Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 33% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview mixed with a low stress level, and felt they did well.
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
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.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools included inquiries about the candidates' motivations for pursuing medicine, experiences in research and volunteer work, ethical scenarios, views on healthcare disparities, and future career aspirations. Additionally, some interviewers focused on personal attributes, conflict resolution skills, views on specific healthcare policies, and the ability to handle stress in medical school. Respondents also mentioned questions about family background, academic achievements, potential specialties, and their perspectives on different aspects of the medical profession. The interviews encompassed a wide range of topics to assess the candidates comprehensively.
Heavy focus on responses from the secondary... I mentioned having several animals in one of my responses and my interviewer asked me to tell her about my cat.
How would you deal with a patient (or their parents) who insist they want a certain procedure that they read about on the internet, but it is not right for their situation?
What do you think some of the biggest problems in healthcare are? and following my answer- what is one thing you like about another country's healthcare system that America could learn from?
Describe to me what would cause some people to seek medical attention and others to not. Direct this question towards gender considerations and argue both ways.
If a patient presenting back pains who has already been perscribed pain medicine came to you to ask for a referral to an acupunctureist, what would you do?
If you were a third year medical student and an attending announced he planned to perform a procedure on a patient and you don't agree that it was necessary/good/appropriate, what would you do?
Both interviews started with "Tell me about yourself, why medicine, why Tech, why Lubbock and what do you think is most important in your decision to pick a med school..."
Interviewer 1 (PhD): How did you get here, what was the process of changing your career from business to medicine. Interviewer 2 (4th year med student): I see you applied many times, why do you think you didn't get in before, what has changed, and what will you bring to Tech.
Interviewer 1 (PhD): Tell me about your research, what was your role in this research, and how do you think you have benefited from it. Interviewer 2 (4th year med student): Tell me about graduate school, what did you learn, how did it change your life.
Second interviewer: Questions also derived from my application. (1) What do you want me to highlight in your app? (2) talked about my PS. (3) what specialties?
The first interviewer: The questions were derived from my file mainly. Questions were about (1) osteopathic medicine (My app showed that I applied to many osteopathic schools). (2) Ethical question: how do you deal w/ a fellow medical student that showed up for a rotation with alcohol breath? (3) Talked about the economics of medicine (I had taken an economics class in undergrad). There were other questions but I really couldn't remember the rest.
Nothing else was really a specific question, mostly just "tell me about ..." from my application or essays. Talked about a survival camping because I wrote about it in one of my essays.
Interviewer 1: Asked about a specific volunteer experience.
Interviewer 2: If you had two people who both needed a kidney, how would you choose who received the organ?
Do you plan to have children? (Ob/gyn asked that. then proceeded to tell me 15-25 was the most fertile age and that clock is ticking, (I am just 19 so it's ok with me).
A bunch of questions about how much I think I will have to study as a medical student and how much debt I will be in (what my interviewer called a ''reality check'')
My interviews were very conversational and we talked about our families and future plans. My second interviewer actually said "I hope you will choose to complete your residency at ---" He was soooo nice
Do you have any questions for me? -this was the first question and it through me off gaurd. We had just sat through three hours of question and answer and I was scrapping to find something to ask.
Rank the Texas schools for me. Once again I refused to answer. I told him what I liked about Tech, but I still had several interviews left and out of respect for the interview process I am not going to prerank schools before I have a chance to visit them. Then I said that if I had preranked schools that Tech would have been last, but since my visit I have changed my views of the school and now would be happy to be a student there.
Why did you make a C in . . .? He fingered through my entire transcript. I finally had to stop him and say that I could spend the entire interview making excuses for grades, but that I don't think that my GPA is an accurate reflection of my abilities or my intelligence. This might not have been the best answer.
Describe your ideal medical school. Tell me about "xyz" volunteer experience. What would you like me to tell the admissions committee about you?
on my app: what will you do if you don't get into med school this year? why do you think you were invited to interview? (interesting twist). your recommendation letters blew me away. how do you form such strong positive relationships with such different people? (they had obviously read my application, which i appreciated.)
more personal questions- describe yourself, what kind of person are you, who do you like to be with, what is something i would not expect about you, how do you handle conflict/ name a particular incident in which you were in a conflict and how you resolved it
So how many times have you applied to med school? Where else have you applied, this year and before? What have you done to improve your application for this cycle year?
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? And is there a field of medicine that you think you'd like to practice now?
4. What makes you think you can handle the stress of medical school?
I could rattle of lots of questions, but most of them are very common and general. They want to get to know you, so be prepared to share yourself.
I usually try to be thorough here, but in my two interviews there were no questions that stood out. These were very standard "get to know you" interviews. There were no difficult ethical questions or list questions.
Students said the most interesting question asked at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics including ethical dilemmas, personal attributes, and hypothetical scenarios such as responding to patient advances. The interview format may have been an MMI based on the variety of questions, with some respondents possibly bound by a nondisclosure agreement due to the unique and scenario-based nature of the inquiries.
What is your driving factor for pursuing medicine?
A patient with Down's syndrome comes in and is pregnant. The patient wants to keep the baby, but her caretakers want her to terminate the pregnancy. What do you do in this situation?
The first interview we talked about electronic health records and the future of digital medicine. The interviewer was high in the EHR department for TT so this was definitely a fun conversation with him.
If a child who has cardiovascular problems is not receiving the medications he needs because his parents do not want to give him the medicine, what would you do as a doctor?
If a patient presenting back pains who has already been perscribed pain medicine came to you to ask for a referral to an acupunctureist, what would you do?
If you were a third year medical student and an attending announced he planned to perform a procedure on a patient and you don't agree that it was necessary/good/appropriate, what would you do?
If you were in the room with a patient and they asked you out on a date what would you do? What are your views on dating patients? I ended up saying that I was married and either way I would have to say no to the patient. Then he asked me what I would have done if I wasnt married, and I said that of course I would say no because it would be an awkward situation and not worth the problems it could cause.
How do I handle it after I've had a bad experience with a customer/patient at work (I work in a pharmacy), and do the feelings linger with me over the day or just go away?
Was your mom on fertility treatment when she had triplets or was it natural. ( that has a lot to do with the interview?! interviewer was ob/gyn though, so i guess it interested her. )
Well, while i was there i decided to apply for the MD/MBA program and had to add on a third interview to that day... the first interviewer asked me about my early childhood days overseas... wasn't expecting that one, really not that odd
"You took a class in pre-civil war American History, what was the most interesting thing you learned in that class and why would I (mind you he wanted me to answer why HE would find it interesting) find that interesting?
What is your MCAT score? And right after that question she stopped the interview, told me that with my activities, life experience, and gpa, that I was guaranteed an acceptance and then bid me farewell....That caught me completely off guard, especially since I'm a natural pessimist.
The questions were kind of generic..... my first interview was a little harder... i was asked: what kind of people do I like to be with? and also, about my feelings of providing medicine for those who can't afford it
What do you think of the Democratic Presidential candidates? Who do you think will receive the nomination? Who has the strongest platform? (I'm a liberal arts major)
This response is to the few negative interview experiences that are posted on this site. I am currently a fourth year med student at Temple. The one thing that I can say is that my education has been first rate. Temple gives you the relaxed atmosphere of learning. There is no cut throat type of behavior during the basic science years. Furthermore, the clerkships at Temple hospital are incredible. No other school in Philadelphia will give the type of trauma and core internal medicine that Temple will give you. In addition, Temple continues to have first rate match lists. They post match lists on their website for anyone to access unlike many other schools. Board scores are above average every year with the school's average being second only to Penn in Philly. ALso, I think someone mentioned that they lost their children's hospital? I don't know why they would say that? Temple Children's is right next to the main hospital and is doing well and thriving. If anyone has any questions about Temple please feel free to reply to this post
If you were confronted with a situation where a close friend and colleague had made a mistake in a procedure/treatment, would you be inclined to cover for your close friend or would you disclose the entire truth despite the consequences?
Name some negative things about a doctor, then the interviewer asked me, despite these negative things you listed as doctor, why do you still want to be a doctor?
Students said the most difficult question asked at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine discussed various ethical scenarios, such as handling drunk friends, controversial medical procedures, and ethical dilemmas in healthcare. Additionally, questions about personal attributes of physicians, challenges in medical school, and views on healthcare policies were commonly asked, with some respondents mentioning scenarios related to patient compliance and physician integrity.
Ethical question about having a friend who is drunk at a graduation party and wants to drive home and is refusing your offer
Some parents want to give their 17 year old daughter a graduation present of breast augmentation. Both parents and the daughter consent to the procedure and the exam is normal. Assuming you have all of the proper skills and training to perform the procedure, would you do it? Why or why not?
Imagine you are a plastic surgeon. Two parents want to give their 17 yo daughter the gift of breast implants for high school graduation. What do you tell them?
The second interviewer we talked about the difficulties of the patient. She asked what is the main reason most patient's do not comply with doctors orders. She gave her viewpoint that it was due to the patient's time/financial commitments.
Describe to me what would cause some people to seek medical attention and others to not. Direct this question towards gender considerations and argue both ways.
So, did you feel relieved that it was over (talking about my father's battle with cancer where he died recently) afterwards? This Q teared me up during the interview.
If you were a third year medical student and an attending announced he planned to perform a procedure on a patient and you don't agree that it was necessary/good/appropriate, what would you do?
Nothing too difficult. I was asked what I was most proud of and well...in a 30-minute interview it is hard to elaborate about something that you're so passionate about and have the other person understand in such a limited amt of time.
What questions do you have for me about the medical school? (I had volunteered there in the hospital for over a year and had already interviewed there the year before, so I couldn't think of anything)
Describe your _______ research? (This question was difficult because I haven't been asked it on other interviews. Besides, I thought my clinical research experience was pretty mundane (but I knew it was fair game). I attempted not to regurgitate my application verbatim and ended up going in circles).
So I have to go downstairs and present you to the committee. What should I say about you? (It was the ONLY question he asked me - He asked it over and over again.)
what books did you read in your (insert name) class? ...in your (insert other classes)? this was difficult only b/c some classes i had 8 years ago & struggled to remember titles!! ended up describing some books, instead of naming. this could have been better if i had taken 5 minutes to look at my bookshelf before i left home!! (highly recommend looking over old class syllabi.)
One of the interviewers just aked what ?'s I had about the interview. I was all prepared to talk about the presidential debate of the previous night, or something to do with health care delivery. Be sure to read up about the school programs...ex:
The MD/MBA program that is 4yrs
The new organs based cirriculum they are planning on starting in the near future
None were very hard or challenging, but the only question that I really needed to think about before answering was what medical issue do you feel will affect this profession the most in the next 10 years?
How do would you compare the educational system and the percentage of students that complete higher education in Italy, China, and the United States? (I have travelled and lived abroad...)
Most respondents rate the school location as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by utilizing resources such as SDN, mock interviews, and reviewing common interview questions. They also researched the school, read over their application materials, and practiced answering potential questions to feel more confident and prepared.
SDN, mock interviews, researched school, looked up common interview questions
Read about the school, looked at past interview feedback, read over my application materials. The interviews are after the orientation, tour, and lunch, so you really have been given a lot of info before you actually interview.
Looked over my personal statement, my TMDSAS, my secondary. I used SDN to review current events and possible questions about healthcare. Oh, and some wings at Buffalo Wild Wings the night before with the student I stayed with!
Eating good Mexican food and getting a mango margarita at Los Bandidos de Carlos and Mickey's. Had I known that Hurricane Rita was going to cancel my Baylor interview, I would have gotten smashed. And I'm a teetotaller.
I didn't care about this interview so much that I wore a wierd hat I had bought in Bolivia to it. It makes me look like a 1930s gangster.
Had an answer (not memorized) ready for any possible question or situation by compiling huge list of questions ever asked. WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY OVERPREPARED. You really need not do this, though there are just some you should expect. Know why you chose your major if it isn't the typical science. =)
I listened during the information session and rode on the coat tails of experience from other interviews at other medical schools. Talking to some students beforehand about the split campus structure helped me fabricate my enthusiasm for it.
I over prepared for what was basic conversation by reading up on SDN and having thought about, but not memorize, an answer for every possible question. I'm an anal premedder. =P
Mock interview this summer and 3 interviews prior to this one. Also, read up on the flu vaccine controversy, Prop 12 stuff and anything else I could find while on the plane and during the layover in Dallas.
Reviewed my application, and personal statement; Wrote a list of questions that I would expect to be asked regarding my application; Reviewed prior posts on SDN for encouragement; Looked at the Tech HSC website; Mock interviews; And reviewed the AAMC medical school guidebook about the school. Don't forget to get a good night sleep and to put something in your stomach before arriving;
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendly and collaborative atmosphere at TTUHSC, noting the sense of family among students and staff. They also appreciated the new and impressive facilities, the positive interview experience, and the emphasis on early clinical experience and community involvement. Suggestions include continuing to prioritize student well-being, maintaining the welcoming environment, and highlighting the school's unique strengths such as the curriculum and the sense of community.
The sense of family at TTUHSC and the effort they put in to provide a positive interview day experience
Every single person on interview day was happy to be there! There seems to be a great culture of collaboration here. I have also confirmed this with alumni no longer affiliated with the school and they agree!
The staff and faculty did an incredible job making the virtual interview setting a stress-free and welcoming environment. By the time it was time to interview, I was way more relaxed than I anticipated
Something that stood out to me was how happy and easygoing everyone affiliated with the school seemed to be when compared to some of the other schools I interviewed at.
The interviews were not like a structured set of questions. The conversation just flowed and they just found out what they wanted without making it seem like we were checking off a list of questions.
Lubbock is actually a nice place. Everyone was so friendly! And it's quick to get around. I was also impressed with their innovative FMAT program. (3 year medical school, what?)
Everything. I LOVE TECH. I didn't realize how much I would really love this school until I stepped foot on campus and felt like I was at home. The students and faculty are the best part of this school. They are amazing and I think since I am a non trad student, I really fit into the vibe at Tech.
Impressive state-of-the-art sim lab. And a GREAT lunch (fajitas, rice & beans, vegetarian enchiladas, 2 cakes). The lunch almost made all the waiting around bearable.
That Lubbock is really not bad at all. The school facilities are very nice. (Library, lecture halls, labs, etc.) Block schedules, and 100% pass rate on Step 1 for the last two years.
Great students, faculty, and facilities! Students seemed happy to be there, faculty seemed happy to interact with students. Two years in a row 100% pass rate for step one. General atmosphere and friendliness of everyone.
Basically everything. The curriculum is very well designed and has apparently upped their Step 1 scores: with only 20 or so students left to take it, they have a 100% pass rate thus far.
I was impressed with the completion of new facilities on the campus, as well as the friendliness of the students and the staff. Also, they have recently hired their President from Harvard University, and they seem to be on the upswing in regard to their board scores (they increased 6% which puts them at 91% for the USMLE Step 1). I think that this is probably due to the new curriculum that was recently implemented on campus.
Facilities were brand new. Everyone was super friendly. The med students walked me to my interview rooms. A med student drove the shuttle to the airport. The university has ties to Mayo clinic so a few of the students do residency in Mayo clinic.
Given the bad things I've heard from other people, everything impressed me during the visit. The facilities were great, the school seemed pretty new and there was actually construction going on. The students and faculty were very friendly and really tried to convince you that Lubbock is a great place to live in. And I wouldn't disagree, other than being really far away from other big Texas cities, I thought Lubbock was pretty nice.
awesome facilities, I had an email from my second interviewer waiting for me when i got back home, that was very very nice- normally you're the one sending THEM emails
Facilities are very modern. You have the option to spend your clinical years in El Paso or Amarillo. The interview day is well-organized and the lunch buffet is really good. Tech's main campus is beautiful too.
The curriculum, the facilities, the bonding of the students, no one is trying to sabotage someone else's med educations, the El Paso rotation opportunity
Several of the med school buildings are REALLY nice. The hospital is average. There is quite a bit of interaction with the faculty and clinicians. Most of the people are laid back, easy to talk to, and professional. The curriculum is systems-based, which I like.
the facilities at this school were much nicer than i expected. new geriatric center. also, i liked the fact that the class is split into 1/3 b/c it will allow more one on one exposure in the clinics
The Academic Classroom building and several of the other buildings are new and impressive. The faculty is working to improve their curriculum and everyone is relaxed and easy-going.
People in West Texas are the nicest folks you will ever meet. Texas Tech is a really fun school. People are very nice there. I also like the dual degree programs they have, especially the MD/MBA.
Students and staff were overly helpful/friendly-- I'm very independent and I'm not accustom to people going OUT OF THEIR WAY to help me. Freaky almost...
The Facilities are fantastic...very nice environment. There was strong sense of teamwork among the students. Everyone was extremely helpful. New Curriculum.
The people were really friendly and welcoming, the newly built medical school was very nice, the faculty seemed very accessible for students, fairly small class size for a Texas school. I liked the small town atmosphere as well.
The school, students, town and teachers are all really laid back. The town is not bad if you are already from a really small town (houstonians beware!). Their curriculum also is one class at a time and you get limited clinical experience from day one.
The weather in El Paso is hot but dry...I walked around in a full suit outside and it didn't feel that bad. Note that I am from Southeast Texas so my standards are pretty low.
El Paso doesn't seem to be that bad of a town.
I wouldn't mind studying at El Paso at all. Seems okay out there compared to College Station/Temple and Lubbock.
I got a free folder for a medical school that doesn't exist yet.
The students were increbibly friendly and offered quite a bit of inside information on the school and faculty. A couple even gave me their contact information and offered me a place to stay the next time I come to town.
The facilities are really nice and the students are really down-to-earth and very easy to talk to. It's part of a huge college campus so there are lots of resources at your disposal.
the classrooms and facilities are very nice and new with more construction underway, the people are friendly, medical students have access to the law school library and university facilities, they are revising the curicculum starting with the incoming class of 2005 to better integrate the basic sciences education
The new academic center is really nice and decently comfortable. The Synergistic Center also seems like a great student facility to just relax for a while.
friendliness of current students and staff, friendliness of town, non-competitive atmosphere, synergistic center, REC center, overall happiness of everyone, new classroom facility
Linda Prado, Dr. Dalley, and Tamara Lane all spoke in the morning and they were great. They covered everything about the interview process to getting accepted and the match system. They will interview 800 out of 2500 applicants and they will rank 500 of the interviewees.
Also, when you first meet in the foyer @ 9am, students are there to greet you. They are there to talk to you until ~9:30 and I thought that they were super nice and very informative.
surprisingly, everything! classroom building facilities are brand new, bright/clean & state of the art. students looked remarkably well-rested & happy... and also genuine. med library has private rooms w/ individual thermostats & allows food & open till 12. main campus has FABULOUS gym/pool. all main campus stuff open to med students--including sports & theatre events & their classes & library. NO traffic in lubbock, easy parking (compare to nightmare parking in houston--who needs the extra stress in med school?!). seems like the perfect place to be a student (just like my old college town). spring orientation to ease the transition & meet classmates & look for housing.
The new wing of the hsc is impressive. They have a new synergistic center with workout facilities, ping-pong, a pool table, fooseball, and a snack bar. I also liked the cheap rent there (~500$/mo for a nice 1 bdr), and you can drive pretty much anywhere in the town in under 15 min.
The students were very friendly and seemed honest in how they described the school. The facilities are top-notch. The "synergistic center" is awesome, the recreation center on the main campus rocks.
Tech has started using their new class building, which is awesome. Very comfortable and relaxing environment. The students were among the friendliest I have seen so far. Good lunch.
The students seemed genuinely happy- particularily after having just finished their first block exams. It was good to hear the Dean and other people speak highly about their mission to train doctors. I got the impression that students truly are their priority. Also, the new lecture hall and classroom facilities are state of the art. All of the facilities are modern and in great condition. Although some people (students and professors) at Tech feel they have to convince people to like West Texas, the school and city are very nice and have everything you will need during your 2 or 4 years in Lubbock.
Students seem to be very close and have a real sense of community. They also built a new classroom building which we weren't able to see but is rumored to be VERY nice.
friendliness of students. everyone who interviews at a texas school should really stay with a student host. i did, and mine was amazingly hospitable. this way you also get a real peek into a life of a medical student at that particular school. also, the opportunity
Lubbock isn't really that bad (I was VERY hesitant at first). True, the place is small, but traffic is only 25 min max. The city pretty much has one of everything (but only one) and you have a chance to see snow.
there is a student run liason committee which you can submit questions or concerns in a test given. if the committee decides that you have a valid point they submit the question to the professor for possible revision,explanation, and hopefully points added to your test score; they are now on a high pass,pass, fail grading system; the student,resident,attending ratio during rotations is great; the cost of living in lubbock
The faculty are very accessible to students. Students are friendly and appear to help each other out. New facilities are impressive and clinical training is personal.
Tech seems to be concerned about the ambiance of there facilities. Most things in the buliding just feel nice and classy. There new student rec center is really cool. They are building brand new class rooms that will open in October. I like that the med school campus is connected to the undergraduate campus, and you can go to football games and other undergraduate-related activities.
Everyone there was really laid back and helpful. It seemed like everybody really wanted to do everything they could to make you feel good about their school.
The facility was A-1, but small. The staff and students made the candidates feel very welcome. It is true about the food, a very good chicken fried steak was served.
Tech has awesome clinical rotations if you want hands-on.
the facilities, the students, the faculty, everything. mostly the way that they treat their students and do what ever they can to help them get through
THEY CANNOT GET OVER THE FACT THAT THEY ARE IN LUBBOCK. If you go be prepared for them to sell you the city rather than the school. Students are the most laid back of all the schools I've seen.
Everyone was extremely helpful, from the students to the faculty. Facilities were really nice, plus new construction of state of the art lecture halls.
Applicants commonly expressed concerns regarding the location of the school in Lubbock, the need to move campuses for the third and fourth years, lack of enthusiasm among students, disorganization during the interview day, long class hours, and below-average board scores. Suggestions included providing more engaging tours, addressing disorganization, improving communication about curriculum changes and board scores, and enhancing the overall student experience to create a more positive impression of the school.
We were supposed to have a break between our two interviews, but mine were scheduled back-to-back in different buildings, which made it hard to make both on time.
Nothing really. I love Lubbock. It kind of sucks that you have to move in the third and fourth years if you are matched out of Lubbock (into Odessa or Amarillo). But since I am married and will be buying a house when I move there, if I get in, then I will more than likely be able to stay in Lubbock.
I didn't get to see or hear much from the staff at the presentation. It was kind of unorganized and random bits of information. The only downfall of this school may be that it is in Lubbock.
I was pretty impressed with everything that I saw on campus; the only thing I wondered about was why they are a regional campus (after two years, you can stay in Lubbock, or you can go to Amarillo, Odessa, or El Paso (which will end once El Paso has their first group of medical students become 3rd year students in 2011 (check the year on that)). However, I was told that the reason for this is to give 3rd and 4th year medical students a chance to see different things and have more opportunities to get involved (Amarillo is a good place to go for surgery; El Paso is a good place to go for OB-GYN and infectious disease).
When I asked the student panel about their dislikes about their university, the question was basically dodged. I have heard that they have low board scores.
Location (lubbock) is somewhat dismal. Second year students we met seemed a little immature (almost like the pre-meds in college that slacked off/goofed off, but suprisingly still get into school somewhere). In the student panel, someone asked
Lubbock is a wasteland that is 5 hours from any real city. Students didn't seem that bright or very serious about school (many times only 10-20% of class shows up for lectures).
The 2nd year students giving the tour were lost a couple of times. But they were very excited about their school and answered our questions with enthusiasm
The school is in the process of changing curriculum and, when I asked the curriculum director/speaker “what changes are you planning?†he could not give me an answer. This was concerning. When asked “what is the board passing rate?†no one in the auditorium (from the school) could give me an answer.
The grading system is honors / pass / fail. Making a 92 puts you in the same category as the person with a 70. It seems a little unfair. Also the average step 1 scores on the USMLE are a bit below the national average.
Too much of a defensive attitude regarding the city of Lubbock. It got old hearing "Lubbock really isn't that bad" several times throughout the day. One of the students on the panel said, "we are a pretty competitive class. I guess you can consider us a class of gunners". Not really interested in that type of environment.
The isolation of Lubbock gives it a slightly desolate feel. But the cheap real estate and the reduced stress of low crime rates and fewer mainstream distractions make it a appealing place to learn.
Lubbock. It's EMPTY. Although you wouldn't really notice it studying so much... They have below average board pass rates AND they are changing their basic science curriculum next year... One speaker said that have to move low on the match list to fill the class. Not exactly motivational. Also, the thought of ending up in Amarillo is scary BUT you get some great surgery experience, I hear. Ask a student about it.
the traffic is heavier than I expected, the air is very dry, and the water tastes salty,
It was a little difficult to find the locations of the interviews as the instructions were not clear and the layout of the academic classroom building can be confusing,
Several of the speakers focused too much on dispelling negative stereotypes rather than really selling the strengths of the school
Taking thirty minutes to hear someone read out every single interviewer and every singly interviewee that they had today and their times...just to make sure that our agendas (sitting right in front of us) were accurate. They didn't talk about residency matching or USMLE scores or anything like that, but if you asked the students, they all said that board scores are typically at average or maybe even a few points lower.
Although you are isolated from distraction, you would kill yourself from studying and nothing to do when you want to take a break! The curriculum is nothing innovative compared to other schools.
Nothing was bad. I went to West Texas not expecting much, but I really enjoyed Lubbock and Texas Tech. I thought that the chance of spending the 3rd and 4th years in either El Paso or Amarillo would be bad, but 2 weeks after the match you get to rank where you would prefer to live. People interested in OB/GYN and Peds get a whole lot of experience in El Paso. Also, since it's a border town you get immersed in the hispanic population and get to practice your Spanish. Amarillo has no residents, so you and maybe another 3rd or 4th year are the only ones working with the attendents...no residents!! People who want to stay in Lubbock must provide a reason. They have a strong surgery rotation and if you are interested in becoming a surgeon, this would suffice as a reason to stay. Other more important reasons, however, include: spouse employment and children enrolled in Lubbock schools, etc.
Lubbock is NOT the most desolate place in the World, but you can certainly see the place that is from Lubbock.
This is entirely offset by the Extreme Friendliness of the Students, Faculty and Community.
only 4 black people in last year's class! (even though i'm white) i would prefer my med class to represent my home community (urban), but maybe the class actually represents the west tx community.?? on the up side, i met some black students who seem extremely pleased there.
For the 3rd and 4th years you are thrown into a lottery and may end up @ El Paso, Amarillo, or Lubbock. I have also heard that Amarillo is a very boring place to spend your time.
Overall the school did not do a very good job selling itself. The faculty talked about mostly issues that were not germane to new incoming students. They talked a lot about potentially opening up a 4 year medical program in El Paso. The things they did not discuss were: Residency placement, why Texas Tech provides a better education
Perhaps the worst experience was meeting students at the school. They all seemed to take pride in looking/dressing sloppy. For example the student who gave the tour showed up in his workout cloths as he was going to the gym right afterward which was very awkward since we were all in suits. It also certainly showed where he places his emphasis on how much he respects attracting top students. He made jokes about Texas Tech's attempts to recruit minorities during the tour. He basically said Texas Tech is just like all other hospitals and schools and cut the tour short any only showed us the anatomy lab. This made me wonder why would I go here if this place doesn't have anything special?
Most of the students were very nice, but a few with huge egos will have difficulty finding scrub caps to fit their swollen heads. There was nurse bashing, PA bashing, and "physicians are the only real doctors." I'm not attempting to debate this online, but it was suprising Texas Tech choose to present this as their image.
From talking to other people that were interviewing Texas Tech was pretty much last on their preference list, and Tech certainly did nothing to change their ranking.
As a small side note Texas Tech served chicken that had to be eaten with your hands, a classic interview faux paux ... no finger food at interviews Tech ... get your etiquette right!!!
First, I never recieved notification that I had an interview until I got a very rude email about my lack of response. At the interview day, of 17 people interviewing, 8 had never recieved notification and the administration still tried to blame us. Then they made us wait about 2 hours because our first speaker was late. The afternoon wasn't much better. One of my interviewers kept insisting that I wasn't prepared for medical school and I in no way had what it takes to be a doctor. If they honestly thought that, then I shouldn't have gotten an interview.
They have a lame testing policy that doesn't allow students to see what items they missed on exams. You just have to take their word for whatever grade you get. The profs believe that "tests aren't for learning, they are for evalutaion only".
The interviewers had stacked schedules, so I was not able to spend as long with them as I would have liked. People had conflicting information about the curriculum change.
Even though I like West Texas I got the impression some people don't really like Lubbock because it seemed everybody said something like "Lubbock really isn't a bad place to live..." Other than that Tech is very similar to other schools in the state.
unless you are married, have a family, or have any other pressing reason to remain in lubbock for all four years, you can be sure that you will be moving to either el paso or amarillo for years 3 and 4. if you are single and are not prepared to move out of lubbock after 2 years then you should consider this before making your decision to go there
tour was aweful... student spend ALL of their time in class... almost 8 hours a day of lecture.. THere is NOTHING, AND I MEAN NOTHING to do in Lubbock. I come from a big city is school, AND I feel that this school and town will work with my lifestyle.
The size of the "campus" is very small; no recreational facilities. This location seems very cut off from the first and second years of school.
the idea of living in lubbock; their very traditional curriculum(but they are trying to change this...i just don't know when); the averge step 1 score is 87%.
The interview day didn't appear to be very well organized. Also, there is too much of a focus on telling you that Lubbock is a nice place to live. I wanted to hear more about the school itself.
The students I talked to negatively characterized Tech's
"How to be a doctor" course as a "waste of time" and "a class to study other subjects in."
Soon after being accepted, you have to choose where you want to spend your third and fourth year.
The class days are very traditional and very long. They do not offer a whole lot of time to prepare for boards like some schools. Also, there is very little patient contact in the first two years (although this doesn't bother me as much as some). My first interviewer really didn't interview me. In the thirty minutes alloted he told me about the history of the school and the history of Lubbock. I probably talked a total of 5 minutes - I didn't know quite how to feel about it. It was hard to know when and if to interject during his diatribe just so I could distinguish myself from the other interviewees. The second interview was redeeming, though. Each of the interviewers interviews several students back to back, and then they meet together that evening to present and evaluate each candidate together as a group.
Besides talking up the school, some people seemed a little too concerned about how we would feel about the school being in Lubbock. They kept trying to sell us on the town.
I tried to keep an open mind about each school, but Lubbock has some inherent issues that make it different. Somewhat isolated and then many have to move after the first 2 years.
I was interviewed by staff and a 3rd year med student. The med student seemed apathetic. Med student interviews frustrate me. Feel like they don't care enough to take time from a physicians schedule.
The attitude of the admissions staff. The match results showed that they accepted very few of their own graduates into competitive residencies (lack of faith in their own graduates). Students had dim outlook on gaining top ten residencies.
Applicants commonly wished they had known more about the specific interview structure, such as the conversational nature and the opportunity to ask questions. Additionally, many mentioned the importance of being relaxed and prepared for a casual interview environment, as well as practical tips like bringing comfortable shoes and being aware of the school's unique curriculum and campus locations.
Interviews were very short and did not have time to ask questions - I would have prepared to ask the students not involved in the interview day more questions
How relaxed the interview was. I way over-prepared. They mostly just asked about me then talked about the things I mentioned about myself. They're required to ask one randomized ethical question and everything else is just a back-and-forth conversation about anything. I talked to all of my interviewers about mutual friends/colleagues for a part of each interview.
The interviews are a little hard to get to because you have to go through some hallways where doors are access-card only. Luckily my interviewers walked with me and let me in but I'm not sure if this was the case for others.
There was some confusion on the forums and the interview feedback as to whether these interviews at Tech were open or closed file. We were told in the morning that they are OPEN. The interviewers get everything EXCEPT your GPA/Coursework and MCAT scores (of course they can still ask you about these if they wish). One of my interviews might be considered closed since she didn't even look at my file during the interview, but I would still inform others that this school does open interviews with blind GPA/MCAT.
Really, I think that the process is stressful for everyone, but if you can just relax and realize that the interviews are the good part of the application process, then you will be much better off.
Tech has you meet at the interview rooms yourself whereas with my previous experience a student had shown me there. You just need to leave the common meeting area early enough to possibly get lost :).
I wish that I would have known that Hurricane Rita was going to make me evacuate from Beaumont to Austin so I could have saved the airfare and just drove.
That Tech-El Paso is the gift that just keeps on giving. I accepted this interview waaaay back in the summer before I had any other offers. I stupidly chose to delay my Baylor interview until 9/23, which coincided with Hurricane Rita. Now I won't be at Baylor until November, and I'm kicking myself every day for letting that happen.
That I was a complete idiot for delaying Baylor's interview for camping out in the godforsaken West Texas desert.
I also discovered that all Texas Tech medical students have to spend two years in Lubbock and then break up for the last two years between Amarillo, El Paso, and Lubbock.
Despite claims of how random this whole med app process is, I sometime wish I hadn't applied here or accepted the interview invitation. It cost me more than any other texas school to apply here.
Reliance on hotel shuttle service isn't a wise idea, when you want to arrive at the interview early. Didn't really matter, since the welcome session started almost an hour late.
the first hour or so is just meet and greet; the day ends early so i could have taken an earlier flight; lubbock is not a major city at all, so be prepared
That Lubbock has cotton fields! TTU has a beautiful and consistent Spanish Art-Deco (if you will) architectural style- it’s quite refreshing amid the inert, arid west Texas landscape.
They send you an email and you have to pick a date - I only had one choice THE VERY NEXT WEEK and so getting travel arrangements together was kind of hectic (and more expensive). Be ready for that - I hear it's not an uncommon experience.
after two years in Lubbock, one-third of the class must move to El Paso and one-third to Amarillo, the pass rate for the step 1 exams is below the national average
That the tour does not take you outdoors. I was stuck carrying around my coat the whole time thinking that I would need it for the tour. If I had known, I would have left it in the admissions office with my luggage. Also, many of the students say that unless you are married or own a house, staying in Lubbock for your 3rd and 4th years is near impossible.
That the administration and my interviewers were going to be disrespectful. I was completely put off gaurd by their verbal attacks first regarding their mistake in notifying me about my interview and secondly during my interview.
How cold it was going to be, yikes. On a good note, med school students get full access to Texas Tech University and all of its facilities (read: sports and a gym).
It sounded as if you could be sent to do your clinical years in a place you don't want to be (like Amarillo), especially if you're single and mobile. You won't know where you are going to be assigned for years three and four until after you're there.
A lot more about the three campus system for the third and fourth years. They really elaborated on how the small group settings allows for more communication between the instrutors and students before and after going to the separate campuses.
Applicants generally found Texas Tech to have a welcoming and friendly culture, with a well-organized interview day and a relaxed, low-stress environment. While some expressed concerns about the location or competitiveness, many were impressed by the facilities, faculty, and collaborative learning atmosphere. Some interviewers were noted for being conversational, while others were more direct, and the interview process was seen as a positive experience overall.
The school culture seems very welcoming and friendly. The event was also impeccably organized, with breakout rooms for: housing, activities in Lubbock, conversation with Dean's Ambassadors, and playing jeopardy with other candidates. Overall a very fun and relatively low-stress day!
I really liked the laid back atmosphere of this interview. One of my interviewers was the Associate Dean of Admissions and the interview was really conversational. He was incredibly kind and friendly.
Awesome school. Lubbock gets a bad rap for some weird reason. I kind of want it to stay that way so the snobby pre-meds won't apply and it can continue to be a hidden gem.
I was extremely impressed with this school and they definitely moved up on my list after touring and speaking with everyone. The facilities are excellent and it is a very close-knit atmosphere.
Everyone is very welcoming and inviting. They love their city. I feel that the school is less competative than many, but what you loose in competition you seem to gain in lifestyle.
Our interview group was huge... There were 70-75 people interviewing that day. It was crazy. From everyone I talked to after the interviews, everyone said that their interview was great. It kind of made me worried because I am not sure if I would be able to stand out... Also, right after the interview was over, the interviewers told us that they would be meeting with the adcom to discuss us. It seems like they make decisions pretty quick, but we wont know the outcome until November 15th. That was kind of nerve racking, but its not Techs fault.
I did my best to go in with an open mind, but they just didn't sell the school to me. Also, no one could tell me what the difference was between Tech and Paul Foster in El Paso and why I should choose one over the other.
This interview was the most laid back I have had. I spent 30 minutes just talking about all of my experiences with one interviewer and had a great conversation. The other interviewer was more direct with questions, but she didn't ask me anything difficult at all. Besides the school being far from home, I was very pleasantly surprised by my visit, the people, the facilities, the curriculum, and I think it would be a nice place to go (Lubbock and West Texas aside). So if you are going, go with an open mind. Lubbock is not as terrible as many would think.
I was pleasantly surprised by this school. Current students seem very happy and proud of their school. Go with an open mind about Lubbock, it's probably not what you've imagined it to be. Highly recommend staying with a student.
Interviews were supposed to be 30 minutes, but neither lasted that long. The first interviewer was more traditional with actual questions, though she was very nice. It only lasted 20 minutes. My second interviewer was just straight up conversation. It was done in 15 minutes, but we were just talking about random stuff for another 5-10 minutes. Very relaxed and nice, I loved it!
Didn't start out great cuz I live in amarillo, and I decided to drive there on the morning of instead of night before, and alarm didn't go off. Still made it on time though. There were multiculture office reps to greet us with donuts and juice etc. Linda Prado then gave us a short tour of the building and orientation followed. The dean and another person who was supposed to speak were unable to be there ( a lil disorganized there, I thought) but someone filled in. long presentation, but I liked it. Lunch isn't suited to vegetarians, just a precaution in case you are one.
My first interview was an ob/gyn who said she had been too busy to read my ap,so I had to sort of start from scratch. She was also 10 mins late cuz of her surgery that she was doing, but it was alright. She was really nice. DeRiese was her namo. She asked me about CHIP, and I was unfamiliar with any lately updated stuff on it, which I thought was the only negative thing to my interviews. She conversed with me, wished me good luck at the end.
Second interviewers, Blanton, was awesome! He started the interview with '' I love your essay'' and basically proceeded to tell me what the admission committee looks for and how I meet it. We talked about a lot of things, not all of them medically related. It was great! Very nice guy. He ended the interview with ''I'll see you on campus next fall''
I hope so!!
This was my first interview and for a first one, this is probably as easy as it can get.
Good luck to all of you!
I think that Lubbock is different from most places that people go to medical school, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. The people in Lubbock seemed to be really friendly, and the medical school is near campus, so there is a lot of student activity surrounding the medical campus. However, as I mentioned earlier, Tech's medical school really seems to be on its way up, as they are continually getting more competitive (at least from what I can tell). So overall, I was impressed by what the medical school had to offer.
I was pleasantly surprised by the school and Lubbock. They have many students there to answer questions and the students are really really nice and talkative. The morning is spent orienting you with the university and what it offers (kinda boring). The afternoon is spent at interviews, student panel, and the tour. One of the students was so nice and gave us a ride back to the airport after the day was over.
I went to Lubbock with an open mind and I was pleasantly surprised. Everyone there is so polite and so nice. They say hello, offer to help you if you look lost (which I did), and always make small talk. Even one of the TSA women at the airport knew all about the med school admissions process at Tech! We were all pleasantly suprised! Go to Lubbock and give them a chance...they deserve it.
Amazing. This interview was basically low key. The interviewers just want to see if you have people skills. They just want to talk with you. Beware of one guy though he makes you read sonnets.
My experience was typical; however beware there was one interviewer who was having the applicants analyze sonnets and paintings and another who only asked 3 questions and did not let the interview go on longer than 5 minutes
All the current students were very nice and willing to answer any questions that you had. They gave honest feedback about the new curriculum and told us what to expect from each one of our interviewers. the interviewers themselves are kind. They really want to get to know you as a person so the interviews are very conversational, and they really like to talk about the new curriculum.
odd early morning, seemed kind of disorganized, unimpressed with the room in which we held the morning briefings, students directed me to my first interview, which was nice, had a bunch of downtime inbetween my first and second interviews, and had such great connections during my interviews that i missed the campus tour. I also didn't know that their avg MCAT score is highly comparable to that of UT Houston and UTMB... getting into the MD/MBA program will be the deciding factor for me here.
The interviewers were very friendly and just interested in me as a person. Not so much concerned with my academic file. The schedule for interviews leaves a little bit of time to kill, and you have to find your own way to the interview rooms so plan accordingly. Really though, I wouldnt sweat this one too much.
The facilities were nice. The interviewers and presenters were very kind. I would have liked some coffee in the morning. We were also instructed to be there at 9am, but no one from the admissions office showed up until 10am, which was a little awkward for everyone. I also had three separate hours to kill throughout the day.
The interview process was great. All the students that were on panels and talked with us throughout the day really seemed to love the school and appreciate the location for what it had to offer. It was a very organized, but long of course, day.
El Paso is a big plus. I'd be more inclined to come to the 4 yr school Tech is starting up next year though. Wasn't terrible, but I wasn't bowled over by the experience either.
Overall, I though Tech was alright. I would be much more interested if it were in a better location (Lubbock would be very difficult place to take a significant other).
I stayed with a med student so I got their point of view of the school which may not necessarily agree with my impression at the end of the interview day...I went in very open-minded about the school because I had heard mixed reviews...I tried not to go in with any misconceptions like the lack of things to do...I think you gotta look at the positive side...I'm a city person and I wouldn't mind being in a small town for two years....the day started off with the lovely Linda Prado introducing the school...we walked to our conference room and the Dean of Admission spoke to us about the school. There was a series of presentations about the curriculum, student affairs, financial aid....after that we had lunch and I was in the group of those who went first to their interviews. I interviewed with two PhDs which was fine. The first guy was a combined Micro/Immuno...he was awesome...one of my favorite Upper Bio Courses is Immuno so we talked about that and his research interests..I found it a plus to have something in common with the interviewer...anyways...the usual interview questions were asked...this was my third interview so I had to pretend I was thinking hard about my answers..lol...then after that I had a break and then on to my second interviewer...this guy was Italian...I'm used to the Italian character...he was very to the point and had no time to dawdle outside of conversation...we conversed a little bit in Italian...the interview was a lot shorter than the others....despited this he agreed and supported my motivation for medicine....I just wished he had taken time like other interviewers to get to know me better in person...after that we congregated...went to a student panel and then ended with a tour of the facilities...All in all, I would not mind coming here especially since the HSC students don't seem to be forced to interact with the undergrads at TTU...
The school provides an excellent education in a positive environment. The faculty were positive and encouraging ... good communicators. The students were friendly and were happy to be there. I came away with a positive impression. Lubbock is a cheap place to live and there is plenty to do there.
As expected they started late. Overall I was pleasantly surprised by their new facilities and very professional and progressive presentation. The facilities looked extremely nice and we even toured the Anatomy lab. Interacting with current students at lunch and during a student panel gave me a better feel for what the education there was like. Everyone seemed relaxed and laid-back, perhaps a little too much so. Lubbock isn't a great location for some people, but it could be a great place to go to school.
The first interview was really casual and laid back. The second one was a little more strange and he was very concerned that I didn't have any interest in Tech
They told us to be there at 9am, but didn't start until way later. Then we went to this two hour presentation, which was a little boring. Then we had lunch, chicken fried steak; I guess it's a West Texas tradition. Then went to the interviews, student panel, and a student-led tour.
This school really surprised me. I received an interview at every school in the state, and I enjoyed TT the best. It has the best facilities and nicest faculty. A true gem in the rough. I am definitely ranking this school first!
My first interview EVER began with me coming in and introducing myself and sitting down. This was followed by silence untill I decided to begin the interview by asking a question. He gave a two word answer and then started reading off classes from my transcript and asking me what was interesting in them. Then he asked me about the causes of the civil war. Then he told me to tell him everything I knew about malaria. Every answer I gave was followed by a full 10 seconds of tense silence. I think I did well considering but this school left me with a bad taste in my mouth, and not just because of Lubbock's putrid tap-water.
Interviewer #1 was wonderful. The entire interview was very conversational. The first thing he said was “I think you’re going to make an outstanding doctor,†which made everything else easy. We laughed a lot and sat around swapping stories. Easy breezy…
Interviewer # 2 tried to ask intelligent questions about my research, which was ridiculous because she didn’t know anything about the subject. She kept asking irrelevant questions and I (tactfully) tried to answer the questions without making her feel like an idiot. Her other question, however, were very specific to my application and demonstrates she thoroughly reviewed my application before the interview.
Things were running a half-hour late, but all in all, the day was laid-back and enjoyable. Even though Lubbock is a small town, the hospital has a level-one trauma center and deals with patients from Dallas to Albequerque. Just from observing the students, they seems to be really cooperative and friendly. The school itself is very nice and aesthetically-pleasing. One of my interviewers is a cardio surgeon that worked under Dr. Debakke in Houston, so it seems good doctors are drawn to Lubbock in order to raise a family. They are very community-service oriented and the faculty (at least the ones who interviewed me) seemed to be excellent teachers. One thing is 3rd and 4th-years do rotations in El Paso, Odessa, Lubbock, or one other city.
I was very impressed with the facilities and liked the school however I think their biggest downfall is their location and there's no way around it. Also, the school is usually for people who can't get in anywhere else, so it doesn't have a very good reputation but you have to experience it for yourself before you form your opinions. If you're from a small town, then this is the place for you. Great oppurtunites and very laid back.
The facilities are new so they're pretty nice. The people are all very nice and laid back. They know its not the greatest medschool out there and they don't seem to care. They like it how it is.
I had a good experience. I might not have expressed myself the way I had planned, but I left Lubbock with a good feeling about the school and my chances there.
The only available date for Texas Tech required me to go out to El Paso, which is currently a branch campus where 3rd/4th year students do their rotations. As the director of admissions (which one of the other El Paso interviewees described as "Mr. Red") stated, "I know Tech may not be your top choice." And now I know why it isn't. I was hoping, just HOPING to be pleasantly surprised in some form, but not even lunchtime could prevent me from wanting to make a run for the border by then. The other review about El Paso pretty accurately sums up our day...read it if you want to know more. I just wanted to add that the attitude of the admissions staff was one of not even caring enough to try to sell the school to you, and most of the students blatantly admitted that they only went to Tech because they "couldn't get in anywhere else". We had a half-hour rant by some random doctor who interrupted the main speakers. The interviewers themselves were cool, I had El Paso's only child neurologist and an Internal medicine doctor. They seemed happy that I even came out all the way to El Paso. Two minutes into one of them, my interviewer just flat out said "Of course I'm going to rate you highly, now what can I tell you?" The other even tried to interest me in joining their faculty in a few years once El Paso is a full-fledged med school (funding is currently held up in the Legislature somewhere).
-----------A few weeks later at my UT Southwestern interview, I saw a girl who had been at there that same day. As soon as I asked "weren't you at my Tech interview", her face contorted into this painful grimace and she went off about how depressing it was. Guess I wasn't alone on that one.
THIS ACCOUNT IS ABOUT A TX TECH INTERVIEW in EL PASO WHICH IS NOT YET A FULL MEDICAL SCHOOL (2008).
This interview experience was just awful and mostly accidental. The other days offered for Tech were filled up with other interviews, so I had to pick the interview day that was in El Paso instead of Lubbock.
Usually a school will have administrators and an army of secretaries ready for your interview. Not this place. TWO bumbling guys run the show here and make the presentations about Texas Tech. One guy talked about the MD/MBA program and how good ol' Gov. Preston Smith, a Red Raider alumnus, felt like making a medical school out west at his alma mater. Applicants (good and bad alike) have been suffering ever since. After that, the guy in red (I forget who) said, “Well, since you will all have to stay in Lubbock for two years, I’ll show a video about Lubbock.†At which point he promptly RAN out of the room. Had I known better, I would have too.
The video went on to describe the wonders of the South Plains of Texas. “I lahk Lubbock cuz there’s plehnty of parkin’,†gushed one satisfied customer. “It’s a great place to raise a family.†Sorry pal, not at that stage in life. “There’s no traffic out here.†Because Lubbock blows so hard Buddy Holly wrote the blues out there. “There’s a Stonehenge made out of Cadillacs here.†I tried to slit my wrist with a pen, but it wasn’t working.
After that video, all of us interviewees started looking around wondering what we had got ourselves into. The bloke in red came back and said, “Lunch isn’t ready, so does anyone have a question.†Someone asked about the MBA thing, and Mr. Red had to pull out Good ol’ Boy out to answer the question cuz he didn’t know the MD/MBA program from a hole in the ground. Then a Mexican-American El Pasoan doctor named Palafox got up to talk (people out there really are different from the rest of Texas). He was wearing a string cowboy/Western tie and was my second interview.
“I want to say something,†he says, shocking Mr. Red. “Ah have no idea what this man is about to say, but I’ll let him talk for fifteen minutes.†Palafox goes for thirty. He goes into this ill-defined harangue and diatribe about how much medicine blows and how poor it is out here on the border and how his wife kept him from getting a Corvette because she wanted a house for the kids (no lie.... I’m not that creative). It’s all about money; it sucks out here, and goddammit we doctors need to get up and be militant about the health problems here. Not that I disagree, but when he finished we were all about to kill ourselves. And then the lunch sucked for vegetarians.
The interviews were really good. First up was a neonatologist who loved me and my essay. Mostly I bullshitted about my recent trip to Bolivia to volunteer in a hospital the month before (long story). Anyhow, I think the only non-specific question was how should improve health care to which I gave my Canadian “national health insurance†opinion. Which wasn’t a lie, and I actually know about it so don’t crib notes without knowing.
Palafox gave me a little tour of the hospital and facilities, including the hole in the ground where the medical school is supposed to be when the good ol’ boys in Austin get around to sending the money over. I bullshat with him pretty well (Vishnu knows I can bullshit till the cows come home), and I went waaaay over time. Just talk about the Third World and how in El Paso it is across the street. I don’t think Palafox should be a problem for anyone since you can already know what he likes to talk about before you even get in there. The scariest thing was the fact that the hospital didn’t look that different from the one in Bolivia, with so many patients that people were in stretcher beds in the hallways.
At the end, Good ol’ Boy said, "Well, maybe Texas Tech isn't your first choice...." Ain't that the damn truth.
This was my first medical school interview. Linda Prado, the lady who contacts interviewees, was very sweet. Everyone emphasized that they just wanted to get to know the students. My first interview, by Dr. Lampe, was very relaxed. He made notes from my application and was reassuring throughout the interview. My second interview, by Dr. Felton, was also amiable. She had a tendency to look a little displeased while I was answering her question, but would break out into a wide smile toward the end of each response.
Lubbock is a friendly city and tech seems a friendly school. I ranked them 5 out of 7 mainly b/c of preference for UT schools and b/c I didn't want to move to west texas. But it is a fairly good school - with a ton of longhorns. hook 'em...even if in lubbock. =)
Probably the worst interview experience I've had so far (5 others to compare with). Rather disorganized process overall. When one of the speakers started touting the joys of a drive-in movie theater, putt-putt golf courses, and a go-kart track, I started to worry. My first interview went very well with "tell me about yourself", an ethics question regarding abortion, and some questions regarding my medical experience (lots). The second interview went downhill when the interviewer (mistakenly) pegged me for a conservative and starting asking liberally biased questions about foreign policy and Bush's neo-conservatism. I love history and world politics, so the questions were pretty enjoyable to answer. I think that the program is good and housing is cheap, but I don't like the idea of uprooting a spouse, who would be established in the community to move to one of the other locations. I would attend, but it isn't my top choice.
i'm not sure if the patient exposure would be as good as in the metropolitan areas; however, i was intrigued by the potential to provide care to border cities by moving to el paso after the 2nd year
My first interview was terrific. I engaged in a meaningful and stimulating conversation with an MD who seeked to learn more about me and attempt to assess my potental contributions to TTUHSC and to medicine. My second interview was a bit more of a interrogation where I sat defending my purpose and desire to practice medicine.
It was really easy going from the airport to the hotel to the med school to the airport. Our little group got to know each other well because there were only 2 flights out to the rest of Texas. That was great for me because it was my last interview and I had a chance to recap with everyone. My first interviewer really dug into my file and asked me good questions. He had googled me beforehand. My second interviewer was horrible. If the interview is open file, the interviewer should LOOK AT IT. Since they are thinking about opening up a new med school in El Paso, they might be switching third and fourth year kids over to Odessa.
About 40 students were being interviewed on this day.
The interview questions were pretty standard, straightforward, and stress free with no questions about ethical issues or current events in medicine. There are 150 people on the admissions committee and you may be interviewed by an MD, PHD, or med student. My second interviewer did a good job of employing the Socratic method, asking a whole series of questions to reach a point. This seemed a bit tedious, but was fun at the same time. There was a lot of down time at the start of the day and in between interviews. This interview day fell in the middle of exams for the med students so they were pretty stressed out and (understandably?) not too enthusiastic about med school at the moment. The tour was very short and did not involve going outside, into the hospital, the library or any lab.
Unlike all of the other schools in Texas, Tech doesn't try to sell itself to you at all. Instead of providing a student panel or a presentation of the school's credentials, they talk about how Lubbock has no Foley's, no traffic, and cheap (very cheap) housing. In general, I think that I will find a way not to be miserable at any medical school, but Tech will still be my last choice. None of the students seemed especially enthusiastic about their school, and they're switching next year (fall 2005-spring 2005) to a more integrated curriculum. The interviews themselves were very easy and both interviewers just spent the time talking about how great my application was. Strange thing though - both made a huge deal about how I was born outside of the US. No other interview I have ever been to considers Asians to be a minority, but they treated me like one. But I wasn't expecting anything from Tech, so I wouldn't say that my impression changed any as a result of my interview day. One final piece of advice: do not feel obliged to go on the tour. They do not show you the hospital or anything else other than the new academic building and the anatomy lab. I thought it was in really bad form for them to pull a cadaver out of the tanks just to show us. Just seems strange after they talk about how they're "really good" about respecting the families who donated their loved ones to their cause.
I had one weird interview. Barely ten minutes into the interview my interviewer says, "You'll have no problem getting in. You're in." That took me by total suprise and I wasn't quite sure what to do, being as it had only been ten minutes. So I asked questions... The other interviewer was also very nice and it would have gone on forever except my interviews ran back to back and I had to haul ass to get to the second one on time. I didn't do it, but perhaps if you get the chance...apply for MD/MBA for at least these two advantages alone: extra interview to enhance your application and you find out about acceptance before the match. Also, my general impression was that students there (though not all) didn't rank Tech high but rather just "ended up" there.
I was really impressed with this school. The interviews were very laid back. The friendliness of Lubbock is quite inviting. There is enough stuff to keep you busy in the town without having to worry about traffic or big city life. The students seem genuinely happy and have great relationships with each other. Tech needs to have more confidence in itself because this school seems like a diamond in the rough.
First of all, Lubbock was great. From the moment we got off the plane, everybody was super nice and they had nothing to do with the school. Everyone in Lubbock seemed super spirited for their school which was neat.
I was really impressed with Texas Tech HSC, too. Students are great and I don't think anybody would not be able to fit in with this group of totally normal students. We were told by the students that the faculty are totally concerned with how well they do. Dr. Dalley who teaches anatomy and serves on the admissions board holds "Dalley Reviews" almost everyday and will meet the students on the weekends and stay until 8 or 9 pm.
Very Low Stress in Lubbock.
Spent the first hour just talking with some Really Friendy students, then a couple of staff briefings. Lunch at 11:30,
1st interview at 12:30, 2nd at 2:45. Campus tour, done by 4PM.
overall, a great experience. the staff was super. students rave about dr larsen (student affairs) & the professors, how everyone places the student at the center of the school. i felt like they were seeking quality *people* & quality *future caregivers*, not just quality gpa's. school is perfectly in line w/ my humanistic vision of medicine. definitely stay w/ a student host, who can tell you all the ins & outs of the program/town.
I was impressed. The students were all very nice, the 2 interviewers I had made me feel very comfortable. The students also mentioned that all of the other students are very helpful and the atmosphere is more friendly than competative.
* Faculty/interviewers were great
* The students giving the tour and representing the school were sloppy and not the type of person I would want as a colleague
I had a miserable time and ended up leaving the interview day early after going to the dean to report how miserable my interview experience was. I wish I had saved the money I spent applying to Tech. Thankfully I matched to a MUCH better school and don't ever have to worry about dealing with Tech again.
I was very impressed with Tech. While it was probably the most difficult interview yet, I found the day very enjoyable. While I don't believe I will rank Tech first, it will be high on my list and I would not mind going there at all.
depends on your interviewer.... first was stern and serious, the second was laid-back and joked with me.... overall, the questions were easy, very generic and i felt at ease
I am a reapplicant and applied to all of the schools in Texas. Overall the interview day is very relaxing, considering it is one of the most important days of a medical career. The morning starts off with all of the interviewees meeting in a lobby. Take this time to get the butterflies out of your stomach and meet some of the other interviewees and 1st/2nd years who stop by. Then we spent about an hour listening to the Dean and other speakers promote the school before eating lunch. All of the interviews are after lunch, and spaced out for walking/finding time. Just relax during interviews because you have already passed the "test". They are now looking for positive attributes and reasons to accept you- not reject you. The first part of both of my interviews consisted of prepared questions that the interviewer had for me. Then we spent about 10 minutes talking, giving them a chance to get to know me. Then the last part I was given a chance to ask questions, so have questions to ask or things you want to know. The tours of the med school and hospital were given at the end of the day- some people left at 3 PM because they didn't want to stay for the tour. The 3rd/4th year guides answered all of our questions and were not on the committee- no question is a bad question.
The interview was very un-stressful. I had 3 interviews, as all MD/MBA applicants, and all three interviewers were wonderful. The BEST part of my interview was that I got my acceptance letter only 3 days after the interview!!!
if you are really into working with border health issues and low-income communities, the opportunity to go to el paso sounds like an amazing experience for years 3 and 4. the downside is that you will have to move, but after being in lubbock for 2 years, you will probably want to move out anyway.
I was disappointed that I did not get to see the Lubbock campus. I heard very positive things about it, but seeing as though Lubbock is the only for sure location during your time at TTUHSC, I would have liked to see it. The interview day as a whole was very informative and positive, but we were given some misinformation by the admissions officers that really put a negative air on the day. (This was later cleared by email.) The interviewers were very nice.
My first interviewer was 15 min late and the interview only lasted 15 minutes. He was very friendly and mostly asked about my research and the remainder was just coversation. I spent 40 min w/ my second interviewer who seemed very interested in my healthcare experiences. We basically kept talking until the next person showed up. Last thing, the students there seem genuinely happy.
Overall, I think it was a good interview experience. Good facilties, good location for rotations if you want to go into primary care. First interviewer asked me questions from my file. The second interviewer did not ask me any questions. We bascially talked about different things.
The questions were pretty general and easy to field. My two interviewers were very affable. Tech seems like an excellent choice for applicants who want to practice primary care medicine in smaller communities (like myself).
Overall, the interview was "ok". However, they seemed very disorganized. There were a lot of gaps in the schedule...a lot of waiting. The tour was pretty lame. Shouldn't potential doctors interview with clinical docs instead of couple of lab rats?
Lubbock is a town that I don't think I will like. If you picked up Texas Tech Medical School and moved it to Dallas then I would think it's the best medical school in the world.
Texas Tech is a great school and is getting better. However, the regional campuses are a big drawback if you don't want to move. Despite the hassle of moving, Tech's clinical years seem to prepare their students well for residency.
My interviews went way past the allotted time of 30 minutes. The conversations just flowed. Always have at least two questions to ask.
The interviewers have a checklist that they use to compare one student from the next. After the interviews, all of the interviewers talk before the admissions committee and pitch each candidate.
Texas Tech is a good school that emphasizes in clinical training. For the first two years of basic sciences you learn in Lubbock (the brand new lecture halls open next month). For your last two years, you can choose between Lubbock, Amarillo, and El Paso. They explained the split as a benefit because it allows you to have a smaller class size=more hands on experience.
Lubbock isn't the most amazing city, but how much time will you actually have to play anyways???
Tech seems to be a nice school, similar in many ways to A&M. The class size will be 140 next year, which is quite a bit bigger than A&M, though. Lubbock is way out there in west Texas, but as a city it's not bad at all. They have the most traditional curriculum I have seen so far, meaning you will be in class most of the day should you choose to go. The interview day is long, and there are several breaks during which you can hang out and play pool or ping pong in the student center. Overall, it's becoming clear that every school is great as far as education, but there are some important differences such as location and perks that will ultimately spell the difference between spots three through six on my match list.
Overall, it was a positive day and everyone was helpful and open. As mentioned, I was trying to keep an open mind about every school and location and I left with a positive impression despite it being in Lubbock and somewhat isolated.
Other than the fact that it's in Lubbock, I have nothing but positive things to say. I was surprised about the facilites, the students, and how the students were really happy to be out there. They all admitted it took them a little bit to get use to Lubbock, but they all said they adapted to life there pretty quickly.
It was a good interview. The school has a lot of good points and the students were nice. I have nothing negative to really say about it. Lubbock is the kind of town that you go to to study and seems to have little distractions.
Tech is definitely a school that is tops on my list. The interviews are laid back, but beware that there are some malignant and indifferent interviewers.
after half a day there, this became my first choice! I really have nothing megative to say about the school or the people. the interviewers were great and weren't out to get you like some of the other schools.
Great interviewers, laid back. Also we had a lot in common, I think they go out of their way to do that. They continously sold me on the city and how beautiful it was out there. Overall I got this great impression of non-competitiveness of their students and the laid back atmosphere in the school. If you want a no pressure medical school, this is it for you.
Tech has offered the best lunch so far of the interviews, small point I know, but it was pretty good. I think most people came to eventually understand the advantage of having a multisite campus for the clinical years. Overall the day was very relaxed and informative.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested improvements in communication, such as providing updates throughout the admissions process and minimizing wait times and downtime during interview days. Some also recommended enhancing the online application process and providing amenities like snacks and drinks in the waiting room.