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.
Are you 100% certain you are ready to start medical school? How will you handle the rigor?
Honestly, they each opened with a question from my file. Then I literally just explained my file, gave ample context all the while answering questions to the typical Why DO? Why VCOM? Why medicine? Why primary care? without them having to ask me. Answers to all those questions were included in my story.
Many of the interviewers focused on the experiences I listed in my application: things like mission trips, past employment, and DO observation experience. It was very conversational. They asked me to tell them more about these experiences and what I learned, etc.
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.
I see where you struggled in your freshman year, can you explain that?
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.
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)
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.
SDN, reddit, mock interviews, recorded myself answering common questions
SDN Interview Feedback, Mock Interview with med school adviser, typed up general answers to questions and collected all my anecdotes in one place so I could have them ready for situational questions.
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.
Staff, faculty and students seem very happy! The environment seems very friendly and laidback. Overall I had a great interview day.
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!
The people, the location and the facilities. The faculty were extremely welcoming and helpful, students were happy and seemed satisfied with their decision. The whole area is beautiful, especially the facilities. It is close to the local hospitals and clinics. It was a small campus and everyone seemed to know everyone
The facilities are modern and attractive. They have affiliated hospitals that third- and fourth-year students "match" with and spend their entire third year and most of the fourth year rotating in that hospital, rather than having to find clinical rotation sites like some other schools. The staff and students all commented on the "family" atmosphere of everyone there, and they genuinely hope and work for every student to succeed, unlike some schools that take too many incoming students and expect that many will not make it. Lectures are recorded and shared between campuses, so all lectures at all campus sites are available to every student online. Students seem happy to be there.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It seems that many students don't place much emphasis on research, despite the fact that there are many opportunities for research there (that was the feeling I got from talking to the students).
It is 6 years old at this point, and I wish it had a few more years under its belt. However, they do have students in residency already, and they are connected with the Virginia campus that is a bit older.
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.
The interview is super laidback & conversational + dont stress! Know your application & be prepared to talk about any bad grades/low mcat.
I shouldn't have talked so much about OMMS. I was trying to express my open-mindedness considering the subject, but I may have simply come across as ignorant in that area. You can navigate the entire interview without bringing it up, and I was dumb. So don't (unless you know a lot about it and are excited about it).
They respond quickly with admissions decisions (2 days after the interview in my case). If you are accepted, you are given one month to decide whether to accept or decline admission (and to pay the deposit if you accept). The entire campus is one building, which may seem inadequate for many, but the facility looks great and I like that everyone on the property is affiliated with the school. Easy parking and lots of study space.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Very supportive school with a multitude of opportunities. However, board prep seems to be a bit more self-directed than at other school where I have interviewed. However, there IS dedicated time for studying for COMLEX and the USMLE.
This school is very professional. I learned lots about the school and curriculum despite having done ample research before hand. The disaster training program is fascinating. Ask as many questions as you can, they all have a wealth of knowledge.
I like the school and the apparent determination of the staff to help students succeed. I like their facilities. The town seems nice. I appreciate that they have a "hospital match" rotation system for third and fourth years. It is still a fairly new school, but its connection with the Virginia campus gives it some credit.
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.
I was very impressed by the professionalism of the admissions office. I don't have any suggestions. It was great!
Give more dates further out. I was given only 2 weeks of interview dates and had to chose one that was within a week of the invite. Plane tickets and hotels are very expensive within a week of travel.