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 revolved around why candidates chose pharmacy, why they were interested in attending specific institutions like UCSF, their research experiences, leadership qualities, ethical scenarios, and their views on healthcare issues. Additionally, many respondents mentioned questions related to their strengths and weaknesses, their career goals in pharmacy, and how they handle conflicts or difficult situations. Some respondents also indicated being questioned about their non-disclosure agreement for the MMI format interviews.
So, I see you were involved with so and so, please tell us more about this experience - a specific question about the activity I described in one of my supplemental essays
Why UCSF and which pathway are you interested in. Tell us about a conflict and how you resolved it. Tell us about yourself. Things you do for fun. Good things about working at a pharmacy; bad things?
The first 20 minutes was about my essay. They asked me to elaborate on specific things in my essay. They started with, "please explain in different terms, why did you choose pharmacy?"
So you've had an interesting life...
You are expected to finish the sentence, so I would suggest to put your cards on the table by talking about interesting periods in your life. Then the interview begins off of any of those topics you presented!
There were 3 essay topics, but I only remember the one I wrote on, where I had to say whether I felt like leadership was an innate ability or a learned skill. You had to write the essay in a box (about 5/6 of a page, unlined) and if you exceed the boundaries of the box, apparently you are penalized.
Everyone talks about the fact that they want to "educate" their patients, but the truth is that it is very difficult. What approach specifically would you take to educate your patients effectively?
Why did you choose pharmacy? What kind of pharmacy experience do you have? Why UCSF? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Have you looked over the pathways and which pathways interests you? Describe your typical day.
If there was an earthquake and Dean Koda-Kemble told you that your class would not be able to graduate in 2010 because the school had to shut down for a year for renovations, what would you do?
Why pharmacy? They always ask this. What do you like about pharmacy, what do you not like? What do you think is a current healthcare issue? Any leadership? They asked some questions about teamwork too.
If you were a professor with a very strict policy on no make up exams, and a student came to you 2 days before the exam and said they had to miss the exam because they were going into the hospital for surgery. What would you do?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of California San Francisco School of Pharmacy discussed a wide range of topics including clinical trials, cultural barriers, healthcare issues, and personal values. The interview format may have been MMI as some responses hinted at non-disclosure agreements, while other questions focused on ethical dilemmas, patient scenarios, and personal attributes relevant to pharmacy practice.
towards the end they seemed to run out of questions to ask me so they asked "what was one question you were expecting us to ask, but didn't?" so of course as a follow up I had to answer it
If you could change something about Eastern medicine, what would it be? How would you 'educate' others who hold on to their cultural medical practices?
Lots of questions about my research background and my interest in the basic sciences. (I am lacking for the most part, but my resume seems to not really show that.)
If you were working as a tech in a community pharmacy and a customer turned in a prescription that you were having trouble reading and the pharmacist told you it was X drug but you still weren't 100% certain it was, what would you do?
I had volunteered at the VA hospital, so the interviewer asked "if i called the nurse right now, what three qualities would she describe about you?"
I mentioned that I am bilingual in my application so the student interviewer asked, "how would you go about teaching a second language to my younger brother, who isn't interested in learning another language. He'd rather play with his nintendo all day."
Most of the questions were just about what I had written in my supplemental application (hobbies, work exp., etc.), but the first question they asked me was, "Do you have any questions for us?"
if you were on a hike with a friend, and suddenly your friend fell. you went down the hill to help her get up and realized you were lost and it was getting dark. what would you do now?
With having emphasized the importance of diversity in my application, the third year student asked how I would address this diversity while as a student at UCSF.
If a patient came in with a prescription that you know has a deleterious effect on their health and you called the doctor and the doctor tells you to go ahead and fill it, what would you do?
Personal questions regarding my hobbies. They read your file and ask you specific questions regarding your responses. This part of the interview definitely broke the ice.
Students said most difficult question asked at University of California San Francisco School of Pharmacy discussed a wide range of topics including health care reform, personal beliefs on healthcare professions, leadership examples, ethical dilemmas, and handling challenging situations in pharmacy practice. Some responses indicated the interview was in an MMI format, with questions related to patient scenarios, leadership qualities, personal challenges, and opinions on pharmaceutical legislation, possibly under a nondisclosure agreement.
What do you think can be done in the health care reform situation? What is your stand on it?
None. It was very conversational. My interviewers didn't ask me any situational questions. We just talked about my research, my hobbies and my goals life.
Do you believe in Chinese/herbal medicine? How would you find out or counsel a patient if their cultural medicine is interfering with a drug they are prescribed?
Situational: A patient calls and you tell them their rx will be ready in 15 minutes. Right after an ER nurse comes and needs a medicine for a ER patient STAT! What do you do?
What would you do if a physician told you, a pharmacist, to fill a prescription you know to be wrong or harmful to a patient? [Answer] [Why that answer may not work], then what else would you do?
If you were a pharmacist in a pharmacy, a patient comes to you with a prescription indicating a dosage that YOU KNOW will be harmful to the patient... you call the doctor and he says fill it anyway... what would you do? This question was particularly difficult for me since I have no pharmacy experience, but I think critical thinking really helped in forming my response!
What will you do if someone is not doing any work on a group project? What if that (solution I mentioned) doesn't work? <-- they asked this last question at least 3 times. I felt like I was badgered to come up with more and more solutions for the same problem.
How do you like teamwork? (Not what is your teamwork experience or what do you like about teamwork, but HOW do you like teamwork... I felt like a kept repeating the same thing over again. It got painful after a while. haha) I realize now that answering what do you like about teamwork is probably what they meant. Oh well.
Imagine if you get accepted and studied at UCSF for 4 years, I (the prof.) came in your class and do a survey about you, what do you think your classmates with say?
What's your view on medicare? I didn't have much experience with healthcare in this aspect, but i gave her the honest answer that i didnt know anything about medicare
Why did you only do this particular extracurricular for only 3 months? (I didn't think they would notice that!)
But honestly I'm glad they didn't ask me Why UCSF? Although i really want to go here, I had gotten into a big accident 2 months ago and was still not over it and I almost got into another one right before I got to the interview.
If we (the interviewers) were in your group for a group project and we weren't doing our work, what would you do? (this question wasn't hard, but it was hard because they wanted me to enact it out...then they changed their minds saying that was going to far so they just had me answer it... haha but I was just kinda thrown off)
Pharmacists were ranked as number 1 among all healthcare professionals based on trustworthiness, honesty, etc. However, we recently dropped to rank number 2. What do you think caused our drop in the ranking and how can we be #1 again?
if you were in a group and one member of the group was not doing his part for the group project. what grade do you think the group should receive as a whole?
Unfortunately, all were difficult as I underprepared. . . but the most difficult was the one asked at the end: what else should we know about you? The interviewers only had access to my response to the essay question in the UCSF application and nothing else (i.e. volunteer/work background). I didn't know how to respond without sounding like I was selling myself (though I that is what I wanted to do).
If you could change anything about your undergraduate experience, what would it be? This...wasn't that hard...but probably something that I gave the most thought into.
Tons of situational questions!! However, they were pretty cool about letting me know that we were making this transition by telling me there is no right or wrong answer and that i could take all the time i wanted to respond.
If you were in charge of a clinical pharmacy team, and a noncompliant patient was to have died under your care, what would you do to adjust the program.
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 high 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.
No responses
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by reading interview feedback on Student Doctor Network, practicing with mock interviews, reviewing their application materials, researching current events in pharmacy, and familiarizing themselves with the school's website and program offerings. Many also engaged in discussions with pharmacists, current students, and alumni, as well as reflecting on their motivations for pursuing pharmacy as a career.
Read through the interview feedback on of Student Doctor Network, and set questions and answered them
Read SDN. Read Joel's blog (admissions director). Re-read my app. Gave lots of thoughts into potential questions. Have taken a few speech classes in advance semesters. Have taken writing courses in advance to help polish the application process, and to prepare for the writing session. Kept up with current events for the writing session. Took a day off to relax before the interview.
Read interview feedback on SDN, read over my essays, made a "story box" of interesting things that have happened in my EC, work, and general life experiences to prepare for situational questions
I have reread this entire interview section mupltiple times, made a list of questions that I could be potentially asked and thought about my answers to them. I didn't practice because I wanted to be genuine, but I have definitely put some thought into what I would say.
I also read pre-pharmacy forum threads from previous years to get an idea of what to expect.
Reviewed all the interview questions on SDN, reviewed UCSF Pharmacy website, visited pharmacy websites and learned all the current events in pharmacy, pharmaceutical industry, and pharmaceutical law.
I knew two things: 1. UCSF was going to be the toughest interview, and 2. it was going to be open file. I looked through all the questions on this forum, practiced the main ones (like why pharmacy, why UCSF, etc) and mentally prepared myself for situational questions. Read up a little bit on healthcare on wikipedia.com, nytimes.com and cnn.com. Read about the school. PS, make sure you know your essays VERY well.
Read all interview feedback available on SDN, talked with pharmacists and UCSF interns/graduates, took notes on main points for interview responses, read about UCSF on their website
SDN, read research articles on pharmacy field, roles of pharmacits future and present... read about healthcare issues in the US and a review of medicare Part D after its first year of implementation
Mock interview, other interview at different pharmacy school, talked to other applicants about UCSF, talked to current students, read over my application
SDN, 2 previous interviews, read and reread the website, subscribed to Drug Topics and listened to podcasts on recent developments in medicine/pharmacy.
This website. Job Interviews for Dummies (it really helped me get in to the right frame of mind). I prepared stories that I wanted to tell--I believe that the key to a good interview is good storytelling.
I actually "studied" for the interview. I typed out the answer, listened to myself on tape, pulled out all the possible questions and read the important news (you don't have to know them all)
I had 2 interviews before (I think this helped me the best in terms of familiarity, confidence, and thinking on the spot), otherwise: studentdoctor.net, prayed
Look at SDN and just thought about my life over a hot cup of chocolate! I didn't want to do mocks because interviewers will know if your answers sound rehearsed.
read up on sdn, read current news articles related to healthcare/pharmacy, re-read my app, researched the school, practiced questions, made a list of experiences/extracurriculars/qualities that i wanted to incorporate/highlight
Practice the usual questions: tell me about yourself, why pharmacy, tell me a situation in which you had a conflict with someone else. Also, SDN's interview feedback was really helpful! It does hurt that this was my 5th pharmacy school interview.
Read SDN, prepared answers for all questions. The situational Q's I was asked came right off SDN! Also read book on how to answer interview Q's and read lots and lots of articles about pharmacy.
This was my very very last interview. The last interview I had before this was a month ago at UCSD, so I didn't do anything to prepare for my UCSF interview in the 1-month lagtime (except sleep and eat, of course :). However, for all my other interviews, I: read SDN, pharmacist.com, some other offline pharmacy journals, went thru every single interview question posted in the interview feedback section (including non UCSF), practiced repeatedly and tape recorded myself, attended a mock interview held at my school, had 5 more mocks elsewhere. So I thought this was sufficient :) Oh, I constructed my response to "why UCSF?" on the BART ride there--it was a good thing I did that too because the very first thing they asked me was "So, why UCSF?"
read industry magazines, mock interview on my drive up to SF, read up on my undergrad research topics, and recalled my experience while volunteering at pharmacy
Worked in Biotech, talked to everyone in the company from the clinicians to the chemists. Talked to several faculty members at UCSF. Read a few books on pharmacy. volunteered at a pharmacy as a pharm tech. Read webpage after webpage on pharmacy related issues and associations. Took extra classes in biology. Subscribed to drug topics. Read the UCSF website about a zillion times. Practiced my writing skills via GRE study books.
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and professionalism of the staff, faculty, and students at UCSF, making them feel comfortable and valued during the interview process. They appreciated the well-organized structure of the event, the genuine interest shown by interviewers, and the welcoming atmosphere of the school, highlighting the excellent reputation, beautiful campus, and top-notch curriculum as additional positive aspects.
Everything. They definitely tried to put all of us at ease. There were awesome snacks (but i didn't have much of an appetite). Everything was structured extremely well and gave us the opportunity to get to know the other applicants.
Going through one of the most vigorous application and interview processes, I realized why UCSF is the #1 pharmacy school. This school is looking for genuine applicants who will be the future leaders of the phamracy.
Everyone was nice. The entire interview process was on schedule and proceeded smoothly. I was impressed that interviewers knew our profile and had already put thoughts into what to ask us. They showed a lot of interest in wanting to get to know every individual. Above all, I was surrounded by the world's brightest pharmacy faculty members; UCSF ranks #1.
Pretty much everything about the school. The interview day itself was very organized, admissions people were friendly and open, and my interviewers were kind and genuinely interested in learning more about me. The students were very friendly as well.
I was impressed by how kind and friendly everyone was - I truly felt relaxed and comfortable during the interview, despite the extreme level of stress. I felt like I was valued as an applicant and the interviewers were trying to simply learn more about me.
Everyone was very professional and friendly and they didn't try to stress you out. My interview ran late, but they gave me a few minutes to calm down before entering the writing portion of the day.
The incredible reputation of the school, along with the willingness for the administration to make sure all their students do well and pass everything. Also that they do have some housing on-campus, AND housing at the new Mission Bay campus (which is amazing).
The friendliness of everyone from the chat room to the interview to the financial aid session... the organization was wonderful, the welcoming feel and the professional vibe it all had. It was so comfortable, even though most people were really nervous!
Students were genuine and enthusiastic! I met with students for the prerequisite check/chat room before my interview, so it really helped calm my nerves before my interview. My interviewers were also the nicest people that I could have asked for! Everything was also really smooth and organized
Everyone was SO friendly. The staff was nice, my interviewer was really encouraging and sweet, and all the other applicants were really well-rounded, friendly, and outgoing.
It definitely seemed to be the most organized of all of the interviews I went to. UCSF knows they are the top-ranked pharmacy school and they exude confidence and reliability.
The campus and the location are amazing. The first time I visited the school, I was in awe. I thought I would be accepted by such a prestigious institution. However, I am happy to report that I was accepted about one month after my interview.
I was so well received; ALL students: not just those in the school of pharmacy, were enthusiastic, friendly, and made my stress level so much lower than it would have been!
They had an introduction to the school and financial aid session before the interview and essay...but I couldn't pay attention to any of that because I was so nervous.
Both the faculty member and the student interviewer were really nice. They listened intently to my answers and joked with me a little at one point. They made me feel more relaxed.
The students. The tour that they gave was really helpful especially since I really got a chance to talk to them about their experience. They also have a nice gym with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge while people are running of the treadmills.
the pharm students are incredibly friendly! someone once told me the students that go there are snobby, but they're not at all. they make an honest effort to welcome you and put you at ease.
Everyone was extremely friendly at UCSF. Given it's one of the top schools, the atmosphere was very welcoming and comfortable without a hint of snobbishness at all. Also, the curriculum is exceptionally impressive.
the location! the campus is in a beautiful setting, the student center overhangs a hill and has a view of the golden gate bridge, and the city life is amazing -plenty of culture, scenery, and good eats. can't ask for anything better. the school is the best in its field too. research is top notch, and student life is communal and interactive (as opposed to what ive heard of another leading school, USC)
The students are diligent yet, they have time to have fun. Also, if you want to do research, this is the place to be...It's all happening here. UCSF sets the standards for all other pharmacy schools to follow.
People were much more laid-back than I thought they'd be since it is UCSF. Students seemed happy and the campus seems like there is always a lot going on. UCSF seem to open lots of doors for people doing cutting edge things in pharmacy.
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the organization of the interview process, feeling rushed or not fully listened to during interviews, parking challenges, limited campus facilities, and lack of formal introductions or presentations about the school. Suggestions included improving interview logistics, enhancing interviewer engagement, providing more information about the school, addressing parking issues, and offering a more comprehensive campus experience to ease applicants' concerns and enhance their overall impression.
There are so many people there for the interview so it made it a little bit dis-organized even though I understand the admission staff tried hard to make it organized.. My interviewer would not listen to my answer completely. I was half way done and she said, can you close the door please?....
How intimidating the entire process was. It was difficult to remain calm. It was even more intimidating to know I was sitting alongside the best of the best interviewees. Eek!
Nothing, I was in love with the school before I even came, and now that I am a student here, I can honestly say I was blown away by how smooth the process was - for an interview session that takes nearly half the day, admissions office really did an amazing job of setting everything up and organizing an entire event so it proceeded very smoothly and was a very rich and informative experience.
The classrooms are slightly dated. Beautiful, nonetheless. (Chalkboards, small desks) The city takes getting used to unless you're from NY. I was pretty embarrassed how lost I was my first day (prior to interview).
Expensive! The weather - it was raining the whole time. It was stressful and scary. My interview felt rushed and the faculty seemed unintested. It looked like she just wanted to go home (I was her last interview for the day and it was a weekend). My faculty interviewer went home right after my interview.
I felt my interviewer was tired and annoyed by the time he got to me. I was the last of his 3 interviews of the day. He sometimes stared at the cieling while I was talking or asking him a question.
The student tour guides were burned out. They didn't really smile or crack jokes. They were very formal, like the rest of the school. It's an extremely good school, but for me it lacks the bright personality that the rest of the city displays.
The school lacks its own building and uses classrooms in other schools' buildings (e.g. nursing building). The first year curriculum is basically a review, and not all of the current students shared the same enthusiasm towards the school (or at least P1s).
There was no formal presentation of the school, it was just sign-in, essay, and out. Also interviewers seemed quite unfriendly and a little demanding. Also student "chat room" was only available after the morning interview, not before. It would have been nice to speak to a current student before my interview.
Seemingly expensive and limited housing in the city. Parking situation sucks- and why did they put the parking structure on the side of the school with the beautiful view? Also, I wonder how the school would hold up in the next massive earthquake.
There was no introduction about the school or formal reception. I was in the group that met at 8 A.M. on Saturday, did the essay and then my interview. I had the option to talk with students and take a tour but I wasn't feeling so hot about the interview that I decided I'd call it a day. Looking back, I'd recommend taking the time to (re)familiarize yourself with the student, school, and city -- take those opportunities the day of your interview.
There was no introduction from the school. I would have liked the Dean or admissions coordinator to make an announcement or speech about some background of the school, or more statistics, or at least something to introduce us with.
For the most part.... the crummy weather.... but that has nothing to do with the school. I'm from southern california so i was shocked to hear one of the pharm students say how 'nice' the weather was (it was cloudy and cold!).
I sensed the students were happy to be there but I wondered about the student-faculty contact. Got the impression that faculty know students by their ID numbers rather than by names.
The other interviewees seemed really stressed out and people we not as talkative as at other interviews. Some students complained about the strong emphasis on basic sciences being "way too much."
Applicants commonly wished they had known to not stress so much and to relax during the interview process, as interviewers just want to get to know them better. They also noted the importance of being well-prepared for the interview, bringing snacks and water, and being aware of the timing and structure of the interview day to make the experience more comfortable and less overwhelming.
Why my interviewer was. I didn't know that so I had no idea that she was only doing research, and she seemed to be NOT INTERESTED at all when I told her my volunteer experience because she only interested in RESEARCH which I had zero exp!!
How laid back everything was. I felt comfortable the whole time. Don't be nervous, your interviewers just want to get to know you past what they can see from your written application.
I feel like I was well prepared and there were no surprises. Like someone already mentioned they give you 45 minutes to write an essay and a very limited space to write it in. So I wrote my essay in 25-30 min on draft paper that they provided and then took the rest of the time to copy everything neatly and made sure it fit in a box they assigned for the essay.
Wished I had learned to find my comfort zone and relaxed. Also, the writing portion we were given 2/3 of a page to answer a prompt in 45 minutes. It's plenty of time for so little space. So don't rush through it. 2/3 of a page! How much can you write in that amount of space? Some people did 5 paragraph essays with tiny prints. I did 3 paragraphs in 20 minutes and handed it in. It was a big gamble on my behalf, but I got in!
To bring some snacks because you will be STARVING from the five hours at the interview day, the few snacks you're given, and from using all your brainpower on the essay and interview :-P.
Bring water. They have a fountain, but if you get thirsty during the writing sample.. then you're going to be thirsty. Oh and the interview can last 30 minutes or it can last 60 minutes. Don't freak out if you're the first one out because your interview was only 30 minutes long. It's fine.
Check-in time is really the check-in time on the letter...because they start everything 30 min after that. Didn't have to arrive any earlier (unless youre new to the campus).
Very structured interview. Although it was like a conversation, they did set up ethics questions and analytical questions with respect to my character and application. By far, the most invasive interview I've ever had in my lifetime.
When they say "check-in 8:30am" they REALLY mean check-in from 8:30-9am, and the program starts at 9am. Oh well! Getting there at 8am was... okay.
That there's a lot of downtime. My call time was at 8:30am, but the official beginning info session started at 9am. There was also a lot of waiting around after the interview and essay.
I knew to bring a snack from reading this feedback, so that was good. I got there super early, and the program didn't start until 30mins after check-in, so I had a lot of lag time. It was okay though, I just chatted with other applicants.
Don't bother arriving early unless you're going to have to find parking. If you get there early they tell you to go across the street and eat or something.
Nothing really. I was pretty well prepared because I attended the schools information session months earlier and I read all the interview posts on this website.
The wait. You don't have to be there a head of time. I started 3 hours after my appointment time, and Iwas there 2 hours before my appt time. So it was 5 hours doing nothing.
Nothing really. Everything was what i expected it to be. I just wish i had looked over statements more. All their questions came from my application statements.
Having long hair that isn't tied back combined with a name tag that just won't stick where it's supposed to can be a ridiculous combination. Take note ladies.
Know where you live on the map! I was asked a question about this, and I couldn't answer it. . . Also, have questions to ask. In retrospect I think that was important.
That the walk to my bed and breakfast was so far uphill. Try and take a cab when you can. I wouldn't recommend walking since I walked uphill for 45 minutes just to get to the bed and breakfast. I got bad directions from the owner. He told me it was at the top of the hill but refused to answer how many blocks away I was from it, so I thought it was closer than it actually was.
my pre-requisite standing was not what I expected, however, through the help of the admissions coordinator, I have been able to straighten out most of it.
I wish I had prepared myself better for the interview. Even though the questions were not that difficult, I was still nervous. UCSF was my first interview so I had no interview experience whatsoever. I wish I knew not to stress so much and to just relax... all I really needed to know well was myself. The essay was easy too. You had three prompts to choose from. Just choose the one you are most comfortable answering. Answer the question and give examples. For my interview day, the essay questions were 1)something about good stress/bad stress, 2)about uniqueness of ucsf campus, 3)about women only societies.
You do not need to get there 2 hours in advance when you live across the Bay. If you do get there early, find something to do because you will be bored to death.
San Francisco is a confusing place...we got lost on the way there and I ended up arriving with little time to spare...leaving me to be very stressed out before the interview.
If you have an 8am interview, you'll be done by noon. I stayed there for 8 hours because the letter said try to say as long as possible as there are other events going on during the afternoon. All you really need is one hour writing, one hour interview, probably 1-2 hours for their workshop/tours and that's it. You should book an early afternoon flight.
Nothing really. I have been to the school before so I was familiar with the place. I also did a lot of research about the school online so there wasn't anything really new to me.
the interviews are arranged by area. for instance, on the day i went, all the interview applicants were from southern california, mostly from san diego. I saw tons of people from my school so I was very comfortable even before my interview began.
Sudents come out and talk to you while you are waiting for your interview. They interview about 50 people in one session in waves of about 10 people every 30 minutes or so. You take the writing test first in a very nice well lit room, and then wait to be called to have the interview.
Dress casual. Don't go into debt buying a suit you can't afford; wear your best dress-shirt and slacks...just dress professionally. You make more of a lasting impression on what you say, not how good you look.
Applicants commonly mentioned feeling nervous but overall impressed with UCSF, emphasizing the friendly interviewers and well-organized interview process. They recommended being prepared, engaging with peers, and staying positive post-interview despite self-doubt. Many highlighted the importance of knowing their application well, being authentic, and building professional relationships with classmates.
Don't be too stress out. DON'T ! It is a good school but you don't have to act like you are begging them for admission.
My interviewers were nice, overall. one is a 3rd year student, and one is a faculty member (not necessarily a pharmacist) or resident. Felt like they were grilling me at times, but overall interview was very conversational.
Even though I spent 5 hours there, the time passed by really fast. I was also worried that the interview was super long, since my other interviews were about 20 min. But they asked me tons of questions and it was a very fast-paced interview. I was out of there and I couldn't believe 45 minutes passed. I also prepared many questions for my interviewers as there was a lot of time to ask those. I tried to engage my interviewers in a conversation when I asked them questions. In the end, I was kind of worried that I didn't impress my interviewers much and was stressing out for 6 weeks before I finally got my acceptance letter.
Lots of questions from my application. Review it before your interview. Don't be intimidated by the fact that UCSF is #1. Think of it like it is any other interview. They just want to get to know you better, match a face to the application, and they are looking for consistencies among your app, your writing style, and if you are 'authentic'. Be YOURSELF. I keep mentioning that I was nervous, but I know I appeared calm on the outside. As long as you can keep a cool head, you'll be okay.
I was very nervous about the interview but it went very well. I didn't really get any situational questions but the interview you have will depend on the interviewer's style--some people will get a ton of situational questions, some might get some typical questions, etc. Don't worry too much after the interview until you get your letter. I left the interview in a good mood but analyzed it for weeks afterward and eventually felt like I didn't do so well. But I ended up getting accepted :).
Bring some fruits or some kind of energy bar, this will be a long day/session and you will definitely need the energy. Also - I can't stress this enough !!!!!!!! - be kind and very friendly to your peers interviewing with you - THEY WILL BE YOUR FUTURE CLASSMATES.
If you get accepted, these people will be your classmates, your UC family and your friends, so be nice and kind to them because building good professional relationships and friendships with your classmates early on is very important. Surely enough, people that were nicest to each other during our interview, including myself, are now a great group of friends.
Also, read about the school on UCSF website, you will have the opportunity to ask one of the faculty members some questions and it's better your questions are genuine and show your knowledge of school, rather than something that can be easily looked up.
Overall, the interview was good. The people were friendly. I was worried that I didn't do well because my interviewers didn't laugh at my jokes and they asked some hard questions. I caught myself rambling sometimes. In the end, I must have done ok since I got accepted! :)
Before this interview, I interviewed at 3 other schools, and this was by far the most interesting interview. I felt the interviewers knew me so well (almost more than I knew myself it felt like) because their questions were very direct and to the point, based on what I put on my application. So definitely know your application well!!! Because the questions were not as general as I was used to, I felt like they were kind of grilling me and came out feeling kind of down. This year, UCSF interviewed less people, so you hava a better chance of getting in if you got an interview. About 6 weeks later, I found out I was accepted! =)
I thought I bombed the interview. I was really nervous. I couldn't articulate my thoughts into words, and felt like I was rambling. I had to ask for clarification for about 2 questions because I wasn't sure what they were asking for. My interview ended early and I was the first person out. My interviewers only took notes for the first ten minutes so I thought they just gave up on me. I was so depressed after the interview that I skipped the tour and just went straight home. I thought my chances were gone. But after a month later, I was accepted. ^_^ (So don't overanalyze your interview experience!!! You just keep degrading yourself.)
The interview, I guess, was semi-closed file. The interviewers only have access to your extracurriculars, and the essays written on pharmcas and the supp app. Also, make sure to at least look at the 3 pathways. I really liked the options.
My first (and probably only) interview: should have been nervewrecking, but it was instead very wonderful because everyone was so friendly and helpful!
Well, I was calm most of the day, especially since we had to wait half an hour from our specified time to have an introductory welcoming! It really helped to think of the interview as a conversation to calm down a bit, but in the back of my mind and as the interviewers were writing while I was talking, I knew this was no typical conversation! lol Thankfully, the interviewers were not intimidating at all and really helped me to calm down.
Nevertheless, I had a shaky voice throughout my interview since I was abnormally nervous (first/last/only interview)... I had never been that nervous before... I even made a quick pause to gather my thoughts during the interview... at which point I thought I had blown it! Fortunately, this was at the beginning of the interview and I was quick to recover and focus and had a decent rest of the interview... I think what really helped me was my knowledge on healthcare issues, pertaining to pharmacy and my passion for other ECs I was involved with. Even with a shaky voice, I guess what you say really shows.
After the interview, I had a good time. The student panel gave me some insight into student life at UCSF. The essay was not stressful... decent topics to write about... I finished mine in about 20 minutes.
Now, the waiting time for a response is like hell... I second guessed myself a lot... I kept thinking how I could have said things better and kicked myself for saying other things. In the end, after that interview, there's nothing you can do but stay positive... I received my acceptance letter 8 wks later! Better late than never! :-)
The interview was great and left a positive impression on me. After going, it confirmed my desire to go to UCSF over any other institution. The essay was also not very difficult. I got accepted about 6 weeks after my interview.
I was really impressed by UCSF. It actually wasn't my top choice going into the interview, but after the day was over it definitely was. I thought the best part was that everyone was so friendly and we got a chance to mingle a lot with other applicants. It helped me relax.
The school looks very professional. The building where interviews were held is VERY confusing. You have to go around a lot. When I got out it was raining dogs and cats so it was a bad ending for an otherwise wonderful day. I did very well so I was happy =)
There is a brief orientation-type meeting and then you are divided into groups based on the color of a sticker on your folder. Time is divided between 1-the interview (one student & one faculty), 2-speaking with current students/prerequisite check, and 3-the essay. My order was 2-1-3 and my interviewers were running late, so I had to wait for a while to start. I thought it was really nice of them, because they actually got some students to stay late and give me (and other students affected by the later interviewers earlier in the day) a special campus tour since we missed the main one. :) I was accepted slightly less than a month after my interview.
Naturally, the stress level was very high because I felt my future was hanging in the balance. But I tried to channel my nervous feelings into an outward enthusiasm. I focused on communicating clearly and took confidence in the fact that I had prepared extensively. In the end, I felt I had made a genuine connection with my interviewers. The essay was a little harder than other schools, but if you have mastered the five paragraph argument essay, then it really should not be a problem. Leaving the interview I felt confident. But as the weeks wore on, my confidence quickly eroded and I became certain that I was to be rejected. Waiting is definitely the hardest part. My advice is to focus on your communication (written and oral) and really think about what makes you a unique applicant.
This was my first interview, and my first-choice school, so I was pretty nervous. I thought that overall, i did ok, but not great. I thought that, for the most part, I was able to get across what I wanted to say, but after the interview, I've always found myself saying that "I wish I would've said this..." But apparently, I did well enough. I got accepted a month and a half later!
This is my first and only interview. The school campus, the students, and everybody really impressed me. After going there, I really wanted to go to UCSF.
Overall, the interview process was very similar to other interviews i had (UCSD, USC). We were given a short orientation on the school followed by a written statement. Afterwards, we were given a chance to speak to current student. The order of the process will probably be different for each applicant. I had my interview last, so by that time i was very tired and felt off my game. Each question was directly out of my application statements. The questions were similar to others i had encountered, except these questions were really specific and less broad. I worked at an elderly home and one question was describe an experience with one of the patients. I honestly worked there to gain experience with patientcare, but it wasnt exactly heart-felt, so i had a hard time answering the question. From then on, i felt like my flow was off. It took me a long time to answer questions and i studdered a lot. Overall, it felt like the interviewers were out to get me. The funny thing is, out of all my interviews i thought this was by far the worst one. Im writing this almost two months later, i just found out i was accepted. I guess i was lucky.
Although I already had interviewed at UOP and USC, I was still nervous about this interview. Unfortunately, I was interviewed by a med student. He was not as friendly- he never smiled, and seemed like he didn't want to be there. That only made me more nervous. The pharm student, however, was a lot nicer.
The interview process is longer than I expected ( I was there for 4.5 hours)
Nice. It was a beautiful day in SF, everyone was so incredibly friendly, and the day was well organized. I didn't experience any of the "waiting" time that so many people have written about here.
It was just ok. I couldn't get a good read on either of the interviewers, and I felt like either crying or throwing up afterward. It could hae been because I was so nervous, though. All it all, it was just plain bizarre.
Overall, I was pretty impressed. They schedule time for you to ask any questions you may have about your pre-requisites or in general. I liked that the essay topic was not knowledge based and you had choices.
Before interviewing at UCSF, I was having a hard time deciding between UCSD and UCSF. After visiting UCSF, meeting some students there, and touring its campus and city, I decided UCSF wasn't for me.
This interview was my last one and my best one because I felt most at ease. I prayed and really God answered my prayers. I was "lucky" with my interviewers b/c they were very nice, but I've come to the conclusion that if your interviewer has a mean or weird look on his face, it's probably not you but him/her. They asked sooo many questions-I think like 5 each. Situational, team work q's, resume q's, pharmacy q's. My best advice would be to go to as many interviews as you can or just practice with as many different people as you can (authority figures maybe), and do studentdoctor.net. I started looking over the q's in the airport and in the hotel before I fell asleep. Get to know the city and relax before the interview. And get to know your peers b/c they're just as nervous as you and you can relax as you guys talk.
Overall I had a great time. My interviewers were both very nice and talkative. They made me feel comfortable and they they didn't ask me anything too difficult to answer. It was like a conversation with friends.
Basically know yourself! There's no set of questions they will ask you. My interviewers were spontaneous and they asked questions on a tangent to my responses...so they would ask a question...I would respond and they would ask me further questions built upon that.
Like most students, UCSF is my top choice so I was really nervous going there. Even though it was my third interview, the questions they asked you are not easy.
I dont' think their intention is to "grill" you about pharmacy. More importantly, I think they want to see how effective your communication skills are - can you speak intelligently about anything that's asked, are you an honest/sincere person (so don't make up anything in your essays, they'll can tell if you're lying), and how will you contribute to the incomming class.
In terms of preparing for the interview, I think the best way to go is to know what you wrote about in your essays and be able to defend it. You can practice all the posted questions on SDN, but 90% of they questions they will ask you comes from YOUR essays. So they are very specific to you only.
And lastly, something that is out of your control is who you get for an interviewer. My interviewers were not as friendly and nice. They had this serious look on their face the whole time, and that only made me even more nervous.
TRY TO RELAX, and don't feel too bad if you don't think you impressed them. As you can tell, most students don't think they did very well anyway, but managed to get accepted in the end.
Overall, the interview experience was good. The essay portion wasn't too bad because you get to choose what you want to write on among the 3 questions they give you. The interview was a bit more intimidating. My student interviewer was very nice but my faculty interviewer had on a stern face most of the time. They first started off asking me personal questions. Then the student interviewer switched it over to situational questions. I hear though that not all interviewers ask situational questions. It really depends on who you get. Some are really friendly, some not so much. Some ask very personal questions, others ask questions that are science related, some ask a lot of situational or hypothetical questions. Just make sure you are knowledgeable but don't overlook the easy questions! The whole experience wasn't too bad. Just the waiting part sucks!
Student interviewer was really nice right from the beginning, when he came to get me for the interview. He asked a lot of fun hypothetical questions. Faculty member was nice and asked harder hypothetical questions.
UCSF is my top school so I was really nervous going into my interview. I didn't review any questions before my interview because I was afraid it would make me even more anxious. The essay was harder than all the other schools I had interviewed at before but it may just be my group. The interview was very laidback and conversation. Many questions were follow up questions to my answers. While other people had 35 minute interviews, I had a 20 minute one and the interview told me in advance. I came out feeling great because I felt like I showed them my true self. I didn't feel like I sounded rehearsed. The asked about my extracurriculars and I answered it with excitement and obvious passion. At the end, when they asked if there was anything else I wanted to tell them about myself, I took this opportunity to tell them about much I wanted to go to UCSF and why they should pick me. I also prepared questions to ask them at the end.
I'm writing this almost two months after my interview. I found out two weeks ago that I was accepted.
UCSF was a lot harder than the others schools for me because my interviewers never asked me the standard interview questions: ie Why pharmacy? Why UCSF? What pathway, ect... Everything they asked me came from my essays and the questions weren't hard but I didn't have great answers for them. It wasn't something I could prepare for (perhaps they felt that I was too prepared for a typical interview and wanted to give me a hard time). The student seemed nice, but the faculty had this disgusted look on her face and acted like she completely hated me. I never felt comfortable at the interview and we never really had a conversation going- it was her throwing questions after questions at me and it seemed like nothing I said was good. The only time I ever felt that I could breathe was when I asked the questions. In the end, though, I did manage to get accepted, however :-)
The interviewers were very friendly and did their best to make me feel comfortable. Although I was nervous, it helped that they were patient and welcoming.
We were taken into a classroom in approx. groups of ten to write our essays (45 min.). Then we were escorted back to the lobby to wait for our student interviewers to come get us. Following the interview, we were free to go. I got my acceptance letter five weeks after the interview.
The whole interview experience was okay, but it would have been nice to have a formal presentation of the school before our interviews started and to have the student chat room available earlier in the day. I was interviewed by one pharmacist and one faculty member, not a student, which made me stress out even more, and made the questions even harder.
Overall, the interview was good, laid back, and the questions were simple, but I think I might have screwed up because I didn't answer the way I wanted to, and I over time I forgot the question itself!
Very welcoming and friendly people. Asked questions from the biographical info part of my application and also lots of questions you can find listed on this site. They wanted me to answer all of their questions first and then gave me lots of time at the end to ask them questions, so I was not turning many of their questions back on them.
Overall it was a good experience. The first year students did a good job in making us feel welcomed and trying to help us relax. I was pretty relaxed up till when they called in my group for our essay and then when my interviewer came to get me. When I got to my interview, I was a nervous wreck. I stuttered so much.. I said things I wish I hadn't said, I felt my answers weren't thorough enough. After my interview I thought I blew it! And it ended short... I was the last to be called in and the first to leave. But even though my interview went poorly, I still go in! So for those of you who had bad interview experience, or those of you who aren't that great at interviews.. you still have hope.. cuz if I can do it, you can too!
--Some people's interviews were in a little "cubicle" separated by cloths where you can hear every word of all the other applicants, but I was fortunate enough to be in a separate building/room.
--The toughest of all my interviews--was asked hard questions (see above) and the essay was the most challenging of all (almost didn't finish; but you have to finish, for otherwise, you will automatically be rejected). Despite it all, got an acceptance letter, but UCSD wins my heart though.
I didn't feel very confident going into my interview (because I didn't prepare as I should have -- my fault!!!) and I didn't feel good at all after my interview (I didn't think I provided answers the interviewers were looking for, i.e. intelligent, eloquent thoughts). But just FYI, I received an acceptance letter from them about two weeks ago! So althought I didn't think my interview went well, the interviewers were satisfied enough with it. Woohoo!
Overall, I was expecting a lot of situational questions but I think that depends on your interviewer. I had a pharmacoeconomics professor so I didn't get many situational questions (which I prepared for). Instead, there were more personal than situational.
The people at UCSF are really nice. My interviewers were really friendly and tried to make me feel really comfortable. The time given for the essay portion was also really reasonable. Overall I had a really good experience.
The interview isn't stressful at all. Talk to the students there, go on the tour, and definitely visit the snack table. I meet my interviewers there and I didn't realize that until they came out to get me.
UCSF is an excellent school with a great attitude. You can immediately sense this the moment you set foot on campus. The faculty and students are great as well and always seem to be helpful. This absolutely is one of the best schools for professional training.
the school impresed me a lot. not only are there are tons of opportunities for research, but opportunities for research with the world leaders in their respective fields. the atmosphere is very academic, people are friendly, pharm students were standing outside to chat with us.
Overall a very stressful but worth while experience. I only applied to UCSF(the sniper versus the shotgun approach)a big risk, but it paid off! The program is 20 years ahead of any other program in the nation.
UCSF is awesome. The opportunities for clinical work, policy, and basic science research are built into their curriculum and the curriculum is constantly evolving if there is something you want to do. It was a much more mellow atmosphere than I had expected, though it does seem like people work very hard. It felt much more like a university campus than I had expected and that was a nice surprise. I can really see why it is the top pharmacy school in the nation.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants suggested that the admissions office should consider sending out acceptance letters earlier to alleviate the anxiety and stress of waiting, while also acknowledging the positive aspects of the interview experience.
Keep up the great work! The interview experience was great overall.
