Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

🙂

How did the interview impress you?

Positively 🙂

What was the stress level of the interview?

1 / 10

0 = Low Stress, 10 = High Stress

How you think you did?

8 / 10

0 = Bad, 10 = Great

What are your general comments?

Although this was my first interview, I doubt I will have any others as laid back as this one. The interview focused mostly on my application and experiences. It was rather conversational; although my interviewer asked most of the questions, they were not from a checklist but flowed based on the previous answer. The facilities at Vanderbilt are great. The classrooms are right next to the hospital, VA, clinics, and the gorgeous, new Children's Hospital. Administration seems really supportive of students. Many others have mentioned it, but be warned that the interview day is not very structured. If you don't want to be bored, take the iniative to walk around the facilities, drop in either the first or second year classes, talk to your fellow applicants in the lounge, etc.

Interview questions they asked

Name the top three reasons you want to enter medicine.

I was asked this too

What was the most interesting question?

How a class from my major could apply to medicine (not a typical cell bio, biochem, etc. class).

I was asked this too

What was the most difficult question?

What was the one part of my study abroad that was most memorable or educational or something to that effect.

I was asked this too

How did you prepare for the interview?

Read the website (especially the section on Emphasis), read about my interviewer (your status page should tell you his/her name), talked to a student host the night before.

What impressed you positively?

The collegiality of the students, administration, etc. Even my interviewer was incredibly nice. Also the Emphasis program is impressive. I think most schools of Vanderbilt's caliber have ample research opportunities, but with this program the funding is guaranteed, and the structure should lead to productivity with a tangible outcome (e.g. a publication). Lastly, the vast majority of students in both the first and second year classes attended the lectures we had a chance to peek in on. When asked why, they said because the teaching was so good.

What impressed you negatively?

Not much really. I wish the curriculum were system-based (just a guess about how I will learn best in med school).

What did you wish you had known ahead of time?

If you interview before lunch, you will be done by about 2 pm. Could have scheduled an earlier flight home.