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University of California San Diego School of Medicine

San Diego, CA

Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit

⭐ Overall Impressions

How did the interview impress you?

No change

What was the stress level of the interview?

5 out of 10

How you think you did?

8 out of 10

How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?

2 out of 10

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

2 out of 10
💬 Interview Questions

What is one of the specific questions they asked you?

Tell me about your research
Tell me about yourself
Why do you want to be a doctor

What was the most interesting question?

Nothing 'interesting', pretty standard questions

What was the most difficult question?

'Life or death' decision in the hospital.
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics

How long was the interview?

60+ minutes

How many people interviewed you?

2

What was the style of the interview?

One-on-one

What type of interview was it?

Open file

Was this interview in-person or virtual?

No responses

Where did the interview take place?

At the school
📍 On-Site Experience

Who was the tour given by?

Student

How did the tour guide seem?

Discouraging

How do you rank the facilities?

3 out of 10

What is your in-state status?

No responses

What were your total hours spent traveling?

2-3 hours

What was your primary mode of travel?

Automobile

About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?

No responses

What airport did you fly into?

No responses

Where did you stay?

Friends or family

What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?

No responses

How would you rate the hotel?

No responses

Would you recommend the hotel?

No responses

What is your ranking of this school's location?

4 out of 10

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

2 out of 10

What are your comments on where you stayed?

No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions

How is the friendliness of the admissions office?

No responses

How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?

No responses

How did you prepare for the interview?

Review all submitted material

What impressed you positively?

Difficulty of the program.

What impressed you negatively?

Discouragement by students in regards to the program- no early clinical built into the first two years of the program, staggered midterm schedules so there are midterms nearly every week (and resulting high stress level), faculty reluctance to experiement with the program to a more efficient organ-based approach (as many schools are now employing), and finally the mandated independent research project for all MD students in order to complete the program. Lastly, school's proximity to the local naval base makes for unnecessary noise pollution at times. What stood out to me is how unhappy the medical students seemed (even the student tour guides) in respect to other medical school I have seen.

What did you wish you had known ahead of time?

All of the aforementioned.

What are your general comments?

Early morning briefing, 2 x 1-hour interviews, lunch with students, debriefing after lunch.

What are your suggestions for the admissions office?

No responses