Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine

🙂

How did the interview impress you?

Positively 🙂

What was the stress level of the interview?

3 / 10

0 = Low Stress, 10 = High Stress

What are your general comments?

I enjoyed my time there, the campus was attractive, the people were open and friendly, but the town is extremely rural (even more so than where I am now). My first interview (with a biochemist) went very smoothly. My second started out awkwardly while my interviewer read my letters of recommendation, but after a few questions we got along well, and he ended up introducing me to a peds friend of his after I asked about the children's hospital.

Interview questions they asked

Tell me about your research.

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What was the most interesting question?

A general question about the Middle East (it was about 2 days after Israel killed the leader of Hamas)

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What was the most difficult question?

Nothing difficult.

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How did you prepare for the interview?

I tried to get a good night's sleep, but I got into Hershey too late.

What impressed you positively?

Upbeat students, the complete living environment of the campus, the simulation dummies.

What impressed you negatively?

Hershey is about 2 miles from anything resembling civilization. I got the impression during a lunch (which current students attended) that several people had failed Step 1 the year before, making me wonder about the preparation that the school gives.

What did you wish you had known ahead of time?

The school is planning a LOT of expansion; two new sections onto the crescent (look at a map of the school if you don't know where that is), plus expansions on some buildings, plus one or two completely new buildings.