Boston, MA
Allopathic Medical Schools | Private Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 20% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did well.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
8.3
Above Average
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 975 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional
8–8.9 Very Good
7–7.9 Good
6–6.9 Mixed
< 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools cover a range of topics, including experiences from activities, reasons for pursuing medicine, future career goals, strengths and weaknesses, and ethical scenarios. Some interviews were structured with specific questions, while others were more conversational. Additionally, respondents mentioned an MMI format in some interviews, which may have involved role-playing scenarios, listening skills assessments, and questions about personal experiences without disclosing specific details due to nondisclosure agreements.
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What would you do if you had a patient come in with an infected abscess and they refused an x-ray?
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Asked me about most meaningful experience from a specific activity
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Tell me about yourself
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first interview was very conversational, flowed naturally. second one was much more structured with a bunch of specific questions (tell me a time when x situation happened, define cultural competency, biggest problem in healthcare, etc).
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One interviewer asked me very standard questions and just wanted me to elaborate on my experiences, it was very conversational!
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Tell me about yourself.
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Why do you believe you can excel at Tufts University School of Medicine?
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(Maine Track MMI) Role play with an 11 y/o who is being bullied
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Why do you want to come to Maine?
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How do you see your self as a doctor?
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Why do you want to become a physician?
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An interesting MMI question testing your listening skills/attention to detail...
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Tell me about a time when X happened at Y activity.
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Why didn't you apply DO/PA?
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Name a time you have shown resiliency in your life
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Why Tufts?
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Tell me about your research (specific lab)!
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Where do you see yourself down the line?
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How do you handle stress?
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What do you think the strongest point of your application is?
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Tell me more about your research.
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Why Tufts/medicine?
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all questions were about activities from my application as well as my background that I discussed in my personal statement
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Tell me about X experience?
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What has inspired you to work with the underserved?
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Overall very basic questions. Just asked about specific aspects of my application.
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Tell me about this activity
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Describe a time when you faced a stressful situation and how you dealt with it?
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Tell me about x experience.
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Tell me about your research project at....?
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This interviewer focused a lot on my future career goals. We talked briefly about my previous research, and how I would tie my future research interests into a career as a physician scientist.
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Tell me about yourself?
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Describe a position where you were leader and another situation where you were a follower
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What is your greatest strength? Weakness?
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Have you had difficulty handling large workloads / would you be able to adjust well to more work in medical school?
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How would your sister describe you?
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Tell me a little about yourself.
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Why would you come here if you could go to a state school and pay about half the cost?
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What is life?
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How to solve this problem at my school
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Tell me a little about yourself. Where do see yourself in 20 years?
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Why Tufts? Why Medicine?
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Tell me a little bit about yourself.
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Why do you want to be a doctor?
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How will you handle the stress of medical school?
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Tell me about your family...
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Why did you choose Tufts?
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What would you do if you are not accepted to medical school? (I answered I'd do it again) How would you improve your app? (I answered I'd get more clinical experience)
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What were some of the most difficult cases you dealt with during "x" clinical experience? How do you handle the shock of something like that?
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Why Medicine?
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Tell me about yourself and your family. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
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Why do you want to go into Medicine?...No one in your family is a doctor, why do you want to become one?
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What is a physician's responsibility to their patients? To their community? To themself?
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Give me an example of when you were a leader of a herd and had to steer people in the right direction. What traits did that require? Give me an example of when you were a member of the herd. What traits did that require?
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Mostly conversational.
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Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses
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What do a picture and a statue have in common?
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Tell me about your research.
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Explain pain to a group of 6-7 year olds?
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How do your experiences in basic science research speak to your ability to be a successful physician?
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Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
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What do we do with you?
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Tell me about your family.
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What are your weaknesses?
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Describe pain to a person who can't feel pain, is blind, and has a low IQ.
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What do you do in your free time?
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Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
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Tell me about your thesis
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Tell me about yourself. (I HATE this one!)
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Where do you see yourself in 15 years?
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Tell me about a therapeutic relationship with a patient that you considered meanigful (I have a healthcare background)
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How do you think your research has enhanced your interest and desire to go into medicine?
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why Tufts? no, why Tufts?, but WHY TUFTS??!
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What made you decide to be a doctor?
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Who is your hero?
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Which other schools did you apply to?
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Did you write your essay? It is really well written.
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What are you most proud of?
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Your strengths and weaknesses
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Tell me about an experience where you helped someone that you haven't written about in any of your applications.
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Tell me about your parents
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Why Tufts
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What areas of medicine are you considering?
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Give me the full story on how you decided on medicine... when, why, etc.
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Tell me about your figure skating. Are you any good?
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What was the last book you read?
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All the questions were about my application.
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tell me about your travels.
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would you like living in a city like boston?
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What ties do you have to the Hispanic community? Just a note on this one: I am a Mexican-American but I'm light-skinned - frankly, I was a little offended by this one...just because I'm not dark and don't have a Spanish-sounding last name you ask me what my ties are......uh, my blood! Obviously, diversity isn't a big deal here or they would know better.
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What books have you read recently?
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What have you been up to since graduation?
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How do you deal with failure?
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It says that you speak Spanish on your application. Can you carry a dialogue?
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What is the difference between intelligence and knowledge and how has humanity changed with respect to these two variables over the course of human history?
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What do you want me to tell the admissions committee about yourself
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Why Medicine if your dad is a psychologist?
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What did you write for Y? (I wrote for a publication on campus)
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tell me something. (that's it)
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What kinds of dogs do I have?
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What are my weakest qualities?
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I'll just say that I was asked nothing about my grades/MCAT or even really any specifics about my application. I feel like I was rambling a lot. Don't know if that's good or bad...haha
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Is there anything you want me to tell the admissions committee about you?
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What are you scared of?
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Are you having fun today at Tufts?
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What do you think about cloning?
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I was asked about my research
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Tell me about your mom. (this was asked out of the blue)
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What do you look for in a medical school?
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where do you see yourself in ten years
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What do you think will be the biggest challenge for you in medical school?
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Tell me why you decided on this career change?
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Tell me about yourself (my first interviewer had not read my file)
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Name your strengths and weaknesses
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How do your parents feel about your going back to school? (I'm 30 and have a PhD already)
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Tell me about softball (I'm a varsity athlete).
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What is passion? life? compassion? logic?
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What do you think will be the most challenging part of medical school for you?
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Are you interested in our MD/MPH program?
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What should I tell the admissions commitee about you?
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What is compassion?
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What is the difference between ethics and morals? Are ethics always right?
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Why Tutfts, why medicine, other questions off of my applications
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Do you like your school?
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tell me about extracurriculars
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If someone were to ask you what you thought of your day so far what would you say?
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What aspect other than simple competency is neccessary for a physician to posess.
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Why not be a marine biologist?
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Your strength and weaknesses
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Tell me about your current employment.
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"how does the brain remember?" do you ever ask yourself that question?
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Why did you switch from engineering to medicine?
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Tell me more about ________ . (Just talked about my varying experiences that i had listed on my AMCAS application)
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What would you want me to know that isn't anywhere in your file?
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Why did your family move across the country? (Also, some "Tell me about your family" type questions)
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If you got into all the schools you applied to, where would you go?
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What is compassion?
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How did you pick your college? Research, activities, etc.
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General quesitons about my research.
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What is Life, Define Logic in one word. what is passion?
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Tell me about (xxx) in your application? ... this was asked repeatedly, becuase I have done so many diverse extracurricular activities.
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tell me everything you want me to know about you.
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what should be done to fix healthcare in the US
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General getting to know you questions
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So what do you want to do with a medical degree?
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What three things are you most proud of in your applications.
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tell me about urself
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What are your strengths and weaknesses?
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What are your outlets?
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What is life? death? your philosophy on life?
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What would your best friend say annoyed the her the most about you
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When did you decide to go into medicine?
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What are you looking for in a medical school?
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How well do you get along with people younger than you (I'm 27)?
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Tell me about ____experience____.
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What on your application except for scores or grades would you want to improve upon?
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Student interviewer asked pretty standard questiosn. Faculty interviewer didn't ask me much about medicine, more interested in me as a person and my interests.
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What do you do to handle stress?
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What kind of medicine do you want to practice?
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What is the diameter of the caroteid artery?
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Tell me about the issue of diversity/ students of one race hanging out with only each other at your school.
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If you had to drop everything and move anywhere in the world for a month (all expenses paid), where would it be?
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Who do you go to for support?
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specific questions about my research, where else ive interviewed/been accepted, do you have questions for me
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see above.
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what kind of people went to your undergrad? anyone up there in the stratosphere? (i went to an ivy)
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What will you say to other interviewees about your interview?
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why do i want to be a doctor?
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what do your parents do?
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Define empathy, ethics, compassion, sympathy, and morals.
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what do you do in college?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at Tufts University School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics including hypothetical scenarios, personal values, and future aspirations. While the questions varied, some students mentioned engaging in Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) with questions on destressing methods, leadership experiences, ethical dilemmas, and long-term career goals, potentially under a nondisclosure agreement.
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Teach me one thing in 1 minute, it can be about anything.
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Where do you see yourself in 15 years--Be specific.
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How do you destress
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How do you destress?
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What is your favorite leadership experience?
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How would you handle moving across the country?
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Who is my best friend?
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(Maine Track) "Did success in your science classes come naturally to you, or did you have to struggle and work really hard?"
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I'm not sure there was one "most interesting" question that stood out over the others. I could say "What would you do if you [hypothetically] couldn't become a physician?" but that is a common question that I've had elsewhere.
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My son is joining a fraternity! What are they like?
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How would you handle a patient with strict eastern medicine beliefs?
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If you had to choose between being the leader of a moderately successful team, and being a part of a top-notch, very successful team, which would you choose, and why?
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Help me understand the fraternity system and defend its purpose to me. He told me to do this after asking about my experiences as president of my fraternity.
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My faculty interviewer asked me a question about how primary care physicians have been responding to changes in healthcare, which sparked a pretty good discussion about the direction of healthcare in general.
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A "what would you do in this difficult situation?" question
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Give me one question to ask my next interviewee.
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How did you become godfather to your goddaughter and what has that entailed?
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Not sure
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Being much older than the typical applicant, you will be almost 40 when you finish all your training (including residency, fellowship, etc). What are your thoughts on that?
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The other interviewer I had was from Ireland. Mainly, we talked about cricket and how we hate England :D
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What insight do you have on the challenges in practicing rural medicine? (For Maine track)
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When did you start liking insects? (part of a long discussion with a cool psychiatrist on one of my high school hobbies)
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Tell me about your most interesting extracurricular activity.
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If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
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Talking about the state of medical practice today was interesting to me because I had the chance to relate my own experience in the medical device industry.
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What have you heard about medical school? (process, student life, etc.)
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Define pain without examples to a 6-year old.
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question about the experience of a friend I knew who was tested positively for HD (I worked on an HD outreach project in undergrad)
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What's your favorite food?
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Less of a question and more of a conversation about Dr. Groopman, an author and physician who the interviewer knew personally.
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You have two patients, one who is very active and one who is obese and does not take care of himself. Both need heart transplants but only one can receive a heart. Which patient would you choose to receive a transplant?
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During your experience volunteering at the ER, have you seen anything that impressed you negatively (re medicine)?
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I took a few strange classes during college and I got asked about my motives for taking those.
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Would you move to Boston if accepted?
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How to integrate your major with medicine?
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Healthcare policy
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Topic of health care reform.
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Do you have any siblings? Tell me about them.
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What is a physician's responsibility to their patients? To their community? To themself?
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How do you deal with stress? What happens when your plans for the future fail? How do you continue to move forward?
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No crazy questions ... pretty conversational and relaxed interview styel
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Talk about a decision that you would change if you had to do it over again.
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How do you create grey from black and white?
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Explain pain to a group of 6-7 year olds?
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Describe a day in your life in 20 years from the time you wake up until the time you go to sleep.
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Tell me about your family.
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Take me through a day in your life 20 years from now. Start from the time you wake up in the morning.
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What are you looking for in a med school?
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What is the difference between morals and ethics?
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What does life mean to you?
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So what's with your calculus grade in Freshman year?
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Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
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What do you actually want to DO with your degree?
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If you had a choice between your state school in NY and Tufts, which would you choose?
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Is it true that you're not allowed to flush the toilet after 10 pm in Switzerland?
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Why public health?
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List some single words you would use to describe yourself.
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do you think it would be good if Hillary Clinton is elected president? (i know political questions are off limits, but i was okay with it)
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Define happiness.
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As an older student, how do you feel about going back to school with people so young?
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Is there any other way to reach truth besides science?
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Why are you coming from California all the way out here?
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What are you most proud of?
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What are the negative aspects about being a medical doctor?
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What is Life?
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Why do you wear that livestrong bracelet?
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Tell me about your parents.
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If I paid for your ticket and all your expenses for one month, what country would you go to and why?
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How do you feel about digital photography (both my interviews were interested in my photo experience)
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What is your favorite cello concerto? (upon my mentioning that my brother plays the cello)
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What would you do if you were on rounds and one of the residents gets asked a question about the patients labs, and you know that he doesn't know them, and he starts making up numbers.
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Do you think modern day humans are more, equally, or less intelligent than cavemen?
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Why Boston?
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they were pretty laid back - there were no of those philosophical questions that other people were asked
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why medicine?
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Questions were fairly mundane.
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What is water polo? (the sport I play)
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I was asked to solve a riddle (see below).
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What is the population in your region?
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Impressions of the whole application process.
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What is a Vandy girl?!!!!! The best question I was ever asked in all my interviews. I am surprised I kept a straight face.
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What did I think the meaning to life was?
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The intelligence of humanity question.
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does everyone in the south look alike?
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with your unique cultural background how do you see yourself interacting with conflicting cultures in the hospital setting?
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What is ethics, what is morals? Who decides which?
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Where and how did my interest in medicine originate?
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What seperates humans from all other mammals?
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Tell me about your parents. (?? completely out of the blue...this was a first!)
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How has your work in student affairs affected your interest in medicine?
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Are we more intelligent, less intelligent, or equally intelligent as men living in the stone age?
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What are you scared of?
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basic questions about my application
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Are we more, less, or equally intelligent as those who lived in the stone age
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I was told to just talk about anything
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How will your major help you to be a doctor (I am not a Bio major)
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nothing all that out of the ordinary. my two interviews were pretty basic questions, but some other students had some really abstract philosophical questions (like "define the color blue", or "how do you situate yourself in life"....etc)
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What has today (the interview day) done to influence your perception of the school? (They were very interested in student feedback throughout the day)
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What are sacrificing to go to med school?
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What do you think is better-a single evaluation based curriculum or a multi-evaluation curriculum (in response to my experiences studying abroad)
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How does your family influence you and your personality?
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What my friends would say if asked "what about her pisses you off the most?"
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What would you like for me to tell the admissions committee about you?
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What is good bedside manner?
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What do you think will be the most challenging part of medical school for you?
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Tell me about your journey to deciding to apply to medical school.
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There weren't any interesting questions.
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Imagine that I were mentally challenged and blind. How would you describe pain to me without using synonyms?
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Imagine I am mentally challenged and blind. I am unable to comprehend complex terms. How would you describe physical pain to me?
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Several philosophical oriented questions: Define compassion, passion, the color red, morality v. ethics, sympathy v. empathy, etc.
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What was the biggest failure in your college career?
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all fairly standard about stuff listed on my amcas app.
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If someone were to ask you what you thought of your day so far what would you say?
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What aspect other than simple competency is neccessary for a physician to posess.
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How do you feel about dirty needle programs
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Would you say I'm easy to read?
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Do you think we are more intelligent ,less intelligent, or as intelligent as people 20 000 years ago?
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Most were standard except for the question below.
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If all expenses were paid, what country would you visit for one month?
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What do you think will be the hardest part of medical school for you?
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So i hear you're a magician. Can you show me a magic trick?
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Do you dream in color or black and white?
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Given all the theater you did in college and before (a major extracurricular for me), will it be hard to give that up during medical school?
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Describe the color blue
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Can you tell me about something in your file that you would want to erase or do differently?
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What does your dad think about you applying to medical school(he is a physician)
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Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
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What would you ask if you were interivewing students in 30 years? How would you pick students? Are schools more or less similar now than they were 30 years ago?
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See rapid fire questioning above (passion/ethics/morality)
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I was asked, "what do you want from your medical school education?" Obviously, I want my MD so I can practice medicince, but at the time I was unsure of what they were really trying to get at. It was clear to me later on that they want us to realize that we cannot necessarily learn everything we want in our education, rather we should learn the tools to help our continual learning experience, because medicine is a profession of continually new knowledge that we will have to absorb and accept.
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nothing unusual.
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why do you want to come to boston, if you live in NY?
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If God himself came down and told you you were not going to be a doctor, what would you do?
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What do you think of the Venezuelan people (I did research in Caracas)?
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There are a number of frustrations that physicians face in treating patients. Can you give an example of this given your experience working in a hospital? How do you think you'll be able to deal with such frustrations/dilemmas?
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I wasn't asked any.
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I was asked what were the three things in my application that I am most proud of.
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tell me about a challenging situation in your life? then subsequently asked me about my junior year in college because my grades dropped...he seemed to try to get at me with stupid questions like that
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Tufts just got a new Dean and CEO. If you got one of these jobs, what would you do to improve the school or medical center?
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What will be your biggest obstacle in medical school?
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Assume I have low intelligence. How would you explain pain to me without using the word pain or any synonyms?
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If God himself came down and told me that medicine is not for me and that I could not be a doctor, what would I do then.
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He asked me to do some quick arithmetic, which really caught me off guard.
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What is the most important quality for a doctor to have?
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Would I consider psychiatry as a specialty? Why or why not?
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i notice you're pretty fair skinned...do you think a lot of people of your race have skin cancer?
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some heavy duty personal questions. nothing TOO personal, but stuff that was seriously aimed at getting to know me.
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What do you think the purpose of interviews is?
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What would you say about you pisses your friends off the most?
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Should university-based research be eliminated?
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nothing really... mainly just why tufts, why medicine, tell me about yourself.
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They didn't really ask questions at all. The student interviewer just glanced at my application before the interview (that's how they do it here) and asked me about my volunteer and work experiences. Then, he asked me if I had any questions. The latter part took up most of the time, so be prepared to ask questions. The faculty interviewer was really nice and didn't ask any questions. We just ended up talking about diversity and ethnic populations in the cities surrounding Boston (I'm from California, but luckily I stayed with family in Boston for a few days prior to my interview).
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Who is my hero?
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What are medical schools looking for in a candidate?
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If I were a person of very low intellegence, how would you describe pain to me without using the word "pain" or any synonyms?
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What do you think of the crisis in the Middle-East (I was a poly-sci major)?
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My faculty interviewer was very much interested in the enviornment, so we had a good conversation about alternative energy.
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(Taps my file with index finger) "Is there anything in here you want to bring to my attention?"
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What challenges do you think you'll encounter while in medical school?
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Do you know any other languages?
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describe a situation in which you failed, and how you dealt with it.
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On studentdoctor.net, a lot of students have called me hard to read, do you find me hard to read?
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If a member of your gross anatomy group was not performing well....How would you handle this? I had said I would approach them and talk to them about it. The said "What if that didn't work?" Because part of your grade is based on how well everyone in the group does, the interviewer wanted me to say that I would approach the instructor and inform them before it had any negative impact on the group.
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What do you need to do in order to have compassion?
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Nothing all that interesting. Pretty much the standards. Why the school? Why a doctor?
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What would your friends say pissed them off about you?
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not really anything interesting. just talked frankly about my application and experiences.
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What is the purpose of life? What is death? How do you feel about euthanasia/abortion/homosexuality? What was the last book you read? What is the difference b/w empathy and sympathy? What is the difference b/w talent and intelligence? What is intelligence? What must always be employed when using logic?
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There are failures at your school - are you a failure?
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What questions did you expect me to ask you?
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What part of the medical school experience do you think you will most likely cause some problems?
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How could I vote for Hillary Clinton considering what she did to health care?
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why do you think your particular undergraduate institution is so successful?
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I was not really asked anything too interesting. Many questions were basic get-to-know you questions. Stuff like hobbies, what is your fav class, and why this school. I don't recall being asked why you want to be a doctor.
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How I felt about half of my family being overseas and half of my family being here.
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About my family
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where does imagination come from?
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No question. Both interviewers asked me what I had to ask them. When they did ask questions they were not interesting-neither interviewer whas attended medical school and one was actually a professor at the public health school, not for a medical school course.
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at Tufts University School of Medicine discussed a wide range of inquiries, from ethical dilemmas like handling a roommate using drugs to personal reflections on weaknesses and strengths. The interview format seems to include Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) scenarios, as well as open-ended questions on integrity, decision-making, and future healthcare challenges, with some respondents noting a conversational and welcoming atmosphere during the process.
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When was a time you were not reliable?
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What is something that you regret doing?
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If you could choose two traits that you want the admissions office to focus on in your application, what would they be?
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Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses.
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What would you do if your roommate was using drugs? (kept pressing me about my answer)
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How would I compare medicine practiced from different places I've lived
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None. Very conversational. If you know you file well, and are confident — you’ll kill it!
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(Maine Track) "Do you really want to stay and practice in Maine?"
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"Tell me about yourself". Fortunately I had experienced a similar version of this open-ended question in the past, and had a good answer. I spoke to my resiliency and went through the challenges on my journey to become a physician.
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What does integrity mean to you?
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Name a time you made a decision without all the information
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How would you handle a patient with strict eastern medicine beliefs?
-
You're on your surgery rotations wrapping things up with your classmate. You walk into one of the patient's rooms and see your classmate stealing pain medication. What do you do?
-
What worries you? It was pretty uncomfortable and caught me off guard, but I think I ended up answering it somewhat adequately
-
Do you consider yourself an expert in anything?
-
Describe a time when you failed completely.
-
A "what would you do in this difficult situation?" question
-
With a business background, how did you decide on medicine?
-
None, it was really conversational
-
Not sure
-
none
-
Why Boston?
-
NONE - even if a question made me think a little, the atmosphere was so welcoming that it wasn't really 'hard'. NOTE WELL: the guy who used to ask the questions "what is pain?" or "describe the color blue" no longer does interviews
-
How would your sister describe you?
-
Do you have any questions for me?
-
What do you think could help change American culture to make people healthier? (We got on the topic because I said I didn't think there would be a decrease in heart-disease related deaths anytime too soon because of the American lifestyle)
-
Describing a moment of failure was difficult for me because I tend not to perceive anything as real failures but learning experiences.
-
(I had just said that the way to fix the health care crisis was to focus on preventative care) How would you respond to angry physicians that you're taking work from?
-
What is humane?
-
Healthcare reform
-
Something about how the practice of medicine/being a doctor will be different 10 or 20 years down the line...can't remember the exact wording
-
some philosophical question about logic and reason, and whats right and when its right... (I don't remember the specifics)
-
If you had the power to do anything, how would you change the health inequality of the poor and the wealthy?
-
Your personal essay seems kinda dry... Why medicine? (What he meant was that my essay was focused more on my background/bio [I'm nontrad] than on "why medicine". I did not get his drift until after interview. I did not respond as well as I could have.)
-
Why do you really want to be here at our school?
-
Tell me about your international experience
-
Define "success"
-
Nothing too difficult.
-
No one in your family is a doctor, why do you want to become one?
-
How do you think you'd respond if the government told you that you had to serve in the armed forces as a physician?
-
Tell me about yourself. I hate this question. I had prepared for it, but since I got kinda nervous I'm not sure I conveyed exactly what I wanted to.
-
When you worked in the hospital, tell me about something that worked well and something that didn't.
-
None were very difficult.
-
same as the most interesting one
-
Who did you vote for?
-
None really, the interviews were very conversational and they seemed genuinely interested in getting to know you.
-
You are in front of the admissions committee the day they make their decision and you are allowed to say only one word to them, what would it be?
-
(after mentioning that I hope to balance a family and potentially a surgical specialty) I know a lot of surgeons who aren't married. How are you going to find that balance if you are so busy?
-
What do we do with you? He asked me that before I sat down.
-
Is there anything you would like us to make sure to include in your file about you?
-
(Upon hearing my interest in geriatrics)....Could you please elaborate on three prevalent conditions currently facing the elderly population in America?
-
Tell me about yourself.
-
Who defines morals and ethics?
-
Categorize the next to phrases as moral or ethical: What is right? and What ought to be right?
-
Nothing in particular, the student interviewer just didn't ask specific enough questions.
-
So you haven't volunteered. Why didn't you? Did you really not volunteer? Other students have bonded with children who have cancer. Do you have a story like that? So you really didn't volunteer?...
-
What do you actually want to DO with your degree?
-
What do you think of this whole stem cell debate? (in reference to my research)
-
None really. Both interviews were very conversational.
-
Most stressful question had to do with the validity of a statement I made: ''Are you certain that confidentiality is breached in some HIV tests?''
-
What is one of the most pressing issues in Medicine today? Economically, how would this problem be solved?
-
is your generation smarter than the current elderly generation?
-
What does life mean to you?
-
Is logic always right?
-
Nothing hard
-
I was really grilled by one interview, he would repeatedly ask my questions over and over.
-
None really. There is an interviewer who was supposed to be really hard but I didn't have him.
-
If you do not get into medical school, what else would you do?
-
How would you contribute to the class diversity?
-
Describe pain to a blind, dumb person who can't feel pain.
-
Nothing too difficult but dome of my 1st interviewers questions that were specific to my application were a bit strange.
-
What is your weakness?
-
What is life?
-
The follow up questions to the one above. Have a good justification for this on the off chance you get it.
-
There really were no difficult questions... all the questions were about my background/experience
-
I notice that you speak rather quickly... Have you ever taught a class? Do you ever find that when you are teaching, you have trouble keeping up with your speaking while writing on the board? How do you deal with this?
-
Describe a stressful situation (but only because the topic I talked about was a very emotional one)
-
What is your least proud moment?
-
What is your worst quality?
-
nothing
-
questions were very straightforward.
-
What has been your greatest disappointment?
-
What is your greatest weakness?
-
It was a question in the form of a riddle - very good one actually. Wish I could remember it!
-
Nothing outstanding
-
What will you do if you don't get into medical school?
-
Can you carry a conversation with me in Spanish?
-
A technical question about HIV, hepatitis and infectious diseases.
-
what do you want me to tell the admissions committee about you?
-
the "what your friends say about you behind your back" type question. I hate those.
-
What is the purpose of life? (Yes, figure that out before you come in for an interview)
-
Why do I want to pursue my medical career immediately rather than taking a year off like some do?
-
How would you describe "physical pain" to a blind person who doesn't speak English well (without using examples)?
-
How do you want to do this interview?
-
What kind of poetry do you like to read?
-
same as above
-
What are you scared of?
-
Describe physical pain to a blind, mentally handicapped individual
-
The highs and lows of each year of college
-
How would you reform American healthcare?
-
What do you want me to tell the admissions board about you?
-
What is a challenge you had to overcome
-
Do you think science is the key to knowledge? (very philosophical, caught me off guard)
-
None too difficult. Both interviews were relaxed conversations.
-
Tell me about yourself (very broad and open ended)
-
Tell me something. (That was it. Nothing more specific than that.
-
Same
-
What is the most important quality for a physician to possess?
-
What do you think of managed care?
-
What should I tell the committee about you/Why are you good for this school?
-
Is there anything you didn't tell the other interviewer about yourself that you would like to tell me?
-
What should I tell the admissions committee about you?
-
What does it mean to be human?
-
What is logic? But only because it surprised me. We were going along with the typical questions (why medicine, why tufts, etc.) and then all of a sudden he threw this in without skipping a beat.
-
Describe pain to a person who is blind and simple minded
-
Why do you think I asked you that question?
-
What can you bring to tufts?
-
If you've had other interviews, have they helped you figure out what you want in a medical school and if so what?
-
Would you like to be in the MD/Ph.D. program?
-
Describe the color blue
-
Do you know why whales beach themselves?
-
The difference between ethics and morals?
-
I see you applied to both TUSM and UMASS. If you are accepted at both schools why would you choose TUSM over UMASS? (question in response to my comment on the excellent financial aid presentation)
-
What do you want me to say to the admissions committee when I present your file to them?
-
What do you think medical schools are looking for in applicants?
-
they never really asked a question, they just asked me to talk about different experiences of mine
-
What would you want me to know that isn't anywhere in your file?
-
My interviewer asked me where I had traveled. After answering he asked me, "Why do you only travel to the good countries?" I wasn't sure how to answer...perhaps because I was on vacation?!?
-
Given that you went to a small, private high school and then a small, private college, how are you going to be able to relate to a blue-collar patient who is terrified of financing an expensive treatment -- not just his disease?
-
What is your biggest weakness?
-
How would you describe pain to someone?
-
S/A
-
Since your dad is OBGYN, what do you think of the malpratice lawsuits?
-
What would your friends say about you behind your back? What would you choose to do if not Medicine? What do you bring to the table? THESE AREN'T REALLY DIFFICULT BUT THEY ALWAYS COME UP AND ITS HARD TO REPEAT THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER.
-
None, really.
-
(paraphrase) When people refer to "dirty" needles what to they mean?
-
Why are your scores so low?
-
That one above.
-
tell me why you should NOT be a doctor
-
what is the weakest part of the application?
-
see above
-
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
-
no real difficult questions
-
I wasn't asked any.
-
n/a
-
When I stand up infront of the admissions committee and I want to support your file, what do you want me to say?
-
How do you feel about homosexuality?
-
NA
-
Nothing.
-
see above...just said "i don't know"
-
no hard questions.
-
Do you think there is a purpose to this interview?
-
nothing really. What do you think medical schools are looking for?
-
What are you expecting to get out of medicine?
-
Do you have any questions? (asked by both, so be prepared)
-
What makes you think that you can make it through dental school?
-
What surprised me the most throughout the whole application process?
-
What would you do if you saw a classmate cheating?
-
nothing too difficult....
-
pretty standard questions.
-
none of the questions were very difficult. they were pretty standard.
-
Nothing really.
-
what have you learned from the interview process?
-
what would happens to a patients eye if they took nitroglycerin?(He tried to take my research experience and relate it to a totally unfamiliar subject)
-
The most difficult question was also my most interesting question.
-
What is Compassion? I know this isn't a very difficult question, but I generally tend to flounder when asked to define words. I feel like Winona Ryder in "Reality Bites" when her interviewer asks her to define "irony" and she can't, exclaiming only, "I know it when I see it!" That's me. I was just happy I only got one of those kinds of questions.
-
Nothing difficult
-
Suppose you were me and you had to present your case to the admissions committee. What would you say?
-
none at all.
-
any of the above.
-
What should I say when I present you to the committee?
-
what is the last thing you want me to leave here with? for when i meet with the committee.
-
Why are you becoming a doctor as opposed to a social worker if you want to work in a poor community?
-
nothing really- but if i had to choose: "what one thing about your personality irritates your best friends"
-
I had two interviews. One was with a faculty and the other was with a four-year. The fourth year was great and she asked me just personal get-to-know you stuff while the faculty interviewer was the tougest interviewer I ever had. He was out to get to me. Since I already have been to a few interviewers, I knew this guy was out to grill me. He asked me many difficult questions. I can't remember a period where I could catch my breath. After I answered his question, he would ask me to give an answer and kept doing that until I could not think of any.
-
Define intelligence, intellectual, intellect.
-
What is life? What is passion? What is death? What is compassion? What is truth? What is sympathy? What is ethics? What is morals? What is logic?
-
how important compassion in the role of physicians?
-
Probably: do you have any questions for me? because neither of the interviewers could answer my questions which had to do with the student body and in-class experiences.
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had an open file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by reviewing their application materials, researching the school thoroughly through its website and SDN, practicing common interview questions, and staying informed about current healthcare issues. Some also engaged in mock interviews, spoke with current students, and read books related to medical ethics or healthcare.
-
SDN
-
Wrote my ideas down on paper and SDN
-
know why tufts, why medicine, tell me about yourself...
-
sdn, review app, know your answers to "why medicine" and "why tufts" and "tell me about yourself" cold
-
SDN, website
-
SDN, read the website
-
SDN, mock interviews, memorizing experiences I have had
-
SDN questions, 2 mock interviews
-
Review my file, SDN Questions, research Tufts School of Medicine, and practice.
-
Studied my own application, learned a lot about the school, practiced "Why medicine?"
-
I went over my AMCAS application and prepared for the MMI normally
-
I reviewed my application very thoroughly, including both my primary and secondary applications. I reviewed common interview questions, and TUSOM-specific questions here on SDN. I researched TUSOM on their website, and created >8 questions for my interviewers.
-
MMI practice scenarios. Medical ethics research. Atul Gawande's books.
-
Researched the school, re-read my secondary
-
Review my application, learned more about the school
-
Reading the school's website
-
Read up about the school a lot, go over my application
-
Look over own application, check questions on SDN
-
SDN Interview Feedback, Read over App
-
Reviewed my application, practiced answers to specific questions
-
Read over AMCAS, secondary app, sdn, interview feedback, school website.
-
School website, MSAR, SDN Interview Feedback
-
Reread AMCAS, Secondaries
-
sdn interview feedback, school-specific forum, and studied my application
-
Reviewing my application materials and the TUSM website
-
Read application and stuff about the school
-
Reviewing my submitted application and the school webiste. Identifying common questions (strenghts/weaknessnes, community service) and preparing concise answers.
-
Just reviewed my file.
-
Reviewed AMCAS, looked at school's website, did mock interviews
-
Spoke with students and alumni, SD interview feedback, reviewed my app.
-
Knew my AMCAS and secondaries
-
Read up on the school and showed up
-
SDN interview feedback, reviewed my publications, primary, secondary.
-
Looked here
-
Read SDN, school website, recent health-care issues, reviewed my primary and secondary application, read interview books, prepared answers to sample questions.
-
SDN, reviewed my notes on common questions
-
SDN, Reviewing my application, Reading about Tufts
-
Going to the website. Paying attention to presentation.
-
Looking at the questions on this forum and practicing the answers in front of a mirror.
-
Made sure to get enough rest the night before. I generally don't do much in the way of formal prep before interviews.
-
Read this forum, practiced responses with friends and family members
-
SDN.
-
SDN, interview help book with common questions, prepared answers to common questions, read over app. this was my first interview for i prepared a lot.
-
Thought about the standard med school interview questions.
-
Reviewed essays, AMCAS, thought over answers to potential questions.
-
SDN, reviewed application, school info, and healthcare reform
-
Mock interviews with staff at my university, SDN, school website
-
Reviewed application
-
Mock, SDN feedback, website.
-
I made a list of potential questions and brainstormed answers.
-
Nothing
-
Studied school, SDN, read up on healthcare reform and current events, prayed
-
Nothing really
-
Read over application, talked with current students.
-
Talked to some doctors currently at Tufts Medical Center, review App., "The Medical School Interview" by Jeremiah Fleenor., interview feedback on SDN, talked to a friend enrolled there (MS1).
-
SDN/Interview Feedback, AMCAS, current reading on health issues, medical journals, school website, sleep!
-
SDN, read the school's website, talked answers over with friends
-
SDN, reread my application
-
Read over my applications materials.
-
Tufts website, reviewed SDN feedback, reviewed my primary/secondary apps.
-
AMCAS app.
-
a good nights sleep
-
Sleep...Cheap Beer
-
Tufts website, SDN, reviewed my primary and secondary applications
-
review my apps, schools website, current events
-
SDN, Tufts website
-
SDN questions, paid attention during the morning info session, went over all secondary essays/primaries/my research
-
SDN, Mock Interview, Research on TUSM Website, Reviewing Current Medical Events/Trends within the US
-
Contacted current students (who were high school/college friends). Read up on website and SDN.
-
SDN, secondary, school website
-
Looking through application and school's website.
-
SDN, website, went over AMCAS, talked to students beforehand.
-
Reread my primary and secondary apps. Reviewed Tufts website to figure out what I wanted to know more about.
-
Went through the Tufts website, read through application. They took a LOT of info from the AMCASS app--so know what you wrote well.
-
Re-read essays, AMCAS app, school website.
-
Tufts Website, SDN, reviewed my secondary and AMCAS.
-
SDN, Tufts websute, talking with various Healthcare professionals, knowing my AMCAS and secondary statements
-
SDN, school website
-
website, secondary, etc
-
I read over my file and read the school's website thoroughly.
-
Read SDN, Tufts' website and literature
-
Read SDNet, talked to former students, practice interviews
-
SDN, talked with former medical students, read over my application
-
Read studentdoctor.net, talked to friends who are already in medical school, read the Tufts website THOROUGHLY
-
Read U.S News and World Report and looked at the school website for information.
-
Read SDN, my AMCAS, Tufts website.
-
Read studentdoc.net; did lots of online and book research about school and MD/MPH program
-
re-read AMCAS app, school website
-
SDN, read over AMCAS and Secondary, school's website
-
Read over app, researched school's programs, read NEJM artiles
-
SDN, read school's website
-
SDN, website, read over AMCAS`
-
Read over website, SDN interview feedback, went over some potential questions with a friend very informally.
-
Website, SDN, read my application
-
sdn, researched the school, talked to students
-
sdn. read over my app
-
school website and studentdoctor feedback.
-
I checked out the school website. There is an ongoing reform in their curriculum. I looked into what they were working on for that reform.
-
SDN, previous interviews, Tufts website
-
Drank a beer with dinner the night before. :) Nothing really - just relaxed.
-
Glanced at SDN, 4 previous interviews at difficult interview schools.
-
mock interview, read the website, SDN feedback
-
Looked at this website, researched the school webpage, and talked to applicants and staff members.
-
This site, mock-questions, re-reading my essays and application.
-
SDN, mock interview, tufts website.
-
SDN, MSAR, typed up question responses
-
amcas, sdn
-
SDN, mock interview
-
SDN, read over the website
-
Didn't really
-
school site, talked to a student, SDN, mock interview, reviewed AMCAS
-
SDN, read over my AMCAS statement, pray
-
Read over my AMCAS, skimmed publications, read SDN and Tufts Website
-
looked over application, school info, etc.
-
AMCAS, school website
-
Looked over their website, reread my AMCAS, and SDN
-
read over website, sdn
-
Read SDN, reviewed my AMCAS application, and mock interviews.
-
SD, web
-
looked over AMCAS application, school website, SDN interview feedback
-
SDN, read everything I could about school, practiced answers to expected questions
-
Read SDN, AMCAS application, reviewed current topics in health care
-
SDN, previous med school interview
-
read amcas, reading sdn, looking over Tufts website
-
SDN, talked to current students.
-
SDN, reviewed application essays
-
READ student doctor - I interviewed with the man who asked a lot of philosophical questions, so getting a little prepped ahead of time was great because I think I gave much better answers than I would have had I walked into it blindly.
-
this website, tufts website, and looking over questions from past interviews
-
SDN, mock interview, tufts website
-
Tufts website, AMCAS essay, SDN
-
Read SDN, talked to friends who attended Tufts Med
-
SDN site, talked to friends who attend the school as well as those who've previously interviewed there, reviewed application materials
-
SDN, reserached the school, reread my AMCAS and secondary
-
SDN, Website, Apps
-
app
-
SDN, website, review amcas
-
read over amcas
-
read essays, read amcas app., checked website.
-
this website, tufts website, read over my app.
-
This website, Tufts web site, AMCAS application
-
this website, school website, preparation books, reviewed my application, learned the science behind my research
-
Made sure I was there. There was a blizzard going on at the time.
-
This site, Tufts website, read over my application
-
tufts website, SDN, amednews.com, read over AMCAS application, talked with current students
-
Talking to others who had interviewed there, reading SDN interview feedback.
-
Reviewed AMCAS materials, read about Tufts' program online, read the SDN feedback, listened to the presentations and came up with some questions for the interviewers.
-
SDN, AMCAS app, secondary app, talked to friend at Tufts
-
SDN, Tufts website, previous interviews
-
AMCAS, read school website, this website
-
SDN, mock interview, friends.
-
SDN, talked with host, website, etc.
-
prior interviews, read about school
-
looked at this website
-
Read AMCAS file, read a few responses on this website, talked to a friend that interviewed here a few months ago.
-
re-read amcas application
-
SDN, went over 2ndary, AMCAS, website
-
SDN, school website, AMCAS, stayed with student host
-
read AMCAS, printed out a bunch of stuff about tufts
-
read over my essay, thought about questions I might be asked, read feedback on this site.
-
Read my AMCAS and searched through Tufts website
-
Spoke with current students, faculty, and read the school bulletin.
-
website, reading, info about school
-
SDN, talked to students, read about the school
-
SDN, MSAR, AMCAS, school website
-
SDN Interview feed back. Background research on the school. Researched potential questions and interview tips. Re-read application and participated in mock interviews
-
AMCAS application, SDN interview feedback, school website, secondary application.
-
Read SDN, made sure I could talk about the research I'd been involved in (I was asked to explain it)
-
This website, talking to past and present students, and the tufts web site.
-
sdn interview feedback, reviewed amcas app, wrote out thoughts to some common questions
-
website, here.
-
I didn't, I've been to enough that I stopped worrying about it, other than printing out directions.
-
read interview feedback.
-
tufts website, readover AMCAS app, and interview feedback
-
Website, AMCAS application, AMSAR
-
SDN, re-read AMCAS app
-
studentdoctor.net, school web site, talk to students (really recommend getting a student host, they're all very nice and accomodating).
-
Read my application, school website, SDN!
-
Studentdoctor.net, read the website
-
the usual stuff
-
Read this site, read the Tufts website, and re-read my amcas.
-
SDN, friends that go there, website
-
Didn't really prepare, but checked SDN
-
read tufts web site. read amcas application...student doctor network.
-
website
-
listened during presentations, other interviews
-
secondaries, essays
-
website, amcas application
-
Read the website. Read over my AADSAS application the night before.
-
Read this site, read my application, read info about Tufts. Preparation was pretty useless though. My interviewer would ask me a question and then cut me off before I had time to complete my thought. He was very, very nice, but I felt like I didn't have a chance to really express my ideas or convey who I was.
-
Tufts website, SDN,
-
read over my amcas application, read up on medical care issues, read the website
-
interview feedback, school website, talked to friends at tufts.
-
this site, my school's interview site, my amcas essay, thought about ethical and topical questions
-
Read the website, interview feedback, went over my application.
-
website, interview feedback
-
interview feedback
-
Know your AMCAS application and personal essay....they want to see you are the same in person that you are on paper
-
website, studentdoctor, amcas, health care issues
-
By this point, I really did not prepare, I just went in relaxed. I just made sure I knew my personal statment and application well.
-
Read SDN, interviewfeedback, and kept up with current events.
-
read over amcas...browsed through tufts website...checked old interviewfeedback.com site (which is currently down)
-
web-site research, talking to other students, previous interviews.
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendly, supportive, and welcoming environment at Tufts University School of Medicine. They highlighted the kind and caring nature of the interviewers, the enthusiasm of both faculty and students, as well as the emphasis on student happiness and work-life balance. The school's facilities, curriculum, early clinical exposure, location in Boston, and the responsiveness to student feedback were also commonly praised.
-
How conversational the interview was and how nice the interviewer was. She gave a lot of feedback when I was answering questions to reassure me that I was doing good, which eased a lot of my nerves.
-
How kind and caring the interviewers were. They really knew my app and what I was involved in.
-
They really seemed to care about the students and listen to them
-
kindness of interviewers, the vibe of the students
-
The unique curriculum offered
-
How relaxed and welcoming the environment was. The students and Faculty all seemed so happy. Tufts seems like they really cares about their students. Also, they have a quick turnaround time, less than a month!
-
The relaxed feel
-
The environment fostered by the administration and the organization throughout the entire interview day. The students and faculty were very informative to answer questions on any topic. The food was endless throughout the day, very yummy may I add!
-
How kind everyone was and how conversational and relaxed the interview was
-
The individual attention each student gets
-
How happy the TUSOM students are. Dedication of the TUSOM faculty. Student-involvement in curriculum changes and other important TUSOM decisions. The fact that there are 21 Tufts-affiliated teaching hospitals. Plentiful clinical and research opportunities. New state-of-the-art facilities [e.g., Clinical Skills and Simulation Center, Anatomy Lab]. Location [downtown Boston]. TUSOM match results.
-
I interviewed for the Maine Track, and I felt like all of the current students I met were so genuinely passionate and extremely happy about the program. The locations available for the Maine Track cover the whole state and allow ample opportunities for extensive hands-on experiences in the clinical years since so few medical students are in the state of Maine.
-
The number of hospitals that students do rotations in and the facilities
-
How friendly and accommodating the staff is. How new and clean their facilities are. How friendly the students are. I can see myself being friends with each one of them.
-
I really liked the school, the students, and the
-
Great school,
-
The conversation was very conversational. The school is beautiful
-
Excitement of faculty & students, sense of community
-
Opportunities for early clinical exposure
-
Curriculum, happiness level of students, early clinical exposure, friendly faculty/admissions staff
-
Facilities are great.
-
The facilities at Tufts are all new and very impressive. Their simulation center is the best I have seen. Also, the Chinatown location is incredible and gives a great choice of cheap and amazing food all around you. Tufts is also right at the Theatre District which is very cool, and only a few minutes walk to Boston Commons.
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The Boston area is this school's biggest asset.
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the simulation rooms as well as the emphasis they put on clinical training
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The TUSM community atmosphere and the curriculum.
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The students seem happy
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Everyone is so NICE. They placed alot of emphasis on work/life balance. Pass-fail system. In a 200 person class, they explained ways they made the class seemed smaller and intimate. Also, they provided coffee throughout the presentation section.
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The enthusiasm of the faculty and staff.
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Loved their curriculum and exam format
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The hospitality, sense of community, facilities, and curriculum.
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The structure of the interview day, resources available to students, curriculum, responsiveness of faculty... Everything
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Very friendly staff, students, and facility. Plus the Boston area is awesome. People seemed intelligent but normal at Tufts which is important to me. Also the administration and faculty seemed very responsive to student input.
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The preclinical curriculum. They are really proud of it, and for good reasons. Really quite impressive.
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Compact campus, great facility
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The interviewers were friendly and knowledgeable.
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how much the school is focused on keeping students happy and helping them to find balance in life
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Friendliness and the energy; effort they put into make you comfortable and the supportive environment they drew of their school/curriculum
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-The friendliness of the students, faculty and staff. -The curriculum integration.
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How friendly the faculty and students are.
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The interview day was well-run. I liked the effusive talk given by Dean Neumeyer and the presentation regarding the academics. The separate study rooms for the students and the simulation rooms also seemed very nice.
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EVERYTHING...no seriously...everything
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campus tour.
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Facilities, Location, City
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everyone was so nice! and seemed to really care about getting to know you.
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Everything
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The organization and efficiency of the day.
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The medical education building is new and quite attractive. The entire campus is very compact and navigable. Seems like a very convenient place to spend your M1/M2 years. Definitely sold on Boston. The school is definitely expensive, but at least they're honest about it. I actually appreciated the long financial aid presentation and got the sense that they really try to help their accepted students figure out how to finance their educations.
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The facilities (wow), the friendliness of admissions staff and all faculty, everything!
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new school facilities, attitude and involvement of faculty, the city of boston, the curriculum
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Facility -- beautiful and new with a lot of study space, practice examination rooms, and a simulation robot-patient. Great staff and very friendly and honest students.
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Democratic spirit (the students seem to really have a voice), friendly people, gorgeous facilities and interior design. Better financial aid that I thought.
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The longitudinal clerkships, the friendliness of the administration, the hospitals available for clinical rotations during Year 3
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The facilities, the area, the students, the set-up of the school--each floor had a purpose. Small brand new PBL rooms, robotic sims, large library, etc. You can tell this school poured a lot money into upkeep and student comfort. I also liked the 1.75 year pre-clinical curriculum. You are done with your second year by late January/Early feb! I came out in love with the school.
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Location, facilities, innovative curriculum
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New facilities
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The fantastic new building--so great!
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A lot of Tufts facilities are BRAND NEW! My interview group was the first to use the the newly renovated building for interviews. Also a brand new clinical skills lab - with exam rooms and classrooms. Everything looks amazing. The school and hospital look impressive. The tour was also very informative - even meet an anatomy professor and some MS1 students doing some exam review on the cadavers in the anatomy lab. Everyone was very welcoming...when all the interviewees were waiting in the library before the start a med student approached us and offered to answer any questions. She talked to us for about a half hour about the school and what it is like. All the students love being there for sure. Also, the match list for the MS4 students was very impressive- a lot going to some of the best programs in the country.
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The interviewers had taken the time to read my application and has some specific questions for me instead of the generic.
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Everything. I really love Tufts. The day was super long and the interview wasn't until the end, which maybe was meant to alleviate some of the stress, but I felt kind of worn down by the time the interview came around. Regardless, the school is wonderful, they have a lot of nice, new facilities, and they really make an effort to give students hands-on clinical experience from day 1. Also, they delay the start of anatomy, so students can ease into medical school. What impressed me the most was how supportive the environment is, and how they make a point of making everything as low stress as possible since medical school is stressful as it is. If I am accepted I will definitely attend.
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Facilities and other students.
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The school's facilities, the emphasis of making the students happy.
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the new Maine program, the fellow applicants--very friendly, the interview day was very well organized.
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The size of the anatomy lab
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Nearly everything. The faculty and students were great and all very enthusiastic about the school. The school was very student centered and all about collaboration - a nice change from other schools.
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The freedom in choosing selectives
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The students are super excited about the school and very friendly. Lots of support for the students by faculty and the administration. Genuine early clinical exposure. Boston is great. The candy in the interview room gets a thumbs up as well.
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friendliness, school's renovations, how much all the students seemed to love it
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Renovations, students, city, Dean, Faculty
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laid back nature of students, financial aid presentation, relaxed, comfortable atmosphere
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Students love this place. The environment is stress free, the students work together in order to succeed.
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Everything - administration was helpful and warm (Dean, Director, etc), students were happy, interviewers were easy to talk to, facilities are brand new and impressive.
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Everybody seemed to really love the school. It has great resources, and it's in an ideal location. Great curriculum.
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Student's enthusiasm.
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The students are so happy. It is a very noncompetitive environment. The Dean of Admissions is the most friendly and open guy. There is a presentation from the woman who handles student affairs and the office of diversity and she gives an incredible presentation regarding our responsibilities as doctors to learn about other cultures and treat our patients as whole people.
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Cooperative atmosphere, administration responds to students, many electives.
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The interviewers really knew my file and asked great questions. Also, they physically take you to the interviews as opposed to waiting in a fish bowl for the interviewer to arrive.
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Everyone was really nice and enthusiastic about the school! The school is getting totally renovated and should be ready by next fall!
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The students are very happy. Everyone was friendly and helpful.
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The culture of Tufts is extremely laid back. It genuinely seems that the administrations priority is student satisfaction. Dean Neumayer was extremely sincere and the medical students seemed not only happy with Tufts but also seemed normal
-
School in general, enthusiasm of the students, the organization of the day
-
the two interviewers at been at Tufts for over 30 years and really loved the school and its mission
-
The students were absolutely ecstatic about the school. They could not stop complimenting the schools faculty, facilities, and area.
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The warmth of the campus and the students. While waiting in the lobby a couple medical students came up to us and chatted for a little while on the way to class.
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Enthusiasm of the current students, how thorough the presentations by the admissions office were. NEMC is a very pretty hospital. Early and constant clinical exposure (if you want it). The school has an office to help you find housing. Also, the sandwiches at lunch were very tasty.
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the facilities were very nice, as well as the cultural and finanical aid presentations.
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The students, they seeemed so happy. It was infectious. Great presentation about financial aid. Everything was amazing about the school. I get a warm fuzzy feeling just thinking about it. You have to go there and experience it. Even if you are lukewarm about the school go check it out. (The school reads SDN so hello!)
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The close, nurturing community and involvement of the faculty. The opportunities in research and international medicine. I enjoyed having the interview at the end of the day because it gave me an opportunity to build up questions and gain more information about the school
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Laid back attitude of current students.
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The school's facilities, the students' enthusiasm, the laid back system.
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They really sell the school to you, everybody you talk to knows what they are talking about.
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The enthusiasm protrayed by both admin and students was impressive to experience, everyone seemed dedicated to creating a collaborative and supportive school.
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Great location, right in downtown Boston! Enthusiasm of the students.
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The dean of the MD/MBA program as well as other faculty were on hand to answer questions. Also, they are extremely responsive to student feedback, which was a large part of their recent revisions to the interview process.
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Great facilities, lively students that really seem to enjoy themselves and the school's programs (e.g., interviewing/selectives in first 2 years)
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The dean of admissions and several med students spent a lot of time with us just chatting casually.
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How friendly and happy everyone seemed. The students were all saying how stress free and non competitive everyone is. They also said they have a lot of free time to explore their own pursuits outside of medicine. There is also ample time for students to do away rotations in other states and other countries, which is a huge plus for me.
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How friendly and laid-back the deans and faculty were.
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the location, the facilities, the way in which the day was run
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the pass/fail system, all the students seemed to be really happy there
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they gave out so much information. i feel like i know everything about the school. additionally, it seems like the admissions staff will bend over backwards to make sure that you are happy and that your individual interests in medicine are being catered to.
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The interview day was very organized. presentations were informative. everybody was very friendly and students seemed genuinely happy and excited about the school.
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The students who were around were really excited about the school and did not seem overwhelmed. The facilities were nice. They emphasized getting students into the interview right away.
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Boston is awesome! I have always wanted to visit the city and it is definitely fun.
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The financial aid presentation - extremely informative.
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The Office of Student Affairs seems very interested in the success of their students' success.
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You have the opportunity to talk with a lot of current students. It really helped me get a feel for people's likes and dislikes.
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I am a second year now and I simply love the school. Its been so great to me and the dual degree program is where I have met my closest friends. I believe it is extremely managable and more importantly, it allows you to discover a completely different academic field that resembles much of a liberal arts education. I have nothing but praise and am so happy where I am at.
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Everyone was honest and straightforward. I thought to myself, "If these two interviewers are reflective of the rest of the Tufts faculty, then I want to come here."
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other interviewers were nice, the staff was friendly, good TUSK internet access
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well organized. Staff was friendly and did not sugar-coat the biggest neg. aspect of the school ($$)
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Everything was nice, new, and clean that I saw. The sessions were informative in the morning and a fairly well structured day. I really liked the people there like the admissions staff, the students, the applicants, they were all friendly and nice.
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the dean, the enthusiasm of the students. the students i met seemed to feel (unlike the bitter student that just posted) that the faculty were involved and the administration was receptive to student opinions.
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Everything... Tufts has every possible thing a medical student could ask for (except the COA)
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My interviewers were really nice guys who honestly cared about my thoughts. Also, the staff was honest and respectful. The facilities were new and clean and the day was very well organized. Selectives also seem really cool...
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Nice facilities, location, early clinical experience ("Selectives")
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The students! They're interesting and enthusiastic and outgoing and happier than the students I've seen at any other school; even the other applicants were some of the nicest I've met at all my interviews. The location is amazing, right in the middle of my favorite city, a block from anything you could want. The students were excited about their classes and the faculty who taught them. Unlike deans' speeches at other schools, this one was actually funny and useful. The financial aid presentation was the most helpful I've seen; yes, the school is ridiculously expensive, but they at least explain exactly what that means down to the dollar and why it's actually manageable. The other student support services also seemed excellent.
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my first interview was much fun to talk to; he was the yellow haired Ob/gyn guy who asked me questions such as: what is the color yellow, what is life, what is compassion, what is passion, difference between sympathy and empathy, what is logic, etc.
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The Dean of the school showing up and interviewing people...the friendliness of students and staff--the fact that students really felt that they were getting what they were paying for. The school is physically attached to NEMC--an amazing hospital... Not only that, but the affiliated hospitals are also impressive. The match list. Everything!!
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Students seemed to be really enjoying life at Tufts in and out of class.
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honesty & usefulness of the morning presentations, school's dedication to improve over the next few years, location of school
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The facilities were very nice
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the students were so enthusiastic and nice. the interviewers were also very nice and talkative. they had clearly read my application ahead of time and knew what to ask me. the tour guide was also awesome.
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The students loved the school and so did the administration. The school is in a great area and associated with a good hospital
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Very organized and informative day of events
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they are very responsive to student feedback apparently, and all the students raved about the admins
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the enthusiasm of the students, the location of the school, the faculty's dedication to the students
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Flexibility within curriculum, esteem for students by faculty, interviewers were candid and caring, the woman in charge of student affairs was great.
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Early clinical exposure starting first semester of first year. TUSK-online database of all lectures, power point presentations, and mp3 of lectures etc.
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Lots of current students came to talk to us. At another school I visited they were in intersession working with doctors in the community, so no students were around other than the tour guide.
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The dean of admissions was awesome, absolutely hysterical. The students loved it there, the faculty is great, and the diverse clinical experiences are amazing
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Proximity of hospital and facilities, structure/schedule of curriculum
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The students all seemed happy to be there. The day was very organized and informative.
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Tufts is a lovely school and they really seem to care about their students and their applicants! Their financial aid presentation was incredibly comprehensive, which is particularly important for Tufts because they don't have a lot of scholarship funds. They have a wonderful curriculum with a lot of options for clinical shadowing during your first year as well as community service opportunities at their free clinic. Students spend the first semester with molecular bio and biostastistics along with other stuff and only in the second semester do you actually have gross anatomy so that you get a little time to adjust to med school without feeling so overwhelmed right from the beginning. Tufts also has excellent teaching hospitals - this is really a great place to go if you want to specialize since they have everything and they encourage you to explore. The interview in itself was also pretty nice. It's a little stressful because you are in a room and people are constantly mulling around waiting to be called for interviews or tours so you sometimes feel you can't fully pay attention to the med students you're talking to because you're paranoid someone is calling your name and you can't hear because of the shuffle. I was also very impressed by the number of Tufts students who came to talk with us. They are very happy and when I asked what they liked the least most only said that the tuition is really high. I have to say Tufts is the ONLY med school where I've actually talked with a 4th year med student and gotten his perspective after his time at Tufts and how it helped prepare him for the match/boards etc. Usually you only get the freshman, maybe sophomore, perspective - so it was nice to see that upper level students do have time at tufts and care enough about the school to talk to the applicants. Tufts also makes the university really nice for its student - a very nice lounge and they have a cafe in the library, which makes it feel very social. Boston is also an AMAZING city to live in! There are so many things to do and lots of young people so its very fresh and vibrant. Tufts is located right in the middle of Chinatown, and so easily connected to the rest of the city with the T or the bus. Most students decide to live in apartments and Tufts has a housing coordinator to help new people to Boston find roommates and places, which is VERY important since the city is expensive and you don't want to get a dodgy roommate b/c you don't know anyone!
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The interviews. I have to admit, I was a little nervous before meeting my interviewers. However, as soon as we began speaking, everything was fine. Both of my interviewers were really friendly.
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The presentation was very good. The curriculum is amazing--lots of opportunities for patient interaction early on.
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The admissions staff. The financial aid presentation was excellent.
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See summary and comments.
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the presentations with regards to financial aid and how the admissions process works behind the scene is helpful! the willingness of 1st and 2nd year students to take time and talk to prospective students! diverse group of students
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The morning sessions are extremely informative. You really get a sense for what they have to offer. I think that the curriculum is set up beautifully. The weekly PBL and the immediate exposure to patient care is phenomenal. Also, they have not given out all of their acceptances before you get there, so you are actually competing for an available spot.
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the admissions staff is extremely accomodating
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People are friendly and down to earth
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the curriculum, the location
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School is right in Chinatown (great location in Boston). Faculty seemed nice.
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Location, faculty were nice as well as the students.
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There seems to be a lot of support for the students from faculty and staff. TUSK, their online network
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Everyone (including fellow interviewees) was incredibly amiable. The staff, faculty and students were all helpful and charming, and during the downtime, I had a great time goofing around with the rest of the interview group. Also, they gave the most comprehensive financial aid presentation I've seen so far, it was illuminating.
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Students love the school and the professors. I liked the curriculum a lot.
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All of the students seemed happily challenged and motivated yet manage to maintain a balanced life. There is an incredible emphasis on feedback from students-the school administration prioritizes the voice of the student body. I had already been to a few interviews, but the financial aid presentation was fantastic and more in depth than at other schools.
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Boston is awesome.
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Everyone at the school was really nice and seemed to geniunely care about the students. They explained the 4 years very well so you actually walked away understanding what you would be in for in the next few years. The dean was hilarious!
-
How dedicated the administration was to making sure the students were happy
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Organization of day, sincerity of staff and students, the easing into classes by postponing anatomy until the second semester, diverse student population, the fact that a 4th year was available to speak about the clinical experience he had at the school, Dr. Sarno's hilarity.
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Nice facilities, nice part of Boston
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They present a lot of specific information about the school, particularly financing med school. Few schools are this frank about the total cost of tuition and living expenses, and the info is applicable to all med schools. In general, the administration seems very concerned with the students' happiness and success. They treat the students extremely well, and they truly value student feedback about everything. The school's facilities also seemed nicer than I had expected.
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How student-friendly the school is, the location, the facilities
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Number of dual degree programs seems like it would bring in people of varied backgrounds
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The quality of education overall. Facilities are modern, well-kept. School is easily accessible by train/bus. Highest levels of technology employed in teaching modalities, as well as extremely knowledgable and enthusiastic faculty.
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Everyone was friendly yet very down to earth when touching upon financial issues etc.. The students who dropped by during the break were charming.
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My host was great. Boston. The school is really user friendly - one professor met with a group of students who did not receive stellar grades on a mid-term 3 hours a day, six times a week for 2 weeks before the final!
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One the physicians who spoke was amazingly engaging/humorous/humbling.
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The staff was amazingly friendly and they made you feel at complete comfort, up until the actual interview...
-
very well organized, helpful staff all throughout the day, people participating in the day seemed genuinely interested in helping their students succeed.
-
the facilities, how nice and friendly everybody was, how happy everybody seemed
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Facilities, very happy students studying in a not so nice area of Boston
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the students, their MPH program
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EVERYTHING! The faculty and staff seem so involved and so interested in their students (something I haven't seen at many other medical schools). Also, the whole day was so organized and the facilities were very nice. I was very impressed by the students who we met and I thought that everyone who gave presentations were so informative and friendly. The curriculum seems perfect, including the selectives. just an overall fantastic experience...
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Facilities are more modern than other schools in the Northeast
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The staff was very open and really demonstrated that they care about the students. Also, the feedback from the 1st and 2nd year students who visited spoke on the positives and negatives on the school to paint a complete picture.
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the city is coo
-
Tufts gives you a lot of info about the school during the interview day. The meetings are long, but really helpful. The students seem really happy, and the clinical years seem great.
-
The school seems to be very student focused. Everyone knows everyone. There is alot of personal attention
-
The students really love the school and couldn't say enough good things about it.
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The school tries to create a cooperative learning environment as opposed to a competetive one. Also I liked the fact that the school has a pass/fail grading policy for the first two years
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i liked the program and boston is ok.
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The orientation was very informative. Students really enjoy the school and very happy with their classes.
-
The admissions committee provide you with a LOT of information about the school during the morning-afternoon talks. You do learn a lot about the school.
-
The quality of education this school offers, the facilities, and the students. One med student sat with me for over 2 hours to discuss any questions I had. I was told that some students even post up their notes on the web for everyone. That's what I call team work!! The new dean is so hilarious and charismatic.
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very innovative curriculum, the extent that the faculty take an interest in the students (they really want you to thrive as a medical student)
-
faculty, students, facilities. all really nice.
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Boston is awesome, the students are great to talk to.
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the students are really nice and frank. They gave me honest advices about Tufts and other schools, too. The facilities are nice and I like the area. The school is easy to get to on the T.
-
The faculty and staff made such an effort to make us feel welcomed and well informed about the school.
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The interviewers were very friendly and interested in what I had to say. They also did a good job selling the school. The students seem happy and have lives outside of school. Very collegial atmosphere.
-
the facilities are really nice, and the the atmosphere is very low stress.
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How much the students really like the school, how much the administration really supports the students, the city of Boston, the location of the medical school, everything!
-
Nice facilities.
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Students came to talk to us despite a raging storm and school was not in session, honesty about cost, new facilities
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Plenty of orange juice. The Dean's presentation was entertaining. The other applicants were particularly nice. Students genuinely seem to like it, but all I could think about was how much they were paying for their experience.
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The students were very friendly and loved the school.
-
friendliness of the school, research opportunities, facilities
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Students seemed to like it, and my student interviewer was really enthusiastic about Tufts. Also, Dean of Admissions Sarno was hilarious...
-
The people in the administration who greeted the students were extremely friendly...Medical students seemed to enjoy Boston...the dean of admissions mentioned that the interviewers were instructed not to grill students.
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The hospital, New England Medical Center, wasn't too bad. Better tahn I thought it would be.
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NEMC, big facility, right in chinatown
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nothing
-
elective courses in first two years, honesty about cost, dual degree programs, dean's talk
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You can tell that the students genuinly liked it there. This is what impressed me most. Although dental school can be tough it did not seem to break their spirits. They actually seemed to enjoy their experience at Tufts.
-
the facilities, especially the computer lab. the students seemed really happy with the school. a lot of the second-years had exams that day, but they still came to talk to us which i thought was cool. the residency match list was also impressive.
-
The quality of the hospital and the residency placement. A large choice of electives.
-
Everyone on the admissions staff was friendly. Very open and honest about the costs and financing of a medical school education. financial aid presentation made things very clear.
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NEMC is great, library facilities, great student-faculty relationship, really nice professors
-
the students seem to have lives...they go out and party, and seem to be enjoying life
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Location on the border of Chinatown - great food.
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New England Medical Center. wow, that place is gorgeous. why would anyone want to do rotations at other hospitals when they can spend all their time at NEMC?!
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Cost of education and how happy everyone was to be there
-
the neighborhood- while it is chinatown, it looks fine, and is three blocks away from one of the fanciest neighborhoods in boston (i know, I got lost)
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Both the dean of admissions and of the school didn't try and sell tufts as the best possible medical school. They were very candid as to what attributes one should look for in a school especially where the residents are going in comparison to the field you want to be in and the national averages
-
flexibility of the curriculum, great facilities, new england medical center is great!
-
Overall, aside from the mean faculty interviewer, I like the school. During that day, I did not go on the tour as I had to leave right after my interviews so I can drive 10 hours to get to my next interview the following day at another school. But since I have moved here in Boston, I have traveled around the school and its hospital (NEMC) a number of times. The teaching building is nice and I really like the primary teaching hospital. In general, everything there is relatively clean and new. I was also pretty impressed with the recent match list, people getting in to many great residency programs. I think it is a wonderful school with a great reputation that the school can defintiely back up.
-
How truthful they are to you about the cost, and making sure that Tufts is the right school for you.
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the attitude of the students, faculty, and administration...the students were genuinely happy to be at tufts...the faculty and administration were helpful and made the interview day as low stress as possible
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How close all of the hospitals are to the many medical schools in that area of Boston and the fact that the med school was in the middle of Boston not Medford.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the high cost of attendance at Tufts, the long and structured interview day, lack of warmth or connection with interviewers, disorganization during the interview process, limited campus facilities, and the need for a car during rotations. Suggestions included improving interviewer training for a more personal approach, enhancing campus tours, providing more information on student life and activities, and addressing the high tuition costs and financial aid availability.
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Nothing
-
Literally nothing, maybe the student-led campus tour was a bit long
-
N/A
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One of my interviewers was fantastic! The other was reading off a bunch of random interview questions and seemed kind of off. The virtual interview day was long. 10:30 to 4:30 for me. There were some breaks but def not ideal.
-
Nothing at all. The free time is used well during the interview day to grab a snack, chat with current students or fellow interviewees. No complaints.
-
I wish there was more time devoted to talking about student life and activities
-
The lack of a medical school campus such as a break room for just students
-
My second interviewer was trying to get me to say that some cultures did not deserve respect. He was a PhD.
-
N/A.
-
The cost of the school is quite high, especially considering Tufts isn't a top 25 medical school.
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There was one second year that would not stop talking during the lunch. She talked over the people interviewing and made the lunch hour a little unpleasant. Also, you spend the entire morning listening to presentations, which is pretty annoying for anyone that wants to get their interview over with, see the school or get to know the other people that are interviewing.
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The weather.
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My interview was really stressful.
-
The light in the room was kinda like a spotlight, made it pretty hot in the room.
-
There was only one tour guide the day I went.
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Costs.. lol
-
My interviewers made it pretty difficult to connect with them personally. It didn't really seem like a "casual" conversation with me. I felt like one of my interviewers was almost...bothered by my presence at times. I know that at other schools, it felt much less like an interrogation. I'm not the type of person who gets frazzled easily though, so I don't think it affected me too much; but it would've been nice to have been felt a little more warmth.
-
The first part of the day was just presentation after presentation, and they all seemed to be rushed even though the day ends up being very long anyway. Also, being kept in the same room for the majority of the day wasn't ideal.
-
The school seems to lack a definite character or purpose, and it shows in the admissions process. They didn't seem to have a clear notion of what it meant to be a Tufts doctor, and the students I met (MD/MBA) openly admitted that they had no intention of practicing clinically and were just in it so they could get consulting jobs after graduation. They also claimed that a large amount of their class wasn't particularly confident about their decision to pursue an MD. I was shocked that they made it through the application process and got an acceptance when they really didn't seem to actually want to be doctors.
-
the price tag
-
The cost of attendance
-
One of my interviewers was incredibly bizarre
-
Cost of attendance, naturally. Student-led tour involved lots of stairs even with available elevators, which as a girl in heels, I did not appreciate.
-
The cost of attendance.
-
COA
-
Nothing!
-
Cost
-
The research opportunities may not be as extensive as some other schools. But there is enough research present to get involved in something that interests you which is sufficient for me.
-
Nothing really.
-
Cost :(
-
The interviewers didn't seem to be sure of the answer to my question about a portion of the program.
-
Personally I found the facilities a bit less impressive (I mean, yes, it is brand new). I personally would like having things a little more scattered across "campus" so I have opportunities to get some fresh air between things. Having the cafeteria, lab, lecture hall, library, study rooms, lounge, etc all in one tall building personally feels a little restricted... but that's just me
-
The cost.
-
Not really anything, the school is phenomenal you really see that you are getting what you pay for.
-
I felt like we didn't get to see much of the attached medical center. It seemed hard at times to feel engaged by the student tour guides because the tour group was somewhat large.
-
My first interviewer was a bit abrasive, which was a shock after I'd heard that interviews were pretty laid back here. But he seemed impressed by my answers, so we'll see...
-
lunch.
-
No Dorms, Traffic, Expensive
-
really the only bad thing about tufts is the price...and maybe the fact that students are live all over boston so it seems like the sense of community might not be too strong...though the first year med students assured me that this wasn't true
-
Nothing.
-
The buildings were difficult to find and confusing to navigate. Would improve with more time at the school and familiarity with the campus.
-
I had a straight-up stress interview with my first interviewer. He alternately seemed exaggeratedly bored or alarmed. The only thing that I could think was that he was trying to make me super stressed out. In teh end, though, we ended up hitting it off, but I really didn't appreciate the initial feeling of being grilled to death. I felt like the day was a bit too structured, scripted, and long. There was one presentation after another, and it seemed impossible to get any downtime to do something as simple and basic as use the restroom.
-
Having a new curriculum (untested) is nerve-wracking but it seems like it will be good!
-
potential for 3rd or 4th year rotations in other areas of massachusetts, outside of boston
-
It's in the middle of a large and very busy city (although some might see this as a plus).
-
Tuition and high cost of living in Boston.
-
Nothing Tufts-related gave me a bad impression. The resident who gave our tour however was not affiliated with Tufts and I did not feel that he was a very professional individual. I had to overlook that part of my day, but that wasn't a big deal. Tufts has a great program.
-
The cost is an issue but certainly not a deal-breaker.
-
not much
-
Like everyone else, cost
-
Cost! But I knew that ahead of time. Boston is also time consuming to get around.
-
The only qualm I have is the price of tuition and living expenses of living in boston...but I think it will all be worth it in the end.
-
I was concerned that one of my interviewers was somewhat distracted and wasn't paying much attention to my responses (or asking many questions for that matter), however they were very pleasant/affable.
-
Nothing. The day was long, but I think it's necessary. They're trying to provide as much good information about the school as possible, so I think all of the presentations we sat through were worth it. Oh the tuition is super high though. Cool.
-
very expensive, low grant/scholarship assistance available from the school. Interviewers were not very enthusiastic about Tufts-seemed to not be very involved in the medical school/knowledgable about Tufts.
-
The main auditorium used for TUSM lectures was inclined nearly vertically; who would want to sit/learn in there?
-
Cost and the fact that the med school is basically one building and a basement
-
Very, very expensive. One student told me there is a focus on primary care, though TUSM doesn't officially state that.
-
the renovations also made it difficult to picture the school
-
COA-it will be 300 K in loans
-
Lots of talk about affiliated hospitals where 3rd years rotate through, but not much more info than that. It would have been nice to seen some info on those outside hospitals.
-
Tufts is expensive. Also, my first interviewer did not ask me many questions related to my application; we discussed random topics that seemed to be on his mind.
-
Nothing, really.
-
Only the cost.
-
Pointless and weird interview questions.
-
I would have liked to see the anatomy lab. Its in the basement and they didn't show us. Other than that, the day was incredibly thorough.
-
Construction is starting on the main student center a few months before we would begin. There is no WAY it will be finished by the time we get there. Plus, Tufts is the most expensive school and they only give 9% of students scholarships?!
-
There's a lot of construction beginning in the summer, no big campus to speak of, cost of attending (but it's medical school, right?)
-
NO campus, just one big building.
-
Not much. One of the two interview groups has to sit around for over an hour waiting for their second interview. There isn't much to do during this time, but at least they have students come in to chat with you while you wait.
-
Cost of attending a private medical school in Boston.
-
nothing really... COA, but what are you really going to do about that....
-
tufts has no longitudinal mentoring program and seems to be in the process of ''fixing'' a lot of things
-
The only thing was the sheer cost of the school. The financing presentation was eye-opening.
-
Not much, although I wish the tour was a little more extensive.
-
Lecture halls are dark, screens are small. They keep repeating that board scores are almost exactly on the national average.
-
My interviewer suggested (all but flat out accused) that I did not write my essay because it was ''too well written,'' which REALLY upset me.
-
Nothing much, Chinatown isn't the best part of boston.
-
There isn't much of a campus. The hospital (NEMC) seemed too clustered. The cost of attendance is pretty high.
-
the outrageous cost
-
$$$$$ (it's expensive)
-
Tuition!
-
Honestly, I have to say I didn't really like many of the other interviewees....many, though not all, were very haughty and toplofty
-
The morning presentations are disjointed and are pretty much the only thing that add to the stress level... especially finding out that 'Tufts is pretty expensive' actually means '$325,000 over four years for the MD/MBA program.'
-
Almost too laid-back... I was really surprised that some students only study the night before an exam (Yes, I maybe crazy for saying this)
-
I really don't think the financial aid presentation was necessary at this point - the information was useful, but I'd rather wait until I'm actually accepted to a school before thinking about these things. They could've simply given us the packet of info instead of taking time from the interview day to go through all of it.
-
Besides the tuition, nothing really.
-
The tour wasn't terribly interesting. One of the students who came in to talk to us seemed like he hadn't slept in 2 weeks.
-
the lack of subsidized housing
-
the tuition
-
the price -- 48,000 a year plus living expensives of boston. hellooo student loans.
-
My first interviewer was a precept at a hospital associated with Tufts, but she did not teach at Tufts. She didn't know much about the school's academic facilities or the curriculum, which made it difficult to ask questions.
-
I'm from Cali and it was really cold. Also, the things I mentioned in my general statment.
-
The interview Day/Process. The method of calling students for interviews is at random. You sit in a room wasting about 4 hours with 40 other applicants. There were medical students to ask questions of... but there are only so many questions to ask.
-
So far nothing! Everybody is extremely friendly here and is always willing to accomodate you in any case you may have. Students are a priority, especially in the dual degree program.
-
The day was too long and not optimally-organized.
-
they want to baby you here, I stayed in a dorm and it sucked, no one said hi and I had to basically stuff myself into a room to get anyone to talk to me. My interviewer hadn't read my file at all and she read it during the interview. The other interview was so short that i didn't get to say anything important
-
location of the school could be better. Facilities I saw were not so new. The student guide tour was bubbly over a lounge was was renovated that boasted a ...ping-pong table.
-
The cost of Tufts. The sessions were informative but LONG! I felt the interview style was a little to impersonal and that I was just one of like 40 in a room. Also, the interview was too short and I did not get to explain everything I wanted to explain in the interview, and at the end of it, I did not get to (or have to) ask questions. Also, one interview lasted like 7 minutes!!!
-
the cost
-
C.O.A.
-
There weren't many students around so I didn't get to find out their impressions. Also, they didn't talk about opportunities to be involved in clubs or play sports (social class integration)
-
Too many people interviewing at once (like 40 or so), the COST, 1-5 spent waiting for interviews or going on a tour, and the tour was not really worth it
-
We didn't get to interact with any 3rd and 4th years. It sounded like the 4-year MD/MPH wasn't a great program and that both degrees suffered from it.
-
that they have the highest tuition in America, and the facilities are still not as good as some other places I saw. The housing situation there is horrendous, which makes me wonder where all that high tuition is going to. (some schools in NYC have cheap subsidized housing for their students.)I don't usually care much about tuition (expecting an HPSP scholarship), but when the school charges HIGH tuition for little improvement in the school, it is a big red flag concerning the school's financial circumstances and future direction. The area is also unsafe, evident from the high security guarding entrances to the school's buildings.
-
I would say the cost, but I knew what I was getting into when I applied. It is expensive, but, I felt that they did a great job being honest. And, as I mentioned, the students really felt that they got what they were paying for.
-
The building seems kind of small and all the classes are in the same rooms.
-
the structured chaos of the afternoon session, the claustrophobia of the campus
-
The tuition is so high and then they still have to pay for things out of pocket that I think should be covered, like gloves for anatomy lab or print outs
-
the afternoon is very disorganized. there is a lot of waiting around and it seemed kind of chaotic.
-
The only downside was the price, but administration knows this and is trying to change it.
-
This is not a cheap school
-
1) its the most expensive school in the country apparently 2) their md/mph program is crammed into four years, which for some people may be good, but for me is rather disturbing as i think that it will probably diminish the quality of each degree. i asked the director of the program about this, and his answer was "yes, i think that the quality of each degree suffers a bit....moreso with the MPH."
-
The high cost of attendance. "Spend like a student now so you can live like a doctor later" is the mantra of financial aid office. Not cool.
-
The cost is extremely high. They continued to mention throughout the presentations the different services offered to students at no charge; however this is deceiving as the total cost of attending is so high--everything should be included with that!
-
Too many candidates for one day, lots of sitting around waiting not knowing when I was going to be called for an interview
-
The cost-- there is little to no financial aid
-
Chinatown area is a bit sketchy at night.
-
Most of the California students were trying to go back to California for their residencies. One of my interviewers made a snide remarks about my school's athletic department.
-
The tuition is very high, it's possible you may need a car for your 3-4th years because you may be rotating at a hospital further away (rotations are random lottery number - so if you're at the bottom you could end up in Maine), applicants interviewing now won't hear until early-mid May, which is annoying because I hate waiting.
-
The facilities from the outside seemed a little sketchy. However, everything was much nicer on the inside.
-
attitude of a few applicants who already had several acceptances
-
The facilities are not great and quite old. Too many interviewees at once: 40!
-
COST! COST! COST! You'll be in ~$250,000 worth of debt after graduating from Tufts. I don't think that it's tuition justified itself. Where the heck is all that money going?
-
my interviewers tended to mumble; cost of tuition; the tour was too brief
-
That neither interviewer asked me if I had questions. Not that I did, but I was expecting them to ask.
-
the number of interviewees in one session
-
They kept on saying that everything you need that isn't at the medical school is in the undergraduate campus. It's like 30 minutes away! They said that it's so easy to get there, but I'm from Boston and I know that it isn't so easy. I wish that the school at least had a gym.
-
how cold it gets in boston, the brief tour
-
Huge interview group. Never got to see some of the facilities. Cost.
-
They didn't show us much of the campus. I can guess it is because it is in the middle of Chinatown, Boston. I know there are a couple of sex shops and strip joints across the street.
-
$$$$$ New England Medical Center was NOT the nicest hospital I've ever been in... and DO NOT stay at the Doubletree; the location is perfect but it's not worth what they charge
-
The tuition.
-
I work at another, much larger/Harvard affiliated hospital in Boston and New England Medical Center could not even oompare. However, opportunities to take advantage of these other facilities (even beyond TUSM-affiliated hospitals) is available to students. It was hard to hear your name called for interviews in a room with 40 applicants and 20 med students. The estimated cost of an MD education at TUSM and living expenses is ~$288,000.
-
I cant explain exactly why, but for some reason I just couldn't get very excited about this school.
-
Nothing really... the cost.
-
Cost of course and the dorms weren't that great. They were ok, but most students live off-campus anyway.
-
Cost of living in Boston, lack of a campus, cost of school, lack of healthy eateries in nearby vicinity (Au Bon Pain cuisine is for the most part LOADED with calories & preservatives & fat), no free athletic facilities for students.
-
First interviewer who really tried to rattle me. I don't really understand the point of asking me where Bangladesh is located or why I only travel to the good countries.
-
With the exception of NEMC, the teaching hospitals are scattered throughout Massachusetts -- and one is even in Maine. The finacial presenter urged against getting a car to save money, but all the students highly recommended having one for 3rd and 4th year. Students live all over Boston, so Tufts lacks the sense of community that many schools have.
-
the size of the class, no gym on campus, the length of the interview day
-
Cost. But this was not unknown
-
Tuition....but it's really the same as all other private institutions.
-
The dean was slightly arrogant, the second half of the day was completely unorganized, they dont even show the dorm since no one lives in it since it is so horrible
-
Location in Chinatown. Relatively small campus.
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The focus on the double-degree programs. A week after I got in, I got another invitation to apply to a double-degree program. Pushy, pushy! Also, it is so expensive and there are no need-based scholarships the first 2 years, not to mention aid for students whose parents may be able to pay but wontarent. In general, the school seems to be having money problems more so than other schools.
-
Assembly line feel to the interview day. From the number of students to the way in which information is presented. Not personal at all.
-
I got lost in China Town-I think that's personal..hehe.
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During the interview the interviewers countenances seemed to change from happy and gleeful to let's analyze the shit out of you from the little information we have. If only that were possible. They should at least smile more so you don't feel like you're screwing up. Other than that, I was dissapointed that there is no mexican food restaurants =(
-
my first interview was less than 10 minutes long. he was abrupt and didn't ask me much.
-
how expensive the school was, boston as a city--as expensive as NY, but closes earlier. much earlier.
-
expensive school and housing
-
the cost of the school, their "so-so" facilities as one student described them
-
the tuition is definitely high, like at all private medical schools. But I was impressed that they brought it up during the "getting to know Tufts" segment of the interview. It's clear that they want to prepare their prospective students to think about financing their medical education which I think is a good thing.
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One of my interviewers wasn't too enthusiastic about the school. Most of the students were nice and easygoing, but there were a few who were cursing. It's okay, but just not appropriate and unprofessional for interview sessions. Of course, their average indebtedness is 30,000 more than the average $130,000. Expensive, but worth it if it's the only school you get into.
-
$$$ = $248,000 after 4 years. With interest, that can go up to 500,000 dollars. Come on now...
-
the interview was hellla long, the school is damn expensive ($45,000 +)!!! on top of that high tuition, they invite 40 people to interview on one day then expect everyone to wait around like idiots
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the cost, but i guess its bad anywhere
-
The morning is really long. They pound you with information but the information is really helpful. I feel like I went to Tufts after I left.
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Tuition is extremely high and the fact that Tufts interviews only once a week so the group is so large.
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Price
-
the interviewing is somewhat stressful because there are 40 candidates in the same room, no one knows when they are going to be called out and it's a very long day. the school is not in a pretty location and actually you "live" in one building for your first two years.
-
$$$
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One interviewer told me that basically all medical schools are the same (meaning that he saw no reason that Tufts was unique) and that the school suffered from being in the same city as Harvard, by competing with Harvard for hospitals (many of the hospitals in Boston are affiliated with Harvard), and in general expressed his bitterness towards it. My other interviewer delivered this rapid-fire series of questions (such as What is life? What is one word that describes logical thought? Why are your MCAT scores unimpressive?) and when I asked him to clarify one of the questions, he said, "I'll ask the questions. You give the answers." While two people don't represent the character of the entire school, I did not get the impression that I was particularly welcome, or that the interviewers were selling the school. One of the Admissions Committee members warned us that we should be prepared to demonstrate any talent that we claimed we had in our AMCAS application. You could be asked to sing if you claimed you sang, and any knowledge of foreign languages could be tested by your interviewer. The admissions officer said that they'd found some people to be "liars" in the past...I didn't get a good vibe from that.
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The cost. Living expenses in Boston are ridiculus. But you get what you pay for. The long long presentation with barely any bathroom breaks. The randomization of interviews. A little chaotic and disorganized but with good intentions so as to make all the interviews fair.
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it's pretty pricey, chinatown's not the greatest area, but it's ok.
-
nothing. just that bostons really expensive.
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It is SOOO expensive.
-
the interview day is really long and I was waiting around for a while for my interviews.
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Nothing really. The cost is unbelievable but I knew that already. And, honestly, when you are already paying tens of thousands, what's a couple more thousand?
-
The high tuition and the three hours of formal presentations that started off the day.
-
SO EXPENSIVE! this is the most expensive school i have interviewed at so far - more than $60,000 per year!
-
How expensive Tufts, and medical school, is. However, their financial aid staff is very nice and willing to ask questions.
-
It was a pretty long day, and the structure of the interview process was more annoying that it had to be.
-
The prohibitive cost. If you pay for it all with loans you come out of school 240K in debt.
-
long day. lots of presentations in the morning and lots of waiting around in the aftertnoon. It was hard to talk to students in the afternoon while simultaneously keeping one ear open for your name to be called for an interview.
-
My faculty interviewer was very curt, and the interview was about 7-8 mins long!
-
Avg debt coming out of Tufts is 140K!
-
Several things: I sat in on a class and the lecture was literally overflowing. People were sitting in the aisles and standing at the doorways taking notes. There are just too many people at that school. Also, The school is unreasonably expensive. In fact teh director of admissions was actually encouraging us to go to cheaper schools with great repuations (e.g.- UCSF or UMASS) if accepted (I'm being completely honest that he said this!).
-
year 3/4 rotations as far away as bangor and springfield, must have a car and spend months away from boston. very expensive tuition and cost of living. there were more than 50 of us, sort of chaotic. students live all over boston, didn't seem like much sense of community.
-
These 4 hour long interviews were extremely stressful and all of my interviewers asked very difficult questions and seemed to doubt all of my answers. THis stress level was high and the students did not seem happy at all.
-
the way the interview day is set up: everybody gets interviews eventually, but it just seems like nobody wants to take the time to organize it ahead of time. kind of made me wonder about how they organize everything else
-
Nothing negatively impressed me except for the cost of the program but all of the Boston Dental Schools are expensive.
-
the cost. the fact that you need a car for 3rd year rotations. who can afford to have a car in Boston????
-
The other applicants interviewing that i met- rather anal and one of them was trying to psyche other people out with interview horror stories
-
obviously the cost...but if you're gonna end up paying so much for a private med school or an out-of-state med school tufts is worth the extra money. the extra cost is basically for cost of living.
-
nothing really
-
Cost. Students I met. Mediocre quality of many of the hospitals in which students do their rotations.
-
the cost. 4yrs of tuition = a condo by the beach
-
Cost of education and the length of the faculty interview
-
While they were honest about the cost, it is ridiculous to spend 60K/ year on med school.
-
Damn expensive
-
M.O.N.E.Y. Yeah, it is so expensive. I actually have to take out the full amount in loans this year. 56k! With no aid. Great school, sucky aid. They generally do not have much institutional funds to give. So unless your rich where your parents can help so you at least don't have to take out alternative loans or in a situation where you qualify for aid, expect to take out most of this in loans. Other then cost, everything else great. Oh, the dorms are not nice. Do not go to the dorms if you can help it.
-
The way the interviewer grilled me with meaningless questions.
-
location...it's in chinatown...not a pretty 'campus'
-
The students I talked to (3 young men)One approached me only because my last name was middle eastern. Two were out-right rude though I managed to maintain a 1 hr conversationwith them while I waited to have my interview. What do they feed these kids?
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wish they had known ahead of time about the conversational nature of the interviews, the length and structure of the interview day, and the importance of staying relaxed and being themselves during the process. They also mentioned specific details such as the lack of specific questions, the need to review their own application, and potential challenges like Boston traffic and the cost of living in the area.
-
How many questions I would be asked. I literally had like 20 questions
-
That I would be interviewed by faculty
-
I wish I knew who would be interviewing me.
-
How long the virtual interview day would be
-
nothing
-
It is SO cliche but I wish I knew not to stress. Out of my total eight interviews this experience was by far the most welcoming. Be yourself and just engage in a conversation with your interviewer. (One thing — one interview could be with a MS4. This was my case, there is no difference in the interview or grading so stay professional)
-
How little opportunity for specific questions I would get
-
How conversational the interview was
-
N/A. I was very well-prepared.
-
Don't just assume that your interviewer is not racist
-
That there was a blizzard coming.
-
I wish I had known it was open file, so I could have reviewed my application better.
-
How chill the interview was
-
How relaxed it was going to be.
-
That the talk with representatives from the combined degree programs was not a formal presentation. I was sitting in the room while the rep for the MD/MPH was talking to a group of students in the corner. I ran to the restroom right beforehand, so I guess I missed the initial announcement.
-
Students openly admitted to me that Tufts plays second (or third, or fourth) fiddle to the other Boston med schools, and I was really hoping that this wasn't the case.
-
nothing comes to mind
-
Even if you don't have to pee when the "break" comes, you should still go try to pee.
-
To really know your own application- they ask very detailed questions about things I did years ago
-
How many people were going to get in accidents on the highway that morning! Boston traffic is unpredictable.
-
that you need to own a car for rotation years
-
That there is only one doctor on the faculty who asks the incredibly difficult and philosophical questions like "describe the color blue" - and I wouldn't get him.
-
That half of the elevators would be undergoing maintenance that day...so many STAIRS :(
-
the new curriculum.
-
Hard to find parking garage
-
that it would be so stress free haha
-
That the admissions office is a little tricky to find. I wish that I had found the building the night before.
-
That I was going to get a stress interview.
-
how expensive hotels in boston are, and that a dental conference booked them all up...
-
It took me forever to find the parking lot. Directions to parking lot should be included with directions to the school itself.
-
To think of more questions for my interviewers. All of mine were answered during the orientation session and I was left with none.
-
That I would come out in love with the school
-
That I should prepare for more broad, introspective questions than I had at other interviews.
-
Nothing.
-
How welcoming everyone is from the dean to the medical students who eat lunch with the interviewees are. I ended up being very relaxed.
-
That the interviews were after the tour which was after lunch. I was really excited to be there but as someone else said, by the end of the day I was pretty worn down.
-
How happy I would feel, how nice everyone was.
-
Additional cost of dual degree program. MD/MBA will be approx. $95K for the first year.
-
This is a big interview group (over 20), the morning is mostly sitting and listening so make sure you get a good night's sleep.
-
There were 30ish people being interviewed the same day.
-
That everyone who interviews is from an Ivy.
-
The Dean of Admissions comes around during lunch and sits at your table to chat. Dont' freeze like I did.
-
How relaxed the faculty interviewers were! It was just like a casual conversation.
-
There's a laptop on the table between you and the interviewer. I was half-expecting my interviewer to start typing midsentence, which would've been unnerving. Fortunately, they just use it to type up interview notes after you leave.
-
How cold it would be in Boston - the easiest way of getting to campus is the subway, but you have to do some walking. Bring a coat!
-
How expensive Tufts is.
-
Tufts is amazing!
-
Not to stress out as much, not to get there before 10:00 (you just wait downstairs...)
-
That I would need several cups of coffee to stay awake during the long presentations. But since they don't have a second look weekend, I guess it was helpful. Especially since I was accepted!
-
I wish I hadn't worried so much.
-
The MD/MA in Diplomacy joint program through the Fletcher School of Diplomacy. The program sounds impressive.
-
I wish I had taken some serious philosophy courses.
-
N/A
-
If you want to do a dual degree, you will have to take classes instead of participating in the selectives.
-
I actually did not like the structure of the day, although I understood why they use theiir organization. I would prefer interviews in the morning, because repeatedly being told to ''not be nervous'' has the opposite effect on me. I really liked the presentations though.
-
How much I would like it.
-
RELAX-- the entire day is so laid back, and actually FUN! So don't stress....enjoy your day and speak as openly as possible with your interviewers
-
I wish I had known the interview wouldn't be a stressful one.
-
how long the day was going to be
-
nothing - i doing homework paid off.
-
That they had completely revised the interview process, it's very well organised and you get the times of your interviews as well as who will be interviewing you in the morning.
-
My first interview... I was far more nervous than I should have been, because they are just conversational.
-
The first half of the day consists entirely of presentations - the tour is very short and during the lunch hour.
-
Just how confusing all this financial aid stuff was.
-
I wish I had prepped more for the
-
nothing much
-
i love boston
-
That the financial aid is very limited and that they don't even have many grants or loans to offer their students.
-
Information about the MBA program.
-
You apply for the "extra degrees" after you are accepted to Tufts. ex: MBA, PhD, etc.
-
nothing really
-
don't stay in posner unless you want to feel alone and isolate. There is no order to their interview afternoon, you are randomly called and you just have to sit in the same room all day until your interviewer finds you, its like speed dating kinda- short and superficial
-
That the day would litterally last until around 5!
-
How to get to the medical campus, not the undergraduate campus
-
not much
-
Nothing really.
-
That they would try to interview so many people in such a short period of time.
-
how not to get lost on the way to tufts from the T
-
I wish I knew Boston a little better
-
All the interviews are in the afternoon, so don't drink too much coffee in the morning
-
there is no student housing. well, they have one dorm, but apparently only 20 or 30 students live there.
-
Everything goes very smoothly -- relax.
-
To relax more...the interviews were very conversational
-
How much it actually costs to go there. It's definitely a decent school, but I don't know if it's worth over 250 grand in loans. Even the tour guide, who loved the school and was supposed to be marketing it, admitted that if our state schools were good and they had programs we liked we should probably go there.
-
How laid back and easy it was going to be, and how nice everyone is
-
Not much, but I already live in Boston and work at Tufts.
-
They provide juice for breakfast, but nothing to eat, so don't come with an empty stomach. Lunch is very nice though, so don't worry there - and they'll have enough for seconds. Very nice sandwiches for the vegetarians too!
-
That I should already be filling out financial aid stuff.
-
that there is no reason to be nervous and that there are plenty of seats left in the class.
-
The interviews are super short, some only 5 minutes, so you might want to have your spiel ready.
-
interviews are in real-time, so be prepared to chit chat with people..and be patient
-
That the interviews are in the afternoon, and they occur in real time. You never know if you are going to be called for an interview, or a tour. You are just kind of waiting around.
-
parking is hard to find
-
Interview day was less structured than most schools (lots of down time).
-
Nothing in Particular
-
How to describe the color blue.
-
The school/hospital is in Chinatown.. yummy yummy
-
Nothing. I found most of the information needed on the website
-
There is really no campus.
-
That at least one required rotation in the 3rd and 4th years has to be done at a hospital other than NEMC, meaning you will need a car to get there.
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I wish they told us that the tour went outside for a bit too, cuz i didn't take my jacket and as a result i froze my butt off when we went outside. I also thought there was gonna be food in the morning for breakfast, but there wasn't, only juice and iced tea and water. So eat something before coming.
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With the exception of NEMC, the teaching hospitals are scattered throughout Massachusetts -- and one is even in Maine. The financial presenter urged against getting a car to save money, but all the students highly recommended having one for 3rd and 4th year. Students live all over Boston, so Tufts lacks the sense of community that many schools enjoy.
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i got really nervous b/c I had to wait a long time for my interviews to happen (i was like the last guy called up). i should have just relax and kept in mind that the admissions staff knew what they were doing
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That the interviews would be so low stress and short!
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#We all had "surprise" interviews...no specified interview times.
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Um, nothing really. After reading everything here, I expected it to be super long. Time actually went by rather fast.
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I knew the general weak and strong points of the school. But I was happy to discover that the student body there managed their workload very well and they did not seem overcome with stress. I think it is better that I found out there rather than knowing it ahead of time. I don't really think I wanted to know anything ahead of time or have a preconcieved notion of the school. I just wanted to get to know the area that I could possibly be attending medical school in.
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that there are two chinatown bus lines from NYC...
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How funny and motivating the Dean of admissions is
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there's a bit of waiting in the afternoon to get called. it's somewhat tiring, but worth it.
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nothing, really...
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From what I remember a few years back, Chinatown was cleaner. It looked bad in January. You wear name tags with your undergrad school - leaves other interviewees to judge you if you're Ivy or not.
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The interviews don't start until after lunch, so be prepared for a long day of presentations.
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the price!!!
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I wish I had slept the night before....I was extremely tired by the time the interviews came around
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Don't drive to Boston, take public transportation if you can.
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Bring long underwear because you never know if there will be heavy snow or significant windchill.
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How cold it was going to be. It snowed!!
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the way the interviews are structured...
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There would be 40 other interviewees there - it felt like a herd of people. That this was the only school alot of student had gotten into.
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the price
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The meet & greet that starts at 9:00 AM (not 9:30, as they say in their packet).
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Parking is expensive in Boston!
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Just relax and be yourself
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You get there at 9:30, but they bring out all these folks to lecture to you about their dual degree programs so you don't get to interview till 3:00 PM or so!
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I knew that Tufts was in Chinatown, but I didn't know that the location was gonna be so drab.
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the agenda started at 9:00, while my invitation was for 9:30. i got an email afterwards, which was sent out the day before the interview.
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That my interviewers were insane.
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elective program
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How early the day ends. Around 3, not 5 like the brochure says
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Many people who graduate from Tufts specialize. Clinical years are done at hospitals spread across the boston metro area and in springfield.
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dual degree programs sound really interesting. especially the fletcher degree since it's such a great, world-reknown school.
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Huge waste of time - all day event just for two interviews that lasted about 10 minutes each.
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that cost of living in boston was going to be so forbidding. they have dorms, but no many ppl live in dorms.
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That some faculty interviewers don't interview for more than 15 minutes although the student interview lasted about 45 minutes
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The cost, how LONG the day was
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Don't be nervous
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there is a required community service elective! thats good!
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How incredible evil it is to drive though Boston at night. I am use to NY, but Boston is very different to me to drive through. Many one ways and the names of the street change on you as you drive on the same street. I'm still not use to that.
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that interviews were semi-open file...your 2 interviews are random...the interviewers each pick a file from the pile...browse it over for 5 minutes...conduct a short interview...then pick up another file...you are not pre-assigned to a certain interviewer...it's random...and there is a lot of waiting
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The atmosphere seemed abnormally competitive, but I can't say i got to find out anything about the classes or rankings or exams or learning process from any of the people I talked to.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally had a positive experience at Tufts University School of Medicine, finding the interviews to be relaxed and conversational. Some noted the long day with informative presentations, diverse perspectives from interviewers, and the friendly atmosphere of the school. However, there were mixed feelings about the cost of attendance, variations in interview experiences, and the structure of the interview day.
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Overall, great interview!
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No notes, it was a great experience
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The interview made a massively positive impression on me, seems like a great school run by great people!
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mostly really chill, just relax and be yourself!
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Did not feel very conversational
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Tufts seems like a great school, aside from the hefty price tag that accompanies it. The Presentation Day is very informative, although very very long.
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Awesome school. I was actually really impressed and now would like to go there more than ever.
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So so happy to have experienced interview day at Tufts. This school is truly one of a kind and I’m so blessed to say I’ll be attending c/o 2024!!!???? Good luck to you all!
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I love this school, but the interview day didn't really do it justice. I think I would be unimpressed if this was my first impression of Tufts.
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I was very put off by the PhD.
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I was very impressed by Tufts University School of Medicine and I hope I get accepted there!! :)
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One of my interviewers was very nice. However the other was very stand-offish and completely shut down when I started talking about health disparities. He rolled his eyes at me and made other rude gestures. This made me very uncomfortable. When I spoke to the admissions staff at Tufts, they told me that they have had similar problems with this interviewer in the past, but were not going to do anything because he had been interviewing with them for so long. They also made the remark several times that "life isn't fair". I have lived in the area for several years. I care about this school and I was very disappointed by how poorly I was treated during my interview and how little the school cared. I want to stay in the Boston area, but my experiences really made me question how much the school values their students.
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I liked the school and I plan on attending, but the interview was very intimidating and I thought I did poorly.
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The interviews were pretty short around 15-20 minutes each and maybe 5-10 minutes were for questions...didn't feel they could get a great judge of me considering the day was almost 7 hours...
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Love TUSM. Great school beautiful campus. Relax before the interview-for me it was a no stress interview
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Loved Tufts!
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One of my interviewers was pretty cold. I couldn't get her to smile at all; she seemed to be staring pretty blankly at me the whole time. The other interviewer was a bit more engaging, but seemed particularly eager to challenge me--I didn't necessarily find that to be off-putting because I appreciated the opportunity to defend my positions on certain points, but it seemed a bit aggressive at times. The staff was otherwise friendly, and the space was comfortable. The tour guides were great, and genuinely seemed willing to answer any questions we had. They also seemed to be very happy at (and with) Tufts.
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I was really struck by how little I learned about Tufts in the interview process. I feel like I didn't get a good sense of the character of the school, and the whole day seemed somewhat listless to me.
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Great school!
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First half of the day = presentations about the curriculum, research opportunities, and financial aid. Second half of the day = two one-on-one interviews (mine lasted 20 and 35 minutes) and a student-led tour.
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Very impressed by the school, and would love to attend.
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Great school. Great people. Great vibe.
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Great school I think I would really enjoy going here.
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The current students here are a really cool bunch. Laughed a lot when meeting/talking to them.
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Awesome school. Only limiting factor is cost. If they offer me good amount of financial aid, consider me in!
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it's truly an unstressful and pleasant time interviewing at Tufts, and it looks like an awesome place to study
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This school is very relaxed and would probably yield a very satisfying medical school experience.
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I have yet to see a more impressive medical school - the only issue is the crushing debt you would take on.
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Good facilities, very friendly administration and staff. The curriculum should appeal to someone who wants to be a good clinician.
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I came here sort of borderline about going here. After my interview, I know I'd be heartbroken to not be accepted here. Sure the facilities are new, research opportunities are ample, and the professors are competent but what I really fell in love with were the students and the atmosphere. I just felt at home.
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Great School! I love everything but the price. Interview finished at 4pm. A lot of other students. Good lunch.
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Interview day was nearly painless, they gave you candy and delicious food, the dean as well as the rest of the admissions staff were amazingly kind and humble, they have new student facilities that are awesome, the school seems to really care about whether students are happy, and I would definitely be thrilled to go here! here's hoping!
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Very great experience that made me even more excited to go to school here!
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All in all, not a bad day. I think I got a bit unlucky in terms of my interviewer, but I can see how lots of people would have a very enjoyable experience. I was very impressed with the new medical education building, and I liked the compact layout of the medical center and the location in downtown Boston. I found the admissions staff to be really darling and helpful, but the day was a bit too structured and stilted - maybe it would be wise to take out a presentation or two.
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Appreciated how the interviewers were all set along a corridor of conference rooms, so we did not have to trek all over the place looking for the interviewers.
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Great school in a great location. You won't have to sacrifice your social life or medical education at Tufts. You will have both.
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This interview was unlike any other I have had, and I bombed it. I studied all of the wrong things, and was unprepared to answer some of the questions I was asked. I fumbled through my responses, which came off as canned and insincere even though they weren't. One of the interviewers even called me out on this.
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Overall, a really great school. Current students seemed really happy, and felt that the cost was worth it.
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My first interview went very well and went over time so I had zero time to regroup after and went straight into the second one. The second one went very fast and I felt like I barely did any talking! The ER doctor interviewing me just talked about what it was like to do what he did and some ways the E.D. deals with huge volumes of patients. It was pretty funny - he did at least 70% of the talking!
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I really love Tufts and am very excited about their new Maine Track Program. The students and faculty are warm and welcoming, the facilities are amazing and they place a lot of emphasis on clinical medicine from beginning. They also seem to work very hard to personalize each student's medical education through "selectives" from the first year so that you start getting a feel for different areas of the profession early. I felt that my Maine interviews went somewhat better than my Tufts ones but perhaps I was just less stressed.
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If you get an interview, enjoy your day. The students are very easy to talk to and willing to answer any questions you have. The interviewers are great and don't try to trick you. Just stay relaxed and you'll do fine.
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Great to have 4th year medical students giving the campus tour--they have a wealth of knowledge and this was the best school tour I've ever had. Enjoyed both the Boston and Maine aspects of my interviews for this school--but especially the Maine part. The medical center was so welcoming and I really enjoyed the special touches like the car tour of Portland and the MMC mints. My interviewers in Portland knew my AMCAS application better then any interviewers I've had elsewhere. Love this school.
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The tour was poor. It was led by 4th-year students who didn't know much, nor did they show us around much. I saw the anatomy lab, the main lecture hall, and a cafe-type lounge. I wanted to see more but I kept my mouth shut. It was positive having had the tour after the interviews; everyone was more relaxed and the questions were genuine, not competitive.
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The whole interview day made Tufts my first choice. Oh and the lighted pens and candy selection were a plus.
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My host were awesome and I cant thank them enough for taking time out of their busy study schedules to take me around and put me up. Cheers!
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I love Tufts, and would be very happy to spend four years there. The only downside is COA. The one interview question caught me off guard a little, but then we settled into the conversation.
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A great time, great turn-around (they said they'll let you know within a month of their decision.
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Good stuff. The program was BA/MD by the way........
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Tufts tries very hard to provide a comprehensive perspective and a warm atmosphere - and they succeeded. Very positive experience overall, and I liked the school way more than I'd expected.
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The day starts at 10am with a presentation about financial aid, research, curriculum, and diversity. After lunch you have two one-on-one interviews and a tour. I was done at about 4pm.
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Good information, great people, awful interview questions.
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The day was very long, but worth the time. We got there at 945 and met with the dean, had a very thorough financial aide presentation, tours and interviews in the afternoon. It was a great experience and I really hope I go to Tufts.
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One very good interview, one bad one. (He basically just asked one question over and over again.) I really liked the school. I just wish the day hadn't ended on a sour note.
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Great school--very caring interview, low stress and kind of fun.
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Got there at 8:00am-ish. Very close to the T (orange line) and close to the red line. The day was long but informative. They had a lot of candy and snacks which I liked. The Dean is very young looking (a refreshing change of pace) and very nice. The two interviews were good. The first was with a cardiologist and lasted 25 min. I was the first one done and thought I wasn't getting in! The second was fun and lasted 40 min and the interviewer WANTED to go over and continue our fun conversation, but he had others to interview. Overall a great day. I was accepted 2 weeks later!
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Lots of presentations in the morning, lunch with first year students, and interviews and a tour in the afternoon. Very relaxed environment throughout the day. Every student you talk to is absolutely in love with the school.
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Overall, I loved Tufts and the people I met there. My first interview was scary, however, as the pathologist who interviewed me ''lost his composure'' when we were discussing anonymous vs. confidential HIV testing; and my advocating for the former. He was shocked that confidential HIV testing ''in which testee names are recorded'' have been anecdotally linked to increased insurance premiums for the testee. He balked at the idea, as he has run clinical labs and swore that it would be his head if ever such event occurred. The interview was going well up to that point, but his ''loss of composure'' may have ruined my experience. He apologized at the end of the interview, but I am not sure if such an incident hurt my chances. the second interview was with a MSIV and was just lovely. After I stated I was a reapplicant and that this was my first interview, she gave me a high five and said that she liked me alot from what she learned from my AMCAS. She thought I was a ''real person'' as I have had to overcome some obstacles and have a bredth of academic and extracurricular experience. We talked about grades, what character-type she thought made good doctors, and about having a relationship in medical school. The conversation was so laid back that it was as if we had met for coffee. In sum, the interview day at Tufts is fantastic in that the presentations in the morning are well done, the culture of the school is laid back, and the interviews are not intense. I hope I get in, and if granted admission would seriously consider attending Tufts.
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Its a long day and you're totally drained once its over. The interviewers are really nice. My first was awesome and I had a great conversation. The second was a little more intense, more of a question and answer session, but he was really nice and at the end we talked about the party scene at my alma mater
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there is a very long info session in the morning that goes through curriculum, research, minority affairs, financial aid, etc. then you have lunch with students, and then everyone has to 2 interviews and a tour either before the interviews or in the middle ( it's a fairly large interview group)
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This was a straightforward process. We got there by 10am. Presentations from 10-12. Lunch at 12 with a few medical students. Interview at 1. Tour at 2. Another interview at 2:50. That was the day. My first interviewer gave me some of the most deeply philosophical questions ever. The second interview was much more straightforward.
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For my first interviewer I had the person everyone warns you about with the ''tricky'' questions. While it may have seemed a bit strange to ask me what life means to me or what is compassion, I understood why he asked them. You can't really get to know a prospective student by asking the typical ''Why do you want to be a doctor?'' questions because anyone can give the same, hackneyed answer. Many people respond differently to questions about life and death, about human society and civilization, and how you answer is what he was looking for. Overall I was a little stressed because it took a little time to think of how to respond, but it was a good experience to have. My second interview was very relaxing and felt much more like a conversation, which mostly focused on my background. Aside from being asked who my hero is and why I applied to the program (BA/MD Early Assurance Program) it was a very pleasant half hour.
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The day starts relatively late (9:45 AM) and we spent the entire morning listening to presentations. During lunch, you have the opportunity to chat with first- and second-year students. After lunch there is a rushed tour, then they start cycling everyone through their interviews.
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Despite the experiences with my interviewers, I was impressed by Tufts. I really liked the facilities, and the students seemed very content and happy to be there. I REALLY fell in love with Boston; great city, compact, good transportation, I had a great time. My first interviewer tried to frazzle me by asking the same question over and over and then telling me I talked too much (which I found interesting considering it was an interview). The second interviewer didn't seem to enthused with me, despite telling me I was doing ''well''. He then introduced the idea that I did not write my essay, and told me it was ''very well written,'' and repeatedly asked if I had any help writing it. While I kept my cool, this made me very angry......very angry. I worked extremely hard on my personal statement, and having someone tell me I did not write it was a pretty grave offense. I usually interview well at med schools, I'm not sure what happened at Tufts...
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Not much more to say.
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Basically, Tufts is my dream school. It is a supportive environment that allows you to excel in whatever field you are interested in. I was pleased to see that almost ALL of the students seemed happy and relaxed...something I definately did NOT expect to find in medical school.
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I really liked the school and its program. My two interviews went very well. I was actually talking about my guitar playing with one of the interviewers who seemed pretty impressed. I had the feeling that Tufts really tries to know you as an individual. I didn't just feel like a number. I have accepted their admission offer and I look forward to starting next year.
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First interview started off really awkward like the guy was trying to be a jerk but towards the end said I was doing reallt well so I don't know how the 180 happened. The second interviewer was really nice and just basically had an open conversation with her.
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overall very positive experience - i left the school impressed with both the social and academic lifestyles.
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As noted in previous feedback postings, the entire day is structured with the morning consisting of lectures given by various members of the admissions staff and committee. The financial aid presentation, I thought, was great only because it gives us all the chance to really consider how to finance our medical education. No other school I've been to addresses financial issues like Tufts and, although it felt daunting seeing those 6-digit figures on the screen, I thought it very informative. Also, there have been previous posts about one particular interviewer who asks difficult, philosophical questions. I had one of my interviews with him and believe me...it's not that bad. He is a VERY nice man who is always encouraging with each answer you give. Mostly, I think he just wants to know how you think and that you have maybe considered some of these questions at some point in your life. Actually, my interview with him was probably the most interesting interview I've had simply because I am not only explaining what is on my AMCAS.
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Great experience, the school takes student feedback very seriously and has made huge improvements in the interview process as well as the decision turn-around time. They send out decisions every month now instead of just three times a year as they did in the past. The administration is totally accessible and my interviewers were very laid back and conversational. As a side note of warning... if you review the interview feedback, some questions seem very unconventional and even difficult... these all come from one of the interviewers, so [edited for privacy]... review your answers for the philosophical/ethical questions.
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Both were really relaxed, personal, and fun. We talked about my interests, my experience, discussed things we had in common (interests in photography, traveling)
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Tufts has completely revamped their interview day! Instead of waiting in a room all afternoon with 40 other applicants, there were only 24 of us, and our interviews (with members of the admissions committee) were scheduled - mine were at 1:10 and 2:50, so I was (and knew I would be) out of there by 3:30. It definitely helped take away some of the stress. Also, staff members will walk you over to where the interviews take place, so we didn't need to worry about getting lost (though getting back from the interview was a bit tricky).
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Overall, it was pretty good. It's a long day, starting with a bunch of lectures and seminars about the school. Then, the students join us for lunch and afterwards while we're waiting to get called down. They do a great job at relaxing everyone. I was really nervous going in since it was my first interview, but my interviewer was great at putting me at ease, so by the time my second interview came around, I was much more relaxed. All the people I met were really chill, and personally, I would love to go there.
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The interview was amazingly well run. The Financial presentation was very helpful, and geared towards med school in general. Altough it is expensive, everyone said it was well worth it.
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i really liked it, they definitely did a good job selling the school (except for the high costs)
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both interviewers were friendly and casual. during the tour there was veiled reference to low board scores. if i get in to this school, i'll definately check that out. otherwise...top notch.
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positive.
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It was a positive experience, where they really sell the school and get you excited about Tufts.
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I went to Tufts expecting it to be fabulous since it is a school with a big name and reputation. Unfortunately, I wasn't at all impressed. In fact, I was a little taken back by how non-impressive it was. The whole day started with a 2 hour lecture/power point on general stuff you here at every intervie....boring! The facilities were so-so, the faculty seemed a little reserved and the students seemed a bit uppity. Plus, the group of people I interviewed with were all kind of snobby to me because I didn't go to Harvard like they did. Whatever. It's a good school but the enormous price tag is not worth what I was presented with. The only plus....BOSTON :) To all you other URM applicants out there, diversity doesn't seem to be a big priority here. The URM lunch wasn't very encouraging and did not have much of a latin component. Oh, and if you don't plan on pursuing a dual-degree, you'll feel left out like I did since it seems that is what everyone is interested in doing.
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Positive. The med students milling around while we waited for our names to be called for interviews are a nice touch and a great asset. I have never posted to SDN, and the only reason I did was because I noticed a few posts ago someone complained s/he dodged "homless people and agressive beggers" and found that disturbing for someone who is going into medicine. There is a less than seemly side to urban medicine (as there is to humanity) and anyone applying to medical school should be aware of that and not shy away from the realities of life. That being said, Tufts New England Medical Center is in the heart of Boston - an URBAN medical center, which is an ideal location for one to study medicine. And yes, there are panhandlers in the area - but, they are by no means "numerous."
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After dodging homless people and agressive beggers, I made my way upstairs and walked into a room of 40 others to be interviewed. We sat through 2 hours of lectures (while trying to see through the heads in front of me) covering information about the school. Lunch was available, then they spoke a bit more. The majority of us sat in the room for quite a while before our first interview or tour. I was unable to make a flight home that night because the day dragged on longer than neccessary.
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It was snowing in Boston, so my flight was delayed by a couple of hours. I got in around 8pm, which was a drag because I wanted to be able to walk around and explore the area a little more. Other than that, it was a great experience. Most people complain about the fact that you're in the same room for what could be close to three hours with seemingly nothing to do, however, It is up to you to make the most of your time. The entire time there are med students walking around. Forget about the other interviewees and try to talk to as many med students as possible, how else are you going to get a feel for the place?
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I posted a response earlier, I just wanted to post that question too.
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I'm currently in the MD/MBA program at Tufts, and I'm writing in response to the negative comments posted on 1/26/06. For anyone interested in practicing medicine, the MD/MBA program is very effective in preparing you for the healthcare/management aspects of a career in medicine, and it’s only 4 years long. I entered the program without having a significant business background, and I am very happy with the skills and knowledge I’m attaining. The courses are truly enjoyable, and they’re challenging but not overwhelming. Furthermore, the clinical training at Tufts is very strong. The faculty and administration are dedicated and responsive to the student body, and our clinical rotations provide a great breadth of exposure to medicine. Last but not least, the students at Tufts are so supportive of each other, creating a great learning environment. I am very thankful for the friendships I have made, and I encourage everyone to consider Tufts Med and the MD/MBA program.
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It was intimidating at first with all the interviewers in one room but after I relaxed, everything went smoothly. I talked to Dr. Ludden, the director of the MD/MBA program, after my interviews were done and he was extremely helpful with the questions I had.
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My post is in reply to the negative comments posted earlier on 1/26/06. Perhaps you should have a more accurate picture of Tufts (though these are just me opinions). I am currently in the combined MD/MBA program and thought I'd just give another perspective. I love the school here and the program in general. I have learned so much, have made great friendships, and feel more prepared to practive medicine and do business than ever. There are cons to every program, but I think the the pros far outweigh any of the (far less significant) negative experiences here at Tufts. Come interview at the school and let the people and the school convince you--that will be more than enough to show you it is a great program.
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Long day of lecture, lunch, interviews and tour-- all in same room except for the tour obviously
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Overall it was a great experience. I was able to maintain a laid back facade without feeling guilty about it.
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Information sessions from 10 until 12; lunch from 12 to 12:30. Talk from the Dean until 1. We all hung out and were called in for interviews or tours between 1 and 5.
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mostly converational and low stress.
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It was absolutely wonderful! I had no idea of the things that Tufts School of Medicine offers to its students. The interviews were more like conversations rather than the typical interrogation. My stress level dramatically decreased as I spoke to my interviewers. Plus, my interest in attending Tufts has significantly increased. The day I experienced cannot be effectively described to others; rather, i recommend that to those who have received interviews from Tufts, TAKE ADVANTAGE and you will be amazed!
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Everyone at Tufts was really nice and accomodating. The interviewers were not only nice and funny, but they forced you to think rather than just regurgitate information. It was a comparatively refreshing interview experience. The environment was relaxed and the facilities were top notch.
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It was OK. I wasn't thrilled, but I didn't dislike it either. I was pretty neutral when I left. I mean, if I got in, it's not one of those things where I'd be positive I'd go there (since I already have a few acceptances), but I would consider it.
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Wonderful. I didn't expect to be as impressed by the school as I was; I couldn't really find anything I didn't like. The day started later than most so I got to sleep late (especially helpful since I was on pacific time) and the presentations all morning were very useful as well. After a decent lunch with the students, the interviews and tours are assigned as we sit there, so I ended up just hanging out for about an hour before I went anywhere and got to talk to several students for a long time and get all my questions answered. During this time I also saw a demonstration of TUSK, the online student service, which is a lot like the one at my college but looks very helpful. I ended up doing my tour with two tour guides and just one other applicant, so it was very intimate and adjusted to our interests. My interviewers were very kind and conversational and seemed excited to be interviewing me; they complimented me on the parts of my application that were strong, which was comforting, and talked about the parts they found most interesting. Even though they had just received my file, they both seemed to have read it very carefully. I was also impressed by how quickly Tufts reviewed my application and I think it's certainly up there in my top few choices.
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They have a somewhat long presentation of their school, followed by lunch with students, then the interviews and tours. The lunch was okay, better than some schools I visited, but not as good as some other places that served hot food in the cafeteria (again, not reflective of their high tuition). The interview schedule after that was chaotic. I had a tour before my interviews, and some have it in between and others after their interviews. You sit in a large room with around 40 applicants waiting to be called anytime from 1 to 4:30, so it is a little unnerving. My interviews were somewhat late, and by the time I got to my second interview I was a little tired so I did not express myself as well as I wished. Maybe that was why I have not received the acceptance e-mail on 12/15/05 that many others did. So I am either "delayed decision"/waitlisted, or rejected. O well, their loss.
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Each of my interviews were 30 minutes. Waiting in the room to be interviewed is a little unnerving, especially when you realize which interviewer is the one that asks questions such as "what is blue?" My interviewers were very easy to talk to, genuine and I thought (hope) that they went well.
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A lot of waiting around, and then two very quick interviews- I had to keep asking questions to get them to last as long as they did.
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the interview experience was daunting in two ways. in the morning, while we were pretty apprehensive pre-interview, we had 3 hours worth of information sessions, that while informative, added to the stress of the interview process. in the afternoon, you stay in this room and your interviewers find you, making the experience even more daunting, as you wait to get chosen. Like fifth-grade basketball, the longer you wait, the more nervous you get...
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The interview was very low stress. I also got out at like 3:30, but a lot of people were still there. I liked the school a lot, but just don't think it's a good value.
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I thought it was a very positive experience. The students and faculty seem happy and the location is great.
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The whole day was interesting and informative. The students are extremely nice and pleasent to talk to.
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A long day, but it was time well spent. You learn all there is to know about the school and meet some really nice kids.
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i felt like i got a very good comprehensive impression of the school. their admissions committee did a pretty good job presenting the school to us
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Great day - the current students and applicants were all friendly and interesting, the tour was great, and the info sessions were very helpful. There was a lot of downtime in the afternoon though.
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I was neutral about Tufts going in to the day. At the end, I really liked the place. The only thing negative is the excessive cost. Burying med students in debt will only drive everyone to high-ticket specialties. Just my opinion...
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Overall, a good experience. Learned a great deal from the presentations. The staff wanted us all to have a good experience on interview day. Interactions with students were casual and candid.
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Interviews not scheduled in advance, so lots of sitting around waiting to be called. They were short and I didn't get much of a chance to present myself in the way I got to at other schools.
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It was a wonderful day and a lot of fun. The students are so friendly and outgoing, more than eager to answer any questions that you might have. It's an expensive school, but in long run, does it matter? I think it's my first choice now.
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The "interview" was really conversational, and I did most of the talking. It was easy to lead the discussion in any direction.
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Though it was a long day it was very informative. The financial aid talk was a bit scary but I'm glad I heard it. I thought having to wait for the afternoon to interview was a nice, it gave me a bit of time to relax after arriving and being a bit intimidated by the other 40 interviewees.
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Interviewing at Tufts is a pleasure. I really hope Dr. Sarno talks to all of you because he is HILARIOUS! He also gives you all the "stats" on how med schools operate and Tufts is amazing in the respect that they don't front-load their class with fall applicants so that people interviewing in April still have the same chance as those who interviewed in October, rather than other schools where you're interviewing for the wait-list at best. All the presentations (fin aid, dual-degree, curriculum,) were extremely informative and helpful. They take up most of the morning and in the afternoon you chill with applicants and med students and wait to be called for interviews/tours. Dr. Sarno said that you shouldn't worry if you're interview is very short - sometimes the school just knows you're perfect and they don't see the need in dragging the interview out because they know they want you - so short doesn't equal bad! The other applicants are also great to talk to - it's really like a nice big meeting, so no stress and no competition!
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GREAT! The interviewers were laid back and very personable.
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very positive; I was asked easy questions about my experiences that I was happy to answer. The interviewers seemed generally interested in me.
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Very short but very laid back.
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I liked a lot of things about Tufts: the admissions commitee gave very informative and entertaining presentations, the students weren't cut-throat-out-to-get-you types, the food (sandwiches and drinks) was decent, Honors/Pass/Fail for the first two years, and their match list is impressive (lots of Harvard affiliated hospitals) I would go there in a heart beat if it weren't for the cost of their tuition. They're the second most expensive med school in the nation (the first being George Washington), and the financial aid person said that after four years at Tufts, you'll be in approximately ~$250,000 worth of debt. Whoa!!! With that much debt accumulation, forget the diploma and give me a BMW. I interviewed with the Head of Admissions, a radiologist. He's a nice guy. Don't be alarmed if your interview with him is very short; all of his interviews last approximately 5 - 10 minutes. Thankfully, my second interview was with a fourth year medical student who who was very sweet. No trick questions there. A NOTE TO ALL YOU INTERVIEWEES: THAT INFAMOUS INTERVIEWER WHO ASKS THOSE ASININE QUESTIONS THAT HAS BEEN POSTED ON STUDENTDOCTOR.NET LOOKS LIKE ELTON JOHN! ELTON JOHN! HE HAS THE ORANGE HAIR AND THE DARK RIMMED GLASSES AND EVERYTHING! IN FACT, THAT'S WHAT THE MEDICAL STUDENTS CALL HIM. NO JOKE! He'll ask questions like "What is compassion?" "How would you describe the color blue?" "What is the difference between empathy and sympathy?" "How would you describe pain?" BEWARE IF YOU HAVE HIM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE GETS FROM ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS NOR DO I THINK THAT THOSE QUESTIONS HELPS THE INTERVIEWER TO GET TO KNOW THE INTERVIEWEE BETTER, BUT THEY SHOULD REALLY REPLACE HIM OR ASK HIM TO NOT ASK THOSE TYPE OF QUESTIONS. THOSE QUESTIONS ARE JUST DUMB IF YOU ASK ME.
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Although the day started at 10am and did not end until 5pm for me, the day went by pretty quickly. Everyone was friendly, upbeat, and informative. Very laid back experience.
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I thought it was great. They tell you everything you need to know about the school. I also like having 2 interviews because you get a different perspective from each person. Plus, you have a chance to mention things in the second interview that you may have left out of the first.
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Low-stress, somewhat uncomfortable at first due to the large number of interviewees. The interviews were pretty conversational overal and the interviewers were great.
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It was a lot of waiting - but the interviewers were nice.
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The interviews are laid back and the interviewers are very nice. The presentations are very informative.
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I think it's a solid school. People were nice. Interview was pretty relaxed. Nothing too surprising one way or another.
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Pretty melo first interview with a nice admissions administrator. She didn't have many questions she wanted to ask me, so if I wanted to bring something about me to her attention,I had to work that into the conversation. Number two was a little more abstract, With one question after another trying to feel out my opinion on controvertial topics. I speak french and so did he, so part of the interview was conducted in french. Beware he also speaks Spanish.
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The day starts out with presentations, so pound coffee early on. Then two interviews and a tour. If Dr. Sarno interviews you, try not to worry about the length of the interaction... most people were in with him 5min or less. There was a short tour and then you're done. I was out by around 2:30, but I know some people stayed much later; just the luck of the draw.
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I was prepared for the long day, so it didn't bother me at all. The presentation was very informative, especially the one about the tuition. Both interviews were different but interesting.
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I thought an interview experience with 40 other applicants at one time would be impersonal, but it was quite the contrary. My first interview was with the Dean and was more formal and consisted of the standard interview questions. The second interview was with a fourth year student and was much more of a conversation. She was very open, honest, and candid about her experience and allowed me to project my potential MD experience at TUSM and relate to her four years at TUSM. The personal nature of this interview left me with an overwhelmingly positive impression of the school.
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Overall the experience was good. The interviewers asked some tough questions, but they both made me feel vey good about my application. It was flattering I guess. There were tons of other applicants and most seemed very young. I got the idea from many current students that this probably wasn't their first choice school.
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It was really positive. My first interview lasted about 7 minutes but he was friendly and asked really interesting questions. My second interviewer liked me off the bat and told me he was going to recommend me to the committee. I ended up getting in.
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The interview itself was very relaxed and more like a discussion than the interview. I think they've tried to weed out those interviewers who have had a reputation of being really hard on students. Most other people that i've talked to felt the same way. The interview has a tendency to be short unless you ask questions. If you don't ask them any questions, then most interview will last for like 15 minutes since they have so many students to go through. So you have to take the initiative at Tufts interviews a bit.
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Interviewers do not have to read file before they interview you. Both of mine did. First interview was brief because interviewer very quickly turned it over to me to ask questions. That was a bit of a surprise. Second interviewer was a very charming man who asked straightforward questions about my experiences and even tested my language skills. Overall a low stress and enjoyable day that lets you really gain insight into the school, its environment and the students that go there.
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I was impressed by Tufts. Great location, good facilities. They seem to have a really strong program. There were a whole heck of a lot of people at the interview, probably more than 40. It sort of made the day a little impersonal. Lots of students showed up to talk to the interviewees. The students seem enthusiastic about the school and their studies. One of the interviewers was pretty jerky with me. He spent all his time trying to rattle me. He became very warm at the end of the interview though, I guess so I wouldn't be too upset about his dumb questions. The other interviewer couldn't have been nicer.
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Many of the comments on the SDN suggested that the day would be extremely long; however, the things moved along pretty quickly. We spent the whole day in one (large) room, so no one had to carry their belongings from place to place. There were about three presentations in the morning: introduction and a schedule for the day, an overview of the curriculum, the finance talk, and then a brief lunch. The dean was as funny as previous SDN comments predicted, and he did a great job of putting everyone at ease. The afternoon went by quickly too, since there were plenty of students around to chat while people waited to be called for interviews. The admissions staff organized the day such that you could not be called for an interview while you were taking a tour. The interviews themselves were conducted in nearby rooms. Overall, the interviewers were relaxed and relatively informal. My first interviewer had read my file, so he asked direct, specific questions about my experiences. The second did not seem to have read the file, and his questions were far less interesting.
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Great school. it was a long day but we got some really interesting presentations on financial aid, etc. the interviews were mad relaxed. i was kinda nervous at first about being there with 40 other applicants but i quickly learned to ignore the annoying/pre-med kids and just talked to the normal, cool kids- which were the majority.
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Really great questions, all rapid fire! Much more interesting than the regular - why medicine, why now, etc.
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The students seemed extremely glad to be there. What I really took away was the fact that the staff and faculty make the students' happiness a priority and truly promote their success. The first year curriclum eases the student into the medical school world by postponing the rigorous anatomy and histology courses until the second semester. Overall, I fell in love with the school.
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Long day oof talks, sandwiches, chocolate chip cookies, interview chaos, brief tour
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So many others have said this before, but it really felt like an interview factory. There were about 40 interviewees. The day started out with a long morning of talks, most of which could have been compressed into an hour or so. The coordinators do a great job organizing and definately work hard to make the experience positive (lots of food at several stretch breaks, finding out the answer to my question which stumped them - how many students to a cadaver, etc.) My first interview was strange - he was a little rough in his mannerisms, and at the end of the interview, disagreed with everything I said. The next person who met with him said the same thing, so I knew it was OK, and it was since I got in a few weeks later.
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I gave the day a 10 in stress level since it was my most stressful out of 14 interviews. I got the interviewer who gives the rapid fire string of questions that cannot be answered in a sentence. What is passion? Next question. What is [blank]? And on and on. It seemed he really didn't care what I answered just my demeanor in response to the stress test. Minority student perspective: while we were in front of the other 37 nonminority applicants, they dragged 3 or so URM applicants into a room, singling us out for a little chat. Why was this horrible? First, these minority things should be optional (I wasn't going to turn down talking to some minority students, but please), second, it was blatantly divisive (could've had the minority students walking around like all the other students who were chatting with the applicants I still would've asked why Tutfts has so few of you), third, it most likely sparked feelings among the non URM students, who undoubtedly were eyeing us upon returning from the seemingly preferential treatment (definitely was not), fourth, the admissions lady was there while we tried to gather candid answers about minority affairs (so of course all the URMs said it was the best), and five (now I'm just complaining) we all (3) had our interviews pushed late into the already tiring and long day. Tufts is a good place though. I think the education is great and they have very good faculty. The cost and housing are the main things students complain about (so they said). If I had to choose between Tufts and BU I would go to BU. At the time I was bitter going to so many interviews (this was my last) and I had gotten in at a better institution. These factors probably skewed my impression. Had it been my first my impression may have changed.
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Over all, it was good.
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So I'm from Cali, which means weather was a bitch. 50 degrees of shoreline weather was pretty damn cold to me. Excuse my colloqiualness, but damn, I was told that it was minus 20 a couple weeks before I got there. That is insane. I guess I will just have to suck it up and adjust. The school is great. They have an amazing rate of residency mathcing. They do not have enough Cali people there, but being in the east coast should be a lot of fun. I definitely would not mind leaving my bubble here to experience life in Boston... to be overcme with death by extreme weather... haha jk. They need some more vibrant people there. The Dean was hilarious. Other than that, people were happy, but lacked vibrant out-going personalities. I'll change that =P
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a great day - although long they really make sure that you have all the pertinent information about all different aspects of the program.
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overall, it was extremely positive (the dean is a laff-riot)...though after the presentations it just degenerated into people sitting around talking...i was one of the last interviewed, so i was waiting for what seemed like hours. i wish they'dve done something productive with the time...like letting us see a lecture or something. the interviews were very relaxed...but later interviewers are sleepy. keep them awake! i thought the tour guides were being sort of artificially happy-happy...but everybody in the library was all smiles too. the students seem thrilled to be there, despite the cost. they seem to go out of their way to find people with interesting stories. oh yeah...i asked them about AOA, and second year tour guide asked back, "what's AOA?". i couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not; but if he wasn't, i'm sold! F/P/HP all the way baby : D
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The interview went great. They all went out of their way to inform you as much as possible and make you comfortable. The process was not as tedious as other feedback stories make it out to be. It gives you time to meet and talk to other applicants and possible fellow students. Overall the admissions staff went out of their way to assist you. Sandwiches were good too.
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I thought it was great. They were all very friendly, they explain everything at length to you and you leave knowing everything you ever wanted to know about Tufts. If accepted, I would seriously consider going there.
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the best interview experience I have had. very informative, everyone was friendly, they kept us fed :), the interviews were very conversational and non-threatening, everything ran very smoothly, I learned so much about the school and it is definitely a place I would love to become a doctor!
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You go through a series of presentations about the school, which is unlike anything else from other schools. After lunch, the closed doors are open and current students barge in to talk to you about Tufts. While that is happening, you wait for your name to be called by your interviewers or to go on a tour. The facilities are nice and modern - at least the $ goes somewhere. Some students aren't called yet while others are done with interviews. My interviewer was the one who asked a series of tough questions, but don't fret if you get him. Just answer spontaneously and honestly and you won't go wrong. But, my other interviewer was weird. Tufts, please take him out as an interviewer. He refused to read my application and discouraged me from pursuing my career goals. All in all, the presentations were great, especially the Southern woman and the first guy. You just have to get a feel if you will like it. The lecture hall, library and hospital was nice, small, busy and well-kept.
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Though the interview session was long, you got the impression that Tufts wanted to sell their school and give you a sense of what life would be like if you went there.
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it was moderate...nothing too special
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Overall, I had a productive and fun day at Tufts. The school really goes out of their way to tell you about every aspect of Tufts. The school seems really friendly, and the faculty are really there to help the students.
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The experience was nice. THe group size was large though. The interviewers, one student one committee member were very different. THe student seemed nervous and it made it hard to start off. The member was very direct and seemed more interested in my family then why I wanted to be a docotor.
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The info sessions are long but helpful and by the end of the day it's your own fault if you have any questions left about the school. My overall impression of Tufts was positive even though I was caught completely off guard by my second interviewer. My first had been entirely conversational and other students had said the same about their interviews. This interviewer rapidly shot out unexpected questions and cut me off before I was finished answering. It was an extremely long 30 minutes.
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Overall it was a great experience. The presentations were well prepared and very interesting and informative, making the time pass by fairly quickly. The students really seemed to enjoy going to the school and to my surprise expressed that it was not as hard as they had anticipated. The interviers very very pleasant and seemed interested in me as an individual concentrating their questions on my life and a few specific aspects of my applicaiton.
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The school is very student-oriented and they are very concerned with each individual student's performance in school.
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Man, I was ready to give this school a fair chance, but based on my experiences interviewing I didn't feel like people were all that psyched about the school, even the faculty. If the faculty aren't advocating their own institution, you know something's wrong!
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Very good experience. Just bitterly cold.
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the day is long, but very informative...presentations all morning, then lunch, then from 1-5PM, you basically sit in a room with all the other interviewees and the interviewers just call out names. you have no idea when they're going to call your name. could easily catch you offguard. after that, there's an optional tour and that's it. i definitely enjoyed my experience at tufts and would love to go there if accepted. it has definitely become one of my top choices.
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just be honest. tufts is great.
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They talked for a really really long time in the morning about the school. Way more info than I wanted.
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I was impressed by Tufts and how nice everyone was. I could see myself going there, except that the tuition and cost of living in boston is really expensive. I had two interviews - the first was alot different than any other interviews I had before - I was asked alot of unusual questions. I don't know if I answered the questions "correctly," or if it was a good interview. My other interview was a student interview and more laid back. It was nice to get more insight into the program too. I skipped the tour because I was so tired at the end of the day. Apparently I didn't miss much
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I had the best experience here. Yes, it's a long day, but it's really worthwhile. All the information they give you is important. I was really impressed with their curriculum and their combined degree programs. The dean's talk was a riot - I just thought he was nicest, coolest guy - and was thrilled when he called my name out for an interview. The students were really friendly and willing to talk about their experiences at Tufts. The Tufts buildings are nice and they are still remodeling. Chinatown is a little drab, but you're only a few metro stops away from anywhere in boston. I had a great experience interviewing here and Tufts has definitely shot to the top of my list.