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 areaโs cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
๐ฌ Interview Questions โผ
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about the biggest issues in healthcare, ethical dilemmas faced, challenges encountered on the journey to medical school, motivations for pursuing medicine, opinions on healthcare systems, strengths and weaknesses, and future aspirations in the field. Some respondents also mentioned experiencing Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) with questions related to ethical scenarios, personal attributes, and healthcare topics, which may have been subject to a nondisclosure agreement.
This is by far the chillest interview I have ever had. Both the faculty and student interviewers were the two sweetest people I've encountered during the 2011 cycle. I've talked to other applicants about their interview experience and everyone on our interview day had a positive experience, so those of you preparing for this interview, DO NOT stress out. I know it's easier to say than do, as I was in your position two weeks ago stressing about the interview. But trust me, this interview is really relaxed. They ask you very generic closed interview questions: Tell me about yourself, why do you want to be a doctor, questions pertaining to your family. All other questions stemmed from my responses to those three questions. Good luck to you all and my only advice to you is to be urself.
Tell me about yourself: literally the only direct question my faculty interviewer asked me. After that one question, all the questions from my faculty interviewer just naturally presented themselves (such as, tell me more about that). It was a great conversation, and basically the opposite of my student interviewer, who grilled me with many, many direct questions and hypothetical situations. My faculty interviewer closed up with: Anything else you want the admissions committee to know?
interview one: I had to be there super early for this one, i am surprised i was able to make it. tell me about yourself? have you done any research? how have you been involved in your community? what do you feel about the healthcare bill? If you could give four suggestions to Obama what would you say? where do you see yourself in ten years, please be specific? what are you looking for in a medical school? how many schools have you applied to? how many schools have you interviewed in? how many have you got a response? which ones?
Both of my interviews were very conversational. I was lucky that neither tried to grill me.
Student: Where are you from? Tell me about yourself? Why do you want to be a doctor? What experiences have shown you that you want to be a physician? What did you do for fun in college? Is there anything else you want me to know? A campus tour.
Student Interview: Tell me about yourself. Why medicine? What do you do for fun? What books have you read recently? Why do you want to come to USC? Do you have any questions for me? Overall, the interview was very relaxed, conversational, and put me at ease for the rest of the day.
I think you'll probably be bored during your first year here. (Not a question, but still one of the most confounding statements that's ever been put before me.)
my faculty interviewer said she was going to have some harder questions, but she either didn't ask them or they weren't harder than engaging in normal conversation.
What do you thing is the most controversial issue in medicine today? (i answered the huge uninsured population, but he was looking for smthing like stem cell, abortion..) So I talked about Abortions.
pretty much the basics...i didn't even get the difficult ethics questions a lot of people have been talking about. i think they just want to get to know you and see if you are a normal person and how well you'd fit in at usc.
I actually went through three ethical questions. One from the faculty interviewer and one from the medical student. I posed a third ethical question to the medical student.
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including ethical dilemmas, personal beliefs, career challenges, and hypothetical scenarios. The interviews appeared to be conversational in nature, focusing on the applicants' experiences, values, and problem-solving skills, with some questions delving into societal issues and healthcare trends.
Straight forward questions in a conversational style, so the questions had a lot to do with the responses I gave!
Asked about my favorite fast food place. I was living in the state (not Cali) that my student interviewer went to undergrad at and he was happy that someone could relate to the fast food out here.
Can you think of a time when you were struggling with something (e.g., research project, teaching a student, etc.), and how you dealt with that situation?
The most interesting questions were in response to the topics we had been talking about, topics that either me or the faculty member brought up. (these questions made up most of the interview by the way)
Student: Why do you think working with underserved groups is important as a physician? Why do you care?
Faculty: What do you think will be your biggest challenge as a physician?
All medical students start out with great attitudes and then something happens to htem between third and fourth year -- they start making fun of patients and rushing to get out of the hospital. Why do you think this happens and what will you do to prevent it from happening to you.
To be totally honest, it sounds like you're definitely not from an underpriviledged background. What would make you want to work with indigent, underserved patients at a county hospital?
Nothing too interesting, more like I had to walk around LA county hospital (a bit crazy to say in the least) and avoid getting in fights with security guards or family members
You are the dean of the medical school and a student comes to you expressing discomfort having to treat an AIDS patient; student found a collegue to trade patients and wants your approval.
Since the interview was closed file, both interviews went more like conversations than anything else. There were the usual questions, like "why are you interested in medicine?" and "what experiences do you have that have reinforced your interest in medicine?" etc.
Do you think it is possible for the student interviewer to be having a bad day and to give you a negative impression of the school? (this was asked by my faculty interviewer)
I was to have a dinner party at a nice restaurant. And I was allowed to invite any three women in the world. They could be dead or alive. Who would I invite?
In a hypothetical situation with three different patients and only one ICU bed available, which patient would you choose for the bed and on what basis did you choose?
What do you think leads to medical cynicism (when you enter med school it's about helping people, but by the time you graduate, most people are disillusioned to some extent, hard to see each patient as a unique human being, etc.) and how would you prevent this from happening to yourself?
If you had an AIDS patient who would not use any protection or tell his partners about his AIDS, what would you say to his partner that he brings into the clinic? (after i answered) Well arent you worried about lawsuits?
The faculty interviewer asked me where I had interviewed so far, and when I named a few that I had interviewed at and been accepted to, he asked, "Then why would you want to come here?" He was being serious- actually discouraging me from coming to USC becaue he felt the other schools were better. Way to sell your school!
What would you say to the admissions committee to convince them to accept you over someone else who has the exact same background and qualifications as you?
In your small groups and labs you will be placed in a group of six for an entire year. How do you feel about this? What would you do if tensions developed?
Students said the most difficult question asked at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including the current state of healthcare, challenges as a physician, ethical dilemmas, and predictions for the future of medicine. The responses indicate a mix of standard questions and some ethical scenarios, with an emphasis on conversational interviews, but some respondents mentioned facing detailed questions about healthcare policies and ethical issues.
It was a conversational interview so none of the questions were difficult! :)
Most questions were very casual and stemmed from something within my previous answer. Relax, take a breath, and smile. Enjoy the conversation. It was fun!
None, it was very conversational and most questions revolved around what I had previously told them about myself (it was closed file so my interviewers made sure to emphasis that I could repeat my application to them because they had no idea who I was).
Nothing really, straight forward. Although I heard from another interviewee that they asked her "What is a current difficult event taking place in the world of medicine, and how does that influence the future of medicine?"
I was asked pretty detailed questions about the Affordable Care Act by both interviewers, but I think that was because I had a background in economics/finance.
What is your take on the current healthcare system and the general trend that it is moving? What would you like to fix, or what are possible problem areas?
"Any regrets? I mean, is there anything in your life you would change that you have done?" Freaking caught me off-guard. I mean, like most people fortunate enough to be applying to medical school, I've had a relatively nice life and I just couldn't think of anything to say. I also didn't want to not give an answer! I felt like going into the interview, I knew I had to TURN every question in a positive note, and explain why I wanted deeply to pursue medicine. But in the end, I had to let this one go. It left me feeling weird, as if I didn't know what my student interviewer wanted to hear. But in the end I got accepted!
If you had to convince a group of rich people to give money to your health project what would you say to convince them to care? how would your answer differ if you were talking to the president?
I had so many questions about ethical issues, the current health care system's problems and possible solutions, presidential candidates' health care reform policies, etc. from both interviewers. BE PREPARED!
For some reason I couldn't answer how the french are so culturally different from us. the faculty interviewer asked this after i talked about living in france for a year.
something about the healthcare system. do they really expect us to have a solution to a problem that has been there for so long where people haven't been able to figure out how to fix it? grrrr.
How will it feel to you to be older than your peers (I am a nontraditional applicant)? Do you think you will be frustrated that you have so much more real-world experience than them?
If you had built a relationship with a patient who had AIDS, and he came to his office with his partner who you know he hadn't told, what would you do?
What do you think about nationalized healthcare?- I wasn't sure if I should tell the majority view that I thought they wanted to hear or a more nuanced view with political and economic realities
None were really difficult. Both my faculty and student interviews felt very conversational. I think the student talked as much as I did in the interview.
After having a comfortable relaxing interview with my faculty interviewer, I stood up and turned to leave when he called out "what should I tell the adcom about you?" (um... didn't we just speak for an hour about that?) I was ready to go (in fact I was late for the tour), and I blanked and stuttered for half a minute. His response: a smile part polite part pity. Not the most charming impression I wanted to leave him with!
None were difficult, it seems like the interviewers have a list of questions they go through. The one that stumped me for a little bit was what was the biggest disappointment or failure you've encountered?
The student asked me to talk about the most pressing issue in medicine today (Example: health insurances, abortions, confidentiality).
The student also gave me an ethical scenario: A couple came into a hospital and one of them had the HIV virus. The person who was carrying the HIV virus has been known to give the virus to past partners. What do you do with him and his new partner?
None of the questions were too difficult, however my student interviewer wasn't easy to talk to. He just fired off all of the questions he was supposed to ask and if we started going back and forth in a nice, conversational manner, he would stop it and go back to shooting off questions.
Although it was supposedly a "blind" interview, my interviewer immediately interrogated me for all my stats anyways. Kind of defeats the purpose.
Non l'hai sentito? Not really during an interview, but during dinner one of the faculty kind of shouted some italian at me (I lived in Italy for a while and wrote about it on my app) and I momentarily missed his roman accent.
There were honestly no difficult questions. The interview was very conversational and laid back. I didn't even get ethical questions or questions about healthcare systems.
Why not nationalize the healthcare system (like in Europe) here so that members of all levels of society would have equal access to available treatments?
What element on the periodic table are you? and what element would you like to be? (and the student interviewer who posed the question told me prior to asking that no one ever gets this question correct....um, i did not know that there was a correct answer to these types of questions!)
I had a few ethical questions that were tough. One example: What would I do if a patient needed certain expensive medications to live but he had no insurance? Would I give him his meds and cover the cost myself? I said I would, then he challenged me as far as how long I could go on paying and losing money, where would I draw the line with other patients, etc. There were other ethical questions that I can't really remember.
Nothing sticks out. Both interviews were very laid back. I got the impression that they just want to make certain that you're able to communicate well and that you're not a total freak.
What would you say to the admissions committee to convince them to accept you over someone else who has the exact same background and qualifications as you?
If you had a patient with AIDS who would not practice safe sex despite what he knew, and he brought his new girfriend into the clinic with him, 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 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?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by reading the Student Doctor Network (SDN) and reviewing their application materials, including primary and secondary applications. Many also engaged in mock interviews, practiced common interview questions, and researched healthcare issues and the specific school they were interviewing at. It was common for applicants to stay with a student host the night before the interview to familiarize themselves with the school and its culture.
Read SDN, review my app. The interview was VERY chill and casual. Very typical interview questions
Went over the big questions like tell me about yourself, why medicine, what kind of doctor I want to be, some interesting extra curricular anecdotes. Something that was really valuable for my interview was having 3-5 stories/experiences that showcased who I was and used them in various ways throughout the interview.
I made a google doc with general ideas for common questions like why usc, why medicine, and an issue with medicine/healthcare. Very bare bones. Also, I watched short, unbiased YT videos on healthcare in the US because I knew that was an issue I would want to talk about if an interviewer asked what I think needs fixing (and this question was asked!)
Reviewed primary app as well as looking over all the responses to the multitude of secondary responses. Also, had a mock interview and one interview under my belt.
Looked up a ton of sample interview questions. I spent a lot of time writing out answers to all of them, and thought out my opinions regarding a broad span of topics including healthcare reform, different compensation models, as well as ethical issues including euthanasia, abortion, stem-cell research, etc..
Mock interview with two medical students from other schools. Mock interview at campus career center (filmed). Spoke with current USC students about curriculum and current Keck student activism. Really search out specific things about the school. AND Journal. Start journaling the second you read this. Buy a nice, blank journal and WRITE topics: tell me about yourself, why medicine, why keck... knowing they will DEFINITELY ask you these questions write down all your thoughts that come to you in these topics as you go through the application process. before your interview, summarize the things you really want them to know about you and start practicing how to say them precisely and in a captivating way. it sounds hard, but journaling really helps.
sdn, stayed with a student make sure you do that because i got a lot of questions answered and since my interview was so early in the morning i did not get to go on the tour before the interview. and also the list of student hosts was not up on the website but when i called they emailed it to me almost immediately.
For this interview, I took time to really get to know myself. I read over my secondary the most (because that is the whole reason the gave you an interview) along with my primary, and other secondaries that added to "my story." The biggest thing you can do is relax. Stay with a student host, get accustomed to the school and what its about. I have heard of some people (on SDN and current students) who were given ethical questions and questions about healthcare. Brush up on these topics. The most common questions I have ran across is "Come up with an ethical dilemma and tell me how you would deal with it/solve it."
I didn't prepare at all, I knew ahead of time that I didn't want to go to USC. I just went to for the sake of practice through interviews but ended up not getting any questions at all.
I don't think you can prepare for these med school interviews, maybe practice? I asked my previous two interviewers what I should say to get into med school.
Read lots of interview feedback on this website, re-read my applications, read health pages of news websites for several weeks, web-searched for important topics--nationalized health care, abortion, etc.
SDN, USC Website, Made bullet points for categories of questions, BUT DID NOT MEMORIZE ANSWERS. I heard from good sources that answers that sound rehersed are viewed very negatively.
Website -- curriculum, current events at the school, facilities, student's impressions. Also brainstormed potential interview questions for quite a while -- ONE of which I was asked (tell me about yourself)
Did my homework on the school and all of the future plans (new country hospital, 4 new buildings with Keck donation money). SDN, lots of newspaper reading.
this site, keck website to learn about their curriculum, go to the career center at my university and read up on some current med/ethical events, kept up with some recent news
Made a list of typical questions and practiced my answers on friends, read SDN, had mock interviews with doctors, talked with med students about their interview experiences, and read the NYT Health section.
Nothing; I know why i want to go into medicine and dont feel the need to reherse or anything. If you read casually read and keep up with topics you should be fine.
studentdoctor.net, hsc.usc.edu, looked up my faculty interviewer the day before. I was an EMT in LA before I went back to school and I've delivered to most of USC's affiliated hospitals, so I was pretty familiar with Keck.
Read over my AMCAS and secondary applications, looked at this website, read the pamphlet that USC sent me, thought of answers to tough questions, and got a good nights rest.
Read personal statement, did extensive research on the faculty interviewer (very useful and actually interesting), talked to physicians who worked at the USC county hospital, talked to some of my friends who attend school there, and read my USC application.
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendly and laid-back atmosphere at the school, particularly noting the positive attitudes of both the students and faculty. The exceptional clinical opportunities, especially at LA County Hospital, were highlighted as a major positive aspect, along with the emphasis on early clinical exposure and the supportive community at the school. Many applicants also appreciated the relaxed interview process and the high level of enthusiasm demonstrated by students and staff.
Loved how chill the dean is and how casual the interview was. Everything was very streamlined and the interview didn't take long
The interviewers were awesome and just really down-to-earth. Dean Arias is funny and dislikes "try hard" premeds which I loved. Don't answer her questions trying hard to sound smart!
Dean Arias is awesome and gave us a great virtual welcome session before the 2 interviews. Obviously, Keck is a great school but it also seems to be filled with dope, down-to-earth students and faculty.
the medical students who eat lunch with you, give you a tour, and interview you are awesome. Additionally, Dean Arias' introductory talk was fantastic.
Clinical experiences, of course. LA County Hospital, Keck's own medical center, Children's Hospital LA, and Norris Cancer Center are all near the school, and medical students are very active during clinical rotations.
A lot. The professionalism of the faculty and staff, the generally positive attitudes of the students (even on exam day...), the intelligence and thoughtfulness of the students. LA County Hospital seems like a great place to get clinical experience - you get your OWN patients as an MS3, not a level of responsibility given out at many other places I've been.
As mentioned elsewhere, USC+LAC is insanely awesome and provides (in my opinion and that of local doctors) unparalleled clinical experience/preparation throughout the 4 years. The curriculum is systems based, grades are pass/fail and is geared towards Step 1. Above all of this, the vibe I got from the students was amazing. Everybody genuinely seemed happier and less stressed than any of the other students I met along the interview trail. Also, the lunch was the best I'd had at an interview. It's little things like this that show how much a school values their students.
My physician interviewer was extremely affable, which was refreshing but caught be a little off guard. My student interviewer had very structured questions, all of which I was prepared to answer. My Physician interviewer was much more conversational, so I got the chance to ask him questions about his experience at USC.
The overwhelming friendliness of everyone I met - from admissions, to students, to random staff/students we ran into on the tour; also, they have programs to compensate for the fact that there are 180 students per class, making the school much more personable than even some 80-student classes
The school (including the deans, even) have a reputation of going out of its/their way to take care of their students. The students themselves seem like a really tight-knit class; there is a real sense of camaraderie here that makes it seem like a really fun place to learn medicine. Their academic excellence is proven by very high board scores, yet the medical students here have regular social events, making education here seem very welcoming for us applicants who loved the social aspect of college.
All the students I met, including tour guides, people in classes, etc., really seem to love the school. They all remarked about how they feel very supported by the school.
The county hospital is awesome.
Students each get their own study desk where they store their books, coffee pots, macaroni, etc.
Lunch in the faculty club is super swanky.
EVERYTHING. I literally didn't expect an interview from Keck, yet they were the first to grant me one. So, because it was my first one, I prepared extensively for a "generic" medical school interview...However, in preparing for the interview I realized how awesome this school is: the patient population in East LA, clinical experience starting week 1 or 2 of MS1, the ICM and PPM programs, everything was awesome. and seeing it on my interview day corroborated all the hype. It truly is an awesome school and LAC+County is beautiful. I can't wait to serve as a physician to the people of LA here.
The facilities are wonderful, and the students really seem to get along and work together often. Plus, the emphasis on clinical experience and training right from the start is awesome.
The county hospital was amazing, the faculty doctors were excited for us to be there and were very down to earth and helpful, students and faculty seemed very happy to be part of USC.
the students get to start their clinical experiences as first years which does not happen at many schools. i don't mean the classes with acting patients which every school seems to be so proud of, i mean the students actually go to LA county hospital every week and take the history from real patients from Year ONE !!!! they also have really really high board scores, that was super impressive. oh and students each have their own desk on campus which they can leave their stuff in and study. they also get their notes printed for free and free prints on campus.
Almost everything about this schools is amazing. First, this school supposedly ranks THIRD in average board scores from around the nation. A student told me last year thier average was 238.
The clinical experience of working at LA County Hospital seems like the best in the nation. Residency programs supposedly know that USC students are ahead of the curve clinically. All of the students were very happy, and they probably had the best looking class that I have seen. It seems like they like to have a lot of fun together.
There are also a TON of outreach possibilities and everyone seems really involved.
Also, thier anatomy lab was very fresh smelling. lol
The organization of the curriculum (everything seems to have a purpose, and I like the combination of lecture and small groups/labs). The hospital is amazing! The clinical focus. The student body and faculty are very cooperative. Everyone was in a good mood and wanted to be there.
lac+usc is definitely reason enough to go here. It sucks that the school isn't ranked higher, but that's probably because they are incredibly clinically focused. Research funding isn't up to par with the top 20 schools. Everyone is really laid back, so it wouldn't be hard to be top of your class but have a good time too. County is awesome. What more could you want from a teaching hospital? Lunch was good too. Spicy ketchup rocks!
I was actually very pleasantly surprised. The new county hospital is amazing. There really is early clinical exposure and many mentoring opportunities. I like the mix of lectures, small group study and clinical exposure for the curriculum. The hospital and school are in the same location. The students are very down to earth and seem genuinely happy. There is a good international program. The staff seems eager to help the students.
The fact that you can get so much clinical experience during your first two years. You will see EVERYTHING working in the County Hospital. The grading system is pass/fail. There are so many opportunities to go abroad that the school funds. There is a brand new county hospital and it is beautiful.
The students were very laid back and friendly. The LAC+USC Medical Center is hectic, but will provide students with an incredible clinical experience. The admissions office staff were very nice and the day was well planned. The anatomy lab does not smell at all, but it is still a basement lab and not that spectacular otherwise.
LA County, international travel is highly encouraged, early and very frequent clinical exposure--clinical focus in general, friendly students, the admissions day was very open and allowed me to see and do what was important to me
The county hospital! Great clinical experience/training. They put board questions mixed in with their exams. Avg board scores are higher than national average. The new dean is very interested in getting to know the students and be helpful. Professors make themselves very available. Most physicians and residents at the hospital make themselves available to those that'd like to work with them.
nice students, nice admissions staff, pass/fail system which leads to less competition among students, amazing clinical education from LA county hospital
Great hospital facilities for learning a very diverse set of clinical skills for working with a diverse population (they have both county and private hospitals on campus). The students also seemed very friendly and relaxed (playing volleyball between classes is common there). They have a medical spanish series as an elective. Good weather. Lunch was amazing!
The sense of community within the students of each year. The friendly and supportive staff. The hospital -- what isn't impressive about the clinical experience we will get at LA County
Loved my faculty interviewer, the weather was incredible. The students were playing volleyball outside and generally enjoying each other's company. Each student has their own study area in a small group room.
I had an interview with a physician in the ER. He made time to show me the ER after my interview. Also, USC has lots of research opportunities at all of their hospitals. All the students were very enthusiastic and diverse. The lunch was amazing!
The county hospital is amazing. Especially since i am interested in ER. The navy even opened a station here since this ER has the most ''Baghdad like injuries'' in all of America. Everyone was super nice and students seemed very happy and got along with each other well. Day was also very short relative to other schools.
The campus is very nice and every medical student seemed to be very happy with USC. County hospital is right down the street and it offers the best clinical experience in the country. Lunch was also excellent.
the students! they were fantastic, nice, intelligent, gregarious, diverse, interested in their classes, community work, etc., the faculty, how involved they were with the students. overall it seemed like an incredible place to be and learn and practice medicine.
LA County hospital is a great place to learn; there is a tremendous range of weird diseases and health issues there that you won't see anywere else. I also liked the comprehensive year-end exam idea - as much as I would rather not take a test like that, it is great prep for the boards, which USC students do really well on. And the anatomy lab didn't smell! At all! Wow!
Enthusiasm of everyone at USC from administrators to professors to students. Also, the strength of the clinical education one receives because of it's relationship with county.
The students were universally enthusiastic about the program. I also found that compared to other schools I had been to, the students seemed to have a really vibrant and balanced social life. Overall, the stress level seemed low. LA certainly has a lot to offer culturally and in terms of a really interesting patient population. I am very interested in urban medicine, and it seems that there is no better place to study this.
The lab doesn't smell. County is huge and they have a "homie drop", which is where all of the shot gansta's get dropped off by their homeboys (think video returns at blockbuster)
the anatomy lab doesn't smell bad, my faculty interviewer was a really cool person, county is a crazy hospital with all kinds of people, mostly poor, very busy and crazy and as a student (even 1st/2nd yr) you can do "as much as you want" in terms of patient care so it's very hands-on
The encouragement and personability of my student interviewer, the diversity of clinical experiences available, the gross anatomy lab (it was really nice, and didn't smell at all!), the atmosphere--students really enjoy they're school, say they get along well with their classmates, and rave about the support they get from faculty.
The school has an amazing trauma center and lots of exposure opportunities with in the first 2 years. Students said that they often do cool procedures as a student because of how busy it is.
It is a nice campus, even though it's in the middle of nowhere. USC has the most beautiful county hospital on the OUTSIDE, Art Deco and all, on the inside it's the most awful piece of poopoo you've ever seen. Not beautiful at all and old, like 60's old.
the students all seemed to be very enthusiastic and happy about usc, genuinely. i did not know this, but keck uses pass/fail only during the first two years of basic science, so it eliminates competition in the class and students seem very close and supportive of one another. the usc health science campus itself is very nice, and they are opening up the new l.a. county hospital next year. the lunch was awesome and the tour was the best i have been on.
not as crappy surroundings as other reviews here made it seem. genuinely fun, happy students for the most part. they seem to be improving every aspect of their med ed.
energy of students in class, county hospital facility where most training takes place, the nonstink in the anatomy lab, my interviewers, the interviewees, i was totally impressed by everything
The clinical exposure that first and second years students get at County hospital and the fact that every medical student I met seemed genuinely happy to be there.
the MDLs for small group discussions; the students genuinely seemed to like their school (as a rule I try and interact with students not associated with the office of admissions); the weather (though I arrived after the floods/mudslide); student organizations with the indigent population, HIV/AIDS patients, and high school students (though no mention of a student run clinic).
I can't imagine a better place for clinical experience than LA County hospital, the patient base is just so broad. Also, after my interview (which was very laid back), my interviewer let me watch him perform an endoscopy and gastric biopsy, which was sweet. Lunch was fantastic, and the tour of the ER was eye-opening. This day definitley moved USC up on my list.
Friendliness of students and administrative staff (the dean of admissions, i believe it was, introduced himself to me while i was waiting for my student interview), well cared for campus, la county hospital is AMAZING...there is also a private hospital there so you see both socioeconomic extremes...anatomy lab seemed nice...great lunch
Everyone was incredibly friendly and seemed genuinely upbeat about the positive direction that Keck is moving in. Of course 100+ million dollar donations always help. The opportunities at Keck seem diverse and exciting. It's very unique that they are affiliated both with a wealthy private hospital and the exact opposite in the County Hospital. Gives students a chance to see the whole spectrum of treatments in US healthcare.
Clinical experiences at County appear to be second to none in the country, many facilities and hospitals, many options for rotations elsewhere, happy students, L.A., loved it
The students seemed so happy to be there. My interviewer and the students were very willing to answer my questions. Lunch was great! It was literally like a sit-in-restaurant style lunch with 2 second year students and the other applicants. The people working in the administration office was sooo polite and nice. In general, all the people were really warm and welcoming there.
Everything really. The campus is small, but not high-school feeling. It's got several great hospital affiliations and everyone was really nice. Evidently there is a lot of support from the deans as well; close faculty-student relationships and lots of opportunity in terms of volunteering (Free Clinic and Community Outreach Program) and research. The lunch in the faculty dining room was AWESOME! so nice! everything was good. my interviews were very conversational and it was just fun!
Clinical exposure to students, faculty seem to be very committed to the students, county hospital provides a great environment to learn, many others......
Nearly everything. County hospital is an excellent place for a med student to train. Curriculum is great, and manageable to boot. All students seemed very happy and friendly. Lunch was a 4 star meal (served on a plate!!). MDL rooms were also nice.
The students, interviewer, environment, tour guides, weather, large and nice campus all positively impressed me during my visit. The lunch was awesome and the best lunch that I've had at all of my interviews. When you first get there, you place an order out of three different good selections and it's a quality meal in a nice restaurant.
For labs, every student gets their own MDL desk in a room with about 20 other people. In this room, they have their small groups and have more intimate learning experiences.
The caliber of the school is just amazing.
the school's facilities, classrooms (every student has his/her own desk, everyone gets copies of their lectures notes in their mail box every morning, LA County Hospital/USC med center are all near by (great clinical experience), the school has a campus atmosphere, students are happy and friendly. Oh yeah, we get to have lunch in the faculty's dinning area (great luxury food)
It might have been the 70 degrees sunny weather in early february, but the campus itself is very nice...very contained and easily accessible. County Hospital is old but will soon be replaced and then some. Students were all friendly and not just the ones giving the tour. USC will definitely provide great clinical experience with the patient population they have...and research is taking off here as well and is easily accessible to students.
Plus...if you pay $79 bucks at the beginning of the school year, you can go for free to any Trojans game (football, basketball, etc). Major plus :)
The enthusiasm of my physician interviewer as well as his laid back conversational attitude. The student guides were very informative and friendly and spoke highly of their school, the innovative curriculum and the clinical experiences. The lunch was awesome and the day went by very smoothly.
County Hospital and how you get lots of rare cases. The early clinical training. The sense of humor exemplified by the students. The MDL desks. Great lunch at the faculty club.
The students first of all. When he saw I was wearing a suit, one random student gave me an impromptu tour for 15 minutes before his class.
Second, the facilities: the Zilkha neurogenetics center is very exciting. When I had a tour of the place, many offices were still empty as they are recruiting faculty. From discussions with Peter Jones, they are heavy on recruiting excellent faculty for Zilkha. By the time this year's class hits the labs, the Neurogenetics institute should be fully up and running.
The facilities are beautiful, the weather was beautiful, every single student I met was convinced they made the right decision, all faculty gleamed about the school, L.A. County hospital is the best clinical experience in the country, and no one seemed depressed or stressed out
I really liked the campus! We got a tour of all the lecture halls, the anatomy lab, study rooms, PBLs, and a couple of the hospitals. The students who gave us the tour were great. The Office of Admissions pays for interviewees to have lunch in the faculty lounge, which is much nicer than the cafeteria! The Admissions staff were all very friendly and helpful.
Everything. I love this school. I really think it is underated. The facilities allow you to work with underserved populations at LAC where they let you do so much more than other institutions would permit. You can also work with cutting-edge new technology at the Norris cancer cntr or the University hospital. People are glad to be there and the school is really pushing to be in the "top ten" if thats important to you. You can do research with top medical scientists in the country.
the studfents, everyone was so outgoing and friendly...very willing to chat and tell you anything about the school r the med school application process
LA county hospital is amazing, the ER is a stop on the student tour. Utter chaos, there's nothing you won't see after rotations in there. there's a very collegial atmosphere, the students are friendly and cooperative rather than competitive. the new curriculum is great. the faculty is very approachable, and the administration gives a ton of attention to the students. people here feel spoiled, they're treated so well.
How friendly the people were, how great the clinical education is there, and that they do offer full scholarships (now it's just a matter of being accepted and then getting one... :P)
The admissions committee was well organized and the students on campus were very friendly. Getting to see LA county hospital, the anatomy labs, and the research facilities (being built now) was also a plus.
Just about everything! I loved USC... didn't know that much about it before really. The staff at the admissions office were very very nice. The students who gave us the tour were very nice. The interviewers were very nice. The interviewees were all awesome... they do a great job at selecting them (if i may say so). Lecture hall was excellent, student lounge was cool. Hospital treats a lot of the indigent population - which is good for my purposes. Student body is diverse. The cafeteria in the hospital is all you can eat, for 2.8 dollars! There's more, but i don't remember right now.
LA County hospital is amazing. If you like the idea of learning from a huge, diverse and poor population in one of the biggest hospitals in the country, as I do, USC will impress. They are building a new hospital building, but even the old current facilities did not detract from the excitement and energy of the place. USC's students seem relaxed and relatively happy; several had choose the school over other options despite the high tuition. The gross anatomy lab looked great and modern; 6 per cadaver. Over all, the quality of education was higher than I expected. USC may be one of the most under-rated schools in the US News rankings.
the students all seemed genuinely happy and totally love it there! relaxed atmosphere. true pass/fail grading system. outstanding opportunities for clinical exposure at the LAC+USC medical center. new curriculum changes.
The classes are pass/no pass, and the students say it really takes the stress and competitiveness away. The great clinical experiences you would have at county. Even though that has been said on this website, actually being there and seeing it, you can definately see how it would he awesome. The curriculum sounded cool, but a little sketchy since this is only the second year that they are doing it, the second years have not taken the boards yet. it will be interesting to see how they do. also, the second years learn no new info, supposedly, after spring break, from then until the end of the year is just review sessions for the boards....definately nice. i dont think i will do well with endless days left up to only me to study for the boards! also, the school is really trying to be in the top 10 in the coming years, so they have alot of expansion and stuff planned.
Everything. County is a great place to be trained and there are amazing research opportunities. The new curriculum seems to sit well with the students and since it was implemented 2 years ago, all the problems will have been worked out for the 2003 entering class. The quality of life at Keck seems really high and the students seem very happy. My student interview was great! She was really friendly and I felt like she was interested in getting to know me and not just my stats.
I really like all the students I met - very relaxed and nice. I also sat in on a lecture and I didnt fall asleep! That's huge for me! :) The professor was great and did a wonderful job getting the students involved in the lecture. As everyone else has said, I think training at County would be incredible. Also, I really liked the rooms that the med students have access to for studying etc (I forget what theyre called...)
The students are so happy. They really have a lot of support systems set up for the students here. In addition, training at LA county would be an incredible experience.
the happiness of the students. the move to a pass/fail system(it used to be honors/pass/fail). the gross anatomy lab is the best gross anatomy lab i have seen out of the 5 other ga labs i've been to. there is no smell!!!!! county-usc is the busiest hospital i have ever seen. beds are literally stacked on each other in the ER with more patients lining the wall on chairs. if u want to be in the ER county-usc is the place to be. training at county would probably get you the most clinical exposure as a med student because of the large volume of patients and plethora of cases there.
The people are very friendly, both the students and the staff. The campus is nice and clean, although not in the greatest location. The hospital is huge and you serve a very diverse population, which is great. It seems as if the medical school really cares about the education of its students and wants to improve constantly.
How responsive the faculty is to student's requests for
changes in curriculum. If someone complains about something
in the curriculum, it gets discussed and is usually changed. They
truly listen to students' needs. Hospital facilities are impressive in
their patient mix -- if you're interested in learning clinical skills
by working with an ethnically, economically, and educationally diverse
patient population, USC could be for you.
each student has his/her own desk on campus with a cubpoard to lock items in (besides anatomy locker). the lunch was awesome! the students loved the school.
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the location of the school, particularly citing issues with the surrounding area, safety, and the necessity of owning a car in Los Angeles. Additionally, the high cost of attendance, lack of financial aid information, and some negative interactions during interviews were recurring points of criticism. Suggestions include providing more information on financial aid, addressing safety concerns, and enhancing the interview experience to ensure positive interactions with interviewers.
Faculty tried very hard to trip me up, put words in my mouth to see how i would react. Felt slightly racist.
No presentations from official admin. Most of the important info were in pre-recorded videos for you to watch on your own time which made interview day experience very brief but also felt a bit disengaged
The price tag is high, but it seems like there are a decent amount of scholarships/grants available after your first year. The students typically commute and don't all live in one central location. This doesn't bother me as a slightly older, non-trad student, but I can see how some younger people might prefer on-campus housing/dorms.
As a private school, tuition is unfortunately high. However, they seem to have a fair number of scholarships available for those whose applications impress their scholarship committee enough.
I do come from a very, very wide open and green campus. I felt like the actually health sciences campus was a tiny bit cramped and small. However, I probably won't be saying that when I am running late to class and just have to stroll across the campus to reach any building in seconds.
The price tag of the school may make it just a dream for me. and i didn't like the fact that students stay all over and not in one central location. and i really really do not like how spread out LA is. that is the worst planned city i have seen.
The price is up there with most private schools. It doesn't seem like there is lots of aid for people in my boat who DEF. need aid, but on paper, the government wont believe it. Also, this class seemed the most "cliquey" that I have seen. The most high-school like atmosphere that I have seen at a med school. Other than that, everything was amazing!
The tour of the facilities seemed a little rushed, and as a result, we spent most of our time rushing around campus. The cost does seem a bit higher than other schools.
The cost is terrible. 40% of people get merit scholarships, so hopefully that works out. 42k in tuition people. That's probably what you'll make as a resident. Scary. The tour guide stressed p=md. Sure that is true, but AOA=top residency. Do you know what I'm saying?
The fact that I may have to take $70,000 in loans to cover one year of expenses. :( The campus is not aesthetically pleasing and is in a low income area (This did not really phase me much because I am from LA and it was nothing that was new to me. If you are not accustomed to seeing an inner city area, then it may bother you)
Everything else -- literally. My faculty interviewer spent 20 minutes outlining the reasons why I shouldn't go to USC and why I should go to UCLA. It was really awkward but I agreed with him.
Location isn't that great - there's not much to do around the school nor where most students live. However, they're not that far from downtown LA and Pasadena.
One of my interviewers was cold and made some innapropriate comments to me during my interview. How expensive it is. They're also expanding the class size, but the extra money doesn't seem to be going as much to the students as it does to they're expanding research program.
Yes, you do have to drive as a student but LA has so many different areas near the school that anyone can find a place to live that fits their lifestyle.
The cost. Average student loan is about 250 and by the time your done with residency, with interest, it will be up to about 390. It was the ONLY thing I thought was bad about it though.
The interview day felt like a waste of time because it doesn't count for much. The interviewers simply submit a paper with limited information to the admissions committee. They probably had the decision about me made before I got there.
Nothing from the school really had a negative impression; however, while talking to some of the other applicants during lunch I saw how really closed minded some educated people can be.
no one lives closer than 15 minutes from campus, you haev to drive and parking is expensive. No gym on the medical campus (have to go to the USC main campus).
the school lacks any outstanding features, or did not make them known to me. school located in the middle of nowhere. little sense of school spirit or unity. expensive tuition. county+usc is old, new building is behind schedule. students did not seem too enthusiastic.
There was no presentation by financial aid or an admissions staff person, so the school didn't really give interviewees any idea of how their files would be reviewed or how long it might take to get an answer.
the location is the worst I've seen for a medical school; there is essentially no on-campus housing; compared to other schools the facilities are dated. Spanish fluency is an absolute must on the wards.
With all of the hype about the USC lunch I expected filet mignon, but got chinese chicken salad. It is good for a free lunch, but don't get your hopes up kids.
my student interviewer said the students are mostly affluent and with few challenging life experiences, basically snobby rich kids, but that's what the reputation is so i guess it's probably true cause i didn't see any evidence to the contrary
My faculty interviewer seemed a little bit disinterested, or maybe just distracted. He was very nice, but I couldn't tell if I should keep talking about myself or stop. He didn't ask very many questions. It really wasn't that bad, though--nothing was really negative.
The County hospital seem dangerous considering you need metal detectors to enter the building. Lots of security staff made it feel like a jail and not a hospital.
Tuition is 39k and the student body could be much more diverse. Parking is horrendous. Students pay >$300 a semester for a garage spot or they park at a meter. County+USC is very old and underequipped, new building is behind schedule.
The tuition is so high it's ridiculous. You must have a car to go to USC. Not good. Also the students kept on saying how non-competitive it is. I hear that at every school. Can you please tell me something original? What medical school is competitive?
I just interviewed at UC-Davis Medical Center campus in Sacramento which in comparison is very beautiful with a lot of open space and new construction going on. Additionally UCD has much lower cost of living, lower tuition, and a passion for medicine. I would definately recommend it for in-state applicants.
traffic (very bad), county hospital, and the campus- my friend I stayed with told me you must know spanish and the doctors are not enthusiastic about working with the poor. like everyone says it seems like a miserable place to spend four years (sorry).
The facilities aren't all that hot. Not terrible, but I'll bet that other med schools have nicer ones. Some buildings are pretty nice, and the new county hospital is slated to open in 2007, but the classroom building isn't so hot...
The students seemed to be a little on the young side and I didn't see myself having much in common with a lot of them (other than medicine). The area around the school isn't the greatest. I also feel that living out in East LA is going to isolate me from all my friends in West LA and the beach. Lastly, they don't have a true pass/fail system (honors, pass, fail).
The campus is right next to a juvenile hall. If you don't want to live in the dorm, you would probably end up having to commute because the surrounding neighborhood is not very nice. The medical campus is nowhere near the main campus, a half hour shuttle ride away.
How archaic the school is. The campus isn't completely wireless, the classrooms are cramped and small (I saw several students sitting on the steps. In fact, there aren't enough seats in the lecture room for all of the students), the anatomy lab lacks technology; the new county hospital will have fewer beds than the orginial; for a school with so much research, very little was mentioned;
Boyle Heights itself is not a fun or interesting neighborhood but that kinda doesn't matter much, small computer lab, no gym or weights apparently (at least they weren't even mentioned), parking can be rough.
The student interview. Interviewer seemed pretty apathetic, no eye contact, no smiles, no response at all what-so-ever. Entire burden on me to make sure that the conversation kept going. The student seemed like he was doing this as a resume builder. Who knows?!
The campus itself was a little disappointing. I've been to the main campus before and it's a beautiful campus. Compared to that, the med campus is small and the buildings are very bland. USC has money! I was expecting to be a bit more impressed with the classrooms and facilities
My faculty interview was a physician who had never done an interview before. I was one of the first people he had ever interviewed, so it seemed really unstructured and he talked about himself a lot. Also, he kept alluding to the fact that I wasn't going to get in. It was hard to act normal after hearing that, but I think I did a pretty godo job.
Not really anything, the 'hood isn't great, but no one really hangs out there anyway. Interviewers seemed uninterested sometimes, didn't ask many questions. I spent most of the time talking.
Tuition is 37k and the student body could be a little bit more diverse.
Parking is horrible. Students either pay $300 dollars a semester for a spot in a garage or they park at meters daily. Many of them use the meters and often get tickets because their classes will run longer than usual.
My faculty interviewer did not really ask me anything about myself. He went out of his way to make me feel like my experiences were completely ordinary and at the end of my interview he asked me, "do you really think you have the stamina to make it through medical school? I mean, do you really think you have what it takes?" I have no idea what that was about.
none really. maybe the jail on the 13th floor of County but that could be considered "interesting" not "negative". The disparity in treatment between patients at County Hospital and USC Hospital.
The smog. A friend once said that LA is reminiscent of "the valley of ashes" from the great gatsby. Looking through a smoggy haze to downtown, I kind of agree. There are days when you should not be outdoors.
There was no contact with anyone from the admissions office during the day, just the tour, lunch and two interviews. I would have liked a brief presentation about the school or something.
I knew that USC isn't exactly in the greatest area of LA, but being there made me wonder how safe the campus is. The students I talked to said that there are never problems though, and that you can live about five minutes away in a safer area.
Since the med school is 10 miles away from the main campus, it's a bit isolated and there isn't much interaction with USC's other graduate schools. The first semester (core) doesn't seem very exciting, especially after sitting in on one of their classes.
There is a consensus among students (and even the faculty) on how much the price-tag hurts. And there is no financial aid session, so the figures on the average debt are different depending on who you ask.
The traffic is bad; USC is in LA. I promised myself never to move there but... we'll see. Some might dislike the east-central LA neighborhood, but I thought it was a blessing in some ways to work in such an area; others may disagree. Unfortunately, the location separated from the central campus means no gym, no real open areas or parks around and no contact with undergraduates or other grad schools.
My student interviewer ruined it for me. Before that, I was pretty impressed with the school, despite the fact that it was not all that exciting to look at. He was an arrogant pompous prick with a really creepy attitude towards me and my answers to his questions. It was really difficult to have a conversation with him, he kept waving to his friends and saying hi to people in the quad while i was realy trying to concentrate and answer him.
Campus is located in bad and boring part of LA. Many (maybe most) students intensely dislike the new curriculum. Tuition is very high (and keeps increasing) for a school that is not very impressive. My student interviewer was very arrogant. My faculty interviewer basically tried to convince me to go somewhere else. A lot of people say County+USC is great because of the experience you get, but I disagree. It's run down, lacks a lot of basic resources (like functioning BP cuffs in many rooms), is over crowded, and there is too much going on to get good clinical instruction. It would be different if County was just one of several hospitals you rotate through, but the majority of rotations will be done there, so the experiences are very diverse.
county-usc isn't exactly a brand spankin new paperless techno-wonder hospital...however, would i rather train at GWU's new hospital or at county-usc? county for sure because i would be exposed to waaay more cases, which is more important than being in a spiffy hospital.
We didn't even get to see the classrooms, the interviewers were very strict. I tried making a joke and they wouldn't laugh or smile. That was harsh and uncomfortable.
Yeah, the cost. (Which was not even discussed by the formal
program until our tour guides brought it up...there is no
financial aid session, which I thought would be helpful to listen
to at a place that has a mid-$30K price tag a year)
Many applicants wished they had known ahead of time that the interviews were low-stress and more conversational, advising others not to overprepare or stress too much. They also mentioned the importance of being genuine and not over-selling oneself, as well as practical tips like arriving early, preparing questions, and being ready to discuss ethical issues.
Don't stress so much! They put so much emphasis on applicants being genuine people who are passionate about medicine and will be able to communicate with the patients of LA county. If you are you and don't try to over-sell yourself, you'll have a great interview experience :)
We get an hour long break in between interviews. I usually don't like this when interviews do this because I feel like I get "cold" in between interviews. I prefer just hammering through the day without a break.
I wish I didn't stress as much before the interview. It was my first interview, so I was definitely nervous. I probably over prepared a bit, but I'd rather do that than be under prepared obviously. It's very low stress, but don't let this get you off of your game: stay professional/affable.
Wear flats. Or bring bandaids. The campus isn't large but we do a lot of walking. My feet were killing me by the time I made it to my interviews. I felt a tiny bit self conscious hobbling across campus over the last hour.
Each interview is about an hour long, during which a lot of the time is "do you have questions for me". Compared to my other interviews, I would recommend getting even more questions (More than the general rule of thumb which is 3-5)
that the interviews are really just there to get to know the applicant as how everyone else has said. didn't really believe it until i began the interviews
That I would have to leave lunch early to attend my student interview, which began at 1PM. After the tour, we were a little late to lunch so I had to jet out of there to catch my student interview in time. The food was so good I was sad to go.
that I would be done so early in the day (1pm) that i would start so early (7am) that i parked in the wrong parking structure which ended up wasting time as i moved the car. and that i needed a picture to give them (maybe they said that somewhere, but i don't remember) also be ready to give an update on classes since filing your application.
How hard it is going to be to make a decision between this school and a public school.
Also there is not the pretentiousness that is expected with the USC/private school undergrad.
The day was going to be so short. And.. there ARE places to live that are biking/walking distance to campus. The places close by, however, are low income hispanic neighborhoods. Not the best but not the worst either. If I get in, I'm moving into one of those neighborhoods.
You pretty much have to have a car at USC, and debt load after graduation is higher than at many other schools. The interviewers are not members of the admissions committee and after they trun in their evaluation of you (which is a single piece of paper with several categories where they rank you from 1-5 and then an area for comments on the bottom), they have nothing to do with your application. I would assume, although this is just a guess, that interviews at USC are not as heavily weighted as at other schools.
There is a lot of construction going on near the campus, plus the street signs are hard to see, so it can be a little bit difficult to find your way around. Also, I was more nervous than I needed to be--my faculty interviewer told me to relax, he just wanted to see how I presented myself.
LA traffic sucks and Public transportation is awful. You need to have a car if you go and parking is very expensive. An expensive school and area overall. you need to know SPANISH if you want to be effective there!
how to get from the medical school to the main campus. I like the main campus (where my interviewer was an undergrad) much more but I guess people don't commute between the two. You must have a car in LA.
The location of the school is extremely poor. Additionally there is very little research on campus. Students tests scores on USMLE Step II are below the national mean. (Ask about this).
There is absolutely no school presentations given. You show up, interview, take your tour and go home. I guess they didn't want to scare us with the revelation of graduating with $200+K debt. Also, I didn't know LAC+USC served the jail/prison inmates until I ran into a group of 20 inmates and 5 guards.
that they have a list of certain questions (the faculty do) that they're supposed to ask you...my faculty interview just kinda went down the list...that the interviewers themselves are not on the admissions committee, they just do write-ups after each interview and turn those into the admissions committee which then makes the decision
I wish that I would've known how laid back everything was. Me and my student interviewer just talked about anything that came up and was real genuine.
Also, I think that my interview was pretty late in the interviewing season. But everyone that I talked to said that the date of your interview does not affect your chances of getting accepted. Once invited for an interview, everyone is on the same plain. Also, a lot of the students that we talked to were initially put on the waitlist. I guess alot of people are accepted from the waitlist because tuition is so high.
I guess I thought the medical campus was closer to the undergrad campus. If you are looking for a place to hang out with non-medschool people or even just a gym to work out in your down time -- expect to take a shuttle to the main campus (round trip, 45 mins).
Basically just how laid back the entire day was. I had my faculty interview from 8am to about 9:30, then my student interview at 10. Then I went on a tour and had lunch with some of the med students and that was the day!
Traffic is variable in LA - I should have left more time to drive to USC. I ended up barely making it in time for my first interview and didn't have time to catch my breath.
the neighborhood around the medical campus is not nearly as bad as i had heard; it's not the place to go for a 2 AM stroll, but definitely not urban decay.
My student interviewer admitted to me that she gets a lot of her ethical questions from the TV show ER. I wouldn't have thought of ER as good interview prep :).
That this interview day is a little different, you do not have a talk from the dean, a presentation from a faculty/committee member on the school, or a student panel/mixer with current students. You have your interviews, a student led tour, and lunch (with your two tourguides) and that's it. I was there from 10-2.
Traffic can be even slower than expected (1:45 from Orange County for a 10 am interview; the office thought 1:30 was plenty), and the parking can be a little confusing. Check the map and give extra time to get there. You will have plenty of time to ask questions, so prepare many beforehand and think of new ones to ask your tour guides as you go along
That i might actually like the school. I wish I had not sent my secondary in so late, that way I might have a better chance. Even though they say that they do not fill the class until they interview everyone, by this time of the year you are basically interviewing for a waitlist spot. Its not a bad thing, but my student host and her roommate got off the waitlist about 3 weeks before school started
I would have arrived earlier to look around on my own, since my student interview ran long and cut into the tour. He sort of gave me a half-ass walk through.
That traffic was really as bad as it sounded. If you're not
familiar with LA traffic, I suggest consulting with a friend,
your host, or even the admissions office on suggested driving
times. I wasn't late, but I did give myself more time to get there
than I thought I really needed.
the tour is a little longer than others i've had, so wear comfortable shoes. if you select an off-campus interview, you still have to go to campus. i didn't mind, but some did.
Applicants generally found the interviews at USC Keck to be low-stress and conversational, emphasizing the school's focus on clinical experience and patient care. Positive comments highlighted the friendly and laid-back atmosphere, the enthusiastic student body, and the impressive opportunities at LA County Hospital, although concerns were raised about the high tuition costs and the surrounding area.
I know Keck well and I wasn't surprised that my faculty interview went the way it did. Should have saved my money.
This was my dream school and the interview just solidified why. They care about who their students are as people over stats. My MCAT was much lower than their 10th percentile scores and I got an interview still. It seems like they genuinely want all the interviewees to succeed on interview day!
I really loved the school. It is very well regarded and the faculty and students all seemed happy and nice. I am def matriculating here, as it is my first choice.
I would be happy to attend USC, but I have had more comfortable and encouraging interviews since. Their program and opportunities sound incredible but the surrounding area is awful.
The interviews were very chill, especially the faculty interview. I found the student interview to be more formal because my interviewer went through a list of questions rather than having a conversation with me.
Growing up a Bruins fan, I applied to USC simply because it was another shot at staying in Southern California. I didn't know much about the school at first, but once I did my research and visited the campus, Keck rocketed up my list. It's pricier than in-state schools, but with the recent financial problems in the state, the gap between private schools and the UC's is narrowing quickly, unfortunately. Quality of life is huge for me, so USC is definitely the front runner at this point. Another school would have to blow me away with a financial aid offer to sway me at this point.
I think its a good school, and I wouldn't mind going here, but there's nothing that wows me. It has a good curriculum, good students, but a poor location. The best thing about it I think is the LAC Hospital and the multiple other affiliated hospitals
USC made the interview process easy. They just want to know that you're a compassionate person and care about being of service, and that you'll excel in patient care, research, teaching, or some combination of the three. Be normal, and you'll be fine.
Really, really prepare to talk about yourself when you get to the staff interview. I mean, the interview itself will be very natural and "relaxed" (I think everyone has read that advice about USC). But YOU are in controlled of how "relaxed" it actually is. When the staff interviewer gives you the go-ahead and asks "Tell me about yourself" USE IT WISELY. This is your one and only chance TO SELL YOURSELF TO KECK in an easy-going and polite way! Convince them you belong there and try to sneak in answers to questions they are probably going to follow up on like mentioning how you got into research in college, you clinical experience and so on. After that one question and answer, if you give them what they want to hear, then the rest will be easy.
The interview is just a conversation with brilliant but humble people who want to get to know you. What matters is that you be yourself and show them who you are.
I think the biggest seller of the school is that they get LA county hospital. they see things other students can only read about in books. one student i talked to said that he had seen three gunshot wounds just in the last week. The view from the top of the hospital is amazing! The lunch was amazing, not really the food but how they served it we went to the doctors lounge and they had a long table set up with napkins and silverware and they had three waiters serving us and refilling drinks. very different from other schools which just give you a tray of sandwiches.
They pride themselves about lac, so I recommend you do the same. It's a great place to learn medicine, so you should be excited about it anyway. Hands on medical education=USC. I only wish it were cheaper and ranked higher!!!!!!!!!
Honestly, going into the interview I did not have a positive attitude because I never like USC undergrad or LA. I was really surprised. The school offers some great programs and solid training. It is one of the few schools that legitimately offers early clinical exposure and not just to standardized patients. I never thought I would consider being in LA or at USC, but i think i really could be happy there. I still wont cheer for the Trojans though!
Keck seems like a great place to study medicine. The new LA County Hospital is amazing. During my faculty interview I was allowed to stand in on a liver+kidney transplant.
USC is a great school. It is one of my top choices. The faculty and resources available to the students are outstanding. This school is not as research oriented as some other schools, but if research is not your thing then this place is an amazing institute to train in order to become a quality physician.
Poor scholarships, vague financial aid session, extremely expensive, poor location and student body since everyone is scattered. Students have to loan at least $50,000 a year to cover tuition and some of the living expenses. There still is a projected $15-20,000 deficiency for personal needs. For me, I simply don't have that kind of money lying around every year.
Both interviews were very relaxed and conversational, but the topics can be challenging if you are not prepared. Lunch in the faculty lounge was very impressive. The students seem very happy to be at USC, while the faculty seems to work hard to provide ample support for them. I had a very good experience.
Awesome school!! This is my first choice! :)
The admissions office is really nice. I missed the financial aid talk and the tour because one of my interviews was scheduled at the same time. The secretary got materials for me and showed me where I could go to talk to people about financial aid. And she found me a student to show me around/take me on a tour - if she hadn't been able to, she said she would have shown me around herself! Awesome!
Everyone at USC is REALLY into USC. The students really seem to like it, the faculty I spoke to were really enthusiastic. Also the interviews were really laid back which was nice. If you are into primary care or emergency medicine or surgery, this is an awesome place because of all the crazy things you see at County Hospital. It should be pretty sweet when the new hospital is up and running. That said, the school is in a crappy area and students live all over the place so there isnt a really cohesive student body or student life.
It was my first interview and I was extremely nervous. However, it turned out to be a very positive experience. Both my interviews were very casual and conversational (All questions were brought up within the conversation). Everyone there was incredibly friendly and helpful.
I was really impressed with USC. It wasn't one of my top choices before the interview but I think it might be my number one school now. Everyone was really friendly- students and faculty went out of their way to introduce themselves and ask how the day was going. The tour was pretty interesting- we got to see a lot of the campus and some of County Hospital.
Since the interviews were blind, both of my interviewers started off with ''so tell me what you want me to know.'' Essentially we went from there, no questions really other than clarifications on what I had talked about previously. This interview style has been my favorite so far and the admissions members were very excited to meet the prospective students.
My student interview was very relaxed and informative, but my faculty interview was not very pleasant. Probably just an isolated incident though. Every student had a different interview schedule, but we all had a very tasty lunch together that USC paid for.
Overall this was a really easy interview. My faculty interviewer had a habit of giving very long and in-depth accounts of his past and his views on medicine and society. For example, I mentioned that I had read up considerably on the state of our healthcare system. He proceeded to tell me how medicine has changed considerably during his career, his experiences as a medical school applicant, a medical student, etc. During his long narratives, I had to make an effort to squeeze in a few words about myself.
My student interview was very laid back. She let me talk about anything I wanted to say about myself and seemed genuinely interested in my experiences.
Great interveiw, very easy-going. I talked with my faculty for nearly 2 hours, and my student for 1 hour. I found the people engaging and Keck is a wonderful institution, they treat members of the Trojan family very well.
Great.....I really hope I get to go there. The experience received during your first two years are clinically oriented, and there is a lot of one-to-one interaction between students and faculty
interviewers were real nice. on my faculty interview, i had to wander around LAC+USC and ended up loitering in the psych ER. it was actually a really cool experience to be interviewed by a doc almost in context.
everything was great. would give a finger (preferably left hand) to get in.
It was really great. Try and stay with a current medical student (I did). They are really nice, willing to answer a bunch of questions honestly, and you'll get rides to campus.
I showed up early and slipped into a 2nd year lecture. Interesting that less than 75% of the students tend to go to lecture at one time. Met up with others in lobby. Tour of the school. Lunch in the faculty club. Interviews in the same building as the admissions office. Faculty interview first, then medical student interview. Wandered around the campus and Norris Cancer Hospital until my ride showed up.
Short and sweet, one hour faculty interview, sat in on their a begining clinical integration class, one hour student interview (4th year!), tour, lunch, sat in on a class, out.
I had a student interview after a brief tour and the notorious FANTASTIC lunch (with a menu, drink service, etc!) She was an M2, and she didn't ask me anything too difficult though she did ask some current events questions. Then I had an hour to kill before my faculty interview so I watched students play volleyball and ate a muffin, or something. I had to go to LAC hospital to find my interviewer and when I arrived to the hospital I got metal detector checked and proceeded to try and find my interview. I wondered around like a chicken with my head cut off until I found a costodian to ask about my room assignment. He said he had no idea where that was. Everywhere I kept walking security guards would be like ''hey man where are you going?'' Finally I got directed to the main ER where the doc I was supposed to interview with worked. He wasn't there. His nurses then kindly guided me to him in the following minutes. Meanwhile some convict was yelling and spitting at cops as they held him in custody to be treated and a woman was bleeding extensively from a leg wound...but i had an interview. I finally met my interviewer but he was on call! he was the head ER doc that day. He signed a couple requests before needing to find a place to interview...so we interviewed in a patient stall (plastic curtain and all). WE only talked for 20 minutes or so, and he was very pleasant, and then he spent the rest of the time wondering around the ER and showing it off. I felt so special that USC would let me interview with this doc--they took him out of work in order to do so!
they really do a good time of schmoozing you...
The faculty and student interviews were both very similar. Similar in that both interviewers were very relaxed and laid back. there were no super difficult question and there were no ethical questions. They seemed like they wanted to know more about what i kind of doctor i would become as in how i valued doctor patient relationships and how i would help the undeserved population. my faculty interviewer came right of the OR to give me the interview, in her scrubs and surgical mask. Made me feel important, like they were taking time out of the OR to find out what kind of person i was.
GREAT! SUPER impressed. I have no idea why people donââโ¬âโ¢t like this place. The facilities were great, clean, beautiful. Of course itââโ¬âโ¢s in a bad area, but you barely feel it on the campus. The staff was great, the students so happy! Really happy! And they had lives! Gregarious, fun, intelligent, well-rounded students. VERY diverse. Office of diversity was great, really open. Faculty interview went exceptionally well. We were well suited for the interview and spoke for about an hour and a half ââโ¬âโฌล it was fantastic, definitely the type of professor/doctor I would want as a mentor. The curriculum is great ââโ¬âโฌล especially the ICM ââโ¬âโฌล they have patient contact (taking histories) from the 3rd WEEK onââโ¬Â¦ Integrated systems course ââโ¬âโฌล donââโ¬âโ¢t have biochem alone. Student interview was incredibly relaxed. Someone I could really hang out with ââโ¬âโฌล all the students were fantastic. Very informal ââโ¬âโฌล he wore basketball shorts. Would love to see them next year ?.
positive, i loved the school and the curriculum. i just don't want to have to deal with a car though and LA traffic. but god, i miss that warm weather and palm tree beaches
Dr. Eric Hsu told me that if he interviews you, your chances of getting in are very good. Essentially, the admissions committee only gives him applicants they know they want.
Overall, I had a great day. I don't think that my interviews themselves went very well, as I wasn't very prepared. And I kept forgetting I was being interviewed because everyone is so freaking friendly!! I feel like I was a little too casual in conversation. The tour could have been a little more focused on the hospitals around USC. Also, the famous USC lunch was great, but don't get the salad!
My interview day started as I entered County Hospital to meet the faculty member in his office. That hospital is really something else! The most hands-on medical training could be received there among the most diverse patient population. My interviewer spoke about his experience at LAC-USC and also touched on what this medical program has to offer an applicant like. The tour and lunch with medical students was pretty good as well. The student interview was short and to the point; he knew exactly what he wanted to find out about me and did a great job at answering all my questions. I was surprisingly VERY impressed with this school!!!
After checking in at 9:30, I mingled with the other interviewees until my faculty interview at 10:00. Afterward, I went back to the admissions building and found that just about everyone had assembled for the tour. The campus is pretty small, so it went quickly. We saw the study rooms, the anatomy lab, some of the lecture halls, and had a brief walkthrough of County (unfortunately we couldn't see more because of HIPAA). Lunch in the faculty lounge followed, and I had about an hour between that and my student interview. I spent that time exploring the library and Norris Cancer Center, as well as talking with some of the students. When my student interview wrapped up I hung around the quad until my ride came.
Short but pleasant day. Checked in at 1045, tour/lunch with tour guides from 11:15 to 1:00. Faculty interview 1:30 and student at 2:30. Interviews were very conversational, and the interviewers shared a lot about themselves.
so my faculty interviewer gave me a really hard time regarding the healthcare system issues and really wouldn't let it go. didn't feel like she wanted to get to know me as a person at all, which was unfortunate. she seems to think that only people who truly understand the healthcare system and who know how to solve this problem deserve to be physicians. i personally think there is a lot more other attributes that make a good physician. their system is also weird because you're suppose to call your interviewer the day before to confirm the appointment, but they didn't post that information until the day before. then they also called and changed my appointment time later in the afternoon after i had already confirmed my appointments. had i been flying from out of state, it would not have worked out. the only good thing was that lunch at the faculty club was nice. im disappointed that i wasn't more impressed with the school. i've been to more than enough interviews this app cycle and this was definitely one of the worst experiences.
My two interviews were great! They were both like a conversation, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. Use interview time to learn more about the school, and what it has to offer you. The interviews were closed filed, and the interviewers can relay any experiences/achievements you have had post-AMCAS application submission.
I went into this interview thinking that I would like USC ok, but came out of it feeling that USC is now my top choice for medical school. From my extremely friendly and helpful student hosts the night before to some random studnets I stopped for directions, all of the students seemed genuinely enthusiastic about their school and happy to be there. My student interview lasted an entire hour and was one of the most pleasant interview experiences I have had. It was a friendly conversation. My faculty interview was with a pathologist, and although it was only about 25 minutes long, I felt that the questions were fair and she was quite pleasant, even though it was very clear that her motivation for pursuing medicine and mine were vastly different. LA County hospital was amazing on so many levels--just thinking about the diversity and complexity of the patient population is exciting.
The interivew day starts in late morning. Interviews are closed file but by now but I'm fairly used to talking about myself and my experiences so it was very conversational. Student interviewer was enthusiastic and cute.
The office is pretty cagy about giving out details of the itnerview times. I was told that my student interview would be in the afternoon, so I got in a little later in the day only to find that my interview was going to happen right when I got in! Then there was a tour/lunch at the faculty club followed by my faculty interview. I didn't get the good bonding feel with the interview group that I had felt at other interviews.
It started at around 11:00 so I got to sleep in a little bit. The interviews were low-stress. Everybody said that their student interviews were really eaasy, mine however was not quite so. My student interviewer grilled me on why I want to be a doctor, why USC, why medicine, my strengths and weaknesses. My faculty interview however was the complete opposite.
the tour guides were both really nice and one of them was very enthusiastic and informative. lunch was very good. nothing too impressive about the school, i actually don't remember much of the experience and it wasn't too long ago, it's just not a match for me
I think I did all right. I don't think I did a great job at first, when my faculty interviewer said, "Tell me about yourself." I think I recovered, though, and my student interview was more comfortable even though she asked me tougher questions. I learned a lot about the school and how much the students there like it. USC did a great job of presenting itself through the student interviewer and the tour guides.
You start the day around 11 am with a tour and then an AWESOME LUNCH! Then you go to the interviews which are close file and you really need to bring up what your strong points are because they have not read your application. The interviews are fairly conversational but just make sure that you talk about your strong points because the know NOTHING about you!
the interviews were disorganized. My faculty interviewer was late but she apologized. She seemed unfamiliar with my file so we discussed my background and interests before continuing on to the usual spiel. The student interviewer seemed to have been prepped on selling the school (oh you want to do research- we have great research!). I've heard horror stories about County Hospital but I couldnt get an honest opinion there. Lunch was great but the campus is terrible- very tiny (a high school atmosphere) in the middle of nowhere.
My first interview was absolutely fantastic. I forgot we were interviewing. It's a closed-file interview so they basically go through your entire background, up to present day. Then we talked about why USC, and then talked about general things about medicine and USC. He really sold me on USC and discussed how they get gobs of money and are building new hospitals and other building and within a matter of years will become a top school. The student interview was fine, I didn't think she was all that into the interview though.
Other than that, the tuition is exorbitant. No other school that I know of requires that you budget 63K a year to go to school. That is absolutely outrageous and no medical school, in my opinion, can be a top one if the students have to be over 200K in debt. Simply not acceptable. Take some of that building money and apply it to tuition adjustments or more scholarships/loans.
I go there and checked in, then walked 7 min. to the outpatient building where my faculty interviewer's office was. The interview was very low stress and conversational. I felt like he really wanted to know what I thought about things. We went interviewed for an hour and then he took me around his facility, which was great. I was late for the tour, but luckily spotted the group on my way back. I missed the county hospital, but the other facilities seemed okay. The lunch was in the fancy faculty club and was yummy. After lunch was my student interview, which was so lovely and low stress. My interviewer seemed very happy with everything and answered all of my questions.
Traffic was horrible on the way in. I hadnt been to LA before so I've never experienced anything like that. Almost all students live off campus so I don't know how they handle it every day. They stressed the clinical side of things as opposed to research yet I was not impressed by the facilities nor the reputation of individual specialties.
Okay overall. No one from the admissions office came and talked to the interviewees, which was disappointing. I didn't get a great impression of the other interviewees (a bit preppy and spoiled), which made me wonder what the USC-Keck students are like. The lunch was FABULOUS-- the best of any school I've interviewed at so far, and I've been to a bunch.
I was nervous since it was my first interview, but I think I did OK. If you can, try and sit in on a class- the lecture hall seemed a little small - students were sitting on the steps. They say they are increasing the class size but I dont know where they'll fit the new students. The MDLs seemed ok. I interviewed with a student and a faculty member, both were laid back like everyone says and conversational. I asked about USMLE board scores- student said she wasn't sure but they were around the national mean
I had a really good time at USC. Granted, this was my first interview, so I don't have much of a basis for comparison, but I really enjoyed my visit. Both of my interviews (faculty and med student) were really relaxed and stress-free. Everybody was friendly, and everybody loved being a student at USC. You could tell that stress levels were pretty low, especially for 2nd year students. The food (as everybody says, and I agree) was pretty good.
the interview day seems a little bit disorganized as it approaches because you have no idea about what you need to do until you call the school and your faculty interviewer the day before to confirm, but once i was there it was the most impressive interview day i have had thusfar. my faculty interviewer was 30 minutes late, but she was very apologetic about it and we hit it off nicely. the interview is closed file, so you talk about your background and interests before you get into anything heavy. it was very conversational. my student interview was with a second year and she was awesome. she tried to engage me on my interests and i felt like i was sitting at a coffee shop with a friend moreso than having an admissions interview. she answered all my questions and made a very positive impression on me about the attitude of most keck students and the comradery of the class. the tour was the best i have been on and gave us a look at the medical school, the health science campus, and county hospital. the tour guides were very open and encouraging. the lunch was unbelievable, period. bottom line: i was impressed and my opinion of keck is much more favorable than it was before. i heard horror stories about county hospital, but one of the students put it best whan they said that the diversity of cases that they see at county can prepare you for anything in medicine. the surrounding area is not nice, but the health science campus itself (which is huge) is very attractive, new, and safe.
I interviewed with one student and one faculty member. The student was obviously trying to sell me on the school, which was ok, but there weren't too many selling points. If you just want a bare-minimum MD, USC might be the right place but otherwise I would not attend.
I had a very interesting chat with a 4th year heading into ER in NY. She seemed to be selling the school a little so I wasn't sure what to believe. The clinical facilities seem acceptable because of the patient population. ..Research on campus is almost non-existent, interestingly though I wasn't applying md/phd someone on campus gave me this link
http://www.geocities.com/mdphdpgm
Overall the interview experience was nice. I loved the weather and liked the school but I didn't care much for East and Downtown LA. Transportation in the city is a big concern of mine.
very conversational both faculty and student interviewers seemed most interested in really getting to know who i was, like things that could not be read on paper.
Very relaxed. The tour guides were awesome and one of my tour guides happened to know my student interviewer really well which helped me break the ice during my interview. The tour has no bearing on getting in or not, but talk to them as much as you can because you get a lot of good info that you can use to your advantage. My faculty interviewer was also really nice and as a USC graduate herself she had a lot of school pride. Both interviews were very conversational and actually fun, the key is to not take it so seriously and overall RELAX.
Very laid back, both interviewers seemed to want to know me personally. If you can, try and sit in on a class. Also, the #applicants is roughly 10/day, making it easier to mingle with your potential classmates.
The student interview was totally chill, we just sat outside and chatted for an hour and a half. This was the best interview day I've had so far. No stress, really friendly people in the admit. office.
Overall, I really like USC- if definitely moved up on my list of schools. i had my interviews back to back which ended up being very tiring. I think I was talking for about 2 1/2 hours straight. Other than that, the day was very enjoyable and the lunch was great!
The fact that it was 80 degrees in december left a huge impression on me, coming from the east coast. it was the first really laid back interview i've had, and i even had my student interview outside in the sunshine. it was totally just a conversation, and i felt really comfortable there. probably the best interview experience i've had.
Very low stress, nice, modern facilities, great hospital, but the area is not so appealing. All in all, I enjoyed the experience. I was surprised that the student who interviewed me could think of few questions to ask. The faculty interview was very comfortable and conversational. All in all it seems like they're moving in the right direction, with a large number of research buildings opening soon, as well as a replacement for la county hospital opening in 2007
Very, VERY relaxed. No complex or controversial questions. As expected in a closed-file interview, a lot of the time was spent discussing my background. Be ready to talk about yourself, you don't have a choice about it.
Great school. Won't bore anyone with details but generally, the people there are good and you can read my other comments down below. But, my faculty interview went for 2 hours - no joke. He both asked a lot of questions and we did a good deal of chatting in between questions/responses. He either loved me or just wanted to keep asking questions. Nothign too hard though.
Ok tour, good lunch. What sucked the most was that my student interview gave the impression that he was bored with all my answers to his questions. And to make it worse I ended up having no faculty interview but instead sat in the ER watching my faculty interviewer, an ER doc, work. That part was awesome to watch since USC's hospital is the LA County Hospital and their ER is one of the busiest! but I dont think that will help in the long run and the admissions committee will probably rely heavily on my student interview.
It was a great day. I finished my interviews in the morning, so then I went on my tour, had a delicious lunch and was done by 1:00pm. My faculty interview lasted for almost 90 minutes and was very conversational. He asked me to describe my experience in college and asked follow up questions from there. He was very friendly and welcoming. My student interview was very casual (we sat outside on a bench) and lasted for about an hour. Neither of my interviewers had anything in front of them while we talked, so it felt much more relaxed. Two very friendly students took us on a tour of the campus and LA County Hospital and then to lunch. They were helpful and answered our questions honestly. Overall, I was very impressed with the program and the school, but I'm still hesitant to move to LA...
The student interview was great. I learned a lot about the school and his experiences and he asked questions that I thought were pertinent but still casual. The faculty interview was a bit uncomfortable, as he pretty much expected me to talk the whole time about myself without him asking specific questions or giving any input.
As I said before, the faculty interview was a disaster (but I don't think it was actually my fault). The student interviewer was very friendly and had only the best intentions. The campus looked sort of dingy and the hospital is an ancient bulding that looks like it is falling apart.
Both my student and faculty interviewers were wonderful really made me feel comfortable just like having a chat with an old friend and catching them up on new things in my life. It was a beautiful sunny day. The tour guide was great really open to any questions and quite informative. The faculty interviewer was really nice even gave me tips, told some jokes and we had a wonderful time, it was truely a pleasure. The same with my student interviewer he was laid back and very informative. The school is great, its only weakness is tuition :)
My experience was pretty laid back. I had my faculty interview first, which lasted about 80 minutes. My faculty interviewer was a first yaer professor and he went into great detail telling me about the new cirriculum. Even showed me outlines he uses in his class. Pretty laid back, spent a lot of time asking about me and trying to get to know me, then telling me about USC. Student interviewer was a first year and after lunch. He was very cool and kept it very low stress and very conversational. Never felt grilled or on the spot. Facilities are great. USC is definitely my first choice if I get in.
Faculty interview with chief of anesthesiology took place 3 feet from a gastric bypass patient's head, wedged between the drug cart and the anesthesia monitoring equipment in the OR! Scrubs and all. Student interview was fast, followed by tour of campus and LAC+USC hospital. That's it!
My interviewer was great and at the end of the interview he offered to give me a tour of the radiation oncology units. I found out that I got in 2 weeks later.
I was really looking forward to interviewing at USC, but both the faculty and student interviewers really tainted my overall opinion of the school. The student interviewer seemed bored with giving interviews (his eyes glazed over before I started to speak), and the faculty guy seemed less interested in getting to know me and more interested in questioning my motivation (is anyone really in it for the money these days???). That aside the school offers a excellent opportunity to work at LAC-USC and the new hospital will be ready for the class of 2004.
Student interview was very laid back (we talked outside of a cafe) and friendly. USC is definitely a school that emphasizes their clinical skills. County Hospital provides care to an incredibly diverse patient population both in terms of ethnicity and socioeconomic level. The students and faculty have a strong sense of community (most striking example was the groups of students eating breakfast and chatting with their professors in the cafe when I first arrived) and I think this is only strengthened by the pass/fail grading system.
my best interview thus far. My faculty interviewer was very sweet, relaxed, and gave me a feeling of reassurance that USC is a great choice. First and second year students were all very friendly and we chatted a lot. They were all very happy about their choice to attend USC.
I was very lucky to get very mellow interviewers - no hard questions, i.e. nationalizing healthcare, Roe vs. Wade, etc.
I learned a lot about USC and the curriculum, etc.
Friendly students, great clinical exposure, new research facilities, and I haven't even mentioned the Caltech portion of the program! All in all I was greatly impressed by USC. In addition, the housing options are great and there is less traffic relative to UCLA/westwood.
I stayed with an M1 the night before, met 20 or so of his M1 friends and partied with all of them the night before. I was pleasantly surprised they were all drinking and having fun even on a Tuesday night. The weather for my interview was beautiful, and the med. student interviewer and faculty interviewer spent more time selling the school and sharing their experiences than asking me questions. I left in the afternoon wihtout a shadow of doubt that Keck is a fantastic school. On a side note, I thought Chicago traffic was bad, but L.A. traffic brings things to a new level.
The interviews were both quite relaxed, although the faculty interviewer was very soft-spoken and it was hard to tell how the interview went. The student tour guides and student interviewer were enthusiastic about the school and willing to answer questions honestly. Overall, I was impressed with the school.
Both of my interviews were very relaxed. USC does blind interviews, so there was no mention of GPA or MCAT. Both interviewers seemed like they just wanted to get to know me as a person and understand my interests both inside and outside of medicine. Be prepared to answer the "why USC" question. My faculty interviewer emphasized the fact that about 1/2 of interviewees are accepted, and he seemed impressed that I knew a lot about the school and had an interest in it. Also, be ready to answer questions about where you applied, where you've interviewed, and and where you've been accepted. I got this question at almost every interview I've been to.
The faculty interview was conversational. I felt that I should have done more of the talking. I also didnt address a particular topic strong enough and the interviewer had some very strong opinions. She was very friendly but hard to read so i dont know how i did. Student interviewer was way more lax...at cafeteria and I definately got to do alot of talking there. She told me that each interview carries equal weight so hopefully i get in!!!
My faculty interviewer was hard to read, which made me nervous. I couldn't tell how well that interview went even though the questions weren't hard. He wouldn't nod or smile during the interview. My student interview went fine though. I was impressed with the amount and quality of clinical experience that students get at LA county. I wish there was some sort of presentation about the curriculum or financial aid or something. The tour was interesting, but it felt weird walking through the ER and gawking at the patients. The lunch is very posh - at the faculty club. Overall, I think it would be a great school to go to.
I had an amazing day, and left with a wonderful feeling about the school. Both my interviewers were so friendly, and just the atmosphere throughout the day put me at ease. I loved the school
Both interviews were really friendly and conversational. I got a great vibe from the place, mostly because of the students I met there. Admissions staff was helpful, and I'd love to do clerkships at a place like LAC.
I got the dean of admissions, Dr. Erin Quinn, and she was really cool even though I showed up a few minutes late because of the parking. We were talking for so long that the interview went about 20 minutes over and the secretary had to end it so I could go on the tour.
If you have an interview here, do not stress about grueling interviews. Everyone tried to make this experience a pleasant one. LA County is impressive--if you want experience with patients, this is the place to be. The students are very happy and really get along with each other.
The interview day was great, interviewers were informal and willing to answer questions. The facilities are extremely nice and well equipped for student use. There is no chance to get to know current students (except for the tour guides), but everyone seems happy and the new cirriculum seems to be doing well.
My first interview was with a med student. Really nice kid, friendly, conversational, and would warn me about the questions which were supposed to be hard. He seemed to like the school a lot. My second interview was with a faculty member. She was very easy to talk to and appeared genuinely interested in knowing me. She also told me a lot about the school. The interviews were not confrontational and very low stress. I actually had a really good time during my visit and if I get in, I'm going there!
Interviewer had my application, but no GPA or MCAT scores. Within the first 5 minutes he straight-out asked me what my numbers were- which I don't think he was supposed to do. USC is an average school, with very high tuition. The new curriculum received mixed reviews. Some students like USC, but many have a lot of complaints. The fact that my faculty interviewer recommended that I go to another school weighed very negatively on my impression of USC.
Keck is an incredible school. The students are great, the quality of life is great, the research opportunities are incredible, LAC+USC is awesome, volunteer opportunities abound. If I get in, I'm going there.
After interviewing here and seeing the campus, USC has pushed itself up to my #1 choice. (It was at #3 pre-interview). Everyone was so friendly, even students I approached at random to ask directions. They have really nice facitlties for the students, including a lounge with big leather couches and a big screen TV -maybe why tuition is so high :-)Seriously though, I think I would be very happy at this school, and would recieve a top quality education. LA county hospital is incredible, I am 100% sure I would see cases there that I would not see anywhere else!
Overall, my experience at USC was great. The tour was informative and the students that led the tour were very helpful and friendly. The facilities are good and the hospital is great. You would definitely have great clinical experiences at USC since it's in downtown LA. Lunch was good (I had chinese chicken salad). The student interviewer actually asked harder questions than the faculty interviewer, but both were pretty relaxing.
Your 2 interviews are scheduled anywhere between 8 and 5. Other than
that, the whole program is just the tour/lunch with the med students.
No group orientation. No financial aid. You check in at the
KAM building, and if you have down time, you can ask to see a schedule
of classes if you want to sit in on one or two. My student interviewer
was very conversational and sweet; we joked a lot throughout. No tough
questions, though I heard that another student interviewer did throw out
some. Faculty interviewer just went down a list of questions, taking his
time to review what he had to ask...he was very gentlemanly and kind.
These closed-file interviews obviously take extra work on your part than for
the open-files, so be sure to take opportunities to market yourself here and there.
USC was my first interview which made me nervous. My self-inflicted nervousness carried over to my faculty interview. My interviewer was tough but good since we never had an awkward silence. I got a really hard ethical question....my advice...just be honest. Also, approach the ethical questions as a thinking game...take your time to process the question and your answer. All in all, both the faculty interviewer and the medical student were interesting to talk to. BE POSITIVE, RELAX, and HAVE FUN.
With my student interview, we just went to the cafeteria and chatted. She was really friendly and just wanted to get to know me a bit. Very low stress! <br>
My other interview was with an alumni off campus. (I had selected this option when choosing my interview date.) The only stress I had was self-inflicted. Some others I talked to that day had pretty tough ethics ?s, but I didn't. The last 2/3 of my interview was my interviewer talking and giving me advice about the application process. At one point, he said that the purpose of the 1st 5 minutes of the interview is to make sure that the applicant is normal. He just wanted to get to know me. A lot of the questions were about the current app process because he has been out of school for a while and just interested in who's applying now. Very low stress!
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggest that the admissions office should improve the organization of interview schedules and provide more accurate information regarding timelines. Additionally, some applicants recommend shorter interview days, more informative sessions, and earlier decision notifications to enhance the overall experience.
Be more careful about who you let interview students. Interviewing with the faculty alone would put me off from accepting an offer if admitted.
Only one would be, if possible, to provide us with a parking pass. Most students tend to be from California and drive there. But 12 bucks isn't the end of the world.
Be more honest with yourselves about the turn-around time for interviews. We were told with good confidence we would hear back within 2-4 weeks when in reality it was 6-8.
Perhaps a slightly shorter interview day. The financial aid presentation was helpful, but could have been summed up in a few handouts. I had my interviews in the afternoon so I was already a little tired from lunch, the campus tour and the tour of County hospital. If the interviews were an hour earlier that might've help the day not feel so long.
It might be worthwhile to get all interviewing students together at the beginning of the day and have someone present briefly on curriculum, opportunities at USC, and maybe combine it with the financial aid presentation. It's a nice way to start out and meet other interviewing students.
Very professional, yet friendly and invitiing. The admin office staff totally helped calmed my nerves after I initially showed up and felt a little nervous. After realizing how easy-going they were, it was all good. Keep it up!
