East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy Interview Feedback Summary
Johnson City, TN
Pharmacy Schools | Public Non-Profit
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⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
8.3
Above Average
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 99 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional
8–8.9 Very Good
7–7.9 Good
6–6.9 Mixed
< 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
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
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools based on user responses include inquiries about the interviewee's interest in pharmacy, reasons for choosing the specific school or location, experiences in the field, preparations for pharmacy school, ethical scenarios, and personal strengths and weaknesses. While some responses suggest an MMI format with nondisclosure agreements, the focus remains on assessing the candidate's motivations, qualifications, and ethical decision-making abilities.
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Tell me about yourself and what brings me to ETSU?
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what have i done to prepare for pharmacy school?
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if you see someone cheating at workplace what do u do
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Why ETSU?
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How did you become interested in pharmacy?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy discussed various aspects such as their interest in pharmacy specialties, the future of pharmacy, reflections on past experiences, leadership skills, and hypothetical scenarios like handling patient requests when the only pharmacist available. The responses suggest a diverse range of questions focusing on career goals, personal attributes, and situational judgment, indicating a comprehensive assessment approach possibly aligned with an MMI format where respondents might be bound by a nondisclosure agreement.
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what specialty was i interested in?
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Probably when they asked about where I see pharmacy going.
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Where do you see pharmacy ten years from now?
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Think back on your experiences volunteering in pharmacy, what are some positive and negative traits of the pharmacists you worked with? What traits would you like to have?
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Tell me about an experience or task you performed, personal or professional, that you wish you could do over.
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy discussed various topics such as leadership qualities, future of pharmacy profession, ethical scenarios, and personal reflections. Some respondents mentioned questions related to ethical dilemmas, preparation for pharmacy school, and future trends in pharmacy, while also noting the challenge of recalling specific instances during the interview.
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None were really difficult in my opinion.
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What traits make you a good leader? or What traits would make you a great pharmacist?
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What are some current issues relating to Pharmacy? (my mind went blank :( )
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Do you think that you are well prepared to join a rigorous pharmacy school with only having minimal shadowing hours and virtually no pharmacy experience?
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Have you ever been in a situation where things did not go as planned?
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had a closed file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
No responses
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Many applicants prepared for the interview by utilizing resources like Student Doctor Network (SDN), practicing with friends, and conducting mock interviews. They also focused on researching the school, studying common interview questions, and reviewing their own application materials to prepare thoroughly.
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sdn and practice outloud
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talked with current students from the school. they really help you figure out if ETSU is a place that you want to go to.
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I read SDN feedback, and looked up standard interview questions.
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Read all questions listed on SDN, then made basic notes on my answers. Thought about other possible questions. Practiced out loud.
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SDN, practice with friends
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were consistently impressed by the warm and welcoming atmosphere created by the staff, faculty, and students, making them feel special and at ease during the interview process. The accessibility of faculty and staff, the positive energy exhibited by all members of the school, the state-of-the-art facilities, and the integrated campus setting were also highlighted as positive aspects that left a lasting impression.
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All the staffs were there to greet and welcome you. very nice setting school. country side looking and nice clean looking school. surround with other medical schools. The dean states that he's a saleman, and he will make sure to provide us the best outfit to prepare us for future career and marketable by offering dual programs and such....He wants us to well spent our money and our 4 years at school
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the faculty, interviewers, students, admissions office who were all there during the interview day. they really make you feel special and welcomed. the building is warm and welcoming as well.
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the dean greeted me the moment I walked in the hallway. He then gave us the presentation about the school history.The dean and all staff are extremely friendly. the school are in the property of government and that why my gps could not find the school location.
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The facilities are very nice, and a it's a pretty cool building.
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The whole process was very low stress. They just really want to see who you are. The sim lab is great!
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the location of the school, the emphasis on job prospects, and specific negative experiences during interviews. Suggestions included addressing location issues, balancing job discussions, and improving the interview experience for candidates.
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nothing really. the weather was cold that day. the location of the school isn't the best either. there isn't much in that area of the state.
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I didn't like the fact that everyone was so concerned about jobs. I know it's something we should be worried about, but it seemed like a really really big deal to them. Almost made me think that people graduating are having trouble finding jobs.
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Nothing
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Nothing. They went above and beyond to make everyone feel welcome.
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The interviewer was a male teacher, not from the pharmacy school, he sat through the entire interview with his arms crossed...
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known more about the area and facilities ahead of time, as well as the layout of the interviews. Many were pleasantly surprised by Johnson City and the program after their initial impressions, and some suggested bringing a companion to the interview.
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i was told by others that johnson city is a rural area. I had to drive along the mountain from ashville NC to johnson city. my first impression about the area told by others is that the area is poor and rural, may be there are not many places around. However, when i get there, i really like the city. It has major stores that a city has. this area is so associated with poverty. pharmacies use same technology standard that is used in a city
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Nothing.
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Nothing
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How the interviews are laid out---> I had two interviews: 1) one-on-one with a faculty member, lasted 30 minutes, very laid-back, open file 2) one-on-one with a student, lasted 30 minutes, closed file, extremely laid back
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Better directions
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally provided positive feedback about the Gatton College of Pharmacy, emphasizing the supportive and caring environment, personalized approach to interviews, and impressive statistics on job placement and residency placements. They appreciated the welcoming atmosphere, open-file interviews, and the opportunity to interact with faculty, students, and the dean.
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I don't really like how the school was founded. The story was basically that , the state of Tennessee didn't want another pharmacy school. So they raised the money themselves to build one. They try to make it sound all great and everything, but I don't know. They talked a lot about saturation problems in the field, but they're clearly one of the causes.
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I was really impressed by the school and everyone at the interview. They all seem to really care about why you are getting into pharmacy and where they fit into your plans.
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For me this was a great fit as they focus on you the student and seem to care about their students and potential future students. Great positive vide from everyone at the Gatton College of Pharmacy! If you are interested in practing rural healthcare it is the best but if you desire to live in NYC or another huge city I would look to a school that caters to those types of careers. I was impressed by the statistics of the first graduating class from a boards pass rate, job statistics, and residency placements! Dean Calhoun is an inspirational individual and got me fired up to be apart of ETSU & Gatton College of Pharmacy! I can't wait to start in the fall 2011!
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Guests are allowed, so I brought my sister and mother. We mingled in the lobby on the ground floor until we started at 8:30. The dean, who is a humorous fellow, opened for us with a few encouraging words. Everyone was classified as either Group A, B or C. That made the difference on what activity you would be doing when. I had my interview with the instructor first, which was nice to get it out of the way. It was an open fil interview. She was very welcoming and warm and the questions did not feel like interview questions, just her personally inquiring things about me. This is where you need to be yourself. After around 20 minutes, she released me back to the student lounge where I waited for the campus tour. They showed us their simulation lab (soo cool, one of the 3 schools in the country to have one) where they can perform simulations along with the nursing and medical students about how to treat patients effectively. Then we went back to the student lounge to wait for our last interviewers to come and get us. The last interview was conducted by a student of the pharmacy school, who was very down to earth and acted like he really wanted to find out who you are and whether or not you would fit at the school. My student interview was closed file. After that interview, I found my family and waited until the financial aid section started, and then after that the schools student affairs person went over everything required for matriculation. They then served us Chick-fil-a. Overall, a good day. I felt very welcome at the event.
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The campus was vrey nice, next door to the medical school.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants praised the admissions office for their excellent responsiveness and efficiency, which influenced their decision to choose the institution for their studies. They highlighted the importance of maintaining this high level of service throughout their time at the university.
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Fantastic operation from application to acceptance! The responsiveness from the admissions lead me to believe that this is how I would be treated during my 4 years at ETSU! And a major reason why I am choosing to attend.
📍 On-Site Experience ▼
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are out of state students.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 2-3 hours traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by automobile to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent less than $100.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI)
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SFO to CLT to TRI city regional airport
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
Based on the responses provided by the users, the most commonly mentioned hotel is Red Roof Inn.
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Best Western
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Courtyard Johnson City (Marriott)
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Courtyard Marriott
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Motel 6
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Red Roof
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
Most respondents would recommend their hotel.
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
All Responses
| Application Cycle ▿ | Impression | Performance | Interview Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2013-14 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2013-14 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2012-13 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2011-12 | No change 😐 | Average | N/A |
| 2011-12 | No change 😐 | Great | N/A |
| 2010-11 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2010-11 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Negatively ☹️ | Poor | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
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