Interview Day: Showcasing the Real You

“Should I consider straightening my hair for interviews?” While scouring the internet for advice on virtual interviews, this question popped into my head. As I listened to medical student YouTubers and read articles by former admissions committee members on what they deemed “professional attire,” I was left feeling unsure about wearing my natural hair to interview day.

As a Black woman, I have had my fair share of perms, relaxers, protective styles—you get the gist. After being made fun of for my hair’s curly texture by my classmates in elementary school, I got a perm and started straightening my hair. By wearing my hair “bone straight,” it was very sleek and silky, and I felt like I could fit in with my predominantly white classmates. I wore a straight hairdo throughout high school, and classmates told me that it “looked better this way.” Eventually, I went to the hair salon every two weeks to maintain the newest chemical treatment in my unnaturally straight hair. I went to great lengths to maintain my hairstyle, so much so that I wore a shower cap under my hoodie to track practice on rainy days for fear of my hair reverting to curly in front of everyone. As I realized the toll this was taking on me financially and on my wellbeing, I began to question myself and my decisions. Essentially, I decided to embrace my hair au-naturel and not straighten it for the foreseeable future.

Fast forward to 2021, where I am a proud “naturalista” (a person who wears their natural wavy, curly, or “kinky” hair state) and applied to medical school for the 2021-2022 cycle. After submitting my AMCAS application, I began to look at videos, articles, and forums to get a head start on preparing for interviews. I read the experiences of Black women from previous application cycles who contemplated my same initial question. A significant portion opted to straighten their hair for fear of their natural hair being seen as “unprofessional” by their interviewers. This concern was valid, as Black women continue to face discrimination based on their hairstyles in school and the workplace. While I was proud of my progress in my natural hair journey, I felt pressure to transform my natural hair to adapt to being in a predominantly white space. I, too, figured unconscious bias about my appearance would be less likely if I decided to straighten my hair. That being said, I was pleased to see that plenty of women had good experiences wearing their natural hair on interview day and it was encouraging to also personally speak with people who were once in my shoes. At the end of the day, I knew I wanted to convey my most authentic self.

My advice for other applicants is: If you made it to the interview stage, that is a massive accomplishment in and of itself. I encourage you to show up as your authentic self throughout the application cycle, whatever that means for you. For me, that means bringing positive energy along with wearing my natural hair and protective styles to webinars, virtual meet and greets with students and faculty, and interview day. If wearing your hair straight, wearing a wig, or any other hairstyle is authentic to you – Go for it! Own it. It’s also okay to wear your piercings on interview day. I wore my nose piercing (a gold hoop) to every interview so far and honestly, I forgot it was there. I wouldn’t have taken it out anyway. If accepted to XYZ medical school, my mindset was: what you see is what you get. Medical schools want to get to know the person behind your application.

As a recently accepted applicant, my secret to doing well on interview day and making a lasting impression wasn’t based on just my professional attire or how well I prepared answers to common questions. It came down to just being myself. When it’s time for your interview, show enthusiasm and articulate your experiences and passion for medicine. Focus on that, and don’t worry about your hairstyle, piercings, tattoos, and the like. Be your unique self.