Salt Lake City, UT
Pharmacy Schools | Public Non-Profit
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⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
7.2
Good
Generally favorable experience overall, applicants reported positive interactions with some minor issues noted.
Based on 67 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional
8–8.9 Very Good
7–7.9 Good
6–6.9 Mixed
< 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents were neutral about their interview.
Positively (64%)
Negatively (36%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (46%)
Good (46%)
Average (8%)
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview experience positive, emphasizing the importance of being friendly, sociable, and passionate. However, some expressed concerns about the lack of feedback and formal nature of the interview process, suggesting a desire for more interaction and transparency.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The school has each applicant sign a confidentiality form so I can't give out any specific questions they asked. But as long as you're friendly, sociable, and are passionate about your choice, you should be good to go.
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They weren't my top choice in the first place but I ended up choosing them over my top school for many good reasons (small class size, internship&clerkship opportunities, inexpensive housing, etc)
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Great school and an enjoyable experience overall. I was really anxious and nervous about it due to some of the negative things I had read and heard from past students. Those negative experiences seem to have been completely remedied.
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The way I approached the interview was to explain to the interviewers why I want to be a pharmacist and how I know I will be a good pharmacist. That mindset helped me greatly, both to calm my nerves and how to approach the interview.
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They were blinded to our application, all the interviewers (one pharmacist, one faculty member, and one student) had was a paper with my name on the top with a series of questions underneath. They didn't know my GPA, PCAT, and hadn't read my letter of intent. There were 5 questions total, and they took turns asking the questions while taking notes as I answered. I felt very confident which I think helped my performance. The structure of the interview is, however, quite nerve racking.
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
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Length:
25 Minutes Average
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Number:
2.8 Interviews Average
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Interview Type (Interaction):
71% One-on-One
29% Group Interview
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File Type:
8% Open-File
92% Closed-File
UTAH-PHARM-COMP interviews are an average of 25 minutes, with an average of 2.8 interviews. 71% of interviews are one-on-one, and 92% are closed-file.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
Respondents were commonly asked about their motivation for studying at the University of Utah and pursuing pharmacy, as well as scenarios related to customer interactions in a pharmacy setting. Additionally, hypothetical and ethical questions were mentioned, suggesting a variety of question types were posed during the interviews.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Why pharmacy? Why U of U?
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Why do you want to study at the University of Utah?
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Why the University of Utah?
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Why pharmacy?
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It doesn't matter what I put here, it won't help. Just expect some hypothetical, ethical questions.
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Utah College of Pharmacy discussed a variety of topics including handling group disagreements, diversity, understanding patient backgrounds, preserving aspects of healthcare during economic downturns, allocating funds to health organizations, and addressing the avian bird flu. Some responses mentioned a nondisclosure agreement regarding specific questions asked, hinting at an MMI format where questions are not disclosed, while others highlighted the recurring nature of the avian bird flu question in past interviews.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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How do you handle disagreement within a group
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A question concerning diversity.
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Explain why it is important to understand the diverse background of each individual patient and how would you help add to this diversity (Something along those lines).
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Given the current economic downturn what aspect of health care should be preserved and why?
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What health organization would I give one million dollars to in an attempt to improve health of Utahn's?
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by utilizing resources like Student Doctor Network (SDN), practicing mock interviews, reviewing common interview questions, speaking with current pharmacy students or pharmacists, and thoroughly researching the school's website and program. They also emphasized the importance of mock interviews, seeking advice from friends and family, and being prepared for unexpected or "off the wall" questions during the interview process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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SDN, top 100 interview questions, and mock interviews.
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SDN, google pharmacy school interview
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SDN, speaking with local pharmacist, practice interview questions
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SDN, thought about possible ethics questions, and read nearly every page on the College of Pharmacy website.
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Mock interviews Read interview books SDN
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Utah College of Pharmacy discussed focused on ethical dilemmas such as handling conflicts between doctors' orders and pharmacists' discretion, and addressing public health crises like the bird flu epidemic. Additionally, some responses indicated that the interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) due to references to nondisclosure agreements.
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None. The questions were typical
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They weren't too bad.
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None were difficult
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Without supporting a side, explain the current problem between a doctors order and pharmacists refusing to fill the order?
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What can you, the pharmacist, do to help the bird flu epidemic?
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were positively impressed by the beautiful and large campus, the friendly and helpful faculty, the inclusive environment created by students, and the emphasis on research and practical skills development. They also appreciated the warm and welcoming atmosphere during the interview process, the goodie bag provided, and the focus on getting to know the applicants.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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How beautiful and large the campus is. How every student loved their choice to attend the school. They offer free printing, a personal "club room" for each health profession, and they have a gym membership that's already included as apart of your tuition. They're also really big on the research department and they offer a simulation center to practice your patient consultation skills with paid actors!
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In contrast to the previous feedback below for this school which kinda influenced my view about the school prior to the interview, I actually found my interview experience very positive. The faculty was very friendly and helpful. The pharmacist who interviewed me was super nice. The program they offer is awesome
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You were provided with a goodie bag that was very nice throughout the duration of the whole process. The students were very nice and made you feel comfortable. The interview was really about getting to know you and not about the interviewers looking for a specific answer. The student interviewer also has a say in whether you are accepted or not. They also had an entire presentation on the financial aid part of pharmacy school.
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The facilities were impressive, students were very friendly and open, and the admissions staff was friendly and helpful.
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All of the interviewers were very friendly which helped reduce my stress level.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed negative feedback about the lack of physical resources such as textbooks, limited parking availability, disorganized interview processes, unresponsive admissions staff, and a perceived lack of care or engagement from the university staff. Suggestions included improving organization in interviews, providing more comprehensive interactions and resources, and demonstrating a more supportive and caring attitude towards applicants.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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They don't have physical hard copies of textbooks in their "library." When asked for something negative about the school, all the students had to say was the scarcity of parking spaces due to the campus being surrounded by multiple hospitals.
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The surrounding is very nice but a bit dull
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Parking near the College of Pharmacy is quite limited. Seriously that is my only complaint.
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The interview was slighly disorganized. Half of the interviewees were interviewed first and then received a tour and vice versa. This did confuse me a bit.
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Admissions responsiveness.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time that transportation options, the student interviewer's impact on acceptance, and not needing extensive technical knowledge were important factors. Additionally, understanding the supportive nature of interviewers and the significance of high academic scores for demonstrating learning ability were key insights desired before the application process.
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You can take the UTA trax all the way from the airport to the school and the other way around
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I wish I had known that the student interviewer plays a larger portion in your acceptance than I originally thought.
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The interviewers do not expect you to know much technical knowledge about pharmacy.
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That the interviewers were happy and wanted me to succeed. This would have alleviated the pre-interview jitters.
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A high GPA and PCAT score in the 90's is important for this school because it shows that the student can learn without any faculty assistance.
🤝 Campus and Facilities ▼
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How would you rate the Location and Cultural Life?
0 = Low, 10 = High
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested that the admissions office should aim to send confirmation emails for interviews promptly, without unnecessary delays of a week or more.
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Try not to wait a week or so before sending confirmation emails for interviews.
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
Airports Used
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SLC
33% interviewees used SLC (SLC), with 33% using Salt Lake Int'l Airport (Salt Lake Int'l Airport) and 33% using Delta (Delta).
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by automobile to the interview.
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21% Airplane
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79% Automobile
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0% Train or Subway
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0% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Airport Inn (average ranking 9/10). (Top 1 displayed)
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Airport Inn
9/10
What was the cost and time spent traveling?
Cost: Low Cost to High Cost
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are in state students.
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Friends or family or with friends or family.
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
Student (100%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Enthusiastic (100%)
All Responses
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