Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 8% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview mixed with a moderate stress level, and felt they did okay.
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about teamwork challenges, recent books read, motivations for pursuing medicine, experiences with difficult individuals, ethical dilemmas, and personal strengths and weaknesses. Respondents also mentioned questions about research projects, volunteer experiences, family influences, reasons for choosing a specific school like Mayo, and scenarios related to patient care and healthcare issues. Some respondents reported being subject to an MMI format interview with questions tailored to their application materials, while others highlighted questions related to personal attributes and decision-making scenarios.
“Is there anything that you’d like me to pass on to the admissions committee?”
There will be one stress-test interviewer who will try to make things tough on you. This is usually the administrator MD (a dean, senior chair). They might grill you, claim you lied on your app, tell you that your views are wrong, or etc. For me, they attacked my personal identity by saying they have a hard time believing people from my background experienced what I experienced.
Why Mayo? Sure its a great place, but its also cold and in MN, so why here and not another great place? (my answer was about why the cold and location don't matter since Mayo gives benifits not found anywhere else).
What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? (Difficult question to answer becuase you don't want to sound arrogant, and you don't want to make it sound like your weaknesses are huge issues)
Have you ever helped a company start, increase in sales or prosper? Would you spend more time with a patient who obeyed your orders, or with one who followed them? Would you ever give up hope on a patient?
How would you handle a patient who didn't like you? Are you a perfectionist? Do you expect perfection from others? Why do you want to be a Mayo graduate?
What is your most treasured personal experience? Is humility important in a physician? On a 1-10 scale, how humble are you? Did you feel this interview summed you up pretty well?
Students said most interesting question asked at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine discussed various topics such as personal stories, conflicts, diversity, research explanations, and healthcare reform ideas, among others. These questions were part of a conversational interview format that may have included the MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) setup, potentially involving a nondisclosure agreement given the diverse range of questions posed.
Rate your humbleness on a scale of 1-10.
...talk about a catch-22. :)
On the upside, I had a funny answer prepared since this question was asked in previous years.
I applied to a lot of top schools, so they wanted to know why Mayo instead of some other good school...which was easy to answer once I was there, being there I could see how different it was and it was easy to explain/talk through in the interview.
Have you ever been in a situation in which you feel you were not fully recognized or awarded? (Answered yes, which lead to a second question) How do you deal with those situations and continue to work hard?
Students said the most difficult question asked at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including ethical dilemmas, personal reflections, healthcare reform, and hypothetical scenarios. Some respondents mentioned questions about resolving healthcare crises, addressing personal failures, and defining professionalism in challenging situations, with a notable absence of questions related to typical academic achievements.
"You are not a very typical applicant, what should I say to convince the admissions committee that you are really dedicated to medicine?"
There really weren't difficult questions. As my host student told me (and as the Deans will reiterate during the morning's info sessions), they've chosen you to interview because they are confident that you have what it takes to be there and they just want to get to know more about you
None really. Both of my interviewers had read my entire application (and LORs) very closely, and all the questions pertained to my life and my experiences.
None were very difficult, but some in-depth questions were asked about my activities (i.e. what I learned about myself/the practice of medicine from them).
One of your recommenders said X. do you think that's true? (weird question, I thought... asking me to confirm something written in a letter i've never seen?)
What should be done in the educational system to motivate and retain underachieving students?
(I was expecting a question about medical system reform... so the educational system reform issue was a bit of a curve ball.)
As a physician what would you do if you made a mistake? What would you tell a patient that knew he was not going down the right path with his health (something like that)?
Tell me about yourself (and then when I finished my spiel, the interviewer said, "And???" so I went on some more and again he said, "And???" This went on for five minutes or so and was rather uncomfortable.
What are your thoughts about the statement "When a patient says they are in pain, then they are in pain, whether or not the pain is physical or imagined."
What if patients loved this physician, co-workers loved him, he was just a great doctor. But, he is an alcoholic who beats his wife. Is he still a professional? (based off my original definition of a professional)
If a physician fits my definition of professionalism (which I had defined previously), but is an alcoholic and beats his wife, is he still a professional?
How should we solve the problem of providing adequate medical care to the uninsured? How have you been exposed to working w/ people of different backgrounds (minorities)?
Most respondents rate the school location as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as average.
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 primary and secondary applications, reading SDN interview feedback, and studying the school's website. They also practiced with mock interviews and familiarized themselves with common questions and ethical issues. Many applicants emphasized the importance of being genuine and not overly scripting their answers, while some also spoke with current medical students or physicians for insights.
Re-read primary and secondary app, did mock interviews, reviewed SDN info
Went over AMCAS, read about Mayo, looked over SDN interview feedback. MAKE SURE you sit AFTER the interviewer sits. Maintain good posture, and do NOT interrupt the interviewer.
Reading SDN interview feedback, keeping up to date with health news (although that never came up in my specific interview), learning as much as I could about Mayo Medical School (via SDN and their own website), mock interviewing with friends/in front of a mirror
I had been to a 5 interviews before, so I did not worry about preparing as much. (even though it was my top choice!)
If you have not been to an interview before, I would suggest doing a mock-interview with your school's career services department.
Read over my AMCAS application, and went through the Mayo Medical School website to get an idea of the curriculum and of Mayo's philosophy about patient care
1) Reviewed AAMC medical school book
2) Reviewed the Mayo website
3) Read article(s) on the latest medical developments
4) Mock-interviewed with another medical school applicant
Read up on Mayo, if you are interviewing in the future go to the web site and read the "Mayo Model of Care" a few times, this info is critical because I don't think it is for everyone and it is something you have to agree with if you want to head to MMS.
Sheesh! I wish I had known about SDN before I went for this interview!
I prepped by reading the Mayo website, the Rochester website, and emailing back and forth with a 4th year Mayo student.
I looked at the questions posted on SDN, especially the 8/21/2002 posting. I also read through my AMCAS application and browsed the Mayo Medical School website.
Looked over the questions here. They were almost verbatim. I chose not to prepare specific answers, but I did get some general ideas of what I wanted to say.
I read the questions posted previously, but I decided not to prepare answers. I did not want my answers to seem scripted in any way. If I am right for Mayo, they will know it and so will I.
SDN feedback - questions posted in early October of last year were repeated almost verbatim. There were a couple of other questions not on that, but they were of similar type (ie. what do you think of such and such personal characteristic, and give me an example of a time you have demonstrated it).
Read detailed questions from 8/21/2002 posting on this site, thought about answers. Read other posts. Looked at Mayo web site to find out more about school and curriculum. Made sure phone battery would not run out during call, went to bathroom before call, had a glass of water handy, gave dog a bone to keep him quiet.
It was hard to really prepare. I just reviewed the basics: why I want to be a doctor, why I want to go to Mayo. Also, I thought a lot about how I would answer any questions about my personal history. However, it was a formatted interview, and their were no personalized questions.
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the relaxed and friendly atmosphere at Mayo Clinic, the beautiful campus facilities, the enthusiastic and down-to-earth students, the ample opportunities for clinical experiences and research, the generous financial aid and scholarships, the patient-centered philosophy of the school, the individualized curriculum with selectives, and the supportive staff and faculty. Many highlighted the exceptional resources, student support, unique opportunities like dual degrees and international rotations, small class size, and the strong sense of community at Mayo Clinic.
VERY relaxed, friendly, & conversational. Super low-stress. I promise
Mayo seems like an amazing school -- everyone I spoke to over the interview week seemed to be absolutely in love with the entire Mayo system and think it's the absolute best, and many of them had intentionally come to Mayo after being at other top schools.
Everything. I was completely blown away by this school. The people, the facilities, the philosophy of the school (patient centered care), the curriculum (SELECTIVES = AWESOME)!
Pretty much everything about Mayo. The students, the staff, the faculty, the facilities, and an environment where I truly felt like I could fulfill my potential in medicine.
Everything. Really, everything. Just look at the website and if you get an interview you will have no further questions about what a medical school should be.
1. The tuition + scholarships are crazy
2. The support of students ($5k travel stipend anyone?)
3. The Mayo Clinic was AMAZING
4. The interviewers were nice, everyone was down-to-earth and non-pretentious
5. The free time to explore was awesome and let me get to know my fellow interviewees, who ended up being really cool.
6. The gym was super nice and inexpensive (or free, I still don't know)
7. The curriculum is awesome (selectives rule!)
8. Pass/Fail grading anyone?
9. Three week orientation, get to know your classmates
10. Class size of 50 is perfect for me..... AND SO ON...
The students and doctors all seemed very happy to be there and proud to be members of the Mayo Clinic. My interviewers were both friendly and were very familiar with my file. The small class size (42) really lets you get to know your classmates and professors. The curriculum has the most flexibility due to selectives to let students tailor their education to their interests.The Mayo Clinic is really one of the best healthcare facilities in the world, and students get to work with some of the finest physicians.
Mayo is an amazing school, and extremely unique, sometimes in ways that I wish other med schools would follow. The yearly tuition is $30,000 but every student is guaranteed at least a $15,000 scholarship, and most end up with a $25,000 dean's scholarship. So the student debt is extremely low, plus housing around Rochester is very reasonably priced. Their curriculum is set up so that there are interdisciplinary blocks, and between each block is a 2-week selective, which students can design however they want - shadowing, going abroad, doing community service, or just taking a vacation. I think the idea is fantastic, and really prevents the students from getting burned out. The Mayo Clinic is awesome, and probably the most beautiful facility I have seen so far. Its tradition of putting the patient first is not something that is just said, but is tangibly shown. Also, the gym there is ridiculous - tons of machines, two swimming pools, and free personal training and exercise classes.
These were some of the nicest people I ever met. I was given a one on one tour, talked with the dean, and had two very nice people interview me. The staff walks you through the entire interview day process. Everyone you meet is ready and willing to ask questions. The day was very well structured. The facilities at Mayo are AMAZING and they have the money to back up their students with financial aid.
Everything, I was unprepared from the website/reputation/reading for how big the place is, and the cool part is the whole place is the medical school as students get to go everywhere and I saw ones interacting with faculty there in ways I don't even think would be possible at some of the other schools I int'ed at.
The people, the students, the sense of community among the first years, my host was super nice, the curriculum is awesome, that the physicians are on salary so they like teaching, the list could go on
the facilties of the mayo clinic. it's world-class. i feel like this is still an understatement. i felt like i was in a fancy hotel or a museum. they really TAKE CARE of their patients. students seemed SOOOO kind.
Mayo Clinic buildings, very very nice, better than any other school I interviewed at. Also the history and tradition, not so full of themselves about being a good school, more focused on helping people as physicians. Tradition of helping the poor, etc.
The people are very nice. The facilities are BEAUTIFUL. There is a scholarship that anyone who wants it (in medical school) can get to go abroad to help underserved areas. The MD/PhD pays for your entire time in the program--even during your grad school years so the responsibility doesn't fall on your PI. Cost of living is INCREDIBLY cheap. Rochester is very safe. M1 and M2 are pass/fail.
The most impressive quality was the enthusiasm of both staff and students. It appears that students are treated with respect and can readily develop a good raport with faculty. Mentors are readily available and the school administrators listen to students. The curriculum was recently changed on account of this.
Everyone at Mayo was INCREDIBLY nice - the admissions staff, the medical students, my interviewers, people you bump into on the Mayo campus, and even just random Minnesota residents. My student host in particular was an awesome person.
Everything. The clinic is AWESOME. I was more impressed by Mayo than by my interview at Yale (Yales students were hardly energetic, and the faculty didn't seem friendly). Clinic, people, students, all seem to really love being there.
Alright so MMS is pretty incredible, the facilities are second to none and the new simulation center is just ridiculous. The class size is small, but what a great collection of people. A very dynamic group of people. Honestly, everything about this place is terrific, even the social life which I expected to be terrible was reasonable.
The students all seemed friendly and down to earth, the kind of people that I would be good friends with. I knew that Mayo was going to be amazing, but it was still incredible to see the huge hospital complex. The secretaries, the dean and all the students were so welcoming.
The people are so nice, and the facilities are great! Most notably, the new patient simulation labs are incredible. Overall, it's hard to accurately describe the classiness of the place! Everywhere I looked there was fine art and well-dressed people. They even have a grand piano in the main lobby of the hospital that anyone is allowed to play. Mindblowing.
pretty much everything...its MAYO. But especially I was impressed by the financial support they have available to the students (during the day they kept telling us about different opportunities available [ie: getting an MPH, law degree, etc or doing a clerkship abroad for 2 months] that they had full scholarships for. It was amazing. This was also my first interview that I was really impressed with the other interviewees (not just intelligent but also exceptional people). There were random students all day long that were very willing to drop what they were doing and talk about the school. The admissions office sends an email out to all the mayo students before each interview time to say who's coming and where they went for undergrad (so if there are any alumni from your school, they can contact you)
OK, hands down this school is amazing. I get the feeling that if this school was located in anywhere but Rochester, everyone would want to go there. The administration was a class above every other med school I've been too. They really stressed that they want you to go where you think you'll fit, they were extremely courteous... and its the Mayo Clinic, prime ministers from other countries come there for treatment and your working with specialists who lead their field. Amazing school. They offer scholarships to everyone, at WORST your going to pay 12,000 a year, housing is cheap too! Medical students seemed so respected (theres only 42 of them in a class) and I was amazed when I sat in a lecture in one of the Clinic buildings and there was a lecturer, and then five doctors specific to that field that took questions, and added more for students. Just amazingly impressive. Oh and if that wasn't enough, you get scholarships to cover costs for dual degrees, and they cover expenses for you to do rotations abroad for 2 months. A WEALTH of opportunities and connections.
The facilities are *amazing*. Everything is brand new and in tip-top shape (that's what happens when you have money!) The students also seemed really enthusiastic and happy to be there.
Mayo is a tremendous facility. The hospital is absolutely amazing and even more astounding because it is relatively in the middle of nowhere. The history of the place is really neat, and it is something that they are very proud of and love to talk about. Everyone, students and faculty, was very friendly and helpful. When we were eating lunch with the students, three faculty members stopped to say hello. you get the impression that everyone wants to be there. The financial aid is fantastic.
The fact that they cared enough about us to interview only 2 students at a time vs a large group of students. That we met for a long period of tiem with the Dean of Admissions. The faculty and staff were all so cool and nice. The faculty and staff knew all the students. I was allowed to observe the anatomy disection lab. I loved the faculty member that I interviewed with. I felt like we could have talked all day.
EVERYTHING--happy and cohesive students, quality of teaching, 11:1 faculty student ratio, relatives nearby, international opportunities, clinical training, away rotations, you name it.
Mayo is the only school I've had experience with that actually lets the candidate know when they can expect to hear about the next phase of the application process. That is greatly appreciated, particularly in light of the fact that many shcools don't even let the candidate know when the application was received.
This is the best school I went to. I interviewed at most of the top schools and this was the best. The Mayo beats Harvard, Duke, Wash U, Iowa and Baylor.
EVERYTHING! Mayo is my dream school - tuition is cheap, facilities are amazing, the clinical opportunities are endless, and there are tons of chances to study abroad or at least go to the Mayo clinics in Jacksonwille or Scottsdale during the summer
the financial aid, incredible stats such as ridiculously high board scores, 100% residency matching...everyone seems so accomplished, and it seems to be a result of being at that school. The small class size. I would think that the students must be incredibly spoiled by the high faculty-to-student ratio. (12 to 1, I think?!)
The admissions office staff and the students were extra friendly. When we were walking around the school, students came up to us and asked how things go... very friendly and supportive environment. Also Mayo clinic is HUGE. It's like a city of its own. There is no doubt med students get the best education possible. They really take care of you.
The Mayo Clinic was very unusual, but it would be a great place to be. It feels like a couple blocks of a big city, lots and lots of people around and very tall buildings. The students were from all over and had such diverse backgrounds. They seemed to be really great friends with each other. The housing was really nice. I saw several students' homes and they lived close to campus in very nice and warm little houses in nice neighborhoods. There are 2000 doctors there, and the students are given time during the week to shadow them, and most do it a lot. And the docs are supposedly really happy to have the students there and teach them well and give them hands on experience. The day is long but there is a lot to see. I walked around outside at the little shops and restaurants. I also thought that Rochester was a fine town. It has a population of about 90,000 and would be fine for me. I don't need a huge city, but if I have a good group of friends I will have fun (beside I don't have a lot of money to waste). There is a lot of outdoors stuff to do if you are not afraid to embrace the cold, and the not cold season is really really nice. I enjoyed the cool weather and blue sky.
The students are top dog there. The staff almost seems to exist for the sole purpose of serving them. The community feeling among students, and between faculty and students is undeniable. And the students are awesome... they are all unique in they're own way, I did not meet one person who is NOT cool.
I have no doubt that Mayo has a great medical school. Mayo is something you should at least see once in your life. No matter what you think about the place, it's huge, it's full of money, and it's different.
Everyone! Staff, faculty and students were all very, very positive and helpful. Mayo Foundation has tons of $$$, so facilities are great. They have audio/video hookup with their clinics in Jacksonville and Scottsdale so in some lectures, you get interaction with students there (on rotation). Also, met Dean Windebank. He said he normally does a formal-type powerpoint presentation, but decided to just sit down with us (6 of us) and talk. It was a very interactive conversation about all sorts health care issues. I felt that, if I still had a question, I could go to his office and ask him.
Everyone was extremely nice and supportive. The students were enthusiastic and the facilities were the best that I have seen. Specialist at the Mayo Clinic come to the anatomy lab and assist students on the part of the body that they know best. "Mini" rotations in the second year, and all rotations are one on one.
The spectacular facilties, the enthusiastic students, the general ambience of Mayo. Also, the frankness of the Admissions Staff, and the complete packet of information they provide.
Incredible student-faculty ratios of like 1:20, meaning you get mostly
1-on-1 interactions especially during your clinical rotations! Beautiful outpatient
facilities...the subway level is like a mall.
The facilities are top notch. The buildings are beautiful, and the faculty seem eager to teach the students. I was really taken back by how extravagant the main Mayo Building is. They are a very wealthy school.
The clinic! It's amazing to actually BE at the Mayo Clinic. It's an incredible atmosphere, and the quality of the practicing/teaching doctors and med school staff would be hard to beat.
Applicants expressed concerns primarily about the location of Rochester, Minnesota, citing its small size, lack of cultural attractions, and extreme cold weather as potential drawbacks. Some applicants also mentioned feeling limited by the town's offerings and the challenge of finding activities outside of Mayo Clinic. Suggestions included providing more information on opportunities for social engagement and addressing the lack of diversity and entertainment options in the area.
Still not convinced on living in Rochester. I guess everyone is at different points in life and have different priorities, but I feel like I'd be more in love with living here if I was 30 with a family and not in my low-mid 20s. If location is not a huge deal for you, you will love the school.
They stated that for the class matriculating in 2014, they will be changing the financial aid structure. It will begin to be need-based as opposed to "everyone gets everything"...not sure how this will affect the fact that most Mayo med students currently get most of their tuition covered.
The location in Rochester. The immediate area around Mayo is very nice, with coffee shops, restaurants, and bookstores, but outside of the clinic, Rochester doesn't offer too much. There are scattered shopping areas, a few bars, and one comedy club...but that's about it. Minneapolis is an hour-and-a-half away. The city can get very cold in the winter, but fortunately, you can get around the medical school and all the clinic buildings through the "subway," which is a system of nice underground hallways.
Rochester is, well, small. There wouldn't be a lot of opportunities for my fiance, although someone in the program said his wife was able to find a job at Mayo (because where else would you work in Rochester, beside IBM?). The medical school is very inflexible about re-entering into your M3 year--you have about a 2-month window during the fall before you have to wait until the next year to start your M3. There isn't an abundance of laboratories in the Virology and Immunology departments (my area of interest) but each lab does GREAT research. In your M1 year you don't do anatomy until the middle of the year. Also you only get 5 weeks off in the summer--only enough time to barely do one lab rotation, which only lasts one month (SHORT!).
I live in Washington, DC so it was a cultural shock to come to Rochester, Minnesota. Residents are friendly but the ethnic diversity gave me pause. Most of the travelers that come to Rochester are patients.
The only negative, location. Rochester is an allright town. Nothing amazing. The clinic makes up for it because it is so diverse, has a diverse patient base (global) and world class resources. Minneapolis/St. Paul is onlya n hour away. But still, rochester kinda blows.
The student to faculty ratio is obviously fabulous in many ways, but the small class I would think would be overwhelming after a while. The class also seemed older/more married couples than at the other schools I visited (This could be good or bad depending on what you are looking for).
The student interview was somewhat dry with very standardized questions. He was late and hardly looked over my file and my qualifications that I was most proud of instead he asked me political questions and spent forever explaining my research work in common terms. They were good questions I have never had before, but I don't feel he got to know me to the same extent as the physician interviewer.
It's cold, Rochester isn't the best town for a bachelor, it's a 7 hour drive on country roads from my home, lots of older students (again, not the best for dating).
Rochester does not have anything else. Everything revolves around Mayo. Mayo is the whole town. Everyone who lives there is employed by the hospital. The weather sucks and there's nothing else to do and no where else (close) to go to when you're bored. Apart from that, Mayo is a great school!
The public tour of the clinic is 2 hours long, and I really could have taken the walk and seen what they showed me in 30 minutes, but the tour guide goes into great detail about everything. It is about the history of Mayo and the founders, and their families, and their pets, and ...etc. It was hard to patiently enjoy it while I still had an interview to do.
One word: Rochester. It sucks. It's fairly diverse for a small town, but I can't imagine not being bored there. You have to find things to do. Also, no student housing. And it's a LONG frickin day. The Mayo clinic tour (which is open to the public) is unbelievably boring and long. It's a long day in general, wear comfortable shoes.
Location. It's super-duper cold and there's no parking for students. That either leaves you walking around in the -40 weather or waiting for shuttle busses. Beyond getting in and out, Rochester is practically a ghost town on the weekend. There's nothing to do there. Everyone goes to Minneapolis/St. Paul if they want to do anything.
It's not MSTP. I'm not sure what not being MSTP means in the long run, but I think it would be more attractive if it was.
They made me pick alot of people to interview with, but when I started looking, I realized there was almost nobody there I wanted to work with. The only kind of work there that really seems full of people is oncology. If you're interested in cancer, apply.
It's a traditional cirriculum. They boast high boards scores with it, and I bet you could learn alot. But omg, 8 - 5 5 days a week is not for me. Maybe it could cut down on the boredom?
There is no PBL, and on some days there is class from 8-11am and then 1-5pm. Mayo is in Rochester, MN, and there are very few extracurricular activities to do there. It is also very very cold.
The match list. The school sends roughly 30-40% of its grads to Mayo for residency each year, but removing that, I wasn't very impressed by the rest of it.
The small class size. I'm single and will be entering straight out of undergrad, so it was harder to relate to some of the students who were quite a bit older than me adn married with children.
The interviewer was only allowed to ask the pre-written questions. She explained that she could not re-phrase them or clarify in anywas. Since the interview was on the phone, she would ask the question and I felt like I was talking to the wall, since she did not respond to my answers and when I was done, there would be this awkward silence. I wasn't sure if she was waiting for me to say something else or what.
If I had to pick on something it would be the student facilities (computer room, rec room). They were good but as compared with everything else they were a but shabby...but I wouldn't complain about them in the slightest.
Applicants commonly wished they had known that Mayo Clinic interviews are relaxed, partly because interviewers are friendly and non-intimidating. They also recommended preparing for behavioral/HR questions, wearing comfortable shoes, and being aware of the cold weather in Rochester.
The interviews were both very chill -- I didn't need to worry so much
Mayo recycles the behavioral/HR type of questions all the time. I actually saw some of the questions before the interview but unfortunately didn't prepare for them as seriously as I could have.
Not to interrupt the interviewer, even if it's to correct your question. To sit down after the interviewer sits. In any ethics question, NEVER harm a patient, even if that means wasting resources.
That Starbucks closes at 6pm. That it's still wicked cold in October. That there would be so much of the clinic to explore. That the 'Subway' system is an underground walkway.
Not to worry about it. If you are honestly who you claimed to be on your application, they saw something they liked and want to know more. Show them your true colors and relax!!
I have spent lots of time at Mayo, so nothing surprised me or anything. If you have not been here before, look at the website extensively and really understand Mayo's core principles.
Rochester is only an hour and a half shuttle ride from Minneapolis, which is a more affordable plane ticket. Ask students about where to visit during your free time during the interview day.
How great the clinical experiences at Mayo are. Students who have shadowed surgeons as one of their selectives have actually been able to participate in surgeries - from making incisions to performing full surgeries on pigs - and this is just in their first few months of year one. The amount of trust that Mayo puts in its students is wonderful - they really are treated like equals.
how quiet the rochester airport is. i took off my socks, unpacked, and slept in the airport for a few hours. there was only one other guy there waiting.
rochester is very small. VERY SMALL. Very boring. I'm not saying u have to have lots of fun, but really, there's nth to do here. research is not diverse enough and school is too small.
I wish I had known that the ''subway'' is not a train but an underground walkway connecting major city points, which would have been a good thing to realize since it was 20 degrees and snowing the day I arrived. Also, traveling to Minneapolis (and taking the bus to Rochester) may have been a good deal easier than traveling by plane to Rochester directly.
I wish I had known beforehand what a small chance I had of getting in. My advisor's guidebook had said that normally the interview 250, accept 60 and waitlist 100. In reality, they accept 34 and take around 12 off the waitlist out of 350 interviewees!!!!
The phone interview was done to test how compatible a candidate's behavioral pattern is with the behaviors of Mayo's most successful physicians.
Unlike the last person who posted about their Mayo interview, I was not told that people interviewing toward the end of February were only interviewing for a spot on the waiting list rather than outright admission. That's rather disappointing, but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed.
Money is not an issue, you don't have to worry about debt and they basically pay for any opportunity you wish to pursue.
94% of applicants match at their top three choices, 90% match at their TOP CHOICE!.
They ever had a stat sheet saying:
USMLE Step 1 National Average: 215
USMLE Step 1 Harvard average: 225
USMLE Step 1 Mayo average: 235
No wonder their match list is so impressive!
The interview day is very self directed. They tell you when your interviews are and give you a list of other things they would like you to see and places they would like you to go. So, don't expect to be led around for the entire day...much of it is time to explore on your own.
LOOOOOOOOOONG day... Besure to get a lot of sleep the night before because the day really tires you out. Don't bring too much winter clothes. Even though it's bitterly cold there, they have underground tunnels that you can walk through around the whole downtown area (which includese like one mall, 2 hospitals and some hotels).
Before going there I was so nervous because--it's MAYO! Everyone there is so nice. They really want to know who YOU are, on a personal level. No one is out to get you.
Much of Rochester is linked by underground walkways. Bring comfortable walking shoes. If you're so inclined, skip the two-hour tour in the morning, it was the single most agonizing experience of my interview season.
How grueling this day is! The entire experience lasted about 10 hours - by then end I was completely exhausted. There is a two hour walking tour of the facilities (kinda dull), so be sure to wear comfortable shoes!
Applicants generally expressed a strong admiration for Mayo Clinic and its facilities, emphasizing the welcoming and friendly environment during interviews. Feedback highlighted the conversational nature of interviews, the emphasis on fit with Mayo's values, and the positive experiences with staff, students, and the overall interview process. Some mentioned the long day of activities and tours but appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the school.
The school, MDs, and students do certainly give off a "cult" vibe. (They are NOT a cult, at least not as far as I know, but they do give off the vibe). They want people who will abide to the Mayo system and philosophies...some not so orthodox.
The school is very student centered. The admissions staff goes out of their way to make you feel comfortable. My interviews were both low stress and it was clear that my interviewers just wanted to get to know more about me as a person, my motivation for medicine, and specific interest in Mayo. Also Mayo Clinic is gorgeous and an absolute dream. All of the facilities are stunning.
Be yourself, be passionate about what you say, but don't exaggerate your responses/feelings on purpose if your heart truly isn't in it--they can tell when you're faking.
Be yourself ... That's why Mayo invited you to interview and they really just want to assess the fit so if you try to impress them or give a false representation they will know
This interview was a great experience with very friendly and professional admissions staff. I stayed with students and they helped me get a better idea about how I would fit in at Mayo. Mayo admissions seem to place a great amount of emphasis on community service and philanthropy, so having some of these experiences would definitely go far for an applicant.
Overall, it very relaxed and stress free. My student host even picked me up from the airport! Interviews were very conversational, and everyone I met was very nice.
The interview experience at Mayo is really great. There's a lot to see, though, so make sure you know what you might want to take in during your short break time. The interviews are very conversational, but still explore important topics about your application.
Awe pretty much sums it up, the place is huge. I went to a grand rounds lecture for lunch with some med students (they said they go every day if they want to, and some do), it was amazing! Going in I was 50/50 with a school on the E. coast but after this I'm pretty set on going to Mayo...the acceptance rate isn't encouraging though :(
mayo is a special place. i've been on the interview trail, and the mayo is definitely unique. i would go there if they accepted me. it seems like i would get excellent clinical training. i usually like big groups, so i dont know how a small class size will work for me. nonetheless, i would be honored to be accepted there.
It was amazing. Dinner the first night was only with the other interviewees. The days are grueling so be sure to wear comfortable shoes. The evening dinners are much more casual than I thought they would be (jeans and a sweater are ok). Overall, I had a VERY positive experience and just received the call that I will be going there next year!
i will go somewhere else coz i can't imagine spending 8 years here. it's 8.2 graduation time. you have to find somewhere that fits you. not that the school is not good, but the location sucks
You have 5 interviews during the day, and 2 faculty interviews whose labs you would like to work in. The interviews are a bit long (45 minutes) and they are particularly looking to see if you will quit the PhD portion of the program halfway through. You go out to dinner with students that night, then meet for lunch the next day. Then you go on a TWO AND A HALF HOUR tour (a bit long) that is actually very complete. You even get to see the helipad! That night you have dinner at the director's house with students and faculty, and basically they are looking to see if you are well-adjusted or not. They are great about answering questions and discussing the downfalls of the program.
This was Mayo's version of a secondary application; Mayo does phone interviews. My interviewer made me state my name and amcas id and then tested the recorder; then read 2 paragraphs of directions and went straight into the interview questions. There were 24 structured questions
This was the Mayo phone interview. The questions were exactly those posted here. I reviewed the questions beforehand and scribbled down a few notes that I referred to during the interview but I didn't specifically prepare answers beforehand.
It was an incredible experience to visit Mayo. Everyone was friendly and there is a real sense of commitment among staff and students to provide good care for the patients. Staff are committed to developing and fostering the students' interests.
There is a lot of self-guided exploration time throughout the day - make sure to wear comfortable shoes (!) and to take advantage of this opportunity to dig into some interesting places on campus. My interviewers really took the time to learn about me before the interview, and talking to them was a rich and very pleasant experience.
Fairly good, laid back. This school was much more impressive than its current ranking suggests...liked it better than the Ivy schools I interviewed at. Only concern...the cold...but they have a nice solution :)
I attended class, had a little presentation by the secretary, then time to explore by ourselves, then an interview, then lunch and tour with students, then another interview. My first interviewer seemed to hate me, like nothing I said was right- he ended the interview after just 20 minutes. I felt like I had no chance after that; at the end, he said that I was really competitive or something like that but it seemed perfunctory. The other interviewer was so sweet. She didn't ask many questions, and those that she did really allowed me to express myself and my motivation for medicine and for Mayo. This is my top choice school, and with my first interview going so bad I really don't expect to get in.
My interviewers were polar opposites. The first one seemed to have an agenda for grilling me, while the second one was extremely friendly and funny. In retrospect, it was almost as though they had planned in advance to be "Good Cop / Bad Cop" with me.
Everything was great, facilities, people; nice school. I only wish I knew they had filled their list of acceptances (at least before I interviewed on the 20th) before I spent all that money flying up.
Although it sounds like its going to be a really long day when they initially give you your schedule (especially if you get in after midnight the night before, like I did), but it went by really fast. I enjoyed wondering around all the facilities although at some points it would have been nice to have a tour guide to hear a little more about the various buildings. My first interviewer was much more focused on asking me questions regarding my activites from my AMCAS application. This was my first open-file interview and I didn't know what to expect. It wasn't as if he was trying to drill me about what I had put on my application, he was asking informed questions about my history. My second interview was much more focused on me, as a person. We talked about my time abroad and what I learned but also talked about my strengths/weaknesses. Overall it was a really great interview day. The administration was phenomenal, too.
This was a standardized and structured phone interview given in lieu of a secondary application. There are 24 questions (some are Yes/No) given in the span of 30 minutes. Jane, the interviewer, was very nice and comforting on the phone.
The clinics facilities, and opportunities available though the medical school are breathtaking. Small class, great learning, lots of doctors to work with. Great day, very relaxed. I was impressed with the interviewees they had, really nice, humble and intelligent (and really diverse!). My interviewers were very nice and stressed that they were my advocates and just wanted to get to know as much as they could about me. Tour guides loved the school, were really honest, and fun. My number one choice, had no idea the school was this great.
This was the phone interview (in lieu of a secondary application). All of the questions were found on previous posts on SDN. Will find out 3-4 weeks after the interview if I am granted a real interview or not.
It is a fantastic place to visit in person, the beauty of the architecture is amazing. The small class size is an awesome advantage in the learning process. The class I sat in had a jeopardy game at the end which was fun. Students really view the pass/fail policy and no AOA as a plus. There is no feeling of competitiveness at the school, everyone is trying to help each other out. You have every opportunity to do research with the top doctors in their fields which bodes well for residency matching.
I had two faculty interviews. The first went sort-of blah, I didn't really feel like I made a connection with the interviewer and he kept pressing me to go further on a lot of answers that were already fairly detailed. The second interview, which was observed by a new student member of the adcom, went very well. Cindy and Jane in the admissions office are fantastic. Everyone I met was warm and friendly and clearly in love with Mayo -- and I can see why they are. They aren't kidding when they tell you to wear comfortable shoes... the place is huge (and drop-dead gorgeous)!!
This was the phone interview. The questions are already posted by others, so I checked those out. What you do need to keep in mind is that you have 30 minutes to answer 24 standardized questions, so keep that in mind.
This was the phone interview. I grew up near Rochester so I filled out the other stuff too, plus I just visited there in July and had a tour and met some people- the facilities are terrific.
the faculty/staff/students at Mayo are fantastic. my interviewers were outstanding people – super niceee.. the interviewers didn't throw any curve balls. however, i got nervous with my second interviewer. the interviewees were great people too. going up to rochester was super. i got to experience the snow. being from the sunshine state, i understand that it gets cold in minnie, but it IS one of the most prestigious schools in the world. In the end, I got bumped and a couple of wonderful people I know got accepted. Kudos to those who made the cut. oh yess, for all you respectable bachelors and bachelorettes, Mayo has plenty intelligent and terrific people.
I really left here wanting to come back. The hospital and people here are so great. This is the only place I interviewed where the facilities they are so amazing that random people are just taking pictures of them.
It's a long day, but seeing the school and facilities is worth the achy feet. The interviews were much less stressful than I thought they would be - no tricks, just getting to know you better.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience. There were 2 interviews a physician admission committee member was awesome and an M4 student. We received a lot of individual attention that made me feel like they really cared about me personally.
It was not the most pleasurable experience in the world but a nice change to the normal secondary written essays. They asked some pretty strage questions, it was nice to know some ahead of time inorder to think about them.
It was a very informative and positive day. It wasn't nearly as long as the interviews were last year, so I wasn't as tired as I thought I would be. If possible, try to have your student tour guide take you to a lot of the places on the list of things Jane gives you to explore. It's less intimidating to find your way around that way.
This was the telephone interview. Almost everything you need is found here, but I wanted to give a couple extra tips. Firstly, while this is standardized, they do seem to mix the questions up somewhat. I had a couple questions my friend did not, and that were not found here. My best suggestion to prepare would be to come up with examples for every question found elsewhere here- even the ones that don't specifically ask for one. Also, know your AMCAS ID number- you need it. Good luck!
This was the phone interview that they perform instead of a secondary app. About 350 applicants are selected for this and about 250 applicants proceed further to a personal interview.
This was the telephone interview. Questions are pretty much the same as mentioned in the previous postings, though I listed a couple here that I weren't on this website. Overall, the interview experience wasn't too stressful. Most of the quesitons are available on this website, so you can decide for yourself if you want to prepare your answers beforehand or just answer on the spot.
This is a telephone interview which replaces the secondary application. In some ways it is more difficult than writing an essay because the answers are very important but there is little time to think about the answers. That is a benefit in some ways because it is looking for some core values to determine if the candidate is a good match for the Mayo tradition and philosophy.
The interview was kindof tough, but the school was great. The clinic was amazing! By going to Mayo Med it is easy to get a residency at one of the best hospitals.
I was nervous because it's Mayo, and I wanted to do well. The office staff (Cindy and Jane) are incredibly nice and welcoming, and all the students I talked to were great. The interviews weren't super high stress, but one of my interviewers really didn't ask very good questions that allowed my application to shine, but that's how it goes...
I really didn't expect to be as impressed as I was with the level of education that Mayo offers. I can't imagine anyone not succeeding once they attend school there. There are a wealth of opportunities there that I didn't really see at the other schools. I left wishing on a star that I would be one of the 40 students matriculating there.
This was the telephone interview. It was standardized so sometimes you just keep babbling with no feedback. It is also recorded so make sure u sound nice! The interviewr, Joan, is great! Very nice. Just for stats, she said they have about 400 telephone interviews this year, and then will call about 250 to come to Rochester for a personal interview. So good luck everyone!
Overall, I was nervous going in because I didn't want to come off sounding like I had already prepared my answers since I saw many of them on this board beforehand. Luckily, they were phrased slightly different, and when it came right down to it, these questions are mostly answered by gut reaction. The purpose of this interview is to see if you are a good fit for Mayo, and I think the questions are pretty good at addressing concrete values. I'm not sure there's really a better way to prepare than to simply be yourself.
This is the phone interview secondary, with 24 pre-chosen questions and no interaction with interviewer. Pleased to not have to fill out another secondary. This took much less time to prepare. Still, it is intensive and I was tired at the end.
it was a pretty long day and since I was the only one interviewing that day, it got a little lonely. The administrative staff was very welcoming. Everyone was so nice. I had a lot of people (deans, faculty, students) come up to me and introduce themselves and ask me how things were going. The interviewers were really nice too. They asked some tough questions but overall it was an enjoyable experience.
It was a long day. The admission staff and the students really want to put as much into you as possible about Mayo. My student interviewer was GREAT although she asked me a lot of 'harder' questions. (I interviewed at other places before and Mayo is the most stressful so far.) The faculty interviewer was not that friendly. My interview was cut short to only 25 min. He didn't seem interested.
Mayo is a dream school. The Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins are the top 2 hospitals in the nation, and Mayo only has 42 students per class. The facilities are great for the students with lots of places to study, the nices anatomy lab that I have ever seen (surgery lights above each table, a really nice locker room to change into the provided scrubs before lab, and relativly mild smell). The students say that the learning there is great. Their teachers are so good and the students work together a lot, and they are surprised at how easy it is to learn the material and to keep up with the workload. THey seem to be more laid back than other schools- not stressed out and lots of time for sports and fun. Despite that, they rock the boards.
I met a lot of great people the day after my interview, had fun with them and learned more about the school from the perspectives of students in different years. Rochester sucks, but seriously, I could live with it I think if I could go to a school that has such a caring environment, such a high success rate in boards and residency, and costs peanuts compared to other schools.
Phone interview. Interviewer called 5 min. late. Interview took 25-30 min. Almost all of the questions were posted word for word on this web site, so I knew what was coming and had prepared answers. (Some questions were slightly reworded).
There was a bunch of interviews with the MD/PhD committee members and possible research faculty on the first day. Some of the committee members were pretty dry and really did not react much to any of the things I was saying. It was a pretty long interview day, but overall it wasn't too bad.
They kept us there on Saturday for a tour and for dinner. I'm glad they did. I was never so bored in my entire life. We were right smack in the middle of the town, and still everything was closed. Even the underground walkway was closed. It was so bitterly cold I didn't really wanna go anywhere on the surface. That really convinced me that there's no way I could be there.
Note that the students are paying attention to how you behave. So don't get super-drunk and dance on a table, tell racist jokes, etc...
So thanks for paying my interview expenses and I'm sure it would be a great place to go to medical school, but it's not for me.
I would, without a doubt, have no hesitation going there. I'm a California girl, but to be able to learn in that type of environment, I'd put up with the Minnesota winters.
Stayed with a very friendly student host who took me to a post-Anatomy party. The interview day itselfwas very very long. It started out with a helpful presentation from Jane Satre, and then we were allowed to sit in a first-year lecture, followed by a one-hour interview with a retired physician who worked at Mayo. Afterwards, we were taken on a very frustrating, very extensive two-hour tour that made me want to kill myself. Then there was lunch with two third-years, followed by some 'open-time' where we used the computer lab, and wandered around Rochester and Mayo. This was followed by my second interview, with a fourth-year. To wrap up the day, we were taken on a quick tour of the nearby St. Mary's hospital by a first year student.
Info packed day. Definitely as long as others have said. 8 am
orientation. 2 45-50 min interviews. 10-11:30 public tour of outpatient buildings/historical collections/history of the Mayo Clinic.
12 noon lunch with med student. 1-4, self-led tour of facilities (they tell you where
they'd like you to visit). 4-5, tour led by medical student.
My first interviewer was very conversational, very encouraging. My 2nd interviewer
had a more straightforward Q-and-A approach, but offered much advice on
things I should consider when deciding on Mayo, being a west-coaster. Oh yeah, for those of you coming from
sunnier climates, Rochester is a verrrry cold place. A heavy coat is a welcome
travel accessory.
Overall the experience was very positive. I arrived at the main student adminstrative building at 7:45 am. We were given a brief introduction to our day as well as some general Mayo information. All the interviews for each interviewee that day are scattered throughout the day, so we all had some free time to sit in on classes, walk around the campus, or check out the student areas between our scheduled interviews. We all met again to eat lunch with a couple of third year medical students. After that we all met with the chair of the admissions committee, and she gave us a presentation of the curriculum and the many opportunities available to us as students here. At the end of the day, a student came to give us a tour of the area, but we were all so tired by that time that we just sat with her and chatted for a while. The interviews themselves were very laid back, with the interviewers just asking questions more to get to know you rather than trick you. They have your application in front of them so they simply asked about things that stood out to them.
We arrived at the school at 7:45 and had a brief introduction to what we would be doing during the day and to the school in general. There was one interview in the morning, and we were able to sit in on a class. Next was a two-hour tour of the Mayo Foundation, followed by lunch with some of the students in a cafeteria. After lunch we sat in on an anatomy class, had another interview, and visited a student resource lab. At 5:00 we went on a student-guided tour of the med school and some of the clinic buildings. There was an optional tour of St. Mary's hospital after that, but by then we were too tired. Overall, it was a positive experience but a very long day.
This was a phone interview that is in place of a secondary application. The intervie was laid back and had the primary purpose of learning about my values.
This was an initial phone screen replacing the supplemental application. The following questions were asked (to my recollection):
Why do you want to be a Mayo Graduate?
Have you ever turned a difficult situation into a positive?
Is it important for a doctor to have humility?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how humble are you?
Is it important for doctors to practice what they preach?
How do you stay healthy?
Have you ever started a new business?
Have you ever improved a business or organization? How?
Do you encourage others to work harder?
Would you spend more time with a difficult patient or one that follows orders?
How would you handle a patient that does not want to follow your orders?
Would you ever give up hope on a patient?
How do you feel about the statement 'anytime someone says they are in pain, then they are in pain... no matter if it's phsycial or imagined?
Do you think about your own mortality? What do you think about it?
Do you ever spend time alone? What do you think about when you're alone?
Do you like working on a project or being responsible for others in a project?
Have you ever been a patient? What did you learn?
When making a decision, do you consider all possible negative outcomes? Give an example...
What makes you most satisfied about yourself?
What grades do you get?
Would you say you spend a lot of your time working?
Are you a perfectionist? explain...
Do you expect perfection from others?
What's one of your strongest characteristics?
What is your history with smoking, drugs, and alcohol?
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Do you think this interview described you well?
Started off by meeting the two other interviewees that day and a quick orientation by super friendly Jane and other office staff. Then sat in on classes. Then a first interview with one science faculty and one staff -- about a 50 minute interview. Very friendly and conversational. Sitting comfortable chairs -- none of this behind a desk or conference table stuff. Then a tour of the Mayo clinic. Then lunch with students. Then a talk with the dean of students -- very informal. Then another interview with a resident -- again very conversational and pleasant. Then a tour by students. A long day but very pleasant and lots to learn and see. Incredible library, incredible study room, incredible clinic...
This is for the preliminary Mayo Telephone Interview. The school scheduled the interview date/time. It was 30 minutes in length and the questions for very general in nature as all interviewees get the same 24 questions.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants generally appreciate the work of the admissions office, with many suggesting to keep doing what they're doing. Some suggestions include providing more transparency in the admissions process and avoiding unnecessary stress-inducing tactics, while maintaining professionalism in all communications.
Nothing, they seem to be doing a great job this year!
Throw away the stress tests. Stop playing the games via email with your "show me your interest". The reality is that students need to play the admissions game if they want the best chance at admissions. If you want a great yield for your institution, I suggest changing the system rather than using these tactics.
Also never forget the fiasco where they accepted everyone who interviewed and then rejected everyone without explanation, and then proceeded to blame the admissions portal software company (which isn't reasonable because thing like this has never happened in the past and the portal literally does not have any control over sending out acceptance letters). The response was not only delayed but also unprofessional. Applicants never received an explanation. When when they called us to apologize, they still played this "you are on the waitlist" vs "you are HIGH RANKING on the waitlist" game.
