Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 16% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a low stress level and felt they did well.
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the areaโs cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
๐ฌ Interview Questions โผ
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about the applicant's journey to medicine, valued volunteering experiences, research projects, clinical experiences, motivations for pursuing medicine, future career aspirations, ability to handle stress, and ethical considerations in healthcare. Many responses referred to questions specific to the applicant's file, personal statement, and application details, with some respondents mentioning questions about their support system, community service, strengths and weaknesses, and views on medical ethics. Some respondents also mentioned questions related to the MMI format and potential nondisclosure agreements due to the nature of the interview process.
What's your support system? What's gonna get you through med school when you hate your basic sciences, get jealous of your friends going out on the weekends and you're home studying, etc etc. ??
If you had a medical award named after you, what would you want it to be for? (ex. most capable doctor, most compassionate doctor, most groundbreaking doctor, etc.)
What is your opinion on the designated hitter rule in baseball? (I'm from St. Louis and currently live in Boston, so since the Cards and the Sox were both doing well, we started talking about baseball)
General questions about my application and course work as an undergrad. Along with these questions went the question about what I want/expect out of a medical school.
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Virginia School of Medicine discussed various topics such as qualities important for a physician, handling ungrateful patients, ethical considerations of implantable chips, and scenarios involving patient care. The interviews seemed to cover a wide range of questions related to personal experiences, ethical dilemmas, patient interactions, and future challenges in medicine, with some respondents mentioning specific questions tailored to their applications.
What are 2 qualities that are important as a physician?
It's been awhile, but all the questions were very specific to my application. I wasn't really asked too many general questions. I guess why my one of my MCAT sections scores was so low in the first place.
Volunteering, you must have seen pharmaceutical company representatives come in and give free pens to physicians and take them out to lunch, etc. What do you think of that?
If you were working as a pediatrician in a rural area and a 15 year old girl asked you for birth control but not to tell her parents, what would you do?
There were a few that were asked that were interesting. Most were drawn from my research experience.
1. What factors do you think have contributed to the increase in diagnosis of ADD in the past 30 years?
2. What do you think about a link between mercury and autism?
My first interviewer was the director of Student Health at the school, so he asked me something about what the school should do to help prevent the abuse of alcohol.
How do you think John Kerry is going to fund the health care plan currently received by congressmen for all Americans? I told him I had no clue-he said that was a fine answer because he didn't know either.
How I would react to other classmates in medical school, looking up to me with respect to almost all of the first-year classes I have previously taken and currently tutor.
So, I've got an impression of you from reading your file. Now I want you to tell me how I should think of you, so I can see if it matches my premeditated impression? [WTF?!?]
Extremely open-ended questions about integrity and the pt-physician relationship, why Americans are self-obsessed, and what I could do about all of this.
The doctor handed me a paragrapth that describes a situation in which a 3 yr toddler died and you pressed by your chief resident to practice intubation on the boy to gain experience while the parents are waiting outside for their son. We talked in some great length about the subject.
From reading your app. I have an impression formed about you.. but could you describe yourself and tell me what's unique/important about you? I want to know if it matches to my idea about you?
Assuming that all the science and altruism is gone out of your day, the patient's family is griping, complaining and disrespectful . . . . how are you going to behave?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Virginia School of Medicine discussed various scenarios and ethical dilemmas, including patient treatment preferences, sensitivity to familial situations, and challenges in healthcare. The interview format may have involved MMI, based on references to nondisclosure agreements, with questions ranging from personal qualities to handling hypothetical patient care scenarios and addressing systemic healthcare issues.
What is an example of a patient's story that inspired/impacted you?
What would you do if a hospital administrator was getting on you for having a smaller patient load than other doctors (because this would reduce profitability for the clinic)? **the hardest part was that this question was repeated THREE TIMES in succession and each time I had to come up with a new answer**
(Interviewer responding to essay answer about difficulty in balancing family life with patients): "So you said that you oblige the patient who refuses to see another doctor than you, but what if the patient's reasoning is based on that other doctor's race or sex?" aka, because the patient is racist or sexist
Interviewer: So, why are we having this interview?
Student: Do you mean in the sense of, "What activities and schoolwork did I do to make it here?" or "Why do I want to come to medical school?"
Interviewer: "Why do you want to take care of sick people for the rest of your life?"
There weren't any difficult questions. Although there was an activity I had listed on my application that had nothing to do with the medical field that I was asked about, and I was surprised that he had asked about it because nobody in previous interviews had ever cared about the non-medical aspects of my application. But it was a very conversational question. Asking what I liked about the teaching, and I had never thought about it consciously before, but it was a fun question.
What would you do about the growing problem of language/communication between health professionals and patients? (this followed after sharing a story from my hospital volunteering days about it taking 10 minutes to figure out that a spanish-speeking mom just wanted to see her baby...something simple, what happens when we're discussing insurance or symptoms or highly complicated issues)
second interviewer asked me some really pointed/detail questions which i think i handled well. However, his lack of facial expression kind of descouraged me quit a bit.
Why would I want you in my class? (From a student interviewer- doesn't sound too difficult until you're put on the spot to talk about something other than your academics/experiences.)
If you could decide what I wrote about you in my post-interview comments, what would you want me to say? Doesn't sound hard at first, but it was tricky.
What do you feel about the direction that medicine is going and how would you propose to fix it? (In reference to managed care) This question had me scratching my head...
Is there anything else you'd like me to know about you? (doesn't sound hard, but at the end of the interview, its just arkward to say something, so have an answer)
Are you sure you know what it means to be a doctor (Not that I couldn't think of an answer, but his tone was pretty condescending, so it threw me off guard)
Same as above. Actually the question wasn't difficult, per se. But it was something that I did not have a premeditated response for. If that happens to you, just ask if you could have a couple of moments to think about an answer, which is a good thing because it shows that you're thinking about what you want to say as opposed to having some prepared speech.
1. Tell me about a pressing ethical issue relating to medicine. (note, not a bioethical dilemma/issue, just an ethical issue) 2. In what type of community do you see yourself working in as a physician and why?
There really wasn't a difficult question. I did get one ethical situation: 3 year old child arrives dead at the ER and the staff attempts to revive him but fails. The first year intern jumps in and practices intubating on the deceased child while the parents are in the waiting room. They have no clue what's going on, they think the staff is still trying to "save" their baby. My interviewer asked me what I thought and, in the end, told me there was no real answer. I think he was just trying to see if I could understand both sides of the issue.
on my first interview, 13 minutes left to the end, I was asked to continue the interview in whatever way I want with questions, comments, thoughts, ...
Same as the above question. As obvious as the question may have been, I'd never been asked it on any other interview and didn't have a "pat" answer to it! I handled it well though. I've gotten scarily good at improvising on the interview trail.
Ethical questions about parents consenting to use their children as resesarch subjects (I did some research with adolescent participants) and a scenario involving a pregnant teenager who was in a car accident and didn't want doctors to tell her parents she was pregnant.
See above. Almost all other questions were pretty standard. The student interviewer I had was pretty ditzy and clueless. She didn't even really ask me any questions. First thing she said was, "I can see from your file that you're a very smart person. Now do you have any questions for me about UVA?" Worthless.
What makes you think you'll be successful in medical school? (to be fair, I had been asked about delaying the app for a year by the previous interviewer, so when she asked why a year off I went ahead and mentioned the grade issue - but she followed with "But that's in engineering, so I think your grades are great for your major.")
the first interviewer did not ask me any questions, she just seemed to want me to keep talking and talking. that made it pretty difficult because i felt i was talking too much.
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 low stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had 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 the interview by reviewing their application materials, reading the school's website, seeking feedback on websites like SDN, and practicing answering potential interview questions. Many also engaged in mock interviews, researched healthcare topics, and connected with current students or alumni for insights.
Reviewed Website (#1), SDN (#2), My App (#3), Practice answering by myself in Zoom/BigInterview
Read through AMCAS app and secondary. Made list of common interview questions and possible answers. Read up/watched videos on the US healthcare system and its issues. Did a few practice interviews with random people online (through r/premed reddit page).
Read a lot of books (esp. books by Atul Gawande) and Sicko by Jonathon Cohn. I also went through my primary and secondary application and practiced on a video camera a few times. None of it was strictly necessary.
SDN forums, SDN interview feedback, re-read secondary/primary, watched video tour on the UVa admissions website, read through school's features on the UVa admissions website
I read up on the generals of health care (wasn't asked any questions about health care), reviewed my amcas and uva applications, and my prepared questions and answers I had made up beforehand.
I looked over SDN, made a list of questions past UVA applicants were asked and went through how I would answer. I read a few books: ''Health Care Half Truths'' written by the dean of UVA's SOM, ''How Doctors Think'' and another book of a doctor writing to her son letters about the whole process from applying to med school to working as a doctor. All three were really helpful and gave me ideas to work off on in my answers. Of course I looked over my AMCAS application and secondaries (my interviewers had thorougly gone through them and most of my questions were about stuff I had in my application).
I read every single one of these SDN interview reviews for the school, my essays for the school, my personal statement, some encouragement from my family, called a friend who interviewed with them, and called my brother's friend who graduated from there.
Read this website, studied the school's website inside and out, studied what I said in my application, studied myself: knew my personal statement and activities and what they taught me/how they related to medicine, thought about all the hard questions I had ever read beforehand.
I read my secondary, and reviewed their website. I had also read books on ethics and the medical system, and I was prepared to answer the standard interview questions (most of which were NOT asked).
Prepped potential interview Qs and As with doctor I work with. Reread my essays unti I knew inside out. Read up on school. Talked to friends who interviewed there last year.
Went over my primary and secondary, SDN, reviewed "generic"
interview questions, but I found that I didn't even need to-
just be yourself and know yourself.
Applicants were consistently impressed by the warm and welcoming atmosphere at the school, the friendliness of students and staff, the beautiful campus and facilities, the innovative curriculum, the pass/fail grading system, the quick decision time on applications, and the sense of community and collaboration among students. Suggestions included providing more details on financial aid, maintaining the relaxed and conversational nature of interviews, and continuing to emphasize the school's strengths in research, community service, and student well-being.
info session, meeting students, virtual housing program
The campus is beautiful, and the lunch (plus the conversation with the 2 students) was good! Interviews were very conversational. Extremely quick decision time (give you a decision by the Friday on the week you interviewed). Students seemed happy and eager to share their knowledge. The 18 month curriculum. Option to do rotation at Inova campus or in Charlottesville (with away rotations).
Throughout the day tons of current students stopped in to say hi, answer questions and tell us how much they loved the school. You could tell everyone loved it there.
Practically everything, but the biggest and best thing I noticed was how universally happy everyone was--students and faculty alike. Charlottesville is also a wonderful small city, with lots to do and see but not stifling or overcrowded.
UVA was by far the most impressive school at which I have interviewed. They just have their "stuff" together. Seamless and stress free day. Great school in all aspects: facilities, people, faculty, students, etc.
Both the faculty and student interviewers were very nice and knowledgable of my application and my experience. It was nonconfrontational and very congenial.
The overall package: facilities, super-friendly students, curriculum, opportunities (educational & research), and location. UVA gives students money, tickets, and/or discounts for cultural activities.
The collegial atmosphere, the new infrastructure for the class of 2014, the eco-friendliness of the school, the opportunities for community services, and the opportunities for study abroads.
P/F, new education building for the class of 2014, friendliness of the admissions staff/interviewers, new curriculum, beautiful grounds, great history/culture, flexibility with regards to pursuing ancillary interests
The laid-back nature of the school and how much everybody still loved it and their town. The interview was one of the most relaxed situations I've been in.
Next year (Fall 2010) UVA's going to roll out a brand new curriculum along with a huge, brand new building to centrally house the med school. The new building has 6,000 sq. ft. of simulation labs, another 6,000 sq. ft. of standardized patient areas, and tons of computers and technology. They both sound completely amazing. UVA also seems to care very much about having happy, well-rounded students. The interview shot UVA up to my top choice school except for maybe Pitt.
Southern hospitality. UVA knows how to treat its interviewees. Great food, I really like Charlottesville. They put the interview at the end of the day, which is great, because your nerves are a little relaxed at that point, and you'll really know if you want to go here or not by then.
The people! Our medical student guides were very polite, approachable and down-to-earth. Dean Canterbury is the type of person you would want representing your school - smart, funny, interesting. Pass/Fail curriculum. The clerkship structure is also worth considering. Also, the infamous lunch.
Dr. Canterbury impressed all six of us when he rattled off a bunch of personal facts on each of us from memory. His slide show about the innovative curriculum and all the construction going on was awesome. Then the tour by two fourth-years really blew me away. Everyone that I interacted with there was really nice and eager to answer questions. Besides all that, Charlottesville seems like a great town with lots of small restaurants and ethnic food.
Stayed with host and went to an anatomy lecture (very helpful for getting around). Campus was beautiful, students were friendly, lunch was by far the best interview lunch I've had (btw save room for dessert)
Everyone treated us extremely well. The admissions staff were great, and the tour and interview were really relaxed and informative. No one seemed to be stuffy at all despite a pretty high ranking for the program.
The sincerity of my interviewers. They weren't trying to make me nervous at all, but genuinely wanted to know about me. I love UVA in general though, the location, the community, the environment, and the people.
Facilities are really nice, especially the Health Sciences Library. Also, there's a true sense of community, that everyone cares for everyone else--cooperative instead of competitive atmosphere
The way the students help each other, non-competitive environment, the doctors!!!-my interviewers were amazing people, the CURRICULUM is awesome and its structure is really really good. It got me really excited. Dr. Canterbury also talked to us about future planning for the med school (new projects) so that was also nice to feel like you were already being informed. The 4th years told us that the school is always changing and recieves feedback really relaly well.
the campus of UVA is beautiful. The med school is a bit old, but i enjoy its historical atmosphere. also, the students have such comradery spirit which i think is fantastic.
That there were only six of us interviewing that day, so there were plenty of opportunities to get questions answered and I didn't feel like just another applicant.
The medical student interview was awesome! She was really interested in learning about me! Was a very fast 20 mins or so! Time flew because it was fun. The second interviewer was more traditional, question and then my answer.
great facilities, faculty is very involved in student life, southern charm, p/f system and student cooperation, students seem well-rounded and not too stressed
The admissions staff was friendly, helpful, and encouraging. The tour was great and the infamous lunch was fun. The interviewers, one a 4th year and the other a cardiologist, were open, honest, and friendly.
Location of the school, UVA is beautiful, Charlottesville is great. The tourguides were really enthusiastic about their school (they were all 4th years.)
Everything- the students seemed so happy, the interviewers took the time to formulate thoughtful questions about my application, the facilities were beautiful and the lunch was amazing!
UVA is a gorgeous location, we only had one tour guide, but she was really nice and open about her experiences at the medical school, all the students we saw seemed happy and enthusiastic about the school
The facitlities and outward appearance of building were excellent. The tour guides were 4th years who were very excited about the medical program at UVA.
The food was great, as fabled. It was interesting to have fourth year student give the tour, the provided an interesting perspective on medical school and UVa. All of the people seemed excited about the interviewees.
While some people will feel that the town is small, I enjoyed the atmosphere. The student body appeared to be very active, with many of the students talking about camping trips, tubing, pick-up basketball games, etc...
Though there may be a self-selection bias in those who volunteer to lead tours and conduct interviews, I was surprised to find that each person with whom I spoke hoped to stay in Charlottesville for their residency.
The interview experience was very well planned out and coordinated. Students seemed happy, and knowledgeable. The financial aid presentation was very thorough and useful.
This school is BEAUTIFUL-what an amazing history. I felt so at home-everyone I encountered was truly happy at UVA. I did not feel stress at any point of the day. The med students were fabulous, and gave a good tour. The hospital was bright and cheerful, and the lunch was fantastic.
The warmth of the people impressed me. They are strictly pass/ fail which eliminates the competition. A physician in front of me iin line at breakfast bought my food when he found out I had an interview.
The competitive atmosphere that embodies UVA undergraduate experience seems to be non-existent. Many students went out of their way to talk with the interviewees and made a great impression. The school seemed surprisingly tight-knit and enjoyable.
The tour was a no holds bar conversation. The students loved the place. All of the students seemed to know one another and cared about their well being.
UVA is a very nice med. school. The hospital and facilities are really nice and really busy. I really liked the atmosphere of the med. school and hospital. Students are super friendly, judging by the few students I met. The campus is really beautiful. Charlottesville is really cute and people seem friendly.
My tour guide! He was phenomenal. The tour guide actually spends a substantial amount of time with the group of interviewees: a tour of the academic grounds is followed by lunch (it's a very nice lunch, believe me) and a tour of the hospital. He was very knowledgeable, and very honest with us about his experiences and opinions (both positive and negative) about the school. There was also a financial aid session (optional) at the end of the day, which was very informative. Both interviewers knew my file very well.
The campus was amazing, the students seemed relaxed and happy, the boys were way cuter then the ones in nyc. The med school recently privatized and they now have a lot of money from alums coming in and have built a huge new research building.
I go to UVa and have spent some time volunteering in the main teaching hospital of the SOM, but what impressed me was that rooms I thought were just closets in the hospital were really huge, tucked-away classrooms and laboratories within the hospital itself. Also, all lectures are recorded on video and placed online, and all class notes are written by the teachers themselves (not a student-run service) and given to students. Most schools do one of the above, but it was nice that UVa did both.
Many things -- the city of Charlottesville is wonderful -- no wonder it was recently voted the best city in America to live. The students seemed generally happy and the curriculum is great. And lunch was amazing.
The atmosphere at UVa was open and welcoming. The interviews were more like conversations, where the admission committee members seemed genuinely interested in getting to know me. The students who gave the tour (there were 3 of them) were enthusiastic about the school, and provided a lot of useful information. Lunch was awesome!! The campus is quite beautiful. I was impressed by the faculty's desire to get to know each student, and to have some sort of involvment in their education. Rent doesn't look too bad. Very thorough financial aid presentation.
happy students, close and friendly community, the fact that the faculty and administration really care about students, and my interviewers seemed to be genuinely interested in me. the area is really pretty, it was so nice to actually see some scenery!
While there I really got a sense that the school was interested in me as a person, and not just a bunch of statistics. Everyone there was very friendly. Charlottesvill is very nice.
Good lunch and their hospital cafetaria looked good too, great speciality programs, diverse 3rd year rotations, not in class all day, nice student lounge
This whole interview process was very relaxed, laid back. The two interviewers were so nice and really knew a lot about me. Also the touring guides did a good job and was a good thing that they weren't part of the admissions committee.
UVa is great. Def. the best school in Virginia and my #1 choice, so I was a bit bummed that it was my _first_ interview. Good tour and lunch, great town: feels bigger than it is, med-students seemed very likable and well adjusted.
I thought UVA was geared more towards research, but there is excellent hands on experience there. Was even told that thy get pretty bloody cases in the ER pretty often. The interviewers also read my application pretty thouroughly. Also, great lunch.
interviewers knew me so well. each had prepared a long list of relavant questions about my life and my experiences. students and interviewers were very nice and enthusiastic. The medical school, the hospital and the undergrad campus were gorgeous. they make a decision in less than two weeks of the interview (got my acceptance 4 days later).
The solidity and consistency of the program. The interviewers studied your file carefully, and asked very in-depth and relevant questions. The interviewers' professionalism seemed a cut above the norm. I don't mean to say that others are sloppy, simply that mine were particularly keen on gaining a deep understanding of the candidate. This is a plus. I was well impressed. Despite being a small town, the medical school has very good facilities.
Down home, country fried feel. Really nice library and study areas. Strong classroom instruction. A lot of up and coming research, even in light of a drop in state funding.
nice campus, nice college town, good board scores (might change b.c. they are instituting pass/fail), surprisingly large hospital, lecture halls seem nice, extreme stadium seating. brought UVA up to one of my top choices.
The student tourguide was a 4th year and you could tell that she really loved the school. During the tour we walked in on a group of med students wishing one of the retiring teachers fairwell, and they were all happy. The whole school seems very friendly and comfortable. They also promise to give you a response in under two weeks!
I'm from the South, so Charlottesville wasn't exactly a culture shock to me. In fact, it reminded me much of home. Virginia is a good state. Although I'd like to live in Charlottesville, I'd much prefer an urban Southern city, say Richmond? Nice facilities and hospital too.
A lot of things! UVa is a great all-around school. They don't push you toward either primary care or research, and it's a good place if you want to specialize. The board scores are good, and the students seem very happy there. Also, the undergrad campus is beautiful, and you can use all the facilities like the gyms, libraries, buses, etc. for free. The best thing is that we'll hear about a decision within 2 weeks!
not too much really. campus was very fresh looking and the people were sociable. hosptial was big and clean. the wind-tunnel-type walkways were pretty cool.
the 4th year students who took us on the tour were very helpful and it was really great to have older students (rather than 2nd years) take us around and talk to us about the school...they were very candid and had obviously experienced the pluses and minuses of going to school there
The hospital's nice, library, facilities are impressive. Staff's really friendly. The MA in Bioethics program is definitely something I'm considering. The institutional financial aid is outstanding for a public institution (the financial aid info session was one of the most helpful ones I've been to.) I also really liked my faculty interviewer, he was really chill, really helpful, really involved in both the school and in the CDC, it was probably the best interview conversation I've ever had.
The fact that there were only five other applicants and three fourth year med students to show us around. I like how they kept our group small, so all the applicants had a chance to talk to the students.
Charlottesville is a really great town to live in, all the students seem totally relaxed and happy, there are some great opportunities to see medicine in many different settings, lots of computer facilities
UVA SPIRIT! These people love where they study/work and they let you know it... I think there were fifty of those signs letting you know how many years UVA was in the top 100 hospitals. They want to make you look good so they look good.
The interviewers, a 4th-year student and a teaching M.D., seemed interested in me and engaged in the conversation. The campus is probably the most beautiful one I have ever seen.
UVA has a great reputation and it is built on its strong faculty and research experience. All of the students seemed pretty happy (even the 1st years who were taking exams) so it's not ultra competitive.
They tell you up front you'll have an answer within two weeks. Fourth year med students giving the tour could really tell it like it is. Tour before interview gave me time to relax and loosen up. Parking ticket was validated - gotta love that.
EVERYTHING. I had heard that UVa is a great program - it is! It's World Class. Also the school's need-based scholarship is very significant (helps to ease the pain of out-of-state tuition).
SOME of the facilities were good, the school and hospital
obviously have a good reputation, Charlottesville is a nice
area, they explain financial aid in great detail (optional
meeting).
student tour leaders were extremely forthcoming and candid & school seems to be moving in a more hospitable way (no pun intended) with a pass/fail system, published notes, etc.
students were very friendly; Charlottesville area is nice and very livable; financial aid seems pretty generous (every student gets at least a small scholarship)
The hospital and library are gorgeous. The labs and classrooms are slightly lamer but overall the campus is wonderful. Also the adjacent undergrad campus is cool.
Applicants were generally unimpressed by the lack of diversity among students, the traditional curriculum with limited clinical exposure in the early years, and the small town feel of Charlottesville. Suggestions included improving the interview experience, providing more information on extracurriculars and financial aid, increasing diversity, enhancing facilities and technology, and offering more opportunities for student interaction.
Honestly the interviewers were a little awkward. The other ones I've had have been personable and it's been a conversation but that was not my experience here esp with one of the interviewers
Interviewers left an odd taste in my mouth. They were personable, but the interview was not conversational and I definitely felt like I was being judged. One openly criticized the school and railed against the curriculum.
The difficulty to get to Charlottesville even though they say it's easy. If you have a significant other in New York or Boston, it won't be very cheap to meet them too often.
The size of Charlottesville might be too small, but there's a lot to do within and outside the town. It's mainly a matter of whether you want a big city or not.
nothing really, just there was no tour of lecture halls, anatomy labs, very little shown within the medical center - I would've liked to see all that to get a better sense of the school
That new school probably won't be ready until at least our second year so we're left with pretty old facilities. Charlottesville isn't exactly a bustling metropolis either.
lack of student diversity (almost everyone was Caucasian..); facilities were subpar compared to peer institutions of similar caliber (new medical education bldg under construction for 2010)
Not really attending lectures doesn't seem to be a big deal here. I dont know if thats just here or everywhere. I'll have to see at my other interviews...
the students are very laid back (i'm not a cutthroat person, but they are very very laid back). also, the tour guide sort mentioned about the low attendence rate of the classes. i assume that is because the lectures aren't all too exciting.
Students spend a lot of time off-site during their third year to complete clinical rotations all over the state, and UVa does not have simulation dummies.
competitiveness of other interviewees- we waited IN SILENCE for about 5 or 7 minutes before our tour; also, relatively little variety in methods of teaching; admissions director was kind of cold
For a small town, Charlottesville has a TON of traffic. For those of you who prefer "big city life", I would not recommend it. Charlottesville is not incredibly diverse, and besides from the stuff from Thomas Jefferson, there's not a lot of culture. There are some bars and good restaurants, but besides that, there's not a lot of night life. I don't need any of the aforementioned stuff though, so I was happy there.
The rotations will take place in the sticks. I think I can adjust to that. If you can't you might as well get married. So you can stay in Charlotteville
UVA is not a diverse school at all. If that is something you are looking for, this may not be for you. Charlottesville is nice, but there is no big city nearby. I kind of felt like I was out in the middle of nowhere. Seems like a very undergrad-friendly atmosphere, not sure how it feels to be in med. school there. My interviewer (one of them) was pretty harsh...I am not sure why.
Both of my interviewers. My first interviewer asked very bland questions ("Tell me about your journey") and didn't seem to really pay attention to my answers. My second interviewer seemed to want to antagonize me, and cut me off several times while I was talking. But keep in mind that (at least in my interpretation) they were just looking to see how I would react to a stressful situation; it certainly wasn't malicious.
The interviews were short abrubt and I felt like they went badly. But I got in anyway. I sort of felt like they had already decided about whether I would be accepted and just wanted to make sure I wasn't a nut.
First admissions person I spoke to for a while seemed quite impatient and a little irritable. (Everyone else was super friendly.) Suspiciously wonderful!
MANY THINGS. Charlottesville is more of a middle-of-nowhere small town than I was led to believe. Also, they give you a really rosy picture about the 3rd year rotations. I recently met a girl whose fiance is attending UVA med. He is almost always in such rural communities that there is no cell phone reception and they don't even have internet. If you are married or in a committed relationship this school is definitely not for you. (Unless you have kids, in which case they will keep you in Charlottesville for the full year). Also, my tour guides kept talking about how much everyone parties and flat-out told me that married people who attend don't fit in and are considered different than the rest of the student body. I do not want to attend a school where I'm an outsider just because I'm married. Also, they don't make it easy for you to sit in on classes or talk to anyone other than your tour guides, making it hard to discover how most students feel about the school.
possibly somewhat conservative atmosphere, but most people said charlottesville also has a pretty liberal side as well. also there did not seem to be much diversity among the students.
The hospital was kind of boring. The entire area around UVA seemed to be peppered with redneck, mullet wearing types. Lack of integration of clinical correlates in preclinical years struck me. They didn't mention any type of standardized patient program. During the tour, I also saw a couple of 3rd years on rounds with an attending, and the patient was screaming "If one of those sommb!tches even touches me, I'm gonna sue the bejesus out of the lot of ya!" Clearly not what I wanted to hear in a so-called "teaching hospital."
out of state tuition is now 35,000. chances of getting in as an out of state student are significantly less than for VA residents...kinda expected that from a public school though
We didn't get to meet any first or second year students. The whole town and school shut down at the first hint of snow. Our financial aid talk was cancelled as a result.
the curriculum seemed very traditional (hardly any clinical experience in the first two years), the students tend to avoid class, no school-supported class bonding
I was more negatively than positively impressed. I was surprised at how traditional the curriculum was at a so-called "progressive" school. They JUST switched to pass-fail, and the rest of their class structure involves little to no PBL/small group learning. Being a minority, I visibly felt the lack of a diverse student body at UVA; I thought I was mistaken on interview day, but then looked up the stats in the MSAR: yes, UVA really IS bottom of the barrel when it comes to minority recruitment. The old part of the med school is pretty run-down, with tiling on the walls that reminded me of my middle school. Don't know if I could handle four years of going to school here. I've seen too many better, more integrated places... :-(
A little bit of culture shock, and the student body doesn't seem very diverse. Cost is somewhat prohibitive for out-of-staters, and there's little in the way of merit-based scholarships. Also, a discipline-based curriculum and not much patient contact in first few years.
unfortunately, a lot. the hospital served a very limited, mountain-area community that i wouldn't have much fun serving. rotations are all over the bumsf$&k areas of virginia. glaring lack of diversity in the student (AND faculty). students were eh. charlottesville has nothing that even closely resembles a night life... i think the students just sit in their rooms and study for fun on fridays and saturdays... these are not the kinds of people i want to spend four (or maybe more) years with. :-(
The new MPH program is unaccredited. For some reason, nobody knows anything about the Generalist Scholars Program. The student interview was completely pointless, the guy would just ask "So you did __?" and I'd talk about it, and he'd nod and say "uh huh", then move on to the next one. I can't see how his impression of me could have possibly changed through the interview. And oh yeah, Charlottesville. Very small town, there are bars, but the nightlife is slow, and you have to go to other hospitals in Virginia to do clerkships, since not everyone can fit into the main UVA hospital, which is the only major one in Charlottesville. And you're near the undergrad campus, which I'm not a big fan of, but others might like this.
Very very very conservative school. If you like progressive and liberal atmospheres, this is not your school. Not much diversity in the student body. Town was boring. Curriculum was overly traditional for my tastes. Too much tertiary care and the "Level 1" trauma center was sincerely laugable-- it seemed like half the patients were just hung over frat boys from the undergrad campus.
DIVERSITY, or should I say, lack thereof! Next to Vanderbilt, UVA is probably the least diverse school in the nation. The students I met seemed like bitter JHU rejects, because they constantly talked about how UVA was comparable to other top schools (no, it doesn't, sorry). Charlottesville is a southern college town, nothing more nothing less. The Hospital provides crappier clinical training and serves a less exciting populous than the other two Virginia schools.
The students are happy they go to UVA but gripe about the cirriculum, noting that half of what they learn they will never use again. Of course, maybe that is the same for all medical schools.
Parking is very difficult, so most students live within walking distance and that limits your choice of living conditions.
In-state students get up to $8,500 and out-of-state get up to $13,000 scholarships based on need. Thats wonderfull for 99% of you, but because I am older and have savings I get absolutely nothing, and I'm bitter about that.
There are very few older students.
There are not many intl. health programs/ opportunities. THe students are NOT very diverse. Many seem to be stuck in college-lets-drink-all day mode. Students walk in to class late and do not respect the lecturer. MAny brag about not attending class. YOu have to go all over the place third year. The facilities are not that great.
My first interview was probably only about 12 minutes out of the 30. I felt they had already made up their minds about me before I walked in. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.
3rd year is spent all over the state, which seems like a pain;
the population they see is not really a cross-section of
America, since they treat mostly rural patients; the emphasis for
clinical experience is less than desirable (partially because of
the population), and the experiences in the community seem to
be quite few.
The students giving the tour seemed sort of bored and the admissions coordinators were not as inviting as other schools...but everbody can have a bad day so it wasn't that big of a deal.
I felt that the interviewers were almost passive-agressively attacking me. I don't think they were trying to but they weren't the warmest and they seemed skeptical.
Applicants commonly mentioned wishing they had known how relaxed and low-stress the interview process would be, suggesting to be themselves and not to be overly nervous. Comfortable shoes for walking tours, preparation for patient-based questions, and the need for flexibility in scheduling flights were also key takeaways shared by applicants.
to have 1-2 patients I had seen that I could talk about when asked
The walking tour is long. You go all over campus, through all of the medical buildings, both old and new, and, if there's something particular you want to see, your tour guide might be able to oblige you.
How friendly UVa is! Also, the university claims that its patient base is quite diverse. C'ville is a refugee site so you're likely to meet patients from all over the world despite the remote location of the med school. Also, because the hospital is the only tertiary medical centre and level 1 trauma centre in the region, it services areas as distant as Northern Tennessee.
That it's good to print out and save secondary applications, since some of them are inaccessible after you turn them in. Also, for girls, the tour involves quite a bit of walking, so comfortable shoes are an important consideration.
Don't schedule your flight much sooner than two hours after the end of the interview! I got checked in one minute from not being able to get my boarding pass printed.
I felt really informed from the school's website so I didn't find any new ''shocking'' news.
Note to the Ladies: Wearing high heels is not fun, we did a lot of walking (inside the health care system but also around UVA) and there's lots of hilly parts. I came back with blisters and a cut heel. Boo.
I toured with 5 other people. Just great people, I was expecting other applicants to be robots or non-humans. Haha, these other guys that UVA brought in to interview were the kind you want as your classmates. So my big advice... take the tour BEFORE your interviews. I loosened up so much after walking around, chatting and having lunch with the other prospies.
I was impressed by the quality of the facilities and the experience gained during away rotations. I was concerned that rotating at smaller clinics and rural hospitals may lead to a lack of responsibility/experience. I was told that this is not the case.
As a VA resident, I'm pretty familiar with UVA and C'Ville, so nothing really. I learned that it is still possible to be "grilled" at one's back up school
I wish I had known that most of the questions that would be asked me, both here and at all the other schools I have interviewed, would be mostly based on what I wrote in my applications. Luckily I wrote my personal statement on something I love to discuss, since most questions are based on that essay and the other secondary essays I wrote. One woman at the interview wrote on insurance in her personal statement, which made her interview questions much more technical and business-oriented than mine. The personal statement is what really makes each interview different--the interviewers mold their questions to your application, rather than ask everyone a rigid laundry list of questions.
They just started to charge for printing. Also one out of two of my tourguides and my student interviewer were UVA undergrads (before med school matriculants).
I was expecting to have one faculty interviewer and one fourth year medical student. It turns out that I was interviewed by two faculty members but, like I said, they were both great.
How far from the school the Holiday Inn is. DO NOT stay at the Holiday Inn on Emmett St. It is about an $8 cab ride from the school and the restaurant in the lobby is terrible. There aren't any restaurants nearby unless you have a car. The hotel also didn't provide a shuttle back to the airport, which was a $20 cab ride.
I wish I knew that the interviews would be so laid back. This was my first interview and I was really nervous, but walking around and getting to know the other interviewees and even interviewing was really fun.
3rd and 4th years do rotations outside of charlottesville in salem, etc around virginia. however, if you have special circumstancs, they can sometimes accommodate if you want to stay in the city.
nothing too major...the time away was talked about a lot and appealed to me much more once I heard students talk about the diversity of experiences there
That I would have to take this road, Rt 29 I think, that is kind of a pain to drive on because the speed limit is 50 or something low like that, and there are A LOT of traffic lights.
That I didn't like UVA as much as I thought I was going to. Not a bad experience, just not the school for me. I think UVA gets a bit overly-reputed to us out-of-staters since it's flanked by nearby superior schools, i.e. Hopkins to the north, Duke to the south.
Not much. Lunch was at 11:30 and in a fancy place, so I should have skipped breakfast. Oh, I also learned that it was actually 45 minutes from UVA to the Wintergreen Ski Resort -- instead of 30 like I thought it was -- and there are no fast food joints on the way.
the interview doesn't seem to matter much... sure you can screw it up, but I don't think that anyone is going to be admitted on the strength of their interview with low numbers
Unlike other schools I interviewed at, Virginia's curriculum is still fairly conservative. Lots of lecture time, three or four classes simultaneously (instead of a block schedule with one class at a time). Yikes.
Applicants generally provided positive feedback about UVA School of Medicine, highlighting the friendly and conversational interview atmosphere, efficient organization of the interview day, emphasis on student well-being, and quick turnaround time for decisions. Some concerns were raised about certain interviewers, the location of the school, and the lack of in-depth questioning during interviews.
The interview was mostly pretty chill; I was disappointed that one of my interviewers did not practice at the school and other students were interviewed by an M4 and I was not. UVA would be awesome. They are interdisciplinary and the evnrionment is unbeatable.
I would choose this school immediately if it was cheaper. It's an awesome school in a great location (college town, but close proximity to other areas), with great academics and a focus on student happiness.
The admission staffs at UVA were so great, you should definitely use the student host program they provide. You learn a lot about the school through this.
Wonderful school and program. Don't let the location dissuade you--I come from a fairly metropolitan area and I found Charlottesville charming, bustling, and folksy. It's really not as rural as some might have you believe.
Loved the students, facilities, and curriculum. Not too hot on the location or the mandatory rural away locations... 3rd is spend wandering all over VA and the admissions staff were not really forthcoming with this fact. :(
UVA seems to be an excellent place to learn. The students are happy, do well on the USMLE, and none of the 20 or so students I met had anything negative to say about their experience. Charlottesville seemed like a very livable city.
I think it's a brilliant school to go to. Definitely consider going. Everyone seemed happy and eager about the school, the new infrastructure, and the new curriculum. They're focused on making med school more enjoyable and moving away from the lecture format. I saw a lot of negative comments in the interview feedback, but I think they're decidedly misguided.
UVa is awesome, you'll love it. You'll also get a decision pretty soon--about a week after your interview. Much better than the other schools who sit on your app for months without any word.
This is a great school with an exciting new curriculum and med school building. The students seemed extremely happy, and I got the feeling that UVa makes an effort to let you pursue your interests outside medicine. Also, the most well organized (i.e. short!) interview day I've been on and the quickest response time ever!
I left the interview really impressed with the school. The new curriculum sounds great, the new building sounds amazing, and everyone talked about wanting their med students to be happy and well-rounded. If I get accepted, I'll probably go there.
Very impressed with how accommodating the Admissions Office was. It is a comfortable environment and students seem close-knit while obviously still being successful. I don't know how I feel about the city of Charlottesville, though...
Never a bad idea to head over to this website, hosted by AMSA, to see rankings of the schools and frank comments by students who attend school there.
http://www.amsa.org/premed/medsurvey/
I enjoyed it a lot. I felt that they had a real glimpse of me by the end of the interview, and the whole interview was very conversational, which was natural. My interviewers were genuinely sincere people as well.
My interviewers were very kind and interested in me. However, there was another interviewer who, according to the other students, mixed up some applications and asked all the wrong questions...
I liked everything about the school, except the students. Some have a huge attitude problem, and others seem plainly dumb. I also did not enjoy talking to my student interviewer who was a 4th year. The quality of students at UVa reflected poorly on the school.
Even though I was impressed by the location and the students, my actual interview was a very negative experience which has unfortunately had a significant impact on my opinion about the school.
It was basically a very friendly conversation. They always asked personal questions about your application and they seemed genuinely interested in your answers. The thirty minutes went by really quickly each time.
There were two 30 minute interviews with a combination of faculty and student interviewers. Everything was very relaxed and the people interviewing me were amazingly smart.
We had a morning meeting with the associate dean of admissions, who was really enthusiastic about the school and about us as applicants. Then, we took a tour of the campus and had lunch with two fourth-years. After lunch, we went back for the interviews and finished up with a financial aide meeting...which i fell asleep in (even though the speaker gave us candy)
It was easily the best interview experience I've had. The day didn't start until 11 am which is always a plus, there wasn't any downtime, and everyone was really friendly. The interviews were both low stress and really just wanted to get to know me as a person.
Arrived at approx 10:30. Started with a couple of interesting presentations. Then short tour - amazing lunch!! fancy, delicious - followed by longer tour. Then interviews. 6 interviewees, 3 interviewers. Interviews were short approx 25 mins b/c there are people interview immediately before and after you. So, no time to run over. Interviewers were very very nice, but it's hard for someone to get to know you in 20-25 mins. Had 1/2 hour break between the two interviews. Then, financial aid session that was v. informative!!
Introduction to the school, another presentation, tour by student, delicious lunch at an on-campus restaurant, more touring, interviews all within the Admissions Offices, Financial Aid meeting.
Overall, the school didn't impress me. The facilities and technologies need improving and the student tour guides could have been more enthusiastic. The curriculum didn't seem particularly unique.
It was so relaxed. My faculty interviewer asked me maybe two questions and then we just talked. My student interviewer had a list of questions she wanted to ask but it was very very relaxed.
Seems intense, but very fulfilling. I wish we could have talked to more students though. Two 4th-years don't really give you a great idea of what it's like, especially since the basic sciences curriculum was totally revamped two years ago.
This was really great. Great first-interview experience. Travel sucked for me, my flight was cancelled and had to spend the night in Atlanta (major hub Charlottesville airport connects to). Other than that, they really wanted us to come! Not a school to go to if you want to compete, there is NO competition at this school, and for that it is one of my top choices.
The 2 interviews were open file, and each interviewer (a committee member and a 4th year student) had already throughly read through my application beforehand. So they really just asked me to elaborate more on the interesting aspects of my application. Other than that, just the typical questions, in a very conversational manner.
Both interviews were pretty laid back with a lot of standard questions with a couple of fairly straightforward ethical questions thrown into the mix. Actually, I have been disappointed in all of my interviews thus far because the questions are generally not challenging--I want to go deep.
It was more like an open conversation. I did some prepping for it so maybe thats why but still, they really just want to make sure you can talk and converse.
The day was very well organized. After a brief introduction, we were taken to a very good lunch and given a tour by a 4th year medical student. Following the tour, I was first interviewed by a faculy member (MD) then by a 4th year medical student.
First interview was challenging. My interviewer had strong opinions and I had a hard time sharing my own values adn experiences. Second interview ws amazing. Overall the day was well planned, not much down time, very concise. I was accepted almost immediately - 2 days so very fast turn around.
Admissions office and other interviewees created a pretty competitive atmosphere around the whole day, but the school and the comraderie of the students make it seem like one of the most comfortable schools I have visited
The day began with a brief orientation by the Assistant Dean (I think). Then we ate lunch (which was fabulous, as many others on this site have attested to), then a tour. After the tour I had my two interviews. After the interviews were completed, there was an optional financial aid session. I was very impressed with interactions that I observed. The people are truly happy.
Both of my interviews were very conversational. The interview with the medical student was a little more intense; although she did not ask any "hard" questions. Mostly, they want to get to know you, and make sure you are normal.
I was interviewed by a fourth year medical student and a practicing/teaching physician. Both interviews were informal and focused on an applicant's ability to relate to others.
I went in with high expectations, hoping to be overwhelmed, but the school seemed fairly normal. There seemed to be a lot of flexibility in the curriculum and the students seemed happy. But nothing really stood out and said this is an amazing school.
Got there, short info session (would have liked more here), short tour with students, great lunch with 3 4th years, longer tour, interviews. Met great people interviewing with me
Day started at 11, where I met my fellow interviewees and had an info session. We then had lunch (Dessert is ridiculously good), and then a tour of the campus. We came back and had two half hour interviews and then a financial aid info session.
The interviews were conversational. I was interviewed by a med student and a retired physician. Both had read my file extensively-I was really impressed. Both were very friendly and made me feel completely comfortable. No need to worry at all!
Nothing was asked that did not appear elsewhere on SDN, with the exception of the Law and Order segue. The tone of both interviews was conversational and not very difficult. No ethical questions at all.
First off, I want to address the haters of the school. Anyone who wrote a negative review of this school is probably arrogant. These ar the people who have like 10-15 interviews, and are at the top of their class. Which is fine--be as you are. But for those of you who are like me, who had a difficult time trying to get in, well, beggers can't be choosers. Either way, I love this school. The thing that gets me is the TRADITION. This school has so much tradition, and it's known for it. The architecture is the bomb, and no one can compete, except maybe the IVY's. The tour guides were so kick ass. And the interviewers were so welcoming. It was the best interview I had. The city is so-so. That's what EVERYONE complains about. But seriously, folks, I mean the night experience is what you make of it. If you wanna have fun then go look for it. I mean, it's close to Richmond and DC. I like the town. It's quiet and stuff. I don't know what "po-dunk" means but whoever says the town and the school sucks is most likely stupid, so DON'T LISTEN TO THEM. I LOVE UVA!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really enjoyed my experience at UVA. The day was organized well. The tour by the student was great and the lunch was GREAT! I have had 8 interviews and the lunch here was byfar the best one I have had. I had two interviews. I do not know if this was planned, but one was very friendly and the other was very harsh. This interviewer criticized my job, my training, and my future plans. If this happens to you, just try to remain composed. Maybe I was just unlucky!
The interview day was well organized. They give you a folder full of information which I found interesting. We spent a good portion of the day just with our tour guide, which was a nice alternative to presentations. The interviews themselves were rather stressful, although I'm sure it depends on which interviewer you're assigned (two interviews, both with faculty members). The day lasted from approximately 11 to 4.
The day was very well planned, which shows how collaborative and organized this school really is. We met for a short briefing of the day, went to lunch (awesome lunch, GET DESSERT), then had two interviews (student and doctor), then you could stay for an optional financial aid session. I also went to two classes on my own time which I highly suggest.
To preface this entry, UVa told us decisions would be made within two weeks after the interview and that our letters would be mailed to us by October 15th telling us if we are accepted, rejected, or wait-listed. I received mine on the 16th and I was accepted.
The interview day started at 11am with a five second greet and usher into the waiting room with the other interviewees. In my experience, the other interviewees were really nice and informative and really added to the experience. At 11:30, after a short 10 minute welcome meeting, we were taken to the universityââโ¬âโ¢s faculty dining hall by two fourth-year medical students. My overall impressions after the tour were that UVa was a stressful in its first two years--not uncommon at a medical school, but it seemed that the students were slightly more stressed than students elsewhere--and that UVa has a very flexible curriculum (almost all classes are optional, all necessary notes are taken by faculty and delivered to students, even labs can be done on computer), and that students had a great relationship with faculty. My first interview was with a fourth-year med. student. The tone of it was so relaxedââโ¬âโฌยdefinitely more like a conversation than an interrogation. It was actually her first interview ever as well as mine. She asked me mostly questions based on my application, and maybe spent almost as much time talking to me as I did to her. The second interview was with a physician who also asked me questions based on my application essays and activities. This interview was slightly more formal, giving me more time to speak, but still very much conversational. The second interview was definitely less get-to-know-you (unlike the first interview) and more about seeing me speak in person about the issues I raised in my application. The first difficult question below was the only question not directly related to my application.
It was a really laid back day. Friendly host and guide. Beautiful facilities and great town. Best lunch I've had so far. The DESSERTS are incredible. Was impressed that for a school labelled traditional, it had some liberal aspects that really intrests me.
The day was nice -- intro by the assistant dean of admissions, tour by a fourth-year, wonderful lunch, and then two interviews (both were with faculty). The financial aid presentation after all the interviews were over was really helpful.
The interview day starts about 11, and I interviewed with only 4 other students. The atmosphere was comfortable and friendly. You attend an admissions session first, followed by a superb lunch (no box lunches here!) and a fantastic tour. Interviews are scheduled in half hour blocks, starting about 1:30 and going until 3 or 3:30. Then an optional financial aid presentation at 3:30 (this is definitely worth going to!). You're done about 4:15.
this was definitely my most enjoyable interview experience so far. my student host was awesome, everyone was so friendly and helpful, and my interviewers were incredibly nice and made the interview really relaxed and enjoyable. they know your file really well and find interesting questions to ask you. the whole day was really low-stress, and the lunch and tour were great!
I very much enjoyed the whole day. It seems like the school is very willing to put the shoe on the other foot and attempt to win _us_ over. I guess they feel that in the process they will have enough to go on when it comes to selecting a class.
Get there at 11am, have a very brief lecture on the school, eat an awesome lunch with two med students, go on a brief tour and have two 30-minute interviews (mine with both faculty members)
Started at 11:00 am with orientation, then nice lunch and tour. Two 1/2 hour interviews--one with faculty, one with student and optional financial aid session
This would be one of your greatest interviews. The school is nice, people are nice, and the interviewers are nice. Just be yourself and you will be fine.
Relax and be yourself. UVA gives it's decisions relatively quick after interviews so you won't wait long. Don't worry about asking quesitons during the interview for the sake of sounding like you are interested. They give you a ton of information on interview day, including a "31 questions I wished I had asked" packet. I told both interviewers that I had questions before I interviewed but the medical student tour guide and the packet answered them all. The admissions committee actually works on the packet so they liked that the packet answered all my questions, made them feel like they did a good job.
Sooo relaxed. More like a conversation than an interview. No one is trying to catch you out. I think I asked more questions than I answered. Very good exp.
this was honestly the best interview experience that i had and also the least stressful. both interviewers just want to get to know you and did not throw out any hard or critical questions. the day started out with the tour and lunch followed by the interviews and an optional financal aid session after the interviews.
I fell in love with the school when I went for my interview. Before I went I had actually considered cancelling it because I was accepted at one of my top choices. I am very glad I went. Now it will be a very tough decision if I am accepted. If I am accepted I will most likely attend there.
These comments are for CHARLOTTESVILLE only!
The interview day starts late, but is is well coordinated and informative. Don't let the small town atmosphere lull you. This is a VERY SOLID medical school. The average entering MCAT scores are all above 10. The school seems to select carefully the entering class. They draw only a handful from the alternate list. Other schools might draw up to one third of the class from the alternates. This provides a very strong indication of how highly this school ranks with aplicants. See positive comments section.
Overall, nothing out of the ordinary. Not a bad experience at all, but I did leave the interview less excited than I had come. I think a lot of it was because I was building up "Thomas Jefferson's University" leading up to the interview day. Bad idea since he hasn't been around to oversee it in the last few hundred years. The admissions office people are awesome! Make sure you try their coffee in the morning for a quick jolt.
Interviewers, especially the first one, seemed exceptional in attempting to put me at ease and make the experience pleasant and informative (for them). This was the last of 8 interviews for me and I thought they were the best interviewERS i had seen. they had both obviously read my application in depth.
The tour guides were very informative and enthusiastic about the college. The interviewers were friendly and pumped up the school as well. We were given lunch which was also top notch. Interviews were pretty laid back, low-stress.
they just asked me to elaborate on what i mentioned on my applications. it was more of a conversation/discussion than an interview. i learned a lot about the interviewers too.
Six people were given lunch and a tour on the day I interviewed. There were 3 interviewers, 2 MD's and 1 student. Everyone had two half an hour interviews, either both with MD's or on with the student and one with an MD. The entire interview section took about two hours. It's open file and both interviewers read my file and made intelligent and relevant questions.
The day was set up really well. We were welcomed in the morning into the cramped admissions office, and then taken on our student tour. Lunch was buffet style. Interviews were pretty superficial, ala "How are you doing? Why UVA?" All in all though, I was a bit disappointed. This being my 13th interview, I was expecting a lot more out of UVA. It's partly my fault for comparing it to higher-ranked schools that I've interviewed at. That's unfair, but I can't help it. I just didn't get the glowing feeling that I really wanted to go there after my interview day. When it comes to something as important as medical school, you NEED that gut feeling. Oh well.
very pleasant day. the campus is gorgeous and the town is nice.
relax, the interviewers will probably ask why medicine and the standard questions, but they also want to get to know you in the short 30 minutes, so be sure to convey your unique qualities :)
I stayed with a student host and had a great time! She showed me around the night before - Charlottesville is a really cool college town with a surprising amount of stuff to do. The interviews are not confrontational at all, but be prepared for an ethical scenario or two, and be able to talk about your essays. Your interviewers will be adcom members, either faculty or 4th-year students (most likely one of each). The time slots are only 30 minutes.
interviews went smoothly. my student interviewer was very perceptive about the contents of my file, even more so that my facutly interviewer! admissions office was small, but quaint. lunch was pretty good, as well as the tour.
one of the best interviewing experiences i've had (10). seems to be a really good school that isn't full of itself. faculty interview was focussed on character and goals, while the student interview was focussed around my experiences and things on the application. they get back to you really quick -- i got an acceptance letter dated 3 days after i interviewed :)!
Everyone was very friendly from the moment I arrived. They even made us carry around blue and orange umbrellas in case it started to rain! The interviewers were very supportive and enthusiastic. It was very nice to get to sleep in, too! Yeah for 11:00 start times!
Overall, I didn't think UVA stood out particularly negatively or positively. THe financial aid makes it a feasible option for me, and the MA in bioethics program gets great reviews from the students. But I don't know if I could live in Charlottesville.
Very enjoyable. The small group of interviewees (5) made it easy to ask questions and get to know the med students. The Charlottesville area is gorgeous.
Got there on time, parking was validated, and then I went for the tour with 4th year (i think) med students. There were only 6 of us being interviewed, which was nice because it was easier to ask questions and all. The first interview was with a med student, who basically asked questions about my file and would just write and nod as I spoke (which i find to be very annoying). She was nice though, and it was very low stress. Then I had an interview with a faculty member. That didn't go too well because he wouldn't really ask me questions, and there would be pauses. I'm sure I was supposed to say something then, but by that point I was tired and it was mad hot in the room so I just figured, whatever. Whatever indeed! I got rejected a week later. They're quick at least, its a very good thing, seriously.
Interviews themselves went very well. Exteremely conversational and nothing out of the blue. Tour was nice, and followed by an (excessively) regal lunch. Overall though I didn't get hot feeling from the school and the town, so if I get in, I most probably won't be going. I've seen too many schools with more to offer.
I've already spent 4 years at UVA as an undergrad, so "all the beautiful greenery" didn't impress me as much as other people that have posted on here (It gets old quick, believe me. The Corner is NO comparison to the nightlife in a real city.) The interview itself was rather unorganized: the faculty interviewer looked like he had just woken up from a nap, and all he had were some raggedy notes he had taken on my file. The admissions office was small and kind of ratty, with the meeting room barely big enough for the 6 of us interviewees. The Dean is nice though, even though she it seemed she didn't know her programs very well: I asked her a question about one of the combined degrees and she just referred me to the UVA catalog!
I stayed with a host student, which was an amazing experience - she showed me around the night before, and I went to one of her classes the morning before the interview. The day started at 11, and there was a short session with somebody from admissions, then lunch and a tour with 4th yr Med students, then two interviews. The interview were approx 30 min, with 30 min in between. I happened to have both faculty members, but most people interviewed with one faculty, one med student. The great thing is, they said they'll let us know within two weeks!!!
There are two interviews and they are very laid back. I would bring some reading material or something because they usually run late and if you have an unlucky draw (like I did) you could be waiting for an hour both before and in between interviews....2 hours is a lot of time to kill...
The tour was phenomenal though and their facilities are gorgeous. The curriculum is pretty traditional, but there is a decent emphasis on problem-based learning, small group learning, and early patient interaction. I was also pleased to learn that they have a fair amount of study-abroad electives in the 4th year. We had a really fancy lunch with 3 4th year students and they all said that 4th year was VERY flexible and laid back. Plus Cvill is a nice place and there is a lot to do.
I arriced the night before the itnerview and stayed with a 1st year host, which I totally recommend doing. I got a lot of my questions answered about the school, the interview, and going through the med school process as a whole. Plus I was able to go to classes the next day before the interview. There are 6 people interviewing on one day so it's not a huge crowd of people. Everyone says it, but the interviews at UVA are VERY relaxed, and the interviewers are very nice. You get the sense that they are totally on your side and really do want to know you better. One interviewer pulled heavily from my AMCAS personal statement rather than my UVA essays. This was the best possible interview experience I could have hoped for.
We arrived at 10 a.m. to wait for our tour guides. There are six interviewees three girls three guys. The med students then take you to a fancy lunch, which could explain their budget problems and then take you on the tour. When you return there is a schedule that is followed for the interviews which are 30 minutes each one is a student the other is a faculty member. Watch out for the student. I was just told to talk about something anything I wanted which was pretty hard to do. Afterwards there is an optional financial aide session. Nice touch since they assume "students asked to interview at THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA are more than likely asked to interview elsewhere and have probably already had their fair share of Fin. Aide...so true. Overall the school is great and the students seem very happy.
UVA SOM is awesome in terms of admistrative works. I interviewed on 2/11 and got an ACCEPTANCE (Yeah, baby) letter sent out on Valentine's day ( 2/14 Sweet!). The interviewers were friendly and tried to put you at ease. Just be sincere and talked with passion because it will show on your face. I am a nontraditional (5 yrs out of school) Virginia resident with stats (GPA, MCAT) below their average but made up for them in many other aspects such as extracirriculars and research (they love research).
Good Luck to you all and See ya' in the Fall.
Best interview so far, thanks to the interviewers. They took the time to review my application and were intimately familiar with it. Expect questions concerning your essays and experiences. Plus, the interview were only 30 minutes long so there was no time for the conversation to get stale.
The interviews were not particularly stressful. Both interviewers were mostly familiar with my file so they chose to ask other things about me and they seemed genuinely interested. They were also very conversational and friendly.
My interviewers were great.. I would consider attending just b/c they were so great. But realistically, I would never go there. The students act as if its the best school in teh world and are sort of tunnel vision. The students are not really that friendly. Mhh didn't get a good impression. Maybe people drink all day since there's not much to do in a small town, who knows? People seem to love the town but I'm not sure what's so great about it.
The interviews were too short to really know me. The students were great to me and went out of their way to show me the good and bad parts of the school. I loved the town and the work seemed very reasonable.
This school is great and one of the best programs in the country. The tour was given by 4th year students and they really "sold" the school. The interviews are laid back and short. Great experience.
Started off on a good note with "Your file is very impressive" - it's hard to go wrong from there. Be ready to talk about problems in health care. Second interview was with 4th year student who wasn't as polished an interviewer, but ok.
I have interviewed at 9 schools so far, and UVA does it best: 4th year students with time and inside look at school gave tour rather than 1st or 2nd years, interviews all held in one place and interviewers came to us. it gave a great impression.Interviews conversational-- a lot of questions very similar to essay q's.
A great program. If you like outdoors activities (hiking, mountain biking, jogging, etc.) and you want to go to a top medical program, then this is the place for you. While interviewing, I got the feeling that if you perform well, when you got to apply to Residency coming from UVa - you'll be able to write your own ticket.
Good place, good hospital. The education seems to be quite good, but they seem to be lagging behind with patinet interaction (even simulated), which is becoming more important to students, and is easily better covered at other Virgnia schools. If you're into going to a school based on reputation, and not on what you'll experience, it's fantastic.
the interviews were really conversational and i thought they went well. my MCATs and GPA were both above the mean, and i'm in-state, but i was waitlisted. so i'm not sure what i did wrong or what they were looking for--it is a stress-free day though, so good luck!
I came to the school with high hopes. In all, my experience maintained those hopes...Virginia is a great school with a lot to offer. I just think that the interview process could be a little more receptive since they are apparently trying to "sell" you on them as well. Interviews were good conversations with friendly people, so no big deal there, just be yourself.
I thought it was an okay experience. Charlottesville is an awesome place, but the administration isn't the best according to students. The interviews were fun and relaxed, so have a good time.
Everything was good, but my one interview with the haughty doctor really left a bad taste in my mouth. He was not interested in getting to know me at all.
I was fairly impressed by the school and the students but it falls short of other schools in what I'm looking for. Charlottesville is a surprisingly happening place though.
Very relaxing- just six interviewees so it didn't feel overwhelming. I liked getting questions answered by our med student tour guides. Don't stress about these interviews- they were both short and relatively relaxed- but at the end of the day so by that time I was pretty tired already.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants generally had positive experiences with the admissions office, praising the staff for being friendly and welcoming. Suggestions included improving electronic application processes, providing more extensive tours, and enhancing communication through email.
