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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 19% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a low stress level and felt they did well.
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 797 responses
Score Reference:
9โ10 Exceptional8โ8.9 Very Good7โ7.9 Good6โ6.9 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 areaโs cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
๐ฌ Interview Questions โผ
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about the candidate's motivation for pursuing medicine, experiences that influenced their decision, challenges faced and overcome, views on healthcare system issues, and their fit for the specific medical school. Some interviews were in the MMI format, potentially subject to a nondisclosure agreement, while others focused on conversational questions about personal experiences, ethical dilemmas, and future goals in medicine.
The first interviewer asked me specifically about an international clinical experience that I mentioned in my secondary application, which is the only thing they have access to as the interview is a closed-file type.
The second interviewer asked me about where I went to school and it kind of went from there.
Say a patient has carbon monoxide poisoning. You look up the half life of carbon monoxide in the body and find that it's 4 hours. But if you put the patient under pure oxygen, that can be reduced to 40 min. What do you think is happening?
What do you feel the qualities of a good medical student are--give me three qualities in three words or less each. (I answered three and he said, "I would also add maturity to that list, but your three are good too")
Why medicine? Why Rochester? Tell me about (the four extracurriculars/activities I've listed). Tell me about a difficult experience and how you coped with it. What do you do for fun?
Our curriculum requires attendance and participation in class. How do you feel about this? Give me an example of when you fulfilled these requirements.
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Rochester School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including community programs on a shoestring budget, empathy, influential life experiences, resilience ratings, ethical dilemmas, and personal characteristics. The interviews were mainly conversational with no tricky questions mentioned, but some respondents noted inquiries about handling criticism, ethical dilemmas, family interactions, and personal interests like kayaking or research preferences.
If you had a shoestring budget, what is one program you would start in a community you have worked in? If you had an infinite budget?
What would you do if you were no longer able to perform your primary specialty choice? If you would continue practicing medicine, what specialty would you go into?
Why do you want to come to the East Coast and Rochester specifically? (I lived on the west coast my whole life, so they were curious about my desire to try out the east.)
If a friend had a drug addiction, what would you do? What if he didn't want help? What if another person (e.g. patient) was negatively affected by the habit?
I spoke with a faculty member who worked on a very similar research topic to my research but his approach is totally different--en sum a research-based question was the most interesting.
My interviewer asked me how I learned Spanish (in Spanish), and we then proceeded to have a 10-15 minute conversation in Spanish, which went fine because I'm fluent. Don't exaggerate!
I was amazed at how conversational the interviews were. They really didn't press me with any interesting questions, we mostly talked about the school and its opportunities.
(In so many words...) Name three things this administration could be doing better in regards to anything foreign or domestic (health care related or not).
all questions pertained to my background (music, law, research) - i was not caught off-guard by any questions. i didn't find any questions particularly interesting per se
There was no stand out question. Most were typical fare, though often follow up questions probed deeper than normal. I did like the Theoretical questions they asked (if you were a practicing doctor and a 13 year old asked you for an abortion what would you do?)
It was extremely conversational in both interviews. Mostly the questions weren't particularly interesting because they weren't trying to catch you in anything, they all stemmed from the converation and they were really trying to get to know you.
What do you think about your governor? (He'd asked me about stem cells and in my answer I mentioned how CA had recently passed the stem cell referendum)
That no questions about why I wanted to be a dr. were asked. Yay! THese were by far the most interesting interviews I've ever had. THe Faculty at U of R impressed me very much by their knowledge of the arts, humanities AND medicine.
If a man has a medical condition that can best be treated by an incredibly expensive drug that is not covered by his insurance but that IS covered by his wife's insurance what do you say to his wife when she asks that the drug be prescribed to her and not her husband?
Break the news to me that I have tested positive for HIV. (I led into this because I have worked as an AIDS educator, so don't necessarily expect this one)
What do you think of the situation going on in Florida (woman in a coma whose husband wants to remove the feeding tube), and what is your opinion on right to life issues in general?
Fifty years from now what did you do as a physician? How did your career go? What changed in medicine over your career? (what the hell was this all about???)
i wasn't asked any interesting questions but another guy had an interesting question. His interviewer (a very portly man) asked him to tell her what she would say about his appearance without being able to do a checkup or any tests. The kid told his interviewer that "You are fat and need to lose weight."Personally, I would not have picked that answer.
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Rochester School of Medicine discussed various topics such as personal challenges, ethical dilemmas, reasons for pursuing medicine over other healthcare professions, and specific research experiences. The interviews may have included MMI format based on responses referencing nondisclosure agreements and multiple mini interview setups.
Why do you think some parent refuse to vaccinated their children based on unproven beliefs that it allows them to be more prone to autism and other disorders?
Really no difficult questions, these people are definitely not out to get you. They are just looking to associate a real person with the pile of papers in your file.
How would you go about fighting the war on drugs? Do you think marijuana should be legalized? If all drugs were legalized, how do you think this would affect crime and public safety?
although she said it was not for evaluation, my student interviewer asked me about my plans for family/kids, implying that it would be difficult (although this impression was contradicted by others who interviewed me)
Do you think you'll be at a disadvantage on your first day of class sitting next to a biochemistry major? I got my degree in anthropology and I felt like I had to defend my preparedness for medical school.
Where did your science genes come from? It was difficult because I found it extremely offensive. Neither of my parents are college graduates and work in service/secretarial positions. (I guess she forgot that this is America where class distinctions do not dictate our potential).
You've already got a few publications and have spent that last few years in the lab researching you could have already gotten your PhD by now. Why didn't you do that instead? (took 3 years off after college to do research)
as you'll read in other feedback forms for this school, faculty are likely to ask questions related to interacting in a study group: "how would you deal with a fellow student who's not pulling his or her weight?" "how do you study?" "what role would you play in a study group?"
One of my interviewers asked what specialty I was considering, which was difficult to answer, so I just stuck to the "I'm open-minded" answer.
What are the ethical problems with creating an organ donor exchange program? What are the problems with paying individuals (who are destitute and dependent on the money) in the third world and elsewhere for thier organs. What are the pros and cons of this for the doctor, donor, and recipient?
Not so direct, but the conversation went to the great numbers of (young) medical doctors who are leaving the profession or retiring early. What makes me think I will stay the course?
Ethical question about informing a family of a patient's terminal illness. Off-hand, I didn't think the question was that difficult, but since the interviewer kept going back to it, it made me feel as though I didn't answer it to his satisfaction. I did not change my opinion, I just answered the question (3 times) using different language and support.
How would you fix health care? (Actually the second time asked when he didn't like my answer of privatizing the whole thing and letting it be, he also informed me that America had the health care stats of some third world nations, a piece of info that shook me up a bit.)
None; the interview was closed-file, so I largely got to dictate the pace and scope of the discussion. Most of the formal questions were layups I'd seen at other interviews or read about on this site from other schools...
Give me some examples of ways in which you have demonstrated good attendance and effective interaction in small groups, two attributes necessary for success at Rochester.
One MD/PhD interviewer went all into the positive and negative controls for my experiments. He went into a level of detail on some things that I'd never thought of before (eek!).
"Tell me about yourself" I had to throw the question right back at him for clarification as to what he wanted exactly. Don't be afraid to do that.
Most respondents had an interview of more than 50 minutes.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as 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 a closed 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?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by reviewing SDN feedback, researching the school's website, and practicing common interview questions. Many also read their application materials, engaged in mock interviews, and stayed informed about current healthcare issues to feel more confident and ready for the interview.
Reading SDN past interview questions, researching specific school programs that align with my interests/experiences, practicing answers to common interview questions
Read feedback, forum posts and pre-interview essays, but little prep is needed as the interview format is very conversational. The typical "grilling" questions are either not present or are present as a natural extension of the conversation.
read up on the double helix curriculum, dr. engel who founded the biopsychosocial model that this university thrives on, read online about research opportunities at rochester, spoke with other applicants, spoke with current students
I reviewed my AMCAS and the questions posted on this site, which were spot on with this interview. I looked over my answers to the supplemental essay questions, but honestly, they didnÃฦ¢ââโฌลก‰âโฌลพ¢t really get mentioned in the interviews.
consulted this website; read MSAR; read school website; pimped student host for info; read health-related articles; listened to NPR daily to keep current; read over AMCAS application and other essays
Read AMCAS statement and questions I submitted before. Read up on stem cell research, medicare/medicaid, gene
therapy etc. (and I didn't get a single question about any of them).
Relaxed. I did the normal studying for the interview and came prepared with questions, but I think what made this interview better for me than my previous ones is that I was much more relaxed and consequently had a better attitude.
Read this website, read my personal statement, studied my activities, read my secondary essays, studied myself (figured out my stances on difficult medical issues and my answers to difficult questions).
Looked at this website, read their view book (get familiar with the double helix curriculum!) and picked four activities that I wanted to talk about during the interview (they ask you to pick four and list them at the beginning of the day, so it's best to come with an idea of what you want to write down.)
Read SDN, school website and brochure, online articles about US Healthcare system. I spent time thinking about about current issues in medicine and healthcare policy (prescription drug benefits for elderly etc.)
read this site, practiced answering questions out loud, read the brochure they sent and read their website, went out and had fun the night before to relax
Looked over the website, prepared questions for interviewers based on what I saw, practiced discussing my research and motivations to attend Rochester in particular and med school in general...
Reviewed my application, read up on ethics/health policy issues, which was pretty usefull since I was asked to express my opinion regarding the corrunt health care system
Interrogation of friends and family about the usual Princeton Review question. Read a few books a month in advance..."Let's Talk" was a series of debates between a two doctors (one Bush's old surgeon general...I think it was Bush's anyway) and it was pretty helpful about how to come to grips with the ethical dilemmas. Not that they throw a ton at you at UR...it just helped.
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and enthusiasm of the students, faculty, and staff at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. The positive atmosphere, emphasis on early clinical exposure, innovative curriculum such as the Double Helix approach, beautiful facilities, strong sense of community, and opportunities for research and international experiences were commonly highlighted as standout features that left a lasting positive impression on applicants.
Great school and good interviewers. They seemed a little guarded though..not sure how to explain. I'm sure people here are overall friendly but there's like a coolness to them?
Lots of good research opportunities; URSOM is the gem of Rochester
The friendliness of everyone: admissions staff, students, faculty.
I was able to sit in on a PBL lecture and the instructor took the time to personally explain to me the scenario.
There's a lot of traffic next to the admissions office, so I met a lot of students. All the students are very friendly and take the initiative to strike up conversations with interviewees, putting me at ease. We had a lot of time to sit in on first and second year lectures.
I realize that it's generally accepted that judging the overall happiness of the students is not appropriate given the sample size of the students you meet during the interview, but this is definitely not the case at Rochester. The admissions office is not separate from the daily operations of the school; in fact, it's quite the opposite. The reception area where we spent most of our time waiting between interviews oursinfo sessions, etc. was smack in the middle of the traffic of med students going to and from classes, as well as the place where the three pots of never-ending free coffee were provided for the students. As such, there was a constant stream of students coming in and out, and not one of them passed through without saying hello andor stopping to chat. They were easily the happiest and most diverse group I have met at a med school yet. This is also true of our visit to the student lounge, where there were several large groups hanging out and a couple guys playing ping-pong.
Other than that, the facilities are definitely beautiful and the curriculum is very oriented towards preparing students for the real role of a physician as professionals in an inherently social role rather than teaching science alone.
The students seemed happy and the administration came off as very receptive to student feedback and supportive. Great curriculum and opportunities for research, international work, and outreach. Also, the rent is ridiculously cheap and they offer decent financial aid (at least in my experience).
students seemed happy there, with enough time to balance school and life outside the classroom. the people, progressive curriculum, low cost of living, etc.
Curriculum is quite progressive. Love the double-helix method, the PBL, the biopsychosocial approach...students were also amazingly honest, friendly, and helpful.
Students were positive and friendly. School has a great take on the teaching of medicine. City is a good size, lots of stuff to do, yet small enough to not be stuck in traffic all day. Happy medium.
Rochester's focus on continued quality improvement, students who uniformly felt supported by Rochester's staff and the quality of the faculty in the classes I attended.
How smoothly everything ran. The interviewers were all very friendly and they asked insightful (but not evil) questions. Students were paired very well with their interviewers and there was ample time to meet current students. Research was very strongly emphasized as was travel abroad. It was clear how much everyone cares about the program.
The biopsychosocial model makes sense, I think other schools have it but just dont call it that. Good facilities, the place felt very academic with numerous specialties and what not if you are interested. I sat in on a lecture, it was interesting and felt very collegial.
warmth of the students and staff, double helix program, early clinical exposure, PBL throughout four years, student involvement in many volunteer projects, affordable housing, beautiful outdoors, Eastman school-great music
The faculty and students were so nice! Although the interviews were supposed to last 30-45 min, both of mine were over an hour. My faculty interviewer even gave me a quick tour of the pediatrics ward (since that's what I'm leaning towards) after my interview with him. Overall, Rochester has excellent facilities, and they really do believe in their integrative curriculum. Everyone there (faculty and students alike) seemed really happy to be there. There's also plenty of early clinical exposure and international clerkship opportunities. I am definitely impressed by the faculty, facilities, and curriculum.
Definitely a quality school. Love the pass/fail grading in courses. Hospital and school are attached (fewer weather issues.) Curriculum is outstanding and leads the field in many areas.
the amount of clinical exposure in the first year, the humanities electives (music in medicine), the community service opportunities, emergency medicine elective, the integrated approach to understanding disease from the cellular to the social and cultural levels
The faculty and students were very friendly in all regards. The lecturers were straightforward and had a sense of humor. There are a lot of opportunities for extracurricular activities.
The students and the curriculum. All the students I met seemed genuinely happy with their choice and really wanted to help us with any questions we had. No one seemed like they made the wrong choice. The biopsychosocial model is something they really believe in there, it's not just something they put on their website to draw in applicants.
The students are incredibly nice and happy. I had an opportunity to chat with 6-7 students. The school looks brand new with an in-door area connecting the school and the research building.
The students seem to really like the school despite its location in Rochester which is a bit run down. The dean of admissions who met with us in the morning seemed like a very cool and intelligent guy. The secretary (Gracie I think) is awesome. She seems like she befriends the students and doesn't just work with them.
Amazing curriculum. Faculty and students are really excited about the institution. Cheap cost of living. Easy to get support for foreign travel. $40 million translational research grant.
the quality of research, the neuroscience department, a new $40 million grant for translational research, the friendliness & non-competiveness of the students (P/F 1st & 2nd year), early clinical exposure (start taking patient histories 2nd semester of 1st year)
Everyone is so excited about U of R! I love that it has such an integrated curriculum, and the students seem to really love it. Everyone was really helpful when I got lost.
Dr. Hansen impressed me the most. I was somewhat neutral to the school until after my interview with him. He seems genuinely interested in students and promotes the school's program very well.
The curriculum emphasizes clinical application and there is room for electives. There are a lot of opportunities for community service and travel abroad
I loved Rochester, they have the best cirriculum that I have seen so far. Lots of small group learning and PBLs. Also the students there all seem amazingly happy.
How friendly everyone was... there was never a moment of uneasiness. They stressed how each applicant is here for a reason (and so they know you are good enough to be here) and interview day is just to get to know you.
The facility is womderful, and I feel that the school has a lot to offer. There are chances to work and learn abroad as well as in many different settings. Also the program that they use for teaching was very progressive and would hlep a student to learn the relevence of new material more quickly.
The students were so friendly and outgoing. Everyone I ran into stopped to chat with me and answer any questions I had about the school and about Rochester. The facilities themselves are very nice, and Rochester seems like a fun place to live. I'm also a big fan of their curriculum
The people were so friendly and helpful. The students went out of their way to say hello and good luck, as well as answer any questions we had. The hospital is huge and has lots of great new facilities.
Very chill environment. Students seem laid back and content. Seems like a hidden gem, and they have the best curriculum of all the schools I have looked into thus far.
Almost everything! Students are extremely happy, relaxed, and tight knit. The lecture hall is small enough to keep you engaged. Poster Presentation showed the many research opportunities that are available. The environment seems to be very friendly and supportive.
the demeanor of first year students, the hospital (huge facilities), amount of research being done as well as the school's dedication to producing empathetic physicians
the students seems extremely happy, the curriculum seems amazing, especailly the early clinical! the hospital was HUGE and the facilities were great - there was an awesome children's hospital. the faculty really seemed to care
Great facilities, the medical school owns and is connected to Strong Memorial, students seem really happy, have one exam every 3 weeks so they have some downtime between exams, Double Helix curriculum, clinicals all four years, the med students get two afternoons a week off, they have a very large community outreach program, and everyone at the school was really friendly
The students- they all seemed very laid back, and they all loved U Rochester. I also really liked my interviewer- he and all of the students made sure that my questions were answered. There's also great oppurtunities for studying abroad, and a lot of students tend to tailor their own curriculum to their specific interests. Early clinical exposure- students start their first rotation in January of year 1. Advisory dean system- each student is assigned a faculty mentor to work with throughout their four years at the med school.
The school is totally student centered--the faculty and staff really seem to want the students to be genuinely happy and to enjoy their education. Also, the focus on clinical experience.
Patient exposure in the 2nd semester, the biopsychosocial focus, how NICE everyone was: people would stop and help me find an office or a building on the undergraduate campus. Also, how supportive the staff and faculty were.
The extraordinary organization of the school. The facilities are clean, the staff utterly punctual and professional, and even the doctors I met as I wandered around--even the stressed-out residents, even the trauma staff--were courteous and open and inviting.
double helix curriculum interweaving basic and clinical experience throughout the four years, very supportive students and environment, interactive classroom, small setting PBL, student-centered, free tutoring, and students were willing stop and to talk to me.
How genuinely interested in students the faculty are. My second interviewer was so nice I wanted to hug him before I left....and I'm a guy. He really scratched beneath the surface to get at my character and my temperament. I left there feeling like I had exposed my soul.
The students were very friendly; took us on a good tour. They seemed comfortable in the hospital. Later, my student interviewer said UR was similar in some ways to high school because of the small class size, but what the heck, it's been awhile since I've been in high school. The facility was much nicer than I had anticipated.
The program and facilities are top-notch. The students are very friendly and laid back. No competition among the students. Even my fellow interviewees were really friendly.
My first interviewer really sincerely liked the school. That meant a lot because he has had experience working with a lot of med schools across the US.
The school has an incredible clinical focus and curriculum and does an amazing amount of community outreach. This is to be expected from a school ranked 13 in primary care and number 2 in Community and Preventative Medicine in the nation. The class I attended was very dynamic and involved a lot of student discussion despite the large, 100 person lecture format. Students seemed to love class and love going to class. Also, after my first interview with a physician, the doctor offered on his own to take me on a personal tour of the pediatrics wing (I expressed my interest in primary care and he happened to be a pediatrician). The tour lasted about 30 minutes and was an incredible personal touch to the interview day.
Almost everything! The dean we talked to is in charge of the Netter books, so that's impressive. All of the students I met were really enthusiastic. Each class has a binder of notes provided to help you study, and the lecture notes are posted on-line. The curriculum is amazing. You start your ambulatory clinical during your first year, which is really unique. Rochester is committed to helping non-MD/Ph.D. students do real research; they provide stipends for students who want to do research in the summer. The PBL rooms are fabulous. Rochester is a really cute, active town. I saw a show at the local theater and was very impressed.
I loved the students! They were all so friendly, and many came up to me to tell me how much they loved the school. The hospital and the classrooms were very nice, and I think that their curriculum is second to none!
The students were all very friendly, open, and sincere--not the fake friendliness you sometimes find during campus visits. I attended a first year class and a second year class, and both were impressive in terms of the quality of the teaching, the level of interaction from the students, and the course material itself (the first-year clinical reasoning class especially.) The facilities were new, modern, and beautiful, and Strong Memorial is attached to the med school so clinical experience is literally right at your fingertips. Rochester students start their clinical experience in January of their first year--very nice.
So well organized, students seemed very veyr happy despite weather, faculty interviewers so engaging, interesting, not-stressy, and some ofthe most interesting people I've ever met. Best interview at med school ever. Also, free lunch was awesome and they remembered I was a vegitarian.
Double helix cirriculum-clerkship starts first year where student start doing physical exams for patients; rochester encourages overseas opportunities-get $3000 from a faculty member to conduct your own research in another country;
The people! Everyone is genuinely interested in medicine and has a great time at the school. We stuck our heads everywhere and all we saw were happy students!
The students are all incredibly welcoming and open. Faculty seems the same; a few people actually received books or flashcards written by the profs - the woman who coordinated the interviews that day said that happened pretty frequently, students stop by and introduce themselves and ask if people have questions for them. This is seriously the best placed waiting area for interviews -- directly between the hospital/student lounge area/classrooms.
I absolutely love this school! It was my first choice before my interview and that hasn't changed a bit. The curriculum is awesome, the people are all very friendly, the students seem very happy, and it is very close to home for me. I don't know what's not to like.
the morning talk with the dean, the biopsychosocial approach to medicine, the fact that there is a distinct difference between Rochester grads and other doctors (as told to me by one of my interviewers - this has actually been scientifically studied!), just how happy all the students were, the pass/fail system for the first two years, and the early clinical exposure
The hospital is a very nice facility and both of the physicians who interviewed me were great. The students seemed happy and not very stressed. Everyone seems to like the curriculum and there are a lot of opportunities for students to interact with patients.
The students seemed very happy. When I was waiting for my interview, at least three or four students stopped to speak with me. They were very enthusiastic about the school and about their classmates. The admissions staff encouraged us to attend lectures (I highly recommend this), and I was able to sit in on a PBL session. Many students asked questions during class, and the faculty were very responsive. I like the way that the curriculum is organized. There's a gym in the hospital that's open 24-7.
Everyone was very friendly. I stayed with a student host and actually went to dinner with 25 other first year students to celebrate someone's birthday. The students seemed very social and have lives outside of school. The pbl rooms are also very nice.
-The innovative curriculum that integrates basic science and clinical medicine--you learn how to do a complete physical/history by the end of 1st semester 1st year and your first clerkship is 2nd semester 1st year! (isn't that why we're in med school??!) Plus, they really try to provide as many different modes of teaching (i.e., PBL, lectures, small groups) as possible
-Beautiful, brand-new medical school facilities with awesome classrooms specifically built for PBL
-School provides funding for international research for all students
-Responsiveness of the administration to student input (annual changes are made to courses based on student feedback)
-Students were all incredibly happy/relaxed/outgoing/friendly
-Excellent board scores
-Elective humanities courses
Can you tell I love the school?
The departure of the curriculum from the traditional 2+2 format. All of the students we saw seemed really happy with the school. Also, the ability for international travel funded by the school.
Happy students! Rochester's students are very friendly and seem to enjoy being there. I saw a bunch of first-years before they went in for a big exam and they didn't seem too stressed and took time to say hi. Nice PBL and case method rooms.
School has some really nice facilities and classrooms. PBL rooms are great. This school has a great curriculum and approach toward patient interaction.
Awesome student body!!! Everyone answered everyone of my qustions. Cirriclum rocks!! PBL Double Helix BioPsySoc (u'll find out) is stress like crazy. They want to make sure you become warm and sympathetic physicians. Really.
how happy, friendly and satisfied the students are - i knew four of the first years from undergrad and they were all thrilled with their first month of school. they said the faculty actually listen to and use their suggestions for improvement!
The facilities are amazing - everything is very new. The secretary that was in charge of signing us in was really funny and helped make people feel more comfortable.
The beautiful facilities, new classrooms, friendly students, amazing classes, friendly faculty & staff...everything. Also, cheap accomodations at the nearby hotel, with free shuttle service (you don't need to rent a car).
The facilities are new and really really nice! Also the faculty and students really interact closely; the student-centered approach is best reflected in their new Double Helix curriculum, which is constantly being revised based on student comments.
The entire faculty and staff of this school are extremely nice. For example, I was not simply given an interview date, and never contacted again. The coordinator of the program kept close contact, and made sure the interviews went perfectly. Another example, the Chair of Medicine actually took time off his schedule to meet with me. Never before have I seen such hospitality. The faculties are most impressive!
Students were *very* enthusiastic about the school and pretty laid back. The basic sciences are strictly pass/fail. The facilities are brand new and very user friendly.
The curriculum is truly outstanding -- an unprecedented amount of clinical exposure during the first two years. Also the facilities were beautiful, and I really liked everyone I met (students, faculty, and staff). As an added bonus, Rochester will fund any med student to go abroad during the summer between first and second year.
Family friendly, low cost of living, parking is a non-issue, nice stipend, great students (esp. my student host), everything is all shiny and new, fun and relaxed atmosphere
The amazing School of Medicine and Dentistry building and the curriculum that integrates clinical studies in the first two years. Also, scheduling sor this interview was much easier at this school than any other school I have visited. The secretary was great - she was very helpful with hotel and transportation questions.
Student happiness/enthusaism/friendliness. Students approached us just to talk about the school and tell us how much they liked it. All the facilities seemed new and very high tech. The nicest I have seen yet, especially the PBL rooms. The curriculum is great, as Rochester is the only school to offer so much patient contact in years 1 and 2.
the double helix curriculum! i think it is by far the best med school curriculum that I have seen!
and NICE facilities!!
and the students are genuinely happy with the school and seem not too stressed out! =)
the facilities are brand new and amazing. The double helix curriculum seems to be working very well for students, students seemed very happy and friendly
The interviewers just want to get to know you. Really. They flat out tell you that your credentials must have been good enough since you have an interview. At Rochester, they want to put your face to this application they've seen and figure out if you'd be a good candidate :o).
Applicants expressed concerns about excessive downtime, lack of engagement during interviews, limited insight into the school and city, unimpressive facilities, unorganized tours, and a perceived lack of diversity in both the student body and the surrounding area. Suggestions include improving interview engagement, providing more structured programming, offering more comprehensive tours, and addressing issues related to downtime and diversity.
annoying that we had to write more essays after receiving an interview invite..and one of my interviewers explicitly said that they did not read the answers at all so that was kind of a waste of time.
Also, the ethics case group activity is interesting but i think could have been better managed. It would be better if facilitators asked people to raise their hands on zoom rather than allowing it to be a free for all...otherwise we all end up having one person dominate the conversation just because they spoke first.
Not enough time to do Q&A with students or faculty because it wasn't a part of the programming. Overall seems like the zoom interview platform can be improved.
As for the school...one thing that concerns me is the amount of mandatory stuff for the first two years. Not great for people who are more independent in their studies or want "alone time" to self study because you're forced to be in class for a certain set amount of time during the week. This doesn't seem very helpful for non-traditional or older students.
I didn't feel like I clicked with the students as well as at other schools. I really didn't click with either interviewer. I left feeling I'd done poorly, yet I'm not sure how much I could have done differently, maybe loosen up more?
Having time to sit in on first and second year lectures was cool, but there was a little too much down time. There was a poster session that second years had, but we were having lunch and taking the tour at that time.
the tour was pretty boring, to be honest we saw the library and one lecture hall and the rest was just walking through hospital hallways. There really wasn't much point in the 45min. of walking around.
Although the med students were great, my fellow applicants were mediclones: square and uninteresting people I couldnt see myself going to school, much less being friends, with. The school is known for its research, but all the students and faculty I met were pretty uninterested and unknowledgeable in it. The city is trying (and the med school hypes it), but they've got a ways to go til there is a diverse cultural life going in the city. Not everyone want to go to symphony orchestras and farmers' markets every weekend.
it's freaking cold in Rochester, had to scrape the snow off the car every time we got outside, not a place where you can ride your bicycle around campus.
Coming from LA, my first impression of Rochester is that there does not seem to be alot of ethnic diversity. This, however, may be an early and incorrect judgment. Also, the city is relatively smaller than what I'm used to, but nothing that can't be adapted to!
The tour was a little lackluster. I didn't feel like I really got to see the school. It was kind of made up by the guides as they went along. Also, the tour ended at 1:50 and my last interview wasn't until 3:30 so I sat for most of the afternoon with nothing to do.
The offensive question from my interviewer. Also, I sat in on a class while a professor was teaching about androgens. She didn't have the answer to some questions that didn't seem that difficult (I knew the answer to one of them) and she also presented slides with incorrect statistics on them (they didn't make any sense if you knew anything about statistics) but none of the students seemed to notice or care. Rochester certainly isn't the most happening place in the world.
Research? eh....not so much. Seems like what everyone says about the weather is true - it snowed like 2 feet (in october!) right after I left. Maybe the school is a little TOO relaxed, if you know what I mean...
Nothing, and this is more of just a comment. The tour was somewhat cursory. The students were very excited, easy to chat with, and quick to answer any questions. However, there was not much to the tour other than a quick glance at some higlights on the list she was carrying around. It was a little disorganized but I think that is due to how early in the interview season this is. Again, it was not a big disappointment and I am sure the guides get better as the season continues.
The students seemed a little bit *too* casual, Rochester (the city) was okay but not great, there was not a lot of technology integrated into the teaching.
The town. Rochester has some nice aspects (Eastman School of Music, a pretty nice art museum) but the town doesn't have much to offer in the way of a nightlife, and the students seem to primarily socialize with one another.
Some of my interviwers asked questions that were outside the scope of accepted interviewing lines--revealing discriminatory intentions towards non-traditional applicants.
My second interviewer was not expecting me for the interview...so I basically had to ask all the questions during my interview with him to keep the conversation flowing.
The city of Rochester--I tried exploring the town and found very little in the way of restaurants, non-corporate coffee shops, music stores, etc... The nightlife seem rather uninteresting as well.
Two of the students that gave us a tour were nice, but far
too giggly and flighty for this kind of task. They also didn't seem to know very much about the school and they talked WAY too much and too quickly. This left me with a bad impression of the student body.
It almost seemed like they were all trying too hard to impress the interviewees which made me cautious. There was alot of down time and we couldnt sit in on classes because both 1st and 2nd years had exams. Didnt get to see the PBL classrooms. Also the city is not large at all. There isnt much to do there. It is pretty much a dead city if you are used to big cities. Also it snows A LOT!! I spoke to residents and students who all said it snows about 120inches a year. They said the snow usually melts by July....so it is pretty cold!
From what everyone in Rochester says, the weather is a little scary. Also, downtown Rochester is in bad shape. However, the med school and university are not near downtown and there are several beautiful neighborhoods and shopping areas that make up for the lack of a downtown.
It seemed like a lot of students had connections at the school and emphasis was placed on family backgrounds. I do not like answering questions about my family and I don't like feeling like I am at a disadvantage because my parents are not doctors and/or golf buddies with half the faculty.
Host students - They were not especially friendly, and they didn't like living in Rochester. But tour guides and other students were much more friendly.
There was too much unstrutured time and not enough to do...the admissions lady sounded sad we all left once our interviewers were over, but how many med school classes and walking around can you do by yourself? I would have scheduled an early plane trip back! Also getting up at 6:00 after a late flight in made me very tired...
Perhaps the weather (though I was there in the early fall so it was really nice then), but I'm also from the Northeast, so I don't think it will be that big of a deal.
Pricey...the future inclement weather seems a bit foreboding (although I hear it actually isn't that big of a deal)...also the campus didn't seem too commuter friendly for someone without a car.
i happened to get an annoying schedule - i had two hours to spend in the morning before my first interview, but that ended up being fine because i sat in on classes - DO THAT! then in the afternoon, my second interview wasn't until 3:30, so i had to kill 2.5 hours pretty much wandering around the hospital.
The hospital was big but disorganized, it seemed. Rochester isn't a very happening town. My hosts seemed like frat boys that somehow slipped through the cracks of getting into the school.
there was only 1 hr in which we were gathered in a room and given info... no formal programs or welcomes or presentations... in general it was not very organized.
The fact that everybody said, "Wow, the sun!" when I was there--I guess it was unseasonably sunny the day I interviewed for Rochester. Getting lost trying to find one of my interviewers--I was really sweating for a few minutes.
The relaxed atmosphere sort of works both ways. Their average graduation time for MD/PhD students is 8.5 years! That's a full year more on average than most other schools. They claim that they want to bring that time to graduation down, but yet when I voiced my concern about that level of time I was faced with very negative criticism of my feelings on that subject; "Maybe Rochester isn't for you", etc... Don't get me wrong, a 4 year PhD phase is normal, but for half of the students to take 5, I think there's an issue there that nobody was willing to address. Every other student interviewing that day felt the same way, but I was the only one who said anything. Perhaps I shot myself in the foot there, but if I did than perhaps the school really isn't for me.
There's also TA requirements that they seem to be inflexable about. I think a MD/PhD student has enough on the table without trying to teach as well. That wouldn't prevent me from going there though.
The neighborhood surrounding the med school doesn't seem that exciting. (I'm from NYC.) I was disappointed that we didn't get to see any on-campus housing during the tour, but they said housing was nice, cheap, and readily available.
There was a fire alarm that went off about noon and nobody evacuated, it seemed like there was a glitch in the system that may be an ongoing nuisance. I'm not sure.
Applicants wished they had known ahead of time that the interview day would be relatively stress-free, with a lot of unstructured downtime. They recommend being prepared for a conversational interview, having a car for transportation, and familiarizing oneself with the campus layout to avoid confusion.
don't be scared..especially with closed file interviews..they pretty much ask you just the generic stuff
How to answer "So, tell me about yourself." Also, you have to have a car to attend U of R. Oh, and look for your interview rooms ahead of time - it is a bit confusing to get around as the entire place is one giant building (hospital and school)
spend less time worrying about having the right answers to questions about health care policy and challenges in making ethical decisions as a doctor, focus more on how i as a candidate could fit in with the universities goals in attracting strong, considerate student clinicians
Rochester is not the most straightforward city to navigate. It's actually somewhat confusing. I'm glad I had the chance to drive around beforehand to figure out my way. Also, I did not realize that the undergraduate campus was a few blocks (through a cemetary) away from the medical school.
The most important thing especially in comparision to other schools is that you need to convince your interviewers that you'd be a good fit for their school. Perhaps even more important than numbers, they want to admit people they know will thrive in their unique curriculum.
I know every other person who wrote on here that the hospital numbering was confusing but that is an understatement! I was so lost some times! Don't feel bad to ask for help.
student fitness center is open 24-7! and it's not lame!
i stayed with a student the night before, so i had plenty of time to avoid any unpleasant surprises (such as getting lost in the medical center)
That closed-file interviews can get quite strange. First interviewer was interested in discussing math problems and we wound up talking about a variant of the King and Chalice puzzle.
I was actually well-prepared. However, I did not expect so many applicants to come that day. I guess its because of the post-Thanksgving lull in the semester . . . basically many people were available that day. I don't regret my timing, though!
Much better to stay with a student host- public transport was not good, and cab fares cost me an arm and a leg. Also, they don't provide breakfast at the interview, and the lunch was pretty shoddy- bring a granola bar! Also, there's LOTS of down time, so try to sit in on a lecture (they give you a schedule of M1 and M2 classes).
The curriculum is over 4 years (basic science and clinicals) so you haven't had all the basic science you need before taking step 1. Not a big deal we were told though.
I wish I had taken more time to look at the surrounding area. After the interview, UR became one of my top choices and I wish I had seen more of the city and outlying area/housing.
That it is not as large of a city as they make it out to be. I tried to go to the downton and high falls areas where the nightlife is supposed to be...but no one was there.
I learned that Rochester is an extremely deaf-friendly city. I never knew that.
I wish I'd known that the vegetarian lunch would be zucchini based (I hate zucchini).
How much it hurts to walk long distances in high heels! There are two tours and they are both pretty long and cover different stuff, so definitely try to wear comfortable shoes.
Turn off your cell phone. It totally slipped my mind that my phone goes in and out of service. My phone kept on beeping the whole time the dean was talking to us. It was so embarrassing.
I knew that Rochester would be cold, but I didn't expect the city to be so gray and dreary. Also, it's very much a suburban area - cars are a must, and people seem to get in their cars to drive from one place to another. I was expecting more of a college town with large pedestrian areas. By the end of my two-day visit, I was craving sunshine.
See above...the interview day doesn't really last until 4:30 or whatever they tell you. You get there at 8:00 and the dean talks to you, then the financial aid lady, then you have free time until your interview, then lunch and tour, then more free time until your interview...no one finished later than 2:30/3:00 and some people were done at 1:00...and you have LOTS of unstructured time where you can attend class, walk around, etc...so it's not as intense as the times made it sound!
That my first interview would actually not be within the hospital and I had to walk outside and find an old 1950s research building to conduct it in. Also my first interview was a wopping hour and forty minutes long. There's just so much to say about health care reform.
The interviews are closed-file; all the interviewer sees regarding me is where I went to school, and my 4 most significant volunteer/extracurricular experiences (which you write down and hand to them before your interview).
That there are toll booths in between the Buffalo Airport and Rochester...I was stuck having to explain to the toll guy why I didn't have 20 cents to give him.
The building where the admissions office is located can be quite tricky to navigate. But just ask anyone around for help--everyone was very nice. Be prepared to list your 4 most important extracurricular/volunteer experiences. This is the only information your interviewer will have besides your name/undergrad university since they conduct blind interviews.
-i stayed at the hotel they suggest and they provide a shuttle to the hospital which was painless. other kids took a cab but wished they'd known about the shuttle which was free though sporadic
To wear some socks with my boots. No, seriously, not for me, but make sure you eat the brochure they sent you. For personal reasons and so you have something to relate to during interview time.
Applicants generally had positive experiences at Rochester, praising the friendly and supportive atmosphere, the innovative curriculum, and the emphasis on individuality during interviews. Some noted the school's strong community feel, the opportunities for early clinical exposure, and the engaging conversations with interviewers, while a few expressed reservations about the location or specific interview experiences.
Overall positive experience, practice practice practice, and truly be yourself because they seem like they will easily snuff out inauthenticity
Faculty that interviewed me was chill but didn't seem to want to be there, hurried through the questions and cut off my questions after we reached 30 minutes.
Try to stay with a student host. You'll get a great feel for how the students are there, and everyone will tell you how much they like the rest of their class. Rochester left a great impression on me. If you have a student interviewer, he/she will try to grill you a little bit more than the faculty interviewer, so just make sure you're on your toes and you know how to answer the basic interview questions well.
If you go in the winter you may have a hard time convincing yourself that Rochester is such a great place, but overall the town is diverse with opportunities for everyone.
One student interview and one faculty interview. Faculty interview was super laid back and I listen probably 75% of the time to the Doc. The student interviewer drilled me though. THe interviews are semi-closed with only the online essays and activities provided to the interviewer.
Interviews were really relaxed and conversational. Overall I had a good experience and it certainly changed my view of the school/program for the better. They have a lot to offer.
Everyone met on the first day for a general overview of the program and then headed out for interviews. These were spaced differently for everyone but there were 8 total - 2 MD (closed file), 1 with the MD/PhD program director, 4 grad program interviews, and 1 student interview. Applicants had lunch with current MD students and then headed out for a tour. More interviews after lunch then dinner with current MD/PhD students. Day two was a bit simpler. Students had the rest of their interviews and lunch was held with the MD/PhD program directors. Although there was alot going on, nothing was rushed and the process was surprisingly stress-free.
The interviews were more stressful than I anticipated based on other feedback. I had some very difficult questions that I was not anticipating. Also, my interviews were given by 2 MD's, not an MD and Med student like most other people have posted.
The rest of the time was very casual and gave me a good feeling about the school. I had a lot of free time to wander around and sit in on classes. The 2 interviews, lunch, a short tour, and a 15 minute welcome were really the only planned events for the day.
I had a somewhat tense interview with a physician and a more relaxed one with a 4th year med student. If the physician actually read the info Rochester made me fill out for the interview, maybe we could have spent more time conversing rather than going over the timeline of my activities. Research is done at Rochester, but the students seem unenthusiastic about it. The research that some did do was more of a statistical nature rather than basic or translational research. It seemed like students were ''doing research'' to put a check mark next to having done it but I guess you can commit yourself more if you so desire. Winters are cold there, and everyone tried it convince us that it ''wasnt that bad''. Overall, I felt like I would get a good education at Rochester, partly because theres not much else to do there.
my first interviewer was a bit intimidating.. he didn't let me explain any of my answers fully, just kept cutting me off & going on to the next question.. however, my second interviewer was GREAT... she genuinely wanted to know about who I am & what I love to do & so forth... my last interviewer-a student didn't show up... so they told me to go home
Rochester is outstanding, no doubt. It's a solid program that is growing and progressing. Upstate New York doesn't have the relaxed atmosphere of other regions, though the people are very nice. They are just reserved. There was some down time during the day where we could tour around, visit lectures, etc. One of the interview rooms was difficult to find (in the hospital), so leave yourself time. There is a walking tour, so bring comfortable shoes. I was tired from traveling to multiple cities and previous interviews right before, so I actually lost my train of thought on one question (but I recovered, thank goodness.)
The faculty interview was conversational and fun. We got into a tangent talking about cooking for a bit, which made it run a little long.
The student interview was likewise pleasant but a little more question based. She was an active listener.
By and large the interviews were very fun and really gave me a chance to show them who I was. It only furthered my positive impression of the school.
Overall, I was impressed with the school and would love to be accepted there. The only downside for me is it's location. It's a little farther away from where I'm from than I would like but it's a trade-off for a school with a curriculum that I really liked. My interviews were more structured than the other applicants' were. My first one hadn't even read the essays and activities that I submitted, which was frustrating as I had to reiterate stuff that I assumed would be known. She had 3 pages of pre-written questions that she asked and rarely deviated from that. Also, we were interrupted twice by someone at the door and the second time, she actually left for a few minutes! Very unprofessional and didn't impress me at all.
Started off with an introduction of the curriculum with Dean Hanson. He talked about the unique features at Rochester: biopsychosocial model, Double Helix Curriculum, international health opportunities, Academic Research Track. Then we were free to do whatever we want between interviews. We got a chance to attend classes. Overall a wonderful experience. Everyone was very friendly and warm.
In the morning there were about 15 students in the admissions office. Apparently it was larger than usual because there were too many of us to fit in the applicant lounge. The dean spoke to us at a large table. (This was my second interview and I was intimidated by how close we were to the Dean when he was speaking.)
Then people from the admissions office came to talk about pamphlets about financial aid and programs at Rochester in our packet. There was no official financial aid presentation(if IRC, it was about a month ago). Then they explained our schedules and invited us to see lectures and reminded us to be on time for our interviews.
One interview was with a student in the morning. Then I sat in a lecture and then there was lunch with two 4th years and a tour. The lunch ran so long, that I missed part of the tour to go to my interview. You don't have to leave the building to go to any interviews but the building is so confusing it doesn't matter anyway.
Then after the afternoon interview I got to go home. Not everyone had a schedule with interviews in the morning and afternoon. Check the website the week before you interview and the times and the names of your interviewers are listed.
Overall, I enjoyed my interviewer with the researcher much more than the physician. The researcher was interested in how I think and work while the physician sat and asked the stupid and typical (do you volunteer, do you shadow physicians, what right do you have to do science even though your parents do not?). The students (2 guys) who gave our tour seemed like they were just there for the free food and possibly to check out any potential new meat for next year's class. (one was seriously dressed like and looked like K-fed)
2 days, I stayed with a MD/PhD student host who was awesome and picked me up from the airport, even brought me to the hospital the night before. Day 1: check-in 8am (they provide tea, coffee & hot chocolate, eat breakfast before hand), orientation (MD/PhD & MD), 2 MD interviews, lunch with a 2nd year MD student & tour (not too impressive, I saw more the nighte before with my host, not quite sure why they showed us their SMALL gym...), interview with a MD/PhD student at the end of his graduate work, interview with the MD/PhD director (awesome guy!), dinner at a local restaurant with MD/PhD students.
Day 2: 5 faculty interviews! Most were faculty I had chosen, and since I researched their work beforehand I was pretty well prepared and had awesome conversations. Lunch was with the MD/PhD director.
Awesome school, the quality of research is great, the hospital & med school are all connected & centralized. Very nicely integrated MD/PhD program, lots of clinical exposure even during your graduate years. And the cost of living is SOOOO cheap!
There are 2 interviews. My first interview was great - the interviewer ended up talking more than I did and I really felt like we had a good conversation about the school and its strengths/weaknesses. My second interviewer did not show up, so I ended up being shunted to an admon member who wasn't really prepared and my stress about my interviewer not showing up didn't help. That one didn't go as well. There was a lot of downtime during the day where the interviewees (about 10-12 in all) all just sat in the front of the admissions office. The Rochester students were really friendly, though, and were always asking if we had any questions, etc. Out of all my interviews, the Rochester students seemed the happiest and most willing to talk to interviewees.
Met some great people. I was very impressed with the school's facilities and the curriculum sounds like a great approach to medical education.
The city was nothing to write home about.
The day started early (8am) and there was A LOT of downtime. The two faculty interviews were really low stress and they really just wanted to get a sense of who you are as a person. No need to worry.
Both interviews were pretty laid back. My second one I mostly listened to the physician talk about his cases which was very interesting. My first interviewer seemed like she wouldn't have picked to be in Rochester.
Lovely interviewers. One 4th year med student who really impressed me with his maturity and ability to conduct a pleasant interview (student interviewers are sometimes so akward). My faculty interviewer could not have been cooler. She was funny, didn't have a set list of questions. She just sort of let the conversation flow.
All of the interviews were very relaxing and everyone was really excited for us to be there. All the applicants were treated really well. It was a 2 day thing with the 2 closed-file MD interviews on Thursday and the 6 open-file PhD interviews on Friday. Friday was a very long day, and I had to run back and forth between both the med school campus and the undergraduate campus. You might want to wear comfortable shoes.
The day started with a brief intro from the chair of the adcom at 8:15. He was selling the school hard, but it was effective and didn't put me off. There are two interviews during the day; I had one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Lunch and a tour with students at noon. Everyone in the admissions office was REALLY NICE. My first interviewer was a very accomplished man; he was very friendly, initiated a conversational interview, and did a lot of talking, including telling me about himself, giving me advice, etc. He was very encouraging! The second interviewer was a woman, also very nice, but much less interesting. She pretty much followed a script. It was a long day, but overall very positive.
The first faculty member actually attended Rochester, and was a professor. His best friends were nobel prize winners and he had quite a history himself. But he was approachable and genuinely interested in my stories. And so even though his reputation was intimidating, he was great. The next faculty member embodied everything I want my future to be. She was an infectious disease, HIV/AIDS specialists with an MD/MPH. She was amazing, and was almost more of a mentor than an interviewer.
Dean Hansen introduced us to the school and the Double Helix Curriculum. We went through a folder of information with someone in the Admissions Office and then we had downtime to wander the school, talk with other applicants, peruse the folder of information, or study before our first interview. We met back for lunch and a tour with students/admissions secretary and then had some more time before a final afternoon interview. Overall a positive experience!
The interview was conversational and relaxed. The faculty seem very engaged and willing to help out the students as much as they can. The students are cooperative and not competitive.
We met with the dean of admissions in the morning. He was really nice and I had an interview with him later in the afternoon. The med students walked by and wished everyone good luck. I liked both of my interviews and really want to go to this school. Oh yes-- bring your interview suit with you on the plane- the airport misplaced my luggage and I had to run around a new city trying to find clothes.
Like some sort of idiot, I screwed up my schedule and flew in the day of my interview. Mary Staie worked hard to fit me in the next day and everything (I think) worked out fine.
DOUBLE CHECK DATES!
Overall it was really good. The introduction to the school was fairly limited, interviews were low stress, and there was plenty to do in between- I went to a class and spoke with the head of the ART program.
The administration is very congenial and actively trying to make things easy for the applicants and students. There is a good deal of down time, but I would suggest getting to know some of your fellow applicants as you may see them again on the interview trail (or you may learn something from them; I did). Both of my interviews were relatively chill. I interviewed with one MD and one member of the administration, though some people interviewed with two MDs, an MD and a student, or two members of the administration. The interviews are closed file, so they donÃฦ¢ââโฌลก‰âโฌลพ¢t know anything about you; thatÃฦ¢ââโฌลก‰âโฌลพ¢s good or bad in that they are not influenced by your numbers, but they seem genuinely interested in you as an applicant. The first interview I had was difficult to find, but it seems almost everyone at the hospital is hospitable: I just poked my head into an office and a nice lady led me to the doctorÃฦ¢ââโฌลก‰âโฌลพ¢s office. My second interview seemed a little more Ãฦ¢ââโฌลก¬ÃโนÅโbusinessÃฦ¢ââโฌลก‰âโฌลพ¢ so to speak, and I felt like the answers I gave were not really met with approbation (or even tacit agreement), but you never know until decisions come out. I stayed with a student, and I would recommend that.
Arrive at 8 for orientation.
Rest of day is open for exploration. They give you a map and lecture schedules for the 1st and 2nd years. Go to lectures on your free time, or just sit in the atrium and hang out. Up to you.
12 is lunch.
Your two interviews are scheduled at certain times during the day. You go to find your interviewers in their offices.
Everyone was very friendly and very willing to help and give their two cents.
I was very impressed by everything on interview day. They do a fantastic job of making you feel welcome and are good about selling themselves as a great school. Students constantly stopped to ask us how we were doing, if we had any questions about the school, and did this with genuine sincerity. It appears that the learning environment they promote is extrememly relevant and appropriate to undertaking a career in medicine with a focus on basic science, clinical medicine, and PBL right from the beginning. Furthermore, because of the environment Rochester promotes, there is a feeling of comraderie instead of competition and students are friends rather than 'numbers' competing with each other. Overall, I went in thinking this was a pretty good school to check out, but I was proved wrong and left thinking this was a great school and one truly worth attending. I enjoyed it thoroughly. ...pretty cold in the winter though.
low-stress, friendly, conversational - as a reapplicant, rest assured that NOT all interview visits are like this!
i enjoyed the closed-file format; if you have a skilled, experienced interviewer, the interview runs more smoothly and naturally. but it can be awkward with a less skilled interviewer who may be unsure what to ask about you.
make sure you convince your interviewers that you are a "good fit" for Rochester - they are big on the biopsychosocial theory of medicine!
Rochester is an amazing school! The day starts off with some brief talks and then you have one interview before the lunch and tour, and another afterwards. You have a lot of downtime so I definitely suggest sitting in on a PBL or lecture. The interview themselves were low stress. I really felt that the interviewers strived to get to know as a person. Stay with a student host! It's a great way to meet students and get to know the school.
i had 3 interviews instead of the usual 2 because i asked to meet with a colleague of someone i know. interviews were very chill, everyone was really helpful and friendly. had lunch and tour with 2nd years, who seemed happy to be there. everyone i talked to was very positive about the school, only major complaint was the weather in rochester.
I stayed with a host overnight. She was extremely welcoming and helpful. Learned a lot about the University.
I'm not sure if I am supposed to mention names in here, but one of the interviewers (he works in emergency dept) asks very off-the wall questions.
There was a welcome and overview session with the director of admissions at 8:00, followed by two interviews between 9:30 and noon. Lunch was hosted by two students, followed by a tour of the school and hospital (lots of walking!). Then another interview after lunch. The receptionist was great...very helpful, especially with directions. :)
Very informative seeing that all I knew about the school was the research opportunitites they had. Very laid back day with downtime that could be used to sit in on a class or explore the hospital
Overall the day was pleasant and laid back, with the exception of the student interview, who appearead slightly hostile at times. He was a really nice guy, I think he was just trying to see what makes me tick. The two faculty interviews went very well, and both of them did their best to sell Rochester as a great city. I didnt really buy it, Rochester seems average at best.
Everyone was extremely kind and encouraging, the interviews were long, covered a lot of ground but went deep, the students and faculty seem bery progressive and committed to the students' educations.
The interviews were very conversational. The interviewers really aimed to know me as a person, and not simply as a collection of grades and numbers. I stayed at Rochester the night before. I was refreshed for the interview. After that, I spent the evening with current medical school students. The next day, I sat in on a few second-yr lectures, and I met more students. My host was awesome. I would love to attend Rochester.
I liked the fact that there were two interviews. my first interviewer it was an older, somewhat gruff gentlmen who really drilled me on the details of my application. he also cut me off during some of my answers. the second interview was much more conversational (and pleasant).
The day started with a brief intro, and then one morning interview. There was a tour given by medical students and Q&A lunch. Then a second interview.
The interviews were laid back and I really enjoyed the PBL class. It was relaxed and interactive. They seemed to arrange it so that each person had different strengths to contribute to the class.
Overall, the experience was very good. I was surprised at how happy everyone was considering the first years had an exam the following Monday and the second years had an exam the next day. Everyone was really friendly and telling us how great their school was. The day started off with an introduction to the school for the first hour. Then we had some down time before our first interview. After our first interviews we went to listen in on a first year lecture. There's no notetaking since the slides are already bound up in notes for the students which is definitely a plus. We then had lunch and got a tour of the school, followed by our second interview and then we could go home. A pretty short and easy day. Very laid back.
The day starts early (around 8 am), you are given an informal presentation, then you wait around for your two interviews. Then lunch, and a student-led tour, with more interviews after lunch (each person has two one-on-one interviews).
The interview process was really great. The number of candidates interviewing on a particular day is really small, so there was a lot of attention focused on each individual. My interviewers were really enthusiastic, and the facilities were beautiful. The first years were all studying for exams, but everyone still took time to stop us in the halls and chat. There seemed to be a lot of comraderie amongst the students, and that showed a lot as we toured the campus and met others.
I had three interviews because I asked for a third interview after my experience interviweing with someone who had a clear bias against women, especially someone with children who wants to attend medical school.
I will add however, that the admissions staff was very helpful in aranging for an alternate interview at my request. That interview was the best of the three I had, probably because I was very interested in that aspect of the medical school, and so I more in common with the person.
I was negatively impressed by the way the students giving the tour interacted with us. Compared to other places I've interviewed, they seemed very uptight,rushing us through lunch and all through the tour. They seemed more interested in getting it over with that in getting to know us.
Of the four schools I've interviewed at this fall, I would say this one is the most obsessed with image and with stature. They spent a lot of time telling us how Rochester is the best and how they were leaders in various aspects of medical education, research, community outreach, international education... etc--even that they are the #1 nationwide in charitable giving for United Way per capita. This suggested an underlying need to be make an impression--which somehow didn't impress me.
Interviewed with a 3rd year student, and then a faculty who had also attended medical school there. Some standardized questions, time to ask plenty of questions.
The experience was overall very positive. The curriculum at Rochester is one of a kind and is a point that faculty, administrators and students alike are proud of. The hospital facilities are new, clean and very attractive. Be prepared for a long day, however, since the day wasn't planned efficiently and there was a lot of downtime.
Very relaxed; they give you the opportunity to be proactive in describing your history, interests, and opinions. Be yourself and be fired-up about whatever it is you have chosen to do.
The school itself is very nice and seems like a great place to study medicine. The only problem is the Rochester factor, namely that it is a small/medium-sized city with very limited recreational opportunities.
people there really care about their students and people are truly genuinely nice. I know because I talked to random patients, nurses, and technicians.
The interview day began with a meeting with a representative from the Dean, financial aid, and the interview coordinator. Most of us had one interview in the morning followed by lunch. Two friendly students ate lunch with us and took us on a tour. The facility seems very updated and it is evident that research and donation funds flow into the school. After lunch, we had two more interviews. Apparently, on Friday they have students interview applicants as well. The student interview became more of a discussion than interview and I learned some information from it.
both of my interviews were 60min. but the people who interviewed me were so friendly that those 2 hours were two of the fastest hours of my life. the interview is close file but rochester does send you two questions that you need to answer and submit to them a week before. The interviewers had access to your response.
I had an excellent time here. The interviews were pretty conversational because of the closed-file situation, but my first one was tougher than the second. My second interviewer was really, really nice.
Very low-stress. When you go, you have to write down 4 of your most important activities, and that is all the interviewers know about you. So, you have a good idea what to talk about. My first interviewer asked me to talk about myself, and then he proceeded to tell me about the school. My second interviewer basically just chatted with me- it was very chill.
To preface this entry, shortly after 10/15 I received a call from the U of Rochester saying that I had been accepted. These interviews are partially open file. You are asked to provide the interviewers with two essays (the questions are given to you upon your invitation to interview) and a list of 4 extracurricular activities. The interviews know only these and focus on them to varying degrees in the interview room. The first interview was extremely laid back and conversational. We took off our jackets and had a long, involved conversation about many issues in my application and many tangent issues as well. For example, we discussed the influence the internet and modern technology has on society, particularly small towns in the US (it sounds strange, but it was such a great conversation). This interviewer really liked my focus on primary care and my major--we both majored in the same humanities discipline and he talked to me about the opportunities in medicine to use that knowledge. He then took me on a personal tour of the hospital as described above. The second interviewer was very friendly and conversational, but very very intense with his questions. The interviewer would really focus on my answers and pick out the details and ask 4 or 5 follow up questions. We are asked to provide them with 4 of our most important extracurricular activities and he went through a long process involving a series of questions and follow-up questions for each activity, going in to each in extreme detail. He even questioned the importance of one of my organizations and made me justify my role and the activities of the organization in detail. By the end of the interview, I must have been asked over 60 questions. Incredibly intense, incredibly fast paced, but not tooooooo stressful and not negative.
Both of my interviewers were very friendly. One told me that I seemed very relaxed for my first interview (I wasn't, but it was nice that I fooled him). Rochester makes you do two or three interviews, but they are very casual. No trump questions.
I think this is a great place to become an excellent clinician. The professors really care about the students and do whatever they can to improve the curriculum. The weather is depressing, but most med students won't have much free time to begin with. All in all, a great choice.
Rochester was fabulous. My friends who went through this process last year raved about the school - and now I can see why! It's a very friendly and supportive place. One amazing aspect is that you start rotations in the middle of your first year. Both the interviews were closed file, but you bring your interviewer a sheet with your top four activites - both used an activity to jump-start the conversation. When you go there to interview, just relax - the entire day is very relaxed with lots of opportunities for you to speak with the current students!
Great experience. Everyone was very friendly and many students stopped by on their way through where we were all sitting to give their 2 cents about the school and ask if we had any questions. They also let you sit in on classes, which I think is great.
My first interviewer was a little hostile, but he warmed up towards the end. The second one went really well. Both were very relaxed and conversational.
I loved the school. The fact that you start clerkship during your first year is a major plus. Let me talk about what's not posted up. I flew into Rochester the day before the interview. If you anyone is thinking about staying in a hotel, I recommend Econo Lodge. It's no Four Seasons, but it's cheap ($43 bucks) and it has a shuttle van that takes you to/from the airport and the university. There's a lot of places to eat around Econo lodge- Hooters, taco bell, boston market, just to name a few. Most people were done by 3/3:30 pm, with the exception of MD/PhD applicants who had multiple interviews.
Rochester impressed me a lot. I thought of it as a safety school but I found that I really liked it there. You'll get a great medical education anywhere you will go and Rochester is the perfect place who wants to have an awesome faculty available but also wants to have a life.
I had to fill out a short questionnaire and email it back to the school a few days prior to the interview. Interviewers are given that + 4 activities (you write them down), and I'm assuming interviewers may or may not read them. Had 3 interviewers: 2 with docs, student interviews are scheduled as possible (some applicants had them; others did not). Last on avg they say 45 min. One went over an hour, one was about an hour, another was maybe shorter than the 45 min. though I'm sure this is the exception, I did have an interviewer who asked me about my MCAT scores even though it's a blind interview and the dean tells you earlier that day that the interviews are supposed to not be concerned with numbers (fyi). Otherwise, interviewers were really open and asked intriguing questions. Very warm people overall - students and faculty.
One interview was well over an hour and one was shorter. Both of them were very informative and interesting conversations. The tone could change quickly though. A relatively intense question could follow some random chatting or vice versa.
I would love to attend this school and will undoubtedly withdraw from other schools if I am accepted. Dr. Hansen is great. He was very friendly and helpful the whole time we were there. My student interviewer was also very nice. He was helpful in answering all of my questions and it appeared that he is very happy in Rochester. These next 2 months of waiting will be rough.
Overall, it was a great day. My interview was over at 3, but I actually stayed until close to 4 just hanging out with the other interviewees. I wish Rochester were in a different location, because it has everything I'm looking for. The day was well-organized, and it's obvious that the students there are really happy.
UoR is fused with Strong Hospital, so on a typical day in the hospital you are exposed to both teaching and patient care. The interview day started off with a 15-minute synopsis of UoR's mission and our day's itinerary. A 15-minute presentation on financial aid followed. Perhaps this is not so surprising, since UoR costs are somewhat high and they want to reassure us that everyone who wants to go to UoR will be able to afford it. Then, we got three sheets with our name, degree, program, college, and four spaces to list our extracurricular/activities. Most if not all of us had three interviewers that day. Some interviewers insist on doing the interview completely blind and won't even read this sheet but make sure they get the sheet anyway so they will find it easier to write your evaluation. The first and second year lectures start from 8 to 10 so many of us had an opportunity to sit in. In the classroom, student activities are written on the board right next to the entrance, and the student body itself is quite social. My first interviewer was a researcher with some questions regarding health care and ethics. Essentially he sees many problems which are difficult to solve and it was alright even if I was way off base (whew). Our first interviews are done by 11, and we are treated to lunch (wraps/chips/soda) and a tour at 12, guided by two second-years. At this point I was thoroughly impressed by the vibrant and happy atmosphere of the students, faculties, and staff. We were repeatedly asked by the receptionist about how our day was going and whether we need anything. Many students and faculties with no role in the interview process stopped to chat or wish us luck or at least smiled at us. My next interviewer was a 2nd-year student. Throughout the interview I could tell he was assessing how well I would fit in the student body of UoR and he gave me a very frank evaluation. I had some time before my last interview and saw a lot of interviewees before they depart. Everyone who were interviewed that day were pleased with the school and what they've seen. However, it was still a draining day and I found myself stumbling a bit through my last interview, but I gave it a good shot. I would be ecstatic to enter this school.
My interview experience was very good. This was definitely an enjoyable, low-stress interview. I liked the school a lot, but the city of Rochester was so miserable that I don't think I could spend four years there. I don't even know if I could spend four days there without going crazy. I feel like it's petty to reject such a great school based on its geographical location, but I don't want to spend four years sitting in a car staring out the windshield at gray skies. I highly recommend that anyone who interviews at the school be sure to arrive by midday the day before your interview (I arrived on a Sunday morning, interviewed on Monday, and flew back on Monday night). That will give you an opportunity to really see the city and the weather, since the day of the interview is spent entirely indoors (the admissions office, medical school, and hospital are one large complex). A lot of the other applicants I talked on the interview day had arrived the night before, then went to the interview the next morning, and then went straight to the airport afterward. The interview runs from about 8-4, so they never saw the city in daylight.
The first interviewer got into the social issues in medicine and spent a lot of time with me. The second interview was short and focused on my activities.
I had a wonderful interview experience. Both of my interviewers had a genuine interest in learning more about me. They asked interesting questions and were non-confrontational. The student lead tour was also fantastic. Our 2nd-year-student tour guide was very knowledgeable, and she was very happy at U of R. My student host was also very generous with his time.
the info sessions go from about 8-9:30. lunch is at noon and you have one interview in the morning and the other in the afternoon. the rest of the day is pretty much free: you can go to classes or just walk around the campus.
I love Rochester! This school absolutely blew me away for so many reasons (see below) and I would feel privileged to go here. Most importantly, I believe the school passionately cares about its students and wants to train them to be the best at whatever (academics, clinical practice) they do.
MD/PhD interviews were spread over two days. MD were closed-file, PhD open-file, and the two were certainly separate. Be prepared for MD style questions from the MDs and research questions from the PhDs.
Excellent, excellent school. It was only my second interview, but I really fell in love with the place and do hope to attend here some day. Also--always, always stay with students hosts when you get the chance. Very cool people.
Surprisingly relaxed. The day went by very quickly and we had numerous chances to ask questions. The dean of admissions talked with us at the beginning of the day and even came out again later and asked us if we had any more questions.. very nice personal touch!
My interview at Rochester was great. The interviews were laid back for the most part. The school is really nice and this would be a great place to go. Rochester has some good research, and they are tops for patient interaction (early on in the med-school process)
Awesome. It's a "touchy feely school", which was said to me over and over again by students and staff. They really want people persons, who are motivated and foward thinking. The school's super progressive with their learning, and the student body really good support. Oh! 50%+ class goes abroad during their 1st summer, plust most of the cost is funded by the school.
They make the day really relaxing and fun. Even though the famous Mary Scardetta (loved secretary) is leaving, the new secretary is great and even though the day starts early, it's really relaxing. The interviews are very laid back and straightforward, and everyone is so approachable. They purposely make it closed file because they want you to be yourself without feeling like you're being evaluated, and some of them don't even want to know your four extracurricular activities! Both of mine did the interviews completely blindly and just wanted to hear about me and what I like to do and what drives me.
I applied for the 8 year Rochester Early Medical Scholars program for high school seniors. The interviews were not stressful at all. One interview was with a member of the admissions staff at the undergrad. and the second one was someone from the medical school. We waited around in the lounge for a while but had pool to keep us entertained. The med school and the undergrad are amazing. Everything is brand new. The med school is attached to Stong hospital. The students in the REMS program are awesome kids. Make the interviewer think you want to be like those kids. Just be able to carry on a conversation about anything. If you know how to converse, you'll do fine. Above all, have fun in this all expense paid weekend.
Honestly I was not that impressed with this school. The facilities are really nice but the people there were not as "gung ho" about the school. Some of the students seemed to love it, but most either didn't express an opinion or were very brief about their feelings. My second interviewer told me that if I got in a state school and U of R that I should go to a state school to save money because even though U of R is a good school, it might not be worth the debt. That was a real eye opener.
I had a great time at Rochester, I really loved it and am seriously considering going there. Everyone was so nice, the students seemed happy to be there. Their curriculum is progressive and it seems to be a school that really focuses on their students.
I didn't think I'd like U of R as much as I did. The students and administration seem to get along much better, and interacted much more closely than I'd seen at any other of the medical schools I've visited. Also they're pass-fail so that reduces the stress inevitable in the first few years of medical school. It's a good school!
Wow, is the one word that could describe this school. It seems as if everything this school does, they strive to be the best at it. This is by far the best MD/PhD program I have seen! You would not believe the amount of money this school has invested in research.
The school's curriculum is the most attractive part. You start clinical work your very first year. Thus, clinical exposure is very early and at a maximum. However, there are serious negatives listed above.
The interviewers were very friendly, but some of the questions were random and in one, we spent most of the interview on what seemed like a completely unrelated subject, so it's difficult for me to gauge how I did.
OVerall, I really liked the school. It is a great place, with lots of opportunities to do research/ community work/ basically anything you want to do. The students are great and so is the faculty. They really want you to learn and be a good doctor.
This was a two day interview, with MD/PhD and MD interviews mixed up on both days. There was ALOT of interviews. If memory serves me correctly, there was 4 MD/PhD interviews, 1 MD/PhD student interviewer, and 2 MD interviews (although 1 MD interviewer was a PhD and just talked to me about my research and why MD/PhD, so it was more like a MD/PhD interview), all 1 hour each.
Everything was really good until I asked too many questions. For MD-only people though I'm sure the school is really great. I'm still considering the school just because it would be such a great place to live with my g/f (read: future wife) and has good research going on.
The transportation to and from the airport, hotel, and school at Rochester is wonderful. It made the whole experience much more convenient. When I arrived at the school, I spilled Chai tea all over the front of me and the secretary was very sympathetic and helped me to wash it off. My first interview was LONG (~1 hour and 15 minutes). It was very conversational but there were some points, in retrospect, of strange questions. My second interview was between 45 minutes and 1 hour long. She was very friendly. We talked about her family, my family, and my hobbies mostly. Overall, Rochester seemed to be a very nice school.
I was 15 mintues late because of a car emergency, but when I arrived, Mary, the receptionist, made me feel at ease and told me not to worry about it at all. The day started (or was supposed to start) at 8am, and all interviewers met with the associate dean of admissions in a conference room. He introduced the school and their unique Double Helix Curriculum. Next, someone came to give out packets that included our personalized schedule for the day. Finally, a financial aid representative talked for a while about paying for a med school education. I happened to have both my interviews scheduled back-to-back, but I think most people had one interview in the morning, and one in the afternoon after the lunch/tour. My first interviewer had a list of questions to ask me, and jotted down notes as she shot questions at me one-after-the-other. But, she was quite friendly and I don't think she was trying to intimidate me. She asked very interview-type questions though (Why Rochester? What makes you prepared for a career in medicine? How did you come to decide on medicine?) My second interview was much more conversational. Both lasted about 30-35 minutes. Last was lunch and tour with med students. Afterwards I sat in on a lecture. It was extremely interesting and the lecturer was great! My day was over at 3:30pm (I chose to sit in on the lecture for an hour and a half though.) Overall a great visit.
I loved rochester, i thought the students/staff/and faculty were all great. it sounds as though you can tailor your education to what you want, and also there are many opportumnities to do clinical work in your 1st and 2nd year. i think it has the best curriculum.
I REALLY liked the school. The interview day gave me a very positive view of the school. (Maybe I would have another view if I were to go 2 months later, treking through the snow...haha) and everyone raves about Mary Scardetta, and rightly so! She is such a sweetheart and does make you feel right at home.
The whole day was just a very positive day. between the 1st interview and lunch, we had about an hour, and a bunch of the interviewees went to the lounge and played foosball and ping pong. It was nice and stress-relieving! And I was very very lucky to interview with the Dean of Admissions, who is supposed to be a GREAT anatomy prof and a great dean. He was also really nice! =)
Overall, I came away from the school really wanting to go there!
There was a lot of waiting time, but I'm finding that's true with most schools. We(the interviewees) had a group orientation, including financial aid, and an intro to the school. Then I had an interview with a student. Then a long wait. Then lunch, followed by a tour, my second interview, and that's it. They're very friendly and helpful. Bring something to read, and don't worry about bringing your luggage(I stowed mine safely in the office). Great School!
It was my first interview and I felt a little nervous. The people at Rochester are friendly and really look out for you especially those who work in the office of Multicultural Affairs and Ms. Mary Scardetta. They are great.
The day started at 8:00 a.m. (this is the time that it also starts for medical students). The students and faculty at the school are very happy (happier than at any of the other six schools I interviewed at). The students would walk up to us and would talk to us about their experience here. There are only 100 students per class. The faculty are also friendly. I had never visited the school before, but it is beautiful. The equipment is very high tech. The Problem Based Learning labs were very cool, they have the small group learning and a patient exam area all in the same room. The community is very nice and very inexpensive, you can buy a decent house for $80K, or you can rent one for a low amount. There were 10 of us interviewing that day. The interview started with the Dean meeting with us to give us an introduction to the university, then a financial aid person met with us. Both interviewers were friendly and wanted to learn more about me as an individual. The interviews were pretty laid back and non-stressful.
It was great...oh, and make sure to make friends with Mary Scardetta...she's the biggest sweetheart and really helps set the mood and actually gives you tips about your interviewers.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggest that the admissions office is friendly, helpful, and accommodating, with minor suggestions such as improving the diversity of student tour guides and providing more varied interview scheduling options.
I think the small group discussion is kinda extra...
