Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 32% 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 include scenarios involving ethical dilemmas, discussions on healthcare as a privilege or right, reflections on personal failures, opinions on healthcare system improvements, motivations for pursuing medicine, and inquiries about specific experiences, strengths, weaknesses, and future aspirations. Many responses also reference Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) format and nondisclosure agreements, indicating a structured and confidential interview process in some instances.
Tell me about a time you saw someone doing something ethically wrong, how did you approach the situation?
Both your parents are physicians, has this influenced your decision to go to medical school? (Basically want to know if my parents pushed me in this direction. This was asked in the second interview which is closed file - they only know your name before walking into the room.)
Faculty interviewer & also very conversational: we covered "tell me about your research, why temple, where do you see yourself in 10 years, healthcare, & specific questions related to application"
A woman comes to you asking for you to sign off on an abortion, saying that she already has three children and can't deal with another pregnancy. Do you sign it?
You are the medical director of a local shelter for the aging. You come in one day and the nurse tells you a man's feeding tube has fallen out and is showing signs of pneumonia. Do you reinsert the feeding tube before doing a chest x-ray?
health-care reform? (it wasnt necessarily challenging, he just asked me for my points, and didn't go into it further, so i think it was just to make sure i was keeping up or at least knew what was important)
Second interviewer was an MS2: anything you didn't get to say in the previous interview / what do you think of Temple? / she mainly answered my questions
Do you think it's a problem that people abuse the ER (homeless trying to get of the street)? How do you propose to fix it? Is it the doctor's responsibility?
I talked about how I was at one point thinking about being a vet so he asked me what my thoughts on the differences between vet and human medicine were.
Do you have questions for me? (So I asked about the school and he spent about half the interview telling me about the school and how cool Philly was...very informative, actually. But I kept on thinking...did he learn anything new about me that wasn't in my file??
What is your top choice of schools? (I am an out of state student and honestly let my interviwer know that my state school was my first choice. Be honest or they will seee right through you.)
what are you sat scores and high school ranking, mine kind of sucked so she told me she wouldnt tell the rest of the admissions committee, which was really sweet
So your telling me you won't take over any school buildings, but please awnser my question, DID the Trade Minister invite you into her office to drop the banner?
There's no challenge is clinical medicine. It is repetitive, and all the challenge is in research. Why would anyone go into clinical medicine instead of research?
Those were the only questions, the majority of the 30 minutes was spent listening to my interviewer talk about Temple. He asked if I had any questions for him several times. He said he didn't like the classic "why do you want to be a doctor" question. Nothing hard, at all, I really did little talking.
As a physician, how should the issue of abortion be approached? How about euthanasia? The death penatly? (I didn't have time to answer the last two, b/c he just kept moving on to another topic if I stalled, which I thought was good, b/c I didn't know what to say!)
Why are you interested in the military? (our talk was especially good b/c I am applying for military scholarship and the interviewer was a Vietnam Vet.)
How do you think Direct to Consumer Advertising impacts a physician-patient relationship?
Why do you think there are so many mistakes made by physicians?
What E.C's did you do in High school? College? now? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Wouldn't you rather go to your state school? Tell me about your roomate in college (i had talked about her in AMCAS). Questions about my personal statement. Asked me about my sorority...etc.
Why Temple? Why medical school? Why did you do bad on your MCAT the first time(and how did your parents feel about that)? Why did you get a C+ in gen chem? (the only C on my transcript)
Students said most interesting question asked at Temple University School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics including the biggest healthcare issues, personal interests like favorite fruits, challenges in healthcare systems, disparities in life expectancy, connecting with different populations, favorite brain parts, and experiences with underserved groups. While some responses hinted at an MMI format with nondisclosure agreements, many questions focused on personal experiences, motivations for medicine, and reflections on healthcare improvements.
What do you think is the biggest issue in healthcare right now?
Through your experience as a scribe you have been able to work with a lot of providers. Can you tell me one thing you have seen that you like and one that you dislike?
The fact that he spent half my time asking questions about my AMCAS, he hasn't even looked through my activities or honors. It was ridiculous. It seemed to me like I was being interrogated.
A man comes in to the hospital ER with what appears to be symptoms of an MI. You treat him for 3 days and come up short in terms of finding anything conclusive. You come to find out he is homeless and just looking for a warm place to stay during the cold days of January. What do you do?
You are a medical director with a patient on a feeding tube. He has no advanced directive & no family & the feeding tube slips out. You have to decide what to do. Do you let him go or keep him alive?
If a homeless man walked into the ER for three days in a row and it became clear that there was nothing medically wrong and that he was just coming in to get out of the cold of winter, what would you do?
I was only asked a few very general questions about my job, college experience, and extracurricular activities. The interviewer did not ask anything out of the ordinary.
They were all pretty standard except the doc that interviewed me asked me how much I got payed at my current job...I told him, then he wrote it down. (pretty weird but what are ya gonna do you know).
You have good stats, why didn't you get in last year and why haven't you been accepted anywhere this year (I had actually just been accepted at Drexel the week before but had not found out about it yet)
i wasn't really asked any questions at all. the interview was more him introducing himself, me introducing myself, and then speaking about how i ended up wanting to study medicine. it was more a narrative conversation with him interrupting with small clarifications. very informal, very comfortable, very relaxed. he overtly told me he didn't want to be scary or intimidating.
not anything all that interesting or difficult, pretty much just reviewed and asked questions about my application including research and extracuriculars.
Nothing too profound or ethical. I was asked, "If I could magically transport you 10 years into the future, what would you be doing and where would you be and why?"
Nothing out of ordinary. I was a bit taken aback by the "What can I tell you about Temple" rather than "What interests you in Temple" question.
This is in response to the 2/19 message. I am also a Temple student (MS2), and I can't imagine why the previous poster would write such a thing. It's no secret that Temple isn't a top tier school, but we are certainly learning what we need to know to do well on the boards - not too much, not too little. Temple is also well-regarded by residency program directors. This is not something that can be said about the DO schools and caribbean schools, which the 2/19 poster believes would be preferable to Temple.
Not many questions were asked, considering the amount of time for the interview (1 hour) and that four to five other students are there with you and not everyone really gets to express what they really feel. But the typical questions are listed below.
none. all questions were made in order to clarify my file. It was a nice conversation overall. no stress... although, i did hear some applicants were put on the spot (ie: asked the same question over and over again etc.).
How do you feel about the malpractice situation in philadelphia (read up on this issue in the philadelphia inquirer website if you apply to any philly area school)
What do you think is the hardest part about the transition between high school and college (he wanted to know because his son was a freshman at Temple).
Students said most difficult question asked at Temple University School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics including ethical dilemmas, healthcare system comparisons, personal reflections, and career motivations. While no specific pattern emerged, the responses indicate that interviewees faced diverse challenges such as discussing ethical scenarios, addressing academic performance, and clarifying motivations for pursuing medicine.
Tell me about a time you saw someone doing something ethically wrong, how did you approach the situation? - I genuinely did not have a situation to use for this
Do you think that consciousness and individual thought are evolutionary advantages in human, that we evolved to have these features so we would be the most dominant creature? Or do you think it was a spontaneous development?
Do you think it's a problem that people abuse the ER (homeless trying to get of the street)? How do you propose to fix it? Is it the doctor's responsibility?
Tell me about yourself (and then he just stared at me while I answered, and after I finished, kind of unconfortable because I felt like he wanted me to keep talking...)
My guy kept asking me what I do for recreation. And when I named a few things he kept being like ''what else do you do?'' I finally had to say that I was a premed and I didn't have time for THAT many extracurriculars
He quoted a statistic regarding the deaths caused by physicians making mistakes. Then he asked me why do I want to work in a field with such "sloppy professionals".
What can I tell you about temple. None were particularly difficult. My interviewer tried to challenge my opinions a bit in the begining, but he was genuenly a very nice person.
100,000 patients die each year due to doctor's mistakes. What do you think about this? What do you think should be done? Why would you want to go into a profession with these consequences?
just clarified certain activities of mine...but really the interview was more about updating my application: the interviewer asked me what i was doing this year while not in school, what my parents did, etc.
How do you feel about euthanasia? The death penalty? Abortion? Right in a row just like that..i basically could only get in a "yes" or "no" response:)
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 good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by reviewing their application materials, practicing mock interviews, researching the school through its website, and utilizing resources like SDN for common interview questions and feedback. Many also engaged in discussions with current students, focused on health care and ethical issues, and tailored their responses to align with the school's mission and programs.
Undergrad hosted mock interview, sdn questions, reddit resources, making bulleted lists for answers to questions
Read my app over and over. Made sure to tailor my "tell me about yourself answer" to include small bits of things through my life I might have wanted interviewer to ask about.
Practiced one on one interviews twice specifically for this school. I also browsed the website , specifically looking at their outreach programs and the population Temple primarily treats.
Copied about 40 different questions from SDN to word and wrote out my own answers. It helped a lot because it helps you think through a full answer. Also, looked at the Schools website. Did a mock interview with one of my friends who took it seriously.
SDN, re-read amcas application and secondary application, school website, asked lots of questions during the tour. I highly recommend doing your interview after the tour and meeting with the med students, it's the best way to know about the school and to be prepared for the interview.
Read over my applications, SDN, read article about Philadelphia in Wall Street journal and other newspapers to be current on issues pertinent to Philadelphia.
I researched the school through their official website. I found out what unique events were ocurring within the next year or two, and I asked the interviewer to elaborate on these areas (i.e., the new curriculum).
Read over a bunch of question on this site, reread essays, and thought of questions to ask. Have questions because it seems that most interviewers won't ask you too many.
Read SDN, Temple brochure, AMCAS application, Temple Secondary (this is not an interview where you have to worry about learning how to reform tort laws and the standard of care given by PCP's under HMO jusisdiction, no questions like this were asked to any of the interviewees)
SDN, Temple website, re-read my AMCAS application, discussed ethical issues with friends who are in medical school, up-to-date on current medical issues
I prepared by finding out information from some students that attend the school and asking them about the school and about the interview. I also looked in SDN for help, but not too much is found about dental schools. Its mostly medical school interviews. I also looked in the school website.
I looked over "31 Questions I Wish I Had Asked." I talked to some Temple med students in different years (friends, SDN people and alums from my college). I looked over my AMCAS and CV. Lastly, I read through Temple's website and thought about some healthcare issues.
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendly and welcoming atmosphere at the school, with a focus on community, collaboration, and support among students and faculty. The new facilities, emphasis on early clinical exposure, diverse patient population, and commitment to service and underserved communities were highlighted as positive aspects that stood out during the interviews and tours. Suggestions for improvement were minimal, with most applicants expressing high levels of satisfaction with the school's environment and offerings.
The information session was quick and efficient. Interviewers did an incredible job at putting me at ease. My community interviewer was absolutely stellar, she devised her own questions for us and chose topics that mattered most to her as a member of the community.
The building is beautiful! The ratio of students to interviewees on the tour was great and they did a great job talking up the school. Students were visible everywhere: in the rec room, library, SIMs center, etc. Yes, Temple is in North Philly, but the school did a good job addressing this and presented the safety measures implemented to keep students and faculty safe.
They have a clinical skills labs portion of the interview where you get to talk to standardized patients. I think that was pretty cool to see where your clinical skills were before you even start medical school.
The facilities were new and nice, the medical students were friendly and seemed legitimately happy, and the admissions staff were very accommodating. I actually like that TUSM is in a "rough" area of Philly, because it provides great opportunities for learning and service.
The new building was awesome, especially the high tech anatomy lab! I got a great vibe from the students who seem really happy especially with the block scheduling.
- My student host was awesome and was very open/honest about the school
- Facilities probably newest I have seen amongst several schools I have visited
- Opportunities are abound for pretty much anything
- Student guides were down to earth
- People were happy to be at the school/ sense of school pride
The friendliness of everybody I met on interview day. There was a fire alarm and we were standing outside of the building waiting to go back in, and random med students walking by would stop and chat with us. It was nice.
The facilities. AMAZING! The new building is gorgeous, the library is open 24hrs, the anatomy lab has computers at each table, loved how everyone is so close and helpful.
The interviewers and the student tour guides LOVED the school. The facilities are absolutely gorgeous and brand new. I came in not quite sure how I would feel about Temple and left thinking that I would almost certainly go there if they accepted me.
The new, 11-story, $160 million facility that is going to be open for Fall of '09. The clinical experiences seem top-notch. The students are extremely happy and cohesive. Plus, the classes only run from 8 to 12 - how sweet is that?
There is going to be a brand new medical school with new technology integrated into the curriculum, very diverse population of patients and medical students, all of the students seem very happy and there are a lot of service opportunities.
Temple is off probation!!! Also I happened to bump into somebody on the admissions committee in the elevator after my interview and he told me that the probation was really only a facilities issue and had nothing to do with the quality of education at the school. Also he told me that he went to Temple for his MD and that he liked it so much that he stayed for his residency. Something else that really impressed me is that the testing is set up to be USMLE style to help students prep for the boards.
Temple's relationship with the local community and the proximity to the Temple healthcare system. The students did genuinely like it there - unlike the other feedback posted here. Security is super-tight. I walked in without ID and got shook-down even though I was in a suit.
The student led tour was great. They said that Temple's learning environment is very non-competitive and very supportive. The teachers are mostly PhD's who love to teach, and they are very accessible and willing to help.
The curriculum is also appealing because they are switching it over to the newer organ-based system.
The facilities are a bit old, and some are not very appealing. However, the number of hospital and medical center affiliations is remarkable, giving students a plethora of opportunities.
Students LOVE it there- I got this vibe the strongest here compared to everywhere else I've been. They are building a whole new med building, and you can use any resources their undergrad has.
Everyone was very nice, there is a simulation man with robots that can present various disease states and respond to treatment, a new medical building is currently under construction
Extremely enthusiastic group of 4 medical student tour guides, nice and clean existing facilities(only will get better with their new medical school building in '09), fantastic SIM lab, classes only last until noon, most students seemed to have the time for extracurricular activities, very friendly MD interviewer
They are building a new medical school that will be open in 1.5 years. The tour guides were funny, friendly, and happy. The doc I interviewed with was nothing but fun.
Everyone was extremely laid back- especially the students. They had an exam earlier that day and another one scheduled for the following day, but still took their time having lunch with us and were very relaxed and seemed happy. The bad area everyone talks about would make for some amazing clinical experiences 3rd and 4th year.
The students absolutely love the school. I was VERY impressed with the newly redone clinical simulation facilities. They are all bright, spacious, and technologically advanced. I was also impressed with the students level of contentment with the school - they boasted a high level of administrative feedback and responsiveness to student issues and their general happiness at the school (being happy at med school is not something to be taken lightly!)
I was positively impressed by everything at temple. The atmosphere in temple is very relaxed and makes you feel very comfortable. The city of Philadelphia is a great place to live and a great place for medicine due to the high number of hospitals. The students and faculty are very diverse. Temple's location will offer a great early clinical experience and will prepare you for any residency you choose. Temple has many affiliated hospitals if you want to due clinicals in another location. New building in 2009.
The people, the students, the administrators, even the security guards were all really pleasant to speak with, really nice interaction. Security is a priority for them, so it made me feel a lot more relaxed about the whole thing.
The culture, the enthusiasm of the tour guides, some of of the facilities, the hospital's and schools interest in the well being of the surrounding area
3rd and 4th years seem to be awesome at temple. The doctors at Temple hospital really treat their medical students as if they were residents, and there are a ton of opportunities to get your hands 'dirty' in. Students are allowed to help out with procedures/suture, etc. Great clinical practice!!
They are also building a new building, and it really seems like Temple has been implementing so many new changes to really bring up their name. It's a school that is definitely looking ahead to the future
The students genuinely enjoyed going to school there. (It wasn't fake because as we walked around they all said hello and cracked jokes). The hospitals were really nice and the faculty were all very helpful.
The school does alot for the surrounding community. Temple Hospital is across from the school. Provides health care to uninsured. Students seem relaxed and normal. Very enthusiastic about school. Could live in city without car.
I love Philly! Though Temple is in a rough part of twon the facilites are adequate and you would be exposed to a diverse patient population (which is a plus) if you go to school there.
The students all seemed very chill, and happy. They got along with each other really well, and seemed to really like Temple. Also, the amount of hands on experience the students get because the school is in an underserved area. The children's hospital is amazing.
The students. They were very enthusiastic baout the school and took more time then they had to to answer questions. Also, the diversity of the students.
the way they take security so seriously,the new lecture halls, the Children's hospital was amazing! The new curriculum that will begin new year sounds exciting. The students also seemed to like it there.
The med students were incredibly enthusiastic about Temple. They all seemed to most of the kids in their class and they emphasized how friendly and non-competitive their class is. Also, the students really emphasized how easy it is to get clinical experience at Temple. Even as a first year student, you can shadow any doctor at the hospital, and the patient body is very diverse.
Everything else. the students there seem incredibly happy, the faculty love temple students, despite being in a bad neighborhood (which is actually good for a medical school), the school's rapport with the surrounding area is very good (they provide around $80 million of free services a year), the students all work together and do not try to outcompete one another.
Everyone, from the administration to the students to my interviewer, were the sweetest, most energetic and helpful people! You really got a sense of community there - not a bunch of gunners. They were genuinely interested in me and what I had to say and really brought out the best in the school!
the students were very enthusiastic about the school and about how the hospital is verrrrry receptive to letting even first years get a lot of patient exposure. also, the children's hospital has no residents so the med students get to do a lot.
Not much, I was not all that impressed with Temple. I think the only positive thing is if you want to go into ER medicine, Temple would be a great place because their ER sees one penetrating wound every night (on average.)
The interview was fine but the students didn't seem all that competent in the grand scheme of things and said the only reason why they are there is they got into Temple and nowhere else.
Most people when you ask them how they like medical school, they often respond by saying, "Eh, it is medical school." Students at Temple when you ask them how they like school, they always say, "I love it! You have to come here."
Everyone talked about how much opportunity there is to work with patients right away, and how Temple students see a wider variety of diseases and conditions than the average med student. My interviewer described Temple as "no frills."
The students who give the tour on Thursdays were excellent. Very enthusiastic and very honest. I liked them and promised I would write a good review of their tour.
The new curriculum sounds great, the children's hospital is really really nice, the lecture halls are nicer than I've seen at other schools, the first year class is extremely diverse and friendly
the had just revised their curriculum and made it more block oriented (Anatomy the first 7 weeks, then move on to another block) rather than the traditional way. They are also upgrading their facilities somewhat. The tourguides seemed very enthusiastic
The students were very candid, and they all seemed very excited to be at Temple. My interviewer was extremely kind, and very interested in our conversation.
I thought that the location of the school in a lower income area is a positive aspect because that provides a wider variety of experience for Temple students.
the student body and faculty seem to be a very cohesive educational community. facilities are impressive. population of the hospital is predominantly underserved, and much of the treatment is given for free or via medicare.
the classrooms are pretty nifty :) the children's hospital is fantastic and made me want to be a sick child. the tour guides were SO enthusiastic, and i really hope they're representative of the entire class. and philadelphia in general is just pretty awesome - market street is my love.
The administration was pretty straightforward with applicants about the admissions process. In general Temple students seemed to like the school and clinical oppurtunities appeared to be above average.
Stress-free interview, location of school (I LOVE that it's in the inner city-great clinical experiences) Temple CARES student-run clinic, and the diverse student body.
The pride and loyalty to the school demonstrated by my interviewer and student tour guides. I also have a friend that goes to Temple now, and he seems very, very happy. Also, people in Philadelphia are unusually nice.
The tour guides, two students, were really great and really positive about the school. it seemed like a cooperative, not competitive environment. It feels like there is a lot going on there, the children's hospital is great. Overall the energy of the people there was really positive.
how nice everyone was, that the students have free time to hang out, that the interviewer was not going to probe me with millions of questions,how easy it was to forget about the scary surrounding area once you were inside
Medical students said environment was non-competitive and relaxed. The school was not as old/run-down as I had expected. They are in the plans of building a completely new and larger medical school. The school has alot of diversity in the student body and in patients at the hospitals.
Temple isn't the most research driven, highly-funded school, but people at Temple seem genuinely nice. They care for their students and I got the sense that they really want you to enjoy Temple too. The anatomy lab looked pretty nice and the financial advisor was thorough. New children's hospital.
I liked the location (good clinical education, for sure), the students seemed to know how to balance school with outside activities, the facilities are decent.
The school discourages a heavy emphasis on competition by recruiting people who aren't "gunners" and by grading on a pass/fail system. This seems to promote team work amongst the students and just a more pleasant atmosphere overall. The lunch was decent.
happy students with (apparently) quite a bit of free time and not competitive, real "inner city" hospital-- would see a lot, more happy students!
I was really impressed by a lot of things, including the students' overall view of Temple and their emphasis on working together, especially in the gross anatomy lab. I also liked that the curriculum will be integrated for our years to come and that all main medical facilities are within a couple of blocks of each other.
All of the students genuinely seemed happy. The students who gave the tour talked about how non-competitive the school is. Overall, the students and faculty seemed extremely supportive of one another and committed to helping the students succeed.
The Temple University hospital system is very large and handles a diverse group of students. There are many opportunities for students to get clinical experience in the first 2 years of med school at Temple.
I had an appointment with a representative from the RAR office (minority Recruitment and Retention) before my interview. The gentleman was extremely funny and encouraging.
First year students can participate in student run clinic. Although the new building wont be finished any time soon, they have made improvements to the old building and it seems that they will continue to do so. They seem to emphasize giving students clinical experience even before third year so you already have experience when doing clerkships. Campus is well lit and patroled by huge police force. Children's Hospital is very, very nice.
The new lecture hall for the 1st years was nice. Also, we had the opportunity to talk with a lot of students who said that Temple was a very noncompetitive environment amongst classmates.
The school is set up in a way such that it strives to make its students succeed. It might not be the BEST research orientated school nor the BEST clinical school; however, personally I think that it truely strives to make sure everyone of its students succeed and is well prepared by the time they leave temple.
The current students that gave the tour, the diversity of the students invited for interviews, the attitude of the interviewer about the school (look beneath the lack of pretty buildings and behind the fascades of nicer looking schools, and you'll find Temple is an impressive school etc.) People in the surrounding area in general were quite friendly.
Children's Hospital, wireless access throughout the Student-Faculty center, the knowledge of the presenters, attitudes of the students/tour guides, the size of my interviewer's lab. Also people interviewing from a wide variety of locations. Out-of-staters probably outnumbered in-staters at my session.
The lady who interviewed me was a real sweetheart, and instantly put me at ease. The amount of patient contact students are allowed is a real selling point.
My interviewer told me that he was impressed with my file and I have a good chance of getting in. My interviewer was really cool. Security on the campus is tight so saftey is not a real issue.
My interviewer told me that he was impressed with my file and I have a good chance of getting in. Security on the campus is tight so saftey is not a real issue.
The students were really nice. They gave us a tour of the medical school and adjacent hospital which seems very good. Their attitude struck me as focused but laid back. That's something I'd like to see in my fellow med students.
The amount of effort that was put in my students and administration to make the interviewees feel comfortable and prepared for their interviews...the financial aid presentation was very detailed and well organized
The 2nd year students on the tour and in the RAR (Minority Affairs) meeting. They love the school and seem to be very happy. Temple Children's Hospital was really awesome too! (I'm interested in becoming a pediatrician) The opportunities for early clinical contact are tremendous! Plus, the cases that come into the ER are not your run-of-the-mill problems (like gun shot wounds: the students on my tour told us that they have at least one a day) because of the area it is located in.
The students seemed really happy to be there and the environment was not competitive at all, really. There were a lot of older, nontraditional students who had taken time off and came bac to medicine. The Children's Hospital is pretty impressive, also.
The childrens hospital is awesome, the regular hospital is level 1 tramau and since this school is in the middle of ghetto they get all kinds of patients, the school is really trying to improve their image, they are building a brand new building which we may not get to use but it shows that progress is being made, plus they seemed very flexible with everything, from where to do residency to adding extra years to MD/PhD (althought there may not be $$ for it)
Woman who interviewed me was honestly one of the sweetest, kindest people I have ever met. She was like my grandmother. Made me feel very comfortable and relaxed.
The medical students who gave us the tour were great. They were honest about their opinions and were very knowledgeable. Although the school isn't in the best area, the neighborhood is actually an asset because students are able to see interesting cases. The school provides excellent clinical experience and has a nice Children's Hospital. The school is working hard to improve and be taken off probation.
The clinical/volunteer experience seems top-notch. There is a free clinic apparently run almost entirely by students, as well as volunteer opportunities everywhere you look. There seems to be a focus on clinical education and taking the initiative to study various interests.
The people, everyone was so friendly, helpful, and pleasant. Even the man who worked in the bookstore was really eager to show my what books I might use should I choose to attend. Also they have great clinical opportunities to see rare and advanced diseases, because people in better communities just don't get as sick.
Admissions staff were all very friendly and up front about the whole probation issue, and they gave us tips about the people who were were interviewing with, ie. whether or not to expect ethical questions, length of interviews, etc
campus security was good, and the area is well lit. temple has a free shuttle that runs from the undergrad campus to the health science campus, and also downtown. plus temple has public bus and subway (septa) stops on the undergrad campus, and the train station to the airport is on the undergrad campus too.
Diversity of those on campus. Focus on Clinical Care.
"Real"ness of the students and the faculty. They were intense but laid back at the same time.
the teaching hospitals are awesome. the neighborhood isn't as bad as everyone says it is. plus, they have huge lights that night up the entire med center at night, so it's pretty safe. the gross anatomy lab is nice too.
the clinical facilities, the diversity and friendliness of the students. everyone seemed intelligent without being pretentious. the day was very organized. the emphasis on doing well on the boards--the first 2 years are very focused on science. 4 students/cadaver. the urban feel to the school--you are surrounded by the populations you'll be working with.
The students seem to have a real camraderie with each other and the faculty. Also, the children's hospital is awesome, and Temple has many associated hospitals for clinical rotations
What impressed me the most is the unity of the school. Everyone there is like a family. That is very important for me. Competition is everywhere, but these guys will do anything to help a student out and see each other make it. What also impressed me the most was the clinic. The new, state of the art, facility is awesome. The space students have to practice dentistry is huge. They keep their own equipment and everything is available to them.
Congeniality of the professor/student relationship and professors with other people around campus. Temple gave the impression of a 'tight campus' for being a commuter school.
The students seemed to really like it at Temple very much. They seemed laid back, but serious about what they are doing there. There seems to be a lack of competition among students and there are few to no "gunners" there. The faculty also seems to be great and liked by everyone I spoke to. Overall, seemed like the perfect environment for me to excel in as a medical student and be happy at the same time.
The children's hospital, that is about a block away, was just built and a very nice facility. Also, the student common area seems like a good place to hang out. I also thought it was pretty cool they are known for not overwhelming their freshmen...first year is pretty laidback.
Applicants commonly expressed negative feedback about the disorganization and lack of structure during the interview day, including waiting times and insufficient activities, as well as poor communication from the admissions office. Concerns were also raised about the school's location in a rough neighborhood, outdated facilities, high tuition costs, and uninterested or unprepared interviewers. Suggestions included improving organization, communication, facilities, and interviewer engagement, as well as addressing safety and neighborhood issues to enhance the overall applicant experience.
Honestly, very little. The only thing I did not like about the interview day was there was a lot of empty time where we sat in a room waiting for the next activity/interview on the schedule. I wish there had been something for us to do during this free time.
The interview day was a bit disorganized. They gave you a few appointments and directions on how to get there, but otherwise let you roam around for the rest of the day. There were a lot of sitting and waiting around periods, but you did get to talk to the other applicants more.
The location is not ideal, I had to park a few blocks away and it was sketchy walking back to my car in a suit after the interview was over (although nothing happened).
The surrounding neighborhood is sketchy. I know people said that on SDN a lot, but I didn't know quite how much. Also, I thought my student tour guides were a bit strange... at other schools I interviewed, student guides often split up so interviewees can ask them questions. Here, they clumped up with each other and talked about how their classmates are doing or about that last exam they took. Really? :-/ So at some points, it was literally the tour guides talking to each other in front and all of us interviewees in a separate clump following them. Then at lunch they started talking about how they started taking certain pills to stay awake at night.
Faculty interviewer took me an hour late (with two more students to interview already waiting behind me) and it was like pulling teeth trying to have a conversation with her.
The methodology of my faculty interview, being that everyone had said that the interviews are laid back and low stress. The admissions office seems to not be on point with everything, they won't be meeting for the next 4 weeks so I won't hear back for a month and a bit. Kind of ridiculous.
The only negative aspect of Temple is the cost. It is very expensive. That being said, everything else about the school is top quality and I would be willing to overlook the cost as I felt so comfortable and welcome there.
Like many OOS applicants, the location is in a really shady area. I didn't find it to be too much of a problem, though, nor do many of Temple's medical students.
The location of the school could be seen as a detriment. Additionally, the tour guides led students into an anatomy lab, which could have been an unnecessary stress for some students on this particular day.
Location. This school is in the worst neighborhood of Philadelphia, and the fact that the tour pointed out the fact that they have "stadium lights" on top of the hospital so that the streets have "cloudy day" levels of light all night long for safety reasons was slightly disconcerting.
The neighborhood is just about the worst in Philadelphia (my hometown), and the teaching space is pretty worn. On the bright side, a whole new teaching building that will be state-of-the-art is opening in Fall of 09.
Nothing really. I had heard that Temple is in a shady part of Philly, but, as far as shady urban areas go, it was not so bad. Also, there was a lot of security.
I didn't like my interviewer asking me if I would go to Penn instead of Temple. When i tried not to answer he kept confronting me until i did. I also wish he had read my file before I got there so he could ask more directed questions.
The school is just too big. The students do not know each other and while it is not competitive it is not really collaborative. I just got a weird vibe.
my interviewed left me waiting for almost 40 minutes in a hospital waiting room. Obviously as a physician, he had things going on, but I found it disrespectful especially since I was not able to get any information to even confirm that he would still be able to see me. I was about 10 mins from leaving...
also... the school is located in a bad area of philly, almost all students commute from a wide range of areas, the tour guides said that less then 50% of students attend class, not much class unity
Yeah, so it's not in the greatest neighborhood, but at least the patient population is diverse and the proximity to downtown is nice! Living in a city is exhilirating
Buildings look very plain. Others who've posted feedback talk about how old the school is. Don't misinterpret this to mean that things look like they're falling apart or run-down. Instead, I would say that because some of the facilities look a bit old, they feel a bit plain.
Both the dean and financial aid woman called in sick so we didn't have an admissions or a financial aid talk. Consequently, I sat in the waiting room for two hours until the tour at noon.
Both the dean and financial aid woman called in sick so we didn't have an admissions or a financial aid talk. Consequently, I finished my interview at 10am and sat in the waiting room for two hours until the tour at noon.
The area adjacent to the school. You do not go to the areas adjacent to the school. However, on a positive note, the hospital boasts it gets 1.5 (on average) fatal cases a day - so a lot of good ER experience. :)
Neighborhood isn't great, but it isn't horrible either. Interview lasted about 20 minutes, maybe 15. That sort of scared me, but the two people before me all interviewed for that long as well, so I guess it's normal.
The only negative aspect might be the immediate location (north philly), but on the bright side, you really get to see unbelievable cases (because it is a local hospital).
The area is very squalid. The two blocks surrounding the hospital has the highest stabbing rate in all of Philly and Pennsylvania, according to our tour guide. That's good if you're in the ER working, but kind of bad since you have to leave work every day. Also, there are flood lights on Broad Street to make sure there aren't any dark corners. It felt like a prison.
School looks pretty run down, ancient facilities, small library, anatomy labs looked crowded.
Several students during the tour told us to go to law school, which was the BIGGEST turn off for me.
The Financial Aid advisor was the most boring and dry person I've ever met. He gave a 30 minute lecture on Financial Aid and told us that if you can't afford medical school, get ready to go home to ask mommy and daddy for $$$.
The location of the school isn't the greatest and the Dean was not able to meet with applicants at the beginning of the day. The receptionist was somewhat rude.
Nothing, I work down the street from the Med school so the location doesnt bother me. I like that there are three hospitals literally across the street from the medical school.
Interview was short and I was only asked 4 questions, two of which could be answered with one word answers. My interviewer was done with his questions in 10 min. I used the rest of the time to ask questions of him that gave me the chance to expose my personality a bit and demonstrate my interest in the program. Not to be full of myself, but I think there is plenty in my app. that we could have discussed in order for him to get an understanding of who I am.
The amount of money one will have to shell out annually is SCARY. I thought that the rent would be relatively inexpensive in Phillie, but this is not the case.
The interviewer asked me specifically which schools I had already applied to, interviewed at, etc. It was uncomfortable, and I didn't know what to say.
The neighborhood brings some unique challenges to attending the school. Also, the interviewer made some assumptions about me instead of taking the time to ask additional questions.
My interviewer told me that the class is probably getting close to being filled and candidates are probably going to start getting wait-listed as opposed to getting acceptance letters.
Sure the area wasn't the greatest but it definitely doesn't deserve the "slum" tag everyone is writing on here. If you've lived in a big city (NY, LA, Chicago, etc.) then you will see that it just looks like any old part of downtown. I mean, yeah, I wouldn't walk around here by myself at midnight down a dark alley but that's common sense people, not because of where it is. Other than that, the only other thing I didn't like was that I had one guy in my group who was a total gunner - I just hate being around people like that!
It is in a god-awful location with crumbling houses all around the area that stretches for miles. I drove through most of Philadelphia and it reminded me, for some reason, of Detroit. You have to live far away to go to school there, and it's expensive, and I hope this is not the only school I end up getting into.
"No frills" can be bad, too. It's in a rough neighborhood--that's why there are so many patients and so many of them with end-state diseases and penetrating trauma.
My interviewer wasn't engaging at all but I talked to 2 current students who were interviewed by the same person and they had similar experiences and got in. Students who park on the street have had their cars broken into. Lots of people live far from campus and drive. The phili subway is unbelievably crappy.
The facilities were not that great and the neighborhood was scary. the tourguides said that you shouldnt walk outside in when its dark out and that 90% of the students do not live near that area
Though it's in Philadelphia, it's in a rather bad part. It seems like crime is a problem in the area. Otherwise, the out of state tuition is pretty steep- 42k.
The individual schedule to do the initial presentation was late. She came during our lunch with the students and tried to talk to us then but we were all pretty hungry and didn't really listen to her.
i was disappointed to see that there is no campus housing, even for first years (which means that everyone lives by themselves away from the school/hospital)
there is no med student housing "on campus." that said, the students didn't really seem to mind, said the commute (in general at most 15 minutes) wasn't a problem and housing options were nice in the surrounding areas.
The location of the school is not the greatest. However, the hospital does see a much larger volume of less "privileged" patients, which means that the students will most likely find less resistance when they are in the hospital learning.
as everyone says - temple med school's immediate neighborhood is kind of skitchy - but surburban girl that i am -- i'd say it has character. i paparazzied all the rundown buildings and graffiti with my camera. i'm SUCH a tourist. and i was also by three different people for money down the block from the school. even got to hear one woman's entire life story when she appealed to me to find god and to give her money. i ended up buying her food in rite aid. it was an experience :)
Financial aid presentation (not very helpful), The tour was rushed and we didn't see as much as I wanted, the fact that the admissions dir tells you you are interviewing for the "continuing students list"-basically the waiting list...you feel like "well, why am I here???"
students seemed really relaxed and not that serious about classes, maybe it's just me but I would prefer students that take the education part seriously (not cram sessions before exams)
Neighborhood is not safe-looking at ALL. The school looks rather old in parts. No student housing, most students live in the suburbs or this area about 20 minutes away by public transport. Considering the cold and the not-so-safe looking neighborhoods around temple, that could be a huge hassle.
how scary the surrounding neighborhood was, i learned that the er gets at least one to two gun shot or stab wound victims a day (great clinical experience but bad if your the victim), that it is necessary for the school to have big spot lights around the school to make is safer at night, the it is necessary for cops to walk you to your car if you leave the school once in turns dark
that there is a lottery during rotation years that determines where you "have" to go...and also that there is really no campus to the school---but these choices really depend on the person and other people may like this...also, the financial aid doesnt seem particularly helpful to me at temple...
It seems as though the students have a relatively easy first year. USLME scores hit the national average but nothing beyond. The interview day seemed pretty disorganized. I had my interview before the day even started, so I had to rush to meet the other students. I learned later that the Temple reps that were supposed to introduce the school never even came by.
interviewer had not read my application and didnt give me the full interview. (not bc conversation was lacking in any way) asked superficial q's from things that just jumped off my resume in the moment.
the area is pretty depressing, the students looked depresssed also (the tour guides claimed it was cuz of exam week or something), the financial aid guy treated us like 3rd graders (used the phrase "mom and dad" alot)
The facilities were horrible and run-down. The library was essentially two rooms full of dated journals and a computer lab. The location in north Philly isn't great either. The student tour guide was also said that the first year curriculum isn't very rigorous, which could either be a plus or minus depending on the person.
location (rough neighborhood, everyone lives away from campus), buildings kind of old, small bookstore, libraries didn't look very comfortable, no "community"-feel
The students leading the tour said that you don't have to go to all classes or buy all the books. I guess you can see this as a positive or negative depending on your learning style.
Two of our tour guides said that the only reason they chose Temple is because it was the only school they got into. They could've at least thought of something else nicer to say!
The area surrounding Temple is not only a rough area, as others have mentioned but many buildings are boarded up...it's just depressing. Also the Temple facilities are pretty old.
I found the facilities to be rather small and meager. The school is actively constructing new buildings and rennovating the old ones, however.
Also, my interviewer's taking a phonecall during my interview made me a bit nervous.
Nothing major, although it seems that all of the students have to live off campus, the building classes are in is old, and the gym on campus is very small.
The school teaching philosophy seemed extremely traditional with little opportunity to take electives unrelated to medicine and there didn't seem to be very many opportunities to study abroad.
Medical school is a little old, but nothing as bad as others have described. I come from a UC school, so if you're used to old facilities, this place looks pretty nice.
The facilities are small and not as high tech as most school. Despite having diversity within the student body, the racial relations seemed a bit strained more so than at many of the schools I've visited...so much for the progressive North. The financial aid seemed a bit stingy, especially since I'll be paying it back for 10-15 years.
The school facilities are old. REALLY old. They are building a new building (14 stories) however its not going to be done until late 07 so that means we probably won't see it.
The surrounding area--not impressed with Philly. The weather, which was cold and wet and windy. The school's staff, who didn't seem all that friendly or happy or helpful. The probationary status of the school, the cost of education.
The library was extremely small and that is after their reinovations. That from now until May they are not giving out many acceptances, just the contnuing list even though they said they took everyone from that list last year.
It's a small school in terms of facilities. Also, you really seem to have to search out opportunities there. Both are in the process of being addressed- they are building a new huge classroom and lab facility, and students are setting up new groups now that will address alot of holes in the extracurricular/international opportunities.
There was a lot of construction and drilling going on. One of the applicants jokingly remarked, "That must be the dental school downstairs." so for that killer one-liner i suppose it was worth it. The surrounding area is a little rough.
Overall, there was just a bad aura at Temple, for me. The facilities are pretty poor. I wouldn't get to use the new medical school bldg they are planning to construct. You can't live near campus. No safe restaurants or anything else worth while near campus. Lectures are 8 to 3 everyday. The tour, and the whole experience, didn't leave me thinking about the positives of Temple but rather the negatives.
Obviously Temple is not the Hamptons. There are a lot of ghetto elements that surround and permeate the campus. Security is a premium, with football stadium lights + tons of police but even then I didn't feel completely safe. The probation thing doesn't help either though they are open about it and seem to be proactive in addressing the problem.
The area the school is locted in (North Philly) and the fact that they are on probation with the LMCE for student indebtness and aging facilities. But during our orientation with admissions, they fully addressed the issue and hope to be off of probation by Feb. 2004. I really liked how they were up-front about that! They are alos breaking ground for a new med school building beginning next year. Looks quite promising!
North Philly isn't the nicest area, but not a big deal. They also made kind of a big deal about the school being on probation, although, I think they've sorted out most of the problems.
i hate the area where the school is located, the buildings are not connected in anyway except that they are on different sides of a city street. in other words, the campus is not enclosed.
I was upset about how my interview went. The facilities were among the worst of the medical schools I interviewed at. I was also concerned about safety issues on campus. Temple is on probation.
Our tour guides told us that they liked the school, but for most of our tour they complained about how much work they had and how stressed they were. They seemed pretty stressed. The area, of course, leaves quite a bit to be desired--it's very destitute and run down and rather depressing. Cafeteria wasn't great. Traditional curriculum.
the area, the housing options, my interviewer who talked to me for 5 seconds and kept answering his phone and talking to me when people put him on hold, the food, the fact that they are on probation, and the study spaces.
still on probation, but as far as I could tell (maybe I'm being way naive) they are on probation not because students become bad doctors but because the schools facilities are poor (need more space, no money) So the probation does not bother me. The school is in the middle of bad neighborhood (was told, "its not dangerous, just dirt poor"), also not as much funding for MD/PhD as some other schools, lab buildings are run down it seemed, even thought that is superficial
In the center city where my hotel was, parking was expensive. There is a lot of talk about the bad neighborhood that Temple is in, but the immediate area is nicer than I expected.
The facilities, as they have noted, do need improvement. Its hard to get there by public transportation, and if you go a block in any direction from the school the neighborhood is not safe. Also, because of this students live all over the city. One friend said that she has felt as if there is racial segregation there.
Lecture halls, size of the library, the fact that my interviewer didn't really seem to be too enthusiastic about interviewing people that day. I was asked all the questions below in about 15 minutes, so I felt like I wasn't really being listened to, but oh well I guess
the area of the health science campus is not the best, pretty much all the students commute. the day only gave us the opportunity to meet 3 students, and i felt like i didn't really learn that much about the school during the tour and talks. also i didn't think they addressed the probation issue thoroughly enough.
It's not so much the curriculum but rather the envirnonment and facilities. The neighborhood can't get rougher. And the SOM facilities are OLD. Perhaps that is the reason why it was placed on probation by the LCME. Being on probation really doesn't affect the education itself but definitely left a bad impression on me.
The probation issue. One of the reasons they're on probation is because of the very high student indebtedness. This is definitely an issue for me. Also, I'm interested in international health rotations/electives and there seemed to be little structure or funding in place for such things.
my inteviewer was a stiff. he gave me a lot of hmphs and negative body language. he was totally unresponsive and that completely threw me off and kept me from enjoying the rest of my day at temple.
the library is rather small, but i am biased. my undergrad university has one of the most amazing libraries in the country. the classroom where 1st year students spend most of their time is large with really uncomfortable seats.
The library. It seemed a bit small, but they're building a new facility with a new library (which won't be ready until after I graduate from med school, however).
It is located in the ghetto. Do not get yourself lost in this area! Park your car in a hospital garage. Most students live pretty far away. This prick gave us a financial aid seminar, where he basically yelled at us because students spend more then their budget allows and get themselves into trouble. "I can't increase your budget. If you run out of money, I'll hand you the phone and say, call mommy and daddy." Jackass.
Students don't seem to have enough time for a life at all. Our tour guide said, "I'm either studying or thinking about where to study next...you won't have time for a hobby or more than an hour to yourself on weekday evenings."
The classroom facilities are not aging all that well. Also, no housing for students near the campus, many people have cars or carpool to the med school "campus"
What impressed me the least was the fact that the caferia is at least a block away. So I have to go outside to eat. That sucks, especially for the winter time. This shows you that there isnt any negative things about it.
Some people say that they dont like the neighborhood and that its in the middle of the ghetto. But I grew up in the ghetto (Newark, NJ), so I really didnt let that get to me. I walked around Philly with a suit and nothing hapened. They are very friendly people. Of course one is not gonna get caught walking around the neighborhood in the middle of the night alone. Thats a target for getting robbed or mugged. But according to statistics, crime rate is not too high. Many assaults dont happen, considering the number of cops around. So you will defintiely be protected.
Temple is not in the best neighborhood but the surronding area is not as bad as I remember it.
Temple could stand a little more technlogy in its curriculum.
The area that the school is in. It is very urban, but aren't most good medical schools in urban areas? Security seems to be great as well and I felt more than safe while on campus there.
i knew this since i lived in philly before, but i'm not too sure i'm keen to commuting any distance to med school. north philly is pretty rough. they do have great campus security and the school is right on the subway line though, but if i could walk to school, i would
Most applicants expressed a desire to have known in advance about the relaxed and conversational interview style at Temple University, as well as practical tips such as bringing comfortable shoes for walking during the tour and being prepared for potential delays in parking and transportation. Many also highlighted the positive aspects of the school, like the welcoming atmosphere and the commitment to clinical medicine in an urban setting.
I wish I would have known how low-stress this interview session was. I was way more nervous than I needed to be. Also, there was only one question that required some extra thought, but everything else was pretty standard.
That the community member interview was going to be the hardest interview. However I completely understand why. They want to know that you know what you're signing up for and that you're genuinely committed.
The clinical skills lab portion of the interview. Practice your general conversation skills because this is definitely a new experience that I had never prepared for.
That there was no guaranteed parking for interview attendees, I would have come a lot earlier to get parking in the hospital garage instead of parking on the street.
faculty interview - no specific questions about amcas at all, just general why temple, why medicine etc.
student interview - actually more quizzical than the faculty one, asked more questions on what I've done, but it was very laid-back
Not to assume that just because most people say their interviewer was laid back, that all the faculty will interview like that. Be ready to be grilled.
That I would be asked to give my "dream wish" for where I will be in 10 years. I did not feel comfortable telling the interviewer a very specific specialty I see myself in as I don't have a concrete idea. I want to see the fields firsthand before even mentally committing myself to a possible residency.
How much I'd come to like Temple. It is definitely one of my top choices now that I've seen it. My student host was absolutely awesome and I think has swayed my decision-making in some respects.
That the area is not as bad as it seems. Like any inner-city setting, it has it's bad parts. But the campus itself is NOT scary. And, they are very security-conscious. Everything is well lit at night, and there is security everywhere.
Having had numerous interviews prior to Temple, I had become accustomed to the usual interview day procedures but Temple was the most inefficient program day of all the schools. A 20 minute talk by an admissions coordinator that provided no real substantial info and 30-min talk by financial aid.
For girls who are planning on wearing heels to their interview, it's a good idea to bring flats to change into before the tour, as it involves a lot of walking.
Philadelphia is a very dirty city and I didn't like it. Also, the public transportation is EXTREMELY easy to get to temple. USE IT (instead of blowing $45 on a cab ride)
The med school is 17 blocks from the undergrad campus (I wish the man at the hotel knew that. I walked 3 miles just to find out I had to take a bus if I didn't want to miss my interview).
Temple's on probabation for three things: Increasing their class size to 200(which they've fixed and it's down to 180), not enough space/old teaching facilities, and finally student debt.
The medical students conduct anatomy lab in the dental school and the clinical skills center is also in the dental school. A new medical school building will be opening in fall 2006.
TAKE THE TOUR FIRST, THEN INTERVIEW. schedule an afternoon interview. The tour gives you alot to talk about during the interview. (personally, the tour was so impressive, temple is one of my top schools now)
That the class was close to being filled up. I really liked the school a lot, but if I get wait-listed/not accepted because the class is filled, I'll be really bummed about the expense of going all the way to Philly to interview.
I wish I would have known more about their new integrated curriculum so I could have asked more questions. It seems really cool and clinically based and now there is something about it on the website so I am definitely going to check that out!
as a minority, i was kind of forced to set up an extra meeting in the morning with the minority office. i thought it was like an extra interview but it was really someone coaching me for the real, regular interview. very very weird. felt very shady.
The interviewer only asked questions for about 10 minutes, then left it up to me. I had some ready, but I wasn't expecting to have to guide most of the interview.
They just finished building a parking structure whick means that they are going to start building a new med school where the current parking is. It'll will be built just in time for me to graduate.
bring comfortable walking shoes for the tour. i got a mad blister on my heel from some stupid dress shoes and could have brought both and changed.
also, go early if you have an afternoon interview so you can observe classes in session.
how cool philly is -- i should have allocated more time to the visit. and that the med school is past the undergrad. i drove down broad street for a good 15 minutes in circles (very difficult when everything is a one-way) trying to find the admissions building.
We did not get a chance to see the facilities the way I would've liked...Also, the neigborhood is not that bad, trust me! If you've never left the suburbs, yes. If you're a relatively cultured person whose traveled to many cities, it's a typical urban city with good parts and parts you have to be more cautious in...if it concerns you that much, scratch of 90% of the US med schools and only apply to UCLA.
Cab drivers do try to rip you off, esp if you're from out of town. Public transport is much better...the subway and train system are definitely worth it (the train runs about every 1/2 hour directly from the airport to the city -there's one stop right next to Drexel- for only about 5$ compared to 25+ for a cab)..where I'm from, public transport is sketchy or nonexistent, so I definitely like Philly
The medical school is many blocks away from Temple University. Also (this is important) Temple's class for this year is FULL. That's right, they are full -- you are interviewing for a spot on the waiting list.
If you are staying in a hotel and take the subway to Temple (cheaper than taxi), don't take the Cecil B Moore stop. Everyone there will tell you to take this stop but that leads to the undergraduate campus. It's two stops more (I believe it starts with an A...sorry I forgot) and it will drop you off where the law and medical school is. (When you take the subway, it'll make more sense)
That the Temple-based aid is dependent on your parents' income, even though you are technically considered an independent for tax purposes as a medical/grad student. Translation: You must come up with about $10k-$15k/year from either your parents' contributions or have good enough credit to secure an outside, private loan.
You should give yourself at LEAST 30 minutes to find parking once you get the the school. Also, the lot they recommend always has parking cones at the entrance, even if it's not full--just wait and they'll move them for you.
The area is not nearly as bad as people make it out to be. Of course you wouldn't want to walk alone at night, but you wouldn't walk alone at night in any city. The area was equivalent to many other cities I have seen.
I wish I had known that my interview questions would be more concerned with explaining any academic deviations. I would have made up more palatable explanations (just kidding...I think...)
If I would have realized how close a lot of things were to my hotel (e.g. the variuos museums) I would have planned my trip better and gotten to see more stuff. You can walk around to most places (although I am pretty active and consider walking a mile to be no big deal)
I actually knew this beforehand, but just so you know: the time of your interview is when you should be at your interviewer's office so you should expect to arrive at the school at least ten minutes earlier so you can find your interviewer.
Driving around Philly is tough because of the traffic. Leave early. Also, hotels in Center City charge a lot for parking so try to find hotels that offer free parking or find cheap lots nearby.
use the ontario street parking lot near the hospital, most of the other parking lots are for staff and faculty only.
School is moving to a new integrated organ based curriculum. 3rd and 4th clinical years will start earlier (around May) and end earlier.
They recommend Tablet PC's to take notes
How confusing it would be to get there by subway. Make sure you arrive ahead of time! I left two and a half hours early, got lost, and made it 30 minutes before my interview.
Med campus also houses dental school, pharmacy school, nursing school, plus hospitals/research facilities/etc, so you have the sense that the campus is a bigger place with more happening than at other schools I've seen where there's just a building housing the med school, and that's it.
I wish I had known that the hotels that they suggest on the school's website were not that close to the medical school. I took the subway to my interview.
I wish I had known how pleasant an experience the interview would be. I was dreading it based on the previous posts which painted a picture of a more impersonal proceeding.
How having tons of artificial light (from the football stadium lights on the Temple buildings) striking your cornea at midnight can mess with your circadiam rhythms.
That parking is a lot of money!! (8.00 for the day in the parking lot across the street for the school. Also, I wish I knew that I didn't have to leave so early and that Philly traffic is not as bad as I had anticipated it to be (even though I have driven there dozens of times!)
The Penna. Turnpike exits are not the same as what mapquest.com will have you believe. The Philadephia city area is not as bad a neighborhood as I had heard.
the time your interview is scheduled for is the time of the actual interview, so you have to get to the room they tell you to report to 10-15 minutes early and check in with the secretary, because you might have to go down the street for your interview. i probably should have realized this myself, it seems obvious to get there early.
how rough the neighborhood was. I came from a "peaceful" little town and perhaps phillie was just abit too much. But for those who long for a hardcore city experience, this maybe the place!
This was my first medical school interview ever, so I wished that I was more relaxed while I was there interviewing. The interviewing here is very relaxed.
This is silly, but lunch is at 1, so if you have an early interview (9am), it's a good idea to bring along a mid-morning snack so your stomach isn't growling through the tour like mine was!
That Temple is ranked th ethird safest campuis in Pennsylvania. The surrounding area is VERY safe, nearby apeartments are nice and inexpensive, easy to park on campus, beautiful children's hospital.
Applicants generally found the interview experience at Temple to be relaxed and conversational, with positive interactions with faculty, staff, and students. Some highlighted the progressive and supportive environment of the school, while others mentioned concerns about the neighborhood and facilities. The students were described as happy and diverse, and the financial aid presentation was informative. There were mixed opinions about the interviewers, with some having challenging experiences and others having more laid-back interactions. Overall, the school seemed to leave a generally positive impression on most applicants.
I could not have asked for a better interview experience. This interview made me really want to go to Temple.
Really impressed by the campus and faculty. They are very woke when it comes to community medicine and offer a lot of insight on how to treat urban populations.
Overall wonderful experience, really liked the feel of the school. Everyone was friendly and seemed genuinely happy and it seems that the school puts a great emphasis on teaching the students/students are well respected in the hospital.
Overall, I was impressed with the school, the area and the students. The only negative aspect of my interview day was the interview itself. If my interviewer seemed genuinely interested in getting to know who I am, I would have left with a better impression of the school.
Temple is awesome. Great facilities. Great Faculty. Great students. Research Opportunities. Great location (NOT as scary as people say... AT ALL. Don't worry about the safety aspect.)
The best thing about Temple is that it is progressive. It is doing everything it can to cater to it's students and remain on the cutting edge of medicine.
There were two interviews: a student and a faculty interview. I ended up talking to the faculty interviewer for 30 min longer than scheduled because we got into an in depth discussion of our respective research fields. The student was a little less casual than the prof, and she seemed kinda nervous to be interviewing. Still really enthusiastic about the school.
Make sure your interview email reminder has the times on it. Mine did not and I figured it was not a problem since the lady in the Admissions Office told me I had afternoon interviews. Well, I'm glad I showed up early, because my first was scheduled for 10 AM (although the email told me to come at 10:45 AM!). You should also know that the interviews run one "blind" and one "open-file". So, prepare yourself accordingly. Stay with a student host if you can! It's a lot of fun.
my open file interview was rapid fire which shocked me. I wouldn't get 2 sentences out before the next question. It still went well but I wasn't expecting it.
Temple requires two interviews, one open interview with someone on the admission committee, and another with either a faculty member or a 3rd or 4th year student that is a closed interview.
There are 2 interviews: one blind and one open. My blind interview went the usual 30 minutes, but my open file interviewer asked if I had any time restraints and when I said no, it went for 1 hour.
I actually had 2 interviewers, one with a faculty (open-file) and one with a fourth year (closed-file/blind). Both are very relaxed, conversational style interviews.
Also, being a Temple student, and having a family member that studied at Temple, they knew that I knew a lot about the area and the school.
I didn't think that I was interested beforehand and it turns out that right now I'm not - but for a very different reason than before. A lack of gunners was their big selling point. The students and faculty continually referred to the fact that Temple doesn't accept 'gunners' so if you come to Temple, you don't need to worry about them. A gunner is someone who is over-competitive and in my mind often insecure. I wonder who is more insecure, the gunners or the people that are afraid of them. Also, Temple has been in business for a really long time and hasn't had to change its name like Hahnemahn I mean AUH I mean Drexel.
I originally didn't think that I could be in that 'hood, but it wasn't that bad.
It was very laid back. The interviewer (Mr. Schultze) did not put me on the spot at all. He just asked some open-ended conversational questions. It was extremely stress free, even though it was my first interview.
Weird. My interviewer was pleasant, but seemed at best impartial and at worst disinterested. Twice he answered the questions he asked me, "So then, I guess the reason you did xxxxx was because of xxxxx. Is this right?" He was right both times, but it left little room for me to elborate. That combined with his detached manner made for an opaque and cool interview, where I felt loquacious. Wasn't sure if I should tone it down to be in stride with the tenor he set, but then I thought, "whatever" and decided to just be myself. I left having no good feel on how I did.
My interviewer was kind of different- not exactly intimidating, but just acted completely rushed and uninterested. I had to wait over 45 minutes (as he was running late) in a waiting room in the hospital. Got to see more than one person puke on the floor while waiting...kind of unique interview experience. Overall, though, the students were very normal and down to earth. This is a huge plus for me! I like the basic things about the school- grading policy, integrated curriculum, community opportunities. Would be very happy to (eventually) get accepted off the waitlist if possible!
I had my interview at the end of the day which was nice because I got rid of my nervous jitters on the campus tour and during the admissions presentations.
My interviewer arrived about twenty minutes late, which was a little unsettling, but it turned out fine. The interview was fast-paced, but overall quite laid back. The tour was great. The financial aid meeting, however, was a little dull. They also really enforce the issue that they're recovering from their accreditation problems.
At first I was unimpressed by the old buildings and bad location, but as the day went on, I realized that for me these things are superficial and the MD program at Temple offers great clinical training and volunteer opportunities.
It was clear that the faculty interviewer's goal was to make you comfortable and have a real conversation. It was a very positive experience both with interactions with faculty and students.
people talk about them not having nice facilities, but i didn't think they were bad at all. i put 7 of ten for stress just because it was my first interview.
The guy just asked me questions, had no responsiveness in his face and wrote down my answers on a piece of paper. He kept asking me over and over why I would leave my current state and live in philly. He wouldn't accept my answer. The worst part was that it didn't feel like a stress interview, it just felt like a bad interview...
My interviewer was such a delightful human being. I couldn't imagine anyone feeling as though the interview did not go well. The student body seems interesting and diverse.
Although 30 minutes is standard for an interview, it seemed a lot shorter. It was tough trying to fit in all the things that I wanted to say. Interviewer was really nice and questions were standard questions you would normally be asked.
I had an afternoon interview so I arrived about 10:00 for the general info and financial aid session. Then we had our tour with medical students which ended with lunch. The students were not sad but they did not seem particularly enthusiastic about Temple. After lunch I had my interview and left. My interviewer was really interesting and nice, though.
Short interview day with very little information or welcoming provided by the admissions office. A disappointing day, went in very excited and left ready to withdraw my application.
I had just been accepted the night before to one of my top choice schools, so I was very relaxed going in and had an open mind about attending Temple. Unfortunately, I found the experience pretty disappointing and my interviewer to be pretty unenthusiastic
Great school, bad neighborhood. But to be honest this actually works in the school's favor in many ways. The school itself has some great clinical resources and seems to give students plenty of options during third and fourth year. In terms of the actual interview, I stressed out more than I should have. The interview was even less than I expected, even after knowing that Temple's interviews are very non-confrontational and relaxed.
Traffic coming from south NJ was HORRIBLE...good thing I left really early. I arrived at the admissions office and was sent to the children's hospital for my interview with a pediatrician. Then I waited in the admissions waiting area until the info session and financial aid presentation. Four students gave us a tour and ate lunch with us (we were given $8 vouchers to use).
My interviewer got caught in traffic so while I waited I talked with one of her grad students who was very nice. When my interviewer arrived, we basically just sat and talked and it was very low-key.
Decent, laid back day. Interview in the morning was very short and relaxed. Admissions presentation, Financial Aid presentation, Tour, and Lunch. I was not super impressed with Temple, but the students seemed great and really make me consider going.
It was more stressful than I was expecting, but I got in and it doesn't matter that my interviewer wasn't nice to me. It's a great school and the preparation/education it offers is amazing. I'm very happy.
It was a positive experience. The administrative staff were very sweet. AN dthe tour guides were really informative. ALso, the guides said they were not a part of the ADCOM. Many people raise eyebrows over Temple's location, but if you spent any part of life growing up in the city, then the location should not bother you.
Overall, I really liked it. The facilities are a bit cramped or outdated, and the area isn't great, but I felt safe and comfortable in the environment, and I really liked the students and the people there in general, I definitely liked the atmosphere.
Interview experience was good. I messed up a little bit and blanked out when he asked for my extra currics (my mind just died at this point for some reason), but I recovered. I made it very very very clear that I was very interested in their school.
The person I interviewed with was not a doctor and at times it was difficult to explain my research/clinical experiences with him understanding. It reminded me of the time I explained my research to my grandmother, although she is a sharp cookie. I felt like I was carrying the interview more than he was. I'm not at all trying to sound boastful, but since I did get in, I really felt like the interviewers were lacking. Overall though, it was an easy interview.
pretty stress-free day, informational session in the beginning with introductions and standard financial aid presentation, tour of the facilities, lunch with the tour guides, and a 30-minute interview
I really was impresed with Temple as a school and an environment. THe setting was definitely conducive to learning collaboratively. As much as I was nervous, the day was sort of fun.
It was great. I arrived at the building to get my folder and the staff was very friendly. Then one of the staff members walked me to my interviewer's office and reassured me that I would do fine. The actual interview consisted of his going over my app with me and making sure the numbers were correct. Then he asked me a few questions and allowed me to ask him some questions. He said his job was to sell the school to me (which he did a good job of). After the interview we had a couple sessions and then the tour. The 2nd year students were wonderful! They honestly answered all my questions. Overall I had a good time at the school.
I was not impressed by Temple. The interviewer wasn't interested in anything I had to say and went down the question list without engaging in any conversation. The students that led the tour did not paint a pretty picture and didn't seem to be enjoying their time there (maybe it was because exams were coming up, but I didn't get a good vibe).
laid back, conversational. basically an AMCAS overview. plenty of time at the end of interview for 'what questions do you have for me' with thoughtful answers
Overall a good experience because I have a friend that goes there. But if it weren't for him, the overall experience would have been much less informative than other schools I've visited.
First I was with all the other interviewees for the day. A lady came and spoke to us about the stats of the school, how the classes worked, etc. Then a man talked to us about financial aid. Then we got a tour of the campus by four second year students. The school is great, it's location just sucks. Then I had my interview with the Pharmacology professor. She was really nice and the interview basically consisted of her reading back my application to me.
Pretty typical interview day, I would suggest scheduling your interview for the afternoon so that you can get the tour and info session in to gather some more ammo for the interview. Rediculously low stress, my interviewer really didn't ask me any questions, and it was over really quickly, but i got in!
The interview was very very laid back, it was more of a conversation than an interview. We actually started the conversation with talking about her kids daycare and then talked about Philadelphia for a while.
Once you get to the admissions office, they give you the name of your interviewer and directions to where his office is located. I interviewed with Dr. Raul DeLa Cadena. He was very pleasant, very nice, easy to have a conversation with. I was only asked a few specific questions, and the rest was just us going off on tangents (soccer, research, school innovations, etc).
Expensive, located in a bad part of philly, and the school is on probabation. A couple of students yelled "go to law school" to our tour group, which for me was a BIG red flag.
There are things that I wish I had emphasized (such as why I liked Temple) that I neglected to state because I was never directly asked that question. Woulda been nice to have two interviews instead of one. I liked the facilities, easy commute from Center City, access to urban life.
Interview was very short and to the point. Not stressful at all. My interviewer was nice, and whenever I lost my train of thought or said something silly, she didn't make me feel embarrassed at all.
It was pretty laid back. It was really hard to read my interviewer. I'm pretty sure the interview was open file, but he definitely didn't look at my apps. So, I made sure I carefully forced in everything I wanted to say from his general questions. Overall, my interviewer was really cool. The interview itself was very conversational. I really like Temple. Hopefully I get in!!
It was very laid back. I got a great impression of the students and faculty, however my interviewer was behind schedule. I had to wait about 25 minutes and then my interview was very short. He didn't ask too many questions, and didn't talk too much at all. Just the basics.
My actual interview went pretty well - although I got a little lost trying to find it since it was in a hospital a few blocks away. It was laid back and the interviewer seemed genuinely interested.
Interview was felt brief, but was conversational. Last 10min was questions for interviewer Mr. Schulze, but he couldn't answer alot of my questions on the day to day of the students because he is part of administration.
I luckily had my interview before the "interview day" got started.(See NEG impressions). This was followed by a financial aid presentation and then a tour with 4 med students. This was probably the best tour that I have been on. The students were really enthusiastic about temple and its programs. They are actually building a new medical school building. We then had lunch and were free to go. There was supposed to be an informational session before the tour but the person who was going to give it was held up. Though she did show up during lunch to chat with us a bit. Location is always a hot topic with Temple and truth be told it is not in a "great" location. BUT the metro has a stop directly across from the school and they have security out the wazoo. In addition, the patient population presents a unique oprtunity for students to work with symptoms that you may not otherwise see. All this to say that it is really not that bad. If you have ever spent some time in any large city you will find that this is no different. Philly has just as many good parts as bad parts.
The interview experience at Temple is beyond relaxing. The interviewer was incredibly conversational and didn't want to stress me out. He did most of the talking, actually. After he would finish his long lecture, he would ask me if I had any questions. I had a few, and he went off on tangents, answering my questions in ways that I would not even have imagined possible. It's difficult for me to gauge my own success simply because I was asked such few questions.
My interview was in the morning, and it was a little awkward because my interviewer asked me very specific questions about the other schools I had applied to. The tour was given by 3 students, 1st and 2nd years, and they seemed very down to earth and relaxed. I felt like I could feel at home at this school-there was a large sense of community here. The students live off campus, because the area where the school is is a little scary/ghetto, but that makes for great clinical experiences early on. Overall, I thought I did poorly on my interview, but I guess I was wrong because I got accepted!
One interviewer (PhD), really friendly guy. Was cracking jokes and making things pretty comfortable, but then asked a tough question about my crappy MCAT score and some bad grades - but the awkward thing was that he did it with a smile. It's as if someone you are getting along with really well just kicks you in the balls and then keeps on smiling and talking as if nothing happened. It was just weird how it played out.
Be prepared to ask a lot of questions. I knew this coming in and had a boat loade of good questions.
11am start, so that was nice. A little less stressful when you don't have to get up super early. The interview was really conversational. I really go the feeling that my interviewer just wanted to get to know me.
The school was more or less what I expected, with a few exceptions. The neighborhood could become a problem after a while, but this also offers clinical experiences that can't be found elsewhere. The students were the highlight of the interview. They believe in the education they are receiving at Temple and were willing to share all aspects of their experience thus far. They went beyond what was required of them as part of the tour.
Very non-threatening, conversational interview. They said that all interviewers were actually on the admissions committee and would present their candidate at a weekly meeting.
Temple was definitely not one of my top schools going into the day but I was impressed by it. The interview was not stressful except that it was my first one. But the interview didn't really ask me much anyway, just the 3 questions below. Then I asked him a few questions. The tour was good and the students were very nice though and that was a positive experience.
Overall, the interview experience was positive but I felt that because it was so short and I asked a lot of questions (which was expected of me) they may not have gotten to know me very well. The students seemed really happy though.
I went to Temple not thinking that I will ever go, however, the interviewer and the students were really convincing about the school. I totally changed my mind..
Overall I liked the school but the actual interview was only ok. It was really short and most of the time was left for me to ask questions. I felt that the interview didn't allow them to get to know me very well but the tour and the students were really nice. I liked the cooperative learning atmosphere.
I thought the interview was very laid back and easy going. It seems like the most important thing they want to see is that you're a normal person. Don't stress about this one!
This was my first interview, but i really liked and respected the people at Temple. The administration emphasizes that stressful interviews do not bring out the true character in people and they are consistent with this sentiment. the interview is very much like a conversation. Also, its nice to know that all the inteviewers serve on the admissions committee. So when they make the final decision, then someone who has actually spoken to you is speaking for you.
The school is sort of a commuter school which has its advantages and disadvantages. The area surrounding the school is simply too dangerous, which is good for teaching, but not for living. However, the students live in the same neighborhood, so they have the opportunity to hang out with one another and they are very close. One last thing which might please you. They make their final decision within a couple of weeks.
Overall, my interview was a lot of fun, totally low stress and I met a lot of others that I would love to be at a med school with one day. Temple is definitely one of my top choices now for its excellent rep. in clinical care - something US News doesn't rank!
very positive-- The inteviewer had thoroughly prepared and asked me questions about lots of the small things in my application. The day was very organized.
The day started out with an info session then a financial aid presentation. After a tour and lunch with students, who were extremely enthusiastic, I had an interview.
There was a mix-up with my interview scheduling. I was supposed to meet with one doctor, but she was myseteriously out of town, so I ended up meeting with a professor who didn't know he was going to be interviewing me, had never seen my file, and didn't know anything about me. I was really thrown by this last minute change and I think it negatively impacted how I did on my interview.
There were very few people interviewing on the day I went but they said that Thursdays get really full. The financial aid talk was informative because I didn't know too much about government loans. The good news is that we are guarunteed a $38,500 loan each year of med school but the bad news is that its not nearly enough to pay for this school. The neighborhood where Temple is has buildings that are falling apart and huge chunks missing from the sidewalk but I was impressed that Temple itself is pretty nice. The tour guides were great and the cafeteria food was less than great. Overall I came away with a much better impression than I expected to have. I could really see myself being happy there. If I wanted to specialize in pediatrics or emergency medicine I would be even more enthusiastic about it.
Temple is a great place to have a first interview. The whole day is geared towards getting you to like Temple, and everyone just keeps repeating "this isn't going to be a 'stress' interview", which it wasn't. Overall, a very positive day, and I walked away from Temple more excited about it than I was when I arrived.
I enjoyed my interview day much more than I thought I would. I found the person who interviewed me to be very nice, the people who gave the tour were really helpful and knowledgeable, and the other interviewees were all interesting and nice.
Overall pleasant and very brief. I had plenty of time for my own questions. I was positively impressed by the quality of the faculty and the enthusiasm of the students.
Everything went fairly well. It's a really short interview day compared with a lot of the other schools. I wish we could have attended a class or interacted with more of the students.
The interview was very unusual but extremely enjoyable. My interviewer was a doctor in the hospital and his personality was light-hearted and relaxed. After a while it became more of an enjoyable conversation than an interview.
i was interviewed by an asst dean and it was very relaxed overall. he let me do most of the talking until the end when i asked him a couple questions, and overall, it was very non-intimidating. that being said, he was also very good at insuring that i had no idea what the hell he was thinking about me.
i was pleasantly surprised by the school. the classrooms are newly renovated and wireless. they're switching to organ-based next year which is pretty nice. my interviewer was absolutely fantastic. and the tour guides were super. it's nice that the students have a life outside of medical school. there seems to be a lot going on.
interviewing for waitlist sort of stinks, but at orientation they spent a good amount of time explaining the whole process and if you like you, you're first to get off the waitlist when may 15th comes around - before even oct. waitlistees
Temple seems like it provides a good all-around medical education for its students. Although the school isn't much to look at and research oppurtunities are below average, the basics of a good med school are there.
My interview was first thing in the morning. The interviewer was so pleasant and smiled the entire time. We talked for 5 minutes, I asked some questions for the next 5, then I was done. The gen presentation and fin aid pres. were horrible. The tour guides were great, very honest, but we basically peeked into the hospital and the classroom, and that's all. the day was very short, which is a pos and a neg I guess. Ddin't get the impression that they were recruiting me, which explains why they admit so many people every year just to fill the class.
Overall the day went ok. My interviewer lacked any kind of enthusiasm or emotion so it was hard to tell if I was doing poorly or doing well. Also, he did not ask any follow-up questions to any of the answers I provided so I assume that he wasn't that interested in me.
Interview was very relaxing and my interviewer put me at ease. He brought up the 'where did you interview/apply question' and then proceeded to mention his links to all those schools and the merits of those programs..it kind of threw me off a bit, but he went back to temple...Didn't really ask any questions...just waited for me to ask them
Temple is a good place to be, the financial aid talk will scare you, Philly is a great city and the hospital is not in nearly as ghetto an area as other people who posted here said.
I was signed in and then made to sit in a room with about 15 other interviewees. We sat for a while. Everyone on the staff was very nice and gave us a thorough orientation on the school and financial aid. Then we toured (bring gloves!) and then applicants slowly left to go to their interviews. You're free to go after that.
Well, I was VERY unnerved because I took the train without my morning coffee, slept past Philly, and wound up in Trenton, NJ. GAAAAAH! . So I missed the info sessions, but I caught the tour and thank god I was not late for the interview. My interviewer knew this (dammit!) so I went in there very nervous, but relaxed halfway through. He was pretty easygoing.
I lived in Philly before, and I really really hate that city. It's got all the soul-sucking ghetto and crap of a city with few of the advantages. But I was pleasantly surprised by Temple, and would definitely go if accepted. Despite nasty nasty philly I think there's great people at the school.
BTW if you think Philly sucks too, don't tell someone who's from there >:O
The day started off with a general presentation of what to expect for the rest of the day. Then came the financial aid presentation that was very informative. After that we (about 14 girls) went on the school tour which was followed by lunch and the interview. The tour guides were amazing and seemed to be really content with there decision to go to Temple. They made is seem as if they had so much free time to hang out and play organized sports that the school provides. The surrounding area is beyond scary and thats coming from a girl who lives in a not so good part of queens. I found out that all of the students live 10 minutes away from school in the nice safe neighborhoods which kind of look like long island towns. Anyway, everyone basically hangs out in their town and only comes to school to study. By the way, everyone eats out of these trucks that park outside of school and sell fast food for really cheap. My interviewer was this old tiny lady that was so nice. She took notes on my amcas application before I arrived. The interview consisted of her reading out things that she learned about me from my application and me nodding my head. I was accepted eight dayss later.
It was soooooooooooo relaxed....And the interviewer REALLY knew my file which impressed me a lot--if they care this much about prospectives they must really care about their current students!
My interview was stress free. Before the interview I meet with the Recruitment, Admissions and Retention director. He was very helpful. He even took me over to the office of my interviewer. When I got there, I had to wait for the interviewer to finish with the interviewee before me. After he was done, we sat and talked for about 30 minutes. The interview was more conversational, than an interrogation. The interviewer was very candid about the whole admissions process, and I was grateful for that. After my interview I went over to the Admissions office for a welcome session, financial aid presentation, and then a tour. The tour was the most memorable. The main hospital and the childrens hospital are right across from the medical school building:) I was very impressed by what I saw. I also loved the fact that the school is in an urban location.
Overall, I think the school has a very comfortable and non-competitive feel. The students only had about 4 hours of classes each day during their 1st year. 2nd year was harder and classes were longer, but students still had ample free time.
The interview was really quick and relaxed. I was paired up with a Dean who ended up being very personable. She asked generic questions, mostly about myself and what my goals were. She told me that I should focus on learning more about Temple that day and the aspects that I like about it. Just really honest and straightforward. We also talked about my AMCAS essay.
I was really nervous because it happened to be my first interview. I was asked questions that I felt were not true questions an interviewer should ask to get to know me. Overall, I wasn't asked many questions and most of our interview was composed of me asking questions.
Long, boring financial aid speech, followed by tour. Children's Hospital is pretty impressive. Interviewer seemed to only be interested whether or not I knew for sure I wanted to attend Temple.
Where can I begin? This was my first negative interview experience and Im trying not to let it taint my view of the school but thats not too easy. Yes the facilities seemed a bit old and the school isn't exactly in paris but that didn't really turn me off. What did turn me off is that my interviewer had not even looked at my application and did not give me my designated half hour. Not only was he running late but, to add to that, he took an extra 10-15 min on the interview before me and tried to make up the time by cutting my interview short. The guy didn't even know that I had been abroad working for so long when I mentioned it (usually the first question I get is based on this) and, from the very beginning, was looking at the clock every two min. I'm sure everyone can identify how irritating this can be. He didn't even give me a chance! He asked totally superficial questions, derived as he glaced at my application for the very first time right in front of me. He didn't even let me address any of my questions regarding the school. I hadn't come in from very far away but it did cost me and I was sorry that I took time from watching election news to prep for this. Very unexpected considering that most interviewers have seen a lot of interesting stuff in my application and even sessions for an hour have literally flown by. If I had come in from CA or something I swear I would have been ticked off enough to ask for another interview. Fortunate for me, I wasnt too hung up on the school so I wasn't too disappointed. I just hope I dont run into such a situation at other schools in the future. Its very sad that a school (at least judging by this guy) does not work to attract their students as much as applicants work to get admission there.
I had the luxury of being the only interviewee that day, so I had a lot of time to talk to the two students who were giving the tour. I'm not a big fan of the location or the facilities, but I was continually impressed with how happy the students are. There were tons of first-years who had just started mulling about, and they were all shouting at me, "Come here! It's great! We love it! Jefferson will try to change your mind, but Temple is so much better!" I also liked seeing a cadaver during the tour. I was pleasantly surprised to hear all the extra-curricular things the students do, but it seems sad that everyone travels back to their little safe havens away from the school each night... might make meeting up socially difficult.
The actual interview was with an admin guy, not an M.D., but he definitely answered my questions about the curriculum and student life. He probably talked 90% of the time (I did a lot of nodding and smiling) and the interview was VERY relaxed.. basically just asking me about my family and background.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by Temple. Temple is on a rise in academics and has many top faculty who are involved in the writing of the various national standardized tests you have to take as a med student. In addition, I was glad to hear that there is truly a supportive environment and that class rank is not given; thus, classmates truly work together and learn from each other (since that is the reality of medicine anyways). I liked the fact that the first year is a fair transitional year, allowing many 1st-year students time to be active in extracurriculars. Also, I was really glad to hear about the clinical and community service opportunities offered by various student organizations, allowing for immediate exposure to clinical experience in the actual community. As far as the location goes, I'm not sure what previous applicants saw as I felt that North Philly was like any other urban location: it's not Beverly Hills, but it's definitely not any worse than any other urban location. I see this as a great opportunity to see a variety of clinical cases and to get involved in a community that truly needs our help. However, applicants should be aware that Temple med students can do their final 2 years of clinical work at an affiliate location, including some nice suburb locations, so it's not too big of a sacrifice. As far as the interview, it definitely wasn't too stressful, but I did get a few more thought-provoking questions than some of the other applicants, but nothing that really wasn't expected. Be yourself and you will do fine. Also, if you meet with an RAR representative, take advantage of the input they have. This really helped me.
Although I had read on SDN that the interview would be relaxed, I was still surprised by exactly how relaxed it was. I wouldn't even call it an interview, but more of a conversation. The interviewer was incredibly nice and let me know that decisions concerning admittance will be made within three weeks of the interview.
Temple had a very stress free interview. The financial aid presentation was very informative. Schedule you interview in the morning, so you can leave when the tour is over.
Great experience. Interview was very relaxed. The only interviewer who seems to stress anyone out is Stephen Permut, who often asks questions like why do you want to be a doctor when so many people die from physician mistakes each year and you have to worry about being sued and you often can’t do the tests you want to do. They say that he’ll give you a hard time no matter what your answer is but after the interview he might tell you he agrees with you, so keep your composure. He doesn’t interview on Thursdays but apparently does on Wednesday (not sure about other days). In my interview we only talked about things I touched on in my personal statement. A lot of the criticisms of the school are unfair in my opinion. The neighborhood is nowhere close to being as bad as people say it is, and although there is a good bit of crime, Temple has the third largest police force in PA and you are pretty safe as long as you don’t go too far off the main street. The Children’s Hospital is new and is perhaps the nicest hospital I’ve ever seen, so I don’t know what the people who say all of the building are unsightly are talking about. The building the classrooms are in is old, but they have renovated the first year classroom and it is now very nice. They have also improved the library (new computers and they are getting new journals). The gym is small but you can take a shuttle down to the main campus (they run every 10 minutes) to use theirs if you want to. It seems that everyone lives off campus but not very far away and they are building a new parking garage (which you will see if you go there, unlike the new medical building). The students seem to be comfortable with themselves and not uptight at all, although they said second year was a lot tougher than first (one guy said he dicked around for at least 3 hours every day during first year). Even first year students get to participate in the student run clinic. The financial aid session was very good (when we didn’t have questions, the guy asked his own and told us stuff we should know even though we didn’t ask about it) and there are indeed opportunities to go international. I got my cheesesteaks at Jim’s and Cosmi’s Deli, Cosmi’s being the better of the two (is at 1501 S8th street, passed Pennsylvania Hospital on the way there, close to Pat’s and Geno’s, which I’ve heard are overrated). There is a place on S13th street called Capogiros that has incredible gelato (Italian ice cream), and the tour of Independence Hall is free (just go to the visitor center on Market street between fourth and fifth to get a ticket, which closes at 5). You get to see the liberty bell, the room the declaration of independence and constitution were signed in, and the old rooms for the senate and house (you can actually sit in the house chairs). The art museum is not that far away (you can run up the rocky steps, but the statue has been moved to first union spectrum). So yeah, if you’ve actually read all this, you can tell that I had a great time and I think that Temple is a great place to study medicine. As long as you don’t have the MD/JD guy, the interview should be laid back so just relax. If you have him, be prepared for the tough questions you read on this site and keep your cool. There’s a lot to do in Phily and its easy to get around (I walked everywhere other than to and from the med school), so try to enjoy the city if you have time.
When they say "open file" they mean open file. My interviewer had practically memorized my whole application quoting back at me my GPAs from each seperate year of college (I didn't even know them) as well as my personal statement, all of my extracurriculars, my MCATs and why I transferred schools. Many of the questions concerned me expanding on aspects of my application. On the other hand, most of the other interviewees who didn't have my interviewer said their interviewer asked them almost nothing and it was extremely laid back. Go figure.
Very positive. Again, the medical school was nice, the hospital and children's center was impressive. My interviewer was really nice and we really connected on a lot of interesting issues. Overall, a great experience.
my interview was not a real MD physician, but a Ph.D. researcher so I don't think he can really accurately judge me as a future physician. Told me that he had 30 minutes before he had to do stuff for his lab experiement. Looked at the clock 6 times (I counted) and when we talked about my CAM research, he ridiculed it and said it was a "sham" He then criticized the school's new Integrated curriculum. My guy was basically a jerk to me. Visit was very nice, saw the hospitals, lecture halls, etc. Bookstore is very small as is the gym. People tend to live far away from the school, either in Center city or Roxborough. student showed us the anatomy lab and we got to see a body which was very interesting. Lunch was $8 food vouchers and the food was pretty good.
Initally I was nervous, but the students are soo relaxed that it quickly faded. The interviewer started off with a few hard hypothetical questions and then wanted to know what questions I had. Everyone who had that guy had a short interview. Tour was nice. Med students were great and answered all the questions we asked. Lunch was good, but avoid the macaroni salad. A morning interview allows you to be relaxed for the rest of the day.
I had a great interviewer that made the interview very relaxed. She received her MD at Temple and returned to practice there after her residency. The tour was given by first year students who absolutely loved going to Temple. The financial aid portion of the day was not very encouraging. The basic message was: if you need extra money, ask your parents.
My interview was almost satiricaly horrible, the kind you have nightmares about. I'm an AIDS activist in my spare time and the interviewer clearly disagreed with both the motiviations (poor people should be get drugs they need even if they can't afford them) and the tactics (civil disobedience and street protest) of my work. I spent the entire interview defending both and trying fruitlessly to explain the diffrence between civil disobedience and violence. We got into an argument about drug patents that would have been bad enough if we simply disagreed about companies rights, but it was made much worse by our disagreements about what the existing law WAS.
The vice dean of admissions was great and really comforting when I told her (in response to a question) that my interviewer and I had had some dissagreements.
Tour was good, I would have liked to see the ER, but student tour guide was great.
Interviewer was great. Draw back for that is that its hard to get a read off of him. You do'nt know whether he truely likes you or he is just generally nice.
the students were very energized. The area, while bad, is very well lit and patroled by their Cops. Also it is a positive in that you have an opprotunity to see any & everything when training in their hospitals. My interviewer was very old (80+) and it was as if you interviewed with your grandmother.
Enjoyed the interview, but in most part simply because she was a very sweet, old lady who seemed quite impressed with my record. Really liked the people I met (don't know if it's widespread, or just the people they show the interviewees), hated the area, the weather was as expected. The interview itself consisted of the person reading my file to me and telling me she liked me. Flattering, but she's the kind of sweet old lady who I could see doing that just because she's sweet. So it goes.
immediately after i text messaged my friend 'it sucked' but later i was told it wasn't me the guy is just like that and many of the students here said they had bad interviews.
I interviewed on the second snowstorm of the season. My interviewer was half an hour late, but made up for it by being really interesting. He asked me a lot of questions about my culture and then seemed to read down the list of "standard" questions. He actually took notes while I was talking. There was no formal group welcome, but the tours were really thorough. I was surprised to hear about the whole waiting list thing but supposidly Temple takes a lot of students from it. I got a waiting list letter less than two weeks after my interview.
The school is SOOOO old, and it definitely shows. New school wont be open til we graduate, the whole day gave a bad vibe. I went into the interview day with a positive attitude toward the school, but left VERY dissapointed. The actual interview was excellent, but everything else was bad. I could never see myself here.
Overall, it was positive. I think it is important to find out what your interviewers' style is, so that you can prepare. Ask some of the students around you, especially those who are students at Temple about your interviewer. It really helps!
I had a 10:00am interview. The financial aid presentation occured at 11:00, the welcome talk at 11:30, the tour at 12:00, and lunch at 1:00pm. The tour guides were great, they answered all questions honestly.
I will say that I am came away from Temple with a much better impression of the school than I had going in. They fully addressed the probationary accreditation and the good news is that there should be a decision regarding this in February 04, and hopefully the school will come off probation at that time. Clinical training at Temple is great because of the urban location. Med students get involved in many aspects of patient care that they might not experience at other hospitals where patients may be more inclined to refuse student involvement. Students seem happy, laid back with strong senses of humor, and not overworked, which surprised me given that lectures run from 8-3 everyday. If you are someone who really enjoys challenges, like I am, you will probably find yourself drawn to Temple. I think a lot of opportunities are available (in terms of research, etc.), but you need to be the type of person who is fairly independent and who will seek them out in order to take advantage of them. I didn't get the sense that there was a lot of hand-holding of the students. Neighborhood is really bad but this did not phase me too much. Like I said, I like challenges. I actually really liked many things about this school, including the faculty and students I met.
Temple. I've been in Philly for a number of years now and never before visited Temple, but I had an impression of it from friends and colleagues. Philly is a great city- small, easy to get around, great bars and restaurants, and a good music scene, mostly in Center City, but with alot of great culture in the somewhat segregated neighborhoods of North, South, and West Philadelphia. Temple is about six stops on the orange line north of Center City however, in a pretty bad neighborhood, and perhaps for this reason is considered a commuter school. I was pleasantly surprised to visit the small Temple Med campus though and find a nice island with a couple beautiful hospitals. I got the feeling that I could be very happy staying in Center City or moving up to the Art Museum district and taking the subway in to Temple for a med education. The students seemed really diverse and happy, which is a good reflection on them and the city... The admissions committee seems to have alot of personality too. One guy (who I didn't have, but there was much discussion of by others in the group) gives stress interviews with lots of ethical questions. He's a lawyer though, and apparently if he likes you, will get you accepted as your advocate. My interviewer started off by going on about how all the good things were in research and not clinical medicine, and I had to challenge him to stop him. He smiled at that though and I think he just wanted me to convince him that I had good reasons for choosing an MD... Overall, the school seems to be in a process of transition and expansion, and should be a very strong school in four or five years. Already seems good though... Probation doesn't seem to be much to worry about, although I'd expect to take out the max ($38,500) Stafford loan unless your parents are footing your bill.
The assistant dean of admissions came into the fishbowl and greeted all the applicants. She then proceeded to give a summary of what Temple was about, primarilly the topics of the probation (for financial aid reasons and old facilities, not academic reasons) and the new 13 story building being constructed projected to open 2007 dominating the discussion. A 30 minute information session regarding financial aid followed, and then a one hour tour of the hospital by 2nd year students. We then had lunch together, and following lunch I had my interview.
And regarding the MD-JD who is famous on this board--I know him personally and he is a stand-up guy. He feels his style of interviewing is neccessary in order to fully assess and know the applicant.
Since your interviewer functions as an advocate on your behalf at committee, if you are interviewed by the MD-JD count yourself as lucky! You are essentially getting a lawyer argueing for why you should be accepted on your behalf. So, just keep a level head and you should be allright.
I took a shuttle from the Inn I was staying at on Campus to the Student Faculty Center (SFC). I checked in with the secretary, gave her my photo with my name is AAMC ID on the back, and was told to go next door to the Cancer Center to meet my interviewer. I do that and find my interviewr to be an MD/JD (very rare and dangerous combo) with an axe to grind. He hammered me with some tough questions for 30 minutes and kept a poker face so it was tough to read him. I had heard about stress interviewers as myths but was coming face to face with one know. My strategy was to weather the storm by staying focused, assertive, yet respectful. He then asked me if I had any questions. I knew if I had a chance with this guy I had to kick ass in this area. I asked tons of questions on very specific program and qualities at Temple. I asked him what he thought the top three areas of the school was and about the probation status. By the end of the interview, he'd lightened up, conceded I was "absolutely right" about some of the points I had made and said that he hoped to see me at Temple in Fall of 2004. By staying level headed and focused I had survived, disarmed, and appealed to the toughest interviewer at Temple (or so the Admissions Director told me). Afterwards, I went to a lounge back at SFC and chatted with some of the other applicants. The key here is to just be relaxed and don't take any of what they say too seriously because everyone wants to play mind games with you. The Admissions Director then came in and proceeded to go over what Temple is all about (history, curriculum, probation problems, etc.) We then got a presentation from the financial aid director. This was as boring as hell and by the end I felt like vomiting. Basically he said: "We got a 140K avg debt for our students - be prepared to ask mommy and daddy for $$." Once that was over, the 2nd med students came in and took us on a tour. These guys were super nice. Some of the coolest people I've ever met. They took us on a tour of the hospital and were very receptive to our questions. Visiting the library, it looked cramped and some people were passed our at desks from the exhaustion of finals week - something for us all to look forward too. Their anatomy lab looked like a hybrid to old dissection and new computer stations. Temple seems to be in transition from its old school roots to a more 21st century med school and they deserve props for that. Once that was done we all had lunch and I left. A week later, I got a notification via e-mail that an acceptance letter was being sent to me. I'm into med school! Yay!
Overall, the interview day wasn't bad. The interview was great, the doctor was really nice and interesting. He seemed genuinely interested in getting to know me. The school itself was alright; the children's hospital was by far the best. They explained why they are on probation and how they are fixing it, so it was nice to know they are making efforts and acknowledging their problems.
I was really nervous at first b/c I heard not-so good stories about the school, but that all changed quickly!!! My interviewer scared me a bit b/c one girl tried to say Hi to him as he entered the office, but he said nothing in return. Turns out he was harmless. The questions he asked me were a little forward and he kind of grilled me, but once I started talking to him, esp. about MCAT's, it was smooth sailing from there!!! And regardless of what people say, North Philly is not the greatest location, but it's not bad at all. I've seen worse neighborhoods. I felt pretty safe and the campus is well-lit with stadium lights on top of the buildings. This is why Temple is also known as the school where "the sun never sets". I would definitely consider going to this school if accepted!
I received an email from Temple prior to interviewing about how their interviews were low-stress. Therefore, I was surprised when I was grilled in my interview. The questions were tough, but I was most surprised by the tone in which they were asked. I felt like every one of my responses was attacked. I've had nine interviews and this was my worst interviewing experience.
Basically this school was pretty much what I thought it would be going in. It's not bad, but it's not at the top of my list. The interview was incredibly short (15 minutes or less) and consisted of very generic questions that were read from a list. No real chance to develop a rapport with the interviewer.
My interview was REALLY short. My interviewer seemed like he was kind of in a rush and just touched upon main parts of my application. He asked, "So, why Temple?" and some other really general questions. Honestly, he was pretty curt, and it was kind of off-putting. Overally, though, I was impressed with the school. Awesome clinical education!!!
Overall, this interview experience was terrible. The students seemed happy enough, although one of the tour guides said she was really mad when she got there and realized they were on probation (they hadn't told the students because they were appealing the decision). Also, I live in new york city, so i am accustomed to bad areas, but north philadelphia was terrible. two blocks away from the campus there are boarded up buildings all over the place and the train station was extremely sketchy, making my travel experience less than ideal.
had med school interview first which went ok but was a little shorter than usual, then had orientation, lunch, then talked to more scientists, some of whom where dry (wish I knew more about their research so I could converse with them), the MD/PhD director was great to talk to, very conversational, then I talked to and MD/PhD and he said he basically has 2 jobs and its tough but enjoyed it, not too stressfull, then he showed me his lab
Relaxing interview, fun. Campus is better than I thought. Area is super-ghetto, and I live in a city. Students seem very happy and get a lot of attention. Probation worries me a bit, as do the old facilities. Children's hospital is nice though.
very quick, I asked more questions than the interviewer. the interviewer stared at me and wouldn't make too many expressions. didn't know what to think afterwards.
Although the questions asked were not difficult, the interviewer was not friendly which made me nervous. The medical student tours really made the interview experience a lot better.
Very low stress interview, tour with 2 second year students (who were among the most friendly I have met at interviews), financial aid presentation and admissions presentation. finished with lunch. Temple was a pleasant surprise. Although much is made of the bad neighborhood, probationary status, and poor financial aid, I thought that those things were blown out of proportion.
Great clinical opportunities because of being in a bad area, facilities need improvement. But overall I really liked temple, I really felt at home with the people there. And during the day the campus feels very safe.
Overall the interview was a positive experience, as a first interview it definitely gave me some confidence and allowed me to gain some practice for further interviews. The students all seem enthusiastic about the school and they seem very happy there, but the facilites are sub par, hence the probation issue. But it seems like a great place to spend 4 years, if you are a city person, then it is definitely for you.
overall it was a low stress day, but i wasn't excited about going to temple at all when i was leaving. the students didn't seem to have much of a support system, or at least they didn't give that impression at all.
laid back. nothing to worry about. just don't be nervous or else u'll end up like me. And definitely, gotta see the neighborhood to truly get the feel of the environment. As of all schools, they never show the dark corners.
I arrived there at 10:05. My interview wasn't scheduled until 10:30, but because the faculty member wasn't available due to an emergency meeting, I had to wait until 11:20 to have the interview (and missed the intro and financial aid seminars). The interview was in a difference building than the office where we signed in.
The faculty member I interview with was a very delightful man. Since our time was somewhat rushed by time constraints, I felt I wasn't able to share as much of the things I would have liked to about my various experiences and reasons for becoming a doctor. There was virtually no stress.
Although I wasn't asked the question 100,000 doctors mistakes/year (see previous postings), another girl interviewing at 10:30 was asked this question.
I really enjoyed interacting with the medical school students. Living in the city for the last few years, the neighborhood wasn't a negative thing to me. Rather, I feel like it means we have more access to being trained to treat these people who need care most.
I recommend scheduling your interview in the morning if possible because then you'll be able to relax for the rest of the day.
it was ok i guess. philly is nice. cheesesteaks are good. the student guides could have been more professional. i felt like i was being interviewed by the lead agent in the Matrix. Seriously, no joke.
I got there at 9am and interviewed at 10 with a really cute woman who had basically memorized my entire application. She was really sweet and didn't ask any questions. It was super easy and laid back. Overview of the school and lunch and a tour with students.
my interviewer showed very little emotion so it was difficult to read him. it required a lot to make him feel more comfortable and open up to me. i'd think it should be the other way around but i dealt with it. we had a nice conversation afterall. he was very honest about the positive and negative aspects of temple. i appreciated that.
I interviewed with a really nice elderly woman who made me feel quite at ease with the interview. She basically went through my entire application, saying what nice things I had done, etc. I was expecting that I should provide some color commentary as she went through literally everything on my AMCAS application, but I never got the opportunity. I just sat there, nodded my head, and smiled. It looks like she wanted to use the interview to verify a few facts.
I think the interviewer talked more than I did. He was really friendly and laid-back, and it felt more like he was trying to sell the school than anything else.
It was extremely low key. We did the normal why Temple, why Philly, why doctor bit but then it was pretty open. We talked about Baseball, Canada and my family. No theoretical situations or anything made it very low stress.
The day was very laid back, and a lot of emphasis was given on the improvement of their facilities...i.e, reasons for their probation, etc. Altogether, just be relaxed, because there is nothing to stress about
I apparently was one of the lucky people to get the toughest interviewer. All interviews were really conversational except mine, who asked tougher ethical questions and had a rebuttal for every answer I gave. It still was a good experience though.
Overall, after visiting the school, I was impressed by the facilities and the cohesiveness of the students. The only thing I didn't like was the area surrounding the school. My interviewer was a bit on the serious side so I couldn't tell what he was thinking, which is the reason why I was a bit stressed. Other than that, I feel the school would provide an excellent education and they are making every effort to lift the probation that they had been put on.
Some interviewees (especially the ones from CA) were mad that we were basically interviewing for a waitlist spot. This is my second year applying so I expected it with a late interview. I was in fact waitlisted but I still got in right around the May 15 deadline. So if you are waitlisted and interested in Temple don't give up hope yet. Also I get the impression that the probation thing is more logistics. Basically the LCME didn't like what they saw on a site visit as far as facilities and the school is now Building a brand new facility. I doubt it had anything to do with quality of teaching or student complaints.
Philadelphia is a great place. Temple seems like a pretty pleasent school. My interview didn't go as well as I had hoped, but that may have been as much a function of me as my interviewer.
Actually, I am a current student at Temple. I wanted to post a message for potential students and those applying. It is an aweful school. The faculty goes by the idea of quantity over quality, and the material taught is in many ways irrelevant. If Temple is the only place you get into, I would recommend either waiting a year, and then reapplying, osteopathic medicine, or a foreign school. I am doing fine in school, this is not a reactionary note. I have also spoken to students from other schools who are shocked when we tell them about the stuff we are required to learn in our classes.
If you like wasting your time studying stupid stuff, then this is the school for you. Otherwise, I highly urge you to reconsider. And in case they don't mention it during the interview, the school is on probation, and might lose it license to teach medicine.
We started wiht a financial aid presentation that was okay. The tour guide was excellent. We asked Felix anything and everything and it was clear that he cared about his school. He seemed to get along with everyone so it was clear the camraderie of which he spoke was genuine. I had my interview with the head of cardiology who interviewed me 1/2 an hour late and only for 10 minutes. He didn't discuss my file at all and gave me a 10 minute interview. We didn't discuss any of my post secondary experiences, and it was very impersonal. If the guy who went at 3 pm after me reads this, please email me at [email protected]'d love to hear what Dr. E had to say to you and how the Dean Koontz novel is going.
The interview day was great, and very worthwhile... there was a good financial aid presentation and our tour guide (Felix) was AWESOME... we talked that poor kid's ear off for about two hours, asking every question that came into our minds. He was really helpful and I could tell he was really into the school. By interview time (afternoon, after the tour) I was pretty relaxed, having yapped Felix's ear off. The interview was very easygoing.... I was asked about my motivation to enter medicine, my extracurriculars, and what i was looking for in a med school... my answers to those took up about 20 mins! The interviewer was also great about answering questions... come prepared to ask some! Overall, though, the whole day is really low stress... if you are comfortable with your own application (review it!) you'll do fine. No reason for nerves, everyone is super chill. Overall, Temple is a great place and well worth the trip.
The interview at Temple was my first interview. To be the first interview, it went very well. I thought it was incredible. I love the school and thats definitely where I want to go. The director of admissions that gave the tour and was with us the whole day, was incredible. He mad the school look like the best and sold the school like he should have. I learned things about the school from him that I would never read about elsewhere. He will defintely make anyone want to chose Temple over any other school. It was an experience I would never forget. The students where awesome. They are all a team and just want to see each other succeed.
students were fairly happy at Temple... although it did seem like it was not a "first choice school" for the most part. The school does not have a beautiful campus and the med school/student facilities are not great. overall it was an ok visit.
There was nothing bad about Temple, but there was really nothing outstanding about it either. It seems like a good place, but I didn't get that "Wow, I want to go here" feeling.
My intervier was the head of the cardiac transplant dept so I guess that gave him a right to be 35 mins late and give me a 5 minute interview. Asked questions directly from my file. Don't worry if you get a short interview, I still got in. Most students seem to be there cuz its the only place they got in. My question to the students of why did you choose temple was answered by "cuz it chose me."
Any stress during the interview is caused by yourself. The interview is completely conversational and the staff makes every effort to ensure your are comfortable
My interview was very low stress. He just wanted to know more about me and understand why I wanted to go to Temple. You can schedule your interview before or after the tour, I would recommend before so that you aren't stressed for the whole morning.
Interview experience was positive, definitely left Temple with a better impression of the campus and students than I had anticipated. The neighborhood is pretty rough but the security to enter into buildings is extremely tight.
Totally non-stressful. I was only interviewed for about 20 minutes and it felt like even less. It felt like a casual conversation in which he was just trying to get to know me. The fact that 10 minutes into the interview he assured me that I was most likely going to be accepted was also a welcome relief. He basically just wanted to get a feel for what my views and my personality.
Laid back and my interviewer really made me feel as though he was discovering information from me to present the committee. He had taken my file home over the weekend to read and was really well-prepared!
The lady that interviewed me was one of the sweetest little ladies I've ever met. She made hot chocolate for me. I can not stress enough that the interview I was given was LOW-stress. She had done her homework on me, and really used the interview to build the case that she was going to make for me to the admissions committee (which meet every Friday). My interview was in the admissions office and I was told that decisions are made within 6 weeks.
I had a very sweet woman from the Pharmacology department as my interviewer. She could not have been any nicer. Just relax and know that the interview here is simply to get a chance for them to see how you are as a person, and nothing more. Its a good idea to have some intelligent questions for the students and your interviewer.
Interview experience was typical experience: financial aid presentation, tour, lunch, interview. Interview was short and sweet, and very direct. It probably amounted to what some people would deem a stress interview, but my interviewer didn't bother me. Oh, and if North Philly bothers you, you scare too easily. West Philly is worse.
I knew I was applying here a while ago since I'm interested in philly for med school. the school is great, and there is no reason to feel insecure on the campus, just would be a slight pain commuting. The interview was low stress, and if you're interested in urban medicine or want a really interesting and diverse class, this might be worth applying to
Overall, it was a good interview day. The interview was extremely relaxed and was basically a review of my application. ...definitely nothing to worry about.
Extremely low key! One poor guy in my group had a stress interview, which is weird since they specifically say that they do not conduct stress interviews...watch out if you get sent over to the cancer research center! My interview was very casual and my interviewer was very friendly. We talked about my time abroad and my work in the emergency department of a Philly hospital (she was an ER doc). Other than that, I asked a lot of questions and that kept the conversation going. I wasn't asked too many questions-it was more a conversation.
i felt like an idiot for missing the tour, but apologized profusely for it. my interviewer did not mind at all, and assured me that it would not affect her appraisal of me. she was probably one of the nicest people i have ever been interviewed by...she went on and on about how much she loved my scores and extracurriculars, and how lucky the school would be to have me. when in response to a question i described a weakness of mine, she basically turned it into a strength.
I don't know whether to call this a "stress" interview or not. Basically in 15 minutes I was asked about a million questions...not being able to finish an answer before getting cut off by another question. It was really funny because right before the interview the director said that this was strictly NOT a stress interview and there would be no "where do you see medicine in the next 10 years?" kind of questions (one of the first questions I was asked) but strictly conversational talking about yourself. The interviewer just didn't really seem to care about my answers just my ability to answer them fast to get onto the next question. I can't say the guy was absolutely horrible, I was just very suprised at the slew of questions continuously asked. He basically said that the admissions committee meets on friday's and give applicants either a thumb's up or down...he told me i was very competitive but somehow after the interview I didn't even know how to take that:) I don't mean to scare anyone about the interview...it could've been worse...it just was a shocker to me since i was told it would be different.
The interview was mostly held as a conversation, and questions were interspersed. I got the feeling they were just trying to get to know me. Almost half of the interview was my questions for the interviewer.
I had a very pleasant time. During the tour, we were brought to the anatomy lab and got to see a cadaver. The tour itself was very informative and both the medical students giving the tour and the interviewees were very friendly. Unfortunately, one of the interviewees had told a story where he had received a "stress interview", but my experience was completely different.
The interviewer was great and very friendly. Most of the interview was spent conversing about my interests and just getting to know me. On the whole, it was a great day.
Really easy interview and I think that my URM status and PA residency worked heavily in my favor to secure an outright acceptance as opposed to being put on the CCL which so many people were.
My interview was at 9:30 am. Interviews are given by deans, so they sit right on the board of admisisons and vote on you. They said I would hear in a month; they meet every Friday. The interviewer did not ask anything that wasn't about my application, but he was not easy to talk to. He did not seem impressed with my non-science work and did not care to talk about it, while ALL of my other interviewers at other schools were very interested in it. He warmed up at the end, though, so it wasn't that bad. He liked when I started talking about Temple.
He interviewed me for about 15 minutes, but I interviewed him for half an hour. I asked tons of questions to keep the interview going, and that was wehen he became friendlier and more talkative.
It was extremely hospitable and informative! Overall, relaxing and comforting. I had three fourth-year dental students interview me and 3 other applicants (group interview). The traditional method is one professor and a group of applicants.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested that the admissions office should improve organization and communication, provide more information in advance, offer activities or resources for downtime during the interview day, and address issues with the interview scheduling process and student host program.
It would be very helpful to let people know their interview schedule ahead of time so that they can plan ahead if they have a lot of downtime!
To have something to keep you occupied when waiting for your interview or SIMs center activity. Our phones are taken away and there is little to do in the interview room (and there is not necessarily someone else in the room with you). Having the opportunity to watch a lecture (live or online) or see an dissection (again either live or on video) would be nice. Just sometime to pass the time.
A number of suggestions:
1: I got my interview invitation in January, but they did not have any slots until late March, which is very late in the season, I had already been accepted to another school which may impact if I go here or not.
2. Their Student Host program is a mess, they use a pretty lame system which in essence, involves the person interested in staying with a host looking through a PDF of all of the Temple students who say they are 'interested' in hosting a student. I emailed over 10 people and each one of them were too busy. While I respect that med students are busy, the school should do the matching, not me. This made me frustrated that I couldn't get the opportunity to learn more about this school through a student host.
3: I received an email from the Recruitment, Admissions and Retention (RAR) Program, and was asked to have a meeting with a counselor before my interviews. The meeting was pointless and all they did was ask me where I had gotten in, and what the dates were for my submittal (if thats a word) of my applications. I think they were concerned that I had fallen through the cracks as I was a qualified applicant and was only being asked to interview very late in the cycle. The meeting was no help at all and left me feeling confused more than anything else, also the office was a mess and looked like a paper bomb had gone off.