Spartanburg, SC
Osteopathic Medical Schools | Private Non-Profit
⭐ 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 low 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 readiness for medical school, past research and leadership experience, motivation to pursue medicine, learning style, personal attributes not listed in the application, challenges faced in specific courses, and ethical scenarios. Responses also suggest a focus on the applicant's fit with the school's mission, societal expectations of physicians, and interest in osteopathic medicine, with some interviews structured in an MMI format with questions related to nondisclosure agreements.
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Are you 100% certain you are ready to start medical school? How will you handle the rigor?
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What experience do you have in research?
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What experience do you have with leadership?
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Tell me something about you that is not listed in your application.
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What made you go into medicine?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Carolinas Campus discussed a range of topics including personal struggles, hobbies, memorable experiences, ethics in medicine, personal characteristics for enhancing the school culture, and aspirations beyond medicine. These questions reflect a holistic approach to evaluating candidates and their suitability for the medical profession.
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I see where you struggled in your freshman year, can you explain that?
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What are your hobbies?
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What was the most memorable thing that has happened in the past couple of months?
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What do you think a doctor should NOT do as a community leader?
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If a parent refused a blood transfusion for their child due to religious purposes, but the child would die without it, what would you do?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said the most difficult question asked at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Carolinas Campus discussed various topics, including explaining grade trends, justifying the choice to pursue medicine over other healthcare professions, handling unethical behavior observed while shadowing, and societal expectations of physicians. Some respondents also mentioned questions about specific grades, pride-inspiring achievements, and program familiarity, suggesting a diverse range of inquiries during the interviews.
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History regarding DO
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Why do you want to be a physician (and not a nurse, PA, etc.)?
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I saw where you talked about _____ program with our school on your secondary application. I am not familiar with it, can you explain what it did? Are you sure it's with our school (I later reviewed my secondary and it was a program the school did and I recalled it correctly)
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If you, as a pre-med, were shadowing a resident and saw them being unethical in some way, how would you handle it?
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Tell me about yourself.
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of more than 50 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 Admissions staff personnel
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 between $101 and $200.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP)
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SGP
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GSP - Greenville/Greer/Spartanburg
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GSP
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
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Spartanburg Marriott
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Quality inn and suites...Cheap and very close to campus. Highly recommend.
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Howard Johnson Inn
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Holiday Inn
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Days Inn
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?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by utilizing resources such as Student Doctor Network (SDN) and Reddit, participating in mock interviews, and practicing common questions. They also reviewed their primary and secondary applications, researched the school thoroughly, and typed up generalized responses to potential questions to ensure they were well-prepared for their interview.
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SDN, reddit, mock interviews, recorded myself answering common questions
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Read over primary and secondary, prepared for common questions, looked on website for more information about program
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SDN, prepped common questions, read over primary/secondary
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I reviewed sample interview questions, typed up generalized responses, and reviewed past questions that were asked.
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Basic practice questions, mock interviews, review my resume/primary application
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the welcoming and supportive atmosphere of the staff, faculty, and students. They appreciated the emphasis on personal connections, the low-stress environment, and the sense of community and camaraderie. Many highlighted the modern facilities, faculty support, and the emphasis on individual student success as key positive aspects of their experience.
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Staff, faculty and students seem very happy! The environment seems very friendly and laidback. Overall I had a great interview day.
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You can immediately sense how close knit the community is. Everyone is super supportive of each other, and there is virtually no competition between students. The interviewers genuinely want to get to know you as a person, not how you perform as a student. I would say for 75% of my interview time, I was talking about my hobbies and what I do outside of medicine. The interviewers are easy to talk to, and they are very personable. They share their own experiences with you from the time they were medical students to where they are now. I genuinely loved talking to them!
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How welcoming and friendly everyone was
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My first interviewer wanted to know me more as a person
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How welcoming and cohesive the staff, faculty, and students seemed!
What impressed you negatively?
Many applicants expressed concerns about feeling scrutinized and having to defend their application components during the interview process, rather than being asked about personal qualities or motivations. Some also mentioned the lack of pass/fail grading and the intensity of exams as negative aspects that stood out to them. Suggestions included providing more personalized feedback, incorporating questions about applicants' contributions and emphasizing personal qualities during interviews, and considering implementing pass/fail grading.
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There was a moment where I felt like my application was being torn apart and I had defend and explain my grades/mcat. It wasn't terrible, but just prepared to explain bad grades or any red flags. I think it was more a good cop/bad cop situation to try to see how you react under stress.
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No pass/fail grading and multiple exams every week (totaling to 160 exams by the end of the first year). However, they have very good support services such as peer support, student success center, and academic advising to help you.
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Most of my questions were critically analyzing my application and not about me or what I contributed as a person. I felt that I had to defend my answers and experiences section moreso than them asking me new questions or asking why I wanted to go to this school. I also got minimal feedback on my answers and my interviewers didn't show much emotion.
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I wish the tour could have been in person, but I completely understand why it wasn't.
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Grades are not pass/fail
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Most applicants wished they had known ahead of time to relax and treat the interview as a conversational opportunity. They emphasized the importance of being prepared to discuss their application and to review their responses, while also noting the quick turnaround for admissions decisions and the need to be mindful of what topics to bring up during the interview.
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The interview is super laidback & conversational + dont stress! Know your application & be prepared to talk about any bad grades/low mcat.
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Relax! The interviewers aren't going to grill you. They just want to learn who you are as a human being and what you like to do in your free time.
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Relax, they truly want to get to know you as a person
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To review my secondary application responses and be familiar with my previous answers.
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Relax! Treat it like a conversation!
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally appreciated the warm and welcoming atmosphere during the interview day, the conversational and friendly nature of the interviews, and the efforts made by staff to ensure their comfort. Some found the interview process taxing due to multiple interviews, while others praised the school's supportive environment, opportunities for board prep, and unique programs.
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I overall loved the interview day! They provided lunch for us, took us on a bus tour which was super fun. The staff and faculty made sure that we had everything we needed. Everyone was super nice and welcoming overall.
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They do a good job of welcoming you and showing what their school has to offer. I had two open file one-on-one interviews that each lasted 40 minutes. However, by the end of the interview, it felt like not as much time had passed. I had genuine conversation with my interviewers. We shared laughs and stories about our own lives. It felt like talking to a friend!
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Overall it was a nice process, with a good tour and a great student discussion section but the interview itself was long and taxing. Three, independent, open file interviews that each last 30 mins was an exhausting process.
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I really liked how warm and welcoming everyone was. They really try their best to make you feel comfortable!
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It was a good interview day overall.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested reducing the number of non-admissions related emails sent, providing more flexibility in choosing interview dates, and ensuring more advanced notice for interviews to accommodate travel planning. Overall, the admissions office was commended for professionalism and staff warmth.
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I was very impressed by the professionalism of the admissions office. I don't have any suggestions. It was great!
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Way too many emails are sent from school in regard to non-admissions related information.
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N/A
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Give more dates to choose from for the interview, or give more time between invite and the interview, like at least 2-3 weeks advanced
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None
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