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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 30% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a low stress level and felt they did well.
Generally favorable experience overall, applicants reported positive interactions with some minor issues noted.
Based on 842 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional8–8.9 Very Good7–7.9 Good6–6.9 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.
How do you rank the facilities?
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?
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools revolve around topics such as ethical scenarios, motivations for pursuing medicine, personal experiences influencing career choice, strengths and weaknesses, future goals, handling patient interactions, and research experiences. Many respondents mentioned engaging in Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) format, indicating a structured approach with scenarios, and some referenced a nondisclosure agreement, suggesting a standardized and confidential interview process.
I was asked about the connection between health and poverty
Why didn't you do biochem research? Why did you do Org. Chem research when it won't apply to medicine? What exactly did you do in the lab? Why do you want to be a doctor? Why did you major in business? You majored in business, why don't you go get a business job? What books have you read in the past year? What do you see yourself doing in 10 years? How would you integrate research and clinical practice?
If you were a genetic consultant, would you feel comfortable telling parents that their child has a deadly disease? What if you know that your answer would lead to an abortion?
Mostly just conversational. We talked some about health policy which is important because all UTMB hospitals are public hospitals, but the school owns them which is nice.
why medicine? Is there one particular event that made up your mind? Do you know anyone in medicine or medical school that you talk to about the career choice?
Students said the most interesting question asked at University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston discussed various topics, ranging from societal values for aliens to personal reflections on societal issues. While the interview format was not specifically mentioned, responses varied from routine questions to engaging scenarios, with a mix of personal and ethical inquiries.
Do I think that medical schools should use applicants social media to screen them
My first interview, we talked alot about the history of Galveston and the school's ties to the city. Our conversation naturally went this direction, and so it was very relaxed.
(Prefaced with a conversation about how antibiotics are becoming less effective...) If you were a pediatrician, how would you tell a mother with a sick infant that it would be better for the child to not take antibiotics?
If you had as much money as you wanted, what place would you choose to go and why? (no questions were really that interesting, just straightforward conversational type questions)
Not many questions at all. I asked most of the questions. Other than that it was more like a conversation. I guess the most interesting question was "Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?"
If a child fell from a 10 ft. celing and was broght to the ER with no outside abrasions or lacerations, and seemed fine mentally what is the first thing that you as a physician would do?
When one interviewer saw that I was a political science major, he started asking me about health care policy, and if I thought it should be a privilege or a right.
Any interesting questions I had were directly related to the material in my file - I felt like my interviewers were genuinely interested in me and not in asking me really tough, what-if questions.
I'm a student in your group. I'm difficult to get along with and none of the students like me. They approach you to try to rectify the stituation. What would you do?
Do you realize that medical school is expensive? *later* How do you plan to pay for medical school? *again* Have you you considered the cost of medical school? (I guess medical school is expensive?!)
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston discussed a wide range of topics including preventing bias in patient care, fixing healthcare, human rights issues, career choices, and managing burnout. While no specific pattern emerged, the survey responses indicate a diverse array of challenging questions, reflecting the multifaceted nature of medical school interviews.
You are asked to "sell yourself" to someone who has never seen your application
None were that difficult, although the alien race one I felt was quite open but they still expected you have a certain response, but they took the time to try to guide me towards that ideal response.
What do you think is an important human rights issue? Follow up: What can you do about it?--It was so hard to answer this without mentioning something super controversial.
Second interviewer, I was asked about the ethics behind organ transplants and what type of ethics and role you as the doctor take behind organ transplants.
Are you going into medicine because of the prestige? (Said no and gave my reason, but interviewer mentioned that it will still happen, wasn't sure how to interpret his response/if he liked my answer)
What is your philosophy? (Note: I asked if he meant my philosophy on life or on something in particular, he said "no, your philosophy," then lectured me for not having a proper philosophy....oh well)
If you were living in he dorms and a fellow resident was under the influence of drug prior to going on a date, would you do anything? If so what course of action would you take?
The first interview grilled me on the question "why medicine." I've prepared a good list of reasons, yet she kept on making comments like "You could've be a nurse to care for others," "You can get a PHD and teach" while I was trying to emphasis the "combination" of all these things. She also spent at least 5 min telling me not to get pregnant until after residency (I'm married).
Over all, she was very intimidating and it wasn't a pleasant experience.
Interviewer described a scenario in which a patient was surely dying and asked you (the doctor) if there is any hope. How would you handle the situation? My response was followed by the interviewer going on a very long tangent about hope and post-death things. Tons of weird religious undertones, kind of uncomfortable.
One of the doctors during Katrina stayed behind to care for his patients and was forced to split them into 3 groups based on their probability to survive the aftermath. As the supplies ran low, he asked the patients who he thought would not survive for their consent to be euthenized. He then euthenized them. If you were a juror would you find him guilty or not guilty? If you were the doctor would you do the same?
None really...one ethical question that was difficult simply because you would not know the appropriate answer (not right/wrong answer) until you were put under that situation.
Nothing specifically - just trying to graciously handle my second interviewer's bitter and blatant attempts to deter me from medical school, which isn't really hard if you have thick skin. I think I pulled it off. He stopped being mean and walked me to my next stop.
"Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?" I was asked this by each interviewer. I think they just want to ask a question from their sheet to help start our conversation.
What do you know about a physician's life? (This one seemed difficult because the interviewer didn't seem satisfied with my answers, and kept repeating the question, emphasizing life.
In your opinion, what is the difference between psychologically ill patients who have become physiologically sick and those who are sick from the start?
Same - I'm not an art enthusiast by any means. Also, do you have any weird personality traits? So random and out of the blue that it was hard to answer.
In short, if you were treating a child whose diagnosis included revealed some degree of infidelity on the mother's behalf, what would you tell the father?
same as above only because after I answered the interviewer said, "you haven't had a very hard life have you?" It was pretty funny, but I haven't had any murders happen next door or anything.
To remember the lines to a poem I wrote that was published in my college literary magazine my sophomore year. I didn't remember - they were both disappointed.
Do you really mean it when you say you want to become a primary care physician or are you being dishonest? Of course I reported this interviewer to the responsible people and I got a second interviewer.
Who will pay for socialized medicine? What if someone works hard and another person doesn't, why should the person who works hard have to pay for the other person?
Nothing really difficult at all. I guess the question I was least prepared for was "how do you plan to balance family life with medical school." I should have seen that one coming, though.
Questions were very simple; no ethics or current event questions
Now that I think about it, he may have asked what I thought was the biggest problem with medicine today.
Nothing too difficult...I suppose there was this wacko question "when choosing your priorities in life, what values/beliefs do you base your decisions on?" or something like that. he seemed dissatisfied w/my answer (or maybe i was zoning out.)
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average 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 an open file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for interviews by reviewing SDN questions, practicing with mock interviews, researching the school's website, reading over their application materials, and staying informed about current health care policy and ethical issues. Many also sought advice from current students and alumni, and some engaged in specific preparation for MMI-style questions or practiced answering common interview questions.
Practiced MMI's questions with AI software, utilized SDN, asked for tips from current UTMB students.
This was my second interview so I didn't do much to prepare for it besides browsing through the school website, which was useless since one of the link to an informational page wasn't working, and I couldn't get the downloadable video file to play on my computer.
SDN interview feedback, reading a book on healthcare reform, articles on healthcare, read up on UTMB's general info and curriculum, reviewed my application/PS
Read my application a couple of times, read SDN, kinda wrote down basic traits I would like them to know about me, and kinda a list of my favorite books and movies. and rested
SDN, read ethics, healthcare issue books, prepared for possible interview questions, way over prepared (that doesn't mean you shouldn't. there's nothing wrong in being too prepared, because it can come in handy)
SDN; mock interviews; classes in Medical Ethics, Health Policy, & Health Disparities; re-read my personal statement; read about the school on their website; work as an interviewer for my own university's undergraduate admissions office
SDN, mock interview, Understanding Health Policy, Health Care Meltdown, UWash Bioethics, current events, reviewed my ps, revieweed my pubs, read about school
I used the internet to look up several different things about the school. I also emailed a student at UTMB that went to the same undergrad. school that I go to.
This is my second time applying so the process is old hat. I just relaxed the day before and got a good night's sleep. I knew my application and why I wrote what I wrote in my personal essay.
I visited the school after my interview in Houston and had a chance to talk to lots of students, to hang out locally, and to tour the school, gross lab, etc. That prepared me pretty well.
1. StudentDr.Net feedbacks
2. Knew application, my own CV
3. Thought about likely questions
4. School website - Know about the new PBL-style curriculum
Read comments on this site, read my application and essay, mock interview w/ my pre-med advisor (and he gave me a book on how to prepare for the interview --- it helped a lot!), talked to med students (my friend goes to UTMB and she took me to one of her classes), prayed, and relaxed.
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendly and welcoming atmosphere at UTMB, emphasizing the kindness and enthusiasm of interviewers, the relaxed and laid-back environment, and the collaborative culture among students and faculty. Additionally, the innovative problem-based learning curriculum, beautiful campus and facilities, high USMLE board scores, and opportunities for research and international experiences were highlighted as positive aspects. There were mentions of the school's supportive environment, emphasis on student well-being, and the balance between academics and personal life that students seemed to experience.
How kind each interviewer were and the diversity of interviewers (from established faculty to very green M1's).
the historic culture of Galveston, the campus (size and buildings and the history), the students' high scores and their curriculum, the students' calm demeanor, cheap tuition, distinction tracks, med school fraternities, student organizations, location (1-1.5 hours from home)
The school is near the beach! You can do rotations at the prison hospital on campus - I did not know this coming in. You can do third year rotations in Houston.
Everything. The campus. The curriculum (basically one class every 8 weeks for the first year and a half-day schedule). The extracurricular activities available. How relaxed the students were. The city (small town feel in close proximity to a big city). The beach.
Problem-based learning! It is the future of medicine. Any school that makes their students sit in a classroom for 7 hours a day is doing a great disservice.
Laid-back students, camaraderie between students, caring faculty and great support system, more time to prepare for Step 1 and with more free preparation, high board scores, huge alumni base, I loved the global health track option. Campus hardly looked touched by Ike.
The people are genuinely very friendly including the students and faculty. The speed at which they have renovated most of the campus following the hurricane.
The Board score; Everyone I encountered there was very nice and friendly (not just people in the med school); Good curriculum, integrated, 8am-12pm.
Also, they served awesome food during the interview. :D
Above all, the warm and welcoming atmosphere. The students and faculty are all so nice and encouraging. Also, the style of learning and the curriculum in general seems to provide students with an excellent medical education, which is is reflected in their high board scores.
I liked the location- small town near a big city by the beach (for me that's the best of all worlds), I liked the schedule and curriculum and the USMLE scores, the students seem laid back and happy
Very chill interview. Students are happy there. Seems like a great environment. 1st interviewer just asked standard questions. 2nd interviewer talked about UTMB and his life, and I mostly just asked him questions.
Faculty and staff very positive. Seemed supportive and accessible to students. Even with the hurricane, they had everything organized for their current UTMB students as well as for those interviewing.
Everyone was so laid back and so nice. Everyone was friendly and having a good time. Everyone was just cool. Great board scores. My student host was chill and good to me. The student body is very close and have a lot of activities together.
PBL, the clinic run by med students, community involvement, lack of competition, wonderfully nice students, BL-4 lab, awesome USMLE scores and pass rate, computerized mannequins.
How happy everyone was to be there. We walked into an M1 lecture and everyone seemed to be in a good mood. I also really like the computerized mannequins they have to learn on and their high board scores.
The enthusiastic faculty, weather (I know everyone else says it's hot, but the time I was there the weather was perfect), problem based learning strategy.
The curriculum is clinically based, they have higher board scores than any other public medical school in Texas, they have many opportunities to develop you clinical skills, and the students are very nice and willing to answer your questions.
The wonderfully happy people, the friendly environment, laid back attitude that looks like it would lead to a more stress free medical education and lots of programs to join.
I wasn't expecting much from UTMB, but I was very impressed. Galveston really wasn't that bad. It's obviously not a big city so you shouldn't expect that.
They hammered into me that their board scores are the best in Texas and PBL (problem-based learning) is the best thing since sliced bread to them. Also, a lot of prep for USMLE is very helpful. Also a completely student-run clinic that you can help with immediately so you have contact with patients within the first WEEK! Yep. Lots of nifty, ''exclusive to Galveston'' research facilities compared to other Texas schools like a BSL4 lab.
A lot! Great students, very nice, lots of times for away rotations, PBL & organ systems based curriculum (they don't even go full days!), they have a brand new Global Health track
The students were very friendly and kept pushing the idea that UTMB was a great, balanced environment for med school... The second interviewer was really nice, informative, and encouraging...
The curriculum, the students, the SimMan, UTMB's above national average passing USMLE Step 1 rate, the number of facilities it has, the anatomy lab, the Galveston National Laboratory in construction.
The students were all very open, the gross anatomy lab is nice, and the aerospace program seemed interesting. The second interviewer was friendly and laid-back.
Beautiful lab at the top of a gorgeous, old building with huge windows. Great volunteer opportunities at St. Vincent's. My interviewer walked me to my next interview! Galveston is very beautiful.
Their PBL curriculum is flexible and gives you real life examples of what you learn in lecture. The board scores were v. good for the past year, the new grant they got will build some awesome new facilities ready in 08, the students and faculty were really happy to be there, v. good place for med students with families or kids! Their international program is also excellent!
The price UTMB is one of the cheaper schools in TX and it doesn't skimp on education. Apparently the cost of living in Galveston is cheap, cheaper than Houston at least.
The friendly folks, the way they presented their curriculum, their use of standardized patients, the history (they even have a 100 year old building with huge heave doors; it was only one of 3 buildings to withstand the hurricane of 1900).
the students, faculty, administration were all super nice and very helpful. All the students that saw you out on the campus smiled and said hi. The curriculum. PBL.
Great diversity program. They have like 33% URMs. (and no, I'm not URM) Great facilities. The anatomy lab is the best I have seen. It has natural lighting and is actually very inviting.
The opportunities to travel or do research during summers, how kind and relaxed everyone was, half-days of class, problem-based learning, Standardized patients.
The easy atmosphere of life in Galveston. I used to live there when I was a kid, but I never appreciated it as much. The school aslo fit this easy-going atmosphere very well.
That the students are scoring above average on the USMLE Step 1 even though they are in class significantly less than students at other schools. I like free time.
Very friendly people. Very relaxed atmosphere. Class 8-12 only. One subject at a time. Community service and travel abroad opportunities. Able to earn fourth year credit during first summer so that you may graduate early from medical school. Problem based learning seems cool.
The curriculum - they really tailor things to make the best doctors possible while meeting the needs of the students. It's really easy to go abroad your first summer. The students were really into what they were doing.
I like the old, historical town and that the school is on an island. I liked how the classes are scheduled only in the morning and the problem-based learning.
Loved to hear about organ-based curriculum and problem-based learning. Also liked hearing about Frontera de Salud. The students were also really cool and friendly. They weren't all about advertising the school constantly and being fake which was the impression I got from UT Houston.
How laid-back everyone was. The island seems like it has a slower lifestyle. Also, the campus is beautiful and the hospitals are really modern. The anatomy lab was neat, though the formaldehyde smell after lunch made me a little nauseous.
Very laid back. They sold me on their curriculum. I don't know how my opinion will change after I hear the perspectives of other schools. I think the students here have a lighter workload than at other schools. They claim the curriculum design allows them to learn as much as other schools despite this.
I like the campus, its small, the buildings are nice, students are nice. I like that out-of-staters can get in-state tuition (although its not exactly automatic like with Southwestern). I like PBL schools. They have extensive standardized patient program.
The campus is pretty nice, the school seemed like they were moving forward, the interviewers were very good, the school was very relaxed, and I liked the palm trees on campus.
The students I met seemed really easy to talk to. The curriculum emphasizes patient experience, and there is a board exam review class. One of my interviewers had thoroughly read my application and seemed very interested in the process.
Students said faculty bends over backwards for medical students. Atmosphere of students and school is very laid back, yet you can tell they are producing competant and compassionate physicians.
The curriculum is absolutely awesome. I love the structure of the courses and the testing schedules. The separate Clinical Skills laboratory was neat, but kind of intimidating. By the way, lunch was fantastic!
The campus was very nice. UTMB OWNS ITS OWN HOSPITAL so it has a mission to teach, more so than other university affiliated hospitals. Also, there is not a lot of traffic and the campus doesn't have a hustle bustle feel to it.
The fact that they are financially secure(they own their hositals and have tons of government contracts). Their facilities are great. Their out of state tuition is only 21 grand!(My instate tuition(at UVA) is 20 grand!).
The first interviewer was nice and just an all-around fantastic person. The students were very enthusiastic about UTMB being a good place to go to school. The anatomy lab was incredible.
I liked the fact that it was low key and the curiculum seemed to be more real world focused rather than stuffy and traditional. Everything was really relaxed. The new Level 4 virology facility and the upcoming Bio terror research lab sound really cool. The anatomy lab was top notch (really everyone says it it must be true!)
the relaxed atmosphere of the entire school, the fact that it's on an actual campus, everyone wanted to give you any information they could to help you out
They students and the faculty are very proud of their program and curriculum and they are more than willing to answer any questions you may have about it.
The students were very personable. Even though the class has 200, they seem to really know everyone really well in their class. This is not a cut-throat school. The students are even known to hand down textbooks to the next class for virtually no cost.
Their curriculum is great. The previous poster said that the students didn't really know about the 3rd & 4th year option to spend time in Austin. I believe this is because all the students which lead the tour were beginning 2nd years. They did have a student panel with 2nd to 4th year students, but no one asked them a question about the option to spend time at Breckenridge in Austin.
The great thing about the curriculum is that you begin school earlier during your 2nd year. This allows all the students a 6 week time period at the end of their 2nd year to just study for the boards. I believe this is why their pass rate is improving, and I believe it will continue to be high.
The interview environment was very laid back and stress free. It was my second interview of the season which probably helped, but it was much less stressful than my first experience. I liked the small-community feel of Galveston as well as its history and evident character.
Facilities were excellent. The labs and lecture halls are all spacious and well equiped. I liked the atmosphere of the island. Very laid back. The adjacent neighborhood is beautiful (there is also a not-so-nice neighborhood boardering the school too.) The student gym is fantastic. Fraternity housing seemed decent and cheap ($360 a month, all bills paid and food included.)
the curriculm! most people were complaining about the self directed learning but i find that i learn better that way. Who really wants to spend all day in class anyway? I prefer having half of the day to study on my own since I am notorious about skipping lectures to begin with.
Anatomy labs were best I've seen yet. Gorgeous--on the top floor, skylights, & a fabulous specimen collection, including infants to geries. (Don't go in if you're not ready to see bodies in jars.)
the "old red" is a BEAUTIFUL building in the middle of campus. it was the first building of this med school, which is the oldest med school in TX... so pretty old. but very pretty!
Anatomy labs are simply amazing -- light is provided by skylights and it is on the top floor of the medical education building. Very impressive. Also, some residents were very eager to help me find my first interviewer. They really went out of their way, and I wasn't even lost!
Applicants commonly expressed negative feedback about the lack of time for questions during MMIs, disorganization in interviews, unprepared interviewers, repetitive interview questions, humid weather in Galveston, outdated facilities, and the small-town feel of Galveston. Suggestions included allowing more time for questions, ensuring interviewers are well-prepared, improving facilities, and addressing concerns about the weather and location.
I did not like the MMI style with no open file interviews.
The amount of time given for each MMI was not significant to ask questions to the interviewer, made it very difficult to show I knew the school as well as I do.
The questions that my interviewers asked were NOT original questions - there were from a list provided by the school. I was asked the EXACT SAME list of questions in both interviews, Furthermore, I was not allowed to expand on any of my answers to the questions because I was cut off by my interview with an unrelated question. Both of my interviewers seemed more concerned with getting through their list of questions than actually evaluating me as a candidate.
The campus and medical center seemed deserted - I didn't like the lack of people around. We did not tour the hospital so it was hard to tell what the facilities were like. Both of my interviews were strange...my first interviewer was seeing patients at the same time as interviewing me so he kept leaving the room - my second one did not know he was supposed to interview me...
One of my interviewers was rude and seemed disinterested in the whole thing. But the school allows a third interview if you feel one of your interviews didn't go too well, so that was nice.
We had to find where our interviewer's office was by ourselves. The first time we were directed by a student, but if you had an interview right afterwards then you had to travel across the campus with the help of a crappy map.
Galveston is not the nicest place- not awful, but not very nice. It's what you make of the time though the way I see it. It's only 30 minutes away from your city amenities. Students openly admitted that they are always at a disadvantage in pharmacology when preparing for Step 1 since they don't have a dedicated class for it.
Facilities still show signs of Hurricane Ike. Students seemed to want more things to do in Galveston; seemed to almost have too much time on their hands.
The setting outside the actual campus is more small town with many dilapidated buildings, but they are still recovering from Hurricane Ike so can't be to frustrated with that.
Hurricanes; And I was concerned about the crime rate in Galveston, but they said it's mostly theft rather then physical attacks like rape and murder. I guess that is less concerning.
Galveston itself is not that appealing. "Old Red" will probably not be reopened after damage from Hurricane Ike. Shriner's Children's Hospital is still not reopened (but they have plans to do so).
Nothing except my second interviewer never showed up... she didn't even have me listed on her calendar. But, another doctor (who obviously hadn't read my application) squeezed me into his schedule and he was absolutely wonderful.
After the morning orientation, they just cut you loose to find your interviewer. With all of the construction, it's like a maze finding your way and I actually got lost. Just be prepared and don't be afraid to ask people on campus for directions.
we didn't get to see the simulation center and anatomy lab because it was orientation week for freshmen (but I've seen them before and they're pretty impressive)
The admissions staff was notably absent after the morning introductions. Never met the dean of admissions. No chance to ask faculty or staff questions after interviews/tours.
While looking for the building where my first interview was held, several of the med students told me they didn't know where it was because they had never been to the building
The second interviewer. Was supposed to be closed file, he still asked about my GPA/MCAT. Was late, and also only spent 20 min reading my file and asking a question every now and then. Not conversational and not relaxed at all.
The construction going on which could mean working progress which is a good thing. I was a bit weirded out by all the security in some of the buildings but then again I understand that those facilities were high security for good reasons.
Certain students were very close-minded and conservative. Small town, small minds. When you feel like going out, you run into ten of your classmates. People were TOO laid back. One class a month in lab is a game show. They have fraternities... people seem to think they're still in college.
the students mainly focused on how easy it was there, and how you can get away with doing the minimal amount of work. they acted like the school was known as being worse than other texas schools, but highlighted the laid-back atmosphere as a plus despite that.
We were let out of the morning intro session to go to our interviews only 10 minutes before time. I was not too worried because I knew the school very well to find where I was going but I felt bad for those who had no clue where to go.
also PBL (possibility of being stuck with a poor group/facilitator). must walk to interviews in random buildings in the medical center in the heat. interviewer were in the middle of the work day & seemed busy. Some took calls, random people walked in. all very distracting. everyone was trying to assure you that galveston is safe from natural disaster which makes you question it even more.
My first interviewer was interested in her career only, it seemed like; she seemed shallow that way. Acted like it would be impossible to go to med school being married.
the curriculum--classes only last half days, so I honestly believe you don't learn quite as much; one of the morning speakers mispronounced hippocrates' name after she said it was one of her favorite philosophers
The interviews were rather useless - I felt like they really did not set out to distinguish me from other applicants. It sort of confirmed that your admission decisions is made before you get there.
Some students seemed almost too laid back to the point that they stopped working as hard in medical school as they did in undergrad. And that worries me a little...if anything, I want to learn all that I can in medical school to be the most competent doctor I can be.
The "work hard play hard" motto -- It's just not for me. And they mean it when they say that they play hard. My interview day happened to be the day of a first exam, so that night I went out with some friends who were first years. It's true.
Um, not much. Our tour guide was a bit stressed, but I think that was because she was a mother of a two year old who lives 45 minutes from campus, just coming off the OB/GYN rotation. The associated hospitals did not have the "exciting" feel of say, Parkland in Dallas.
One of the interviewers, who was very nice, spent all but 5 minutes just telling me about the history of Galveston and the school, etc. Now to the negative part; he told me straight up, matter of factly, that if I go to UTMB I won't score as high on my boards as if I were to go to Dallas. But I don't know. I'm a 34/4.0 and I intend to study hard there and do very well.
I'm going there (I picked it first on the match & got in) but I'm a little worried that I will have to drive nearly an hour to get to the nearest major shopping mall. I'll deal with it when I get there, I don't shop much anyway.
The night before even was a joke when the students from UTMB that were supposed to host did not even show up for the event. So other interviewees and I received the pizza, and finally a student studying at the facility talked to us.
the PBL curriculum impressed me positively and negatively. it leaves a lot of free time for independent studying which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what kind of student you are and how much structure and time management you will require for your medical education.
that it is a "pretty quite town" -- ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO IN GALVESTON!!!! Imagine spending 4 or more years of your life trapped on Galvatrez. The student spend only about hours in lecture a day and the rest of the day is spent teaching YOURSELF how to doctor with PBL. THe curriculum is not structered enough and the student complain that they are SERIOUSLY lacking a pharmacology class to do well on USMLE. IF you are interested in doing well and performing high on the boards to get into good residency, be ready to do ALOT of research and learing on your own. I think that school puts too much responsibility on the student as if we don't have enough things to worry about.
The facilities are starting to look a little too old. The Night Before event was a waste of my time - I showed up ten minutes late and no one was there (they had moved and left no notice)
The student leading my school tour told us he was not very social; he only had a few friends that he hung out with. It didn't give me a sense of comraderie among the students. Also, my second interviewer spoke for 35 minutes during my 45 minute interview! But I hear that's normal for him.
There wasn't any major galveston airports so i spent 4 hours on shuttle rides between galveston and Bush Intercontinental in Houston. It's not that big of a deal really...Since most of your guys are driving from other parts of Texas. Shuttle rides cost 60 bucks, last shuttle leaves Bush Intercontinental at 9PM.
Being called old several times during the second interview. What do they want, babies?
Also, many of the students I met were more interested in describing the nightlife and parties than learning experiences. I was expecting to find a bunch of people who were seriously interested in learning about medicine, but they seemed to regard it as a chore from which they needed long breaks.
The "Night Before" gathering was just us and a bunch of students, sitting around, waiting on pizza to show up. I could've skipped it and wouldn't have had to miss another day of class.
GALVESTON...sorry to be a city snob but i don't know if i'd be happy in such a small, humid, and relatively boring place for 4 years (even though, yes, i know you have no free time in med school etc. etc. still!) besides, no one i talked to had placed galveston as their 1st choice.
I think this self directed studying is great. However, I think there are some people who don't learn well this way. If this is not how you can learn (you like information given to you straight up) you might not like this format. However, I think it is a very great way of learning & would work well with how I learn.
Both the students and the faculty seemed a little hestitant to fully endorse the relatively new curriculum. Some third and fourth year students implied that they didn't feel quite as prepared for the Step One Exam as they may have in a more traditional environment. Overall, however, the curriculum seemed positive for the motivated among us. I think the character and the makeup of the class is probably more important at Galveston than most places given that you rely so much on your peers in order to learn.
It seemes as if there are two types of students here. Party Crazy Frat types who talked about nothing but beer/parties/bars and unhappy students who were bitter due to the self-learning curriculum that they felt had given them too little time and guidance under faculty and in classes (which are minimal at UTMB) to allow themto master the enormous amounts of information required for the USMLE board exams.
Students seemed extremely apathetic, falculty was not well informed about the process (my interviewer didn't know what was entailed on the MCAT), Galveston (when I got back into my car, there was a film of sticky mess on my windshield from the extreme humidity, pollution, and sea salt I assume), the facilities were aweful, the school right next to the worst area of town, there is a fraternity (drinking, parties, etc... that most of the students are involved in), the statement from one of the students " most of us try to just coast here, they can't fail us all".
At the student mixer the night before the interview several MS III and IV's were there to answer any questions. They spend the majority of time talking about what bars they go to on a nightly basis, the frats, and how they use their student loan money to go on ski trips. No wonder they can't pass the boards. There seemed to be two types of students: party frat types and geeks. No middle ground. Also, the hospital and facilities seemed fairly run down.
They tried to sell the schedule: classes 8am-noon. To me that meant less time being taught by professionals & more time struggling to teach myself! Also, it seems like a party high school; might be a lame environment for anyone matured beyond that.
the area. The island is pretty much dead, with nothing much to do, and the beaches were ugly.
and OMG! the mosquitos were crazy when I was there! b/c it's by the gulf...I got like 30 bites!! yuck!
82% board pass rate vs nat'l avg=93%
Dean is a crazy!
Students are generally disaapointed with the curriculum at UTMB which stressed self directed learning and ver few lectures.
Applicants commonly expressed the wish to have known about the amount of walking involved on campus, the lack of time for questions during interviews, the importance of comfortable shoes, and the relaxed nature of the interviews. They also highlighted the significance of researching the school's programs, being prepared for the weather, and taking advantage of opportunities to interact with current students.
To pace myself a lot quicker and make my responses a lot more concise than any other interview so I had time for questions.
how little time there would be to ask questions during the interview - If I had known this I would have talked more during the student panels instead of staring at the camera freaking out abt the interview lol
How insanely hot it was going to be that day (early September) and how much walking we were going to do outside. They send you off to find your interviewers by yourself. They can be located ANYWHERE on campus. Luckily, mine were located really close to each other, but others literally had to walk from one side of campus and then back to the other. They were probably drenched with sweat by the second interview. Also, some had to call the interviewer to open the door since buildings required access. Some interviews were held at a building that required security checkpoints. Ridiculous.
One interviewer didn't ask me any questions, only answered questions I had. I prepared a few questions to ask, but nowhere near enough to take up 30 minutes.
I wish I had known that the questions were provided by the school and were only generic "what is your personality/are you a good person questions" rather than questions about my research or what makes me uniquely qualified.
Definitely go to the social! (I did) It was great! Definitely what I needed the night before my first interview to calm me down and to talk casually to current students.
The keypad to get into the parking garage is hard to see from the street, so I didn't even see the thin silver pole until I circled around a few times.
The campus is pretty big. Depending on where your interviews are at, you might have to walk a lot. Be prepared for long distance walking and give yourself plenty of time.
If you can, definitely attend the night before social, meeting med students and other applicants in a casual setting really helped relieve a lot of my stress
It rained on our day and some people had to walk through the rain to get to their interview on time
Oh and if you have to drive thru Houston... be prepared for some soul crushing traffic
It was my first interview, so I did not have a lot of questions lined up to ask the interviewer. This gets easier with more interviews. But it worked out...I am going to Galveston this Fall!!!
Both of my interviewers were PhD researchers and not MD's. So, most of my interviews were about my research. Good thing I have good research experience.
Scholarships are automatically applied for for all matriculants. There is a Global Health Tract for students who are interested in International Medicine.
Interview is really more dependent on who you get than how ''good'' you are as an applicant. A laidback interviewer will make you think UTMB is the best thing since sliced bread, but a harsher one might instead make you through in the towel. Some things you just can't control!
bring bandaids for your feet because all the girls got blisters from all the walking! also, that the interviews are more like conversations than anything
That Houston/Galveston area was having severe thunderstorm weather the night before the interview day....my flight was almost delayed to the point where I would miss getting my car rental...plan accordingly...I should have done a better job...however everything worked out great!
Come with a lot of questions...the tour guide, medical students, interviewers, and the faculty members that ate lunch with us all wanted questions. I had to re-use the same questions by the end of the day.
How close to the beach the school actually is (4 or 5 blocks), and they only go to school a half day the first two years, presumably so they can "study" in the afternoon (ie. go to the beach).
That the curriculum isn't just "learn on your own" as a lot of 1st and 2nd years at other schools told me. There's lots of small group discussions and PBL groups which make sure you don't fall behind.
They were a much more impressive program than I was expecting. Good board pass rates/means for their lower MCAT scores. They have some sort of NASA residency program. (sounds cool)
the pediatrics program is definitely less than ideal--the student giving the tour told me there are very few pediatric patients, so the exposure is not as good as in other locations
UTMB goes by numbers or "diversity" now - you're in if you have good gpa/ MCAT or are URM. Funny, because the deans I talked to say there's minimal correlation between MCAT and step 1 scores (it's there, but small). They have "Step 1 bootcamp" in Missouri if you pass the first board exam. The students themselves don't seem to like the assistant dean of admissions/ student affairs & are kind of offended that this person instituted a minimum MCAT for admittance (there never used to be one at this once "party school"). I worry that future UTMB grads will not be making a difference in society if they all turn out like a cookie cutter product of the asst. dean's vision.
Bring bug spray. There are lots of mosquitos this time of year. And an umbrella. Staying with a student is the best way to get to know how things work at UTMB.
Be sure your interviewer is actually where they say he is! I ran to several buildings to locate where my interviewer actually worked because the room number I'd been given was for his secretary, who was unavailable.
It is the oldest medical school in Texas... and they pretty much just live on thier legacy as being the first in Texas.... there is nothing much else for them to brag on... just my .02
Be prepared to walk all over the 10th largest medical campus in the US. Familiarize yourself with campus if possible...they hand you a map and the names and places of your interviewers, and you go find them on your own.
That they were supposed to give me a token to get out of the parking garage. I did tell them that I parked in the parking garage, but didn't get one...I guess it was an oversight. The security guard was nice enough to let me out.
There is a campus tour and you do ALOT of walking - be prepared. Also, there are two one-one-one 30 minute interviews that are very relaxed and not stressful.
The campus is much nicer that I had been thinking. Probably my favorite campus layout of all the Texas schools. Very spacious with lots of room and no traffic.
How much time they spend in PBL--the school's policy is that students will never spend more time in lecture than PBL. Amazing. Sounds good for making good diagnosticians, but I can see how it has hampered their board scores. This year's has improved, but the teaching method doesn't seem to lend itself to aceing standardized tests (USMLE).
They have a Medical Humanities Department that appears to offer a lot of opportunities, not only for dual degree programs, but for some deeper exploration of the human side of medicine even if one is interested in only a four year program. The staff was not very helpful in connecting me with the right people to pursue this while I was there, and they only gave it a cursory overview in the morning presentation. I had to seek out the department myself when the day was over, and they provided me with some contact information and a packet. It seems an opportunity like that would be a motivating factor in a student's ranking of the school, but they didn't seem to promote it, even when I showed a lot of interest.
The USMLE pass rates at this school! I was informed that it has been in the low to mid 80s for the past few years by my tour guide as compared to a national pass rate of 91-93%. Seems like the curriculum stresses minimal class-time and plenty of "self - learning" which amounts to "teach yourself" medicine (no wonder their board pass rates leave more to be desired.)
Bring extra shoes for the tour. I did for al of my other interviews and assumed that this one would be less walking. i dont know why I thought that, so I didnt take then with me to this one, MISTAKE!
read up on what UTMB has to offer. for example, they have a medical humanities institute which offers great electives like "medicine and the law."
Applicants generally found the interview experience at UTMB to be relaxed and enjoyable, with conversational interviews that focused on getting to know the applicants personally. The school's curriculum, facilities, and student atmosphere received positive feedback, although there were some concerns about the location and past reputation of the school.
I love this school, they did a great job in making sure you are scored from multiple perspectives. Each MMI station could have given more time. I recommend really drinking a cup of coffee before this, taking a second to relax, and being prepared for a fast paced interview that you will likely really have a lot of fun in. It is very open ended, but please try to pay attention to what type of response your interviewer is trying to steer you to based on the phrasing of their questions AND the follow up questions they ask.
My interview was virtual due to Covid-19, but I still felt I was able to connect with the interviewers via Zoom. The interview was thorough but still relaxed. They did ask a lot of questions, but nothing out of the ordinary. Great experience overall.
The interview was pretty chill. They do look at your CASPer scores when making decisions. There are required questions from the committee and from the interviewer themselves. Be prepared to explain some weak points in your application, be aware of your weaknesses.
UTMB was at the bottom of my list as far as Texas schools go. After visiting it is near the top. Every single student and faculty member talked about how the program is geared toward cooperation. not competition. The p/f grading and PBL style curriculum certainly help you understand how to work in a team and meet nearly every med student. The campus is big and very historic being the first med school in texas and with the infectious disease research center. The surrounding area is kind of sketch but that's coming from a suburban kid who now lives in a nice city so in reality it's probably not bad. Everyone seemed to genuinely enjoy being there, despite the oppressive humidity and unpredictable rain. Both interviewers were PhDs which was disappointing (considering I'm MD only) but both implied the interview here is mainly a formality to split hairs between similarly qualified applicants. Don't sweat the interview, use it to really find out if it's a place you could see yourself living in.
I was very impressed with this school and I hope to attend! Interviews went kind of well... in my second interview, I was not sure if the interviewer understood some of what I said and had this confused look on his face 50% of the time which led me to babble more than I wanted. But overall, I think I did well and am keeping this as my top choice!
This was my worst interview thus far. Walking out of this interview, I didn't even want to be a doctor any more. I loved the school's curriculum, campus, track programs, and basically everything about it, but after such horrible interviews I can say with 100% confidence that I would take a gap year before going to a school that cares so little about recruiting good candidates.
UTMB is a great place to interview at and a great medical school to attend. I kept on reading how laidback their medical interviews were and I didnt believe it until I did mine. I was so shocked how laidback it was both of my intervieweers were super nice, friendly and personable!!!!
UTMB is a great place. Awesome, friendly students, so many opportunities other than just the standard MD route, Galveston National Laboratory was amazing.
Really liked the people at this school. It was my first interview and I didn't feel like it went well at all. First interviewer was a phd: very conversational, but talked mostly about himself. Second was with an MD: friendly, had specific questions prepared from my application. One of the main drawbacks about this school was that I felt they were trying to hide the damage of the storm. The few places they showed us were nice, but i got the impression that the rest of the school/ hospital system was still in shambles. My first interviewer told me his department was only 10% of what it was, and he felt it was a similar story across the UTMB system. I know they are making significant progress in the rebuild, i just don't know how quickly its happening.
--My interviews were more like conversations than question and answers. They were both very laid-back, and my first one I was even able to talk to for almost an hour. Not stressful at all!
Bring mosquito repellant! Also, the food is not nearly as bad as everyone says it is! The interviews at UTMB are very laid back. There's nothing to stress about... just be yourself.
Good school--much better than the city it's located in. They really take care of their students and everyone is friendly. The laid back atmosphere is perfect for certain people. I think this will be my back up school. In terms of "fit", I think I need a medical school that is a little more intense for me to have the best experience. Galveston is just so laid back and so chill that it doesn't fit my personality.
I LOVED the school. The students seem very happy and well prepared to be doctors. I like that as an MS1 you have patient contact (not simulated patient contact). The classes seem well diverse which is a plus. My interviews were pretty much conversational...just wanted to get to know me not size me up. (Kudos to our tour guide, Patrick-he sold me on PBL!!)
the interviews were very relaxed. a few questions regarding my application were asked in the beginning, but as soon as we started talking, we ended up chit chatting the entire time about everything. it was more like a flowing conversation than an interview.
Really enjoyed the school. My tour guide was so excited to show us the school and it made it so much better. I really like the schedule and how the school wants the students to have lives outside of school. Very enjoyable experience.
I was very impressed with the atmosphere at UTMB. The students and faculty all look and sound very happy. The students had very few criticisms about the school, the biggest one focusing more on Galveston than UTMB (that Galveston needs a giant mosquito net), which says something about how they feel about the school's program. UTMB is one of the few sites in the country with a BSL-4 facility --- how exciting --- and there are opportunities to work in Global Health, research, volunteer/community service projects, etc.
It was very relaxing and exciting. My interviewers were really nice and got to kinow me. My first interviewer actually used 45mins! and then my second used about 7 mins!. My second interviwer gave me lots of advice about medical school.
Overall, i'll say it was good.
I went to the interview not expecting much out of the school, but in leaving I dont know how this school is not ranked with their high bord scores and their clinically based curriculum. But the interviews were really relaxed and the interviewers were really nice.
I felt like I was being grilled. They asked many many hypothetical questions as well as scrutinized my past education. I did not feel like I was having a conversation to get to know me, I felt like I was proving myself and explaining why my life choices were not inappropriate for a medical career.
i expected really laid back interviews, and one of my interviews was as such, but the other interview was intense, with questions about fMRI (i work on a study that uses it, but am not expected to know the technical aspects of how it works) and medical ethics.
Overall it was fine, the interviewers didn't ask any tough questions. Both of mine were PhD's and professors of some of the 1st year courses so they just talked alot about the curriculum and if it was right for me. The students seem pretty relaxed and the really high board scores are what set this school apart for me. My car brokedown on the way back to Dallas in Houston so it was very frustrating being stuck.
I thought that the staff, students, and interviewers that I met with were all very courteous and informative and they did the same thing all the schools are trying to do...recruit intelligent students. It's amazing to me how quick people are to criticize something like the food they fed, as if you should choose a school based on the food they serve on interview day or like it is some how their fault that you didn't like it. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions but you have to take all of the stuff that you read on here with a grain of salt. I have interviewed almost everywhere in TX and even though each place is different I have no had a bad experience anywhere and would feel lucky to go to any of the schools. The point of SDN should be to prepare other people for the type of atmosphere and interview philosophy to expect. It was a very pleasant day. Yes, Galveston is galveston it's not Houston or Austin or Dallas so if you go into it expecting that then it won't be for you. They have a well thought out curriculum and are genuinely focused on the student's learning, which is represented by their excellent board scores, but again if you are a big city person then just simply don't waste your gas, your money, or UTMB's time.
UTMB is an ok school, i just really hate the location, and campus. the construction going on was annoying.. my interviews were fantastic, the first was a surgeon at shriners and although he didnt read my file, he was very nice and wanted to get to know me. he talked alot, but also gave me alot of time to say what i wanted, so that worked out well. my second guy was a phd who published some paper in nature (!) and pulled that out in the middle of our interview when he realized how much into research i am. very nice guy and asked interesting questions about my research, and i really liked his research as well, although his lab looked very out dated. food was HORRIBLE...
Very laid back and informative. I got the morning interviews, so after a brief introduction with breakfast, I immediately went to my two interviews. My first interview with a PhD professor went very well and we ended up conversing for 45 minutes despite the time limit being 30 minutes. My second interview with an ID doctor went well too, but he spent most of his time explaining the opportunities at their school rather than asking me questions. We ate lunch and then went on a tour of the campus.
Interview was pretty nice. I had my interview in the morning after a brief introduction to the school. Interviews are really all over the campus in PhD's office and some parts of the hospital (for MDs). Interview wasn't too stressful as I did some prep-work, but could have been better. Nothing really too obvious except to KNOW the flaws of your application and have a prepared answer for it. There's nothing like trying to answer a question like ''Why haven't you done research?'' or ''Why don't you have more clinical experience?'' because honestly there's NO good answer to those questions and trying to deflect them on the spot can have disastrous results. Also, be aware that they have no idea of your GPA or MCAT while you are interviewing, so there's no bias in your interview.
Good. Nice people. 2 interviewers:
1) Reviewed my entire application with me (they don't have scores tho). Was very nice, very easy to talk to, not a single difficult question.
2) Didn't talk about my app once - talked about health policy, just had a conversation. Really liked the guy.
UTMB has mastered the art of ''Work hard, play hard,'' and that really helps to create the positive atmosphere there. Considering their match rates and board scores, the curriculum is obviously very effective. But unlike other places, the students also seem to be very happy and get a fair amount of time for activities such as working out, intermurals, families, etc. The atmosphere at UTMB is what sold me. It's not about competition at all...moreso just the attitude that they are all becoming doctors together and will do anything to help the experience be more positive in any way. It's quite amazing, really. If you're looking for the cut-throat, prestigious type reputation, this place is definitely not for you. But if you are like me and want a good, solid medical education with a positive atmosphere and a chance to have SOME fun during med school, then you'll probably love this place.
I thought I would fall in love with UTMB, but I quickly found out that it is not the school for me...seems way too laid back...the facilites are outdated...and looking at galveston crime rates a horrible city to live in, just about every med student I talked to there said at one point are another they (or someone they knew) were victims of crime.
I was nervous because it was my first interview. Other than that, it was a great experience meeting other applicants, the med students and checking out the facilities.
It was great...definately one of my top choices. Interviews were very relaxed and stress free. The campus and hospitals are nice. Lunch was good and all the students had to talk about was ''free time'' and how much fun they have at school.
I stayed at the Quality Inn Suites, only about 10 mins away, and it was very nice. It was rather windy the day of interview so the our was a little uncomfortable. Overall, it was a great first interview experience.
I don't know if it was because it was my first interview but I really had fun and thoroughly enjoyed the tour. People were laid back, I was fully enthusiastic about expressing myself and the questions weren't really challenging. It was more like getting to know a friend. I have heard that students at UTMB Galveston are required to go to the prison and treat people there but I think that would only be a good learning experience. After all, you don't get to choose the patients you treat.
Definitely go on a tour of a medical school. It will motivate you like no other in realizing how much you want to pursue this profession. At least it did for me. I already know how much I wanna go but touring the school made me picture how things would be if I were actually there, which excited me even more.
The first interviewer asked questions almost exclusively from a form. The second interviewer was awesome and basically said that he didn't think that any of those form questions were relevant to whether or not I would be a good doctor. He just wanted to get to know me. Neither were MDs, both were PhDs.
The interview day was more enjoyable than it was nerve-racking. In the morning my half of the group took a tour with a student, who was quite sarcastic but pretty entertaining and truthful nevertheless. The facilities were nice and there's a lot of construction going on for projects that should be completed relatively soon. The second half of the day consisted of the two interviews. I got to the first interview early so it ended up lasting almost an hour, and then the interviewer walked me half of the way to the next interview. The second interviewer was very easy to talk to.
The weather was great, fortunately I didn't have to go through all the humidity and heat that people usually have to deal with at UTMB. The hotel I stayed in had bugs, wasn't too great. The campus itself was fine, I'd rank the facilities between Houston and SA. The people are about the same - they seem to be great no matter where you go in TX. My interviews were mixed. The first one was just simply awesome. Felt like I clicked with the doc, we shared common interests and he was very engaging and informative. The second interviewer ruined the whole experience for me. He was late (understandable), but he spent 20 min reading my file and asking a question every now and then. Also asked about MCAT/GPA when it was supposed to be closed file. Then he got beeped away (understandable). I just wish I had a more discussion type interview, but oh well win some lose some.
I arrived in Galveston about midnight the night before. I stayed with a MS II which was a really wise decision as he gave me a tour of campus and told me where orientation would be and where I could park. Orientation went from about 8:30-10am and they went into detail about the history of the school and its many attributes as well as the curriculum which to me is the best of all the meds schools in Texas; my interviews were in the afternoon so half of the interviewers split off to their morning interviews and those with afternoon interviews went on a tour of the campus; lunch went from 11:30-1pm...I left early enough to make it to my 1:15pm and 2:15pm interviews...both interviews were supposed to last only 30 minutes but I was lucky enough to have a lot in common with my interviewers (a Ph.D. and an M.D.) that time flew by faster than we thought....the interviews themselves were at the same time laid back but serious....they really got to know me well....I do hope to put this as my first choice of at least 4 schools...after my interviews the MS II I was staying with invited me to an afternoon class on Colorectal Cancer...pretty cool...after that I hung out with some med students and then drove back to Hobby to make my flight.
I was impressed by the information session in the morning; I had no idea the school was an authority in infectious diseases. The tour was mediocre, but they faculty and medical students were all very friendly. My first interviewer seemed to be negative from the start and the second interviewer assured me that I would have no problem getting accepted...I felt like they were using the
It was my first interview. I went into it expecting to be challenged and grilled but left feeling like I had spent an hour not really offering them any reason to select me over anyone else. To me, anyone can sit and have a decent conversation. They were very laid back and basically just wanted to get a feel for my personality.
UTMB has a very interesting curriculum, but its location coupled with its recent funding struggles make it an unattractive choice for me.
They sold me on the place. Their anatomy lab is incredible. Nowhere else will you find sky lights in the anatomy lab. They really sold me on the place. Everyone there loves to be there.
Extremely pleasant. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Interviewers were extremely interested in me as a person. Location is good and reasonably priced.
I stay the night at a fraternity house. The fraternity guys weren't very hospitable.
My interviews went fantastic. I was able to get a lot out and learn a lot about the curriculum and the programs of interest. The interview was more like a conversation.
The tour was good. We got a demonstration of their artificial intellegence maniquins. Their gross anatomy laboratory was impressive.
Good overall. The first interview was pretty typical, but the second was more interesting. We talked a lot about foreign travel and health care systems.
Overall it was a great day. My first interviewer LOVED me and wanted to keep talking but I had to leave for my next interview. The second interview went well, but the guy interviewing was one of those people that didn't seem too interested in me but rather liked to inform me about the school and admissions policies.
I really liked the school.
My first interview was very conversational. Our topics ranged from destination weddings in mexico, to rock climbing with priest/professors, to my experiences working with underserved groups. The second interviewer seemed annoyed because i was the "second of four of these today." She didn't have much of a personality, but I think it went ok.
It was overall a good experience; the people were friendly and helpful. The day was relaxed and was meant for the school to get to know the applicant better.
My first interviewer was a PhD and super laid back, t-shirt and jeans laid back. No real questions were asked, he just got to know me. My second interviewer was a general surgeon. He seemed a bit retentive, but overall the interview was similar to the first, laid back conversation style.
The first interviewer was great. Talkative, and jovial. The 2nd was a stark contrast. He didn't look like the talkative type, so he just shot tough, straight questions at me without an expression. Seemed very different from the first interviewer. I freaked out and got a 3rd interviewer. He seemed much cooler, but since he didn't know anything about me until the last minute, we mainly talked about other stuff, like authors, Iraq, and the UTMB administration.
Extremely laid back. I walked into my first interview and I was pretty nervous because he was a neurosurgeon. He told me to sit down, I did, he looked me straight in the eye, and said "I don't believe in canned questions. I think they're a bunch of bullsh!t." Right away, I knew I was home.
Very laid back kind of atmosphere...the students and admissions staff were friendly and emphasized their spirit of cooperation. I have actually done an internship there so I know this is not a show--this is really one of the nicest places to get an education. The interviewers were kind of weird, the first was an OB-GYN who asked quite a few direct questions at first, but then it became more conversational. The 2nd guy (Rabek) was a PhD who threw out a lot of weird hypothetical situations...stuff that I really couldn't answer definitely without having experienced them. I just hope my answers didn't sound too out there.
The 2 interviews were night and day. The first one was probing. She wasn't very respectful- believed that no one could really want to go into medicine to help other people. (I talked about a shadowing experience with a great doctor who made next to nothing but was making a huge difference in his community)
The second interview was a conversation. She didn't ask me anything except if I liked birds. At the end of the talk she said that she hoped I came to this school and that my creditials were above what they were looking for.
My first interviewer asked many difficult theoretical ethics questions. I was prepared to anwser such questions, just not for 45 minutes in depth. It didn't help that he didn't make eye contact and mumbled as he spoke(MD interviewer). My second interview, while very late and not with the person it was orginally scheduled for couldn't have gone better.
i like this school a lot, especially the people and the curriculum, plus the students are only in lecture a couple hours a day, but they still do really well on the boards
Great. Both interviewers were extremely nice. The first had a list of questions to ask, without looking at my application. The second (also without my application) was conversational with occasional "Tell me about yourself" or "why do you want to be a doctor?" questions mixed in. I LOVED this school.
The interviewers were both great and very different. One had read my application from top to bottom, the other printed it out when I got there. When the second one had to go see a patient, I went with him and watched an endoscopy
interviewers very relaxed and laid back; the med student i stayed with was absolutely awesome (i recommend this experience!); lunch was great (catered mexican food)
The interview is meaningless at UTMB. It's nice that you get a free meal and a tour, but the interviewers are told to keep their time with you short (which really quite offended me). I worked hard to get here, but I am also more than just a statistic!
I'm a little iffy about Galveston - it's small island surrounded by dirty Gulf of Mexico water. But it's a really historic town, and if you're into cities with kind of an old-world small town feel, it's not so bad. Because it's a small city, students seem to make their own fun and have an extensive extracurricular system in place. The campus itself is nice and there's lots of construction going on for biocontainment facilities and whatnot. They schedule and hour for interviews and say that most interviews take 30 minutes, but I went over an hour on both of my interviews. Food is the best out of all of the Texas schools (FYI). However, I've never really liked open-ended interviews (feels like we're always getting off subject), and both were extremely open-ended even though they asked me some of the hardest questions I've encountered so far. The biggest hesitation I have about this school, however, is that I don't know if a curriculum with so much emphasis on PBL is right for me.
overall a great experience. it was my first interview and I left feeling very great about the whole day. my first interviewer was a phd from japan- it was difficult at times to understand him clearly; however, he was extremely supportive and down to earth. My second interviewer was very laid back and very interested in just hearing about me and my experiences thus far.
I LOVED my interviewers. They were both so outspoken and genuine. My first interviewer recited a poem he wrote while he was a sociologist to me and showed me pictures of toddler - we just had a great conversation. My second interviewer was also excellent. The curriculum is awesome -they've really been working hard to help their students succeed, and it shows with scores better than the national averages on the USMLE. I was watching a path video from a first year lecture, and the professor cracked some pretty funny jokes. I didn't think I would like this school AT ALL when I went down to interview - now it is probably my first choice.
It was a great interview day! The facilities are great, the faculty is relaxed and for the past two years UTMB has had the highest scores on the USMLE's.
One of my interviews lasted an hour (it was supposed to be 30 minutes). I didn't put any specific questions down because they asked standard interview questions (why doctor, what specialty...).
Overall, the interview experience was great. I really enjoyed the interview part of the day the most. Folks are very helpful and friendly. The tour was very informative and I thought that the anatomy lab looked nice.
Very laid back day. If you have any inclination that you did not get a chance to represent yourself positively to your interviewer, let someone know and they will glady re-schedule your interview. They want everyone to have a fair chance at acceptance and no butthead interviewer should get in the way of that. I thought that was pretty cool!!
Pretty much what the previous poster said. I was glad that this was my first interview...very low key, low stress. They made us feel very welcome and like they actually wanted us to go there. The students seem happy with where they are and most of the picked UTMB as #1 on their match. Interviews were conversational, nothing really hard or unexpected. One interviewer just kept staring at me though, like she wanted me to say something--but I have no idea what. They take you on a tour around campus (bout 1 hr). It was a beautiful day in Galveston though and no body broke a sweat! =)
I was amazed with how low stress the day was. This was my first interview and I was expecting more. The interviews were very conversational. The interviewers asked really vague/open-ended questions and did not really try to steer the conversation so I could pretty much talk about whatever I wanted. NOTE: The interviews were open file except that the interviewers couldn't see your grades or test scores.
the school does a really good job on selling you the PBL curriculum. i'm not sure if it's for me, but they do a good job convincing you that it is effective and produces good physicians.
Loved the school, great experience with one interviewer and the other was lukewarm. It is closed file but I saw that one of my interviewers had my grades/mcat!!!!!!!
UTMB is a great school, with great students. They are there to become physicians, not there to impress anybody. The interviewers that I had just wanted to get to know me, not the me on paper. I found this really refreshing. They were mainly conversational...No tough questions. Overall, I really enjoyed it. Galveston is actually really pretty.
I will rate UTMB as my top choice. They gave me an interview before they had my MCAT scores. Students are very positive and everyone seems to get along really well. My first interviewer was a physician. He took me on a tour around his unit and some other places. He even walked me to my second interview (very good first impression). My second interview was with an MD/PhD. He was just as approachable as the first and very easy to talk to.
UTMB provides free parking in the parking garage. The opening presentation was short and sweet. Interviews were scheduled one after the other, but the interviews were only supposed to be 30 min long, and there was plenty of time to get to the next interview. My interviewers were both very nice and answered all my questions about Galveston and UTMB at length. The interviews were stress free and conversational instead of grilling. Lunch was delicious and they gave us candy because it was Halloween! Also, the campus tour was cool, it was a small group (there were 4 of us plus the student guide) so it was easy to ask questions. He took us to the gross anatomy lab and showed us a cadaver, and also to the "control room" where they watch you as you interact with a standardized patient (an actor). Overall, UTMB has very nice facilities, great students and faculty, and if you like a small city and island weather, Galveston is great.
UTMB gets a bad rap due to its low board pass rates after it introduced its new curriculum. However, they have really worked out the kinks and they are now up to a 97% pass rate. I was really impressed by the whole experience.
I was very exited even before I got to the school. I took the online tour and was amazed at how beautiful the school was. This was also a feeling shared by many of my fellow interviewees. I was interviewed my two doctors, one PHD and one MD. The PHD was interested in my research. The MD was concerned about my undergrad grades, seemed satisfied with my answer (I hope). There are things to do in Galveston. I was told that the waves do get big enough to surf(by my PHD) I was also told by my MD that the greens fee at the municipal golf course is only 10 dollars.
It was a decent interview experience. The night before event was not too helpful. The interviews weren't stressful at all, which I was weirdly disappointed by. Not that I like stress...but it almost seemed like they didn't really care. ?
The first interview went how everyone else reported their interviews went: great, no stress, just a nice conversation and a few questions. The second interviewer seemed like he was interested in finding mistakes in my application and confronting me with them. It was more stressful, and I felt like he didn't want me to succeed from the moment I walked in the door. He was not actually rude or anything (other than calling me OLD), but I felt like he was adversarial and like he was testing my reaction to stress. It saddened me that it wasn't as pleasant of an experience as the first interview.
It was an overall good experience. Board scores are up at this program. Looks like UTMB is trying to get out of the cellar with its reputation compared to its sister programs.
I was very impressed by UTMB. Their new curriculum is great for very motivated and organized individuals who like to learn independently. The faculty and students are friendly. The UTMB campus looks like a small town college campus.
This was my first interview of the season and I had a great time. While I did not get too much out of the night before the interview program It did give me the chance to meet my fellow interviewees and to sort of share our axiety about the night before. I was able to get many of my questions answered and had new ones to ask at my interview the next day. Both of my interviewers were scientists not Physicians so I made it a point to ask them about their research. overall it was laid back and non threatening.
Incredibly laid-back. UTMB seems to use the interviews to simply get to know who you are. They're not trying to stump/stress you. Both interviews felt like conversations rather than interviews. The day starts @ 8:30AM, ends around 2PM. Overall, I was impressed w/the campus, the students, and the faculty.
I had only heard bad things about Galveston, but the visit really improved my attitude. This is another fine medical school. Just don't forget your can of OFF.
Both of my interviewers were really nice. Your interviewers see your application, except they do not know your MCAT score or your GPA. So they really want to get to know you as a person (aside from numbers), and see if you would be a good fit for the school. The students were helpful as well-- they answered a lot of my questions.
In addition to tons of exposure to community medicine in the area... UTMB also serves Texas' prison community (lots of end stage pathology). Their curriculm is what really attracts me b/c my learning style fits with this type of instruction.
I was impressed with how enthusiastic every one is about the curriculum, including the interviewers. There were tons of students available to talk to and they seem like a great bunch of people. Very relaxed and positive experience.
Just wanted to clarify on the previous 2 posts. Austin: 3rd and 4th years can choose to either spend the whole year in Austin or do a couple of rotations there (Brackenridge, Children's). If you spend the whole year, you need to find your own housing for the year. I think there are 24 students there from the current 3rd year class doing the whole year. If you do a couple of rotations in Austin, housing is provided for you for free (4 students per 2 bedroom apts) because they don't want you paying rent for 2 places. Rotations that require a patient simulation to demonstrate your history and physical exam skills (internal med, family med, pedi) will require that you come back to Galveston to take the exam (travel costs are reimbursed but capped). For family med, you can request to go anywhere in Texas.
Boards: It's hard to tell whether the curriculum has any affect on anything. The administrators will say "yes" if the results are good and "it's too early to tell" if the results are bad. We're not in class as long as other schools are, which is both good and bad. Students end up skipping class anyways if there're too many classes. Bottom line: Board studying is up to you, how motivated you are, and how much your friends motivate you. The class that had the reputation for the bad board scores/pass rate just graduated (or at least should have). Current 4th years improved on that class, but hovered around the UTMB average (~210, nat'l avg 215) because the people who did poorly did really poorly, dragging the average down. But a lot of people in the current 4th year class did really well because they freaked out over how the class before them did. We freaked out too. The current 3rd year class studied early and studied hard. And when everyone is studying for the Boards, it's hard to slack off. Anyhow, we've always had the 6 weeks of summer break after 2nd year. I don't know if the Dean said this during the info session, but what the Dean's office did was purchase a national prep course/board question bank for ALL OF US for free. We could extend our access to the bank at our own cost. We also had 3rd & 4th years tutor us for free or for a nominal fee. That probably made the difference. The 97% pass rate they're quoting you corresponds to a 225, when the nat'l avg is a 217 this year. At least 111 students scored above 221 (corresponds to a score of 90), and at least 24 students had scores that corresponded to a 99. Obviously, students and faculty are all very excited about this and they want to keep the upward trend going. Hope this helps. Best of luck with interviews!
This is a school that is selling itself. Instead of the feeling... prove to them why they should accept you, it is quite the opposite. The interview is basically them selling the school to you. This attitude spills out into everything else. This is a great school, and I sense with all the positives about it... applicants who appreciate the friendly atmosphere will be placing it as their top choice in the match.
Galveston appears to be a wonderful place to live for those, like myself, who are attracted to a smaller, more intimate community. The clinical facilities seemed to offer a lot of opportunities, and the option to spend the vast majority of your third and fourth years at Breckenridge in Austin was very appealing. (Although, again, no one seemed to be very informed about this either.) The school has more of a campus feel than many other Texas schools. They have a nice gym, plenty of quiet study environments, and a decent student center. The curriculum allows for a ton of time off during your basic science years, which implies that a lot of the learing is done by you at home. Honestly, it was really hard to get a straight answer as to how this formula played out as far as future success in residency, but this is likely because the curriculum is only 5 years old. They are conscious of their reputation for turning out low board scores and strongly emphasized that there second year class this year had a 97% pass rate for Step Ones, and that their mean score was well above the national average. It's hard to know whether or not this speaks to the tweaking of the curriculum or to a unique class. I tend to lean toward the former.
Very stress-free. The interviewers were very laid back and just wanted to talk and get to know me better. I do appreciate that the school looks at the whole individual and not just stats and numbers.
I really liked this school and it is now number 2 on my list mostly because of the curriculm and the history behind it. My interviewers were great too and gave me alot of useful info about living there. Some of the students didnt seem to be happy there though but they seemed to be the type that would complain about anywhere there were.
Great school with really friendly faculty and students, although the emphasis on PBL may not be to every applicant's liking. Interviews are very relaxed, so no need to be nervous.
Great interviews!! They were totally interested in me as a contemplative individual rather than as a pre-med. Very innovative curriculum; in several years will no doubt be the top school in the state.
The interviews were very laid back. They seemed mostly to want to see if you fit in with the atmosphere - friendly and cooperative. This was the best organized & friendliest interview I've had.
It was a good experience, except for the 30 bug bites i got!
although both my interviewers ended up talking way more than I did, so I felt like it was almost a waste of my plane ticket and time for me to even be sitting there. But they were fairly nice, so that was good.
the first one was a bit odd, but friendly all the same. the second was much better. the interviewers are not writing anything down when they talk to you. i guess they're just there to see what your personality is like. no need to plug your C.V. here, just be very personable.
it was a really nice, laid-back day. no rough questions. one of my interviewers ended up chatting with me for an hour and a half and then told me he'd give me his highest recommendation (wow). i was told that they instruct interviewers to keep the sessions laid back and easy. And they really were.
Faculty is arrogant (with an 82% pass rate!)
Students say they have few postive experiences with the faculty and say they are treated like an "experiment" with the new PBL based curriculum. students said that the USMLE step one pass rates have declined there every year since the school adopted the self directed learning curriculum.
UTMB was really great. The students seem to really love it. Our tour guide was extremely friendly and helpful.
The interviews are semi-open file. They have your application, but not your grades or MCAT scores.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested creating a PDF brochure for interviewees, ensuring interviewers fully understand the process, finding more appropriate faculty for interviews, and improving vegetarian lunch options. They also recommended enthusiastic tour guides, avoiding hot tour times, showcasing the SIM center, and enhancing the overall tour experience.
Get enthusiastic tour guides; don't tour when it's hot; show us the SIM center; we don't need to see the rare book room; get someone to do the welcome who won't sound like they're quashing our reasons to go into medical school....
