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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 7% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did well.
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 322 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional8–8.9 Very Good7–7.9 Good6–6.9 Mixed< 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
Positively (84%)
Negatively (8%)
No change (8%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (31%)
Good (49%)
Average (15%)
Poor (5%)
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview process to be quick and enjoyable, appreciating the conversational style of questioning and the friendly demeanor of the interviewers. Some suggested being prepared to discuss personal experiences and interests, while others highlighted the importance of being relaxed and authentic during the interview.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
The questions were not at all what i was expecting and often very long scenarios. but not anything overtly difficult to answer as honestly as possible.
I wish the confidentiality didn't extend to family as well because sometimes I like to talk about my experience at the interview because talking to my family helps ease my nerves afterwards (and the majority of the interview experience was the questions) especially in terms of like "how I should've responded", etc.
I wasn't asked anything about topics I had zero experience with (i.e. cows) - they really tailor questions to candidates' backgrounds, so the best thing you can do is avoid stressing!
I'm really grateful to my interview mentor for showing me around and answering my questions. I definitely recommend that you take Davis up on that opportunity.
Interview was great. We even laughed and talked about meat recipes. I know I missed a few technical questions but I feel like as long as you are easy to talk with and show them youre a real human/not an academic drone, that you should be fine through the interview.
Davis is a good school but they were in the process of changing their curriculum when I applied. For me personally, I figured out there were other schools that fit me and my situation better.
This was definitely my most positive interview experience (I've only done 3 total, but still...). And Davis is a beautiful school. The students are so much fun and the professors are incredibly friendly. And the anatomy lab is really really really cool :)
My advice to others: Attend the orientation and take everything they say seriously. If they tell you they will ask you a question, they will. They told us they would ask "why should we pick you" and they did.
Davis was a challenging interview but definitely a good experience! They made me work hard and think a lot but all three of my interviewers were open and friendly, and definitely not "out to get me."
The interviewers seemed to have a standard set of questions to ask but really went into depth into my interests and my history. They were interested in how it prepared me for vet school and how it would affect me in vet school.
The interview process was pretty laid back, I had a group of older gentleman clinicians that were somewhat critical of my desire to do research, but who could blame them, they were all about the clinical aspect ;). Still, the interview was quick and painless. Makes you wonder how they manage to cut anybody.
The interview was about half an hour, but I got asked a lot of questions. We actually ran out of time at the end, so I didn't have time to ask them any questions myself. Overall, it felt like a conservation. The interviewers were a lot nicer than I expected. Also, one of the three was not faculty member, but a small animal practice DVM from the area.
I was pretty relaxed, though I felt that the interviewers were trying to rattle me. It's quick, and not worth worrying about. Just go in and get the job done!
Got there early, chatted with the temp and the admissions people, then went in there and did my thing. I was really relaxed, and the interviewers made me feel really comfortable. Just breath and say what you feel.
Only had 2 interviewers because one of them couldn't get away from another appointment. Both interviewers were very nice and did not ''grill'' me on any topics. I was told at the workshop to make the answers succinct so they could learn more from you so I ended up getting asked about 16 questions. It flowed really well and we were even laughing a few times.
One of the best interview experiences that I had. Although I wish the whole thing was more than just come and sit down and talk. But I guess that's what they have their interview workshop for!
Very good. This was the first interview I had that flowed in a logical manner and made sense you could follow, compared to just asking questions etc...
Two of the interviewers were female, one a professor for poultry medicine, the other a local practicing veterinarian. They were both very nice and took a lot of notes during the interview. The third interviewer was a male professor for biochemistry. He was pleasant and welcoming, but during the interview I caught him doodling on his notes page. I felt the interview was more of a process to get to know me as a person and not just a student. I was asked a couple of technical questions which were simple but the interview is mostly structured as a ''conversation'' guided by the interviewers. Overall, it was a pleasant experience and I left in a good mood!
Overall it was ok... again, it was very business like... everyone was nice, but there because they had to be. and to have spent over 9 hours of traveling, more than a 25 minute interaction would have been appreciated
Davis spends less time coddling you than other schools during the day of the interview. There are no other activities planned the day of the interview. They are very professional, but also very personable. My interviewers cracked a few jokes throughout. Some more tips: Be on time; the interviewers are running on a tight schedule. Answer questions directly and assume that in an ethical dilemma, there are no other ''good'' alternatives. This gives you more time to talk about yourself! Don't be afraid to ask clarifying questions or to say you don't know enough about a topic. Good luck!
I went to the workshop and orientation on Sat too. So the tour and such happened then, and I was impressed by everything the first years did for us. The interview itself went by way too fast! I think the only real question I got was ''What have you been doing since the application?'' Everything else was just us talking about my experinces and goals. The receptionist encouraged me to send thank-you notes.
Really positive, the faculty who interviewed me were very friendly and casual, which put me at ease. They didn't grill me or anything and seemed to be enjoying doing interviews (but it's only the first day). I liked the interview workshop and orientation, but it was a pain to have to drive up there twice. We didn't get to see inside a lot of clinical areas (like surgery rooms) because it was the weekend, which was disappointing.
It was very brief. pretty relaxed. they asked open ended questions about my experiences. ''tell me about....'' ''how do you feel about...'' they never tried to challenge me on anything I said. I thought they would be harder on me.
UCD-COMP interviews are an average of 31 minutes, with an average of 3.7 interviews. 58% of interviews are one-on-one, 0% are in-person, and 8% are closed-file.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include scenarios related to ethical dilemmas in veterinary medicine, inquiries about long-term career goals, and questions about specific medical procedures or protocols. Responses indicate a mix of ethical questions, inquiries about future aspirations, and scenarios related to veterinary practice, with some respondents possibly participating in an MMI format under a nondisclosure agreement.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
I have some back ground with cattle breeding so I was asked "Can you describe for me an estrous synchronization protocol." And my stupid ass asked do you want a more expensive or cheaper to which he replied why not both.
They asked me about 10 questions, but started with: What have you been doing since submitting your application and where do you see yourself 10 years from now? (this was the "icebreaker" question)
What have you been doing since you applied? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Is there any feline infectious diseases that humans should worry about?
What have you been doing since you submitted your application last September? (This was the first question asked and pretty much determined the direction of the next half of the interview)
What would you do if a client came into your office and told you that they were moving out of state and couldn't take their cat so they wanted to euthanize the cat? ADOPTION IS NOT AN OPTION.
Students said most interesting question asked at University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including defending animal research, ethical dilemmas in veterinary practice, favorite movies, and handling difficult clients. Many responses referenced MMI format, suggesting a nondisclosure agreement may have been in place, while other questions focused on specific experiences, career goals, and ethical scenarios in veterinary medicine.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
What animal do itallian's consisder to produce the best mozzarella cheese? Turns out a water buffalo. Follow up with why do you think that is? Higher fat % in the milk.
Why do we vaccinate horses and humans for tetanus, but not cats? (I didn't know this one, but they told me that it's because cats have a localized reaction and typically don't experience the neurological effects like horses/humans
What color is a Korat?
(note: my research experience is in feline genetics, and I had mentioned the Korat as a breed of interest in a study I was involved in)
They had me discuss the possible change in terminology from "pet owner" to "pet guardian" and possible legal/malpractice implications of this change. I didn't really know specific details on that topic but it was definitely interesting to think about!
Ethical question regarding how I would respond to a sick flock of turkeys with an infectious disease. How would I tell the media and animal rights activists that want to interview me about my reasons for culling.
Most applicants prepared for the interview by utilizing resources like SDN, mock interviews, and reading sample questions. They also reviewed their application materials, researched current issues in their field, and practiced answering questions out loud to prepare for their interviews.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
SDN, chat gpt, ai mmi interview prep website (0/10 don't recommend, way too expensive), had friends and bf practice interview scenarios with me. also asked current ucd svm students how their interviews went
SDN prep, read Bernard E. Rollin's "An Introduction to Veterinary Medical Ethics", looked up interview questions online, found Medial School MMI questions online and used them as guidance, etc
Looked over SDN interview questions, knew my application inside and out, and ran through in my head all of my experiences and how each of them could be applied in different situations.
Went over practice questions, discussed what anyone who had they experience that I had should in general know (i.e. if you want to be a food animal vet what are the basics: vaccine protocols, zoonotic dz, what can decrease milk production, etc)
Read SDN feedback, practiced some questions by myself (not out loud), had 2 previous interviews (the ultimate practice), researched some issues in vet med.
Talked to a LOT of current students and other interviewees about their experiences. Reviewed my emergency tech booklet which didn't really help very much (haha). Kind of reviewed AVMA website/journals for "current topic" ideas, although I totally panicked and forgot most of them during the interview. Thought a lot about a "pick me!" statement.
Read SDN, reviewed my application, talked to Veterinarians, tried to catch up on some of the important issues in Vet. Med. Also, thought about some of the ethical questions I knew I was going to be asked.
I had sample questions that I had received in an email from Davis. I also prepared by reflecting on past interviews and talking to other veterinarians.
Students said the most difficult questions asked at University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including ethical dilemmas such as justifying veterinary care costs, using primates in research, and handling euthanasia requests. Additionally, some respondents mentioned questions about lifelong learning, drug administration experience, and dealing with industry values, with hints of an MMI format and possible nondisclosure agreements due to the nature of the questions.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
How do you justify people spending exuberant amounts of money of veterinary care for their pets when many third world countries lack basic human healthcare?
Scenario: your largest client has you out at the farm and his wife asks you to euthanize a Rhodesian ridgeback puppy that was born without a ridge. What do you say? (This was my only ethical question)
Give an example of a drug you've administered - I had prepared for EVERYTHING - vaccines, ethical things etc, but I hadn't worked as a technician in over two years and completely blanked on this question. Woops.
They asked me about my low GRE scores and what I had done to do better on the exam, why I felt my score was low, etc. (they congratulated me for being a first generation college student).
If a 17 year old girl brings in her 20 year old pleasure horse who will need serious surgery due to colic and may experience complications afterward and the girl cannot afford surgery what do you tell her? Follow-up questions: Does your answer change if the horse is only 5 years old?
(Follow up question): But what if a person who wants to euthanize his healthy dog doesn't listen to any of your suggestions and says he will go shoot the dog unless you agree to euthanize?
If some clients came in with a dog that had been hit by a car, but they had no money, what would you do? What would you say to them? THey have really bad credit. The little girl is crying...
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and warmth of the interviewers, faculty, and staff. They appreciated the low-stress atmosphere, tailored questions, and the genuine interest shown in getting to know them as individuals. Additionally, the new and impressive facilities, along with the welcoming campus environment, left a positive impression on many applicants.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
The organization of the Kira talent platform, how we had 3 minutes to fully read each scenario, and got small breaks in between stations. i also liked that there was a station dedicated to me/each applicant, where they asked more personal questions.
All the interviewers and faculty were very positive, supporting, encouraging, and warm. They all understood the confusing and new nature of the MMI and kept saying "there are no right answers", which made it a LOT less stressful. I was very impressed with how down-to-earth the faculty was and weren't trying to be intimidating at all. They really seemed to listen to and respect the interviewees/applicants.
Admissions staff are very nice and did a great job of calming me down before the interview. Also had words of encouragement afterwards as well.Interviews seemed genuinely interested in me.
THe interviewers are super, super friendly. I felt very comfortable throughout the entire interview despite shaking in my boots before it. The students are really friendly as well.
The friendliness of the staff and the interviewers! They made me feel so much more relaxed before and during my interview. The interview workshop/orientation was awesome as well. The facilities are gorgeous and the 1st year students who hosted everything were awesome.
How nice the interviewers were. They could have attacked me with regards to my low GPA, but they didn't. Everything was worded so kindly and sincerely.
The freaking gorgeous Valley Hall, lecture rooms, anatomy and microscope labs. I also liked the covered lameness workup area and the large animal barns! Also, everyone was incredibly friendly.
It was really relaxed and conversational (for the most part) and the admissions staff were really friendly and welcoming. I liked that they took a photograph of applicants when they come in to put the face to the name during their decision making process.
The student orientation (two weeks before my interview.)
This was a great opportunity to tour the campus, talk to students and faculty, and calm some of those pre-interview jitters.
The interviewers were so relaxed and very friendly. I felt like they really wanted to get to know me as a person, and really cared about what I said. Also the facilities are AMAZING!!
The interviewers and the receptionist made a point in making me feel comfortable. Everyone was very pleasant and professional. Even students smiled as me as I passed by, probably bc I stuck out like a sore thumb in my all-black garb.
The new facilities and the tablet they require (it's really cool), the laidback attitude of the faculty, all the activities the students do together outside of vet school
Applicants frequently expressed disappointment with the lack of enthusiasm and warmth from current students and tour guides, as well as limited interaction and information provided during the tours. Suggestions included improving student engagement, offering more comprehensive tours, and enhancing communication and welcoming efforts to create a more inviting environment for prospective students.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
The length of the interview--10x10min stations was brutal, and definitely could be cut in half. idk if they just wanted to see how we react to such stressful, high pressure environments, but it felt like overkill once i got to station 5 and released i still had basically a full hour left of my interview.... also most of the questions i felt like weren't questions where i could add in personal experiences, which made the interview seem less personal/about me, which i feel like for an interview for a program so well-regarded, they should be more interested in our experiences, idk?
I was actually a little disappointed with the other applicants and the current veterinary students, as well as how limited the tour was (didn't get to see a lot of the school). It was probably because of the environment and that we're all competing for a position at the school, but some of the other applicants seemed very competitive and not that supporting. The current veterinary students also did not go out of their way to welcome and talk to the applicants, which was very surprising to me because my undergraduate experience was very different. I was also disappointed with how neutral the students giving the tour were. They weren't super enthusiastic, focused, or warm towards the applicants. Yes, they were polite but there's more to that.
Some facilities are quite old and stale. I wish they'd have done tour groups on the day of the interview, not the weekend before interviews start (I can't make two trips!)
That there really is no welcoming by the school to the interviewees. It was basically heres your interview and go home. It would have been much more inviting if there was a tour or someone there to talk about what Davis had to offer. In general the people as a whole weren't as outgoing and nice as other schools.
I really really really wish I could have gotten a tour of campus/hospital or met with students or professors or SOMETHING other than my 25 minute interview. My student host buddy thing had class all day, as expected, so I couldn't meet up with her at all.
Difficulty contacting admissions during the entire process. Excessive use of powerpoint during lectures (personal pref-- I tend to zone out if too much powerpoint is involved)
Admissions office is relatively unresponsive before you get an interview. They are incredibly nice and helpful come January/February, though. Also, my interviwers did repeat 2 questions (from the beginning) towards the end of the interview after we went on a big tangent regarding performing surgery. I think they forgot where we were and then they were trying to decide amongst themselves what else they wanted to cover in the remaining time
Very short interview. very business like... seemed they didnt really want to be interviewing me. the tour was not aimed at vet students... it seemed like a general public tour (ie: explaining that the blue drapes are for sterility purposes)
Tour guide during the previous week's Interview Orientation was not very enthusiastic. When someone asked her if students were happy, she did not say yes. Yikes! Maybe she had a lot of exams that week.
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time to approach each interview as unique and not to expect specific questions. They also suggested being prepared to discuss career goals and ambitions, staying calm, and being aware of the relaxed and friendly nature of the interview process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
Honestly there's nothing i could've done differently to prepare for it without just knowing what the questions were lol
I was told to pause before answering questions and wait before answering. I wish I had listened to this advice more...there were times where I definitely felt like I rambled. Don't feel like you have to fill all the space in the interview. Also, if you have less straightforward career goals such as public health or research make sure you have a concrete plan of how your DVM complements these goals and what steps you will need to get there.
I wish I hadn't stressed so much about housing because after driving around the city calling leasing offices, I found out from my student host the next day that I'll get tons of emails per day from current students looking for new apartment-mates if I'm accepted.
How nice everybody was and how not stressful it would be. Also, I wish I had known what a sarcoid and a hinney were :) Davis prepared me really well for this interview though.
That they were not going to ask me a to of details relating to the time I spent as a veterinary assistant, although I suppose reviewing a lot of that was good for me anyway.
That those monster quick shots you can buy at gas stations give you near epileptic fits of shaking. Seriously, a cup of coffee beforehand next time will do.
I wish I knew my student host was going to offer to take me around the school and into her lab. I would have left some time for that after the interview.
The interview was predominantly focused on finding out about me, my ambitions, and my experiences. No attempt was made to grill me about my knowledge of veterinary medicine. Overall the interviewers came across as friendly and genuinely interested in what I had to say.
The interviewers will stay in the room after you're done, so don't try to be courteous and let them go out first. they'll stand and lead you to the door, so it may look like they are also leaving, but they aren't. I felt a lil' silly after that.
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How would you rate the Location and Cultural Life?
0 = Low, 10 = High
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.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggest improving tour guide training and enthusiasm, ensuring prompt and helpful responses to emails, providing clearer directions for waste disposal, eliminating MMI, increasing communication and updates throughout the admissions process, and improving accessibility for scheduling interviews. They also recommend more transparency, timely notifications, and improved availability in responding to inquiries.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
Train your tour guide better so they seem more enthusiastic!
Actually take the time to read people's questions they send you in emails. Replying with a link to your website that they clearly state they have looked at is terrible customer service. I haven't once emailed the admissions office and had a helpful response.
Perhaps have compost bins especially for the lunch/food. Clearer directions for the bins - the difference between recycling and the bottles/cans was very confusing.
I wish they would send out more updates or utilize an online status check. Whenever I've called or emailed directly, they've been extremely friendly, responsive, and helpful.
Once I received an interview invite, they were awesome, but before that I really had no idea what the status of my application was so I think it would be nice if they could notify us sooner at least of approximate dates for what's going on.
25% interviewees used SMF (SMF)
, with
25% using Sacramento (Sacramento)
and
13% using SFO (SFO)
and
6% using smf (smf)
and
6% using sac (sac)
and
6% using SAC (SAC)
and
6% using OAK (OAK)
and
6% using Sacramento Airport (Sacramento Airport)
and
6% using Sacramento, CA (Sacramento, CA)
.
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by automobile to the interview.
✈️
30% Airplane
🚗
64% Automobile
🚆
0% Train or Subway
🚲
6% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Aggie Inn (average ranking 7/10), with some staying at Best Western (average rating 10/10). (Top 3 displayed)
🏨
Aggie Inn
7/10
🏨
Best Western
10/10
🏨
Dixon Super 8
10/10
What was the cost and time spent traveling?
Cost: Low Cost to High Cost
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are in state students.
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
Admissions staff (5%)
Other (10%)
Student (85%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
