Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 19% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview mixed with a low 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 were related to personal motivations for pursuing medicine, experiences detailed in the AMCAS application, ethical dilemmas, strengths and weaknesses, career goals, and specific scenarios in healthcare. Many respondents mentioned being part of an MMI format and being under a nondisclosure agreement, with questions focusing on a wide range of topics from academic performance to future aspirations and ethical considerations in medicine.
How did Native Am. etc.? What do you think will be hardest in med school? How can I explain to the admissions commitee that you're scores are not reflective of how intelligent you are?
What is the bigest problem in health care right now?
Why medicine?
Why the University of Vermont?
If a kid comes to your office with a genetic problem and the monther says don't tell my minor kid about his/her disease? what would you do?
Why MD/Phd? This was more of a grilling session...(the guy pretty much presented the woefully long duration of the program, difficulty level, stress afterwards to dissaude me...I just smiled.
very conversational... where do you want to settle in the future? why uvm? why medicine? are you a patriots fan? oh, and my interviewer knew my file really well (particularly my personal statement and a select few activities) so be prepared to go in-depth with your responses
Why do you want to come here? (asked in various ways for the first 15-20 minutes of the interview) probably important for them to ask applicants from warmer climates and big cities--totally understandable
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Vermont College of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, from personal experiences to healthcare reform and ethical dilemmas. While some interviews were conversational, many applicants mentioned a focus on their background, motivations for medicine, and societal healthcare issues, with a notable absence of standout or thought-provoking questions, indicating a standard yet thorough interview process.
None really interesting, but he seemed very interested in getting to know my family life and background. He asked me to tell him where my parents came from and their background as well as my life story... It was low stress though.
What do you think about the new healthcare reform? (It was like a day after it had passed...we spent most of the interview conversing about this topic)
Tell me about your high school visits (I went back to my HS last year and I'm going back this year again to talk to kids about college. We actually spent a good deal of time on this.)
I was directly asked the basic questions like tell me about yourself, your interest in UVM, why you want to be a doctor, and then the rest of the interview was basically just a conversation.
I showed an interest in pediatric oncology and the interviewer's response was: "Dont you realize these kids are going to die? Why would you want to be part of that?"
If someone found a homeless person passed out downtown and they were brought to the hospital, do you think that they would be denied care? Why or why not?
If you were new to an area and needed to be seen by a physician what is the #1 most important characteristic for that physician to have? (He would take "a cold fish scientist before a humanistic physician").
He asked about an article I had written for s journal. He said he hadn't heard of the disorder the article was about, but he asked a bunch of relevant follow-up questions, so he was definitely testing me.
It was a 45min exploration of ethics, the question just kept becoming more focused and pointed after I answered. The interviewer was very attentive and didn't let me get away with making generalizations
Why do you think there has been an increase in the number of cases of ADHD diagnosed over the last few years? (this question was specific to me considering my research is in the area of child psychiatry and ADHD)
Take your pick: Taiwan politics, international policy, fishing in Lake Champlaign, perceptions of Americans overseas, being a military doctor, health care policy.
Young woman (teenager), who is 17 years old, is in your office for a routine check-up, but is really there to find out if she is pregnant(and indeed she is), and her mom is outside in the waiting room, would you tell the mother about her daughter's pregnancy or not?
Many questions asked me to draw from experiences and think aobut things a little more in depth than in some interviews. For example, did a particular patient stand out to me? Has a patient/family member of a patient ever angered me? What was my favorite book? Why was it my favorite book? What about the characters could I relate to?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Vermont College of Medicine discussed the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format where respondents faced nondisclosure constraints. Common inquiries revolved around addressing challenges in healthcare delivery, justifying academic performance, future career aspirations, ethical dilemmas, personal failures, and motivations for pursuing medicine, creating a diverse and introspective interview experience.
My interviewer, and other interviewees told me similar things, was only interested in getting to know me better. There were no ethical or difficult questions. It was very conversational.
Any failures? I tried to avoid the question by saying that whey something does not work out, I do not see it as a failure but the interviewer (he) insisted that I answer the question specifically. So I came up with something.
Who is someone you don't want to be like? I couldn't think of an answer, so she changed it to name a situation where it was difficult to work with somebody.
Tell me something that isn't in your AMCAS application. (This was hard because I basically put everything I could into my AMCAS and I wasn't expecting this question).
Why medicine? [I've answered this a million times, it seems, so it's hard to keep telling the story well and still make it seem spontaneous and genuine]
None really difficult, it was more of a conversation. But, if I had to classify the *most* difficult, it was probably: ''how do you deal with failure?''
If you are treating brothers and one has Huntington's disease, would you inform the the other brother of his family's health risk? What if he was going to have children? Do you have that right?
What do you think is a good solution to the financial problems facing primary care providers in terms of low payments from medicare and high operating costs, etc. (After I answered, he told me he didn't actually expect me to come up with "THE answer")
"I don't think you're cut out well to be a doctor. Please contradict me so that you have a chance of acceptance with the admissions committee."
Of anything in the news in the past 6 months, which news story/issue had the most impact on you, in that it had both near- and far-reaching implications?
A stem cell research question. This is an area that I had limited information so I had made a point of reading up beforehand but I couldn't ramble as comfortably as I would have liked.
How do pronounce "aptotosis?" He had reviewed my file very thoroughly and was asking because I had worked in a dementia lab over 7 years ago. Couldn't remember much about that experience at all when asked.
Who is your favorite Jazz guitarist? (I know it doesnt sound hard....but I don't really have one. I listen to alot of jazz and dont pay much attention to who it is. I felt pretty weird not being able to answer. I just hope he didnt think I lied about listening to jazz...because I do.)
See above. I messed up here. I thought he was referring to my communication skills. He later rephrased the question. Hey, it was my third interview that day and I was tired after less than 4 hours of sleep in two days.
None. My interviewer seemed to just be going through the motion of asking some standard questions. Didn't seem interested in getting to know me better and to see if I fit into the school.
Do you really think you have enough clinical experiences to know what being a doctor is all about? (This caught me off guard a bit, and I'm not sure I responded as well as I would have liked)
1 What do you think a busy month is like (# of hours) for a student/doctor? 2 have you ever had a communication problem or conflict with another person? how did you resolve it?
What are the cons of being independent (we were talking about Britain versus U.S.A). Then the interviewer went off on a strange tangent about the men in Vermont, and completely unrelated topics. I just nodded along.
Has the great twentieth-century american novel been written?
(goodness graciousness -- i now see one of the disadvantages of having a literature background)
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by reviewing their application materials, practicing with mock interviews, researching the school's website, and reading about current medical trends. Some also sought feedback from online forums like Student Doctor Network and engaged in discussions with current students to gain insights into the interview process.
I read materials about MMI as this was my first one. I also spoke with other applicants about MMI during our tour to get a sense of what it would be like.
Looked over my application file prior to interview. Know your story and what your specific motivations for going into medicine and why UVM is a good fit.
Mock-interviews, went over AMCAS personal statement, read SDN interview questions from this year at this school, went over interview questions by myself.
SDN interview feedback, review AMCAS application, review school website, review my old research material, look at current medicine and scientific articles
School's website, SDN interview feedback- made a list of previous questions and practiced answering them, spoke with pre-med dean at my undergraduate college
I overprepared; I spent lots of time brushing up on healthcare policy, ethics, current events. My interview, and everyone else's in my group was nothing more than a casual conversation. Very chill, relaxed, open, etc. So to prepare well, do some inner reflecting about the questions I've listed below.
Read this website; went over some current issues (esp. about Howard Dean since he is from Vermont AND a doctor..but no questions about him); looked over my personal statement...and of course, just be myself!
Read up on UVM and the new curriculum. Looked up info on the state of Vermont and the city of Burlington. Also ate some Ben and Jerry's and listened to some Phish (two Vermont mainstays :))
Read over all my applications. Knew the prospects and theory behind my research work. Looked up some facts about UVM and VT in general. Took a walk around town the day before- simply splendid!
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and welcoming atmosphere of the interviewers, students, and staff at the University of Vermont. The positive and encouraging environment, the beautiful campus and facilities, the innovative Vermont Integrated Curriculum, and the emphasis on inclusivity, collaboration, and early clinical exposure were common highlights mentioned by applicants. Suggestions for improvement were minimal, with only a few minor comments about specific preferences or personal interests.
The interviewers were very friendly and genuinely seemed interested in what I had to say
Welcoming and friendly environment. Culture of inclusivity and diversity. Didn't feel like we were being tested, just tyring to get to know us and analyze our thinking skills.
LOVED the school, all of the students really want to be there and they all really have pride in their school. I actually liked Burlington a lot. Also, this school has an amazing and long history, I liked that a lot.
The medical school and hospital are very connected and right on the undergraduate campus, everyone was very friendly, and the facilities are brand new.
The interview was very relaxed. It was more of a conversation. This was a little tricky, though, because I wanted to get in all of my reasons why I'm a good applicant, and the interview wasn't focused on that.
The school's facilities are very new and technology driven. The curriculum is designed for the modern doctor - everything is integrated and about becoming a well rounded doctor.
Everyone was ridiculously friendly, the students seemed happy and well-supported, the curriculum and use of technology = awesome. My fellow applicants were all great too and had really interesting experiences and stories - yay for no mediclones!
UVM also went out of their way to make the interviews as low stress as possible. Seriously, they gave us cookies to munch on during the interview!
VIC and COMET are fantastic; students get their own notebooks from IS pre-loaded with COMET. The facilities (library, study spaces, etc.) are amazing & the students seem to genuinely enjoy being there & one another. UVM really fosters a positive environment that relies on cooperation rather than competition. It's definitely a place that I could see myself being happy at for 4 years.
The use of technology is very impressive. I sat in on a Convergence (PBL) class, and thought it was very neat how they used COMET to get information about the patient. Also, all material from your 4 years there stays on your COMET webpage and is organized nicely. Virtual microscope is a plus. The PBL faculty member was very nice and attentive to me. The students are chill. Burlington is pretty, but I am partial to New England anyway. I was also impressed by the undergrad institutions represented by the fellow applicants.
Everyone at the school was INCREDIBLY nice, including my interviewer. The facilities are brand-spanking-new, including the hospital, and the students seemed really happy.
Everything! Ok... I'm biased though because UVM is my first choice. But the facilities are amazing, COMET, the curriculum, all the students and staff were incredibly friendly.
The admissions office, students, $12500 UVM GRANT for students who qualify financially, how new everything is and how much more money they are planning to put into upgrades, the school is attached to the hospital, VIC, COMET, the doctor teaching the Generations class on herpes, elective rotations at any hospital in the country, massive amounts of electives, etc.
setting of school is gorgeous (right on lake with mountains in background). undegrad campus is right there so you can use gym, library, etc. This school is a hidden gem--top notch research especially with translational applications, top 5 in US for primary care, and state of the art new facilities for both the med school and hospital which is 150 feet away from the school! The facilities are just amazing, you will have to see for yourself, very 21'st century with awesome architecture. Curriculum seems very forward thinking. Financial aid talk was best I have seen and answered many questions other schools couldn't. The students we met genuinely seemed like they were stoked on the school
Pretty much everything. Burlington is laid-back and very relaxed. The surrounding area is beautiful with Lake Champlain and surrounding mountains on either side. The facilities are pretty much brand new and very impressive. Also, the integration of technology into the education is fantastic and the integrated curriculum is pretty amazing.
The staff was very professional, great presentations and nice people. The school is BEAUTIFUL and the new curriculum is something they are really proud of, for good reason. Also great use of technology.
The students! I really felt like I clicked with them. The integrated curriculum has TONS going for it. The centralized online repository for lecture notes, study materials, exam questions, and the student-updated wiki for each class. The easygoing collegial atmosphere that drips off of the students. The town is beautiful and has progressive politics. The compression of the front part of the curriculum allows students to have much more clinical time than at other schools. You receive a numerical grade that then translates into pass/fail/honors. Some students don't seem overworked or stressed at all. All exams are board multiple-choice format.
How friendly everyone was. How technology is integrated into the curriculum. Students take the USMLE Step 1 in January of their 2nd year, leaving more time for clinical rotations/electives.
Facilities are beautiful, VIC is outstanding program, students were extremely excited about being at UVM and were enthusiastic about their experiences so far. Financial Aid meeting was very informative, EVERYONE was extremely friendly. When I got lost trying to find the admissions office, the janitor walked me to the room and talked to me the whole way - that was my first impression.
I loved every aspec of my visit. I was really really impressed with VIC and COMET. The facilities are amazing! Some brand new buildings. And most importantly, the people there are so nice. Some students exchanged emails with me to help me further. I'm already getting along with the students! :) Just an awesome experience!
Everything!!!! UVM is very close to my hometown, excellent curriculum and reputation, friendly people, beautiful small ciy and a progressve community. There is no other school I want to get into more than UVM.
Great facilities, friendly students, beautiful campus. The new curriculum seems to work really well, and the students do not have to worry about competition for grades or class rank. Also, perfect place for someone who isn't that enthusiastic about living in a huge urban area for the next four years.
The school is AMAZING ... brand new facilities, great technology, every student gets a laptop with lecture notes, slides, animations etc preloaded. All the students seemed enthusiastic and loved the program. The new curriculum seems to be working quite well.
Facilities, student and faculty. The city of Brulington is small but in a good way. All the stores and bars are in a 10 block radius with a great nightlife.
Well-rounded curriculum, although still relatively new. Use of technology throught the entire program. The admissions staff were fantastic---from myfirst contact with Ms. Keefe who went out of her way to schedule (and reschedule!) my interview to the way the interview day was organized, the admissions staff were very friendly.
The med students were really encouraging and had very positive things to say about the school, the school's facilities are new and impressive, and the faculty and staff seemed happy and inviting. (You will especially love Mary Campbell in admissions; what a lady!)
VIC gets students into the clinical setting early; facilities are well equipped / newly renovated; students collaborate rather than compete and really like the program; Burlington and the nearby mountains are rad!
Everybody was incredibly friendly, the Dean of the college spoke to us and asked us for questions, my interviewer and I actually left the room to go look at things during the interview.
The town of Burlington (New England quaint yet liberal-minded and open-armed in a mid-western kind of way). I found it an idyllic place to study for 4 years, as well as to raise a family or retire.
Also - the facilities - the new medschool building, the new hospital atrium and communicore additions with a new medical library - they are simply out of this world modern and cool. There's twisting metal surfaces that remind me of Frank Gehry's Bilbao museum and the Seattle Project for Music. Small Group rooms have 20'' LCD's connected to digital microcopes, large whiteboards, 42'' plasmas, a conference table with electrical and ethernet hookups, etc. And huge windows that give on the main plaza between the school and hospital. Spectacular facilities, truly worthy of an upscale architecture consortium.
EVERYTHING! THIS SCHOOL IS AMAZING. CAN'T SAY THAT ENOUGH. I went in not expecting much, but was completely blown away. Fletcher Allen (the hospital) looks more like a mall than a hospital
The facilities are brand spanking new. The town is quite picturesque and everything is quite accessible. All the students seemed to be really enthusiastic about their school.
Facilities are beautiful (except maybe the cramped lecture hall); students and faculty were extremely positive, nice and enthusiastic about the program and curriculum.
The facilities, everything is brand NEW! The curriculum, you have class in the morning and patients in the afternoon/night. Awesome! Plus, how close Montreal is!
Beautiful location and facilities; very friendly admissions staff and students; some of the use of technology; flexibility in the last year for electives and research.
Burlington is the shiznit: a quaint, rustic little town with old-world charm, like they would film a sitcom there or something...UVM has a true cozy, east coast feeling to it. Everyone is VERY friendly, and the hospital and medical school itself are very newly redone. I'm impressed. You will be too.
student happiness; quality of life; facilities are new; COMET truly integrates technology into the VIC; cooperative spirit; Vermont Integrated Curriculum (but USLME Step 1 is in Feb!)
The library, lecture halls, common spaces, and how happy and approachable the students were. Plus, everything in Vermont in general just seems to work efficiently/smoothly and people are helpful and pleasant...as opposed to DC, where I live. Just an observation
Every single person I met was very nice and welcoming. The new facilities and buildings are great. Very non-competitive, cooperative atmosphere. Integrated curriculum. Beautiful town.
New facilities are amazing. The fact that the Senior Education Dean stopped by at lunch to speak to us and really gave a comprehensive overview of the curriculum and what makes the school unique in its educational philosophy and the way it educates students. He had me convinced that this is the school for me.
The curriculum, the support of the admissions staff and administration, the facilities. Their lunch rivaled the University of Nebraska! It was delicious!
I loved this school! All of the people were so nice, and the faculty seemed so devoted to the students. It was a really laid back, non-competative environment.
Everyone seemed so friendly and willing to help. Even random med students in the hallway asked a group of us waiting for our interviews if we had any questions about the school.
Laid-back and supportive students and admissions staff. A wonderful time to apply to UVM because of the new curriculum, new addition onto the hospital, and new medical education center on the school.
I was really impressed by the close knit community. Everyone seemed genuinely nice and willing to help each other. What most impressed me though was the VIC program.
The friendliness of the staff and students, and their enthusiasm for the VIC. Also the VIC itself and how much the school seems invested in the success of its students.
The staff and students were extremely friendly, enthustiastic and down to earth. My impression of the school is that they are very supportive of their students and encourage them to have a balance life. Given the school's devotion to their students, I can only imagine their commitment to their community and patients. I never thought Vermont would be so great!
the facilities are brand new, you can do rotations at maine, even though there may be a waitlist for those. you take exams on the computer and you are given a laptop.
Everyone at the school was so enthusiastic and happy to be there. The physician who interviewed me made the time fly by. I hope that all of my interviews are like this. The campus is state of the art and is beautiful.
1) New facilities
2) Everyone was supernice
3) The teaching hospital is a stone's throw away from lecture hall
4) HP, P, F system (not competitive)
5) Good match rates despite low selectivity rank
6) Awesome town
7) Curriculum constantly reinforces what you have learned
Everyone was SO laid-back and relaxed, students were happy and friendly, BRAND NEW facilities are beautiful, new Vermont Integrated Curriculum, you get a laptop when you first get there
The VIC is an excellent program. It allows for early clinical experience, proper and thorough intergration of the basic science and clinical sciences, ethical/medical leadership/teamwork group discussions, the re-learning method to reinforce material over the course of the four years spent in medical school and much more. Additionally, a lot of construction went into the new areas and availability of course materials. The standardized patient facility is excellent as well. Lastly and most importantly, the students, faculty and admission staff that I met with were sincere, outgoing, enthusiastic and very helpful.
The friendliness of the students and how approachable they are. I love the new curriculum and all the interest groups UVM has. It is not bad for a town. If you like snow and out door activities, then this is a good place for you. I also like the fact that students can do their residency in Maine.
Everyone was very nice including students, faculty, and staff. People seem to really form a community and bond together. The overall goal isn't competition but rather collaboration.
everyone there (students, faculty, admissions staff) seems incredibly happy and satisfied. Even though boards were two weeks away the students we met didn't seem to be dying of anxiety. High marks for the VIC
The people in Burlington, the students, and the administrative staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. Everybody seems to love it there. They were all very happpy, enthusiastic, and just simply glad that they were at uvm.
My interviewer asked very fair questions. Nothing was out of the blue, out of the ordinary. She responded to my answers, helped conversation to flow, and told me at the end that she thought the interview had gone well. It was nice that she told me what she was thinking, it showed that she was sensitive enough to know that that would be the question that would be burning in my mind when I left. It made it much easier to wait the three months it took for the decision to come. I was accepted.
The focus is not on competition. The focus is on collaboration. The students seemed very happy and were all very friendly. The new VIC seems really wonderful.
The students appeared exceptionally down-to-earth. There doesn't seem to exist the same competitive attitude that can be found at other schools. Much more collegial at UVM.
Very relaxed and supportive environment of the school & the staff. The students seem warm & cozy despite the cold weather. The small town evironment is quaint.
Just walking around, people noticed I was in a suit and they asked if I was interviewing, and asked how it went. They then told me how great the school was. Very nice staff/students!! They gave a 1/2 hour financial aid talk which was boring but VERY informative and gave very important info. My interviewer was very sweet and nice and asked many questions and I felt like I was better able to represent myself at this interview than at any others. Burlington is a very nice little town and a friend who goes to UVM says the town is a blast year round. If you don't like Burlington, you can leave for your 3rd/4th years and go to Maine, NY, and I think even Boston.
Very informal...interview was more of a conversation. Everybody was very welcoming and the new facilities look like they are going to be incredible. Tuition includes a Dell laptop and everything is done online. The Financial Aid representative had tons of information and was extremely helpful.
Everything, I was in beautiful Burlington for two perfect fall days, the city is small but fantastic. The school itself is finishing lots of new construction and is in the 2nd year of a massive curriculum change. The new curriculum sounds great, lots of integrated learning, very open to student input. It utilizes a lot of new tech as well (like integrating imaging--X-ray, MRI, CT, ultrasound--into all the courses from the getgo) they give you a new dell laptop 1st year which you can buy for $1 3rd year, it has everything you need to do classwork from home if you need to or learn better that way. However, MOST impressive were the students, all the 1st and 2nd years had a major exam the next day and they all seemed low-stress and would stop us to ask how things were going and give us advice on how to impress our interviewers. They all seemed really happy with UVM, not just the folks that gave the tour but everyone I met.
A lot. Of the 4 med schools I interviewed at, the students here were by far the happiest and most interesting. You get the impression that they think they are at the best med school in the world -- they genuinely have no regrets coming here. The faculty really do care about teaching the students -- there personality pervades the feel of the campus: chill, fun-loving, hard-working, focused but also can see the big picture. The curriculum is great too. The length of the interview day is perfect: not a dull moment because talking to students filled up any free time, and it gave you a great impression of the whole of the school.
The supportive atmosphere of the medical school, new buildings for 2005, the Vermont Integrated Curriculum, everyone was laid back and very friendly. A lot of students from all over the country and is very diverse.
Interviewer was extremely friendly, students were friendly, open and honest, everyone seems to enjoy being there, students entering this fall will likely receive tablet PCs (most of the handouts and supplemental material are online/handed out on floppies -- this year the first years received laptops), integrated curriculum, instead of exam blocks (ie. several exams over the course of many days) students take one exam at the end of every block that encompasses many disciplines -- probably the same amount of work but only one exam.
The graduate programs and level of intergration among the departments. I arrived about 7am and talked to an M1 for about 45 minutes. She was extremely nice and other students wanted to answer our questions too.
The students were so happy and friendly. They genuinely get along and help each other, and they have great faculty support. I think if I went there I would make wonderful friends.
The student body. The integrated curriculim. The fact that you finish basic sciences in 1.5 years and take boards in the winter time. World renowned faculty members.
major facilities upgrade (over $300 mil) done by our first year in (Feb-2005), the students and the non-competitive atmosphere are major assets of uvm med, a very supportive faculty that med students regularly each lunch with, burlington has a college town feel but its got a ton of bars on or around church street, and vermont is just pristine
The students were incredibly enthusiastic about the school and so eager to talk to us. I felt really welcome. I also like the new integrated curiculum, clerkships start in March of the second year.
My student host is probably one of the nicest people I've ever met. She LOVED her school and it seemed that it was a sentiment shared by all the students I met that day. Everyone was really nice.
students seemed incredibly happy across the board, even just while we were waiting for the day to start, many (completely unaffiliated with the tour/interview day) came up to us to give us encouragement/advice and told us how much they liked the school; also, the school seems to be headed in the right direction--the new curriculum seems to be a significant improvement over the "traditional" curriculum (it was just fully implemented for the first-year class) and it's cool because of early clinical exposure (start rotations 2nd semester 2nd year)--in addition to the fact that they're constructing a brand new medical school facility
The faculty's involvement in the school and the warmth of the admissions committtee. The day was planned to the minute and the interviewer had taken the time to read my file.
The students. We caught the first-years on neuroanatomy exam day, yet they still took time to talk to us during their breaks and a few had lunch with us. Medical school is on main University campus, providing a nice academic environment as well as use of University facilities.
The people at UVM and in Burlington were so friendly. It seems like a wonderful place to spend 4 years. Classes are small, the curriculum is exciting, and clinical exposure begins early. I was also very impressed by the flexible 3rd and 4th year schedule. Some students spend much of their clinical time in Portland, Maine (b/c they want to). Even though Burlington is very small, it has a lot to offer: the Church Street Marketplace, the mountains, and Lake Champlain. It has some great restaurants and shops as well as a really progressive feel for a small town.
students seemed happy and satisfied. They had a nice variety of experiences in their education...curriculum seems to allow them enough latitude to do that.
How well organized the interview day was and how amazingly friendly and happy students seemed to be, even in the midst of exams. UVM really makes the effort to make you feel comfortable and relaxed the day of your interview. I also enjoyed my fellow interviewees! Positive vibes all around. If you partake in any kind of winter outdoor activities, this is the place to be! If you ride, check out the Burton Snowboard Factory store...that place is like a shrine!
Applicants were primarily concerned about the high out-of-state tuition costs, lack of diversity in the patient population, the cold weather in Burlington, limited clinical opportunities on-site, and the ongoing construction affecting facilities. Suggestions for improvement included more thorough tours, better financial aid presentations, and addressing the impersonal or intense interview format.
After the interview, we had a chance to talk to a student ambassador in groups of seven and she talked very poorly of the Connecticut campus (she chose VT) which was very offputting.
New curriculum means mandatory hands-on group work every day, and clinical rotations are scattered all over the northeast and Florida so housing will be an issue in 3rd and 4th year
The process was very impersonal. The MMI format is far too rigid. It basically turns into a contest of which applicants can answer the question the best instead of giving each applicant the freedom to truly present themself as a candidate.
Diversity in Burlington will be an issue. It's a small college town. That said I think the medical school made a point of addressing this and wants to broaden perspectives in the school.
Financial aid presentation was not positive for OOS students. The presenter rushed through the presentation and made me, as an OOS student, feel that I had no options for scholarships.
Nothing negative specifically, but the interview day was very formal. The tour was run by admissions staff and I felt like it would have been valuable to get more of a student's perspective on the school.
I wasn't expecting such an intense interview, but I do appreciate that my interviewer spent so much time getting to know me. She wanted to see if I was a good fit for UVM - makes sense to me.
The fact that you don't start seeing patients until the later part of the first year, how the patient population is so homogeneous, how incredibly rural it is (which could also be a plus, however), the price
That my interviewer wouldn't enter into a dialogue with me. I expected a conversational-style interview from a place like UVM but got much the opposite. I understand that the interview is their chance to get to know us, but it's also helpful to be able to view them as people and possibly future colleagues.
The hospital seemed pretty small compared to others I've seen. The interview itself felt like an hour-long interrogation, but perhaps I had just been spoiled by the conversational interviews I had at other schools.
Students take Step I in Feb. of second year (vs. May at other schools), and start clerkships right after that. This means the preclinical years are more intense than usual, because they have to cover 2 years' worth of material in 1 1/2 years. Also, there's no summer break in year 3, so year 4 lasts 16 months.
Nothing about the school (this is a trend for me LOL). But be aware that cancellations and massive delays are quite frequent for Burlington International.
it gets cold there in winter (of course) and the bars don't have happy hour (but they do have food specials) that's about it. not really any cute girls in the group :(
Everyone said the interview would be very laid back and conversational. This was not the case for me, I was asked LOTS of questions with NO feedback from my interviewer.
Classes run longer in the day than some other schools because the first two years are compressed into 18 months (although this may be for only the 12-week anatomy part, I'm not sure). My host studies 12 hours a day or more, and although he says there are students there who work harder than him, the students we had lunch with all seemed incredibly laid back and like they hardly worked hard at all. No ability to get resident tuition if you start off as a non-resident. You have to use laptops for all exams.
The library - visually interesting, but worthless as a study space, as there are maybe 50 seats for studying. The
tour guides said it was only temporary, as there is major construction going on, but the "temporary" period will be during the next couple years, which is when we would all be there. Also, the student computer lounge was about the size of my old dorm room.
If possible it is like the attitude at UVM is almost too relaxed but their 96% step 1 pass rate really counters any negative associated with this. There is very little ethnic diveristy in Burlington and even less in the medical school.
The diversity...there isn't much in this department but the university is doing a lot to bring in more. There are many muticultural groups that you can join.
There was nothing negative - though some people might feel a detraction from the small-townsy nature of Burlington, I fell in love with its New England charm and open-arms and minds. There are plenty of great restaurants (oh, the food is exquisitely tastey and fresh), plenty of bars downtown, a small outlet mall with the best shops (think Armani with outrageously low prices), and a movie theater, stage theater, etc.
The one detraction I found was my interviewer - though nice, the particular ER physician I was assigned was kind of dead-pan and quiet and gave long piercing stares during my responses (felt like a renegade shrink at first), but the tone softened up later on. That said - everyone else seemed to have had very calming, conversational interviews. I seemed to have gotten one of those interviewers who enjoys making you feel uncomfortable to see how you gauge stress.
Too obsessed with use of technology (?); they do not videotape lectures; while curriculum is newfangled with its block approach, the science is still almost completely lecture, not much small group work or problem-based learning in the first year and a half.
Going to UVM is heeella CA$H. If your an out-of-stater, you have to pay out of state tuition for all 4 years, totalling over 250,000. That didn't sound too bad, afterall, doctors make cheese right? But, the financial aid lady burst my bubble when she said the average monthly payment for a loan was over $1000 a month. While you're a resident making like $3000 a month? OUCH!
research not really a selling point; students don't care about board scores - while their pass rate is high, they didn't impress me w/ their overall performance; LACK OF RACIAL/ETHNIC DIVERSIT; Vermont law precludes having a student-run clinic
it seemed like the admission staff tried hard to be "cool" and sell us on the place--I guess the idea was to make us feel less nervous before our interviews but it really wasn't necessary. I did enjoy the med students who ate lunch with us--they all seemed happy and really took the time to answer our questions about thier experiences with the curriculum and what it is really like.
The only downfall to UVM is the cost of tuition. However, you can opt to do your rotations (starting in your 2nd year!) in Portland, ME, and if you do, they pay for housing costs.
Would have liked a more diverse cross-section of the student body to interact with during the lunch chat session. The three students were friendly and knowledgable but were very similar.
Interviewer seemed more interested in reading questions directly off from a sheet instead of really trying to get to know me as a person. Was more of a interrogation than a conversation. Also, having the interview last after a long day.
I learned that the class was not very diverse and were predominantly caucasian. But! There is definitely opportunity to serve a very diverse population.
no chance of becoming in-state resident. my interviewer pointed out that the academic teaching is very compressed since students see patients early in their education.
The school overall claims to be a genuinely friendly, non-competitive environment. However, my interview was extremely cut-throat, and my interviewer seemed to dislike me and be biased against me from the very start. In reality, the school almost seemed a bit... communistic. Any sort of competitiveness or desire to accel was looked at negatively. Everyone is discouraged from studying alone. You are supposed to do just as well as everyone else, not any better.
Tuition, but all schools are expensive. The interviewer seemed to have already made a decision about me, and interupted my answers to ask the next question.
1) High tuition for out-of-staters (~60,000/year)
2) Early boards
3) Little diversity (but they say patient population and student population are getting more diverse)
The out of state cost is something to think about, but the interview day builds in a very informative financial aid discussion that has helped to guide me where I need to look for financial aid, where not to look and how to minimize my debt as best as possible.
The committee meets three times, one in nov ( i think), one in feb and one in april. You may be put on a waiting list, but they accept 100 and wait list about 300. The student host told me that most of her classmates were actually from the wait list.
The student tour was the least impressive. I work at the school so I know what it has going for it. UVM is in the middle of a "Renaissance Project" so the construction makes things seem sort of in a disarray. i.e. the temporary library is not very appealing. I think that more focus could have been placed on the upcoming renovations. Also, seeing the anatomy lab would have been nice and also walking through the hospital where students do their clinical rotations might have made the school seem more appealing.
The school is under renovation therefore we could only tour the older, more archaic portions of the school (which most likely were the motivation to renovate in the first place).
There wasn't much of a tour (which I didn't really care about, but someone else may), and while the main campus of UVM is very old and nice, the med school itself isn't that nice. However, they are doing a huge renovation which should be done in July 2005. If you can't stand/don't like cold, DON'T GO HERE! It was 30 degrees, ridiculously windy, and at times snowing. Oh and it's insanely expensive for out-of-staters.
Not much, I was worried about clinical opportunities in such a small setting but they have students doing 3rd and 4th year work in NYC, Boston, and internationally even though their primary sites are Burlington and Portland, ME. Also, with a new curriculum some of the students were concerned about the USMLE pass rate. The man that gave us our intro to the school (and was a big part of the new curriculum) is one of the directors (or something intimately involved) with writing the USMLE and he put concerns to rest. It is also one of the MOST expensive schools out there, but hey, if we didn't love debt we wouldn't apply to med school.
Tour guides who seemed to think they were "cool" for giving the tour and talking to prospective students. 1 girl seemed tired, 1 girl seemed not very intelligent, 1 girl was both intelligent and informative. Also, most of the fellow interviewees did not seem terribly outgoing nor talkative.
how the school prides itself on non-stress interviews. i wasted 200 bucks and took 2 days off school for that nonsense. the guy said i wasn't tough enough for med school and then that i wasn't sensitive enough. wth?? got into a much better school though so don't listen to them that try to put you down! also dropped me off after the interview in some strange underground parking lot and then just told me to find my way back from there.
Didn't have an opportunity to visit the hospital (which is still under construction.) It is hard to actually get to the med school (again, construction, and not enough parking.) Not many places to study because library is still not finished (again, construction.)
too cold for too long, medical school is under much renovation until 2005, diversity of patients is nonexistant. everyone in vermont is 90% caucasian white catholics as i was told by medical students there. I went to a pizza uno on route 7 headed toward burlington (do not go there) and there were blatant racism in my face by everyone who worked there. also during the tour at uvm, for lunch in the cafeteria, the cashier ladies were very rude and almost insulting (ex- i tried to add a candybar to my meal and they wouldn't allow me to do so just because i handed my voucher in 2 seconds before). give me a break. the student in front of me already handed her ticket in and was adding to her tray! unbelievable. ignorance and racism is still rampant here in burlington, although i did meet numerous friendly and nice people on the uvm campus.
The 6 months of winter (-20F<->10F), 60K per year for out-of-state residents. I wished I would have talked to the interviewer a little bit longer, but it was fine.
Lecture halls were a bit primitive, new curriculum is a "work in progress", construction won't be finished until sometime in 2005, winter is harsh there, Burlington is very rural, gym and student parking are a bit far from the medical school buildings.
The tour was not organized...I was really looking forward to the tour...it's a major factor when I consider schools. I can always go back for a second look...
the library which is basically a converted courtyard with books, nice carpet, and a roof over it but the new one looks to be sweet. Also that you cant qualify for state tuition under normal circumstances (like buying a house, or marrying a Vermont resident)
Small town, the facility is small but currentlly expanding but wont be done till late 2005, limited diversity in clinical training, bugs still being worked out with the new integratd ciriculum. Expensive for out of state!!
Construction won't be done until 2006. That's not really their fault though. Students have to compete for study space in the meantime. It takes a lot of travel time to get to Burlington.
Burlington is a wealthy, homogeneous town. My interviewer reflected that Burlington was not like the rest of Vermont, in that Vermont has serious health problems related to access and the issues that come with a rural environment. Burlington just felt a little too perfect.
Burlington is smaller than I thought and there is not much of a "metropolitan area." It's kind of funny that UVM considers Maine Medical Center in Portland, ME to be their "urban" hospital. I'm not sure what I think about the new curriculum either.
A lot of construction; things will be nice in a few years, but right now it is a bit tough to get around and the temporary library is a little cramped. UVM tutition for out-of-staters, and Burlington itself for that matter, is very expensive; you definitely pay for the lake and mountain views
No alcohol allowed at dinner. . . The other applicants were a little brutal with each other. One of the applicants had a severe peanut allergy and he was not able to attend dinner, nor were the arrangements to accomodate him.
The tour didn't really show us that much, we didn't see the hospital. And the school campus seems small and a little crowded. The food was not so good!
If you're coming from the west coast, the travel day to Burlington can be very long, especially if you utilized Southwest airlines. However, I have no negative feelings about the actual college of medicine or Burlington.
My interviewer. Weird guy who asked weird and somewhat inappropriate questions. Plus, interview was slow because they did a schedule change so that my interviewer was not familiar with my file.
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the relaxed and conversational nature of the interview, the lack of official campus tours, the choice between Vermont and Connecticut for clinical rotations, and to bring appropriate clothing for cold weather. Suggestions included preparing for a conversational interview, researching the interviewer in advance, and being aware of potential delays for out-of-state applicants.
That my interviewer really didn't ask me any of the standard questions such as "Why do you want to be a doctor/go into medicine?" or "Why do you want to attend UVM?"
The name of the person who would be interviewing me...I'd like to have prepared myself. Also, if you are in-state make sure to fill out the residency application BEFORE you go to your interview...did not know that beforehand.
That if you are out of state, prepare to wait. You are going straight to the waitlist no matter what. They toy around with out of state students even though most of their students are out of state.
Don't book a JetBlue flight out of Burlington, because they don't have that many flights there. If they cancel on you (like they did to me), you'll have to stay overnight or pay a fortune to get out on another airline.
That they give a $12500 grant to any student who qualifies. For an OOS student, this cuts the costs down to about $58000. Still a lot of money, but far more reasonable and very comparable to my IS schools. It's based on your FAFSA and has nothing to do with merit (they also have merit scholarships). I will definitely qualify for this, so it's something I'll keep in mind.
how boring burlington, vermont is.
its a cute town but has no diversity at all. not to mention theres on ly 40K people living there and its VERY far away from other larger multicultural and interesting cities.
How exquisitely beautiful Vermont is. Even if you don't plan on going to the school (for some crazy reason), just visit Vermont itself. It's extraordinarily beautiful country.
How much I'd like the school. My interviewer was a super nice MD who knew my application inside out and just wanted to know more about me. This was the most relaxed interview that I've been on so far. The facilities are AMAZING. Burlington is BEAUTIFUL.
How awsome this school was. It went from a security school to one of my top choices. I ahve been accepted to the Unviersity of Wisconsin (Madison), so the only reason I wont go to UVM if they accept me is their tuition. I wish I was from VERMONT!!
That going to vermont via plane from Canada (Toronto) is tough. If you miss the late flight, you are screwed. I had to drive all the way from Montreal...really really late at night.
The admissions committee EXPLICITLY told us that most out-of-state applicants are placed on the waiting list. It kind of sucks that most of us will probably have to wait until may-june to hear if we got in or not...
planning ahead and staying at a B and B would've been way cheaper and better than waiting til the last minute and paying a bunch of money at a lame hotel.
If you are driving (I had a rental car) you need to get a parking permit from the transportation/parking office near the medical school and then park in a designated visitor spot. This whole production takes about 20-25 minutes, so leave early. I paid $6 for the day.
I discovered that all of the other students I interviewed with had (like me), taken a few years off from college before applying to medical school. I thought this might make me stand out, because I had been working in the medical field, but all of the other students had graduated at least a year prior and had been working or doing research.
That my interviewer would not be laid-back like the majority of the interviewers are. He gave a WONDERFUL interview but challenged me quite a bit with his questions.
That lunch was a private engagement with students and the dean rather than a haphazard arrangement in the cafeteria as I had usually encountered at other schools. So rather than find the group, I took my own little tour of the facilities and headed back to the admissions office for the formal tour.
NEVER check your suit in your check in luggage. Mine didn't arrive with me and I had to go downtown, the DAY OF the interview and buy a brand new suit and shoes in time for my 11am interview.
I had no idea how great they were. The school is so much better than the info on their website. They went from my last choice school to my first choice school.
That you have to be a VT resident for a year BEFORE you apply or it's basically impossible to take advantage of in-state tuition rates at any point during your 4 years there.
that i was going to like the school. they are really friendly and warm, the adm staff knows the name and undergrad school of every student that came to talk to us, and there were aout seven of them.
I wish I had gone over more of the school's information and had more questions specific to actual programs and policies rather than just the pratice of medicine at the school and Vermont in general.
There is nothing that I wish I had known, but I wish that I had stayed with a student the night before and I feel that I missed out on a good experience.
For students coming from far away, it seems to ask alot of you, when basically you will arrive, see a talk, take a short tour and then wait for a while before having one interview. I wonder if phone interviews might be better for students from distant places, as the travel expenses can and do deter students from applying to many places.
You are told upon your arrival in the morning who will be interviewing you in the afternoon so you can do a little research on them in the student lounge, if you are so inclined.
UVM accepts a lot of non-traditional students (their average entering age for the last class was 25 or something) so this is a great place to apply if you have some time out of college and "life experience."
it's a good school but the enviroment/atmosphere is highly unfavorable. i encountered severe and obvious racism in burlington just because i was not white. vermont also allows civil unions for gays, and i saw many openly gay people in burlington, which i didn't like quite frankly speaking.
High tuition, virtually no possibility to gain in-state status, you take USMLE Step I in March or April of your second year, a lot of the new curriculum centers around the use of computers (quizes, grades, lecture notes/handouts, dissecting videos, more) -- one student said you could theoretically complete the entire basic sciences curriculum without ever really going to class except for labs and exams, although that's probably not recommended. Also, laptops are serviced and/or replaced by the school.
I got a great deal at the Fairfield Inn (Marriot) for $25/night..just go to priceline and book it!! I don't think you can get a better deal anywhere else!!
Burlinton International Airport is NOT AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. It's more like a terminal of a local , jet only airports. The security was up my a** and I hate small jets.
They begin clinical clerkships in their second year, lots of non-traditional students and students from california. I was interviewed by 2 people at the same time which was fine but different.
that the holiday inn i stayed at was under construction, so the banging of hammers until 9pm and starting at 7 am sucked, particularly since the interview didn't start until 11:15: DON'T STAY AT THE HOLIDAY INN!! (who says consumers can't have a say?)
A LOT of Californians; more than half the candidates that day, the tour guide, the asst. dean of admissions, etc... I think I read that Californians make up 40% of the class.
The new curriculum is just that: new. The class entering this August will be the crash test dummies for the new program. I don't think that elements of it have been beta tested at all. The VIC will be introduced all at once, not phased in.
The class of 2003 will be the guinea pigs for the new curriculum. I knew this somewhat but did not realize much of it has not been tested out before. 80% of UVM students are non-traditional!
In Burlington (and probably the rest of Vermont), if you buy clothes or shoes for under a $100, you are not taxed! I wish I had brought more spending money.
Applicants generally found the interview day at UVM to be a positive and enjoyable experience, with friendly and welcoming staff and students. There were mixed feelings about the interviewers, with some experiencing conversational and relaxed interviews, while others found their interviewers to be more intense or challenging. The new curriculum and facilities were generally well-received, though concerns were raised about the cost for out-of-state students and the location being rural and not diverse.
Great interview, very enjoyable time and I hope I am accepted.
UVM's admissions officers are very active and informative. Come prepared with questions, there is ample opportunity for you to ask questions.
I had a really positive experience with my student-host.
I did not like my interviewer, he ahd me go through my entire application and didn't leave room for discussion. Because of this I did not feel like he wanted to know me and my goals in hoping for an acceptance to medical school, instead it seemed like he just wanted to know what I had done. (which is already on my app)
My interview was very relaxed, but it depends completely on the interviewer. Some interviewees said that theirs went down a list of questions that included healthcare and ethics. I think either format could be advantageous and my advice is to just be yourself.
Great school...faculty truly care about the students and work together in a collaborative learning environment. Students match into great specialties...the extra time for clinical rotations is a huge plus.
UVM is my top choice. It is such a positive place to be - students and faculty were all very welcoming, and many wished us luck as they saw us waiting to be interviewed. The technology is awesome and the Integrated Curriculum is unmatched. Fletcher Allen would be a wonderful place to train, as well. I'd recommend GOING to your interview if you are invited, even if you aren't used to being in a rural area. UVM is the place to be!