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University of Massachusetts Medical School Interview Feedback Summary

Worcester, MA

Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit

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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 19% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a low stress level and felt they did well.
⭐ Overall Impressions
SDN Interview Experience Score
8.2
Above Average

Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.

Based on 538 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional 8–8.9 Very Good 7–7.9 Good 6–6.9 Mixed < 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.

What was the stress level of the interview?

Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.

How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?

Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.

How did the interview impress you?

Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
Positively (83%)
Negatively (4%)
No change (13%)

How you think you did?

Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (32%)
Good (53%)
Average (13%)
Poor (2%)

What are your general comments?

Applicants generally found the UMass interview experience to be low-stress, conversational, and enjoyable. There were positive comments about the friendly staff, supportive environment, and the school's facilities, but some concerns were raised regarding interviewers' engagement and the length of time taken for admissions decisions.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
  • Nothing
  • An interviewer at one of my MMI stations spent the first 1.5 mins talking and I was really frustrated because I couldn't finish my answer.
  • I had a blast during my interview day. The staff and students were extremely nice. Despite not having experience with this style of interview, UMMS did a great job on explaining the template and why most schools are changing to the format. As for the MMI, the interviewer doesn't expect you to talk for the full six minutes. Rather, they will ask you questions about your particular stance or provide additional information. Also, be cautious about being to adamant about one side. Ideally, you should give pros/cons for your decision and then why you think (blank) is the best option.
  • Its a wonderful school and the staff and administration is really on the students side helping them become the best version of themselves. That's the type of school I would want to go to. Where your individual weaknesses are addresses and you feel supported!
  • I wish UMass would let applicants know their admissions results, or at least keep us in-the-loop with where our apps are in the process. You interview in the early fall and you still haven't heard a peep in the early spring...?
💬 Interview Process

Length, number, and type of interviews

🕐
Length:
35 Minutes Average
🔄
Number:
2.3 Interviews Average
👥
Interview Type (Interaction):
100% One-on-One
0% Group Interview
📁
File Type:
94% Open-File
6% Closed-File
💻
Interview Modality:
67% Virtual
33% In-Person
🏫
Interview Location (for In-Person):
100% At the School
0% Other Location

UMMS-COMP interviews are an average of 35 minutes, with an average of 2.3 interviews. 100% of interviews are one-on-one, 33% are in-person, and 6% are closed-file. Of the in-person interviews, 100% are held at the school.

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, experiences in healthcare, future career goals, personal attributes, and opinions on healthcare challenges. While some responses referenced MMI format or nondisclosure agreements, the majority of questions focused on understanding candidates' backgrounds, clinical experiences, interests in specific specialties, and reasons for choosing medicine as a career path.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)

What was the most interesting question?

Students said most interesting question asked at University of Massachusetts Medical School discussed a wide range of topics, including ethical dilemmas, personal qualities, and future aspirations, with a focus on scenarios related to medicine and healthcare. The interview format may have been MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on the variety of questions and nondisclosure agreements mentioned by some respondents.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)

How did you prepare for the interview?

Most applicants prepared for the interview by utilizing resources such as SDN, reviewing their application materials, researching the school's website, practicing with mock interviews, and staying updated on healthcare issues. Suggestions include practicing ethical scenarios, developing a general template for answering questions, and focusing on providing pros and cons for each case scenario.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)

What was the most difficult question?

Students said most difficult question asked at University of Massachusetts Medical School discussed a wide range of topics, including personal attributes, healthcare challenges, ethical dilemmas, and motivations for pursuing medicine. The format of the interviews seemed to involve Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) based on the variety of questions and the emphasis on personal experiences and opinions, potentially subjecting respondents to nondisclosure agreements due to the confidentiality of the process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)

What impressed you positively?

Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendly and welcoming environment at the school, noting the enthusiasm of both students and staff, the supportive community feel, and the emphasis on creating a stress-free atmosphere. Additionally, applicants appreciated the new and impressive facilities, the affordability of the program, the early clinical opportunities, and the strong focus on collaboration and student well-being.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)

What impressed you negatively?

Applicants commonly expressed negative impressions about the lack of organization and rushed schedule during the interview day, as well as concerns about the location in Worcester. Some specific feedback included difficulties navigating the campus, the unimpressive facilities, lack of diversity, and the isolated feel of the area. Suggestions included improving the organization of interviews, providing more time for interactions with interviewers, enhancing campus facilities, and addressing concerns about the location's appeal.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)

What did you wish you had known ahead of time?

Many applicants wished they had known about the relaxed and conversational nature of the interviews beforehand, as well as the potential for off-site interviews and the need for comfortable shoes during the tour. Additionally, common feedback included concerns about parking, the building's confusing layout, and the lack of depth in questioning beyond personal interests and experiences.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
🤝 Campus and Facilities

How do you rank the facilities?

Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.

How would you rate the Location and Cultural Life?

0 = Low, 10 = High

How is the friendliness of the admissions office?

Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.

How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?

Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.

What are your suggestions for the admissions office?

Applicants commonly suggest providing recycling bins for MMI materials, improving communication about application statuses, streamlining acceptance notifications, giving more details about the interview day in advance, and enhancing organization and scheduling to avoid downtime and rushed presentations.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
📍 Travel and Logistics

Airports Used

✈️
BOS

40% interviewees used BOS (BOS), with 20% using PVD (PVD) and 10% using ALB (ALB) and 10% using bos (bos) and 10% using PROV (PROV) and 10% using N/A (N/A).

What was your primary mode of transportation?

Most interviewees traveled by automobile to the interview.

✈️
10% Airplane
🚗
83% Automobile
🚆
7% Train or Subway
🚲
0% Other

Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees

Most interviewees stayed at the Beechwood (average ranking 10/10), with some staying at LaQuinta Auburn (average rating 10/10). (Top 3 displayed)

🏨
Beechwood
10/10
🏨
LaQuinta Auburn
10/10
🏨
The Beechwood Hotel
10/10

What was the cost and time spent traveling?

Cost: Low Cost to High Cost

What is your in-state status?

Most respondents are in state students.

Where did you stay?

Most respondents stayed either Friends or family or with friends or family.

Who was the tour given by?

Tours were most commonly given by a Student
Faculty member (1%)
Student (99%)

How did the tour guide seem?

Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Enthusiastic (96%)
Neutral (4%)

All Responses

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