Blacksburg, VA
Osteopathic Medical Schools | Private Non-Profit
Application Cycle: 2009-10
💬 Interview Questions
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
If you made a mistake and a patient died as a result, would you tell the family? Would you quit practicing medicine? What is your biggest regret? What would your best friend say about you? (as far as I can tell, everyone was asked these questions.)
What was the most interesting question?
Here's your chance to convince me why you will succeed at this school. Let's hear it.
What was the most difficult question?
What is your biggest regret? (One interviewer asked all the questions you expect to get: "what would your best friend say about you, etc.") Not really difficult, just annoying that could guess all of the questions that would be asked.
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions
How long was the interview?
20 minutes
How did the interview impress you?
Positively 🙂
How many people interviewed you?
3
What was the stress level of the interview?
5 out of 10
0 = Low Stress, 10 = High Stress
How you think you did?
8 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
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?
Downloaded the handbook and read the whole thing, studentdoctor.net, read the website. Got there a day early and walked around the campus/town.
What impressed you positively?
This school is going to do well. I earned a masters degree at an allopathic medical school, and VCOM's facilities were every bit as nice, the staff is far more friendly, and they seem to be more supportive of the students. The match won't be a problem; there are plenty of hospitals for people interested in primary care. This school has something to prove and they are bending over backwards to ensure their reputation as a good school (like requiring both boards), and that the students are happy. The other students being interviewed seemed smart and sincerely friendly, so I felt like I was in good company.
What impressed you negatively?
The town is even smaller than I expected, and a large percentage of the students are married. Health insurance doesn't come through the school.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Getting from Roanoke to Blacksburg is very easy and cheap. Don't worry about hotel shuttles or an airport van: take the SmartWay, which is a subsidized bus service that leaves from the Roanoke Airport and takes you to the Blacksburg campus, with a few stops along the way. It's direct, it takes about an hour, and it's three ($3) dollars. No kidding. No reservations required. Also, the Holiday Inn near the school is within walking distance of the undergrad campus and a shopping plaza, and they have a shuttle to the med school (the med school might be a bit of a hike from any hotel. You don't need to rent a car, though, no matter where you are flying in from. If you need a cab in Blacksburg, take the Hooptie Ride, it's fun.
What are your general comments?
The faculty and staff are coming from other schools and have done this before. Quality of the education shouldn't be a concern for anyone. I think the year-round schedule is better than the traditional schedule, actually; you get more vacation. Two of the three interviewers had clearly read my file carefully and asked good questions, one interviewer seemed to ask everyone the same questions without having read our files carefully, but even that wasn't too bad. Don't let yourself get rattled; if they invited you down for an interview, they're definitely interested in you.
📍 On-Site Experience
Who was the tour given by?
Admissions staff
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