Hershey, PA
Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit
Application Cycle: 2009-10
💬 Interview Questions
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
Anything unique about you that's not stated in your application?
What was the most interesting question?
Not really a question, but my second interviewer talked about drug reps and the benefits and costs of free dinners.
What was the most difficult question?
What will be your greatest challenge as a doctor? I dunno, I just never liked this one.
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions
How long was the interview?
40 minutes
How did the interview impress you?
Positively 🙂
How many people interviewed you?
2
What was the stress level of the interview?
1 out of 10
0 = Low Stress, 10 = High Stress
What was the style of the interview?
One-on-one
What type of interview was it?
Open file
Where did the interview take place?
At the school
How did you prepare for the interview?
SDN, MSAR, brushed up on info. about managed care, knew myself
What impressed you positively?
How incredibly nice all the people were! During my second interview, we talked a lot about the personality of an institution. PSU's personality really showed through in its students, staff, and faculty. I was also impressed by the state-of-the-art facilities (such as the simulation lab) and the curriculum, which includes medicine-related humanities courses and a course where you go to the house of a chronically ill patient, not to cure them but to understand what illness is like. Tons of other stuff too...library and computer lab open 24/7, on-campus housing available and almost guaranteed, free use of fitness center...the list goes on and on...
What impressed you negatively?
The fact that a research project is required for graduation (although exemptions are possible). I should add that the "middle of nowhere" thing is usually an issue but was not a problem for me since I live in a small town about 25 miles from Hershey.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
That I would have to walk all the way from one end of the hospital complex to another to get from the admissions office to my second interview! The hospital is like a maze, but people from the offices are nice enough to escort you to your interviews.
What are your general comments?
PSU makes an effort to give you a very relaxed, fun experience. I was a little disappointed that we didn't get to see the anatomy lab, but the rest of the tour was great. There was a very informative powerpoint presentation before the tour as well. The med students were easy to talk to during lunch and answered a lot of our questions. Finally, the interviews themselves were fun! My first interviewer asked me the standard questions, but we got into long discussions about music, ADHD, and life outside of medicine after my answers. My second interviewer told me "I'm going to do this interview a bit differently" and proceeded to tell me how great I was and why PSU is for me instead of some other school (no joke!). It was a little awkward for me at first (I'm not used to being buttered up by med school faculty), but eventually we started talking and even shared a joke or two at Harvard's expense! (Sorry to all you crimsons out there...my school is your greatest rival in hockey.) Overall, a great experience, and I'd be happy to go to school here.
📍 On-Site Experience
Who was the tour given by?
Other
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