University of Washington School of Pharmacy
Seattle, WA
Pharmacy Schools | Public Non-Profit
Going on an interview at UW-PHARM? Add your feedback to help others!
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about the applicant's motivation for pursuing pharmacy, handling challenging situations, leadership versus teamwork, ethical dilemmas, future career goals in pharmacy, and current healthcare issues in the field. These questions may have been part of an MMI format, possibly subject to a nondisclosure agreement, with a focus on assessing the applicant's critical thinking, communication skills, and alignment with the pharmacy program's values.
-
Greatest strength/weakness
-
Tell me about a time you handled a challenging situation.
-
Why UW/Seattle?
-
Most of the questions are very general. Why pharmacy?
-
How will you acclimate from being so far away from home and do well in out program?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Washington School of Pharmacy discussed a wide range of topics including personal attributes, ethical scenarios, and hypothetical situations. The interview format may have been an MMI, as some responses indicated questions related to personal files and essays, with potential nondisclosure agreements in place.
-
None, most were very basic
-
We talked about Big Bang Theory, Local Pharmacists asked me, Which character do you think you are most like?
-
Asked me about one of the electives I took. Probably to destress me haha.
-
Questions that arise from my essays that i was surprised they asked about.
-
What if you were put in a position where you were not the leader? (I had talked about my leadership style)
What was the most difficult question?
Students said the most difficult questions asked at University of Washington School of Pharmacy discussed various scenarios such as challenges in pharmacy, patient interactions, ethics, career choices, and healthcare issues. While most questions were not overly challenging, the interview may have included an MMI format with situational inquiries, and respondents may have been subject to a nondisclosure agreement as some mentioned tough pharmacy ethics questions.
-
What will be your biggest challenge when you come here?
-
What does Metformin do? Wrote about it in PS because my father has Diabetes
-
I see that you have applied through pharmcas last year. Tell me about what happened and why you are here today. (I was really surprised that they knew this so I got scared and probably did not answer it in a way that showed my strength and dedication towards pharmacy school...). Another hard question was "what does a clinical specialist in oncology do?" Since I wrote that is my goal.
-
Was there a time when you felt vulnerable? (Worded a bit differently than that. I forgot exactly how they asked it)
-
Is taking medication always beneficial to the patient.
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 3 people.
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.
📍 On-Site Experience ▼
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents rank the facilities as below average.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 0-1 hour traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by automobile to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent less than $100.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
-
sea
-
na
-
Seattle-Tacoma Airport
-
Seatac?
-
SeaTac
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
-
Watertown Hotel
-
University Inn
-
Travelodge
-
Travel lodge
-
Executive Hotel Pacific
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
Most respondents would recommend their hotel.
What is your ranking of this school's location?
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?
Many applicants prepared for the interview by reviewing their personal statement and application materials, practicing mock interviews, seeking advice from current pharmacy students and pharmacists, and utilizing resources like Student Doctor Network (SDN) for interview feedback and questions. They emphasized the importance of knowing and being able to expand upon the experiences mentioned in their essays, as well as practicing responses to common interview questions and staying updated on current health-related topics.
-
Read personal statement. Outside of why UW/Seattle and greatest weakness/strength and challenges questions, most are questions about your experiences you wrote in personal statement
-
SDN, School website
-
Friend who was a P1, told me to be yourself, it is like making friends
-
Read my essays and personal statement, looked at some questions on SDN but they REALLY ask you questions based on your essays. Seriously, make sure you know what you wrote and how you can expand upon those experiences. It was hard for me to fill this survey out bc I feel like those questions were based on my experiences and aside from the first two generic questions (why pharmacy, why this school), it was tailored towards me as an applicant. They really took the time to read and analyze what you wrote so take your time in reviewing your essays, I cannot stress this enough. Hopefully some of the questions I could provide would give future interviewees an idea of what they could ask.
-
I reviewed my essays and interview feed back on SDN.
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendly and welcoming nature of the interviewers, faculty, and staff, noting that the interviews felt like conversations rather than interrogations. They appreciated the personal approach, enthusiasm, and genuine interest displayed by the interviewers, making the overall experience relaxed and enjoyable. Additionally, many applicants highlighted the beautiful campus, the organizational efficiency of the admissions process, and the attentiveness of the interviewers in thoroughly reviewing their applications.
-
Interview was very conversational. Faculty made the process very comfortable
-
How enthusiastic the interviewers are. The interviewers really try to get to know you as a person.
-
No essay just straight Interview
-
The admissions staff, students, and the 3 people who interviewed me were absolutely delightful! They were so kind and you could tell they genuinely wanted you there and to see what their school/program is about. My interviewers were from admissions, one professor, and a graduate school researcher? They were friendly and easy to talk to but did throw some questions my way that made me even more nervous.
-
How friendly the faulty are.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants were commonly unimpressed by the lack of financial aid information, disorganization during interviews/tours, outdated facilities, long wait times, and insufficient information about the school and programs. Suggestions included improving communication clarity, updating facilities, reducing wait times, and providing more comprehensive information sessions.
-
No financial aid presentation
-
none
-
Nothing really that the school did on purpose. Finding the school itself was a challenge itself.
-
Nothing.
-
They didn't straight up ask the questions - sometimes it felt as if they weren't sure what questions to ask and that they thought of the questions at the moment.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Many applicants wished they had known that the interview process was more relaxed than anticipated, focusing on discussing personal statements and application details. Additionally, they recommended brushing up on current pharmacy issues, wearing comfortable shoes, and being prepared for specific questions tailored to their application.
-
Calm down, its one of the easier interviews, they are really just going to talk about what you wrote in your personal statement.
-
Read your PS and Supplemental, they highlight areas in those writings and will ask you about it.
-
More about current healthcare issues regarding pharmacy.
-
The weird questions that they asked from your essays.
-
The interview is extremely centered towards the interviewee and his/her application. Most of the questions I saw on SDN were not asked of me.
What are your general comments?
Applicants commonly emphasized the importance of thoroughly knowing their application and essays, speaking passionately and confidently, and being themselves during the interview process. They also appreciated the welcoming and conversational nature of the interview, while some suggested improvements in the organization and hospitality of the interview day.
-
Make sure you know what you put on your application and essays. They read everything before you go in.
-
Great School, Students and Staff were awesome!
-
Study your essays like your life depends on it. Speak passionately and from your heart because they want to see who the person is behind those essays. Be confident and I know it's hard to say but everyone is nervous, try not to let it mess you up. You are your own biggest critic so don't worry anout what happens after the interview. It'll add unnecessary stress that you don't need because you can't change what happened. Don't nitpick over what you said in the interview, it'll drive you insane! Like one of the students told us during the coffee hour, "you wouldn't be here if they didn't believe that you have what it takes to be here. You are more than half way done." Be proud of what you've accomplished.
-
The interview was stressful because its an interview for pharmacy school but the faculty made it as relaxing as possible.
-
This was my favorite interview out of all of them to date.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggest that the admissions office provide flexibility in school tours timing, give ample notice for interviews, reduce wait times between orientation and interviews, offer interviews on weekends or holidays, and enhance efforts in providing information, tours, and financial aid sessions to prospective students. Additionally, they recommend the office to be more proactive in selling the school to applicants and providing comprehensive information about the institution.
-
They should mention that the school tours do not necessarily have to begin at their designated time of noon. After my interview, the pharmacy students there took the interviewees on a tour well before some of their interviews and before noon. I guess to be clear with that.
-
Let us know about our interviews a few weeks in advance! I got my invitation pretty much seven days before I had my interview.
-
I found it difficult because I had to wait for 3 hours from my orientation until my interview which got kind of annoying.
-
Give interviews on weekends or school holidays!
-
There should have been some kind of tour and financial aid sessions. It seemed like they werent trying to impress or recruit us. They should put some effort into selling us on their school like we are trying to sell ourselves to them!
Success!
School has been added to your favorites.