Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 29% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview mixed with a low stress level, and felt they did well.
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as low stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools included inquiries about the candidate's motivation for choosing podiatry, experiences in the field, academic performance, extracurricular activities, time management skills, and reasons for selecting the specific school. Some respondents mentioned participating in Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) where questions were more conversational, while others highlighted a focus on nondisclosure agreements during their interviews.
How do we know you ae committed to your education only? (I had worked full time throughout my entire undergrad experience. They ended up saying this was a positive but did not want me to continue working, which I hadn't planned to).
The faculty member basically just flipped through my application and asked me about different parts. I told her a little bit about myself and then we talked about academics, my research, extracurriculars and about the field of podiatry in general. It was very conversational and a lot of it was just her giving me advice about how to succeed. Very low stress.
One always reads posts, "I was not asked a single question," well this sums up my experience. The DPM looked over my application and said ooh this is nice, and yes this is also very nice. I had to mention I had a low MCAT score myself (which I should not have but the doctor said it's okay since I improved), I chipped in whenever I could but no question was asked. At the end the DPM asked if I had any questions. So be prepared to ask some questions..
Interviewer #2 (faculty member)
Why Podiatry?
Tell me about your research (most of my interview was about my research)... More questions about specifics in my research.
With the limited amount of shadowing I have done (only ~50 hrs), Do you think you are making the right choice to attend pod school?
Asked me to explain a couple grades.
Asked a question or two from my personal statement.
And of course he asked me "Do you have any questions for me?"
Again it really was not stressful. Conversational and laid back!
There were two interviews. One group conversational interview with David Martin, and a personal 1 on 1 interview with a faculty member.
Interviewer #1 (David Martin)
How did you come about podiatry?
Asked about my work experiences in the nursing home I worked in.
Asked how long I shadowed a podiatrist.
That was all, he then moved on to the next person. I think he just wanted to see how I would react in a group.
It was not stressful at all. He made me/everyone feel comfortable.
Students said most interesting question asked at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine discussed various aspects of their experiences, including shadowing, favorite classes, hobbies, study approaches, MCAT improvement, potential residency locations, personal statements, research, and reasons for choosing podiatry. The interviews seemed to be predominantly traditional with no standout unique questions mentioned, suggesting a comprehensive evaluation of the applicants' backgrounds and motivations for pursuing podiatry.
I was asked the following:
1. why a foot doctor (in those words)
2. what books have i read
3. where did the DPM i shadowed go to school?
and basic conversational questions
I really was not asked any interesting questions. The professor that interviewed me simply looked at my file and said that everything was okay. I think more questions should have been asked.
Students said most difficult question asked at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine discussed various topics such as explaining academic performance dips, justifying grades, discussing standardized test scores, reasons for choosing podiatry, and personal strengths and weaknesses. Some respondents mentioned an MMI format and potential nondisclosure agreements, while others highlighted questions about academic challenges, career choices, and personal development.
There wasn't a difficult question. Mr. Martin was with us the majority of the day. We had a group interview, which was conversational. I was also interviewed by a wonderful faculty member. Temple had been my top choice, but it has quickly fallen to third.
Besides your Bio major classes and your Soc minor classes, what was your favorite class? It was hard to answer because I loved all my Soc and Bio classes.
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by reading SDN feedback, reviewing their application materials, and researching the school's website. Some also practiced answering common interview questions and focused on explaining their motivation for choosing their field of study.
Reviewed my transcript, personal essay, and LORs. Also, I feel like the tour of the school/clinic/facilities really prepared me for the interview as well.
Applicants were positively impressed by the extensive clinical opportunities available at the foot and ankle clinic, the state-of-the-art facilities, and the supportive and knowledgeable staff and students. They also appreciated the school's location in Philadelphia, the busy and diverse clinic environment, and the emphasis on hands-on experience and exposure to various medical procedures.
The student group interview. I felt that the students at TUSPM were very honest and strait up. They were very real and made a comfortable environment and showed me what kind of peers I want to surround myself with during my medical education.
Their curriculum has been improved each year. Their board exam pass rates were nearly perfect. Their anatomy lab was state of art. Overall, it had a very good feel to it.
The way the staff put us at ease in the beginning. They really wanted us to not be nervous and to enjoy the day. They also expressed that they want us to get out there and explore other schools so that if we choose to attend theirs, we know we chose it for the right reasons.
The passion and encouragement to pursue research and leadership opportunities. The student lunch was a good opportunity to talk to students but some interviews went on during time and subsequently missed most of these interactions.
The clinic is incredible. Busiest i've seen. The gait lab is really big and cool and I would highly recommend for those interested in biomechanics to check it out. The financial aid lady is really enthusiastic and helpful. The students seemed to really think that they are getting a great education there. The area of Philly where the school is situated in SAFE. Good transportation without the need of a car, people in the area were super friendly. It's a gorgeous city.
The EXTREMELY busy clinic. Students seeing 3-4 patients before lunch every day starting third year. Philadelphia. Integration with Temple. Residency placement rates. The students we spoke with were awesome.
They definitely try to get you excited about Philadelphia as a city and the school is located in a nice part of the city. They will pay for you to stay at the DoubleTree for up to two nights (sharing a room with another applicant potentially). The clinic is definitely busy and diverse and the students get a lot of clinical exposure. Everything you need is located in one building (with the clinic attached) and the apartments are a few feet away (very convenient). Everyone was very nice througout the day. You actually get a summer between your first and second year (unlike other schools). The food at lunch was good (they give you an order form and let you pick what you want)
The clinics were VERY busy (busiest of all the schools, or at least thats what They claimed). David Martin was a real nice guy and kept the stress level low. Students talked very highly (obviously) of the school. Also they provided 2 free nights at the double tree, about 1 or 1.5 mile walk from TUSPM.
The clinic was really busyand large. The students and staff were really friendly and knowledgeable. The podiatry school is separate from the rest of Temple.
Very in depth tour, originally 2 students were there to answer questions, by the end about 10-12 total students were around to answer questions. They were frank / honest.
Contrary to other opinions, the location is a perfect blend of "city" and "college" atmosphere. The admissions staff was very nice and answered all questions. The students were positive and gave you honest answers to your questions. Philly is a great area to learn and live.
Clinic at Temple is huge, seemed quite busy when I was there. Facilities are better than I was expecting, old but not run down. Affiliation with a major university is a huge plus in my opinion.
Main clinic, especially wound care clinic seemed cool. Interviewer was a great guy and I enjoyed our convo. One of the lecture halls was modern and updated. Amb. surgery center in the building. Seemed to have a number of surgery-oriented courses.
I loved all the facilities the school has. The sim labs, the clinic, anatomy lab, and honors society lab, etc., etc. Also the students we had lunch with were incredibly nice and gave tons of helpful advice.
Not much. The school does own its own hospital system. However, they oversell themselves, and repeat the same information over and over. Philly is a cool city, and that is about it.
Mr. Martin does take you around the city, and it is an awesome city. Cool things to see all over.
I was impressed by the fact that TUSPM is a part of Temple University and the Temple University Health System. This offers a lot of opportunity for students.
Applicants commonly expressed disappointment with the outdated and worn-down facilities, particularly noting the old anatomy lab and overall aesthetics. They also mentioned concerns about unprofessional or disorganized aspects of the interview day, such as feeling rushed during the interview, lack of engagement from admissions staff, and excessive emphasis on selling the location rather than the school itself. Suggestions included improving transparency about grading scales, offering student-led tours, and ensuring a more organized and informative interview process.
The professor who was interviewing was 5 minutes late, proceeded to ask questions, and then let another student who was getting interviewed in my zoom after 7 minutes. Whole thing took like 10 minutes and didn’t get to ask questions.
The main interviewer was straight forward and to the point. It was a little tough in the first few minutes while adjusting to her interview style. At the end, she was much more relaxed.
Some of the admissions people were a little unprofessional. The school could use some renos. You eat lunch right before the interview so my stomach didn't feel settled. I wish the tour was given by a student.
The interview day wasn't organized very well. Too much sitting and waiting around. Some parts of the interview day just seemed pointless. The grading scale at Temple is weird, and the administrator couldn't really give us a straight answer about it. The actual interview seemed a little too relaxed
Location. I felt there was a lot of hype of Temple's main campus or the medical school, but it seemed to me that the podiatric medicine students generally stayed in the podiatric med building, and didn't actually venture to the main campus. I felt a little deceived by the hyping up of Temple's general campus.
most of the rooms, and things they used were old. the associate talked of how they are planning to renovate but I heard that last year but nothing change since last year
The anatomy lab. No overhead screens- dark, dank, old and in the basement. Probably has remained the same for several decades. Mold and mildew smell in the dorms.
The 3 of us that were interviewing that day never got to meet the dean. There seemed to be a lot of waiting. Lunch with the 3rd year student was very awkward as he was EXTREMELY anti-social. The school was VERY outdated and looked like it needed a HUGE upgrade.
The city itself. I talked to a couple 4th year students and they recommended that I should plan to be off the streets by 9ish.
Its also expensive to attend TUSPM. Cost of living is moderately high when compared to some of the other schools.
Very longwinded tour too, by then end I was dying for food. Ate just before interview(stomach wasn't sitting well). Facilities specifically anat. lab were somewhat lower than expected.(Though upgrades were planned for the near future)
whole day was too long with too much walking and too much of "selling the school." Dave Martin could not stop saying "Temple is the best."
The length of the introduction section. We spent 30-40 minutes in what feels like a lecture of Philadelphia's history and tourism, which is nice, but had nothing to do with the school. Besides, current students say you will have enough time to get to know Philly yourself if you plan accordingly.
Most of the admissions staff, especially david martin. Facilities, philly as a whole, board scores are above average for all schools but not that great, still accept GRE and DAT
They dean calls Temple the "Harvard of Podiatry Schools" which I think is bogus considering they do not have the best entering stats and still accept DAT and GRE. Facilities are quite old and need of renovation. We were told of all these new improvements/upgrades to various areas (esp anatomy lab) but nothing is set in stone. David Martin did not seem too professional and it was annoying how he went around in a circle asking us interviewers personal questions. No other school did this and it did not seem necessary, especially considering he was mixing up people's activities/hobbies/experiences. Also, it did not seem he knew too much about the field of podiatric medicine. They boast about the patient simulation center but thus far, podiatry students do not use it. As someone said it before on these forums, the day felt like I was being sold a used car (minus the interview with the DPM faculty).
Housing, buildings are fairly well maintained but a little worn, interview seemed "short," but it now looks standard after checking through this site.
Admissions staff is not very friendly, they are all kind of creepy except for one. The building is not kept up at all and the basement where anatomy lab is has a bad "old building" odor. Admissions phones went straight to voicemail during business hours when I tried to contact them on the morning of my interview. Interviewer acted like the interview was a formality and interrupted my answers, making me question whether he was listening at all.
The only negative thing was the fact that the building was 30+ years old, but in the end aesthetics dont really matter that much to me. Pros outweigh the cons.
Everything. Temple had been my #1 choice until I visited. Very old building. Mr. Martin is a marketer, and he definetly tries to sell you. He sold me right out the door, and made me change my mind. My interview was terrible, because the interviewer did not get to know me, but lectured me on various subjects. Went from #1 to not in the game.
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time that the interview process at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine would be very relaxed and conversational, leading to a stress-free experience. Additionally, recommendations included being prepared for the day's length, bringing comfortable shoes, and possibly staying at the DoubleTree hotel if possible.
I read the interview wasn't stressful but that didn't stop me from stressing out. Think about why podiatry and major things about your application it will be fine.
Do not bother driving to the interview. Take a cab from the hotel and leave your car there. Eat a hardy breakfast. The lunch is late in the day and is not substantial.
You need to catch the lady liberty shuttle to the hotel AND you must call the shuttle to pick you up. Maybe I am naive in this, but most hotels I have stayed at in the past provided their own shuttle free of charge that came by the airport roughly every 30-60 minutes. So don't stand around waiting for a shuttle without calling, it wont come. There is a free of charge phone near the baggage claim in the airport.
P.S. the shuttle is $10 plus a tip
Thought temple would be a great school for me. However, I left the day not very impressed or happy with the school. There's a lot of "talk" at temple but very little "doing"
Nothing much, SDN feedback gave me a good insight on what would happen throughout the day. When they give you your free night at the hotel your gonna be with another interviewer so expect this.
Applicants generally appreciated Temple's strong clinical program and diverse student body, but some expressed concerns about outdated facilities, lack of enthusiasm from interviewers, and the lengthy interview day. Suggestions included more emphasis on school-specific strengths during interviews, improving facility aesthetics, and streamlining the interview process to be more engaging and informative.
Just wished the interviews were offered in person! NYCPM was more professional!
This is a fantastic school with a lot of diversity in types of students, backgrounds, ages, etc. They obviously care and listen to their students. It is a big program and you should be able to speak up in order to succeed. Very research oriented with a lot of opportunities, even if you did not do much in undergrad. One of my top choices.
I went into my interview with Temple being my first choice. I absolutely love the city, students, research, and the clinic. However, the facilities are outdated (personal preference in these matters), and felt there was a lack of connection between the admission faculty and the interviewers. It was very matter of fact and presented without much enthusiasm- something that I did not encounter at previous interviews. I highly encourage student lead tours and a much bigger emphasis on the great things that make Temple Podiatry (not philly, not Temple MD school, etc.) a top program. I left feeling like it was not the right school for me.
Temple seems to be a solid school that relies heavily on its insane clinic volume to draw in students. No big red flags for me. They need to do a better job with the interview day.
The day was very relaxed and stress free. It was kind of boring and unnecessary when the dean went through a map of every neighborhood in philadelphia and talked about what to do there and how great the city was -- I think he could have definitely condensed that part of the day and talked more about the school and the program. Overall, I thought it was a positive experience and the school definitely provides a solid clinical program in a city that can offer a lot as well. They do acknowledge that the school facilities may not be up to par with other schools, but honestly the facilites weren't that bad and they have everything you would need in order to succeed and a large alumni network that can be helpful after graduation
This interview is very chill. The directions on which building to go are confusing, so call ahead in time to ask WHERE and which building will you be meeting in. Otherwise, be prepared to be amazed the clinic is very legit.
Temple has a good repuation of producing excellent doctors. I don't know if it is the right fit for me, but time will tell. The interview is nothing to stress over. It was extremly relaxed, very laid back.
Temple is not new and shiny. The building is made up of the "old style brick" that resemble cinder blocks painted white. This did not affect my decision at all, but if you can not study without a high dollar building... its not for you.
Also, dont be nervous. Its really not that bad. Very conversational and laid back. Look at your application/research/grades/EC's and you can likely guess the questions that they will ask you!
Overall the school was fairly good. The facilities though a bit below my expectations, were ok. The students were open to all questions. The interview itself was fairly laidback, and a little bit conversational.
This is a great school. Even though the admissions faculty are very entusiastic, it's because they love temple. They really just want to get to know you and try to make you relax. The tour is great and the healthcare system is very good.
Some people will say Temple will "sell" you the school and to a certain degree that is true. However, you will soon see that this is a unique experience that not everyone has and they treat every student equally. The clinic is huge with tons of patients and a variety of diverse cases to learn from. The students in class seemed very content and upper-class students were very welcoming. The school just felt right to me.
It seems to be a long day. As stated in other feedback on temple, there is a lot of down time for the other interviewees to finish. It kinda sucks because they give you lunch but everyone is nervous to eat because they can call you in for the interview at any time! The tour of the health science campus is more or less unnecessary...you won't be there until sometime 3rd year anyway. Plus north philly is a hole. Interview itself good but the rest of the day I was not impressed with.
it was a decently long day...you meet with david martin for awhile, tour the campus, meet with financial aid, talk about housing options, have lunch with a couple students, interview, and wrap up with david martin.
Interview with the DPM itself was very good and I enjoyed it. I felt the day was very long and there was a lot of sitting around waiting for the other "interviewees" to finish. I understand Temple was "the place to be" for podiatry back in the day but I feel that has changed now. It does not seem up to par with schools like DMU, AZPOD, and Scholl. I honestly was expecting a lot from Temple but in the end I was disappointed.
The day was long and drawn out. The tour seemed almost unnecessary because the Temple health campus will only be used a bit during 3rd year and thats not a sure thing. The interview experience was relaxed and short. The interviewer went through my file and affirmed that I was definitely interested in Podiatry. The most stressful part of the day was at the end when David Martin did an impromptu open-file group interview and put everyone on the spot in front of the other candidates. Some were even asked "Why did you change your mind about __(dental, med, etc)_____ to podiatry" in front of the group.
very impressive facilities even though they are an older school they are up to date with technology. They have many opprotunities for thier students to get a lot of exposure to patient care.
Personally I wish I had canceled my interview. For me it was a bad experience, not stress wise, but the atmosphere was not good in general. Admissions was downright rude and retaliatory when I withdrew my application.
I really enjoyed the experience. David Martin was very nice and super easy-going. In fact, he told me he played for the SD Chargers in the late 80s for a very short period of time! Dr. Newman, was my interviewer and was great. He's a big teddy bear type of guy. A bit intimidating at first, but once the interview started I knew it would be really relaxed. He probably talked more about himself than I did about myself! But in the end, Temple is my first choice.
Long,got there at 8:30,didn't leave till 3:30.Spent the morning talking to an admissions counselor,touring the podiatry school and buildings,financial aid workshop,ate lunch with current students,one on one interviews with DPM professors,a group interview with the admissions staff,and then we left.
Atrocious. As I said, I was not interviewed but lectured. It almost seemed the dpm that interviewed me was trying to talk me out of being a podiatrist. He told me how hard it is too get paid etc.
The interviewer kept asking me why podiatry over and over again. Each time I answered him he kept saying: "But it seems you would be better fit for Osteopathic or Allopathic medicine based on your personal statement and application." It also turned into more of an interview of him rather than me. By the end he was telling me what makes Temple so good and not really much was asked about me. It also seemed like the interviewer had not really read my application very much.
Overall I had a great experience. I loved that they have an intergrated system of hospitals, sim labs, teachers it has a great package in the program. The location of the school doesn't get any better in philly. It's in the heart of philadelphia (center city) and there is a lot to do in terms of intertainment, and its safe. They gave us a free night stay at the double tree which was also top notch quality and an awesome view looking at the city hall.
The interview was laid back. There were a couple of questions but a lot was just getting to know each other. It was nice to see many of Temples resourses. It was a great experience
The interview was a great learning experience - I'm definitely glad I went. Some parts (especially the tour!!) went on way too long. The interview was very short and informal with pretty typical questions. The interviewer lead the conversation and it was very low stress. Great experience overall.
all day long you are with a group of other ppl (i had 4, they limit the group to 5), but your interview is one-on-one with someone else
it was a tiring and grueling day, but worked out well at the end. they try to make you feel comfortable and you feel less pressure by the time you're actually being interviewed
I think that the overall experience was okay, but there were several things that Temple could have done to better the experience. The Director of Admissions sat us down in his office and went around one at a time and asked us questions about ourself or experiences that we had, which I felt was extremely nerve racking and somewhat pointless. The facilities are older, but they are striving to improve them. Overall, it was an okay experience.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested that the admissions office should enhance professionalism during the interview day, including a more formal setting for meetings and lunches, student-led tours for a more personal perspective, better organization throughout the day, and a streamlined interview process to avoid unnecessary length.
Make the rest of the day more professional. Dean Martin is very nice and welcoming, however sitting in his office seems a bit informal. In addition, lunch should be held in a more formal environment because it was really awkward to have to eat on a sofa and eat off your lap
Disappointed that the tour was not given by students. The faculty member was not focusing on points that we were interested in and instead showed us things that we will never use, such as ancient books in the (small) library. Additionally, the school uses a lot of marketing with pictures of the MD medical school which is a state of the art beautiful building, where as podiatry students will never be there and instead be at the extremely dated and run down podiatry building. Tour guide was not answering my questions when I asked and instead said she will answer them once we got there, which was strange. The clinic is large, but extremely dirty and run down. I had completely checked out of the interview day until my actual interview with the professor, who was amazing. He did a great job conducting the interview, however it was not enough to make up for the rest of the day. I felt as though the school did not feel the need to make us feel welcomed and instead thought it was a burden to interview us.
David was kind, knowledgeable, and welcoming. He gave a thorough rundown of the city - a little too much time in my opinion. Philly is a great city, that is easy to sell. But I felt as though more was said about the city than was the school. I highly recommend having student lead tours instead of admission faculty lead tours to give a more personal perspective on things. In fact, the tour guide missed a few talking points that were brought up with David later during the day. I wish we toured the clinic more - it is one of the schools biggest selling points.
I think the tour should have been given by a student as opposed to someone from admissions and overall there should have been more interaction with students throughout the day. Spending most of the day with the dean and someone from admissions (people who are obviously selling the school) doesn't always give the most accurate perception of the school. But overall, they made the day very low stress and comfortable.
The whole day was very unorganized. I arrived 15 minutes early and was the only student in the correct location. At 8:30 the dean and I were sitting in a under-construction room twiddling our thumbs waiting for the other students to arrive. I would suggest the admissions office do a better job at displaying the directions on their information. It WAS there, but I really had to read my paperwork to find the directions.
To be a bit more professional. I never received an interview offer e-mail, I had to call the school to confirm if they had received my application, upon which I was told that I had been sent an interview invite. Also the interview environment was too informal, there were personal stories being shared instead of discussing the stats of the school, the residency placements etc. I think the school has an EXCELLENT building and clinic but the one major thing stopping me from considering the school is the admission staff. There was no student interviewer, there was no student tour guide. Everything was done by the admission staff and it seemed more like they were trying to sell the school than why you should genuinely go to the school
The person picking up the phone in the admissions office really needs to learn how to be cordial and nice. Every time I called, she made me really mad.
Too much paper take aways; as it is many were illegible due to poor copy quality. The person who gave the tour was too robotic. She skipped several areas of the school that we wanted to see but couldnt because of time. Not being able to see main campus is a huge negative. I know its a big school but if we are coming from out of state staff should provide is with all the time we need in order to tour the school.
A bit of respect and courtesy goes a very long way. If I conducted myself at my place of business in the manner you do. I would be fired, rightfully so.
