Miami, FL
Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit
Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 40% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview mixed with a moderate stress level, and felt they did okay.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
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.
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?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about personal qualities, conflict resolution, decision-making in unfamiliar situations, future goals, favorite activities, handling stress, ethical dilemmas, views on healthcare, and reasons for pursuing medicine and choosing specific schools. Some respondents mentioned an MMI format, suggesting a structured interview process, potentially involving nondisclosure agreements regarding specific questions asked.
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How do you approach conflict?
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They went through each of the activities that I indicated as most meaningful on AMCAS as asked me to talk a little bit more about it.
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What qualities make a good physician?
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Asked me about my research experience.
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Tell me about a time you had to make a decision about something you didn't know much about?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said the most interesting questions asked at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including handling conflict in a team, personal expectations, research, ethical dilemmas, future aspirations, healthcare disparities, and scenarios involving patient care. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on responses, with a diverse set of questions reflecting on ethics, personal values, and decision-making skills, suggesting possible subjectivity due to a nondisclosure agreement.
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Are there any hobbies that you picked up during the pandemic?
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How do you handle conflict when working with a team?
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How do you handle it when the person who's not living up to your expectations is yourself?
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Tell about your research
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Have you read any books recently by scientists (She named a few, and luckily I had heard of them)? How do you think writings by scientists and academics differ from career fiction writers (I studied writing in college)?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said the most difficult questions asked at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including handling change, ethical dilemmas, personal failures, healthcare issues, and the ability to address challenges with little expertise. Some respondents mentioned an MMI format with questions on non-disclosure, while others highlighted questions about personal strengths and weaknesses, handling non-compliant patients, and discussing significant medical breakthroughs and global health issues.
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How do you respond to change?
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Healthcare issues
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Describe a time when you worked in a group and failed. How did you overcome that?
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Ethical questions
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Name a time when you were faced with a task with little expertise or experience on how to address it.
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
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.
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
📍 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.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents rank the facilities as below average.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 0-1 hour 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 Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
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Miami International
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Miami
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MIA
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Ft. Lauderdale
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Fort Lauderdale---NOT RECOMMENDED BECAUSE TOO FAR AWAY
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Friends or family or with friends or family.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
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some hotel in Hollywood
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marriott courtyard
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Sheraton by the airport
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Mariott at Miami Dolphin Mall
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La Quinta
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as average
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
Most respondents would recommend their hotel.
What is your ranking of this school's location?
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 reviewing their application materials, researching the school and current healthcare issues, practicing with friends or family, and utilizing resources like SDN and mock interviews. They emphasized the importance of knowing the school's mission, being familiar with their own application, and practicing responses to common interview questions.
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Answering SDN questions and most common questions and rehearsing with family
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Reading about the school and general questions via SDN
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Re-read my secondary, FIU website, SDN
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re-read secondary, mock interview practice
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SDN, school website, secondary application, mock interview.
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed with the friendliness and enthusiasm of the faculty, staff, and students at the medical school. They appreciated the supportive and welcoming atmosphere, the innovative curriculum, the commitment to community service, and the extensive resources available, as well as the emphasis on individual attention and support provided by the school.
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The admission person really seemed to care and gave us some words of wisdom at the end that was applicable to how we view all medical schools not just FIU. She seemed really genuine in wanting to help us and make us feel more comfortable.
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the info session
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The culture and attitude of the staff and students
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Dean Jones was very friendly, funny, and down to earth. So were the students who spoke to us during lunch and gave us the campus tour.
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Dean Jones
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants were commonly unimpressed by the lack of dedicated medical facilities, disorganization during the interview day, negative interviewer interactions, the emphasis on selling the program rather than showcasing experiences, and the shared campus with other programs causing a lack of space and resources for medical students. Suggestions include improving interviewer training, enhancing the structure of the interview day, focusing on authentic experiences over sales pitches, and prioritizing the development of dedicated medical facilities.
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Nothing
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It seemed like it was an interrogation and not a conversation. Interviewer was obviously reading off a sheet and wasn't engaged.
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The lack of having an attached medical facility; meaning having to travel through heavy traffic for clinical experiences
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My 2nd interviewer was very negative and seemed to have her mind set against me before I walked in.
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n/a
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the breaks between interviews, encountering interviewers who provide no feedback, the campus size, the stress of the curriculum, the relaxed interview atmosphere, bringing a book, arriving early, and the importance of community service experience. They also mentioned being surprised by the short interview duration, the heavy emphasis on ethics, and the strict enforcement of time limits during interviews.
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That I would get breaks in between the interviews so I had a moment to collect myself.
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For most schools in general: you will encounter interviewers who will ask you a question and just watch you respond with no input, follow-up, or feedback on how you're doing or whether they are receptive to your answer. Don't let it intimidate you! Keep your confidence and go through your points like you practiced. With interviewers like this, I found it easier to look at the computer camera than at their face (virtual interview)
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The campus is huge! I was still there super early but it was hard to find the building - the sign isn't clear until you get up close.
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N/A
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The school tries to sell the strange anatomy curriculum as a plus but it really isn't. There doesn't seem to be a strong cadaver program, so first year students do not get to dissect and instead learn from models and prosected bodies. Also, the course is 4 WEEKS LONG which is insanely stressful. In addition, the students only take Step 1 after their 3rd year and most opt to take Step 2 immediately a month after which can be stressful. They boast higher scores but it seems like the curriculum puts a lot of undue stress on the students. Also, FIU is a commuter school.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the school impressive with a positive atmosphere and friendly staff, though some expressed concerns about the program's newness and resources compared to established medical schools. Suggestions included improving resources, reputation, and execution of ideas, while highlighting the school's unique opportunities and community-based approach.
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This school impressed me positively overall, I didn't receive too difficult questions nothing about healthcare or stem cell research or ethical questions. Very straightforward about your application and asking general interview questions about how you handle conflict and change.
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n/a
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Really loved the feel of the school- it gives off a vibe that students are happy and carefree and have access to endless resources. However, you could feel the newness of the program in a couple of things, especially in its ever-changing curriculum and interesting innovative changes to hide weaknesses to the program. I think its a perfectly good school for any student to attend and I would be excited to be admitted, but I am also wary of some of the potential obstacles in receiving an education there.
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Friendly and open staff and students. Dean is someone you wish you could be friends with after, and while you should relax and be yourself, remember you are also trying to impress them...
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Gorgeous campus, relatively affordable tuition, expensive living costs (more to do with the area than the school).
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested starting with interviews or financial aid sessions before lunch, reducing downtime by having interviews before lunch, providing more perspective from M3 and M4 students, improving communication regarding timelines, and offering more in-depth tours of the medical facilities. They also recommended holding a social event before interviews, avoiding simultaneous interviews by two people, and ensuring professionalism during presentations.
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N/A
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It would've been nice to start with the interviews or financial aid session first instead of lunch.
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Interviews first, then tour and lunch.
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Great job. The day was organized and informative.
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Less down time, interview before lunch
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