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Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Philadelphia, PA

Osteopathic Medical Schools | Private Non-Profit

Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 16% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview mixed with a low stress level, and felt they did well.
⭐ Overall Impressions

How did the interview impress you?

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 revolve around the applicant's motivations for pursuing medicine, understanding of osteopathic medicine, experiences in healthcare and leadership roles, challenges faced, study habits, and future career aspirations. Some interviews were in the MMI format, with questions related to ethical scenarios, personal strengths and weaknesses, and specific details from the applicant's application. Respondents may have been subject to a nondisclosure agreement due to the nature of the MMI format, which focuses on a wide range of topics beyond traditional interview questions.

What was the most interesting question?

Students said the most interesting question asked at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including ethical dilemmas, personal traits, and scenarios related to patient care. The interview questions covered aspects like handling patient diagnoses from online research, discussing characteristics of ideal and undesirable physicians, and utilizing a magical pen for healthcare, among others. Some responses indicated a focus on personal experiences, decision-making processes, and future goals, reflecting a holistic approach to assessing applicants' suitability for medical school.

What was the most difficult question?

Students said most difficult question asked at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine discussed various topics such as choosing between medical schools, explaining osteopathic medicine without buzzwords, handling ethical dilemmas, and overcoming academic challenges. The interviews may have been in MMI format, with some responses mentioning nondisclosure agreements, while common themes included questions about motivations for pursuing osteopathic medicine, challenges in healthcare, and personal qualities essential for physicians.
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics

How long was the interview?

Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.

How many people interviewed you?

Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.

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.
📍 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.

How do you rank the facilities?

Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.

What is your in-state status?

Most respondents rank the facilities as below average.

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.

Where did you stay?

Most respondents stayed either at a hotel or with friends or family.

What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?

How would you rate the hotel?

Most respondents rated their hotel as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great

Would you recommend the hotel?

Most respondents would recommend their hotel.

What is your ranking of this school's location?

Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great

What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?

Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great

What are your comments on where you stayed?

No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions

How is the friendliness of the admissions office?

Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.

How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?

Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.

How did you prepare for the interview?

Applicants commonly prepared for interviews by reviewing their application materials, practicing with mock interviews, reading interview feedback on SDN, researching the school's website, and learning about osteopathic medicine. Many also sought advice from current students, read books on osteopathic medicine, and reflected on their personal motivations for pursuing a career in healthcare.

What impressed you positively?

Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and welcoming attitude of the student body, faculty, and staff at the schools they visited. The positive atmosphere, state-of-the-art facilities, and supportive environment, where current students actively engaged with prospective applicants, were highlighted as major positive aspects of their experiences. Many applicants appreciated the conversational interview style, the campus facilities and resources, and the sense of community and camaraderie among the students.

What impressed you negatively?

Applicants commonly expressed negative feedback about long wait times, disorganization, lack of enthusiasm from interviewers and tour guides, uninformative interview days, large class sizes, limited campus facilities, unpreparedness or rudeness of interviewers, lack of financial aid information, unimpressive presentation of the school, and concerns about location or surrounding area. Suggestions included improving organization, reducing wait times, providing more informative and engaging presentations, enhancing campus facilities, training interviewers to be more welcoming, and offering more financial aid information.

What did you wish you had known ahead of time?

Applicants commonly wished they had known about potential wait times between interviews, the conversational nature of the interviews, and the need to bring snacks or reading material for downtime. They also highlighted the importance of being relaxed, prepared for ethical scenarios, and familiar with the location and traffic conditions.

What are your general comments?

Applicants generally found the interview experience at PCOM to be positive and relaxed, with a conversational tone. They appreciated the friendly staff, the informative sessions, and the opportunity to interact with students. Suggestions included having more organized interview days, providing more information about financial aid, and ensuring enough seating for waiting applicants.
  • Very good school and kind faculty and students.
  • Interview felt very rushed, 3 interviewers and had a very obvious list of questions. They tried to be more conversational but it didn't work well as it was just question after question with no time for real discussion.
  • faculty were pleasant but to the point. the admissions coordinator who started the welcome sessions was bubbly yet very unprofessional. the interview day was surprisingly short!
  • The interview day here was honestly a great experience. I never felt anxious except at the start of the interview and that went away immediately. The people (students, staff, DOs) were extremely nice, and the day wasn't overly long, although I wish there was a formal presentation at some point and also a chance to ask questions to the financial aid staff.
  • Great campus, great environment

What are your suggestions for the admissions office?

Applicants commonly suggested improvements such as streamlining the interview day schedule for fairness, initiating icebreakers or presentations at the beginning, issuing decisions via email instead of snail mail, and enhancing communication throughout the admissions process. Some also appreciated the welcoming staff and suggested better organization and information presentation during the interview day.