Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine

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How did the interview impress you?

Negatively ☹️

What was the stress level of the interview?

3 / 10

0 = Low Stress, 10 = High Stress

What are your general comments?

There was a bunch of interviews with the MD/PhD committee members and possible research faculty on the first day. Some of the committee members were pretty dry and really did not react much to any of the things I was saying. It was a pretty long interview day, but overall it wasn't too bad. They kept us there on Saturday for a tour and for dinner. I'm glad they did. I was never so bored in my entire life. We were right smack in the middle of the town, and still everything was closed. Even the underground walkway was closed. It was so bitterly cold I didn't really wanna go anywhere on the surface. That really convinced me that there's no way I could be there. Note that the students are paying attention to how you behave. So don't get super-drunk and dance on a table, tell racist jokes, etc... So thanks for paying my interview expenses and I'm sure it would be a great place to go to medical school, but it's not for me.

What was the most difficult question?

How do I know you won't drop out of the MD/PhD program after a few years?

I was asked this too

How did you prepare for the interview?

Looked up what my interviewers were doing.

What impressed you positively?

I have no doubt that Mayo has a great medical school. Mayo is something you should at least see once in your life. No matter what you think about the place, it's huge, it's full of money, and it's different.

What impressed you negatively?

Location. It's super-duper cold and there's no parking for students. That either leaves you walking around in the -40 weather or waiting for shuttle busses. Beyond getting in and out, Rochester is practically a ghost town on the weekend. There's nothing to do there. Everyone goes to Minneapolis/St. Paul if they want to do anything. It's not MSTP. I'm not sure what not being MSTP means in the long run, but I think it would be more attractive if it was. They made me pick alot of people to interview with, but when I started looking, I realized there was almost nobody there I wanted to work with. The only kind of work there that really seems full of people is oncology. If you're interested in cancer, apply. It's a traditional cirriculum. They boast high boards scores with it, and I bet you could learn alot. But omg, 8 - 5 5 days a week is not for me. Maybe it could cut down on the boredom?

What did you wish you had known ahead of time?

The isolation.