How many people interviewed you?
| Response Average | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 3.00 | 338 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Positively | 287 |
| Negatively | 25 |
| No change | 3 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 3.12 | 332 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.84 | 269 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.26 | 245 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 0 |
| 10 minutes | 0 |
| 15 minutes | 4 |
| 20 minutes | 11 |
| 25 minutes | 25 |
| 30 minutes | 113 |
| 35 minutes | 59 |
| 40 minutes | 39 |
| 45 minutes | 65 |
| 50 minutes | 15 |
| 55 minutes | 2 |
| 60+ minutes | 9 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| At the school | 331 |
| At a regional location | 4 |
| At another location | 4 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| One-on-one | 154 |
| In a group | 178 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Open file | 326 |
| Closed file | 8 |
| Response Average | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 3.00 | 338 |
"A lot of team-based questions"
"About research"
"What was your most difficult course in college?"
"Why medicine and why DO?"
"Tell me about a time where you worked in a team to overcome an obstacle"
"Name a time you worked with a team and experienced difficulty."
"Why DO instead of MD?"
"Why DMU, Why medicine?"
"Why do you want to become a physician and specifically why choose osteopathic medicine?"
"Tell me about a time you worked on a team"
"Tell me more about your unusual major."
"Why medicine and why DMU?"
"Questions about my personal statement, including exact word choice and meaning"
"What do you like to do in your free time not related to academics, medicine, research?"
"Why Iowa? Why DO?"
"What surprised you about medicine?"
"What is the most surprising thing you learned from your time shadowing?"
"Why Medicine"
"How do you deal with conflict?"
"What do you have to offer DMU?"
"Why DMU, Why DO?"
"Why DO, why DMU?"
"Why DO? Are you a compassionate person? How will classes such as art appreciation benefit you as a future physician?"
"What would you do if you were struggling in a class in medical school?"
"What are my thoughts on OMM?"
"If I asked your friends to describe to me your strengths and weaknesses, what would they say?"
"Choose a controversial ethical issue in medicine today and explain your position on it."
"Tell me about your research?"
"Research-related questions"
"What is one thing you would change in the health-care industry today?"
"Why am I interested in medicine? Why osteopathic and why DMU? What do I do to relax?"
"Do you have any questions for us, and is there something you wanted us to ask you/wanted to tell us? What was the most exciting/interesting thing from your tour of the school."
"3 things I liked about DMU."
"Why do you want to come to Iowa from the state Im living in now?"
"Why I failed 2 of my classes."
"Tell us something about you that is not in your application already"
"Why the low sGPA and high MCAT score? (I was surprised they asked this, didn't think my sGPA was low but I guess it is for DMU. I interviewed at allopathic schools and they never asked about grades)"
"You struggled early on in school. What makes you sure that you can succeed in medical school?"
"Why DMU? What about Des Moines?"
"Tell me about yourself."
"Why DMU, Why DO, Why medical school?"
"Anything you did not put in your application that you wish to discuss now? How did you find out about DMU? Why osteopathic medicine? Why DMU?"
"Why Des Moines?"
"Why do you want to be a physician? Why an osteopathic physician?"
"Why medicine, DMU, and DO?"
"Why do you want to be a doctor, why not PA, why not army medic..."
"What brought you from your high school to where you sit today?"
"What brings you here?"
""You seem like an intelligent and articulate person - how will you handle a professor who seems less intelligent than you?""
"How would you deal with the stresses of medical school?"
"Why DO? Why DMU?"
"Why medicine, and why DO? What does being a doctor mean?"
"What do you think of stem cell research?"
"What is something you struggle with?"
"Why DMU? Why Osteopathic med? What differences have I noticed between DO's and MD's? "
"Tell us about yourself. Why Osteopathic Medicine? Why DMU? Is this your first interview?"
"What do your parents do for a living?"
"Lots of questions specific to my app - I'd say 90% of them were app specific."
"How did you become interested in Osteopathic medicine?"
"What are problems in current healthcare system and how can they be rectified?"
"What is ABA?"
"What books are you reading?"
"Why DMU/ Why DO"
"What are your views on the current Health Care debate?"
"Lots of questions about extra-curriculars, research experience, shadowing"
"Where do you see yourself practicing Medicine? Whereelse did you apply?"
"Tell us about your family"
"Question about my personal statement/ what I learned living with my mom."
"Tell me more about your experience in ____."
"Tell me more about your international experience, how do you get involved? Is international medicine something you would be interested in here?"
"What do you perceive as the current challenges facing medicine?"
"Please explain your bad grade in xxx class (if you have bad MCAT, grade, or whatever be prepared to explain it!)"
"Why as a pharmacy Tech have you NOT counseled patients on their medication."
"If you were the surgeon general, what is one aspect of medicine that you would change?"
"What is the difference between an MD and DO?"
"why medicine? why DO? why DMU?"
"How do you think you and your family will deal with you relocating? What will your husband do?"
"Tell us about yourself. Why do you want to be a physician, why do? Tell us about a difficult situation and how you overcame it."
"what do you do to relieve stress"
"Why not pursue nursing rather than becoming a doctor? Having a major in X, would you consider a specialty in Y?"
"Why DMU? Why Osteopathic Medicine? Why not graduate school? Why not be a PA?"
"Tell us something about yourself that you want us to know that we can't find in your application."
"Why DMU, why DO, why accept me?"
"We talked about my academic history. They asked about what I would do if I found myself struggling in the change to medical school."
"Why medicine? Why DO? (what is it about osteopathic medicine that interests you?)"
"Do you buy your own clothes? Why did you choose the color and pattern of the tie you are wearing?"
"How did you get to where you are today? You seemed to have a lot of successes in your life. Tell us some failures and what you learned from them. How are you going to transition from the Northwest to Iowa? "
"Why osteopathic medicine and what are the key differences you see between MD and DO? Why DMU? What are you going to do to adapt to a place like Iowa, coming from Southern California? Why not physical therapy (app experiences are heavy on sports med stuff)?"
"Tell me about extracurricular X."
"How do you define success?"
"Did you apply to MD schools? Which did you apply to and why?"
"How would you fix the doctor shortage in rural areas?"
"Start by saying anything that was not covered or has occured since your interview"
"Tell me one characteristic about so and so person! (pertinent to my application)"
"Why DMU? Why DO? I heard they asked other students about Medicaid and medicare; and how to improve health care."
"1. How do you think we should improve health care?"
"Explain the day of your MCAT"
"Are you happy with you MCAT score?"
"why medicine, why do? "
"Tell me about your research. Why not get your PhD?"
"Why DMU? Why DO?"
"What are you most proud of?"
"Tell us about your research."
"What field of medicine do you want to go to?"
"Tell me in 20 words what Medicare is? Medicaid?"
"why medicine? why dmu? why osteopathy? (all asked at once)"
"Why DO? Why DMU?"
"Why med? Why DO? Why Des Moines"
"Why osteopathy?"
"Name one problem with health care you see in the United States today."
"how did your motivation for medicine begin? why do you think you didn't get in last year? when you get into all your schools, how will you choose which school to attend?"
"Tell us about yourself?"
"If you recieved a 65% on an exam, and the required pass score was 70%, what would you do and how would you prevent it from happening again?"
"Why DO, Why DMU? etc."
"Why D.O.? "
"why medicine why do why dmu"
"Why medicine? Why osteopathic medicine? Why DMU as opposed to Kirkville (if I had a choice)? "
"Why should DMU pick you for the incoming class?"
"Do you think your age was a factor in not being accepted anywhere last year?"
"Why osteopathic medicine? Why DMU?"
"Why medicine? DO? DMU?"
"Why DMU, why medicine, why DO...(but let me point out that I got interrupted before I could complete and the interviewer sidetracked and started talking about herself...this happened repeatedly!!!) They were nice though."
"Why Osteopathy, why DMU, tell us about yourself..."
"Why DO, Why doctor, why DMU"
"So, why medicine, why osteopathic medicine and finally, why DMU? (this was all one question)"
"Tell us about the biochemistry behind the disease porphyria. (I had mentioned this disease in my personal statement! Be sure to know what you wrote in your PS and know about everything in it. I was caught off guard by this one!)"
"What do you think was the most important contribution the field of chemistry gave to medicine? the prof asked me this after he found out i had a major in chemistry because apparently not too many biology AND chem majors apply there."
"Why medicine, when did you know you wanted to be a doctor and why osteopathic?"
"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"
"Tell us a litlle about yourself. "
"Tell us some things that we should know about you that aren't on your application."
"(This was asked in response to my desire to help a community). If you desire to help the community, why a physician? There are other professions that can help the community."
"Why medicine? Why now? Why DO?"
"Did you play a musical insturment?"
"Tell us something about yourself that isn't in your file."
"Where do you see yourself in ten years?"
"What do you struggle with?"
"Who are you going to root for in the upcoming Iowa vs. Illinois basketball game? (I'm sure that was a relax question)"
"What will make a medical school a good fit for you?"
"Why medicine?"
"Why medicine? Why D.O.?"
"What would a typical day be like here? (I'm thinking I don't know why don't you tell me)"
"Differece between DO and MD?"
"Why do you want to be an osteopathic physician?"
"Why do you want to be a doctor?"
"Tell us one something about yourself that's not in your personal statement. (asked by D.O. faculty member)"
"Why did you switch careers? Would you ever go back to an economics job?"
"You live in Pennsylvania, so why do you want to come to DMU. (If you live far from the school you will get this question). "
"see above"
"What's your biggest failure"
"Why DO?"
"Tell us about your DO shadowing?"
"Why medicine with my background (very nontrad)?"
"Tell us about what you have learned from your research."
"See most interesting. Tell me about your research, clinical experience, why you want to be a doctor, why you want to be a DO, why DMU (not all at once of course). What would you do if you failed your first exam in med school? Fairly basic."
"All Qs were basic and pertinent to my app. Just sit back and enjoy your experience as much as you can."
"Tell me a little about yourself..."
"Walk me through a typical day of a first-year DO student."
"Will you be able to keep up with the pace? "
"Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do in your spare time? "
"If you were a rural doctor who had received $200,000 and you could either immunize all of the children in the area or use the money for a child who needs a heart transplant, what would you do?"
"What do you do for fun?"
"What do you do for fun? (student question)"
"with such good grade/MCAT why DO?"
"What would you do if medicine no longer existed?"
"Tell me about your research experience... will you do research in the future?"
"Why DMU? Pretty much standard stuff."
"What is the hardest thing you've ever done."
"Tell me about your family and your life growing up."
"Why are you here?"
"What qualities have you attained from your experience with the military?"
"What does your father (an MD) think of you going into osteopathic medicine?"
"What do you believe is the most pressing issue in healthcare today? What is an important quality in a physician?"
"Tell us about yourself. By far my favorite question...best way to address it is to have a canned response and then when they look iterested branch off and emphasize one aspect."
"Describe your day as a first year student, as you imagine it."
"When and how did you know that you wanted to be a doctor?"
"What social issue would you change."
"WHAT DO YOU DO TO RELAX?"
"How did you become interested in medicine?"
"Why Osteopathic medicine?"
"Would you prefer a school that has only lecture based teaching or problem based learning? Why?"
"What do you do to relax? Have you ever lived in a cold climate?"
"Social issue"
"Tell me about yourself and how you became interested in osteopathic medicine."
"What do you do to relieve stress?"
"Tell me about your research."
"What is one obstacle you have encountered and how have you overcome it?"
"What was my favorite class in college?"
"tell us about your research?"
"What drew you to the field of Medicine?"
"Tell me about a certain grade."
"What is a social problem that concerns you?"
"Tell us about yourself and how you became interested in medicine and why you're going this route?"
"If we were to leave the room and you could change anything in your file without us knowing, what would you change?"
"Tell us about yourself and what brings you here today."
"What would you change about this country if you could?"
"Tell us about yourself..."
"Why did you choose osteopathic medicine as oppose to allopathic medicine?"
"What are your hobbies?"
"What do you think we--as a country--should do about the future of providing health care for our citizens?"
"Why do you want to be a physician and what event solidified your decision?"
"Why DO and not MD? Where did you apply?"
"One interviewer with a science faculty member, clinical science faculty member, a student, and an observer (learning to interview). It was meant to last from 30 minutes to an hour. Mine was closer to an hour. Not all of these questions are exact but are in the spirit of those asked. Started off with questions about: Why Medicine? Why D.O.? Why DMU?"
"If you were accepted at only two schools, DMU and another allopathic school, which one would you go to and how would you select between the two?"
"Why did you choose to apply to DMU-COM and why are you interested in Osteopathic schools?"
"Have you done any traveling "
"Your mom is an MD, how does she feel about you pursuing DO? "
"Tell us about yourself...what do you do in your free time?"
"What is one social problem that you are concerned about?"
"What type of speciality?"
"How do you study?"
"Why do you want to be an osteopathic doctor?"
"Explain a social problem you're concerned with?"
"What do you do to reduce stress?"
"Why be a DO?"
"What was the last book you read? Why do you want to come here in Iowa?"
"Is their anything that we didn't ask you that you thought we would."
"What is a social issue you are concerned about?"
"What are your weakness and how will you deal with it in medical school?"
"What qualities do you feel a physician should possess?"
"What would your suuport system be here?"
"Why Des Moines University?"
"If you could change anything about healthcare, what would you change?"
"Why D.O.?"
"What would your best friend say about you?"
"Tell me about yourself other than your file. What's an ethical issue in healthcare? Why doctor? Asked about some experiences listed in application. How many school did I apply to? MD? "
"Why DO, and why DMU?"
"Why DMU, Why DO not MD? "
"Why did you give up a successful career to go into medicine?"
"Tell me about a major issue facing healthcare today?"
"Tells us about your life and events that shaped the person you are today."
"Why DO, if you're also applying to MD?"
"How do you deal with stress?"
"Tell us about your family. How many brothers and sisters do you have? Fill in the portions of your life before your application here. "
"First question - Tell me about your background and how you became to pursue medicine? Why DO versus MD (didn't really grill me on this)? Why DMU?"
"Tell us about yourself. "
"Whats the difference between osteopathic and aleopathic disciplines?"
""To get started just tell me anything and everything you want to tell me about yourself and how you got to this point in your life.""
"How did I balance my extracurricular activities in undergrad and how will this help me in med school?"
"Why switch careers?"
"Why dmu?"
"Your MCAT scores are great, but your GPA is only so so, can you explain that difference?"
"Name three good qualities your friends would say you have."
"Tell us about why you want to become a DO and why did you choose DMU?"
"What would your friends say your greatest weakness is?"
"How did you come to the conclusion that medicine was for you?"
"Why would I be good at rural practice?"
"Tell us about yourself"
"Why do you want to become an osteopathic physician?"
"Why DO"
"Why DO? Tell me about yourself."
"Why medicine? why DO? why DMU? What do you think is the complete physician?"
"How do your experiences prepare you to become a phyiscian"
"Do you feel as though you can handle the academic workload of medical school?"
"Asked about research"
"Why dmu? why osteopath? Why not PA or nurse? Are you happy with your MCAT score? "
"How do you deal with difficult situations?"
"Why DMU"
"Do you think the MCAT is a fair measure of becoming a physician?"
"What were your responsibilities in the laboratory you worked in?"
"Tell us about yourself? Do you have other interviews?"
"What do think is one of the most important issues facing medicine today and how might you be able to help resolve it?"
"with the exception of the ethical question, everything else was pretty much based on your profile. So just know what your wrote and what you did before."
"See above for the unusual question."
"Tell us about yourself - discuss how/when your interest in medicine, and osteopathic medicine specifically, developed. What are the differences/similarities between allopathic & osteopathic medicine? What are your career goals? In what area of medicine are you interested in practicing?"
"Why Des Moines"
"Tell me of a time you worked in a group and it did not go smoothly"
"What is something about medicine that makes you not want to enter the field"
"Name a time when you being responsible helped others."
"Tell us about a time when you interacted with people who held different views than you did."
"Explain a time that you disagreed with a directive and how you responded to that."
"Why do you want to pursue DO as opposed to MD?"
"Tell me about a time that you received feedback from a manager that you did not necessarily agree with."
"Describe a situation where you made a mistake and what occurred after."
"How did you use your Emotional Intelligence on the mission trip you went on?"
"What leadership roles have you had and how have they impacted you?"
"Tell me about a time when you did everything you could and the outcome was still a failure."
"Tell me more about a specific experience on your application."
"How have you handled difficulties in the past?"
"Specific questions about my experiences on my application."
"They asked me specifically about my time in grad school, including a reference to a comment I made in my PS. I enjoyed how thoroughly they knew my application."
"Why major in Physics?"
"Tell me about your job as **."
"Why DO? Tell us about your research experience. Tell us about your study abroad."
"What do you like about Osteopathic Medicine?"
"How comfortable are you being a leader?"
"how has your position as team captain affected your leadership skills?"
"How did you score higher the second time you retook the MCAT?"
"Why DO"
"You will have taken two years off from school, how have you been preparing for the rigorous studies that accompany medical school?"
"You have a non-compliant patient, what do you do?"
"Talk about your involvement in the medical field- what type of experiences have you had that makes you feel like you will be a good doctor?"
"Discuss a time when communicating with someone was difficult."
"Will you seek help from adviser if you begin to struggle academically?"
"What is something that your future patients will appreciate about you?"
"What type of job would I like to have in 10-20 years?"
"How will your leadership involvement benefit you in medical school?"
"How do you manage time? What do you do for fun/how do you handle stress?"
"How did you get to where you are now?"
"What do you look for in a school and why does DMU seem like a good fit for you?"
"Why do you think volunteering is good?"
"How do I think being a student-athlete prepared me for being successful? How do I handle stress/How will I handle school and having a boyfriend etc? Who is my support system?"
"Name a time when you hurt someone (not nec. physically), what did you do/learn?"
"Asked my opinion on the current health care situation."
"What is your favorite thing about genetics?"
"Why DO why DMU?"
"What was your favorite class?"
"Why business school? (Im a business major)"
"Tell us about your hobbies."
"What was the most interesting case/patient you saw/worked with in your clinical experience?"
"What qualities do you have that would make you a good osteopathic physician?"
"Tell me about how you got to this point in your life."
"What do you look for in a medical school?"
"How will activity X (eg - research project) help you become a better physician?"
"What did you learn from your clinical experience? (2-3 follow ups about this)"
"What do you to do relax?"
"What is the number one thing you look for in a medical school?"
"Have you ever failed? Explain."
"What are your study habits?"
"What would you do if you fail out of my biochem class? And if that didn't work? And if that didn't work? And then what?"
"If you couldn't ever become a doctor, what profession would you then pursue?"
"What was something you look forward to about being a physician, and something you don't look forward to?"
"tell us about X?"
""Why do you think you were not accepted to any medical schools last year (I was 18 when I applied - I graduated 2 years early)? Is that why you're applying to osteopathic programs this year?"
"Why DO medicine?"
"If [tragic serious of personal hardships] happened next year during med school, how would you handle it?"
"There is an ongoing debate in medicine about whether medical students should be required to engage in lab-based research. Do you think research should be a requirement?"
"Tell us about yourself."
"Why did you do ______ ?"
"What would you tell a patient's family if you made a mistake that the patient was going to die from in 10 minutes? "
"Why DO? "
"How are you going to be able to adjust to Iowa weather since you have lived your whole life in California? How are you going to adjust to going back to school? (I graduated June 08)"
"Asked about research I have been involved in."
"What is the one thing we should take away from meeting you today?"
"What did you do different to get a nine-point increase on your MCAT?"
"How did you prepare for _______ experience?"
"Why do you want to be a doctor/DO?"
"What do you think are the issues with current healthcare policy?"
"Most interesting undergrad class"
"Why DMU? Why DO?"
"Why do you want to be a doctor as opposed to a ...... (unique undergrad major)? Why do you want to be a DO?"
"Would you change anything in your life if you could? What are you doing currently?"
"What do you do when you fail?"
"How important is basic medical research to a medical school?"
"If you had a choice between Cornell Medical School and a DO school, which one would you choose? "
"Tell me about the most interesting class you took during undergrad..."
"How do you think you'll adjust to the transition from working full time to being a full time student?"
"what is best advice someone's ever given u?"
"What if you irrevocably harm a patient, what will you do / how handle it. And if (answer) does not work? And if (second answer) doesnt not work? "
"About my file"
"If you failed your first exam, what would you do?"
"where do you see yourself in 10 years?"
"Why medicine? Why DO? "
"What do you do for fun? What books are you reading? Describe a situation that exemplifies your integrity. Describe a situation that demonstrates compassion."
"why d.o., not m.d."
"Tell us about x and y activity? What's something you learned from shadowing this DO?"
"What weaknesses do you have that prevent you from reaching your goals?"
"How do you relieve stress?"
"Questions about my trip to Ecuador"
"Moving away from your family when you have lived with them so long, how will you deal with this?"
"Talked about my file. What do you do outside of studying/extra curriculars?"
"Why do you want to become a doctor when you could do nursing?"
"How do you handle failure? What do you do to relieve stress?"
"What do you see as one of the biggest problems in medicine today? What do you do for fun, to relax? What do you look for in a medical school when choosing one? "
"Tell me about your experience at your undergraduate institution. Tell me of an interesting/unique situation you encountered during your shadowing. How do you manage your time and how do you deal with stress? How do you deal with dissapointment? "
"What do you think the main differences are between a DO and a MD?"
"Name a stressful situation that you experienced and how it was resolved?"
"What did you learn from shadowing?"
"Do you think you will be able to handle the medical school curriculum?"
"Why do you want to study in Iowa? Why DMU? Why not CCOM? (CCOM is a few minutes from where I live)"
"What is your opinion about diversity in medicine?"
"Describe experience X from my file."
"Describe rural medicine"
"Why did your verbal score not change the second time?"
"What do you do to relax? What was your favorite course in undergrad?"
"2. Tell me about activity X?"
"What is a rural medical doctor?"
"What other schools have you applied to, and how can we convince you to choose DMU?"
"What have you learned from your work experience that can be applied to medicine?"
"how do you balance school & other things?"
"Why DO, why DMU? "
"Tell my about your research."
"Why medicine?"
"Tell us about your 'D' in Organic Chemistry. Is it a one-time incident? Do you have a plan B?"
"What qualities should a DMU applicant have? Please prove to us that you have these qualities."
"What was the last book you read?"
"what other schools i applied to and how many interviews i've had "
"Whats your biggest accomplishment? Strengths/weaknesses? Favorite book?"
"What will you do it you don't get in anywhere?"
"What can you contribute to DMU?"
"How did you manage to get good grades with all of the activities that you are involved in?"
"What will you do if you don't get in?"
"What three books did you read most recently?"
"if your best friend was here, what would she say is your best quality? your worst? would those qualities hinder your future successes?"
"What book did you read recently? (due to my response to the first question)"
"Why not go to University of Iowa?"
"is it more important to be competant or compassionate?"
"my research exp "
"Have you ever seen OMT being practiced before?"
"(I graduated in June of '05) Since you have been out of school for almost two years, what makes you think you will be able to hand the work load of going back to such a difficult program?"
"What will you have to work on to be successful in medical school?"
"Why Midwest? (I am originally from Seattle and currently reside in DC.)"
"Describe a problem facing health care today."
"complete the following sentence. my friends say i'm a really nice guy, but _______. (fill in the blank w/ some negatives about yourself)."
"What are you outside interests? What kind of music do you play? Describe your undergrad institution and how you picked it (they had never heard of it)?"
"Tell us about an influential or pivotal moment in your life."
"What is a time you have made a mistake, and how have you learned from it?"
"Tell us more about your research."
"What was my most recent book I read?"
"Where have you applied? If you got accepted all of those schools how would you choose?"
"I honestly don't remember any more. They're all typical questions though. "
"Why did you become an EMT?"
"why medicine, why DO, why DMU"
"Tell us about how you learned spanish and what a mission is "
"What would you say your best quality is? Your worst? "
"Do you think we can have universal health care in the United States?"
"Tells us about your research"
"Why did you only attend graduate school for such a short duration(One semester)? A: Reader's Digest version: I HATE RESEARCH!!"
"do you know the person who made the first vaccine? the professor asked this after a lengthy discussion on my response to the first question."
"Are you concerned about getting back into formal education, like studying, etc.?"
"What will be a big problem in healthcare in the future? "
"What other schools have you applied to? How will you choose which one to go to? What about osteopathy speaks to you?"
"Why did you take a course on Japanese History and culture when you are a Spanish major?"
"Would you like to do research when in medical school?"
"Have you ever had a OMM treatment by a DO?"
"Tell us about A.T. Still and his theory."
"What are your hobbies? What do you do with your free time?"
"Tell me about (volunteer experience)."
"How do you handle conflict?"
"How do you deal with death?"
"If you could change something about your past experiences, what would it be and why?"
"If you were to start a new student organization as a medical student, what kind of community service event would you like to organize?"
"Define Cancer. How many irreversible steps are there in glycolysis? (luckily i knew this one, one of my interviewers was a biochemist)"
"What do you think is the biggest problem in medicine today."
"Why D.O.?"
"Tell us about yourself?"
"Explain your research."
"Tell me about your research?"
"In one of your letters of recommendation your professor said (yada yada.) Give us a specific example of this situation. (asked by 2nd year student)"
"Why DMU? If you get multiple acceptances, how will you decide which school to attend?"
"What type of medicine do you see yourself practicing later on and where."
"what kind of experience have you had with osteopathic medicine and how did it help you decided to become an osteopathic medical doctor"
"Tell me about your medical experiences. What did you do? What have you learned?"
"Stumbling blocks in life and school."
"Assisted suicide question -- see above."
"Who has influenced your life the most?"
"With all of your research experience, why not grad school instead? "
"In your personal statment you said X, can you explain this statement, it caught my eye! (this was not in a negative tone, very positive)"
"What have you gained from your experience working with people who have disabilities?"
"Tell us about experience in countries X and Y."
"If you received a 68% on your first exam, how would you deal with that?"
"How do you deal with stress? "
"Tell me about your research. (more of a statement really) Ph.D. question"
"Why did you chose an non science major (I am a spanish major with chem and bio minors)? Do you feel you will be well prepared for advanced science classes in medical school?"
"What do you do in your spare time?"
"Why osteopathy, and what led you to it?"
"With such a high GPA/MCAT why not MD? Why DO? "
"Name the biggest challenge you've overcome in your life."
"Why did you choose Neuroscience over Biology?"
"Having a family, what would be your safety net?"
"What was the last movie you saw?"
"Tell us about living/studying abroad."
"So, I see you play lacrosse? What do you do to relax?"
"What is it in particular about DO philosophy that fits in with your personality? I told a joke at this point which went over well, then eased into it."
"What part of your military experience has contributed to who you are today?"
"Why do you want to attend DMU?"
"Are you interested in psych-med"
"WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEA ALLOPATHIC AND OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE?"
"Who will act as your support, when family issues arise?"
"Why did you take the MCAT so many times? Why don't you get your PhD (because I have a lot of research experience)?"
"What is your impression of the first year of medical school?"
"What schools have you applied to? Why Osteopathy?"
"Why medicine"
"What upsets you?"
"Tell me about the community that you have lived in. "
"Why osteopathy? (Why medicine was addressed in personal statement)"
"What is one social issue that you are concerned about?"
"Tell us about the last book you read?"
"Why medicine, why Osteo?"
"Why Osteopathy? Why DMU? "
"Describe to me your volunteer experience and how it shaped you."
"Why Osteopathy?"
"Do you like to read? What are your hobbies? What's a social issue you'd like to address/fix if you could? Tell us about your research. Do you have a doctor in the family? No hypothetical questions - just direct questions based on my application, etc."
"How many times a week do you play the piano?"
"What scientific advancement since the beginning of recorded history has had the greatest impact on medicine?"
"What are you looking for in a school?"
"How do you study/make it though tons of school work and still do well?"
"Why DO not MD?"
"Why should we pick you if we had just one seat left"
"Why do you want to go to DMU?"
"Why would you want to leave the big city (NYC) and come here?"
"How do you relieve stress? What sorts of things do you do for fun?"
"How do you think a family member who is an MD would respond to you attending a DO school?"
"What was the funniest thing that happened to you?"
"Do you consider yourself passionate about medicine? Tell us about your travel abroad experiences? What was your favorite class in undergrad? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"
"What is something special that you would bring to DMU that would be a great addition to the DMU sudent body?"
"What are your strengths and weaknesses?"
"What do you like to read?"
"What do you look for in a medical college? Why Iowa? Wouldn't it be more conveninet for you in your home state? (I explained why I applied to DMU before they asked this-but they will ask so be prepared)."
"What specific moment did you know that you were going to become a doctor...why D.O.,.....why DMU?"
"If your best friends were sitting here, how would they describe you?"
"What do you look for in a school?"
"What will be the hardest thing about medical school that you will have to overcome?"
"How do you think you'll be able to balance school and work (I mentioned I intended to work part time during year 1)"
"What this school?"
"Tell me about your best friend."
"Tell me about your research."
"What do you do to relax? Who is your role model? Do you prefer to work in groups or alone?"
"What is the last book you read."
"Why DMU?"
"See above (interesting ?)"
"Why DO?"
"Why here vs. other D.O schools?"
"Do you plan to be active in the community where you will one day practice? How?"
"What do you like to do for fun?"
"Who do you consider to be a role model?"
"Why do you want to be a doctor when no one else in your family is in the medical profession...Why DO, why DMU etc."
"The questions from faculty weren't bad at all. It was the student questions that were the stumpers. I hate those damn students...until I'm one of them. :) "
"experiences of failure/being humbled"
"If you got into >1 school how would you decide?"
"If accepted to both DO and MD programs, where would you go? They grilled me on the difference between MD's and DO's although I had substantial experience with both."
"Are there any questions you wished that you would have been asked? Tell us how you feel your reading and writing abilities rate and what you feel will help you in the future to do better?"
"Why osteopathic Medicine?"
"What would I do if I noticed another student cheating on an exam?"
"Do you plan on participating in extra-curricular activities in medical school?"
"What is a pressing health care issue that keeps you up at night?"
"What was the last book you've read? Have you been accepted to any other schools and what would it take for you to choose DMU? How do you feel you will handle having a family and being in medical school? "
"Do you play a musical instrument?"
"Why did you choose this school?"
""What experiences do you have with osteopathic physicians?""
"What specialities? Why primary care? "
"What experiences and ideas will you bring from your prior career to this school and the medical field?"
"What do you do for fun?"
"What do you do to relieve stress?"
"If you failed your first test in med school, what would you do?"
"How did you balance collegiate sports and school?"
"What is your greatest accomplishment?"
"If you could fix one thing about medicine, with the wave of a magic wand, what would it be?"
"Do I think the MCAT or my GPA is a better reflection of me as a student?"
"How does DMU compare with other osteopathic medical schools?"
"What do you enjoy doing in your free time?"
"Was asked to explain a few poor grades."
"What books have you read recently? What is the weakest area in your application? Why DMU? What do you like to do? What would you do if you failed the first test?"
"what would make you decide between schools if had multiple acceptances?"
"Has your integrity ever been tested?"
"Have you ever had manipulation done on you, or have you observed a manipulation before?"
"What kind of medicine you want to practice, why DMU?"
"In your medical experiences, have you ruled out becomming any specalities? What type of med. do you want to go into?"
"How do you know that the medical profession is right for you? "
"Why Osteopathy"
"What would you do if you were accepted into both DO and MD schools? How would you choose?"
"Why are you not applying to Emory Medical School (my undergrad. school) What qualities will make you a good doctor? What was your hardest class in undergrad and why?"
"Describe your experiences in more detail "
"What qualities do you possess that would make you a good physician?"
"Tell us what you typically do to relieve stress."
"What is, in your mind, the difference between an allopathic and an osteopathic physician?"
"What activities do you participate in to relax?"
"in a clinical setting, how do you see conflicting opinions of physicians resolved"
"Name a time when you helped improve a process."
"Tell us about a time when you tried your hardest and still failed."
"Tell us about a time that you failed."
"Name a time you worked with a team and overcame an obstacle."
"Tell me about a time when somebody came to you with a problem that you empathized with."
"Describe an encounter you had with someone that was maybe unpleasant and how you changed that."
"Why do you want to be a physician specifically, rather than a nurse, nurse practitioner, or physician's assistant?"
"Why DMU, why osteopathy?"
"How will you adjust to the rigorous curriculum of medical school?"
"What kind of physician do you want to be? (both specialty and how I want my patient's to view me)"
"N/A"
"Multiple questions specific to my experiences and academic record"
"What person characteristics do you think you could improve upon?"
"What programs are you interested in here?"
"What is one mistake you've made in the last 6 months, and how did you handle it?"
"What is the state of healthcare today?"
"how do you think your position as head coach and dealing with parents will help you deal with patient's family members in the future?"
"Tell us about your research projects."
"Why DMU"
"Tell me more about XXX (application specific)"
"How has being a college athlete prepared you for a career in medicine?"
"What do you like to do in your free time?"
"Who is one person that you admire, and why?"
"What types of clubs/activities would I be involved in as a DO student?"
"Compare the Chinese health care system with the United States health care system."
"Did you talk to any of our married students? (I am married.)"
"How does your husband feel about moving to IA?"
"Why osteopathic medicine?"
"What was it like as a U.S. NAVY combat search and rescue swimmer?"
"Lots of application-specific questions"
"What are some negative qualities that you wouldn't want to see in a doctor?"
"I have an academic misconduct charge and they asked me to explain what happened, and why they should let me in."
"What was the last book you read..what do you do for fun...What would you do if you failed your first test.."
"How I will decide between multiple acceptances"
"What was your most difficult class?"
"What did you learn from this experience? (referring to experiences I talked about in my application papers)"
"What kind of books do you like to read?"
"What have you done in your time since graduating?"
"What have you done when you've had difficulty in a class?"
"Are you interested in rural medicine? (I asked if they meant as a career or just experience and he said both)."
"Discuss your strategies/factors on how you did well in undergrad?"
"Did you apply to M.D schools? If you got into no schools, what would you do? What type of physician do you see yourself as?"
"What other schools did you apply to?"
"What is your greatest weakness?"
"Tell me about (activity from AACOMAS)"
"What do you think will be the hardest part of attending medical school?"
"What kind of dogs do you have?"
"Tell me something about you that is not on your application, what have you been doing since you wrote this?"
"What difficulties do you expect having been out of school for two years?"
""What do you like about the DMU atmosphere? Do we have the kind of people you'd like to make friends with?""
"They asked me to explain and elaborate on a low grade or two."
"What is your biggest concern in transitioning to medical school?"
"What is the latest book you've read for pleasure?"
"Have you thought of what you want to specialize in?"
"What are your hobbies? Tell me about your research? "
"Specifics on my application"
"What do you do to de-stress?"
"Asked about my strengths and weaknesses."
"Explain grades."
"Why should we accept you?"
"If you were accepted here would you cancel all your other interviews?"
"Lots of application specific questions"
"Are you interested in rural medicine?"
"What is going to be the hardest part about being a physician?"
"specific questions to my application"
"If you got into DMU and Iowa, which one would you pick and why?"
"What are your perceived strengths and weaknesses?"
"Describe Osteopathic Medicine without using the word Holistic?"
"What do you think about the coordination of care for patients (i.e. primary care and specialists)?"
"Do you think it's a physician's job to tell patients what to eat? What about a dietician? "
"If there was only one spot left in this fall's class, tell us why we should give it to you."
"What's hardest situation you ever dealt with?"
"How will you handle medical school, what if you fail a test? How will you handle it? What if you keep failing? "
"What is the physician's role in the healing process in activity x?"
"describe a stressful situation and how you dealt with it."
"What is an ethical issue you encountered in a health care setting and how did you deal with it?"
"Where do you see our health care system in ten years? Do you think your mom practices holistic medicine? (my mom is an MD) "
"What are you interested in?"
"What are your hobbies and what do you do for fun?"
"What worries you most about medical school?"
"Hobbies, interests, how i will deal with med school load"
"What will you do if you fail a test?"
"What would you do if you didn't get into medical school?"
"What are you looking for in your medical education?"
"Tell us about your research. Do you feel bad when you kill (I like to hunt)"
"If you kept applying to medical school over and over and never got in, what would you do then? Why do you want to practice overseas when there are so many problems here in America to face regarding healthcare? "
"What would your friends and family say are your strengths and weaknesses?Specific questions regarding my application and experiences."
"Do you think you would ever consider doing Rural Medicine?"
"Where do you see healthcare in 10 years?"
"Why such a long path to medicine?"
"Is it hard being Indian and living away from your family? Would your parents prefer if you were an MD? Who is Bobby Jindal? Can you tell me about any Indian authors?"
"What would you do if you failed your first test?"
"How will you add to our school?"
"What do you think your first year of medical school will be like?"
"Would you be willing to relocate if accepted? Did you apply to the DO program in your city? "
"3. Tell me about XYZ in Personal Statement. 4. What do you have to offer this school?"
"What field of medicine do you want to pursue... do you know the difference between primary care and rural medicine? "
"Have you thought about our dual degree program, DO/MPH or DO/MHA?"
"What do you do to relax?"
"What are two of your strengths and two of your weaknesses?"
"I see that you have graduated and are now working. Tell me about your work."
"Tell us about a social issue our society is facing that is important to you."
"Where do you see yourself in 15 years?"
"What qualities should doctor have?"
"If a classmate could thank you for something, what would it be?"
"Are you a morning person?"
"rural med question mentioned above. "
"What do you do in your free time?"
"Most of the questions were verbatim off of SDN."
"Why DO?"
"the difficult question mention above"
"What is one thing that you like about yourself and one thing that you would change?"
"The biochem question."
"Why did you go to school as an undergrad so far away from your home town?"
"what future problems in healtcare are you scared to face?"
"What is the biggest problem in healthcare today?"
"Will you stay in Des Moines to practice?"
"Did you apply to other schools?"
"How will I select the school?"
"What specialty are you interested in?"
"my hobbies "
"Why do you think we should allow you to come to DMU?"
"Out of all your volunteer experiences, what was the most profound and what did you learn from that experience?"
"What do you think is required for somebody to be a fit for rural medicine?"
"How do you account for the clear contrast in your grades from your earlier academic career to your last 60 hours of outstanding grades?"
"what has been your greatest accomplishment."
"What did you learn from your shadowing? What did you gain from your Americorps experience (volunteering)? Since you took time off from school, how do think you'll do with the rigors of the cirriculum at DMU?"
"Why aren't you applying to the medical school of your undergraduate university?"
"What would your wife say is your worst quality?"
"Are you interested in a particular specialty?"
"Explain my low MCAT score and how will I be able to make it in medical school which requires so much focusing?"
"If we called one of your friends asked them one good thing about you and one bad thing about you?"
"Why was your MCAT so low?"
"what in your research will help you in becmoing a doctor?"
"How will you deal with the work load of medical school"
"How do I cope with strees?"
"Do you have a hobby? "
"How will you cope with staying up 30+ hours a day and still be a good doctor?"
"Why osteopathic medicine"
"With all of you clinical experience you have had in the past, explain to us what you believe the role of a physician is."
"What are the specific differences in the way a DO would treat a diabetic patient as opposed to an MD? this was in response to the answer i gave for "why do you want to be a DO?""
"Tell me about a time you've shown compassion."
"What did you like about your shadowing experience?"
"Tell about your misdemeanor. (asked in a friendly non-confrontational way, its better to get this out in the open)"
"In your letters of recommendation you were referred to as a life-long learner, why would someone say that about you?"
"What makes you stand out among other applicants?"
"How do you think you will handle the load of medical school?"
"How will your educational background and prior profession help you practice medicine?"
"Did you apply here as your back-up for MD? "
"What can you bring to this school?"
"With all of your clinical experience, how will you deal with being ahead of your students during the first 2 years? How will you interact with them?"
"How is a doctor a teacher? (Hint: "Global Doctor" = educator/teacher)"
"What is the most difficult thing you may run into becoming a physician?"
"Why do you want to do family practice even though it's the lowest paid? You won't be able to drive a fancy car, or wear 5000 dollar suits!!"
"Tell us what you know about Des Moines."
"How might already having a family be both a positive and negative during medical school?"
"What would your bestfriend say about you?"
"What are you doing now, in terms of school, work, volunteer, etc."
"I see that you've been working in a hospital. Tell me about your job."
"Why do you want to be an osteopath? What influenced you to choose the D.O. path? (asked by P.H.D. faculty member)"
"What do you do for fun?"
"What is one thing I would change in America ( I answered "the number of people currently without health insurance" they said, "how, you wont raise my taxes will you?")"
"Describe your typical day as a med student here"
"Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Where will you be practicing, etc."
"Is there anything you would like to ask us?"
"What will I do if I'm accepted to an allopathic school?"
"Why would you want to go here over a resident school?"
"Since your father is a MD, what does he think about you going to a DO school?"
"During your health care experience, what sort of valuable things did you do?"
"What was your favorite class during your undergraduate years?"
"What would you do to help other people with their personal healthcare?"
"Are you scared about returning to full time school after a long hiatus? Do you think you can handle the course load?"
"What do you plan to do if you do not get into medical school this year?"
"What would you do if you don't get accepted this year? "
"Why do you want to go into medicine? (D.O. question)"
"Tell me about your volunteer work in honduras"
"Most of my questions were specific to my application, and seemed to be just trying to get to know me better."
"Research? What do you do for fun? What type of doc?"
"Tell us about yourself. (NOTE: This was a "we'll tell you about us, then you tell us about you". Interviewer #1: I'm A, and I teach here. #2: I'm B, and I work here. #3: I'm C, and I'm a 2nd year student here. Me: I'm me, followed by a paragraph of general information which was all in my file. 30 seconds of silence followed this answer while they stared at me stoney-faced.)"
"Tell me about your research with child development"
"What do you expect with your education from des moines?"
"What are your academic strengths and weaknesses?"
"What do you know about osteopathic medicine?"
"What is it that you like about osteopathic medicine. "
"I noticed that you took a course--Electron Microscopy Techniques--how was that? Actually, an excellent segway into medicine since this is more of an artistic science course, and I was then able to weave in how the practice of medicine is both an art as well as a science. They really liked this...!"
"Up to this point in your education, what is the longest that you have ever had to study for a test?"
"Why don't you wear a watch?"
"How will you get back to where you came from?"
"WHY DO YOU HAVE A "W" ON YOUR TRANSCRIPT?"
"How will you choose the best medical school for you?"
"Tell me about your research experience/volunteer experience?"
"Tell us how you first became interested in medicine."
"What medical issue gets me angry? What social issue concerns me?"
"What would you do if you failed your first anatomy test?"
"How would you adjust moving to the cold?"
"What did you learn from your work experience as a CNA?"
"Is there anything that we did not ask that you would like to share with us?"
"A question about my medical experienced as was referenced in my personal essay."
"what qualities are you most looking for in a medical school?"
"If you were put in charge of unlimited resources, what can you do?"
"Why did you move around so much?"
"Why DMU?"
"Do you have any questions for us?"
"Tell me about why you got this grade... etc. (They really really really knew your file)"
"Why didn't you apply to (my undergraduate institution's M.D. program) since it's a really good school?"
"How did it feel when you got that D in statistics?"
"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"
"What did you like/dislike about research?"
"If I was a terminally ill patient how would you treat me"
"Tell us about your job as a CNA."
"Something about current healthcare proposals by the presidential candidates"
"How can we solve the current nursing shortage and what can be done to help the uninsured with their prescription drug coverage."
"How will you decide where to go if you are accepted at more than one school."
"If you were accepted at a number of schools, what three main factors would influence your decision on where to attend? Do you honestly believe you are prepared for the rigors of medical school? "
"What specialty do you want to go into and why?"
"If you caught someone in class cheating on a test, what would you do?"
"Why Osteopathy?"
"What is one social problem in health care today? How do you feel about patients ordering med refills from Canada?"
"If your friends were sitting here today how would they describe you in one word?"
"If you were to fail a test how would you deal with that? How would you council a friend in the same situation?"
"What would you do if you decided med school wasn't for you (asked by student)?"
"Tell us about yourself."
"How do you think you'll cope living in Iowa?"
"Greatest quality?"
"What are three of your weaknesses? "
"What are your strengths/weaknesses?"
"What interesting thing do you like to do? How did you get a xyz grade in this class? What did you do to prepare for the MCAT the second time?"
"What are your weaknesses"
"Tell me about yourself?"
"What are your strengths and weaknesses as a person, candidate, and family member? (How stupid is this?)"
"Where else have you applied and why?"
"Why D.O.?"
"Tell us what about you and why you decided to practice medicine."
"If you got accepted to more than one school, how would you decide where to go?"
"Tell me about your experience in _______(fill in your own unique experience) how has it shaped your decision to persue medicine?"
"Pretty standard questions, nothing out of the ordinary. Didn't even get asked why DO. That's it, Good luck!"
"Tell us about your volunteering experience."
"How has diabetes affected your life and what have you done to live a full life with the disease."
"How do I handle stress?"
"How does your mom feel about you going into a DO program? (My mom is a MD)"
"What specialty do you think you might not want to pursue? (This is a different spin on asking what you might want to go into. I answered a specialty that one of the interviewers was, much to my horror! However, I think that they just want to know what area you see yourself as suited for.)"
"How have you been involved in research, and how has that helped you to pursue your career in medicine? What would you do to overcome failures and setbacks once in medical school? "
"How would you choose between schools if you received multiple acceptances?"
""Where will you go if you get multiple acceptances?""
"What is the definition of doctor?"
"How do you feel about fetal stem cell research?"
"What was the last book you read?"
"What do you do to relieve stress? "
"If we only have one slot left, why should we give it to you?"
"Tell us a little about your time volunteering? What sorts of things did you discover about medicine in 3rd world countries?"
"How did I arrive at my decision to become ar Dr?"
"How do you handle stress?"
"What factors would decide on whehter you went to DMU or your state school?"
"what are your hobbies?"
"Is there anything you hoped we weren't going to ask?"
"What courses are you taking now and what will you be taking your last semester in college."
"Why should we recommend you, if you had to write your own letter to the dean, what would it be? why are you unique?"
"If you were accepted everwhere you applied, where would you go? Why? What would it take for you to choose DMU?"
"If you were told you will never, ever get into medical school, what would you do. "
"What made you decide to become a physician?"
"Why DO, Why here? What would your friends say about you? What do you see as being a difficulty you will face in medical school, and how do you plan to overcome it? If you fail a class in med school, how will you deal with it? What field do you want to go into?"
"Why DO"
"What impressed you most regarding the interview day? Do you have any questions for us? Very straight forward."
"Why Osteopathy and why DMU?"
"What types of qualities do you see in the doctors you come into contact with in clinical settings that you would like to emulate, and which ones do you hope you never see in yourself? Why?"
"Do you plan on using OMM in your practice?"
"about my research"
"You can't always be successful. Name a time when you failed and how you reacted."
"Specific question about an experience of mine"
"what do you do to unwind?"
"Tell me about a time when you had to have an uncomfortable conversation with someone. How did it turn out?"
"How did you do so well on the MCAT?"
"How did you use your Emotional Intelligence on the mission trip you went on?"
"Where do you see yourself in 25 years?"
"Tell me about your xyz research."
"Questions about my personal statement, including exact word choice and meaning"
"Is there a time where you witnessed a physician interacting with a patient in a manner you believed to be unprofessional?"
"How do you plan to excel in medical school courses?"
"What is the riskiest thing you have done in the last year?"
"What attracted you to DMU?"
"why did you choose to volunteer with hospice?"
"How did you use your bachelors degree after you graduated from college?"
"Tell me what you are most proud of that is not academically related?"
"What is one issue, outside of medicine, that you think most affects your generation and how do you plan to be a part of the solution?"
"The questions regarding my experiences (from application)"
"I was asked something very specific to my file, kinda surprised me with how well they knew me before I even entered the room."
"What is one specific thing you learned from each of the doctor's you shadowed?"
"Who is a public figure you admire and why?"
"If recorded lectures makes it too easy for students to not attend class."
"Tell me about the history of hospice (I volunteered with hospice)."
"Have you been able to use any of your undergraduate education in your CNA work?"
"Tell us about your Master's degree in Bioethics."
"I was asked about academic violations at my undergraduate institution (being written up by an RA, etc.)"
"Why do you like nature?"
"Nothing extremely interesting or weird. Just the typical why Doctor (and also why not scientist or others), WhY DO/DMU..(id suggest figuring out a couple specific things you like that are unique to the school)."
"Nothing really stood out as particularly interesting."
"In one word what does the title "doctor" mean?"
"What is your favorite book?"
"What do you like to do for fun with your free time?"
"Do you think the skills you've developed playing musical instruments will help you with OMM?"
"Convince the medical student in the room that it is rewarding to practice medicine Jail Health services (I worked in a county jail -- they will probe your experiences!)"
"None were interesting questions. pretty standard"
"What is the most important quality a physician should possess?"
"#3"
"If you got into all the schools you applied to, how would you decide which school to go to?"
"What adjustments will you have to make to succeed in medical school?"
"The physician interviewing me asked about a specific clinical research study I've worked on. It showed that he REALLY read through my application prior to interviewing me - very impressive!!"
"If you had an IV drug user come to you, would you tell him about needle exchange programs? (based on my previous experience moderating discussions on this topic)"
"Why else do you want to be a DO?"
"Are pi bonds still dumb bell shaped?"
"What was something you look forward to about being a physician, and something you don't look forward to?"
"Why DO? Are you applying to both MD and DO and don't care which you get into as long as you become a physician?"
""I see you're currently enrolled in our MPH program. What can you tell me about Dr. Snow and the broad street pump?""
"If your family is your support system and you are the first person in your family to attend college, how will they possibly support/identify/empathize with your experiences in med school?"
"Why does a young guy from New York want to come to Iowa, and DMU?"
"How will you use your position as a DO to fix a problem in the health care system today?"
"Who is your favorite artist?"
"The mistake one."
"What do you think will be the hardest part about being a physician?"
"If I could change one thing about what I have seen from physicians, what would it be?"
"None really. No gray area questions - no healthcare reform questions."
"Question #3"
"How you do gauge success?"
"Explain a typical day working with an autistic child. What was the most difficult part about it?"
"How do you deal with a patent care situations where you are incompetent?"
"describe a situation where you did not get along with someone else and what did you do"
"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"
"If you were to get an acceptance geographically closer to your hometown as well as Des Moines, where would you choose to go?"
"Describe Osteopathic Medicine without using the word Holistic?"
"See question 3"
"What is the difference between Greek and Greco-Roman thought? (I think he was just getting at my experience in a great books program)"
"What is your stance on xxx policy? (We were talking about some public health issues in US and asked me this question based on my response)."
"If you were to get in here, how would your family respond?"
"Question about my parent's careers (nurse and OT) influencing my choice of medicine as a career."
"#2"
"Has your father (alum) visited the school recently and if not why do you think he has not?"
"If you were the surgeon general, what is one aspect of medicine that you would change?"
"What is a PA? "
"No questions out of the blue. No ethical questions or anything funky."
"I was surprised by the persistent questions about my family and how my husband will deal with relocating to Des Moines. "
"Do you think your mom practices holistic medicine? "
"Nothing out of the ordinary was asked."
"What are some of your non-academic strengths/weaknesses?"
"What do you anticipate the most difficult challenge facing a rural physician is?"
"Questions about specific medical experiences in Ecuador"
"What MD schools did you apply to? Is DMU just a safety school?"
"Do you like teaching others about osteopathic medicine? Could you see yourself getting involved in pre-SOMA at DMU? (from an activity in my file)"
"How I would deal if I found I was struggling in med school."
"None really - all were standard, basic questions"
"Definitely the tie question"
"Take your pick. "
"Tell me about a physician you admire and why. (going off my answer) How would you design a health care policy/program that would educate the citizens of the U.S. regarding the problems you mentioned?"
"What do you consider the role of the doctor in the patient-doctor relationship?"
"Specific question about my extracurricular."
"Does India have large uranium deposits? (specific to my application)"
"Where you ever bullied as a kid?"
"What scares you the most about med school?"
"If you could go back in time and meet anyone, who would it be and why?"
"What causes/charities I support"
"Have you ever observed a conflict in the ER and if so, how was it resolved?"
"If you had just enough money to either treat a sick child or buy vaccine for 50,000 people, what would you do?"
"What do you think of a hospital system with its different levels of nurses, therapists, and doctors?"
"What do you not want us to know about you?"
"If you get accepted to your instate school, you will automatically go there won't you?"
"If you get accepted instate, why would you want to spend so much money going here?"
"What would you do if a patient asked you to do something that you felt was unethical?"
"Your numbers are very similar to the average matriculant. What seperates you from everyone else who has similar numbers?"
"No really interesting questions. Just some of the usual, "Tell us about your weaknesses", "What do you bring to the class""
"I wasn't asked anything 'interesting' really!"
"Please list the qualities should an incoming student have? Please prove to us with examples that you posses these qualities. What qualities should a doctor have?"
"Nothing too out of the ordinary... I suppose ''Tell me about Healthcare in country X'' (a foreign country where I got some clinical exposure) What do you do for fun?"
"If a patient came to you and asked how being an osteopathic physician would benefit their treatment, what would you tell them?"
"If someone says to you that women are less smart than men and backs it up with facts, how would you respond?"
"None, really"
"Do you think there are similarities between raising a dog and having children. (In response to our conversation about my German Shepherd). "
"Have you ever read any fiction/ poetry pieces written by doctors?"
"Being a woman, being a minority in the US, and applying to a DO program, how do you feel about those obstacles that you have to leap through to gain equal standing as physician? Why not MD? (Is it even ethical to ask such a question?)"
"Tell me about a problem client you have encoutered and how you dealt with it? "
"when you retire, what do you have hoped to have learned from your career in medicine?"
"What would you do if you failed your first exam in med school?"
"Are you going to have a large pro bono aspect in your future practice?"
"Describe an ideal patient/the opposite."
"Who is your greatest role model?"
"none really, mostly about my background and how I immigrated to US"
"Nothing that interesting, just standard questions."
"nothing"
"If I could ask any one person to go to dinner, who would I ask and what would I fix for dinner."
"What ONE quality is the most important for a physician to have?"
"What is your favorite food?"
"If we only had one seat left, why should we choose you over the 12 others here today?"
"what is a scientific invention you believe promotes public health?!?!"
"None of their questions were out of th ordinary...I guess: What did you gain from your Americorps Experience (federal volunteering)."
"Where else do you want to go?"
"How do you think your Psychology degree will benefit you as a physician?"
"What would your wife say is you worst quality?"
"What do expect medical school to be like?"
"You are driving home today and are in car accident and die. What would you want your tombstone to say?"
"Basic getting to know you"
"what would you do if you didn't make it into the top 25% of the class"
"If you were in charge of a government program of health and had $100,000, you can save a child that needs heart surgery of give thousands of a vaccine what would you choose?"
"What would I do if I could change anything in the United States?"
"I am interested in Geneaology. Can you tell me anything about your last name? "
"Why are you here? I was a little confused by the question, so I had the interviewer form a more concise question."
"Nothing really.. standard questions"
"Where did you get that tie?"
"What do you think was the most important contribution the field of chemistry gave to medicine? actually, i thought this was difficult at the time becuase it's hard to seperate chemistry from biology. i think i ended up saying either the process of vaccinations or the isolation of pennicillin. "
"First question, right out of the gate: Why are you applying so late? Maybe not such an "interesting" question as aggravating. I explained that I submitted before every deadline and I didn't feel that I was late."
"They were fairly typical questions asked in unique ways."
"Why not Vet. Medicine? (I have dogs)"
"You worked at a coffee shop, do you know type of beans you sold?"
"Tell me something about yourself that you did not write down on your application."
"Nothing stood out as particularly interesting. Just the basics were asked."
"Why is fitness so important to you and how will that change how you treat your patients?"
"If you could change one thing about American society, what would it be?"
"What's the last book you read?"
"How many hours of sleep would you get in a stress-free world? How many hours do you think you will get next year? (fyi- they should be the same!)"
"How do you deal with criticism? (right after the low GPA question)"
"Is 42nd Street still your favorite Broadway show?"
"If you were to start a new student organization as a medical student, what kind of community service event would you like to organize?"
""If you were to die tomorrow, and I were to put up a tombstone for you, what would be a proverb that I could inscribe on it that would describe your life?""
"How would you compare being a lifeguard to being a doctor? (I was a lifeguard for 7 years, still haven't figured out how they knew that because I didn't put it in my application)"
"How might having a family already be both a positive and negative during medical school?"
"What do you do when you get really angry?"
"Where else did you get interviews?"
""I notice that you took a course in short story literature in college. What exactly was the class all about?""
"What one thing about yourself would you like us to remember about you after the interview? (asked by D.O. factuly member) Runner-up: Do you still do air-conditioning work? :)"
"Why did you switch careers?"
"You have been on two other interviews, what makes our interview different. (in my eyes a great question, makes it like they are very interested in you) and it was followed up by: if you were accepted into all three of the schools, what would make you choose one over the other? (again, makes you feel like you are at home)."
"Are you applying both allopathic and osteopathic? and why not only osteopathic?"
"What's your greatest failure"
"Why not be a pharmacist? (I work as a pharm tech)"
""How would somebody from California like to move to Des Moines?" I was asked a lot of questions about relocating to Des Moines."
"I was asked a question about assisted suicide -- would I do it for one of my hospice patients?"
"If you caught one of your classmates giving test answers to another classmate, what would you do?"
"Tell me something we don't know about you that isn't on your application. "
"How did your major (religious studies) prepare you for medical school."
"So... How about them beavers?"
"So you took a snowboarding class during college huh? (Didn't ask about it in a negative way, but thought it sounded like fun!)"
"You mention countries X and Y as 3rd-world countries. Is that condescending?"
"Discuss what you do in your current line of work. "
"If you were a rural doctor who had received $200,000 and you could either immunize all of the children in the area or use the money for a child who needs a heart transplant, what would you do?"
"pretty standard questions"
"What do you think about socialized medicine? (this question was relating to an earlier response, not out of the blue)"
"tell me about yourself...."
"Please explain to me the difference between Conservative and Orthodox Judaism. (I was a Jewish Studies major)"
"Tell me about your experience as a missionary in paraguay."
"None, really. All the questions were quite canned and boring. Really."
"You say that you have a good understanding of the hispanic culture. Why is this important? Well obviously Dr. Bendeya has been in Des Moines most of his life or he would have noticed that Mexico has taken over the South Western United States!"
"What do you expect from your education at des moines?"
"Cubs or Sox? (I am from Chicago.)"
"If you get accepted to every medical school that you apply to, how will you choose which one to attend?"
"If all of the med schools in the world closed down and the career of a physician no longer existed, what would you do? "
"Since you mentioned that you "love life and all it hsa to offer," and that you are an adriot academic, what do you do for fun? My answer involved discussing my love of Oldies music, and I offered to sing...but no takers. Surprising! They also liked it when I mentioned I drive an old Buick...seems to always catch the laughter."
"Who's easier to coach at soccer, boys or girls?"
"Why don't you wear a watch?"
"Are you thinking about psych-med?"
"What's your favorite color?"
"WHY DID YOU CHOOSE IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY FOR YOUR UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES?"
"What is a weakness that you have had, and what have you done to overcome it?"
"What are some issues in healthcare that you know/have an opinion about?"
"What social issue keeps you awake at night?"
"If you were passing by a car-wreck in the middle of the night and no one else was around, what would you do?"
"Two were unique. 1)Tell us about your participation with Pet-Facilitated Therapy. 2)How does Osteopathic Medicine relate to your current field? (I am currently in a different healthcare field)"
"What social issue."
"If you were appointed Surgeon General, what issue would you address first?"
"So... many people think of the "doctor" in many different ways, some think of doctor as their professor at school, some people think of doctor as their health care provider.... what's your definition of "doctor" in 1 or 2 words?"
"Who is your hero?"
"If you could eradicate any disease, what would it be and why?"
"Given unlimeted funding, what would you do to change the world?"
"What social issue to you feel is the biggest issue today?"
"if you were given $10 million, what would you do with it?"
"Where do you see yourself ten years from today?"
"Describe to me a social issue (concern) not related to health care."
"A detailed hypothetical question involving my previous career field, physics, and economics."
"If you were offered anything to do research would you?"
"Why should we accept you?"
"We here at DMU very rarely accept students that have withdrawn from beginning clogging, so why should we accept you? (He was just joking though and we all laughed.)"
"I was asked to compare the healthcare systems of Europe and the U.S. in terms of what the U.S. might do to improve the health care crisis (I had studied abroad and apparently the interviewer thought that this gave me the authority to answer such a question)."
"What is a social issue that concerns you?"
"I don't know if any of them were interesting. How about, "If you could change one thing in this country what would it be and why?""
"What haven't we asked you that you thought we would?"
"What is a social problem that you would address if you were the richest person on earth"
"If I had to do it all over again, what would I have done differently?"
"What have you done to change your application since last year, when you also applied to med schools?"
"Since your application is strong enough to likely get you into an MD school, how would you choose which school to go to?"
"The interview started with: "Tell us about yourself.""
"The most interesting question they asked was, " What would you do if you studied hard for a test, and failed anyway?""
"How do you think we can solve the current nursing shortage that healthcare is seeing?"
"Why do you want to leave research to pursue a career in medicine?"
"Would you consider adding an M.P.H. to your D.O. program given that you could do it without any extra cost if you came here? "
"If and how you would help people whose basic needs (from Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs) have not been met?"
"Why did you choose to pursue medicine over a field such as public health or epidemiology?"
"What do you think are some of the reposibilities of being a student?"
"When did Tolkein write the Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings Trilogy? (We were discussing what I like to read.)"
"How do you feel about patients ordering prescription medications from Canada? "
"What would you do if you failed a test?"
"What is the most important thing you have learned from your parents?"
"What good book have you read?"
"Typical ethics question about 15 year old girl suffering from leukemia. "
"How do you plan on balancing the kind of practice you'd like to have against the constraints of working in a high-volume clinic?"
"Nothing was really interesting - standard stuff really"
"How do you define compassion?"
"Tell me about your best friend."
"How will you devote enough time to your family and school if you were to be accepted?"
"What would you change in healthcare today? Tell me something in medicine that you would like to know more about."
"What makes you get up on a soap box. What are you passionate about."
"What do you think of the connection between farm subsidies and obesity?"
"What do you do to relieve stress? What is the last book that you read?"
"Why are you here, not just here at DMU/COMS but why are you here in America? Stupid ass question, completely irrelevant to what I went there for."
"What qualities do you want to bring with you as a physician?"
"What would you do if you had a patient that would die without treatment and the opportunity to immunize 1,000 patients, but only enough finances to address one of the needs? "
"What do you look foward to the least and the most about becoming an osteopathic physician?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary."
"What have you learned about the state of medicine in this country based on your travels?"
"Questions were all standard, found in other reviews of this school. Nothing was that unique."
"Just standard questions. Nothing really difficult."
"Tell us something about you that isn't in your file."
"What traits will make you a good doctor?"
"If you're offered >1 spot, how will you decide?"
"Do you think there is a difference in the way a DO and MD treats a patient?"
"How do you think spirituality fits into the practice of medicine?"
"Who has been your template or role model for becoming a physician. Has it been one person or many?"
"how would you, if at all, participate in community work as a doctor?"
"What was the last book you have read for fun?"
"since I want to be a pediatrician, I was asked how I would deal with a crying kid who didn't want to be treated"
"Pick an ethical issue and talk about it."
""If your best friend were sitting here next to you, what would they say about you?" I didn't really get it at first, since I didn't know if they were talking in terms of my becoming a physician or just of my character, but thought a little bit about it and was able to answer it."
"What was the last book you've read (outside of a class)?? In what area of medicine do you see yourself practicing in five years? "
"Do you play a musical instrument?"
"If I were hit by a bus and killed today, what would I want my epitaph to say?"
"Who was the last real emperor in the region now known as Ethiopia? (He saw that I took ONE class on African History, over ten years ago mind you.)"
"Scenario: During residency you encounter an attending surgeon with alcohol on his breath. What do you do?"
"What experiences would you bring from your prior career to this school and the medical profession?"
"Name three things your friends would say about you if they were here."
"What would I do if I saw a classmate cheat on a test."
"If I played any musical instruments. "
"Being that my dad is an MD, what he thinks of my choice of becoming a DO"
"Because I was from Oregon they asked me about my thoughts on Death With Dignity/Assisted suicide."
"If you were to become an osteopathic physician, how would you confront/ change the general misunderstandings people have about D.O.'s?"
"In light of some volunteer work I had done, how did I feel about the war? "
"Would I serve as a big brother to other incoming students"
"What do you like to do for fun?"
"I was given a tough ethics question involving patient rights."
"Tell me about yourself? I know its not THAT interesting but I never know what to say!"
"How are you and your fiance prepared for you going to medical school?"
"Is there anything you hoped we weren't going to ask?"
"Very basic questions."
"Why is a man-hole cover round. (the only shape that won't fall in on itself)"
"I was asked detailed questions from my personal statement. (It's nice to know they actually read it!)"
"Why do you think that DMUCOMS is a place where you can succeed and be happy?"
"What three things would you tell a student to recommend them to DMU?"
"What would I change in medicine. "
"If you were the Chief of Surgery, what would you change about the operating room?"
"A 4 year old child is rushed to the ER. Her parents have "mong" beliefs, where if you puncture the skin, your soul leaves. THe child will die without an immediate operation. The parents refuse based on their religion. What do you do?"
"None really, pretty straightforward. I guess an interesting one would be describe what a physician is like using 5 adjectives."
"Nothing difficult at all, no ethics or scenario-based questions. What qualities do you possess that would make you a good physician?"
"No strange or particularly difficult questions. The interview was very laid back and conversational. They just want to get to know the applicant on a more personal basis to determine whether you'll be a good fit for the school."
"Name an ethical issue facing medicine today and how would you change it."
"If a mother brought her obviously malnourished infant into your clinic and told you she only fed her watermelon because that is what her religion required, what would you do?"
"What activities do you participate in to relax?"
"Where do you consider home?"
"the team based questions"
"about my research"
"Name a time when you caught a small problem and fixed it before the problem became larger."
"Anything else you would like us to tell the admissions committee?"
"They kept reiterating team questions, over and over."
"Tell me about a time when you did not get along with a peer or co-worker. How did you overcome this?"
"How did you use your Emotional Intelligence on the mission trip you went on?"
"What was a difficult situation you encountered in your clinical experience and how did you handle it?"
"What is empathy?"
"What is an ethical decision you've had to face?"
"What would someone who likes you say about you? What would someone who dislikes you say about you?"
"None really. I was expecting some tough or complex ones based on other's reviews, but it was all pretty straightforward. I didn't even have to explain why i'd move from NY to IA"
"Is there a time where you witnessed a physician interacting with a patient in a manner you believed to be unprofessional?"
"What kind of research study can you think of that is OMM related?"
"What is the riskiest thing you have done in the last year?"
"Why a physician instead of a nurse, for instance?"
"What is the most surprising thing you learned from your time shadowing?"
"What is the highest stress situation you've ever been in, and how did you handle it?"
"the specific history (dates, names of the founders) of the clubs and volunteer programs i'm involved in"
"Tell me what you are most proud of that is not academically related?"
"How do you deal with conflict (for some reason it gets me every time)"
"What will you bring to DMU?"
"What do you believe is the weakest part of your application and why?"
"There really weren't any difficult questions - it felt very informal and they really just wanted to get to know me."
"Name a problem in the United States not related to medicine that will effect you as a physician? (blanked looking back unemployment would have been a good choice)"
"Describe one failure and one success in your life."
"What is something that your future patients might not like about you?"
"Should politicians be allowed to determine health care policy or should it be left up to physicians?"
"What do you know about the history of osteopathic medicine?"
"You have not traveled much. Are you okay with staying in Iowa? They did not seem to understand my reasoning."
"None; nothing tricky or unexpected."
"Why do you want to move to Des Moines?"
"Why did you apply so late in the year? Was this school at the bottom of your list?"
"I see that you've been in student government. Compare anatomy to the form and function of the way a medical school operates..."
"Why after I tore my ACL twice (during collegiate athletics) did I return to play?"
"We interviewed a lot of people why/how should we remember you, you have the floor...& tell us two things that make you different from the other applicants that will contribute to the class in a positive way. I see you did research with insulin and caterpillars, do caterpillars get diabetes and how would you know (me--> ?:/"
"What is something you wanted us to ask you that we didn't"
"Discuss a time where you did something bad/wrong? What did you learn?"
"Since you are not a science major, how do you think you will do in medical school compared to the science majors?"
"Why medicine and not something like nursing?"
"What will you do if you see a fellow student cheating on an exam?"
"Give an example of an ethical dilemma you've experienced and how you handled it."
"Tell me about a time you were in a situation where you had to think on your feat to solve a problem."
"Tell me about a failure and how you handled it."
"Describe an ethical situation and how you delt with it?"
"What is the difference between DO and MD?"
"What is your secret to time management?"
"Tell me about your failures"
"All the questions were very easy if you have thought out reasoning for the way you think."
"If Pres. Obama called you and asked about the one thing you would do to change healthcare, what would it be?"
"What was something you look forward to about being a physician, and something you don't look forward to?"
"none, it was very conversational, more discussion of specifics to my application, some discussion entirely off topic too!"
""What would you do if you found out another student was doing better than you in a class?""
"If God called you on the phone and asked for one piece of advise for improving healthcare in America, what would it be?"
"I didn't understand the question, so I asked for a rephase but the rephrase was even less clear. I took a guess at what they were looking for, but they did clarify what they were trying to get at with the original question."
"If Obama was going to call you and ask your advice about one piece of the healthcare reform bill to absolutely keep and one piece to compromise on, what would you say?"
"What would a friend say about you if I asked them what your greatest quality is?"
"See most interesting question"
"Something I struggle with... I had a basic answer, but they wanted another one. "
"The mistake one."
"Why Osteopathic Medicine? - Only because this was the first question and I was a little frazzled since my interview began 10 min early. I was planning on mentally preparing myself during that time, but I came back from the tour and they were waiting for me. "
"What will be the hardest part about me being a physician."
"#2"
"I don't remember thinking any one question was too difficult."
"Question #3"
"Why did you apply to MD programs if you want to go to a DO school? What do you think is a better school Iowa or DMU? Which would you pick? (like 10 questions in a row about this)"
"Are you interested in rural medicine?"
"In 25 words or less, fix the healthcare crisis."
"my thoughts on obama's health care speech the night before. i was unable to watch since i was traveling"
"What is the most frustrating situation you have been in and how did you deal?"
"What are your perceived strengths and weaknesses?"
"Describe Osteopathic Medicine without using the word Holistic?"
"See question 3"
"Nothing. It really felt like they were just trying to get a feel for my personality and interaction style."
"If you had a decision between Cornell Medical School and a DO school, which one would you choose?"
"Nothing too difficult; more just wanted to get to know me better...no tricks."
"Current challenges facing medicine question."
"explaining grades"
"The question about my father not visiting recently"
"If you were the surgeon general, what is one aspect of medicine that you would change?"
"like all of them"
"Describe a situation that exemplifies your integrity."
"why d.o??"
"Nothing really. The questions I prepared for, I was able to answer. However, they asked about activities I participated in 4 years ago, which I fumbled around with the details. Perhaps a bit more preparation would have fixed this."
"What weaknesses do you have that prevent you from reaching your goals? (Couldn't just say that I always reach my goals) "
"(From the student interviewer) If I were a member of your class, why would I want to be your colleague/what do you have to offer the class? "
"Biggest weakness and how it will affect me as a doctor; also asked about the health care system of Ecuador, which I didn't really know about."
"Why DMU?"
"What is an ethical challenge that you have faced and how did you deal with it? What did you learn from it?"
"#2 - wasn't sure what they were getting at or what they were looking for. interviewer was kinda rude when asking the question. "
"Describe in detail your typical week as a first year student starting at 6 am....I forgot things like "eating breakfast and spending time with my wife"...it wasn't "hard" per say, but it was something that was hard to get all of the tiny details on the spot without forgetting something. He later said he wanted to show how busy and demanding the medical school schedule would be."
"Tell us about a failure you had and what you learned from it. "
"What do you consider the role of the doctor in the patient-doctor relationship?"
"What are you doing with your major? (Because the answer is... nothing!)"
"How do you define success?"
"What is the mission of this school?"
"Do you think DOs are better than MDs (with MD as one of my interviewers)"
"Nothing out of the ordinary...no ethical/healthcare type questions"
"1) To describe rural medicine 2) Explain what I liked about a class the interviewer found interesting, he picked a gen ed government course I had to take. The honest answer would have been nothing, the class was early, boring, and a review of Am. Gov. from high school"
"You are from so and so place, why Des Moines?"
"If you had just enough money to either treat a sick child or buy vaccine for 50,000 people, what would you do?"
"What would you do if you failed Gross?"
"Interrogation questions about the MCAT and standardized tests."
"How do you plan to use your practice to address today's health care issues?"
"Tell us about a mistake you have made and what you learned from it"
"If something was to happen to you family member and you're so far away, how would you deal with it?"
"I was asked to explain my poor grades early on in college. For me, it was the most difficult question."
"If you were the surgeon general, what issue would you address/tackle about today's healthcare?"
"Tell us about a social issue our society is facing that is important to you."
"What's your plan B?"
"if you were accepted to all the schools you applied to, what criteria would you use to select the one you will be going to?"
"If a classmate could thank you for something (at your graduation, for example), what would it be? Not horrible, I guess. There weren't any ''difficult'' questions."
"Why do you think your PI never tried to convince you to go into research?"
"What would you suggest to improve health services for rural areas?"
"Where else did I apply and why"
"How would you ensure through your practice that more people had access to medical care?"
"How will you bring hope and encourage resilience in your patients?"
"Tell us about the time when you display flexibility?"
"Suppose that there is only 1 seat left in our class, persuade us to give you that seat."
"''I'm concerned about your science background and I see you have not had a biochemistry course. This is the toughest course for medical students - how will you remedy this?''"
"Why should we not accept you?"
"you seem to have succeeded a lot in life, when have you faced failure? how did you deal with it?"
"How do you feel about socialized medicine?"
"How are you going to feel when you accidentally kill your patient? And yes, it WILL happen. -All I can say is WOW, I had no idea what to say. "
"How have you responded to a difficult patient."
"Nothing difficult. Be prepared to be asked the standard questions and you'll do fine."
"nothing"
"What do you think a vital problem in health care is? How would you solve this problem?"
"If I could change one thing about the current health care system in the U.S., what would it be."
"If you had the power, what ONE thing would you change in America?"
"If you were to die tomorrow, for what do you want to be known?"
"Not real tough but, I guess it was a question asking me to explain a problem health care faces today. I spoke of current medicare legislation and it's disadvantages."
"same as above + tell us a time you showed integrity"
"Do you have any questions for us (I had just had my questions answered over the last 4 hours of tours/presentations)."
"Where else do you want to go?"
"Why should DMU pick you to be in the incoming class?"
"What is a time when you made a mistake, and how have you learned from it?"
"What area in the field of science would you like to study further in the future and why?"
"Why such a high GPA and a lower MCAT? What did you get on your ACTs in high school?"
"What are you going to do when you kill your first patient?"
"Nothing. Very basic and conversational. "
"what are some problems/issues in healthcare"
"same as most interesting"
"What would I do if I could change anything in the United STates"
"Hypothetically, we have only one spot left in the class, why should we accept you and what can you bring to the class?"
"What is your stance on animal testing?"
"If you could change one thing about your application what would it be?"
"Tell us the biochemistry of the disease porphyria (see below). Other that that all of my questions were very fair and all ones that I have prepared for. They were basic yet important. Definitely know the difference between allopathic and osteopathic medicine. "
"What are the specific differences in the way a DO would treat a diabetic patient as opposed to an MD? "
"Why osteopathic medicine instead of allopathic? This was difficult because I gave my answer, then the interviewer repeated the question, as if I hadn't answered it."
"If you could change anything on your application, what would you change? "
"Why do you want to be a physician and how you you come to this decision? (especially why since my undergrad major was non-science)"
"What has been your greatest achievement in life?"
"When asked why I would like to be a doctor, I responded that I enjoy the investigative/research part of it. One interviewer then responded that in primary care (the field I am most interested in)90% of your patients will share the same symptons, so how can it be investigative and involve research?"
"None of the questions were difficult. The interview was very non-stressful."
"Tell me about A.T. Stills life and theory."
"What is your biggest obstacle to going to medical school?"
"Why would you apply here if you have so much research experience?"
"Where do you see yourself in ten years? "
"How do you deal with criticism?"
"Define "global doctor" and apply it in context. How do you plan to get involved in your future community? Give an example of how you define your character? (pertained to my essay)"
"What is the most difficult thing you may run into becoming a physician?"
""What are some of your weaknesses?""
"What do you think about socialized medicine? (my response: I don't know what that is)"
"What do you do when you get really angry?"
"Tell me about yourself (I hate vague questions)"
""Why do you want to become a physician?" The question was only difficult because it's the same questions we're all trying to answer...but my interviewer even reffered to the question as "a formality," so it was no problem."
"If you could not be a doctor, what would you likely do instead? (Not really difficult, but not lame either.)"
"Why DMU? (Really, not that difficult)."
"What is one thing I would change in America ( I answered "the number of people currently without health insurance" they said, "how, you wont raise my taxes will you?")"
"What if you were failing a course in medical school, would you consider spending more time studying and less with your family? *not difficult, just stupid*"
"How do you know that you can handle the amount of work in medical school describe a typical day here at the school (I don't know what they wanted, so I just gave them a time schedual of a day)"
"What do you have to offer this school that other applicants don't?"
"Nothing really."
"How can you relate the teachings of your third semester English requirement (Fiction) with today's social climate?"
"Why should we accept you? (hard question for me, I feel like I either sound arrogant or am selling myself short)"
"How would you help a patient who was dealing with a death in their family."
"So, you are the most involved student I have interviewed for a couple of years, although your MCAT and GPA are fairly low... Do you think you were involved and doing to many things, and would you change this if you could go back?"
"Tell me about any issue, whether social or healthcare related, that concerns you."
"What would you do if you failed a test?"
"With all of the pre-vet classes in undergrad, why are you applying to medical school?"
"nothing really"
"There seems to be a discrepency between your undergrad grades and your MCAT/Grad school grades, what's the deal?"
"How do you plan to use your Masters in Public Health degree as a physician... this led into the importance of preventive medicine."
"What question were you dreading we'd ask? (I didn't have an answer, I wasn't dreading anything.)"
"None. They were all pretty basic, get to know you questions."
"None."
"None. This was my third interview so I have been through all the same questions."
"Why am I here? ( I wasn't sure if they wanted info on why med school, why dmu, or why D.O.), but I gave it to them. "
"It is said that medicine is science and an art. How do you feel that it is an art?"
"So...tell us about this C- in Organic Chemistry- why did you get it, and did you know that this grade is often used as a predictor for how well you'll do in med school?"
"Nothing about the entire interview was difficult. Really good questions. The interviewers made me feel right at home and very comfortable. No stress at all during the interview."
"As you are a very adriot student, how do you think the bridge between academics and osteopathic patient care bridges? Not particularly difficuly, but that was the question."
"Imagine you're a first year here. Now, describe your day. (I didn't have a clue, as I've never been to medical school. However, I took a stab at it, and the second-year student laughed and said, "that's it!""
"All questions were very reasonable, they truly want to get to know you as a person."
"Are you disapointed with the research vigor at this school?"
"Why Osteopathic medicine - how is it different?"
"IF YOU ARE TO BE AT A PARTICULAR PLACE NOW WHERE WOULD YOU BE, AND WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE WITH?"
"Who is a role model to you? I hadn't thought of this previously, so it took me a minute to formulate my rsponse."
"What are some issues in healthcare that you know/have an opinion about?"
"What is your impression of the first year of medical school?"
"What do you expect to be your most difficult adjustment to medical school?"
"None really."
"What things would you change about a community or a society? "
"Who is your hero?"
"If you could eradicate any disease, what would it be and why?"
"Tell us about a social issue that concerns you, what gets you up on a soap box? *Expect this question. They told me they were required to ask it."
"A question regarding whether I told people not to eat Mayonnaise on their food when I worked a deli."
"what are you most proud of?"
"How will you balance your Medical and non-medical life once you are a practicing physician?"
"You got a poor grade in chemistry. Medical school is liking drinking from a fire hydrant and a good foundation in the sciences is needed. Do you think you have the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in medical school?"
"With your lack of science background (beyond minimum prereqs), how will you handle med school?"
"What is an accomplishment of which you are particularily proud?"
"none really"
"The people that wrote letters of reccommendation for you said that you were "outstanding and excellent", why do you think they said that?"
"See above."
"None really. Was somewhat surprised to be asked about the single D on my transcript from like 4 years ago. But I was prepared for this possibility and was actually glad they asked since I was able to point out my success in statistics based classes since then."
"What group of individuals would you like to target working with?"
"What is a current social problem in your community?"
"What have you done to change your application since last year, when you also applied to med schools?"
"How do you define success? [What they seemed to mean was: "what does it mean to be a successful physician?"]"
""tell me the last joke you heard"... stupid yes, but I was stumped! I couldn't think of an appropriate joke"
"I was asked about a community issue. I informed the group that a large company had closed down and a large number of people lost their jobs. In response to this, one of the interviewers asked me what do i think can be done to help these people pay for their prescription drugs since they no longer will have health insurance coverage."
"What was the funniest thing that happened to you?"
"Do you honestly believe you are prepared for the rigors of medical school? (My answer was "yes, I am" but the question seemed a little abrasive.)"
"Who is your local representative?"
"What do you believe is the most pressing issue in health care today?"
"One interviewer asked about a poor grade in my undergraduate record."
"If you had ten thousand dollars worth of medical aid, would you use it to help a little girl who needed heart surgery, or would you spread it ou to help many patients?"
"Can you think of a social problem in the world?"
"What difference would you like to make in the medical field?"
"Tell me about yourself."
"How do you cope with a bad grade?"
"Why should we choose you over other similarly qualified applicants? (always disliked that question)."
"Why should we pick you over other qualified candidates? (yes I know this is a regularly asked question, but I still hate it)"
"Why do you think teenagers today have it tougher than you did? "
"Given the fact that you were an English major, how do you explain a verbal score of only 10 on the MCAT? I felt this question was very petty, given that more than 90% of those who take the MCAT score less than 10 on the verbal section."
"None were that difficult. The interview is open file, so know what you have written and be ready to talk about it."
"?"
"Tell me about yourself. What would your friend say is your weakest quality? What makes you a better candidate compared to all the others who are being interviewed today?"
"Tell us about yourself. "
"If you were the richest man in the world, what health care problem/issue would you resolve."
"Same as interesting."
"Why do you want to be a physician?"
"How would you use your international experience to solve a current healthcare problem in the USA?"
"If I could change anything about health care, what would I change?"
"What are your weaknesses?"
"What is one social issue a community that you hope to change? May not have been worded exactly like that, the interview was mostly a blur!!!"
"How many schools (MD and DO) did I apply to?"
"Tell me about yourself. ( I hate that )"
"see above..."
"If accepted to both DO and MD programs, where would you go?"
"Why does an airplane fly? I had mentioned how physics was my hardest class, and talked specifically about how planes fly."
"An 18 year old girl came into your office requesting an abortion. And your beliefs did not permit you to give one. What would you do? Same situation only now you do perform abortions?"
"What are you weaknesses? none were too difficult"
"If a patient asked you to pull the plug what would you do?"
"asked about why I took certain courses"
"Pick an ethical issue and talk about it."
"See above, but also: "How are you on multiple choice tests?" That one was probably getting at my lower MCAT score. "
"What do you perceive as being a currnet problem in medicine, or a future problem in medicine, and how do you think you can help to solve it?"
"Is there anything you wish we had asked that we didn't? NOTE: This was the last thing the interviewers had asked me and, at the time, I thought that they had pretty much covered everything. In retrospect, there were questions I did wish that they had asked, but I was super tired by the end of the interview."
"Why would being a nurse hurt me going to medical school?"
"Ethiopia question, but it was really almost given as a joke to lighten up the mood. I knew the answer and we joked about it."
"Do I consider myself to be a patient person? unsure of what they meant"
"Why would you leave your current career for medicine? "
"probably "How have your volunteer experiences led you to want to specialize in pediatrics?" because what led me to that decision was my work experience, so I didn't answer that too well."
"What would I do if I saw a classmate cheat on a test."
"Name three things your friends would say they do not like about you. "
"Explaining a low MCAT section"
"Same as above."
"If you were to be accepted at some of the other schools you've applied to (DO and MD), what would make you choose this school over them? They really pressed me on this, as if they were trying to see how strongly I felt about their school. I was caught off gaurd by it and had trouble coming up with some good reasons."
"How are you different from all the other applicants?"
"none"
"Why do you want to go to our osteopathic school?"
"See above"
"??"
"Nothing, I didn't even have an ethical question"
"Is there anything you hoped we weren't going to ask?"
"No difficult questions, very conversational."
"If I believed in nepotism when it comes to the medical field"
"How will you handle being married and in school?"
"None of the questions were very difficult. However, the one to look out for is when they ask you why you want to be a doctor of osteopathic medicine. The interviewers payed very close attention to my response."
"No really difficult questions were asked. Basically, questions were drawn from my file. Also, general questions such as, "Where do you see yourself in 10 years? List three qualities your friends would use to describe you. How do you study (study habits)?""
"Tell us about yourself?"
"What do think is one of the most important issues facing medicine today and how might you be able to help resolve it?"
"same as above"
"There were no difficult questions. The questions are based largely on your file, so they are very personalized. If you know your file and personal statements, and you know the philosophy of osteopathic medicine (it is a VERY pro-OMM school), you will do fine."
"n/a"
"A question about recent research in Alzheimer's Disease."
"SDN + practiced questions that could come up"
"SDN Interview Feedback and Dr. Ryan Grays Med School Interview Book"
"Mock interviews, other interviews"
"Reviewed my application"
"review questions from princeton review and SDN"
"Interview books (Ryan Gray's), Writing answers down"
"SDN interview feedback, 500 question interview doc from the premed subreddit, reviewed my app"
"Read over questions on sdn. researched the school."
"Mock interviews, going over questions and responses aloud"
"Didn't prepare answers but thought of what may be asked and how I may respond."
"Mock interviews, research about the school, and reaching out to current DMU DO students."
"SDN, read apps"
"Looking up information about DMU and SDN"
"SDN, mock interviews"
"Mock interview, discussing questions, researching the school"
"SDN, reviewing application"
"Read through my application, looked at questions on SDN, reviewed the school's website."
"SDN interview questions, school website, previous interviews"
"Mock interviews, talked to friends that interviewed previously"
"Looked over questions on here"
"Looked at programs and curriculum on school website, reviewed common interview questions, reviewed this site."
"Check this website and youtube videos about medical school interviews."
"Interview feedback, re-read my application several times"
"Read application, looked at SDN questions"
"Used the school website to understand curriculum and mission before going Prepared common interview questions Payed attention during the tour to use information in the interview"
"this website"
"Reading SDN and preparing answers to possible questions."
"mock interviews/research"
"Looked at school website and prepared answers to basic questions. Thought of examples in my life that I could use for particular questions."
"Reviewed my application and practiced with others via skype."
"I read other feedback and researched the school's website/talked to current students."
"SDN, had friends ask me difficult questions and evaluate my answers"
"Reviewed the website, stayed overnight with a med student"
"SDN interview feedback, going over DMU website"
"I read over my application, and I practiced answering questions posted here as well as other common interview questions."
"Read questions on this site."
"I practiced answers to why medicine, why DO, and why DMU. I made sure I was familiar with my PS and my application."
"Looked at SDN interview feedback, wrote out outlines of my answers, mock interviews with family and friends."
"Read my application material, used this website to see common questions, had a practice interview at my school"
"SDN; reviewed my app;"
"Just prepared for the "Why DO?" question and read up on healthcare issues."
"SDN interview feedback, re-reading personal statement and resume"
"SDN, asking other applicants at previous interviews"
"Looked on this site at as many of the interview questions as I could. Wrote down key words/answers to questions. Studied up about the school and their programs I am interested in (ex. global health)."
"SDN, reviewed my app, printed off a millions questions everywhere that I could find of what can be asked at interviews and thought about them for a few minutes so that I at least had seen it once before if they happened to ask me that question. Prepared answers to the typical questions (why DO, DMU, Doctor), strengths/weaknesses) etc.."
"Going over medical school questions, my personal statement and answers to other schools general secondary questions."
"Schools website, you tube videos, SDN"
"SDN, prep book"
"studentdoc.net, pre-med adviser mock interview"
"SDN forums/interview feedback, looked over the schools website, talked to DMU alumni."
"SDN, interview feedback"
"SDN interview feedback, past interviews I have had, SDN threads"
"Looked through SDN Interview feedback briefly"
"sdn, interview books"
"Reading SDN boards, past interview questions, practicing with friends, rereading application"
"SDN, read AACOMAS primary and school materials"
"Studentdoctor.net and I read a list of common medical school interview questions. I also read a book on the new healthcare bill just incase."
"Read interview feedback here, CIB, website"
"Read SDN. Yeah Baby!!!!!"
"Read interview feedback, read school's website, reviewed application."
"SDN, mock interview, reviewed my application, and tried to be myself."
"SDN, review of school, review of app"
"Read SDN, talked to DMU professors I had MPH classes with, practiced with my sister (a DO graduate)."
"SDN, reviewed my application"
"Read through previous interview questions, school website, Des Moines information, medicare, medicaid and health care reform information, and researched my interviewers."
"Looked up common interview questions and practiced, SDN, looked over my application, read up on recent health and medicine related current events."
"studentdoctor.net"
"Website, alumni"
"Asked my student host questions about the school, then just relaxed and tried to get some rest."
"Read SDN, reviewed ethical issues, knew what was going on in health care reform, looked up example questions."
"SDN, DMU website, practicing with my fiancé"
"Went over interview feed back on SDN, practiced answering the questions, went over primary, etc"
"SDN, school's website"
"SDN, visited the school's website"
"Prepared for the basic questions you should expect - why medicine, what makes you awesome, health care issues etc. I knew my AACOMAS application well."
"SDN, school web"
"Lots of SDN, practice interview, reviewed DMU materials, Explored the website"
"interview feedback questions, reread app"
"Read up on current Health Care issues, read over my application, looked over SDN"
"SDN, went over primary application, talked to a graduate, went over school website "
"SDN, interview feedback, reviewed my application. Was honest and myself."
"Lots of SDN. Girlfriend quizzed me. 1 mock interview at my undergrad school. "
"mock interview with undergrad faculty and feedback from premed adviser, going over the website and my application, sdn"
"SDN, friends, in front of mirror."
"SDN, reviewed application materials, read several medical ethics books. I had also interviewed elsewhere earlier in the week so everything was quite fresh."
"SDN interview feedback; read over my application; mock interviews with friends"
"SDN, mock, read school website"
"SDN, spoke with alumni, spoke with students, the usual "
"SDN, Mock Interview, and reviewed my file"
"sdn questions"
"SDN interview feedback - I just used this to form a list of questions, then rehearsed the answers to my reflection in the mirror."
"SDN, read over my application, read over my secondary essay questions, and went online to find a list of sample med school interview questions. practiced with family"
"Practiced typical questions, read over personal statement, looked over SDN"
"Read SDN Feedback, reviewed application, reviewed DMU website, mock interviewed in front of mirror."
"Researched the school and its history as well as it academic curriculum. Prepared answers for the typical questions. Reviewed my primary application and medical experiences. "
"Reviewed my application, researched the school, looked up frequently asked interview questions on SDN"
"SDN forums and interview feedback, researched health care systems and politics, which i didnt really have any questions about."
"Read up on the school, reviewed my application and essays, thought about generic interview questions."
"SDN, DMU website, read up on political candidates, current healthcare topics, and ethical issues"
"Read SDN, practiced answering the "generic" questions, reviewed my primary application."
"SDN interfview feedback, reflection on questions, talking to myself in a mirror etc. "
"Student doc, reread application and personal statement, looked over class notes and refreshed mind on research experience and extracurriculars"
"2 mock interviews, sdn intervew feedback, prepared with others"
"SDN and practice interview with admissions consultants."
"SDN Interview Feedback and mock interviews."
"Mock Interview, books, SDN, internet, other students who interviewed, and DMU website."
"SDN, website, read over all of my essay question answers"
"SDN, mock interview, research the schools, wikipedia"
"Current topics (nytimes and TIME) and ethical issues; my application to the school and student-doctor feedback forum"
"Pray, SDN, school's website, application, practice."
"prev interview experiences"
"SDN, Info on the school's website, my file"
"SDN, reviewing my essay and application, reading health-related news"
"SDN, my primary and the school's website"
"school website, sdn, my application file"
"SDN, DMU website, reviewed my personal statement and CV."
"SDN, website, review my personal statement."
"Read the website, talked to students."
"Student Doctor Network, DMU brochure and website, talked to a friend who had recently interviewed there..."
"SDN and interview feedback"
"I looked through the SDN comments, my application, and the schools website. I printed out a bunch of the questions and tried answering them (in my head, at least). The interview was very relaxed and conversational. They definitely read through my file and knew a lot about me. Overall, I think I may have ''overprepared,'' if that can be done. There weren't any ethical questions or any polarizing questions. I think the interviewers just really wanted to get to know me and see if I would fit in the environment. Overall I think I did OK, but I left with some mixed feelings, as I was a little nervous and stuttered a few times."
"SDN, sample interview questions, reviewed application"
"DMU website, notes, brainstorming"
"reading SDN feedback, researching the school online and on SDN"
"SDN, Mock interviews, practiced possible questions."
"SDN, DMU website, mock interviews"
"review app"
"sdn, website, reviewed application"
"Reviewed SDN feedback, reviewed my PS, reviewed DMU website"
"Looking at online material pertaining to the school, anticipating questions and my answers, practicing answering questions by talking them out"
"website, sdn, TRIED to read a quick synopsis on our healthcare system"
"SDN forum, school website"
"AACOMAS, SDN"
"sdn, kaplan, writing out answers to possible questions."
"SDN, books, school website"
"previous interviews, SDN, personal file, current news"
"SDN"
"Go over the primary and secondary applications, do on-line research about the campus, do mock interview with a career counselor and read SDN"
"SDN, Mock interview."
"Student Doctor Network, school network, talking with current students, reading on the health care system, reviewing my application"
"SDN & reviewed essays."
"I actually didn't really prepare for this interview, having had two (successful) interviews previously"
"Read this site, studied health care issues online, reviewed my file and essay, prepared all possible answers ahead of time."
"sdn, school site, practice over phone."
"Went over questions in my mind. Wrote out all questions from SDN and other sources and my specific answers to them."
"Looked over my file"
"SDN, AACOMAS application, DMU Website, Current students input"
"Coming to studentdoctor.net and looking at the feedback. The school website. Pumping myself up. Relaxing."
"Researched everything I could about the school and the program."
"SDN and looked at their website"
"SDN, interview feedback, personal statement, DMU website, DMU alumni physicians"
"SDN, Essays"
"I didn't. Let's be honest, after you've had one interview, you've had them all. "
"SDN, DMU website and catalog, mock interviews"
"This site, College website and D.O. literature."
"Read SDN Medical School Interview Feedback and spoke with current students."
"SDN interview feedback/boards, AACOMAS info, DMU Website, talked to students."
"SDN, Interview Feedback, talked with DMU students, DMU website/literature, read "The D.O.'s""
"Website, this site, practice interviews"
"StudentDoctor.net, DMU website, various websites with sample questions, and I went out the night before with several DO students"
"This site, read up a lot on the school,previous interview experiences"
"SDN, other interviews"
"Since it is open file, I reviewed the AACOMAS application, prepared answers to the common questions, and responded honestly to the off the cuff questions"
"SDN, talked to students at the school (ask your student tour guides about your specific interviewers for suggestions), read application"
"SDN, re-reading application materials, DMU website"
"Read feedback on SDN, mock interview, read latest headlines and issues in healthcare, read DMU's school catalog."
"Read over interview feedback on SDN."
"SDN and read the school's website"
"Reviewed school website, osteopathic websites, re-read science journal articles of interest."
"skimmed application, research "
"Practice interview and I read info. on the school website."
"SDN, reading the school's website, talking to students beforehand."
"DMU website, read over my application, practice questions, SDN"
"SDN website, DMU website, mock interivews"
"SDN, read over my application, practiced interviewing with friends "
"SDN, looked over my file, DMU website"
"School website, sdn"
"SDN, mock interview, looked over the dmu website"
"sdn, website, applications"
"SDN, re-read my personal statement, read tons of health-related articles from newspapers"
"Re-read personal statement, talked to current 2nd year DMU students, campus visit this summer."
"SDN, Interview Feedback, stayed with student host"
"SDN, their website, people who had prior interviews, students at the school and my application."
"My previous 7 interviews"
"Read SDN, mock interview, read news, medical issues"
"Read SDN interview feedback, school website is very helpful, stayed with a student and spoke with him. I would recommend staying with a student at any interview if it is offered to you. You will be able to get insight on the school and will have more to talk about on your interview, plus the price is right."
"Read all the materials the school sent me. Visited and studied DMU-COM's website. Read discussions at SDN. Emailed students at SDN. Visited the school and met with students. Studied my application and other materials I sent to the school. Went through some basic interview questions. Prepared questions to ask to the interviewers."
"Read SDN and the school's website."
"SDN, application, DMU website"
"SDN, previous interview, talked with health professionals"
"Studied my answers and app and sdn"
"SDN, read about Des Moines, read my file, RELAXED"
"SDN, read over my applications, read about DMU on website, talked to current DMU students and DO alumni physicians"
"SDN, mock interviews, research about the school"
"DMU students, interview guide, SDN"
"SDN, read over application, DMU website"
"Read DMU website, SDN, read over my aplication"
"Read DMU's website, talked to a couple students while at DMU, looked up and mentally prepared myself for some popular questions, studied my application"
"read my app. SDN"
"I reread my application, SDN interview feedback, read forum threads about DMU, and talked to someone who had interviewed there."
"Know your file. Read SDN. RELAX!!"
"SDN, Web site, school packet."
"Read my file, read interview feedback."
"read over the website. SDN."
"Had every answer ready to the main questions, as in why D.O. or why do I want to be a physician, really thought about them. Read SDN and read my statement."
"SDN, medical school essay books"
"read SDN feedback, looked at DMU website, talked to a current student."
"SDN, Researched medical topics, Thought about myself..."
"Read through, printed out and made comments on all 119 studentdoctor.net interview forms, printed out every page of the DMU website and read it until I knew it cold, spoke with current DMUCOM student, read over my AACOMAS and 2-ndary statement, etc."
"Read input here, reviewed my app., and read about the school."
"Read SDN interview feedback, went over application, spoke with the doc who wrote one of my LORs."
"This site, along with a moch interview and some books."
"Met w/ a DO; read about osteopathic history; read SDN"
"I READ THIS WEBSITE AND SOME BOOKS."
"Read SDN, re-read my applications (Primary and Secondary). Read numerous websites preparing for questions about healthcare."
"Other medical school interviews."
"Read SDN interview feedback, read books about Osteopathic medicine, read medical student autobiographies, flew in a day early and got a good night's sleep."
"reviewed file, SDN"
"SDN, basic interview questions, review personal file. DMU really knows your file well and asks a lot of questions about it."
"I just read my application."
"SDN, and other interviews"
"website - this site"
"Practice interviews, reviewed literature/website of school, studentdoctor.net feedback"
"SDN, Alums, DrSimmons.Net (osteo-review)"
"This website, talked to students, book with interview questions."
"sdn interview feedback, school website"
"Websites...Many. SDN and DMU's in particular."
"This site, review current medical issues, and reviewed my file."
"Reading this database."
"SDN, browsing their website."
"web site, this site"
"SDN interview feedback, asked students that went there, and read the information they gave me, read Gevitz book, but the school really prepares you with its presentations before as well."
"Read SDN, did a self-reflection/evaluation, jotted down a few notes to organize my thoughts, and relaxed."
"Gleaned the top 75 questions from SDN feedback and though about answers for each. Reviewed interview thoughts from premed101.com forum. Perused the DMU website and posts on DMU in pre-osteo forum. Read The DOs by Gevitz. Read Doing Right by Herbert (med ethics). Skimmed some books on primary health care issues (eg. chronic care, current issues in health care delivery)."
"A big deep breath and being sure of who you are"
"SDN, stayed with students night before, DMU alum, other med students"
"DMU's website, SDN, DMU brochures, reading newspapers and watching the news"
"SDN, Des Moines Web site, researched current political climate regarding healthcare and other social issues"
"I knew my application and I knew my motivation for being a doctor."
"DMU website, SDN."
"Read the website, SDN, looked over my application. "
"Student Doctor Network, campus tour, and speaking with current DMU students and graduates."
"I read my application essay, reviewed eveything in my resume, made sure I could discuss the research I have done at various lab jobs, read Norman Gevitz's book on DO's in America and thought of questions to ask the interviewers."
"DMU's website and SDN"
"SDN, school website"
"Read SDN feedback,AACOMAS app, school website, and just tried to be myself."
"SDN, reviewed my app"
"Read their website, looked over SDN, and spoke with a current student."
"I read my primary app, remembered who wrote letters of rec for this school, read this site and thought about some of hte questions people were asked."
"I thought through responses to typical medical school interview questions, like the ones on this site for DMU, and I also thought about my characteristics."
"SDN and a guide to interviewing manual from the career center"
"SDN, catalog, mailing stuff, website"
"Arrived early. Asked first year students about the interviewers and their interests."
"SDN, read over my application etc."
"read up on DMU, talked to alumni, drank lots of coffee!!"
"reread transcripts, used this site to predict questions"
"SDN, school materials, website"
"Read through SDN, School material, OMM, reviewed AACOMAS app"
"SDN, Website, Review app./research."
"SDN, read over application and personal statement, practice answering possible interview questions, read about school online"
"SDN, mock interview with a friend."
"SDN, read over application, DMU webpage"
"read over my secondary and essay, this website and mdapplicants.com"
"My 1st and 2nd applications, SDN, their website."
"Interviewed with a DMU graduate."
"Read school's website, re-read 1' and 2' app."
"Studied osteopathic manipulation websites, this website and reviewed my personal statement."
"Read my application, school website, this website."
"This site and the DMU website"
"This website, went over practice questions, got the DO philosophy down, re-read my application, school website etc."
"Same as everyone else."
"This site, SDN, DMU website."
"Read SDN and DMU website."
"The usual, SDN, read over app. again, bioethics sites"
"Interview feedback site, reviewed application and resume."
"Read up on the material they sent me, and reviewed my application."
"This website and mock interview with a close friend"
"Read up on the school and looked over my application"
"Go over my application, this website."
"website, interview feedback, read about osteopathic medicine"
"reviewed website. previous interviews."
"This website, which was fantastic for helping me prepare for a variety of different questions, having family and friends ask me various questions, and learning general things about the school. Also, I paid close attention to the presentations given throughout the day and asked several students questions in order to present them with my own questions at the interview."
"Talked with current students, SDN website, DMU website, talked with physicians."
"looked over SDN interview feedbacks, checked out DMU website, brushed up on medical ethics and current medical issues, talked with current students before the interview"
"Reviewed my application, studentdoctor.net, and DMU's website."
"SDN, school website, friend that is student "
"DMU website, SDN, app, talked with students"
"Read several books about Osteopathic Medicine and looked over the DMUCOM website."
"mock interview, read dmu's website"
"Read up on the School, OMM, talked to people I know who had an intervidew there, SDN."
"Read this website, looked at DMU website, read up on osteopathic medicine. Spoke with many students, and stayed with a current student the night before. "
"Read up on DMU's website, talked to another friend who interviewed earlier"
"Read about the school on this site. Reviewed by application closely. The questions that the student's listed on this site really made a big difference and helped me really be prepared."
"Read over a few interviews from this site; researched info about des moines and the school online; said my prayers and ate my vitamins like all good Hulk-a-maniacs should."
"Looked at this site, the school's site, and read over all my essays and personal statement"
"amcas essay, 2nd application"
"Read about the school on their website"
"School's website, reviewed my application"
"SDN, mock interviews, read over secondary"
"SDN, DMU website and viewbook, Gevitz's book"
"Read personal statement, school literature"
"DMU website, studentdoctor.net, book on osteopathy."
"used this site and did some yoga (sarcasm)"
"this website, and the dmu website"
"Went through two mock interviews and used internet resources to find tips and feedback from other students. "
"SDN, went over my application, checked the school's website."
"SDN, reviewed aacomas, secondary, etc..."
"SDN Personal File"
"read my file and read comments on SDN"
"None"
"This site and the school's internet site."
"Read DMU website, SDN feedback, reviewed important medical issues"
"SDN, websites, personal statements, profile"
"I looked on here at questions, reviewed my personal ethics, as I knew there would be an ethical question of some sort, and I researched the school so I would have questions ready."
"I read through my personal statement & secondary application to DMU-COMS and read through the school's web site and info on this site."
"Looked at the web site."
"Facilities and the sense of community"
"Board scores"
"the community experience, an example of OMM, student testimonies of positive experience"
"Facilities are super nice"
"the students!"
"Culture of the school on top of the great board scores/residency placements, everyone was very friendly"
"The atmosphere and everyone I interacted with were super laid back and chill, great facilities"
"The friendly atmosphere. Just by having people smile at me helped in calming my nerves before the interview."
"Everyone was really laid back and every single person there loved it. They couldn't stop gloating about how great it was."
"Facilities were huge, they share a campus with four clinical programs (DO, DPT, PA, PT)."
"The facility is large and beautiful, very sunny and conducive to a positive learning environment. Everything seems relatively new."
"Very thorough questions, tailored to each applicant it seems like, you can tell they read your app well"
"The atmosphere of the school. Everyone was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the school."
"The tight-knit community, the OMM and anatomy lab"
"OMM lab, simulation labs, resources"
"Staff and students are all super nice and welcoming. Seems like a very friendly community. Day was planned really well. Facilities are awesome"
"Everyone was so welcoming and the school is very beautiful. I also enjoyed eating lunch with all the students in the main cafeteria area."
"Good facilities with a new focus on integrating technology, recorded lectures, good match statistics, Friendly students and faculty, Nice location (near downtown, cheap rent, good traffic)"
"The campus, the people, the Sim Labs"
"Facilities and the students"
"Students were all very welcoming, interviewer came up and complimented me on my interview afterwards. Staff and Faculty that spoke with us were awesome."
"They were so welcoming!! The facilities were great! The school was very clean. We met with current DMU students for lunch, and everyone was so friendly!"
"Facilities, student-teacher relationship, surgical skills lab, SPALs, how much they have their shit together in comparison to other schools"
"They seemed to really want to get to know me as a person"
"Students were very nice and wanted you to do well in your interview Interviewers were very relaxed, and it seemed to be more of a get-to-know-you conversation instead of an interview."
"the facilities"
"Collaborative environment; students help one each other and share study resources; teachers are accessible and helpful"
"tunnels connecting buildings"
"wrote down many questions to ask interviewers"
"The whole school (class rooms, libraries, location, city, students, professors)"
"Everything. The facilities are very nice compared to the other schools, the entire student body seems to be very friendly towards each other and to those visiting. The profs and admission people are very nice as well."
"Everything! I absolutely loved the school. Great student body, beautiful facilities, and Des Moines seems like a great place to live."
"The facilities are amazing, definitely a plus."
"Pretty much everything. The campus and facilities are really nice, and I really got the feeling that you will get a solid medical education there. I liked the sim labs and surgery skills labs. Lecture halls had outlets and internet ports so you can definitely bring a computer to class, and also all the lectures are recorded and available to students.The faculty in my interview were very positive and encouraging. I generally felt like they were rooting for me."
"I was seriously impressed with DMU. The interview day is structured well, and it's designed to be very low stress. Interviewees had ample opportunities to speak candidly with current students, and I really liked that transparency--it showed that DMU had nothing to hide."
"incredible friendliness of students, staff and interviewers. Random students just hung out to keep a group of us calm and relaxed while we were waiting our turns"
"Curriculum changes, surgery dept, sim lab, anatomy lab."
"The facilities were new and up-to-date."
"Each presentation was very informative, and the students were very open and friendly."
"Global health opportunities; electives; facilities are top-notch; helpfulness of the professors."
"Friendliness of students/faculty, curriculum, environment of the school, campus structure, surgical skills lab."
"The encouragement and friendliness of the current students at the school... "You in the suit, good luck today...""
"School's facilities"
"Friendly faculty, great community"
"The facilities are very nice, the students you get to interact with are so friendly and willing to answer anything you ask them, the faculty seem happy and interested in student success."
"The interview was relaxed, eventhough I had 4 people interviewing me! I had 2 professors and 2 students. Very friendly! And no weird/bad questions. I like that it was open file, so they had the opportunity to question anything they were concerned about instead of assuming or wondering. (they didnt ask me anything about grades/MCAT)"
"Everything, top choice so I loved every minute."
"facilities, surgical suite, friendliness of the students, reputation of the school"
"I really like the smaller town feel even though it is a large city. I also thought the resources and students at DMU were the best of any place I have interviewed so far"
"Quality of education"
"Honestly everything. They gave us an awesome binder with a lot of info in it with a notebook to use to take notes throughout the day. The faculty and all of the students were very happy and friendly. The facilities were very impressive as well as all of their technology."
"Everything."
"Staff enthusiasm, student friendliness & enthusiasm. Also the community mission to maintain academic excellence, clinical aptitude and humanistic physicians."
"Anatomy lab, simulation lab"
"The simulation center was awesome. they teach you aseptic technique & surgery skills in a P/F course which certifies you. The city is really safe, students talked about not locking their cars on a fairly regular basis. Also, the students and staff were really nice and seemed to be quite close as a class."
"Everything. The students were very laid-back and the facilities were wonderful."
"fairly laid back"
"Friendly faculty and administration. Students would come over and start conversations with me when I was just sitting by myself."
"Everything. There really is not a single negative aspect to this school."
"Everything - it is a really wonderful school. If I had to pick one thing it was the friendliness of everyone I encountered."
"campus buildings are very nice, especially sim labs and omm lab"
"The facilities are amazing, and there's lots of opportunity for hands-on learning and volunteering in the community."
"The facilities were nice, the students were friendly, and the staff rocked. I was floored by how much I liked it. This is at the top of my list now."
"Nice facilities, prepares students well for clinical rotations."
"It was a friendly place with great facilities."
"The school has amazing facilities, the staff are friendly and extremely helpful, and the student body seems incredible."
"Wow, I was NOT expecting anything special about DMU, but I was impressed from top to bottom, from the facilities, the people, the technology, their willingness to help you get to where ever you want to go in medicine, the exercise facilities, the cost of living in Des Moines... I've been to a lot of schools both MD and DO and this was the most impressive school overall."
"The fact that I've never had an interview with a surgeon that felt friendly and non-intimidating before this day. Also, the facilities are gorgeous and very high tech. Also, the binders they give you are just awesome. I still use the one I got in my classes."
"New facilities, nice faculty."
"The facilities and how genuine and kind everyone was."
"Nice facilities, connected, nice bball court and gym."
"The whole experience was really laid back. The facilities were great. All the students seemed happy and went out of their way to talk to us. The faculty and administrator were really approachable. The school really seems to have everything together."
"The OMM program and demonstration"
"Nice area of Des Moines, facilities rather nice, students appeared to be very supportive of each other - not as cut-throat as med schools seem to usually be"
"Everything! The school is amazing. I love the extra programs, and everyone was incredible friendly. "
"Sim lab, surg skills lab, when I interviewed the weather was awesome, West Des Moines area, that we get a computer that has all the notes synced to it for courses, friendliness of staff and students, underground tunnels connecting buildings, cheap living costs"
"The cozy building reminded me of Gryffindor with its color scheme. I really liked the technology they possessed in terms of birthing mother, and also their excellent dedication towards OMM."
"This school has it together. Excellent curriculum. Their facilities are amazing - esp the trauma man. They are one of the only DO schools that prepare you for surgical rotations. Great gym, intramurals, exercise classes. All of the students seemed happy and were approachable. Lots of emphasis on clinical medicine. Freedom with 4th year rotations. Very family friendly - you can have a plus one pass that allows access to gym and campus facilities for sig. other As for the city of Des Moines, I was very impressed. Seems like a fun bar scene. They have many business opportunities (significant others can get jobs) Lots going on : concerts, casino, farmers market, lots of outdoor sports - when weather permits! "
"How friendly they students were"
"Facilities"
"The school was beautiful. I loved the facilities and how technologically up-to-date the school is considering it is the second oldest DO school in the country. Also, everyone was very friendly. "
"Facilities were great. Overall the most positive thing was the atmosphere at the school. Everyone seemed genuinely personable and friendly. Supportive place."
"Great campus and amenities, cost of living is really cheap, overall philosophy of the school, friendly."
"The facilities especially the mock surgery room"
"facilities, non-competitive environment, happy students, underground tunnel system for the winter!"
"Facilities availble at the school: Surgical lab, Anatomy lab, etc."
"Enthusiasm and positive attitude of students, facilities facilities facilities (Surgery lab, anatomy lab, simulation lab, lecture halls, gym ), deans message to interviewing group. In general, was impressed time and time again throughout the day. "
"Surgery Lab, Simulator Lab, Friendliness of faculty and students, international medicine, etc."
"The school--facilities are amazing. Students are very friendly and open. Professors seem genuinely interested in students."
"just about everything. The facilities are great, the faculty seems friendly and available, and the students seem genuinely excited to be there."
"Facilities, enthusiasm of students, overall happiness of students, support from staff and faculty."
"The friendliness and happiness of everyone at DMU. It was clear that everyone, staff and student, was very happy to be part of DMU. The facilities are top-notch; particular the simulation labs."
"Facilities, friendliness of students and faculty"
"This school is absolutely amazing. you will get more than you can ask for at this school; wonderful facilities with simulation and surgery labs; committed professors who are open to students; great reputation and excellent board scores plus residency matches; global health; great curriculum, wireless campus, best OMM lab and facility I've seen (and i've been to 5 other schools), reasonable tuition, ample resources for scholarships"
"The amazing facilities, the solid reputation, the students all seemed very happy to be there and were excited about their future careers as Doctors."
"The campus was great, fantastic facilities, great students, and staff. The interview was very relaxed. The interviewers were helpful and didn't try to make you slip up"
"Facilities top-notch, simulation lab was great. Everything was state-of-the art."
"Everything about the school!! Amazing facilities, beautiful anatomy and OMM lab. I like the fact that OMM tables are all over campus and are constantly being used by students to practice techniques. Underground tunnels to avoid the unbelievably cold weather. Nice gym. I was impressed by the welcoming student body and the positive attitude of the faculty members. Interviewers seemed excited to meet us. "
"mannequins. definitely a plus"
"The facilities were amazing. The campus offers so many resources and leadership opportunities. Class is until 12 everyday with labs in the afternoons (not each day). "
"technology of school, facilities are by far the best I have seen"
"Friendliness of faculty and student body, Simulation Labs, possibility of doing International rotations in countries such as Asia."
"Staff and faculty are very friendly and encouraging. They don't try to sell you on the school as much as they challenge you to select the school that is best for you. Technology and facilities are amazing! The interview day is a great representation of the environment of the school. Interviews were more conversational rather than basic question-answer format."
"The emphasis on a collaborative environment among students and the availability/willingness to help by faculty."
"The technology and the community, this school was AWESOME. The students all seemed to be extremely impressed with the school and happy about the awesome faculty, community, and area."
"The weather seems nice, the trip was easy. Also the food was good (they had a salad bar, etc)."
"awesome facilities, students are friendly and seem genuinely happy to be there, non-competitive atmosphere, ability to TA classes, cost of living, the Des Moines area is surprisingly pleasant"
"The facilities and how friendly everyone was! I love the Sim Labs!"
"The facilities! The simulator lab, surgery lab, anatomy lab, and OMM labs were brand new and top of the line. The atmosphere of the school - I met so many students in addition to the tour guides because they were so eager to answer questions, gained lots of insight and information from them. "
"The SCHOOL---awesome facilities and surgical unit. You get to learn a lot in the 2nd year from the simulators they have. You will be very prepared with some of their technology."
"The student's relationship with the faculty, the technology on the campus, the enthusiasm of the students going there, the helpfulness of the students, the "newness" of the campus. "
"That campus is bad *ss. Seriously, those facilities are ridiculous. They really are something to marvel at. The sim lab, the surgery lab, the anatomy lab....wow. No doubt they prepare their students to be excellent physicians. Beyond that, the atmospher was great, the students were awesome, faculty and admissions people were all nice. AND the lunch was very good. Unlike some schools they just give you basically a blank check and you can get whatever you want from teh cafeteria. Basically a dream come true. Other schools give you like half a sandwhich and a bag of chips."
"The simulation lab was great! The technology was very new and high-end. Everyone there was extremely positive about the school and it made me feel very welcomed. "
"Friendly students, nice faculty"
"The school was nice and teaching tools were interesting and seem as if they'd be effective. Students and interviewees were very friendly. If the pool of interviewees are an indication of the incoming class, I would be happy there as (mostly) everyone was friendly and not cutthroat. "
"The facilities are absolutely AMAZING!!! There is a new trauma simulation lab where 1st and 2nd year people can go and practice all they want! Surgical training for pre clinical years is probably the best in the nation!!! I can really picture myself going to school with these students. Everyone was soooo wonderful and inviting. The faculty really seem like they want to teach you and help you out whenever they can."
"The facilities are very good, new. Technologically, it was the best osteopathic school I interviewed at. I like how tablet pc's are included in tuition. The patient simulator lab was interesting as well. I liked how the OMM fellows gave us a demonstration of their skills."
"The technology is amazing and the students were very friendly."
"The facilities really seemed top-notch."
"The facilities at DMU are top notch, a top of the line laptop and PDA are included in you tutition"
"The current students were very excited to be there and they have a great student culture! And, of course their simulation lab was impressive! The interviewers made the interview very stress-free and comfortable."
"The students seemed to be really happy and eager about the school; the facilities were really nice; impressive pass rate for board exams"
"surgical lab, dean is a surgeon, facilities are great, simulated computer patient,"
"The school's facilities were beautiful."
"The facilities seem impressive with state-of-the-art technology and a comfortable environment."
"The facilities were amazing. The student body and the professors were very friendly and inviting."
"the facility, Simulation lab & surgery lab."
"The facilities and campus are top notch! The students seemed happy and were very friendly."
"The facilites are second to none. Surgical skills lab, SPAL's. Lots of windows and comfy chairs everywhere. Professional envirnment, friendly, helpful staff and students "
"The students, I probably talked to 20 or 25 students throughout the 2 days I was there and they all seemed genuinely happy that they chose this school."
"Everything! AMAZING facilities! Surgery Lab Skills course. Global Health rotations. Beautiful campus. Very friendly students. SIM lab is AWESOME!!!"
"simulation labs, surgical suits"
"I loved the fact that the students were so excited about their school. THIS IS KEY! Everyone was very friendly. Since I was in the first group to interview, and didn't get a chance to tour the school with the other interviewees, a student volunteered to show me around. The facilities are BRAND new, and everything looks awesome. I think the academic building was built in 2005, but don't quote me on that. I love the fact that they have such awesome technology, and want to prepare students before they go for clinicals. The simulation lab, where they have a huge mannequin that can respond to drugs, has ''blood,'' etc. was awesome, as was the surgical lab where they teach you how to put on surgical wear and how to do simple procedures before you go out for surgery. They really want their students to be prepared."
"Amazing facilities, very new and updated (patient simulators, anatomy lab, performance assessment labs, surgical skills lab). There was a real sense of community there, and everyone was focused on helping you succeed in any way possible. The whole school also seemed to be very interested in promoting wellness."
"friendly community feel"
"the facilities, the campus is nice, the board scores and match lists are impressive"
"Everything, the overall facilities, the cohesiveness of students, faculty and admissions were super nice, the simulation lab and surgical lab."
"How genuine everyone was, and how much you seem to get exposed to so early on. Their Global Health program was also really interesting and unique. "
"labs and facilities, I mean simulation labs and surgical skills labs -- WOW!"
"Everything, the facilities are great and are also new. Their sim lab is amazing as well as their surgery lab. The students were very open and friendly."
"The surgical skills lab is incredible as is the patient simulation lab. The building is new and interconnected by tunnels for relief in the winter."
"The positive regard that all students held for the school's program. "
"new facilities; cheap housing; very friendly student body; safe town; cafeteria food is pretty good, too"
"Very nice people and Harvey is AWESOME!"
"Very nice facilities, all the students seemed happy and everyone seemed very positive and enthusiastic about DMU."
"friendly faculty/students, amazing facilities, great tour guide, a lot interaction time with students"
"The facilities were excellent"
"Facilities, students, curriculum, amount of clinical prep, gym, Des Moines area, cost of living"
"that this school really cares about their students. "
"very warm welcome both by the students and faculty"
"The schools facilites are A+ nice!"
"The sincerity with which the school expressed its concern toward the well-being and success of the students. The faculty was very involved during the day, and all stressed the importance of approachability. Also, the technology available to the students from lectures on the web, to the vast simulation labs. "
"The facilities are very nice along with the admissions staff."
"Great new-looking facilities, extremely nice students"
"The new construction shows that the school is going to have superior facilities!!!"
"facilities."
"The facilities are impressive...almost all the building have been built within the last 4-5 years and are state of the art! There are no undergrads at this institution!"
"Students and the campus"
"Politeness. Admissions, teachers, students, cafeteria workers, etc. were all very welcoming. "
"The campus was VERY nice and new. The basic surgery skills course was impressive. The small, community atmosphere. The students were really nice."
"Everything. The entire interview day shows you so much about the school that you seem to leave knowing exactly what it would be like to be a student there. It isn't a typical 'show you a few parts of the school' tour. "
"The facilities from the pre-surgical practice area, Harvey who teaches different cardiac rhythms, and how friendly everyone was."
"Everything"
"Great Facilities, nice area, friendly people"
"Facilities, technology, and an effort to always improve. "
"The facilities were unbelievable!!!! State-of-the-art everything!!!"
"campus is nice, the studnet education center is new and amazing. everyone is friendly. "
"The friendliness of everyone we met and the excitement of the students"
"The facilities were amazing. The students were extremely helpfull and kind."
"The facilities were absolutely amazing, everybody was so nice, all the students seem really happy to be there. They have amazing technology (all students get tablet laptops and pda's loaded with the course schedules). My student host was awesome too."
"Everything is brand new, literally. Harvey the heart simulator was really cool. People in the community are awfully nice."
"The facilities and how helpful everybody was at the school. Seems like students really care. Housing and the area is very reasonably priced too."
"The overall sense of community and welcomeness is saturated in everyone you meet. The demonstrations and tour of the facilities is great. This campus is STATE-OF-THE-ART!! And it is onle getting better. "
"pretty much everything - the new facility is amazing, the faculty we met were very nice, the students seemed to like it a lot... it just seemed like a great atmosphere. i liked that there is a lot of housing in the area that is reasonably priced."
"The facilities are first-rate. While I haven't toured every medical school campus, I dare say DMU's new facilities rival anything else out there. Students, both ambassadors and others just hanging out in commons, seemed happy at the school."
"I was impressed with the technology utilized, the new building expansions, and the strong OMM program."
"facilities, emphasis on students, warm and welcoming atmosphere, new surgical area is really impressive"
"Everyone was so friendly! The facilities are fantastic, and the students really seem happy with the education they are getting."
"The facilities were new and up-to-date. Students were enthusiastic, and the faculty were upfront about why their school is worth going to. Des Moines is a safe place to live and very affordable place to rent apartments/buy houses."
"The facilities! Also, the students were very friendly and willing to stop and talk to the interviewees."
"Everything. The students and faculty were amazing. They really made us feel at home and made it a low stress day. The facilities are also amazing and very student centered."
"The facilities are absolutely beautiful. The admissions staff and faculty members that I met were helpful and enthusiastic. I never felt like it was a "sell job" but thought that they are really proud of their school and wanted me to know what they had to offer."
"Great facilities and students were very positive about the school overall."
"Great...I mean...GREAT facilities. Brand new. People are just great too. Everybody makes you feel at home and want to be there. Location is nearly ideal. City is medium sized with the school on the south side of town. No parking Nazis. Cheap housing. OMM demonstration."
"Facilities (especially the wellness center) and affiliated colleges. Des Moines wasn't bad either."
"The campus and facilities are beautiful. The students are wonderful and willing to go out of their way to help."
"The facilities are second to none. Brand new buildings, all the students get brand new computers and pda's, very technologically advanced. Students are very nice."
"The facilities were awesome"
"Caliber of the faculty and students. The facilities were very impressive. I really like the location-good for a family guy like me."
"everything!"
"The facilities are TOP NOTCH, the best I have seen. There surgery lab is insane! I have seen about 6 schools already and this blew me away. The people were really friendly. All the buildings are connected by a tunnel."
"The facilities at the school are SECOND TO NONE. The simulator (Harvey) was truly amazing (DMU is one of 36 schools in the country with the simulator) and the lecture halls are VERY advanced (i.e. mp3s of all lectures are automatically downloaded to all student computers--which is provided by DMU)."
"DMU's new educational building(designed by students)and tunnel system is awesome. Nearly all labs and instruction rooms are being moved and replaced with new. Wellness center is better than many commercial fitness centers. Technology implementation is astounding. All lectures (complete with mp3 audio)are pushed to the students free laptop. Everybody I met today was friendly, enthusiastic, even randomly chosen student studiers were happy to talk."
"The students, faculty, and facilities!"
"Everything. The school has brand new buildings which are connected via an underground passage. They give you a lap top and a PDA as part of the tuition. No attendence policy, no dress code. Everyone was just truely amazing. I asked a question and they went out of their way to find the answer for me. Just a great school, not enough praise can be given. One-hundred and seven years old and it still continues to impress. "
"Nice facilities"
"Nice people, warm staff, nice facilities, nice labtops, casual dress code"
"The students seemed very happy, lots of smiles, facilities were great (especially the gym if you like working out), Des Moines was bigger than I had anticipated."
"Open-door policy, student centered focus, prodigious student resources, OMM training and top-notch facility, from lecture halls and wellness center to hands-on labs. Everybody was friendly and helpful. All the students I met were happy about their overall experience. The professors were exhilarating. They love what they do, and it shows in the way they teach and interact with the students."
"All the students and grads seemed very enthusiastic and felt like they absolutely made the right choice with coming to DMU. The school's very into OMM and even gave an OMM demonstration. They also have some neat classes like Chronic Care where you get to follow a chronically ill patient around and see what their life is like."
"The new facilities."
"The school itself has amazing facilities. I was not expecting the campus to be so beautiful! Everyone is nice, and honest! They admitted the negatives of the school, along with discussing the positives. "
"OMM excellent...family friendly...cost of living...good people in admin, and at interview"
"The honesty of all the students there, and how many people came down to Portland to try and give us a good view of their medical school!"
"Everything did...the people were great. The current students and faculty really wanted to make you feel comfortable throughout the day."
"The faculty, staff, and students were all very friendly and encouraging. The facilities are top-notch."
"Great facilities, student support is amazing, you receive laptop and pda as part of tuition, great faculty, very warm environment"
"Quality of the facilities"
"The facilities are brand new and the frienliness of the student and staff."
"The main classroom/cafeteria/study area/library facilities were brand new (completed in April '05). As well, the school seemed to be technologically equipped and had quite a few amenities including a surgery lab, Simulated Patient center, and new OMM tables."
"everything! the facilities are outstanding, esp. the surgical lab. plus, all the students I talked to were friendly and excitied about the school."
"The facilities were amazing, the students were extremely friendly, Des Moines is a nice place... everything was great."
"Everything!! I thought that DMU would be about #3 on my list. It was by far the best school I've interviewed at. It will be hard to beat. Now my #1 choice. The facilities are amazing! The staff is great! The students are friendly and you can tell they have a close class. I was blown away!!"
"Everything. The school was absolutely fantastic. The students were great, the lunch was great, Harvey was great, the tour was great, the OMM demonstation was great, and the facilities are top notch. Des Moines isn't as small as some may say. A larger city with a small town feel. Housing is reasonably cheap and the area is safe. This school WILL be a top prospect for many in the future with their new facilities and aggressive approach to medicine. Surgical lab was also fantastic. They want to train you as doctors, not just process you and get you out the door. Best of all, NO TRAFFIC!!"
"The facilities are fabulous. The students are VERY friendly - if they see you standing around they'll walk up to you and ask if you have any questions."
"The school itself is great! The facilities were excellent. I loved the school!!!"
"Great location, great campus with new buildings, great students who were willing to help, awesome classrooms, and really good statistics as a med school."
"The facilities are top notch. The buildings are very new and have a nice touch of warmth and welcome to them. The study areas and cafeteria are conducive to studying, socializing, or just plain relaxing. Their OMM program is top notch and the faculty and students are very friendly and helpful. OH YEAH, THE AMOUNT OF TECHNOLOGY IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING-EVERY STUDENT RECEIVES LAPTOPS AND PDAS WITH OUTSTANDING TECH SUPPORT!! Also this school prepares students realllly well for their 3rd and 4th year rotations by teaching basic surgical skills during the 1st and 2nd year. "
"Pretty much everything! Overall I felt welcomed and like they wanted me there. I liked the surgical skills lab and the small-city feel of Des Moines- not too big, not too small."
"The Facilities were amazing. Dr. Mueller was a great guy to meet with and he started the day off well. He really makes you realize that this day is nothing to worry about and to be yourself."
"FACILITIES...wow, really modern. I was dreading the 'city' location as I am more of a country person, but Des Moines is a pleasent surprise...traffic is not bad, the area is not too crowded, housing is affordable, etc etc etc. Excellent school. ALSO, EVERYONE HERE IS SOOOO NICE IT'S CRAZY!!"
"How nice the facilities are."
"The genuine friendly attitudes of everyone at DMU. Their new facilities are impressive."
"The friendliness and positive attitudes of all the people that I met."
"The campus is set on tree-lined Grand Ave. The new addition (while not complete at the time of my intervew) will be very nice."
"THEY HAVE A VERY NICE CAMPUS AND ENTHUSIASTIC FACULTY."
"The happiness of the students, the facilities, the surgery lab, the admissions staff and student services."
"The school has a strong reputation, a strong OMM program and places students in both MD and DO residency programs in a variety of specialty areas of medicine."
"The new building. It had the most student space I have seen at any school. Plenty of study rooms if you want to be undisturbed, comfy chairs if you prefer and plenty of room by the windows in the library."
"The building was nice and people were friendly."
"The OMM demonstration and suturing/surgical labs impressed me because these basic skills are addressed with comprehensive, step-wise education. The students, faculty and staff were positive and friendly. The new building is extremely well-planned to accomodate student needs yet also comfy-feeling and attractive."
"They are a great teaching facility, surgical skills lab and standardized patients."
"The facilitie were much more impressive in person. "
"Dr. Mueller gave the intro at the beginning of the interview day, and he was really encouraging. He really made DMU seem like the perfect place to study medicine."
"The faculty, the new facilities, and laptops and PDA's with tuition."
"Dr. Mueller"
"DMU is building a very nice new building that will be in use for next year's class. Also, I was approached by several students over the course of the day who were very enthusiastic in sharing their experiences."
"Everyone was very friendly, and very positive. The "students helping students" mentality. The new student center, to open in April '05."
"They have a really great program going. They do a fitness evaualtion while you are there and try to get you to improve your health. They also have a surgical prep area where they teach you how to suture stiches and scrub up for operations, before going on rotations. I have never heard of that before."
"students, faculty, facilities, board pass rates, etc etc. pretty much everything."
"The facility, warm welcome, friendly atmosphere."
"They have nearly completed a brand new building that will house most of the schools classes, library, gym, ect.. It was very nice."
"DMU's ultra-modern facilities. The campus is absolutely amazing and I wouldn't be surprised to see DMU become one of the top DO schools in the nation as a result of the institution-building they have engaged in."
"Admissions staff was very friendly and helpful - introduced themselves. Met with the assicoate Dean who was also very friendly and did his best to help us relax. They gave us plenty of time to speak with first and second year students."
"The Assoc. Dean - Dr. Mueller I think his name was"
"Iowa is beautiful and the people there are beyond nice. The malls are gorgeous; the Botanical Gardens are breathtaking; the environment at DMU is student-friendly and the teachers are open; Everyone is happy and willing to help you; There was a student peer program where you can stay with first and second year med students who take you under their wing. They're building a new beautiful building with a huge gym. The housing is affordable. The colors of the school are purple and gold. Their OMT is phenomenal and there are many research opportunities there. After finding out what DO school is all about, I wonder why anyone would ever want to go to MD school."
"Pretty much everything. The new facility is going to be amazing. The professors and staff are really approachable and seem to really want to interact with the students. There seems to be an effort to innovate the curriculum and make the school as user-friendly as possible. The physical diagnosis class during the winter of year 1 is pretty cool too. "
"Friendliness of staff and students. Great experience staying with a current student. Stellar facilities. Great technological support. Entire program seems very responsive to students and their needs. I was pretty much blown away by the experience - it will be hard to beat."
"The poker face of the interviewers, I could not read them at all"
"Campus - new building opening in May. Students - Very friendly Professors - All the profs we met I really liked!"
"The new student educational building being built"
"new student center; the big wigs really made an effort to introduce themselves to us. The dean spoke to us for about 20 minutes"
"The faculty"
"OMM demonstrations, student panel, lunch."
"How happy the students are! The school is very High Tech"
"The student body is very supportive of eachother and the faculty is available to help the students in any manner."
"The dedication the faculty seems to have to the program and students, especially the time given to patient stimulations early on in the program."
"Starting with Becky Grissom and Tom Mueller, our day couldn't have started on a better note. These two "sanguine" personalities where just marvelous. Their banter started off the day with an upbeat, informative, and "relaxing" touch. These two individuals are a huge asset to DMU. Besides the duo, we were impressed with the new building, the strong OMT department, and the student-centered philosophies of the school. "
"how nice everyone was and that they were really interested in getting to know me better."
"Just about everything did. I couldn't believe how friendly the staff, faculty, and students were (but I guess it IS the midwest...). They really made an effort to make you feel welcome and part of the school. The facilities are outstanding and the new student center which will be completed next spring will be AWSOME! Their OMM department is one of the best and they have that really cool cardiology simulator "Harvey." Also the campus is located in a nice area. Definately my #1 choice right now."
"Very friendly and comfortable environment. Kept hearing how everyone there was "trying to sell" their school, but I walked away feeling that they really do care about making you feel welcome."
"Friendliness of current students"
"It is true that they are VERY friendly on this campus. They really make you feel welcome and take off the competetive between applicants. They also provide you with a free lunch-the food at the cafeteria is really good. They only charge ten dollars for parking a year, and the parking is like 10 feet away from the building. Reasonable tuition for a private school. Good wireless laptops included in tuition. Lots of affordable housing. I didn't find anything that I didn't like. I asked many students if there was one thing they could fix or change about the school, what would it be. A couple said the construction had been kind of a pain-but it will be completed in May, no one else had anything to complain about. The new building is awesome, the old facilites are very nice. Apparently the school has an unparalled OMM program. The workout facilities have a locked door that you can enter by swiping your ID card, and it has many treadmills each has its own cable TV and earphones! Spouses get free membership to the gym-and everyone lets in their boyfriends/girlfriends, without it being a problem. They spend a lot of time explaining their curriculum, student clubs, life in Des Moines-you aren't left feeling like "what is this school environment like?" I left feeling like I would be very comfortable in such a supportive environment."
"The positive atmosphere on the campus, and how well everyone got along."
"The new building is going to be fabulous! Plus, everyone was genuinely interested in me. They made me feel like they truly wanted me to be at their school. Also, the SPAL and OMM programs are amazing."
"During thier selling of the school, which was from 8am to 1pm, they provided a ton of useful information. Usually, I'm more skepitcal of a school that sells itself, but they must have done a good job."
"Small OMT class groups divided into lab sections. Wireless internet. Laptop provided. Relaxed atmosphere"
"Very nice faculty and students. Didn't seem that the students were overly ambitious (by that I mean it seemed as if the school fostered a community atmosphere)."
"How friendly all the students and staff were. Everyone was very open and welcoming."
"Atmosphere, students, and faculty for sure - very competent"
"The facility will be beautiful once the construction is complete in 2005. Des Moines has quite a bit to offer for a city its size. The 4th year student who performed the OMM demonstration was very impressive. Parking only costs $20 per year. Diverse student body drawn from all over the country, and everyone seemed friendly."
"No doubt the students. Friendly, open, eager"
"Great comradery amoung the students. Very friendly staff and professors."
"Friendly atmosphere, will have a new fitness facility in a year, demonstration of OMM"
"The friendly administration, staff, and students. Construction of new facillities and the new Dean is a practicing surgeon at Mercy."
"friendly and very helpful students and faculty, great OMM program, very informative sessions, wireless campus, low cost of living and convenient housing, able to stay with students before the interview"
"the admissions committee was very helpful and organized. The students seemed happy to be there and nice enough to let you stay at their place the night before the interview. Also, you get a laptop and PDA ($ included in tuition) as a 1st year."
"Not one thing, Des Moines is a dump full of horrible people."
"students, free food"
"Everyone was so friendly."
"The focus on fitness and student well-being. Also, how close the school is to apartments and downtown. They seem to really care about their students and everyone(incl. faculty)was very friendly."
"You get a laptop and they are up to date with the new technology."
"The friendliness of the students, faculty, and staff"
"Very student oriented, free primary care, freelabtops and pda's (included in the cost of tuition, nothing is really free!) Almost everything. Asked about problems with 3rd and 4th year stuff, they have new people in charge of that department, so it is getting fixed."
"Newer facilities, friendly students, great OMM."
"The Dean himself came and talked to us and answered questions for nearly an hour. The facilities are excellent. The school seems to provide truly excellent support/advising for its students. The admissions staff were thoughtful, knew who we were, and were very helpful. Housing is very cheap. Faculty are truly interested in teaching and helping students succeed."
"Safe town, affordable housing, student seem very happy."
"This school has an excellent OMM program, facility, and faculty. Overall, they seem to care about the students. Very informative and answered all questions. **Stay with a student if you can. Aside from saving $ on a hotel room, I could ask any and all questions without any b.s. Oh, and ask your "important questions" to more than one person to get different opinions. Also, the students get a laptop & pda (however, the technology fee of $1,050 is charged for all 4 years). "
"Use of technology evidenced by the Harvey cardiac simulator, wireless PDA's and laptops, and cameras and monitors in the anatomy lab (along with available recorded dissections to watch)."
"The students form a very close-knit, cohesive group. I think they really go out of their way to help one another. Also, the OMM teaching is really top-notch. If that is the main reason you want to become an Osteopath, this school is your school."
"The campus has a great OMM program. The facilities are among the best. The people were very midwest, meaning polite and eager to talk and laugh with anyone who will listen. Some students came in and did a demonstration of OMM on a staff member. They mentioned that the second year students choose as a whole class what prep course for the COMLEX 1 boards they want and the university pays for it (600 dollars a head usually). "
"The students seemed to be extremely happy, unlike many schools I've been to. Everyone was laid back and not too stressed out. Also, they used to have a problem with paperwork during residency but that is fixed now because a new person is head of that department. overall it was awesome."
"Friendly atmosphere."
"Everyone was so friendly! On the interview day, the staff and students really go out of their way to make you feel welcome."
"everything! This school is amazing, admittedly not for the location, but because of the people. Right from the start, a professor who recognized that I was interviewing escorted me up to the admissions office! Everyone, admissions staff, students, faculty, grounds keepers, everyone was soooo friendly. Is this a midwest thing? The interview day was the most organized one I attended. Everything was set up to make us feel welcome and informed. I left feeling like I had made new friends! I also left telling myself that if I got in I'd cancel all my other interviews and go there. This school is definitely well organized with a fast turn around time. The people there really make the school run beautifully. Did I mention they invited all the interviewees to their halloween party?!"
"I'm from the Midwest, so I wasn't surprised at the "niceness" of the students. I was, however, surprised that so many had time to take us on tours, eat lunch with us, answer our questions, etc. In general, I loved the comments some of the students made, such as, "I've never regretted choosing DMU." and "I make priorities to enjoy activities outside of school." I was also very impressed by the demonstrations and tours that made me feel like my day was well spent and that they weren't just inviting me solely for an interview. It seemed that they were as interested in my learning about their school as they were in learning about me. "
"OMM presentation, friendliness of everyone from admissions staff, to current students, to faculty, 20th largest medical school (of MD and DO) but TA to student ratio is 1:2, high percentage of pass rate on NMLE and class gets to choose board review program (included in tuition)."
"The school seemed to be very technology-oriented. In particular, I was really impressed with the standardized performance assessment labs (SPAL) and Harvey demonstration. It seems that they really stress clinical skills and that's really great. I really enjoyed the OMM fellows' demonstration as well. Also, everyone there is extremely friendly and very proud of DMU. The atmosphere is very laid back."
"The overall warmth of the place, everyone was enthusiastic and happy about DMU."
"The students and staff are SUPER nice. Everyone was genuinely interested in me as a person. Many (at least 15) students came up to me and chatted about the school and told me how laid back and non-competitive it is. The facilities are great and getting better. Great anatomy lab! Awesome OMM program. Campus small and everything close by. There were no snobby academic types anywhere!!!! Cool folks"
"Facilities, new computer and palm pilots for every student, OMM was Awesome, Faculty was Fantastic, students seemed to love the school"
"The friendliness of both students and faculty. They really seem to enjoy their school immensely and have fun while learning. "
"very friendly people, seems like very supportive environment"
"The people, the people, the people. They were all nice and friendly. The city is bigger then I thought it would be and seems like it's not boring. The technology at the school, the faculty and pretty much everything else."
"Very mellow campus. Friendly atmosphere."
"The overwhelming freindliness, options for clinical rotations during 3rd and 4th years"
"Everyone one of the students was genuinely excited about the school. They kept dropping in to admissions to talk to students. The amount of enthusiam was incredible. Everyone in the Admissions department was terrific. You came away feeling like they would do everything in their power to make sure that you suceeded. They actually bring in companies to help you study for your boards at the end of the second year. The all course of study is student geared."
"The day was well-planned...if a bit redundant. I really didn't need to have researched the school, b/c they went over everything I could have wanted to know throughout the course of the day. I was most impressed, however, by a presentation on what OMM is, given by the chair of the OMM dept. "
"The staff and students were sooo nice. I was made to feel very welcomed and comfortable. Staff encouraged us to talk with students about the program."
"friendliness of the people at DMU and Des Moines"
"Nothing"
"The staff and students are amazinlgy friendly! Everyone was very nice and more than willing to share information with us."
"Everything! The faculty members were sooooooo nice! The school has great facilities and the students were extremely helpful. The school is in a nice area with lots of apartments across the street."
"Everything, I really liked the feel of the school. Great OMM program. Very high board pass rates."
"Friendliness and cooperation of student body and faculty"
"The faculty is amazing, very open, sincere, and caring. The students seem very happy and the atmosphere seems very conducive to learning."
"AThe students and faculty were very nice"
"The students were really friendly and helpful. The OMM clinic is impressive."
"The staff really seems to care about students and their concerns. "
"Friendliness of the students and the school overall. Students came over and chatted with all the interviewees during lunch, and over all, appeared very enthusiastic and proud of their school."
"The admissions staff, faculty, and students. They made me feel at home. "
"The students are happy and very helpful"
"how down to earth, sincere, and friendly the students and faculy were"
"The friendliness of the faculty and staff. Even the dean was there to dine with us. "
"The Chairman of the Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine department gave us a quick brief on the many uses of OMT, very impressive! Stated that MD schools are starting to teach OMT to its students, under the course name of "Bio-Mechanics". Des Moines is a very nice city, extremely clean and progressive, definitely not "Hickville, USA". Would be a great city to raise a family. To choose between UHS-COM and DMU would be difficult. Both boast a 96% COMLEX Part 1 pass rate."
"The friendly atmosphere and the fact that every student I had contact with (not just those scheduled by the school to meet with us)loved the school. It was very common for students to just stop by and start a conversation with any of the interviewees. I was also impressed by everyone's enthusiasm for the OMM program. The Standardized Performance Assessment Labs were impressive as well."
"The students"
"Students that had nothing to do with the tour or anything came up to us to tell us their interview story or to tell us how great the school is. Everyone is SUPER friendly and they clearly love the school. "
"The SPALs (patient assessment labs) (though seeing the exam rooms was not an official part of the tour). Also, OMM is taken very seriously at DMU-COMS."
"The friendliness of the school."
"Iowa"
"Located in urban area and rotation sites"
"Almost nothing, I suppose rent would be a little high (for Iowa which isn't saying much) in that area of town"
"There were first year students that complained about rotation being a lottery. for an established school. It didn't bother me that much though but it was still off-putting"
"The interview was very rigid. They would ask a question, I would give my response, and they would move on. It was not conversational at all."
"I didn't feel like the school had tried to recruit us as students as much as other schools had, although they are a great school so maybe they just don't think they need to. The student body was huge, at least it felt big."
"The cafeteria seems to be decently expensive."
"Location"
"Nothing, I really enjoyed the school."
"Location since it's far from home and there doesn't seem to be much immediately outside the Des Moines area, the climate (although it sure beats east coast blizzards)"
"Library closes too early"
"Nothing. School was awesome, all staff and faculty I had interactions with were awesome."
"location wasn't so bad, but it is very far from home"
"Got myself worked up for no reason"
"There was a slight wait between the tour and the interview, depending on what your interview time was."
"one interviewer looking bored"
"information overload from ambassadors"
"No much, but my interviewers did not know the answers to some of my questions..."
"Lack of computer based testing to prepare for boards"
"I wish they would tell us a list of their clinical sites. Even if the sites change from year to year, I still think it is important for us to have an idea of what the options will be."
"I have no criticisms."
"The interview was not as relaxed as I was told, but my interviewer was considered a tough one by current students."
"Rotations at away hospitals; may have to travel or move."
"Overemphasis on OMM, not enough research emphasis."
"The lack of nearby hospitals for third year rotations. This likely means you will have to move in your third year."
"Had to sit and wait 2 and a half hours for my interview."
"Nothing, I think everything was great."
"The weather. It was mid teens while I was there. I come from Cali so those winters would be brutal"
"Wish the curriculum was system based"
"The financial aid presentation was not very useful or energetic"
"The lack of diversity in the student body and in the city itself. At least 85-90% of the students are Caucasian. Also, no affiliated hospitals for 3rd & 4th yr rotations. Also that you are ranked by a percentage system (essentially, no letter grades but percentages)."
"No swimming pool. :/"
"Weather and cafeteria."
"Lots of clinical roations are away. Which is sad but a very real part of any medical education."
"No affiliated hospital."
"I felt a little shuffled around during the tours."
"I just wish they had a little more diversity, and some racquetball courts."
"nothing, I've read alot of interview feedbacks, but I mean it, the school has very little drawbacks, if anything is its distance from your hometown, unless you are from Desmoines :)"
"The fact that parents were allowed to accompany students on their interviews. it just made for more people to compete with in asking questions of the staff or talking with current students."
"Gym was weak, most of the students looked depressed (more than usual)"
"I ran out of time in my interview; I could have asked so many more questions!"
"Tiny anatomy lab for as many students as they have. Shared classes with POD and PA students = HUGE lectures. Many students, no formal rotations, weird interview format. Little research going on, didn't seem that "academic" to me."
"There was very little visible diversity... Iowa..."
"The atmosphere of the whole day was like you were being juded by everyone you met."
"Public transportation in Des Moines lacks"
"Hearing what the winters are like, that the COMLEX 2 scores were about at the national average and not above"
"Less structured 3rd and 4th year."
"weather, so far from home (no direct flights). Limited research experience. "
"Des moines' weather."
"Nothing at all!"
"Parts of the interview were intimidating, but everyone was still nice (an enjoyable interview overall). Class size is pretty big. Winter."
"The tourguides."
"class happy, no serious complaints, new facilities, no strict attendance, mp3 and ppt lectures online, computer and ipod covered by tuition, Huge clinic on campus, great gym, cheap rent nearby."
"we were only able to talk to around five 3rd and 4th year students, which is understandable since they are doing rotations elsewhere "
"Rotation options during 3rd and 4th years. "
"Professor jabbing me about science GPA for about 3 questions."
"the cold."
"Nothing really -- it would have been great to meet some DMU 3rd and 4th years and get their perspective on the clinical opportunities of DMU. "
"Absolutely nothing, excellent university."
"Nothing. The whole experience was great!"
"nothing :)"
"They stoic and stern interview where each member of the panel asked fair but difficult questions and then continued to ask "and if that doesnt" work to each question with no emotional feedback from them. This made me feel unwanted, that they did not care to get to know me and it was a firing line to gain admission. "
"Nothing, I have nothing negative to say. This is the nicest campus and facilities out of any school I have been to, MD/DO"
"Its in Iowa. I'm not sure if the rotations are setup well. I think thats why they have invested in the simulation labs because the students have limited real world exposure in Des Moines. They are planning to make 3rd years stick around in Iowa so I really have doubts about the rotations. "
"nothing. One of the other interviewers asked a student what she thought was one of the negatives about DMU. She and another student couldn't think of anything. "
"their acceptance process. financial aid talk was not too impressive"
"Some of the tour guides seemed unenthusiastic, especially compared to CCOM. The campus on a whole didn't seem as social and warm as I would have liked. "
"difficulty of obtaining competitive residency as d.o."
"It was the first snow of the year, which made driving conditions extremely not favorable! Also, the 5 to 1 cadaver to student ratio seemed a bit large, but they do say it cuts down on the amount of work per person."
"The financial aid representative was a bit crabby. Borrowing money is already stressful enough."
"I don't love cities, so Des Moines is a little big for me. The campus itself is in a very residential area of the city, so it isn't that big of a drawback. I'm pretty much guarenteed to end up in a big city for med school anyway."
"Pretty much nothing, the day went kinda long so i was kinda tired by interview time."
"The students I talked to didn't seem very academically serious. I was a bit suprised by this because of all the good stuff the pre-osteos say on SDN. It seemed like everyone (even the faculty) I talked to had an inferiority complex. This is the first DO school I interviewed at, so maybe this is a DO thing in general and not specific to DMU. The students called MDs "Manipulation Deprived" and they all said they got into the University of Iowa but decided on DMU (despite the tens of thousands in extra tuition). I just had a hard time of taking these students seriously. I thought that all I wanted in a school was somewhere where I could become a doctor. Today, I decided that I also want to go to a school with students and faculty who are happy to be at their school and don't have a chip on their shoulder."
"clinical rotations in the past were all away from Des Moines, but now they are establishing a lot of opportunities in the Des Moines area"
"The cornfields surrounding Des Moines."
"My student interviewer was cold and unfriendly - he didn't seem interested in learning more about me as an applicant. The financial aid presentation was useless - they didn't provide any information in addition to what was posted on the DMU website. "
"The idea of lengthy days of lecture. Also, during clinical years you might have to pack up and move to Michigan, Ohio, or some other Midwest state not named Iowa."
"My interview a little. I didn't do so well I think. But I guess they were fine. They asked great questions. "
"I wish it had been decent weather so I could have walked around outside. Really the only negative and the ONLY reason that would keep me from coming to this school is that its in Iowa. Seriously, pick up DMU and put it in california and I'd sign my soul (maybe). Its gonna be tough gettin over that weather barrier tho. "
"A couple of side comments post-interview. "
"That they claim to be a "small school" but boast a very large class ~220. Seems a bit conflicting. Some classes have mandatory attendance. "
"The school, students, and curriculum are amazing. The facilities are world class. However, I don't like the fact that i may have to travel to another state or city to do clinical rotations. I still have appehensions about being discriminated as a DO when it comes to residencies."
"The interview group I was placed in was very aggressive. I disliked how one of the interviewers thought he had a license to badger me with various ethnic questions because he was Indian too. Most of the questions asked were designed to probe for weakness rather than learn about any of my positive characteristics. In addition to being high-pressured, the interviewers were rude. There were a few instances of inappropriate laughter. One interviewer made unnecessary comments such as "typical" and "unremarkable" to describe my accomplishments. I have not idea why they felt the need to ask if I was ever bullied as a kid. The interview left me feeling uncomfortable and insulted. "
"The interview. All day I had heard that it was going to be laid back and friendly. It was not! "
"No OMM demonstration as that part of the day was not planned well at all."
"Student ambassador loved being at the school but didnt seem to keen on interacting with us"
"Its cold in Des Moines!"
"Nothing about the school really, just the cold weather"
"straight lecture format w/o PBL, snow/rain,"
"The interview."
"I didn't like that they supply students with laptops, because I'd rather use my own instead using my tuition to pay for that program."
"Nothing! Des Moines isn't too bad either."
"It's in Des Moines, cold, wet and snow. the new building wont open till spring '05. The first year leacture hall is one giant level room with idividual high school like desks."
"Their COMLEX pass rates are the lowest of the schools I've interviewed at thus far...but they're still above the national average, so it's not really that negative of an attribute."
"small clinic. Also, have to travel for clinical rotations."
"A lot of students are from the midwest, and I don't know that the school is necessarily ''uber-diverse.''"
"The interview. The whole day was very relaxed with everyone saying how low-stress the interview is. However, my interview seemed like an interrogation, where they asked a question, I answered and then there was an awkward silence. They really focused on my research experience and why I wanted to go into medicine rather than research. Also a lot of healthcare questions (medicare, medicaid, etc.)."
"lack of diversity"
"Nothing really. Well, some of the students were a little snobby."
"I would like there to be more patient contact in the first two years. I was very impressed otherwise."
"Des Moines"
"it's a smaller city from where I am from, and I'm a city person"
"That there is really no clinical experience or preceptorship programs the first two years."
"Just the one interview question about biochem and the fact that biochem is not a required course for admission. Plus, it's a heck of a drive from home. There was also limited parking that day."
"10 people per cadaver. "
"nothing really...quiet town?"
"very long morning..but it was still great, there really wasn't anything I didn't like about the school!"
"The area around Des Moines is pretty dull"
"too much selling the school"
"Des Moines is a hole."
"I quite honestly can't come up with anthing negative about the school. "
"The interview was with 4 people around a fairly large table so it was very 'cold' and uninviting. The interviewers also did not segway their questions at all so it felt choppy. The 'observing' student interviewer who was not supposed to ask questions actually asked questions, which wasn't bad (one of the more enjoyable questions), but just be aware that that may happen. "
"The class size can be overwhelming, esp. considering that you share some classes with DPM, PA, and PT students. Also, you share your cadaver b/w 2 4-person groups."
"N/A"
"population <500K ~50% class married w/ kids very small diversity level huge class sizes"
"I had some hints of things I didn't like. For instance...admission presentation outline how they can help us develop better study habits, and that many of their students need help with that. I kept thinking to myself...jeeze I hope not, as applying med student, having got through some tough undergrad courses/ the MCAT...I think I know how to study by now! Also listening to admissions department try and defend class sizes of 215 DO's plus sharing some class's w/ PT's, PA's, etc. I can deal with these class sizes, but it isn't a positive."
"far from home"
"No hospital on campus, only a clinic. The clerkships were not guarenteed to be in Des Moines. Not much research at the school."
"Only that it seems like there isn't a wide diversity of students there, like other DO programs seem to have. Most appeared to be in their 20's and from the midwest."
"3rd and 4th year rotations could be quite far from campus, large class sizes, over-reliance on students to teach/assist"
"Had to drive 4 hours to get there!"
"No pass/fail grading system."
"Some of the lectures are very big (mixed classes with Podiatry students so ~315), No affiliated hospitals so a lot of the Year 3-4 rotations are away (~500 miles)"
"They were taking photos of people for their literature. The only person I saw wearing scrubs was a girl staged to walk across the common area. Not very cool. DMU could sell itself without all of the flare."
"CLASS SIZES IS 215 FOR EVERY MEDICAL SCHOOL CLASS!!! Plus, I thought that the grading system was quite competitive despite what students said"
"Hard to say, really the day is full of positivity and optimism. I had trouble getting anything out of the students that is negative. The thoroughness of the tours, presentations, and student's advice left it hard to fire questions back at the interviewers."
"nothing really. even though for unknown reasons I was in a very bad mood the day of the interview, i didn't come away from it with anything bad to say about the school"
"Cost and the fact that I was only interviewing for the wait list."
"It may not be significant, but the low class attendance."
"nothing, I think Des Moines is a great place to live"
"The morning was very informative, but I think it could have been condensed a little more."
"The presentation about student activities were given by the director of student services. I felt that she only gave the positive aspects of student life and not a holisitic appraisal. Plus don't expect much in down town Des Moines--though there are lots of buildings, apparently night life is not as exciting (and this was on a Friday night when I went exploring!)"
"I can't think of a thing. The two drawbacks to the program include the lack of clinical experience in years 1 & 2 and the utilization of almost exclusively lecture/lab teaching methods. "
"The lack of research. That can be a positive because they are focused on education, but I think a lot can come from doing research."
"Nothing, really. I was impressed by the quality and character of the students. "
"Constant bombardment by staff/students trying to "sell" the school. Very cumbaiya-la-di-da. Almost cult-like."
"Some students told us that by the end of semester some of the class attendences decrease from like 130 to 20."
"The hills of 31st street. Seriously. I went there on a 4 degrees F day and luckily there was no ice on this hill. I can see major pileups at the bottom of 31st street or a car never making it up the hill...Actually the hills were quite nice compared to super flat Illinois where I'm from."
"I didn't get to see the surgery lab."
"The morning session was way too long and boring, dmu is good blah blah blah blah for 4 hours. No breakfast! Des moines is not the best city to live in. In fact, in the winter, it would be horrible. on a side note, ever noticed that "negatively impressed" doesn't make any sense? an oxymoron, really..."
"Not much student contact, it just seemed strange and I don't know why"
"We were constantly encouraged to talk to students while there, but the highly structured day didn't really permit much interaction with many students. The tour was given by admissions staff, not students. Would have like to see more of the campus, like the library, anatomy labs, etc. These weren't really negative impressions, but something I would have liked."
"Des Moines is kind of small."
"Weirdly, nothing. "
"location...I'm a big city kinda gal."
"Seriously, the interviewers in Portland were horrible. They showed me why there is still a stigmatism against D.O.'s when they drilled me on why I was applying MD. Because I wanted to get accepted somewhere, leave me alone. You can't make a choice by just reading and shadowing, you have to go and feel if the school is right for you."
"Three on one interview is kinda intimidating. Minimal amount of things to do in the city Orientation went on longer than expected, I barely had time to eat before rushed into my interview"
"Nothing in particular. I'm from the midwest so living in Des Moines doesn't bother me. If you're from LA and love warm weather, this isn't the place for you."
"Nothing big. Students do generally have to relocate for clinical years, but I already knew that. I haven't actually been to Des Moines yet because the interview was in Portland, so I can't comment on that."
"Location."
"The length of the day, I wasn't done until after 3pm. I was too tired by the time of my interview, and felt that I did poorly because of this. A morning interview would have been helpful. Also, would have liked to see the anatomy labs, but apparently we weren't "allowed" because we weren't students. I didn't get to meet the dean or president whom I hear so much about."
"Nothing at all"
"I don't think I can come up with anything better then it is in IA, where the weather is a quite a bit different then where I live now. (I live in a very warm climate)"
"Having to do 3rd and 4th year rotations around the country."
"for clinicals, some students will have to leave the Des Moines area."
"The fact that the campus was not accessible 24 hours a day. Usually most medical school campuses have something that is open 24/7 however DMU did not."
"nothing, it was great!"
"Honestly... not a dang thing."
"The interview. It was more like a trial. A dark room with a single light above my chair would have almost been a warmer experience. Dry question asked, question answered. Followed by three stoney faces staring back at me and 20-30 seconds of silence. Every question. Absolutely out of sync with the rest of the day."
"How rude the interviewers were. They were very cold and never smiled. Dr. Crisp told me that I have just floated through life and that everything that has happened to me has just flowed and fallen in line for me; she then said it seems that I have never had any difficulties in life. Before she could further her insults I corrected her and asked her how she knew that? I then continued by telling here that she was dead wrong in her assumptions. She knew nothing about the struggles in my life. I have had plenty and explained a few so she could get the picture. I guess she doesn't know that ASSumption makes you... well look like just that, an ASS. They also acted throughout the interview as if I couldn't handle going to school there. Interesting because they invited me to their campus I didn't invite myself. Finally they asked if I had any questions (which I had plenty all printed out) so I started asking them questions. The Student couldn't answer a basic question that I had asked her so I saved her the embarrassment and moved on. I asked one more and then all of a sudden before I could finish Dr. Crisp cut me off and told me my time was up. They didn't even let me ask all of my very relevant questions!!! Dr. Crispy critter don't ask me if I have questions when you really don't care if I have any! I hate fake people."
"I wished there was a D.O. in the group of interviewers or at a physician. "
"Nothing at all."
"I kept trying to think of "cons" about the school, but really couldn't think of anything major. I would have liked to have seen the cadaver lab during the tour."
"I accidently ended up in a bar in downtown which was full of drag queens... didnt really negatively impress me but it was a little bit strange. Not quite what I was expecting. "
"Not a single thing...you will be surprised if you have the "corn-fields" conception of Iowa. I am going to miss it when I return to MA tomorrow! Well, the DO students do take preclinical classes with the DPMs...but no biggie."
"They didn't talk about finances as much as I would have liked."
"The process took an entire day (complete with childish 'group-photo' time) for only a 30 minute interview - at times it felt like a being sold a time-share. "
"Nothing really."
"Des Moines is a smaller metropolis, it is up and coming and there are areas of the city that are more up to date than others, but it is still a small city."
"The area itself. I was not expecting anything like NY or LA but from what I saw there was not enough to offer a life outside of school. I feel that distractions are necessary to help balance studying and maintaining one's sanity. "
"There was no tour. We saw none of the school's facilities. But we were constantly told how awesome everything was. Well, if everything is so good then why wasn't it shown to us?"
"location is not ideal but what in life is."
"Lack of diversity."
"The interviews itself seemed to "staged," and they didn't seem to be interested in really getting to know me but rather getting answers to fill out the paper work for the interview. "
"Lack of clinical time before years 3 & 4."
"politics of school.....stressed out students - "
"I did not feel like I really "connected" with all of my interviewers. "
"The town. The people of Des Moines are very nice and friendly. But I didnt realized how small it was. It would be condusize to studying. "
"not a damn thing!"
"That you may have to travel for your rotations (I have a wife and baby and leaving for weeks at a time does not sound too good)"
"Lack of MS3 and MS4 students present. The morning Student Services information session dragged on and on and ooon! "
"It seemed like they were trying to 'sell' the school and Des Moines. Also, what happened to the Director of Admissions I've been talking to for a year. Are they trying to hide something? It was hush hush"
"Nothing, except some of the other interviewees in our group were gunners... they looked down at everyone else and even the school, just because they thought they were better (heavens knows why some ugly people have to make themselves even uglier by their personalities). Other than that no, nothing about DMU was bad."
"I guess the lack of rotations in a centralized area (hard to avoid with a D.O. program)"
"Zilch."
"see above, I really didn't know if they liked me or not"
"Nothing!"
"The morning was a little long with many speakers"
"too many speakers. very long morning"
"Some of the students were a little overeager to sell the school, more than even the faculty. I guess that could be a good sign."
"The school doesn't have an undergrad"
"There were several informational sessions in the morning which weren't eye opening and really unecessary."
"The clinical staff doesn't seem to be involved in too much research."
"It is not a school without its weaknesses (the anatomy lab was decent but not on the level of some of the newer labs in the country) and the lecture halls left a little to be desired. 200 students seems a TOO LARGE for my comfort but it might not be so bad. The students repeatedly mentioned that they thought it wasn't a big deal at all."
"construction"
"Obviously Des Moines isn't the most happening place to be, with less than desirable weather. But it's really a nice small sized city. Other than that nothing negatively impressed me."
"Iowa is a completely different world than Ft. Lauderdale, FL!!"
"Its in Iowa"
"Nothing. Well, the morning is pretty long. At first I thought it would be better tohave the interviews out of the way first, but they provide a lot of info that is useful to you for the interview, such as "why DMU" and "what do you look for in a medical school" and "how do you think you would like life in Des Moines."
"The joint labs with podiatry students. No DO interviewed me!"
"Contruction on the freeway is going to take a long time to complete. Interviewed by PhD's and student, not a D.O."
"Interview is in the afternoon after lunch and presentations. Would have enjoyed my experience more if I could have had the interview done and out of the way."
"Iowa!! Despite claims to the contrary, the student body was extremely, uniformly, white-bread Middle America. And Des Moines was the same way too. Not much diversity- in culture, in thoughts, ethnicity, etc."
"Will be dissecting the leg with podiatry students as well as the normal 8"
"The current lecture hall is overcrowded and poorly lit. DMU's projected costs are even higher than their website suggests, and would necessitate private loans on top of federal aid. "
"Tried too hard to sell the school to you."
"I can't really think of anything and I have interviewed at other schools."
"coldest day of the year"
"nothing really"
"Everything single aspect of DMU negatively impressed me, like I said its a complete dump."
"location, facilities, Iowa, sales pitch"
"Some of the other interviewees were very uptight, which made it hard to talk at all. The campus is under some serious construction, so it wasn't the most asthetically pleasing thing to look at. "
"The weather."
"All of the construction and the first year classroom."
"Construction, must share cadavers for anatomy with at least eight people."
"nothing too bad"
"Morning presentations went way over time and people repeated what others had said; they ended up cancelling a couple of presentations that would have been more useful. Would have been good to have more time with students without staff/faculty present. Class is very large. 3rd-year rotations are all over the place."
"Weather, Very cold and old snow. You don't know where your rotations will be until your send year."
"The construction (but it is for the greater good of the campus). The 1st year class is a big multi-purpose room. As for 3rd and 4th years, it seems a bit disorganized. But, I hear it's loads better than what it was a few years back. "
"Construction and disconnected facilities. Lack of breaks during the day."
"Des Moines, but also the fact that most students have to leave Iowa and go all over the country for 3rd and 4th year training. There are also virtually no clinical facilities that students can go through in their first two years."
"They did not have a session on finance."
"Not much, only the construction, but that will be done soon."
"Construction."
"construction on campus - the new student centre won't be done until spring 2005."
"Des Moines is more of a suburb than a city. There doesn't seem to be much of a night life (not that I'll have time for one) in the city. "
"The construction was a little bit annoying, as was the large lecture hall and limited cafeteria. However, there will be a new auditorium when the construction is done after my first year, so that's not too bad."
"Tuition cost, new buildings won't be ready for use when I arrive, unknown aspect of clinical rotations (after 2nd year)"
"Des Moines is a very small city. Also, the setup for clinical rotations and electives seemed confusing. "
"Everybody being too happy, it almost creeped me out. The construction sucks, also!"
"Traveling clerkships during the third year. If you are willing and able to travel (i.e. single w/ no kids) the clinical years will be AWESOME. You can do anywhere from 6 months up to two years away in places like Texas, Michigan, Ohio, and Florida. For me (wife and kid) being seperated from my family is not an option. There are 6 months during the third year that are up in the air, meaning you MAY have to travel. You have a very good chance of not traveling if you wish, but no guarantees for those six months. The rest of your clinical time can all be done at DMU. Many of the students want to travel so the Des Moines slots are not that hard to come by really. Again, if I were singe the traveling would be a positive instead of a negative "
"Clinical rotation stuff-unsure of how it will work"
"OMM fellows who told us they skipped lecture to study...it just seemed like a bit much to start thinking about skipping lecture when I haven't been accepted to medical school yet."
"The old buildings. But they are being torn down now."
"Not much. Old buildings were being torn down, so that's good. The cafeteria was pretty lame, I think it was a make-shift cafeteria though so hopefully that will be moved. "
"nothing"
"Nothing."
"A number of things. The student giving my tour talked 100 mph and very softly. It was extremely annoying. Also, the school is undergoing some major renovations. Perhaps in 2 to 3 years it will be a nicer place to go, but not during the time I'd be there. Then, of course, there is the fact that you have to travel around during your 3rd and 4th years for clinicals. Maybe not too hard if you're a swinging single, but I'm not. Another thing was the cost. Estimated budget for year one was $43K! I've already been accepted at another school where the budget was just 29K. Unless you're independantly wealthy or going the military route, a 14K differance will make you blink. Finally, and most importantly, while I was relaxing before my interview a current student (a senior) approached me and vehemently advised me not to go to this school if I had other options. He said they have had big administrative problems over the years and haven't had a permanent dean for quite a while. The clinical dept. (in charge of 3rd and 4th years) was especially disorganized in his opinion. Sorry, but when a senior at the school pleafully tells you to go elsewhere, that's a big red flag!"
"The school is having major construction during the next couple of years. "
"cold temperature and one must move in the 3rd and 4th year"
"The upper level students who I saw in the library were advising me that the 3rd and 4th years of medical school were a joke. They said that the people in charge of rotations are lazy, irresponsible, and difficult to contact. Several students said thay had paperwork that was lost while they were doing rotations away from Des Moines and the university blames students for the mistakes of the clinical affairs staff. One third year student told me that the staff sends threatening e-mails that threaten to suspend students if they are even a little bit late submitting paperwork. Students also said that the fact that the school has no strong affiliation with a hospital, like allopathic schools do, is a disadvantage as students are left to train in mediocre small facilities."
"The students giving the tour were not as impressive and knowledgable as the students that gave me my tour at UHS last week. They still were helpful though."
"New recreation facilities would not be started on, or completed before I would enroll there."
"The only thing was that the gym is being moved, so there will be some construction and transition. Otherwise, nothing else."
"The facilities"
"The buildings were kind of dumpy and the first year lecture hall is very small considering classes of 240 people."
"The Gym...it's an old church."
"the gym (it's in an old church)---but its being rennovated this year."
"None"
"Many of the other schools have nicer facilities, but DMU is growing, a major construction project is due to start in the Spring of 2003. Should be very nice."
"non"
"I can't think of anything. The older, run-down building is being torn down and a new one built within the year, which will provide a new cafeteria and fitness center (and other things), so I had absolutely no complaints. Great place!!"
"The auditorium for first-year students -- small table-tops attached to individual seats lined up; three overhead screens are strategically (?) placed around the room so everyone is, theoretically, able to see info presented on the screen. Also, there's a 'stinky' auditorium that's also used for first-years with poor ventilation/ circulation - small table tops; seats are attached not free standing as in the other auditorium. Second-years sit in auditoriums/lecture halls that have stadium seating and TV-monitors (though, from what I was told, the TV monitors are used rather infrequently). "
"The architecture."
"That the interview is super chill"
"how relaxed the interview is"
"How relaxed the interview was. Even though it was 3 people (2 faulty, 1 student) to me, everyone was very friendly,"
"Don't stress about this interview lol"
"to relax. everyone says its a low-stress interview but seriously. it REALLY is a low-stress interview. Just be sure to know 3 questions: Why medicine, why DO, and why DMU and you'll be fine."
"I was expecting a "tell us about yourself" question, but they started with "why DO?""
"I wish that I had done some research on the interviewers themselves to facilitate a better dialogue that wasn't so one-way during my interview."
"The interviewers preferred specific experiences when answering their questions."
"The day is really long, so it's all about staying strong even when the interview is at the end of the day."
"They give you a portfolio so no need to bring your own"
"Don't stress :)"
"Local events that were occurring in Des Moines so that I could maximize my exposure to the city. Otherwise, SDN prepared me well for what to expect."
"How relaxing the interview would be"
"Wear comfy shoes! The tour is very long"
"That I would want to spend more time in the town, and that I would not want to go home. It was so gorgeous!"
"To relax! Everyone was so welcoming."
"The people are extremely nice and want you to do well. The students are awesome and so supportive."
"How friendly the school was!"
What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 1)?