Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 24% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a low stress level and felt they did well.
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about motivations for pursuing medicine, knowledge of osteopathic medicine, handling of ethical scenarios, dealing with conflict, and opinions on healthcare. A significant number of respondents mentioned being subject to a nondisclosure agreement in an MMI format interview, where questions were not disclosed due to the agreement signed before the interview.
I just had a lot of standard questions with the first interviewer. We mostly talked about school, work, girlfriends, medicine, music, Lowe's, and almost anything you could think of!
You are the doc in a small country town and 3 patients come in at once. All of the patients are the same except for their jobs: a small rural doc, an employer that employs 1/10th of the town, and a delivery guy. Who do you save and why?
Also, how do you feel about killing the others.
In a hospital, what is the most important group: the doctors, Nurses, Board of Directors, Phamacists or the Janitors?
-The Answer is they all are...there is no I in team
You happen upon a car accident and no one else is around. There is a 70+ year old man and a 7 year old girl. Both are bleeding profusely and will die. You can only save one. Who?(This question was asked by a 65+ interviewer).
In a hospital setting, there are doctors, board of directors, nurses, technicians, receptionists, and custodial staff. Who are the most important? Why?
Ethics situation:
1. If you had one liver and three patients with identical backgrounds and health conditions except for their job (milk delivery, factory owner that employed most of the town, and physician), who would you give the liver to? He followed the question with
Totally random ethical question that seemed like a situation that a doctor would not be put in. I kept my poise and answered as best I could without getting on a political soapbox.
What attributes do you think it takes to work in a team? What attributes should leaders have? Why are you choosing medicine over an engineering job? Why do you want to be a doctor? Why osteopathic medicine? You have no research experience; why should we let you into our PhD program? Why are you changing careers? Your application says you were a Roughneck in an oil rig welding fabrication yard; what was that like?
If you were practicing in a small town and the wife of the principal of the elementary school your children go to came to you for an abortion because she had an affair, what would you do?
A man comes into your office with really bad back pains (she went on about this for a while) then says that your order an MRI. Later that day your nurse comes up to you and says that the man's HMO declined the MRI, what do you do?
How do you deal with stress? How will you deal with the large volumes of info? How will you deal with patient death? What traits will make you a good doctor?
Scenario: If you were in a first year class where attendance was mandatory and you saw one student signing in for another, how would you handle the situation?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of North Texas Health Science Center - Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine discussed a range of topics including future of medicine, personal attributes, healthcare policy, and ethical scenarios such as medical decision-making affecting multiple individuals. The interview format seemed to be an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on references to nondisclosure agreements and a variety of thought-provoking questions.
You turn a corner and hear two patients talking about you. What would you most like to hear: "I love my doctor." (Referring to your compassion), "I trust my doctor." (Referring to your integrity), "I admire my doctor." (Referring to your medical technique, such as surgical abilities), or "I respect my doctor" (Referring to your medical knowledge). Why would you like to hear them say ____? (The blank is whatever you would like to hear most)
Has there ever been a single event in your life that has completely changed your opinion about something? Would you say you're more of an 'evolving' person or one who is quick to change?
I was not interviewed by two MD's and a PhD. Make a two by two matrix in your head. Column one is now and column two is in 10 to 15 yrs. row A is a strength and row B is a weakness. What would they be and how would they affect your career?
3 people need a heart. all males, same age, same blood type, same chance of survival, happily married w/kids, were all put on the waiting list at the same time, the only difference is their profession. One is the only doctor of a small town (next closest doctor-60miles away), the second guy was a small town business owner (employed 500 people of the town), and the third was the town baker. Which one would you give the heart to and why? Follow up question:how do you feel about the other two guys that died because of your decision?
Imagine you're a doctor and a female patient comes in with her dad. If the dad steps out for a bit, the female patient lets on that she's been promiscuous (keep in mine she's only 13). What do you do?
If a colleague came up to you after residency and said he didn't enjoy the profession--it was not what he expected--and he's $100,000 in debt, what advice would you give him?
Because the face of medicine is constantly changing, by the time you graduate you will face different problems. Choose a problem and describe a solution.
You are the ONLY ER doctor in a rural town, TX, and nothing ever happens there. One day, as you are playing cards with the nurses, three patients come in: one with cardiac arrest, one with respiratory arrest, and one is a woman delivering a child. Who do you take care of first?
If President Bush were to suddenly call you and say that he had too much to deal with in the Middle East and needed you to recognize and resolve the problems of healthcare in the U.S. what would you say those issues were and how would you resolve them?
"Tell me about your research." The interviews were very positive and interactive. It was an opportunity for them to get to know me and vice versa.
How would you fix the most important problems facing physicians? (I said the two main problems were effectively treating patients who had no insurance, since the cost of care goes up each year, & the litigous attitude of society for malpractice.)
My second interview gave a scenario based question about a pregnant women who was coming to term but was bleeding profusely. Surgery is required and she needs blood but refuses because her cousin contracted HIV from a blood transfusion. Do you give her blood. Then second part of the question was the same scenario except the woman is a Jehovah's Witness and refuses the blood because of religious bleifs. What do you do?
You're a doctor in the emergency department. A couple comes in: a man and his pregnant wife, who is bleeding profusely due to a trauma. She desperately needs a blood transfusion but they decline because it is against their religion. What do you do?
How did my last interview go? My reply- it went well. The interviewers reply- they aren't always as they seem.
Pretty interesting response- wouldn't you say!
If you were the only physician on duty in the ER and someone two people came in wih the same trauma symptoms, but one is a doctor and the other is a business owner who would you choose to work on first?
If a child was in a horrible accident and the only option is to amputate one leg due to injuries, how would you tell the parents? How would you tell the child?
If I made you czar of medicine and were given "the powers that be" what would you do...is there anything you would fix about our current healthcare system?
If a patient that has had multiple heart attacks, smokes and has eaten poorly all his life asks you if he should start to drink alcohol in order to decrease his risk of future heart attacks what do you say?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of North Texas Health Science Center - Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including ethical dilemmas, future of healthcare, and personal challenges. Many mentioned facing challenging questions in an MMI format, possibly under a nondisclosure agreement, while others encountered thought-provoking inquiries on healthcare policies, ethical scenarios, and their motivations for pursuing medicine.
Think about what you know about healthcare today, and consider what healthcare will be like ten years from now. How is it different? How is it the same? (Not horrible, but a difficult question)
What is the most difficult experience you have had in your life and how did you deal with it? I tried to talk about my academic struggles, but the interviewer stopped me and told me I had to give him a more personal story... Luckily I have a mother with a mental illness that I could talk about... Though he kept prying and ended up making me cry during my interview because this is a touchy subject for me. He was cool about it though... I think he got to see my human side. Haha.
A friend of mine in internal medicine thinks that every family practice physician should have to undergo an internal medicine residency. Do you agree with this?
Has there ever been a single event in your life that has completely changed your opinion about something? Would you say you're more of an 'evolving' person or one who is quick to change?
You have a patient who is a child. They have an amputated leg. What do you do? This question made no sense to me. When I asked her to clarify, she just shrugged.
You find a woman's medication prescribed by her MD is causing some serious side effects. She doesn't listen and says she wants to go back to her MD. What do you do?
None, the interviewers were both very friendly...explained to me that they were not evaluating me based on GPA/MCAT, but rather on my interpersonal/ppl skills (they only get to look at your PS and chronology of ECs)
What is the difference between DO and MD? (I prepared for this but I have yet to find an answer that everyone likes. It depends on the interviewer and how much this question means to them. Hopefully you can tell)
Interviewer learned of my background in ethical objections to the research, and proceeded to grill me on it. It became quickly apparent that the interviewer disagreed with my views.
You are a doctor in a rural area. Three people need a liver and are at the same point in the waitlist. They all lost their existing liver to infection and all three are married with a kid in high school. One is a doctor for a town of 3000. Another is a plant manager who employs a tenth of the town's population. The last man is a milk and bread delivery man. Who gets the liver?
Then I was asked how I felt about killing the other two.
first interviewer asked me why I didnt have more hospital experience and only clinical and how I really knew I wanted to be a doctor because of this. I was confused some by this.
I grew up in El Paso, and my interviewer asked me something regarding hispanic culture that I couldn't answer. I ultimately told him I wasn't familiar with what he was talking about. He happily explained it to me.
You are a senior resident and a new, very talented resident joins your staff, but he has a huge ego and treats your subordinates as such. How would you manage the situation?
describe how football prepared you for a career in medicine, in what ways is the healthcare system like a team ? who are the important players and what is there relationship?
What are the 3 most negative aspects of your personality? How would you change them? And how would these aspects affect your career as a DO compared to an MD? My 1st interviewer was very interested in talking about what I knew about being a DO compared to MD -- most questions he asked had something to do with activities I have done and how those would help me as a DO more so than an MD
1. "How does cell signaling work?" I was interviewing for the DO/PhD program (DO/PhD was not an option in the descriptions at the top of this page, so I put MD/PhD.) I made up some crap and made myself look stupid, and quickly moved on.
2. What has allowed the DO philosophy to survive scientific scrutiny for over 100 years? The answer was medicine based on the correlation between structure and function (the interviewer was Ph.D. who taught physiology).
How have you been impressed and how have you been disappointed with medicine? Where are the best doctors? (I had to ask for clarity- b/c between you and me, I thought the question was a bit broad).
I thought this questions were tough b/c they are more subjective, opinion oriented questions.
What are some things that have changed the way primary care and rural care serve patients? What else? What else? What else? What else?
What do you feel is the state of the pharmaceutical industry at this time?
What are your personal impressions of the way the medical field is heading right now? How would you fix this problem? Do you believe this will get better?
see above, except now the guy has changed his diet and lifestyle to do what I suggested (no alcohol, exercise and eat right) and he had another heart attack. What do you do now? Should he start drinking?
Say you have a patient that is 85 years old and had prostate cancer but has since spread to his bones. He has told you on several occasions that he is in very severe pain. On his last appointment he askes you to give him an Percription for morphine so he can go home and take it to commit suicide. What do you do? --She also followed up the question to ask me where assisted suicide was legal and if it went against the hippocratic oath.
A woman comes in to the ER pregnant to term, no pre-natal care, and hemmhoraging heavily. You tell her you need to go to surgery to save her and the baby. She says to do whatever you have to in order to save her and the baby. You tell her she has bled a lot and there is a good chance she will have to receive blood. She says she will not take blood because her aunt got a transfusion that was HIV+ and died a horrible death. What do you do? (With a barrage of follow-up questions)
Scenario: 28 year old male in a car accident - on ventilator, intravenous nourishment, severely burned over entire body - cannot speak, but can write and has total mental capacity - he expresses the wish to die, but his mother is adamant about him staying alive - no other family is involved - how do you handle the situation?
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 low stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had a closed file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for interviews by practicing MMI questions, conducting mock interviews, reading interview books, researching ethical issues and healthcare reform, reviewing their applications, and utilizing resources such as Student Doctor Network (SDN) and school websites. Suggestions include practicing with a friend, staying updated on current events, understanding school-specific information, rehearsing answers to common questions, and being prepared for a range of topics beyond ethics and healthcare reform.
mock interviews, reading Dr. Gray's interview book, reading Dr. Desai and Dr. Katta's MMI book, looking up questions, looking over activities and remembering examples
Studentdoctor.net was the best tool... the questions about "what do you do for fun?" etc. were very accurate for one of my interviews. I almost knew the question before they asked it.
Read over personal statement, looked up osteopathic medicine, reviewed most common interview questions, reviewed ethical issues, and looked up information on the school.
researched osteopathic medicine and healthcare reform (mostly on wikipedia), read a few news articles on healthcare, typed up some common questions and my answers to them
SDN. TCOM web-site. Interview prep book. Having my wife randomly quiz me on pop questions from various med school interview web sites and books and I re-read my applications.
SDN, re-read applications, interviewed myself, read up on current medical innovations, read up on healthcare reform, read up on ethical issues in medicine. read up on DO philosophy and philosophy of the school.
SDN question, questions on the internet, looked over past research, 3 hours mock interview with my fiancee the night before, interview myself in the car on the drive there
read up on DO philosophy, reread app, read TCOM website, read a little on current healthcare issues/advancements, practiced with a friend, talked to a DO student.
read through SDN forums, interviews for jobs/other medical schools, listened to NPR and read online newspapers to bring myself up-to-date with current medical issues, brainstormed questions I wanted to ask my interviewers
I forgot I had an interview until the day before when someone reminded me...I thought I had an extra week left to review the material. So to answer this question, I did not prepare for this interview.
I researched on the school's website and in their catalog. I also used this site. I stayed with a first year med student. He and a friend of his sat and talked with me for a while and really got me ready. If you have a chance to stay with a med student, I would recommend it for every interview.
reviewed informaton on osteopathy, UNTHSC-TCOM website and handout info, mock interview questions with my mom, studentdoctor.com, reviewed my file to insure accuracy and consistency
SDN, TCOM website, medical ethics websites and book, outlined answers to questions on this site, read my own applications again, talked with other applicants.
Prepared several questions with an outline of my responses, read health section of newspaper, perused medical websites (incl. osteopathic) and the school’s site. Funny thing is that they only asked me one or two of those questions. They asked me more questions about my experiences- from my personal statement and essays. I think that the chance of you being asked medical ethics/situational types of questions will be greater if your ps/essay do not evoke much interest or thought from the interviewee. As a matter of fact, the interviewer who so kindly told me that things aren't as they seem, didn’t quite get to ask me the degree of "tougher" questions which he/she may have intended- we were out of time! I was saved by a knock on the door. I’m just kidding. But it pays to be prepared for ANYTHING!
I read over my personal statement, secondary applications, school info, and other info concerning osteopathy. I went out to eat the night before, and had a great margarita!
Plenty of rest, good breakfast, and made sure that all of my clothes were pressed and shoes shined days beforehand. Learn the interviewers' names when they are first given to you and make sure you are pronouncing them correctly. Everybody likes to hear their name, especially when spoken without uncertainty or hesitation.
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and warmth of the staff, faculty, and students at the school, creating a supportive and collaborative environment. They also highlighted the state-of-the-art facilities, strong focus on student support and success, and opportunities for research and residency placements.
The school's culture was very collaborative and all of the students here seemed happy. They seemed to have a good balance between school and extracurriculars.
Both interviewers were really friendly, and I actually had a good time talking to them. Through the interviews, the talk they gave during lunch, and the campus and hospital tours afterwards, I really got the impression this school shared similar values as me. I'm now convinced this place will support my desire to become a service-oriented physician. (also they're pretty hi-tech, which was also impressive)
The in-depth nature of the interview and the alignment of their views largely similarly to my own. The ultra-low cost is the best part about this school, though.
SIM LAB! It's an amazing tool for training doctors and not all schools have it. They also use standardized patients as a training tool. My interviewers were great and made the environment fairly low stress, and one even joked around with me a bunch. There are also a LARGE variety of research opportunities, but they don't advertise them all that well online. Also, the students are great in that they aren't cut-throat competitive, but instead work as a team to learn.
The interviewers really wanted to get to know me, and felt that I was a great fit for their school because of my interests in preventative medicine. The student ambassadors were great.
Everyone (students, secretary, interviewers) was very friendly. The campus is in a great area, and the new building they're working on is going to be really nice. Lunch was great.
- the friendliness of EVERYONE I encountered at TCOM -- faculty, staff, students, etc ...
- the fact that everyone loves being there
- the facilities: library, labs, etc and the fact that a new building will be finished next year
- 2nd interview of the day was one of the best conversations i've had in a while
- martinelli's apple juice in the Admissions Office
- Screens in the anatomy lab
- The specs of the new building being built
- Walking across the skybridge (between buildings) and looking out across downtown Fort Worth at sunset. Amazing.
- Lunch at the botanical gardens
The whole admissions committee, all the way down to the interviewers, were very welcoming and I felt like I belonged. The impression quickly changed my impression of the school. The students were also extremely welcoming and definitely left me with a great impression.
The number of students that take and pass the USMLE, the ability of students to specialize, the geriatric grants, the location next to the FW museum district
How friendly everyone was (admissions staff, MSIIs, interviewers, fellow interviewees, random people I met when I got lost on campus); Lunch was fun...good oppurtunity to ask q's and get candid feedback abt TCOM from the MSIIs
The simulation, patient and OMM labs. The possibilities of research. The 99.3% or so pass rate on the COMLEX; 92% pass rate on USMLE. The lunch was also great (took us to a nearby restaurant)
very conversational interviews, low stress environment, the labs and other facilities were awesome, especially the simulation lab and the gross anatomy lab.
Commitment to osteopathic medicine as a profession, without being overly traditional/old-fashioned/delusional. COMLEX scores are the best in the nation and USMLE pass rates are the same as MD schools.
The laid back atmosphere and friendliness of everyone. The high scores achieved by students of TCOM on both boards. The high level of technology used throughout the school.
I am in a Master's program at this school, so I know already how personable the student body is that matriculates here. The students are so easy to get along with and I really like Fort Worth, especially this area.
gross anatomy lab, friendliness of students/staff, patient contact starting first semester, planning on building a new facility at end of 2007, an excellent lunch
Student life, faculty, definitely one of the best gross anatomy labs in the country, location (it is in the museum/cultural district), and quality of students.
Everyone--from the staff in Admissions to the interviewers--was so nice! They seemed to really care; they wanted us to have a good experience at their school.
Everything: the friendliness of the staff, students and interviewers, location of the school (which is in the cultural district of Fort Worth), lunch on interview day (which was in a restaurant located in the botanic garden), simulated patient, anatomy lab.
The positive/relaxed atmosphere; the anatomy lab (pretty amazing); the human simulation persons(?) - dummies that respond as real patients would; nice lunch
the people and the anatomy lab. also there was mention of a ''panty party.'' I'm not sure what that entails, I'm not even sure men are invited, but I like the concept.
Students were really nice I got to sit in on a freshmen class and talk to a few people. I got to shadow my interviewer (plastic surgeon in clinic) while I was being interviewed. During that time I got to talk to a 3rd and 4th year students.
How technologically advanced the school was, how cooperative the physicians seemed to be (both MD's and DO's seemed to be accepting of each other), clinical experience starts in the first year.
The tour of the school was an absolute joy! Even though I was wearing uncomfortable heels, keeping up with the two girls that were giving the tour made me forget all about it! They were spunky, hilarious, and very easy-going.
This is a GREAT school and the staff and students on interview day were very classy (they were all very supportive and seemed to want to help us choose the best school for each individual candidate)
How friendly everyone is; the location of the school and the closely-knit student body; the anatomy lab was one of the best I've seen with it's plasma screens and skycam;
TCOM takes the attitude of recruiting YOU during the interview day. The two life size patients "Stan" and "Norm". Plasma screens in anatomy lab. Getting into clinics in the first semester on a regular basis, I'm a big fan of using book-learning in a practical situation and soaking up whatever information I can.
Friendliness of the faculty and students. Nice facilities, great anatomy lab. Good location. I stayed with a student the night before and he was a very gracious host. He was a great representative of the school.
TCOM is situated on a beautiful campus with striking views of downtown Ft. Worth from every building. The admissions staff, students, and interviewers were friendly and enthusiastic about TCOM. The anatomy lab is completely wired with everything from plasma screens to "skycams" for viewing body parts.
The location of the school is in a great part of Fort Worht (in the cultural district), they have an AMAZING gross lab with plasma TVs and computers at each tank, really cool anatomy faculty as well .
The facilities are amazing (very state-of-the-art and innovative), the location is gorgeous (there was not one building on campus that didn't have a fantastic view of downtown Ft. Worth), the area is lovely (cultural district: botanical gardens, museums, theaters, etc.), and the people are incredbly nice and courteous. The 99% pass rate on the COMLEX (the D.O. version of the USMLE) ain't bad either!
Everything was VERY comfortable. Everyone is sooo friendly, and nice. The interviews are in no way to intimidate anyone. They are only to get to know you.
Everyone is so incredibly nice and charged about TCOM. They also make every single effort to answer your questions and make you feel comfortable. The curriculum and facilities are top of the line and the COMLEX pass rate is phenomenal at 99%.
the library and the anatomy labs. you can eat in the library, and the anatomy lab has imac's at every lab bench...also the students were all smiling and happy, even during finals, so that was pretty cool...the school is pretty awesome!!!
The friendliness of staff and students, the laid-back atmosphere, the technology - from the anatomy lab to the dummy used to practice certain procedures. I also like the area in which the school is located, especially since I am familiar with the area
1. The pervasive sense of community. Everyone is just so damn friendly.
2. The gross anatomy lab has a computer at each cadaver with software that lets you look at X-rays, CT scans, pictures of sections, pictures of an expert dissection, and pictures from a textbook of the part you are working on, and it is all linked together and is very easy to use. Apparently this is unique to the school, and it really helps your learning, and the school is really proud of it, as it was locally produced. They are even selling it to other schools.
3. They are very flexible with the curriculum. They tweak it every year and listen to student feedback. One of my interviewers said that this is one of the advantages of a smaller institution; it is more mobile in that positive change can happen faster and easier than at a larger, academic university type school.
4. The admissions office staff is awesome, much nicer than at other schools. They sit down one-on-one with every applicant and make sure that everything in your application is correct. The admissions director happened to interested in my current job and I sat in his office for half an hour just talking about it.
5. Professionalism is stressed a lot. The first year students write their own code of conduct to follow during the four years.
6. The school just built a new research building.
7. Stayed with a student and they were great.
The interviewers actually familiarized themselves with my application, students were encouraging, the gross anatomy labs are awesome, the simulated patient is very high tech.
This is an incredibly friend place. The staff was attentive and responsive to questions. They aimed to make the experience as comfortable as possible. We had lunch at a coffee shop/cafe with two med students who provided candid feedback to questions and accompanied us on the tour. Additionally, the school boasts technologically outstanding labs and teaching aids.
The staff members were great...very friendly and relaxed. The campus is nice-looking and in the middle of a bunch of museums and a botanical garden. The rent in the area seemed pretty cheap. They have an interesting computer program they use in the anatomy lab. They had a quickie seminar on applying for loans.
The people. Everyone was friendly - admissions staff, students, and interviewers. One student approached me as I was walking between interviews, and actually stopped to introduce himself, shake my hand, ask where I was from. Everyone was giving interview tips, etc on the tour. Lunch with the students was relatively informal and they were eager to answer all of our questions. My first interviewer was incredibly friendly, and even gave me his email address so that I could come back to shadow him. My second interviewer was a little tough at first but when it came time to ask him questions, he warmed up and we ended up chatting the interview into the hour mark.
The location of the school is on top of a hill in Fort Worth and the view is very nice, and there is a very low crime rate there. The thing that most impressed me was that literally how nice all the students there were. Many would come up to me randomly and ask about how my interviews were going and provide their own experience with the whole process.
Administrative staff are very friendly. The student ambassadors were very helpful and lunch was great. The campus is small, very safe, and has a friendly atmosphere.
the friendliness of everyone on campus, they seem to be up to date with technological innovation in the classroom. The second-year tour leaders were fun and friendly.
The lunch was great and laid back with the Second Year students. The tour of the campus was great, the buildings and facilities are really nice. The tour was split with half given by a faculty member and the other by studnets. The students also take you into the gross anatomy lab and you get to meet with the teacher, all was so great!
I thought the faculty, staff and students were very friendly. The Anatomy Lab and the integrated systems teaching format, all powerpoint lectures with downloadable lecture notes and test objectives clearly outlined. Centralized campus with easy access and parking.
The people were absolutely wonderful and so helpful. They had intelligent answers to all my questions. The facilities are great (esp. the Gross Anatomy Lab)and the surrounding area/community is very nice (it's in the Cultural District of Ft. Worth).
The facilities are new and impressive. The city and surrounding area is beautiful and affordable. The students are very friendly and happy with the school. The faculty is also approachable and very involved with research. By the end of the interview you feel like you are a part of the family. They not only have one of the best anatomy labs but the school also spent 200Gs on a manikin that responds exactly as a human would in different situations that you can work on using IVs, meds, etc.
By far, the most friendly students I have met to date. I had trouble getting out of the parking lot--I was more or less assaulted by students wanting to wish me well and talk about their school.
They have a great anatomy lab. I didn't find that they forced either the osteopathic philosophy or the manipulative medicine down my throat, although they were thorough in their explanation of both. They were very intent on convincing me that the training I was going to receive was on par with what I would receive at an allopathic institution.
Let's say where do I begin...
They have just installed a computerized anatomy lab where each group has a computer next to their cadaver. Instead of messing up your textbook, all the dissecting and other information is right there on the computer. This year, they are going to sale the program to the students (small fee) so that they can study at home without feeling the need to come in on weekends to the lab.
The just also installed a new simulation lab with two simulators. I was very impressed with how medical students will be able to practice on these devices under different situations.
The school had a completely friendly atmosphere. Everyone knew everyone else. I ran into three students while walking to my interviews, and all three went out of their way and told me good luck and made small talk.
Lunch… I thought it was really nice how they allowed us to choose what we wanted off the menu from Four Star Coffee. They placed the order ahead of time, so it was ready as soon as we arrived.
The students who lead the tour were really genuine and seemed to enjoy taking us to lunch and giving us a tour of the facilities. What also was impressive was while they were taking us around they ran into like three professors who knew them personally, and also spoke to our group and asked how we were doing.
My interviewers were great. I think my first one he tried to ask questions already on the interview feedback site. However, once the interview started rolling, it became laid back, and I was really impressed with my interviewer and how easy it was to talk to him. My second interviewer was great also. She was really easy to talk to and seemed really interested in my application.
Parking was close and free!!!
TCOM is the only medical school in the nation with a digital anatomt lab. Their USMLE pass rate is similar to the national average for allopathic schools. Students have been admitted to several selective residency programs. The students really like the organ-system based curriculm. Their philosophy of medicine is unique and progressive. You can receive your MPH concurrently. They have recently received millions from NIH for their public health programs. They are ranked #20 in the nation in the area of primary care (above Baylor and Southwestern).
great program- system based curriculum, great location, cool computer system in anatomy lab- with dissection instructions, textbooks, xrays etc. on it, financial aid was realistic and helpful too.
Facilities (especially the library), doctors (friendly, informative, sincere, straightforward in a great way, and honest), and atmosphere. Great parking, too.
Campus was actually in a really nice neighboorhood for being in downtown Fort Worth, Texas. Modern facilities, great anatomy lab technology. No parking issues.
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the long and tedious nature of the interview day, outdated campus facilities, limited food options, financial burdens such as high living costs and required technology packages, and perceived lack of support for students considering specializing instead of primary care. Suggestions included improving campus facilities, providing more diverse food options, streamlining the interview day, and enhancing support for students exploring various medical career paths.
20 minute video on A.T. Still lol (the physician, not the school)
The fitness center/gym is not included in tuition. If you ride your bike to school you'll have to pay for a membership to take a shower when you get there. $15/month. Because it's not a major university, there aren't some of the usual fringe benefits like free football tickets or things like that. First year class is 8-4, then students study at night.
They only give 6 weeks of study time for the Step 1. I know that's average, but some schools give more time. I also wasn't a fan of walking all over campus to find the interview rooms.
Nothing really... Except the guy that gave our orientation mentioned that 20 people failed first year last year and had to restart med school this last semester. Eeeek! He should have left that out...
i did not like having my last interview at the end of the day, after lunch and the tour. i was physically and mentally drained (barely getting any sleep the night before and waking up at 5:15a that morning didn't help). at least the interview went well
- Living costs are pretty high in Fort Worth
- I know that Osteopathic Medicine emphasizes primary care, but they seemed like they saw it as a shame when more people opted to specialize- no matter what I decide to do I want my school to support and encourage me.
I guess this isnt from the interview day but I have a friend that goes there and she/he was telling me that the students are kinda pressured into attending class and that they have class 9-5 therefore the amount of time left to study seems to be a little less than some other places
Construction is still going on but it should be mostly done by the entering class of 2009; they purchase a tablet PC for you if you matriculate (I wanted to purchase my own tablet and load it up myself, but they want a technical standard for exams and student programs; this can be good for some people I guess)
The facilities are not all that impressive, need lots of remodeling. Student’s launches and recreational areas too small.
Absolutely nothing. Fort Worth, TX is a bit boring so it seems but I'm going to be studying with all my time so its not like I'll be doing any clubbing anyways.
the fact that I wanted to stay with a student but they never contacted me until the day before my interview. I had already made accommadations. it was very rude of them to not get back with me in ample time. even if they just said hold on a bit we are looking for a place to place you.
The tour guide seemed really defensive and drilled the osteopathic philosophy into out heads--she kept reiterating that DO's are not that different than MD's...
Nothing really I'm comming from New York so I expected a little change going from a blue state to a red but it wasn't bad at all. Minus the hole George Bush highway thing hehe
My second interviews is an M.D. doing research at the D.O. school, and he was actually trying to convince me to go to an M.D. school rather than TCOM!! He said that D.O.s are just not as good as M.D.s and that the COMLEX as easier than USMLE, and that people will just never treat them the same. He made it sound like of you get a D.O. degree instead of an M.D., you will have that scar on you for the rest of your life. It was really scary!!!
My second interview felt rushed. The D.O. that conducted it was running behind schedule. Our interview started 30 minutes late and I could tell he was running behind schedule from the way he conducted the interview. He was still polite and friendly, but obviously distracted. But this was just a minor annoyance.
There is no hospital adjacent to the campus, so we had no tour of medical facilities. Also, rotations in 3rd and 4th year are spread all over the place. They told us that most DO students have to take 2 sets of boards- the USMLE and COMLEX, which would involve extra study, money, and headache. Also, TCOM has a long school year with almost no time off.
There's nothing really special about the school except for the plasma screens they have in the anatomy lab. I am not impressed with the $150K of debt a typical TCOM student has after four years. I thought it would be cheaper if you stay in state. I guess not.
My first interviewer. He was an OMM specialist (Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine) and seemed like he had seen enough applicants with little or no first-hand D.O. experience. He was very aggressive from the beginning of the interview, asking if I was a Bulls... artist (but said it as a statement) and why I didn't marry the mother of my child (even though I did, was wearing my wedding band, and mentioned the words "my wife" 2 or 3 times in my personal statement), and also mentioned TWICE that there had been a "D.O. in my family since 1913" and pointed out his wall o' D.O. forefathers (also twice). This type of questioning continued until the final 5 minutes of the interview.
the tour for my group after lunch was cut way short cuz we had interviews at 1:15, while the other group of people had interviews like at 2 pm, so they were able to see more of the school and stuff...
Nothing. I was just a bit disappointed that one of the teaching hospitals located right across the street from the school had closed. It's a private hospital, not affiliated with the school (except that it allows students, residents, etc to come in and learn)... We were assured that this just means a slightly farther commute to their many other teaching facilities.
The financial aid presentation. The presenter rushed through everything, like he wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Also, some individuals kept using the phrase "If you are lucky enough to get in..." Not everyone, just a couple of people.
Not too much. My hotel was right next to a train track which had a train every 1/2 hour all night and all morning long. Don't stay at Ramada or Fairfield if you are a light sleeper!
nothing really...the 2nd interviewer wasn't AS friendly...more "question and answer" compared to the conversational laid-back style of my 1st interviewer...
It was hard to know where to go. They give a sheet with your schedule - Your interviews are listed with a building and a room number but they don't tell you how to get there. My second interviewer's office was behind a double set of doors, and I never would have found it if I hadn't have met someone in the hall to help me. The interview wasn't even in his office - We ended up in a really small and hot room on a different floor entirely. Just seemed a little unorganized.
One of my interviewers I could not get a good read on (the psychologist). It was frustrating not getting any response to my answers other than,ok, and then move on to the next question. My second interview was MUCH better and much more conversational.
The interview questions were very theoretical and not very personalized. Except for the question mentioned above, none of the questions really asked about my experiences or unique qualities. Instead they focused on general questions like why medicine, how do you solve problems, how do you work in a team, etc.
One of my interviewers was a jerk. (He's a surgeon so it comes with the turf). He had a meeting to go to and so I was rushed out in 15 min. He barely asked me any questions and did not give me enough time to ask him all the questions I had. Second interviewer was great though.
I didn't really understand the OMT (Oseopathic Manipulative Therapy). The person that explained it I dont' think understood it that well either (she was on staff).
The 2nd year med students giving tour had no concept of time (weren't even wearing watches) and they drug us around the campus until seven minutes prior to 1st interview.
No real impact but it was so unconscious of them.
Nothing really, some of the students seemed unhappy to be there, but then again it was a cold, rainy day. One of my scheduled interviewers was not there that day and I was getting a little nervous, but they had another faculty member interview me.
Nothing. There were 9 candidates in my group interviewing and all seemed to have positive interview experiences which made it difficult to really 'scale' how things truly went.
Absolutely no research has been performed to demonstrate osteopathic medicine. It might work--they just have never proved it in documented, published clinical trials. Once osteopathy is proven effective or ineffective, the school should convert to an MD program (and retain osteopathy if it works). I am also discouraged by the fact that lower tier schools conciously perpetuate the myth that highly ranked schools are "cutthroat".
One of my interviewers seemed to think that I would not take the school seriously in my match list, and kept telling me that if I was going to go there I may be disappointed. I didn't feel like he was recruiting well for his school, but I did appreciate his honesty.
The interviews were staggered for the group so we all had free time at different times. So, some people began interviews in the morning, and some in the afternoon. It was the luck of the draw how early you had to come in that morning.
No on-campus housing or contracted/affiliated apartments. Somewhat restricted or remote hospital affiliations for 3rd and 4th year rotations (see their website for details).
The fact that there is not currently an affiliation with a teaching hospital (though they mentioned that it was in the works with the local county hospital).
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time that the interviews were more conversational and less stressful than anticipated, with a focus on being themselves and their personal stories. Suggestions included being prepared for different interviewers, bringing breath mints, asking smart questions, and being aware of the interprofessional healthcare emphasis.
I wish I was prepared for how different each interviewer was. I should have practiced MMI with more people to get used to different non-verbal feedback during the interview.
Don't fly in to DFW at 6pm the night before. Traffic around the area is really congested during rush hour. No one is going to question you about your application. All of the interviewing is just situational/ethical.
I wish I would have known that the interviews are not stressful, so there was no need in me freaking out. I knew the basics of healthcare reform, and that got me pretty far.
That the interviewers were friendly and were really conversational (Not the case for all the people who interviewed there though but 90% of them). Look confident even if you think you didn't say the best answer!
That TCOM was actually so great. I was not expecting to love the school; I like the cultural district, the faculty, the cooperative atmosphere, and the curriculum. They do not talk enough about the curriculum on the website, it's actually very good!
Nothing!
Make sure to check SDN interview feedback as I got some question that were verbatim from what was already posted up here. Also make sure you know who AT Still is.
nothing, I took flip flops for the walking around...campus is pretty small. a lot of down time for me, but I had reading material I brought along in my bag.
...that we were going to be doing a lot of walking - I wore heels, and my feet were absolutely killing me by the end of the day. Other than that, I can't think of anything.
Nice anatomy lab, The national research institute for Osteopathic medicine is located on our campus. I wish I had known I would have to wait 30 minutes before having my first interview (my interviewer was late and I began to sweat bullets) but it worked out for the best.
There were plenty of positives. They have the best gross anatomy lab that I have seen so far. The students interact very well with visitors and each other. There are more research opportunities than I expected. The faculty also is better than even the high expectations that I had.
I over-prepared way too much, which lead me to have some stress before the interviews. However, after the interviews started, I realized that it wasn't as stressful as I had convinced myself it would be.
There's no continental breakfast, eat before you get there. Also, there is a long stretch of time in the morning (if your first interview is at 8am) where you have nothing to do but sit around. They tell you you can just walk around campus and explore independently, but honestly, I don't think you'd get much out of that unless you got to sit in on a class or something (which we couldn't do, there were tests going on that day).
Nothing about the school, but Fort Worth is very interesting. Small/rural town whose residents typically have lots of money. Interesting dynamic downtown and surrounding area.
the fact that you can do your last 2 years at many different clinical sites, like texas tech and stuff; it's a pretty cool program, and they even have a rural track.
I had some friends from undergrad there. Also, TCOM ranks applicants soon after the interview. The dual DO/ MPH program only needs an MCAT score (not gre). Ft. Worth is very safe & parking is available (and cheap). Finally: even with a perceived or actual stigma against DOs, the thing to remember is that: at the fancy rep dinners, everyone (DOs and MDs) eats the same steak. :)
I wish I had been more focused on MY story (i.e. my background, experiences, etc) and just a little less focused on the tougher medical issues/debates. It's also important to keep in mind that the interviewers goal is not to interrogate you, but to evaluate your level of maturity, ability to think on your toes and your motivation (among many other things, of course). Since this school conducts closed file interviews, don’t hang yourself by dwelling on your less that satisfactory O.Chem grade (GPA, MCAT scores, etc).
They interview very small groups of students. There are a lot of hills, which is not good for high-heel-wearing people or for the front of your car as you pull out of the parking lot.
I wish I had prepared more questions to ask the interviewer. My first interview ended abruptly after 20 minutes and I only had 1 question to ask. Both interviewers asked if I had anymore questions.
Some interviewees had already begun their interviews at 8:00 whereas others only started at around 1:15. I personally had a huge gap in time between my first and second interview, but everyone was done by 5:00.
That 80% of the doctors that come out of this school go into family practice. Many in the group asked at different times why this was and we never got a straight answer.
Interviews were pretty informal. Be aggressive about selling yourself and rehearse a summarized version of who you are and why you belong there (7 minutes or less).
Just relax in your interview and be yourself. There is no need to be worried. They will throw some scenario type questions at you to see how you will react. And they will try to see how seriously you are considering their school.
What I would still like to discover is why TCOM has such superior equipment with regards to the anatomy lab and other things like the simulators. Don't the other state schools have the funding to incorporate such useful didactic instruments?
All the great stuff they had going on- they have some great cutting edge programs in excellent location. While I prepared for some ethical/healthcare questions, I didn't develop or spend the time working out concrete/specific ways to resolve them- I prepared 3 minute answers not 10 minute answers- other students may want to spend some time on this when preparing to interview here
Make acquaintence with the other applicants in your group. It will ease tension and make the experience much more enjoyable. Also, some of the morning interviewers were also interviewers in the afternoon. This allowed some applicants to get an idea of what was to come from their afternoon interviews.
Applicants generally found the interviews at TCOM to be conversational and low-stress, with positive experiences overall. They appreciated the welcoming atmosphere, informative tour, and interactions with faculty and students. Some noted the closed-file interview style and the emphasis on understanding the osteopathic philosophy.
condense the q&a and virtual tours into shorter blocks
The MMI sessions aren't high stress! Prepare, but remember to read the question and authentically reply. They have 1 main question and follow up questions.
Great school. Is truly a school invested in student success. Not a school filled with gunners but not a school filled with "C's get degrees". It is a well-rounded school that is highly suited to non-trads.
Make friends with the other interviewees while you're there. It will calm your nerves if you have any. And, if you're lucky, half of them will end up being your classmates!
It's a great school, and visiting it made it go up on my list. I would definitely consider matriculating here because the atmosphere is great, the technology for teaching is amazing, and they teach using the systems method (discuss one system and all components of it at once) instead of individualized classes that aren't directly connected.
I am a senior medical student at TCOM, and former student ambassador. I read the comments of interview experiences above, and just wanted to clarify a few misconceptions.
I am so glad to hear so many of you left TCOM with positive experiences, and for those who were not quite sure hopefully my comments below will be useful.
First off, I would like to say that I have absolutely no regrets having CHOSEN training at an osteopathic institution vs allopathic. Our additional training in musculoskeletal medicine and OMT serves us well and is a very marketable skill as I am finding out as I go through the residency matching process.(many MD's are trying to learn this now and want D.O. residents to teach them).
---GPA and MCAT--- 2 yrs ago when I recruited for the school, and I am sure our standards have not lowered
AVG GPA=3.6 overall&basic science MCAT=27
This is equivalant to TEXAS medical school average
Highly competitive program considering it is the ONLY Osteopathic program in Texas, while there are 7 allopathic institutions you have a chance to get into.
--3rd 4th yr training---
WE DO HAVE A TEACHING HOSPITAL
The Osteopathic Medical Center of Ft Worth
or as we call it "THE O" is right across the street from TCOM. Not sure how that one slipped by the ambassador. Furthermore, several required (3rd yr) rotations are completed at John Peter Smith County Hospital (equivalent of Parkland but in Ft Worth)---great experience, tons of pathology =awesome training. As for 4th yr, we have quite a bit of autonomy as far as making our rotation schedule. This is a good thing. You have the option of selecting elective rotations across the country, at residency programs you may have an interest in completing your training. You say where, when, and what specialty for almost all of your 4th yr rotations. I am writing this at the UC Davis Library in Sacremento, CA.--Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation rotation.
I hope that cleared things up. I will close for now, as I feel TCOM and Osteopathic Medicine really sells itself, but it is important to know the facts. I welcome any questions or concerns about the school or osteopathy in general.
Good luck to you in the match!
[email protected]
Joseph M. Martellotto MS IV
Love the school! Interviews were very conversational and laid back. I learned a lot just from talking to my interviewers. I left wanting to attend this school more than I did when I got there!
Just be confident, professional, and enthusiastic about the school and osteopathic medicine. Ask questions! One of my interviewers was a bit tough at first, but I asked him about his research, and he totally warmed up to me after that.
There are two interviews. They can schedule them both in the afternoon or one in the morning and one in the afternoon. You'll be done at around 3:30pm at the latest, I think.
It was a great experience and the facilities spoke for themselves. The 2nd year students were cool, although I wish we could've spent more time with them since we were running behind schedule. The school is pretty well established, so you can see for yourself.
The second interviewer actually spent the majority of the time talking to me about one of my research projects, so I hope that turns out to be a positive.
The interviews were actually semi-open file; the interviewer knows everything about you except your GPA and MCAT score. There are two interviews and in my case both were very nice and polite. It was more like a very low key conversation; they mainly wanted to know how much of a person you are and if you know what are you getting into. I heard of one interviewer asking tons of moral and ethical questions, be ready. Excellent school, and will take me where i need to go.
My first interviewer was a extremely nice, even though she forgot that I was scheduled for an interview with her and had to wait for her to finish her meeting for 20 minutes. The second guy, well, he was very abrasive, and generally not nice.
Very nice. First interview went very well b/c it was a DO pediatrician who I could relate to. Second interviewer was aa PhD who I couldn't relate to. :(
The faculty, staff, and students were all very inviting. I left the experience feeling much more positive about the university. I could definitely see attending this school.
1) laid back, just prepare for general ''tell me about yourself'' and ''why doc'' questions.
2) interviewer a bit intimidating, many questions based on your responses to prompts or previous question.
It was a great experience and I highly recommend the school. Everyone was really friendly and they were very receptive to their school. The admissions staff were incredibly friendly and were out there to help you. The interviewers aren't out there to get you or to ruin it for you, they just want to get to know you.
Overall, it was extremely positive. Everyone did a good job selling the osteopathic philosophy/path for medical school, which impressed me enough to chose this school as my #1 preference for the Texas match.
The interviewers make you feel comfortable from the start. They tell you how they go about asking questions, and they give you the opportunity to ask them questions at the end. Be prepared for several hypothetical/ethical questions (but know that there is no right answer...just be able to back up your answer, as they will ask follow-up questions).
Excellent. I went to the interview not knowing much about TCOM. After the interview, I understand why everyone (who interviewed there) was so impressed by the school and staff.
Very positive experience... I did not particularly desire to go to a DO school, but I was impressed with their facilities, success of their students, and atmosphere.
Overall it was a great experience, I was pleasantly surprised with how undeserving North Texas was of the DO ''stigma.'' It's a great place with great people and there are definetely MD schools lower on my list now.
Everyone meets up in the admissions office you get a really nice pen, a name tag (I think could be wrong about this one) and a folder. If you arrive early you can sit in on one of the classes (which is a plus if you get a chance). Then you go to a financial aid presentation. After that lunch with that students who were really cool. Then go for the school tour and pending the time of the interview is when you step out of the tour and to your interview location.
It was generally good. The two interviwers would joke with me and still be serious. First was was a lil laid back. 2nd one asked me a lot of questions.
Overall it was very positive. Both my interviewers gave me a lot of positive information about the school and about life as a physician in general. I got positive opinions about the school and the DO profession from both my interviewers (one was an MD and another a DO).
My first interview had lasted for an hour and 20 minutes, and it was absolutely amazing! The gentleman that I was talking to was a D.O./Ph.D., and he treated me like I was a member of his family. He told me everything about him, asked me about my relatives, and when the time came for the ethical questions, he guided me through every step of them. The interview was an absolute breeze.
Very laidback. The admissions office staff were all very nice. Small interview group, less than 20. Don't stress too much. They're not out to get you here.
Check in begins at 7:30AM (your arrival depends on your schedule of interviews). Most people had one before the lunch and tours and one after. I had both of mine in the afternoon. Lunch was at the Botanical Gardens restaurant nearby and was awesome. Overall, great day.
First interview was with a DO/PhD so I expected to be asked about my research projects. For some reason, I froze when he asked this question (towards the beginning). I quickly recovered and everything was pretty smooth from there. He even said I interviewed well.
My second interviewer was awesome. Anatomy prof that has been teaching for 34 years. Very laid back, easy going. This interview actually lasted close to an hour when the proposed time was 30 mins (hence why I said interview time was 45 mins).
Overall the experience was very positive. The admissions team is very nice and makes you feel comfortable from the start. I had two great interviews and enjoyed the whole experience.
I stayed overnight at a friend's place in Ft. Worth to avoid morning traffic from Dallas. The previous night I drove to the school to make sure I knew where I was going to go. I arrived at 7:30 am and met up with the other applicants. The first group of interviewees had an interview at 8am. My 1st interview was at 8:45am at the Patient Care Center with a D.O. (Family Medicine). The first interview went smoothly. Afterwards I met up again with the group of applicants for a tour and orientation presentation. After that we were driven to lunch at the Botanical Gardens by two second year students. Both students were very informative and friendly and gave plenty of advice. After lunch we drove back to campus and continued the tour of the anatomy labs and lecture rooms as well as the student lounges. Next, we had our afternoon interviews. Mine was not until 2pm. However, my second interviewer was not even on campus on that day so I ended up getting a replacement. A PhD replaced the DPM that should have interviewed me and I am glad that this happened. The PhD was very engaging and asked a lot about my general background what interests me about Osteopathic medicine. Overall, I am glad that I was interviewed by the PhD because it served to balance the DO interviewer in the morning.
It was very pleasant, informative, and positive. I got the information I needed. The administration was very organized. Everyone was fun to talk to. This program is clearly one of the best.
Relaxed, yet still formal. My first interview was at 845am with a DO/MPH. Enthusiastic physician, conversational interview, talked with me at length about how TCOM students get into the clinic setting in the 1st semester. He also talked about how 3rd yr TCOM students typically have experience level to that of a 1st intern (resident).
Second interview was at 2pm with Ph.D. Wasn't quite as conversational, more question-answer. He eyes tended to wander around the room a bit, so I wasn't sure if he was paying attention, but he dad ask some insightful questions. We also talked about his research interests, his grant application process, and what he hopes to accomplish with his research projects.
Overall, I was very impressed with TCOM's interview process. I was nervous but the staff really helped us feel welcome and comfortable. The group sessions which I normally dread went rather well and were very low pressure. The tour and lunch time were very informative. My interviewers were very nice and friendly. I left with a good imression of the school and would strongly consider attending if I am accepted.
I went to TCOM with a positive opinion of the school and left with the opinion basically unchanged. The interviewers were friendly and interview sessions informal. The interviewers had seen the subjective parts of my app- essays, activities, etc.- but not grades or scores. My second interviewer was particularly nice and put me at ease by saying how impressed he was with my application. Overall, TCOM seemed like good school in a great location. The interviews were low stress and 95% of the questions were ones you would expect to get (tell me about your app, why medicine, etc.).
I had my first interview in the morning, then I attended an orientation session where they talked about the school and financial aid. Then we went to lunch and returned to the school to have a small tour before the next round of interviews started. Overall, it was a great experience because the staff and students were willing to give honest feedback on the questions that were asked.
I had both of my interviews in the morning so I was basically done before 9:15, which is a good thing. I went on the school tour and had lunch with some of the second years. They were very nice. Everything they said seemed scripted, but it's ok. They can't really talk bad about the school. Then after lunch, the second year students took us to the anatomy lab where we saw two cadavers and an inguinal hernia. Then we went to visit the first year students who were having their orientation. After that, we met Stan and Norm, the school's infamous mannequins. I was done by 1 pm. Overall, it's a wonderful school, but I don't think it's worth $150K for four years.
arrived at 7:30, most of us had our first interview at 8 or 8:45, then tour of campus (small so not much walking), then lunch at the botanical gardens with 2nd year students, then second interview at 1:15 or 2:00. most of us had interviews with a MD and DO or DO and PhD.
Overall I was impressed with the interview. The admissions staff was very kind and helpful. It seemed like they were trying to recruit me to go to their school rather than me trying to get into their school.
Both interviews were really great. You will definitely be asked about your motivation/interest in Osteopathy so be sure to brush up on its basics. At first I was quite skeptical about the D.O route, but TCOM (and even the interviewers) really sold me on it. I wouldn't be surprised if I rank this school above some other medical schools in TX...it's really one of the best of its kind in the country.
Overall very positive. The anatomy lab is amazing, and the staff seems really knowledgeable about science and medicine in general. I was interviewed by a genetic forensic scientist who works with the fbi to break unsolved cases with new scientific research (that hadn't been available decades ago.) I thought he was pretty cool.
I arrived at 7:30am, was offered breakfast and given my agenda. My first interview was a 8am with a family practice physician. She was really easy to talk to. Afterward, I strolled around the school until 930am when I went to orientation. At orientation, osteopathic medicine is explained as well as the different opportunities that are available in it. After this, a presentation was given on Financial Aid. Then there was a Q&A, after which we were taken to lunch at the Botanical Gardens by the two student tour guides. The three students were all in their second year and gave us every opportunity to ask about our interviewers and ask about the school. After lunch, we went back and toured the campus- Gross Lab, Research Building, Education Building, Simulation Labs. There is an AWESOME view of downtown Fort Worth from the sixth floor of the Ed. building. After the tour, we were left alone to walk around or whatever until our last interview. At 2pm, I had my second interview with an Ear, Nose, and Throat. He was totally cool. We had a great discussion about having The Business of Practicing Medicine taught at med schools.
First interview in the am, followed by a tour and orientation of the school. Lunch was provided at an area resturant (nice and they drove us there) followed by a second interview back at the school. VERY welcoming feeling overall at the school.
The D.O. who I first interviewed with was kind of intimidating, and seemed busy, and the interviwe was more like a questions and answer session. My second interview was with a Ph.D professor who seemed bored with my answers, he kept yawning and asked me the same questions several times. however, it was more like a conversation, and we spent half the time talking about things to do in Austin.
Don't think they liked that I did not have any firsthand D.O. experience. I finally had enough of my first interviewer and responded to him as such. My second interviewer was much friendlier and interested, though the questions were run-of-the-mill. BTW, the 2nd years that gave us the tour all smiled when they heard who my first interview was.
I felt like my first interview came off a bit awkward. Neither my interviewer nor I seemed to do a lot of talking. I must have carried some of that nervousness into my second interview, but my second interviewer did a great job of breaking the ice and then it was very conversational.
Super-duper. This school moved up to number 1. The two interviews for the DO program were with a DO who does clinical teaching and a PhD who teaches some of the basic sciences. The PhD interview was with a PhD who is the graduate advisor for the area I was applying for. The school provided lunch at a local cafe with two MS2's who answered all of our questions. The interviewers were all very professional.
My first interviewer, who I found out later was on the adcom, was incredibly fun to talk to and very encouraging - he told me exactly what I would be rated on & when I gave a correct answer. Then we got a tour and TMDSAS Match summary, a yummy off campus lunch, another nice interviewer, talked with an MPH administrator and the DO/ MPH degree, toured some clinical classes.
The experience was great. If you are traveling try to stay with a medical student. This allows you to ask questions before hand and even tour the campus the night before. TCOM is a small school and is a perfect fit if you are looking for a school with a sense of community.
One interviewer grilled with cookie-cutter questions and appeared like he had not even looked my file. The second interviewer had read my file, and was very interested in things that I had done, and the interview became a very relaxed conversation that lasted about an hour.
I really enjoyed the experience. They have small groups (10-15), so you don't feel like cattle being herded.
My first interview was short, and the admissions people were concerned when I got back so early. My second interview was a lot of fun. He really interacted with me, and it lasted about 45 minutes. No complicated questions!
The whole thing was very relaxed. I was asked what I knew about osteopathic medicine. The students took us to a restaurant for lunch. The students who hosted us seemed very mature and professional. The interviews are broken up, with each student interviewing at different times, so you could get both your interviews in the morning, or one in the morning and one in the afternoon, or (I guess) both in the afternoon. Then you return to the "home base" and hang out, have your file reviewed for errors, or sit in on a class, until it is time for your next interview. In the middle of the day, they have a presentation about being a D.O., and then the seminar on financial aid.
My first interviewer was a PhD and she was very sweet. We had a very conversational interview. My second interviewer asked me about 3 questions and spent the rest of the time talking about his experiences.
It was more relaxed than I thought it would be, until my second interview. Lunch was really yummy. The students who took us to lunch and on our interview were really friendly. The gross anatomy lab is really cool. Both of my interviews were in the afternoon so by that time I was relaxed. The first interviewer asked me about a lot of stuff in my file, but the second didn't. The first interviewer was a DO, and the second a PhD. Be prepared for anything.
I would consider going here. However, I'm not entirely convinced on the effectiveness of OMM. There is very little science behind it and the few studies performed are not of high quality. Overall, not a bad experience but I am glad I have interviews elsewhere.
My first interview went on for about an hour because we had such a great discussion going. He asked me a lot of ethics and questions about my obstacles and role models. My second was only twenty minutes and he just asked me questions from my application as he looked over it for the first time. Both were easy-going and made me very comfortable.
I had two interviews over the course of the day and both were in specialties I have an interest in. The interviewers started off with easy questions to break the ice and then toughened up a bit. They were both pretty serious but welcomed any questions I had of them. The interviews both went about 20 minutes over the tiime allowed, but the interviewers seemed very interested in talking to me and answering any questions I had. As a tip, know the DO philosophy and be able to explain the principles of OMM.
The ladies at the admissions office were very nice and caring. You could tell they were really happy doing thier job and wanted you to like it there too. My first interview went well, she was really nice and talkative. It was just like a normal converstation. My second on was a little more difficult becasue she asked alittle harder questions. All in all the experience was really a good one. Nothing to really worry about!
I enjoyed the atmosphere of the school and was very comfortable around the faculty/students. Everyone is very relaxed and wants to get to know you as a person.
I could tell that my second interviewer wanted to see if my motivations for seeking osteopathic medicine were pure or if it was just a backup plan for the MD schools. Of course you don't want to say yes osteopathy is my back up, but be honest about your motivations because it's obvious if your not sincere. When asked about my choice between TCOM and UT southwest I said flat out that it was hard to say but I did get a better vibe from TCOM than UT Southwest. I liked how the interviewer was honest with me when I asked him why he chose osteopathy over allopathy: he said that his MCAT score wasn't very good but his grades were so he just went to the best school that he could get into, very honest response. Note that he is now a very successful surgeon.
The student's that toured us were amazing and really really honest. The anatomy labs were cool, and I would say that TCOM's facilities are right up there with most schools. Lunch was great, which they paid for.
TCOM's interviews are closed file, meaning that the interviewers have read your personal statement and secondary essays, but have not seen your numbers (grades and MCAT). They interview an unusually low amount of people relative to some of the other schools I have been to. There seems to be a somewhat complacent, and at times almost defeatest attitude about their reputation as a second-rate school. In fact, they explicitly defended osteopathic medicine (I think rightly) as a discipline that is just as entitled to the respect that MD's have garnered within both medicine and society at large.
Excellent... Anyone who didn't apply to TCOM in Texas should think again, because it is a great school with people (faculty & students) who seem to really care and want you to consider going to school there.
Overall, good day- great school, program, and facility. I didn't like getting grilled because I don't feel like that the best way to get to know people. I wished it was more relaxed and real.
I felt very comfortable from the moment I walked in the door because everyone is so nice and personable. They treated every student with respect and courtesy, and were genuinely trying to make us feel welcome, which I did. Lunch was provided at a quaint little coffee house - nice touch.
It seems like a great school with a small school atmosphere in a great location in Ft. Worth - probably a part of the nicest area in town (arts district/restaurants/parks). Facilities were fantastic, especially the library. They knew their strengths and weaknesses and presented both - they were honest and proud. They really made a good impression on me.
I didn't like it at all. Be prepared to talk about why you applied to an osteopathic medical school and MD schools if you are applying to both. My interview started very early in the morning, and when I got there 15 minutes early, the building was locked! :(
Both interviewers had relatively few questions for me, and the interviews ended up consisting largely of me asking my interviewers questions. Be prepared with questions to ask!
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested improving the organization and timing of the MMI zoom sessions, reducing wait times between activities, providing more guidance on scheduling and parking, and offering a more engaging experience overall to enhance the interview day process and make applicants feel more welcomed and comfortable.
format the MMI zoom sessions a little better...the clock was confusing, and no one was telling when you can start talking or not after reading the question to you.
Very eco-friendly. They request that interviewees help recycle plastic badge covers at the end of the day and with over 700 applicants, they certainly make a difference!
Don't make some the interviewees wait until the end of the day to interview. The interview day is already draining enough without having to wait until 4:00 pm to interview.
There was about 1.5 hours of downtime between the end of the MMIs and lunch where the applicants just sit at a table and talk to each other - while starving. Filling that time or starting lunch earlier would be nice.
My check in time was an entire hour before I was scheduled to start orientation. Maybe recommend only a half an hour before because an hour was a long time to sit and do nothing. Also, warn us in the email about parking passes because I was worried I did not print mine from the email or something.
