Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell Interview Feedback Summary
Hempstead, NY
Allopathic Medical Schools | Private Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 31% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did okay.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
7.8
Good
Generally favorable experience overall, applicants reported positive interactions with some minor issues noted.
Based on 146 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 average.
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 average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about reasons for choosing a specific school, motivations for pursuing medicine, academic performance explanations, ethical dilemmas faced, and personal attributes that make applicants suitable for the program. Some respondents mentioned questions about past academic challenges, ethical dilemmas, and personal achievements, while others may have been subject to an MMI format and nondisclosure agreements.
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Why Hofstra? Why do you want to live here? ("I thought everyone from California wanted to stay in California")
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Why I would want to leave my home state for Long Island
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Tell me about XYZ (AMCAS activities).
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Why do you want to go to hofstra
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Why medicine?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said the most interesting question asked at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell discussed a range of topics, including personal experiences, motivations for attending Hofstra, ethical dilemmas, future aspirations, and challenges with the curriculum. These questions provide insight into the applicants' character, decision-making skills, values, and adaptability, reflecting the holistic approach of the interview process.
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Specific experiences--tell me about that?
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Why do you think you'd attend Hofstra if you got in?
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Worst day of your life?
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I see you've done so many ECs, so then, who is the real you? What's your mission/passion in life?
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where do you see yourself in 10 years?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said the most difficult question asked at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell discussed ethical scenarios in an MMI format, along with questions about handling conflicts, decision-making under pressure, project worthiness, leadership experiences, and personal challenges. Respondents may have been subject to a nondisclosure agreement due to the nature of the interview format.
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The ethical MMI questions
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Tell me about a time where you had difficulty working with others. How did you handle it?
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Tell me about a time when you demonstrated your ability to make a decision in a high pressure situation while acting as a leader.
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Why do you think your project is worthwhile?
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Thoughts on healthcare system today.
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 30 - 40 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 interviews by researching the school through its website and SDN, practicing with mock interviews, reviewing their application thoroughly, and preparing answers for common interview questions. Additionally, some applicants engaged in mock MMIs, spoke with current students or professionals, and studied current healthcare topics relevant to the school.
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Looked up practice MMI questions, SDN, Reddit
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Mock MMI, reviewing application, reading Hofstra website
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Sdn, mock interviews, etc.
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Read SDN page and school website
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I read over my application more than a few times and really made sure that I could speak at great length about anything an interviewer could ask me about. Additionally, I researched the school quite extensively, read the student manual, and spent an hour chatting with an MS4 over the phone.
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were consistently impressed by the modern facilities, innovative curriculum, and ample clinical exposure offered by the school. They also appreciated the responsiveness of the administration to student feedback, the supportive school culture, and the dedication of the faculty and staff.
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The school is very receptive to feedback
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The passion about the unique curriculum. The amount of clinical exposure. The Step 1 performance. The responsiveness of the administration to student feedback. The diversity of the patients because serves Queens.
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Curriculum and school culture blew me away without a doubt. Ended up really seeing myself there
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The facilities were really nice -- the anatomy lab especially was modern and high-tech!
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Everyone I met at Hofstra, from faculty to students, truly loved the school. The curriculum is modern, impressive, and well thought out. You get clinical exposure starting week 1, and (what I love best) much of your learning is self-guided and in teams. Look up the PEARLS curriculum, and you can't but help be impressed. The ratio of faculty to students is ~5:1. That's a top tier ratio, and this school is looking to be an academic & clinical powerhouse in the next 10 years. They are a rising school, and, from the students that I met that they have recruited, they clearly are on the rise. On a final note, their student lounge was on point... and only students (and not faculty) have access, so it's a truly safe space to just hang.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the lack of clear feedback and assessments, the distant location from amenities, the negative social mission perception, the unstructured curriculum, and the interview process being uncomfortable. Suggestions included providing more structured feedback, improving the curriculum organization, addressing the negative social mission perception, and ensuring a more comfortable interview experience for applicants.
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The location (!!). Students described not always feeling like they knew how well they are doing in courses and wish there was more feedback (there are very few assessments). The way that everything is a drive away. The sense that the school wasn't very motivated by a social mission/serving the underserved (staffs uses terms like "illegal immigrants" instead of "undocumented," ect) which was surprising because they brag about learning from the diverse population of Queens.
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Nothing at all
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The lack of structure of the curriculum (no textbooks, students need to find their own resources for classes, etc)
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The students mentioned that the neighborhood is kind of a dead zone for nightlife. That being said, you're a half hour away from the beach. I would trade a day at the beach for a hundred nights in a club.
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They seemed to do GOod cop/bad cop and one interviewer was extremely aggressive
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known about the timing of the MMI, the importance of arriving early, the potential for curveball questions, the nature of the interview format, the significance of the simulation center visit, and details about the curriculum. Many also recommended being prepared for unexpected questions, bringing a book, and familiarizing oneself with interviewers, the weather, and special videos shown during the interview.
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The MMI is right in the beginning which was very nice
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Expect curveball questions where you have to give examples of how you struggle on a team, etc.
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I wish the the special video they should us during the interview was available on their youtube channel. It made me tear up. It was fantastically done.
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Show up at least 30 minutes prior to the listed "arrive time." that's actually the start time.
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Bring a book.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally expressed enthusiasm for Hofstra's unique curriculum and student body, highlighting a positive interview experience and a strong desire to be part of the school. Some concerns were raised about the location and uncertainties regarding the future, but overall, applicants felt positive about the school's investment in student success and innovative approach to education.
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I really liked the idea of the school (clinical experience, unique curriculum, normal-seeming students) but was very disappointed by the location
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Super positive experience here. Hofstra definitely seems like a school invested to their students' success and their curriculum approach is definitely very unqiue!
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I would be ecstatic if I went to Hofstra next year. Can't say enough positive things about the curriculum and the students.
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A great school, i left much more impressed than i was when i started.
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Absolutely loved Hofstra. Very excited about their curriculum and the students seem very happy.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested that the admissions office provide more information about student programs and student happiness, be transparent and responsive in communication, and avoid creating false expectations about the timeline for hearing back post-interview.
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I wish I could have learned more about student programs. I think they spent a lot of time diving into the minutia of the curriculum but I wanted to learn more about what it was like to live in the area and student happiness. I was disappointed by the sense that the school was not very interested in the mission of serving the underserved/social justice ("we aren't here to solve the primary care crisis")
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Don't imply that we can email and you want to be as open as possible about the process and where we are ranked and then give vague responses when we email you. Don't do the good cop/bad cop interview
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None really, everyone was great!
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Don't give the illusion that most people will hear back in March when the reality is that accepted people will hear before then and only waitlist and rejected applicants will hear back in March (true, that is the majority, but applicants were told that not getting an immediate acceptance didn't mean no acceptance at all, which wasn't the case).
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Don't keep us waiting so long post interview. Interview day was great.
📍 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 in state students.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 0-1 hour traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by automobile to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent less than $100.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
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JFK
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LGA
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LaGuardia
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Home or at home.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
The most commonly mentioned hotel is Long Island Marriott.
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AIRBNB
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Hilton
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Long Island Marriot
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Long Island Marriott
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Marriott
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as average
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
Most respondents would recommend their hotel.
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
All Responses
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