Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 25% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview mixed with a low stress level, and felt they did well.
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?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools revolve around personal attributes, motivations for pursuing medicine, experiences working with others, handling stress, facing failure, contributions to diversity, healthcare challenges, leadership qualities, and future career goals. Some respondents mentioned being asked about their family background, weaknesses, clinical experiences, research projects, hobbies, views on healthcare, and specific interests in medical specialties. It appears that the interviews were diverse, ranging from standard questions to more personal and scenario-based inquiries.
Tell me about a time you received feedback and how you responded.
What led to medicine? What are 3 qualities you think are important for a physician to have? Why GWU? What do you think is the biggest challenge to healthcare today?
(we were talking about pediatrics...and how it could be sad at times...) Do you think your emotional connection with a patient would ever affect your judgment?
Interesting comment from one interviewer: He said, "I know that you will not be going to this school if you get accepted to a school in CA (very true)." I was shocked. I just sat there, all quiet because I didn't know what to say.
Tell me about some part of your personality or a characteristic that may pose an issue as a medical student or doctor and how you have/would deal with it?
Tell me about yourself. One of the hardest because I had so much to tell and so little time. I should have practice interviewed a little more with friends and family instead of gunning it.
Faculty: Where are you from? What did I study as an undergrad and grad? What is your thesis topic? What do you see as a problem facing the US healthcare system today? We spoke a bit about the hospital because I work there, but then I basically just listened attentively while he spoke in detail about his feelings on for- vs. not-for-profit healthcare, finance, GW Hospital administrative hierarchy, and corporate history (I think this was one of his interests as a faculty and department chair).
Where are you from? Why GW? Why DC? What do you do for fun? Tell me about your volunteer experience. Tell me about your research. Would you continue doing research?
What is wrong with the healthcare system and how would you fix it? Very standard questions - nothing inventive...I guess it's hard to be too inventive when they know nothing about you (closed file).
What would you do if there was no medical profession? (I hate this question. I told him that medicine has existed since sentient beings realized that they could heal one another. I said I would be a shaman.)
My favorite question - What will you do if you don't get accepted into med school. This question makes me angry because I've already been accepted and even though I told them that, they still wanted me to answer the question.
What are some of your positive qualities that will help you as a physician? What are some of your negative qualities that you will have to work on during your training to become a physician?
What are your grades like? (they are not supposed to ask because it is closed file) My grades are good. How good? I have only had one A-. What the rest are C's? Ha Ha very funny.
What is your MCAT score? A 35. Do you think that is good? I think it is okay. No, a 36 is okay. (remember thier average accepted is a 28) It was about this time I really started chuckling at the irony. Oh by the way, I got accepted to their school and gladly turned it down. I got a full tuition scholarship at a much better school.
When did you start school? 1999. What are you doing right now? I am finishing up my last semester. Why in the world would it take you five years to complete a four year degree? Because I started majoring in computer science.
they seemed to be asking to fill out a form, and both interviewers seemed to ask the same questions...1) what would you do if you were not accepted into medical scchool 20 why medicine 3) why GW
Students said the most interesting question asked at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences discussed a range of topics including ethical dilemmas, healthcare system improvements, personal changes, diversity interactions, and reasons for pursuing medicine over other healthcare professions. While the interviews were conversational, some respondents noted standard questions, with a mix of personal, ethical, and healthcare-related inquiries, reflecting a diverse set of considerations for aspiring medical students.
Describe a time when you interacted with a diverse population that was different from your own. At the end of the interview, they asked me is there anything else I want to mention about my app that hasn't been mentioned thus far.
Tell me about a time you've failed. What are some of your leadership experiences? Tell me about your path to medicine. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What do you see as your biggest challenge as a physician?
I didn't think any of the questions were particularly interesting. They were standardized questions from a sheet that the interviewer (who is most often NOT on the admissions committee) reads off of and fills in.
How many HIV patients do you interact with on a regular basis? (I was interviewed by a pathologist and we discussed the prevalence of HIV/AIDS patients in DC.)
The student interview actually extended our interview so that he could really get at the heart of my motivation for being a doc. Intense, but great, interview.
Do you watch Days of Our Lives? I was definately caught off gaurd by this question bc I did not understand how this related to anything but in a round about way it kind of did.
If I got ten of your closest friends together what are the things they would say drove them crazy about you?
Translated: what are your character flaws, or as I like to think of it, my character strengths presented as flaws when they are actually strengths ;)
None--one interview was a conversation, the other was by-the-book (Tell me about yourself; Why medicine; Strengths; What you would fix about health care; Volunteer work...)
Nothing struck me as interesting or off the wall--it was just getting to know YOU as a person so they can present you to the admissions board. Typical personal questions apply.
So listen up. First interview with med student. Casual. know why you want to go there. Second interview with a Doctor also laid back. Has set questions. One falure and what you learned, weakness and how your trying to better yourself, volunteering stuff, i mean standard stuff.
What is the definition of a doctor? (My interviewer was the dean of public health...btw, the answer he liked best was a teacher, he didn't seem to fond of 'healer'...)
nothing terribly interesting. the questions were really standard, and the most interesting parts were when the interviewer and i digressed into normal conversation outside of the "set list" of questions.
Do you think poor people should get to go to the most expensive restaurant in town? No? Then why do you think poor people should have access to the best doctors?
What do you think is the biggest problem in medicine? What do you think is the role of a doctor in society? What are the downfalls of being a physician?
What general area of medicine do you see yourself being best suited to? (a personality question- do I like to go in, fix things and get the job done or do I prefer to establish longer term relationships...)
There weren't any particularly interesting questions asked. The interviewers basically just wanted to get to know you. The student interviewer asked me: What do you see as the biggest non-medical problem in the world today? He also asked me what the biggest problem in healthcare was in the United States. However, most of the questions were just to get to know me and to get a feel of my personality. Both my interviews lasted over the 25 minute time allotment. That was good because I didn't run out of things to say, and both interviewers seemed to really love talking to me. They found my personality very interesting.
Nothing out of the ordinary asked. On the other hand, my faculty interviewer did have a lot of his own interesting experiences to share, which was cool.
So what about boys? I mean do you date? This question didn't seem too kosher but I answered it anyway and it led to a pretty interesting discussion of the arranged marriage system stereotypes.
What can you tell me that would convince me to admit you to my medical school? (by a graduate/physician) What do you do to relieve stress? (by MS2 student)
faculty: can you cook? do you know my grandson's girlfriend? can you guess how many years i've been doing interviews? do you have a boyfriend? student: what specialty do you think i should go into?
My first interview was with the Dean of Admissions, but was still very laid back and friendly. Her questions were very general and straight forward with no surprises. My second interview, which was also very relaxed, was with a second-year and she asked a lot about my experiences and interests outside of medicine, then asked, "If you met a stranger and had to tell them one thing about yourself, what would it be?"
How do you feel about the events of 9-11? Would you be comfortable in coming to DC? What are you view points on bioterrorism and the role of physicians?
Students said most difficult question asked at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences discussed a wide range of topics including ethical scenarios, leadership traits, challenges in healthcare, coping with failure, and reasons for pursuing medicine. Some responses mentioned an MMI format, indicating a structured interview with questions on ethical dilemmas and leadership styles, possibly under a nondisclosure agreement.
Explain a time where you intervened during an ethical conflict/ describe a time where you handled conflict on a team (it was difficult because I struggled to come up with an answer on the spot).
My faculty interviewer really pushed on "why medicine". He seemed to be looking for a specific answer that I wasn't providing, although I had prepared extensively for the question.
Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it...(i knew this question was coming, but I could not come up with a concrete example, so I just answered abstractly)
Where do you see yourself in 10 years (I'm still not totally clear on how I can tie my education experiences together - something I'v GOT to clarify soon :/
''why GWU'' by one of the admissions deans in passing after my tour (took me off-guard). At a place like this, you are *always* being vetted by everyone you meet during the day.
Tell me something about yourself (a fact, a story, an experience) that I wouldn't be able to see on paper if I were able to open your file and read it right now.
None were difficult. They weren't trying to stump you and I really felt they were trying to get to know me as a person and not necessarily how much information I could spout off.
Nothing out of the ordinary. I guess just explaining the reasons why I chose to apply to GWU, because there are so many. When I mentioned the TRACK Program my interviewer was pleased that I had really researched that aspect of the curriculum.
What aspects of the health care system do you foresee being a problem for you as a physician 10-15 years from now? (He told me this was an experimental question that he hadn't decided about keeping or not)
I mentioned I would be interested in expanding my expertise with an MBA or an MPH in the future. The faculty interviewer proceeded to grill me on the areas of health care management and public health.
why do you want to go into medicine? it's not an inherently difficult question, but you've got to nail it when they ask you....and they will ask me. both the student and doc asked me that.
Nothing really that difficult. However, the deal I interviewed with asked me, Give an example of when you acted as a leader and an example of when you acted as a follower.
Got the basic questions about myself although the Dr. joked about it being kind of cheezy to ask questions like what are your greatest strenghts, weaknesses...
What is your greatest asset? Since most of the questions were very conversational, this was really the only one that was actually asked and i had to take a minute to think about. Not difficult though, one of the ones we prepare for.
Is there anything else you want us to know? Because the interviews were closed file, they did not ask specific questions about my experiences and background, and it was difficult for me to figure out what to tell them.
I was kind of put on the spot about taking time to work after my undergraduate years. My interviewer kept asking why I had chosen that route, what purpose that served, etc.
How do you think it will be from you to go from being a New york city native to a "Washingtonian?" Apparently this has been an issue for many people
Would you agree that most doctors from other countries come to the U.S. only for the money? This was interesting because I strongly disagreed with my interviewer's view point on the issue but he seemed to like that I was sticking up for my stance.
I really wasn't asked any very difficult questions. The interviews were conversational and the faculty really acted like they were enthused with their school and dedicated to teaching.
How do you think you will cope with the rigors of medical school? This one was given by the student interviewer who prefaced it with examples of how being a med student is very demanding and how you lose out on certain life experiences(ie missing bdays, weddings, not enough time for hobbies etc.)
How will you differentiate between GW and Georgetown (I was interviewing at Georgetown later that week, but had only seen GW, had no basis of comparison)
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, practicing mock interviews, researching the school's website, reading interview feedback on SDN, and familiarizing themselves with common interview questions. It was also common for applicants to brush up on healthcare policy, current medical news, and ethical issues.
Make sure you can answer "tell me about yourself" and "why medicine". review health care reform, review PS and secondary application, look over GWU website for curriculum info and specific reasons I applied to/want to attend GWU
Because it was a closed file interview, I expected to answer "Why do you want to be a doctor?" "Tell me about yourself." "Why this school?" etc
I read all the information about the school on their website.
SND Interview feedback!!! (3 questions were verbatim). GW website & info they provided with interview invitation....MAKE SURE you know about the track program, they love it!
Reviewed primary and secondary apps, emphasizing extracurriculars & current activities.
CHECK THE WEATHER!
SDN, practicing answers with family and pre-med advisor, talking out loud in my room and my car (seriously...it really helps to hear yourself out loud)
SDN Interview feedback, read two current books on state of health care, read over GW and AMCAS applications, researched info on their website, talked through 'common interview questions' with family/friends
I read the admissions pdf, and browsed the website. I also read the SDN feedback here, as well as the interview feedback in the pre-professional office.
Read AMCAS and secondary to figure out what I wanted to talk about since the interviews are blind, GW website (very informative and dropping the names of programs they have helps), SDN
Book about the US health system and a book whose title was ''get into medical school: a guide for the perplexed''. I thought this was fitting book because I was indeed a little perplexed at the beginning of the medical school application process.The latter book was a good reference guide.
SDN, reviewing AMCAS, secondary application, personal statement, mock interviews, researching school and D.C. area, curriculum, health care policy, medical ethics, current medical news, outlining key points for answering questions
Read GW website, looked at its publications, read about U.S healtcare, reviewed some medical ethics, read sdn questions and thought about responses. Thought about how to sell myself, ect.
I went thru the school website and made sure I knew about the features of the school and its program that I was most interested in, SDN, my AMCAS and secondary, talked to a friend who has interviewed their 2 yrs ago
AMCAS, GW secondary, read over website. Knowing it was closed file helped direct the focus to more inward questions (Why medicine, plans if you don't get in)
wash bioethics site, reviewed amcas, SDN interview feedback site- looked through all the interviews posted, typed down questions asked and answered them.
I looked over my AMCAS application, did a mock interview with my advisor, and looked at this site to see what kinds of questions were asked by interviewers at GW.
AMCAS, read about the school. It is not necessary to read to much about the school, because the day begins with a tour and an information session...and they tell you esentially everything you need to know about the school
GW website, Interview feed back on sdn, knew my application very well, knew my responses to traditional interview questions very well... the interview was unbelievably LOW STRESS... so needless to say, I might've overkilled the preparation a bit :-)
read my amcas personal statement, read up on gw, read a bit about hmo's, defined my stance on certain issues like abortion, euthanasia, etc. (not necessary for this int since it was very laidback).
read over my application, read interviewfeedback. I had also heard that Georgetown liked to ask lots of medical ethics/healthcare issues questions so I read up on that some, but my interviewer didn't really ask anything along those lines.
Applicants were positively impressed by the laid-back and supportive atmosphere at GW, the strong sense of community, the extensive opportunities for involvement in DC and beyond, the new and impressive hospital facilities, the emphasis on clinical training, the friendly and happy students and faculty, and the location in DC. They appreciated the relaxed and conversational interview style, the diverse student body, the variety of tracks and opportunities available, and the focus on developing well-rounded physicians. Overall, the facilities, location, and supportive environment were highlights for many applicants.
Very chill, laid-back, interviewer offered positive feedback throughout
I was really impressed by the strong sense of community and support at GW, as well as the unique opportunities that medical students are offered in DC (working with the NIH, talking to policy makers on Capitol Hill, etc.)
The interview was very laid-back. The faculty interviewer was nice and friendly, and the student interviewer was extremely casual, making it feel more like a conversation than an interview.
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion presentation was incredible. We got to see the Sim lab on the tour which was awesome. The lunch was also really good.
The seriousness with which the school takes its mission of developing "citizen physicians" through the integration of "clinical public health" content into its MD curriculum
Very organized, no waiting in between talks or activities - ran like clockwork. The lunch was great. Really great facility with a building completely dedicated to the school: lectures, sim labs, cadaver labs, financial aid - everything is in that building. And it's on the campus (right across a patio from) the front entrance of GWU Hospital. Everyone was also really kind.
Beautiful campus, hospital, and great area of DC! Loved the simulator facilities! Most schools I have interviewed at did not show us the sim labs so I thought this was great!
The student interviewer was AWESOME! And those cookies….those sweet delicious cookies. And oh the laid back style of most of their students! The day I went was exam week, but all the students looked normal & refreshed!
The facilities and general program are all very impressive. The students themselves were also very willing to talk and had little negative to say about the school.
They had board games in the library! And the facilities in general were really nice. And the interviewing group was super nice and friendly. The students were super laid back.
I love that they have a big sis/lil sis program!! Didn't know that before coming here! The facilities are also really nice and I LOVED their simulation center. I LOVE the location of the school as well ugh I'm such a city person so I would love it there.
Everything (almost). Loved the city, loved the school, loved the interviewers (the student was a tiny bit uptight?) and the students that stopped in. everyone had a great sense of humor and the day was just really upbeat. My day ended by 1pm! Facilities were top-notch!
Incredible location, right in the heart of DC and just a few steps away from a Metro stop. The students seemed quite enthusiastic and engaged. Abundant opportunities through the Track Program and Office of Student Opportunities. If you are interested in policy, this is one of the best schools you could hope to attend, as GW partners with many organizations in and around Washington DC.
Really impressed with the diverse and interesting student body. They were all so willing to talk with us [the interviewees] and answer all our questions. There also appeared to be a lot of camaraderie and collaboration between the students. Everyone seemed really happy with their choice. I also thought the sim lab was impressive. LOVED the schools location and the fact that the hospital is right across the street
Meeting with so many current students and seeing how friendly and willing to talk to interviewees they were. Plus, the diversity of the pool of students with which I interviewed. People from all over the country, all sorts of different ethnicities/cultures, with varied professional degrees/experiences. Really inspirational!
The familial atmosphere. The Dean talked to us about the importance of maintaining a balanced life while in medical school which was really nice to hear. The staff and students seemed really supportive of one another.
The hospital, simulation models, students were friendly and seemed relatively relaxed, the wealth of opportunities the schools provides, location, really well done tour
Track program, excellent clinical training, grading and student cooperation, international programs, location in DC, excellent hospital right next door, simulated/robotic patient facilities, overall strength of the program.
hospital, histo & simulation labs all modern and high tech. (no microscopes in histo lab, its all digital).
8 blocks from the White House
Very student-focused curriculum (honors/Pass/Fail w/ no curve)
The dean and students were very enthusiastic.
Interview/whole day was very relaxed
Track program sounded cool.
How many opportunities are available to students outside of the classroom. Their CLASS lab is pretty cool too. The school just renovated their library and student lounge. Every student I interacted with, whether they knew I was interviewing or not, was really enthusiastic about GWU and legitimately enjoyed being there.
The Clinical Simulation Center is awesome. The area is fantastic (I'm from nearby, so I know I'd love to live here). The facilities seem nice and they're working on building more study areas.
the location was incredible/ GW really does their best to create an incredibly comfortable and friendly environment on interview day, which helps out a lot in terms of stress since the interviews were at the end of the day
Clinical Skills Center; emphasis on clinical medicine from beginning. GW also seems to work very hard to personalize each student's medical education through "track programs" so that you can make the most of your time there. They also have an entire office devoted to Student Opportunities.
Opportunities for medical students. This school really capitalizes on its location and takes full advantage of it's resources. They work really hard to personalize your medical education.
Track programs, Office of Student Opportunities (availability of Global Health options and medical missions trips), no microscope work (histology is on computers!)
Location of the school, the concetrations that you have to do as a medical school student. The OSO office that helps you with different programs. Early clinical exposure.
The facilities - they REALLY cater to their students. Awesome hospital - brand new. A WHOLE FLOOR dedicated to med student clinical learning. They also have this awesome 'track' program where you sort of have an emphasis in a medical aspect. They give you tons of internship/volunteer opportunities.
Everything! GW is definitely my dream school! What an awesome place!! The hospital is extremely new, the entire 6th floor is dedicated to student education, and you get to actually use it about a few times per week, rather than just once or twice a semester like other schools (or none at all!). The students seemed really cool and laid back, and it was great to see that they actually took advantage of all the great things that GW and DC have to offer!
Almost everything. The students were extremely friendly and willing to help. Many of them seemed like cool people and not dorky like at many other schools. Ross hall where the med school is located was not bad at all, I expected worse from what other people have said on this site. Definitely not "dingy 70s style". There new hospital is amazing and the access to technology is one of a kind. Also, you can't go wrong with the location. It's in a very nice part of DC and you get exposure to people from all types of backgrounds i.e. poor all the way up to presidents.
The facilities - GWU has a new hospital in which some of the teaching areas are located, such as rooms in which standardized patients are seen and the SIM man. The curriculum is set up to make students good clinicians. The dean, rep from the student activities office, and clinician I interviewed with were very friendly and enthusiastic. Faculty were incredibly
The location is awesome. There are so many opportunities for international travel, getting involved in politics, tracks program, etc. The students seem to love the school and are pretty laid back.
My faculty interviewer was incredible. The school is really dedicated to serving the underserved. There is a lot of opportunity for international work.
Great hospital; new technology so you don't have to use microscopes in lab--it is all computerized; the students seemed genuinely happy to be there (even though they were in the middle of exams). Several students just stopped by unofficially during lunch (in addition to the 3 who were supposed to be there) and they all were really friendly and seemed really excited for us and really happy to be at GWU.
The facilities for sure. Everything is brand new and gorgeous. The technology is also awesome... loving the computer-run histology labs. The students are so friendly and helpful as well. Oh and the dean is amazingggggg... I pretty much liked everything!
Dean Scott was sooo enthusiastic, he really had a lot to share and portrayed the school the way it actually is ("to not train you to be just an ordinary doctor, but someone who is going to be leading the healthcare decisions in our country").
The students during lunch were all really nice and liked it there a lot.
1. the location!
2. the facilities! the GWU hospital is new and awesome
3. students were encouraging, positive and interesting
4. various opportunities to participate in policy, ISCOPES, urban and global health
The facilities are great. The patient simulation lab is really cool. The teaching hospital is new. You have access to several other hospitals in the area. The culture is very laid back and non-competitive.
The facilities are really nice and the hospital is very new. there are no microscopes in the histolab and slides are entirely viewable and modifiable on computer. The hospital is right next door and entirely paperless. The POM program is really interesting and the ''tracks'' programs seems like a good opportunity. Students are in lecture 3 days a week the other two days focused around the practice of medicine program and time spent with a clinical preceptor. It seems very noncompetitive and students truly seem happy and well rounded. Lots of opportunities for international medicine. Truly exceeded my expectations
The awesome facilities. I can see why the school is so expensive, but it seems like they are putting the student money to work for the better. The students were really friendly and CHILL. DC!!!
Students are amazing and very friendly and low key. You could immediately sense that all sense of competition with each other stopped and the students viewed each other as colleagues.
The amazing health policy track where you could do internships in legislative and political offices, and the international opportunities (both in the international make-up of the patients (from embassies, etc.), and in opportunities abroad (35 students went abroad last year)). The Office of Student Opportunities helps match your interests up to programs, and really take advantage of the resources in D.C. I'm not interested so much in research, but there are apparently great opportunities at NIH that you can take advantage of through GWU. Also, your fourth year you only need to be at GWU for 3 months, so students match with incredible residencies by going to those hospitals during their fourth year and making connections while they do a rotation there. Also, the student body is incredibly laid back and diverse in age. They really like non-traditional students. And the new hospital and simulation lab on the top floor were very nice. Finally, the interviews were laid back and conversational, as advertised. Just be yourself - don't sweat it.
It was clear that once you are in the school will do anything to help you. They have a great network of resources to study abroad, do outside rotations etc. Really student focused
The whole sixth floor of Gwu hospital is dedicated to medical education.They actually had simulation rooms with dummies that could mimic various medical conditions.
The interview day was very relaxed and well organized. The facilities are pretty amazing and the students were enthusiastic/informative when we had lunch with them.
First of all, they tried to make the interview day as stress free as possible. Secondly, the facilities are first class!! The hospital is completely paper-less and the entire 6th floor is dedicated to medical education.
The facilities are AMAZING! Everything is state of the art in their entire floor of the hospital devoted to the medical school; clearly committed to educating future physicians well. The students were VERY personable and ''normal.'' A diverse student body...from ethnicity to age to interests.
The hospital is very nice. The simulation rooms on the 6th floor (dedicated strictly to medical education) are impressive, as well as the lecture rooms, the histology course is computer based and utilizes new technology for the classroom, all the students were really nice during the lunch Q&A, they were honest and really helped me relax before my interviews, it was cool to hear about how much they like the school, faculty, fellow classmates, and the D.C. area, all in all the day was pretty great!
The hospital is brand new, the teaching facilities are up to date and use great technology. Everyone seemed very down to earth and enthusiastic about the school.
the high-techiness. they have constructed a new hospital with an entire floor devoted to student learning (microphoned walls and videocameras and mechanized manequins)
Almost everything. The hospital and simulation lab facilities are amazing, and all the equipment was state-of-the-art. The students were extremely friendly and seemed to really enjoy their experience at GW. Also, the location is great - right in the middle of D.C.
The facilities and the enthusiasm of the students and faculty - everyone seemed happy to be there. DC is a perfect location for medicine. The hospital is so nice.
Everything about this school is NEW, and I was very impressed by the facilities. The first year medical students that came by to visit also seemed really happy and enthusiastic about being there, not only to answer our questions, but also in being at the school in general.
The school and its facilities are amazing, the students who came to eat with us were very down to earth and showed us just how un-competitive they were with each other, the schools record and all the opportunities it offers you for international and political involvement, etc.
The facilities are very nice/new and the students were extremely welcoming (despite the fact that most of the first years had an exam the following day).
Also the people I was interviewing with were extremely friendly, I really enjoyed their company. It was my first interview and being able to come in and talk with each other helped us all relax.
The quality of the rotations 3rd and 4th year, the GW hospital facilites, the shadowing program first and second year, the opportunity to do rotations abroad, and the lab facilities.
GW has really amazing facilities--a great Peds hospital, an excellent simulation lab (where first yrs get to spend regular hrs practicing--unlike many schools with a sim lab where you spend only a few hrs there in your whole first yr), they have an excellent new track program that allows you to focus your medical education on a particular area that interests you (i.e. global health), b/c of it's location there are countless opportunities open to you to get involved with community activities (medical, political, etc.), the interviewers were very relaxed and just wanted to get to know you, and the students we spoke with seemed very down-to-earth and were very enthusiastic about their reasons for having chosen GW (they seemed like people I would feel comfortable having as my peers)
So many opportunities outside of the classroom to pursue what you're interested in: policy, public health, global health, econ policy, etc. I really liked the new track program that lets you have a
Amazing facilities, CLASS on 6th floor of hospital with SIM man and standardized patients, new hospital, endless amount of opportunities and living in Washington, DC.
the other interviewees and the medical students all seemed like people i would want to be around, the parts of the hospital we saw were great, and DC is AMAZING
The school is very focused on it's students and making the educational process the best possible. The facilities are beautiful, the students fun and involved in many activities (but still care very much about their studies).
The facitlies were all new, you start clinical experience your first year, the students were friendly, helpful & honest, GW was focued on preparing good clinicians. Also, they enocourage community service and help you find summer internships after your first year.
The facilities are amazing, the curriculum is very hands-on and provides the students with tons of different opportunities (clinical/research/volunteering/etc.). The staff is very friendly and they really take care of their students. The area where GW is located is fantastic.
the whole thing was pretty laidback, the facilities are state of the art, and the people there are all very friendly and helpful; not to mention the huge amount of opportunities available in a city like D.C.
The facilities were amazing. The hospital is brand new, so ridiculously high tech. The location is great its a few blocks away from the white house. The students were friendly.
The facilities, the congeniality of the staff and students, and the classrooms. Did I mention the shiny new hospital and the entire floor dedicated to student clinical skills?
The facilities were great and the students I met were really nice too, and seemed pretty relaxed despite the fact that finals were coming up. Finding out that grading is not on the bell curve also helped (ie: everyone can Honor a class, and likewise everyone can fail)
The opportunity for early clinical experiences, the new optional track programs offered, the support offered by the faculty and current students, the facilities.
The Simulated Surgery room and the clinical skills practice program were very impressive. The students were very friendly and willing to share their likes and dislikes of GW.
Hospital is nice, the students are friendly, Lots of international health/research/policy opportunities and an office that helps students find the right one to pursue. Also, very convenient public transportation.
The GW hospital (opened in 2002), the clinical skills facility, the supportive faculty, the rec center (I checked it out on my own time, it's really nice!), the students seemed very diverse, the tracks program seems like a great new thing they offer- you can "minor" in one of six interesting topics in medicine
The organized and informed day. The talk by the dean in the morning. The organized and informative tour. The facilities are amazing. The number of students that stopped in to talk to us.
the facilities are amazing. DC is a wonderful city, and the school is in a great location. I was also really impressed with the students both at the school and at the interview.
The great facilities, the 3-year old hospital, the focus on cooperative learning, the support supplied to the students from the faculty and administration, the location of the school (4 blocks from the white house and lincoln memorial), all the students I talked to love it there
Everything! The school is across the street from the hospital. The hospital is amazing! It's less than three years old and the top floor belongs to the medical school (ie students can study there).
Location, friendly interviewers and admissions staff, simulation center @ the new hospital, and the multitude of opportunities in international/global health
facilities, students who came into to chat and answer questions (seemed very genuine), location, curriculum attributes (the track programs & clinical teaching tools)
DC is a cool city, complete with cultural diversity and good public transportation.
Free note taking service, power-point lecture slides, transcripts, and audio recordings of lecture are available for students
The amount of opportunities available to students in the DC area with other organizations, schools at GWU, and internationally. Also the brand new hospital and integration of technology. Students seemed very happy.
The new hospital is amazing. The whole 6th floor is dedicated to teaching medical students. They're also redone some of the classrooms-ex no more microscopes. DC would be a great place to live. Students seemed really happy to be there, and they highly recommended the school.
The hospital facilities opened in 2002 and are excellently equipped. The top floow is dedicated solely to the school of medicine and health sciences, with rooms for standardized patient interviews and simulated surgery. There is an obvious focus on preparing students for clerkships before the third year.
During interview downtime 5 or 6 first and second year students interacted with the applicants. This provided a perfect opportunity to warm up in conversation before the interviews and ask questions (i.e. housing, advising, etc) that may not be appropriate in an interview setting. Overall, the students seemed happy to be there.
the hospital, the classrooms, digital microscopy-no more microscopes here, SIM man and the mock ER rooms, they have a whole floor in the hospital just for med students
great great teaching hospital, everything's really technologically advanced and new - very well-kept school (they have simulation patients, the DaVinci robot, patient interviewing rooms), students seem pretty happy, good area
i had come to the open house in october, so i was already impressed with the school. i guess on the interview day itself, the students were really nice. lunch was tasty, too :)
The new hospital with the 6th floor devoted to medical students. There is an area for mock interviews and exams and an area where the "SIM" man is kept to practice more technical medical procedures.
The hospital--it's brand new, completed only two years ago and is BEAUTIFUL. One part of the hospital is dedicated to clinical training for first and second year students with 12 standardized patient rooms with digital audio/video recorders so that instructors can watch and you can watch yourself. Plus, they have this thing called "Sim Man," which is a fake/robotic patient that can be programmed to have different problems, like a collapsed lung, allergic reaction, etc. and you can intervene and he'll respond to you intervention as a real person would. Very cool! Also, the students seemed to be really cool, didn't study all the time, and were surprisingly not stressed out given the fact that they had three exams the next week!
The hospital is gorgeous with brand new, technologically advanced facilities. The Standardized Patient Examining Area and Surgical Simulation Rooms were incredible. The school really strives to ensure that its students are happy in addition to being well educated. The energy that GWU puts into everything it does makes it such a well presented and polished university. The Student Union (Marvin Center) and Health and Wellness Center were also state-of-the-art and extremely nice.
The new hospital, SIM Man, and the new labs. Their facilities are very nice and everyone was very friendly. The students all seemed happy to be there and they said that it is not a very competitive environment.
the hospital is amazing. The completely digital 2nd year histo and path lab are impressive along with the surgery simuation room. Pretty much everything at the new hospital. The people were really nice and REALLY diverse.
Clinical Skills Center on the 6th floor is the school's pride and joy. It provides great clinical simulation experience. Also, the curriculum is a good mix of different learning methods.
The facilities are really beautiful. The opportunity to live in DC is great. All of the students are super friendly and seemed really happy to be going to school at GW.
The hospital was stunning. The facilities are brand new and everything at GW is high tech. I was really impressed with the simulated patients as well as the clinical training students are exposed to during their first and second year.
the hospital has a floor just to train med students. good clinical preparation, doesn't seem to be a research focused school if that interests you. its in a nice part of DC, on a subway stop. the hospital and med school are beside each other.
brand new hospital, children's hospital, location (i walked to all the museums, white house, etc), the beautiful fall colors, dc in general (people are really friendly there). it's also right off the metro stop (dc has very clean public transportation). the diversity of the students.
The school is really nice, students are very friendly and the hospital has some amazing student training rooms. The students all get along very well and there is little competition between them. DC is an awesome place to live.
The facilities are flawless. They just can't be beat. The students had nothing but good things to say about their school. Everyone was really nice and it seems as though you get what you pay for since the school is so expensive. The new hospital is amazing, the workout gym is awesome. And interviewing at other schools will not be the same.
My student interviewers resume. WOW! She was involved in everything from student reform to political causes. She is the kind of student who really draws others into the school because of the fine example of dedication.
The hospital!!! It is seriously awesome! The paperless thing is so great, I felt like I was going through the Horizon's ride at Epcot b/c everything seemed so futuristic.
The enthusiasm of the staff, faculty and students as well as the new hospital. The top floor is devoted to medical education and houses the surgical SIM lab as well as standardized exam rooms.
Also, there is a new gym facility which is fabulous and plenty of places to run outdoors. The student body is very diverse and the staff and faculty is both proud and extremely supportive of them. There is a note taking service, professors are great about giving handouts/notes of lectures and much material is available on-line.
The hospital is brand new, the students are nice and enthusiastic-one of them grabbed me before the interview and gave me a personal tour-and the Foggy Bottom area is great.
The hospital was really nice and new, the students seemed very happy, DC is a great city, and I really enjoyed talking to the physician who interviewed me. Also, there is a metro stop right next to the hospital, which is very convenient. If you have time after the interview, you should walk a few blocks and check out GW's awesome gym.
The nice, NEW hospital and clinical teaching facilities. Free lunch. I also stayed at GWU inn (had a cheaper deal) to get a feel of Foggy Bottom. I love the area!
EVERYTHING! DC is fantastic. The hospital facilities were really technologically advanced. The students were really nice. They love the non-competitive environment in which all students help everyone else to do well. The faculty members were very friendly and answered all my questions about the school. GW is an excellent school, in an excellent location with excellent people!
The students glowed when they talked about their physician mentors (all students shadow a doctor). The school is really hands-on with patient contact from 1st year.
New hospital is gorgeous. Great training facilities - video-tape sessions with practice patients, simu-man. Deans and profs are really accessible. Students are pretty happy and wanted to tell you about the school and such. Very diverse student body in all senses of the word - geographic, ethnic, age, background, etc. HonorsPassFail.
The level of stress amongst the students, they were all relaxed, seem to help each other and really seemed to be enjoying themselves. The hospital was truly amazing.
the students took a lot of time out to come talk to us about the school, the new facilities in the hospital for med students, the relaxed and cooperative atmosphere
The incredibly warmth of the students that was both generous and unsolicited. An example of this was when male and female students came up to me and asked me if I was there for an interview and if they could be of any help. They were beyond nice. They were open, friendly, and real human beings.
the students all seemed really nice and normal - they had lives outside of school. my faculty interviewer in particular stressed the school's supportive environment. our tour guide gave us all hugs at the end :)
The beautiful new hospital, the organization and air exchange system of the anatomy lab (my work is in air pollution......), and the surgery simulation room.
The brand-new hospital (beautiful student learning center), the fact that it was so low-stress made me feel comfortable with the students and faculty, the Practice of Medicine course seems like it's pretty well thought out and they've had good success with it. DC is very nice for a big city.
My faculty interviewer was really nice, and very knowledgeable about global affairs. I was so impressed by him, and wish I knew to ask him more questions. Meeting him gave a positive impression of the school's faculty.
Everything! I am impressed with the curriculum and the opportunities for clinical training in Washington. The patient population is very diverse and one would have the opportunity to learn a great deal about the practice of medicine. I also like the aspect of actually seeing patients within weeks of orientation and the opportunity to practice in the simulated skills labs. This place is really neat.
Daron was a very informative, the entire process was well organized and allowed for flexibility, the simulated surgery room, POM and early clinical exposure, overall GW is a great school!
The hospital looks nice from the outside. We didn't get a tour or anything though. Since we didn't have a financial aid meeting I didn't hear about the high pricetag!
They really give it to you straight here. You get all the facts and it's up to you to make an informed decision on whether Georgetown is the place for you.
Students!!! They seemed so happy and so laid back. Environment seemed very non-competitive and the students seemed like they actually had lives! They have a brand new paperless hospital which sees everyone from homeless people to the president.
DC, obviously, and the area. GWU is in the hub of the city and close to a myriad of attractions, cool neighborhoods, etc. Also, MOST impressed by the emphasis on clinical work from Day One - this was promoted as one of the school's strongpoints, and I agree. Free, professional notetaking service/videotaping and audio taping of EVERY lecture. Absolutely non-competitive environment - students are laid back and the type I'd love to get a beer with.
students and DC. Darryl-the admissions guy was awesome! he not only had a great presentation, but he was direct and presented what GW has to offer, i like that
the students do seem to truly enjoy their school. apparently the so-called "party school" of med schools. good social area, nice new hospital too. also saw my first cadaver, sans arms/legs/head.
The beautiful new 110 million dollar hospital with the virtual reality surgery rooms on the 6th floor, and the spanking brand-new gym. I also really enjoyed interacting with the students, who were all very friendly and helpful, and create a cooperative learning environment for the study of medicine. Student happiness runs sky high at this school =).
The new hospital, which has lots of facilities for teaching (rooms for standardized patient experiences, and a vitual operating room) and will be truly wireless at some point. The new gym's pretty nice too. Also, this was the first interview where I saw a cadaver!
The friendly students (dispite tests that week), the candor of people when answering what I thought were my "tough questions" about the school, the teaching emphaisis, and the friendly Profs. Also it is in a great location for international interests
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the lack of engagement during virtual interviews, the absence of opportunities to tour the campus and facilities, the high cost of tuition and living in DC, limited financial aid, outdated facilities, long class hours, and the need for improvements in curriculum, faculty interactions, and transparency regarding school rankings and evaluations. Suggestions include providing virtual tours, enhancing financial aid options, improving interview organization, updating facilities, and increasing student engagement and satisfaction.
The interviewer didn't seem like they had heard what I said in the previous response and didn't seem to really care too much about my responses.
Since it was virtual, the interview day wasn't very engaging. They had a short power point slide for applicants before the interview, but it would've been nice to have a virtual tour of the school and to hear about the specific opportunities they offer there.
Since interviews are virtual this year at GW, I couldn't really learn much else about the school besides during the interviews. They send you some PowerPoints but of course that's not the same as seeing the school in person.
Remote interviews didn't give a chance to experience campus -- wish a video tour had been provided of campus and hospitals to get a better sense of the school
The doctor who spoke to us early in the morning made some strange and kind of defensive comments when asked about mental health resources for med students. It was pretty cringey.
I didn't think the facilities were too interesting. I thought the interview questions I received from the faculty member were more about personal characteristics and merited answers that could easily sound corny, cliché, or possibly arrogant.
The school uses an internal ranking system that gets published to residency programs, but not to the students themselves. They tried to say that they were still considered pass/fail, since the students don't know how they are evaluated. It just seemed like a lack of transparency to me.
The presentations before the interview didn't tell us much, I was disappointed that they didn't try to sell themselves more. We also did not tour the hospital which I think would have been very useful!
My faculty interviewer looked as if she didn't care about doing the interview..but she eventually "eased a bit..i got a smile out of her (whew!) The guy from admissions office who took us on the "tour" he couldn't answer much questions, a student would have been much better
My faculty interviewer. He seemed distracted and in a hurry to get me out of his office, and actually cut me short after giving me an opportunity for questions at the end of the interview.
Just the financial aid and cost of living in DC of course. Also not very excited about their long class days but that wouldn't be enough to make me not come here.
The admissions office was too laid back- the interview day was kind of thrown together it felt like. I also felt that they are a little behind the times with updating their curriculum.
Cost. This is one of the most expensive schools in the country. Furthermore, the students seemed rather dismissive when I asked how they planned to pay it back. Even the ones going into primary care seemed unfazed, despite the fact that their salary is going to take a massive (potentially unsustainable) hit thanks to the loan payments they'll have to make.
Also, the curriculum seems a bit outdated, and most of the students I met complained about the amount of time they spend in class/lecture (usually >8 hours per day). Supposedly GW is going to revamp the curriculum in the next couple of years, but as far as I could tell, this isn't going to happen until the fall of 2014 at the earliest.
A small negative is the lack of school-owned housing.
Nothing really. I really enjoyed my experience, but was a little flustered by the faculty interview and all the health policy/ future of healthcare questions. I wish I had thought through my answers to those questions a little more.
DC is great but I prefer Georgetown's location because GWU is RIGHT downtown (obviously this would be a plus for others), price of tuition and of living in downtown DC
The tour wasn't too impressive... I feel like I saw next to nothing. The tour guide seemed bored and annoyed with questions that I asked. The student who was supposed to interview me didn't show up, so they asked one of the 2nd years to interview me. He was caught off guard and our interview ended up starting late and ran over time. My faculty interview therefore started late, and I was rushed through the questions, was asked 0 follow up questions about my answers, and got a strong impression that she did not want me to ask her any questions. I spent hundreds of dollars getting to this interview and ended up leaving with a bad taste in my mouth.
Probationary status written off when there really is nearly no study space, only two lecture halls, old facilities, price tag, lack of financial aid (average indebtedness is $188 k)
Probation status (though it sounded like it had more to do with academic committee structure than anything else that affects students and should be resolved by January), cost (tuition and living in DC). Also didn't get to interact with students very much (not really a negative, just wish we'd gotten more of a feel for the student community).
LCME probationary status (yikes!), the high tuition and cost of living, something in my gut telling me the students were not very happy to be there...maybe bc my interview day was on an exam day...
$$$. Also, the students that visited us complained about timing in terms of exams/projects...the lecture day did seem long - 830-5 for a typical 1st year.
Just about everything else. Student body just did not seem happy. Place seemed dreary and old. When asked about the recent academic probation, nobody was able to say anything valuable, just a rehearsed speech about how it happens to everyone eventually (??) and they are working on it.
*The students did not seem to be happy here. One outright told us that she went to GW because she didn't get in anywhere else. Other students and even one of the admissions staff members that spoke to us seemed very apathetic about the school.
They dont help the med students find housing or have any housing on campus for them, so the students live all over the place instead of in a cohesive environment.
COST! The students seemed more stressed than many other med schools I have been to. They have very long class hours and are required to do a ''project'' in year 3 (as if med school doesn't have enough work already). They didn't provide hosts or allow you to contact students prior to the interview. The financial aide presentation was only 5 minutes and she almost got out of not telling us what tuition even costed. At a school where a big financial burdened would be placed, I didnt feel confident that the Fin. Aide Office would be helpful.
It doesn't seem smart to group exams they way they do--first years have exams every 6 weeks in all classes so the week I was there they had 1-2 exams each on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It would be nicer if they spaced exams out a little more.
The tuition! It's very expensive, and we didn't get much of a financial aid presentation. Also, we didn't get to see much of the medical school or meet many medical students.
One of my interviewers was, well interesting towards me to say the least. And obviously cost, but everything is so brand-spankin new there, what do you expect?
The cost!!!!! I knew going in that it would be hella expensive, but the updated info they gave us showed that tuition was higher than I thought. I also don't like that some days are exclusively lecture and some are exclusively lab, but that's a minor issue.
THE $$$$$$$. WOW. I would definitely need a scholarship to choose this school over some others. BUT, thier average debt is around where other cheaper schools are so...who knows!
That your first two years your schedule is pretty much 8-5pm. The lectures are on mp3, but I would prefer less lecture time. Also, D.C. is pricier than I thought (they compared housing to that of San Francisco - with a small studio near GWU at $1300). But most students move ''off campus'' one metro stop away in their third and fourth years to get more bang for their buck.
It didn't really seem like we saw very much (just sim lab, the library, the classrooms), but this is my first tour, so maybe there just isn't much to see. Lunch was pretty bad (soggy wraps).
It was a little difficult to get information about clinical years.
Besides the obvious cost of living, nothing really. Okay, well, the interviews are held in the Himmelfarb Library, and it's an ugly building, kind of out-dated
not much really, my senior faculty interviewer was a bit unenthusiastic and hard to read. Of course, he's really busy so he's incredibly generous to donate time/energy as is.
there's no wet lab - everything is done on computers, this is great, i guess, but you lose some of the lab science stuff. there is also very little research on campus, however opportunities elsewhere (ie: NIH). Also, students were very disinterested/bored with some of their classes (they said everyone was, but they were the only students I actually heard complaining during my various interviews).
Not much information was giving on their different academic programs - tracks, ISCOPEs, etc. High cost of living. Dormitories are available to med students, but they're shared with undergrads.
During the interview day, I think they could have done a better job presenting the school; the tours could have been more extensive; I wish we had been able to talk with some 3rd and 4th years.
The cost of living in DC is high (but that isn't a negative of the school, just the location). You are going to be in the center of everything though, so if you're going to pay a lot to live somewhere this is a good choice.
I could not get a student host. The cost of the hotels in the area. The cost of transporation in the area.
The lack of funding from GWU interms of student activities and etc.
The medical students that came in did not seem to have lives outside of school.
One of my interviewers was quite aloof. I was left with the impression that he didn't like me, or was perhaps making fun of me. It was very unusual - I'm normally very comfortable and get along with my interviewers immediately. However, I just found out that I was accepted, so it just goes to show you that you can't always tell how you did based on your perception of the interviewer.
The student interviewer did not seem to be interested in anything I said, just went down the list of questions with no regard to my previous responses and kept forgetting what I already mentioned. Also some of the student interviewers were first and second year students - this is probably why they were so apathetic. My faculty interviewer, however, could not be nicer. I hope they place more emphasis on the faculty interview!
My interviewer said that students here did not perform so well on the boards, and said she did not feel the curriculum here prepared you well for the exam, plus it is reallllly expensive
I kind of wish medical students gave the tour because it's easier to talk to students while walking around as opposed to around the lunch table where sometimes conversation is more forced
The second interviewer was an emeritus faculty who seemed pretty detached and could not answer my questions about some newer programs or about student opportunities in DC.
Closed-file interviews. The same questions get asked. We and they spend a lot of time and effort to get to these interviews. It's a waste to be asked the same questions in both interviews.
No mention of research at all. I knew they emphasized the education aspect of their school but I also know they have fairly strong research programs in certain areas (e.g. EMS) and these weren't mentioned at all. I left with the impression they may actually be against research during med school.
THe close-file interview was difficult, i felt chided by my interviewer and felt forced to be very defensive simply because I didn't speak with arrogance.
the whole med school is only one building and it's seems a little old, the med school library is not great, tuition is ridiculously expensive and they didn't really talk much about financial aid (at other schools there has been more of an effort to explain financial aid opportunities to students)
That GW doesn't offer student housing, and the cost of the school. Also that the med students expressed a desire to have more board-centered education and improved clinical training. But I'd still like to go there.
I was there on an exam day and saw someone in the bathroom looking at notes in a corner. They then stuck them in their pocket and went into a classroom that I later found out was where the students were having an exam. I have heard from other students at GW that cheating is rampant among the medical students. This turns me off the school tremendously. I also heard a conversation about favoritism amongst the faculty in terms of grades. They were talking about some course in particular where a number of people were given an honors grade over people who had higher averages than others.
the cost. the cost. average debt last year was around 135k, and this is probably lower than actual since it is including students that didn't take out loans or went into military programs.
The first year lecture facility is small for a class size of 165. Three different students proclaimed this as the weakness of the school. The research endowment is not as large as at other medical schools.
its seems that the students spend a lot of time i class. 8 to 5pm on MWF. Not a lot of time to get involved in extracurricular activities. maybe i'm wrong
Washington D.C. as a whole seems really uptight and super conservative, coming from Los Angeles, this was sort of like a culture shock...like going from some culture to none... (apologies to you D.C-ers), also, very little diversity as opposed to what I am used to
nothing, except for the expensive-ass cost to go to gw (about $58K in total), but i already knew about that. the doc that interviewed me didn't know much about the school.
I overheard a group of students talking about the difficulty of the Biochem course. A couple of people even commented that if they had not have cheated, they would have failed it. I don't like the block exams that they have.
The students didn't seem all that satisfied with their school. I asked a bunch why they chose to go there and they either only got in there or they chose it because of DC.
Second interviewer was late because he came by, but my first interview was still in progress. I ended up staying there the longest. Also, he went a bit overboard on the healthcare issue. He then said, "Guess you didn't expect this kind of interview, huh?" Well, I didn't because I was told they'd be relaxed, but I admit it was pretty engaging.
Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to talk to many students because the tour guide (though extremely informed) was a member of the admissions staff.
The tour was given by an admissions worker and not a student. However, the students came during lunch to answer questions. Also, the school is expensive and they do not seem very helpful with Financial aid.
The facilities seemed old, worn, and neglected. The first-year lecture hall is cramped -- 185 seats for a class of 171 -- and stocked with blue plastic chairs. The admissions staff member who gave the tour informed us all that doctors are "always late" for their interviews. They didn't tell me that the faculty member who was interviewing me had called in sick until I'd waited for 35 minutes and asked them about the situation. Still, I had a great 45-minute discussion about health policy with the faculty member who came to interview me at the last minute (note: our conversation was entirely self-directed. I brought it up since it's my bailiwick, so don't stress if it's not yours!)
students' attitude. They were very negative. Most of them looked like they did not want to be here. Very unfriendly. I got lost on the way to the room and received a couple of rude comments until someone else helped me.
I thought the interview was not very informative. There was not enough time for either me or the interviewer to get to know each other. It seemed like I was rushed in and out too quickly.
My second interviewer was late, actually never came so I was interviewed by a psychologist who says : okay lets make this quick, I am running late. OUCH! He was polite but made me rush through as though it is a "been there done that" type of experience for him.
My interviewers were terrible! The first interview was from someone on the admissions staff. She had no personality! The second interview lasted maybe 10-15 minutes and he didn't ask me anything about myself. he asked me questions such as: What is your major? Why did you choose that major? do you like washington D.C?
NO ONE TOLD ME IT WAS A CLOSED INTERVIEW UNTIL 5 MINUTES INTO THE INTERVIEW. Nothing on the info sheet, nothing from admissions director, nada! Little information was provided overall.
The interviews are much too short. 30 minutes is not enough time for them to get to know, in my opinion. Also, it is so damned expensive - tuition and cost of living.
Nothing really. I was a GW undergrad so I already was aware of all the ins and outs of going to school there. For instance, it is an expensive school, housing in the DC area is expensive as is grocery shopping. If you aren't a big fan of politics the swarms politicians and lawyers can be annoying. DC is extremely muggy in the summertime...
I didn't get the impression that the school really cared about providing financial aid for students. They basically told us to look for outside scholarships.
I'm anal and I didn't like the small, furnitureless interview rooms. Felt kinda claustrophobic, but that's just me. I'm sure others wouldn't be bothered by it.
interviews too short... hard to convey everything you want in 2- 25 min interviews, in which the interviewer knows nothing about you. also, difficult to carry out a conversation on any one topic since several questions were asked
The price!! Not only of the school but DC is so expensive. I didn't like the closed file, 25 min interviews. There were no real questions just "tell me about yourself" (and start with your name!). It just felt too short to me to really get to know someone.
The cost to attend GW is really expensive but so is any other medical school. You'll run into that anywhere you go unless you attend a state supported school in which you are a resident of that state. Housing is not provided at GW, which means you have to find an apartment in DC. However, this didn't really bother me too terribly much. Apartments are expensive in all the big cities, so you'll run into that problem as well. Overall, I have no complaints about GW. I would love to go there!!!! Outstanding school and excellent city to live in!
We didn't meet any faculty and the staff who talked to us were not enthused. Esp. the financial aid guy. I did not feel confident that I would be able to go to this school because I have no financial resources. Most schools tell you not to worry about money, they can make it happen, etc. This guy was basically telling us - worry about money - you might not be able to go here.
The classrooms look like they were designed in the medival ages, serious it would be hard to spend a lot of time in lectures in that dark, dreary room w/ teal pleather chairs.
the cost of living and difficulties that come with going to school in the middle of a big city: you have to live far away, there isn't much of a campus, etc.
cost of living in dc. there isn't much of a community feeling since everyone lives in different places, and the closer you live to the school, the more expensive it is.
Tuition. Students didn't seem scholarly at all. When asked about research opportunities at school, students say "we are close to the NIH". I wish there was more opportunity for research. Integrated learning center, while unique, seemed excessive.
The only thing really is probably that the lecture halls and the anatomy lab are a little on the old side, a stark juxtaposition to the state-of-the-art hospital and teaching rooms in it.
That the beautiful hospital is mainly owned by an HMO (remember the troubles MCP got into by having an HMO own their hospital?) ; Darrell was condescending; Washington D.C. was freezing; the lack of financial aid and high cost of the school; that we did not get to eat lunch before our interviews; the fourth-year students that came to speak to us were pretty arrogant
My student interviewer was sorta a dud. Most of the students we met during the down periods were attentive and animated. My interviewer barely spoke and I felt as if I was interviewing myself!
I went on an exam day, so most students I talked to were pretty stressed out. Also, apparently the faculty may not be as personally involved as touted by the admissions ppl.
The cost of tuition here is extremely high, but it appears that the education that I would receive would be well worth it. I wish I had an opportunity to meet with the dean, but he was tied up at the hospital and unable to attend, which is understandable.
The tour was done after everyone's interviews which really made no sense since some people were done by one and others not till three. Classrooms were a little old, but not anything worse than every where else I've seen.
Like everyone else, the cost. Your in the hole when you get out. PERSONALLY, I didn't find the classrooms that bad - the building is circa 1970 and the room reflects that- but it's not so bad you couldn't learn. Anatomy lab seemed a little outdated, tho. Library not open 24/7.
price! price! price! the fact that most people live in maryland or virginia and take the metro into school cuz d.c. is way too expensive! The size of the first year classroom.
There didn't seem to be a great deal of enthusiasm about the school from anyone. The admissions guy kept saying today was for us to learn about GW as much as it was for GW to learn about us, but they didn't really give us that much information. We also got about 15min to eat lunch before our first interviews.
the curriculum seems outdated; the first year rooms seem trashy; the students didn't seem to be very excited; the cost is horrendous (tuition and life in DC)
actual classrooms are horrible. they didn't even want to show them to us until we pestered them in the end. also, financial aid is just about nonexistent. they essentially told us that the only way to survive this school is if you join the military.
The lack of on-campus graduate housing (read: NONE!) - living in the surrounding DC/VA/MD areas will cost you a ton, unless you're lucky enough to have connections or find something close to $1000 . . . if not be prepared to have roommates for all four years or pay rent that's closer to $2000/month.
the imformality of the student interview. At one point he said, "so what else can i ask you? did i ask you what you do for fun?" He had already asked me that. Not that a stress interview is nice, but it just seemed a little too imformal to decide if you will get into medical school.
the price, not so much the tuition, but the living expenses are absurd. got the impression there isn't much assistance in the form of grants/scholarship
Cost of a Georgetown education. Wow.
Mrs. Sullivan's infamous speech. I was not a fan. It felt very condescending and overly long for the amount of actual information it contained. She also included the phrase "So when you're applying to your Hopkins, your Stanfords, your Georgetowns, your Harvards, your UCSFs..." Didn't hear the rest because I was too busy humming "One of these things is not like the other...."
Not a lot of emphasis on research, which i think hurts them in the rankings. They are more concering with graduating practicing physicians than academic ones.
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the rapid pace and strict timing of the interviews, the types of questions asked, and the relaxed, informal nature of the interview day. They recommended preparing for questions about conflict resolution, not stressing too much, and being aware of the conversational approach of the interviews.
We were asked to answer a few questions about why we want to be doctors and where we're from in front of the group of ~15 interviewees. I was taken a little of guard, but I might have been more confident if I knew that was coming.
Hmm..just that I'd hate blind interviews haha, they work for others but I like when the interviewer has my application in front of them and can just ask questions pertaining to my application.
That DC can be very humid, especially when wearing wool and cashmere. Also, the interviews didn't seem to be well organized, so be prepared for anything. I let the confusion and rushed pace of my second interview get to me.
Although they did ask me some specific questions, one of my interviewers basically told me to just talk about whatever I wanted her to know or ask her questions. I was more prepared for her to ask me a list of questions.
That the interviews would be very conversational. Vegetarians may want to inform the interview coordinator of their dietary restrictions ahead of time because they provide a limited number of vegetarian meals otherwise.
I would be so tired after flying across the country.
The interviews are at the end of the day.
You can bring your luggage with you day of, if necessary.
That the interviews would be so relaxed. The student interview was really great - she was really just interested in getting to know me. The faculty interview was also laid back.
You can't get around in any of the buildings without a visitor pass, so if you're planning on looking around on your own prior to or after your interview, you need to arrange it.
The interviewers really try to make the day stress-free and fun. Considering this was my first interview, I was pretty nervous, and there's really no reason to be.
That the interview is so casual that your interviewers don't dress up formally! My student interviewer wore jeans, and my doctor interviewer came straight from work.
Subway station is two feet away from the medical school and hospital. Also if you're driving/taking a cab, leave really early b/c it takes awhile to get to campus (traffic is bad)
The interviewers had a list of like 7-8 questions from the admissions office, and asked all of them - so there was a lot of repitition b/w my two interviews, and they therefore, seemed structured.
It was raining and you had to walk outside during diffrent part of the interview day. Quite a few of the applicants brought an umbrella and were nice enough to share with me...but I wish I would have brought my own.
Nothing really. Just relax, there is seriously nothing to be nervous about. Just make sure you know why you feel you are a good fit for GW and why GW is a good fit for you.
Nope, I came from GW but if you're here for the first time, use the metro (Foggy Bottom-GWU on Orange Line). It lets you off right in-between the hospital and Ross Hall.
That the trip from the airport to the school lasts no longer than 20 minutes and I could have done a same day trip without spending the night in a roach motel-Days Inn in Arlington.
Washington D.C. actually isn't so ravaged by violence and crime like you hear on the news (at least not in the GW area) and I would feel safe matriculating at GW.
one interview is by a doctor and another interview is by a student, but they both ask pretty much the same questions. Also there is a metro stop on campus right where the interviews are held.
How informal the interview was. I was ready to spill out everything about myself and what I had accomplished in the past, but frankly they weren't really interested. They just wanted to get to know me as who I am. We talked about food, my hobbies, what I do for fun, etc.
where the front entrance to the building was. I walked around for a few minutes trying to find the entrance. That's my fault though, i left my directions at home.
it really is much easier to fly into reagan. if you fly fly into BWI you have to take a bus, then the metro to the school, which takes about an hour or more.
The school costs $39,000 for tuition/fees alone. And that you shouldn't worry about trying to find your way to the school because it's right off the metro!!! You can't miss it.
GW is absolutely committed to the success and happiness of the students and it shows. The students are excited about the program and they have balanced lives. They do very well in the Match and, even more important, they do well in residency as demonstrated by the glowing reports GW gets from resident directors. Also, GW has its own metro stop (Foggy Bottom) which is directly in front of the medical school. Flying in to Reagan National or riding Amtrak into Union Station and then metro-ing in to GW is most convenient.
How short the interviews were, I felt like I should have prepared my answer in advance because there was so little time to get into a conversation or anything.
I knew this ahead of time but the closed file issue. I have had interviews that were closed filed in that they only had my personal statement. This one they only had your name, so each of my interviews started off with "well tell me about yourself." I hate that!
Students are the #1 asset of this school. This is not a research institution, and personally, I was relieved to discover that. Huge, huge, huge emphasis on clinical approaches to medicine.
Don't book your fight back home really late. The interviews ended prettye early and its literally a ten minute metro ride to the airport if you go out of Reagan.
that it would be so low-key/not a big deal. also, student population is largely nontraditionals and minorities. (a lot of older people with families, etc. also, apparently 2 nuns. not anything bad, just interesting demographics.)
The metro system in the DC area is outstanding. You really don't need a shuttle to or from any airport. Just make sure you get a schedule of the trains ahead of time.
The lack of financial aid available. The financial aid officer starts his presentation with details on the military program, which stuck out as a sign that the school doesn't have much to brag about when it comes to packages given/debt after school.
how many different extra curricular activities there are to do, wish i had known about some of them because theyre really awesome and i would have liked to ask more specifics about them
no student hosting. find a friend you know in the area and figure out the metro transit that drops you off right in front of GW medical center, or be prepared to churn out some sick funds for a hotel or something
not to stress----these interviews were the most low-stress I have encountered, but Darell talks so fast and eating during the presentation made me nervous.
Applicants generally found the interview experience at GW to be relaxed and low-stress, with friendly interviewers and a well-organized day that included a tour of the facilities, interactions with students, and informative presentations. Feedback on interviewers varied, with some finding the student interviews more conversational and the faculty interviews more structured. The school's location, facilities, and student camaraderie received positive mentions, though concerns about high tuition costs and lack of enthusiasm among some interviewers were noted.
I can tell they try to make it seem casual to decrease the level of stress which was nice. I am unsure about timing since some comments on here said their interviews were longer than 30 minutes but prepare concise answers just in case.
Overall, the interview day was very brief (the interview itself was only 35-40 minutes). However, my interviewer was very friendly and spent a few minutes introducing herself before launching into the bulk of the interview, which consisted of several interview style questions she needed/wanted to ask. Although she seemed very passionate, I really wished it had been more interactive before and after the interview (i.e. virtual tour of the school, social event, etc.)
Just practice very common interview questions and spend a lot of time researching the website, about their curriculum/student organizations/etc. Ethical scenario questions were not asked at all.
Don't stress over this interview! Just be able to describe your basic background and interests in medicine and GWU. Seems like a great academic community and curriculum format. Wish I got to see more of the campus and facilities though!
I was honestly expecting to be underwhelmed due to recent media coverage of GW and my own experience with GW undergrads, but my initial impressions were totally wrong! GW Med school has a really neat curriculum and a lot of bells and whistles in the form of extracurricular opportunities, track programs, and service programs. I almost felt like they talked about that extracurricular stuff too much and somewhat ignored the main curriculum, but those things are probably better selling points.
I was fairly turned off by my faculty interview, to the point where it made me question whether I wanted to actually go to school here. It just left a bad taste in my mouth at the end of the day.
Love this school. Interviews were really conversational, but as they are closed file, you don't have the luxury of the interviewer prompting you about things they've seen in your file. Really be able to highlight or bring up examples of your work, academics, and passions during your discussion.
Overall a good school, incredible location, very expensive. Would definitely go here with a scholarship of some sort, but otherwise, it would be fiscally irresponsible not to choose a decent state school.
I believe the school gave me an impression that they are somewhat apathetic to the students, and really didn't feel like a strong, cohesive group. Great location though. The interviews were structured in a way where I felt that the questions were "bland," and there was little opportunity to "change the course" of the conversation.
DC is one of the coolest cities in the US. GW offers some of the best programs in global health and health policy. They interview so many people, so interviews can be rushed or unorganized. Not much in the way of facilities because of the stress on clinical medicine... not a place to come to do research.
I loved the school. I particularly liked the fact that the dean spoke about the fact that GW is proud of its research, but that if you want to be a researcher, GW is not the school for you. I interviewed right after the earthquake in Haiti, and hearing about GW's extensive involvement in the relief efforts was also impressive, particularly since my interest lies in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance medicine. GREAT school!
I was much more impressed by GW than I expected. There were two 30 minute interviews, one with a medical student (2nd or 4th year), and one with a physician.
The school legitimately cares about bringing in a class that will do more than just be a doctor, which is a lot of the reason those with numbers as their strong points will not get interviews. If it wasn't for the cost of the school, this would be a no brainer for a medical school
If you're interested in global health or health policy, there's probably no comparable school. The Office of Student Opportunities is probably one of the best resources I've seen and allows you to enrich your medical education. However, extra-curriculars are no substitute for core education.
For the price tag of GW, I was honestly expecting more. The facilities were okay--but could have been better. We had lunch with current GW students--and they seemed to really like it. However, I got a sense that this was the only school they got into--or was a back-up. Plus, there were many BS/MD program students there who weren't very helpful with the exact questions that I had--it wasn't their fault, they just had a different application process. The students were friendly and the interview day was not stressful.
Loved DC, first time i go there and absolutely loved the place, school is great too, a lot of friendly ppl. Really like the prog and the facilities. Really expensive school.
i enjoyed meeting with all the people that got interviewed that day, Darrell (admissions guy) was great!, the laid back atmosphere was fantastic, you couldn't even be nervous if you wanted to be, the hospital is AWESOME, the students seem very happy, non-competitive environment, the day was very long though, I had 2x30 min interviews, one with a MD, the other with a medstudent (gives you the insight scoop on life there), i was done with my interviews at 1pm and had to wait till 2:30pm to get the tour b-c they waited till everybody was finished with their interviews (that was a bit annoying) but overall i was very impressed!!!! wish i had rich parents though...$$$ per year is outrageous
Really laid-back. Very conversational, can't really think of any particular questions. It was mostly just them talking to me about me and themselves and the school.
Overall, the interview was very well structured and an awesome experience. The day started at 9:45am with a little intro by one of the deans, then we took a tour of the GW hospital 6th floor, the auditorium, and the histopath lab. Interviews went from 12:00-2:00, but I started right at 12 and ended at 1pm. I was out of there a few minutes after 1pm. Overall, it was pretty laid back, like everyone said. Both the student interviewer and faculty were nice, and the clinician actually seemed interested in what I had to say. So don't stress, and just know ''Why GW?''
in the morning we took a quick tour of the facilities then we had a presentation from from the financial aid office and the office of student opportunities. we had lunch around noon, where first and second year med students came to talk to us if we had any questions (very informal). after lunch, we had our interviews (student first, then faculty). it was a very standard day. they really try to keep it low stress - so dont freak out!
Although I really liked some aspects of this school, the interview process here frustrated me. The interviews were extremely short and I felt like the interviewers were just trying to get the interview over with in order to get to the next person.
Faculty seemed nice and excited about the school, but I didn't meet any happy students. Too bad, because it seems like you get a good clinical background there and that the faculty are accessible and love to teach.
It was a good experience. The student and faculty interviews were low stress.The staff does everything to make the day less stressful. There is a tour of the lecture hall, labs, and simulation rooms. Lunch is also provided. The students were willing to answer everyone's questions.
it was a very low-key, fun interview day! a great first interview...the deans are super friendly and honest about what the school is and isn't in terms of its strengths. an overall good time!
Overall the interview experience was laid back. I am glad I went because seeing the school and interacting with the people definitely moved GW way up on my list. Now I can only sit back and hope for an acceptance.
Overall, it was a positive day. A lot of schools say they try to make the day low stress, gw did a great job of that that keeping all questions easy and focused on who you are.
smooth and inspiring, loved the opportunity to speak with first/second and fourth year students during lunch -- all still love the school, which has got to say something about the quality of the program
Great location, big emphasis on practice of clinical medicine, not so much on research. Prepare genuinely - don't overpractice and be true to yourself.
I think it went okay. It was my first interview, so during my student interview, which was first, I was a little anxious. But by the time I finished, I was feeling a lot more at ease. I think I did better on my faculty interview, but since they are weighted 50/50, I give myself about a 5ish.
Overall it was not as scary as I thought it would be. I feel liek I may have been too chatty with the faculty interviewer. I am scared I will be rejected, but there is nothing I can do anymore.
Overall I had a great day. Students were really friendly. Many students came during lunch to talk to the interviewees. They were most likely there for the free food, but they were very enthusiastic and extremely willing to answer questions. You could tell there was a camaraderie between them. The interview is one student and one faculty. The student interview was great. It was very conversational and went very quickly. I think it was my best interview. The faculty interview was pretty bad. He literally read off a list of questions and barely responded to what I said. One of my worst interviews. But I'm still convinced the school is great.
These interviews are very laid back and its a great school. This school is really interested in creating the best learning environment for their students.
This was my second interview so it was even less stressful than my first. We started with a short intro by one of the deans, then went on a tour of the hospital and med school building. Then we heard more about the school before lunch when several students came in to talk to us and answer questions we had. The interviews were last (one with a student and one with a faculty member) and they were pretty low-stress since they were closed-file so most of the questions were just about getting to know me.
It was a very laid back day. GW prides itself on diversity, and when you meet all the people you interview w/, you'll definitely see that. I had a great time talking w/ the other interviewees so it made the day that much better. The hospital is gorgeous and the Med School building is as well. You interview w/ a student and a faculty member and they are honestly just trying to get to know you. The staff there is so caring, they want to make the day as stress-free as possible.
short introduction by dean of admissions and another staff member, tour of facilities, followed by financial aid presentation...we then had lunch with current students at the school...interviews were held after lunch
Everyone on the group (approx 10) were all really nice and normal ppl! They hand you a folder at the beginning of the day with all of your info, including who you will be interviewing with and what time. Very comfortable the entire time, nothing to stress about at all. The student interviewer was a slightly less conversational than the faculty interviewer, but even then, very casual interview. Both started out with..."So tell me about yourself"
I enjoyed the school very much. The day was not stressful or difficult at all, everyone I came in contact with was helpful and nice. I had interviews with a student and the dean, both of which were very conversational and allowed me to fit in a few jokes.
Overall, my experience was pleasant. Nothing about the school really stood out for me. A lot of the things that GW touted as unique was present at every other school I interviewed at.
I was there really early. As other people arrived, we got acquainted. The dean came in to talk for about 20 minutes, then we went on a short tour to the hospital and lecture halls. Then was a short financial aid presentation then lunch with students, then the interviews. It was minimally stressful, so I hope I did well.
I left with mixed feelings. The school is a great fit for my interests and ambitions, but I was put off by the lack of enthusiasm demonstrated by other applicants. My faculty interviewer was also very, very short...I don't feel like he/she walked away with a good understanding of who I am.
Overall I was pleasantly surprised with how nice the school was. The deans and students alike are very laid back and approachable and the POM program really seems to foster the closeknit environment among the students. Everyone seems helpful and dedicated to seeing everyone succeed. good opportunities to work in urban medicine, public health or global health. As one of the deans said though, if you are interested in rural medicine this isnt the place for you.
About twenty people interviewed the day I did. My largest interview group by far. The great location and great facilities make this school definitely high on my list. DC offers so much more than other cities and smaller towns.
I was much more impressed than I expected to be. The interview experience was friendly and laid-back, and I really think they did a good job selling the school, and making clear what type of student they're looking for. It's closed-file, so they don't know anything about you other than your name. Both of my interviewers just engaged me in a low-stress conversation about my experiences and interests. They both did ask the obligatory ''weakness'' and ''strength'' questions, but they only asked for one, and it was conversational as well. You spend the day with about 15 interviewees, and go for a tour (where you walk through the new hospital to the top floor dedicated to education (and which has the programmable simulation patients), through the library, and through two large classrooms - one where all of the students sit in pairs at large flat-screen computers looking at slides). You have lunch with the other interviewees (wraps), and first (and some second) year students stop by to chat and answer any questions you might have. They were very friendly and helpful, but definitely made it clear that you only really have 1 or 2 hours a day outside of classes & studying (can't imagine how you'd engage in other activities your first two years!). One student said that everyone is pretty laid back and friendly, but that the student body doesn't socialize as much as he'd hoped - pretty much just after exams. Overall, I found that the most impressive part was the amazingly unique international and healthcare policy opportunities that they offer and encourage students to take advantage of. That alone blew me away. With the exception of the long lecture hours, there isn't a thing I would want to change - I would be more than ecstatic to go to GWU.
First interview was with a student, basically typical questions (why gwu, what are your strengths, weaknesses, blah blah). She seemed nice and a little nervous.
Second interview, with faculty, lasted much longer than the 25 min it was supposed to, more of a conversation than an interview, talked about my undergrad research (history, not medical), future of medicine, student debt, a very meandering friendly conversation.
The interveiw day wasn't particularly stressful. I think this was in part due to the fact that the interview coordinator arranges the interview day for that reason.All in All I would love to go to this school but I have already been accepted to another school.The only thing negative about this school is the price$$$$. Otherwise the teaching facilities are exquisite and the opportunites open to gwu students are also excellent.
The faculty interview was very easy. My interviewer seemed genuinely interested in my future, and he gave me a lot of great advice on how to reach my goals. It seemed more like an advising session, and he was more than willing to let the conversation go rather than just stick with the questions. The student interview was very low key with lots of opportunity to get questions answered. Overall, the closed file method wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, you just have to make sure you prioritize before what you think is important to get across, especially when they start off with the broad, "Tell me about yourself."
2 interviews: 1 student, 1 faculty. Both were very conversational and laidback. It was a little odd, because my student interviewer asked me the standard questions you would expect to get from a faculty interviewer (e.g., why medicine, why GW, which specialty, tell me about US healthcare issues...) while my faculty interviewer just chatted with me about my experiences/ECs.
It was a good experience. Everyone was friendly, the medical students who had lunch with us seemed to be a happy bunch, they seem to get along. Everyone tried to make the day as laid back as possible. The interviewers try to get to know you as a person.
considering i've been a student (undergrad/grad) at the school for some time and live in dc, i just hopped on the metro for two stops. the day started at around 9:45/10 am so it was nice to have the time to relax a bit in the morning and eat a good breakfast. sat through short presentation by admissions coordinator, dean scott, and then took a toor of the facilities and hospital. returned to the library meeting room and ate lunch with some current 1st & 2nd years. then had two ~30 minute interviews (1 student, 1 faculty), followed by a presentation by the financial aid office and student opportunities office. it was a very straight-forward and laid back day. we were out of there by 2pm.
We were taken to a room in the library where we were ''checked in'' and given folders by the admissions staff. The dean of the school then came in and gave the ''spiel'' for the school. We were then taken on a tour of the school and hospital and met back in the room for lunch and talking with current students (1st and 2nd years). We then waited for one of our two interviewers to come get us to begin the interview process. Some had faculty first and others had students first. After that we heard from the Office of Student Opportunities and were free to go.
Started off with a DVD of GWU, kind of cheesy, then went to tour the hospital, took a peek at the classrooms, had lunch with med students, then interview. Leah, the interview coordinator, is very knowledgable and nice.
Wonderful! The interview coordinator had everything very organized, the first and second year studens were sooo excited to talk to us, my interviewers were really nice and we talked so much, they actually lasted longer than planned, the tour of the facility was pretty quick so you don't have to worry about walking around too much in dress shoes, free mug and lunch! Oh, and an Office of Student Opportunities staff member comes to talk about the TRACK Program, and also the Financial Aid Office, great Q&A sessions, and we actually got to observe the first and second year students in lecture. Get to know the other applicants interviewing with you, everyone today was really nice and helped to make the atmosphere relaxed and fun!
It was cold outside, but the interviews seem to go well and students liked the school. Students were extremely likable...more so than any school i have interviewed at.
The day began with an introduction video, tour of the school and hospital 6th floor, finaid presentation, then lunch with some medical students. Then I had a 30 minute student interview, followed by a 30 minute faculty interview, both closed file. This was one of the most laid back experiences ever; great chance to sell yourself.
Great experience-- everyone was very friendly. Lunch is right before the interview so if you get nervous and can't eat it may pose a problem! Have questions prepared for the medical students that come in during lunch so you can engage in an active discussion.
I got there (a bit late thanks to metro troubles). it was raining (bring an umbrella, DC weather is a bit unpredictable). We started with a talk by the dean of admissions, then we went on a tour of the classrooms and hospital. They share the class facilities with the school of public health but there's no cross registering allowed (one of the only schools i interviewed at where this was the case). The facilities are fairly unbeatable. The location is awesome. The students were very gregarious, the complained quite a bit about their anatomy class, and not wanting to go to class/school, but maybe this was just the students that day, not sure. All seemed happy about their decisions, very diverse group. After tour/lunch I had two interviews, first one with a stone-faced professor, he had no reaction to me or the other 2 interviewees, he's just a hard interviewer, but it was conversational if not congenial. Student interview afterwards, went incredibly well, she is someone I would love to be in school with, was really intelligent, engaging, and easy to talk to. Afterwards they gave us mugs, talked to us about the track system - it seems really cool and a great opportunity to include students personal interests into their medical school education. There's a lot of support for student endeavors.
Both my student and faculty interviewers were extremely kind and laidback, but since the interviews were only 25 min, they felt rushed. They asked the basic questions... pretty much all covered by postings on SDN.
i'm seeing a trend with private schools that go out of their way to make the interview days stress free...GW is no exception. Very up front and easy-going interviews that give you the opportunity to say you peace, so preparation matters.
The interviewers both left time to answer any questions that I had for them. They didn't rush to get me out of the room. I got the impression that I could have made them both 40 minute interviews, and neither person would have minded.
I had one interview with a dean of admissions. She was running late and made me wait for 20 minutes in the lobby, which made me late for my next interview with a student. The dean seemed very unenthusiastic about the interview. The student interview was a great experience. The student was incredibly friendly and it was a pleasure to speak with him. He asked me basic questions to learn more about me.
It was very laid back, conversational. Go in with a few major things that you want to make sure that you cover - being closed file makes it completely your responsibility to cover the important stuff.
The interviews were very casual, and the interviewers did their very best to make it a stress-free experience. Actually, I had to watch my casual tone once or twice because of being drawn into this comfortable atmosphere. Conversation flowed well, and in my case, questions seemed to connect to what I, myself, had brought up.
Overall interviews were very casual and conversational. First one was with a med student who was very friendly and just wanted to learn a little about me. Second was with a doc-also casual, but he did ask some 'illegal' questions like where else/how many interviews, where else did you apply
I think the people there are pretty nice and the interviews are not supposed to be stressful. I think it was because this was my first interview and I got some hard questions that I don't think I answered them pretty well that made me not feel 100% positive about my interview. Overall, the school environment and people are excellent.
Presentation, tour that was really great - got to see standardized patient rooms, etc, financial aid presentation, lunch w/ M1s and M2s, interviews (one with a med student, one with a physician). Minimal stress.
My experience at GW was really nice. The interview was really short and relaxed. The tour of the medical school was great... although we didn't get to see the gross lab. Remember just be yourself and relax.
The day begins in a conference room where you have time to talk with other applicants. Then there are presetations/a video/speech from a dean/and a tour. The facilities are VERY nice and the tour guide was extremely informative and helpful. This was followed by lunch where 5-10 first years and some second years came it to talk with us about GW. There input was really helpful. They said they are in class pretty much 8-5 every day (and although that isn't a problem for a lot of people) it seems like a very large amount of lecture time to me. They said they have 2 lectures in the morning followed by 3-4 in a row in athe afternoons. That is pretty much the only negative impression I got. The interviews were very laid back. My faculty interviewer didn't speak english very will though so I kept wondering if she was understanding the things I was trying to say (sometimes she would follow up with a question that made me believe I didn't get my point through). Anyway overall I really enjoyed the school, it has a lot to offer and DC is an amazing city to live in.
I really enjoyed everything about my visit to GW. Everyone we met that day was very nice and I felt very comfortble. They made a strong effort to give us a good feel for all aspects of a medical education at GW (classes, elective options, financing).
Very laidback. Someone comes in to talk about GW in general, followed by a quick tour of GW's hospital, financial aid presentation, lunch and then your 2 interviews. They put the interviews back to back so they're pretty stringent on time. Most won't last more than 30 minutes. One doctor and one student (usually MS2) interviews you. Closed file so I ended up repeating myself but they were both very relaxed.
It was very laid back. I was only stressed because it was my first interview and I didn't know what to expect but if you're going, just relax. You will have a student and faculty interview, closed file, and they will ask basic questions, i.e. Why medicine, why GW, tell me about yourself. The interviews were shorter than I had expected, but very pleasant.
very relaxed. . . my student interviewer and i had very similar backgrounds and interests, which made it very casual and easy. my faculty interviewer was great, too. overall i would love to attend GW, except for the price tag.
The facilities are amazing, the opportunities for internships and community involvment are great, and everyone was very nice. It was a great experience.
This was my first interview so my point of reference may be a bit skewed but I thought it was great. Very organized, friendly people, they really seemed to want to get to know me. Also it was great that the other interviewees were really friendly. I absolutely loved it and have nothing negative to say!
Very laid-back and reasonably stress-free. This was my first interview, so I don't have a lot to compare it to, but I was really pleased at the friendliness of it all.
Overall very good. There were a lot of students that came by voluntarily to talk to us and answer questions about the school. They all seemed to be very enthusiastic about the institution.
As far as the school goes, they don't try to hard ball you or make your life difficult during the interviews. GWU is a very expensive school in a very expensive area and I feel that the school should provide more merit based scholarships and institutional loans for students.
The interview was very relaxed. My first interviewer was the old dean of admissions. He kept the interview on track asking a lot of questions. However he gave me adequate time to respond and made it seem like more of a conversation than an interview. My second interviewer was a 2nd year student. She basically let me talk about myself and ask questions.
Arrive in the morning ~10AM, a few talks from the interview guide, a brief talk from the Dean, a brief DVD presentation, ~1 hour tour of the medical school and GW hospital, lunch and talking with first year medical students, then starting around noon we had the actual interviews. Shortly after the interviews we had a brief presentation from the Student Opportunities Office and then we were free to go.
It seems like everyone who goes here really likes it and all the people I met were incredibly helpful. My interviews were with a med student and a doctor, and both just sat down and had a relaxed conversation with me, without trying to intimidate me or trip me up. I really enjoyed it and was really impressed with the school.
It was a wonderful experience, and a fire alarm mid interview was funny as well, but it gave all of the interviewees more time to mingle with 1st and 2nd year students in the courtyard.
So so. My student interviewer was very casual and easy going. My faculty interviewer was somewhat abrasive and aloof. The tour was lovely, but I wish that they would show more of the hospital facilities.
Arrived early but got lost in the med school. Make sure you actually go through the library to the second set of stairs instead of taking the stairs outside the doors to the library. And bring your ID - you'll need it to get a visitor's pass. It was overall a great day and the lunch was actually large enough to make you full! The new hospital is great!
Overall it was good. Low stress, friendly interviewers. Enthusiastic tour guides, they give you a lot of information on everything you want to know (except the financial stuff).
Information session, video, lunch (nice boxed with fruit and salad). Then student interview, followed by waiting/chatting and then professor interview. The student interview was very low-key, the professor interview somewhat stiff and definitely standard questions.
Very relaxed. Started off with an overview of the school, we watched a video, took a tour, ate lunch, then had two interviews (one with a student, one with a doctor) - very laid back.
It was more relaxed than I anticipated. I felt my interview with the student went extremely well, but that the faculty member interviewing me was not as enthusiastic to be there. The tour of the hospital only shows the part accessible to med students, but nonetheless they are beyond amazing! If you go to GW, you will definitely be prepared to work with any kind of pt.
It was really positive; (overall) nice interview group (I think there were about 20 of us); interviews were a bit short for my taste, especially when I have to tell them EVERYTHING (since it's closed-file); the hospital is almost brand new, which is great; nice location in DC; I loved it!
It was a really relaxing and non-stressful day. The interview coordinator made everything run very smoothly. The dean of the medical school spoke to us, followed by a tour of the classrooms and 6th floor of the hospital (the teaching area). Then there was more information about the process from there, as well as financial aid. Then we had lunch with some current students and after that were the actual interviews. Both interviews were really laid back, definetely took the "Tell me about yourself approach" and were not threatening.
Get there around 9. Meet admissions guy and dean of student affairs. Take a tour of facilities. Lunch. Student interview. Basically, this person wasn't cool at all. They acted like my reasons for GW were wrong and that my interest in becoming a practicing clinician was unremarkable. Then had a faculty interiew. This person was genuine and very interested in who I was. I felt like this interview really gave me an opportunity to represent myself. Then some finacial stuff.
Each candidate had a student and a faculty interview. the interviewers filled out a form immediately after the session. The student wanted me to explain to her why she should support my candidacy with the admissions committee. I felt like it was up to me to get the student interviewer on my side, which I did.
There were 2 interviews: one with a faculty member and one with a student, each lasting about 30 minutes. Both interviews were very comfortable and stress-free. The day was very well organized and we were kept occupied while waiting to interview by having the opportunity to visit with several current students.
Student interview was great.
Faculty interview left me with a negative impression. Like another reviewer said, the closed-file nature of the interview made the the faculty questions seem very pointed and attacking and made me somewhat defensive. This is my first experience with closed-file interviews so far and I don't agree that it works as well as they claim. I think the first interview should be a student interview, which can be closed-file. But the faculty interview should be open-file, and second, so you don't feel like you're repeating yourself. What's the point of 2 interviews if you're answering the same questions in both interviews?
I did not appreciate the overall haughtiness of this school. It does have a lot to offer, but i felt that the main agenda of the school was to produce docs that 'shine' with accomplishments.
I liked GW a lot more than I thought. The interview coordinator is very easygoing. Also, Dean Scott came and gave a nice, motivational speech about the school.
The interview with a med student was very good, as he was very friendly and seemed truly interested in being part of the admissions process. The "faculty" interview was with an alumnus who isn't actually on the faculty. It was nice that he wanted to "give back" to the school, but he also checked his voice mail in the middle of my interview, which amused me because it perfectly fit his self-important mannner, but in retrospect, I found this very rude, especially in light of all the work that applicants have to do just to get an interview.
I thought it was fine. The doctor-interviewer seemed not too interested in what I was saying. He wrote a lot and didn't really look at me at all. That interview wasn't very convesrsational, it felt more like he was grilling me. The student-interview, though, was great. He and I talked for an hour and 20 minutes
great school, great people. i loved it. they do two interviews, one with a student and one with a doctor. they do info and tour, then lunch with students, then 2 interviews, and a presentation
Most of the day took place in a large conference room. One of the deans came in to talk with us, and she seemed really friendly and excited about the school. The whole day was guided by the interview coordinator, who was very informative and professional. He took us on a tour of the hospital, which really impressed me. Afterwards we eat lunch and about 10 med students, mostly first years, came in to talk with us about the school. However, the interview coordinator stayed in the room the whole time so I'm not sure if he was there to make sure the students didn't say anything negative about the school or what. Afterwards, we were called out one by one to interview with a students and then a faculty member. The interviews were very relaxed and conversational. Then we had a presentation from a member of the office for student opportunities, and that was it.
There were more applicants there than in previous interviews, but it did not negatively impact the day. The talk by the dean in the morning was great, really piqued my interest in all of the opportunities available at the school. I felt that the tour was better than at any other interview I've had thus far -- it was organized, planned, and there was information given along the way. The facilites are also very new. Students came in to talk to us during lunch and were very laid-back, I liked the atmosphere. They were all very honest about their experiences, and all seemed enthusiastic and happy. The interviews were blind, but honestly they still followed the same path that open-file ones have had. I felt comfortable during each, although in general they followed a more Q and A format than the more conversational interviews I have had. The office of Student Opportunities impressed me, as well as the breadth of experiences available to join or create.
Each interviewee has two interviewers: one current student, and one faculty member. The student was the one who actually asked the questions in my case, the faculty member just seems to want to chat.
Pretty relaxed, nice tour, the Dr. interviewer creeped me out a bit and I couldnt tell if he was just a little strange or hated all my answers, but otherwise it wasnt bad, the students were really helpfull
In comparison to my other experiences, the other interviewees at GWU were a lot nicer to each other and we all helped each other relax. A dean of admissions came in and talked to us first and he presented a lot of information as well as helped put all of us at ease. The tour of the school and the hospital were great (even though it was raining that day and we had to walk outside to walk between the school and the hospital). My student interviewer was really nice and we had a pleasant conversation. My faculty interview was amazing, despite the fact that he was a little late. By far the best interview experience I have had thus far! He was really nice and our conversation continued passed the interview time and we continued talking about Cuba and Miami (we're I'm from) as he walked me out of the building. I think closed-file interviews are better than open-file interviews.
Very positive, very laid back. It really was just a conversation. The interview w/ the MD went better than I expected--there are no "devil's advocates." All the MSIs were very honest about the workload but seemed happy in their choice of school, and how friendly the class was. It's a great school and I hope I get in! Be confident in yourself, know your strengths and weaknesses, why you're choosing medicine, why GW, and why DC, and the interview will be a piece of cake for you. Good luck!
the day started with introductions, then a dean came in and talked about the school. We took a tour of GWU hospital, and the medical school, then had lunch followed by the 2 interviews.
This was just a really well-put-together and informative interview day. Also, it was so stressless. You get to see pretty much everything, but the day isn't unnecessarily long. Also, several students come in to the lunch room and answer your questions. The students - socially and intellectually - impressed me very much. My interview with the faculty was very straightforward - none of the questions were difficult. I got the impression that the point of the student interview is just so that admissions can see that you're a normal, sociable person and that you'll fit in at GW. My student interview seemed pretty nervous, actually. In any case, it was still a very easy interview - totally conversational. Overall, I really enjoyed everything about this school.
Good tour of school and hospital (including 6th floor of hospital). Meet with Dean, students, 2 interviews (student, faculty), checked out the white house and other sites
very stress free. the dean asks that you tell her if you feel the interview was stressful because it is really not supposed to be. the experience was well organized, with lots of info to take home.
It was ok. Student asked a question a minute. From health policy to ethics and asked the next question while pausing while answering the former. The faculty was a joke. Totally off topic the entire time and did not really make an effort to listen but just chit chat.
The hotel Lombardy was expensive 179/night, but was beautiful and three block away from the school.
The entire day was well run with ample time to speak with students and deans in an informal setting. The tour of the new GW hospital, and 6th floor CLASS center was impressive.
The laboratory lecture hall was newly renovated with computer work stations (Mircoscopes have been removed from the curriculum).
Both interviews were held after lunch, both interviewers were extremely friendly.
I had a good day. My student interviewer seemed a little ditzy and preoccupied with something besides interviewing me. My faculty interviewer was excellent.
Closed-file interviews, one with a student and one with a faculty member. Both were very easy to talk with and provided ample time for me to ask questions.
Overall, the interview experience was a positive experience. The faculty interviewer was a retired CV surgeon and asked fairly straightforward questions. The student interviewer was very nice and was well prepared with questions already written down.
Great. Student interviewer was awesome. made me feel really relaxed and was just a great representative of the school. faculty interview kinda rattled me a bit b/c though i think it went well i had a hard time reading my interviewer. they were stone cold.
The interview experience was the best one I've had so far. The stress was my fault alone. I've interviewed at 4 other schools, but GW is my first choice. Without a doubt, the best organized with the least amount of downtime (removed the stress of waiting around). The discussions, tour, lunch, student interaction, and interviews were well done. GW offers everything I liked at other schools - early clinical exposure, focus on primary care, diversity, residency placement, and the opportunity for a scholarly tract. Interviews were with a student and a physician. Both were very closed-file, so be prepared with a "tell me about yourself introduction"...and be sure to include everything important.
An interview coordinator began his introduction to the school promptly at 10am. He then proceeded to give us a tour of the hospital and medical school. A representative from financial aid gave an informative presentation. There was not a lot of time between the distribution of our boxed lunches and interviews, so be cognizant of the time. There are two interviews- one with a first or second year, one with a faculty member. The interviews were followed by a presentation from a representative in the student opportunities office.
we came in. We were given the overview of the day. Then a tour by the interview coordinator. A financial aid presentation. Then a boxed lunch. Then we had our two interviews. One faculty, one student. The interviews were blind, so the discussion could pretty much go anywhere. This was my first blind interview, so i felt like i had to guide the conversation. At the end of the day, i really cannot say how well i did. I was nto stressed though. This is my forth interview, so i'm pretty used to the process. After the interviews were done,we were free to leave, or listen to a presentation from the director of the new student opportunity office. This office will open in the fall. Overall, it was a very informative day. GW is in the heart of the country, and there are tremendous resources here. Student can get involved in a vast array of programs.
I was super-stressed out, so I basically turned a very relaxed interview into one that was filled with fumbling jibberish, overall, ok school but wouldn't come here (weather was great though)
the interview day was really low key. you have 2 interviews, one with a student, and the other with a doc. you show up, they do a little talk about the school, and then they take you on a tour of the lecture halls and classrooms, and they take you over to the clinical skills learning center, which is really nice. you come back for lunch, financial aid blurb, and then you have your interviews. my first one was with a doc who was only adjunct faculty and didn't know much about the school. he was cool enough, but we only had 30 minutes for that interview, so that limited our conversation just as it was getting really good. the next interview was with an ms2, and he was really nice. you could tell he was forcing himself to ask the "set" questions, because the rest of the time we just talked. that interview lasted an hour. after that, the day is over.
The interview day begins at 10AM with an introduction and campus tour through the academic building and the sixth floor of GWU hospital (the teaching floor). They show off all the newer stuff like Harvey the heart dummy and new online slides (a replacement for microscopes). They don't take you through any labs. After a short financial aid presentation and lunch I had two interviews, one with a second year and one with a doc. Both were very laid back and conversational. The day is over about 1PM. The cost of living in D.C. is quite high, especially if you get an apartment around GW. It's a little cheaper if you live farther from campus or in VA. Overall an extremely positive experience.
Overall, the interview day was very laid back. I had one student interview and one faculty interview. It wasn't stressful at all. The new hospital is really nice. I could definitely be happy going here. DC is a fun town. My only disappointment with my interview day is that we didn't get to meet any students (other than the one I interviewed with).
Excellent. Very relaxing and informative. Spent the first two hours with the other 16-20 applicants as we were given a tour of the school and hospital. The first interview was given by a 2nd year medial student - casual and very upfront about her reasons for picking GW. The second was given by a faculty member - which was also a very low stress environment. He did tend to read off more questions from a list and write down the answers.
It was a low-stress day, exploring the school and finding out what it has to offer its students. the interviews were with a faculty and a student, both very laid back and friendly
Overall, it was a pretty laid back day, they definitely give you A LOT of information and show you a lot of the school. You also have a long time with the students, so definitely come prepared with questions--they'll stay and answer questions for as long as people have questions. All in all, a pretty easy day. My interviewer, however, was reading questions off a paper and writing my responses down, so for all of you that are interviewing in the future, here are the questions I was asked, not sure if they'll be asked of anyone else, but like I said, it seemed he was reading off a questions sheet or something. 1. How do you know you want to go into medicine, what specialty do you think you'll enter? 2. Name a time you've failed and what you learned 3. Name a weakness and how you're improving it 4. WHat characteristics do you have that you think will make you into a good physician 5. Where do you see the future of medicine going (policy wise) and how will that affect your practice 6. Describe any leadership positions you've held. That's all I can think of, hopefuly that helps someone!
The interview is just as laid back as everyone says. My faculty interviewer followed the outline exactly and the interview was very easy, but not really conversational. My student interviewer was great. It was very conversational.
The students were are really friendly and helpful. The facilities were gorgeous.
This was very low stress interview. Everyone I met from staff to students to faculty was extremely nice and welcoming and made me excited about wanting to attend even more than I already did. It is one of the most beautiful hospitals I have ever been in and the school uses some of the most innovative technology in educating its students. It was my first interview with a student but she was very friendly and encouraging and the professor who interviewed me was extremely nice as well. The admissions office staff member who conducted the tour and spent most of the day with us was very knowledgable about the school and Washington, DC itself. He was willing to answer any questions we had and knew the answers to all. Students had lunch with us and they were helpful in further answering our questions. Overall, the day was not the least bit stressful and very informative.
The day is very organized and they give a presentation and a tour before your interviews. The interviewers come and get you from the room for your interviews, and by then you have had time to relax and get to know the school. My first interview was with a faculty member, he asked all of the typical questions and seemed to be following an outline. He was very encouraging. My second interview was with a student. It was more a conversational and she really just wanted to get to know me. I always liked GWU, but now I love it!!
The interviewers were very friendly - one faculty, one student. The student interview was more question-answer;the faculty was more of a conversation. Almost all questions were standard.
Overall it was a good experience, although there were many people scheduled to interview that day (about 20). The hospital is new and very nice. I don't know if the high tuition/overall cost of GW is really merited, though.
I really liked it. The city offers a lot of opportinity, but it seems that the students were pretty cohesive. Everyone was really nice and very positive about the school.
We arrived at 10am and were done by 2. Had a tour of the hospital, brief talk about curriculum and lunch. I had two interviews, one with a second year med student and one with a professor. The professor was very...pompous and asked a lot of healthcare questions and then spent 20 minutes lecturing me on how medicine is a business and I shouldn't think of doctors as bad people if they don't take medicare. The student interview was really relaxed though, almost too relaxed.
Overall, the student interview was really nice and relaxed. She just wanted to understand me better as a person, which was great. On the other hand, once they find out your interests, be prepared to talk about it intelligently.
There is a student interviewer (M2) and a physician/faculty member interviewer. Overall it was a fun day just hanging out with the other applicants and talking to med students that stop by for lunch.
The day started off with a brief presentation by a member of the admissions staff. We then had a tour given by the same person. During lunch, we were called out one by one for our interviews. My first interview was with a plastic surgeon, and my second was with a M4. The interview was closed, so there were lots of "describe yourself" questions. Overall, the day was very low-key. Once the interviews were over, we were free to leave.
The whole school is pretty much crap. Surprisingly, the interviewer, an attending psychiatrist, actually told me that GW is not a very good school and you are better off going to Georgetown or Hopkins (because she knew that GW was my backup school). And the whole health care situation and financial situation at GW is worsening, despite the new hospital they built. My impression of the place is 1)really shitty equipments; 2)Unhappy students; 3)Arrogant admission staffs (inferiority complex). And there was even one stiff old-timer interviewer whose name is Biggaloo (instantly the face of Rob Schinder poped out in my mind). GW is such a back-up school with an attitude of top-20 wanna-be. The tuition is ridiculous. DC sucks.
Visiting GW was a nice experience. The tour was very well organized and they really impressed me with the hospital. My interviewer was incredibly nice and we had a pleasant conversation where he was convincing me to come to GW.
The day was well organized and it was not that stressful. We took a tour first and then returned to a conference room for lunch and waited for our interviews. All the students seemed very happy there and did not have one bad thing to say about the school.
GWU was great, i loved it. my experience in dc was awesome too, although i've heard bad things about the safety in dc. also the student interviewer i had was fun to talk to and told me a lot about the school.
All interviewees have one interview with a first- or second-year student and one with a faculty member. I can understand interviewing with an MS4, but I was uncomfortable meeting with someone who had yet to begin rotations (and thus couldn't tell me about the 'complete' experience there). The interview schedule with faculty members was disorganized (see below) and gave me a poor impression of the degree to which they take care of their students. I was turned off by the school aesthetically; even the hallways in the hospital were narrow and crowded. Tuition is ridiculous.
two interviews, one by student another by a MD, both bout 25-30 min...nothing to stress about...just be yourself...remember that since it is closed-file, if there is something you want to talk about YOU should bring it up
I had to wait a long time before my interviewer came. there is this overwhelming attitude that they don't care about the students. they did not care to make a good impression becaue they have so many applicants.
I loved the school, would be a great place to go to medical school and would go there no questions asked. However, I thought they did not spend nearly enough time during the actual interviews. That is what we are there for, so they can get to know us. The interview day is otherwise very relaxing and informative. Overall a great school but not enough time devoted to the 10min interviews
I was really impressed with the school and its facilities. I have nothing but good to say about my experience. Everyone was really nice and the other interviewees were really affable too. Everyone was talking and that really helped ease my tension alot.
The interview is very low-stress. My student interviewer really kept me on my toes, but the faculty interviewer just rushed me through. GW is nice for its emphasis on clinical care, but the price is nearly prohibitive for those hoping to actually go into primary care type residencies.
By far, this was my funnest interview day. It was pretty short, the other students in the group were fun. It was soooo laid back, I didn't even feel like I was really interviewing. I had a med student and a young chief resident who were both really nice and we just chatted for 1/2 hour.
The day is very organized. Matthew Farber shows you around most of the day and is very knowledgable about general facts regarding GW. The hospital is truly impressive and overall I think GW is a very good med school and DC is a great place to live.
school seems impersonal. students were cold and distant. some bashing of georgetown went on... the worst interview experience ever. Spent so much money and traveled from CA.
The day is very laid back so there is no need to be nervous. You will have the opportunity to interact with current students so definitely take advantage of it and ask them any questions you have. You will interview with a student and a faculty member. Both are very casual "get to know you" interviews and you are encouraged to ask questions. You are served lunch and have the standard info sessions and the day ends with a tour.
Very informal student interview. Faculty interview was OK, he tried to stress me out, but didn't really succeed. Talked a lot about himself. Lunch was gourmet, hospital and med student teaching facilities were top-notch. Great school overall.
Overall I had a very positive experience and they go the extra mile to make you as comfortable as possible. The interviews themselves were purely conversational and just wanted to get to know us. That's the beauty of a blind interview!
This was my first interview and it was a really good experience. The interview questions weren't terribly difficult, and the physician who interviewed me (the second interview was with a student) was incredibly friendly and eager to sell the school.
odd that admissions faculty gave the tour, and not a med student. new hospital- amazing. ross hall, research facilities- a bit outdated, relatively. nice, stress-free atmosphere while speaking with med students and other applicants while waiting for interview.
I really like the school: program and all the opportunities. The interview process was a little short. I was there for 3 hours and 2 of those were a tour and lunch. One intervew was with a retired faculty member and the other was with a first year med student (different!)
I was basically just asked to describe myself. It was all about personality and whether you would fit with the school and their attitudes. They want people people.
We were all in this really hot room in the library for most of the day with an admissions officer who lead the tour and info-session and coordinated our interviews. A few students stopped by and had lunch with us, but interviewers were pulling us out, so I never had more than a few mins at a time to chat, and felt like I was being watched by the guy from admissions and the interviewers. I didnt get to sit in on classes, but thats OK because the students rarely go anyway. I have actually received an acceptance from elsewhere and have since withdrawn my application.
Beautiful school and area. Everyone was really friendly. The student interview i had was about half being asked questions then the second half I was supposed to ask questions, have some in mind. The faculty interview was very conversational and surprisingly not stressful.
It was very laid back. It was most of the applicants' first interview and everyone was extremely nice and it was the best group of applicants I've been with so far (after GW and 3 other schools).
pretty laid back. didn't understand the point of having closed-file since they asked you about your activities anyway. overall i got a pretty neutral impression of the school. not bad, but nothing really exciting about it either. location is good if you're interested in smithsonian and all the monuments in dc.
After having so many expectations built up about how the day would go, it was surprisingly low-stress and almost anti-climactic. It was very hard to tell what they thought of me, so I guess I'll just have to wait and see. I am so happy I made it to this point in my life, but I know the real journey is still ahead.
I loved this school. Even more I loved this city. This is currently my #1 choice. I just hope I'm lucky to go here. First of all, DC is a beautiful city. You can't beat the transporation system and everyone in the city seems to have a purpose. You feel important and everyone's classy. As for the school, I loved their new hospital, their dummies that simulate live patients, the nice students and the very accomodating and kind staff. Now all I can think of is "Big Envelope, Big Envelope, Big Envelope..."
Both the medical student and physician who interviewed me seemed to have a genuine interest in attracting applicants who they thought were good bright people with a human ethic.
Basically this day was overall low stress. It was my first interview so I think I worried too much. My student interview went very well. We had a lot in common and basically just chatted (backpacking, classical music, etc...). My faculty interview was with the one guy I heard other interviewees grumble over. He was very curt and wanted to convince me that I would give up everything to become a doctor. I didn't want to argue so I just kind of said what he wanted to hear. I knew he was from India, so I started talking about my travels in India and it turns out that I visited his home town in the Himalayan foothills. He seemed happy to talk about his city and then the interview was over as abruptly as it started.
Very laid back, student interviewer was in jeans which was comforting. The doctor who interviewed me was friendly and seemed like he genuinely wanted the best for me, not out to trick me or anyting like that.
Overall a very good experience, especially if it's a first interview since it's so unstressful. Don't worry too much, just be yourself and let your motivation to go into medicine shine through in the interview!
They really sold me on GW. Everyone seemed happy to be there, happy with their choice of school. The facilities and programs were excellent, GW has now become one of my top choices because of my positive interview experiences.
I had a good time, much better than I expected. Hospital is great. med students say it's not cutthroat there. It felt a bit formal at first, but the interview day loosened up considerably as time went on
all in all I was impressed with the school. students seemed happy and enthusiastic and there seems to be a real commitment on behalf of the faculty/adminstration to serve the students well.
The interview experience was very nice. Since it was my first, I expected to be very nervous however I was very surprised that I did not become nervous one bit. I was interviewing for an early selection program into the medical school, not regular admissions. The overall experience was very good, not bad for my first interview.
I had two interviews, one student and one faculty. Neither was stressful. I think GW's strength (for me) is in its location, choices of hospitals for 3rd and 4th year, and pretty good emphasis on diversity. Overall, however, I was not impressed, esp. b/c of how expensive it seemed. Even after interviewing, I couldn't get a sense of the school.
My first interviewer was a second year student who asked me pretty standard questions. She was quite friendly and helpful despite having an exam scheduled an hour later though. The second interviewer was a veteran faculty member who initially seemed hell bent on stressing me out but mellowed out later.
typical interview day, tour, lunch, interviews. was my first closed-file interview and was annoying that spent most of interview explaining things that were already in my file when could have been talking about different things.
It was a very laid back experience. I was impressed with the presentation that Darrell gave about the school. Both of my interviewers seemed very interested in finding out more about me and willing to answer any questions that I had about the school.
Overall, the interview is stress free. I was interviewed by a retired physician, and an M2 student. Like I said GW is a great school that is very diverse in their student population and offers a curriculum that exposes you to patients within your first week. Great program!
Mine may have been a special circumstance in that the University had cancelled classes for a snow day, but it was not fun. There was one guy who told me to go to my interview, but never even said his name or his job. I think he was a med student filling in for an admissions staffer. We did not get the scheduled financial aid or admissions meetings. We had an interview and were told we would have some sessions, but upon returning to the gathering room, we were told to leave because no one was there to give tours or info sessions. We came to DC for a 20 minute chat with a doctor that I can not see how it would help an application. I'm telling this not only to complain(that's fun too though) but also to show what GW is like when they don't care about impressing anyone. They completely blew us off which was frustrating after paying $300 to come and interview at a school where I really had wanted to go.
I think I've spoken enough! If I were independently wealthy, this is a school I'd consider without a second thought. That not being the case, I'll have to consider finances when making a final decision on GwU.
THe presentation of the GW program was less than impressive. I did not feel like we were at the medical school. It may have been a function of visiting the school near exams.
The students we me were very interesting people though. I would say the greatest strength of the school is an exciting, non-competitive student body that would make medical school fun.
The admissions officer was informative and easy to talk to. He eased my anxiety by stating we all were accepted on paper but GW obviously can not accept 1000 students. So it made me feel that I was wanted by GW is much as I want them. Interviews were really laid back and was more like a conversation among new friends.
the school moved up on my list. my only qualms about attending would be that it i'd be far from family(i'm from CA). but from what i saw gwu trains people to become very good physicians.
the funny thing was that i didn't want to leave. the day was organized so well compared to other medical school interviews i had, and it was the tuesday before thanksgiving! daryl did such a great job, and funny too! the price is high, but if accepted i would have to think about it, which i didn't before.
Overall a very positive experience. The faculty seem very friendly and they get along great with the students. The location is great, but damn was it cold(coming from 85F in Cali). Would definitely consider the school if I get in.
There were a lot of people being interviewed in one day (21). Darrell is pretty hard core when he goes over his spiel about the school. The faculty interview was awesome...very friendly and laid back. The student interview was equally stress-free. Don't worry about the interview...learn as much as you can about the school. It has some very unique programs. Lunch was pretty bad...very little time to eat.
It was kind of a blah experience. There was nothing awful but nothing impressive either. There seemed to be nothing unique or special about the school that they felt was the applicants needed to know. It's like the school is just there. Take it or leave it.
The interview is laid back. Darrel is awesome, and really makes you feel welcome. Just be prepared for basic questions (see below). Try to stay with someone you know. Hotels are over 120/night. DC is a great city, but it is expensive. Go to Georgetown for some fun, it is an awesome part of the city. The white house is only 5 blocks from the school, and the other monuments are also within walking distance. If possible, fly into REAGAN/NATIONAL airport, because there is a metro stop there. From that metro stop, you can get to almost anywhere in the city, northern virginia, and marylyand.
Overall it went alright. They do their best to calm you before the actual interviews. My first interview was with a doctor who was not very friendly. She asked many questions and literally would write down every word I said, often feeling that I had to stop and wait for her to catch-up, which made me lose my thought process. The second interviewer was very chill, laid back and talkative (but precise and focused). He had his feet up on the desk and was swearing rather often, which actually did a good job to relax me.
a ridiculous waste of time. interview process is not taken seriously by either student or faculty interviewers. student talked about himself the whole time and faculty was a very sweet old man but seemed a bit confused. asked no med-school related questions and gave me candy in the end. threw out random questions and allowed approx 5 seconds for each response, saying "hooray! i'm going home early today!" i don't think either interviewers/interviewee made much of an impression on each other.
I really enjoyed visiting GW, for its emphasis on patient care and cooperative learning. The interview was EXTREMELY low-stress . . . it's more to supplement your application than to evaluate you (or so I think . . .) Definitely a great interview experience, designed to be as little stress as possible.
The interview experience was very relaxed, since both interviews are close-file the interviewers know nothing about you. So this is a great opportunity to talk yourself up and also find out about the interviewers.
Overall it was a good experience. The interviews were not stressful and I learned a lot about the school and got to talk to a lot of the students. Be yourself and you will do fine.
Very laid back interviews, with faculty interview being slightly more stressful. Darrel Villaruz is very candid and answers many of the questions you may have. He also sets your mind at ease going in to the interviews. Day was a bit long.
I really liked my second interviewer, a PhD; we talked about my research a lot. There wasn't one big tour -- an admissions counselor showed us the hospital, neighborhood, and gym, while a student showed the lecture halls and labs. The main tour was at the end of the day, an hour after my last interview, so we were all tired. The fact that it was a rainy day didn't help, though the Metro stop is right by the entrance.
Overall the interview was extremely laid back. Don't stress about it at all. There are meant to be just a regular conversation. I got asked a lot of non-medicine questions, so be prepared to talk about other things. The new hospital is pretty amazing and the lunch was good.
first interview with a 2nd year student-- relaxed and conversation-like. 2nd interview with a Dr. from the community-- that one was stressful, he interrupted, told me to cut the niceties, etc. That one shook me up, and other friends who interviewed there had similar experiences
pretty friendly. the student interview was very conversational, and the faculty interview was pretty informative more than anything. the student body seemed cohesive and there seemed to be a lot of opportunity. the big deterrent i found was the price
they really seemed to want to find out how high gw was on your list. although one interviewer said, "if you get into harvard and you get into here, go to harvard" which i thought was funny. if anything, i felt like i didn't get enough of an opportunity to make the points i'd been focusing on when practicing interviews with my roommate.
My faculty interviewer was a psychiatrist. He was not unpolite, but he was cold and very matter-of-fact. A far cry from my student interviewer, who was very laid-back and conversational (and cute!). The psychiatrist had a list of questions on a sheet of paper in front of him, which he kept looking at and wrote answers to (in list form) as I answered his questions.
Closed-file so be prepared to guide the conversation and sell yourself. The interviewers were very nice and laid back. My day ended at 2:30pm. Lunch is served when you get there, so no need to eat breakfast.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested improvements such as updating interview information, offering more engaging and interactive experiences, providing more communication and information about the school, making the process more student-centered, and implementing electronic applications to save time and resources. Additionally, there were requests for better scheduling, student interaction, and more thorough financial aid presentations.
You need to update the interview info page as it has some bad links, outdated information, and you should use your own video about DC, not Expedia's.
Snacks or pastries or something in the morning would be appreciated. It's hard for us to get breakfast in the morning when we have to travel and get to the school on time.
Maybe send a follow-up email the week before the interview just as a reminder and confirmation that everything is set. After the initial interview invitation email months in advance, I didn't receive any followup.
Make the interview day a little more student centered. With so many interviews conducted I guess I can understand, but it didn't really feel like they were trying to impress us.
Have slides to show in the computerized lab to get a better sense of this relatively new approach to lab work!
Otherwise, a very well conducted interview day - introduction by Dean of Admissions, good presentations on student opportunities and financial aid, and interesting tour - thank you Gillian!