Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 34% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did okay.
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about motivations for pursuing medicine, handling ethical dilemmas, discussing strengths and weaknesses, experiences in healthcare, views on controversial medical topics like euthanasia and stem cell research, and personal background including family and academic history. Some respondents mentioned being asked about their opinions on specific scenarios related to patient care and medical ethics, indicating the interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) with potential nondisclosure agreements.
Justify paying tens of thousands of dollars for trauma care for a patient whose injuries are fatal with not being able to provide a pap smear to a 19 year old woman.
name one problem in healthcare today (i named the rising cost and a possible solution). what else? (i named lack of coverage for underserved communities). what else? (this continued on until i was running out of ideas)
Basically, many of the activites that were on my application were discussed and in a conversational way -we touched on my family, my extracurriculars, and my academic career.
Medical School will be difficult, how do you plan on getting through the courses? How will you attack an obstacle that comes your way? Your academic record is clearly very good, but how will you handle a bad grade?
you are a resident and have been working for 50 hrs. your friend is suppose to come and relieve you but when he comes you smell alcohol on his breath,what do you do.
Students said most interesting question asked at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School discussed a wide range of topics including ethical dilemmas, personal motivations, and hypothetical scenarios. While some responses indicated a focus on ethical issues like euthanasia and abortion, others highlighted questions about personal experiences, patient care, and the impact of technology on healthcare. The interviews may have been MMI format as multiple responses mentioned ethical scenarios and some respondents noted a nondisclosure agreement.
Tell me about an ethical issue you've thought about, and argue both sides of the issue.
Your patient is undergoing a dangerous procedure that will most likely require her to need extra blood. But she is a Jehovah's witness and refuses the extra blood. Would you give her the blood if her life depends on it
It involved an ethical question about euthanasia. An old lady with terminal cancer can have a radical treatment. Her family wants you to do all that you can, she is unsure.
How would you deal with a woman who came to the ER requesting the morning after pill and a doctor who refused to give it to her, saying she was abusing the system?
You have a patient who needs a minor surgery. She also happens to be a Jehovah's witness and has said specifically that she won't take blood transfusions. You assure her she won't need one. It turns out there are complications and unless she gets a transfusion she will die. Do you give her a transfusion?
Hypothetical Scenarios... Dr. Johnson seems to like these ethical scenarios... b esure you keep an open mind and try you rbest not to crack under the pressure... She was a tough cookie!!
What do you think about abortion? (I responded that I didn't think I'd encounter that issue since I'm not interested in OB). He insisted that I pretend I was.
We discussed my parent's decision to pursue alternative therapies in treating my handicapped sister, and she asked me how I would deal with parents like them as a doctor.
Nothing to interesting was asked. I just got the typical questions. I got a decent amount of questions about my AMCAS application like my major, extracurricular experiences, and work experiences.
What I would do if I heard a fellow student telling a patient that birth control will give them brain cancer? The student's religion forbids contraception.
I don't remember exactly how he presented the situation, but it was something like this...You are a cardiac surgeon and someone comes to you that needs a valve transplant. You know that there is a good chance the person will need a blood during the operation but refuses to except it due to their religion. Do you operate? If you do decide to and they in fact end up needing a transfusion or they will die, do you give it to them?
Was asked about the problems facing physicians today. One of them is that doctors cannot give tests / treatments they want because patients cant afford, no insurance, whatever. So I was asked how I would help a patient who I knew needed an MRI to diagnos but couldn't get one. I evaded the question first, but she was insistent on me answering the question as was, patient has no chance of getting this test and you think they need it, what do you do?
You are covering for a doctor in a pain clinic. He thinks a patient is faking back pain in order to continue receiving narcotics. He wants to give her a placebo. Ok, now I'm the patient... "My pain is really bad today. Are you just going to give me the Demerol like usual?"
Students said most difficult question asked at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School discussed various ethical dilemmas, healthcare challenges, and personal reflections, including scenarios on physician-assisted suicide, patient noncompliance, and uninsured individuals. The interview format may have been an MMI, involving role-playing and hypothetical situations, with some respondents mentioning nondisclosure agreements or confidentiality constraints.
Tell me three words that completely sum up who you are as an applicant.
A very open ended general question- what are some ethical issues in medicine? I talked about abortion, refusal of treatment for terminally ill patients and in religious circumstances, euthanasia
Some of the ethical scenarios we discussed were tough, e.g. how would you deal with a noncompliant patient? What would you say to a pregnant cancer patient refusing chemotherapy?
What would you do if you live in a state where euthanasia was legal and the hospital did not have a policy against it and one of your patients was an 80 year old man with a terminal illness. He has exhausted his options for pain management and nothing has worked. He is in a great deal of pain and will die in a few months. What would you do?
The most difficult question was an ethical question. The question was: What would you do if a terminally ill cancer patient refused chemotherapy? Adress both sides of the issue.
A whole bunch of ethical hypothetical role-playing.. what would you do if........ (fill in the blank) - could be quite intimidating, when you're asked to think on the spot!
Complex hypothetical role plays galore!! Just make sure you think carefully about how you answer- always think from a perspective of being sensitive to the finer details of patient care and you wont go wrong here. And dont lose your cool!
Don't you think tort reform is unfair to people who actually have a case against the doctor? Where else did you get accepted? Why would you go here over that school?
All of the questions centered around my checkered academic past. This was only difficult because I was interviewed by the Asst. Dean of Admisions. However, I'm thankful that she did that because it forced me to be myself and open up.
What is a chemical buffer. Though I certainly know what it is, I went completely blank because I didn't expect a question like this. His point was that this was the most difficult concept you would ever learn. Med school is not hard, just overwhelming.
Suppose you are already a doctor and want to do something for those not covered by insurance. You are speaking in front of Congress: what do you say to them?
What would I have done if I was the physician in this situation: A baby born prematurely with mental damage and deformaties only will live to 18yrs. Do you suggest conservative treatment that will make her life comfortable or radical treatment (ie surgeries) that may prolong her life but will be costly and painful?
(euthanasia q) the interviewer gave me a very intricately detailed description of a patient w/ lymphatic cancer that has spread all over, no chance of recovery for patient, blah blah, blah....basically wanted to know if i would assist in helping end the patients life so that the patient wouldnt have to live in pain
What do you see as the biggest change in medicine, that is in its early stages right now, but will change medicine in 50 years or so? (I had to really think about this one, but I eventually figured it out).
Why do you think doctors complain about managed care? and given that, why do you still want to go into medicine?
and this questions turned into a very specific one: "if you know this patient needs a MRI to be diagnosed but his insurance does not cover for it, what would you do?" ????!!!
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 1 person.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had an open file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by reviewing resources such as Student Doctor Network (SDN), mock interviews, school websites, and current medical issues. They also focused on reviewing their AMCAS application, reading about ethical dilemmas, and discussing with current students or faculty members.
SDN, looked up MMI and the types of questions that could be presented, read up on healthcare (recent events/newa and political views on the matter), brushed up on previous interviews.
Practice questions from SDN, mock interviews with my school's Career Development office, reading up on current medical issues and legislature, reading the RWJ brochures and website.
Pulled info from their website, review SDN, made a sheet of possible questions and outlined what points I wanted to make in the interview, reviewed my grades, reviewed my personal statment, reviewed my CV, and spoke with a MS I student who attends the university.
This website, looked over the material they sent and their website. Also talked to a student who attended RWJ before the interview to get a basic feel for the school.
I read interview feedback on this website, I read information from their website, I read my AMCAS application and I spent four hours driving around the nearby neighborhoods.
Applicants were positively impressed by the community outreach opportunities, friendly faculty and students, modern facilities, strong emphasis on research and community service, variety of joint degree programs, relaxed and supportive environment, and the continuous expansion of facilities and resources. Many appreciated the warm and welcoming atmosphere, the high level of student satisfaction, the flexibility of the curriculum, the focus on clinical experiences, and the affordable tuition options.
The amount of community outreach opportunities, clubs with unique opportunities, and activities they have to offer outside of the academic aspect of medicine. The faculty and students are very friendly. and the administration is very attentive to their students' needs. The fact that they give exams on Friday, offer podcasts of lectures that aren't mandatory to attend, and provide students with iPads is definitely a plus as well.
The school is constantly revamping their curriculum so that it provides what students actually want. The faculty seem like they are truly concerned with how the students do on the boards and getting into residencies (and it shows). Students seemed happy. Lots to do in New Brunswick and other stuff related to Rutgers. Interviewer was extremely smart and chill.
The curriculum and price tag of the school are well worth it. Multiple paths 3/4 years. Just a great place to earn your degree, in my opinion. The new wing in Cooper Hospital is also very, very nice.
The hospital (New Brunswick) is the best in the state. Ultra modern and beautiful. The curriculum is also very cool (P/F first two years), great match list.
school is a very tight community, with a strong focus on community service. Camden is a great area to see interesting cases. Close to Philadelphia, most students actually live there.
my interview was at the cancer institute which is pretty new. all of the hospital buildings are pretty new and the facilities are very nice. lotsa money going there.
My interviewer explained the admissions process at RWJ to me in detail, which I greatly appreciated. The facilities are all new and the staff and faculty that I saw were very enthusiastic.
Lot of money in the school (really old lecture halls, but the rest of a facilities are new: brand new Public Health building, Stem Cell research center, etc). Plenty of computer labs, study areas, etc. Very good camraderie among the students. Everyone seems ready to help each other out. Low competition according to the tour guides. Faculty seems very supportive towards students. They like to push the dual degree programs; you can get scholarships towards the MPH, JD or MBA part of your degree. Excellent Residency match stats.
My interviewer. She was really excited about the school, intent on making my interview experience a relaxed one, and had interesting questions that made me think without putting pressure on me.
My interviewer seemed to have prepared thoroughly for my interview and we covered every imaginable topic in the course of an hour. She had taken notes on my AMCAS app and also came up with multiple new questions relating to each of my responses. The tour guides were really proud of the school and obviously happy with their experiences there, which was motivating.
a match list as good as any of the ivy schools i've checked out... a packed student lounge... dean knew lots of students' histories and seemed like she care about their future and res. placement
a really excellent institution. I was especially impressed by all the funding for the children's hospital, stem cell research institute. The match list was as impressive as the ivy's where I interviewed. Students were very enthusiastic.
wonderful people (staff, students, administration), really seemed like they wanted you to come there and succeed; very nice facilities that are all in one place; fact that so many students came to give us a tour even though they had classes/exams coming up
The students seem to like it there. I was very impressed by their graduate placements and opportunities re dual degree and intl health. Lunch was great! The student lounge area was so busy. New Brunswick has a lot of bars, restaraunts etc.
beautiful hospital (they have a hired pianist playing in the lobby) but still cater to a minority underserved population. the squibbs children's hospital was very impressive. the amount of money that the school has is phenomenal, since there seems to be buildings going up everywhere (new Child Health Institute, new stem cell research facility, etc.)
I was impressed with the whole presentation. From beginning to end. The financial aid section was quick and highly informative--explaining the different types of loans the max amount and stuff all in handout {table format}
The interviewer and the staff were really great. My interviewer was late (it was a rainy day), but the department chair of pediatrics just came in and made me feel really comfortable. The people were really nice.
I was extremely impressed by my interviewer and I think she really made me walk away loving the school even more because she was such an amazing person. The facilities were excellent and very new and the students were all so active in the surrounding community. I just liked how much opportunity seemed to be available at the school. They have a flexible curriculum that lets you take off a year in the middle of your education if you want to do a masters or law degree or even some international volunteering. I was really impressed by everything the school has to offer its students.
I really enjoyed the interview. It was really really conversational, and fun...in a sense. The students were really nice, honest in regards to their opinions about how the school is, etc etc. I liked the facilities and surrounding area.
I was applying to the joint BA/MD program and I had two interviews. This post is just about my first interview. The interviewer was very enthusiastic. She was very nice and I liked the fact that she was enrolled in the BA/MD program. She made the interview very comfortable. It was her first time interviewing anybody and it was my first interview. She was very laid back and made me feel as if I was just talking to one of my friends.
admissions people were very nice, interviewer was very nice, day's schedule was very organized, orientation session, information given, new facilities, area
The staff, students, and interviewer were extremely nice and friendly. The school looked quite new. The facilities looked up-to-date with lots of computer access.
The students seemed generally easy going and very happy. RWJ does not curve, so it seems like the students genuinely help each other out and work together. Also new labs and small group discussion rooms.
Students were very friendly and very enthusiastic about RWJMS.
Laid-back environment, staff and students very supportive.
Students seem genuinely happy.
New and up to date technology, labs, computers, etc. Nice facilities.
The admission staff was super friendly. After the interview they had an orientation session in a conference room, and there were admisssions officers chatting with the other interviewees. Also, the interview was held in the department office of the doctor who was interviewing me. The other doctors there seemed to be having a good time and were joking around a lot.
The school is on the rise, my interviewer was great, the hospital was really impressive. The choice of Camden or New Brunswick gives you the flexibility to try new things. Also, if you change your mind later, everyone usually gets a switch to what they want.
The school is taking action to become a top ranked program. They just renovated basically all the classrooms (except the lecture halls). They are constantly building new facilities, both academic and hospital related. The faculty, staff, and student body appeared to be very happy.
The school is absolutely gorgeous. The campus is beautiful, classrooms have a modern look and feel, ANATOMY lab is really, really nice. everyone is really friendly, from students to faculty.
Everyone is very friendly, they have all-new, state-of-the-art multimedia classrooms, the students seem genuinely happy there, faculty are very hands-on, concerned with students, etc
the architecture is impressive - at least on the inside of the buildings, students play a part in making improvements in the school, classes can be small, described as not very competitive, lower in-state tuition, diverse community
Really friendly environment, students are happy to be there. What really impressed me is that this school is on the upswing, there is SO much construction going on (new Children's hosptial, new labs) they really want to become the place for sick NJ people to go. If you are from NJ, you know that if you are really sick you to NYC or Philly. So it would be cool to be at this school while all this is going on. Plus New Brunswick is a decent / smaller city, not a ghetto huge metrolpolis like other schools.
I was impressed by the breadth of clinical facilities and hiphop community health initiative in new brunswick, as well as the availability of rutgers facilities (gym, libraries). Apparently the piscataway campus has undergone renovation w/new classrooms, but we did not tour the campus
EVERYTHING! flexible curriculum, get to choose from lots of electives, small group learning, lots of community outreach, new children's hospital, students seem to have a lot of say in what goes on! Free fifth year!
The friendliness that is contagious in the school! When I got to the school a random student showed me where to go and wished me good luck, the secretary inquired about my trip and hoped that I had no trouble finding the school. The student tour guides are so gung-ho about the school, it just wants to make you come there.
The Student Scholar Program. Students get to take a free fifth year (at any time during school) to pursue an additional degree or independent study. You could also design your own masters degree - one guy did a masters in Bioethics! I talked with the dean, and she said that I could definetly arrange to do a masters in International Medicine by taking some abroad rotations and taking some public health courses during that year. VERY cool!
I was impressed by all of the student organizations that are invovled with the community. I also like that there are a lot of new facilities near the Robert Wood Johnson Hospital.
The interviewer was really picking my brain with ethical questions, and the interview lasted almost 2 hours. While a little nerve-wracking, it does show how they gave (and would give) considerable attention to me.
If you can get a place to live and establish utilities before the first day of school, you are considered a resident ($10,000 less). Worst case is you have to wait one semester to get in-state status. Lots of different affiliated hospitals, so would get to see a very diverse patient population.
The curriculum, the student-run community service organization called HIPHOP, the administrators, the fact that on the boards, that the students perform above the national average
The medical center and the school are both very friendly. I was also very impressed with the amount of new research and patient care facilities that are springing up all over both the medical school and the hospital.
The school's atmosphere and the surrounding neighborhoods. The area around the school is really safe. There is a security car that drives around and many students walk to school. I like the medical student's curriculum and the hours spent in class (Fridays are half days).
the MD/MPH joint program and other joint programs... the school pays for the 1 year of MPH degree!
and also they are doing major renovations, adding 20+ PBL rooms, and i really liked the curriculum.
Applicants commonly expressed negative impressions about the lack of engagement from interviewers, dated facilities, disorganization in scheduling and tours, emphasis on research over clinical exposure, fragmented campuses, necessity of a car for commuting, unenthusiastic students, and unprofessional conduct during interviews. Suggestions included improving interviewer training, enhancing facilities, providing clearer information about campuses, and fostering a more positive and welcoming environment for applicants.
Interviewers were 2 min late to a 7 min interview, none of them asked followup questions or engaged with me, they just took notes the whole time I was speaking and seemed disinterested in the conversation
The adjust in timing of the interview was a bit odd, spent about 40 mins waiting at one point but it's not as bad as other interviews. Some MMI scenarios were a bit heavy to answer given we only had two minutes to plan it out while being a bit anxious for obvious reasons (especially since this was my first MMI interview). It also didn't help that, because MMI tries to eliminate biases in interviews, it was hard to gauge how well my responses were from my interviewers. Lastly, the facility is pretty dated but the administration does do a good job in taking care of any issues that would arise.
The first-years have lecture in the same room all year. The library is VERY small - pretty much the size of a classroom (they have access to the big biomed library at Rutgers too though). No housing on campus, so pretty much everyone has some sort of commute.
How suburban Piscataway is. The medical education building has very 1970's concrete architecture. The tour guides were first years who haphazardly showed us around, didn't show the level of maturity I expect in med students, and didn't make a strong case for RWJ.
The building looks like a prison. The study space, lecture halls, and overall facilities at the actual school look like they haven't been touched since they were built a century ago.
The school also seems to put a huge emphasis on research at the expense of early clinical exposre.
The multiple campuses (makes the school seem disjointed), not being able to actually see the campus where you spend your first 2 years, need a car to get around
block-scheduled exams, separation, of first two years (Piscataway) from last two years (New Brunswick or Camden), very little talk of curriculum during info session
It's a high school! They have cliques of geeks, cool kids, and jocks. Only difference, everyone seems genuinely nice to each other. The class is relatively young, and it seems like a lot of them went to med school b/c their parents made them. I got the impression few of them have ever spent a day working in their entire lives. Bummer for non-trad applicants who won't have much in common with classmates. No real patient contact the first two years, just actors. Also, they only have two hospitals where you can do your rotations.
We didn't get a chance to tour the hospitals and new facilities (cancer clinic, for example), which was too bad. But I didn't really come across anything negative.
The tour of the NB campus was limited to a few classrooms -- I would have enjoyed seeing more of the school. Student life at RWJ seemed very much like life in highschool.
Get ready for the list:
1) The location stinks and you MUST have a car
2) My interviewer was sexist and anti-semitic. He told me that "dermatology is for Jewish American Princesses" and that "RWJ had to increase its class size to accomodate for female doctors who weren't willing to work as much full time."
3) The interviewer said that I was arrogant for not applying to UMDNJ in Newark
4) The hospitals are not on campus
5) I had to wait 3.5 hours for my interview and drive to an off campus location
6) My interview was constantly interrupted by the Dr. that I was interviewing with taking phone calls.
7) It seemed like way too much of a sales pitch rather than the staff being honest
8) the list goes on and frankly, I'm getting pissed off just typing about it
RWJ was very cold and unwelcoming. I asked five hospital workers (including 2 physicians) for directions to one of my interviews and was basically shrugged off by all of them. One guy had the courtesy of actually responding with "I'm too busy for that ask someone else."
That research is so integral in the education. I felt like they stressed it more so than most other schools (even those that are top in research). I especially felt that the only research opportunities were basic science based and not more open in the clinical fields. I was also not impressed by the admissions presentation (check out one of the slides where they spell experience wrong all over it). Also, the campus is so fragmented with half in Piscataway and the other half in New Brunswick and Camden.
That we didn't get to see the hospitals. The Piscataway campus is not too exciting. I would have liked to have seen the hospitals that they are so proud of. Tour should be expanded to include a visit to see them.
lecture via powerpoint, how split up everything is (first two years from last two years, two campuses), how you're almost expected to do a dual degree program
Grading system. Need to drive between hospitals and medical school (everything is very spread out). Some students were not overly enthusiastic about the school.
Almost all the classes are taught via power pt which personally, puts me to sleep. Heard cafeteria food isnt so hot. (I guess thats why they cater our lunch:) Heard that many ppl dont go to class- but this is something at all med schools that bugs me...I really wish I had a chance to see the hospital! Everyone says its really great but I wanted to see the classes and med school bldg too.
the tour was of the hospital and not of the school. it would've been nice to see the lecture halls and the library (where i imagine i'll be spending most of my time for the first two years)
i had to sit on a couch that was lower than the interviewers seat, so i kind of felt intimidated. The interview wasn't conversational. I did NOT get to ask any questions.
That my interview was located at a different place, New Brunswick, from the lunch/tour/orientation.. the parking there was hell.. if I didn't take the valet as a last minute decision, I would have been late for my interview and would still be circling around looking for parking at the deck...
The only thing that negatively impressed me was the class size. Other people talk about the beauty of the campus but for me that's no important at all because I feel very rarely am I going to be outside. The class size is about 144 students.
I feel like the school is really deceptive. I was bothered that they hold the interviews on the New Brunswick campus, because there is a large chance that you may not spend any time there. They were very unclear about the fact that classes were on the Piscataway campus, and I feel like they held the interviews at the hospital in New Brunswick because they don't want you to know that the actual campus is in the middle of industrial park nowhere.
There was not really anything I found negative about the interview. I was just surprised at how relaxed I felt at this interview. The interviewer definitely made me feel comfortable.
I was interviewed in their Camden Campus. Their surroundings weren't very attractive. The students who were taking me around for the tour were saying how they didn't really want to come here, but they ended up coming anyways.
The school seemed a little small and there was a lack of public transportation. The grading system here is high honors, honors, pass, low pass, and fail.
It was right in the middle of the holidays, so there weren't any students around to talk to. But that's really more my fault for scheduling the inteview on that day.
Nothing really...just if I hadn't seen the hospital before, I wouldn't have seen it that day. Unless you interview at the hospital, they don't tour there and vice versa.
They seem to have a little chip on their shoulder regarding reputation and US News' new ranking system (We were told multiple times that in the old ranking system, RWJMS was consistently in the top 10). But really, it's a great school, and anyone who visits can tell that right away
the fact that we only toured the clinical campus and not the basic science campus, and the fact that I was not able to ask any questions in my interview
How much the students seem to study here. They're pretty close to NYC and all sorts of fun stuff in New Brunswick, but it doesn't seem like many of them have time for it
I wasn't as thrilled with the school as I thought I would be. Just didn't click as well as I anticipated. But I'm not sure if that's enough of a detractor from the fact that I like their relatively traditional curriculum and the area is decent.
Since the basic science/admissions building is in Piscataway, while the main hospital is in New Brunswick, interviewees don't get to see it (unless the interview is held there).
The academic building seemed a bit drab. The main teaching hospital for the New Brunswick clinical campus is 10-15 mins away from the school, and there is often heavy traffic.
Applicants commonly wish they had known more about the specific details and logistics of the interview day, such as the locations of different campuses, parking challenges, and the potential for delays. They also highlight the importance of being prepared for ethical and healthcare questions, as well as the significance of understanding the school's emphasis on dual degree programs.
News and updates occurring at the school. Wished I would've practiced answering MMI questions ahead of time.
The first two years are spent in Piscataway. The last two you can choose between New Brunswick and Camden, the majority of Camden folks live in Philadelphia and commute to Camden
That my interviewer at the hospital had moved to a new office a year ago. I had to have a kind secretary show me the interviewer's new office on another floor.
my interview location in east brunswick is further from the school location of piscataway than i had anticipated. it's also hard to find the parking lot.
I wish I had known exactly which medical school classes I would have the choice of taking in my junior and senior year of college if I was accepted into the BA/MD program.
This school allows for out-of-state students to apply for immediate residency, so you won't have to pay for out-of-state tuition. Must need a car in order to get around. Parking is very limited.
I was under the impression that you could walk to campus from the train station. I was already running late (because of the snow storm) and we had to wait a while for the cab and it was about 15 mins away. Everyone was very understanding.
take the train! the new brunswick train station is a few blocks from the interview site, so this was definitely an easy commute--apparently parking is pretty bad in N.B.
Robert Wood Johnson has a new medical scholars program where students can take a year to do research or medically related activites in addition to the traditional four years of training.
Exactly where my hotel was in relation to restaurants, shopping areas, bus lines etc... I didn't have a car (I flew in from out of state), so not being able to leave the hotel without calling a cab was kind of a downer.
That AMCAS calculated my GPA wrong!! I found out during the interview that it's significantly lower than what's on my transcript and what they had previously verified it to be. And now I have to go through the hell of dealing with AMCAS at the last second. Maybe that's why I didn't get interview invites to some of my favorite schools... :(
That the driving directions that they give has a slight problem. The directions say to turn left onto Hoes Lane, but the road actually reads "Johnson." Be aware of this.
I was interviewed at the Hospital and the school was where the orientation was held. The hospital is quite far from the school...you will need a cab. Luckily there were two other students(one had a car) being interviewed at the hospital, so I had a ride.
Applicants generally found the schools to be welcoming with friendly faculty and students, though some noted concerns about campus facilities. Feedback indicated a mix of conversational and challenging interviews, with a focus on ethical questions and a need for preparedness on healthcare topics. Overall, the interview experiences were positive, highlighting the school's value, opportunities, and supportive atmosphere.
Schools seems really great to attend, yes the building is a bit old compared to neighboring Public Health and Pharmacy schools but Rutgers is very quick to fix anything, whether its a broken light, wobbly desk, any technological issue, etc. Everyone is extremely friendly and welcoming and from what was shared, it seems that the faculty really care about the students and their wellbeing. MMI was a bit tough because it was a new experience but after the first few prompts, you get used to how to present yourself and answer the questions.
Be prepared to think a bit during the interview and answer everything in a consistent manner. Don't let the time frame dissuade you from finishing your discussion with your interviewee.
Great school for the value. Some people are turned off by it because it is VERY suburban, but it's super easy to get to the city....and let's face it - you're going to be studying most of the time. You can see how the school keeps the tuition low by cutting down on the non-essentials (for example, you have to pay for the gym).
Great place, people were very nice. I interviewed at the Camden campus and got to be interviewed by the Dean of Students. He even gave me a tour of the facilities afterwards. Really nice guy.
The interview was the longest (90 min.) and most intense so far. There was a good presentation about the school and financial aid. And the lunch they provide was really good and they sent in a lot of students to talk with us.
Got there at around 10am and had an interview with an MD/MPH pediatrician at 10:15, which lasted for 45min. Attended the orientation session at 11am which included the standard (overview, financial aid, student lunch/tour)
interviewer was not the warm and bubbly type, but still got to know me pretty well. The hospital is beautiful, but the med school itself is quite dull.
Overall, the interview seemed nice. The hospital isn't state-of-the-art but they are building new additions. The interviewer was very pleasant and it was more of a conversation than a Q&A session.
My intervew day was at the New Brunswick campus, which is not where the medical school (1st/2nd year) is. Orientation, lunch with students, tour (which was basically only seeing the lobbies of the hospitals) and waiting for about an hour before my interview
I had a great interview - it wasn't super easy or hard, but she asked me a good mix of questions about myself and my interest in medicine. She also commented on the difficulties of being a woman in the profession. Very personable and friendly. I enjoyed meeting the 2nd years, and the other interviewers that day were a great bunch of people.
The interviewer was really nice and friendly. Went over some of the information from the primary to allow me to elaborate. The interview was kinda long, but that's because we discussed rotations, ethics and such. It was a very pleasant laid-back experience.
My interviewer was so nice! We pretty much went over my file, talked about my family, and my activities. Then there was a presentation given and a tour of the hospital. The students were great with answering our questions honestly.
The interview took place at the hospital, which is a couple miles from the pre-clinical classrooms on the Rutgers campus. It was a very relaxed atmosphere and my interviewer was refreshingly informal. It lasted about an hour then all of the students gathered for a video and info session with a rep from admissions. Then we broke off into smaller group tours with 4th year. The student was not there to evaluate us, so it was a chance to ask more candid questions. They also served us lunch (sandwiches) while the applicants chated with each other.
Really honest interviewer. Played up the school and stated interesting opinions about some of the curriculum choices. I didn't get many ethical questions like other students who interview at RWJ
The interviewer knew my file pretty well, and did not have to refer to it. The interview was very relaxing, very conversation like, even the medical ethics parts... HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT ETHICS! I think it always comes up here.
It was at a Dr's office. It was mostly conversational. He did ask some specific questions that the committe wanted answered, but mostly we talked about my background, whether I'm suited for a career in medicine, the state of the profession today, and what his practice is like.
It was a very positive experience. My interview was very conversational and fluid. I really enjoyed talking about myself and discussing the school with my interviewer.
The interview was good. My interviewer was extremely positive and gave me a good feeling about my performance. Afterward there was a powerpoint presentation about the school, a financial aid presentation, lunch, and a 15 minute tour of the hospital, cancer center, and children's hospital.
Interviewer greeted me as "Yo dude what's up" and explained the whole admissions process while making sure I knew that he was my advocate; my most relaxing interview out of four so far, very conversational, and wanted to ask me questions that he knew the adcom might ask so that he could refute them. Unfortunately, hadn't read much of my file beforehand, but still asked about the red flags to see if he could help me out.
This was a great interview experience. My interviewer was very nice and the interview flowed nicely (even though it wasn't conversational). We toured the hospital and saw each of the great facilities, including the child care center, etc. The tour guides seemed very enthusiatic about the school! Overall, this was great interview experience! Good luck to all!
My interview expereince was great. Everyone was really warm and friendly and very easy to talk to. I felt like I could easily fit in there. Nothing was awkward or tense and there is a great financial aid counselor who goes out of his way to help find funding for students.
I accidently got to my interview late, but my interviewer was really laid back and put me at ease immediately. After the interview, he took me to a private dining room in the CAB building, where a presentation on the school was being given. After the presentation, we had lunch and some med students came and talked with us and gave us a tour around the facilities in New Brunswick.
Had to wait 20 minutes b/c my interviewer forgot the appointment. But otherwise, he was really nice, no difficult questions. I was impressed that he knew my application thoroughly! He even memorized the names of the people who wrote my recommendations and asked details about my work with each them. Asked a lot of ethics questions, and wanted to really get to know my personality.
All the applicants who had interviews that day were brought to one room to wait, so we chatted and relaxed until our individual interviews. Then we had a presentation on the school by the Assoc. Dean of Admissions, who was great. We were supposed to have a financial aid presentation too, but the dean went overtime so the financial aid person gave us her number to call with any questions.
After the presentation (which was pretty interesting and not too long), we had lunch with some of the first- and second-year students, then they took us on a tour in small groups (two students for three applicants). Then the day was over.
My interviewer was very pleasant and had really studied my AMCAS app before meeting me. Her questions covered every topic I could've predicted, from ethical dilemmas requiring me to to role-play with her, to my past and current research projects, to my hobbies as well as standard questions pertaining to healthcare. Somehow the time passed very quickly. The kids who gave the tour were extremely enthusiastic about RWJ and did a great job of answering our questions. Unfortunately my tour only covered a few classrooms on the New Brunswick campus so I didn't get to visit a hospital. I was left with a very positive impression of the school and the kids seem truly happy there.
amazing hospitals... brand new facility and classrooms... the school is a bit dingy looking... the people are not overly stressed and know to have fun... dedicated admin... great opportunity awaits graduates
So the day started at the Piscataway campus with two interviews, the first one very interesting and the second with a professor who was running late for another meeting. I then drove to the Hospital in New Brunswick (what if I didn't have a car) following some very accurate printed directions for a second round of interviews and tours. While the hospital was amazing, the actual medical school in Piscataway seems a little dingy and I did not get to tour that campus. Anyway, one interviewer kept saying well, this isn't Harvard but it's an OK place; and seemed really discouraging about the pursuit of the MD/PhD degree. I really thought he was ignorant. Anyway, I guess the bad thing about the school for me was that it felt wrong. I don't think that I'd be happy there.
I had a very good experience at Robert Wood. I felt welcome and everyone (interviewer, students, etc) were very enthusiastic. My interviewer was really funny and it was the most layed back interview I've had.
My interview was really long, almost 2 hours!!! But it was very conversational, and although we touched on many various topics, it seemed very smooth and not stressful at all. Students at RWJ seemed very normal and I was surprised that they arrived to give us a tour considering that 2nd years had an exam the very next day. Would love to go here!
The man I interviewed with at the Piscataway campus was a very nice, very old man. He had a great deal of questions that seemed rapid fire, but at some point we broke into a more conversational tone. There were a lot of ethical issues asked about. This was followed by an admissions session on the New Brunswick campus which was quite boring and did not have all that much information. The tour was pretty useless as we did not see a great deal.
I'm not sure my interviewer read my file. He knew a few things about me (GPA, MCAT, schools attended) but not much else. This let me dictate the conversation. At the same time, he hada few false impressions based on those few things he looked at. Was a bit aggressive about my financial status and assumed my parents were paying for everything (which is not the case and a bit offensive). We ended up coming to terms talking about public health (something I am passionate about) and I think the interview ended very positively.
I had a bad interview, but a good tour. The admissions staff and students were very welcoming and knowledgable. However, the interviewer asked off-the-wall questions and I often felt belittled.
It was very positive. RWJ is one of my top choices as a NJ resident. I was impressed with the school, the Assoc. Dean of Admissions was very personable and even encouraged me to consider the MD/MPH program.
It was a bit difficult finding the school and even finding the admissions office. The first thing I did when I got there was the interview which was in the morning. The students were really cool and the facilities are IMPRESSIVE. It is also in a college town so lots of stuff to do. Oh and the most awesome thing is the fact that you can do your clinical rotation at the Jersey Shore at the Piscataway Campus.
The interview was fairly casual but he did push me to come up with several ethical issues and problems with healthcare. I just kept giving examples until I couldn't think of anymore.
I had an interview in the morning so first I came in and got it out of hte way. Dr. Dubin was really sweet and although he asked a lot of questions he didn't make me feel like I was under a lot of pressure. Next came an information session which was pretty boring--I wish they hadn't used powerpoint and instead had actually shown us the hospital (although this would have been difficult considering it's not next to the school). Next was a financial aid information session which was pretty dull. The tour was the only worthwhile part of the post-interview part of the day. Seeing the faciltiies gave me a better feel for the place.
Overall very positive. The day was well organized and the tour of the classes and labs was nice. The interviewer seemed sincerely interested in getting to know me better.
Dr. Johnson - remember the name - she likes the ethical hypothetical role playing scenarios.. be prepared!!
She was tough, but not impossible to crack - she told me I did wel when it was done - and 6 weeks later I got accepted - good luck guys!!!
The interview was overall a very laid back and genuine experience. I let the interviewer know very early that Robert Wood was my number one choice. He was impressed and we simply talked about my application and the work I have been doing the past four years of college. I was accepted to the school five weeks later.
THe interview had a lot of ethical scenarios and "thinking" questions. My interviewer was very nice though. The facilities and the school were nicer than I expected.
My interview was really good. The dr. was really interested in culturally competent care and though she threw tough ethical q's at me that stumped me for a couple of moments, she seemed to be helping me through it as well. She was very open and mentioned that she would recommend my application. (which after all these out-of-the-blue q's was a big relief!)
the day was a bit disorganized, but most interview days are. the tour was very impressive, but i could hardly hear the presentation about the school. there was a mixup with my original interviewer and i had to be rescheduled for the afternoon. i was dropped off in an empty conference room, 2 hours before my interview, and i twiddled my thumbs there until it was time. thank God i brought my ipod.
Im from Rutgers University NB. and work in the research towers so I felt really comfortable knowing that i had an interview with a phd. I think I may have been too relaxed becasue 1/2 way into the interview I felt like i was being grilled about my project...understandable....But I found it a bit nerveracking that he really made me prove why I want to be a doctor and seemed to question all my answers. BUt in all, It went pretty well. I hope I get in
I was a bit disappointed that the orientation started 15 minutes late and they picked a tour guide last minute so I had to wait an extra 10 minutes to have the person come in... the tour guide was soooo talkative and we spent 15 minutes standing at one spot while he blabbed away...my interview was at 2 PM at New Brunswick and here I am at Piscataway campus medical school and the tour just ended at 1:10 PM.. I had to grab and eat my lunch super fast and left at 1:20 to go to New Brunswick for my interview... I was there at 1:40 and the parking deck was entirely full...i had to go around and look for other spots and eventually the deck opened..this was at 1:45... then I was circling around for 10 whole minutes without a single spot open and I was freaking out already so I resorted to valet parking and ran to the place where my interview was at made it at exactly 2 PM... regardless of that inconvenience, the interview went well. Dr. Tannenbaum was such a nice man and he liked me so I hope I get in!
It was a great interview. I talked with Dr. Terregino for what felt like an hour (probably was) and then was introduced to Mrs. Oglesby who is the counselor/recruiter for the school. Even the staff was wonderful. Catherine Porter is a hoot. Overall I had a great time, felt right at home, and I hope that I receive an invite into the class of 2005! I can't really outline specific questions because most of the questions were tailored around understanding my unique and complicated academic journey.
Dr. Dickson was so great. She was really friendly, and all of the questions she asked me were really tied into the conversations that we were having. What I liked about her was I felt like she took the questions she had to ask, but really made them a part of our discussion, so I didn't feel bombarded or nervous.
As with everything, I think if you go in there knowing yourself and why you are there, you'll always be fine -it's just a matter of being yourself and feeling comfortable to express that -no one is out to get you or give you a hard time, at least not in my experience or that of most of my friends. It was overall a very nice conversation and I really enjoyed learning about the amazing things my interviewer had accomplished in her career in medicine throughout the course of the interview, along with learning about everything RWJ has to offer. It was a very laid back and pleasant experience -I hope I get in!
I thought the interview was enjoyable. It wasn't a back and forth conversation(basially she asked questions and I answered), but it wasn't stressful at all. There were no difficult questions.
It was a great interview experience. I interviewed with one of the deans of admission and she was super-friendly and very personable. She focused more on my activities than anything else. I also interviewed with a second-year. That was more of q-and-a session rather than a conversation but the questions weren't at all challenging.
Overall, I think it was a positive experience. I really enjoyed speaking with my interviewer and getting to know her. She concentrated more on getting to know me and slipped a few academic questions in our conversation. Which made it alot less stressfull.
It was stressful. He was very tough of an interviewer in that he was drilling on academics and your ability to act as a physician now even though we aren't at that point. He never gave you an approving or disapproving response. He was very very very neutral. It was hard to read how the interview was going.
This was a informative interview process that included more discussion than the typical question answere session. I like the process and got accepted in the first round of admissions. I will attend this school.
The interview was great. I had a great time. My interviwer read my file and made me feel as if he had known me from a long time. I felt totally confortable. I came out of the school wanting more to be a physician and feeling good about myself.
The interview was at the New Brunswick campus and was more of a conversation, and less of an interview. My interviewer was not trying to trick or grill me but rather trying to get to know the real me. Everyone was very friendly and the facilities were very impressive.
overall my interveiw was comfortable,the interveiwer was very friendly which took away the knots in my stomach.This was my first interveiw experience which was very pleasant and low stressed.
Initially, I felt uncomfortable because my interviewer didnt seem interested in me, but towards the end of the interview she lightened up and showed some sense of humor...guess it was just too early for her
The experience was very good overall. The interview was pretty laid back, everyone there was very nice, the students were awesome, a lot of good information was presented, new facilities. The day's schedule kinda fell apart toward the end.
Extremely positive. I had the nicest interviewer, who asked a lot of thought provoking questions. The questions were mostly ethical questions, very challenging but enjoyable. The tour was given by a med student, who was friendly and extremely thorough.
I knew that RWJ was my top choice before the interview, but I've walked away from my interview experience wanting to go there even more. My interviewer made me feel totally at ease, she was absolutely wonderful. She asked some tough questions, but she gave me alot of good advice and feedback.
My feelings were positive. The school seems to have strong academic plans and growth goals. Students place well for residency. I just didn't know if I would be happy as a student there. However, I only met a very select group of students.
The parking lot was almost full so I had to park on the roof. Some people who arrived later than me had to do valet parking. I had my interview after the orientation, tour, and lunch. My interviewer was a basic scientist who was not very conversational. To top it off, he has minimal interactions with medical students so he couldn't answer questions about the medical school. He interrupted me often to ask another question. He also proceeded to tell me that my anecdote in my personal statement is stupid. Maybe that was a joke but I sure didn't appreciate it. Overall, I felt my interview was rather stressful.
My interviewer went out of his way to make me feel comfortable and at ease during the interiew. He had obviously carefully reviewed my application and had prepared questions in advance about it. The tour was very short but only because the interview was the day after Christmas so the hospital was not very busy and all of the students were on vacation.
Robert Wood is a fantastic place. I was so impressed with the facilities. They all look like they've been built within the last 5 or 10 years. All the doctors I saw and spoke with were really positive and good natured. The Admissions staff was also very friendly and answered all my questions. The inteviewer was totally laid back and prefaced the inteview by saying that he didn't ask specific ethical questions cause he thought they were unfair. He was also very up front on the admissions process and how it worked. Totally relaxed atmosphere, but that was partially cause I had gotten accepted to my first school the day before, so I knew I was at least going somewhere. But, seriously, RWJMS is a fantastic place and I would definitely go there if accepted.
I school had a good feel to it. I liked the people I met and the student body seems happy. They are doing a lot of expanding and I think that means that there will be more opportunities for the students. There is a good cross-section of the population that uses the hospital, so I think you would get a well rounded education. It doesn't hurt that it's a train ride away from Philly and NY.
I felt that the interviewer talked more than I did and will really have no way to know who I am or anything about me as a candidate. The interview was conversational and easy but I came away feeling empty and disappointed more than anything else. I shouldn't have bothered to review any ethical stuff.
Robert Wood Johnson was great, I really loved it, and I got accepted. My only problem is that I have to go back to revisit the school because I did not get to see it during my interview day. I only have my experience with my interviewer, a tour of the hospital, and a slide show to compare with other schools.
Overall, it was a relaxed day and well organized. They made sure you left there with answers to any questions you might have had. In terms of the interview, despite the fact I was asked numerous medically and ethical related questions, it was not in any way "nerve racking". Just pick your side, explain your position, and STICK WITH IT...don't change your mind no matter what.
This interview experience was GREAT. Very relaxed, informative, and motivating. First, I had orientation and a tour from about 11 am to 1 pm. We were shown a video, given a financial aid presentation, and given free calculators as gifts. Then, students came in, broke us up into pairs, and we toured the campus. Robert Wood has ALOT of stuff going on, the school is definetly one of the best I've seen. Multiple researcha nd clinical buildings, active community programs, and MAD close to the city. I loooveeed it. After the tour, we had lunch with the students. We were able to ask questions, etc. After lunch, I had my interview at another site, which was about a 10 minute drive away. The interview was EXCELLENT. very relaxed and very personal. couple of ethical questions, that's about it.
the hospital was nice, out of the six interviews i had so far this was the worse in terms of the interviewer. she was very rude and interpeted me many times.
Some of the questions asked were a bit inappropriate (ie abortion etc). The interviewer only asked about grades for a good portion of the interview. It made me feel that the interviewer didn't have time to read about my extracurriculars and essays from my application. The interviewer seemed pretty negative and I thought there was at least something positive in my app. otherwise I wouldn't have been asked for an interview.
I felt a very good vibe from the time I walked in. The staff was very receptive and friendly. My interviewer wanted to know about me and he asked a good balance or personal experience and academic experience questions.
A short orientation is scheduled from 11am - 12pm, then a tour/lunch from 12-1pm. The whole thing seemed a little unorganized, but it was probably bc it was exam week and everyone was a little frazzled. Some people had interviews before; mine was scheduled for 3pm, on the other campus (about 5-10 minute drive). For out-of-state people w/o cars or anything to do, might want to look into how to get over there, if necessary (not many taxis around). For my first interviewing experience, I think I was really lucky -- my interviewer was really nice, the whole thing was very conversational, and even the scary "ethical questions" turned more into a discussion of what both of us thought. Overall, great experience!
My interviewer was extremely warm and welcoming. The interview felt more like a conversation than mere questions and answers. There were no questions that seemed "out there".
Was for MD/PhD, had the MD interview first, went well except for maybe the difficult question I listed above, that was tough, but the interview was friendly, it was conversational. The scientists I met (3 total) were also not there to grill me, wanted to know my research and why MD/ PhD, the usual.
Overall, I had a good experience down at RWJMS. It seems like much funding has gone into both the basic science and clinical campuses, which I think will provide a good learning environment for 4 years. Students seem to enjoy themselves here, and seem to like block scheduling.
I missed my train so I showed up late at the interview. I called ahead of time to let them know this I still felt negatively about the entire thing and I doubt my chances at the school. Plus, I was interviewed by the dean of admissions so I am sure my tardiness wasn't seen as a great thing.
Oh well..another one bits the dust.
While I was extremely impressed by the overall quality of the school, I definitely did not gel well with my interviewer in the least. I am of Indian origin, am a biology major at a selective college but have a significant disparity between my MCAT and GPA (high MCAT, average-mediocre grades). At one point, my interviewer, who was also Indian but was a scientist rather than an MD, commented on the fact that I had done significant work in journalism, and that there were very few of "us" in journalism, so wouldn't it make sense for me to go into that field instead. When I explained that my strengths lay in medicine, he suggested that I was simply too overcommitted throughout my college years. While I do wish my grades were higher, I do not regret the fact that I invested my time heavily in very worthwhile extracurricular activities like the campus newspaper, in residential life and in heading up a service group. I felt as the interviewer had a specific ideal candidate and I wasn't it.
I think my experience was an anomaly, in all honesty - everyone else I've spoken with (who had a different interviewer) felt very good coming out of the interview and didn't feel stressed in the least. I would love to get into the school, but my interviewer soured the experience significantly.
The whole experience was very laid back, and it seemed like my interviewer really wanted to get to know me and my motivations for going into medicine. We seemed to click very well. It was very conversational.
It was actually really nice; after the interview, there was a presentation by the dean and by the financial aid office. I came in with an "eh" feeling about the school, but left with a really good impression of it.
The interview was very low key. I had my interview in the morning, while other had theirs after the orientation. There was a formal presentation given which was very informative, as well as a financial aid and admissions presentation. Everyone was really open about how the admissions process works. The tour was a little disappointing because we didn't get to see much, and there were too many people to all hear the one speaker.
I interviewed w/the Asst Dean of Admissions and had a good time b/c we had a lot in common. I was really impressed w/the school and am excited about going here..if I get in of course.
I was very surprised at how chill the whole thing was. My interviewer makes time to interact with the students (one of my tour guides visits her often for advice and stuff), as do all the professors (it seems). I didn't get to see the hospitals, although we were offered to be taken there. The interview group was really small (8 applicants), and we had sandwiches and cookies for lunch. As a gift, we were given small calculators.
Overall very positive, my interveiewer made it clear he was not there to intimidate me, very laid back. After the interview i just wanted them to accept me...i was very impressesd.
I think I was feeling a bit burned out at this interview. I was *very* tired and almost fell asleep during the financial aid presentation. I didn't get pumped until I was already sitting down and talking with the interviewer.
Interview was pretty laid back. My interviewer asked a lot of questions and covered a lot of topics, however I did not get the feeling he was trying to intimidate me. I think he just wanted to make sure I knew a little something about medical issues. Most of the questions were pretty general.
The interviewer was very impressive. He was very knowledgeable and well read so we talked about the English literature. We talked about the work he did in his field, as an academic MD as well as a practicing physician and how he tries to incorporate both. I gave me my opinions about his field which I truly respect and luckily very interested in. It was really relaxed. The students were very wonderful and very accomplished.
My interviewer was definately a cool guy. He didn't stress me that much until he started asking me about cities. Still though, he was nice and explained the commanilities to me.
I didn't really have high expectations of RWJMS going into the interview.However after speaking with the students and taking the tour I really got a positive feeling. The interview itself was kinda long and the questions were tough (lots of ethical situations). The interviewer definitely asked questions that were specific to my educational background. I only wish I had read the NY times Health section that morning. But other then that it went well!
I had visited RWJ before and I came away from my interview once again overwhelmingly impressed with the school. They are making a tremendous effort to increase their reputation and the research at the school while remaining very supportive of their students. The Dean said, "We are confident that we can help our students achieve whatever they want." The facilites of the New Brunswick campus are wonderful. The student giving the tour said that she was glad that she went to that school (as opposed to other "better name" schools). She said that she thought they were strongest in primary care medicine.
know whats happening w/ healthcare, stem cell research, cloning, genetic intervention, long resident hours,....know as much as possible just in case.....i was indifferent towards the school
I had been to the open house RWJ held in June, which involved tours of both the Piscataway campus and the hospital. Frankly, the hospital's a lot more impressive (especially the new children's wing). This was the most traditional, least conversational interview I have had, so it was a bit more stressful. The video shown seemed to be pushing research, so I guess they want to become more high-profile in that area, while still being strong in community medicine.
I had a challenging interview. The interviewer had thoroughly reviewed my file and designed his questions to probe the weaknesses in my application. I felt it was a fair interview and was impressed at how much time he had spent preparing for the hour-long conversation.
I thorougly enjoyed my interview. I arrived about 1 hour early, and was given a handout to read. A fifteen minute video is played before you interview, it summarizes the school and what they have to offer. This was my first interview and I did not know what to expect. I was interviewed by a PhD who also teaches in the medical school. He was very friendly and we had the interview in his office. I was asked many questions about my background and I could tell that the interviewer was sincerely interested in me. After my interview, I was given a tour by a medical student. She was very informative and she described the school for me. She was happy here and said that the other students also enjoyed it. I drove around the surrounding area for about six hours. There is a town nearby called New Brunswick, which is pretty nice. The area is rural, but there are still many activities and it is only a 45 minute drive to Newark or New York City if you like the big cities. I found that it is not a problem to park in nearby towns. At night, I stayed with a medical student (they have a hosting program). I spent about three hours speaking with him about the medical school and the programs offered. He was accepted to multiple schools and chose this school because he liked the atmosphere, the education offered and the surrounding neighborhoods.
It was a very good experience. my interviewer was really friendly and nice, but she did ask me 2 very hard questions..
but overall, i was very impressed with the school, and it's definitely one of my top choices.. since the tuition is much cheaper than the private schools!
It was a pretty laid back day. There was a video about the school, a question and answer session with a dean of admissions, a student led tour, lunch and a short financial aid presentation. I had my interview after lunch, but some people had interviews in the morning.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants suggested that the admissions office offer practice MMI questions, reduce the waiting time for decisions after interviews, improve scheduling efficiency for tours, provide clearer travel instructions, and consider offering snacks in waiting areas. Some also mentioned combining the interview and orientation sessions on the same day, providing longer tours, and quicker decision-making processes.
It would be helpful to offer some practice MMI questions, either before or during our interview day (prior to the actual interview itself) so we can get a since what we're getting into.
To get back to their interviewees a bit quicker in giving out final decisions as its nerve wrecking for us to wait so long after the the interview to hear back from them
Make it easier to schedule a tour visit. Even though I chose dates from a list they provided, I tried scheduling for three different dates before they said that one fit their schedule.
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are in state students.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 0-1 hour traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by automobile to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent less than $100.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
