Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 38% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview mixed with a low stress level, and felt they did okay.
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as low stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
Based on the responses provided, the most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools revolve around reasons for pursuing medicine, specific motivations for choosing the school, challenges faced, personal qualities, experiences in healthcare, ethical scenarios, support systems, and opinions on healthcare issues. Some respondents mentioned questions related to academic performance, family background, extracurricular activities, future career goals, and preferences for medical specialties. Additionally, there were instances of questions about non-disclosure agreements and Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) format, where respondents may have been restricted from disclosing specific questions due to the format's nature.
What are you looking forward to medical school? What are you not?
Why Drexel? Then proceeded to shoot down everything I stated. Repeated stated "that is not only found at Drexel, what else" or "yeah that might seem like a good program at Drexel but it's not nearly as good in reality as on paper".
He asked about a specific course I took first year "First Year Preceptorial" as it was in a letter of rec, or "Conversations in a World of Strangers" as on the transcript. Probably because of the discrepancy. File specific, but transcript is fair game.
Faculty: Ethical problems in medicine? Why Drexel? Talk about your experience with X activity? My interview with the faculty member (who I believe was on the adcom) was mildly catastrophic. I completely botched the question "Why Drexel?" and it went downhill from there.
Here are the three possible ethical question essay prompts I'm aware of. I may have paraphrased them or gotten the details wrong but if they're close enough that that won't matter.
1) You're a doctor, it's 4:00 pm and time for you to go home. You have long-standing evening plans. Your patient patient is just going in for a diagnostic test for a serious medical condition that will take an hour to complete. Do you cancel your plans in order to be there when your patient's results come back or leave your patient in the care of the on call team? Explain your reasoning
2) You're riding in your friend's car when she runs a stop sign/red light and gets into an accident (no fatalities/injuries/damage of that magnitude). She asks you to be involved in lying about the cause of the accident for insurance purposes. What do you do?
3) Rules exist for a reason but aren't applicable to all situations. Explain a time you've broken the rules and some of the ethical consequences (I forget exactly which they ask for, but if you think about an example and what you learned, why you broke the rules, and other ethical ramifications of such a scenario, you'll be prepared)
You have about half of the space on one side of a unlined sheet of standard printer paper to answer the prompt.
The student and I had a pretty easy flow of conversation and really wasn't an interview at all. The professor/doctor had me shadow him a bit and then we did the interview in his clinic's break room. He asked me if I was satisfied with my MCAT score.
Drexel had two interviews: student and faculty. The questions that were asked by faculty were very simple and it was very conversational. The student interview for me lasted almost hour and a half, but normally its only half an hour.
Without political opinion, how do you think the potential changes, or potential lack there of, in the healthcare system will impact your future practice?
Faculty:
Tell me about your family.
Why Medicine?
Tell me about your research.
What was your most/least favorite class and why?
Why Drexel? How can Drexel help you achieve your goals?
Student:
Why Drexel?
What do you do for fun?
What is your favorite book/song?
Tell me about research job X. What specifically did you do? Tell me abt the specific lab protocol. Tell me about volunteer experience Y. What specifically did you do? Tell me about your current job. What specifically do you do? Tell me about your experience in Rwanda? (Spent a 4 months there in grad school)
Tell me about your GPA (I had lower undergrad grades, higher grad school grades). Tell me about your MCAT score. What are your strengths/weaknesses? Do you have any sibilings? What's their professions?
Why medicine? How did you get from Cornell to Drexel (I've been out of college for 5 years)? Why medicine and not public health? Have you been discouraged by anyone in persuing medicine? If you were President Obama, how would you handle the healthcare crisis?
Quoting from previous poster.. pretty much word for word same question (aka: Same interviewer) Are you ready to pay the price? Your kids are not going to see you, you will miss great part of their life, are you really sure you want to go through with this? And he went on and on saying how his kids still judge him for been missing in their life.
Why is your verbal score so low (8 v, but 30 overall)? Are you going to retake this or you are keeping your low score? (the average MCAT for Drexel is 31 and a 3.6 GPA)
Student: Why medicine and not research, explain your real motivation behind that?
Faculty: If you made a mistake as a physician and severely injured your patient, how would you handle it? Would you be able to continue with your day and see other patients objectively?
Is there any moment that stands out in your mind, in your clinical experiences or volunteer work, where you realized that medicine is the career for you?
The first things she said were: Ok I want to know about you, I want to know about your family, what do your parents do, any siblings, where you're from, where you went to college, how you chose this college and your major, and what made you decide to pursue medicine.
This was really intimidating at first but it allowed for a great flexible conversation with a lot of tangent/joke room. If you get Lisa Cifeli, you are in luck. I heard the other interviewers were great too.
So, I see you've lived in the UK most of your life. Which healthcare system is better? (I answered the US, but I guess my interviewer disagreed, and then proceeded to grill me on my choice)
What do you think of the new law passed in Oregon? Do you know what it is? (I said yes but he sounded like he didn't believe me) Well what is it? What would you do if a patient came to you asking to help him commit suicide?
What would your parents think if you told them you didn't want to be a doctor anymore? (he implied several times that my parents pressured me into being a doctor...and BOTH of his children are doctors!)
Why emergency medicine (I said I wanted to practice emergency medicine as a response to another question, what do you see yourself doing with a medical degree).
tell me how you became interested in medicine and why you switched from your original intended career (i definitely like this question better than straight up "why medicine?")
I had mentioned that i thought a large issue was the lack of understanding and communication between healthcare professionals and the public. She asked me how i thought we, as doctors, could bridge that gap so that people could have a realistic image of doctors both as people and as professionals
Student Interviewer: Talk about some current issues/problems in healthcare, and address why you want to go into medicine given the current situation in healthcare.
She said upfront that she wasn't going to ask me anything about academics and that she just wanted to know if I was a normal, TV watching kind of person. She wanted to know that I had a life outside of books.
Why medicine? Tell me about your parents. How do they feel about you going into medicine? What was your most interesting class in college? What was your most difficult class? Why did you choose your major?
My interviewer, although he never asked, mentioned that he was 'supposed' to ask me about the current and future state of health care as it related to managed care, malpractice etc
Students said most interesting question asked at Drexel University College of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, from personal interests and challenges to healthcare scenarios and ethical dilemmas. While the questions varied, there was no specific trend towards a particular type of inquiry, indicating a diverse and comprehensive interview approach at the institution.
What is something unserious that you are passionate about?
Scenario: You are on your way to visit one of your best friends, who is on their deathbed in the hospital. On the way, you hear the best joke you've ever heard in your lifetime. When you get to the hospital your friend is lying in a bed surrounded by other friends and family and nearing death. Do you tell your friend the joke?
The questions were all designed to be open ended to spur on further conversation. Consequently, all of the questions led to interesting tangential topics of discussion which were very interesting. The conversation was very enjoyable and very low stress.
I mentioned that my current job was incredibly challenging and she asked me why and how and we had a really interesting discussion about the nature of medicine today.
Question 1... he just wouldn't let up. I started by mentioning I would talk with my kids about the work "daddy has to do" and that is why he can't be around all the time.. but that wasn't enough for him. He said, "They still don't appreciate it, even though they understand..." I was stuck, and then he told me this is his life.
Are you ready to pay the price? Your kids are not going to see you, you will miss great part of their life, are you really sure you want to go through with this? And he went on and on saying how his kids still judge him for been missing in their life.
All of the questions were directed towards my application except a)Why do you want to be a doctor? b)Why Drexel? c) If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Nothing interesting. It was about a 10 minute interview. He asked me to tell him about myself and then interrupted me to ask if I thought I could handle medical school.
By Dean of Admissions after learning about my baby-signing experience, 'Have you ever seen Meet the Fockers?' She's a really cool down to earth woman, easy to relate to, but is also highly qualified and accels at her job.
What are some issues facing medicine? (It was interesting because it was asked a few times consecutively, so I really had to reflect on the answers I gave)
None of the questions were particularly difficult or interesting. I'm pretty sure that applicants always hear that a school's interviews are conversational but the Drexel interviews were just that. Seriously.
My interviewer did not ask specific questions. She just told me to talk about my family, background, ECs, why I picked my undergrad school, and why choose medicine.
"There's a lot of diversity here, which should interest you since you've studied cannibalism a lot."
"..Wha?"
"[rereads my file] Oh. Never mind. I was way off."
All the questions were pretty basic, about items on my application and my ideal career. The student interviewer asked me a lot about what I want in a medical school and sold me on Drexel.
Mostly questions about grades, why medicine, when did you come to that conclusion, what are your strengths, and is there anything else you'd like to add?
All were pretty standard questions. My interviewer was a faculty member who wasn't an MD and didn't ask any questions about med ethics or problems in health care (i.e. PA's med liability crisis)
My interviewer had carefully read my application and asked a lot of questions about classes i had taken, including an essay-writing course. She asked what my favorite piece of writing had been and why.
the student interviewer asked "if i were to bump into you and your friend and pull him/her aside ask them to name one thing they like about you and one thing they don't, what would they be?"
What do you think of the ethical challenges to your current work and research? (I work on providing cash incentives to schizophrenics to encourage them to quit smoking cigarettes.)
From my student interviewer - "Why are manholes round?". She told me there was no real answer to the question, she was just curious how I would reason the answer.
Assuming that 20 years from now all of the malpractice and managed care/medicare problems are solved, what do you think will be the most pressing issue in healthcare?
Nothing too interesting. The student gilled me a bit on health care and the price of medications. He jumped from subject to subject. It felt artificial - not like the natural flow of a conversation.
The faculty interviewers questions were all personal in nature, intended to examine specific aspects of my application. The most interesting being what I would do for my community if I became a physician. The student interview was odd, my interviewer appeared quite shy, and I asked most of the question.
Given the following scenario: I am a physician and I have two patients, but only enough time to dedicate to one. The first patient listens to everything I recommend and follows instructions about meds perfectly. The second patient never listens to my recommendations and refuses to take meds. Keeping in mind the time constraint, how do I spend my time treating the patients?
No question I got was particularly interesting, but the overall experience was really nice. My faculty interviewer was very chill, and it was more like a conversation than an actual interview. He asked me just the standard questions really, such as "Why do you want to be a physician," "Why Drexel," etc.
What do you look for in a medical school? What is a problem you'll face in healthcare. What do you do on your free time. What are you currently doing at your job.
What do you think of the East Coast (i'm from the west)? Why Drexel? What experiences made you want to pursue medicine? Basically, getting-to-know-you type questions.
I was asked to give an in depth explanation of a particular extracurricular activity that I had. This interviewer was interested in the event and wanted to know more about it.
None really. Very standard questions like, "How was it having a physician as a father" and "what are you most passionate about."
The student interview asks questions off a sheet of paper and the "what are you most passionate about" questions is one of them.
I wasn't even asked questions by the faculty interviewer really. We just talked about him for most of the interview and I asked the questions. The student interviewer asked the standard questions like why medicine and what do you do as a hobby.
Here's the thing, I thought my faculty interview went bad because we spent the entire time talking about his life and acomplishments. He was super friendly, but I didn't know what he could possibly write on my evaluation because I never really got asked questions. But I got acepted. Contrast this with Albany's interview in which I prepared so much for ethics questions and talked rather well in my opinion for a total of 3hrs over two interviews only to get put on the alternate list. The interview process in general seems a little screwy to me.
What would you do if you found out that your parent had HD? (I would have a 50% chance of getting the disease, and the interviewer wanted to know if I would get genetic testing to find out if I had the disease).
Nothing interesting, we just talked about my extra-curriculars. I was asked if this interview was my first and since it wasn't, where else I had interviewed.
Students said most difficult question asked at Drexel University College of Medicine discussed various topics including challenges in medicine, ethics, personal motivations for pursuing medicine, and hypothetical scenarios related to patient care. While some questions explored academic performance and career choices, a significant number of responses indicated a conversational tone during interviews, with common themes focusing on the healthcare system, personal attributes, and future goals.
What do you think is a problem in the field of medicine in general?
"So, you don't have much clinical experience?" because I don't have much listed as so on the application. I addressed the point (I do consider it a weakness of my application)- it overlapped with volunteer.
after I said that my shadowing helped me learn about the importance of patient-doctor relationship she asked for specific examples... took me a while to come up with an answer.
The student interviewer liked to ask real interview question despite lacking of experience and grilled me over if I am capable of studying for long periods of time.
The ethical dilemma essay prompt you will get at the interview. There are 3 different questions you can receive, and you have about 1/2 a page of unlined paper to write your essay on. It was a little difficult not so much to think of something, but people who finished quickly were surprisingly rudely loud, making it hard to think.
What if you don't get to do what you plan to do? Lots of times people have dreams of what they want to do and cannot do it. How will you deal with the realities associated with your career goals?
He (faculty) seemed very concerned that I haven't had biochem. He stressed that there is very little time for "catching up" in the med school curriculum.
This is off the record, but tell me how you plan to pay for med school when you still have grad school loans? Tell me about research job X. What specifically did you do? Tell me abt the specific lab protocol. (This was my first job after graduation so it was difficult to remember the specifics of the protocol we used)
[[sprinkled throughout the interview]]
Where else did you apply? Where else do you have interviews lined up? In what other cities did you apply to medical schools? Where ideally would you like to be next year? Don't you ever want to leave Philadelphia? (when I said no) Why don't you want to go to Penn? Have you considered Jefferson? I'm sure you applied to Temple and Penn State, too, right?
What are some of your concerns about practicing medicine?
In regard to my background in research: ''why do you feel you are more suited for a career in clinical medicine as opposed to research?''
Explain your GPA (it shocked me because I realized that the faculty interviewer is reading the wrong file of the other student who will be interviewed half hour after me)
nothing really. both the faculty and studen interviews were very laid back and conversational. The faculty was very interested in my background, while the student asked more typical questions and answered more questions about the school.
Was grilled on the fact that if my parents, who are both physicians, were such positive influences then why am I a non-traditional student who majored in econ. and tried out a diff. career.
If you didn't have to worry about malpractice insurance and reimbursements, what do you think will be the most difficult challenge you will face as a physician?
You being work at a clinic where the veteran surgeon is conducting an outdated surgery that keeps the patient in the hospital for 2 weeks. You know a procedure that only keeps him at the hospital for two days. What do you do?
My interview was with the dean of admissions, and she asked me a big block of questions all at the beginning and then let me basically give a monologue to answer them all.
Really nothing too difficult. Questions about me not topics in medicine. Describe your experience in this or that. Very low stress. Really you just discuss yourself.
After I told him about myself, he said "Tell me more," so I did...and then he said "What else?" So be prepared to have a one-sided conversation.
Why did you get a C- in [insert class here]? Your bad grades (from 6 years ago) don't match your good MCAT scores (from 6 months ago). Why? Why was your writing section on the MCAT so bad? You know that's like 28th percentile, right?
None of them were difficult. But as I mentioned below, I think the fact that I interviewed with an administrator made it more of a bulleted list of q's rather than a conversation.
Pretend you are an infectious disease doctor 15 years from now. One of your female patients is in love with one of your other male AIDs positive patient. What do you do?
The current healthcare system, if it continues as it is now, is headed for bankruptcy. How do you think we could improve the system to avoid this situation? How can we functionally tie together economics and healthcare?
Describe your research. Why didn't you try <plug in any experiment that has nothing to do with your research>?
Although she was nodding and acting like she was interested, it was pretty clear she didn't follow me , since she followed up with a question/suggestion that made no sense at all. So I just changed the subject to the merits of the new experiment she was suggesting, which she seemed pretty excited about.
I think I need to work on how to talk about this stuff so its easier to understand without sounding condescending.
Honestly, the hardest question was whether or not I had any questions for her...most had already been answered in the informational session and I had to think fast to come up with another one.
Why did I receive a low grade in one of my science courses. The faculty interviewer was very nice when she asked me, told me it was just a formality that she had to ask.
I didn't feel any of the questions were difficult to answer, my faculty advisor did ask me a question about my academic record and my view on how prepared I was for medical school..but I think I handled it well.
Why have you taken so many classes in college? -I am a non-traditional student who basically started over as a premed after majoring in political studies for three years.
Do you think undocumented immigrants should be allowed access to health care? I didn't really want to be pegged as super controversial, so I said that I would personally find it very difficult to turn away anyone who needed health care. And then he said, "But you didn't answer my question, I asked a simple yes or no question." He was basically trying to box me into a corner, because when I said yes, then he said "But isn't it unfair for them to get the same advantages of citizens?" The entire interview was like that....I was so stressed out when we finished.
Nothing all that difficult from the student interviewer...just a few ethical questions...just pick a side and don't change your mind. The faculty interview was extremely relaxed. Just shot the breeze for about a half an hour...no medically related questions.
None.. all were pretty straight-forward. The faculty interviewer wanted to get to a bit about my background, and if I would like it here in Pennsylvania.
I was asked about specific grades and a quarter in school where I had done badly. I was also asked about a low MCAT score. My interviewer was very concerned with the details of my file, rather than getting to know me.
what makes you think you can handle medical school (because when I mentioned a class that I did during my grad-work, she cut me off and directed me towards my undgrad classes)
What is the biggest problem with healthcare? How should we fix it? And if that doesn't work? And if that doesn't work?.......She just kept asking until there was nothing else to say. She also answered three phone calls during the intervies, which were just casual calls and really unprofessional.
what would you think would be the reason you were not admitted to med school if you are rejected from everywhere....why would you think you didn't get in.
From the stduent interviewer: What do you think of the malpractice situation in PA...wait, do you know about it? (I am not from here, so I really did not know much)
By the student: Why exactly are you choosing to be a medical doctor over a clinical psychologist? How are they different? (since I was a psychology major)
My faculty interviewer asked me how do I feel about the fact that medicine has become a business and how do fell about working in a free clinic he has founded. Basically, medicine is a right or a privilege kind of question.
You have a patient that has emphysema and refuses to quit smoking. What do you do? (Then I gave my reply) What if that doesn't work, what would you do then? He kept asking the same question until I ran out of answers.
Crowne Plaza - very unfriendly staff at front desk. + the room wasn't the best in terms of positioning. There was a light that shone straight into the room. the room itself was clean though.
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by engaging in mock interviews, researching the school and its curriculum, reviewing their application materials, and staying updated on current healthcare issues through sources like Student Doctor Network (SDN), the school's website, and external sources. Some also practiced answering common interview questions, sought feedback from others who had interviewed at the school, and spoke with current students or alumni to gather insights.
Mock interviews, research school (SDN and curriculum)
Mock interviews, reviewed my AMCAS essays and the research I was involved with, read through SDN and became familiar with big programs from Drexel's website (ie the IFM/PIL programs however these will not be part of the curriculum as two distinct tracks for students matriculating in Fall 2017).
I reviewed health care policy, general ACA impact, etc. I also reviewed my application and my personal statement to ensure that I had a consistent message during my interview.
Read over this site and prepared answers to all of the questions that people had been asked previously. Also, tried to talk to lots of people about topics that I thought would come up during the interview, so that I would be used to chatting about these topics and expressing my point of view articulately.
Read the feedback on here, mock interview, read over my AMCAS, looked at their website, googled my interviewer so I could talk about some of his interests ;)
I didn't. I prepared for my first, looked stuff over for my second, and by now I'm just showing up. I feel like there's no reason to prepare. Reading the feedback here is good, though.
Read studentdoctor.net. Read books about interview (Kaplan, and other books at the bookstore). Attend interview techniques workshop offered by the career center at my undergraduate school. Mock interviews. Read about ethics and managed care. Review AMCAS application.
Kaplan list of interview questions, brochure, skimmed medical ethics books, took a health policy course, mock interview...had a cheesesteak and brushed my teeth.
I read people comments on SDN, wrote out and answered typical questions, Drexel website (very informative), asked someone who had interviewed a little earlier about their experience, went over AMCAS, resume
Read SDN, mock interviews--Just tried to chill out. I got nervous before my previous interview, so I decided to try one where I waited to feel comfortable before answering questions. It worked. It is my best interview experience so far.
Browsed the Drexel website. Read up in the journals. Did a lexis-nexis search for articles about Drexel and by doctors who taught at Drexel. Reviewed my application.
I read from the MSAR and the website. Also, I made sure I had examples if asked any ethical questions. I was familiar with both IFM and PIL before I went to the interview.
I didn't really. I had an interview two weeks previous for which I prepared extensively. All I did this time was browse current medicaly related issues and go over my amcas application. Out of my two interviews so far I have not had a question about the healthcare system in the US. I thought Medical Schools would stress this as it is in bad shape throughout the country especially in Penn.
Reviewed application, researched about school, talked with my cousin's friend who was a 2nd year at Drexel, Went over some ethics, kept up-to-date on science and non-science current events, keep calm.
Read tons of articles and books, this website, typed up all my answers to potential questions and reviewed them on a regular basis, watched the news, read over my application
went to this website, cut and paste all the questions people had previously posted answered them to a certain extent, read articles on medicare, malpractice crisis, etc. and read over Drexel's information booklet...I over prepared a little, but still good stuff
Read up on the School, stay up on current events, and review my application (Although my interviewer was just interested in having a friendly conversation about everything but my application).
Applicants were positively impressed by the friendly, kind, and supportive atmosphere at the school, with staff, faculty, and students all being welcoming and approachable. The facilities, technology, and curriculum options, especially the Program in Integrated Learning (PIL), were highlighted as significant strengths. Additionally, the emphasis on early clinical exposure, diverse clinical opportunities, and the school's commitment to developing well-rounded, compassionate physicians were viewed favorably.
Kind staff and interviewers, conversational and comfortable interview
All the staff, faculties, and interviewers are very nice and chill. They repetitively emphasized that they are a welcoming and supportive community and all the interviewers volunteered to hold interviews and loved to meet the applicant.
How genuinely kind everyone was... multiple students who were just studying and had no involvement in the interviews would stop me and wish me luck and offer to answer any questions.
The fourth year students were returning after being matched with their residency programs. A few took some time out of their day voluntarily to come talk to us during our very impressive catered lunch. They spoke very highly about Drexel's professors and students. They were very real.
The faculty member I interviewed with was kind, jovial, and passionate about his job. The students I met and stayed with were warm, welcoming, and very encouraging. Moreover, the students seemed genuinely happy to be at Drexel and to have a good life/study balance.
Extremely friendly and warm interviewers and the school in general had a vibe of community which I loved. Was the opposite of the cut-throat, gunner vibe that is supposedly found at very competitive schools. The day was designed to be as low stress as possible and you didn't feel under the microscope at all. You were simply given the opportunity to demonstrate what kind of person you were and why you would be a valuable addition to the school.
The friendliness of the students, the low competitiveness, non-sabotaging like environment that the medical students cultivate. Really enjoyed physician interviewer who was very enthusiastic and passionate about his position, and talked at length with student interviewer who is a very well rounded and interesting individual.
Although the student body is huge, the school had a small familiar feel, and everyone was very friendly.
School shuttle dropped me off in City Center after my interview which was very convenient.
How friendly and relaxed the admissions staff was. I interviewed on a Sat. and everybody from the medical students to the admissions personnel wore really casual clothes! And they all tried their best to put you at ease.
The faculty interviewer was very generous in dealing out encouragements and positive feedbacks both in respond to my answers and just over all to my application, not sure if this is some kind of positive indication but I sure felt warm and fuzzy
The location of the 1st/2nd year campus in a more suburban area of Philly. The facilities were really nice. I like the two curriculum track options, the problem/small group based vs. traditional lecture style.
The Queen Lane campus seems small, which is nice because I imagine you won't be running all over the place during your first two years. The facilities look nice, even if they're not state-of-the-art.
The PIL program. If I get in and chose to go there, this is the program meant for me. I love it, and it just makes sense to learn medicine this way. I'm excited they're in the process of building a simulation center to practice clinical skills at. They seem very supportive of minorities, of women, of non-traditional students, and of community service.
I was happy to learn that the first two years are spent not in Philadelphia proper but at a quiet, pretty campus outside the city with labs, classrooms, food, and the fitness room all centrally located. There are many local hospitals nearby for rotations. The PIL program option for small-group learning sounds interesting. I got to see an anatomy laboratory in progress.
The students are laid-back and friendly, facilities are very nice, everything is centrally located (gym, food, bookstore, library), quiet and safe neighborhood, innovative curriculum, emphasis on women's health and humanities, lots of community service opportunities
There were no tricks or games. Everything was very laid-back and low-stress. The whole day seemed to be designed to allow us (the interviewees) to "interview" the school. The M1s and M2s we met were very friendly and very willing to answer questions.
the facilities were not bad. I liked the lecture hall and anatomy lab, these seemed really nice.
It's a decent campus. definitely condusive to going to school every day.
Quite neighborhood, Clean and well-kept campus buildings and hallways, nice cafeteria, helpful staff, use of technology, display windows with medical objects of historical interest.
The many hospitals and clinics associated with the medical school. The choice between two curriculum and how it allows for the large class size to feel smaller. They also give you an opportunity to try out the problem based curricula and if you don't like it, you can switch out.
The campus is new and high tech. The faculty and staff are very "student centered". The two different curricular pathways are very interesting and focused on developing the best possible learning environment. The students seem very happy with their experience.
The unique curriculum. I especially liked the PIL curriculum (problem based learning)
My interviewer was extremely positive about Drexel and its students.
The school seemed to have an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competition.
The students and staff are very friendly and helpful. The student body seems genuinely happy and non-competitive. The staff and faculty seem eager to be involved with the students
the students were very friendly. many stopped by the room just to say hello and see if we had any questions. the student interviewer was the most laidback of any i've experienced.
The Queen Lane campus is very nice and has great lecture halls, labs, gym, and other rec stuff. The choice between curriculum is unique. All students seemed super happy being there. Low stress/competition environment.
Use of technology, newness, ability to do all of 3rd and 4th years in Pittsburgh. I don't think I can take more than 2 years of Eagles and Flyers fans.
The accessibility and small size of the campus, as well as the friendly atmosphere. It really seemed like everyone knew everyone, from students to faculty.
Their two different curriculums are awesome. It shows that they really care about what kind of education their students get. Also, the fact that the faculty consist of full time professors who are their to teach and who are not caught up in their research projects.
The basic science faculty are full-time instructors and have no other obligations besides teaching. The schools is very tech oriented. Students seem to love the school and are very friendly. Lectures are videotaped, audiotaped, and loaded onto the web within hours after the class. Faculty are readily available for extra help.
Drexel has a really unique curricular track you can take called PIL (Program in Integrated Learning). It seems to allow for a lot of flexibilty in your schedule while also giving you a lot of responsibility for directing your own learning within a small peer group. It's based on a PBL model. Also, Drexel's facilities are very nice--high tech, modern, and wireless. Students were very friendly and the admissions staff were very helpful.
Facilities were new and pretty neat. The students seemed really cool and happy. Option to choose PIL or IFM, all of the pathways one can choose during the 4th year.
Everything. The student guide was very honest in why she chose IFM over PIL. Everyone had already told me that the interview would be very relaxed, but since this was my first and #1 choice interview, I was stressing myself out a lot. The faculty interviewer was about as relaxed and conversational as possible.
the technology! ex: CEAC rooms, anatomy lab, micro lab, lectures are put on the internet. and the medical school is open 24/7 to students looking for a quiet place to study.
the students seemed really happy to be there and it felt like a supportive community (not a cut-throat atmosphere at all)
the students were very nice and happy, they seemed to love what they were doing. the admissions office and faculty are very concerned with the students' learning
Though the school is 30 minutes away from the hospital, it is in great condition and seems like a good atmosphere of students. Drexel is super-techno savvy, they have all lectures videotaped and online. I also think I want to apply to the PIL curriculum if I get in!
Things are very new looking, specific attention focused on utilizing technology as much as possible in every facet of the medical education, 2 different curriculums, quaint/safe neighborhood, variety of hospitals seems to ensure a pretty darn good clinical experience for 3rd and 4th years, students and faculty, in general most things about this school get a big thumbs up
All 1st and 2nd year classes, etc are in one building; student parking is available & very close to school; high degree of personalized guidance available to each student
1) Facilities; everything is brand new, very clean and well organized, somewhat small, but home-y feeling 2) Staff/faculty; everyone seems very concerned about the students' welfare and many options for career guidance, student/teacher interaction
The PEOPLE! Everyone was amazing, so welcoming, so enthusiastic about their school. The TECHNOLOGY! All lectures are videotaped and online within 4 hours. All notes are online. All lab slides are online. They said if we can put it online, we do. If we can't yet, we will in the future. Students seem to love watching the lectures at home in double time.
The enthusiasm of the students and faculty. Everyone at Drexel seems very happy they are there. Everyone's general attitude was pretty laid back, and getting to meet the other students interviewing at Drexel was also an enjoyable experience. My interview with a student was really great, she was extremely helpful in answering my questions about the curriculum, life in Philadelphia, and pretty much any random questions I had.
I really liked that all the students I ran into on campus were extremely happy to be at Drexel. The faculty are very involved with the studetns and seem to truly care about the education of the students. The facilities were nice, the campus is small but is cozy and welcoming. I just felt Drexel was a wonderful school and the atmosphere there is very relaxed.
Students and faculty were really nice. My student interview went almost an hour (which may or may not be good). Bright facilities, pretty campus, short distance to New York. The other applicants were super cool.
Facilities and curriculum. Seems like a very friendly place to be, and students seem to be well cared for. Choice b/w PBL or lecture based learning. Oh, and neighboorhood is quaint. Not in Center City, but close enough for easy access, but far away enough so it won't be too much of a distraction. =P
Modern technology that was implemented on the campus. Suburban environment yet close to a nice city/urban environment. Faculty and students seemed to be in a cooperative effort in the pursuit of academia, seemed like there was no cutthroat stuff there.
EVERYTHING!! I was amazed by how much I loved Drexel. The students were soo happy. The PIL and IFM tracks are a great idea, awesome clinical exposure early on, great sense of community within students, fantastic community outreach opportunities, etc
The school seemed very student oriented. The tour guide addressed some interesting topics that now I wish I had heard about at other interviews- how are students taught to do genital exams (by an area advocacy group); what happens to cadavers (all parts are preserved with the body in a special bucket for small bits then a Philly-wide memorial service takes place).
The general feeling of the whole school was very supportive, they are a teaching institution, not really a research center. I am impressed with the two curiculla, and am leaning towrads PIL. I felt the facilities were nice (and large enough) and the whole campus is wireless and has everything online. The new student center was great and added a lot of study room. The neighborhood is just what my wife and I are looking for, outisde the city but close enough (15mins) to go out at night to do things. Oh, and the lunch was good!
facilities seemed nice, though small / the faculty seem very in tune with how to help the students learn the best way possible / WHEP program is unique and interesting
The facilities are new and high tech. I stayed with a student host, who was so nice! When I told my host that I missed part of the tour for my interview, she took me around herself.
The students and faculty were laid back and nice. I really liked my faculty interviewer. She was there to know me and was open about her experiences and herself too. I think I got to know her as much as she knew about me.
The PIL curriculum, the students are nice, the faculty are very welcoming and have close relationships with the students, and the surrounding area is very peaceful yet very close to center city Philly.
The amazing facilities, everything is open 24/7, great area despite being right in the middle of Philadelphia, the student interview was very relaxed and we actually had a good conversation, no unfair medical trivia questions
The very low level of stress involved with the interviews, the personable feeling of the students and faculty, and the sense of community within the school
Problem Based Learning option- helps teach students to think and integrate information as if they were seeing a patient. Facilities looked rennovated. New gym in the fall. Students were friendly, looked relaxed. Wi-fi for all.
Both the staff and students were very enthusiastic and during the interviews made me feel really comfortable. All of the students that I met were happy to be at the school, the facilities are good and high tech.
awesome use of technology (all wireless, lectures taped and uploaded same day), 2 curricular tracks, students AND faculty are very happy, campus is in philly but in a quiet area, the fact that it's possible to live downtown and without a car (tour guide did that), and of course the diversity of the student body
The laid back, friendly, and cooperative environment among students. The choice for two different curiculum tracks. The involvement by the students in both school affairs as well as community service. The school has lecture videos available online the same day as lectures. The DrX program allows you to simulate patient care online and it tells you how much your treatment costed. Everything is digitized. The non-smelliness of the anatomy lab.
The facilities are BEAUTIFUL, and there's going to be a new building with a big student center complete before the class of 2010 gets there. Their curriculum looks really good, like they have really put a lot of thought into making the learning pleasant, fun, and memorable -- especially the PBL track -- and I just don't know why Drexel has such a mediocre reputation. Despite what other people have said on this website, the school is not far away from Philadelphia, in fact it is in the city (just not downtown), and the night after my interview my cousin took me to a really nice neighborhood nearby with a hopping nightlife.
The school was very new looking, all in one building, very clean and very shiny. They have 2 curricula one is an integrated course standard fare and the other is a problem based case study kinda system. It reminds me of House MD. You get together with a small group of students and a facilitator and basically work on a patient case learning as you go. Sounds rather interesting. Oh and the regular curriculum video tapes all the classes and puts them on the web. You could (and students and faculty both stated this occurs) never show up to class yet still get a med education. Heck you could study in Chicago and just show up for the exams. Ain't technology great?
The students were SO friendly. One girl was late to class, but she still took time to walk me to the admissions office bc she didn't want me to get lost. Other students that I met were also super friendly. The facilities are great. The faculty don't really do research, so they really focus on teaching and their students. It's a very student-oriented school. It's 20 minutes from Center City, the heart of Philly and there are free shuttle sthere!
the curriculum, the fact that the students seemed happy to be there, the beautiful facilities, the administration seems to really care about its students (very friendly).
The faculty are soo nice, there is a gaurd at the door that checks you in, the class size is HUGE!!! teh students seemed to really love the school.. everyone got along. They offer two different programs, depending on how well you can learn medicine- either group based/ case based or traditional method.
The school focuses on training clinicians and less on research. They have a lot of high tech stuff e.g. wireless internet. The curriculum structure. The fact that their lectures are video taped.
The faculty is very very interested in student well being and education. All of the students seem really laid back and seem to really enjoy medical school.
enthusiasm of the director, emphasis on student, trying to sell the school, ridiculously thorough power point, the realness of the people there, interesting programs like womens health, choice between curriculums, progressive nature of the school, the enthusiasm and kindness of my interviewer, philly was awesome, and i never expected to like it, but it was brilliant, real, and very fun.
curriculum (no, I mean really, I'm in love) and the fact that all lectures are taped, and the additional tutoring available, and the noncompetetive vibe I picked up.
Drexel is really progressive in its teaching style. Not only do they do SYMPTOM based learning they also let you choose a teaching style that best serves you, i.e. their PIL or IFM programs. The IFM program is very normal where you are spoon fed. large amounts of information in subject blocks. The PIL program is a problem based learning program where you generate the information you think you need to learn with a faculty facilitator.
Student interviewer was raving about school. Interviewer and faculty was student focused and responsive. Faculty describing PBL program was passionate and clearly cared deeply about teaching.
The campus has a lot of technology: completely wireless, every class filmed and streamed online as well as stored for later viewing. The curriculum is very progressive, and it is obvious they have put a lot of resources into making it effective.
The school is high-tech (wireless campus) and the faculty seems to really care about the students. They are also building a new student lounge and gym.
The people - everyone was friendly and smiling. The staff, students, and especially the faculty. The people representing the school made up for any negative impressions I had.
Facilities are so awesome, also they let the students take part in how the school is run (student interviewers for example). But the facilities and the tech stood out, it was really something else.
The presentation about the school was excellent. Drexel has an awesome curriculum and nice facilities. They are building a new place with more facilities, too. I already knew about the school, but the presentation was still nice. They have a bunch of clinical sites available.
The facilities are clean and in the process of expanding. Student body is large but diverse and enthusiastic. Choice of curricula is unique and very impressive either way.
All the students were awesome and open. They were into making the process as least stressful as possible and that was paralleled by the staff. Drexel seems very accessible to students. I think that it is rarely anyone's first choice, but it should be. They are tech savvy and their PIL program is amazing (look up the PIL program, they have reason to be proud of it). Also, they are attracted to the non-traditional student.
all lectures are taped and online; the whole campus has wireless internet access, the lecture rooms seems comfortable. Also, the school is building a new gym and student lounge which should be ready in 1-1.5 years.
excellent and new facilities, good powerpoint info session given by director of admissions, extremely technological campus, standardized patient rooms, devoted faculty, friendly students, unique curriculum (anatomy lab is all year)
So many things! 1.The faculty is very dedicated, which can be seen from the style and structure of the medical curriculum at Drexel. 2. Compassionate and kind physicians---my interviewer is such one. 3. Innnovative curriculum and excellent modules. IFM fits my learning style well, and I like the sympton-based approach of learning. 4. No use of live animal in the lab. I like that because I do not want to do harm to sentient beings. 5. Excellent opportunities for community sevices: downtown is about 30 min drive. 6. Friendly students and relaxed interview. They really want to know things about you. 7. The medical school is just one building. All the lectures will be taught in one big building.
How friendly and happy both the students and staff were. The people I met were all genuinely enthusiastic about the school. The campus-wide wifi, streaming lectures, and choice between two curricula (IFM vs. PIL) also showed how much the school catered to the needs of their students.
The campus is very nice and clean. Everyone seemed friendly. The neighborhood is nicer than i expected. As a lot of other reviewers have written, it does seem like the middle of nowhere, but I thought it was a nice distance (15 min) from center city philly.
The students were very friendly and willing to answer questions. They were very positive about the college. The facilities were great and the commitment to a live gross anatomy approach reassured me of commitment to hands on learning. The ability to be exposed to clinical settings during the first year was excellent.
drexel's curriculum is very student oriented. i also was attracted to the location of the school - nice and quiet. this one is a personal thing, so its not a plus for all people.
The students were all very nice. They really stressed how it was a non-competetive environment. IFM lectures seemed really casual with the professors interacting with the students a lot. Cheap on-campus housing (relative to CA).
One of the nicest admissions staff that I've experienced. Also, the school is completely wireless (first in the country, I think?). It's this nice, warm, technologically-advanced compound with fountains and peaceful-looking hallways and really nice lecture halls. Also, very diverse student body that seems to be very supportive to each other and active in extracurricular activities. A lot of non-traditional students.
Thr students seemed very open and Wanda, the Admissions assistant is so nice and helpful. The classrooms looked very modern, labs have great technology. I liked the choice of two curricula. There is a shuttle to center city every 30 min and Queen lane station on the R8 is a block away. All the facilities look brand new. Busy cafeteria which is good for studying at night. The first two years, professors are totally dedicated only to teaching i.e. no research is required of them during the academic year at least. So they are totally devoted to students which is rare. There are two anatomy labs, a big one and a little one. Both are really nice except I tend to prefer those which are built above ground with the windows and light. Im not sure why most schools have them in the basement. All lectures are videotaped and put online. (at least for IFM) For those interested in international health rotations they have quite a few - Brazil, Ethiopia, India and students have gone everywhere from the Fiji Islands to Dublin on other prgms. My student interviewer was in his late 30s and I got the impression from him that the environment is very friendly towards older students.
Both curricula have interesting things to offer, the facilities were very nice, Ms. Trottie was very very nice to all the interviewees, and my student host was great.
My faculty interviewer, the anatomy lab looked relatively nice, the inclusion of standardized patients in learning patient care techniques, the students seem happy.
The friendliness of all the students and staff. Some students who were just walking by our meeting room came to talk to us and answer questions just because they wanted to.
School facilities: although the building is separate from the clinical sites it is extremely well equipped with everything I would need in my first two years. It is clean and the technology is advanced and seems to be quite useful. There is a gym, student room with ping pong, pool, and foos, and a TV. The library is small but adequate for the first two years. There seems plenty of places to study.
Faculty: the faculty are educators first, researchers second. they seem to spend a lot of their time focusing on the curriculum giving the students a comprehensive, organized, integrated curriculum. the faculty seem to be available and open to student feedback and able to provide supplemental support if needed.
Curriculum: choices between problem based and lecture based is good. Lecture notes are comprehensive and pre-printed. Lectures are available online sameday. Grades apparently come back almost same day. Clinical exposure is threaded throughout via a physician and patient class. I was told that all the lectures know what the others are doing to help tie things together.
Clincal sites: there seems to be an abundance of clinical sites in city, suburban, and rural areas of PA, and NJ. They also seem very open to international and self created rotations.
students were very down to earth... more so than any other school i've been to.. location is in a suburb (shuttle to the hospital), so theres a high-schooley feel as all the 1st and 2nd years take class in a huge building in a beautiful area... and stay for the pbl curriculum introduction!! if the director of the program speaks, you'll be moved, he gave a great speech about our duties as physicians..
Facilities are great, very state of the art. The students were outgoing and welcoming, and had really good things to say about being there. Drexel also seems to have a lot of opportunities for clinical exposure in years 3 and 4, and also seem to provide a lot of guidance to people who go into medical school with no idea what kind of medicine they want to practice (like me).
All of the current students seem genuinely happy being there and get along very well with one another. The facilities are pretty high tech and the PIL curriculum is definitely worth thinking over.
How friendly the admissions staff was. I was also very impressed by how excited everyone at the school was about having us there. It seemed like everyone at Drexel really enjoys being there.
The people. Admissions staff was wonderful, the physicians and students I met were very warm, welcoming and happy with Drexel. Also the curriculum was a lot more desirable than I thought it would be.
Everything looked so fresh and so clean clean. The Queen lane campus is attractive and technologically well-equipped. The first year students seemed happy and upbeat. Lots to do in Philly.
the curriculum and the fact that you can choose which you would like to do...and the PIL session is very helpful... PIL is just as good a curriculum if not better than IFM and it's challenging; the people were all very helpful and nice
The curriculum is very intensive, and you have a choice of learning through lectures or through problem based sessions. The quality of the education seems very high caliber, the facilities are very nice, clean and modern, the school is very technologically advanced now that it has become Drexel, everyone was very friendly, students seem happy.
The student body is really nice and motivated. But without a doubt, the curriculum is truly unique. While I am not a fan of the small group approach in PIL, it definitely is unique. I was really impressed with IFM curriuculum, and how the material is really integrated together so that you don't study one subject in a vacuum. Also, the facilities are really high tech.
The faculty was very pleasant and sincere in wanting to help you. The students were very happy and gave nothing but good comments about their experiences. The institution itself is absolutely beautiful.
The campus is really great. The facilies are beautiful and the PBL curriculum option is awesome. The students seemed really happy to be there and were super friendly.
Both student and faculty interviewer were personable and friendly and seemed eager to have a more "conversational" interview than a bunch of scattered questions
everything...I loved it..the faculty is so involved and you really feel the sense of community that exists between the students, faculty and admissions staff, the facilities are amazing, they really are technologically savvy, I really liked the fact that everything is open to students 24 hrs/day, housing is reasonable, and I enjoyed the fact that they really get a chance to know you beyond your numbers and really read through your entire application, and the guidance given through advisors, Bigs and the Pathway program are really impressive
One of the things that impressed me was the cheap rent for apartments in the area surrounding the campus. The fact that the entire medical campus has wireless internet access and the ability to watch all the lectures on-line also impressed me much.
There is no doubt that the people here are very laid-back and chill. They were super-friendly and just wanted to get to know me as a person, without trying to grill or interrogate me with high-stress questions.
The facilities, technology, area, housing rent (really cheap, considering I'm from Los Angeles), food was pretty good, staff was extrememly nice, student interviewer was totally cool
The facilities are excellent. 4-5 students per cadaver. Faculty genuinely seems to care about students and transforming them into doctors. Excellent technology on campus.
The school is basically like the Matrix. It is filled with technology that makes classes and information more accessible to students. For instance, each day's classes are posted as video on the web by early afternoon. Also, the admissions staff were very helpful and accommodating. I interviewed on a day following a snow storm. One of the doctors on their admissions team really put in the extra time to make certain that our chat was a comprehensive one.
Facilities, technology and wireless capabilities. They have it set up so you never go to class. Lectures streamed online, transcripts and notes available. Never leave your bedroom!
The school was fine... but for some reason I was not too impressed. I cannot put my finger on it. But it would not be a bad place to go to med school and then leave.
The curriculum provides ample clinical experience right off the bat. The campus really focuses on training outstanding clinicians. The students were extremely friendly. I was approached on at least five different occasions by students offering advise, answering questions and chearing me on. The technology on campus is the most impressive of any medical school that I have visited. Center city is only a twenty minute train ride away, but Germantown and Maynuck offer exciting entertainment options much closer to the campus. Very affordable housing options near campus, with the opportunity to live in Center City or Pittsburgh during the third and fourth year.
The facilities. Even though it was my first interview, looking back now after I have been to 3 others, I see that Drexel has very good facilities. Also, I liked the student interview, it was very relaxed and informative.
The faculty and the students -- if you want to go to a place where you feel comfortable, the faculty's priority is the students, and the students seem to really act as a team, you should give this place a chance. Also, the school's technology is second to none -- ALL lectures in the IFM program are video-taped! The students are really well-taken care of here. Resources are great. The building is very nice and comfortable. 24 hour security. Gated. Everyone was just so nice!
The facility seemed very new and wired with wireless internet throughout the building. They have a pretty nice gym, open 24 hours, that is supposed to expand fairly soon. Plus, students working downtown are able to work out at the Wyndym for free.
The friendliness of the staff and students, how relaxed and happy the students were, the location (just outside Philly, very close to Fairmount Park), the PIL curriculum; Drexel is very wired with many resources available on-line and they have a wireless network; At the end of the year they have a memorial service for the cadavers.
The technology at the school is great, way beyond the other schools I have been to. The Program for Integrated Learning looks very interesting. The school is located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, where living is much more affordable than in the city.
Students were really friendly and the school seems to be on the rise. Despite the past roubles the staff and faculty are open aboutit. PIL program is very interesting. East Falls is pretty.
Facilities - modern and pretty. Students - happy and friendly. Parking was cake. There is much housing near campus and its not too expensive. Also, admissions staff is forthcoming about their prior financial issues - at least they admit it. The tour was great! We saw a PIL group in action, and also the anatomy lab (a bit unnerving, but the students really looked like they were having a great time dissecting).
Everything seemed fairly new in terms of the facilities. Faculty, staff, and students were enthusiastic about the school and what they are attempting to accomplish. Philadelphia would be a great place to learn medicine.
PIL program, gross lab had windows, tons of training experience from the very get-go: interviewing and history training with standardized patients (and videotaped too, so you can see your mistakes), all lectures uploaded onto web, school very hi-tech
The ability to do rotations at several hospitals throughout Philly, the admissions staff and dean were knowledgable and friendly. Philadelphia is great.
The commitment faculty members have to their students and their success. The students are super friendly and it doesn't seem like there is any competitiveness amongst the students.
The students were all really nice and helpful. A lot of them saw I was wearing a suit and stopped and chatted with me, telling me what they liked/didn't like about Drexel. Everyone was really friendly and helpful. Drexel has some cool programs too, such as the Medical Humanities and Women's Health Education programs. The curriculum is also very progressive.
I had known that Drexel had financial difficulties in the past and it seems that the school is in a good financial situation now and has plans for expansion.
I liked learning about the curriculum, more specifically the PIL program. The school seems very up-to-date on technology. Also, the school is in a nice location of Philadelphia. The entire building is wireless, so all you need is a wireless network card for your laptop. Everyone made me feel welcome (always a plus).
The facilities, the location, the tour was the most comprehensive I have had thus far. That they have a choice in curriculums, and that all their learning relates directly to cases.
the technology at this school is amazing...there is a wireless network, all the lectures are online, etc...also, I like the choice between lecture-based and problem-based curricula
People seemed very nice, the area seemed safe, it's extremely close to Manayunk & Roxborough, their curriculum seems really good (I like symptom-based modules better than anatomy/biochem/physio blocks)
I thought the area around Drexel was not too bad. It's a suburban-looking area that's about 15 min from Center City Philly. The school's use of technology is great. They tape every lecture and you can watch them from your computer at home. The range of clinical oppurtunities available seems to be very extensive.
The interviewers were awesome, the students were awesome, the facilities are brand new and totally state of the art, there is parking for students, the place is safe.
the technology is impressive. classes are videotaped, audio recorded, and can be taken online. you dont even have to come to class! (that may not be so positive for some). the pil program sounds like a wonderful alternative to the standard lectures.
Dr. Puglia, the head of PIL, gave us a talk that bowled me over. It really inspired me and reminded me why I decided to get into this crazy process to begin with. Also, the students were friendly and the facilities were very nice.
The faculty seemed extremely accessible, the students all seemed happy, friendly and well-rounded. The technology is impressive. I really like both my student and faculty interviewers.
-The school was well wired-wireless internet and note taking services. The inside was well maintained as well.
-In the class of 200, people landed very residencies in very competitive fields (neurosurgery, tons of orthopedics and dermatology)
-55% post interview acceptance rate.
Hi tech facilities, the students liked it...the m1 interviewing me said get ready to give up your life though 1st year sucks. PIL program is also more structured than I thought.
the student body is diverse and everyone is more than friendly. students seem very happy. the faculty members seem to have a fun side to them (the dean participates in games with the students) school offers students a variety of way to learn (lectures, scribe notes, video lectures, and online lectures). school is close to center city which has many things to do and the train station is within walkable distance. also uses standardized patients.
The faculty interviewer I had was a Nephrologist named Dr. Kurnik. She was fantastic, very enthusiastic about the school (she'd been recruited from UMDNJ as part of Drexel's "rebuilding" efforts) and also very blunt. I appreciated her honesty--we talked about where I'd applied and interviewed, which I felt comfortable talking to her about because she was dealing with me on the level. She expressed confidence that in 5 years, everyone is going to know Drexel's name...
Technology of the school is very impressive. Also, I am a student in the post-bacc program here and have taken most of the first year classes. Students seem very happy, and the faculty is GREAT!! very approachable, you would never know you were in a class of 250 students
Everyone was SO nice and all the students really looked happy. The neighborhood is REALLY beautiful (contrary to popular opinion)...it is a quaint, quiet suburb.
compact campus for attending classes, labs, etc.; easy access to all lecture notes, videos, etc. they want to make learning what you need to learn in med school as easy as possible
how relaxed the students and faculty are, no-stress environment. The PIL program would be very good for people are self-disciplined, motivated and independent. Not for me. I am born and bred in a lecture hall.
The students were all very happy, and although the class sizes are very large, they all seem to know each other. My student interviewer was very informative.
The student interview....I didn't think that I would like it, but it was very conversation and allowed me to ask the questions I wanted. I didn't have to worry about trying to hear in a big group!
technology obviously, the surroundings are hardly ghetto, i think i'd still live in center city and do the 15 minute commute...everyone was really friendly
The technology, as everyone mentions, is great. The location isn't as bad as people make it out to be. It's not Center City, but not Hell either. The community seemed more diverse than I had anticipated.
The atmosphere is very friendly. I never felt like I was being interrogated even during my interview. The faculty on the campus were very friendly and seemingly very accessible to students. The students were also really helpful-- not just the one I interviewed with but people I met randomly in the bathroom, in the cafeteria, on the lawn. They have an interesting curriculum and an awesome advising set-up for your third and fourth years.
Clean, modern, wireless-enabled campus. Students with positive view of school. Faculty who seem earnestly interested in your application process (esp. PIL program professors.)
The campus was state of the art, hooked up for wireless internet, everything was very modern. The students also seemed to all know each other and seemed friendly and low-key.
Applicants expressed concerns about disorganization in the interview process, lack of faculty engagement, outdated facilities, negative interactions with interviewers, isolated campus location, small library and cafeteria, large class sizes, and mixed feedback from current students. Suggestions included improving communication, enhancing faculty involvement, updating facilities, providing more information about extracurricular programs and research opportunities, and addressing negative impressions by ensuring a more positive and structured interview day experience.
my faculty interview did not show up but I was quickly scheduled to another interviewer who was very understanding
The interview started kind of cold and intimidating, but I think once I started asking him questions about his profession/research, there was a better connection and became more conversational. Maybe it's just the personality of the interview?
It was a very long virtual interview day experience because there were a few hours between the orientation and my actual med student and faculty interview.
The attitude of one of my interviewers seemed very very disinterested in me and the school as a whole and was rushing and interrupting in the middle of my sentences.
i had a student interview with another applicant and an MS1. i felt like she couldn't really answer my questions about the school since she literally just started there a month ago
There are not enough cadavers for students to do their own dissections for every system. They tried to spin this as a strength, saying that med students just don't have time to do all their own dissections, so this is a time saver, since people only learn from looking, anyway. (Um....then why do dissections at all?) Several medical students we passed on the tour said "Don't come here! This school is terrible. lol." The only students we were allowed to interact with were first years, who couldn't speak to clinical rotations, their preparation for step, ease of access to faculty mentorship, or anything other than the 2 month old curriculum.
Started with video recording of presentation, someone couldn’t find 15-20 minutes of their day to welcome us, I liken any other Interview I have attended
No faculty, other than the admissions employee, talked with us. The dean did not introduce herself, no other faculty introduced themselves. During the time allotted to sit in on a class, we were left to figure things out ourselves, no faculty escorted us anywhere. The school has a very small library with minimal hard copy books. $10 parking fee.
The day before my interview I went with my father to check and make sure the location was correct. The security guard was undoubtedly and unnecessarily rude to the both of us. In addition, the morning of my interview the same security guard was rude to us again when we asked for direction on where the student conference room was located. Bad first impression.
Facilities seemed small and run down. Staff weren't that nice and students who gave tour/had lunch with us didn't seem to be too happy or very accomodating. Felt crowded at lunch and as if the applicants were just left to figure out their own interview days instead of someone helping them out. I appreciated the independence but would've liked a more structured interview day. My interviewer was nearly an hour late to my interview and he had to interview someone after me as well so things were messy and in a rush. Even the parking/security attendant was unnecessarily mean to me and unhelpful.
my interviewer wasn't very serious and seemed to judge me as soon as i walked into the room. the students didn't seem too happy to be there and my student interviewer seemed like he was just in it for the free lunch. not impressed at all with this school.
Interviewer was callous, abrasive, and eager to talk over me and/or cut me off to inform me that I was not answering his questions how he wanted. I asked the interviewer how students new to Philadelphia could learn about local community needs to start a club or become involved and the interviewer asked, "are you coming to Philly to go to medical school or to start a program?" Interviewer demanded that I tell him whether any of my family members were incarcerated for substance abuse because I expressed an interest in working with substance abusers.
My faculty interviewer seemed to have read my file beforehand and decided that she didn't like me. After I gave my response on why medicine, she frankly told me that it wasn't good enough (this was within the first five minutes of the interview). After hinting her opinion that I lied about my activities on my application, she debated with me on abortion, healthcare, and euthanasia for about forty-five minutes. Apparently none of my responses were good at all. Expecting a rejection shortly.
I'll preface this by saying that I was "spoiled" by interviewing at 2 incredible schools before Drexel. Yes, I did not have a great impression of this school.
1.) Location - I got lost in the ghetto trying to find the school. At first it was funny, but then it got depressing when I started thinking about actually being a student here.
2.) No campus/isolation - the entire school seemed like a kind of retirement community/high school. Yep, I would not want to go back to anything resembling high school as a med student...Nothing to do in the Queen Lanes area.
3.) Complacency - Students seemed to be there because it was the only school they had gotten into. Not one student popped by the conference room to talk to us about the school.
4.) Close to no focus on research - My student interviewer mentioned "volunteering" at another institution for a project. I'm sorry to be blunt but even if a school is not a research powerhouse, when students are paying one of the highest tuitions in the country, a funded project should be expected. My undergrad has more research opportunities than this med school.
The biggest strength of my app is my research and my faculty interviewer didn't even want to talk at all about it.
5.) Cost - it did not match up with what they were offering. An adcom member pretty much said the debt coming out of here is insane.
6.) Rotations - While bouncing around the state 3rd and 4th year may provide for a more "diverse" experience, it is certainly not ideal.
7.) Large class size - Call me a cynic, but the option to choose one of 2 types seems like a way to manage the 200+ students than anything else.
The school is not near the hospital! I felt really bad for the students who had to take a 30 min shuttle to get to their interview. Didn't really like the idea of coming in and writing about an ethical question and the class size is pretty big. Also tuition is pretty high.
having the interview off campus. I had to catch a shuttle and run two blocks in heels to make my appointment time, and then the guy showed up 25 mins late.
I got on a bus and drove through the slums to my interview location. My faculty interviewer seemed to really dislike me. We got into a religious debate and I tried very hard not to be offensive, but I think he did not like my answers.
My interview was at Hahnemann at the same time as the optional PIL information session was going on at Queen Lane. So I wasn't happy about missing that session, and I also felt that there was no wrap-up to the day.
The interview really did not seem to be interested in what I had to say. I would speak, and he would cut me off and begin writing and then would go on to the next question. I was quite disappointed with the interview.
The hospitals are not located directly adjacent or near to the campus where you spend your first two years. The downtown campus with the hospitals is ~ 20 minutes away with little traffic. Also, for 3rd year rotations, the hospitals you train at are spread throughout PA and NJ. Meaning that unless you commit to staying in Pitt or Philly (Philly is hard to get unless you have a family), you have to basically move every 6 weeks :( Even though they'll guarantee you housing, I hate moving.
Several students (myself included) had to take the student shuttle downtown for our interviews, and one student had to duck out of the tour early in order to make it to his appointment on time. Students came and went to interviews and lunch at different times, which was somewhat disruptive for the people working on their ethical dilemma writing samples at the time. A car would probably be necessary.
Its not really a campus its more of a school in one building. The icy sidewalks and roads, having to live off campus and drive to school every day would be a new and slightly scary task.
One member of the faculty was talking about the lack of restaurants in the area. Doesn't seem like much going on in the suburbish area. Then again...Philly's not far and it's a good, quiet place to study.
My student interview was rushed, because he had the schedule wrong, so I had 15 minutes to eat food and answer all of his questions in a crowded cafeteria.
The area around the school is pretty dead, there isn't even a coffee shop. You have to go into the downtown part of Philly for anything. The campus is pretty small as the hospital is in a different location.
Two completely different campuses- school is outside of the city and the hospital is in the city. There is a shuttle that runs back and forth though. Also, not a big fan of Philly- the train system is so unreliable!!
The medical campus is not in the same location as the hospital. Having two entirely different curricula in one institution seemed to create division in the student body. My student interviewer was rather odd, and my faculty interviewer had a hard time thinking i was legitimately interested in the school.
The location is terrible (you have to get on a 1/2 hour shuttle to get to the hospital, so we didn't even get to see it during the visit). My interviewer was obnoxious and confrontational the whole time.
The school itself is physically small. It seems like the kind of school where you go to class and then head home during your free time bc of the spatial limitations of the place (It feels more like a prep. school than a medical university).
Cost of tuition... (I guess all schools are pretty similar though). The campus is a little further outside of the urban part of the city than I would like.
I had underestimated how much I would hate Drexel's location. While it is outside of the city (of Philadelphia), it still has a high crime rate and there seems to be little to do in East Falls. My student host chose to live in a gated community with 24 hour security because she feels safer that way. Students grumble about having to take the shuttle or trains into the city, and I think it would be very difficult to go to Drexel if you didn't have your own car.
The opening presentation needs to be redesigned in a manner to truly distinguish Drexel from other medical schools. The student tour guide was awful, unenthusiastic and talked about how all of the facilities were small and modest in comparison to other schools. He also put down the PIL study track, as he was in the IFM study track. Very unprofessional.
Not too many straight facts about all of the trouble that the school has been in recently and how it affects students matching into residencies. Like I said in my comments, things just look too good to be true at this school.
The fact that I was interviewed by a non-MD; the cheap and low-quality physical appearance of the facilities (main building, caf and associated study rooms--literally felt like a Fisher-Price Medical School); distance from campus to hospitals; suburban milieu
Focus on test scores; they seem to be very concerned with high passing on the board exams (mentioned several times that there is 98% pass as Drexel); Lack of knowlege on PIL curriculum (most students in IFM)
Not many students around, didn't seem all that outgoing. HUGE separation between PIL and IFM students. Recent string of break ins and muggings on and around campus. The dean of admissions didn't even show up. Instead of her introduction they played a 55 minute power point presentation. My interviewer was 25 minutes late and then only interviewed me for 10 minutes. They had a lot of trouble finding students to do the student interviews.
I was a bit discouraged by the topics that were discussed during my faculty interview. I would've liked the opportunity to discuss some of my own reflections on medicine and ethicality. Instead the interview seemed rather specific to a few questions.
The fact that the student interviews are not planned, rather they are just luck of the draw, the interview coordinator had to go find students to do the interviews
Nothing. The hospital is away from campus but the shuttle is an easy ride there.
I found out from someone from another school that one of Drexel's clinical affiliates just got closed down (i don't know if this is true).
the cafeteria = not good food / my interviewer didn't read my file before I came in / the school is far away from the hospital, you need to take a shuttle to get there
The neighborhood aka 'hood. One guy working there said that they are between two bad neighborhoods. Good thing they have a free drop off service for students.
They scheduled an interview such that you had to miss part of the tour. The public transportation was unreliable and caused me to be late to my faculty interview.
a little disorganized..lot of downtime, was supposed to hear a speech from dean of admissions 'but she just came in from seattle last night', directions to my alternate location were incomplete
Drab school...and not sure how much of what I hear is just "marketing"...it also took the school virtually months to find a place on their calendar to schedule my visit.
I did not find the student body overly diverse. Everybody was either white or Asian. I saw maybe two black students and no Latinos. I also found the school to be sort of small, and the basement area felt like a worn dorm room. Seemed a little like a high school.
small cafeteria and student lounge - but they're building another wing with a new student lounge, gym, PIL auditorium, etc - and the old student lounge will become study space
The Philly weather. I'm not sure how safe the area is. But then again, I am from suburbia Southern California. The campus is really small, and its 20 minutes away from the main campus, so you'll probably spend most of the time off campus.
The interviewer was incredibly disagreeable and had a preconceived notion of me before he even met me. You would think they would have more pleasant people interviewing.
My interviewer was unpersonable, unfriendly and attacked my reasons for wanting to become a doctor. She said that I could always become a nurse if medicine didnt work out for me.
I wish the school were in a little nicer area, the gym was not very nice, though they are building a new one. I would have to drive into the city to go the Drexel main campus's gym.
Nothing really. They have a free shuttle on weekdays from Hanneman hospital in center city every half hour. Plus its only a block from the train station (take the R8). I'd recommend staying in center city Philly and checking out the city if you stay overnight. There is a lot to do.
I really loved the school when I went and I can't figure out why its reputation isn't that great. I think that since MCP merged with Drexel, it has had a huge turn-around and is gradually trying to change its image to become a more selective/top-tired school. But I would be wary of being a student there during this transition period.
The school does not have housing or much of a library. Students study in oner lounge and get their books and journals somewhere else- so there is no formal library.
i got kind of a weird vibe from the students, like the kids in the cafeteria didnt seem too happy, it seemed like a lot of the students only went there cause it was the only school they got into, the first two yrs are done in suburban philly, the other interviewees didnt seem too psyched about drexel.
the interview itself. I felt like the interviewer didn't make an effort to get to know me as a person and didn't seem very interested in what I had to say. On top of this, they told me that I didn't have a good chance because my MCAT and GPA aren't that high. This bothered me because 1) they could have read this on my application before they invited me to the interview, 2) they said during the orientation that "they aren't all about numbers" so this sounded hypocritical. I think they might have just been looking for a justification, so be ready to defend your application. A friend of mine had to explain all of the B's on his transcript.
I honestly have very little to complain about. Their student hosting program could be bigger, but I still found someone to host me so it wasn't really a problem.
the distance from the city, the tour guide said some things that were a little weirdly negative and as a campus tour guide myself they came across as a little odd to talk about in the way she did.
the tour guide was a little weird and I personally felt he was a bit disrespectful and desensitized to the cadaver he showed us; that the dean of admissions told me she never wanted to be a doctor in the first place, and she was the one I interviewed with. She was a great lady and I had a great interview, but the fact that she told me that...what does that say about who's running the school? Also, no presentation by Financial Aid
Philadelphia in general. Perhaps it was the weather and not seeing much of the city as a whole. Definitely will give it a chance though, the school is worth it!
the school is in its own little bubble, isolated even from its main teaching hospital; the area seemed very bland and, just down the street, the area takes a turn for the worse (although not terrible by any means)
The student who gave the tour was very obnoxious. He came across as someone who worked for admissions instead of being a student. The school is in an old suburban neighborhood not terribly close to the city.
The school is in a suburban area (there's not much around) and is about 20 minutes away from Center City. It is also a really small and confined campus.
The whole classroom for 1st and 2nd years is in one building, which felt a bit like a high school. They're renovating one wing, but it will be dedicated mostly to the other graduate programs.
I am from a smaller community, I am not sure if living in philly would be for me. If you like the big city Drexel runs shuttles downtown so you can really get out and enjoy it. I was told if you go down the wrong way on Queen lane you will run into a bad part of town very fast!
The safety around the area. Although it seems ok, some students warned me about parking. The student areas (cafeteria, gym, lounge) could use some work, but they are building a new one. Not that much negativity to talk about...
having to wait half an hour between orientation and first interview, and another half hour between first and second interviews, but nothing about the school itself
It is cold in Philly. However, weather is not that important for me. What is important is whether the school teaches me so that I will become a good and competent doctor.
the tour guide MS-1. he loved hearing his own voice and if it were required for me to interact with him on a daily basis, i would not go to drexel. other than that, it was all just fine.
the only students who even bothered to make eye contact with me were the tour guide and my student interviewer; also, they clain a "suburban" area but it still seemed pretty "city" to me
I was disappointed not to be interviewed by an MD/PhD. The administrator was very nice and Im a good conversationalist usually, however I felt that it prevented me from learning more about the profession and talking about a common interest indepth. Also Im someone who likes to build personal rapport with professors so it would have been nice to meet someone who might actually teach me if I go there. My undergrad school was in a suburb so Im pretty determined to end up in a busier area, if not a city. There isnt anything really to do in East falls. And while that area itself is not so bad if you are heading home at night, just a couple of streets away is Germantown, which I heard is so dangerous you shouldnt even walk around there. I think you would definitely need a car if you want to get around the town more...
The tour guide was a little off the wall, and told us something about the anatomy lab that sort of left me with a negative impression about the students. Also, my interviewer, while polite, was a bit cold and allowed our interview to be interrupted by someone (really not that big of a deal, but it sort of broke my concentration).
My student interviewer asked closed-ended questions about what was already provided in the AMCAS application. Although I understand that the student did not have this information because the student interview is closed-file, I personally do not see how asking that type of question would help the admissions committee make a decision regarding my ability to fit in at Drexel.
The tour guide seemed unhappy with her time at Drexel. Also, in general, the students didn't seem that friendly or excited. My faculty interviewer worked in student affairs and didn't ask me much besides the basics. For most of the interview, she told me how impressive my MCAT scores are or how great my GPA is. I do have solid stats, but I'm not a 4.0, 45 or anything. It seemed like they were a little too impressed with me.
Where do I begin.
1) Dean of Admissions busted out with a powerpoint presentation. Are you kidding me??
2) School couldn't find a student for campus tour because "they were all in lab." Admissions lady gave tour, answered most questions with "students say" or "I've heard."
3) Interviewed in hospital 25 minutes away, had to wait 30 minutes for first interview.
4) Student interviewer spent 90% of time talking. Only question to me was "where are you from?"
5) Administrator of alternative learning program was stuck in a meeting, got an ill-prepared student who couldn't answer most of our questions.
6) Gym smaller than student lounge.
*wouldn't be heart-broken if I didn't get in.
The cafeteria/food selection was very limited, and the fitness room is very small with no cardio equipment. The med. school is completely separate (outside center city) from the undergraduate campus where more facilities are located.
I was concerned about troubled financial rumors. Apparently the school itself has never had any problems, just the companies that owned some of the hospitals affiliated with the school. Since then they have hooked up with Drexel University which is a positive and they have diversified their clinical sites.
The main hospital is a 25 min. shuttle ride away, that is where I had my interview. Also my student interviewer told me that her car got broken into since moving there, not good!
The location is pretty remote, and getting there is a pain. You either have to live in Center City, where its more expensive and you have to commute to school, or live by school which is in the middle of a residential neighborhood and where a car is essential. I was also a little unclear about the school's accrediation, having merged with so many partners over the last ten years.
Everyone agreed the the surrounding neighborhoods can be unsafe at night. The school provides security transport however, should you need to get home late at night.
that the place where basic sciences are taught is one building where the med students are on one side, kinda segregated from the research facilities; kinda reminded me of a high school campus or at least small college (but they do have a big class so i don't know if that'll effect everybody being up in your business)
The crime rate in Philly is much higher than New York (where I live). In fact, to come home from Drexel after dark you need a security guard to drive you, because it's too dangerous to walk.
MCP Hospital closing definitely gave me a moment of pause. However, I have heard that they have already set up alternate training sites for students, so I don't think it will be big deal down the road.
On my schedule, i was to have a student lunch/interview from 12-1pm. We had down-time between 11 & 12, and were encouraged to walk freely around the building. Student interviewer actually stopped in to talk to me at 11am, but i wasnt there...He was preparing to study for an upcoming exam, but lost an hour out of his time waiting for me. I felt bad, even though it was beyond my control....This probably could have been avoided....
absolutely nothing negatively impressed me about Drexel, I am hoping to be accepted there because it is definitely my top choice, and I can see myself fitting in there so well :)
The tuition cost negatively impressed me, but then again the cost of tuition to any medical school would probably negatively impress me. One other thing that negatively impressed me was the fact that Drexel was not taking anymore acceptances at the time of my interview. I have to wait until May 15 (6 to 8 weeks) for any decision.
The feeling of instability - Numerous name changes and buy-outs in the past 10 or so years and the recent closing (or soon-to-be closing) of one of their affiliated hospitals through which many of their students do their rotations.
Student interviewer was in it for the free lunch (which he promptly admitted to me). He asked 3 questions in between bites of bad tuna salad and answered my questions (which took way more time than his) tersely. He was obviously going through first-year syndrome (stressed, depressed, etc.) They shouldn't let first years interview at all. "Faculty" interview was with an admissions staff member.
Not much. The size of the library is indeed small, as I am sure you have already read, but none of the students I talked too seemed to feel that it negatively impacted them. Students have access to the library at the University City and Center City campuses of Drexel's other campuses. The one thing that did bother me is the fact that MCP hospital is closing (it was were I had my interview) and that clinical sites are spread throughout the state.
size of school-lecture halls cannot accomodate all students so some must move to "over flow" rooms where they listen to the lecture on head phones while watching the professor on a screen
There was very little interaction with current students, aside from the student interview. My student interviewer did not give off the best impression of the school (his best reason for choosing it was because it's the only place he got in). The hospital seems a bit old.
The students in the two separate curriculums have little to know interaction with each other. Many of the students said that they didn't know a single person in the other curriculum.
My interviewer was very cold and accused me of being intolerant simply because I'm from a rural area. The second thing she said to me was how intolerant people from western PA are, which is not true. Then she made the comment that there are not many cows in Philadelphia, which I found to be incredibly rude. I don't know about her, but at least I have manners, even being the hick that I am.
The facilities seem small and isolated, the student that interviewed me seemed unhappy to be there, the student tour guide said some inappropriate things, which was disappointing.
The campus seems too small, and the interviewees were kept in a conference room most of the time. Both interviewers and admissions personnel were late.
My student interviewer seemed like somebody they'd pulled off the street with the lure of a free meal. He was completely unprepared, awkward, and couldn't answer my questions.
The distance of the campus to Philly. It's not far, but far enough that it would be hard to party there, especially since public transportation stops before midnight in most cases.
My student interview. The student was obviously not well prepared, had no questions in mind to ask me, and was not very enthusiastic. That they have gone through so many mergers, they seem a bit unstable.
even though they say they are all good now, i think they are still having structural issues adjusting to the merger with drexel. when i went to other interviews and i mentioned that i interviewed at drexel, everyone (including interviewers) would cringe and comment that they have a bad reputation because of their financial problems in the past and reorganization.
The whole campus is one building, which seemed kind of high-school-ish. Facilities were extremely small (especially since it's one of the largest classes in the US). Library, study spaces, gym, cafeteria...all very small. They don't offer on-campus or school-affiliated housing, which isn't necessarily negative, just odd. Also, they require every student to own a laptop and a PDA.
The guy who gave me the tour was kind of negative about living in Philly and didn't like the city. It made me think that the students aren't very happy.
7 students/cadaver, too suburban feeling, isolating, not an especially diverse student population. it reminded me of the way i envisioned high school to be before going to high school. kind of camp-like?
High-school-ish feel. Big class size. I'm sure it's a fine education, but it doesn't feel like it would be something I'd look back on with fondness. There's not a real sense of community, just 250 individuals who all live off-campus and sort of know each other.
my student interviewer didn't seem too happy about being there. i don't know if it was just the school or maybe she was just tired. she said "it's an okay school"
Our student tour guide was a wacko!!! He seemed very unhappy about his experience at the school..stated that he never went to class or lab...Personally, I'm a little scared that he's going to be practicing medicine!!!
-Weird neighborhood;it's really suburban on a one block radius around the school but outside of that I could not figure out whether I was in the Third World.
-$35,000 a year!!!
-Not the best education for your money.
-Drexel is a rather unstable institution financially; it changed hands three times in the past 10 years!
-The student interview was very clumsily coordinated;in an attempt to make it laid back, they had it during lunch! This was certainly weird and pretty inappropriate.
-People had to take shuttle buses to interview locations fromt the school in the outskirts of Philly to Hahnemann hospital in center Philly.
-The school had a high-schoolish appearance to it and I did not the get the University feeling from it
SMALL library...can probably fit about 30 students. also lecture hall can hold a max of 170 students even though class size is over 200 (not that big of a deal since not all studnets go to class). tuition is also very expensive
The medical school building itself is dumpy, and the library is tiny (shocking considering Drexel's the largest private medical school in the country). Also, in stark contradistinction to my faculty interviewer, my student interviewer was rather cold and unfriendly. I got the sense she volunteered to do interviews because it gave her a sense of self-importance, and not because she was particularly interested in talking to me about the school. Another compaint is that the tour took us into the gross anatomy room for a couple of minutes, where there were body parts clearly visible and the cadavers were barely covered (at other schools I have seen, the body parts are better concealed, or at least aren't placed in clear bags).
IF YOU HAVE AN ACCEPTANCE TO ANOTHER SCHOOL, DO NOT BOTHER GOING TO THIS INTERVIEW. The interviewer was rude and condescending and the location is horrible. Believe me, I went there with an open mind, but was really disappointed. Also, the student interviewer told me to go to the school that I was already accepted and he did not seem very happy there. Also, the PIL and IFM students seem to not like each other's programs. And last but not least, COST.
Small library size - but not an issue since most materials are available on-line and whole building is open for studying - and setup for wireless web access.
there are 250 students in the class--a little chunky don't you think? Also 1200 students are interviewed! Thats a lot of people and makes you feel like such a number during the application and interview process.
I heard that other med schools in the area make fun of students here, but after coming here I dont really understand why... You have to have a car by your 3rd year. I am not sure if i got the best vibes from the current students. Not many attend class, the ones I spoke with dont seem as dedicated as some students at other schools, but they were from the post-bacc program, so that could be why.
the area surrounding the school was pretty shady. There is absolutely nothing around the school, no restaurants or anything within walking distance. Not an ideal place to live.
There was only one building where classes are taught. The fact that my interview was not at the school and the lack of structure while waiting for interviews. Also, my student interview was rushed. It was supposed to be conducted over lunch, but my interviewer had a test that day and seemed disinterested.
My student interview was held in the cafeteria ,it was very noisy. The interviewer asked me almost every question twice and I do not know if she could not hear me or expected me to say something more. She talked to me over lunch and held me for 50 min. up until my faculty interview was scheduled. But she was generally nice and was interested in my story.
My interviewer hadn't had time to look over my file(he mentioned something about a recently completed or pending surgery), but as he chose to get the information from my file as I was sitting there rather than asking me about myself, there were some strange/awkward moments.
The school is rather far away from the center of the city and its hospitals. Also, being a private school, its expensive. And I wasn't really impressed with the city of Philadelphia.
Applicants wished they had known ahead of time about the downtime during the interview day, the relaxed nature of the interviews, the potential for off-site faculty interviews, and the optional nature of certain information sessions. They also highlighted the need for clear directions, comfortable shoes, and preparation for potential unexpected situations like rescheduled interviews or shuttle transportation.
prepare general questions for faculty in case I am re-assigned at the last minute
that i would have a lot of downtime between the interview day programming; that the faculty interview would only be 30 minutes; that it would be a group interview with the medical student
I wish I had known how much pressure I would feel walking in the door initially - they had 12 of us seated around a conference table, then had us write an essay. Having everyone else around makes the process feel intensely competitive and much more stressful.
I was pretty well prepared because I had read over these survey answers in detail beforehand, so nothing really took me by surprise. Make sure that you are prepped for the ethics essay - the prompt I got was pretty much exactly the same as one of the ones that I had seen on here previously.
That most of the day would be spent sitting in a conference room. Now I understand there's nothing to do outside but at least show that you're interested in us.
Everyone should know about the ethical question essay you have to do while you're in the room with everyone. It's super awkward, but pretty simple if you've thought about these things before. The questions are posted in the forum on SDN.
They were going to provide a great assortment of breakfast foods (I wouldn't have eaten the crappy bagels at the hotel I stayed at had I known). Also, the orientation between 9-10 am might take longer than expected, so don't worry even if you have one of your interviews at 10 am - it seems like they were really laid-back about transitions and that type of thing.
How short the interview was going to be. Also, directions to interview room were not clear. Interviewer even remarked that everyone seemed to have trouble finding him.
I stayed at a bed&breakfast type place the night before and had an allergic reaction to the dust and mold there. I didn't sleep well. Don't forget your allergy pills!
That I would have to find my interviewer's clinic alone in downtown philly and that I would be separated from everyone else (their interviews were in another building)
That the interview day would be so stress-free and very few questions would be asked about me. Even my student interviewer spent lunch asking me if I had any questions for him the entire time.
There is a closed-file student interview over lunch that is really really casual. It doesn't feel like an interview at all, actually. You just eat and talk about med school.
If you have your faculty interview at the off-site hospital, leave 1 hr before, as opposed to the 30 minutes that the admissions director suggests. The bus takes at least 30 minutes, can leave late, and it may take a while to navigate once you get to the other location.
I didn't know 'Drexel University' is in down town, Philadelphia and the medical school is in East Falls section of the town, about 20 min. from down town.
I wish I had more time to explore the city.
I recommend 'Student Guest House', they are only $85 per night and you can walk to the school. Friendly and professional.
The interview was very relaxed. Also my student interviewer said that he was interviewed all the way in April and still got in; which i thought was interesting.
It's been a closed-file interviews for me (my faculty interviewer read the wrong file)
That the two curriculum are actually complete systems (everything is different from the other)
i stayed in a great bed and breakfast that was half a block from the school and the lady who runs it picked me up from the train station and dropped me off at the interview in the morning ( you can e-mail her at [email protected] )
that i was going to be one of 3 people sent to the hospital in center city to be interviewed (it was a 20-30 minute shuttle ride so give yourself some time).
and there was no need to be nervous! (everyone was really friendly at drexel med and at the hospital)
I wish i was given better directions to my interviewer's office at Hahnemann University hospital- i had to break through a lot of locked doors to get there...
I almost completely dismissed this school's interview invite because of all of the negative things that I've heard about this school. The truth is that the school has a lot to offer and is actually very appealing. At least give it a shot because chances are that everyone can find something that they'll love about this school.
That so much of the orientation is dedicated to distinguishing the IFM and PIL curriculum. The Drexel website has very little detailed information on the distinctions between these two programs. As such, I planned to ask a lot of questions throughout the day about the differences on everything from academic to social distinctions between the two curriculums.
Although the College of Medicine is located in Philadelphia, it's really in the residential area and away from all the museums, restaurants, and ''typical night life hot spots'' one would expect from Philly.
Apparently they only interview you if they're pretty serious about you. They said that the admit most of the people they interview. (We'll see though ... I should find out in a couple of weeks.)
the train back to the airport (from queen lane station) doesnt come very regularly. this was not a fun situation to be in if your plane leaves just a couple hours after the interview. be sure to look up SEPTA and find the times the train is leaving so you can be sure to get back to the airport in time!
That there would be a lot of deadtime during the interview day...there was about 2 hrs where I sat in the conference room just to wait around for an info session at the end of the day.
The shuttle downtown takes 15-20 minutes and runs every 30 minutes so if you want to make it on time for an interview downtown, consider taking the one an hour before your interview so you're not rushed.
Drexel interviews 1700+ kids a year for a class of 255!!! And the interviewers are very good at answering any questions you may have (most of the time without you even having to ask the question) so don't worry about not knowing specific stuff ahead of time.
that the student interview is close file and that I was expected to be the interviewer. I had to ask all the questions! It's a good thing I had made a list of questions beforehand.
contrary to a previous feedback post, they do not give you breakfast. lunch yes, but not breakfast. i arrived starving and expecting a raisin muffin or something and ended up going to the cafeteria and buying a bagel.
That I'd be interviewing with a complete a-hole and that I would have to catch a 20 minute bus to get there. I wouldn't have gone if I had known the first part.
About half of Drexel's students are from California. The lecture curriculum (you can choose between a lecture curriculum and PBL) is symptom-based and is a fairly new curriculum. It looks really good, even though I would go for PBL myself.
Very student oriented and there seem to be a lot of non-traditional students. One shock was there 60 applicants there for interviews. They interview everyday as well. I bet less people come in during the week but its still a lot of competition! They said there were about 9700 applicants last year. 20% get interviewd. Don't know how many acceptances are given out but its a big class.
It was looooooow stress. I was looking forward to flexing my muscles about nifty little facts about U.S. healthcare. I also read up on ethics that never came up.
I had prepared an answer to the "tell my about yourself" question...but when he pressed for more, I wasn't ready. So have plenty to say about yourself! Make a list of points that you want to get across.
Don't stay at the Holiday Inn that they recommend. There is no shuttle that runs to the College of Medicine and they ignore your requests to call a cab.
The shuttle has to be arranged, way, way, in advance...I was forced to take a taxi, ouch. Oh, and yeah, Holiday-Inn no longer offers shuttle to Drexel, something that I found out the day of my arrival although I check with them several weeks prior. So call couple days before and verify in any case.
I wish I had know that I forgot my belt at home. As a tip to fellow applicants that may find themselves in this predicament; be MacGuyver. I used my shoelaces from my regular shoes tied together and they worked well in a pinch.
That the campus is really COMPLETELY isolated from Philly. Also, a student told me that if you wanted to go into academic medicine or a subspeciality (like I do) then you shouldn't go to Drexel.
That taxis are unreliable, that old houses are hard to get out of (the Bed and Breakfast), that the school is in a random location and that the train station in that direction would be closed...
That the PIL discussion at the end of the day is really optional, and that staying for it wont look better on your part. So unless you're really interested, just leave before it. There is a lot of just waiting around. I probably spent 2-3 hours just waiting with other interviewees.
That all the student interviewees are kept in one room (like a herd of cattle) and then called to interview...then back to the ranch...then lunch....the ranch....then you go home.
Not everyone is sent down to the hospital for the faculty interview. I ended up staying right at the school. Also the PIL curriculum is capped, only about 40 people are choosen to participate. (if accepted you must apply for the PIL curriculum)
They don't provide breakfast - bring a SNACK and a water bottle. That you should get CLEAR, detailed directions and always stay with a student host if you can. Parking costs $5 and check in with the guard when you show up.
Nothing really. I prepared a lot. Only one tip: if you have to catch the plane back to other places, you may want to make reservation (the earlier the better) for shuttle so the shuttle will pick you up at school. I went to airport by cab, because I did not make reservations in advance.
That I interviewed on a day when the only other interviewees were applying to a 7-year BS/MD program- so they were in high school. I walked into the information room, saw all these young kids and their parents, and wondered, "Was I supposed to bring my parents?" Kind of weird.
So I was coming in from NJ. Not far, shouldn't be a problem if you leave early right? Think again!It was a freezing cold morning when I found out that N. Phili station ( where you can catch the R8) has no where inside to wait that early. So I was waiting outside in a skirt suit for 30 min until I couldnt feel my legs anymore. It took 3 hours for my feet to come back to life. Then when I got off someone directed me the wrong way- just remember when you get off dont cross to the other side-go straight down queen lane. To add to it, it started snowing for a couple of hours and I had to take the shuttle, cab, train, another train and another cab to get home 4 hours later. Ladies- if you are planning to wear a skirt and heels, change there!! Of course this has no bearing on the school itself, except perhaps that its not too easy to get to the city via regional rail in the winter.
How exactly the shuttle system at the airport works. And that most applicants were from the east coast or west coast, not the midwest.. I felt kind of like a loner!
There was a LOT of downtime when other applicants and I were sitting in the admissions conference room waiting for our interviews. Luckily the other interviewees were nice and fun to talk to, but there were awkward moments.
If you drive, you can park in the parking lot for free. I came a day earlier to explore the school and went on a self tour. Good thing I did b/c on the interivew day, my interview was early and I had to leave the group tour half-way through so I missed seeing the labs and other stuff.
I should have guessed that I would be sent off site for my interview, just my luck. I get kind of car sick when I ride in those bumpy shuttles and the crazy driver did not help! I also wish I knew that my interviewer would not have my file. I was glad I brought a copy of my AMCAS!
How annoying the trains are to get out to the school. Especially on Sundays (they run every hour and a half). I would highly recommend staying in one of the bed-and-breakfasts the school recommends, just to save a headache or an expensive cab ride on the morning of your interview.
The R8 train from 30th street stations is really slow. Leave plenty of time if you are taking it in the morning, or take the free shuttle to campus from Hahnemann hospital.
Interviewing can be pretty laid back. Student interview was chill, basically a lunch buddy. Students sign up daily to interview applicants for the free lunch.
Nothing, I think it was fitting that this was my last interview...I had it scheduled since December...I wish that the decision process was sooner...but I am willing to wait :)
Interviewing over lunch is not a good idea. It is hard to hear in the cafeteria, and generally hard to make a good impression while eating! But lunch is not bad.
There is a lot of down time waiting for interviews so pray that you won't be stuck in the room with annoying people who love to talk about how great they are and how many interviews they have been on.
MAKE SURE THEY HAVE YOUR AUGUST 2003 MCAT SCORES!!! I confirmed prior to my interview that they had received my scores. Drexel said yes. At the interview, the guy spent 30 minutes drilling me on my MCAT scores. But I didn't know where this was coming from since I did fine on my August MCAT as opposed to my April scores. (I got like a 10 on my April MCAT :) And then towards the end of the interview, I mentioned I took the MCAT twice, and then he's like "Oh, that changes alot of things". Confirm with your interviewer that they have your AUGUST 2003 scores. ITS A MUST..
There is a SEPTA subway terminal right next to the school. And not all the interviews were held on campus; some interviewees were shuttled to the hospital in downtown Philli.
do not stay at the bed and breakfast on i believe it's called Pennsylvania street or something like that. They are a couple with a child and a dog. They put you in the attic and it's literally a HOLE, and the showere BARELY works. It's more worth it to pay a little more and stay at a nearby hotel.
You have to take a shuttle to your faculty interview- not a terribly big deal but it would've been nice to be forewarned. Drexel has an interesting history which you will learn during the info session. Also, third and fourth year rotations are done all over PA and NJ. It allows for a broad experience, but you will have to travel and in many cases be assigned housing at that facility.
I would recommend staying for the PIL presentation. It is definitely worth it, be prepared for an inspiring presentation!
That my interview would be at a hospital in center city Philadelphia, ten miles away from the school. That the medical school is not actually anywhere near the Drexel Campus, which is in downtown Philadelphia.
That we would actually go into the anatomy lab - I have never seen a cadaver before so this was kind of weird, but I think they do it to spice up the tour and also see how you react. There you are in your nice business suit, and the students are in scrubs, arm deep in a cadaver, saying, "Look, isn't this cool?" So just be prepared. Also, don't freak if your faculty interviewer is at the psychiatric hospital, mine was and it was fine.
That my interview would not be relaxed and conversational like everyone else's, and that I would have to defend myself againt being accused of being intolerant of other cultures.
The students are segregated according to the style of learning they prefer, so even though the class is big, it probably seems smaller depending on which program you choose.
It's good to know that the campus is outside of center city- a 30 min train ride. OH and if you buy your ticket on the train it costs more than if you buy it ahead of time.
The campus is very beautiful..even if it is just one building. It was interesting that they took us into the gross anatomy lab while the students were dissecting! Most school that I've been to didn't allow us to observe the lab while it was in session. Some students like our student tour guide hate the school...while others love it...some students actually approached me at my lunch interview and talked to me for a while about how much they loved the program!! I guess you really have to make sure you'll love the school before you decide to go there. Personally I loved the friendly atmosphere!!
Be prepared that you may need to take a shuttle into the city or to other facilities to get to your faculty interview. Not a big deal, but was unexpected.
They give you a six dollar voucher for lunch, but if you go any amount over the six dollars you must pay the difference (i.e., they won't let you put something back and take it off the bill).
I had called the admissions office and asked about the grading system when I was deciding to interview and was told it is honors, pass, fail. When we were there, we found out it is a 5 tiered system. Also, the students are sent out to locations all over the state for 3rd and 4th year, which makes school more difficult.
Auditorium isn't large enough for the class - overflow rooms are used that have a live lecture feed. Not a problem later in the semester when fewer people go to class.
More about the Drexel/MCP merger. Be prepared to travel across the city to do the second interview with the faculty member--there are shuttles, but don't get on the wrong one like me.
That no one stayed for the optional PIL information session. All it really is is some student that will come talk to you, and I got that info from the host i stayed with, so I could have taken a way earlier flight home. The PIL and IFM students kinda dont have any contact with one another, they both think that the other curriculum is weird (IFM thinks PIL is easier bc less exams and stuff, PIL thinks that IFM is lame bc its just some one feeding you the information you need to know, you get a big stack of notes and study from there)
If you're taking a cab from the airport, tell the driver that the school is in the West Chestnut Hill area. Also, some interviews are conducted at MCP Hospital, which is a few minutes away by shuttle. Finally, if you're planning on doing any sight seeing, most museums are closed Mondays.
I was about to walk from U. Penn (where my friend lived) to the school. It is not at the Drexel University. It is far away. Follow the directions in the brochure that they give you. Don't rely on Mapquest. They are wrong.
I wish i had known that the mreger between Drexel and MCP is limited insofar as one can't or is discouraged from working with a faculty member on Drexel's main campus.
taxi is $35 bucks, DO NOT TAKE THE TAXI, TAKE THE SHUTTLE!!! THEY ARE MORER RELIABLE, trust me, the taxi people left me waiting an hour before they came, I was on the way to the train station ($7) when the stupid taxi came.
I knew from this site that the campus is in North Philadelphia but if you are not driving, look up the transportation system early because it's a little complicated and inefficient.
Applicants generally found the interview experience at Drexel to be conversational, low-stress, and relaxed, with both faculty and student interviews being highlighted for their friendly and engaging nature. Some interviewees mentioned positive aspects of the school such as its curriculum options, community focus, and supportive environment, while others noted areas for improvement such as better organization and more enthusiastic interviewers.
Not very stressful, both interviews were very conversational.
they had a curriculum q&a to answer questions about their curriculum as it is pretty different from other schools. even though there is a big independent learning component, the student i spoke with seemed to like it. the school seems really committed to serving the community and teaching its students about health advocacy.
Relaxed day. Two interviews: a one-on-one open-file faculty interview that lasts approximately 30 mins and a group closed-file interview with 2 other interviewees and a current student (very casual "interview" over a lunch and campus tour).
Only one interview that was suppose to be 30 minutes, very relaxed. The tour was great because we saw the entire building. We even went into the cadaver lab, which was awesome.
The interview experience heavily depends on who you have as your interviewer. My first interview here was completely conversational and flowed greatly; the time passed quickly. My most recent one was robotic: question - answer, question - answer, goodbye.
I was immediately turned off from the school once I met my interviewer. After being 10-15 minutes late, the first thing she did was rush into the waiting room, look at me, and say "well come on." Like I was the late one. She didn't even introduce herself. I was disappointed to say the least.
In your interview it is so important that you are honest and real. These professors, doctors, and admissions committee members have been doing this for years and can tell right off the bat whether or not a student is being themselves. If you were invited for an interview, Drexel has some sort of interest in you so be confident, but never arrogant.
Had a poor experience interviewing at Drexel. Although parts of my experience are unique to me, I think overall the interview day for myself and many of my fellow applicants was disappointing. Two fellow applicants told me that their interviewers were on the phone the whole time during their interviews...
My interview day at Drexel was overall not the best. I had an idea about the day from reading this survey and SDN. The essay was given at the beginning of the day and wasn't hard at all, so don't worry about that too much. So my faculty interview was at the adjacent campus in Central City so I had to take a campus shuttle. My interviewer was over a half an hour late because he was tending to patients and basically hinted the whole interview that I was good but not good enough. Then I was late coming back to campus and my student interviewer was nice but we ended up finishing up an hour after the scheduled end of the day, which was a little annoying. Overall, I didn't feel very welcome at Drexel, like I wasn't good enough and didn't sense a warm feeling from the students.
Good, solid curriculum (two choices!), good clinical experiences in M1, M2. Easily accessible via pub trans (SEPTA, 9 bucks to airport). Interview was much more conversational than interrogative.
I really liked this school because they are one of the few MD schools that give an alternative learning pathway, I like the sense of an innovative curriculum.
The clinician who interviewed me was late, answered two phone calls while I was in his office with him, and then proceeded to seem disinterested and asked me a total of 2 real questions. One of which was "where else have you gotten interviews?" which totally caught me off guard. But then I was accepted almost immediately, so I have no idea what to think now.
I really enjoyed the interview overall. It was very laid back, and the essay at the beginning of the interview was a breeze. It wasn't made to be a critical thinking exercise.
If you interview on a Sat, expect things to wrap up by 1pm. You will not see the hospital downtown as the faculty interviewers will all be waiting for you at the school itself. There will be more or less 3 essay prompts from which you'll get one assigned in your packet. You can start thinking about it during the presentation which starts off the day. You'll have all day to finish the essay which should not go over half a page.
Generally my interviewer was very relaxed and mostly friendly. She didn't ask anything about healthcare or ethical issues. Simply went over my application and asked about my experiences/activities/grades. It is important to take time to phrase your answer. I hurried to answer and didn't sound too convinced/confident. Overall it was a nice and cozy school, with friendly students and approachable staff.
there needs to be a better schedule. Having people randomly leave the tour or sitting for hours waiting is horrible. Off campus shuttling is ridiculous.
Definitely a cool school. I really like that they had a Saturday interview option, great for not having to miss work. Also, if you interview on a Saturday everything is conducted at the school (no having to take shuttles downtown) and they move things along - we were all done by 1 pm.
My student interview was during lunch and lasted maybe 20 minutes. He was very personable and it was more like a chat than anything but I was still nervous. My faculty interview was at Hahnemann after lunch and it lasted maybe 10 minutes. He was nice and although he asked me a few questions that were clearly designed to test my response to situations where there is no easy answer, he didn't grill me and he accepted it when I gave an honest "I don't know."
I really wish I had been given a better chance with the interviewer. He did not seem very receptive to what I had to say and got quite confused with my activities despite the fact that they were right in front of him.
The student guest house is AMAZING. You get a ride to the school and they are such a nice family! They are so sweet and really put you at ease prior and after an interview.
The essay they make you write wasn't nearly as bad as I feared. Just relax and have a good time! Student interview is closed file and faculty interview is open.
I had a great time at Drexel, and I know I will be going there upon a acceptance. I think its a wonderful school, the interview is very relaxing and low stress. Be prepared to have a student interviewer who is not having a wonderful day.
Your interview will vary greatly depending on who interviews you. Also, I didn't quite understand the scheduling of interviews throughout the day. One guy didn't get to go on the tour because he had to dip out early to catch the shuttle to the downtown interview site at the hospital. Also, another girl had to miss the optional PIL Q&A period because her interview was scheduled concurrently.
Also, the above ratings might look a bit low, but I find it hard to rate this school. I like Center City/downtown Philly, but where the M1 and M2 years are spent is bleh. Very boring, nothing to do, must drive 15-20 minutes in either direction to really have fun/eat after hours/party/ etc.
The whole process was very low-stress, and both interviewers (one faculty open-file, one student closed-file) were relaxed and friendly. I found the interview timing/organization a little strange given that one student was shafted on the tour, but having students coming and going helped the casual feel of the day.
nice enough school no doubt. There was a presentation in the morning, powerpoint. i thought this was a huge waste of time and gained nothing from it.
you wait in a room with about the 10 other students whom you are interviewing with, and you can end up waiting there for about a half hour or so before the interview.
there are 2 interviewers, student and teacher. the student is at lunch. she tried to ask me tough questions, and i wasnt quite sure of how she wanted me to act - was this a 'be yourself and act casual because you are talking with a student at lunch and they want to see how cool and friendly you can be" interview'' or was it a regular interview where they grill you with questions, and they try to get you into a false sense of security by placing you in the caf. In other words, the student was asking me regular interview questions, but at same time you are supposed to have a natural conversation with the student at lunch. I guess i wasnt sure of the angle the student was taking, and how i was supposed to respond and act.
The teacher was nice enough. VERY short. Not sure how to take this. I asked a couple questions, but not too many.
He only asked about 3 or so.
I've got to agree with other comments on here, they don't go out of their way to wow you and entice you to come there. They do not make you individuallly feel unique or anything, and try to get you to come to the school. It was like the group i was with was interviewed as a whole, as opposed to being a day for me. Does this make sense??
email me with questions if you want.
I live in a neighboring state. But I went (car) to philly one day ahead (because of a messy snow storm), stayed overnight at the student guest house, went to interview in the morning and drove back home. First I had my faculty interview (open file) at the downtown hospital and then the student interview (closed file) back at the campus during lunch. There is an essay-you have the whole day to write it. The downtown hospital has many buildings with many names. So leave time, so that when you get there by shuttle, you could ask people and go to the appropriate building on time. They have two curricula which they will show you during the tour in the morning. Be prepared for weather and if you happened to have a downtown interview, have a basic idea of the route to the shuttle stop. Finally, the student guest house - if you have to, then stay with them. The family is very nice. They provide wireless internet, breakfast, ride to the campus in the morning, and they even cleaned the snow off my car. Everything went well except the weather (snow, ice, rain...basically everything you expect). I hope Drexel would accept me (6-8 weeks for the decision). Good luck to all.
If you stay at Moving Arts B & B, Pam, the owner will take good care of you. She picked me up from the airport, dropped me off, made sure my room was nice and warm (the room I had was really spacious), and she does whatever you might need to help your interview go as well as possible. She also gave me a heads up on what to expect for the interview (most her customers are applicants to DUCOM). The B & B doesn't come with breakfast but there is a nice cafe across the street that has delicious pastries baked daily and some amazing apple juice. Ask Pam about it and she'll point it out for you.
I love Drexel, the students are happy and the faculty know the students. The PIL program is a great side to the traditional lecture based programs. Faculty interview is open file followed by a student interview closed file over lunch. Stay with a student if possible they give plenty of info and the real dirt on the school if any. There are trains that run from the airport to Queen lane (med campus) for $10 one way.
I feel pretty good about my interview and the school, there were some grilling questions but they didn't surprise me. Overall, it was a positive experience. I really like the school and the area. I can see my self coming here.
My student interviewer told me to tell everyone to take the student interview seriously, it is as important as the interview with the doctors.
Find accommodations early, I recommend 'Student Guest House' they are practically around the corner from the school.
Friendly and professional and only $85; Can't go wrong.
Good luck!
Stay at 'Student Guest House' if you can
to reduce stress of the day, they are just around the corner from the medical school and to the train station, it is a perfect place to stay for the interview, they only host Drexel medical student interviewees so the place is set up for the purpose. They understand the process and the stress of the interviews and trys to accommodate everything we need for the interview. They are friendly and helpful and knowledgeable about the area. The only thing is they have only two rooms so reserve soon, you don't want to be the one telling horror stories about where you stayed like some of the students at the orientation.
I was very impressed with my whole experience. My faculty interviewer and student interview were friendly, informative, and professional. I loved the campus and the city seems pretty cool too. Overall a low stress and positive experience-I had fun! I could not have been more happy when I received my accept :)
Nice school in an ok suburban setting. The transportation around the area is ok, but car recommended. A school I wouldn't mind attending but not my first choice.
The interview was conversational and easy going. I had an interview at 'Hannaman Hospital', 20 min ride from the med. school, it was an interesting experience I liked it.
Student interviewer loved me... said I was the best interview he has done in years. Make sure you have a LOT of questions to ask because my student interviewer only had one question for me. Make sure you can talk about interesting things you have done throughout your career/studies during the student interview (show your personality and dedication to medicine). I think my faculty interview was very different from others who interviewed at Drexel in the sense that it was not laid back or conversational. The faculty interviewer grilled me and really wanted to know why I chose medicine since healthcare is going down the drain and doctors are paid less and are less respected. I felt like I was defending my choice like you would defend your thesis. But all his questions were fair, and I do believe he really wanted to be sure I had thought thoroughly about my decision to go into medicine. All of the questions I listed were asked by the faculty interviewer. Despite the tough interview, I really enjoyed the whole experience.
Two interviews: faculty interview and student interview. The faculty interview is open file, while the student interview is closed file over lunch.
Interviews are held in two places, either at the med school campus or at the hospital in philadelphia. If you are interviewing at the hospital, you will need to take a shuttle from the med school to your interview.
They popped a little essay on us while we were waiting for our interviews. I believe it was along the lines of describing when its okay to break the rules, when have you broke the rules, and what were the reaction to you breaking the rules. They gave you one sheet and you had to write it on that sheet, one side only.
The people I met were great and it was refreshing to see such down-to earth faculty members and student body. The campus is small and the area around it isn't very nice, but it does allow for more focus on school!
I absolutely COULD NOT convince this guy I wanted to go to drexel; I had really solid good reasons, which I told him over and over again. I felt like the man was selling Penn, Jeff, and every other school in Philly.
Low-key and the rest of the interview was totally pleasant and not stressful at all...I just should have been more prepared to say why drexel is the king of the world, I suppose :) good luck all
He implied that I wasn't medical school material because I would neglect my kids, I was too serious, and not compassionate, even though I brought up good points, and reasons to the contrary. Watch out for this one. Oh, also, if you get him, have a bunch of stuff ready to ask/tell him... The interview started with... "So, do you have any questions?" Then he asked me 2 or 3 questions, then, "Would you like to add anything?" I sat there for a good 3 mins trying to think of anything to show how good of an applicant I am, but I hadn't prepared to pitch my entire app. Oh also, don't talk about anything on your AMCAS app, he doesn't like that, you hafta talk about other things. Anyways, expecting a rejection in 6 weeks.. I'll update if that isn't the case.
This was my worst interview. I had 5 other interviews at this point and 3 acceptances. But my interviewer was so mean and pushy that he make me think that i was the worst candidate. It was a really bad interview.
students seem to really like the school. admissions could do a better job of selling it, though. they really try to push the two curriculums, so be sure to investigate that even though they tell you a lot about it. your interview may be soon after you arrive.
There was one faculty interview (open-file) and a one-on-one student interview over lunch (closed-file). They said both counted equally.
I loved the school and would be happy to go there.
Was my last choice school when I applied, but only because it's location was very near where I grew up. Was easily the largest school I applied to which I was not a fan of, but am grateful that they were the first school to accept me.
My interviwer who is the anatomy prof. did not get a chance to read my file. In a way i liked that because he gave me a chance to talk about my application.It was very conversational and my interviwer was genuinely interested in getting to know me.
Tour guide was fine. Seemed to like the school but couldn't pinpoint anything. The sim lab seems nice but we couldn't see it. Would have liked to see the hospital. Would never go here after my day and my rude interviewer.
It was like everyone elses on SDN, but i was interviewing for a BS/MD program. I had my fac. int. in the city. My interviewer was late 15 mins. I am thinking he was in a hurry bc he only asked me 2 questions. I was surprised when his second question was do u have any questions for me? Now came the improv. I had to incorporate my statements into what i was asking and what he was saying (such as y i want to become a doctor, why drexel, etc.)
The interview is very conversational and pleasant. The student interview is closed file and give over a quick lunch as a brief assessment of whether the student feels your personality would fit in at the school. My faculty interview was with a professor of pathology, downtown at Hahnemann Hospital (a shuttle ride away). He was very pleasant and easy to speak to.
The experience was not that exciting. I felt like Drexel did not make a personal effort to attract the students. It was bascially like they wanted you focus on the boring computer gadets they had. The student interview was the peak of my day because she was actually personable. The admissions staff tour guide was really friendly as well. Other than that everyone seemed like robots that were just getting the job done. My interviewer did not make an effort to get to know me. Maybe she was having a bad day.The school appears to be a sound school but depending on the staff or faculty you met, you might not see it that way.
The school is exactly as I expected it be. I was a bit disappointed in the lack of enthusiasm from students, but that could've been due to the exams that were happening for 2nd year students. I also found that the other interviewees were not as friendly as those I've been with at other schools.
The student interviewer asked me harder questions than the faculty. He asked me serval questions about healthcare and ethics. After that we just did small talk.
There were two interviews, one with an admissions committee member (either a clinician or one of several people who work in the admissions department) and the other over lunch with a student. The first interview is more formal, open-file, and in the office of your interviewer. The second interview is in the cafeteria with a student. It's much more laid back, closed file, and you will have many opportunities to ask questions about student life. Overall, the interview is very low stress, with the interviewers friendly and affable and open to questions. This is not the kind of interview you need to stress out about, and as long as you can talk reasonably articulately about your experiences, you should be fine!
It was a great experience overall. I didn't feel much of stress. But the weather really had a strong impact on me since I came from the south; the freezing wind almost knocked me off the ground. Spare a lot of time for yourself if you are flying, the delayed flight easily swallow 5 hours of your time.
It was great. I felt like the interviewers were trying to see if Drexel would be a fit for me, and not necessarily vice versa which was nice. I portrayed to them this is my #1 choice and hopefully that showed. Great school, great facilities, students LOVE Drexel. Everyone I have ever met has loved Drexel.
the people there (faculty, students, doctors, and the random people i met in between my interviews) were friendly so it helped alot with keeping me relaxed and calm. even the interviews i had were more like conversations and not a stress test like i was afraid of.
A mix of good and bad. The interviewers were great and the student I had lunch with was very nice as well. The opening presentation needs to be reworked and the student tour guide was clearly there only for the free lunch.
Everything was great, except for the interview! Be ready and prepared for those tough questions, esp. about your past experiences is you are a non-traditional student.
This was my first interview, but I thought it was a good way to start. Everything was pretty low stress, and my student interviewer was really friendly and helpful in answering my questions. I really enjoyed going to one of the first year classes.
my impression of drexel has completely changed after visiting. Drexel is very student oriented and would be a great place to learn. Would go if i got in.
The day started at 9 with a presentation about the school which was about 45 minutes long then a tour of the school for about an hour. After that some had faculty interviews and the rest waited until 12 to do student interviews(I had my faculty interview first). I interviewed with the microanatomy professor for the school. She was nice. At 12 I had my student interview over lunch which was really relaxed and easy going. After my student interview I went home at 1pm. Oh yeah, I got accepted yesterday.
We arrived and conveined in a conference room where we introduced ourselves to each other.
We had a presentation the Drexel's history as a medical school, the current curriculum, financial stuff, etc. We had a tour given by a first year. My faculty interview was on site (some were downtown) and early (some where later), so I had my faculty interview and then my interview with a student over lunch. Some people did things in the reverse order depending on the time of the faculty interview.
Everyone was friednly and willing to answer quesitons. The presentation at the begining was only ok, and the tour wasnt given by a student, but people were so helpful that it made you want to spend more time with them.
It seemed pretty standard - a group of 11 interviewees were given a presentation about how great Drexel is, given a student-led tour of the medical school, then lunch with a student interviewer, and then a faculty interview at Hahnemann. The most stressful part was just making sure i could get to my faculty interview on time and i felt like my student interview was a bit rushed.
Overall, It was a good experience, my interviewer was very nice and it ended up being more of a conversation with some questions thrown in. He was very interactive though and made me feel like I was answering the questions well. I also had an interview with a student who was quirky but very nice as well. We interviewed over lunch and he asked a few questions about me and what I do because this interview was closed file.
low stress. powerpoint presentation of the school and it's curri. no financial aid stuff. uncomfortable setting for student interviewer(over lunch at noisy cafe.) Faculty interview was Dr. Nunez. She was very nice person to do interview with. There were about 12 interviewees about 5 of them had to take suttle to Hospital in downtown for their interview.
I loved the school and the technology. It was nice seeing they have 2 different curriculums, but I felt that the students were a bit competitive with the students in the other curriculum. It was extremely laid back and there was no reason to be nervous at all. It was a kind of do your own thing interview day with the schedule they give you - and you can just leave when you're done.
Fun experience. The school is very technologically advanced and the facilities are immaculate. The PIL program seems awesome and they allow clinical exposure very early on in your education. The faculty interview only lasted fifteen minutes which was kind of odd, but the student interview over lunch, though slightly awkward, was great and the students seem very happy. Had a great time and would love to attend this school.
Interview day was well planned, with an orientation in the morning and then a Student guided tour. The Dean of Admissions gave the orientation, and she was super friendly and funny. After the tour, I had my interview with the Dean, lasted 40 minutes and it was mostly conversational. Then I had a lunch interview with a student who was a bit quirky but very nice. He told me after lunch that he would write me a positive review! Overall, it was a good day!
There were two interviews, one faculty interview that was open-file, and another student interview that was closed-file. Each interview was 30 minutes. Both interviews were very conversational, but the faculty interview was very fast-paced because we only had 30 minutes for her to get all her questions in. The student interview was very relaxed. For me, it actually ended up lasting for over an hour, but it was more of a conversation than an interview. However, the student interview does address some more ''difficult'' issues, such as if you are ready for medical school, what past experiences have prepared you, and how do you think you would adjust.
Interviewer was very nice and courteous and set a very comfortable tone. I almost felt like I was talking to my mother (of course, in a good way). She was very intersted in learning more about me and even seemed impressed to very impressed with much of what I had to say about my experiences. Faculty interview was relatively short but I got to say everything I had to say. And she didn't mind at all that I had more questions for her than she had for me! It went great. Student interviewer was cool and helpful too - completely non-confrontational. Students I met were great and in general they seemed like a pretty jovial bunch. Still, I have trouble balancing out all of these positive feelings I have about the school with that nagging sense that something still seems off. The name-changing, the accreditation issues, and the struggles of Tenet all play into this school as well, even if it doesn't seem like it. I dunno, it just looks a little too good to be true.
My interview was at the hospital downtown so I took the shuttle from the med school to get there. My interviewer was semi-serious but didn't ask any difficult questions. It was over very quickly.
A positive overall experience. Know your application very well and be able to communicate it to your interviewer. The interview day ended at 1pm since the people who were scheduled to present for the afternoon had unexpected commitments require their attention.
Since it was so late in the cycle, I didn't really expect much from the interview even though they reassured us that we were interviewing for acceptances. With that said, I wasn't very stressed and decided to just be honest with my interviews. Luckily, my faculty interviewer was really sweet and sincerely just wanted to have a conversation. I'm not a huge fan of the lunch-interview, but my student interviewer did seem really nice, although he did ask more difficult questions that my faculty interviewer.
The interview was laid back as many people already said. The student and faculty interviews are given equal weight. I really felt like the student interview was an opportunity to really sell myself because the student was laid back and didnt ask me the jarring and challenging questions like I thought she would.
The tour and the presentation you get in the morning about Drexel was uneventful and boring at worst. I was interviewed by an admissions officer who literally had never laid eyes on my file before-- since I was told that interviews were going to be open file, this took me by surprise. The interviewer's body language was extremely negative, like she was bored at what I was talking about. I had a terrible feeling when I left the interview, but I ended up getting in. Don't let the turkeys get you down!
Overall very laidback and easy going. Interviewers were very nice (one teacher, one student) and staff seemed very enthusiastic. Didn't get to interact with other interviewees very much because we all had different schedules. Facilities were beautiful. Although this seems like a ''I didn't get in anywhere else'' school, you still get a good, thorough, well rounded education. Definitely impressed overall.
My interview went rather well. I heard from most of the other students, as well as on most of the SDN reviews, that the interview experience at Drexel is a very relaxed and conversational one. I got the feeling that my particular interview was much more structured than others, but it was still a very nice and enjoyable experience. The questions asked were very deep and probed at my motives and reasoning for going into medicine, and as such I think overall it was very informative to my interviewer. My student interview was much more relaxed, and she was able to answer all of my questions and was extremely helpful.
I signed in at the front desk and was later esocrted to the Admissions Office by the security guard. As I waited in conference room with the other interviewees, I watched our group grow and grow to a number of 14. Apparently Drexel interviews many people every day of the week. We watched a presentation on the school (history, curriculum, clubs...) and then went on a tour of the school. I then had a thirty minute faculty interview. Consider yourselves lucky if you get Donna Antonucci!! That interview was immediately followed by a student interview. Of the two interviews, however, I must say that the student one was a bit more awkward. Student interviews are conducted in the cafeteria as the two of you are eating which makes for an ''interesting'' interview. The day ends with an optional presentation on the PIL curriculum. Overall, it was a good experience. Not stressful at all.
the student interview and tour of campus went very well and I was very impressed. the faculty interview was awkward because of the interviewer's demeanor
Drexel was fun and the faculty and students are super nice. The atmosphere there is very relaxed. I loved how committed the students and the faculty were towards the school. I enjoyed this interview very much and fun meeting the students at Drexel and making friends with fellow interviewees.
I got to the building early. They gave us background on the school and curriculum, focusing on the two tracks offered (IFM and PIL), then gave us a tour by the lovely secretary who was enjoyable. Some of us had to leave to catch the shuttle to center city for the faculty interview (luckily mine was on the main campus) and then we waited for a student to come by and have another closed file lunch interview. The day could have ended there but a few of us stuck around to here what PIL students have to say about their curriculum. A good interview experience overall.
Overall, it was like everyone says: very laid back. I was suppose to interview with one faculty, but then they pushed me onto someone else (so I don't know how much time my interviewer had time to review my file). My student interview was closed-file; that was where I was asked ethical questions, which they said they did in order to see how we think under pressure.
It was great. As interview experiences go, this was the very best.
Drexel's reputation may not be the best, compared with my other 9 schools, but it was by far my best visit. by far.
We all had to get their at 9, however, the dmissions dean was late and the 13 of us were placed in front of this self-running video on the history of the school until another guy runs in to save us and talk about the school for over an hour. Due to their mistake, those with 11 or 11:30 interviews had to miss the tour and take a 30 minute shuttle to the hospital for an interview. My interviewer had someone before me and during the interview was constantly interrupted by his pager, the phone ringing, and people coming into the office. Once I took the shuttle back to the school I had to sit in a room for 1.5 hours until they could find a student interviewer to eat lunch with us. During this interview I was scarfing down food with someone who had already completed 4 other interviews because no other students signed up. Overall, terrible experience.
Overall, the whole process was laid back. Its like they already knew who I was and why i wanted to do medicine, all they wanted to see is how good of a communicator i am. The student interview was great..we had a lot in common.
My interviewer was extremely nice. He hadn't read my app yet, as it was just after Thanksgiving, and my file was misplaced, but he finally found it and gave it a quick skim while I was there. That was a little strange, especially when he asked me is there anything you'd like to explain in this file? After that, everything went smoothly. Spoke about my interests, my reasoning for medicine, and talked a lot about the school. He was trying to sell me the school, and he definitely had a favorable opinion of Drexel.
This was my first interview out of 5 and I liked Drexel. I know Drexel may not be the best medical college in the US, but it does have a lot to offer and is in a nice, quiet neighborhood.
Presentation on the school by admissions staff, tour by very enthusiastic student, interview with wonderful laid back faculty member (open file, 30min), hung out with other interviewees, had student interview over lunch (closed file, 1+ hour)
They really do a good job at Drexel of presentng their school and helping you get to know it better. They have great programs in women's health, humanities, and community outreach. Overall, I was very impressed. My interview was very conversational and laid back. Same with the student interview.
I really like the school. The campus is fully wireless. They also have facilities which record you while taking patient histories from trained actors. The students, faculty, and admin seem very supportive. I also like their Program Integrated Learning Curriculum. It seems to encourage genuine learning rather than memorization.
I don't love Drexel but I would go there. My faculty interviewer said it didn't matter where I went to med school because they were all the same. My student interview was kind of pointless. They guy was nice but talked about himself a lot.
It was nice to do the interview on a Saturday so I hope for y'alls sake Drexel continues to do that.
Overall, everyone was nice. The school was decent but definitely a I-didn't-get-in-anywhere-else kind of school. That is not to say that Drexel is a bad place to go- it has many redeeming qualities.
On the weekend, there is ample parking, but you still have to pay for it. The admissions staff is not particularly helpful, but my interviewers, one student and one faculty, were very friendly. The faculty member I spoke with was especially inspiring and seemed to truly care about the medical field. On the weekend, lunch is catered, which is nice, and following that is a tour of the campus, which is concise but informative.
Overall I was very impressed with Drexel. The problem based learning is what I am looking for and they seem to incorporate it well in their curicullum. They are very supportive of families and non-trads and seem to focus on the student more than other schools.
The day went well, a short orientation at 9:00am and then interviews started at 10:00. I was first interviewed by a student and then a faculty member. Both were very nice and seemed genuinely interested in me and what I had to say. They didn't grill me in any way but just wanted to know: why I was applying to Drexel, about some of my esperiences, and where I see myself in 10 years. We then had lunch with some of the students, they all seemed happy to be there. Finally we had a tour of the facilities, which I thought were great. Again, overall it was a great experience.
It was a good experience, 2 interviews, neither too difficult really. I recommend going over your research papers just in case they ask you about it because I kind of got asked a lot of specifics about my research. The student interview is very relaxed and nothing to be worried about at all. There is an informative slide show presentation and they show you the anatomy lab which is cool. Overall I liked it..good luck!
After arriving, an admin director gave a PowerPoint presentation about the school. Afterwards, the interviews began. Candidates are interviewed by a faculty member individually and also a student individually (the order is random). The interviews are 30 min long and mine were not confrontational at all. They were very very friendly. The interview blocks are also selected at random so you have a chance to talk to other candidates while waiting. The fac interview is completely open file. My fac read my entire primary and did not interrogate me about grades or MCAT, which was nice of her. The student interview was closed file. At noon. there is a nice lunch with students who sell the school and the director. The food was actually really good. After lunch, there was a tour and then we were released.
Positives:
friendly people, newly renovated gym and rec area, access to med school fac (they are mainly teaching not research), in philly, good women health program, choice between PIL and IFM
negs:
in bad neighborhood, med campus is quite isolated (no hosp next door & undergrad campus is not there and needs shuttle ride), no student housing, seemed small
My faculty interviewer was nice, but he grilled me on some info in his specialty ...I wasn't expecting that. On the whole, the interview was very rushed because the shuttle was 20 min late to pick me up. The student interview was very laid-back and easy, but it was slightly awkward to do because it was over lunch (eating and interviewing don't go too well together).
Overall, it was stress free. My interview with both the faculty member and the student turned out to be very conversational. We talked music, my travels and books. The school takes pride in technology and its new facilities.
Overall it went very well. It was my first interview and I am really happy it was here. The faculty interviewer definitely drilled me on a lot of issues. The student who interviewed me was awesome! It was very laid back and conversational
Since this was my first interview, I got pretty nervous at first. But overall, it was a comfortable and relaxed experience. It was not that structured as I thought. Probably because it was around exam time, the dean of admission did not give us an orientation or the PIL info session afterwards. We spent a lot time sitting in the conference room and waiting for interviewers. I recommend not to come around exam time.
Student interviewer: interested in my resume, accomplishments, motivations, personal strengths and weakness, and general character. Facutly interviewer: complete 180 -- it was like talking to a brick wall; most of the questions he asked were framed negatively, such as DID YOU EVER SEE ANYTHING GO WRONG WHEN A DOCTOR TREATED A PATIENT, or WHATS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE YOU HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH IN YOUR LIFE Also, he was generally unreceptive and unable to respond to the questions I asked him like CAN I GET ONBOARD WITH A RESEARCH PROJECT THE SUMMER AFTER MY FIRST YEAR?
I stayed at the Moving Arts Bed & Breakfast (hi pamela). Pamela, the owner, is an extremely sweet lady. She will more than accomidate for your needs and she is like a mother for the applicants! Her place is not like your average home but don't worry it's just because she's really into culture and the arts. If you are an introvert and want to stay to yourself and practice for the interview, I don't recommend this place. However, if you are an outgoing person, interested in learning more about Philadelphia's history and hot spots, and basically anyone who is not just a big stiff, then Pam's place is for you.
Anyway, Drexel is a great place -- with respect to classroom education (PIL & IFM are both great), clinical education, and LIFESTYLE - this is a huge vibe that I got from my student interviewer. They have a lot of non-traditional students so there's a huge diversity of people that you can meet. Philly is just like where I grew up and where I went to college so I feel like I can fit right in. I like very much.
Overall, my interview experience at Drexel was very positive. There was a small group of interviewers and we got to chat during the downtime. The dean is really friendly and gave a helpful presentation. The students seemed to really enjoy going to Drexel. The day ended pretty early (3pm) and would have ended earlier except we were waiting for one person to return from their interview.
I was one of about 25 people there interviewing. The tour was brief but informative. The formal interview was very open and honest and I was happy with how everything went. The student interview over lunch was very honest from a student's prospective and the guy I had it with was very nice. Over in about 6 hrs. I was accepted 10 weeks later (yes, 10).
At 9:00am there was a powerpoint presentation by the dean. She was very nice and informative. Then at about 10:00 we were given a tour of the facilities. Of the 15 interviewees, myself and two others had to take a shuttle to the hospital for our interviews. The interviewer was really nice and laid back. When I got back I waited around for a bit and talked to other interviewees until the student interviewer came to bring me to lunch. The student interview is really casual and nothing to worry about. We pretty much just ate lunch together. I asked him to see the gross anatomy lab, and it was cool to see. I really liked pretty much everything about the school.
There are two interviews- a one-on-one with a student over lunch (closed-file) and a one-on-one with a faculty member (open-file). I had an enjoyable interview day with both interviewers. I was very impressed with how laid back the interviews were. Both of my interviews lasted an hour or more. I stayed at the Germantown B&B and I highly recommend it. The owners are very nice and helpful, the only downside is that part of town seemed a bit sketchy. I walked from the B&B to campus and it was a very enjoyable walk, plus I saved a few $.
It's a late interview, and I already have an acceptance elsewhere, so I was neither expecting nor much prepared - but school was surprisingly nice and if accepted I would give it a serious consideration
The woman who interviewed me was pretty thorough, but she did not seem at all excited about the school. When it came time for me to ask questions she knew almost nothing about any of the school programs, and after several times of her telling me that she didn't know any details, I had to downshift into general "what is your opinion about ___" just so it would stop being embarrassing. Also, yes, the student "interview" was just having lunch with a student.
Student interview was over lunch--real casual--appeared that many of the students did it for the free food. Student interview was real helpful in my case because it occured before the faculty interview (gave me heads up on the possibility of immigration question). I oversaw a student interviewer fill out a form after the interview in which they rank the interviewee between 1-5 in several categories (couldn't see what the y were) also area for personal comment. The interview with Dr. Zarro was short and it was hard to get a read on what he thought of me. Also, I felt he cut the interview short maybe so he could go to lunch.
I was very impressed with Drexel. I don't think it gets the attention it deserves as an outstanding medical school. The people were all very friendly, the CEAC rooms were great and it looked like a place I wouldn't mind spending the next 4 years of my life.
interviewees arrived by 9 am. dr hanau gave a presentation about the school history and curriculum. then we had a student led tour. we were then given our interview assignments and hung out in the conference room until/in betweeen interviews. faculty interview is open file (though my interviewer did it closed file, maybe not to have any preconceived notions) and the student interview is closed file over lunch. 2 students had faculty interviews at the hospital so they missed part of the tour b/c they had to catch the shuttle. the day ended with an optional PIL Q&A around 3:30 pm.
I stayed with a student host who lived a couple of blocks away from the school. The morning of the interview upon arrival there was a continental brekfast and the dean of admissions gave a powerpoint presentation on what distinguishes drexel from other med schools. Then I had a student interview, approx 30-40 min. Then a faculty interview, approx 40-50 min. The student interview is closed file and faculty was open file. I was impressed that the faculty had read my file in depth and all of the questions were related to my past experiences. Very easy going. Then we had lunch and a tour of the school.
waited 1 hour for dr. to interview me, asked me at one point if i felt deprived, was not enthusiastic about the school at all, and was one of the worst interviewer and PERSON i ever met. interviewing with him was like talking to a wall.
I had Dr. Lazarro, who is really nice, but he asked some tough healthcare questions. I didn't get too flustered, but it was intimidating nontheless. I guess my approach worked, I was accepted 2 weeks later.
The faculty interview was very short and didn't vary from the typical, expected questions. I got the last student interview, and needless to say, he wasn't the most enthusiastic at the beginning. But he didn't open up to me and we had a good, broad conversation about both of our lives. Just don't schedule an interview right before an exam.
dr. berkow is pretty chill. with him, you do most of the talking, so know what you're going to say, don't ramble about random ish. my student interviewer likewise was very cool, it was very conversational and she encouraged me to ask her questions about whatever i wanted. she looked like the chick from laguna beach.
FAculty interview is open file, and student interview/lunch is closed file. they said the favulty and student evals are equally weighted. My faculty interviewer was extremely nice and enthusiastic. Our interview was basically an informal conversation about various topics that came up in my file. My student interview was also very conversational. She asked more direct questions than the faculty. She also volunteered to drive me to the train station so I could make it to New york on time for a concert that night!! I would have been one hour late if she hadn't done that. The people at the school definitely made my first trip alone to the east coast memorable =).
Started off with a presentation about the school which was nice and informative. There were a LOT of interviewees (about 12, almost all of which were dudes...WHACK). Then I had to take a bus to my interviewer's office at some hospital downtown. The guy was a complete prick and wouldn't allow for a normal conversation. He proceeded to grill me for the entire duration of time there. His name was Dr. Chawla and he really left a bad taste in my mouth as far as Drexel goes. Then I took a bus back to the medical center where we ate lunch with current students (who are basically in it for the free lunch and don't really give a shit about you)
The day started with a presentation from the dean, telling us about the 2 different tracks that are available. Next we were given a tour, followed by an interview with a faculty member, and then lunch with a student. My faculty interview was great and I enjoyed speaking to the interviewer. On the other hand, my student interview wasnt that comfortable and she ended up asking me ethics questions as well as questions about the health care system (I thought the student interview was supposed to be relaxed and casual). They finished up the day with an optional PIL information session.
The day starts at 9:00 with an hour long power point show about the schools history and curriculum. Next is a student tour of the school followed by interviews at 11 and 12. More waiting until your student interview can see you, then you have your student interview over lunch. More waiting until you get a lecture about the PIL program (which is optional). Day ends about 3:00 or so.
Very low stress. The student interview was just a good conversation. Its hard to judge how well I did without having an answer. Answers are mailed out in 6 to 8 weeks.
Got there a little before 9:00 AM, free breakfast (the raisin bran muffin is really good), very comprehensive powerpoint presentation (1 hour), off to the interview, lunch at 12:00 (1 hr.), tour from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm and that was it.
The day felt a bit amateur; the financial aid talk was the admissions staffwoman saying "I don't know anything about financial aid. call this # if you have questions." Also the student interviews are in the cafeteria at lunchtime, so it's not really a formal interview. All in all, Drexel seems fine, but it certainly lacks some of the research opportunities I've seen elsewhere. Also, you don't get to see the hospital unless you interview there.
Student one was a joke...I think he only signed up to do it for the free lunch. The faculty one was confusing...after I told him abotu myself, he did all the talking and just tried to sell the school which was cool. But I didn't do much talking. But I got in, so don't worry if it happens to you.
We started the day with a power point slide for an hour and a half, and then had a tour which an admissions officer gave, and then I had an interview with a faculty member, then another interview with a student over lunch, and finally a talk about the PIL program by the course director.
The best interview ever! I loved the school, although the surrounding is the ghetto- but the scohool itself is a really good school. The offer so many opportunities for you, and you can live either within walking distance or in the city itself, which is a 10 r 15 minute drive.. But its fun!
I had an amazing experience. The admissions staff seemed very friendly. I interviewed with Dr. Hardison and we had a very interesting conversation. He was really laid back and fun to talk too. I also was able to hear about what he does at the hospital...which was really interesting. My student interview was very informative and laid back. I really liked hearing her thoughts on the program (which were all very positive). I hope I am accepted into this program! I would love to go to this school!
It was a nice interview experience. I had 2 interviews - one with a faculty and the other with a student. The on e with the faculty was open file and the one with the student was rather layed back and closed file. I unfortunately had to interview at the hospital downtown. That was'nt too bad after all as I got to see the downtown area. ( I wish the school itself was downtown like Upenn & Jefferson). Overall it was a pleasant day.
I stayed at the Bank Street Hostel, near 2nd and Market, so I got up early and left at 7. I got to the interview 30 min. early. The dean of admissions gave a good power point presentation and took questions. She painted Drexel as a school made for educating doctors, as opposed to other school that brag about their research. The tour was given by a student who splits her time between Texas and Philly-she watches the lectures online while away! The facilities were nice and quite modern. I had my first interview with a first year over lunch. He appeared truly interested in what I had to say and we had a good conversation. My second interview was with the director of admissions. The questions were pretty standard and she participated as much as I did. Overall I was impressed with Drexel. The two options of curriculum allow students to choose how they want to learn. I even like the fact that the school is situated away from downtown Philly. It has a quieter and more serene environment than the center city campus.
Overall, it was great. Very low stress and my student interview was very conversational and enjoyable. My interview was at Hahnemann Hospital so it was nice to get to see the commute that the students make. But do not take taxis if you have to! They are horrible.
It was a good experience overall. The temperature was a little on the cold/freezing side and everyone seemed very happy to be there. The admissions people and the students seemed to be very happy that the med school highly emphasizes the quality of medical education and its clinical applications. They also emphasized the family-like community that they have.
Drexel is a very good experience, esp for those who want PIL. Their IFM curriculum seems outstanding as well and they defintely put most of their effort/resources into ensuring you have the best education. I just didn't like the surrounding area (There was not a whole lot around minus some factories, industrial places and I was told, it is not the most safe place at night.
It was a good experience. I like that they have a student interview along with a faculty interview. They were both more of conversations than interviews.
it was really fun learning about the school, and everyone was very open and honest and seemed to truly care about us and about making us the best doctors they could in the best way for each of us. i was a little discouraged that the school didnt seem so prestigious, but everyone seemed really dedicated.
pretty typical interview. it didnt seem very inspired. the dean of admissions started her intro with a speech on how she never wanted to go into medicine in the first place. how's that for enthusiasm?
You sit in a conference room and watch a slide show before the tour. The tour takes you all throughout the main building and is very comprehensive. After the tour, each applicant has one 1/2 hour interview, followed by a lunch interview with a student (which I really liked, this was a nice touch).
I was impressed with everything I saw and it was fairly standard interview day. Everyone I met at Drexel had a very friendly demeanor and I think they liked being there.
I stepped out of the airport to find out how humid the weather was. By the time I got to my host's apartment, I really wanted a shower. The interview day was very relaxing and ended at 1 pm for me. I had time to go downtown before my flight.
Overall very good, however, the interviewer was difficult to read, so who knows. He was very calm and relaxed. We had a nice conversation during that time. Although I was surprised to find that he did not have a copy of my info before I got there, so be sure to always keep a spare: AMCAS App, personal statement, resume or CV.
The school was hard to find for me--I got lost on the way. My interviewer was ancient and asked weird questions. The students seemed like they were generally older and many married, which is fine for some people, but I am 21. Overall, the facilites are nice and the students seemed eager, but it just isn't the school for me.
The school was nice. Very impressive facilities. Interview was difficult- it was a lot of hard questions and didn't flow very well, like she had a list of things to ask, and didnt want to deviate.
The director of admissions was very nice, enthusiastic, and encouraging. Overall, she was the most memorable person (others were kind of dry and boring / neutral). After being scheduled for an interview at the hospital, I was told after the tour that my original interviewer would be unable to make it and that I would interview with someone else at the actual medical school. Although this change hardly affected me, I felt like it definitely affected my new interview because I figured it must have been last-minute for him. Thus, I didn't feel he was really in the mood to hold an interview and I felt like I had to defend myself the whole time. It was almost confrontational more than conversational (aka, the ideal interview experience). The tour guides were okay and the facilities were really nice but overall nothing too amazing. The student interview was over lunch and it was difficult to hold much of a conversation because the cafeteria was particularly loud at the time.
I was very impressed with Drexel's facilities, students, and faculty. Students are really lucky to have the choice of two curricula, both of which seem very interesting and unique. The tour-guide was very informative and very honest (which always helps). Even though she was willing to share the school's shortcomings with us, she clearly seemed to enjoy being a student there. There was a lot of down time, but my fellow interviewers were all very friendly and talkative. It seems like the interviews were all very straightforward. My interviewer basically asked me to elaborate on a few things from my application. S/he was very to-the-point and it was hard to read him/her. That's always nerve-wracking, but the questions were not difficult. The student interview was great. Mine was literally a conversation about random things (mostly social) while other people got asked questions from lists (why medicine? etc). The dean of admissions, Dr. Hanau gave a helpful presentation and she was quite entertaining. Overall, I'd be very happy attending Drexel. The wait for a response should be about 6-8 weeks.
I had one faculty interview and one student interview. My faculty interviewer had my file in front of her and had marked all the things she wanted to ask about my application on it. Other than that it was more like a conversation than q&a. She made me feel comfortable and the whole thing was pretty informal. The student was 1st year, she actually asked me the generic questions (like why drexel, why medicine, etc)but no biggie...
The school is nice, but the area it is in wasn't the best. the interview is easy so don't worry about that. Just see if you could live in a more run-down part of town(it is only 20 min from downtown Philly though)
The day starts with the director of admissions talking about the school's history, and a few other things. Then we had the student led tour around the school. Afterward, there was a lot of waiting around. Some students had interviews in the med school, others had to go downtown to Hahneman Hospital. Either way, we basically just had to sit and wait for our faculty interview. After that, we returned to the same room to wait for a student to show up take us to lunch and interview us. Then, you can leave or stay for the PIL talk, which lasted about an hour as the PIL director fervently advised that we make the "right" choice.
got lost on the way there, so i called the admissions office and they got me back on track. i was late for the info session but it wasn't a big deal. the tour guide was really nice, then i took the shuttle to the hahnemann campus in the city for my interview. the bus ride was nice and it gave me a chance to see the area. student interviewer was cool too. i was out by 1:30, good day all around
The interview with a faculty member was really conversational and relaxed. The student interview is over lunch (which makes it a little hard to eat and talk at the same time) but it was also really relaxed too. In general, very low stress (except this was my first interview so I was a little bit more stressed than need be).
My faculty interviewer I think liked what I had to say even though it was only 15 min. The person in front of me also had a short interview, and the interviewer even said he likes to do them fast, so its very stress free, and the questions were very easy. Student interview was good too, it was over lunch in the cafeteria. The tour was also nice, showed us around every area thoroughly and they seemed excited over the kinds of technology they have there.
If I didn't already feel comfortable in the school and know all about it, I probably would have had a stressful day. The first part with the presentation about the school was excellent (much better than other schools' presentations have been), but it went over time a bit. Then I had to go with 2 other interviewees down to Hahnemann Hospital for my interview (actually, I interviewed in the building I work in every day!). Becuase we had to take the shuttle, we missed the whole tour. Then the shuttle just didn't show up, though (I ride the shuttle twice a day and this is the first time it hasn't shown up), so we were late. I had to wait for another girl to have her interview before me, and then my interview ran a little late, and so I had to take a later shuttle back to the med school campus. It wasn't a big deal, but it delayed my lunch and student interview. The faculty interview was fine, a typical interview but not stressful. The student interview was very short (perhaps because it was late), but casual and fine. I was offered a tour after that, since I had missed the real tour, but I know the school so I just went home. Overall I left with a very positive impression of the school from the presentation and also just from what I already know. (Faculty interview is open file, student interview is closed.)
The interview was my first and it was very laid back. They did not ask why medicine, why drexel. The first thing the guy said to me when I walked in after a hello was, "relax, this is going to be a breeze." (and it was)
If you end up interviewing with someone who is on the addmissions staff (Not an MD) you will have very comfortable experience. It was very conversational! I can't speak for the other interviewees, but the ones I spoke with had an experience very similiar to mine. They just want to get to know you better.
The faculty interview was relaxed. It was more like a conversation. The student interview was even more relaxed. Overall, the admissions committee wants you to have a positive experience and they do a good job.
I like the fact that Drexel takes many older, non-traditional students. Also, Drexel is becoming more selective by lowering its class size and raising the average accepted MCAT.
Faculty interview is open-file, and student interview is closed-file and in the cafeteria over lunch. Both were very conversational and everybody was very friendly. Cafeteria food is average.
Interview started at around 9am in the morning. The tour was given around 10am. The student interviewer was friendly. I felt like talking to one of my friends. It is very relaxed. During the faculty interview, I also felt comfortable talking to the interviewer. The interview ends with "Is there question about Drexel?" "Is there anything about you that you want us to know?."
All in all, I had a good time while interviewing at Drexel. I wasn't blown away by anything in particular, but I also didn't find any large problems with the school. I can see myself being comfortable here. If you want a busy, bustling urban school with a lot of things to do, then this is NOT the school for you. But if you want a solid education and don't mind its suburban location, then I think you would be happy here.
The student interview over lunch was informative and very stress free. A good idea on Drexel's part. The faculty interview was not bad at all for me. I didnt get any hard ethical questions or questions about solving the healthcare crisis.
Both my student interview (closed-file, over lunch) and my faculty interview (open-file) went well. Really easy to talk to and made you feel comfortable. I was sort of nervous because it was my first interview and I didnt know what to expect but everything went well. The tour guide was pretty enthusiastic about the school.
It was very laid back, the interviewer made me feel very comfortable from the beginning and allowed me to open up rapidly. Overall, I had a relaxing and enjoyable time.
First, we had a presentation about the history of the school and an overview of the curriculum (both branches). The interviews themselves were standard. The day was very well-structured. Each interview was 30 minutes long and they stayed pretty much on schedule. The student interview was closed-file; the faculty interview was open-file. Finally, it was lunch and the tour. [The Saturday interview schedule is different from the weekday one.]
The best part of the experience was after the interview day was over. I noticed a flyer for a Lunar New Year charity banquet hosted by the med students of 5 Philadelphia med schools. One of the tour guides saw me looking at it and asked if I wanted to go. She offered to drive me there and back and I got to hang out with her and her friends during the 200+ person dinner. I learned about Drexel's Chinatown clinic and their students' involvement in the Asian American Health Care Network in Philadelphia. I wasn't expecting such friendliness but I ended up meeting a lot of kind people (students and random Philadelphians) over the weekend.
relaxed. i flew all the way from alaska though, so i had wished to have more in depth discussions. AK to PA just to "tell them about myself" seems a little disrespectful. i would also have liked an opportunity to discuss my scientific publications and my graduate work, but it never came up. just be able to discuss your personal experiences and how they impacted you. be articulate.
The faculty interviewer had read my file and told me he didn't have anything to bother me about from it. Pretty much we just talked about the school, why I liked it, and the two different curricula.
Overall the interviews were very laid back. My faculty interviewer was a sweet lady who asked me very broad questions (I was able to talk about whatever I wanted). She was very encouraging during the interview, always giving me reaffirming comments saying "This is good, real good." I got along really well with my student interviewer. We had a fun conversation, and we just talked and talked for a hour. The choice of curriculum is unique to Drexel, but I could see people getting depressed here because there is nothing to do around campus. Overall, if accepted, I would definitely come to this school.
Sat in a room full of other interviewees and watched a Powerpoint presentation for about 40 minutes. Took a long tour (1hr) and then returned to the room. Waited some more. Was interviewed by a student after a long time waiting, over lunch. Then was interviewed by faculty. Then watched a lecture on substance abuse. Caught a train back to airport (train station across the street).
Very hospital and focused a lot on the needs of potential students. Faculty interview was open file. Student interview was closed file over lunch. Student interview was very quiet, shy.
I enjoyed being at the school.. not my first choice but I would go there if I got accepted... the student interview was over lunch, which I didn't like because you're trying to chew your food and there are questins being thrown at you...the school itself seemed pretty nice and the admissions office staff was very helpful
The day was quite organized. I liked the downtime between the interviews to chat with the other applicants, who might be potential classmates. The student interview over lunch was good but its hard to talk seriously and eat at the same time. It seems like a good school with much opportunity to mold your own education. Faciities are great so as long as you're someone who doesnt need to go to the city or much social activity during the weekdays at least, it seems like a good fit.
It was very pleasant. The Associate Dean of Admissions gave us the history of the school then we were led on a tour of the facilities by a first-year. Afterwards, we had the faculty interviews, then the student interviews (with lunch). My faculty interviewer was very nice and made me feel very comfortable. He really knew my file so make sure that you go over everything that you sent to them. The student interview was much more relaxed and my interviewer was also very nice. We had great conversation that it almost didn't feel like an interview. I had a good experience.
Drexel was an interesting place. I felt like there was a lot of downtime, which is both good and maybe not so good. My student host was great, very helpful and informative. The faculty interviewer was kind of hard to read, and just asked the standard "stuff about you" questions - tell me about yourself, etc. No ethical questions or off the wall questions. The student interviewer had a distinct set of questions she wanted to ask, but it wasn't really awkward or anything. I liked the facilities, and the curricula - both IFM and PIL - seem to have a lot to offer in different ways. Plus, the humanities thing is neat. I thought our tour guide was a little off the wall, and she told us about a pseudo-prank that was done in the anatomy lab.. that was a little unsettling to me, but maybe I'm being too sensitive about it. I'm not sure that I felt "at home" here like I have elsewhere, but I guess we shall see, and that's totally a personal comment.
Drexel was my first interview. I was stressed out only because it was my first interview. My interviewers (admissions office staff member and student) were nice and laidback. I was totally relaxed halfway through the day and at times forgot that I was being interviewed.
We were given a video introduction to the school then a 1st year student took us on a tour. Since i had an early interview at their Hahneman campus, i had to catch a shuttle to the city and missed the end of the tour. When i came back, i had lunch with a student who interviewed me at the same time. He then showed me around and answered all of my questions. Other than the faculty interview, the day was pretty relaxed and everyone at Drexel as well as the other students being interviewed were really friendly.
It was hard to tell how I did, because my interviewer was all business, unlike some of the other people's who had more of a conversation than an interview. They were nice, but hard to read as far as how it was going.
The day started off with a presentation by the Dean about the history of the school and some of its present highlights. The tour was very thorough, led by a student who definitely had thorough knowledge of the school. He described the service project he did that was required of all students, which sounded interesting. Interviews with faculty are scheduled throuout the day, and then later in the afternoon is a presentation about the PIL curriculum.
We talked about the hospital situation (the nearby affiliated hospital is no longer available to 3rd and 4th years)and where students can go on rotations, easy interview, I felt very comfortable.
Drexel has a really great program (two curricula, emphasis in women's health), but it doesn't seem to attract the students it needs to become a really great school. You would get a solid education there, but I'm not going to go there.
While my interviewer complimented me for having worked my way through college, she also seemed concerned that I hadn't done MORE volunteer work. What?! To me it was glaringly obvious that I can't work 40 hrs/wk, overload of courses and be in a soup kitchen all the time. Clearly, decent scores, hard work, & some volunteer work aren't enough for my interviewer. Next time, try to be MAGICAL.
The interview was interesting and laid back. I just joked around with the student interviewer for 45 minutes about nothing in particular. The faculty interview was interesting and not stressful. The half hour went by really quickly.
Interview experience was laid back, pleasant, and I appreciated the free $6 food voucher for lunch. The cateria food was actually reasonably priced so the $6 went a long way. The school is peaceful and the students were all really nice and appeared happy. When I asked 3 different students what the worst thing about Drexel was, they really didn't have any complaints.
It was a great experiance, the staff and students were very friendly. Both interviews, student and faculty, were very relaxed. They got to know me and vice versa.
I was very impressed and pleasantly surprised. The faculty is there for the students first and themselves second. This is unlike most schools whose faculty are primarily researchers. The students seem quite pleased with the curriculum. Philly is a great place to learn medicine and is close to NY, the shore, DC and the mountains so there is alot to do. The recent class had an average MCAT of 30 and GPA of 3.5 which is consistent with national averages.
Although it wasnt on the top of my list it is now.
i was interviewed by a non-md non-phd person who knew nothing about science and didnt really ask me anything interesting, just basic stuff from my application, it was no stress at all, she was very nice
most relaxed interview i've had... i was interviewed by a really nice woman who worked in student activities office (wasnt an md or phd)... we talked about random stuff for most of the time - seinfeld, curb your enthusiasm, chris rock...
the student interiew is over lunch and was way to chill. i totally forgot that i was still being evaluated, and i asked lots of questions about social life / party scene.
Had to ride a bus to the hospital (about 20 minutes from the school.) The directions weren't clear and I got lost. Because the bus was late, compounded by the unclear directions, my interview was shorter than scheduled.
it was generally pretty relaxed. the student interviewer was extremely nice and helpful!! i was able to sit in on a lecture and also walk into the gross anatomy lab. but the faculty interviewer i had comparing to other "extreeeemely nice" ones i've heard from other students didn't seem overly nice. it was hard to tell whether she liked me or not.
I appreciate that Drexel actually reads all applications instead of poping numbers into a computer. As a result, I think they select a good group of people who are entering medicine for the right reasons.
The student interviewer was nice and talked a lot about the PIL curriculum. I think she was trying to convince me that it was the best.
My second interviewer was really nice. She seemed genuinely interested in me and talked a lot. She made me feel like it went well.
I think Drexel is a nice place, but the impression that I got was that it is a nice second choice. All the students I talked to said that they choose Drexel because that is that was the only school they got in to. They all seemed happy and balanced, but I wasn't struck by anything that made me think, wow, Drexel is really great. If I wanted to do PIL this would be a great place, the PIL students seem cool, but the IFM seems pretty standard and second-tier. Interview was very friendly and conversational, don't stress about that.
It was a good overall day. I liked the wireless campus and meeting a few students, they all seemed happy there. My faculty interview was at Hahnemann Hospital and was tough because I could not understand the guy. He had a thick foreign accent. He also did not have my info so we just talked about random things. He also watched the clock the whole time. My student interview was great, just a conversation. She wanted to know that I was a normal person. I was accepted about a month after my interview.
My faculty interviewer was great, very warm and non-threatening. The interview was mainly a conversation, with her inquiring about different points in my application, asking me to clarify the timing of things and to describe in more detail some of my work experiences. It was a very relaxed environment. My student interviewer was awesome, so nice and had a lot of great things to say about the school. He asked more pointed questions than my faculty interviewer, such as what brought me to the decision to become a doctor, and if I were on an admissions committee, how would I screen out the people who were in it for the wrong reasons. We talked for almost and hour, and I really enjoyed this part of the day. Overall, I was impressed by the school and the people in it, and would recommend checking it out if you get the chance. Another plus, they get back to you within six weeks of your interview with a decision.
Drexel is pretty much what a private medical education is all about- nice facilities, high tuition, laptops and PDAs. The two track curriculum is pretty neat although I'm not sure that I would be into the PIL group learning idea.
My interview with a faculty member was at the University Hospital - 25 minutes away from SOM campus via shuttle. Got to meet some of the third and fourth year students that were at the hospital on their clinical rotations; they seemed really satisfied with their clerkship experiences. The interview was very conversational which concerns me a bit. I really don't know what to expect.
The student interview is a get to know each other over lunch thing. It is extremely laid back.
I think it went really well. We basically just talked for 30 mins. She wrote down things, but also made sure that she looked up and made eye contact with me, so it wasn't too distracting. She made me feel really comfortable and at ease. It seemed like she was just trying to get a feel of what kind of a person i was. She also complimented me a lot, which really made me feel good about myself and helped to boost my confidence during the interview.
Very stress free. In the interview the doctor did most of the talking. He went out of his way to make sure all my questions about the school were answered. The student interview is over lunch, so it is also very laid back.
This was my first interview, and it really put me at ease. The people are great, the interviews are really positive and they basically just want to get to know you better and see that you are a genuine person. One faculty interview in the AM, then lunch with a student around noon. The informational presentation is thorough, and you get a good sense of the two curricular pathways you can choose as a first year.
overall really good...the people were very nice, Wanda is awesome! the student interview is great b/c you get to have lunch in their cafeteria and just talk, a very laid back time; they're all very helpful and informative and want you to have a good experience
The doctor who interviewed me seemed very nice and extremely intelligent, but he hardly let me get a word in edgewise during the interview. I barely felt I had a chance to talk about myself, most of the time was spent listening to him talk about what's wrong with healthcare in America, which was very interesting to hear his point of view, but I'm not sure how much information he gained about me that wasn't already in my application.
You interview with about 15 other people. One interview is one-on-one with a facutly member (open file), and the other is with a student over lunch. Overall, the experience is really nice, although some of the student interviewers didn't seem to really be interested in the process. Also, Drexel does interview A LOT of people, so you definitely sometimes feel like a number. Overall though, the school is great. I will be attending this fall.
It was great overall. Just know that you will have two interviews. The one with the faculty is open-file and the one with the student is closed file. (The student interview is over lunch.) You may not have your interview at the Queen Lane Campus because some students get interviewed in other locations. However, they provide you with a shuttle bus. It didn't even take the full 6-8 weeks to get a letter of response. I got my letter of acceptance in 4 weeks.
The interview day started off with a presentation first by a member of one of the admissions staff and then a presentation by a dean. Right after the presentation, I left to the university hospital and had my first interview with a cardiologist. He was super super cool and our converstation was laid back. After the faculty interview, your next interview is with a student over lunch. It is extremely informal. I think they just want to get a feel for who you are. I didn't have any "stress" questions at all. After the conclusion of the interviews, there was an optional presentation on the PBL curriculum which was really informative.
The interviews were easy. Almost too easy. They kept stressing that they conduct laid back interviews, but this was borderline rediculous. I've always been told that the interview process was designed to distinguish among applicants that look the same on paper (good grades, MCAT, ECs, etc.)but I really have to wonder how this interview facilitated that. I mean, my 12 year old sister probably could have answered the questions I was asked - it wasn't even remotely challenging. What I thought was most distressing was that state of the students. They seemed miserablely stressed and unhappy (even more so than medical students are typically are). Even my student interviewer (who I had assumed would be full of nothing but praise for the school) said that the demands put on students were a bit much - more so than other schools - at times they are juggling something like nine classes concurrently (including a statistics class??).
Very good. Non-stressful. Pleasant. The day gave me an excellent idea of what school would be like at Drexel, which, i suppose, is the point of the day....
This was probably my best interview experience...I came in with a great view of what Drexel Univ SOM was like...and left even more in love with the school, the opportunities, faculty and students.
My day started off with an information session, followed by a tour of the campus. My tour was cut short because I was the only one in the group who had to go off campus for an interview. My faculty interview was great. My interviewer made me feel completely comfortable. When I came back from my faculty interview, I had a student interview which was also great because it was completely informal and my interviewer was a very relaxed person. I jsut wish that I could've changed into something more comfortable for the student interview (it was that relaxed!).
i could tell my interviewer did not like me. i waited outside her office for about 15-20 min. while she spoke on the phone and she didn't even shake my hand and say hello when i was finally able to walk in the door. she basically went over my amcas page by page and pointed out all my weak points and tried to put down all my accomplishments.
Overall, Drexel is a good place. The people there are very friendly and easygoing. I didn't feel stressed out at all and found the hospitality to be amazing.
My faculty interview was at Hahnemann Hospital. It originally started in an office, continued on walking through the halls of the building, into the OR during a debridement, and in the doctor's car on the way back to the campus. Bizarre, but overall very good interview - I hope. Student interview was even more laid back - over lunch. I felt very comfortable and learned a lot about the school and its students.
nice school. curriculum is progressive. gym is too small but you can use the ymca for free and drexel's undergrad facilities. numerous clinical sites available. cafeteria is small but had good hot food. i like the sound of the problem based learning curriculum. the traditional lecture based curriculum is integrated though which is good. no real reasearch to speak of, but that doesnt matter to me. seems like a back up, an only school for most, but i think it is better than that.
The interview was easy. Very easy. Just relax and you'll do fine - the faculty there are cordial, welcoming and foster a very low-stress atmosphere for your interview day...a welcome change to my interview experiences of late
Private schools are expensive. That is the reality. I would keep that fact in mind when assessing the benefits of Drexel. My day was a very positive one and the students were very genuine. 50G is just a very chunk of change each year.
Keep in mind that the student interview is over lunch, and the regular interviews are conducted at various campuses. It was a very conversational, laid-back interview. Had a great time!
Overall not bad. Relatively short day which could have been even shorter. Students I spoke with didn't seem enthusiastic, they called Drexel a "good backup school."
The school is somewhat in the middle of nowhere. But it is affiliated with many hospitals, which is nice. MCP is not definitely closing, but even if it does (which would be a major loss to the local community) there are plenty more affiliated hospitals.
As above- Drexel more than other schools I visited is dedicated o improvement, their classrooms/labs are impressive and the city of philly is fun/affordable
The faculty interviewer was super nice and it was a really good conversation. It wasn't stressful at all and felt like a regular conversation. The student interviewer was even nicer and was great. It was like talking to a friend. He also let me follow him down to the cadavers and meet his friends.
Drexel Med was my first interview experience and might as well been my last. I have been offered an acceptance and I am taking it. I have been accepted at more prestigious schools, but I feel that they can not offer me the educational opportunities that Drexel can.
dont worry about the interview. its extremely low key and laid back. they were very friendly and accomodating. the interview felt more like they really wanted the applicant to consider them to be at their school. just basic easy questions, talk about yourself and why interested in medicine.
Overall it was good. I had a very challenging faculty interview, with some difficult questions. Questions seemed like they were more geared towards hearing my views on certain issues in healthcare, rather than getting to know who I am as an applicant
This was my first interview, so I went in a little nervous. My interviewer was very nice, however and it made me feel more relaxed. Most of the questions came from my application and were not challenging. Besides the health insurance issue question (see above) the only other real thinking question he asked was what role do I think education has in medicine. Overall, it was a good experience.
The students and faculty are nice and accomodating. There were almost 50 people interviewing with me though and it seemed a bit hectic. I had to be redirected to another interview room, etc
very low key, emphasized the history of school and recent changes. VERY impressive facility. Drexel has done everything they can to ensure that all learning environments are available for their students
Great Day! I came into the day not looking forward to it because I had a negative impression of Drexel. I left with a big smile on my face :)! The day was great: very nice campus and surrounding area, pleasant admissions staff, low-stress interview - - an overall great experience. For my faculty interview, I had to travel by shuttle bus to Hahneman University Hospital in center city, which is about a 25-minute ride. At first I thought this was ridiculous, but after thinking about it, I feel that it gives the interviewee an experience that Drexel students go through during their course of study. The student interview is over lunch, very laid back and conversational. I am still concerned about the teaching hospital situation. The hospitals are owned by a for-profit company, which just announced that it was closing MCP Hospital (the MCP in "MCP/Hahneman University") . . .
Everyone said that Drexel was very low stress; I think I just happened to get an interviewer who asked questions for shock value. Although we did have a nice discussion on the state of health care in the United States.
The student interview was very low key. Nothing interesting there.
The facilities are amazing, but that's about all I got from my interview day. The admissions office didn't really provide an opportunity for us to interact with current students, as most schools do. Even though the day's class schedule was written on the board, it was a little difficult to try and make it to any classes when you're waiting for an interview (plus, the only one I could go to was the same huge lecture we'd seen on the tour). Also, my faculty interviewer was 45 mintues late in starting my interview, so I missed out completely on the PIL session, which I found quite unfortunate.
The day was very relaxed and enjoyable. The staff is super-friendly and they give you a great tour. Be prepared to have to take a shuttle to your faculty interview. After this you will have lunch with your student interviewer. And the day ends with the PIL presentation which is optional, but well worth the time.
The interviewees met in a room in the admissions office and were given a presentation by one of the admissions staff about the history of the school, the curricula, and financial aid. We were then given a tour of the school. After the tour we had our faculty interviews. I had to ride a shuttle to the hospital in Philadelphia, where I met my interviewer. The interview was very relaxed and conversational. After the faculty interview, I went back to the main campus and had lunch and my interview with a student. This interview was really laidback, she didn't even really ask me any questions, we just kind of talked about the school and what it's like to live in Philadelphia. Finally, we had an information session to tell us a little bit more about the PIL program.
The length of the interviews is ridiculously unprofessional. The faculty do prepare for them by reading your file, but the length is just insufficient. Drexel should have saved me the cab fare and held the interview at the airport. Some people only got 20 minute interviews.
Completely low-stress; so low-stress actually that I worried they weren't taking me seriously. My interviewer was a psychiatrist (which totally worried me!) but was awesome; had read my application thoroughly and asked me specific questions about my personal statement and activities, in a very non-threatening way. I was flattered that someone had prepared so much for my interview and felt like I really got a chance to let my personality show through. I didn't even get the standard "Why drexel" or "Why medicine" questions; it was really laid-back, and I liked the day. My student interview was also fine; the student was not very talkative so I had to carry the convo a bit, but the free lunch was nice.
Thought the interview was off the topic of my application and centered more on how I would react to strange questions. My interviewer also didn't know I was supposed to meet with him that day and took me to see some patients before he sat down with me. Then he answered his cellphone twice during the interview. Student interview, however, was really fun and easy-going
I enjoyed the school, and my student interviewer was great. However, my faculty interview was terrible. She made a pre-judgment about me based on where I grew up, and I know that I don't have a chance of getting in because of it. She was very insulting and condescending to me throughout the entire interview.
I absolutely loved Philadelphia, and I was impressed with the people I met while in the city, including an amazing 3rd yeard student that I just happened to meet in the city who took me out on the town the night after my interview. Maybe it was a bad day, but I did not find the students at the school itself to be especially friendly and/or happy, as other interviewees here had indicated. The student tour guide was condescending.
If you interview here, make sure you try to get a good understanding of both the IFM and PIL programs. The class size is around 250 and the school seemed more crowded than any other school I interviewed at. The PIL program seems like a nice fit for someone looking for a smaller learning environment within the large school.
Both my interviews were very conversational. My faculty interviewer was very nice and asked me many questions as I was answering them (which made me feel like she was interested in what I had to say)
I was initially uneasy due to Drexel's financial troubles but following the information session, it seems that the school is fine now. The campus seems new and is slated for renovation according to my student interviewer. Very down-home feel for a medical school with such a large class (250).
I was not particularly impressed with Drexel, although I think I came away with the interview feeling that it wouldn't be a bad place to go to school. There were 15 people interviewing the day I went, and all said their interviews went very well, and were really easy. I was the only one that had my particular interviewer, and he wasn't Drexel Faculty. He was kind of cold and very hard to talk to, and spent a lot of time looking for problems with my application. I also felt very rushed during the interview, like there wasn't enough time to get out all I needed to say before he would go on to the next question.
You get two interviews. One student one faculty. Tour was given by the admissions staff-wish students did it. lots of down time. Faculty interview is open file and student interview is closed-file. Very laid back and conversational.
I had a negative image of Drexel before my interview. I had never heard of the school and pretty much wrote the school off before I knew anything about it. My opinion changed quickly, I really like the curriculum especially the Interdisceplinary Foundations in Medicine or IFM. They also have a Program for Integrated Learning or PIL which is for people who like to learn in groups but there isn't enough structure for me. The medical school building is great, everything is really new and the campus is in a nice area. I interviewed with the associate dean of admissions which was a little intimidating but he was laid back and didn't rip into me about my many weak points on my application, especially my grades. I also like the fact that they decide on your fate in four to six weeks. It's either going to be a great or really bad Christmas.
The whole experience was very positive. The day was not too strenuous, except for taking the half hour shuttle ride to Hahnemann hospital where my interview was held (it takes half an hour because it's all local streets). Just enjoy your time at Philadelphia. Be sure to go to Pat's and grab a couple of Philly Cheessteak Sandiches before you leave town.
Has the potential to be a really good school if Drexel is willing to make a finacial committment. They have great facilities, and everyone is really friendly.
We started the day off with some of Drexel's history, and I learned that it's bancruptcy is old news and and has a very reasonable explaination. Then we went on a tour, then faculty interviews, then we had out student interview over lunch. Next you could leave or you could wait around for a PIL presentation/discussion.
Drexel seems like a great school with a very relaxed atmosphere. I really like the IFM curriculum because it is symptom-based but also taught mostly in lectures, with some small group learning as well. The PIL curriculum is mostly problem-based. The interviewers were really approachable and answered all of my questions about the school. I like the location because everything is all in one building that is in a residential area.
there were about 15 people interviewing. the faculty interview was very fair, dr. larson was very nice and asked all the standard questions. the student interview was very laid-back also over lunch. mostly the students seemed pretty reserved, not the most lively bunch, but not totally stressed out either.
Overall, I'd say I had a positive experience there, but I just wasn't really impressed by the physical school itself (the building, grounds, etc) Not sure I'd want to spend 4 years there. My faculty interviewer was half an hour late, and I spent only about 25 minutes in with her, but she was nice enough. That interview was open file. My student interview was over lunch, with is hard to do because I was trying to eat and talk at the same time. It was closed-file, but I spent over an hour in there with him. He was cool though, we ended up just chatting about everything from Drexel to Penn State football and partying. His friends were there so I got even more feedback too, which was nice. They all seemed very normal. Be prepared for a LOT of down-time throughout the day though. At one point I sat in the conference room for an hour and a half waiting for my next appointment.
A great overall experience. I came in thinking, I would never want to go to this school... now I feel the opposite. This is a great place, the people were great and friendly. The opporunities seem wonderful. A great place for clinical medicine.
I got there and got an overview followed by the interview w/ the dean and lunch and tour with the student. Very laid back and easy. Everyone was really friendly
Overall the day was great. We got quick intro to the school and choice of curricula, a tour of the place (which is really really nice), talked to some students, had an interview, had another interview, and went home. It is a great place that is getting better and better. Residency placement is great and there is a choice of curricula. The interview was the most relaxed, fun, interesting that I've had.
i was really excited to check out drexel...its history and commitment to women's medicine were appealing. however, this commitment seems to encompass alienating the male students to some extent. the interview was fine. the main reason i'd go there (if i am given that opportunity) would be for the pil curriculum.
It was all right. My faculty interviewer was nice and we had a good conversation. My student interviewer was also nice enough. I don't know, there just didn't seem to be a rich intellectual tradition there -- it seemed like it would be perfectly fine to go to school there, but you better have a separate support network.
I had a good day and found that most of the students that I talked with were very positive about the school. The questions that I was asked were very straightforward. I was asked nothing ethical or nothing very difficult.
The experience was great. This was my last interview of the season and so I was pretty laid back. It was also the first really honest interview I had. The interviewer took the time and steps to really get to know me and why I had choosen medicine. My studnet interview was terrible. They do them over lunch with the students and there is a wide variation among studnet interviewers. Mine never asked any questions and seemed to have no personality. Overall though the day was positive.
Generally a good interview experience that was not conducted as a stress interview. The student interview was more challenging and asked harder questions that the faculty interviewer. The student interviewer has some standard questions to ask. Faculty member just seemed to want to get to know me better and had the standard questions.
My faculty interviewer didn't give me any feedback as to how the interview went. My student interviwer seemed pissed off that she had to fill out the interview form. It always boggles my mind that I always get stuck with med students that either hate the school or are not too interested in interviewing the potential candidates.
Overall a really great interview experience. The tour and orientation was really informative. Everyone was extremely nice. Interviews were conversational and relaxing.
This was my first interview and was expectedly nerve-wracking. However my group was tremendously supportive of me and even cheered me on as I left for my faculty interview. I was thoroughly disappointed that the lady who interviewed me was retired. She didn't seem very interested in my motivations to become a doctor, rather questioned whether I was capable of it due to difficulties I had with grades. Granted that my grades are average and my MCAT scores are not phenomenal, I really felt that it was the first thing that struck her about me. My positive attitude about myself didn't seem to matter because it seemed like she had already made her mind about what she thought of me. It was tough, which made me nervous.Plus she was really old and squinted at me the whole time....not a good thing. The student interview was GREAT. He was really supportive of what I thought and genuinely seemed enraptured by what I had to say. I got to say what I felt and liked that he seemed to affirm what I thought about various issues. All in all, it was an okay interview experience. I wish everyone the best of luck in the interview process. Believe in your potential...that's the first step. Let them know that you know you'll be a great physician. Take care and good luck :)
There's a student interview over lunch which is closed file and a faculty interview which is open file. The faculty interviewer didn't seem to have looked before the interview.
Pretty laid back and everyone is nice. The PBL curriculum and the IFM is pretty appealing and shows that the school has a correct trajectory in it's educational approach. Yet, the school did not have the luster to it. I think that it would be better to stick to your state school for a better education at a much cheaper price.
The people I met were very interesting. As a high school student, I really had little clue of stuff like residency and the USMLEs. The other interviewees gave me the inside scoop on how medical school works and some of their postgraduate work they were doing. My interviewer was really nice and he even came from my hometown! Definately a positive interview experience.
the interview should have been relaxing, but for whatever reason my interviewer was challenging my desire to pursue medicine. She picked my application apart asking me to defend all the faults I have. Hopefully I gave her enough ammunition to combat the same questions people on the committee will ask. I have done many interviews, so I know that she was attacking me. Look below to see the questions. It might have just been her style, and maybe it will pay off.
Overall great experience. My first interview was with a student. Very laid back, asked me why I want to be a doctor and the hardest thing Ive ever done. After that I interviewed with a Md. Very laid back. He asked me why violence was so high in american schools today, infant mortality, insurance, and if docs should volunteer.
the interview day was organized pretty well considering there were about 40 people being interviewed. there are two separate interviews, one with a faculty (30 minutes) and one with a studnet (about 45 minutes). student interview was very relaxed. he was actually tired from partying the night before but we still had a good conversation. lisa, the admissions director was very friendly. there's not much to do within the area of the school. you have to go to the city and the school provides a shuttle to take you there.
I wasn't crazy about East Falls (Drexel's not actually in urban Philadelphia), but my interview was at Hahnemann University Hospital, which was. I liked my faculty interviewer, and also the "pathway" program where Drexel provides close counseling for students in the residency match planning. I didn't like the med school building, and the grading system (essentially, a letter system, Honors, High Pass, Pass, Fail = A, B, C, F) which seems to make it higher pressure; also I didn't like the fact that the clinical rotations will take you to Erie PA, Pittsburgh PA, and a couple of towns in Jersey (i.e., you will not be able to do all of your rotations in Philly). Also I was not enthralled with the huge class size of 237, but that's minor really...
There were two interviews: one over lunch with a student and another with a faculty member. I was pleased that the faculty member took a lot of interest in my application and in trying to understand it throughly (I am a non-traditional student, out of school for a couple years). The med school building was pretty nice, but seems quite isolated. We did not tour any of the hospital either. The med building has a small gym area and its library seemed quite small.
If you have a female psychiatrist interview you, who also coordinates some academic programs, expect a rude interview. The other student who interviewed with her, had the same experience that I did.
I did not have the typical Drexel interview that everyone else seems to have had. My interviewer had read my file very carefully and asked very specific questions, none of the typical why do you want to be a doctor? why drexel? etc. Told me a decision I had made was "a tragic mistake". I did not have a very positive experience but apparently this is not typical...
Faculty interview felt odd. He didn't ask too many direct questions and didn't have many positive things to say about me, Drexel or medicine in general. He also didn't answer most of my questions - he said the students knew the school better than he did and I should ask them...
Great student interview - also counts in your file.
Overall it was a really good experience. The interviewers were really friendlyand laid back one was a student and the other one was a faculty member. The day was also very well organized.
The interviews was not a tough as I expected. I interviewed with the dean of admissions and the MD/PhD director, 3 other PhD faculty and an MD/PhD students. Most of the interviews were conversational and straight foward. The PhD faculty just want to see if you are truely dedicated to research as a major part of your career. There was one faculty that did not ask me any questions regarding my application and just talked incessantly about his research for about an hour... wow...
Oh, one note on the hotel accomodations: The school pays for accommodation. I stayed at a bed and breakfast close to the school but the flip side of that is it's not really comfortable (and I'm a non-picky avid camper). I would pick a hotel somewhere if I have to do it over.
The city is pretty cool--lots of stuff to see and do. The school is niceness too. Students were super friendly and the buildings looked clean and renovated.
My interviewer was really nice and friendly. She did a lot of the talking at the beginning and did not really ask too many questions about my application, we got off that subject quite a bit. My student interview was kinda random. I overheard him telling his friend how he was so hungover from last nite and so prepared for the occasion (he like rolled out of bed to come interview and have a free lunch). He said it would be nothing to worry about, but asked kinda serious questions because that was what was on the paper. Its quite awkward to talk and eat in such a loud crowded cafeteria, but I was kinda prepared for that after reading these comments.
OK, so, you start by going to campus and once you check in with the security guard, you go into the admissions office. Then you check in there and you sit in this conference room with all the other interviewees (about twelve when I went). You chat among yourself and then there is a presentation and a tour, guided by admissions staff. Then there is a whole lot more waiting and chatting until your two interviews (one with a student over lunch and another with a faculty member). Pretty much, by the end, all the interviewees have totally bonded because, let me repeat, there is a LOT of waiting and chatting. It really was a fun day, so don't stress!!
I am from the area, so I thought I had some idea of what Drexel is all about. I was a little concerned about the University's torrid history (the name changes, new management, etc), but the presentation by the the admisisons director put my fears to rest. I must admit that I went in expecting the worst and was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the admissions staff, students, and faculty. OH, and the faculty interview is open file, while the student interview is closed.
I was very impressed with the school, and I was accepted in November..I am seriously considering it, except for it is very expensive. The interview was difficult to assess...my interviewer did not seem exceptionally friendly, yet I have heard this is generally the case. All in all, one of my top choices.
I had a pretty unremarkable experience. The orientation presentation was extremely fast and haphazard. The lady spoke way too fast during the 1 hour presentation. My interview with the faculty was pleasant (although he was very late to start the interview and early to finish it). My student interview occurred over lunch, which I thought was unusual to eat in front of someone interviewing you for admission to medical school.
There are two interviews - one student (closed file) and one faculty member (open file). They give a nice slide show presentation about the school, tour, and then there is about 3 hours of free time when you will have your interviews (you interview with the student over lunch - it's hard to talk with your mouth full!!) In between interviews you can listen in on classes or sort of wander around, or just sit in the room and wait.
I was still a little skeptical after reading this site, but the interviews really are relaxed (this doesn't mean that they don't ask any challenging questions, but it's more like having a discussion with a friend that with someone who's judging you).
Brief info session, followed by a tour. Then I had one interview with a retired doctor who actually attended the school (but did not work at it): she specifically said I should not ask her any nitty-gritty questions about the school since I could ask the student. The interview was basically just conversational, no really hard questions. Then I had the student interview over lunch, which was slightly strange since this student will be evaluating you. The student actually asked me much harder questions, such as pushing me on why I want to be a doctor, etc etc. Then I sat in on a class, which was pretty interesting. I was impressed with the school and its technology, not so much with the location.
Overall, I thought the school was great. Everyone I encountered was really nice, and the interview was probably one of the most relaxed interviews I've had.
Group orientation followed by an interview with a medical school rep. She was difficult because a research background seemed to be a bad thing in her eyes. She only wanted clinical experiences - weird. Then, a meeting with a PhD. and off to lunch with a very nice M.D., Ph.D. student. Then, a meeting with the director and off to 4 meetings with Ph.D.s who were often new to the school. The interviewers were very nice but too new to Drexel to comment on the school. Then, the thing wrapped up with a pizza party.
There are two interviews at Drexel University School of Medicine, one with a student(closed file) and one with a faculty member(open file). Both of these lasted 30 - 40 minutes for me. My student interview was in the cafeteria (which is a bit small for such a large school). She was a first year and the interview was as much an opportunity for her to guage my motivations, background, and interest in Drexel as it was for me to ask any questions I had. My faculty interview was at MCP Hospital which is a couple blocks away from the school (a shuttle is provided). My interview was delayed about 15-20 minutes. My faculty interviewer was intellectual and asked my opinion on a number of open ended questions - the kind that nobody really has an answer to... I was impressed by the facilities of the actual college and the surrounding neighborhood does not seem too bad. Admission decisions are made within 6 weeks. Tour guide (Director of Admissions) is a veteran at giving the tour -> NO B.S.
Everyone was really nice. Random students would ask me how my interview went and wished me luck. My interviewer was the sweetest lady! My student interviewer was a little weird...I ended up asking him more questions than he asked me. The interview was very conversational.
Students didnt seem too happy at the school and the class size was too large for my liking. Learned that the PIL students dont interact much with the IFM kids.
My student interview was basically a conversation except for the end when he said that he was supposed to ask me certain questions. It was a little awkward conducting it over lunch. The faculty interview was quite relaxed. He only asked me what I was doing now and about my volunteering in the past. The rest of the time we discussed sports, history of Philly, etc. (which was fine with me).
As of 4/02 it was MCP Hahnemann was adopted as part of Drexel university, an advantageous marriage in many ways. The students at Drexel seemed extremely happy and get a lot of attention. Also , there problem-based learning and 3rd-4th year curricula are models for the rest of the country.
The interviews were both low key. The faculty interview was conducted either at the school or at hospitals with physicians. The student interviewers did not have access to your files.
The interview day was very poorly organized. They did not know who the faculty interviewer would be for the three of us (out of 20 people group) and I was on of them. We were told that we would have to take a bus to another campus to be interviewed.
There was an hour break between the tour and the student interview that was filed with nothing. In the middle of the student interview an admission office representative came in and told me that I would not have to travel to another campus after all and would be interviewed on site.
My student interview went really well, she was really laid back and didn't ask any hard questions. My faculty interview was a little more difficult, he was not in a particularly good mood.
overall, the interview was SO laid back. the faculty interviewer just wanted to talk basically and what was really great was that she didnt have to ask me if i had any questions for her...my questions all came out as part of our discussion. One thing that I learned was that any problems students had with the PIL program were due to issues a couple years ago and since then there have been no problems with it. In fact, the students I talked to in IFM told me that I should apply to PIL if not just to try it out b/c you can always switch out but you can't switch in to it. Read up on the different tracks for the first two years because it is definitely a good discussion point during both interviews.
Overall, it was a low stress day. Everyone at the campus was friendly and were really helpful. The interviewers did not ask any tough questions, but instead, wanted to get to know you as a person.
The student interviewer was fantastic, very enthusiastic. The faculty interviewer was laid back and very interested in being my advocate on the admissions committee. However, my interviewer didn't read my file before or during my interview; he said he preferred to get to know me as a person first.
My faculty interviewer was great, he made me feel real comfortable talking to him. The setting was like a more like a regular discussion, not an interview.
It was a low stress,and gave applicants an opportunity to interact with current students/staff. The morning was filled with a summary of the school/history. this was followed by a tour, after which the interviews started.
I had one-on-one interviews with a faculty member and a student. The faculty interview lasted 45min and was extremely friendly and conversational. We discussed my history and interests, and found some common ground.
The student interview lasted an hour and a half and was also very conversational. My student interviewer was a bit distracted (he seemed to know everyone passing through the cafeteria), but was still very friendly and talkative. I felt I learned quite a bit about the school during that time.
i thought the interviews went fine, but i had the misfortune of getting interviewers (student and MD) that were in bad moods. the student was very much in a hurry, and was obviously doing the interview just for the free lunch she got. she also did not make much eye contact with me. the md who interviewed me was thorough, but was a little bit disillusioned with both his profession and particarly specialty. neither interview experience was very stressful, but i would have liked it better if either person had at least pretended to enjoy themselves.
I didn't get a whole lot of real questions--just a few clarifications on my experiences, hobbies etc. It was actually a bit disconcerting, but the other interviewees seemed to have more traditional experiences. The student interview was a really good experience--it was good to see the students interact. They all seemed relaxed and happy.
There were about seven of us interviewing. The day started with a presentation by staff. We were given a tour of the facility, then we had lunch. You get interviewed by a medical student during lunch, so be prepared to answer questions and keep a dialogue. The school is crowded as there is such a big class, but the students seem to like the school. There are two teaching styles here (IFM and PIL-read about these). Students in each of the styles are happy with their style and encourage you to go into it. The students and faculty were very friendly here. The interviews were not stressful, they were more interested in getting to know you.
anyone going after the friday i went is going to be interviewing for a wait list spot, so don't get your hopes up too high, even though they do go to there wait list. just changed management, again, so who knows if its going to get better or worse. just relax! email me if you have any questions: [email protected]
Interviews were pretty typical: one student, one faculty. The student interview is closed-file, faculty is open-file. They asked the usual questions. The student interview was over lunch in the cafeteria.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggest that the admissions office should minimize downtime during the interview process and provide more personalized interactions, such as having student interviewers who have been at the school longer and offering in-person welcomes instead of videos. Additionally, applicants recommend improving communication, shortening decision wait times, and enhancing the overall organization and structure of the interview day.
have student interviewers that have been attending the school for longer than 1 month
Improve food offerings. Use people to give presentations, not videos. Allow applicants to interact with students who have been at the school for longer than 3 months.
Why make us write another essay? Don’t schedule four applicants with the same interviewer back to back, if he runs late to begin with and runs over time, the last applicant is set back over an hour and a half. It really means a lot to have an actual person welcome the applicants who visit the medical school campus, the video was a complete turn off, and started the day on the wrong foot.
We were told that it would take 6-8 weeks to hear any word back due to the high volume of applicants. However, this is quite a long time and is very stressful to applicants. I would suggest, however if it is possible or not, to cut that waiting period down significantly.
-have an actual interview packet or something to give to people when they come for an interview. an information booklet or something that they can take home instead of just a few sheets of paper.
-make the lunch more organized instead of just directing students to the cafeteria
-notify students when they are being offered an interview immediately, instead of waiting however many weeks to send an email and leaving it up to them to check their portal every day
I understand that Drexel receives a lot of applications but their admissions & interview process needs a lot of work.
Don't schedule a tour of the anatomy lab/school facilities at the same time some interviewees have to leave for interviews. The admissions office gave a tour of the medical school and the anatomy lab to all interviewees except for me as soon as I left to attend my interview in Center City.
Maybe have a student give the tour so interviewees have a better feel for what the students think. Also maybe have refreshments while interviewees wait in the room for long periods of time, I was starving while waiting for the student interview.
Thanks for the relaxed interviews. I'd love to see more of what we could see as med students. Seeing the PIL program was good, but I would have loved to see some more.
When you give out folders to interviewing students, it would be nice if you included their names and schedules in there instead of having us shuffle papers around.