questions, it is very important to link everything that has happened in your life to medicine. Like everything. You’re supposed to sell yourself a bit during this part and talk about how you’ve volunteered or interned, learned stuff, developed empathy, cared for the less fortunate, etc. If you’ve taken part in a science competition for example, tell them how the teamwork during those competitions will help you in your medical practice when you’ll have to team up with other doctors and nurses. This is what I mean by linking things to medicine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">According to your answers, they will comment or make a remark and then test your reaction to it. This is where your composure and confidence is tested: the ability to withhold your ground and stay true to yourself throughout the interview.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Would you rather be a leader or a follower? Your answer should be leader and you should talk about how you value leadership, especially in a country like Pakistan where people need someone to look up to. You should appear willing to take that responsibility (and confidently too). I don’t mean politics, I mean doctors as leaders. Who actually teach people and spread awareness and promote public health rather than just having their own private money making practice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Do keep a few questions in mind to ask the interviewer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">READ UP ON AKU. https://www.aku.edu/about/at-a-glance/Pages/our-vision.aspx</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Go through the website and learn all the details there about its educational programs, in which parts of the world it’s established, etc. Know what AKDN is and what it is doing in the world right now. You should know about AKU’s MBBS curriculum and societies too, eg: HASS, FALAH, has good faculty, has good research opportunities, state of the art equipment and labs, hostel facilities, sports center facilities. Also mention the new CIME building.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Know statistics about the pakistani health sector and health in general.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Show you are genuinely interested in helping people by bringing up community services and talk about AKU's Community Health sciences program (Do some research on it). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Show that you are a broad thinking open minded tolerant individual.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">AKU is associated with NGOs in Pakistan, but does it have networks formed with international NGOs like the MSF or WHO?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What sports opportunities are offered here?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I heard about AKU developing a Social and Human sciences division here, is that true? When is it expected to be completed?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Can you tell me about your education and career path? What was your journey like until you made it as the medical professional you are today?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Can you tell me about the sports facilities/HASS/Falah</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Wear a watch, carry a pen. But Never Ever look at the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Know what other program's they're offering.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 9 What are social problems of Pakistan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 10 What are health issues in Pakistan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 11 Languages you speak at home and with friends</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 12 Which newspaper do you read? English or Urdu</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 13 What do you know about aku?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 33 What programmes does AKU offer besides MBBS</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">AKU prospectus info</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 1. Aku seal- the circle represents the internationality of aku. Centre is star or sun—universal symbol for enlightenment and symbolic of divine light (nur). Sun has 49 rays to commemorate 49th imam Sir aga khan. Quranic ayat 3:103.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 2. Many believe world going through Knowledge Society phase—where the source of influence would be through info, intelligence, insight rather than power or natural resources. Priority setting will be most imp-today ppl lost in gainig too much info—lost wisdom and knowledge that lies within—said by sir aga khan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> (this is very rep of what aku wants not only above 59% in test or alevels but an individual well rounded in academic and extra curriculars alike. Wants to produce not cogs in the machine.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 3. Key to progress duznt lie in any single source of teaching but in the openness to new expressions and fresh insights. (sir aga khan)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 4. Development of truly global citizens that are able to cope and excel with diversity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 5. Aku campuses in Nairobi , khi, darusalam, arusha.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 6. Stimulating experience and personal growth.—firoz rasul (prez)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 7. First private uni pak—27 yrs old</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 8. Faculty of arts and sciences—for liberal arts edu</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 9. Committed to enhance position of women strengthened nursing+ teaching institutions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 10. Strong position in AKDN by committing to social development via developing higher edu + research relevant to probs in pak+ muslims+ developing nations</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 11. Aku comprises of faculty of health sciences as med college n nursing school in akuh, AKU-IED edu develop institute in khi and Islamic civilizations institute in London.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 12. 2002 est AKU-examination board</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 13. Uni launched training n teaching sites in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya , Syria , Egypt, uk----also aims to develop AKU HEALTH N FAS IN Uganda kanya and Tanzania</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 14. Chancellor= aga kahn---chairman trustees= saidullah khan dehelvi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 15. Harvard,mcgill,mcmaster contributed to faculty and curriculum,,,waterloo UBC partnerships enable higher training and research opportunities not available in Pakistan.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 16. Only 3rd teaching hospital in world to get JCIA accreditation, and now also ISO certified</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 17. Patients behbud society donates zakat to akuh</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 18. Student activities include sports, art, culture and publications</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 19. Potential for leadership</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 20. MBBS curriculum renewed oct 2002—has evidence based medi edu, problem based learning and opp to work in clinical teams both in karaachi and on a national/ community in urban/ rural areas</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">> 21. AKU-MC conforms to the req of pak med and dental council—registering body in Pakistan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I had read anything about medical advancements, so I would suggest reading a few medical magazines online, it's always good to tell them that oh I found this new thing online and it was so very interesting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">why you don't want to go abroad? I said well I had the opportunity but I realised that for me the best decision would be to study medicine here</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Go on the aku site, read their mission statement. Read whatever the hell you can and pick what all looks impressive. Aku is one of the best medical schools worldwide, it is in the city you live in, it has adopted the pbl and module system which is brilliant, and you feel that the environment aku supports is one you could very easily fit into and an environment which promotes learning. Let me tell you about the pbl and module system. Basically, in the old days medicine was taught subject wise, like anatomy then histology then pathology and so on. The module system is basically an integrated teaching approach, you have modules like blood, inflammation, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system. So what happens is that you learn all the anatomy physio histo patho etc about blood, then about inflammation then about git then about cvs and so on. So after every module you have a rounded full understanding about the system you have studied. Which makes it very easy to learn. Pbl stands for problem based learning. At aku the class of 100 is divided into 10 or so groups with 10 or so people. Twice a week you have pbl sessions. In these sessions we get cases related to the module you are studying, from the cases you make learning objectives because in the first two years of med school your objective is to learn what is going on and what goes wrong to make a certain symptom or disease happen. The case represents a patient who came to the doctor and so so and so has happened to him or her. You then make a learning objective (LO) about abnormal and normal functions of whatever is the related case. We have pbls twice a week, on mondays and thursdays. It works like this, monday you get a case, thursday you discuss the case, thursday you get a new case, monday you discuss that case and get a new case and so on. So what's happening is that you're constantly studying, and that is only going to help you with your exam later because if you studied well in your pbl then come exam time when you're studying again it's going to be like revision. You don't have to mention all of this I'm just telling you what I like about it and what I think you should understand about it, days of pbl change every year so that's not important for you obvs. Also, say that you have friends at aku and they praise the system of learning a lot and well you'd just love to be in such a place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">read up on the health system of Pakistan, primary secondary tertiary and quarternary care (pak doesn't really have quarternary care much) just read up on it just in case.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">-If you are working in an organization and you don’t agree with their rules, what would you do? (V tricky question – I said that I would possibly speak with the management to get clarity on the issue reason being that rules are made keeping the general well-being of the staff in mind so they cannot possibly be wrong)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">She also asked me if there was something that I disliked about AKU? And she did NOT want to hear that it’s amazing and perfect so be prepared for such questions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I simply told her that its very expensive and not easily affordable by even middle class at times but that was understandable since it’s a private hospital. I made it sound positive by saying that I liked the fact that they set up a special financial aid bank for less privileged people in recent years and are trying to improve upon the issue.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Talk about the research opportunities at aku, organisations such as Falah and its branches and about the university's international reputation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Link leadership to doctors being leaders, and emphasise the importance of medical profession being a team based field.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">connections to foreign NGOs like MSF and WHO</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Older Posts On This Blog Related To The AKU Interview</b></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/11/aku-interview-guidelines.html">http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/11/aku-interview-guidelines.html</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/11/sohaibs-aku-interview.html">http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/11/sohaibs-aku-interview.html</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/12/mayera-tufails-interview-experience.html">http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/12/mayera-tufails-interview-experience.html</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/12/lubainas-first-aku-interview.html">http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/12/lubainas-first-aku-interview.html</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-interview-situation.html">http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-interview-situation.html</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Update 9/25/2018: Tips for AKU Interviews by Manzar Abbas, Class of 2022 (Video)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://youtu.be/LHvjdKc7KnE">https://youtu.be/LHvjdKc7KnE</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Update 9/26/2018: Advice by Omaima Bhatti, Class of 2022</b></span><br />
So heres some advice for the aku interview. Its okay to be nervous.<br />
I would suggest you do mock interviews. Its really going to help. You can ask a sibling, or a friend, or a teacher.<br />
<br />
So theres 2 interviews. There are a set of questions that all of them ask. Some would follow the questionnaire and it’ll seem like an Q and A session (both of mine were like this)<br />
However some interviewers wont exactly ask all those questions. Theyll build up on your responses, they might try to intimidate you and ask questions that might set you off track. Keep your cool and stay confident.<br />
Just remember its a conversation. And its about you. So you steer the conversation wherever you want it to go. Some general tips<br />
-Just be yourself<br />
-Make them see who you are.<br />
Give them personal anecdotes ( i did that. I talked a lot about my family but it just came to me naturally. So be natural) Figure out what makes you stand out as a person. It could be something very small too. ( i actually said something, a certain thing about my personality that others might find a stupid thing to say in an interview, but thats the only thing my interviewer actually smiled at also coz i was smiling and laughing myself)<br />
-you should know why youre choosing medicine. Dont make up a story. Dig deep into yourself and figure it out. (Took me a while to do it but i eventually did end up with an answer that was very true to me)<br />
-I talked a lot about how im looking forward to meeting new people from all around the country and abroad. They love hearing about diversity in aku. But it was a heartfelt answer too.<br />
-know your strengths and weaknesses really well and also talk about how you would overcome your weaknesses<br />
-stress management!!! Both of my interviewers asked me about it and i had already thought of what i had to say. Be aware of what helps you get through stress.<br />
-If you cant think of an answer for some question, let them know. For example, my interviewer asked me to tell him about an event in my life that really disappointed me and how i overcame it. I hesitated and i was thinking and nothing was coming to my mind and i said i really dont know. So the interviewer went into a description of an event from his own life and then he asked me if theres something like this you want to tel me and i apologised because i really couldnt think of anything and he said its okay and he moved on. And i think he liked the fact that i was being honest and didnt force an answer<br />
-They might ask questions like have you ever cheated (my suggestion ( and also my seniors’) would be to say no because aku has a strict policy against cheating) they might try to trick you and give you scenarios and try to make you admit that its important to lie and cheat sometimes (happened with me) I said i would rather opt for honesty than have something weigh on my conscious.<br />
-theres so much more. The general interview tips but its been covered in the other posts.<br />
-you can ask for water<br />
-dont interrupt the interviewer<br />
<br />
Also, its good to carry a portfolio with photocopies of important documents/ certificates and resume. You would be bringing up your hobbies or extracurriculars and its good to have proof of it. Like you can take some of your artwork, or poems, or if you play music you can show them a video. For example, i took a research article that i had worked a bit on. I did show it and was asked to explain stuff about it.<br />
And when i was talking about my stress management i told my interviewer that i use adult colouring apps and said ‘would you like to see its on my phone’ and he allowed it. And was impressed altho it was something pretty simple.<br />
Just let them know youre not all about parhai<br />
<br />
Present yourself well it matters a lot.<br />
Let your passion show. Confidence, honesty, warm smiles, courtesy, remember these things.<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
IA everything will turn out fine.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Update 9/26/2018: Advice by Muhammad Talal, Class of 2021</b></span><br />
<span class="_5yl5">I just want to add one thing. Ask them to read up a little about community medicine (aku's impact in community, basic health units etc). Also about public health. eg my interviewer asked me what would I do as a public health administrator (and I had no idea) (he then prompted me on things like access to clean water, food etc). This is important if the interviewer is from the CHS (Community Health Sciences) department, because faculty of that department lay a special emphasis on these topics that is often missed in the general discussion about medicine by others.</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-73021716198788189882018-06-07T19:10:00.000+05:002018-06-28T12:02:20.685+05:00AKU Entry Test 2018 AdviceUpdate 6/28/2018: Apologies for bringing this up later than I should have, but just wanted to mention that no periodic table or formula sheet will be provided in the paper, so (A Level students in particular) do memorize the first 20 elements with their atomic number etc., other important elements like silver, a general understanding of periodicity and group trends, important constants and formulas of Physics, bond energies of basic elements like Carbon and Hydrogen, etc. No calculators are allowed so all calculations will be have rather simple numericals but do require an understanding of the underlying formula that is to be employed. Furthermore, I want to re-emphasize the importance of the mathematical and science reasoning sections in the sense that they do not have negative marking, so don't treat them for granted. Do give them ample time to make as many guesses as you want as these sections are lifesavers. Best of luck!<br />
<br />
--------------<br />
<br />
Update 6/21/2018: I got in touch with some of my other classmates, one of them shared this folder, which contains resources for the test: <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B_3ns-YNncCAS3BENmo2d2xGaDQ">https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B_3ns-YNncCAS3BENmo2d2xGaDQ</a> I urge you to jump into the "Read Me First" file and go through the minimum that is advised to cover from this folder. Also go through the "AKU ADVICE" file. (It also contains so-called past papers of AKU's test by Anees Hussain, but as mentioned in the Read Me First file, these are fake and unreliable. With that said, if you want to check them out go ahead and do so for practice's sake.)<br />
<br />
--------------<br />
<br />
Salam everyone!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
By the time you're reading this, hopefully your final exams of A Level/FSc etc. have gone well, and you're probably now considering starting your preparation for the AKU MBBS aptitude test to be held on the 1st of July. I'm writing this in order to give you all some sense of direction.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
First of all, like I mentioned in my previous post, pretty much all I have to say is contained in the guide I wrote and shared after my own admission last year. Here is the link again: <a href="https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg">https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Please do go through this, especially the entire section on the entry test, which is very useful. However, I'll summarize the essentials in one place here.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Sample Test</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
Here is the sample AKU aptitude test paper, do go through this to get a very brief overview. <a href="https://www.aku.edu/admissions/Documents/sample-paper-MBBS.pdf">https://www.aku.edu/admissions/Documents/sample-paper-MBBS.pdf</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>English Section</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For the English section, go through this sample test here, for this most closely resembles the English section on the AKU test for the last few years after they updated the format: <a href="http://practice-test.englishlanguagetesting.co.uk/">http://practice-test.englishlanguagetesting.co.uk/</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
They themselves actually state we can head on over here in their sample test I've provided above.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Biology/Chemistry/Physics</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For A Level students who have taken the SAT 2 as well recently, are satisfied with their prep for it and their A Level concepts, it's best to grab FSc books and go through them as much as feasible with the syllabus AKU provided alongside them. Here is the syllabus: <a href="https://www.aku.edu/admissions/mbbs/Pages/curriculum.aspx">https://www.aku.edu/admissions/mbbs/Pages/curriculum.aspx</a></div>
<div>
Focus on topics not found in A Level that overlap between SAT 2 and FSc and do them well via SAT 2 books and practice questions, and do the rest from the FSc books of course. You can also use AKU EB (AKU's own board for matric/FSc) past papers, which I've collected over here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8zG6ETp7LjBcWZRSW5seE5wU1U">https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8zG6ETp7LjBcWZRSW5seE5wU1U</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A Level students who did not sit for the SAT 2 should focus on making sure their A Level concepts are strong and then move on to SAT 2 books and work especially on topics that aren't covered in A Level but do overlap between FSc and SAT 2. Do as many questions as you can from SAT 2 books as well as the official past papers of SAT 2. Once done, move on to spend the remainder of your time with FSc books as above. Again, use AKU EB past papers and syllabus too if you want to, both of which I've linked above.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
FSc students on the other hand need not dive into A Level books. Make sure your FSc concepts are very, very strong. If you have taken the SAT 2 then it's great, but if not, SAT 2 is something you'll definitely have to use for your preparation as it will help cover syllabus with a focus on MCQs. Use the AKU EB curriculum and past papers I've linked above as well. You need to have an overall grasp over the FSc syllabus and be comfortable with attempting MCQ style questions that will check your clarity concerning the concepts.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In my personal experience, I did well in A Level and in the same period of time took the SAT 2, in which I performed well too. As an A Level student, I had a strong grasp on both A Level and SAT 2. However, I still felt that the test was definitely hard. Thus, in my opinion, the test was majorly FSc based. With that said, the SAT 2 is definitely something that is useful and an important bridge between the different syllabi, and most students who passed the test will agree that it's integral for your preparation. Furthermore, it's hard to be sure where the test will come from as there's difference of opinion from year to year.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For the SAT 2, here is a folder I made during my preparation for it, which might be helpful for you: <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B8zG6ETp7LjBRi0yd0R6YjZiZ28">https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B8zG6ETp7LjBRi0yd0R6YjZiZ28</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In summation, A Level students follow this order: A Level --> SAT 2 --> FSc.</div>
<div>
FSc students follow this: FSc + SAT 2.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Mathematics Reasoning</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
The first thing I'd like to say is that it's not going to be any more complex than your usual Matric/O Level math, since Math is not even a requirement to be studied at FSc/A Level for medicine in Pakistan. With that said, it should be noted that questions aren't basic maths, they do have an element of problem solving/logical thinking involved, which is why it's titled "reasoning". The way I prepared for this was very briefly revise my O Level math concepts and ideas. FSc students should revise their Matric math, of course. After that, if you want to, you can try out the New SAT math questions (not SAT 2 math, I'm talking about SAT 1). Open up this link: <a href="https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/practice/full-length-practice-tests">https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/practice/full-length-practice-tests</a> There are 8 practice tests here under the "Resources" section. Click on "Show all" under each test, open the "SAT Practice Test (test number)" file and the "SAT Practice Test Answer Explanations" file, and then you can use the math questions for your practice (ignore the English parts).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
More important than that however, I feel are the International Kangaroo Mathematics Contest (IKMC) questions, which was first recommended by one of the founding members of this blog in this post: <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2012/11/aku-test-prep-guidelines-by-subject.html">http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2012/11/aku-test-prep-guidelines-by-subject.html</a> In fact, go through this entire post as I used this as well for my own preparation (and go through other posts in the past concerning the entry test too, minus the part on English as that section has been changed a lot over the years), although this is like 5 years old. For practicing the IKMC questions, open up this link <a href="http://ikmc.kangaroo.org.pk/download/3162/past-papers.html">http://ikmc.kangaroo.org.pk/download/3162/past-papers.html</a> and practice questions of "class 9-10" of the different years. The answer keys are available there as well.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It's hard to pinpoint where exactly the questions come from, but basically they test your ability to think rationally. Do revise topics like probability etc.</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Science Reasoning</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
In my experience this was basically a cluster of science questions from bio/chem/phy. If you really want to dive into "reasoning" then try out these ACT science questions: <a href="https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation/science-practice-test-questions.html">https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation/science-practice-test-questions.html</a> However, like I've said in my guide, they're more difficult than what shows up on the AKU test. Honestly, some of the questions didn't even seem too "reasoning"-like to me. Just make sure your sense of science is strong and focus on your preparation for the other science section. Over the years of studying science, if you were someone who took active interest in your subject and tried to make sense of it, you should have developed the skills to solve these questions. Beyond that, do as many SAT 2 practice questions as you can.</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Attempting Techniques and Other Tips</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
One important aspect is the negative marking. The pure sciences portion have a -0.25 mark for every question you get wrong. So you have to be very careful with that. Most of the times when you are confused between multiple options, it's best to leave a question unanswered, and I can tell you I left more than I guessed on. On the other hand, the science reasoning and mathematics reasoning sections don't have any negative marking, and in their case, feel free to guess. In fact, don't leave any question unanswered.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Another thing I'd like to talk about is timing. The English section has its own separate time and it's pretty sufficient. The science portion as a whole with the pure sciences and reasoning sections is all in one go. I personally went once through the pure sciences and eliminated questions that I found easy. After that, instead of wasting time on guessing questions, I spent a decent amount of time on maths and science reasoning because there's no negative marking there. I did all questions there without any pressure, and then spent the remaining time on the pure sciences questions. This helped because instead of wasting time on questions that have negative marking, it was better to make sure I answer each of the non-negative marking questions with full concentration as there I have a chance of getting a mark even if I guess without the risk of losing marks. Thus, do time everything carefully and keep your eyes on the clock.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Finally, do note that if you can't figure out the correct answer at first glance, try eliminating the wrong answers first as much as you can to narrow down your options. This is a very basic technique for attempting MCQs but I felt that it's important to reiterate it here.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Don't lose sleep over anything, make sure you take regular breaks, and best of luck! Feel free to comment any questions/concerns below, or email me at akuhelp@outlook.com.<br />
<br />
(Do check out the comments below as I've addressed lots of things below.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
- Mohammad Yasrab, AKU Class of 2022.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com97tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-28078914611125537312018-03-16T14:37:00.000+05:002019-04-17T18:13:51.580+05:00Admissions Open for MBBS 2018-2019 (Last Date: 28th May) + Complete Guide for Preparation By Yasrab<span style="font-family: inherit;">Greetings everyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h4>
<i><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">My introduction</span></b></i></h4>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yasrab here, from the class of 2022. This is my first post, so I'll begin with a little introduction about myself. Just like you, I was searching frantically a year ago for any help/advice/guidelines for helping me achieve my dream of gaining admission into Aga Khan University's MBBS programme, and that's when I came across this wonderful blog. A year later, here I am in my hostel room, writing this post, as the responsibility of running this blog has been passed down to me by the wonderful people who set it up in the first place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This blog played a major role in helping me achieve my goal, and I cannot thank Sohaib, Lubaina, and everyone else who contributed to it enough for the help rendered. After I got in, I felt that it's my duty to play my part and independently wrote a complete guide based on my experience regarding the admissions process, preparation, the entry test, the interview, what I think is required, and so on. The founders of this blog not only gave me the opportunity to share my guide but also take up responsibility of running this blog from this point onward.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As the admission season has started, I felt that this is the perfect time to make my first post here. Through this post I aim to provide some basic guidelines regarding what you need to do and how you should orient yourselves to efficiently get your applications going. I will continue to update this blog.</span><br />
<h4>
<i><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b></i></h4>
<h4>
<i><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Complete guide on preparing for admission into AKU's MBBS programme based on my experience</span></b></i></h4>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Firstly, here's the guide I wrote, titled, "Preparing for admission into AKU's MBBS program". It's nearly 18,000 words long (around 70 pages) and deals with everything that I deemed necessary for aspiring students to know, including: applying online, overview of the entry test, preparing for the entry test, filling in the Stage II Information Form (that comes after you clear the entry test), everything pertaining to the interview from sitting posture to questions that I was asked, acceptance letters, how candidates are selected (in my understanding), and so on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I honestly feel that this is all of the advice and tips that I have to offer in one document and suggest that you keep this with you and go through it as you progress through the admissions process in the next couple of months. Of course, this is simply advice and a narration of my own experience and interpretation of the entire process, so do take it as nothing more than that. At the end of the day, it is your own journey, and all we can do is share what we experienced. Derive whatever benefit, good, and help you can from our experiences.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's the guide: <a href="https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg">https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Do access it from this link, for I do tend to update the file and it automatically gets updated in this link. There's a version number on the cover page with the same link above so do note that when opening the file to see if it's been updated or not. If you decide to download it and keep it offline, click the link on the cover page from time to time to make sure you have the latest version.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let me know if any link is not working (either in this post or within the guide above) and I'll be sure to look into that as well.</span><br />
<h4>
<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></b></h4>
<h4>
<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">What to do at this point in time</span></i></b></h4>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first thing you should do is familiarize yourself with the AKU website and the main MBBS page in particular: <a href="https://www.aku.edu/admissions/mbbs/Pages/home.aspx">https://www.aku.edu/admissions/mbbs/Pages/home.aspx</a> It's going to be something you'll keep referring back to until you get the final decision regarding your admission. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Next, you should download the Programme Information Booklet (which you can see on the right side of the page underneath "Related Information", or click here: <a href="https://www.aku.edu/admissions/Documents/programme-information-mbbs.pdf">https://www.aku.edu/admissions/Documents/programme-information-mbbs.pdf</a>) and make sure you go through it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">At this point in time, the sections most relevant to you are going to be the "Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery" section (pages 12 to 18) and the "Apply Online" section (pages 24 to 27).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Make sure you understand the entire online application process. The steps in the Programme Information Booklet couldn't be any clearer than they are.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">From the main page, you can also click on "How to apply" and that link will also lead you to a very straightforward description of the entire process. The actual link where you fill the online application form is: <a href="http://www.aku.edu/apply-online">http://www.aku.edu/apply-online</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once you open that link, you can begin your online application. If there's still confusion, I highly recommend going through the "FAQs" towards the upper right (or click here: <a href="https://www.aku.edu/admissions/Documents/faq-online-application.PDF">https://www.aku.edu/admissions/Documents/faq-online-application.PDF</a>) and "Understand the Online Process" towards the upper left (or click here: <a href="https://www.aku.edu/admissions/Documents/online-process.pdf">https://www.aku.edu/admissions/Documents/online-process.pdf</a>). Have these files open while you go through the online application process. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you have any questions for which you can't find answers in the FAQs or the details AKU has provided, then feel free to email them at email addresses they have provided:</span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the "Understand the Online Process" document they have on the online application page, they mention <a href="mailto:online.application@aku.edu">online.application@aku.edu</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then there's <a href="mailto:mbbs.query@aku.edu">mbbs.query@aku.edu</a> in the Programme Information Booklet</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">They also mention <a href="mailto:admissions.query@aku.edu">admissions.query@aku.edu</a> when you open the "How to apply" link</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Concerning the online application itself, when I had questions, I contacted <a href="mailto:online.application@aku.edu">online.application@aku.edu</a> and did get a swift reply. Beyond that, for the majority of the concerns that I had, I contacted <a href="mailto:mbbs.query@aku.edu">mbbs.query@aku.edu</a> and had my questions/concerns addressed right away. I haven't sent any email to <a href="mailto:admissions.query@aku.edu">admissions.query@aku.edu</a>, but it's there as well. Thus, feel free to email them regarding any question you have when filling the online application, and I'm certain your issue will be addressed. You can also call them at +92 21 3493 0051.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />And of course, feel free to comment below any queries you may have and I'll be sure to address them to the best of my ability/knowledge as well.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Good luck!!</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-86069690022493948592018-01-07T13:01:00.003+05:002018-01-07T13:07:04.066+05:00The AKU Challenge Legacy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey guys!<br />
<br />
A lot has changed with regards to AKU admissions and the way to go about them.<br />
<br />
This blog was originally created by Sohaib Qadri (who has graduated from AKU by now) and was then run by me (Lubaina Ehsan). But, I am going to be graduating soon. So, we have brought in new blood to handle and update this blog from now on.<br />
<br />
This blog post is to welcome <b>Mohammad Yasrab</b>.<br />
He's dedicated towards helping out those who are looking for a place to answer their queries regarding the AKU admission process.<br />
<br />
Power to you, Yasrab!<br />
Take good care of this blog.</div>
Lubaina E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05074289638784974914noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-55480925628357681712015-05-24T18:50:00.001+05:002015-05-24T18:50:25.930+05:00Updated Information for 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The links below can also be found at http://www.aku.edu/admissions/undergraduate/medicine/Pages/MBBS-Programme.aspx<br /><br />Information and Eligibility Criteria for 2015 can be found here:<br />http://www.aku.edu/admissions/registraroffice/Documents/programme-information-MBBS.PDF<br /><br />Sample Paper for 2015 can be found here, this is to give an idea about the pattern of the test to the candidates:<br />http://www.aku.edu/admissions/registraroffice/Documents/sample-paper-MBBS.pdf<br /><br />Curriculum of Biology, Chemistry and Physics for 2015 can be found here:<br />http://www.aku.edu/admissions/undergraduate/medicine/Pages/curriculum.aspx<br /><br />Let us know if you guys have any further queries,<br />Best of luck! :)</div>
Lubaina E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05074289638784974914noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-74849299264319518282015-04-20T04:18:00.000+05:002015-04-20T04:18:15.971+05:00Advice for FSC Students<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey guys.<br /><br />This blog post is to answer all the queries we have been receiving with regards to preparation for AKU Admission Test that FSc students are to do.<br /><br />Well, a few students of an FSc background currently studying at AKU were asked the following questions and their responses were noted.<br /><br />Question #1. What Books and Resources did you use to prepare for the AKU Aptitude Test?<br />Question #2. Did you take any tuition or the likes for the Test?<br />Question #3. Any other advice for FSc Students appearing for the AKU Aptitude Test?<br /><br /><b><u>Paras's Response</u></b><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-reactid=".2u.$mid=11428346238351=2550b8595bc69527665.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$4:0" style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hi!</span><br data-reactid=".2u.$mid=11428346238351=2550b8595bc69527665.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$5:0" style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".2u.$mid=11428346238351=2550b8595bc69527665.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$6:0" style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) I used Sindh board books for chem, bio and physics and SAT 1 books for math and english. Didn't use any specific book for scientific reasoning. Scientific reasoning mostly tests your common sense but it had a lot of time consuming paragraphs. The advice i'll give for this section is to study the other subjects really well so you can do them quickly and have time for this section in the end.</span><br data-reactid=".2u.$mid=11428346238351=2550b8595bc69527665.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$7:0" style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".2u.$mid=11428346238351=2550b8595bc69527665.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$8:0" style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) I didn't take any tution specifically for the AKU test. The tutions I used to take were for the general MCAT conducted by NTS.</span><br data-reactid=".2u.$mid=11428346238351=2550b8595bc69527665.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$9:0" style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span data-reactid=".2u.$mid=11428346238351=2550b8595bc69527665.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$end:0:$10:0" style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">3) Instead of wasting your time trying to study A level books at the last minute, re-read your own books FSc books. However, avoid rattafying them and work on building your concept. The majority of mcqs test the big picture, not the details. <span class="_1az _1a- _1q3y" style="background-image: url(https://fbstatic-a.akamaihd.net/rsrc.php/v2/yS/r/ckxre_asY0y.png); background-position: 0px -5364px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: auto; display: inline-block; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: top; width: 16px;"></span></span></span></span><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><b><u>Bilal Mirza's response:</u></b></span><span style="background-color: #dbedfe; color: #373e4d; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: black;">
</span><span style="background-color: white;">1) Sat 2 barons for basic sciences and fsc books. Maths from Sat official study guide and Barron's.
2) Nope. No tuitions
3) FSc students should focus more on science reasoning and the maths section. Umm... Organic chemistry is very important and most of it is covered in FSc. Students ought to practice physics questions from sat 2 tests. Well, basically, learn to apply the concepts that they have learned.
</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><b><u>Noayna's response:</u></b><br /><br /><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) Well, the fsc books are more than enough to prepare for the science section but I did go through the practice tests given in the SAT bio/phy/chem books.
Maths is fairly easy and its all the basic stuff so I just practised from the SAT book, 3-4 tests per day(for a week) were enough to reacquiant me with maths 😛
Googled practice tests for reasoning on the last day! oh and SAT se english mcqs, along with some random fsc books.
2) No, I didn't.
3) Not really. The test is easy, just remember what you were thought over the two years and practice as much as possible. The more you practice, the lesser are your chances of messing this up!</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />------<br /><br />Hope this blog post was of help. Feel free to ask any other questions or forward any queries present. Cheers!</div>
Lubaina E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05074289638784974914noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-89616993286522474202015-02-21T23:50:00.002+05:002015-02-21T23:50:43.267+05:00AKU OPEN DAY 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Open Day is here!<br />Many of you have been inquiring us about this so decided to put it up here.<br /><br />Here's the link for the details regarding the Open Day:<br /><a href="http://www.aku.edu/admissions/registraroffice/Pages/Outreach.aspx">http://www.aku.edu/admissions/registraroffice/Pages/Outreach.aspx</a><br /><br />Date: Sunday, 22nd February, 2015<br />Venue: Sports and Rehabilitation Centre, The Aga Khan University, Karachi.<br /><br /><br /></div>
Lubaina E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05074289638784974914noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-54169739914570293572014-08-09T12:33:00.000+05:002014-08-09T12:53:56.277+05:00The Interview Situation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Congratulations to all those who cleared the AKU Aptitude Test!<br />
Now comes Step #2; The Dreaded AKU Interview that has so many myths associated with it.<br />
<br />
Last night my friends and I were discussing about this year's test, interview, those who cleared the test and stuff when one of them said a truly quotable quote:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">"Know what, Lubaina, the AKU Blog that you guys run is sort of counter-productive when it comes to the interview prep because a lot of people are reading your interview and if all of them answer the way you answered then their interview won't stand out."</span></b></i></div>
<br />
And, my friend was absolutely right. So, before any further ado here's lesson #1 for the AKU Interview:<br />
Show them how you STAND OUT. <br />
Show them how your spark is DIFFERENT from the rest. <br />
Show them that you DESERVE to come to AKU. <br />
After all, out of all the applicants ONLY 100 are selected and if you want that to be you than you have to show them how you're unique. Everybody debates and everybody plays football but not everybody can make debating and swimming seem as if they are more than just talking out loud and splashing in the water.<br />
<br />
The interviews put up at this blog are just to give the readers an idea about how it goes.<br />
<br />
For further tips about the AKU interview, read our previous posts:<br />
- <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/11/aku-interview-guidelines.html" target="_blank">AKU Interview Guidelines</a><br />
- <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/11/sohaibs-aku-interview.html" target="_blank">Sohaib's AKU Interview</a><br />
- <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/12/lubainas-first-aku-interview.html" target="_blank">Lubaina's First AKU Interview</a> (Just realised how I never got around to writing about my second interview)<br />
- <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/12/mayera-tufails-interview-experience.html" target="_blank">Mayera Tufail's AKU Interview</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Feel free to ask any questions or sort out any queries that are bothering you.<br />
This will be it for now.<br />
Cheers!<br />
<br /></div>
Lubaina E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05074289638784974914noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-22051036022620361562014-06-05T15:41:00.001+05:002014-06-05T15:41:54.146+05:00Important Announcement - AKU Aptitude Test 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5EB4zopVlANgq_JIQp9U4oJ98Yt4yWyZWuKjDPtO8KFs1n6TvWeqZb8-CcV3ZjN9kg11XtwH9YIumgsMpqBtHhSMJwqw1VFrIN0bAOcBpvM4knqFrjSMsjVps0H0NHt6GqlYT535Trk/s1600/AKU-ANNOUNCEMENT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5EB4zopVlANgq_JIQp9U4oJ98Yt4yWyZWuKjDPtO8KFs1n6TvWeqZb8-CcV3ZjN9kg11XtwH9YIumgsMpqBtHhSMJwqw1VFrIN0bAOcBpvM4knqFrjSMsjVps0H0NHt6GqlYT535Trk/s1600/AKU-ANNOUNCEMENT.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Lubaina E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05074289638784974914noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-14634222433385033802014-04-06T00:23:00.000+05:002014-04-06T02:15:33.173+05:00For the 2014 Applicants<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hey there prospective AKU-ites/AKU-ians (Yeah, we don't have a specific 'name' for the AKU students)</div>
<br />
This blog aims to help out all those who wish to apply to AKU's Medical College. If you're confused about how to prepare for the AKU test or the AKU admission procedure then you have come to the right place.<br />
<br />
Getting to the point, the dates for this year have been updated.<br />
For now just focus on clearing the aptitude test and the rest comes later.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
\</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDMwLIhMHAjUIU2a0zBEBJiOa6i-_BPpB-3kvL7cqkxYdhwnYJ7PrX29vYYFvwe3q-n3OHOf4WFaOG_SOs1SGtOnO34Wmw9JndB2HLdEgSHbyN-xN9UQBvtsp9QXKyeWbn98GIG3KYuU/s1600/AKU-test-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDMwLIhMHAjUIU2a0zBEBJiOa6i-_BPpB-3kvL7cqkxYdhwnYJ7PrX29vYYFvwe3q-n3OHOf4WFaOG_SOs1SGtOnO34Wmw9JndB2HLdEgSHbyN-xN9UQBvtsp9QXKyeWbn98GIG3KYuU/s1600/AKU-test-2014.jpg" height="356" width="640" /></a></div>
First comes your application form, then your aptitude test followed by interview and Form II only if the aptitude test is cleared.<br />
<br />
In the aptitude test one has to get a percentage higher then the passing percentage which changes every year. For 2013, the passing percentage for Paper 1 was 55% and for Paper 2 was 66%.<br />
<br />
Here is the a brief outline of the AKU aptitude test pattern:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQQslSDgjXKK3j4E-W05C9SlCt70RPX_TQzYm-f2014mVCx_caG_63Pz3Qje5QVEKHHH5TZaTWFP2O7kCP7-AmfoiCQaIMsE7fuaHyvug1EROTcZwZRk4Gc_78b3AKbWBYdOnD_7PMcw/s1600/AKU-test-2014-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQQslSDgjXKK3j4E-W05C9SlCt70RPX_TQzYm-f2014mVCx_caG_63Pz3Qje5QVEKHHH5TZaTWFP2O7kCP7-AmfoiCQaIMsE7fuaHyvug1EROTcZwZRk4Gc_78b3AKbWBYdOnD_7PMcw/s1600/AKU-test-2014-2.jpg" height="338" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The above is just a brief outline regarding the admission procedure. Do view the links below for detailed information.<br />
<br />
1)<a href="http://www.aku.edu/admissions/keyadmissiondates/Pages/ug-adm-cal-pk.aspx" target="_blank"> Important 2014 admission dates for AKU Undergraduate programme </a><br />
2) <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2012/11/how-to-prepare-for-aku-admission-test.html" target="_blank">AKU Test prep Tips</a><br />
3) <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2012/11/aku-test-prep-guidelines-by-subject.html" target="_blank">AKU Test prep guidelines by subject</a><br />
4) <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2012/10/format-of-aku-test-and-time-management.html" target="_blank">AKU Test format and time management</a><br />
5) <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2012/10/AKU-application-form.html" target="_blank">AKU Application form - Tips and words of caution</a><br />
6) <a href="http://www.aku.edu/admissions/undergraduate/medicine/Pages/curriculum.aspx" target="_blank">Curriculum for AKU Test</a><br />
<br />
Best of luck!<br />
Feel free to comment with questions and queries.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Lubaina E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05074289638784974914noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-74411209168587190402013-12-15T07:38:00.001+05:002013-12-15T14:03:17.392+05:00Mayera Tufail's AKU Interview Experience<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>Mayera Tufail (a very amazing person) is from the Batch of 2018 and this post contains her recollection about her AKU interviews.</b></u></div>
<br />
<b><u><span style="color: #674ea7;">FIRST INTERVIEW</span></u></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
My first AKU interview was with Dr. Maria Andrades, she was
really polite and asked the routine questions. Like, tell me about yourself?<br />
How would you examine a male patient? (DRE digital rectal
exam is their favourite)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To which you answer that you would take informed consent (that requires telling the patient what the procedure requires you to do) and
then take consent along with keeping a male chaperon (attending or a nurse) nearby to
make the patient comfortable.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next, she asked me about the social and economic problems of
Pakistan. <br />
I mentioned female illiteracy. So, she wanted me to tell that what have I
done at grass root level to help the cause and how I educated my maids. I replied that mass media is a better way to reach out to them.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh yeah, when they ask you your weaknesses be sure to
call them your areas of improvement. This session lasted for 35 minutes to be
exact. So, nothing out of the usual.<br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="color: #674ea7;">SECOND INTERVIEW</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><span style="color: #674ea7;"><br /></span></u></b>(This interview was bilingual; english and urdu.)<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My second interview was something of a roller coaster! Dr
Asad jamil, chairman of the department of surgery, was the interviewer. His office was in the
community health centre. So, when an administrative employee escorted me to his office I read all the
signboards along the way, scared of a rumour from my friend that her sister
was asked which ward she had passed and in which department was she sitting. I
was not asked that but you can never be too careful. Always ask for your
interviewer’s name if you don't get it the first time, and refer to them by
their name for the rest of the interview; Dr. so and so. <br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #674ea7;">Well, soon the the
intimidating interview started.</span></i></b><br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Dr Asad:</b> Tell me about yourself?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><b>(T</b>his question boosted my morale. I told myself: Yeah Mayera, you can ace
it. This will just be like the one before like you practiced. So, I went on with
the usual.)</i><br />
But then, Dr Asad stopped me in the middle.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Dr Asad:</b> So, you mentioned you have been to three different
schools uptil now. How has each of them impacted your personality?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Me:</b> <i>(Yikes! what the hell? This was not a routine, well one can expect anything in an AKU interview after all. I took
a millisecond to understand this and then started) </i><br />
Mama Parsi was a very strict
school, marks would be subtracted from our daily report for every small mistake we made<i> (I did not quite like it there but don't ever say
anything negative about your school)</i>, if we were late for assignments, if we talked in class or interrupted the teacher. It made me very disciplined in life,
taught me time management skills and very proper behavior. I learnt to respect
my seniors and my teachers.<br />
<i>St. Joseph Convent</i>, well, it was a missionary school. Much less strict than my previous school. Teachers taught us for a monthly
salary of a thousand rupees. Education was virtually free. Teachers just came in to teach us in hope for seeing a better future for Pakistan, they instilled in
us a deep sense of patriotism.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Dr Asad:</b> In a country where almost everyone reads their prayers and is religious yet corruption is the highest. People still break the traffic signal. My driver has a beard, he reads the Qur'an and yet he breaks the signal. They
take to the streets like crazy on 14<sup>th</sup> august yet no one is honest
to the country. Do you think with this type of people in Pakistan there is hope
for our country?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Me:</b> <i>(This conversation was heading in uncharted territories but I had to speak with passion.) </i><br />
I think there is hope for the country. I am
optimistic and optimism pays off. My teachers taught me that even if there is one good
fish in the ocean, everything will work out. We all have to learn to see the
light in the darkest of places. We all have to work.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Dr Asad: </b>How are you going to convince others? With these
people I have to keep a guard because my money and my life is not safe; political
violence, target killing, drones.Is Pakistan heading into its darkest era?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Me: Y</b>ou have to be passionate, dedicated and obstinate to
achieve your goals. I told him that one night my street light was left on during the
day, I called KESC to come and close it because I felt electricity was being
wasted. I bugged them so much that they had to come in the end to close the
light. They said I was insane but so be it. When I went to get my equivalence
made, there were agents yet I still stood in the line to reach the end of it. As long as there
are people like you and I, I am positive that together we will save Pakistan.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Dr Asad: </b>Girls leave during or after MBBS, they do not
contribute to the work force. Most of our students leave us to settle in the US and they never come back. I feel that as a teacher they disrespect me because I trained
them and made them what they are today but they just leave. We have put our entire
lives for the service of the country. My son lives in the US, I can’t convince
him to come back as the water shortage and increased crime rates bother him. How do
I convince him to come back?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Me:</b> <i>(The entire time I was listening
carefully.)</i> Dr Asad, I told you that I am very patriotic. I will never leave my country and never forget what it gave me; my childhood, my memories and everything. I will give
back to my country.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Dr Asad:</b> How are you different? Because, what you said, everybody says it for the sake of getting an admission.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Me:</b><i> (This question gave me the creeps. How could I make him
read my mind, suggest him to give me a truth serum, I think they exist, or
use a time machine? I took a deep breath and spoke with a dedicated tone.)</i><br />
Dr
Asad, I cannot give you any guarantee at this moment but 10 years from now I
will come to tell you that I have fulfilled my promise.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><i>He, to my utmost relief, understood me and moved on (Well, sort of)</i></b></span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Dr Asad:</b> Exactly why do you think people don’t have values anymore?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Me: </b>The world has become materialistic. None of the
grandkids have the opportunity to live in an extended family. Those who do, don’t
interact with their grandparents. Gadgets like television and smart phones have
widened the generation gap. No one listens to their grandparents' stories; what
they experienced during the partition of Pakistan and why was this country created. We have not seen
the harsh times.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Dr Asad:</b> Haan
ab tum logon ka waqt hai hum ne umar gava di ab tum log is mulk ko bachao*<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #674ea7;">Just then the
personal assistant came to my rescue “sir ab ka patient so and so wait kar rahe
hai**”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="color: #674ea7;">And then, Dr
Asad had to cut the interview short from his expected time. (Yaaaay!)</span></i></b><br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Dr Asad:</b> This
debate beta can last for an eternity, we'll debate more on this but if you say so then there still might be hope for our country.<br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #674ea7;">Then, he asked me if I had any questions.</span></i></b><br />
<br />
Me: Yeah. I saw a
video about AKU that computer software simulators are used to train AKU residents for real life crisis situations. Is that technology available for my
course ?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dr Asad: Yes, it is.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Too happy to
be done with the interview, I came out and switched my mobile on. To my surprise, my second interview
lasted for one and a half hour. It was exhausting but it was an awesome experience. Don’t freak out due to the length of your interview, they can be short or long. Keep
the conversation interesting and don’t ever look at your watch during the
interview; it shows you are distracted. And yeah, just be sure to take out your mobile's battery even when you have to take it. (you can never be too sure about
the untimely alarms!) Of course, this is only for those mobiles that power the alarms despite being switched off.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Best of luck!
And be prepared for an apocalypse.<br />
Kidding. Stay Cool B)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
----</div>
<br />
From the AKU Challenge Team: We hope that the interview experiences posted at this blog help you with AKU preparation. Drop in an email or comment below regarding this interview or any other queries.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Read Sohaib's Interview <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/11/sohaibs-aku-interview.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />Read Lubaina's Interview <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/12/lubainas-first-aku-interview.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />Read guidelines for AKU Interviews <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/11/aku-interview-guidelines.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Sohaib Qhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635972634119224012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-82380966426622926682013-12-06T17:25:00.000+05:002014-10-28T23:40:47.336+05:00Lubaina's First AKU Interview<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
What did they tell me?<br />
-They told me to be 'Out of the Odd' when I sit for an interview, <br />
-They told me to show the 'spark' that I have which makes me different, <br />
-They also told be to be original, no matter how many interview experiences I listen to or how many times I rehearse the best possible answers, I was NOT TO COPY; I was to get the idea, let it sink in and learn from the interviews of others. <br />
<br />
Well, that's what they told me and I am telling the same to you. Read the interviews posted at The AKU Challenge but do not, for even a fraction of second, think about copying the answers because <b><i>those answers won't be you, they'll be us (Sohaib, Alizeh and I)...<br /><br />P.S. I won't be going into the lengthy details of the interview, will be writing the prominent questions down only. Despite that, I know this is going to be a VERY long blogpost.</i></b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><b><i>----</i></b></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><i><span style="color: #6aa84f;">You can read Sohaib's AKU Interview Experience <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/11/sohaibs-aku-interview.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />Guideline for AKU Interviews can be found <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/11/aku-interview-guidelines.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></i></b></span></i></b></div>
<b><i>
</i></b>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><b><i>----</i></b></i></b></div>
<b><i>
</i></b>
<br />
<br />
<b><u>First Interviewer: A Paediatric Cardiologist<br />Level of Nerves: Not Very High<br />Thoughts: I can do this!<br />Duration of this interview: 45-50 minutes</u></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Lubaina, this is a different name. What does it mean?</span></b><br />
It means Strong (The interviewer looked up for explanation)<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">I continued:</span></b> Like a tiny strong brick that supports the other bricks to keep the wall strong and standing.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">I was then asked about the jobs of my parents.</span></b><br />
I answered accordingly. (Yes, you should know about the qualifications and professional specifics of your parents)<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">What do you like to do in your free time?</span></b><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
I doodle. I blog. I read. I write. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>My interviewer took the lead from my 'doodling' and went ahead to ask me about my religious opinion of figure sketching and the likes.</b> </span><br />
(See, our answers lead to the upcoming question)<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Me:</span> </b>Well, I'm not an Islamic Scholar to be able to answer that. (This is the safest answer when it comes to religious questions)<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Interviewer: </span></b>Putting the scholars aside. Do you draw figures or not?<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>Me:</b> </span>I do draw figures at times but I'm rather an expert of 'doodles' that are not proper sketches and neither am I good at drawing human expressions. So, uptil now I haven't been in a field where I would have to draw figures or carve statues, if that happens I'll contact my religious scholar and ask about the extent of figure drawing that is allowed in my religion.<br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #a64d79;">He seemed satisfied with my answer. So, we moved on...</span></i></b><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">You also mentioned that you write. What kind of writings do you write?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Me:</span></b> I don't usually stick to a specific genre. I wrote serious essays at school. Humorous posts for my blog. Any kinds of articles that I need to write. And, stories too.<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Interviewer:</span></b> Could you tell me more about the serious essays you wrote?<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Me:</span><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></b>They were usually for General Paper that we appear for in A Levels. It has three different portions; the first is for Politics and related topics, the second is for Science and related topics while the third is for Arts and Literature and related topics. We have to select a topic from any two of the portions in the exam.<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Interviewer</span></b><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">:</span></b> Oh, Arts and Literature in what sense?<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>Me:</b> </span>Well, it could be anything ranging from the museums that exist these days to the importance of culture.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Interviewer</span></b><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"> picked up the 'culture' from my previous answer and went ahead to ask me about the Culture of Pakistan and in what ways are Pakistanis driftng away from cultural values.</span></b><br />
(It's good to prepare one self for questions related to cultural and health issues in Pakistan)<br />
I gave a set of answers that I can't recall but they were general, nothing much out of the ordinary which at that moment made me feel more alert. I'm glad Dr. Babar didn't pursue this question further because I didn't have much to say regarding it. But, the upcoming question was no piece of cake either.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Picture this. A woman's ultrasound just arrived, she is pregnant with a baby which will be of 24 weeks in a few days. The ultrasound shows that the baby's heart has not developed properly and it will take three surgeries, which will cost 25 lac overall, after birth to stabilise the child. Even then there has been no case where a child has survived with such a problem for more than 10 to 12 years. The mother can't cough up the expenses. She has three other children to support.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Interviewer</span></b><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">:</span></b><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span>I am the mother. How are you going to break the news to me and advise me?<br />
<i><b>(From here onwards it was like a mini theatrical performance till I gave in my Doctor's Report)</b></i><br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Me:</span></b> I have just received the ultrasound reports, the baby is just fine. There is a minor problem in the heart but that too is treatable.<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Interviewer</span></b><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>:</b> </span>NO! NO! DOCTOR! I just talked to the other doctor and he said that treating my child is almost impossible! WHAT WILL I DO? This breaks my heart!<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Me:</span></b> Calm Down. Now, tell me, do you love your child?<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Interviewer</span></b><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">: </span></b>Yes, I do. I live for my children.<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Me:</span> </b>Then, stay strong for the baby and just know that it is going to be okay.<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Interviewer</span></b><b><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span>(being an interviewer and not acting as the mother): </b>BUT YOU'RE LYING! The chances of the baby's survival are 10% only! It is not going to be okay. The mother does not have the money! Why are you lying to the mother?<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Me:</span></b> HOPE. That's how I'm dealing with the mother. Giving her HOPE.<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Interviewer</span></b><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>:</b> </span>Useless hope? Why are you not telling the mother to abort the child?<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Me:</span></b> Because, there's still hope. We're not willing to operate the child for 25 lac to so that the child dies! We're operating so that the child lives! There is hope. Even if it's 10% of hope.<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Interviewer</span></b><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">:</span></b> This child will have needles poking in his body, will experience trips to the hospital and will see his three siblings suffer as his mother takes care of him since the moment he is born.<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>Me:</b> </span>Sufferings do not always mean that life has come to an end. The ones who go through a lot are the ones who have the most experience and contribute the most to this world with their great minds. There is Nick Vujicic, no arms and no legs and he's done much more than I.<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Interviewer</span></b><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">:</span></b> That's true but you're still forgetting the fact that this child will die before he is 12.<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Me:</span></b> We can't determine life and death. If there is a 10% chance of survival then the chance and the HOPE along with it stays. When Blood Cancer patients can be cured than this child can be too.<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Interviewer</span></b><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">:</span></b> So, you're going to keep the mother from knowing that she has an option of abortion?<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Me:</span></b> She can discuss that with the Gynaecologist.<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Interviewer</span></b><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">:</span></b> *laughs* Don't throw your burden on the Gynaecologist. Tell me what you would write in your Doctor's Report for the patient.<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Me:</span></b> 75% of my report will list down the treatment available and the HOPE that is present. 20% will be the possible financial measures the mother can take. 5% will be the mention of abortion since as a dotor it will be my duty not to with hold a possible option from the patient.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47;"><b><i>We left the above question at that but it bothers me to this day that what actually happened since Dr. Babar mentioned that he did not make up this mother or her situation, rather it was real and he was to break the news to her the following day...</i></b></span><br />
(What do you learn from the above abortion question? Not every question has a black and white answer, the way we think is what is checked in an interview. What I kept in mind while answering the above:<b><i> <span style="color: orange;">I am a Doctor, I SAVE lives.</span></i></b>)<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">I was asked why I wanted to be a doctor. And, what else I knew about AKU apart from their MBBS program?</span></b><br />
Be prepared for questions like these. They are VERY common. Read more about answering the 'Why I want to be a doctor' question <a href="http://www.doceatdoc.com/whydoyouwanttobeadoctor/" target="_blank">here</a> since 'saving humanity' gets cliched. I gave<a href="http://www.doceatdoc.com/whydoyouwanttobeadoctor/" target="_blank"> this</a> website a read too before my interview. As for knowing more about AKU's programmes, I had skimmed through <a href="http://www.aku.edu/Pages/home.aspx" target="_blank">this</a> website before the interview which proved to be helpful.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Any leadership posts that you took care of at school that you think were worth it?</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>I mentioned quite a few out of which he picked up this one: </b></span>' I was the head of the Blogging Society and started an initiative called 'Featured Pafians' after the Arfa Karim and Malala happenings in order to appreciate the talented ones in our school rather than making them heroes after a certain casualty strikes them; as was the case with Arfa and Malala.'<br />
From the above, my interviewer asked me about Malala, then Aafia Siqqiqui and then about the news of Syria and Egypt. (The fact about our answers affecting the upcoming question we are asked played out really well here)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>You mentioned reading too? What kind of books?</b></span><br />
I listed down quite a few. We had a discussion about fiction and non-fiction books. A discussion about Malcolm Galdwell and John Grisham too.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">You studied in a Co-Ed school, right?</span></b><br />
Yes, I did<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Didn't people judge based on your attire?</span> </b><i><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>(I wear a hijaab. Thus, this question)</b></span></i><br />
Their judgements are not I'm concerned about. I am who I am and I wear what I wear.<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">AKU has diversity, will that affect you?</span></b><br />
Of course not, I've travelled to so many places and have friends from all kinds of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. It hasn't affected me uptil now and I don't reckon it will affect me later on.<br />
<br />
I was asked if I had any questions, I did ask a question about AKU's branches.<br />
<br />
Aaaand,<br />
That's a wrap, folks!<br />
This first interview was a <b><span style="color: orange;">caboo-ey </span></b>one.<br />
I'll be posting the second interview in another blogpost very soon.<br />
<br />
P.S. The second interview went way more smooth than this one, just by the way.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Lubaina E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05074289638784974914noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-60356647162795151212013-11-19T22:48:00.001+05:002013-11-19T22:50:41.902+05:00Sohaib's AKU interview!<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Before i start, please keep in mind 3 things:</span></span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />1) This is not a marking-scheme/answers-bank. Everyone's interview is unique and simply copying what other people said would not be the best idea. Just make sure whatever you say in the interview is true and really makes your personality shine in front of the interviewer.<br />2) This post became longer than I had initially expected. But i'm sure this recollection will give you a nice feel of the interview.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3) Always remember: be calm, be prepared, and be confident (like a boss!) [leikin ziada over bhi nahin].</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
---x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x---</div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><b><br /></b></span>
<u><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Background:</b></span></span></u><br />
<br />
Preparing yourself before the interview is essential. That is in fact, something i learned just a few days before my interview date. Receiving an AKU test score of 85.21%, which was the highest in St. Pats Alhumdulillah, i became a bit over-confident with regards to the interview, almost thinking it doesn't even matter now. Fortunately, one of my seniors took a mock interview of me a few days before the actual event and that REALLY got me down to earth; making me realize i HAVE to PLAN myself.<br />
<br />
The night before the interview, i took 2 pieces of paper and started writing. I mapped all the achievements i wanted to talk about during the interview and wrote/thought-out my own answers to the most common questions (like those mentioned in the <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2013/11/aku-interview-guidelines.html" target="_blank">AKU Interview - Guidelines</a> post). This also made me ready for some of the rather tough questions like 'what are your weaknesses?'. <br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<u><b><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Interview day:</span></span></b></u><br />
<br />
Dressed in a black pant with black socks and black dress shoes, i contrasted by wearing a striped white shirt with a black tie (oh and the tie had several thin ECG lines forming hearts on the front. Was a funny one indeed. Borrowed it from a senior in 013). Having been lectured several times by my (awesome) teacher Dr. Afshan Latif, to have a GOOD BODY LANGUAGE, i walked my tall figure with a straight back and confident posture to the Sports center where i was to have my first interview.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<br />
<u><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1st Interview:</b></span></span></u><br />
<br />
The interviewer was a male consultant who was rather terse and to the point in his speech. Still dont remember his name though. After a nice handshake we sat down opposite to each other on a small table in an isolated room on the sports center's first floor. In general, my first interview was more interviewer-dominated, where as my second interview was more interviewee-dominated. (PS: since im writing this 1.4 years later, i don't remember everything so ill simply write down what i can recall)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Q. Who are you?</b></span></span><br />
I mentioned my name, school, the fact that i've chose medicine and have applied to AKU and that now that ive passed my AKU test i'm sitting in front of him for the interview. [In retrospect, i think i should have mentioned more because a lot can be and should be said in these open-ended questions. What you say in these first few questions will lead to the interviewer's next questions.]<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Q Why medicine?</span></b></span><br />
This question can tend to get a bit personal and is something you honestly want to think about. Medicine is a tough field indeed, studying all those books is not a joke. This answer, if given sincerely, can bring about a feel that tells the interviewer your in the right place. My answer was this: As an Alevel student who has taken the subjects Bio, Physics, Chem, and Math, i had had the option to go in many fields. From engineering to commerce, i had so many opportunities. I even applied to universities in the US for engineering. But i decided on medicine. Why? because 10 years down the road, i don't want to see myself simply stapling papers for my boss or doing a job which will only benefit my company and no one else. I want to do a noble job in which, everyday, i would do something that is of value. Something that benefits the common man on a daily basis. I don't want to die just working for myself, i want my work to benefit whole communities. That's why i've chosen medicine even though no one is a doctor from my immediate family. (these were not the actual words, but i just wanted to give you the general idea of my reply).<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Q. Why AKU?</span></span></b><br />
Because AKU is a prestigious university and the best medical university in Pakistan (this fact is even HEC-confirmed). It is a place which will give top quality education such as that imparted in institutions abroad. Recognized at an international level it will also allow me to pursue specialization programs abroad. AKU has an excellent curriculum where all 7 disciplines (physiology, pathology, microbiology, anatomy, histology, biochemistry, and pharmacology) are taught together instead of separately, as is done in some other medical universities. This enables students to cross-link information. This is further enhanced by the modular system and the Problem-based learning sessions. Instead of semesters, there are modules, such as the blood module, cardiovascular module, renal module etc. In each module, everything related to that particular system/organ is studied in depth regardless of what discipline that knowledge belongs to.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">Q. What are PBLs?</span></b></span><br />
PBLs are Problem-based learning sessions in which there is a group of 9-10 students along with a facilitator which mediates the discussion and does not 'teach'. The facilitator hands the group a medical case, which has all the terms and blood test reports that a real doctor would understand. We note down everything we don't know form the case and make learning objectives (LOs). We then go home, study the LOs and then come back for the next session to discuss what we all read and learned about the case at hand. Like if there is a case in which a boy has an infection on his arm, we'll make LOs such that by the next session everyone will have studied the relevant anatomy, pathology of the disease, microbiology of the infecting organism, pharmacology of the drugs to be given, even down to the biochemical reactions which are leading to the undesirable effects of the disease. This way, when we find such patients in our future clinics, we would immediately be able to relate all these concepts quickly and in an efficient manner that is best for the patient.<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #783f04;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #783f04;">Q .What are your strengths and weaknesses?</span></b></span><br />
Strengths: I mentioned something general.<br />
Weaknesses: This was a bit tough to come up with. But as mentioned before, i mapped it all in my head before the interview. The trick is to somehow make your weaknesses appear as strengths in themselves. My 'weaknesses' were:<br />
1) I procrastinate a lot. But I believe it has helped me work under pressure. Despite the procrastinated work/study piling up just before my exams, i managed to deal with it all and still managed to get straight A's. As a doctor, the ability to work under pressure is essential as he/she has to face many patients and perform several surgeries everyday and in due time.<br />
2) I trust people easily or am too soft to them at times. But i guess that makes me a bit more compassionate towards patients (or something along those lines. Wasn't the best.)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Q. What qualities should a good doctor have? (and "do you have them?" was implied)</b></span></span><br />
This answer i had prepared well for, as i had all my achievements mapped and had linked each to a specific quality/characteristic. So basically, i had backing for everything i said.<br />
1) Teamwork: I know how to work as a team. Ive been in my school's basketball team since 4 years. Basketball involves a lot of passing and constant team involvement. (Hence i can work as a team!)<br />
2) Leadership: Was a school prefect (member of the student council). [If you feel you lack a qualification which shows that you are a good leader, tell them that you are proactive and willing to take charge of scenarios when need be. Give a simple example of this. I remember mentioning that i have a large family and often find myself being a leader when playing games or doing other activities with them. yea.. i said that. It worked i believe.]<br />
3) Compassion: Listed a number of community service activities i had done.<br />
4) Can work under pressure + Hardworking: As mentioned before, I can work under pressure and my straight A's easily testify to this.<br />
<br />
So in effect, i proved to him that i deserve to be a doctor because i've got what it takes, and more. Its all about planning your answer before the interview. <b>But more than that, its about spending the past 2-3 years gathering the diverse set of extra-curricular activities that will allow you to say that</b>.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #e69138;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Q. Some more about extra-cirriculars.</span></b></span><br />
I mentioned that I was into debating and was a board member of the debating society + the ICT society + was a prefect. I talked further about debating by telling him that i've done MUN's (Zabmun and Lumun 2010) and although i didn't win, they developed in me a sense of awareness about whats going on in the world, such as the Arab spring. I told him i'm interested in current affairs - and there you go; he got a lead. His immediate next question was what is the Arab spring? I replied saying its a series of revolts occurring in several Arab countries throughout the world, where people are trying to overthrow their dictators. He then asked what started the Arab spring? I told him a man named Mohammad Boazizi in Tunisia set himself on fire in protest and that started the whole Arab spring. He further questioned me by saying 'Why did he immolate himself?'. I said he burnt himself because he was protesting against the social, economic, and political issues of the country. (Phew! that was the end of it)<br />
<br />
What i want you all to remember (and Lubaina mentioned this as well) is that the interview will go where you take it. Make sure you never lie. The interviewer may just ask 3-4 more questions just on that one statement. If you said Quaid-e-Azam is your role model, make sure you know a lot about him and are actually serious (a friend of mine struggled on this very point). Naturally, if someone knows who your role-model is, all they have to do to get to know more about you, is to ask about that role-model. So basically, when i mentioned i was interested about the Arab spring, i was quite sure I had the knowledge to answer his questions.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #f6b26b;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Q. If you were an invigilator and found a student cheating on the exam, what action would you take against him?</b></span></span><br />
(First of all, for the readers, I don't cheat. Not since Olevels. Honestly.)<br />
I knew they'd ask something about cheating and my seniors told me that if you are asked 'what would you do if your friend is cheating on an exam, and he wasn't able to study and needs a lot of help, etc etc', reply by saying 'i would report him'. So my reply to the interviewer was quite similar. I realized he wanted a more detailed answer, as in this case, I was the invigilator. I said ill deduct 10 marks form the exam and give him a warning. 'What if he does it a second time?'. Well ill deduct 20 marks this time and give him a suspension. 'What if he does it a third time?' Ill cancel his paper and give him a long suspension with a warning for expulsion.<br />
With a stern face, the interviewer asked, "Do you know what AKU's policy is on cheating?". I replied "no..". He said "AKU has a zero-tolerance policy. Anyone caught cheating will be expelled on their very first attempt."<br />
Booooooommmm, that smacked me in my face. I was kinda apologetic and said, "ehh, yea! that's a better strategy. Should be no tolerance to cheating indeed." lol. I believe i thoroughly messed up this question. So for all the readers here, you should know AKU has a zero-tolerance policy towards cheating (and so should you). Period.<br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Q Any questions?</b></span></span><br />
Well, seniors told me it would be good to ask a nice question in the end to show you really are interested to join AKU. I asked some lame question like "How do you like the AKU work environment here? Is it good?". He replied saying "This probably does not concern you as I am a a consultant. As far as the student life is concerned, i don't know much. You should go and ask more from your seniors". Yeaaaa..... that wasn't the best of questions on my part. So in the end i asked his name, and guess what, i forgot it the minute i left the room!<br />
<br />
<br />
<u><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">2nd Interview:</span></b></span></u><br />
<br />
After leaving the room of the first interview, i suddenly felt pumped and really happy. I had this rush of confidence because i realized my interview wasn't that bad after all. And given my good test score, all i needed was an 'average' interview. Was much better than i expected. Alhumdulillah.<br />
I was transported in a car to one of the admin seminar rooms on the first floor of the dean's office where i met Dr. Narjis, my second interviewer. She is a psychologist and a person who will listen to you very attentively and happily. By this time i had fully realized that the interviewer just wants to know more about you. So when they start with an open ended question, just keep blabbering!<br />
<br />
This time i was thoroughly ready. She asked "Who are you?" and I said all the stuff i had said before and more. I also added stuff about my family and kept talking until she asked me another question.<br />
Many of her questions were similar or same as the first interviewer's questions (like why medicine, why aku, etc). Some of her extra question were "What kind of friends do you have?" "Tell me something about the current health situation in the country"(at that time there was a measles outbreak and students at AKU had just been vaccinated against it, so i told her all that i knew. Thankfully, my seniors told me about this).<br />
<br />
Basically, this interview was like a piece of cake. I got the hang of how to give an interview from my first interview experience and basically repeated most of the stuff in a better manner. She was just happily listening, smiling at occasional humor in my replies, and writing down notes on some AKU interview form. That was it.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
---x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x---</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Alhumdulillah, the whole experience was very satisfying rather than depressing. It got me a bit concerned because seniors told me that a lot of people who thought their interviews went good did not actually get admission. So you never know. Just make a lot of dua. a LOT of dua. Tell your father, mother, brother, sister, khalu, khala, mamu, mami, chacha, chachi, phuppa, phupphi, friends, driver,.. everyone to make dua. InshaAllah at least one of them will have their duas accepted (given you've done the best on your part ofcourse). So here I am, in AKU's Batch of 2017, Alhumdulillah!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you have any questions or queries, please write them down in the comments box below! </span>Sohaib Qhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635972634119224012noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-959194512572379362013-11-11T17:31:00.004+05:002013-11-19T22:51:12.538+05:00AKU Interview - Guidelines<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><u>General Overview</u></b></h3>
<br />
After you've received the letter stating that you've cleared the AKU Admission Test, you'll be called in for an interview. Each candidates sits down for Two Interviews. Each one can range anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. It's very rare that an interview is prolonged beyond an hour. There is one interviewer in each interview (I had always imagined myself being interviewed by a panel of AKU interviewers, don't now where that thought came from)<br />
<br />
Also, keep in mind that an interview has two parts to it. One part is what you can prepare for, it includes a few common questions and lies. While, the other part is what you are to beware of, not in a scary way though, as the interviewer might pic up any topic to discuss with you. <br />
<br />
Before anything else: Just be yourself.<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<u style="font-weight: bold;">How to prepare?</u></h3>
<br />
Firstly, keep in mind that you have been called for an interview because AKU wants to know about YOU.<br />
<br />
Secondly, dress elegantly; not too lavishly nor too informally. Many guys wear suits but my schoolfellows were advised to wear a dress shirt with pants. As for the ladies, mostly go for the eastern look, a long shirt with chooridar or trousers would do. Some do choose a western attire, well, if you're confident with that then it's fine. Anything that would say, "Oh, I'm just me" :)<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
Thirdly, below are a few hints and tips that will guide you as you prepare for the interview. Open <cite class="vurls" style="background-color: white; color: #006621; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://www.aku.edu/" target="_blank">http://www.aku.edu/</a></cite><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px; white-space: nowrap;">, </span>get a a general know-how of what AKU has to offer, after all you are choosing to opt for AKU and trying your best to get in, you must know something about AKU that makes it seem so 'desirable'<br />
<br />
Fourthly, as you read the following, draw a mind map of what your answers could be. It helps.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b style="text-decoration: underline;">Common Questions</b></h3>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">About You.</span></b><br />
Why do you want to be a doctor?<br />
Why do you want to study medicine at AKU?<br />
What are your strengths (Character + Extra Curricular) and weaknesses?<br />
What do you do in your free time?<br />
Briefly describe yourself? Who is *insert your name here*?<br />
Do you read? Who are your favorite authors?<br />
Why do you think AKU should choose you rather than the other candidates?<br />
How do you handle stress? What is your take on cheating?<br />
You achievements and disappointments?<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">About Family and Household.</span></b><br />
Qualifications of your mother and father?<br />
Any other doctor in the family?<br />
Any servants at home? Do you know about their family and kids?<br />
How do you spend time with your family?<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">About AKU</span></b><br />
Apart from MBBS, do you have an idea of what else does AKU offer?<br />
Do you have an idea regarding PBLs?<br />
From all that you know about AKU, what are you looking forward to most if you get in? (Keep in mind: Safe environment, Sports Center and the likes)<br />
What does AKU's logo represent?<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">About Pakistan and the World</span></b><br />
Tell us about the socio-economic problems of Pakistan<br />
What do you think is the problem in Pakistan's health sector?<br />
Major diseases in Pakistan?<br />
Is the nation loosing sense of its culture?<br />
Any idea about the current affairs? What is in the news these days?<br />
Interviewer describes a scenario related to abortion or euthanasia or genetic engineering (or any other medicinal topic that might spark a debate) and asks your point of view regarding it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Hints and Tips</u></h3>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">One Thing Leads to Another</span></b><br />
<br />
Think of the interview as a conversation. <br />
Q. What happens when two people converse?<br />
A. One thing leads to another.<br />
<br />
Keep the above in mind during your interview. Like, if you tell the interviewer that you have an interest in debating and MUNs. The interviewer might ask you what an MUN is. After your explanation the interviewer might go ahead and ask that what are the major issues that UN has to tackle these days. If go ahead and say that you specialize in SPECPOL and thus know that the Syrian Conflict is a major hot topic these days. The interviewer might further go on and ask you if you know what is causing the conflict and whether you know who Bashar-ul-Assad is and the likes.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">From what you read above, remember that one thing leads to another. What you say is going to affect the next question that the interviewer is going to ask you. <br /><br /><span style="color: #0b5394;">DO NOT LIE</span></span><br />
<br />
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Let's see what a lie might lead to</u><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Interviewer: </span><i>So, do you like to read books?</i><br />
<b>Candidate (in hopes of impressing the interviewer):</b><i> Oh yes I do! I read a lot.</i><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Interviewer: </span><i>That's good. Do you have a favorite author?</i><br />
<b>Candidate: </b><i>There is not just one favorite author of mine. J.K.Rowling, Paulo Coelho, Khaled Hosseni and Dan Brown would probably count as my top-most favorite ones.</i><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Interviewer: </span><i>Oh yes. Dan Brown. Don't you think his views are a bit superficial?</i><br />
<b>Candidate: </b><i>Uh, yes.</i><br />
<b>Interviewer: </b><i>In what ways do you think that Dan Brown writes exaggeratedly?</i><br />
<b>Candidate: </b><i>You know, the Science and Religion conflict......</i><b>.</b><br />
<br />
NOW, the candidate had heard of Dan Brown but had not really read any specific book with keen interest. In the last answer it certainly seems as if the candidate's hopes of impressing the interviewer have been subdued. Had the candidate been an avid Dan Brown reader the last answer would have worked in a magical way as there's so much to say, even chances of defending Dan Brown.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Religious and Political Concerns</span></b><br />
<br />
Do not get involved in a religious debate.<br />
Do not get involved in a political debate.<br />
<br />
In a global sense, each one is a human regardless of the religion they follow. Which is exactly how it is. <br />
<br />
The interviewer might ask you about different Muslim Sects. Or, that what is your religious point of view regarding a certain action. Do not hesitate. Answer by saying that if there is a religious dilemma, your religious scholar will best tend to it as you are just a student and not a religious scholar. If a question arises regarding how you would handle the situation if your patient is against a medical treatment based on religious grounds. It's simple. You do not impose your own religion on the patient, the patient's religious scholar is contacted and then the decision regarding medical treatment is made.<br />
<br />
As for politics. Leave it to the politicians. Yes, you do have a say with regards to your views about certain policy changes that might uplift your country's economy but as for your country's stance in the global arena, that is for the policymakers to adhere to. You as a citizen love your country.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b style="text-decoration: underline;">What's the right answer?</b></h3>
<br />
There is no right answer. There is only the right way to answer every question.<br />
Stay calm and be humble. Nobody likes the scent of arrogance anyway.<br />
<br />
At times the interviewer may ask you questions that have no right or wrong answers. What is checked is your thought process. Be rational and logical. Be yourself.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">This will be all, folks. Drop a message or a comment if you have any questions or queries in mind. </span></i></b></div>
<br /></div>
Lubaina E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05074289638784974914noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-50472801122461206242013-11-09T01:03:00.004+05:002013-11-09T01:22:21.820+05:00Another Contributor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey guys,<br />
<br />
I was looking for a place to post my experience regarding the 'AKU Challenge' and all the other admission mania (in hopes of doing something for the 'greater good', perhaps) when a couple of AKU Seniors from AKU's Class of 2017 trolled us Juniors (The ones from Class of 2018) at Facebook; the details of the troll are a story for another blog though.<br />
<br />
During all that trolling I found out that a senior, Sohaib Qadri, runs this blog. I asked him if I could contribute. He agreed. And, here I am. I could have started my own blog but during the time I was surfing online for help and guidance regarding the AKU test, interview and the likes I was unable to find a blog that had EVERYTHING. Thus, I decided to contribute to an already existing blog so that the ones who plan on applying to AKU have just one place that acts as a complete guide for them.<br />
<br />
Hope this blog helps you out. Ask any questions regarding AKU's admission procedure and feel free to point out any specific areas that you need help with so that the new posts can be focused on those.<br />
<br />
This shall be it for now. Cheers.<br />
<br />
-Lubaina<br />
<br /></div>
Lubaina E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05074289638784974914noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-23619230457420393872013-02-06T02:02:00.000+05:002013-02-05T13:02:28.008+05:00Holidays at AKU<i>This is just a side note.</i><br />
Today im enjoying one of those rare holidays you get as a student in AKU.<br />
<b>Its Kashmir Day!</b><br />
AKU has a policy of following <i>federal holidays</i> only (apart from 3 weeks of summer vacations in June and 2-4 weeks in November). It wont ever call off university due to a provincial holiday (aam tateel) in case of hartaal, strikes, bomb blasts, killings, or anything of the sort. So be ready to see burning tyres and rioting mobs on your way to AKU on such days when your younger siblings/cousins may be enjoying at home due to the tense situation of Karachi, where as and you still have to make your way to AKU no matter what. But this issue is only faced by the karichi-ites, ofcourse. The hostilites are already in AKU and have nothing to worry about. But its all good, Alhumdulillah. Makes me relish these federal holiodays even more. I literally have long weekends now! haha, makes you feel all grown up.Sohaib Qhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635972634119224012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-21793575464134547952012-11-10T21:27:00.003+05:002012-11-10T23:05:32.951+05:00AKU Test Prep Guidelines by Subject<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">English</span></u></b></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
If you want info on how to study for English, alot of info about it has already been provided in the post: <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2012/10/format-of-aku-test-and-time-management.html" target="_blank">Format of the AKU test and Time Management!</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If you really want to prepare something, i would suggest going through a few SAT critical reading and sentence structure questions for practice. But don't waste your time on this as you can never really predict what questions will come in the test. As for the argumentative essay, please pay attention in your General Paper classes in Alevels. If you don't take GP, try having a little interest with newspapers (preferably the international and letters to the editor sections) to broaden your scope of knowledge. I'm saying this because the argumentative essay we encountered in 2012 was something about whether or not<br />
<a name='more'></a> Aid is helpful for the development of a country with regards to education etc. and you had to support your answer with 2 relevant examples. In the flurry of the moment, i thought of Pakistan and Somalia, both of which are receiving aid but aren't really growing. With hindsight, I think Somalia was not the best of examples... but ah well.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="color: #bf9000;">Physics</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></u></b>
<span style="text-align: start;">Know your Alevel Physics WELL. Read through a book of SAT 2 Physics. Make a formula sheet if necessary. Look at the AKU cirriculum and find the stuff you need to study (for example, the Michelson Interferometer, Black body radiation, etc). Once you've done that, look at the Inter Physics books and try to understand the concepts as much as possible. You don't need to go very deep with the details as its often hard to comprehend those mundane inter text books. What matters more is being strong in your concepts (being able to apply them to new questions) and being able to manipulate formulas and units with ease (a good mental-math ability is a plus).</span><br />
<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="color: #e06666;">Chemistry</span></u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Again, know your Alevel Chemistry with all its reactions really well. Benzene chemistry is a top priority as alot its questions come up in the test. I would advise having a good knowledge of inorganic cheimstry too (look at sulphur and it compounds more deeply). Try to understand why a reaction takes place and how its products came to be rather than rattofying (wrote memorizing) all of them. Chemistry, for the most part, is not ratta in the first place. (Don't agree? go talk to Sir Nicholas Jayanathan). SAT 2 Chemistry can be of help but I wouldn't recommend it. I found the book 'Advanced Chemistry' by Philip Matthews very helpful as it made alot of Chemistry make sense to me. I relied significantly on this book when using the AKU test cirriculum. Either that, or you could scan the Inter Chemistry books for more ratta-based info.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><u><b>Biology</b></u></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This may sound like the tough one to prepare for, and although i didnt delve too deep in the inter bio books, I scored 20/20 on this section, Alhumdulillah. (My few 'tukkas' were correct too. tukkas = calculated guesses). I studied my Alevel Biology quite thoroughly and also did a very good job with SAT 2 Bio (complete with notes on all the new and important stuff). The reason SAT 2 Bio is helpful is because it is really good at summarizing things into points and tables, especially when it comes to Taxonomy. 'Tax' is just annoying. Sopers has a good table with all the phylums you might want to know, but i didn't bother (doesn't mean you shouldn't too). I looked up and made notes of the intermediates of Glycolosys using the Inter Bio text book, but honestly speaking, it never came up in the test. Why? Because AKU doesn't just want rattofiers, it wants people who can understand, analyze and correlate. SAT 2 Bio also covers the Ecosystems chapter in a much more succint fashion, which means you don't have to waste excessive amounts of time reading that same chapter from the Inter book. Basically, go for Alevels Bio and SAT 2 Bio completely. If you really have time and feel like putting in the effort, study all inter books thoroughly. But after reading this stuff, im sure you'll run out of fuel eventually.<br />
<br />
Here is a link to a SAT 2 Bio book. I used Barrons, but content should be the same in this too.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #073763;"><u>Mathematical and Scientific Reasoning</u></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This section is probably what matters most. After all the studying and whining over the inter books and what to study, it boils down to this: the two most unpredictable sections carrying a total of 60 MCQs (thats equal to the number of MCQs for Bio, Phy, Chem combined!). Even if you've rattofied all the Inter books, this is where AKU seperates the wheat from the chaff. You can't clear this section untill you can think logically and a bit out of the box. This is because there isn't really much you could use to study for this, you just need good common sense.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Alright alright, lets downplay the anxiety a bit. The majority of questions in scientific reasoning were relatively easy. It even had questions from Bio, Phy and Chem. There was one about what bases to adenine and cytosine bind with. Come on, everyone knows that, (right?). Alhumdulillah, i scored 30/30 on this section. I didn't think it went that good after the test, but you never know what Allah has in store for you.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But beware! Mathematical reasoning has a few questions which really get you thinking. If you are decent at Kangaroo Mathematics competitions, you'll get a feel of the kind of questions that come up. Look at the sample paper again; it has good examples of the math questions. If your like me, who loves questions that get you thinking critically rather than just answering immediately, then this will be the best part on the test for you. It was fun, to be honest. (Disclaimer: these words are coming from the a guy who was the IKMC 2012 Gold Medalist at the Student Level, Alhumdulillah!)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">_ _</span> <span style="color: #b45f06;"> _</span> <span style="color: #134f5c;">_ _</span> <span style="color: #20124d;">_ _</span> _______ <span style="color: #20124d;">_ _</span> <span style="color: #0b5394;">_ _</span> <span style="color: #b45f06;"> _</span> <span style="color: #cc0000;"> _ _</span></div>
<br />
So basically, once you've read all this, what you've got to do is.... STUDY! But once you've reached the limit and are finding it hard to sleep in the weeks or days before the test, with your mind getting nightmares of a tough test, with your hands often up in dua with regards to the test, or you just get sick at the prospect of studying any longer cuz you feel its pointless now, consider yourself<i> ready</i> for the test. Yup, you're done. Stressing yourself further won't help, because the majority of the paper is based on things you can't really prepare for in the first place. And in the end, whatever happens is the decree of Allah. Put your trust in Him and get a good nights sleep on the eve of test day.<br />
<br />
Sorry for the<span style="font-size: large;"> loooong</span> post again, but im sure this will help you. All the stuff in one place.<br />
This is the post where you should be asking more questions; so get commenting!Sohaib Qhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635972634119224012noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-7555388361806996802012-11-10T21:27:00.002+05:002012-11-10T23:05:01.494+05:00AKU Test Prep Tips!If you are studying Alevels, things should not be too hard. Just ensure that you know your Alevels well. My Biology teacher (Dr. Afshan) used to say "Make sure Alevels is your strength". You don't want to mess up an Alevel question (AS or A2 related) just because you were too lazy to review it. If you are in your first year right now, consider yourself lucky; from now on, if you decide to study AS and A2 really well, clearing the test should not be an issue.<br />
<br />
But ofcourse, questions purely from the Inter syllabus do appear - (and they must or else PMDC say phadda 'on'). You could sit down and study/rattofy all the 11th and 12th grade Bio Phy Chem Inter books like a champ; ofcourse itll help you out if you have plenty of time, but<br />
<a name='more'></a> i doubt such elaborate measures are at all necessary. Contrary to popular practice, I would encourage you to look at the AKU-IED syllabus that the AKU college board uses for their students. Its on their website: <a href="http://www.aku.edu/admissions/undergraduate/medicine/Pages/curriculum.aspx" target="_blank">Admission test cirriculum</a><br />
Try highlighting all the topics which seem new and then work on them. This technique is helpful when it comes to physics and chemistry but not biology. The biology syllabus is significantly alien to the Alevel one.<br />
<br />
The AKU test has a reputation of being a really bad and tough test that makes sure the cream of the cream makes it to the next step of the admission process. Personally, i don't think that is entirely true. Sure they want intelligent people, but want they don't need are just rattofiers (wrote-memorizers). They want people who understand what they learnt at school and can effectively apply that knowledge to new situations by analyzing and thinking critically. Thats why you often face an MCQ question like: Why does an Elephant have large paws? Well everyone knows pressure = force/area. But those who truly understand this concept can apply it to this unfamiliar question by saying that it has large paws to reduce the pressure it exerts on the ground due to its enormous weight. This prevents it from sinking too deep into the ground. This may sound simple, but its the type of question you'll face. They normally don't ask straight forward questions like Pressure=? a) force/volume b) force/unit area ... etc<br />
<br />
So here are a few tips to help you prepare for the test. I've divided the post into subjects:<br />
<a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/2012/11/aku-test-prep-guidelines-by-subject.html" target="_blank">AKU Test Prep Guidelines by Subject</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Sohaib Qhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635972634119224012noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-74770909179994977242012-10-31T17:47:00.002+05:002012-11-10T20:31:48.516+05:00Format of the AKU test and Time Management!If you have been to the AKU Open Day, you would probably know alot of information regarding the format of the test. But let me reiterate all that here.<br />
<br />
First of all, you want to check out their sample test paper available on the AKU website. Here is the link: <a href="http://www.aku.edu/SiteCollectionImages/C-Admissions/Registrar%E2%80%99s%20Office/MBBS%20Sample%20Test%20Paper.pdf">http://www.aku.edu/SiteCollectionImages/C-Admissions/Registrar%E2%80%99s%20Office/MBBS%20Sample%20Test%20Paper.pdf</a><br />
<br />
<br />
As you can see, the test comprises of 2 papers. One for English, the other for Sciences.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #783f04;"><b><u>The first paper lasts 1 hour 15 minutes:</u></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
First <b>20 MCQs</b> are like a SAT exam where you check if the<b> sentence structure </b>etc is correct</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Next <b>10 MCQs</b> ask relatively tough questions from a <b>comprehension. </b>In 2012, we had a <br />
<a name='more'></a>comprehension about offshore oil rigs and new technology related to it. I didn't like it that much.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Then you get about 3/4th to half a page to do some<b> 'expository writing'</b>. They basically give you a <b>proverb</b> and ask you to write whether or not you find it to be true with examples from your experiences to affirm your point. I found the writing space and time to be a little lacking but it should be manageable. In 2012, we had a proverb which was similar to this "If you want to know someones character, look at the friends he keeps" (Some chinese proverb i think). I believe i had written 2 examples which explained that this was not always the case.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Then you've got to write an <b>argumentative/discursive essay</b> on a topic. They will provide you with one full lined sheet to write it - not more space than that (neither do you have time to write more). The sample test paper has some wierd info about this part of the paper but its mostly wrong. They'll simply give you a question similar to an Alevel General Paper topic (except much more specific) and ask you to write on it with <b>atleast 2 relevant examples</b> to support your point.</div>
<br />
<u><br /></u>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><b><u>15 MINUTE BREAK!</u></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You get a relieving 15 min break after the first paper is finished, during which they will provide you with a small juice box and a packet of biscuits. While you eat and relax, they retrieve your papers and give you the second one. Just one problem... You can't go to the bathroom during the break. You can only truly relieve yourself DURING the test. This was quite an issue for sure. I've covered it in depth in My Test Day Story.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #073763;"><u>The second paper lasts 2 hours 15 minutes:</u></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In my 2012 test,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The 20 MCQs of Biology were not too hard. Only a few inter syllabus related questions</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The 20 MCQs of Chemistry were slightly difficult. A few tough ones. Had lots of Benzene questions as usual.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The 20 MCQs of Physics were difficult. No calculators btw, so be good at mental maths (don't worry, they won't ask for complex calculations). They will make sure you know your concepts and can apply them. The best part of the AKU test is that they ask questions requiring critical thinking and analysis which actually makes it a fun experience.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The 30 MCQs of Science Reasoning were not tough. Relatively simple as far as i can remember.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The 30 MCQs of Mathematical Reasoning were what I call fun. Some were easy and some required deep thinking that just keeps you going. Make sure you are managing your time though. They don't ask about complex formulas etc that you may have learnt in Alevels. Its more like a Kangaroo Maths test. I would encourage to look carefully at the mathematics questions in the sample paper.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><u>Time Management:</u></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1st Paper (90 mins):</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Spend 20 mins on the first 20 MCQs. Then 15 mins on the 10 comprehension MCQs. The comprehension can take time.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
For the expository writing you can spend 20 mins, and for the essay you can allot your final 35 mins.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
See what works best for you as you are best acquainted with your skills.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2nd Paper (150 mins):</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
120MCQs in 150 mins. Thats 1 minute 15 seconds per question. My advice would be to go all out and complete your questions as fast as possible. If a question is posing too much difficulty, just leave it and go on to the next one. If you do this, you'll be left with surplus time at the end of the 150th MCQ which you can then use to go back to the ones you left out. This technique ensures you don't miss out any easy questions just because you ran out of time working on the tough ones.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And for God's sake, fill in the MCQ answer sheet as soon as your done with a question. You have to fill it with a mark sensing pencil anyway (which you can rub away with ease if you change your mind on an answer). Don't leave the filling till the end. One of my friends suffered due to this as he had run out of time and left filling the MCQ answer sheet for the end. He protested slightly and got compensated, but you don't want to go through that hassle, do you?</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Sorry for the lengthy post, but I wanted this all in one place. I really hope this helps. Any questions? Just give a shout in the comments box, 'cuz i can't hear you'. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(yes i agree, that was lame)</span></div>
Sohaib Qhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635972634119224012noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638245377001894489.post-54301597757281723902012-10-31T08:22:00.000+05:002012-10-31T08:24:16.556+05:00Why the AKU admission test?Assalamualaikum!<br />
<br />
Once you've submitted the application form, you should, within a few days, receive a mail from AKU containing your admit card for the test. In 2012, the test got conducted on 8th April and every year the date tends to change. (To stay updated, check out the <a href="http://theakuchallenge.blogspot.com/p/latest-medical-college-news.html">NEWS</a> page of this blog occasionally. When the date is out, ill try to post it up there.)<br />
<br />
If you noticed, the application form you filled out was not very exhaustive. It just asked for basic info and did not even care to look at any of your extra-cirricular activities. This is because<br />
<a name='more'></a> they want to see if you can even clear the test in the first place. Its like screening, really. They want to ensure their students are smart. If you don't clear it, make sure you don't stress yourself. Its ok, things like this happen all the time. What matters is that you gave your best.<br />
<br />
But if you do clear it (which means achieving a position in the top 10% of scores attained by students on the test in a particular year), they'll mail you an envelope with your interview date along with a form which asks about all your high school activities at length. Although ill be discussing this form in a later post, I would highly recommend looking at this form beforehand as it should give you an idea about the type of things they are looking for, in a candidate. Once you've had a good look at it, work hard right now so that you'll have stuff to fill in that form in the future, InshaAllah.<br />
<br />
What I actually want to discuss in this post is the importance of the AKU admission test. From what I have come to know, this is one THE most deciding factors when it comes to getting admission at AKU. Ofcourse, others things like extra-cirriculars etc matter, but the test is what counts most. If you score high on the test, the rest of the process should be fairly easy. But if you score low.. don't be surprised to be surprised in your interview. Im serious. AKU interviews are either normal (cordial), or slightly humiliating to say the least.<br />
<br />
<br />Sohaib Qhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635972634119224012noreply@blogger.com6