How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
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How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
No responses
How did you prepare for the interview?
sdn, read about health care reform online, read everything about the program and school on their website, read books about medical schools and interviewing, checked faculty who were doing research in areas I am interested in and made appointment for the day of interview within a lab I would like to work in
What impressed you positively?
Everything. The town is adorable. There are beautiful houses, rolling hills, and forests (though it was slightly bleaker than in summer). The campus is also cute and compact, so there is not too much walking. Everyone at this school was absolutely delightful. Admissions officers would bend over backward to make sure you feel comfortable and happy, and professors and students were always smiling and seemed quite happy.
What impressed you negatively?
Absolutely nothing. This is a fantastic school that revolves around its medical students and making sure they are successful and happy.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
That the campus (and Weiskotten Hall, where the interview info session is held) is within easy walking distance from the Gennessee Grande Hotel.
What are your general comments?
Both interviews were fantastic. They could not possibly have gone better. I arrived with a sense of confidence and very specific goals for my medical education, around which I had researched very heavily the program at Upstate and had not only specific questions regarding the directions I planned to take (and need) but also clearly demonstrated a familiarity with their program and very good reasons why the program is a good match for me, even though it wasn't necessary to say so in specific terms.
The student interviewer was fantastic. I grilled him on virtually every aspect of the program, from the most popular clerkship tracks to how often are msy-4 students allowed to participate in procedures. He was a priceless source of knowledge to give me "inside info" that I only would have known to ask had I researched the program in depth before (and I strongly encourage you to do this). Using this strategy not only gives you confidence in the interview because you can direct it, but also gives an impression of you that you are well prepared and motivated to attend that specific program. Most importantly, and people forget this fact too often, the interview is YOUR chance to learn about the school and whether you feel it is appropriate to your career and life goals. It is just like going on a date. You don't want to sit there like a lump on a log. Do your research and ask questions!
The faculty member I interviewed with was also fabulous and though that interview was more structured it was clear that it was done so in a way that was appropriate to the environment and purpose of the interview.
Overall interview experience is an A+++. I went into the interview thinking this school would be a backup. Now I'm thinking that unless I am startlingly dazzled by another program, it will be my top choice. For those who know what they want to specialize in (I'm doing neurosurgery), this is a fantastic opportunity for you to be a top hotshot and have a program that will cater to you to make sure you get whatever residency you want.
DO YOUR RESEARCH ON THIS PROGRAM, PREPARE QUESTIONS THAT CANNOT BE ANSWERED FROM THE WEBSITE, EVALUATE YOUR REASON FOR PURSUING MEDICINE AND WHY SPECIFICALLY THE PROGRAM MATCHES YOUR ITNERESTS, AND ABOVE ALL, BE CONFIDENT!! I cannot stress that enough. You will all be phenomenal physicians. Act like it! This is probably the one most important point (unless you totally blow out on the interview by saying something unprofessional, immature, or ridiculous, which, clearly, as dedicated preMeds, isn't an issue).
Good luck.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
No responses
