Applicants generally found the interview day at the school to be long but enjoyable, with a mix of structured interviews, group activities, and presentations. Feedback included praise for the staff, the innovative curriculum, and the emphasis on community health, but some expressed concerns about the length of the day and the lack of clarity on certain aspects of the program.
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Enjoyed being in-person and learning more about the school
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The interview day is very long (7:30 to 1 pm) but everything happens so fast you barely have time to freak out. The clinical patient part was very fun and stimulating, the group interview was also very fun because you got a chance to really interact with the other interviewees. The speed dating was a little messy for us and most of those questions were difficult but it was really quick. Overall, the interview day was long, but fun.
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Loved this school! Definitely the medical school of the future!
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Amazing school.
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The students only mention of fun was watching a 1 hour tv show on a Friday night after studying all day. The students didn't mention doing much of anything for "fun"
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Nice school and people there
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It is a busy day but it goes quick. Even though the speed dating was kind of off-putting, you will get some people you click well with and others not so much. They definitely want to see as much of you as possible and have as many opinions as possible to put together.
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Great school, laid back interview day.
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May be good for some people, but not a good fit for me
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Good day overall.
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N/a
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GREAT school!
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The day was much too long. Way too many presentations of unnecessary info. for applicants. Typical interview days last about 4 hours with lounging time, this one was just over 6!
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Great school, be wary of the 1+3. They never offered specifics on % of people who passed boards. If I could, I would press the dean to give specific numnbers on who passed and who did. Maybe ask them who would not be a good fit for th school.
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The school seems to have a very family/community feel, which really appeals to me. All staff and faculty members seem very dedicated to each student's success. The social on the night before the interview was a great way to get to know the other candidates and interview panel and to lower the anxiety.
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I think this curriculum is "love it" or "hate it" - it is a great idea if you don't mind being up-rooted frequently but it may not be the best option for people with family. I was extremely sold on it by the end of the day - the staff does an excellent job of explaining the reasons for this type of set-up.
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It was mostly laid back. I heard that the other interviewers were much nicer than the one I had.
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Great school, awesome curriculum!
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Fantastic school with a great program.
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Interesting curriculum. program still new and a little uncertain.
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Seems like a good program, but is very expensive and you are taking a risk on this drastically different educational approach. The rotational sites were very undesirable for me and is a large reason why I will not be attending.
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Don't arrange student to have triple 30min interviews in a roll...very unfair while others gets rest in between.
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The interview schedule was very organized. The admissions office really has it together. We were able to operate right on schedule all day long.
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I recommend the afternoon interviews. You'll be doing your interviews later in the day, after touring the campus and having lunch with some Year 1 students. You'll be able to think of some questions to ask the interviewers and also better plan your interview strategy.
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The admissions office was great, I interviewed on a Tuesday and I got a response via phone call three days later on Friday extending an acceptance offer . The standardized questions were a pain the butt and I kept asking the interviewer to repeat the questions because some of them were really long. One question was about 2 paragraphs. The nice thing is that asking them to repeat the question does not hurt you, its better to totally understand the question than to be only 50% sure and answer the question incompletely.
There are two interviews, the first one is standardized with 5 or 6 questions and is closed file. The second interview is more of a file review where they go over the AACOMAS. This is where you want to get all the information that you have stored up out. Since you can't really say much during the standardized interview, this is where you need to show your emotion and explain any hiccups in your app. My file review went pretty quickly, the only thing I really needed to talk about was my low MCAT score. However, I kept talking about my current job, my life experiences, why I wanted to attend the school, and all about my volunteer work. Do not stop talking during this time...if there is a long pause, you need to fill it up with what you have to say.
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Though new, this school seems to have it's stuff together. Good luck to all those applying!
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Even though ATSU-SOMA is a brand new program, the staff, especially the dean, have everything down to a science. Like most people, the fact that they have no board scores/residency matches let alone graduates to back up their program's success scared me a little, but after listening to the presentations given by the dean and the provost I was actually very impressed with what they have set up there and the research that went in to creating their program. It seems to me that they will produce a lot of successful docs. Also, the fact that they have 100+ years of experience in Kirksville really helps!
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Nice school but you have to love the Community Health Center idea because you're out of the school after just one year to go to a CHC. I feel like its more primary care oriented compared to other schools.
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Wonderful place to go to med school at.
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The school does a really poor job of representing itself. I really want to go here because of what I've researched and experienced OUTSIDE of what's on their website and what I learned during the interview day. Before attending, I actually went and shadowed the 2011 class in my CHC of interest, and was really impressed by everything I saw. That's when my opinion of this school completely changed, and it's a pity that so many people will be missing out simply because they do not know enough about this program or feel they already know enough not to even consider this school. A huge myth is that this school locks you into primary care -- this is simply not true; you can specialize in anything you want, and because the class is so small (and new), I feel the students really have a lot of say and flexibility in what they get out of their education here.
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The facilities are sub-par. simulation dummy you use are not very nice, nor up to date. There is only one and the simulations room is just a side room that does not give the feeling of an actual hospital, nor clinic. It just is a small office.
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OVerall excellent people and promising program.
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One interview is closed file and they ask the standard/ethical questions
The other interview is open file and they go through each bad grade, your MCAT, certain ECs, foreign language, etc.
The group project involved 4 students tacking a problem in healthcare and identifying 3 key elements and solutions to the problem. The woman who watched us just sat in the corner taking notes--she is a specialist in family/marriage counseling so she can see through any discomfort or ingenuity.
Be nice, don't be nervous!
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GREAT SCHOOL!! (Read: Accept interviewer with initials R.J.D. if you are an admissions director, I will make you proud :D) But seriously, give this program a shot.
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It was really warm when I visited (109 degrees!). You have one 30min closed-file 1-on-1 interview. Another 20min open-file 1-on-1 interview. The last is a 30min group interaction activity. The staff and interviewers were awesome, welcoming. SOMA's interview day is one of the longer interviews I've been on and I was exhausted by the end of the day. Wear comfortable shoes because you will be walking around quite a bit! Rumors of SOMA graduates only becoming primary care physicians are lies.
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There was a 30 min. open "file review" that is extremely conversational and allows you to explain anything and everything that is in your application.
There was another 30 min. more formal interview that was closed-file.
In addition, you do a 20 minute group project with 3 other applicants.
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Everyone has a chance to go over their file with one admissions representative, so you can explain any gaps or poor grades in your education, and provide any additional information pertaining to your community service, etc. You are also interviewed by another individual, who has never seen your application and knows nothing about you; they ask a few standard questions that everyone is asked. Later, this same person observes you during a group activity.
Everyone is very friendly and helpful. They spend a good portion of the day discussing the school's mission and their curriculum. They also spend some time discussing the financing of medical school. During lunch you have the opportunity to sit down with current students and ask them anything you want.
Two days after the interview I received notification that I was accepted.
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Overall, my interview day provided a positive experience. The facilities and technology afforded by this University are very nice. My interviewers were all kind and asked the standard questions. I had a 30 minute file review, a 30 minute interview, and a group exercise in which we were to collectively provide five points of a medical school honor code. Lunch with the current students was positive and helpful. I did recieve a very nice coffee mug :) I found out that I was accepted to the program and am seriously considering attending.
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The day was really structured well. We had presntaions about the school and its mission in the morning and then we were broken up into two groups. My group did interviews while the other group a financial aid presentaion and tour, then after lunch the groups switched. There is one main closed-file interview with a set of standard questions, one file review to give you a chance to talk about whats in your application, and then one group activity at the end of the day.
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I had a very postive experience. The staff members were wonderful and I really felt like I fit in with that program. Whatever hesitation I had about going to a new school simply dissipated after visiting the campus, speaking with the students and going through the interview process.
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The interview experience was great, everyone was friendly. The students for last year's class had lot of good things to say about the school. All in all - everyone seems to be genuinely excited about the new curriculum.
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It was a great day. The admissions staff was very organized. Everything ran very smoothly. All of the questions that I had prior to the interview were answered in the informational sessions. Lunch was excellent and the students we ate with were very enthusiastic and happy. The faculty and staff were very welcoming.
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It was a good but long day. This was my first interview so I was really nervous but the staff and students really made me feel comfortable. The day started with a school and CHC presentation, followed by lunch with students and faculty. The interviews/file review, financial aid/tour were next, and then the group exercise. It was a really good day!
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It was great. Everyone was really nice and it was pretty relaxing. The school is definitely innovative, but all the students seem to love it. They are all about suceeding and becoming the best med school once they graduate their first class.
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My time at the school was nice. The presentations were incredibly informative about the school and faculty. Totally laid back, I actually had a good time meeting all the other interviewees. Don't stress, just be ready to learn about the program!
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Overall, i had a great time... ive heard this was not the typical experience but i dont have anything to compare it to since it was my first one...
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It was a full day. You have a file review and then an interview that is closed file where they ask you a standard 5 questions everyone gets. Lunch was absolutely amazing!!! Then you do a group session where you're being watched and evaluated. We helped create important things that should be included in their honor code since they don't have a school honor code yet. I found out I got into the school the next day!
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Positive; but made realize that this school is looking for a particular type of student and if you don' tfit the mold this may not be the school for you
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Love it.
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It was the best interview experience I've been on yet. I've let offers expire just so I can have a shot at this school, and I'm really stretching the offers of another to wait and see if I'm lucky enough to go to Mesa!
The lunch was good, the students there seem very happy, Phoenix is a great place to live with lots of culture and opportunities to be outdoors, and the school is a visionary creation.
That said, you really need to be signed on with their philosophy to be happy here. If you don't really care about catering to underserved populations, especially ethnic populations, this isn't the school for you.
If you have any experience in public health, this school is a godsend!
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Stressful - Mesa seems to have great ideas - just not sure how pratical they are.
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I love the proposed curriculum and hope that everything works out fine in that respect.
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It was great. The staff and students were all really nice. I was accepted so I look forward to going.
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I'm passionate about this school - hopefully everyone else who's going is, too. It's true what they say about needing a specific kind of student for this program. The learner-centeredness of this program is going to require this kind of a person and the students are what's going to make the program take off (not to say that faculty and staff aren't top notch because they are). Go here if you're on-board with everything on interview day. Don't if you're not. You'll likely be unhappy and those around you, too.
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I really loved COM-Mesa. I was accepted and will be placed in Hawaii for my clinical rotations. The school is technologically advanced and has a lot to offer a medical student. I know people are hesitate because it is a new school but I think they are just as worried as we are about accreditation which means they will do anything in their power to make sure we succeed. I hope to see some of you in the Fall!
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My experience at the school was almost exactly like it has been described by the other feedbacks. Some of the ideas the school has like immediate patient exposure, are good ideas however the school is extremely focused on community health and primary care. The curriculum will not train their students adequetly, I feel, in the basic sciences so I will be turning down my acceptance to Mesa and attending AZCOM instead as I love Arizona. Before I drop 200K on an educational program I need to know that the school will be doing everything possible to allow me the best all around education and success.
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I interviewed with a member of the Evaluation committee a board member of one of the Community Health Centers in Arizona. They ask 5 standard questions that were given to everyone.
There was also a file review with the Associate Director. This was to verify that everything was correct and to explain the reasons for low grades or MCAT scores.
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Again, I felt that they were looking for a very specific kind of candidate. The interview, group activity, and even lunch are structured to evaluate if you are that kind of candidate.
(I was accepted, so my comments are not sour grapes.)
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Everything seemed well-organized, but they did not conduct a very good interview. You'll answer the questions, but they still won't know what kind of person you are or how you think.
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The day was really organized (no sitting around doing nothing time). The lunch was really good and we ate outside in the sun. The faculty member sitting with us answered a lot of questions well. The three part interview allowed you to speak with three different interviewers in three different settings, so you had the opportunity to show more than one side of yourself. The three parts are: 1) The regular two person med. school interview, 2) A file review to discuss problem areas in transcript/MCAT, 3) A group exercise.
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The interview day started at 10am. There was about 20 interviewees. We all listened to a talk about the school from the different directors. We ate lunch with faculty, I think they all watch everyone at the lunch for ''character assessment'' which is creepy. Then we are split into groups and either taken on a tour/financial aid spiel, taken to a file review, or taken to an interview. The file review consists of one person looking at your entire file and critiquing it. The interview consists of two interviewers asking some good and some nutty questions. By the way there are right answers to the questions they are not just philosophy questions which is stupid since everyone will see the philysophical questions they ask differently. Then everyone does a group project with 4 other interviewees and that is about it.
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It was a great experience, everyone was really nice, and really excited about the new program. They gave free mugs, candy and pens. Having 30 interviewers that day was pretty overwhelming, but make sure to sit up front during the presentations. The facilities aren't done so the tour is wack, except the SIM-MAN, but you can tell they really want everything to be hi-tech, and it will be. There were three interview situations: (1) 2 on 1 closed file formal 30min, (2) 1 on 1 open file 10min, (3) 2 on group, make a def'n of professionalism, how to implement, and teach. (4) I had a feeling I was being evaluated all day though, especially during lunch.
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A VERY LONG AND SOMEWHAT STRESSFUL DAY- YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO 'FAKE' YOUR WAY THROUGH THIS ONE, SO JUST BE YOURSELF.... VERY DIFFERENT THAT ALL OTHER INTERVIEWS I HAVE BEEN ON
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Over all the experience was very good. The school is brand new so its very nice. There is a big push for technology so they have state-of-the- art equipment. The school is located in a very nice part of Mesa, just about 15 minutes from the mountains. The method of teaching the material which is through case-studies seems very interesting and innovative.
