Baltimore, MD
Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit
Application Cycle: 2017-18
⭐ Overall Impressions
How do you rank the facilities?
7 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
5 out of 10
0 = Below, 10 = Above
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
5 out of 10
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What is your ranking of this school's location?
5 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
7 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
5 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
3 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
💬 Interview Questions
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
Tell me about yourself. What do you think will be the biggest challenge you will face as a medical student? Tell me about your study abroad and travels. Why medicine?
What was the most interesting question?
What do you think will be the biggest challenge you will face as a medical student? (not even very interesting; pretty normal interview).
What was the most difficult question?
Given the situation in European healthcare system vs. U.S. would you still want to practice primary care? He interrupted "Why Maryland" question with "but why not other schools?" Also in-depth questions about my research.
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions
How long was the interview?
45 minutes
How did the interview impress you?
Negatively ☹️
How many people interviewed you?
2
What was the stress level of the interview?
9 out of 10
0 = Low Stress, 10 = High Stress
How you think you did?
4 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?
SDN interview feedback, researching UMB, and running through a bunch of interview questions aloud.
What impressed you positively?
One of my interviewers was very warm and welcoming, and it was encouraging to learn that he was on the clinical faculty. The anatomy lab and lecture hall is also impressive. Speaking with the medical students at the lunch impressed me positively overall. The tour was also really great, as they took us into the hospital/Shock Trauma center which a lot of medical schools don't do on their interviews.
What impressed you negatively?
The organization of the interview day was honestly pretty awful. I really wish they didn't make us find our interviews on our own and had someone take us there (or provide written instructions at least) because it really added to the anxiety/stress of the day, especially right off the bat. Someone in the admissions office gave me unclear directions and I got lost, rushing to my interview sweaty and late. Then the first interview went way over time and the interviewer didn't notify the second interviewer like he was supposed to, and I got lost getting there too and was over 15 minutes late. Letter grading system, one of my interviewers not smiling or being conversational at all and mainly interested in my research (which was the smallest part of my application).
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
That I would have to find my interview rooms on my own right at the start of the day. There is also a lengthy wait time for the admissions people to check you in and give you verbal directions to your interview, so I ended up only having 5 minutes to find my first interview of the day. COME EARLY TO YOUR INTERVIEW ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A MORNING ONE! And make sure you understand the directions to the interview rooms.
What are your general comments?
Overall, UMB is a great medical school obviously. I did not have the best interview day experience -- partly because it was my first and I wasn't prepared, but also because the organization of the interview day did not lend to a relaxing situation. The whole hassle of getting lost and being late and sweaty to my interviews really threw a wrench in my impression of the school. I also wish they would consider changing to true pass/fail instead of letter grading. However with all that aside, I still believe UMB is a great option for a medical school as an IS student, with strong clinical training and nice faculty/teachers overall.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Consider offering printed directions for interviewees or an easier location to find for each interview. I'd also consider ways to speed up the check-in process in the morning -- having someone have to give verbal directions and explain the whole day for EACH applicant took awhile and that led me to only have a few minutes to find my interview. Also provide an interview day feedback survey after the interview.
📍 On-Site Experience
Who was the tour given by?
Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Neutral
What is your in-state status?
In state
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?
< $100
Where did you stay?
With students at the school
How would you rate the hotel?
5 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
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