Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 15% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a low stress level and felt they did well.
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 areaโs cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
๐ฌ Interview Questions โผ
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about the interviewee's motivations for pursuing medicine, qualities they possess that would make them a good physician, their background and personal experiences, ethical scenarios, and specific details about their application such as research projects and volunteer activities. Many respondents mentioned being asked questions in an MMI format, where they were required to sign a nondisclosure agreement, prohibiting them from disclosing specific details of the interview questions.
First interviewer just asked me about random activities from my application, nothing too specific. I think she actually might have talked more than I did.
My first interviewer was an M.D. at a campus hospital. He knew my file like the back of his hand, this included very specific details. He did not grill me on this, he was very laid back and seemed genuinely impressed with what we were talking about. He gave a lot of great insight to why i should attend UCSD.
Questions: Tell me how traveling to (specific country) affected your view of health, especially in today's context. Tell me about your parent's work. How did you come to decide to become a physician?
The first interviewer was very laid back and seemed to like a lot of things about read in my file. He asked me a few standard questions (low grades early on in college to kicking butt in classes, etc). Afterwards he did A LOT of talking about the school from his perspective and all the great things about it. It really impressed me. I interjected into the conversation but he did most of the talking which I'm not sure is a good or bad thing, but again he seemed to really like me.
General comments about interviews. UCSD interviews are very thorough. The 2 interviewers who met me didn't carry my files in their hands/take notes/anything. Yet they knew my file inside out, upside down, back to front. They brought up every activity of importance I listed on the secondary, and talked in depth about them. You really gotta know your own file to prepare for this!
First Interviewer: Tell me more about yourself. Tell me about your research. How do you feel about researching later on? Tell me about your clinical experience. Can you tell me more about your volunteer activities? What are you doing this year? How did you decide to pursue medicine? What do you envision doing with a career in medicine? Do you have questions for me?
1) even though I've read your app, I like to ask people to tell me the story of their lives. 2) The people I see in medicine who are unhappy tend to be unhappy because they have been turned off by a negative experience. What negative experiences have you had in your clinical work? 3) There's tons of chaos in medicine and you basically get no time off. How will you deal with that? 4) What problems do you think there are in the healthcare system? 5) what do you look for in a medical school?
1st interviewer: Why medicine? Doctors often have patients that are difficult to deal with. How well do you think can handle such patients? What do you think is the most difficult part of being a doctor? What do you think of the current health care reform?
What characteristics do you think make a good physician? (followed later with what characteristics do you have that will make you a good physician? which is essentially the same question....
I can't remember. I would make sure that you have some intelligent questions to ask the interviewers about SD, though. One of them told me "This is not just about you selling yourself, I want to make sure to sell our school to you."
So why are you interested in our residency program in internal medicine (my interviewer screwed up, thinking I was there for the residency program and not the MD)?
Second medical ethic scenario (vague detail):
A child has cancer. In those cases where the child was treated for this specific cancer, there is a 95% success rate. His/her mother, however, refuses this line of treatment and wants to try herbal remedies instead. The mother believes that any chemotherapy treatment will cause her son/daughter to lose their hair and he/she would be made fun of in school, etc. So, the mom wants to protect her child from any emotional trauma.
If you are the doctor, what would you do in this specific situation?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of California San Diego School of Medicine discussed topics such as Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format, with some respondents mentioning signing a nondisclosure agreement. Commonly asked questions focused on personal attributes, challenges in medicine, ethical scenarios, healthcare delivery improvements, and future plans in medicine.
I'm standing in front of the admissions council and I am presenting you as an applicant...what do i tell them to convince them to accept you as a student? (tooootally caught me off guard!)
A few questions that aimed at getting me to think critically and answer on the spot about future directions of one of my research projects. I never encountered this situation before in my previous interviews.
How do you think technology has improved medicine? How do you think it has changed it for the worse?
Also, I got some ethical scenarios where I had to decide how to handle patients.
With the current state of government regulations, what are some of the implications of genomics and individualized medicine? How will information obtained from genetic testing be controlled?
Long case study about a guy. Basically at the end of the story, your patient refuses surgery that will save his life. My answer was that he was irrational and that I would choose for him. In the end, he just didn't want to be a burden on his family, so his choice was purely rational. Very good story and case that has changed a little about how I think about medicine
In some fields of medicine it is very hard to do a good job no matter how much you work and effort you put into it. What motivates people--what motivates you--to try to do it anyway?
why, given your proven ability to leverage your considerable education & experience to accomplish worthy things that are important to you, would you want to start over in a new field where you won't have time and status to make those kinds of contributions for quite a while?
Given your experience working as a rape crisis counselor on a hotline, tell me what you think about the current situation involving Kobe Bryant? Do you think it will influence survivors to not report their sexual assaults?
I was given a scenario of me being a pediatrician and having to tell a mother that her two year son had brain cancer and would die in four months. The interviewer asked me how would I tell the mom.
If you had the power to make changes to reduce the number of uninsured in the US what changed would you make? (during the interview I quoted this number from an article I read)
Questions were very general. I was interviewed by the dean himself and he is the nicest man you will ever meet. Very family oriented. Most questions were about my family.
Pretty standard, (Why MSTP, where do you see yourself in 15 years, tell me about your research) although I got no cheesy interview questions (what makes you special) or ethical questions or healthcare economics questions.
2 medical ethics questions! I had a lot of fun with those, only because no one every asked me about them and I spent so much time preparing for them.
First scenario (vaguely recall details of it):
A 35 year old female is a Jehovah Witness and is in the hospital. She specifically stated that she does not want a blood transfusion if anything should happen to her because of her beliefs. She has 3 kids and is married. She has some sort of complication and is in/out of consciousness. She requires a blood transfusion or she will die. You are the doctor and have to decide what to do.
(just remember that there is no right/wrong answer. this case even went to the medical ethics committee because it was so complicated)
Was there a point in your life where you stopped and pondered your decision to enter medicine? What makes people in medicine jaded? How would you prevent yourself from being jaded in the field?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of California San Diego School of Medicine discussed MMI format with a nondisclosure agreement possibly in place. Commonly asked questions included ethical scenarios, personal motivations for medicine, weaknesses in application, and opinions on healthcare systems and ethical issues.
Tell me the procedure you used during your research to excize genes (Since I had done research 2 years prior I did not remember the exact reagents used which is what the interviewer wanted to know)
How do you propose we handle medical care for the burgeoning US elderly population given how expensive it is to care for them? (brought about by my interest in geriatrics)
What do you feel about doctors that refuse to see medicare patients because they don't get high compensation from medicare? What do you think is the biggest problem in medicine that needs to be addressed and how would you address them?
Why do you want to become a doctor?
*I know, this is THE question you know you'll be asked, and yet, I hadn't formally prepared my answer and all my friends' warnings that the straightforward but truthfull
One of my interviewers asked questions with an almost unnerving subtlety and acumen: he zeroed in on my motivations, on what I felt was the balancing act between sympathy and science, and on how critical I can be of physicians!
Are you familiar with our curriculum? I was.
Follow up, what do you think about it? (honestly, sounds boring like the rest of the medical schools but I didn't say that of course)
There weren't really any difficult questions, although one interviewer did ask the general "why medicine" question right at the beginning of the interview.
What would you do if you saw a fellow medical student cheating on an exam? (there's an honor code in most medical schools strictly against cheating, so think carefully on this one).
Why should I tell the admissions committee to accept you instead of the guy who was just in here since he has a lot of lab research experience and you do not?
What do you see yourself doing in 15 years? and when did you figure out that medicine is what you wanted to do? (these are questions they basically ask you everytime, and after awhile it is hard not to make it sound like you are repeating yourself or like you rehearsed it)
Who was the person who was not supportive of your choosing a career in medicine and why were they not supportive? (Very personal which was why it was the most difficult)
Despite having my entire detailed file in front of me, the doc requested a full history of my life, family, school, goals, etc. Other questions were equally poorly thought out.
Has there ever come a time in your life when everything fell to pieces around you and you realized your own limitations? How did that help you find your place in the world?
I was just thrown off a bit by my second interviewer. She obviously hadn't done that many interviews before and had just found a book about interviewing. She just kept asking me generic questions that weren't really about medicine or going to medical school. It kind of threw me off. I felt like I was interviewing for a consulting job
Where do I see my career in 30(!) years? I thought the AMCAS practice vision question was hard to answer well, but this one really took the cake. I can't imagine being 50 when I can barely imagine what I'll be doing when I'm 25.
Most respondents had an interview of more than 50 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?
Many applicants prepared for the interview by reviewing their application materials, practicing with mock interviews, reading SDN feedback, researching the school's website, and staying up-to-date on current events and medical ethics. An emphasis was also placed on talking to current students, relaxing, and being oneself during the interview process.
Didn't do MMI prep for this school in particular but CASPER prep is all you need
I reviewed my application, practiced with many different people, researched the school, toured the free clinic, and spoke to different UCSD med students
SDN, reviewed my entire application, mock interview with a friend. Practicing my interview skills with a friend was tremendously helpful as it revealed areas of needed improvement.
This website, looked over my application, thought about what questions I got asked at other interviews, thought about what I would want to know if I was looking at my application
SDN was sooo helpful, no doubt. Many thanks to all the folks who posted before me, def a huge huge help. Read up on various things like healthcare reform, universal healthcare, etc.
Read the feedback on this site. IF YOU'RE READING THIS SITE TO PREPARE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW, STOP!! Don't waste any more time, the search for a parking spot was more stressful than the interviews.
This is my 4th interview so I was very comfortable with the basic questions like Why medicine and why this school? but for my 1st interview I reviewed my file and read up on heathcare problems and the diff b/w HMO and PPO. Also compiled a list of questions that are posted here on SDN.
UCSD SOM website, SDN Interview feed back, AMCAS and Secondary (both interviewers thoroughly read them before hand and knew a lot about me), NY Times news, spoke to students and doctors
Not much actually. I read the dean's forward on the online catalog. I got most of my information from sdn. I also attended the tour of the free clinic, followed by a FREE dinner, the night before. The tour and dinner allowed me to talk to students, and I learned everything I needed to know about UCSD.
Read through my AMCAS application, secondary, autobiography, thought of answers to the "usual" questions, looked through info I'd collected on the school, talked to friends who attend this school
I read the 3 (studentdoctor.net) interview feedback surveys that were available. Reviewed over current medical ethics issues from the University of Washington's SOM Medical Ethics website. That site is amazing. look it up. Also, just reviewed over the school, what they offer, what i liked/didn't like and had questions about, etc.
Reviewed my AMCAS, my UCSD 2ndary (aka Personal Statement II), and their online
catalog. Gave myself 1/2 hr. extra time in the morning to get lost on the way to their
adm. office.
Reviewed my personal statement and tried to be calm. By this time, I already had 3 interviews so things were second nature to me. The best way to prepare for an interview is to do as much interviews as possible.
- Went over AMCAS app
- Looked at school website
- Reviewed types of health care delivery
- Memorized a couple of interesting research projects going on at UCSD
- Prepared a couple of questions to ask interviewers
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and welcoming nature of the staff, faculty, and students at UCSD. The facilities, beautiful campus, student-run free clinic, and the efficiency of the admissions process in providing quick decisions were also highlighted as positive aspects.
Everyone was so nice, you could tell the staff really love on UCSD
SUPER FAST decision! UCSD will not keep you waiting - you find out if your accepted, WL, or rejected within a week of your interview! That's amazing in comparison to other schools I interviewed at.
the students are happy and interesting to talk to, the admissions office is well-organized, the campus is beautiful, the facilities are amazing, the curriculum is awesome.
Gorgeous location, great vibe from the students, and the admissions office is SUPER nice. Unlike other schools, they tell you a specific date that you will hear back w/ decisions. New curriculum and free clinic were also huge pluses.
The new curriculum is really exciting. Systems based classes means no huge finals at the end of each quarter, and hopefully helps students better retain the information. Obviously La Jolla is gorgeous and the weather was a frigid 70 degrees in the middle of December. San Diego being the only medical school in San Diego means that students don't have to share resources with other schools and have several fantastic hospitals at their disposal. Research is big, with a very high NIH grant per faculty member statistic. And the students seemed much happier than UCSD's old reputation led me to believe they'd be. It seems as though the new curriculum has reduced the amount of lecture hours they have to sit through, and helped expose them to electives, preceptorships, etc.
Beautiful campus, housing very close to campus, beautiful are and weather, beach is close by, the people are very relaxed and have social and academic balance
The interviewers have read your file in depth (you might see your file on their desk with excessive annotations and underlining!) This is a good thing because it shows the effort and care that the admissions committee invests in the students that they decide to interview. The admissions office personnel are also extremely nice, helpful and they meet weekly to discuss the interviewees so they will probably give you a decision 1 week after your interview date.
Lots of different hospitals with lots of different experiences possible at each one (the rich Thornton, the county Hillcrest, the VA, Scripps, etc), the new curriculum (PF, less lecture time), the collegial atmosphere, the weather (!)
Nearly everything. You cannot beat La Jolla for the location of a medcial school. Weather is perfect and the beach is absolutly gorgeous. Everyone was very laid back, but was still focused on thier studies. The free clinic looks like an awesome clinical opportunity since it is COMPLETELY student run. It seems that students do very well on the boards and match well. There are many opporunities for students that I would like to take advantage of. This is definitly a top choice school for me. I can't wait to hear back.
Student body and the interviewers. They were more friendly than any other school. Interviewer even bought me coffee and suggested places to visit on Campus. Students were very approachable and happy despite the fact that they had a difficult exam the next day.
The students were amazing. I had such a great time interacting with all of them. All of them seemed very relaxed and happy even though they had a final that day. The location could not be any better than La Jolla. The fact that the interviewers had read over my whole file very thoroughly. The extensive tutoring program that they have for their students.
staff all very friendly, let me switch my interview to an earlier date, students seemed enthusiastic, really take care of students--podcast all lectures, have a hired notetaker, post all presentationslides
This is the only school I've interviewed at where, without exception, every single person I met was a person I would like to get to know better. Everyone was nice and smart and interesting and engaging, including my two interviewers.
students were awesome, free clinic was awesome, location/weather was awesome. also, they have a professional student service group that provides tutoring, studying aids, etc.
They have multiple hospitals, the location is perfect, its close to downtown but also a mile from the beach, they are going to build a new medical education building, they are re-doing curriculum, the people were all very nice and the free clinics. Also they have a great academic support system; a notetaker and professional tutor: FREE
Students seemed nice and friendly, and they really alleviated some concerns I had about the rigorous curriculum and stress level. Things aren't bad as I had heard. The campus was pretty, and so was the surrounding area.
Dr. David Rose was so nice. It was the best interview conversation I've ever had. There seems to be a lot of opportunities for nature lovers and outdoor sports!
I went to UCSD as an undergrad so I was quite familiar with the facilities. I was impressed that they have tutors employed by the SOM to help their med students with classes. By the way, go to the free clinic tour: You get to chat with students and get a free dinner up to $15 out of it.
The free clinic tour and the effort by the staff to make the interview process run smoothly. I truly got a feel for what the student atmosphere is like. I could see myself fitting in with the students I met there. The campuse is beautiful and close to the beach.
San Diego is beautiful and the school has SO many affiliated hospitals that you are guaranteed to get excellent training. Faculty was also very nice and down-to-earth.
The cohesiveness of the students, the fact that there are sources outside of the lecture for help (podcast lectures, lecture note services, tutorial center), the weather, and most importantly the research opportunites (ability to work at TSRI and SALK) and the student run free clinic.
I was quite surprised by how much Dr. Kelly has transformed the school to be more receptive to input from students and thus made it more student friendly. You can start taking electives from the start.
Before I visited I was had been told that the students weren't very happy and everyone was high-strung and stressed out. I did not find that to be the case at all. Everyone I spoke to was thrilled with their decision to be there and it seems like the school is making a conscious effort to reverse that stigma. The new biomedical library was beautiful. Everyone seemed exceptionally friendly and relaxed.
The Student-Run Free Clinic tour was great. There were so many people waiting to be seen by the students--a harsh reminder of the 46 million people in this nation without health insurance.
All the students seem happy and adjusted. There is a gorgeous new library and new classrooms, and the school has a true community feel. Everyone is so proud of the free clinic project.
The students, faculty and administrative staff are incredibly nice and enthusiastic. There is a lot of support for medical students, planned extracurricular activities, new biomed library, amazing faculty etc. etc...
everyone in san diego is incredibly nice. the med school is affiliated with A LOT of hospitals and other facilities. students seem happy. the student run free clinic is AWESOME.
the student-run free clinic tour was amazing! what a great opportunity for clinical experience during your first two years. there are also a lot of electives and flexibility in the program. The new facilities (library and grad study rooms) were immaculate.
Everyone was very friendly. Because I had to take a shuttle to my faculty interview, the professor who interviewed me took the time to drive me back to the admissions office. The weather was amazing!
The Student-Run free clinics are phenomenal. Take the tour if you interview here- it's just incredible. The summer program only has a marginal fee. Students seem very readily able to get involved with research projects on campus, and there's always something going on. Office of Student life seems very active and into keeping people well-rounded.
the faculty, students, and lack of competition i was told to dread about the students at UCSD...and the freedom students have in selecting electives starting year one.
That there are only 4 students to a cadaver in the anatomy lab. Also, there are a lot of tutoring tools available to you if you are having a hard time in shcool.
Beautiful weather. Close to a lot of out door recreations that I'd love to do. Tradition approach with lectures seems ideal for my type of studying.
STUDENT RUN FREE CLINIC was simply THE BEST!
The school is ranked #14 in Research and #7 in Primary Care. The facilites are excellent and state of the art. Many opportunities for research and clinical experience. Beautiful SD weather. Faculty is top notched. Disregard other negative posts about the faculty as they are excellent.
What made the biggest impression was how outgoing the people of San Diego are. People on the street ask how you are and care what your answer is. The school was awesome. Students seemed very happy, contrary to other postings about this school. The area is amazing, pricey though. The school is cheap though, $8,000 a year
Both interviews (an M.D. and a Ph.D.) felt unscripted, informal, but were quite serious and intense. I dropped in on a first-year small-group class about "being a doctor," and watched two instructors ask students "What do you expect to cause you the most frustration as a physician?" and pushing the students (gently) for honest answers. Nearly all the students seemed cut from the University of California cloth, and were racially and ethnically all over the map. A VA hospital is right next to the teaching buildings. The weather, of course, was postcard-perfect. The fees were in line with my expectations. I liked how the Dean briefed us about the nitty-gritty of the USMLE, the residency match, the housing situation, and the class schedules, year by year. I also liked how we were taken to the tutorial center to meet one of the tutors. The students who gave us the tour liked their school (and "The San Diego factor") but were honest about the workload and the stress we would have to deal with.
The staff presentation about the school, the interviewers were very friendly. They seem truly concerned about the students well being not just academically.
both my interviewers were awesome human beings, free clinics & asl program look great, possibility to practice "border medicine", weather, beautiful location, available electives, step ii at end of 3rd year (i like the idea of getting it out of the way)
The faculty and research at UCSD is amazing. They have so many incredible people at the University as well as the Institutes. The MST Program seems very solid, and in good hands. The students seem passionate and well-rounded.
The research facilities are amazing! UCSD and Scripps have some of the best research around. Also, you can't beat the year-round paradise weather of La Jolla. Also, UCSD is essentially beach front property. I also liked the student-run clinics.
They had a 100% first-try pass rate for the USMLE Step I 3 years in a row. Last year broke the streak, but it was still high with a 96% pass rate. In the first two years of school you're given the time to take up a wide range of electives. I read through the medical school catalog and the offerings for electives is impressive.
Students are happy there. The school has a great and thorough curriculum - you WILL be prepared for your boards and practice as a physician. San Diego is beautiful as everyone knows.
The student-run free clinic -- there was a great aura of enthusiasm about it, and it really seems like they are making a difference in the community. Take this tour if you have the chance. The medical school actually has an artist-in-residence, which I thought was very cool. There is an amazing variety of elective courses offered. I was also impressed by the other interviewees. And, let's not forget that San Diego is one of the most beautiful cities in the U.S. The weather is perfect.
The students were really nice and friendly. Also, some of us had interviews at Hillcrest (teaching hospital and medical facilities off campus), but my interviewers walked me to the shuttle stop.
After my second interview I had an hour gap and my interviewer asked me if I wanted to see a procedure he was about to start so I got out of my suit and into some scrubs. Also, they have three student run clinics which are very good and you can get credit for volunteering there.
Possibly the most beautiful medical school campuses in the nation, UCSD prides itself (rightfully so) on its three free clinics where even first-year students can manage patients. There's a lot of inter-year interaction among the MSTP students, who are a very social group and can easily acquire a university-subsidised apartment with an oceanview. The interviewers seem to want to get to know who you are and if you'll fit into the UCSD atmosphere.
Everything was VERY relaxed and low key. I had a blast hanging out with the students, especially at the dinner after interviews were over. The Salk Institute is probably the most beautiful spot to do research in the world.
The interactions between the med students, attendings, and the patients at the student run free clinic, the assoc. Dean taking an hour out of his time to speak with us.
The 3 beautiful female interviewees I spent the day with! No really,
the interviewers were most impressive. They thoroughly reviewed my essays
and asked very thoughtful questions. I got the sense that they were genuinely
interested in learning more about my strengths and interests. Oh yeah, La Jolla is a beautiful
environment. Some med students go surfing during their lunch double-hour break.
The students are REALLY happy. Also, the Student-Run Free Clinic seems an amazing opportunity to serve the community, learn hands-on, and remember what medicine is all about.
How helpful and friendly the staff and faculty were. Also, there are great opportunities to get lots of clinical and leadership experience in the Free Clinic, which students operate in three locations around San Diego.
Students I met seemed to really dig the school. There are some pretty good opportunities for clinical exposure in the early years at the UCSD-run free clinics for migrant workers.
Applicants expressed concerns about the lack of patient interaction, outdated facilities, heavy lecture-based curriculum, competitive grading system, and stressed/unhappy student atmosphere at UCSD. Suggestions included improving the interview process, providing more opportunities for student-faculty interaction, enhancing clinical experiences, and addressing the overall vibe and workload to create a more positive and engaging environment for students.
They start the day with a Q & A assuming we already know all about the school from the website. But the dean even admitted the website was not great and that not much information was on there. I felt the MMI was not great at judging who I am as a person and we were not able to meet or speak with any faculty.
The MMI style interviews. I do not feel that the interviewers adequately are able to know your personality, but that is probably not what they are looking for.
The new medical education building is very nice but apparently first year med students take classes in the pharmacy building. Only second years get the new lecture hall. It would have been nice to see student housing, but they are all so different and spread out it wouldn't have been that valuable. La Jolla is....nice. If you like suburbs and grass, La Jolla is great. But if you're looking for a vibrant night life, lots of great restaurants, etc. you'll need a car.
Absolutely nothing. I love UCSD! But since that info doesn't help. Maybe the fact that you might have to take the school bus to a off-campus location for one of your interviews (such as the Hillcrest Hospital)
One minor thing. The first is that the free clinic tour website said that the dinner was free, and it was not. I just wish I would have known before hand.
The main teaching hospital is located in Hillcrest, not La Jolla. The tour only included lecture halls, tutoring offices, student lounge, and medical library. Outside of student life, La Jolla does not seem to have much going on.
First interviewer was late and drove me to my second interview. He deleted his email, so the office does not confirm with its interviewers via phone. Sloppy and makes you feel like your time and energy is not valued.
The facilities of the hospital and school were not equivilant to other schools I have seen, the interviewers were rude and arrogant, students seemed forced to interact with interviewees.
-The students weren't as friendly as those I've seen at other interviews. They were talking amongst themselves right in front of interviews and did not seem too enthusiastic about meeting us.
-Some buildings look run down.
-The curriculum is still very traditional.
-Clinical is not interwoven seamlessly into all 4 years, although there is an effort to incorporate it in recently. (UCSD is becoming more progressive but still quite 'purist' in their curriculum)
One of my interviewers was unemotional and unresponsive to my answers - she asked interesting and tough question, but she didn't interact well and give feedback. It was a one-sided conversation which made me nervous and put-off
The students just did not seem happy. They seemed stressed out and complained about not having enough housing, too much lecture, and the honors system makes for a competitive environment.
The facilities. The anatomy lab ''is awful'' according to students. At least it's a short course. They just received $30 million from the state to build a new building for the medical school. MS1s next year will be attending lectures in the new Pharmacy building. The rumors of being lecture intense seem to ring true, although I was quite impressed by the curriculum overall.
The curriculum, the lack of clinical skills facilities, the need to travel to the hospital to interview, then come back to interview again - not enough time was given for me to find the buildings.
The number of hours UCSD students spend in class, the fact that they didn't really show us any of the facilities and that our tour guide basically told us that nothing had been revamped since the school opened in the 70s.
Very few minorities, stepping onto the medical campus is like stepping back in time, this is one of the worst schools in the country in terms of hispanic and african american enrollment.
The students seemed stressed out. It's not that they weren't friendly, but it seemed like many just didn't have time to talk to us. San Diego area is very "soCal" with lots of Aston Kutcher carbon copies. Remember that the Republican National Convention was held here, so it's got a conservative flavor. Don't be surprised by that.
Discouragement by students in regards to the program- no early clinical built into the first two years of the program, staggered midterm schedules so there are midterms nearly every week (and resulting high stress level), faculty reluctance to experiement with the program to a more efficient organ-based approach (as many schools are now employing), and finally the mandated independent research project for all MD students in order to complete the program.
Lastly, school's proximity to the local naval base makes for unnecessary noise pollution at times.
What stood out to me is how unhappy the medical students seemed (even the student tour guides) in respect to other medical school I have seen.
The gross anatomy room (that we were unfortunately not shown) is underground and so has no windows; that could make for depressing dissections. I wish we could have seen a lecture. The buildings are a kooky mix of bungalows and high-tech stainless steel, and indeed the program also feels a little kooky: stem cell research, fellowships for future physicians wishing to learn more about the deaf, cancer, robotic surgery, primary care, trauma--a crazy mix (but that could be a good thing). I wish I could have seen Hillcrest, where much of the clinical teaching takes place. I sense that UCSD is a mix of structured lectures and do-it-yourself individualism: you have to come here ready both to submit to a tough class regimen and yet blaze your own trail. Although the medical center is on the UCSD campus, it feels removed from it. The campus is not adjoined by any true neighborhood, so eating and drinking near school is limited to a few places: that may mean lots of driving or lots of shuttles, though a few live close enough to walk or bike to classes.
I didn't meet many students b/c I was there during a large test block. Our scheduled tour guide didn't show up and thus we got kinda jipped on the tour. I didn't feel like I learned much about the school's facilities or about student life.
sprawl of campus & clinical sites, lots of lecture, hardcore nitpicky academics with a focus on details rather than problem solving, anatomy in 2nd year
I got a slight elitist vibe from the school. It felt a little like they were using a "you'd-be-foolish-not-to-come-here" angle in recruiting applicants on interview day, which kind of rubbed me the wrong way. (However, after seeing all the wonderful things UCSD has in store, they may be right.)
The interviews (especially the informationals) ended up being too short. By the time you stated your interests/goals, etc. to the interviewer, there was not much time for them to get to into explaining their research.
The cost of living in the area surrounding UCSD is really high.
MSTP students said it was not uncommon to take 9 years for some graduate programs!!
The curriculum seems very lecture-based and traditional (not much PBL)
To be honest, the students seemed incredibly stressed there. Too much lecture time and H/P/F system make for unncessary competition. I am not sure, but at most of the other UC medical schools, the basic science years have a P/F currciculum only, but at SD, there is an honors option. Also, La Jolla is an incredibly pricey city!
The amount of lecture time. (I believe you're in class for approximately 5-8 hrs a day.) However, our student guides and my interviewer made a good point about the this type of lecture-based learning... with lectures it's up to you if you attend, in the case of case-based learning you're pretty much required to attend them all. In fact, at UCSD most students usually skip out on lectures covering material that they are already familiar with.
I ran into my friend who I had lost touch with who is a second year there. He told me not to go there and go to almost any other school. He hates the 8-5, the fact that only a percentage of students get honors, and there is a thesis that they need to do. He wishes he was somewhere else, but said he'll be thankfull when he gets to third year.
Apparently, the good weather clouds over in May and June, but for the rest of the year, it's pretty nice. Also, there is significant classroom time in the first two years (Some students opt not to go for some of the classes because they feel they have enough material to get by on their own or with tutoring assistance).
my first interviewer was really tough! he seemed to have decided before i got there that he thought i was not qualified to be there and would not be an asset to the program. i felt like i had to spend the whole interview changing his mind about me. also, he was late, and when i went to go check on him, he showed up, which makes me think that he thought i was the one who was late. really stressful experience. I had to run to my second interview.
I thought some of the information about the school given at informational talks could have waited until acceptances were issued. Even the undergrad campus isn't the party scene that I was expecting. The first two years are dominated by 8 to 6 lecture hours. Since most students hail from CA, if the attitude isn't your style it will be difficult to adjust. That said, I was thoroughly impressed by the school and would love to have the option to go there.
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the varying interview formats, the importance of arranging student host stays early, the need to follow parking instructions, and the lack of breakfast provided. They also highlighted the laid-back and supportive student environment at UCSD, the off-campus interview locations, and the early decision timeline post-interviews.
Everyone said that their interviews were really informal and conversational, but one of my interviews was highly structured. It caught me off guard, so I wish I had been more mentally prepared for that type of interview.
If you want to stay with a student host, ASK EARLY. I asked the week before my interview, and almost everyone I asked already was hosting someone.
Also, follow parking instructions very thoroughly to avoid getting a ticket!
Interviews are the first thing after a morning presentation. You have a 1 hour presentation which is somewhat slow and boring, then either interviews immediately or an hour break followed by two interviews. They are usually 30-45 minutes, mine lasted 40 minutes for one and 70 minutes for the other. They are conversations and meant to get to know you, I did not get any difficult ethical questions.
One of your interviews might be at a hospital location that is not on campus. So you will need to take the bus there. Don't worry, they will help you along the way and keep track of time so you don't miss the bus or your interview.
Also, the adcom meets a week after your interview date! So you will likely get a decision as early as 1 week after your interview date.
That my interviews would be really chill. Although some of the other interviewees on my day had some tougher interviewers, so I guess it's sort of random who you get.
Free clinic dinner is not free. How different the student environment is, compared to all of the rumors you hear. Everyone is very laid back, works together, and super cool.
If you have heard the rumor that UCSD is super competitive, it is exacly that A RUMOR. The students are very happy, and work and party together. Things have seriously changed.
Lack of public transportation. Very difficult to get around without a car. I had to rent a car to get to the school from the airport and to get to the interview site.
If you left your Residency Form and Schedule of classes form at home on the interview day like I foolishly did, don't freak. The admisisons office is super friendly and they let you bring/mail/fax those forms at a later time.
The program I was most interested in getting involved in has been canceled, and I didn't find this out until I arrived because information about the program was still being sent out to all applicants. However I still would have come and there is lots to love about this school!
interviews are long. they're scheduled for 1 hour each, but my second one ran 30 mn over. i had to take the shuttle to my interviews, and it dropped me off late so i had to run to my interviews. wear comfortable shoes.
That there was no breakfast- no bagels or coffee or anything. Every other school has had something especially so early. I was starving by the time lunch came around (which kinda sucked too)
All the crap you hear about UCSD is false. I mean, the facilities are not the newest, but do you really care? The library is bran-spankin new, you take classes in the new pharmacy school building, etc. Honestly, it DOES NOT matter.
Also, the admissions office was great. evrytime i needed something, they responded and were very helpful. they were not trying to be my best friend, but heck, they get tons of us neurotic pre-meds calling everyday.
the students did not seems overly stressed or bitter about their lecture time. you dont have to go to lecture.
seriously, just go to UCSD, see for yourself. Its a major research school, so see if you fit.
the interviewers were more keen on my construction labor experience than anything else. They thought it was awesome that I drove heavy equipment and water trucks.
Make sure you eat breakfast beforehand, they don't provide any food or drinks until lunch. Traffic wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The Free Clinic tour and dinner program is only offered certain days, so make sure you sign up and review the dates well in advance.
UCSD is heading towards a new direction, interms of surgery. There will be more focus minimally invasive techniques like laproscopic or robotic surgery.
That there is no reason to stress for this interview.
And after the interview..you are either accepted or put on the waitlist..no immediate rejections.
The ISP requirement- independent study projects. The fact that housing is difficult to find. PB is a good place for food. UCSD is VERY research oriented, make no mistake.
Like some other feedback had said, make sure you sign up for the student run free clinic tour (which is the day before) the interview. It's worth it to see students in action. Also cool to see the accupuncture they were doing in another room.
I wish I had known that the tour of the student-run Free Clinic would be given the night before the interview. (We were only told about this tour the day before the interview!)
Of course no 2 interviewers are exactly the same, but I was told by more than 2 people who had just interviewed to REALLY know your secondary application, including exact dates etc. UCSD is where I want to attend Med School so I put much effort into the preparation. The extra time spent preparing and the added stress this added were COMPLETELY not needed. And it actually threw me a bit when I was in the interviews, and they were only conversational, not like I was expecting nor like any other interviews I had been on.
Student life outside campus is not great except for the beach areas and few clubs, chronic issue of lack of diversity everywhere...(INCLUDING the CLUBS!!!)
50% of their interviewees are offered acceptance. Contrary to popular belief they accept UCSD undergrads to the school of medicine. The top feeder schools for the med school are UCSD, UCLA, UCBerkeley, and Standford.
There are three campus-affiliated housing complexes which are relatively cheaper than off-campus housing, but they have very long waiting lists. It's sometimes possible to find housing there by hooking up with current residents looking for roomates. Also, you most likely need to have a car as the public transportation system is not all that great.
I would have less nervous had I known how conversational and supportive the interviewers were going to be. Not everyone in my group had this experience though.
traditional curriculum based on lectures; classes are 8-12 everyday and may last longer depending on what year and what day; in the past 4-5 years the school has worked hard to boost student morale; students now seem satisfied with the school
That there was absolutely nothing to worry about...It seems the Admissions Office actually has an interview policy that dictates that interviewers can only ask "get to know you" questions.
The interviews can last a long time. Especially with my faculty interviewer (1.5 hours). The student interview was about 1 hour. On the day of my interview, there were only 5 MD applicants total. The rest, which were around 20 people, were MSTP applicants. Apparently, they squished many of the MSTP into that one date.
I "discovered" the right answer to the "what would you do if a dying patient refuses a blood transfusion?" question. Wow I hope that answer didn't cost me my chance at admission. Obviously I hadn't read too much on medical ethics beforehand - oopsy.
Applicants generally found the UCSD interview experience to be smooth, relaxed, and conversational, with interviewers showing genuine interest in getting to know them. The positive atmosphere, friendly staff, and ample opportunities for research were highlighted, though some concerns were raised about the heavy lecture-based curriculum and the stress level among students.
I don't know how true or valid the "inferiority complex" in comparison to UCLA or UCSF are. I think UCSD is pretty dang close to UCLA and its location is much better. Right now, this is one of my top choices for in state.
They don't serve breakfast or coffee so make sure you take care of that before arriving. Also bring your own water bottle in case you get thirsty talking up a storm during the interviews.
If you have an interview, they are interested. The adcom and interviewers invest a lot of time and care in reviewing your application so you should be proud that you received an interview and stay confident during the process! Good luck!
Great school that clearly cares a lot about its students and is working to jump into the upper echelon of schools (not that it's currently not awesome, but the change to the new curriculum seems to be inspired by the curricula that other top ranked schools have adopted and the view that they're losing some students to those schools because UCSD is viewed as having a traditional, lecture-heavy curriculum)
New curriculum changes will be clarified in much more detail during the orientation intro, so don't worry about not being able to find much specific information online. Definitely go to the free clinic tour, it gives you a good feel for the clinical environment and type of environment you'll have the opportunity to be exposed to.
San Diego is so beautiful. I know some people did not like the tree-house admissions office and the medical education building in the pharm. school, but such things did not matter to me. The campus and vast resources coming from having undergrad campus right next to it really make up for it.
The day started with a introduction by Dean Kelly followed by the 2 interviews. Interviews often take place off campus so beware. Afterwards, there was a lunch with medical students and a tour(I missed lunch b/c my shuttle bus coming back was late). Afterwards we had a presentation by student life and watched a video about the student run free clinic.
the students kept hounding in the fact that the ucsd curriculum was changing to a model more like that of ucla's. it was obviously something they were very happy about. right now they have a traditional (8-5) model
UCSD is a beautiful campus. The staff and students were very welcoming. Dean Kelly gave a very informal talk and she kept it short. Then at 9am we all got our individual interview schedules. Interviews are for 1 hour each at 10 and 11, except if the interview's off-campus in which case the interviewee has to leave a bit earlier to make both interviews. Lunch is at 12, followed by a tour. Everything is over at 2pm. One of the shortest interviews I've ever been on. Concise, structured, but by no means any less thorough. I really like the structure of UCSD interview.
I had a very good interviewing experience. Both of my interviewers offered me drinks before we even got started, and then we had a good conversation the rest of the time. No stress at all! The students were intelligent, kind, and very cool to hang out with! The other interviewees definitely felt like people that I would want to go to school with. I would suggest going on the tour of the Free Clinic and having dinner with your tour guides. I couldn't have asked for a better day, and UCSD is now definitely one of my top choices.
Schedule:
8am Dean Kelly Presentation
9:30 1st Interview
11:00 2nd Interview
12:00 Lunch and Tour with 1st years
1:30 Director of Student Life presentation
1:45 Video from Free Clinic Tour
7:55a arrival, no coffee or beverages available (however thanks to SDN this wasn't a surprise). Great presentation by Dr. Kelly, followed by two interviews back to back. Opportunity to sit in on a lecture during break. Ladies, bring comfortable shoes! There's a good chance you will be taking shuttle buses or walking all over creation for your interview. ;) Lunch with students (boxed lunch was actually pretty tasty and fresh) followed by student-led tour. Then an overview of the rest of the admissions process by Brian Z., a 15-minute movie about the free clinic, and an overview of the Office of Student Affairs by Sandra.
I'm heading back this evening for a tour of the free clinic and a free dinner. Dress is casual for this.
Note that it appears that Dr Kelly has completely eradicated the prior cutthroat/competitive atmosphere. The students were obviously happy and there appears to be a lot of camaraderie. We need to squash these rumors! ;)
it was very relaxed and conversational. the interviewers know your file very well, so be prepared to talk about yourself and anything you wrote in your application. no hard questions.
The second interviewer had another person driven to her the previous week because their first one arrived late, makes me think there is a problem with the way they schedule interviews. Since some people have to fly in, get hotel and skip work, it would be nice if they were more considerate of our time by being prepared- we are as applicants.
Pretty good day. Not as stressful as I had heard the interview at ucsd could be. I guess it depends on who you get though. One of interviewers really hammered on my research- like 30 minutes worth! So be prepared. They actually read your secondary and amcas so they are very prepared with their questions which was good. They send you by yourself to all areas of the campus (and city for that matter) for your interviews. Back to back so you really have to hustle not be be late to your second interview. I wish they would change that. Overall good stress-free day
I had a great experience. Dr. Kelly was amazing and gave a nice little orientation. After which I had two interviews. Granted, they were very in depth and they covered everything in my application and them some. I really felt they were trying to understand who i am as an applicant. then we had a nice lunch, a great tour and a little ex-troduction by the director of student life. honestly, it was very relaxing.
This really seemed like a great place. I like that there was a mix of lecture (which dominates) and case-based learning/group time. The students said that you don't even have to go to lecture; the syllabus and notes are very thorough, and there are even podcasts. My interviews were both pretty stress-free, and I felt great about them.
I thought I was going to really like UCSD but left the school really uninterested in attending. Besides the location the school does not have much to offer and they are arrogant about being difficult to get into.
Super stress free day. I really enjoyed talking to the students. The administration strives to keep the stress level down for the students (full time tutors for first year classes, subsities for sporting events and museums, etc.). UCSD went from the middle of my list to near the top by the time the day was over.
The day before the interview, there was a tour of one of the free clinics and then dinner. This was pretty helpful, but there was only one student involved, so we only got one perspective of the school. The interview day started at 8am with a PPT presentation by Dean Kelly. She was a super friendly person. Afterwards there were 2 one-on-one interviews. I got one faculty and a resident physician. The interview was much more stressful than other interviews I've had - felt like I was being grilled sometimes. My interviewers were sometimes skeptical of my answers and asked follow-up q's as if they wanted to prove me wrong. Due to the stressful nature of the interviews, the UCSD interview experience ranks low. After interviews, there was lunch with current students (they were NOT enthusiastic and were defensive about rumors about the UCSD competitiveness and curriculum structure, leaving me with a bad impression overall). As of now, the weather, in-state tuition, and research opportunities are major factors that sway me toward UCSD. Their friendliness factor needs some work. I wish everyone at UCSD were more like Dean Kelly :)
The day started with a short presentation by one of the deans. Then, we were sent to our interviews (each about an hour). Both of my interviewers were great. They asked me relevant challenging questions and provided good feedback. The interviews were very much like a flowing conversation. After the interviews we were provided lunch and had time to chat with many current students. Then came the student led tour, followed by a couple short presentations. That's pretty much it. Overall, everything went great.
I stayed with a first year student who made me bring my own pillow and towel to her apartment - not to mention her and 3 of her classmates stayed up studying for their test until midnight (why then, did she volunteer to host?) Unfortunately I had to rent a car for less than 40 miles total roundtrip.....one of my interviewers left me with a sour taste in my mouth (though my other interviewer put me at ease). The school of course is in a beautiful place, the facilities are a mix of new and old (new library is very nice!) The curriculum is going to be revised in February (the admissions officer is uncertain of the changes that will come)....
My first interview was relaxed and my interviewer talked more than I did. He seemed to be convincing me to come to UCSD. My second interviewer was different and it was hard to tell what she thought of me. She did ask me to explain a slight discrepancy in the dates I listed for employment (I never noticed it and was surprised that anyone did!).
Overall it was a good day. I liked that they have free clinics and the city is gorgeous, but I just felt like students weren't happy there and that was a big turn-off for me. I have family in SD and was really excited going into the interview and loved the facilities, but students at other schools seemed ot be enjoying the experience a lot more and I would probably go to those places over SD.
Contrary to previous reviews, my tour guides seemed enthusiastic about their school experience. The facilities were ok. Interviewers were very laid back and conversational. They don't reject anyone right away, you are either admitted or placed in an ''acceptable pool''.
Great presentation at the beginning ââโ¬âโฌล clearly explained application process and dates that pertained to our interview date (such as adcomââโ¬âโ¢s next meeting). 45 minutes. First interview, in international health building, with a clinical professor. Asked a lot about grades, took a lot of notes. Seemed interested but formal. Second interview, PhD ââโ¬âโฌล professor of lung physiology. Asked much more personal questions. Very interesting curriculum ââโ¬âโฌล anatomy in the second year. Spend a LOT of time in class.
Dr. Insel was awesome and seems like a great program director. It kind of sucks when you are shuttled around all over La Jolla to meet with your interviewers, buts its ok. Make sure you speak to as many students in the program as possible. It totally helps get an idea of the types of people that attracted and accepted to UCSD. Weather was awesome, and during the tour they timed us checking out The Salk Institute with the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean.
I lucked out with my interviewers in that there was common ground between us that enabled them to move away from their interview script. It was really conversational
First interview but I am definitely glad I had it here. SD is a very relaxed atmosphere. You see this in the environments, the students, the faculty, and the admissions staff. UCSD goes out of their way to ensure their students' and even their potential students' well-being. Definitely get to know a first year more by finding a student host. On interview day, they just want to know who you are as a person so you really don't have to prepare. All questions were standard so if you can't answer ''Why Medicine?'' that's not a good sign for both the interviewer and for yourself (why go into a career if you don't even know why?). Good luck!
Overall, my interviews were great. I just wasn't very impressed with the school. They kept talking about all of the great things that would be built in 5 years, which is awesome - but doesn't do me any good, as I will be graduated by then.
The interviews were really laid back, especially that student interviewer. There are some hard questions but as long as you stay cool then all is well. Take the time to ask your own questions because that was how I learned about the cool surgery stuff.
I was very impressed with how much effort the administration and staff put into making a student's journey enjoyable. It seemed like a really great place to go to school.
you meet in one room to have an introductory talk about UCSD, then you are led off to different interview locations. you meet for lunch and a tour and then have some information sessions afterwards
The two days I spend in SD were incredibly laid back and even fun.
My interviewers were equally laid back, though I didn't really click with one of them and she seemed in a great hurry to get back to her
I was impressed with the school, curriculum, and facilites. I asked my medical student interviewer about quality of life and he explained the recent changes (new dean of students, advising, programs) that have been made to make the school more student friendly.
Awesome experience. Got to talk with the guy who invented microinjection. There is definitely some awesome research going on here and I would like to get in on it.
Overall positive - I put no change because I was familiar with UCSD and its feel. The Dean of Admissions is *SO* cool- I really liked her and wished I could have spoken to her more. The students seem cooperative, not competitive, but they do seem more stressed out than any other campus I've visited. That being said, I'm sure their USMLE scores are sky high. I wished we could have spoken to 2nd years and 4th years -tour guides were only 1st years.
the day was great, we did get a box lunch, but the weather was gorgeous and it was easy to get along with everyone on the campus, including my interviewers
The day was great. You start off with an orientation of the curriculum, financial aid, etc. Then you have your interviews, a tour, and lunch. Then you learn about the Student Run Clinic. Later you can visit the Clinic which you should!
The day starts early and the interviews are done before lunch. Afterwards there is a tour, meetings, and a video. The interviews were very low stress despite what some people write.
Get there early. Started with orientation that had the facts like applicants, secondaries, interviews, acceptances. Also on the cirriculum. Afterwards, we had 3 hr time for 2 individual 1hr interviews. So basically you get 1 hr of break(could be before, during, or after the two interviews). Then free box lunch with med students. A short tour of SOM. then a talk with the student life director, then a wrap up with Dr Kelly and a free clinic video.
The interview day was well planned and ran very smoothly. Had a short orientation with an admissions director, got to sit on a second year class, had two interviews with a faculty researcher and a researcher at the nearby VA hospital (right across the street), lunch with students, a tour and a quick outro with a video about their student run free clinic project and final words from the same admissions officer from the orientation. Campus is beautiful and students seemed really happy despite having exams looming. The interview group was invited to join the lunchtime league soccer game. It was a laid back, nice interview day.
UCSD may be, like, too Californian, y'know, for some, but, dude, it's awesome, and UCSD as a university ranked number 13 (in the world) on the Shanghai Report, which means you can get an M.D., do research in flip-flops and beach shorts, not wig out, and still score a California neurosurgery residency (as one of their students did last year). =)
SD was definitely the lowest stress interview I attended. I had two faculty interviewers, which was great. One of them was really interested in helping me discover my future career path and gave me a lot of advice. It almost didn't feel like an interview! I was very impressed by both interviewers' interest in the students.
a very positive experience, i liked the school a lot more than i thought i would... actually i was very impressed. but can excellent clinical opportunities and a great atmosphere make up for the hardcore traditionalist academics? that is the question for me, given my learning style.
The interview day was hectic and exhausting, but I met a lot of great people (faculty and students) and got a strong sense of what life would be like there.
I say it was hectic because there was a lot of commuting between interviews. While it is fabulous that such UCSD is affiliated with so many great Institutes (e.g. Burnham, Scripps, Salk), getting back and forth between them in a timely manner was difficult/impossible. Christine Moran, the program coordinator, and Natalie(?) did an amazing job staying on top of the schedules of the many applicants, and coordinating drop-offs/pick-ups at each location, but really it was too much for anyone to handle. As a result, I (along with most other applicants) was late to many of my interviews (and not just by a couple of minutes!). Being late had the additional consequence of greatly shortened the length of the interviews. I met really great people doing fascinating research, but I had to interrupt them at times to tell them that I must leave immediately to catch my ride to the next interview. It was stressful, but I got a lot out of the interviews.
The interviewers knew my application well, and were able to ask focused, pointed questions. Some were a little too pointed. I found some (though not all) of interviewers to be aggressive and somewhat edgy. Again, I overall enjoyed the conversations I had with these people and was definitely impressed by the school. I would warn applicants not only to know their application, research, and goals well, but to be able to defend them against persistent (and sometimes harsh) questioning.
UCSD is a great school with amazing research and primary care programs. I was definitely impressed by this during interview day. However, the curriculum at UCSD is still heavily lecture-based, and students seemingly spend most of their time in lecture (and, therefore, I saw many unhappy students there). Overall, interview day went well (even though there was an early 7:45 AM start time). Just relax and enjoy the weather...the interviewers are pretty laid back.
it was my first interview, but really laid-back and informal to the point that I forgot it was an interview. They also get back to you very quickly (3 weeks or so), which is nice.
Great interaction with the students and administration. This school is full of opportunities, the curriculum is solid, and the location can't be beat. I would love to be here!
Like the majority of students who have interviewed at UCSD I found both my interviewers to be very conversational and relaxed. It was obvious that both had spent the time to carefully read my application and each of them had different questions regarding my secondary application. Your day begins with a brief introduction to the school by the director of admissions. Afterwards, you're given your interview schedules and everyone meets back at the admissions office for lunch and a tour of the school. Me and my first interviewer spent a great deal of time talking about my cultural background and views on the current state of medicine. We got a pretty good dialogue going and even traded book recommendations. Unfortunately, our time was cut short. Otherwise I'm sure I could have talked to him all day. My second interviewer was a little more business with the typical "why medicine" and "where do you see yourself 10 years from now" questions. Not stressful at all. We talked about the curriculum of the school and the high caliber of the doctors the school seems to produce. Between the two of them I think they got a multifaceted view of me as a potential student. Our student tour guides shared lots knowledge about the school and said admittedly around 4 years ago a majority of the students were unhappy. However, a lot of changes have been made since then and first year students seem to be very happy. Overall it was a very relaxed day and if given the chance, take the tour of the free-clinics.
I had a great day at UCSD. All the students were friendly and upfront. Every student will be honest with you in saying that they chose UCSD because a) they wanted to stay in california, b) it was the only UC they got into, and c) in-state tuition is huge. And, to be honest, I can't blame them: if I get into UCSD, I won't be able to turn it down because in-state tuition is about half the price of going to school on the east coast (or out-of-state). Having said all that, UCSD is a great school - ranked in the top 10 in primary care and in the top 15 overall. Also, it's beautifully situated, and I love the sun and outdoors. I felt that I would be completely happy there.
A good, low stress experience overall. I only gave it a 3 because SD is one of my top choices and I was nervous. There were no tough questons, my interviewers basically just asked me to elaborate on various things I had discussed in my application. I arrived the night before and went on the tour of the free clinic. The student leading the tour was very nice. On interview day, I had one interview with a Ph.D. faculty member, and another with a practicing physician. The interviews were more like pleasant conversations. In between interviews, I sat in on a class for a bit. There was a student led tour at lunch.
It was a great place and school, and if I hadn't run into my friend I would have loved it there. But I don't know how I can convince myself to consider it anymore.
I know everybody says this, but San Diego is absolutely gorgeous and the weather is very pleasant indeed (although it did get cloudy while I was there). I had 2 facutly interviews, but some people had 1 faculty + 1 student. The interviews were very conversational and quite stress-free. They really just wanted to get a feel for who we are and why we think UCSD is a good fit for us. I felt very much at ease while talking to both my interviewers. Also, the staff were very friendly and they didn't oversell the school to us. I have discovered that it's best not to have too high expectations about schools when we go for interviews (that way, you won't be too disappointed if it's not what you imagined it to be). In any case, my experience at UCSD was quite good, and I think it's a really good school. Many of the students told me that they chose UCSD because they wanted to stay in CA and UCSD was the only school that they got into without being waitlisted. I'm not sure if they would have picked it if they had gotten into other UCs. But, I think the students were happy and they all seem to get along quite well. There's not much racial diverstity at UCSD, but the students have very different and interesting backgrounds. The most impressive part of my visit was a tour of one of the student-run free clinics (sign up for that if you can). It was amazing to see all the dedicated students (medical, dental, and pharmacy school), physicians and other volunteers working hand in hand to bring free healthcare to a very needy community. There are three different community-based clinics which are open to anyone who wants to volunteer their time and effort to working with the medically underserved.
Before any of my interviews started, I was very nervous because it was my first interview and at my first choice. However, my first interview with a medical student made me much more comfortable and at ease. I felt more confident following my interview with her and my stress level decreased a great deal coming into the second interview with a faculty member. Overall, my interview experience at UCSD was great. I enjoyed it a great deal.
A HUGE LET DOWN. My preconceived notion of the institution was very positive. That's why people warn against preconceived notions! Students were seemingly unhappy. Cafeteria what??? Why did so many people boast about skipping classes--Is that supposed to be cute? 8-5...hmm, I'll pass. Unfortunately, I was not rejected :(
I had two faculty members interview me. Both were really nice and genuinely interested in knowing me. Both encouraged it to be a conversation and not just only a question and answer format.
An incredibly easy-going experience. I felt as though the interviewers weren't trying to grill me, but rather understand me better. It was relaxing to talk about my family and my upbringing first before I had to explain why reasons to go into medicine.
Very cool place to be. Easy interviews. They just wanted to get a sense of my character it seemed. I have been there as a student before, but the interaction with the faculty impressed me greatly.
You'll arrive the day before your interviews to make a not-entirely helpful tour of the campus. Christine Moran will whisk you away to the Salk Institute in time for a beautiful sunset, and then you're immediately taken to one of UCSD's student-run free clinics. Interview day is jam-packed with interviews in typical SoCal laid-back style (although this depends on your specific interviewers and how well you know your research). UCSD takes care of your living and eating arrangements for the duration of your stay.
San Diego is an up and coming school. It will replace UCLA, in my views, as the premier medical center in southern California within the next 10 years. The school is in a great location and the faculty are very nice. I felt that my interview was more like a vacation than an interview.
My interview was very positive. I felt the first interviewer asked the more difficult, explain this explain that in my application, along with cheating issues, ethics questions, why become a physician. The other focused on my goals, now and in the future, upcoming opportunities, and focused more on my personality. Between the two I felt that they really had a good idea of whom I am, not just the premed applicant
the day was organized very nicely. we first received an introduction to the school by the admissions director, then went out for our interviews. we each had two interviews with faculty members--one had access to our complete AMCAS file while the other had only our essays. those of us with time between interviews were able to sit in on a class. the day ended with a video of the free clinic and a question-answer period.
it was very low stress and a nice day.
I had an interview with a 4th year med student, and we chatted as though we were old friends. Then i had an interview with a professor, who basically went through my file and asked me to clarify on certain things I wrote. UCSD does not do stress interviews...they just want to ascertain what type of person you are.
First interview: scheduling mistake and so the interview started late. The professor was nice, very chatty, asked me all about my life, culture, beliefs, habits, background, etc. Then, all of a sudden he looked at the clock and told me I had to go to my next interview because we ran out of time. That's when he gave that question regarding the admissions committee and what I wanted them to know.
2nd interview:
4th year med student. Quite nice although I think I started off on the wrong foot. I had more fun with her because of the issues. She was grilling me on things, though, like my research and my free clinic work, etc.
Overall: I thought my interviewers were really open with me. I asked them specifics about their lives and their relationships with spouses. I asked the doctor/researcher/professor what his role is in his children's lives and how being a clinician has impacted family life (i'm very family oriented). i asked my 4th year interviewer what is was like to be married (to someone not medicine/science-related) while in medical school? How do you maintain a healthy relationship, etc?
UCSD has been known for having more difficult interviewers but luckily the ones I had were extremely supportive and relaxing. Based on the questions that were asked, the interviewers had my application closely and were genuinely interested in learning more about me as a person. I interviewed with a Ph.D. and a MD. The environment was extremely relaxed. If you have the opportunity, stick around at the end of the day to tour the student-run clinics. It's amazing how chaotic the clinics are but the students are doing fabulous work. Plus, you get a free dinner!
The introduction to school was informative and low stress. The interviewers seemed to be interested in personal skills rather than views/skills/problem solving. one of the dudes seemed to be conducting a personal brainstorming session in his head for his research while conducting an interview..wierd.
One of the longer interview days I've had. Started at 7:55 am to be precise,
sat in a room with the other applicants, then an admissions officer came in and gave
an orientation to our day and an overview of the med. program and resources. Then all applicants
had their 2 interviews, plus an hour to look around and visit classes. At noon, we met up with
some friendly med students over lunch, and they led us on an informal tour of the on-campus facilities.
At around 1:30 we watched a video on their free clinic, and from 2-3 we heard from an outreach person and closed
the day with an admissions officer. I recall a financial aid session somewhere in there, too.
The interviews were by far the most relaxing I've had so far. Both interviewers only asked questions on my
background, experiences, interests, and goals. They often made references to my essays and gave praised
several comments I made in them. One of my interviewers even took me on a walking tour of campus for the whole interview.
They made much effort to click with me during the interview, making for a very conversational experience.
I liked my interviewers. We connected right away and it was just a conversation. They were really interested in knowing more about my past life experiences and welcomed my stories. This was also my first interview and I was a bit nervous.
Overall, the UCSD interview was the best I have had. Everyone was friendly. My faculty interviewer spent most of the time talking about his research. He only asked me a few simple questions about my academic background, research, etc. But that was only 5 minutes. The remaining 1 hour and 25 minutes was about his research. That was good because I didn't have to talk. I found his research interesting but had trouble staying awake because I woke up at 3am to drive from Irvine to La Jolla. The student interviewer was nice as well. Most of her questions were easy and straightforward. There were no ethical or healthcare questions. They were just trying to find out more about me.
The first interview was a little rough. He arrived about 10-15 minutes late and wanted me to start out by telling him the rumors I heard about UCSD, and what I liked and didn't like about the school. He then proceeded to ask me some ethical questions and the questions mentioned above. Very little about my actual application. Most of my answers were pretty shoddy, and in general I think I made an ass out of myself.
The second interviewer barely asked me anything at all. He got two phone calls in the middle of the interview which kind of disrupted things. He just kept flipping through my application saying stuff like "Wow you are a very impressive applicant" and "Would you really even come to UCSD?". After he asked me where I had been accepted (nowhere at the time), he then said stuff like "I don't see any red flags in here, I don't know why you haven't been accepted everywhere you applied". Anyway it was a weird interview and it was like the guy was practically kissing my ass the whole time. In the end he told me he didn't see why I wouldn't get accepted there. It balanced out the pretty crappy interview I had earlier.
Nothing to worry about. A totally laid back day with most questions revolving around clarifying points in your file. Remember that UCSD requires an Independent Study Project (ISP) from students which requires writting a thesis before graduating.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggest providing breakfast or refreshments in the morning and improving communication regarding events like clinic tours and parking instructions.
Nothing - thanks for making this a great experience
Free breakfast would be nice.
Also, more clear instructions for parking would be great - somehow, I followed the instructions to a T and ended up getting a parking ticket. But hey, it's all good :)
