Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center School of Medicine

🙂

How did the interview impress you?

Positively 🙂

What was the stress level of the interview?

2 / 10

0 = Low Stress, 10 = High Stress

How you think you did?

9 / 10

0 = Bad, 10 = Great

How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?

7 / 10

0 = Below, 10 = Above

How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?

8 / 10

0 = Below, 10 = Above

What are your general comments?

I started the day with a lab visit and clicked with the researcher rght away over football. Next I had my MD interview (one hour, open file, one-on-one) and that went really well. It was very relaxed, we told a few jokes, and the hour went by really quickly. Then we had a little pep-talk about the program (everyone else interviewing that day was straight MD so it was mainly geared toward them) and financial aid and planning. Next we had lunch and a tour with two tour guides who were amazingly excited, honest, and very knowledgable. The first years were having a big anatomy exam and then didn't even seem too stessed when we walked by some of them studying. Next I had my PhD interview (one hour, group, open-file). Mostly I discussed my research, my future plans, why MD/PhD and not one or the other... the usual stuff. After that I had one more lab visit, and then dinner with two MD/PhD students which was great because I got to ask whatever I wanted since it was just the three of us.

Interview questions they asked

What type of research do you think you want to do?

I was asked this too

What was the most interesting question?

tell me about your family

I was asked this too

What was the most difficult question?

some very specific questions about my research, since one of the interviewers works in a very similar field

I was asked this too

How did you prepare for the interview?

read over my research, school website, I have a friend who is there as a first year so I asked her some questions

What impressed you positively?

everyone was enthusiastic, the school is growing and expanding research facilities, my interviewers all had been at VCU/MCV for a long time and still loved it

What impressed you negatively?

Richmond and the food poisoning I got from my dinner :(

What is your ranking of this school's location?

7 / 10

0 = Bad, 10 = Great

What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?

7 / 10

0 = Bad, 10 = Great