Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 28% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview mixed with a moderate stress level, and felt they did well.
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
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
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about ethical scenarios, personal weaknesses and strengths, reasons for pursuing medicine and choosing a specific school, views on healthcare reform, leadership experiences, research projects, and how applicants handle stress and challenges. Many respondents mentioned being asked detailed questions about their application, research, extracurricular activities, and volunteer experiences, indicating a comprehensive assessment process typical of Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) where participants may have been subject to a nondisclosure agreement.
You over hear other doctors talking about patient xxxx, and discussing how he has sued the past 3 doctors he has met with. You find out patient xxxx is on your list of patients for the day what do you do ?
Many particulars about application, research, extracurriculars, and community service?, such as who should we contact about your application to verify. How did you have the time to complete everything you said, the hours don't add up reasonably.
Weird heart transplant situation. I had to choose between a 35 year old drugee and a nice 70 year old grandpa. No right answer, I think they want to see how you think.
what would you do if some 18yr old (on a volleyball team that you were a physician for-or something like that)didn't want you to tell her parents that she was pregnant or a man or something wierd like that.
What are the cons of becoming a physician? What activities demonstrate your medical interest? What are your weaknesses and what are you doing to overcome them?
Why medicine? What qualities do you posess that will make you a good physician? What makes a good leader? How do you deal with stress and difficult people?
What would be your response if someone rebuked you for your international medical service stating that by having clinics in a 3rd world country for one week isn't helpful at all (especially for the chronically ill)?
Looking down the road 10 years, what changes do you see coming about in medicine and what are some things you anticipate having to deal with as a physician?
asked me about my idea of international healthcare. i have been all over the world so she wanted to see how perceptive i was of the health care while i was in those various countries.
What will you do if you're not accepted? (don't even hint that you would think about going to another school to which you've been accepted or you're screwed at the U).
On a dark road one night you see a young man in what appears to be a disabled car. His hood is raised and his blinkers are on. He asks you for a ride. What do you do?
You come upon an accident where you see three victims: one lying face down in a ditch face in the water, one with bilateral compound femoral fractures, and the third I can't remember. In what order to you treat them and why.
In 20 years from now you have been named the department head. What personal strengths do you have that qualified you for this position? What weaknesses would you need to work on?
They ask some things about diversity, which is something they're trying to bring to UUSM. So, know experiences where you've had to deal with people of diverse origins.
Woman getting a Cesarian and her platelets are low. Of course, her religion calls for no infusion of blood products. She says no blood products. She passes out. She is in a bad way. Her husband says "give her blood." What do you do?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Utah School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics including ethical dilemmas, coping with failure, healthcare challenges, and leadership scenarios. While some responses hinted at the interview being an MMI format with non-disclosure agreements, the questions predominantly focused on personal experiences, ethical decision-making, healthcare issues, and leadership qualities.
The interviewer told me his 90yr old mother with dementia needed a hip replacement surgery and asked if I was her doctor whether or not I'd try to convince him to allow the surgery. Why or Why not?
Ethics: Physician assisted suicide scenario. After the interview, the doctor told me his father had suffered for two weeks in hospice care before dying because the doctor was afraid to prescribe too much pain medication. I was really happy about the way I answered, and that I stuck with my convictions when he criticized me.
You made the claim that you had researched for over 50 hours over only two months with this professor, that seems like a lot, should we call to verify that?
An ethical situation. Say you are a 3rd year student on rotations as a OB/GYN. You and 3 other people are attending a patient knocked out on anesthesia and your attendee tells you to perform a pelvic exam. The other students perform the pelvic exam, and it is finally your turn when you realize that you haven't personally obtained the patient's consent. What do you do? What if the attendee threatens to write a bad evaluation that will affect your chances for residency if you decline to perform the pelvic exam?
The faculty interview was great - informal/conversational. The 4th year interview was strange because he simply pulled out a sheet of ''good'' questions. The most interesting involved a heart transplant dilema and deciding between two patients - a 35 year old drugee or a 70 year old grandfather.
If you were a leader of a country that had a conflict with another country, how would you make decisions? Who would you have as advisors? What are the important characteristics of a leader? Much more questions about leadership.
A lot of students say they want to go to medical school, what is the difference between you (the ones that do), and the ones that don't go through with it.
If you were the director/physician of a clinic in France and one of your nurses wore a head covering as part of their religion, knowing this is against regulations and the law how would you handle the situation?
I volunteer at a research clinic that is doing clinical trails for drug companies. The MD wanted to know the names of the drugs and some of the ingredients used. Some of the information he asked I am not allowed to give due to privacy issues. I mentioned this to the MD and he understood. I gave him one ingredient that is used in the research and he checked it out on a computer during the interview.
We were talking about problems in healthcare and the foreseeable changes in American healthcare, and the bureaucracies in medicine, etc., and I was asked where I felt I would fit in all of that, as a physician, and what role I would play.
If we do not accept you, what will you do to improve your application for us next year? (As if I wouldn't be applying or getting into any other medical schools!)
If you were working in the ER and a patient came in complaining of back pain and you suspicion was that the patient just simply wanted pain killers, what would you do?
Nothing particularily interesting. Just basic med school questions. They try to keep it very conversational. Interviewers have everything in your file except grades and MCATs and the interviews are designed to assess whether you as a person would fit in at the school.
So, tell me about this Wedding Coordinating Experience? (I spent last summer running 3 weddings, one of which I did all the flower arrangements and cake for)
Why did you travel and what did you do there? That was a great question to answer and I liked the interviewer alot. There was a question about the state of healthcare today, which is pretty standard I would guess.
Everything question was about my file, like... I read in your file that you did this... tell me about that experience. It was a very pleasant conversation with both.
What do you do in your leisure time? Yeah interesting right? I know its not but really every question was very basic. They could have asked my favorite color and it would have been more interesting.
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Utah School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics including reasons for choosing medicine over other healthcare professions, perspectives on healthcare policies like Obamacare, future of healthcare, personal strengths and weaknesses, ethical dilemmas such as handling conflicting data or patient care scenarios, and leadership experiences. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) with mentions of nondisclosure or non-disclosure agreements, hinting at a structured and confidential assessment process.
Asking me the outcome of the research I was involved with. back in 2008. I didn't follow up as it was my former job/research, so make sure you know what's going on with your research even if you aren't there anymore!
Oh and your interviewers may or may not grill you for the hours you post for each activity. One of my interviewers was surprised at the amt of extracurricular hours I had, but in turn that surprised me! Med School Applicants are expected to do a lot, especially in the case of the U of U secondary! =)
Tell me about your leadership experiences. Not really a hard question, the interviewer pressed on me to explain how they applied to my everyday life. From the amount of follow-up questions, not sure I was giving her what she wanted...
Please explain your activities while you were volunteering at the ____? The interviewer was not satisfied until I talked for over ten minutes about it.
Suppose you were the leader of a country that went into a conflict based on data from your advisor and then realized that data was wrong? What would you do? (This seemed too politcal and it made me uneasy)
If you were in congress today, what would you say about the proposed revisions in Medicare spending? (Hint: the debate has to do with whether gov't should negociate drug prices or private parties)
In the 60s a campaign was launched to promote a healthier America. American citizes today are much less healthy than they were then. What is the problem and what would you do to fix it?
Probably the same as above. The questions were, for the most part, pretty straight forward and came mostly from my file. Didn't get any ethical questions.
All of them were pretty straightforward. The interviewers (1 retired faculty & 1 4th yr student) both had thorough notes and used my file to ask relevant questions about my experiences.
You're working in a rurual clinic and only have one dose of a medicine to cure a particular disease. All of the sudden, two ambulances roll up--one is an 80 year old and the other is a 20 year old and they need this medication to survive. What would you do?
Nothing was really difficult. The interviewers asked me questions about myself. There were no ethical questions. I felt like the interviewers were really trying to get to know me. Also, they do have everything in your file, except MCAT and GPA. Utah feels these last two credentials create bias in the interviews.
I didn't find any of the questions too hard to answer; I had to defend my interest in rural healthcare a little bit and to explain my research experiences - which I suddenly found I had a hard time remembering the exact details of. Normal stuff, I guess.
I didn't get any tough questions. One of my fellow interviewers that day got asked what he would do if he was the CEO of a major health organization....he said "shoot myself"
What would you change about yourself, and why? When I finished with my answer, she asked the same question again--what else would you change? What else besides that? She wouldn't let up on this topic.
Say you have a 16 year old who is looking to get birth control and she doesn't want her parents to be told. Explain what you would do and more importantly, why.
I was asked a crap load of dumb unreallistic questions. One of the interviewers asked me to formulate a medical problem (when I asked him what he meant, he said some students talked about health-care reform etc...), describe the factors associated with it, and then propose a plan for correcting it. I was also asked to describe the participates in a typical small group, identify the different personality types that might be in that group, and then tell him how I would lead this group of people to a postive goal. That is only two of the six questions he asked me. What a nightmare!!! His final question was "what are you going to do if you don't get into medical school?" Not a good sign. The interview was done by phone two days after I had surgery. I was also asked to travel to Boise, Idaho for another interview.
Ethics question about being a student and a resident screwed up a dosage but it was a small error...the attending says it was only a small goof, no need to tell the patient...do you tell?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Many applicants prepared for the interview by practicing MMI scenarios, mock interviews, reviewing their application thoroughly, reading school websites, and staying updated on current health issues and ethics. They also used resources like SDN, sought advice from MDs and current medical students, and practiced answering common interview questions aloud to feel more confident and prepared.
Looked through the website. Did the recorded video interview. Ate breakfast. Everything was situational/ethical without any interviewer knowing anything about your application so there wasn't a need to review what I said in my essays/experiences.
Read through Utah's website. Researched all recent news on them (ex.. they just cut a bunch of medical student seats because of loss of funding). Educated myself about current health issues.
SDN, mock interview with a current med student. I also read lots of health care research and policy analysis at sites like heritage.org and cato.org, these sites are awesome!
SDN, Mock Interview, Reading NY times Health Section, Ethics Journals, Relaxing, and reviewing my application slash polishing up on remembering the scope of my research.
I read classic cases in medical ethics, how doctors think, and some leadership books. I also spent time researching health care policies in other countries that have been successful in providing health care coverage to all of its citizens.
SDN printed off all school interview questions in database and reviewed them. Used Kaplan workbook for interviews. Looked on website to make sure I would have some good questions to ask them.
looked at the school's website and read over my primary and secondary apps a zillion times VERY THOROUGHLY. came up with potential questions they could ask about my app. mock interview.
This site. Tried to bone up on healthcare a bit. Practiced, aloud, answers to anticipated questions. Attended a lecture at the Huntsman Cancer Institute a couple days before my interview and checked out the facilities.
Reviewed the schools materials, my files (essays, resume etc), went to the places that I would be at the next day, and went for a relaxing hike in the mtns behind the med school the day before.
After very postive interview experiences at Wash U and Columbia where they focused on the experiences listed in the application and asked some questions about my motivations for medicine, I just reviewed my AMCAS application.
Applicants were consistently impressed by the new and state-of-the-art facilities at the school, the friendliness and enthusiasm of the students and faculty, the beautiful location next to the mountains, and the emphasis on student support and well-being. Suggestions included offering more clinical exposure earlier in the curriculum and highlighting opportunities for research and abroad.
Class is only 4 hours a day. Most students study for 4 hours and attend/watch lectures for 4 hours and go home. Most of them treat school like a 9-5 job for the most part unless they have finals or other big tests to prepare for. Lots of students go hiking/campling or do fun stuff on the weekends. The school/life balance seems really good at the U. I saw some classmates from undergrad and they seemed to be just as happy and stressed as they were during undergrad. The school interviews exactly 4 times as many applicants as they have seats (they put applicants in different pools depending on in-state/OOS/Idaho and keep the 4:1 ratio in each pool) so getting an interview is a big step and statistically means you only have to beat 3 people to get an acceptance, even if you're OOS. The education building where classes/labs are held is brand new and the school of medicine is supposed to be torn down and replaced within a couple years. Lots of collaboration within the classes, not a lot of cut-throat competition.
People in Salt Lake City are EXTREMELY KIND! As a liberal who has lived all over the country, I thought that the city would be rather sheltered but it's surprisingly progressive -- albeit there is not much to do outside of winter sports. The educational facilities are quite new. The medical students are very happy.
All of the current students were very positive about their experience there and were willing to answer ANY questions you had about attending the U for med school.
The school is amazing. There are many hospitals on the campus and so many research offices and departments. Also, the school sits up on the mountains overlooking the city.
A lot of the interview was discussion based. They would ask me a question, and then give their opinions on the matter - a fair amount of back and forth
I'm doing a Master's through the dept. of Pathology so the people that I work with, the teachers, in general the attitude towards the importance of research.
Pretty much everything. The building is new, has tons of windows and a beautiful view over the Salt Lake Valley. The students I met were all really nice and helpful. The faculty the interviewed me was super nice and fun to talk to.
The facilities, everything is brand new, hospital on-site of medical school, beautiful view of the Salt Lake Valley, it was snowing, the massive mountains, the friendly interviewers.
The resources available to students. Every student I talked to, had no complaints about anything. They had no regrets and loved it. They emphasized how the school goes head over heels to make sure you succeed.
The facilities are all new, the student body seems cohesive - everybody knows each other. The location is also great, Salt Lake is a nice city - great outdoor activities and more culural experiences available than you would initially think.
The new facilities have been designed to maximize student comfort. Good place to learn. The students were happy and seemed to be a cohesive group. The new facilities seem to encourage students to hang out together since they all study, eat and hang out there.
I wasn't too excited about the school prior to my interview. I had never been there and hadn't heard too much about the program. After visiting though, I am completely sold on it. Excellent facilities for the students in the health sciences building (1st and 2nd year classes are taught there). World class genetics program (professor there won this years Nobel prize in the field), Huntsman Cancer Institute is amazing, along with many of the other centers. Large teaching hospitals all around SLC, to include the Inter-Mountain Health Center which opened the first week of November in the valley. Seems to be lots of money for scholarships, loans, etc at the school. Plenty of research going on there. As I mentioned, I wasn't expecting much, but was pleased to find the program and facilities better than any that I had visited to date. They say there is a lack of diversity at the school, but I think it actually does a pretty good job of representing the cultural make up of the community that it serves. I met with a gay student, several students from non-Caucasian backgrounds, was interviewed by a women. And I asked them specifically about the diversity aspect as it is a concern of mine. They said that SLC has diversity, you just have to look for it and that they got along great with all of their classmates despite what many perceive as a rather homogeneous mix.
New classrooms, I sat in on two classes which I really liked. One class was great, lecturer was funny and easy to listen to, the other class was boring so we left. Having lunch with the students was helpful.
The facilities are really nice!! They put their money where their mouth is. There are lots of different facilities really close there. I also liked how honest my student interviewer was in answering my questions.
The students and teachers were some of the most enthusiastic people I have met. They obviously love the school, and it made me excited to interview there. Also, the interview was extremely laid back. I felt extremely at ease with both of my interviews.
The ladies in the admisisons office were really nice, the interviewers didn't try to intimidate me (that much). They were trying to get to know me more and see if I could fit in at the school.
The friendliness and welcoming atmosphere of the facilities and the students. The students were cohesive and really close. The facilities are new and very nice. The staff are very considerate and concerned about your needs.
Facilities were nicer than I imagined. All of the students seemed to really enjoy the school. The Huntsman Cancer Center, Genetic Research Building, etc. are beautiful. Current classrooms weren't bad at all.
The campus is beautiful-up in the foothills of the Wasatch mountains. The new building is as nice as they say, and there are tons of opportunities for clinical electives in SLC.
Very friendly staff and student body - seemed like everyone was VERY happy to be there. The new Health Science building is AMAZING! and the cadaver labs were very nice compared to other schools.
Even though this is a well established and "ranked" school I was impressed by the respect and friendliness of the interviewers and other staff towards me as compared to some DO schools that I have interviewed at: NOVA and KCOM. At these two DO schools they ragged on me about your MCAT even though my GPA is above most applicants!! So, if they are not happy about the scores why invite me for an interview? Just to make me feel little? Now, on the other hand Utah has style. I hope I get accepted.
The new medical school is very impressive. It was designed with technology in mind. It would favor the student who likes to bring their laptop to class.
The new building is very nice, the mountains are fantastic, the students seemed very friendly and enjoyed going to school there. The curriculum is more interdisciplinary than I originally thought. It's also the cheapest school that I've applied to.
the new Health Science Edcuation Building is AMAZING! State of the art lecture halls, lounge rooms, beautiful building. Also, the admissions staff is very nice and the students are very nice as well.
A lot, actually. The new facilities really are top notch. The other interviewees were all friendly. The students were great, and went out of their way (a few, at least) to welcome us and wish us luck. The admissions staff was great, particularly the lady who gave the tour (Tammy, I think). Sat in on a class and the lecturer was really excellent. Great opportunities for research. And the lunch was really good.
Utah is a great school and the students that ate lunch with us and the we saw while we were there were super friendly and helpful. The new facilities that will be done come July 2005 will be awesome for the upcoming class. They have built a five story brand new facility essentially just for the medical students. The research facilities are amazing and the hospitals that are affilliated with utah are very nice and up to date.
The Health Science Center facilities will be magnificent when they open in 2005. They are now have tours of it through May 23, 2005. This 5 story building is essentially just for the medical students. It is really quite incredible!!!
The students were ridiculously HAPPY! At all other schools I've visited students seem kind of stressed out and overwhelmed but everyone at Utah had it together and seemed really happy. They're also extremely friendly. Random students saw me in my suit and just came over to talk to me about the school and how my day was going.
There is a new medical education building, opportunities to travel abroad, second year students were happy and laid back, everyone was really really nice.
That they were interested in me. I never felt that they were attempting to show me how lucky I should feel to be there. They were very genuine and concerned about what I thought of the school.
They are building a new building for the medical school and nursing school. The hospitals and research facilities are nice and the students seemed to enjoy going to school there. I also thought both of my intervewers were very good. Also, there is a lot of political gossip spread about the admissions committee at the University. I didn't see any of it, and I think the admissions committee tries their best to bring in the strongest class.
Everyone was very nice and they really emphasized that not only were you there to determine if you were the right fit for the university, but also if the university was the right fit for you
The detail that Utah goes into in order to select their students. Some may say that it is long and drawn out, however, I think it's actually beneficial in order to surface the most qualified applicants. After interviewing, some applicants are notified of their acceptance early, but a majority tend to find out around April.
The openness and friendliness of all the students and staff. I went and sat in one a class, and had 2 students introduce themselves and many wish me goodluck while the passed me.
The admissions staff really seemed to have tried to match up my interviewers with my age, gender and background which I thought was pretty nice of them. Also, the staff was consistently kind and friendly throughout the day and I really felt that they took a personal interest in me and my doing well in the process. Also, the other students in the school were really friendly and took time during the class break to come up to me and another interviewer to ask us questions and answer any questions we might have. Awesome! Because it's a small community and a small-ish school, I really felt that everyone was looking out for us and people smiled at us (in the blue suits) as we walked around the halls and campus.
friendly admissions staff and interviewers, the student who came and talked to the interviewees while hanging out in the student lounge, new facilities being built, research facilities
A few of the students being interview had a break and were able to go to a first year class and the first year students were extremely friendly and came up to ask and talked about the program.
The education seems to be quality. The facilities are old but relatively nice. The faculty seemed interested in the students. Dr. Samuelson was friendly and honest. The students seem content.
The school is actually in the hospital and all the hospitals there including the UofU, Primary Children's and the VA hospital, as well as a few others are so closely linked. Research opportunities.
The students and the dean's office. As opposed to others, I thought the students were very friendly. They always came up and introduced themselves and tried to sell the school. I wonder if the previous poster was justa prick and wondered why no one would talk to him. I have seen it at other schools where the arrogant interviewees ack like jerks and then complain that the students were "mean and rude". Anyway, the students seemed to have a lot of fun, but also studied pretty hard. It is hard not to play when the mountains are 30 minutes away.
I was really impressed with mountains so close to campus. There is a lot of private money going into the Medical School, Huntsman Cancer Institute and the Moran Eye Center.
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about negative interview experiences, limited diversity among students, outdated facilities, lack of organized activities, and slow admissions decision-making processes. Suggestions included improving interviewer attitudes, increasing diversity, updating facilities, providing more engaging activities, and expediting admissions decisions to enhance the overall applicant experience.
The interviewer was a little bit mean to me. He was sarcastic with me and insinuated that none of my answers were good enough when he asked why I wanted to go to medical school (as opposed to doing another type of job such as an engineer or a lawyer). He made me feel like he didn't think I was good enough to come to his school. I feel like he was fishing for a specific answer and he didn't like that I didn't give him the answer he was looking for.
The anatomy lab is in a separate building that is not right next to the others. It was not part of the tour because it was too far away. In-state tuition is still 39k+. They don't "give" you a laptop. You get an iPad air for the first 2 years then you have to give it back and they give you an iPad mini for clinical years.
Mandatory attendance. Out-of-state tuition. Apparently the air quality is really bad because of "the inversion" -- and I'll be honest, I'm an asthmatic.
The mixed messages about when we will hear about the admissions committee decisions. Different UofU SOM officials reported different things, which has made the waiting process somewhat frustrating.
Their interviews were not very challenging. Maybe one hard question per interview. The rest was very scripted and generic; made it hard to stand out. Also lack of diversity in Utah.
The location is a good and a bad thing. It's a good thing b/c it's peaceful, beautiful, and no distractions. But it may be too quiet at times, and not sure how the culture is since I'm an OOS applicant who was born and raised in Los Angeles and currently living in New York City.
The office staff was not friendly, the secondary application process was really inefficient, and the school does not seem to do well with residency matches.
Not to be racist, but the demographics of the first year class we attended definatly don't match the demographics of the state of Utah or even the application pool,I'm sure of that. Hooray for Affirmative Action and the U's attempts to diversify.
The tour was limited to the new building. The first thing my interviewer stated when he walked in was that he only had 4 hours of sleep. He seemed so bored throughout the interview, he kept checking the time and yawning.
While there are opportunities for volunteering to gain clinical exposure, it didn't seem like it was too integrated into the curriculum, rather they use standardized patients to prepare for the new part on the USMLE. Wasn't able to get a really good feel for the curriculum, it seemed to be a mix between a traditional curriculm and system/regional based. Board scores are a little below national average ''they teach students to be doctors, rather than focus soley on the boards.'' That said, it seemed like the students were competitive on the match. Housing prices are higher than many other areas I have looked at.
that there isn't much diversity, although they are trying to change this. there were only 3 women in my interview group (including me), and the other 6 were white males.
Faculty interview would always say ''Is there anything else'' after every answer I gave, it made me uneasy. It seemed faculty interview was not familiar with my file.
Student interview was horrible (Did this guy even HAVE have a pulse?). The facilities are nice but go mostly unused, why?
Students seemed a bit on the close-minded side.
The only thing I didn't like was another guy in the interview group. He had an overwhelming attitude of arrogance. Everything about the school was great!
They didn't say much about alternative opportunites in the educational aspect of the school like overseas clerkships, possibility of pbl, or tell me much about research opportunities. It seemed like there wasn't much emphasis on preventative medicine/nutrition etc from what the students said (even though the website claims that's a big part of things).
Pre-interview day "pep talk" emphasized that no matter what happened, we'd be OK (as if the interview, our day, or the news from the school that we were rejected would be devastating). "No matter what happens today, the sun will still rise tomorrow..." It was a little odd and presumptuous. Also, there can be a 3rd interview, in the event that something goes wrong with interviewing (inapproriate questions asked, etc.). Though rare, there are several each year. No other schools I've interviewed at mentioned a similar policy, and so it seemed strange. Computing facilities not well developed.
My faculty interviewer sucked. Who really cares about the new seats. Yeah, they are comfortable, but what else do they have? The class seemed to not be very cohesive. Clubs were almost nonexistant.
Not a diverse student body in any way, and I'm used to going to school at very homogeneous places. The Dean went on at length about not finishing all the classes/majors/research projects, etc. that one might claim during the application process- if you mislead them, they give you the boot. That shouldn't surprise anyone, but he really hammered this point concluding with "don't try to play hardball with the guy who's got the biggest bat." Hilarious! I don't expect he caught the double-entendre of this...
The interviews were short, cold, and really didn't ask me much: mostly just asked me if I had any question...(how can they decide anything when they do that? Why interview?)
It seemed as though one of them, the 4th yr med student, was probing my file for holes instead of focusing getting to know me outside of the numbers and stats.
There are a lot of married students, and there is a definite discrepency in the male to female ratio. I don't know how these things would affect my classes but they might hamper study groups, class dynamics, etc. Also, not sure about the social scene in Salt Lake. There is tons of outdoor stuff to do but not as much typical "city" stuff like bars, concerts, etc.
The match list was not as impressive as other schools I had looked at. I interviewed with 12 other guys, and me the single girl - it was a little strange. A lot of the student body is married.
Not very formal. The secretary who took us around didn't seem to have a set plan of what she was doing. It was almost too laid back, ie If you want to, you can check out a class between your interviews, or you can wander around campus or fall asleep, whatever you want.
Old building and they treat you like garbage. You are here by our good graces and we could care less is the standard attitude. Their admissions policy regarding out of staters....you can be a minority or you're out of luck unless you can conjure up strong ties to the state. AS IF UTAH IS THAT DIVERSE AND NEEDS TO PRODUCE DIVERSE PHYSICIANS!!!
The only benefit they give for going there is the cheap tuition. That's the only reason, in their minds, that you should want to go there. They didn't talk at all about their students' success on the boards or anything else like that. It was all about tuition. The facilities are subpar at best.
Because it's a state school, apparently there were problems in the past with minortiy women from out of state. Some of the other med school students from in state resented the fact that the woman got in an not one of their caucasian/local friend. I don't know how this is being resolved. But the school is DEFINITELY homogeneous (mostly male, caucasian and mormon), and a good majority of the student body is married.
Some of the medical students were really great, answering questions and helping out. Some medical students seemed snotty and cared only about the free lunch they were getting. They even sat at their own table and had their own conversation.
Well, it's not like Philadelphia or New York where there are about 5 other medical schools nearby. So it's definitely a school out there on it's own. Otherwise, nothing really negatively impressed me. It's a small town area which is great in alot of ways and the facilities seem up to the mark.
The lunch with the second years. They mostly sat together and talked about other things so it was hard to interact with them. You got the impression they didn't care about meeting you; they just wanted the free lunch.
Almost everything else. Utah certainly thinks it has a great program, and they seem to have convinced their studentbody of it. I don't gather that it's national reputations agrees, however.
The students don't feel it is important to go to class. I also told a current student something in confidence and she told the program director straight away.
The second interview was with a medical student--the "What would you change about yourself"-student. She was ill-prepared for the interview, having just barely scanned my material. She wouldn't even talk with me--she just threw out question after question, seemingly unconcerned with my answers, or if I even gave an answer.
The medical students were very disinterested in the applicants. I attended two class periods and not one student said "boo." They did step over me to get to seats though. I was interviewed three times by the clowns in admissions!!! Holy cow, how long does it take to make a decision? My first interview was by a medical student, frazzled by Residency interviews, who seemed more interested if I was a "cool" medical student than a competent applicant. I also had to travel to Boise for an interview and do another over the phone. It did not impress me at all that several medical students (there was a free lunch that these guys came to) bragged about bagging 15 days skiing that semester. Sorry guys, I want to go to some place more devoted to studying.
I sat in on a class that the professor didn't seem too excited to be teaching. That was kind of disheartening, but it was only one guy n only one class.
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the relaxed interview style, the focus on health care crisis questions, and the need to have current requirements within the last four years. They also mentioned the lack of breakfast options, the long admissions process until April, and the diversity in the student body and faculty.
I wish I would have been given a chance to ask students here about their opinion of the school.
There's some snacks & water when you arrive but nothing breakfast-oriented, so eat before you arrive. It takes about 10 minutes from parking at the hospital to walk to the admissions office - and that's without getting lost. The directions they send to applicants are pretty good though.
50/50-LDS and non-LDS students, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but a current med student told me that the Mormons know who the non-Mormons are and they tend to stick together.
All requirements must be current within the last four years. If you take a year off before applying you can't count anything you did your first year on their secondary application.
They really just go by your file. I've interviewed at U of U twice and this was the case both times.
Really know your research, it's a big research school, but all in all both experiences, with all 4 interviewers was great and they make you feel really comfortable. They really do just want to get to know you.
How little my chances of being accepted are because I'm not "under-represented in medicine", also that they are going to verify EVERYTHING on my application before my final admission. I hope the person they call agrees I put in the same number of hours as I said on my primary and secondary applications. DON'T EXAGERATE
My counseler at the University of Utah had told me that the interviewers would read and know my file. Clearly not the case with my first interviewer, which completely caught me off guard.
GPA and MCAT are not included in the open book interview. The anti-( LDS white male ) thing is a myth, that just happens to be the majority of the people applying so you here stories about how the school won't except you if you fit that mold.
I think I was fairly prepared for the interview. But, if you interview during the winter, make sure you bring a coat; you do have to wak outside to different buildings sometimes for interviews.
I've heard negative things about this school from students attending other schools, there are a few negative comments on SDN, and the rankings aren't high according to US News. However, the students seem happy, the school seems like it will provide a good education, and the staff seemed supportive. In addition, tuition is quite affordable. Also, if you are married or have children, there is a lot of support available as a sizeable number of students are married and/or have children.
I wish I had known what they were looking for, the University of Utah's program is very diverse and so there is no one 'right applicant.' They try to see who they think would fit in at the school.
That everyone at my interview day would be male and white and still in college (except me). And that there's little chance of finding out their decision until March/April.
The new facilites. it isn't very advertised that the school is building such nice facilities and that really made a big impression on me once i actually got there for the interview.
The anatomy lab is located off the medical school campus. Supposedly it's too far away to walk in the winter which might deter me from actually going to disect.
Also found out they're building a new facility for health professions students which should be open in the fall. It seems really nice.
While the curriculum appears to be very traditional, there are alot of opportunities to volunteer in clinical settings where there is usually a great amount of responsibility placed on the student such as interviewing the patients and deciding what tests to order and then reviewing with the doctor what you want to do.
Applicants generally found the interview process at the school to be positive, with a friendly and low-stress atmosphere. Many appreciated the conversational nature of the interviews and the opportunity to showcase their experiences beyond grades and scores, while also highlighting the school's facilities and supportive staff.
If you can get your 6 letters of recommendation together, this place is worth applying to! People are kind and happy, and the living costs are pretty cheap!
Awesome quality of education/amazing recreation opportunities...But you also have to live in Salt Lake. I felt I had more in common with med students at other schools. The students seemed anxious to get their degree and get out.
Many people say that the U is very hard to get into, and I agree; however, I feel like they are the only MD school in the nation who cares about what kind of applicants they're bringing in more than their stats. I have a very poor MCAT score, but an exceptional application and was invited to interview. Not one other MD school even waitlisted me for an interview this year. I feel like they all just looked at my MCAT and said, "well we couldn't accept him could we." I am not bitter about being rejected, but grateful for the changes the U is making in medical school admissions.
If you are not from Utah, go eat at Bombara in Downtown Salt Lake City. Aside from the interview, it will make your trip worthwhile. My favorite restaurant ever!
Best of Luck!!
First interview was really short (25 min) and she seemed bored before we even sat down. The second interviewer spent most of the time talking about himself and his practice and had the assumption I was applying for a residency post. The admissions office had me come back another day for a replacement interview as a result. The new second interview went really long (almost an hour) and she pressed me on doctor shadowing, leadership, clinical experience. The interview as a whole seemed to go real well though.
Remember to just be honest with the interviewers, they also give you the opportunity to fix any discrepancies in your application before it goes before the admissions committee. DON'T EXAGERATE the make sure everything is verified.
I was interviewed by a 4th year student and a professor. The student seemed to be much more interested in the interview but both were pretty laid back and interesting.
I think the U resents the fact that they have to accept soo many instate so they make the process as dificult as possible. Just my opioinion it's probably wrong.
The interviews are partially open-file. Interviewers have access to your AMCAS personal statement, activities, and your secondary, but not to your GPA or MCAT scores.
The first interviewer (4th year med student) seemed bored and uninterested. He was checking his watch and yawning the whole time. He didn't read my file, and kept trying to ''wing it'' with questions like tell me about yourself, or tell me about leadership experiences. He also caught me off guard by asking me to tell me about my research and after I did (research was my strongest point - I worked in a lab for 2 years and have a publication in a peer reviewed journal as a first author) followed it up by saying ''Oh, so it's just basic stuff. Nothing really special.'' to which I had no idea how to respond.
The second interview with the physician was a lot better. He seemed genuinely interested and knew my file pretty well. The interview itself was quite conversational and no questions were really surprising.
The student interview was very relaxed. The physician interview was much more intense. They went through my application like a shopping list asking me what my role was in each experience and how many hours I spent on it. There were also several open ended questions. It was not conversational.
Very good atmosphere, amazing staff, supportive and encouraging. Give yourself plenty of time...weather can be unpredictable.
Just know your AMCAS well enough to engage in a conversation about any sentence you put into it.
Showed up around 7, I anticipated a lot of traffic in SLC, but was wrong and ended up getting there super early. Sat around waiting for the activities to begin. Chatted with some of the admissions folks and other interviewees. Everyone was very nice and had interesting backgrounds. At 8 the admissions director spoke with us for half an hour about the interviews and the admissions process. He was a little ''over-bearing'' in regards to us switching classes that we said we were going to take. They frown upon people saying one thing and doing another once they get accepted, for good reason I suppose. We then had two-45 minute interviews. That left an extra hour before the actual health sciences tour that we could use to check out the campus on our own. Got the 30 minute tour of the facilities with a admissions staff member and a second year student. Then had lunch with a bunch of other students. They had a great cafeteria on the undergrad campus that we ate at. I ate pretty much garbage at my school as an undergrad, but here it is real nice. Everything was finished by 1pm. No more than 10 interviewees are scheduled on that same day.
Overall good experience. Friendly students, admissions staff, and interviewers. The interview day definitely breaks down preconceived notions of the university and adds a dose of reality.
Overall, it was a very low-stress experience, and everyone was so friendly and nice. 2 interviews in the morning, followed by tour and lunch with 2nd year students. I also had a great student host, she gave me a ride to/from the airport and the interview, and even took me to dinner afterwards with other med students.
The interviews, in general were laid back, especially with the 4th year med student. The faculty member was more serious even though he didn't ask any typical interview questions. He focused more on how I deal with diversity, health care, and with patients. No questions about my volunteering experience. Only questions on my research and leadership
Laidback and easy-going. Great company and communication from co-interviewees. Admissions staff was friendly and fun. Initial meeting, faculty interview, student interview, tour, lunch with 2nd year students.
The interview starts at 8:00 AM. You have two interviewees, one faculty and one fourth year med student. For the most part the interviews are pretty laid back, although I got some intense questions in my second interview.
Student interviewer was great, shared similar interests and was very friendly. Also seem like student had taken the interview seriously and studied my file closely which was helpful. Faculty interview was weird during the last half because of the hypothetical political nation mind game, I was not expecting that. I really hope they enforce the third interview policy on my file if the interview scores differed too much.
I had a great experience. This is definitely my #1. All the staff was great, the students were very helpful too. I went to one class and talked to students afterwards. That was nice b-cuz I know those students weren't preped before hand. It was good to see how happy they were and how laid back the atmosphere seemed.
Very laid back. My first interview was with a 4th year student, and felt more like chat session than an interview. My interview with the physician left me quite impressed, and again was fairly laid back.
I had a great experience and would choose the U hands down if given the opportunity. Not only was it a great school with great facilities but all of the people there made me feel at home. I could definitely spend four years there and be very happy.
It was nice and I did find out that it was a good school. It seemed like you had to be proactive in order to get involved in programs that interest you (like anywhere I guess) - I'm just saying that they're not coming to you.
Easy going; meeting with the dean then one interview followed by a long break in which we hung-out with first years and then a scond interview followed by lunch and a tour.
Along with getting to know me personally based on the content of my essays/AMCAS materials, both of my interviewers seemed to be getting at the same information, but through their own questions. A few of those basic questions, though not verbatim, follow.
My two interviews were first thing in the morning. Then there was time to sit in on a class, have a tour, and eat lunch with students. Both of my interviews were laid back-one was with faculty, the other with a 4th year student. The student talked as much as I did, telling me about the school and how it is to be a student there if you aren't Mormon. It's just something to be aware of while you interview to see if you think you will fit in there or not.
The student was very friendly. He did seemed to be a bit biased toward his alma mater of which I graduated (thank goodness.) The faculty interviewer was almost a half hour late in interviewing me. He wasn't very friendly and wasn't interested in making me excited about the school.
Very nice - besides the nazi research interview. Very impressed with the new facilities and adjuct facilities (Moran Eye Center, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Eccles Institute of Human Genetics, Biomedical Polymers Research Institute, University Hospital, Primary Children's Hospital) all surrounding the school.
The 2nd year students were great to talk with. They were extremely willing to give advice and answer any questions we had. They seemed to love the area and the school.
The 4th year student who interviewed me was a pleasant person; made me feel very welcomed. No arrogance there! He was surprised at the hours I had put into volunteering, clinical observations and research activities. How did I do so much?
The MD that interviewed me asked me typical questions and questioned my research experience. Looked up in the computer if what I said was valid about my research experience. Fortunately he found it! He was very pleasant and kind.
A good experience.
The Utah campus is amazing. The Rockies are literally at your doorstep basically wherever you are in the city. Salt Lake was spread out but there was transit (bus, train) evident. The students were really talkative and gave me a few tours and peptalks before my interview.
It was great. The admissions office was very friendly as were the medical students. One of my interviewers tended to ask some tough questions while the fourth year medical student interview was very easy going.
I think both interviews went well. The student interview seemed more like a conversation than an interview. A positive point for me was that they try to pair you up with people that have similar interests as you.
Both interviews were with friendly individuals who seemed interested with using the interview to better present me to the admissions committee. Both made a point of saying that they viewed their role as advocate for the applicants.
As far as their medical program...it's great. Great faculty, facility, students, and great opportunities for medical experience in the huge health science center. Very cheap also. I'm not too excited about the fact that the school is only 30% females...it says a lot about the environment the school is located in.
The faculty interviewer asked a few tough questions that I didn't really know how to answer, but she was friendly and gave good clarification and feedback on questions. The student interview was extremely relaxed. There were a few structured questions, one on ethics, but the rest were direct questions related to my personal experiences. It was like "shooting the breeze" with a friend for an hour.
I left the U of U with a far more favorable view of the school than I had going into the interview. Almost everything impressed me. One interview with a faculty member and one with a 4th year. Both had read my file and were well prepared. Both were genuinely interested in learning about my experiences. Felt like they wanted to discover the good things about me. Though a couple kids in my group had some really tough questions. Guess it just depends on your interviewer.
It was a stress-fee experience, I got to sit in on a Neural Anatomy class, students all seem willing to answer questions and share experiences. One interview was with a faculty member and the other with a 4th year. I got along great with both of them. Originally this wasn't a top pick for me, however, I was really impressed with everything
The interviews were short, cold, and really didn't ask me much: mostly just asked me if I had any question...(how can they decide anything when they do that? Why interview?)
Good interviews and the admissions staff was great to work with. One interview with 4th year and one with an MD (not on admissions committe). Day included 2 interviews, financial aid presentation, lunch with 2nd years, and a tour.
One faculty interviewer came in twenty minutes late, hadn't even opened up my file, nor did she know anything about the admissions process. She had just moved to Utah and she hadn't even heard of Utah State University. The second interviewer was a nice 4th year student. Both kept asking me about other med schools I was applying to and why in the world I would want to attend those schools rather than the U. I thought it was very irrelevant.
i was very impressed with the school. i felt that the interviewers really spent a lot of time getting to know me and that they really had a vested interest as me as a person. one of the doctors that i interviewed with spent about 10 minutes after the interview just giving me advice about how to be a good student in medical school and what she feels makes a good doctor. i thought that was great that she would take the time to give me some advice especially with her not knowing if i would get into utah or not.
Great experience. If you get a chance when you visit plan an extra couple of days to ski/hike or interact with the outdoors. Most students from out of state come there for precisely that reason....
Arrive early in the morning (check in by 7:50 am). Have an orientation with the dean which was really impressive. He just seems very kind and concerned with the interviewees and students at the school and making sure things run smoothly for them. Interviews are from 8:30 to 11:30. You have two interviews during that time. One with and MS4 and another with a faculty member. If you have downtime during this time period you can go sit in on classes, explore the campus, etc. After interviews there's a lunch with MS2s followed by a financial aid presentation and then a quick tour. Overall I thought it was a very well organized day that definitely allowed me to get a sense of what the school is like and how it would be to study there.
everyone had two interviews - one with a faculty member and one with a 4th year student. both were very low stress and the interviewers were very nice and positive
my interview with the 4 year student was very laid back. he just told me about the school, how it was to be a med student and gave me lots of advice. he didn't really ask me about my file. my interview with the doctor was also laid back, but he went extensively over my file. all the questions he asked were just about my file and nothing else. the interview lasted over an hour and at the end he ask me to make a final statement.
Friendly and casual (I think this 'style' is requested by the administration...to an extent). They want to get to know you. They do not know your grades or mcat scores, so I think that helps bring in a more well rounded class. My inteview questions were fairly straightforward, but *always* be ready for them to focus on your weaknesses. You are there because you have good things on your application. Now they want to ask about details of things that could be problem points. Show them what you are doing to strengthen them.
The interviews went very well. They were low stress, get to know you type interviews. The interviewers knew who I was and they had been over my file. Whenever I mentioned something from the file, they knew what I was talking about, which was nice. I enjoyed my visit.
All in all things went very smooth. My interviewers were very nice and asked questions that seemed pertinent. I had an interview with an MD, PhD, and so I was scared that he was going to grill me only on my research experience. We spent the first thirty minutes talking about my extracurriculars. Everyone was very nice, including the second years who took us to lunch. Apparently you need both interviewers to say yes, if one says no than you get a tie-breaking third interview. The school was very fair and unbiased throughout the process, but we'll see if I still feel the same come April.
The first med student wasn't that interesting and was a geek and not really verbaly skilled. The second interview was great. The interview day kind of falls apart after that with an admissions person saying "well, I guess I'll take you on the tour."
I had two other interviews at better schools and was way more impressed with them than I was with the U. If it weren't for the fact that all my family is from Utah I wouldn't even consider going here. One of my interviews was with a lady who spoke horrible English. I had to ask her to repeat most of her questions several times, and I speak a couple of languages fleuntly and have no problem understanding most accents. She also tried to tell me things about the U that I know aren't true (for example, professors teach all their undergrad classes--bullsh**) They did a lousy job of "selling" their school to me.
Utah has an excellent school. Something I'm really looking for in a school is how unified students are. I thought Utah would have a very competitive environment, however, several students stated that one of their favorite things about Utah is the non-competitive aspect between classmates. I think this fosters a better learning environment for me. The only person I'm competing with is myself.
This was by far the best experience I have had for an interview, and the most fair that I have experienced. First off, the interviewer sees your whole file except MCAT and GPA, because the school feels that those factors distract the interviewer from getting to know the student. I think even the admissions committee doesn't see MCAT and GPA. They judge you based on the rest of your AMCAS, extra-curriculars and interview scores. They give you a numerical value that's put into a computer, weighted 80%, and then MCAT 10%, GPA 10%, and they pop out your score and decide from there. Also: the interviewers are told not to ask you tough, ethical questions, as the school believes asking contraversial q's such as stem cell research or abortion don't necessarily reflect on you as a person. They really are just trying to get to know who you are, and both my interviewers were thoroughly prepared: they had both extensively looked over my application before I got there. All in all, a good experience, a good school. The students were genuinely happy and nice.
Overall I really liked the medical school. I work in a research lab in the school of medicine now, and I liked that they let you continue your research during your first and second years. They seemed really flexible, and all the faculty and staff wanted the medical students to succeed and have a positive and healthy experience.
Very laid back. Student led interview was more like an interview with the student asking lots of questions and not talking much. The faculty interview was much more conversational.
I did not give Utah much thought before going but they really impressed me. Salt Lake City is a growing city but it still has a small town feeling to it which was very appealling. Because the school appears to be kind of small you know you will be able to interact closely with the faculty. Overall it was the least stressful interview and the school impressed me very much.
First off before the interview; they have some pretty extensive secondary application requirements (6 letters of recommendation, second personal essay, etc.) that can be a major hassle! Each of the people being interviewed had 2 interviews (one with a fourth year med student and one with a physician or faculty member). My med 4 interview was much less stressful, and more informative, than my faculty interview. Overall, we were treated very well that day by the students, the school is not extremely large so there seemed to be fewer opportunities than larger schools may have. Great place for outdoor recreation!
The day was very good. The interviewers were thorough but nice and prepared. The staff was friendly and wanted to help. It was good to go to lunch with current students to get their perspectives. I was excited about the school when I left, and I hope that things work out for me there.
I don't know that I could have asked for two better interviewers. The first was a fourth year student the second was with a peds emergency medicine specialist from the children's hospital. I feel that I got lucky because both interviewers were well matched to my interests.
The current students really felt good about being there, and many positives to say (as can be expected). The number of opportunities that are available for research here are incredible, and they look very highly on students with research experience.
This was a very easy, laid back friendly interview. The Dean of Admissions told us out right that we wouldn't be asked questions on abortion, stem cell research, or cloning. They ask alot about leadership and want to know that you have tested your desire to become a doc. Plus they like to know that you know what your getting yourself in to. The place takes all feed back very seriously. But really how do they evaluate candidates if their interviews are so nicey-nice?
Also the interviewers don't know your grades or MCAT score. They say this helps prevent bias.
This was a very easy, laid back friendly interview. The Dean of Admissions told us out right that we wouldn't be asked questions on abortion, stem cell research, or cloning. They ask alot about leadership and want to know that you have tested your desire to become a doc. Plus they like to know that you know what your getting yourself in to. The place takes all feed back very seriously. But really how do they evaluate candidates if their interviews are so nicey-nice?
My interview experience here was horrific. We all have nightmares about bad interviews, but this was worse than I ever could have dreamed. I was interviewed by a med student more interested in finding out if I was "cool" or a "gunner." Grades and test scores were thrown out. I then had to travel to Boise for another interview. Three weeks after that initial round, I was given a phone interview from hell by a non-MD faculty member teaching at the school probably still bitter about not getting into medical school in the first place. Luckily, I was already accepted into a good school, or I would have come out of this experience feeling next to mud.
Fairly laid back, my interviewers gave me the heads up when they were going to throw me ethics questions or "why be a doctor" questions. Tour was nice, lunch is ALL YOU CAN EAT which is great, and the students you meet are a great resource. Dominique, the girl in the admissions office is a cutie, too.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
The most common feedback and suggestions shared by applicants are to provide prompt rejections to applicants who are not being considered, improve transparency and communication throughout the admissions process, streamline the interview scheduling process, and enhance the interview day experience by reducing waiting times and increasing engagement with current students or faculty.
If someone is not even close to being on the accepted list please let them know sooner than later. This is one of the biggest flaws I see with Utah is their lack of transparency and openness. It seems like they send out a giant batch of rejections all at once in March. Why can you not let those applicants know sooner that they have not been accepted? Besides that, I think Utah is an awesome school.
Worst application process in the entire field. First, you have to reformat your entire primary application because their secondary is essentially the exact same but with less characters. Then, once you are invited for an interview, you must first complete an online interview and essay. Then on the interview day, (besides the fact that there's no parking and I got a ticket from their campus police) they ask you to complete their own situational judgement test (instead of accepting the CASPer like everyone else). And finally they have you do 8 MMI stations which is more than any other school had. The best part is, even if they are sure that they will reject you, you will not be rejected or waitlisted until mid-March. I waited around for 8 months post-interview to finally hear back from them. It left such a bad taste in my mouth. If you don't desperately want to attend school here, DON'T apply.
Instead of using a "request this date and we'll call to confirm" system for interview scheduling, it would be nicer to have "pick from these available dates" -- only because I was twiddling my thumbs about booking travel while I was waiting for a confirmation of my interview date.
The interview day should be less waiting around and more active participation by either current students or faculty. Sitting in the Starbucks for an hour was not the best use of my time at the school, and a self-guided tour is not a great way to impress applicants.
