Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Career Readiness

UTSA mock interviews help pre-health students break into competitive careers

UTSA mock interviews help pre-health students break into competitive careers

Sai Nikkam, a graduate student in biomedical engineering at UTSA, sits down for a mock interview to sharpen his skills for future job interviews.

JANUARY 27, 2025 — UTSA is helping pre-health students prepare for successful medical careers through its mock interview program, an annual weekend where students connect with health care professionals to sharpen their skills in order to stand out in highly competitive medical fields.

“For many students, the thought of having to promote yourself in a high-stakes interview can be overwhelming,” said Eddie Hernandez, a professor of instruction in the UTSA College of Sciences and the creator and coordinator of the pre-health mock interview program. “The mock interviews help students prepare for a really rigorous conversation, and they address things like interview etiquette, what to wear, how to highlight their experience and networking.”

The mock interview series is just one way that UTSA prepares students for careers in the health professions. The UTSA Health Professions Office, where Hernandez serves as a committee member, provides infrastructure and support for pre-health students. During the mock interviews, students have a chance to practice under conditions that mirror real-world admissions at medical, dental, veterinary or other specialized or advanced health profession academic institutions.

Although UTSA does not offer degrees in any health care specialization, HPO staff advise students on specialized health program prerequisite courses and provide opportunities to cultivate career-specific knowledge and skills. During the 2023-2024 academic year, HPO conducted 985 advising appointments with students ranging from freshmen to alumni.


“The mock interviews help students prepare for a really rigorous conversation, and they address things like interview etiquette, what to wear, how to highlight their experience and networking.”



Now in its eleventh year, UTSA’s mock interview program brings together a network of physicians and health professionals who volunteer to interview UTSA students. It is also one of many ways that UTSA is creating a community for first-generation students who may not have been exposed to such academic or professional opportunities in the past. Increasingly, former participants return as alumni to support the program and mentor the next generation of medical professionals.

“Coming to college, I had no leadership experience at all,” said Eduardo Calderon ’24, a UTSA biology graduate and former president of the UTSA chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta, a pre-health national student organization. “It really helped me build relationships with these people and also find myself and really build some confidence when applying to a professional health program.”

Organizations like the AED Pre-Health Honor Society, Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), and Pre-Dental Society help cultivate a community of support for pre-health students, including additional professional development opportunities, peer support and networking that helps students navigate the challenges of pursuing health careers.

“If you want to go to med school, you can’t do any better than having a mock interview with people who have been through it or work at med schools,” said Angel Gonzalez, associate dean for academic opportunity and educational excellence at UT Health San Antonio. “Not every school offers opportunities like this, and programs like UTSA’s are truly making a difference.”

Programs like the mock interview series reflect UTSA’s commitment to creating high-quality classroom-to-career educational experiences that prepare students for impactful careers. By 2028, UTSA’s target is for 75% of students to complete some form of experiential learning before graduation.

Students who want to learn more about health professions can attend the UTSA Health Professionals Fair on February 20 on the Main Campus. There, they can network with representatives from more than 60 undergraduate and graduate professional health programs and learn more about the application processes, admission criteria, prerequisite course requirements and more.

As UTSA and UT Health San Antonio prepare to integrate, the strengths of both institutions will combine to create an academic research and medical center of national and global significance. This collaboration will expand opportunities for students, faculty and the community, particularly in health care education, research and workforce development.


EXPLORE FURTHER
UTSA promotes hands-on experiences and marketable skills to prepare Career-Ready Roadrunners.
UTSA microcredentials offer students new opportunities to enhance their professional experience.

UTSA has a longstanding partnership with UT Health San Antonio that allows UTSA students to earn a bachelor's degree in existing science degree programs at UTSA, and then, through conditional acceptance, earn an advanced degree in a specialized health care field at UT Health San Antonio. This partnership allows students to save time and have a clear path toward their long-term goals.

The Spring 2025 Mock Interviews will take place on April 26-27, offering even more UTSA students the opportunity to refine their skills and prepare for the next step in their professional journeys.

Brett Copeland



UTSA Today is produced by University Strategic Communications,
the official news source
of The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu.


UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.


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UTSA & UT Health San Antonio integration

UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.