Boston, MA
Allopathic Medical Schools | Private Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 9% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did okay.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
8.5
Above Average
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 568 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional
8–8.9 Very Good
7–7.9 Good
6–6.9 Mixed
< 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked questions at medical school interviews include inquiries about the applicant's motivations for pursuing medicine, research experiences, long-term goals, challenges faced, family background, and specific activities listed on their application. Some respondents mentioned engaging in Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) format, which may involve questions on a wide range of topics, and noted the thoroughness of the interviewers in reviewing their application materials.
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One of my hobbies
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All of the regular traditional interview questions. you know the drill
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Why medicine lol
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Why do you do research? (Disclaimer: I have a ton of research experience)
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Tell me about yourself.
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at Harvard Medical School discussed a wide range of topics, including personal traits, societal issues, and ethical dilemmas. While no specific unusual questions were highlighted, many responses indicated a personalized approach tailored to the applicants' experiences and applications, fostering engaging conversations during the interviews.
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What trait do you think is the most important when you make friends?
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What are cons of [policy I mentioned positively]?
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A clarification question about a blemish on my transcript.
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Tell me about how your mother's sacrifices affected you?
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Why is there so much inequality in health care delivery, even in Boston?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said the most difficult question asked at Harvard Medical School revolved around a wide range of topics, including personal motivations for pursuing medicine, ethical scenarios, research experiences, and reflections on healthcare systems. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on responses referencing specific questions, non-disclosure agreements, and the diverse nature of inquiries posed to applicants.
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Asking about my research and they are curious to find out more (HST track)
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Why did i NOT seek out a particular type of activity, even though i could of
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Nothing too difficult.
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What do other countries do better than we do?
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If your goal is to be a positive part of peoples lives, why not some other careers? Why physician? Here I explained the other reasons I like the career such as it being intellectualy fulfilling.
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of more than 50 minutes.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had an open file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by reading over their application materials, researching the school's website, interacting with current students, and utilizing resources like SDN. Many also engaged in mock interviews, reviewed healthcare issues, and focused on their research and personal statements to be well-prepared for the interview process.
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Read my application; asking students, in school and graduated (and turned out, it was not that useful because they don't ask WHY HMS)
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mock interviews
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Read SDN interview feedback, read their website, talked to students there
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Explored the city and relaxed, and asked students questions the night before
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SDN; did a lot of thinking and writing.
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the conversational and informative interview experience at Harvard Medical School, where they gained a deep understanding of the institution beyond its website. They appreciated the warmth and friendliness of the faculty, students, and staff, the top-notch facilities and resources available, the collaborative and low-stress environment, and the diverse opportunities for research and clinical experiences, all contributing to a positive and welcoming atmosphere.
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I enjoyed the interview overall, and most of it was conversational
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they do truly SO much to help you get a really great understanding of HMS. by the time i was interviewing, i had a really really great sense of HMS's unique offerings in a way that was "beyond the website," and even of its downsides, which honestly impressed me. this 100% improved my interview performance, because i was ready to connect specific interests i had with HMS in a really genuine way
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Standard interview questions. HMS describes its interviews as very much a conversation, and I felt that way with my faculty interviewer. She was a very sweet lady and the conversation flowed well.
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Just the magnitude of the institution was striking.
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The amount of freedom we had on the interview day
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of structure and engagement during the interview day, unenthusiastic tour guides, disorganization in scheduling, and a sense of disinterest from the admissions office. Suggestions include improving the interview process by providing more engaging activities, offering informative tours, and enhancing communication with applicants to create a more welcoming and informative experience.
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In comparison to other schools, it clearly knew why students were there and did not bother to ask the 'why' question.
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My student interviewer was one of the most bizarre student interviews I've had this cycle. The interview was supposed to be a causal hour long conversation, but he grilled me on certain parts of my application that did not leave room for open-ended replies, but more-so yes/no. He was also in a rush so he ended my interview exactly on time or a few minutes early. Seems like from the get-go that he was not interested in learning more about me.
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The whole process was very disengaged. There was very little structure to the day--like they just wanted you to figure out on your own what you wanted to do, and do it. It seemed like they didn't care that you were there.
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My tour guide couldn't be any less enthusiastic about giving us the tour lol
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The majority of the applicants at my interview day had a connection to the school, either through family or working for a faculty member. The students we met did not seem not as reflective as I would hope about the school.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known about the amount of free time during the interview day at Harvard Medical School. Many recommended bringing a book or planning activities to fill the downtime. Additionally, some suggested being prepared for potential stress interview questions even though the overall atmosphere is conversational.
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Nothing, really
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it's conversational and not a stress interview, yes, but that doesn't mean they won't ask you questions that challenge you... if that makes sense. don't be nervous, though, genuinely! they rly are just trying to get to know YOU (from what i can tell). also, i was never randomly asked an ethical question or anything; everything built on either an answer i'd just said OR something written in my application
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Wish I had known how much freedom I was going to have. I would have planned my day more fully.
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Both of my interviewers read my application thoroughly and tried to learn as much about me as possible. They seemed to care a lot about the intention behind my activities/experiences and my career vision.
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Nothing really
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally had positive experiences during their interviews at Harvard Medical School, with many finding the interviews to be conversational and stress-free. The school's facilities and opportunities were highly praised, though some applicants noted a lack of structured events during the day and varying interactions with students.
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Personally, I think they should still ask why question, as expecting an answer and getting the answer from people's mouths are two different things.
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HMS doesn't try to impress their interviewees so there weren't many structured events during the day. You'll have a lot of down time. If you are in school, bring homework - the applicant lounge has nice study stations. I also recommend checking out their case-based learning classes.
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Enjoy the free time!
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Loved my experience here. My fellow interviewees were awesome. The interviewers were fair. There was a lot of free time to roam around. I used this time to get to know my fellow interviewees. The students there were helpful and friendly. Boston is great as was the campus. I recommend staying with a student host.
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This is a great school, and it innovates to keep ahead of the curve, but the facilities weren't as nice as I was expecting. The surrounding area is very nice though. Overall I'm not going to be holding my breath for an acceptance, but it was just an honor to be able to interview here. What a great opportunity.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested that the admissions office should offer more structured interview schedules, provide additional activities or opportunities to interact with current students, and consider providing meals or refreshments during the admissions process. They also recommended increasing flexibility in interview scheduling and enhancing the overall tour experience.
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Keep being amazing!
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Beyond the usual suggestions, I would add making 3rd or 4th years available to meet with applicants.
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Everything was fine for me. However some people had interviews that were very close to lunch or during the tour and maybe that can be avoided in the future.
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Provide the locations of common interview spots
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Provide a decent breakfast. I actually enjoyed having lots of free time, it gave me time to talk to current students and learn a lot from them
📍 On-Site Experience ▼
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are out of state students.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 4-6 hours traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by airplane to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent between $201 and $300.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Logan International Airport (BOS)
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BOS
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Boston
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LOG
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Logan
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Logan Airport
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either With students at the school or with students at the school.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
The most commonly mentioned hotel among the user responses is Hampton Inn.
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Best Western
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Best Western - The Inn at Longwood
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Buckminster Hotel
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Comfort Inn
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Hampton Inn
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
Most respondents would recommend their hotel.
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
All Responses
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