Provo, UT
Osteopathic Medical Schools | Private Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 25% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a low stress level and felt they did well.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
8.3
Above Average
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 142 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 interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about mandating vaccines, reasons for pursuing medicine, handling ethical dilemmas like patient vaccination and physician misconduct, discussing personal qualities, research experience, leadership skills, and opinions on healthcare policies such as single payer systems. Responses also indicate that some interviews are structured in an MMI format, possibly involving nondisclosure agreements due to the nature of the questions asked.
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Would you mandate vaccines? In school settings?
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Tell me about yourself.
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Why did you want to become a doctor?
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Would you force a patient to get vaccinated?
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If an attending showed up drunk to a surgery rotation what would you do?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine discussed various scenarios including ethical dilemmas, personal interests, alternate career paths, and hypothetical situations like performing life-saving procedures on unwilling patients. The interview format appears to be an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) as respondents mentioned ethical questions and scenarios, indicating a structured interview process that may involve a nondisclosure agreement.
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If you were a physician, what would your perfect day look like when practicing?
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An ethics question about physician responsibility versus perceived obligations with personal friends
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Do you like sports? (It was sports day at the school)
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Tell me something that I couldn't learn about from your application. It could be anything random.
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If you didn't do medical school, what would you have done?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine discussed scenarios involving medical ethics, challenging moral dilemmas, the use of AI in healthcare, and the potential transition to universal healthcare in the US. Some respondents mentioned scenarios related to lying to patients, defending personal stances on ethical issues, as well as the challenging task of justifying their suitability for acceptance within a brief timeframe. Additionally, references to nondisclosure agreements suggest that the interviews may have been conducted in an MMI format.
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What scares you the most about medicine?
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N/A
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If you were the head honcho and had to make a decision, what would you tell a patient who needed to get vaccinated but was unwilling?
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What kind of personalities are most difficult to work with for you?
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They ask a few difficult moral questions
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 1 person.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as low stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
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.
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 conducting mock interviews, practicing interview questions, researching the school, utilizing resources like SDN, YouTube, and Dr. Gray's Interview book. Many emphasized the importance of knowing their application well and being prepared for a conversational interview style.
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I did some MMI prep.
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SDN, YouTube, Researching the school
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I knew who I was and what my journey was aimed for, so no other prep was needed
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SDN, watching mock interviews on youtube, and having a mock interview
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SDN, mock interviews, researched the school
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were consistently impressed by the emphasis on early research opportunities, the supportive mentorship provided by faculty, the welcoming and friendly environment, and the stress-free and conversational nature of the interview process. Additionally, the commitment to student success, strong research emphasis, and the innovative approach to medical education stood out as positive aspects of the school.
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They have a lot going on. Heavy emphasis on early research opportunities. Mentorship is a big factor.
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The faculty truly care about the students. They knew names of students and encouraged interacting with faculty.
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The openness of the interview
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A group problem-solving activity
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The faculty and facilities are really nice
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants were negatively impressed by strict time constraints during virtual interviews, with limited opportunity for conversation. Many also expressed concerns about the lack of information on research opportunities, high costs, and a perceived lack of warmth or interest from staff. Suggestions include allowing more time for applicants to express themselves and providing more insight into the research opportunities available.
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With virtual, they had to stick to a strict 30 min deadline. So I didn't have leeway to make conversation with my interviewer. I would recommend in person if you can. Speaking of strict schedule, they stopped right at 12:30. There was enough time to ask questions, but everything felt a tiny bit rushed.
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Expensive school
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N/A
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They didn't mention much about research. Plus, they didn't show us where you could participate in any bench research.
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Nothing
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known about the group activity, the conversational nature of the interview, and potential surprises like unexpected interview formats or questions. It was also suggested to double-check location details for travel arrangements to avoid any last-minute issues.
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There would be a group activity.
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That we would have a Q&A with staff & faculty afterward
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If you use Uber, the location for the school is wrong. You need to manually add in the address
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That this was closed file.
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There is a group activity "problem solving" prompt that I did for 30 min before my interview. It was very stress free, but caught me off guard.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally appreciated the friendly staff and low-stress interview environment, with positive remarks about the school, its programs, and the interview experience. Some suggested improvements included offering more time for the 1on1 interview and ensuring interviewers show interest in applicants' personal statements and videos.
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Go in person if you can. I like that it's a newer school. But students commented that each year they change the curriculum. Good because they listen to student feedback, but also a sign they might not have everything figured out yet. I think you have to know you like the group studying/pod style learning structure before you commit here. It is a big ask for a school for a student.
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I felt very comfortable with my interviewer. It was conversational and they were very friendly.
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Amazing experience and amazing school that I am glad to be joining
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The people were nice. During the group activity, if someone tries to talk over you just let them do it.
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Altogether, loved the school, people, and programs available. They are a newer school, but their improvement in COMLEX scores is very reassuring.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggest providing more time for interviews or reducing the number of questions to allow for more specific interactions with interviewers. They also appreciate the friendly and stress-free interview process and encourage the admissions office to continue their great work.
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More time for the interview or fewer questions. That way, we can ask specific questions to the interviewer.
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Extremely friendly and genuine
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N/A; unique and stress free interview process
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N/A
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Keep it up! Great experience.
📍 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?
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 between $101 and $200.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
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N/A
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Provo airport
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SFB -> PVU
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SLC
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Salt Lake City International Airport
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Other or at another housing option.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
The most commonly mentioned hotel among the responses is the "Marriott Provo Conference Center."
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Hampton Provo
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Mariott Provo Conference Center
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Marriott Conference Center in Provo
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N/A
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Sleep Inn near University
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?
The most comments on where they stayed are about the hotel in downtown Provo, with mentions of great restaurants and scenery around the hotel.
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Hotel was in downtown provo, pretty close to the school. Lots of great restaurants and scenery around the hotel.
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Stayed at an airbnb in Springfield, Utah it was very close to the school and cheaphttps://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1182603371722403048?search_mode=regular_search&check_in=2025-01-16&check_out=2025-01-18&source_impression_id=p3_1736446486_P3XwwlRtnjA9XxSU&previous_page_section_name=1000&federated_search_id=06bd17f4-0bd4-4b06-8fbb-46ddfd520ba9
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About an 8 minute drive to the school and plenty to walk around and do surrounding the hotel.
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Solid hotel, not fancy but nice and clean. You also get a really solid discount if you use the Noorda corporate link to book your room, and the view of the mountains is a big plus.
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Average cheap hotel, walkable to campus.
All Responses
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