Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 41% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did okay.
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 include inquiries about the applicant's motivation for pursuing medicine, understanding of osteopathic vs. allopathic medicine, research experiences, reasons for choosing the specific school, and strengths/weaknesses. Many respondents also mentioned being asked about their background, volunteer experiences, hobbies, and how they would contribute to underserved communities, with some interviews following an MMI format and possibly involving a nondisclosure agreement.
You seem like you have other interviews. Do you? I bet you were also accepted. Were you? I also think you applied to allopathic schools Did you? - I thought this was an awful way to start the interview. It's out of the scope of what we should have been talking about.
why are you here? Why DO? What is OMM? What field do you want to go into? Do you have experience with diversity? Tell me about your Research? What volunteering did you do?
All of these were asked in sequence: Did you apply to allopathic medical schools? How many interviews have you had? What is the difference between a DO and an MD? What is the difference between chiropractic and osteopathy?
1) why harlem 2) why DO 3) why medicine 4) tell me about yourself 5) what is the problem with healthcare today and specifically Harlem 6) strenth and weakness
interview was more a less a conversation about myself. Be prepared to talk about yourself with open ended questions. you can pretty much direct the conversation with how you answer the questions they ask.
Students said most interesting question asked at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine - Harlem discussed a wide range of topics including ethical scenarios, personal attributes, healthcare disparities, and cultural competence. The interview format appeared to be an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview), with some respondents mentioning nondisclosure agreements, indicating a structured and diverse questioning approach aimed at evaluating various aspects of candidates' readiness for medical school.
What would you do if a high school student who had a concussion came to you for a follow-up with their family and asked you for medical clearance to play again?
You're in a room with a resident and patient. The resident leaves the room. The patient tells you that he has a life-threatening condition. What do you do?
An ethics question: you made a decision for a patient when one had to be made and you could not get their full consent. They later sued you over the decision you made. What would you do?
Well none were really interesting, but I enjoyed being asked specific questions about my application, which lead to the interviewers talking about their similar experiences.
What do you think about wine? (This one caught me off guard. I work as a server but we hadn't discussed that aspect of my life yet. We talked about wine for ten minutes. Still not sure if that was beneficial...)
You are the only physician in the ER of a very rural and small town. It is 3 AM and EMTs bring a homeless man to the ward because of the deadly cold weather outside. The man is not cooperative and wants to go outside but you can't let him because he will die in the cold weather. He is being disruptive to other patients who are trying to rest in the ward. How do you handle the situation?
I mentioned that I have been living in NY since I was 7, but that I wasn't born in the U.S. They asked me about how my being an immigrant affects my feelings toward NYC and why I want to practice medicine here...
If you had to choose between a teenager who says she went clean, but they found PCP on her, and a 40 year old for a new liver, who would you give it to and why?
What will you do if you dont get into ANY medical school this year? After my reply .... ok well say its been 3 years from now and you STILL havent gotten into a medical schhol, what will you do?
If you were in this situation what would you do: A patient said that he would feel more comfortable speaking with an African-american doctor because he would understand his needs better. What would you do?
Students said most difficult question asked at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine - Harlem discussed a wide range of topics, including explaining low grades, ethical dilemmas, healthcare disparities, and differences between osteopathic and allopathic medicine. Several respondents mentioned an MMI format and potential nondisclosure agreements, while others highlighted specific questions about personal experiences and hypothetical scenarios as challenging aspects of the interview process.
Explain your low grades at the onset of the undergrad years
What is one specific program you would implement to help out the medically underserved community in Harlem that we don't already have? Follow up: Well, we already have that.
If you were a first year medical student, and you had a final exam the next day but you just found out one of your family members is critically ill and in the hospital, what would you do?
None of the questions were difficult. The most stressful part was the whole "good cop-bad cop" interview style. In the first 20 minutes I could barely finish a statement. I was constantly interrupted and talked around in circles. This was my first interview and I was a bit nervous but the "stress interview" style really didn't win me over.
Why Osteopathic medicine, because they kept going and going. They were trying to get me to say Osteo and Allo are the same (which in most cases they are), but I had to make a distinction.
What is your opinion on Swine Flu? I wasn't sure what they were getting at with this question because obviously I think swine flu is bad lol. I thought they might be getting at the debate over the vaccine, so I talked about the delays in getting it to various community clinics/hospitals.
If President-Elect Obama appointed you the health advisor, what recommendations would you give him on how to change the underrepresentation in medicine?
Tell us about DO's. It caught me off guard because it didn't seem like a specific question...I didn't really know where to start. I hesitated and they asked me, "Who was the founder?" After I answered they told me that some people don't even know that. From there we switched topic.
none were that hard... why NYC? Why osteopathic medicine when your parents are allopathic physicians, what do you know about Harlem, would you be willing to stay here and give back to the community?
Probably the one above. Many of the questions were hypothetical situations and I believe they just wanted to see how I would react and how I would handle different atmospheres and situations I may encounter.
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 a closed file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Many applicants prepared for the interview by utilizing resources such as SDN, practicing mock interviews, reviewing their application materials, researching the school and its mission, and staying up-to-date on current healthcare topics. They also focused on understanding the school's philosophy and unique aspects, preparing answers to common questions about their interest in medicine and the specific program.
SDN, printed a bunch of typical int questions, researched Touro, researched Harlem, had solid answers to these main questions: Why doctor? Why osteopathic med? Why this school? Explain bad grade.
SDN interview feedback, prepared answers for common questions and questions I expected them to ask about Harlem, Osteopathic medicine, and working with underserved populations.
I read the posts on SDN's Touro thread, I used this feedback section, I researched Harlem's health issues on the internet, I researched the status of New York medicine in magazine articles, including a New York Magazine article on the state of NYC's hospitals, I read the Touro website, I read a book and researched the internet on OMT techniques, and a I read a book (titled Landmark) on Obama's Health Care Law
Read up on the philosophy of osteopathic medicine. Read the NY Times website on the current innovations in health care, and the current public opinion of President Bush's health insurance policy.
Well, as one of the first interviews at the school and being a new school, I didn't have much to go by, but I did go to the school website and that was about it.
Applicants were consistently impressed by the friendliness and enthusiasm of the faculty, staff, and students at the school, as well as the school's commitment to community service and diversity. Additionally, the new and modern facilities, the conversational and welcoming interview process, and the school's location in NYC were highlighted as positive aspects.
They definitely tried to make an effort to put all the applicants at ease, faculty seemed to love what they do and where they do it
The facility inside is much nicer than I thought. Faculty is amazing and seem really enthusiastic about helping students. Interview was basic questions, nothing too harsh.
The fact that my interview was more of a conversation rather than a Q&A. Comlex 1 scores, OMM instructor spoke to us and gave us an informative demonstration. Dean of the campus and other assistant deans came to speak with and they were very open about themselves and their school. They also had breakfast and a pretty decent lunch. Faculty and students were pretty friendly.
the emphasis on diversity and public service of the school. it's evident that the student body is very diverse; faculty really want to help you succeed, you should reach out to faculty and staff for extra help if needed "open door policy", very supportive and positive environment
The entire campus seemed very warm and welcoming, the students spoke highly of the curriculum and all students and staff emphasized sensitivity and professionalism with respect to the interactive OMM classes.
The vast amount of information given to us. The fact that we were able to speak to admissions, dean of faculty, students in both first and second year, staff for student support, etc. I felt I had a really well rounded picture of the school.
While waiting for my interview in a hallway, several current students stopped by to chat for a few minutes. This was especially impressive since it was exam week!
the location, the involvement of the staff/students in the community, the facilities, the itunesU curriculum, LOTS of rotation locations not too far from the city. Also, they had the BEST smelling anatomy lab of any i've encountered..
The friendliness of the students, the administration's focus and dedication to get students to excel on the boards, the extremely new facilities, their OMM studios
I liked the diverse student population and the fact that the school is not in the middle of nowhere. The students who lead us on the tour seemed enthusiastic. As we did the tours, students were giving us a thumbs up sign and wishing us good luck.
NYC!!! I loved Harlem, and the school had great facilities at this location. Good public transportation. I loved that we heard from the Dean and several students, as well as met faculty during the interview itself. Students seemed honest about flaws but pleased with overall experience.
I love NYC and to be frank was more excited about visiting the area than the school. I knew what it was going to be like but I was hoping to discover something new or interesting about the school. The anatomy lab was very nice and didn't stink.
New labs and lecture halls, all the facilities are new so that's a plus, Harvey the cardiac simulator, i-stan, the area is vibrant and you are in the heart of the city!
New facilities, opportunities in the area (if you survive rotations in Harlem you can survive anywhere), clinical exposure among that population will give you the experience to practice anywhere and will make you desirable
The facilities are so nice and all the faculty that I ran into were very nice as well. I got a private tour basically because I was the only one in my group. They have this really cool system where they video tape your interactions with patients (fake and real) and go over them with you to work on your clinical skills. Anatomy lab is very nice and doesn't smell!
The close, tight-knit nature of the school among its students, faculty, and staff. The facilities since the school is brand new. Obviously, the location...NYC! Also, it's a new school so they give lot of freedom to students to take charge and make some changes as far as community work, research, etc. goes.
The way one of the interviewers spoke honestly with me and encouraged me to explore other options. He was very positive and convinced me I could make a difference in the healthcare world.
Location, the students seemed really supportive of one another, and they seemed to enjoy being there, even though all the first years had a big exam the next day
open and friendliness of students, staff - even the Dean spoke to us twice; seems like they have a great tight-knit community; great location and clinical opportunities there; reduced hours on Friday/Sat but building is still accessible; nice facilities, like gross anatomy lab and mock clinical settings;
Everybody was incredibly enthusiastic, even the students who were in the middle of a crazy week of exams..they were so proud to be there and answered all of our questions honestly. The professors that I met seemed very passionate and had great personalities...it seems like everybody at the school is happy to be there and feels a greater purpose in Urban healthcare.
the students seemed very happy there, the school has a great open-door policy, I even saw the dean walking around the halls and greeting students, facilities are brand new and very state of the art.
Everyone was very positive about the school, even the students who were in the middle of exams. I was really impressed by how friendly and willing to answer questions everyone was.
the school's mission to serve harlem, and the first class students. they were truly first class. touro seems to be making a genuine effort to get everything done as fast as they can and to listen to their students.
staff, professors, students were very friendly and happy. lots of laughter! many students (even though they had an upcoming exam) chose to spend time to eat and chat with interviewees. i felt like i've known these people a long time, because they were so friendly and real. the extent of their Open Door Policy is unheard of; you can drop by anyone's office, including the Dean and always get time to discuss anything. they are like one big family.
the enthusiasm of the students and faculty. the students had a huge exam that day. I had come an hour early and the dean said that the students would be rude today cuz they were stressed. I sat there for an hour and every single student stopped and said hello to me. the janitor and security guard and all the staff also stopped to say hi to me. the location of the school was amazing as well.
The staff was enthusiastic and very attentive to your needs, seeing that you'll potentially be part of their first class. I am positive that down the line, this'll be one of those schools that people will desperately want to get in to. It has plenty of promise and quite a bit of media attention (being the first med school to open in NYC in 30 years, and at Harlem at that). Most importantly, the school seemed very, very sincere in wanting to make a difference and serve the neglected areas of NYC. It really felt like you'll be part of something great if accepted.
The school seemed committed to the success of its students because their reputation is on the line as well. financial aid seemed organized and stated they would provide adequately for its students. They were open to ideas from the students.
The location. Not only is it part of NYC but because I'm interested in EM, it's an ideal setting. Also, proximity to Columbia Univ. as well as many other places and the rotation sites for your 3rd and 4th year!
The faculty seemed very friendly and the area is an exciting place to go to school. At the end of the day we were taken by cab to one of the hospitals where we would be doing clinicals and given a tour.
Applicants were consistently unimpressed by the lack of organization, unprofessionalism of staff and interviewers, disorganized interview days, unenthusiastic student ambassadors, incomplete facilities, and a general feeling of a new and underdeveloped school. Suggestions included improving communication, professionalism, and providing more detailed information about the curriculum and facilities.
How long the mandatory admissions session was right before my interview (3.5 hours)
No clinical research affiliated with the school.
nontransparency with COMLEX2 scores - and when I asked about it, they got very defensive.
rotations were not near harlem so you have to move in the 3rd and 4th year
free clinic run by students isn't even ready yet. they have it in place, but apparently they need to go through some legal documents with lawyers before it could be used.
graffiti on the walls outside of the school! how?!
The student ambassador seemed unprofessional and couldn't answer questions well. Interview was back and forth, not too conversational and I kept getting cut off
The interviewers were rude. They put down their own students. I was especially unimpressed with the attitude of one of the interviewers, who seemed mad she had to interview me since I was the last interview of her day. This school made the other schools I interviewed at seem better in comparison. They need to realize all of these students have other interviews, they are not the only fish in the sea. Treat those coming to your school with respect.
Facility was a bit of a major issue for me: it’s one building that’s a bit rundown outside, it’s pretty dull inside as well. Gym and cafeteria is small as well as the library compared to other schools. Tour would have been better if given by student instead of administration. Grades are based on a Z scale where the average class score is compared to the previous 3 classes and their standard deviation defines your grade (I’m used to pass/fail grades so this is... different).
The dean of curriculum was talking over the dean of students when they were there answering questions, and I felt like I didn't get the chance to hear more from her because of how long he was talking.
the good cop bad cop interview style, where the bad cop dominated 75% of the interview. Instead of feeling under pressure and challenged, I felt like I was being straight up attacked. Also interviewers talked to each other for more than 5 minutes about their weekend/kids etc during my interview time, which was frustrating because I was the one who paid $X to fly out there to interview.
Students- they seemed not very enthusiastic. Not a lot of clubs or activities, because "this is NY and you can find whatever you want to do on your own"
One of the admissions people complained about how the interview day was portrayed on SDN but didn't give a feedback survey so that the day could be made better. He even said that he was actively trying to find the people who had posted negative comments and hinted that it could affect their admissions chances. Seemed very unprofessional.
The interview day was incredibly disorganized. An hour of the interview day was easily wasted because of the inefficiencies and poorly constructed schedule.
The interviewers themselves (who would be your professors!) were incredibly rude, pretended to fall asleep while I was answering their questions (then would quickly open up one eye to look and see if this agitated me), and just had an overall negative and accusatory edge/attitude in the tone and way in which they spoke to me. The tour and whole entire interview day was very disorganized, as if they threw this whole thing together last minute or something. Clinical rotations are not even in the city, most are in NJ which sounds like a pain. School seemed pretty dead and dreary during the tour, as there were no students around and this was not during a winter break.
I had the impression that you basically have to fight for study space in that building. When I interviewed at other schools there was ample study space for students but here everyone seemed crammed in.
The fact that Touro doesn't have alot of rotations set in place yet...yikes.
They only have 1 SIMM man and the class you have to take in order to use it costs and extra $500.
Not too impressed with the healthiness of the food provided to interviewees for breakfast and lunch, considering nutrition is such a big part of medicine. Bagels, cream cheese, Chinese food and soda.
The school is extremely new and not as advanced as any other school I've seen. There is a 70% mandatory attendance policy but no required laptop. They only have one SIM man and one harvey. For the SIM man, you have to pay an extra fee and get on a waitlist. To put this into perspective, WVSOM has 15 SIMs and of course they are part of the curriculum. The interview was not organized. We had random people walking in and not knowing what to talk about. I almost fell asleep during one of them. Also there were signs on the elevator saying not to use one of the exits because it was dangerous, and one of the "perks" of the school were the 24 hour security guards that will escort you to the train station or bus stop!
The level of professionalism (except the Dean who was very thoughtful and funny) of the Admission staff and the school in general. We didn't get to talk to any students (I know the interview was during their break but I felt they were being deceptive since we didn't get the student perspective). They didn't have a lot of information about the school to hand out. Also the lunch was obviously take out from across the street. And it was gross. Haha!
No board scores. No curriculum presentation. Obed giving a speech on how to impress the interviewers. It was unprofessional and unnecessary. Should've been replaced with a formal presentation of the school. Did not enjoy that they ran behind schedule as well, including a long cheesy speech by the Dean of Students. The unprofessionalism of the student tour guides.
Study areas seem cramped, small gym, cafeteria that doesn't serve food (only a few vending machines), there was NO official information on the curriculum or the timetables of 3rd and 4th year rotations (I had to get my information from the tour guides so I'm not sure if they covered all the points), only affiliated with 6 hospitals at the moment (none of which are in the Harlem community) for rotations. How are we supposed to know about the school if they don't talk at all about academics?? Obed's talk on how to impress the interviewers, it was unnecessary and I would have much rather heard about the curriculum and its offerings.
Nothing really too negative. Yes, Harlem can look to be a little rough at times, but that was to be expected. The gym is tiny, but I have heard from other students that they are given discounts at local gyms.
Sort of boring that it's only one building, but I don't really see room for expansion at their location. They don't seem to have their rotation sites secured yet.
Honestly, I think that establishing a school in Manhattan (especially harlem) makes it really difficult for any expansion to take place. The school has had 2 classes thus far and many among the first year had to retake Anatomy at a separate location. really i have my concerns about this school. the fee for the secondary application was more than any other school and the deposit required to secure a spot (when accepted) is $2k, non-refundable. anyway, not my favorite interview.
The students I spoke with. The tour guide seemed underwhelmed and I spoke with a student as I was leaving who seemed to indicate that he made a bad decision in choosing Touro. The facilities weren't great even though I tried to understand that they were still building. They all seemed unprepared to answer questions about the lack of experience because it was such a new school.
Our tour guide was very unprofessional (dropping the F-bomb left and right, taking us in the OMM lab and saying these tables are great for sleeping). The facilities were less then ideal. The anatomy lab was around 50 degrees and my interviewer said it is always really hot (pleasant thought) or really cold. The students spoke of the fourth and fifth floor construction like it is only a rumor and there is really not much happening.
lack of completed facilities, student ambassadors seemed indifferent and almost lazy, interviewer was good cop/bad cop, really really bad interview experience,
Turns out what they mean by 'integrative approach' to first year sciences means that the separate biochem, anatomy, and histology classes all result in a single grade. Also, there is very little interaction with real patients and the real medical community until 2nd year. And even with that, it's not impressive.
Small building and library but good that certain areas are always accessible to students; don't know how crowded the building will get when they finish the 4th and 5th floors (for research area, gym, and another graduate program); no clear statements made on clinical rotations during the 3rd and 4th years...
There are no 2nd, 3rd or 4th year students because it is a brand new school. Therefore, they could not provide a lot of information about the 3rd and 4th year rotations.
while the facilities were entirely new (they had just moved in a few weeks ago), they were the bare minimum. expect long halls of white tile, nothing else. clinical rotations have not all been set up. there are no 3rd or 4th year students yet (but that could be positive or negative depending on the individual).
-The building was still under construction.
-The lunch that was offered consisted of a few slabs of flesh with some white bread.
-Interview day was held across the street in a dingy corner of the building.
A lot of my questions regarding the school were unanswered. It is a new school, but they are asking a lot of money from students when they don't even have their entire teaching staff hired yet.
The building wasn't done. I was under the impression that it was going to be a NEW building but in fact, they were only renovating this older one. And although Bill Clinton's office is only a block away, Harlem still has that unfortunate stigma of being tense and slum-like. If you've lived most of your life in smaller cities and such, it might freak you out.
the building itself wasn't raised yet so we couldn't even go inside to see it.. so we're applying to a school that doesn't exist yet. The area of harlem isn't the best. The presenters that day kept on repeating the fact that our lives will be miserable (as pioneers). Since the school is new, there is no organization at all (ie, housing, public safety, etc)
Most applicants wished they had known ahead of time about the format of the interview, including facing two physicians at once, the emphasis on ethics questions, and the open file nature of the interview. Additionally, common suggestions included being prepared for a stress-free interview, understanding the differences between MD and DO, and navigating the interview day logistics smoothly, such as knowing the correct entrance to the school and being aware of potential delays.
The interview is 2 physicians interviewing you at the same time and the whole thing is only 30 minutes.
Consider this school if you can genuinely afford to live in Manhattan and love the city. There are schools out there just as good in much more affordable areas that will leave a better impression on you.
I wish I knew how stressful the interview would be; I would have prepared for a high stress interview. It felt like there was one interviewer who was trying to stress you out, and the other was trying to play your advocate.
There is about 2-2 1/2 hours of sitting around time with fellow interviewees while everyone is interviewing. Depending on your group, conversation could get stale. My interview day went about 1 hour over the time they said. Also, they spent so much time pushing the Middletown campus, I didn't really get a feel for the Harlem campus, which was a shame.
That I would have a good amount of time to ask questions at the end of the interview. I was told before that they usually have to end the interview to save time and people usually aren't able to ask questions.
I wish I was more prepared for the interviewer cutting me off. Rather than trying to plan out your answer ahead of time, I would have just trying to remember a few key words.
The Director of Admissions (Obed) advised us on what to say to the interviewers. He also had us practice by asking us why we are interested in D.O. After the interviews, he did an "unofficial" group interview about how we got our first exposure to OMM/OMT.
How long I would be sitting around waiting. Would have brought some good reading. Also, school has 2 entrances.. 1 on 124th street and the other on 125th st.
How ridiculous lunch would be (basket of toll house crackers and a scoop of tuna salad, egg salad and something else no one could ID for all 15 of us). Kind of crazy considering the 15 of us spent $200 each to be there.
nothing - I did a lot of research about the school before coming here and even saw the building, got a tour, the day before my interview. Not that the building was hard to find (just odd doorway location), and it was nice to not be nervous about getting lost.
Wear comfortable shoes because you'll probably walk several blocks to see one of the hospitals that students will rotate at. Seriously, comfortable shoes. I had to stop at a Payless to buy sneakers for my walk back to the train station because my feet were so sore!
They took us in unmarked/sketchy cabs to one of their rotation site hospitals. nonetheless, it was nice to see on of the hospitals we would potentially be rotating through.
How close President Clinton's office was to the building. I got lost and went in there to ask for directions, only later did i find out who the building was actually for.
Applicants generally expressed positive impressions of the school's staff, facilities, and interview process, with some noting the school's commitment to underserved communities and technological advancements. However, concerns were raised about the school's location, cost, clinical rotations, and interview experiences varying from laid-back to intense. Suggestions included being confident, prepared with questions, and open-minded during the interview process.
There was not a presentation on my allotted interview date, however, they sent out a pre-interview video that served as a presentation. It showed the location, facilities, etc. Very beautiful school!
Overall, I was unimpressed by this school and very disappointed when they were not transparent with their comlex scores and what they were trying to do to address it.
Don't forget, you are feeling out this school as much as they are feeling out you! Apply around. Once I got to this school I did not find it impressive.
Parking is a pain, school is on W 124th st, not W 125th. School uses the flipped teaching method where you watch videos outside of class then you go to lecture and review the content if necessary. Like undergrad they use clicker questions to see if you understand and yes they graded and lecture is mandatory but it’s 3-4 days a week.
Don't let the interviewers intimidate you. Be confident in yourself and your skills, if you were invited to interview, that means you are qualified in every way so BE CONFIDENT!
everything you need is in the school. Very safe. Loved seeing the diversity of students. They are already implementing practices to improve step 2 scores. Great school, but do not feel my interview went well.
The school location is very low key (i.e. it is in an office building and only has a few floors). But it does grow on you once you realize that they have all the facilities necessary for you to succeed, and that you are going to be living in Manhattan.
I didn't feel too stressed during my interview but other interviewees thought theirs were more intense. Know your application and stay calm and your interview will go smoothly. Good luck!
School is definitely on the up and up. Renovate the exterior and they will be in business. The faculty and staff all care and they want the school to progress which is nice !
As a few others - who must have had the same interviewers as I did - have mentioned, I thought this went beyond a typical stress interview. For a fairly new school with no real reputation, this just left me with a very poor impression of the school and I have no desire to study here with such faculty.
Overall, the school is alright. Pros: great faculty, and students seem very social with each other. Cons: facilities are not the greatest and no early clinical exposure.
Don't stress yourself when you go to this interview, prepare properly and just be yourself. They really are just trying to see if you "fit". The interview itself isn't highly stressful and the process is really organized. Obed was extremely extremely helpful in getting everyone to open up and talk before our interviews in order to kind of prepare us.. so take advantage of that. All in all, a great school.
I liked the school a lot more after I interviewed for them. The staff and interviewers were very friendly and informative. Would definitely go here if accepted!
I felt like I really learned a lot on the interview day. I also feel like TouroCOM is honest in its commitment to the underserved and has real resources to include this as a part of medical education. Aside from the glass library, nothing stuck out as outstanding in the world of medical schools, but I left the interview wanting to be accepted so bad it hurt.
Blah. This school just didn't do it for me. I really want to live in NYC at some point, but I realized how big of a mistake it would be to live in an expensive city during medical school. Besides, I want to be competitive for a good residency so I don't think this school will make me look stronger.
Overall, I did not like this school. I was initially enticed by the mission of the school, the diversity of the area, the new facilities and was willing to give it a shot. But I did not like the area as much as I thought, I did not like the interviewers, I did not like the cost. I left knowing nothing about the school and unimpressed. They were not very accommodating. Other schools I have been to have been much more professional and accommodating to your visit. And I would leave knowing much more about the school - I don't know any more about Touro than I did before I got there except that I don't like it. It's not worth the money.
The day started at 9:10 with a 20 minute talk from Obed on Touro and what to expect/talk about in the interview. My interview was at 9:30 and was over by 9:50. There was a 10 minute talk on financial aid at 10:30. Tour of the facilities from 11-12. The dean of student affairs gave a brief 20 min talk about the school, he was very helpful. Obed then treated us to Silvia's (Famous for Soul Food)!! Overall, I was impressed by the school's facilities, but the rotation sites are severely lacking. I'm sure in the next 5 years tho, the rotation sites will be much better for the students.
Agenda: Welcome/Breakfast around 9am. Obed speaking around 9:10am. Then Financial aid session around 9:30am. Then interviews start at 10am. Around 11am, the students give a tour. Deans give speeches. Then Lunch. School is in the heart of NYC. Clinical rotations are up and coming. Obed- the Director of Admissions - is very helpful. He answered any questions before we went to see our interviewers and talked about what is expected of you in the interview. Very comfortable setting.
I really enjoyed most aspects of this school, but was a little concerned with its lack of stats, area in NYC, and lack of clinical work from day one---> I want to start seeing patients along with doing book work. The school was nice and they have great facilities
Honestly, I think that establishing a school in Manhattan (especially harlem) makes it really difficult for any expansion to take place. The school has had 2 classes thus far and many among the first year had to retake Anatomy at a separate location. really i have my concerns about this school. the fee for the secondary application was more than any other school and the deposit required to secure a spot (when accepted) is $2k, non-refundable. anyway, not my favorite interview.
There are many positives and negatives to this school.
Positives: new school so you can set the direction of your medical education as far as extracurriculars go; located in Manhattan NYC so you are bound to see diverse group of patients on your rotations & not to mention that you always have the city at your doorstep when you have to unwind and relax; and finally, the school executives' political influence with administrators and other hospital leaders in NYC and northeast.
Negatives: New school so you don't really know how effective the curriculum is and how well the students are being prepared for the boards; rotation sites haven't been finalized although I'm sure majority of them will be in NYC; incomplete construction of 4/5 floors will make the school very crowded once more students from pharmacy and masters programs are enrolled.
This school is clearly evolving which, along with its location, was what excited me about it. However, after my visit I have to question the direction of its evolution.
Laid back interview, great students, the interviewers ask questions based on the way the conversation is going, but in my experience they would ask new questions before I said what I really wanted to say from the last question
I really enjoyed myself and it seems like the staff, students, and interviewers all enjoy being at Touro - they have some kinks to work out, still growing...
Genuinely impressed with the staff. I was the second to last to interview on the last day of interiews and I thought they would be jaded and tired of the whole process. They were interested to hear everybodys story.
It was pretty laid back and casual. I was interviewed by two professors/clinicians - one was the assistant dean. It was more of a conversation, and they were good about letting me talk before they asked the next question. Overall, they didn't ask that many questions by the time the interview was over.
good cop bad cop, over 15 min spend defending my decision to work after college, They seem to think I was more likely to fail bc I was out of school for a while and I am 30 yrs old.. They did not give me any evidence older students do fail out at a higher rate, also grilled me into saying neg comments about other students who were interviewing that day, almost suspected I was not going to be accepted even before denial letter came in mail
It was really quite relaxed and enjoyable. The director of admissions is a very nice and helpful man, he is there to answer all of your questions honestly, so there isn't anything to worry about. You just have to be passionate about the fact that you want to be an osteopathic physician!
Overall, not bad. I was grilled a little bit during my interview, which made me very nervous and caused me to stumble w/ some of my answers (but I was accepted so being grilled is not necessarily a bad thing). I'm from FL and this was my first visit to NYC. After visiting I realized that NYC wasn't for me. Nice facilities. Obed was very helpful and nice.
Interviews are closed file so they don't know anything about you. You do have to lead the conversation. I wish they didn't ask so many hypothetical questions. Every question was really open-ended.
interview wasn't difficult, persay, but one of my interviewers was pretty intimidating, in demeanor -- not the most laid-back interview. tour was adequate, obed actually spent several minutes coaching us about the interview beforehand, which was nice of him. the day could have run smoother....eh.
two interviewers, small room, me. very sweet and friendly people, both professors at the school. lots of warm smiles. they explicitly expressed that they wanted to get to know me and that i can be relaxed. they wanted to know about me (closed file, so they have NOT seen my other materials at all).
This is a great school and I know I will be a perfect fit for it. With that said though, if you are considering TouroCOM, you need to be sure this is the type of atmosphere you want. If you choose this school just because it is NY, then I would really reconsider because you will have a tough time at this school.
very positive. this promises to be a technologically advanced school with the desire to make a big impact on surrounding area. seems like a perfect fit to me.
It was good ... very much like Tour NV .... I liked the fact that it was closed file ... it really helps becasue they get to see your personality more than anything else.
I thought it was too long of a day. There was a lot of waiting around. We got a pointless ''tour'' of the school-meaning we took a walk around the block. I thought we could have done without it since we couldn't even see the classrooms or inside the building. It was cool to get a tour of the hospital.
Great interview experience. The admissions staff wants you to do well. There is a brief introduction with the deans, and then you rotate in groups of 2 or 3 between a financial aid session, closed filed interview, and tour of the building. Following this there was a light lunch, and then we took cabs to a local hospital to meet with a resident.
Apart from the interview, I spent a couple of days or so in NYC to visit friends and to sight-see. While my overall experience was quite positive, I'd be lying if I didn't mention my disappointment in the fact that the building wasn't done. I wanted to see the facilities myself instead of being told repeatedly that it'll be state-of-the-art.
It was a strange experience considering the school doesn't yet exist. It was relatively organized. They provided breakfast and lunch which was nice. They didn't have much to show us because the building isn't even ready yet, so we just took a walk around the block. It's not the best of areas but not the absolute worst either. the interviewers were really nice; Obed seemed overwhelmed. an fair interview experience.
I spent a good amount of time in a conference room with other interviewees while we waited to go on a tour of the school site, financial aid and the interview. The day went smoothly and ended with a visit to North General Hospital.
They tell you in the beginning that they try to make this the most relaxing process as possible. I came in 30 minutes early, and hung out in the conference room. Deans will give you a presentation, and explain their ''vision'' of the school. Interviews are in a panel, closed-file. My interview was pretty long, probably cause i talked a lot. Questions were typical, and they keep you on your toes with questions that are improved from your answers, be prepared to handle them stopping you mid sentence. Be yourself, and if you believe this is for you, state it, logically and systematically. Tell them what is important in your life, now and in the future. They are looking for students who are serious, dedicated, and personable, as medicine is not for the weak of heart.
It was actually very laid back. I got along with my interviewers and we shared a couple laughs and chatted off topic. Overall, I liked the school and it was a good thing because I was accepted.
Overall the interview experience was very good. My interview was very informal and they were asking general questions so they could get to know me. Once the school is built it promises to be very nice and big. The harlem community is under going a transformation and will be interesting going to school there and helping the citizens of that community.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested for the admissions office to involve more students and faculty, provide more eco-friendly practices, offer online fee payments and applications, and improve organization during interview days, including equal group division and less stress-inducing preparation. They also mentioned the importance of professionalism, clear communication, and positive interactions throughout the admissions process.
To increase the eco-friendliness of this school, have recycling. Also, remember the attitude you show affects the feelings students have. If you are bickering amongst yourselves, students see this and remember. It affects the way they feel about the school.
No more paper applications. Also to give a feedback survey for the interview day if they truly want to improve it, instead of talking about what someone posted on SDN in front of applicants.
divide the groups for interviews equally, like 4 groups of 4, instead of 1 with 5 one with 3, a few with 4. Makes the day uneven when we have to wait for the other groups to finish. Otherwise, excellent day.
I think the admissions office did a great job overall, most of the points that I docked were due to external factors (such as location) which the school cannot control.
If they were to send out interview invites and ask us for confirmation or scheduling, it'd be better if a holiday did not conflict with the response. Most of us waited almost a week (close to the deadline given for us to schedule) before we got any response.
The admissions office came off as very disorganized this cycle, likely due to the new director, other admin, faculty and students made up for it on interview day, though.
They need to be more aware of what their professors are doing in front of the interviewees that could cause them to view the school in a negative light. For example a professor throwing his wallet at a secretary and shouting at a secretary does not reflect well on the school.
Also I understand that some interviews are meant to be stressful, but interviewers should never be rude and insulting to people who have worked hard and spent a lot of money to be there.
Please don't have a 30 minute lecture on how to impress the interviewers. We are pre-medical students and we know about the importance of having a great impression on them. Also, I think it would be best if interviews were open file. If the interviews are going to be "good cop, bad cop" style it would be beneficial to both interviewer and interviewee to have an open file interview. This way, any concerns or questions about our application can be addressed.
