Applicants generally found the interview experience at EVMS to be conversational, calm, and less stressful than anticipated. Feedback highlighted the friendly and welcoming nature of the interviewers, the emphasis on ethical and healthcare questions, and the positive interactions with students and faculty. There were mixed views on the intensity of the interviews, with some experiencing challenging questions while others found them more relaxed and engaging.
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It was a calm, conversational interview. They asked a few follow-up questions and made me feel like they were interested in what I was saying and wanted to get to know me as a person and what I have accomplished.
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Ultimately it was not as stressful as I was expecting and I had great interviewers who were kind and talked to me a little about the answers I gave to the questions.
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I was hoping the interview was conversational -- more Q and A/ interrogation type of interview
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Positive interview experience, a little more formal than SDN had implied.
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I liked the interview day itself, even though it was virtual. The ethical and behavioral questions they posed were a little challenging but easy enough to apply to former experiences.
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Overall I think they adapted well to being online for interviews.
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I liked this school way more than I expected to.
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If you care about the community and envision a life of being connected with your patients, EVMS is for you.
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The admissions coordinators and med students were all very friendly, but the interview day is very long with the actual interview at the end.
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Smile to everyone you see walk the halls (could be an interviewer). You will have between an hour to 2 hours between the end of your tour to the start of your interview so relax, get a cup of coffee, and hang out with fellow interviewers. Great school, hope I get in!
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Loved the school now, and I hope to receive an acceptance.
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Overall, EVMS seems like a great school. The faculty is great and the students seem committed.
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Very low stress interview, very conversational. nice tour and friendly staff. small campus.
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I had an excellent experience.
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I'm not sure if it was just me or my interviewers, but my panel completely turned me off the school. Every other interview I've been on has made me love the medical school even more, yet at EVMS, the interviewers weren't remotely friendly. One of them seemed a bit smug while the others challenged everything I said.
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I liked the school! The surrounding area was very close to the water, with Virginia Beach about 20 minutes away. The children's hospital was the best so if you can interview on a Friday, I recommend that!
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Definitely have an opinion on healthcare and be prepared to talk about what makes you unique. Also, the interviewers respond very well to questions about the school and their own experiences with EVMS; it helps turn the panel interview into more of a conversation.
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This is an excellent school for anyone that wants to practice primary care. Check the match list ahead of time. Very few people get placed in top residency programs.
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Great school, great program, but I felt very discouraged after the interview. I felt like I struggled, which was a bit disheartening (I'm usually pretty comfortable in interviews)
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Seems like a nice school that treats its students well.
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Overall, I was more impressed by the school than I expected to be.
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- Great school. Prepares you well for clinical exams.
- VERY heavy on primary care and community involvement (not necessarily a bad or good thing, depends on the applicant)
- Currently a traditional curriculum school. There was talk of moving to more PBL in the future.
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EVMS seems pretty cool. I'm interested to see how it shakes out in my list of acceptances (if I get in that is!).
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It was like a conversation. not stressful. Read SDN and those WILL be the exact questions they will ask you.
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Be prepared to answer ethics questions. Generally, the interviewers ask one, but I was asked two. And even though it is one interview, there are two interviewers in the room asking questions. The interviewers themselves are very nice, but the fact that there are two of them in the same room with you can be intimidating.
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One thing I noticed is that I wasn't asked the specific questions-Why do you want to become a doctor or Why medicine? Just remember to try to put those reasons into the questions that you are asked. Overall, I really liked the school, the area, and the friendliness of the admissions staff and students.
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The admissions office is really nice and helpful, but my interviewer was very cold and hard to read.
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I think one interviewer is suppose to play devils advocate (at least I hope). I enjoyed one interviewer more than the other
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I really enjoyed the day in general. The interview was not as intimidating as people have told me. It has the feel of a really small school, and the student body seems to view themselves as a close-knit family.
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Lots of people post feedback about tough, grilling interviews at EVMS. On my day, everyone seemed to have relaxed interviews. We only had two interviewers, both faculty, but I think the usual is two faculty members and one med student. My interviewers were very nice and knew my file very well.
The interviewers appeared to have a page in front of them with characteristics and/or questions followed by the numbers 1-5. I believe that they had to ask specific questions and look for specific things, which they rated on a scale of 1 to 5.
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I LOVED the school and I feel that was the general consensus among everyone who visited. I was also very stressed about the interview beforehand but just be prepared. They will definitely ask one healthcare and one ethical question. But they are very understanding about your answers. I think my interviewers liked my healthcare answer but some other students had tougher interviews who asked them specifically how they would pay for healthcare reform. There was a little bit of good cap/bad cop going on or it may just be a personality difference in the interviewers.
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School has traditional histology lab with microscopes. There are def pros and cons with this. Students are fairly diverse.
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EVMS has construction going on that will be great when it's completed (2011). The new technology they're integrating sounds really cool and they are very proud of their students' experiences with standardized patients - and rightly so.
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Panel interview, i had a faculty and a student interviewer
panel is NOTHING to worry about. you'll get a healthcare/ethical for sure, but they won't kill you on it, and they're very encouraging
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Get your hand up first to work with the standardized patient during the presentation. it is a fun experience and gives you something to break the ice with in your interview.
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Good school, pleasant atmosphere, like the focus on developing great clinicians...the interviewers didn't seem to love EVMS though (red flag?)
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Overall I love EVMS for several reasons: 1) I grew up near Norfolk and would love to be back in the area again, 2) the network of hospitals the school is connected with is amazing within the Hampton Roads area, 3) the focus on the student seems much more greatly enhanced due to a great student:faculty ratio.
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I loved the school!
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I was expecting some stress because of the panel interview format, but my panel (2 doctors and a student) was very nice and relaxed. I didn't get any ethics questions, but we spent a lot of time talking about health-care reform. Overall, this seems like a nice little medical school, although it didn't blow me away in any particular respect. Clearly, clinical skills instruction (via standardized patients) is their greatest strength.
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Overall, I think EVMS is a great school that turns out extremely clinically competent doctors, as compared to their peers in residency. And the student life is so, so rich and directed at community service.
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They prefer in-state and people who will remain in the area.
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EVMS was wonderful... the students were really helpful, and gave lots of helpful hints throughout the day. The day was very low-stress.
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Great school, routinely scores the highest in the boards in Virginia. The two adjacent hospitals are state-of-the-art, and none of the partner hospitals are affiliated with a University or have large residency programs meaning more opportunities to act as a provider during clinical time!
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Great campus! Sentara General and Sentara Heart Hospital are top notch facilities. The children's hospital is also gorgeous; it even has a built-in "pirate ship" as a bed for one of the operation room! How cool is that?! And patients get to be pushed into surgery in a wagon of their choice! They even get flavored slurpee afterwards. Awesome!
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Don't freak out about it. Prepare, but there's no reason to overdo it... my interviewers made it a very comfortable experience. The whole place was extremely accommodating. Honestly, I felt right at home.
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The school was awesome. Everyone was so nice. The interview was a 3 on 1 with 2 MDs and one med student (MS1). They asked a few moral/ethical dilema questions to see how I could reason and think. Overall the inteviewers were very nice and made me at ease from the start. We were told one of the three interviewers was on the admissions committee. The committee member had your entire file and the other two interviewers just had your PS and secondary responses.
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Interviewers were super nice, but liked to ask follow up questions and try to challenge your line of thinking, evms impressed me
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Student body was very friendly and stopped and talked throughout the day to us. Make sure you stay with a student host because it was a great experience!
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Stay with a host. It makes the experience so much more vivid. I got to eat at good restaurants and sit in on a class and my hosts were great people. +10 to school charisma.
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This is honestly a really great school. Look past the fact that it doesn't have the name recognition you are probably looking for. The students are very collegial and know how to have a good time outside of class (beach trips, Power Puff football, MD vs PA football, tacky Christmas sweater party, etc.). I had a late interview, so I hung out in the hall with some of the others. We constantly had students coming up to wish us luck and if we had any questions for them.
One thing EVMS is big on is standardized patients. Your day starts off with a mock of what you will do with standardized patients. I volunteered to be the lead physician, and got the chance to interview a girl who was depressed because her boyfriend had committed suicide and she felt responsible. It's hard to explain how much fun and how interesting it was to get that opportunity. You'll see what I mean when you go.
Finally, try to stay with a student if you can. Make sure you keep in touch with the coordinator though to see that you are placed with somebody. My host was absolutely wonderful.
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I really wanted to like EVMS, but the whole interview day left a sour taste in my mouth. Just because I attended another institution for graduate school doesn't mean I should be treated with such disrespect! That, and I didn't even get an apology for having to wait forever for my interviewers to even show up.
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I know that people in all the comments seem to continuously highlight the friendliness of the people. But it's really true. From the moment you get there for your interview, you're immediately given attention from students, faculty and staff.
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It was a really great experience. My interviewers were very friendly and made me feel at home. The interview was actually fun!
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They seemed to be trying to ask rapid-fire, antagonistic questions
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Very fun and informative day! Didnt think the interview went as well as I thought because I didnt expect some of the political questions they asked. However, I ran into one of the interviewers and he said I got a pretty high score...so i dunno! Keeping my fingers crossed.
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It was a greally great day. Make sure you have a good grasp of your activies, strengths/weakness going in. If not they will call you for it.
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Relaxed. Had some tough questions that the interviewers were trying to pin me down on, but they were all really friendly. The whole thing felt very positive.
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The interview day went very well. EVMS gave a standardized patient demonstration and a great tour of the schools facilities. The interview process was not as stressful as I imagined it would be.
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I was so nervous before the interview, although I was one of the first batch to go. I had three interviewers: a student, a clinician, and a PhD (still not sure who the adcom was), all of whom were very friendly. They did a great job diffusing the nervous energy. I had one question regarding abortion, one question on healthcare, and the rest of the questions focused on my extra-curricular activities/community service.
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It was ok. Two interviewers seemed nice, one guy didnt seem to like me and he was on the adcom...sooooo yea. I dont think he liked some of my answers.
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It was really awesome. Norfolk looked beautiful today.
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Although my nerves were going unexpectedly crazy, my interviewers were extremely nice and unintimidating. They only asked one hard question about healthcare, and although my views were more liberal than my interviewers, I feel that we had a civil debate and that they respected my answers even if they did not agree.
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I enjoyed my day completely. I walked away feeling happy with the school, and my performance during the interview. This school has a reputation for being a bit harsh during the interview, but my interviewers were awesome.
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The first item of the day was a demonstration with a standardized patient... very interesting, I think the standardized patient program is one of EVMS's greatest strengths. Tour of children's hospital. Tour of classrooms, anatomy lab, library, student lounge, etc. Lunch. Student slideshow presentation. Financial aid presentation. Interview.
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Started off the day by bringing in a standardized patient. They didn't really try to sell the school to you, emphasized a lot on student life. I had a gruff looking doc who I later found out was a flight surgeon. I was pretty nervous for the first few minutes, but after I made the doc chuckle a little, I knew I was golden. Student interviewer was a quiet girl who didn't know my friend and so took away my trump card. All in all, I came out happier than I went in.
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Middling. Norfolk is great, the students seemed really into the school, but dodged my question when asked what they didn't like about the place.
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Overall it was very informative and I can say that EVMS has moved way up on my list.
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I thought it went well. im glad i didnt do my interview first thing i got there. going on the tour and talking to students made my answer to ''why evms'' alot more genuine. I had time to collect my thoughts and give an answer from first hand experience. I like how they emphasized clinical experience. which i think is a plus. the student body is what attracts me the most. they seem like work hard party hard types. alot of social activities are planned throughout the year.
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My interview went better than I expected. I had heard that interviewers are deliberately mean and try to ''break you'' but this was not the case with me. I had two VERY nice women. They did ask me a lot of ethics questions but it was easy common sense stuff. They were so nice and made me feel so relaxed. My advice would be to prepare but DO NOT STRESS!! It's a fun day.
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Other ?s: Why med school? What do you do in your spare time? Biggest thing affecting healthcare today? Most important traits for a great doctor? What have you learned today? Describe your leadership activities? Why surgery? Other application specific questions.
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Not as scary as people said. My two interviewers were very very very nice. They still asked the ''hard questions'' but since you're reading this, you must know about them...just prepare. Also, volunteer to be the guinea pig for the standardized patient...I've heard it helps...but that's a rumor.
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Overall I had a great time. The students were really friendly, they invited me into their lecture hall to listen to a guest speaker talk about hemotology (I was just sitting in the hallway waiting at the time). The hospital was pretty amazing and really big. I was supposed to have 3 people interview me, but the medical student wasn't there, so I just had 2 clinicians. One was really nice and jolly, the other seemed a bit more stern, but he wasn't unfriendly at all. I think the interview went well, much more calm and relaxed than I thought it would be.
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Overall it went very well. They want you to be relaxed. They are not trying to trip you up, they just want to see how much thought and time you have put into this process. I was also asked about greatest issue in healthcare right now.
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This was my first interview, so I there were definitely things I could have done better. That said, the types of questions and format of the interview at EVMS was pretty standard, which was helpful both in decreasing my stress level and helping me prepare. Make sure you can answer:
Why EVMS?
Why medicine?
Basic ethical questions
Stengths/Weaknesses
Depending on your panel, you'll get some variation in the other types of questions.
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Interview was with a retired neurologist and another doctor (cant remember his specialty)....it wasnt as bad as people say...they just ask you questions....from obligatory ''Why EVMS'', to the usual ethics and US healthcare questions...they try to make you change your mind to see how easy they can sway your original opinion, so it helps to stick with you guns
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Looking through the SDN interview feedback and talking to people on the forums, you learn that EVMS tends to be sticklers for ethical questions and tend to try and make you sweat. My interview, though, was great. They asked tough but reasonable questions that you'd expect a future doctor to have an opinion on.
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The interview was fairly stressful and included several tricky ethical questions and a lot of ''How would you fix American healthcare questions?'' The open-file interviewer had obviously read my file, but asked odd questions. ''Do you like yourself?'' is just weird.
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My interviewer was so nice and sweet. He was eager to talk and seemed like he was impressed by me. I also had a student interviewer from my home state which was nice:)
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I'm a sophomore, applying through an early application program my undergrad school (William and Mary) has with EVMS. This was my first experience at a med school, but it was really great. Everyone was so friendly and helpful and really set me at ease.
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Really good. I was more impressed by the school and the students then I had expected to be.
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I had a very positive experience at EVMS. The school was very friendly and the students were super supportive. I really enjoyed our chance to work with a standardized patient, it allowed me to see that I was already somewhat prepared for building relationships and trust with future patients from the training I received from my past volunteer work. The day was structured nicely. The student tour, the information session with the Dean of Admission and Financial Aid staff were all very informative and easy to approach. Overall my experience in Norfolk and EVMS was wonderful. I think I could have done better on my interview, but I was honest and hopefully they saw that and appreciated that as that is all I could hope for. I'm crossing my fingers that I may gain admissions at this school as it has bought me over.
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The whole day was very positive. The standardized patient we started off with was a great way to get us into doctor mode. The tour of the hospital was given by hospital volunteers who were very friendly and the students who gave the medical school tour wanted you to ask them any and everything. What surprised me was the admissions committee told you what kind of questions to expect before the interview, even though most of us already knew.
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There was one guy who had my whole file (grades, mcats) and another guy and a med student who only had my essays and things i wrote. i sat down and they asked me why i chose evms. then we just got talking and it was actually pretty enjoyable. it was just kind of a natural conversation; the questions were mainly all tailored to me specifically.
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The whole day was informative and everyone was really nice. The interview was a little more intense than some of my others, but just try to stay calm.
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Got there early and just sat and chatted with other interviewees. There were only 7 of us. The tours of the hospital and school were really good. The lunch witht the dean and students and financial aid was informative. The weatrher was gorgeous and I also love the fact that it is like 20 minutes from virginia beach. I had to cancel my appointment with the office of minority affairs because the administrator had an emergency to attend to. I do not actually know what we were going to discuss though, her secretary said that she would call me next week. Because of that I had about 1.5 hours of down time before my interview. i just went to the library and read some of a novel I had brought with me. My interview was 25 min with a pediatric surgeaon, med student and i think a member of the community. It was a good interview. And that was it
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Stayed with a student host which was great. The day is well organized with presentations and lunch. I thought the interview was going to be crazy stressful with 3 interviewers. However, they were all very nice and interested in what I had to say. I think it all depends on who you get. If I got 3 hard asses, im not sure how I would've handled it. Like everyone says, with ethics questions, just stick to your guns and show that you have put some thought into the issues.
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I didn't go into it with any idea of how the school or city was going to be. However, coming out of the experience, I was definitely much more positive about the school and I wouldn't hesitate to go there if I am accepted (except that the tuition is almost 60k/year for oos applicants! yikes!)
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Nothing too surprising.
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They ask lots of questions to throw you off. I hear the other interviewers were nice about it. Maybe I got the bad ones but I had two people, one student one doctor who just seemed like jerks. At one point, the doctor was paged and returned the call in the room. The doctor also made comments that seemed condensending.
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It really was great. the SP program is amazing. the M1s were being tested the day of our interview but they still took the time to talk to us and give us advice, everybody we met was willing to give us advice. the childrens hospital was great only becuase i got to see those really tiny tiny tiny premies. it would be a great place for those interested in peds or neonatology. also, i can not say enough about my fellow interviewees, thanks for being funny and just a delight to talk with. good luck
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It was all in all a great day. Well planned but did give us some free time to check out the school right before interviewing so that was nice. I also got a chance to get to know some of the other interviewees better which I'm starting to believe is one of the high points for me (I love meeting new ppl esp. with similar interests)..so anyways the people at the school were really kind, very helpful, and really wanted to make ur visit to the school as pleasant and stress free as possible.
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Interviewers were very friendly but I definitely had some tough questions
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Great day
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The overall day was very nice. The students are extremely friendly and willing to answer any questions. You get to tour one of the two main hospitals depending on the day you're there. You also get to experience the standardized patient program first hand, which is one of the shining points of the school. The interviewers were very nice and laidback. They did not want to add any pressure. The interviews are all in the afternoon after lunch (which is very good).
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My interviewers were great. They seemed like they genuinely wanted to get to know me, and not drill me with hard questions. The doctor who interviewed me took the time to tell me his answers to the questions.
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It was alot more intense then all of my other interviews, however i did not run out crying. Have a good head on your shoulders and you will do well.
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The interview at EVMS was great. First was the Standardized Patient demonstration, which was so interesting. Then a volunteer lead us on a tour of the general hospital followed by a tour of the med school given by a student. After that, we ate lunch and listened to a financial aid presentation, followed by a presentation by the Dean of Admissions. Then, we were free to wait for our interviews, which took about an hour and a half. The interviews were panel intervews, with three people on the panel. Everything was very laid back and I actually enjoyed my interview a great deal.
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Wonderful...EVMS is my number 1 choice
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It was a panel interview which was very laid back and conversational. They were more about asking questions on issues and ethics though rather then personal questions.
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Great! Not too nervewracking.
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I got the most difficult set of interviewers but I truly enjoyed the questions they asked me. It was a great interview and I felt like they were really trying to get to know me. It was a great experience.
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Overall I loved the school and location, I would definitly go there is I was accepted:)
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There were only 9 of us, which was a great sized interview group. Spent the morning getting school and financial aid briefings, as well as a presentation on the
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Overall it was very informative.
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I was worried about the interview after reading SDN, and I think people exaggerated how stressful it was. If you know about healthcare and are a reaosnable ethical person, you will be fine. All of the students were realy friendly and the interviewees generally got along as well. EVMS itself is nice, its just its location that lessens my enthusiasm about the school.
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3 interviewers (panel set up): a basic scientist, clinician and M2. One of the three has access to your MCAT and grades, the others do not. For the most part really nice, although some
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Got there real early. At 10 o clock we went into a room where Jim Kiraly told us bout how EVMS trains physicians to really care for their patients -- then a demonstration w/ a standardized patient (great job sarah). then we got to tour the children's hospital, and then a 2nd year student gave us a good feel of how student life is like. we stopped so much because so many of the students were kind enough to share their own experiences and help us with any interview/general questions. the interview was 2 on 1 and both my interviewers were AWESOME. i love this school right now.
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I arrived at 930am and was the 4th person there. They have you wait in the main hallway (there's only one) of the medical school right outside the admissions office. Between 930 and 10, 4 students came up to me and started talking to me about the school... all VERY positive. The initial presentation and standardized patient were a little drawn out, but not too bad. The tour was given by students with about 4 applicants per group. They were enthusiastic, and one was very knowledegeable. We saw everything you would expect to see including the anatomy lab with cadaver display. If you interview on a wednesday, ask them to quickly walk you thru the children's hospital, it was very impressive. Financial aid and student life presentations were presented at lunch.
The interview itself was definitely good/bad cop routine. I immediately knew from the questions which one of the interviewers was the adcom member and had access to my file. The adcom member seems to be the good cop for most people. The questions built on one another, i.e. give us your strengths and weaknesses... how would you use such and such strength to benefit your patient care. If nothing else, stick to your guns. They want confidence in the face of difficult situations, not wishy-washyiness. Just answer the questions and dont be afraid to say
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Overall, everything went well. The faculty was welcoming and encouraging, and the students seem very happy with the school. I was nervous because this was my first interview, but I feel like I did pretty well.
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My interview was great. i was tremedously nervous by my interviewers were great people. they basically told me i was already in and it really was a conversation. i heart EVMS.
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It was alright. I felt the M.D. that I interviewed like me a whole lot more than the student interviewer (who I think is actually on the adcom).
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Laid back, although one person played good cop and the other person played bad cop. There were supposed to be 3 persons on the panel, but I ended up with only 2. They both seemed quite young. I didn't think the interview was bad, but I do think I rambled on sometimes. Brevity and concision have never been my strong points. But overall, I think it was a good experience. I'm glad this was my 1st stop on the interview trail. Good practice.
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I had two interviewers and they did the whole good cop/bad cop kinda thing. The bad cop asked me whether or not people should sell their kidneys and why. She kept on arguing with me on this point and tried to get me to change my opinion for 20 minutes! I stood my ground (as should you) but it was a little stressful. She was very unemotional and monotonous and I had to get used to that real quickly. Overall I think i did alright
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First off, be the FIRST person to raise your hand to volunteer with the Standardized Patient demonstration!!! Reading other SDN feedback before my own interview, I had this paranoid suspicion that being the brave one who participated would add brownie points toward your "interest" in EVMS. In fact, the experience was very educational and enjoyable - you won't be perfect, but most likely you'll be pretty good (for a beginner). It helped that I had extensive practice with patient history taking during EMT school (obviously NOwhere the level of history taking expected of a physician, but nonetheless gave me a leg-up that the Standardized Patient Program director appreciated, and something the Director of Admissions noticed as well). If you're applying for the military's Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), make sure to arrange a visit to Portsmouth naval hospital! Turned out my interviewer was a flight surgeon (LITERALLY a pilot AND a hand surgeon, retired as a Captain in the Navy) - while expressionless, I could sense he was pleased that I met surgeons and ER docs at the hospital (two specialty interests I cited in my EVMS secondary). Stay calm and relaxed - the more preparation you do during the days or weeks leading up to the interview, the more enjoyable, conversational, and natural your interview experience will be. Get to know your fellow interviewees - turned out a Navy S.E.A.L. was visiting the school with us (though not interviewing, he was going to apply in a year or two), and most of my group were nontraditional applicants (lag-year researchers, and even 2-year researchers like me were common). Finally, on Weds interview days they give you a tour of Norfolk General, and on Fri interview days they give you a tour of Children's Hospital. SPEAK UP if you want a tour of BOTH places, particularly Children's if your interview falls on Weds. The school WILL try to accomodate your wish - one of the admissions/administrator/peds faculty members took four of us around just before our afternoon interviews.
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Stiff in my suit with thirteen other prospectives, we spent the day being lectures to and led around the school. These are not bad things; the lectures were short and germane, and the tour was student-led and hit all the relevant facilities, including classrooms, labs, lounge/study areas, the Children's Hospital, the skills practice clinic, library, etc, etc.
Particularly striking was the very first thing in the day, which was a demonstration of the Standardized Patient program, in which a very brave prospective consented to do a difficult interview of a depressed woman.
The admissions interview was at the end of the day, which allows one to queue up a great deal of interesting material about the school before hand. My interlocutors were an older physician doing research in infectious disease, and a second-year med student. The feel was informal, a series of broad questions drawn from my application to allow greater explanation of some of the points therein. The much-vaunted ethical question was interesting, and I worked through to a decent answer, which allowed for several minutes conversation on the rules involved and a bit more digression on the public health issues involved. It lasted 30 minutes, and I think I did well overall.
Keep reading this site; it works.
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One of the interviews was a student and the other was a retired doctor from the community. The doctor asked alot of questions i thought were dumb. such as: what are two things you want to do before you die? If you were Bill Gates what would you do with all that money? The interviewers did not seem very interested in getting to know me.
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Interview experience was really great. Tour began at 10:00am and finished at 12:45pm. Alot of effort was put into getting students to see the great attributes of EVMS that are not known. While touring EVMS students tried to help prepare us for the interview (They told us the types of questions to expect). The interview itself went well. Most of the questions were similar to the ones on sdn. The interviewers focused on getting to know me and to see how motivated I was about being a physician. Overall, a good representation of what an interview should be like.
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I think I pretty much told it all up above. We also got to see the anatomy lab where dissections were taking place. Nice to actually see that instead of covered cadavers on tables. I also loved the people who interviewed the same day as me. We all got along really well and chatted a lot more than in my recent interviews. The students there are amazingly friendly, and I could totally see myself fitting in there.
The panel interview was kind of tough, but it just depends who you get, too. There are definite advantages to the panel too, so just try to put it out of your mind and think of it like any other interview.
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This was my first interview, so I was pretty nervous going in. The people at EVMS make you feel very welcome and the students are so friendly. The other applicants I interviewed with were so nice too (probably the nicest group that I've had at any of my interviews). They do a standardized patient presentation at the beginning which is so interesting and fun, and in my opinion a great way to start the day. We toured the children's hospital (amazing!) and then a few students broke us up into groups and gave us a tour of the school. After lunch we all had our interviews...mine was in the last group, so there was quite a bit of waiting around time. I only had 2 interviewers as opposed to 3 (probably because it was getting late) -- a 2nd year student and a faculty member. After reading all the feedback on SDN I was concerned about the panel interview, but I actually think I like it better that way. The two interviewers were amazingly nice and we had a really good conversation. I definitely got asked a variety of questions and quite a few ethical questions, but I think they were more interested in how I thought and if I could defend my point than in what I said. It was definitely the most pleasant interview experience I've had.
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The interview was great. I liked my interviewers. I only had one difficult question which I was pressured to answer. But other than that it was great. Just relax and be yourself.
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The tour with the med students was great, the demo of standardized patients was impressive... loved the childrens hospital. Hated the interview. Panel interviews are just not my forte.
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Norfolk is a pretty city, however, coming from California, there were a few things that bugged me, like the lack of recycling. There is apparantly one liberal neighborhood in the city that is right next to EVMS. As for the interview day itself, the interviewers and presenters had a very high opinion of their school without having many specific comments as to why. I'm sure it's a great school but they didn't make much of an effort to brag about it, or to indicate what was special about it in comparison to other schools. My three interviewers started off the interview by asking me to just tell them about myself, and so I described my experiences, and thereafter nothing about my resume came up in their questions (except that I took a few courses at cheap night school so I could work during the day this year). It was all a discussion about health care policy and the health care system.
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I slept at my buddies place the night before, he is a current 1st yr at EVMS. I arrived at the school for the day, and mingled as always. We went in and discussed the schools curriculum, with a focus on the school's primary care medical interview session. Pretty impressive. Then, we went on a tour of the hospital, which was very lacking. Then, had a tour of the school by great students. This was followed by lunch and a presentation of the school and its programs by students. Then we were free until our interviews. My interview was good. There were 2 Dr.s and one student. It kind of seemed set up with the questions that they were asking me, and less of a conversation. However, they were all nice and seemed to be interested for the most part in what I had to say. One ethical question, the rest about what I am up to now, why EVMS, why medicine. Then, I flew home.
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I was nervous but well prepared. There are many questions about ethics and current issues in healthcare. This was my first panel interview, so I was a little nervous. The students there are really involved in extracurriculars - yet they have very high board averages. The students, faculty, and staff put a lot of effort into the interview day. I would love to come here.
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I loved my interviewers, and the group was small so it was fun meeting everyone there. Maybe because it's a young school, they don't have a lot to ways to "wow" you other than with their clinical contact and class cooperation. If you're down with that, you'll love EVMS.
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Interview was made to be stress free. I had a first year student and 2 doctors ( one of them is into Immunology research). I wasn't ask an ethical question (I was prepared for ethics though). Surprisingly, this was the first school that I was asked about my research project. I wasn't really expecting this b/c this's not a research focused univ. It was ok though.
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Interviewers were rude. Asked ethics questions and then cut-off during the answer. Interviewers didn't know anything about the school's research or dual degree programs. Students seemed nice. However, this seems like the place for people that have the "get in anywhere" style. If I knew the school was as is then I wouldn't have wasted the 90$ on their secondary.
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I was extremely stressed not only bc it was a panel interview but also bc this was my very first interview. My other interviewees were very social, EVMS students were really nice (a lot of them who were passing in halls stopped to talk to us). Im sure after a few years, when this school is able to become more visible to applicants, its reputation will soar.
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I really had chemistry with my interviewers. It was supposed to be a 45-minute-interview and it actually lasted 80 minutes. The experience was really enjoyable and I felt they really got to know me well.
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Interviews are either at 2:00, 2:45 or 3:30 in a room in the library. 3 people interview (a student and 2 MD's). It lasts about 30-45 min.
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It really wasn't as stressful as I had anticipated. It was very relaxed and conversational in nature.
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I expected to get grilled based on the reviews posted on Student Doctor Network, but felt very comfortable. My interview was more of a candid conversation about residencies, the non-importance of research in obtaining a residency, the quality of contacts at EVMS for securing a surgical residency, and my experiences at undergrad (both my interviewers were UVA-grads).
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The day started out with a presentation about the standarized patient program (which actually seems VERY useful for gaining clinical skills). Then we had a tour of the children's hospital since it was Friday (Wednesday people tour the general hospital). The children's hospital is very nice and also quite unique in that much of its fudning comes from community fund raising, and it does not turn any patients away for the inability to pay. After this we had small group tours led by medical students. My tour guide was very open about the school and willing to answer any questions we had. Next came lunch, and then the interviews at our scheduled times.
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Extremely fun and positive experience. It was my first interview. Also, the tour and presentations convinced me that it would be a great place to go to school.
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It went well; I try to go into these things kind of neutral, regardless of what other people have said about it. I felt good when I left.
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Very positive experience, not very stressful. I had a first year student and a physician who were both great.
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I was nervous and prepping really hard for my EVMS interview. I gained most of my information from SDN Interview feedback. I was suprised, but I had no Bioethical questions asked.
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Overall, I left feeling good about the school. Its commitment to primary care in Virginia is nice for those seeking it. The tuition is too high and the school is not well known. The students are friendly. The library and children hospital are very nice, but other facilities are below average. Primary care is the focus, not research.
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Stressful at the beginning Faculty interviewer challenged my answers and cut me off. Be prepared for stressful experience and don't get too frazzled. Student interviewer was friendly.
Better at end when faculty lightened up.
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EVMS is a small school in a semi-urban area (and close to the beach!). The interview day was really laid back. I was nervous when I first got there, but after the full day of touring around and talking to students, I wasn't nervous at all by the time my interview rolled around. The children's hospital is amazing, the standardized patient program is impressive, and the students seem to love it there. Parking on campus is free for students, which is great. But they seem to have very little social life. They have tests every Monday, which essentially rules out any fun on the weekend. And they're in class from 9-5 every day. But it's a great school and would be perfect for someone looking to practice primary care.
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I was looking forward to the interview because I read and heard that it would be an intense but enjoyable discussion. Instead, one interviewer just fired question after question at me and seemed to only want to trip me up. The other interviewer was a medical student and she was wonderful. I think it was just this one guy who had the wrong attitude, and from what the other applicants shared, I think I had an unusual experience.
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The interview was highly predictable, and the interviewers were affable and friendly. They did press me a little on some of my "bioethics question" answers. It's really important to pick a clear stance and then don't back down! Once they saw that I was sticking to my guns, they said "good answer!" and moved on. The students at EVMS are so friendly and helpful. Be sure to talk to as many as possible.
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It was my second interview there - I had one last year (yes, I'm one of those!), so I new quite well what to expect. Just be yourself, show some personality, break out the smiles and the humor. The interview is goes like this: 1 student + 1 clinician + 1 other faculty --> candidate (you). Only one person is on the committee, and that person knows your stats/scores.
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I stayed with a student and it was a really great experience. It saved me money on a hotel and allowed me to discuss the whole interview process and get answers to the many questions that I had. The interview itself was so much more laid back than I had expected. Most of the time it felt more like a discussion than an interview. My advice is to be prepared but do not stress over it.
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It was GREAT! Everyone I met was so happy and enthusiastic. Seriously, I'm not lying. They seemed to genuinely enjoy this experience!
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The interviewers did not ask a lot of personal questions about my experiences. They focused on healthcare issues and ethical issues.
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NOT NEARLY as stressfull as this website makes it out to be! Not nearly as stressful as friends made it out to be! Don't worry...they really don't attack you. My interview was extremely laid back.
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It was overall a postiive experience. the students were happy and the people i met were really nice. my student host was incredibly sweet, though we didn't hit it off as well as i'd liked bc of the age difference (she's much older). My interview was the toughest out of the 6 i've had so far. My interviewers were 2 female faculty and a male medical student. They weren't scary though, they tried to make me feel very comfortable while at the same time asking tough questions. In the end, there was some laughing and some joking. My interview went over by 30 minutes, so even though it was a bit rough, they were probably pretty interested in what i had to say...
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The interviewers (one admissions guy, one clinician, and a 1st year medical student) were very agressive and challenging, but made a point of making the interview an intense discussion, not an interrogation. it was extremely intense and a felt a bit dazed at the end, but it was exciting and engaging.
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It was very low-key. Ethical questions were asked, but made clear that there was no right or wrong answer.
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Intimidating if you let it get to you, make sure to make eye contact with all three members not just the head gal/guy. Stick with your answerseven if you get grilled.
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Sit in on a lecture with the clinical skills department, then a tour with a student, then lunch and then interview. Interviews are done with a panel of two or three interviewers. I had only 2, one a student and one a comm. member. It's really not that bad though.
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Very positive, very relaxed and low stress. Great student body and location. Family friendly environment, which is good since I have kids.
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It was okay. The student was friendly and helpful. I could not understand my interviewer all the time, and occasionally had to ask him to repeat himself.
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Laid back- everyone was really nice and the interview was conversational. The doctor asked me questions about swimming and my college's football team. Those put me at ease right away.
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Apparently the third interviewer in my panel interview had gotten a page in the interview before and I was only interviewed by two people (woohoo!). When the faculty member and medical student who were interviewing me discovered that I had done my reading on health care policy, they GRILLED me on ideas for reform, and the faculty member asked a lot of questions that seemed to be pushing his own opinion more than asking me mine. However, EVMS appears to be aware of its reputation for high-stress interviews, and though the questions were certainly not easy, the interviewers were pleasant and wonderful people.
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My interview experience was pretty seamless; the day was well organized, with a talk on the standardized pt. program, and how the curriculum integrates clinical medicine with the basic sciences. The tour was great, and the entire group was friendly -- even the fellow interviewees!
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I was interviewed by three people. They were very friendly, but ethical questions and questions about reality of medicine, and money and medicine did come up making the interview a bit tense. I had an awsome experience there and loved it.
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I would definitely go here if they accept me!!! there is no negative competition amongst the students and they seem SO happy
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The interview experience was wonderful. I was very impressed by the school, the people, the town, and the Children's Hospital.
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Two or three interviewers sit down with you in a room, one of whom is on the admissions committee and has access to your entire file. The questions were probing but not aggressive. Topics included motivation for going into medicine and a few ethical situations, as expected.
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The students were very friendly, as were the interviewers. They asked me questions for about twenty minutes, then we spent the rest of the time just talking and they answered my questions. Very relaxed. Except for the hour we spent not talking to the admissions staff during lunch, this interview was great. Amazingly, no ethics questions (and I had prepared for them). They were very prompt in getting back to me, even though I was waitlisted.
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My interviewers all seemed nice enough at first, but quickly settled into a good cop/bad cop routine. There were two doctors and a first year on the panel. The student and the female doctor quickly became silent, and the male doctor proceeded to ask me a variety of ethical questions. This I was fully prepared for. What I was not prepared for was the amount of antagonism I would receive in regards to my answers. My answers were good, I don't think it would have mattered what I said. Every answer I gave, he would attack and/or try to chip away at it to see if I would crumble. I didn't, but it was still very intimidating. During this time, the other two would just sit quietly and nod in response to my answers.At the end, somewhat abruptly, they turned off the good cop/bad cop routine and talked to me like a normal person for a few minutes. One other thing: when he learned I was interested in gynecology, he made a joke about dealing with "women's plumbing." Not appropriate.
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Great, the interviewers gave me feedback during the interview so that helped a lot
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Much more of a rapid fire questioning experience than the more conversational interviews ive had previously, as has been described on this site. clinician that acted rude, , disinterested, student who acted neutral, admissions committee guy who acted friendly and accepting. seems to be the three roles they have there to try to make you nervous. if youre ready for it though, no problem. most nervewracking thing was waiting the hour and a half between tours ending and my interview.
the day was full with a presentation in the beginning and then demonstration of their standardized patient run throughs, with us interviewees involved, which was very amusing. tour by administrator of childrens hospital which was extraordinary. tour of academic building by student. disappointed that we couldnt see a classroom or the anatomy lab. then to lunch with more administrators talking about fin aid, and a student presented slideshow. seems like a tight knit community, with fairly relaxed, cooperative, interactive students. loved it.
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I enjoyed it. It was thought provoking and the interview left me feeling as if they had explored every aspect of my application.
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The interview itself was fine - the school was okay, but didn't impress me enough to seriously consider it. I was a bit surprised at an apparent lack of technology throughout the school.
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It was a great experience. The interviewers went out of their way to make the experience pleasant, low-key and conversational.
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The questions were challenging, but in a good way, & the interviewers were engaging and friendly
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Excellent. I really like the people there and the interview was the best interview I've had so far.
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We started with a presentation and demonstration of the Standardized Patient Program, which was great and well done. Then tours of the whole Hospital and then the basic science facilities. Lunch with the admissions staff and students. Interviews were a couple at a time, separate rooms but multiple interviewers. So it's a panel interview, but quite relaxed. I enjoyed it and wish that there had been more time to talk, although I probably ran over a bit as it was. The students and staff and faculty are enthusiastic and love the school and their experiences.
Enjoy your experience, it was probably the best I've had.
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Overall, the EVMS interview was lower-stress than what I had expected. The interviewers were friendly and conversational, but still asked some tough/revealing questions.
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I was interviewed by two people. One was a surgeon and the other was a second year med student. Overall, the interview went well. They did ask some ethical questions (ie. euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research) but the overall interview atmosphere was more
relaxed than I expected. They were much more interested in personal character and motivation rather than GPA and MCATs.
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Okay, so this day was a very pleasant surprise for me! after interviewing at duke and having a completely WONDERFUL experience there, i didn't think it was possible that i could be happy at any other school. but after my interview at EVMS, i don't feel that way any more. i really had a good experience on my interview day. the children's hospital was so wonderful. i hope i get in !!!
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Fantastic experience overall. Granted, the interviewing experience is somewhat intimidating at times, but it's merely a means in which to really get to the heart of you. Namely, your ideals, beliefs, and goals for the future. The AMCAS is designed to acquaint them with your past and your accomplishments, while the interview was there to explore more of the intangibles like how you work through problems. Address issues as capably as possible and be your own best advocate. I recently received my acceptance here, and after a couple acceptances already elsewhere at UVa and Tulane, I think I've decided upon EVMS as my home.
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I was worried about getting slammed with ethical questions as per EVMS' reputation, however, I was very pleasantly surprised at how smoothly the interview went. You have to set the tone from the get go though. My advice: Dont freeze up to their intimidating looks- they're not pissed, they're trying to phase you; laugh/smile a lot and try to make it more like a conversation; look at each interviewer in the eye. Dont give cookie cutter answers- stick to your opinion, even if you dont know that much about the topic, just admit that but go with your gut.
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It was a great experience. Don't overthink what they are going to ask you in the interview. Just be yourself and make sure to express everything that you want them to know about you.
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First interview, it was a cool one to start with.
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Stayed with a student the night before the interview in student housing which was really helpful. I got to meet a bunch of students, and figure out what life as an EVMS student was really like. Arrived a bit early for the interview and was (unkindly) directed to wait in a students lounge outside the admissions office. Had SP demonstration which was neat, tours (mediocre) and then lunch. Found it interesting that during lunch when one admissions member was talking about the school the other two members were shuffling through papers and reading the newspapers. Didn't seem very respectful or give the impression of interest in the school. Tours were as previously described. Heavy on the ethical questions but both my interviewers (student and clinician) were very nice.
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EVMS would be a great place for a future doctor interested in primary care.
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Overall I really enjoyed the visit to EVMS. I just applied to this school not knowing or expecting much at all. The city seems great, and I love the idea of being right on the water (20 min. from Virginia beach). In terms of the interview, it was rough. Even if I was accepted I don't know if I would attend (even though I've already been wait listed) because of how it went. It was a panel interview with two doctors and a 4th year student. They really weren't interested in me, it seemed like they each had like a few set questions listed that they wanted to ask. After I answered they'd usually just nod their head and ask another question. The ER doctor was there to try and shake me it seems, she challenged almost everything I said, and generally just seemed to dislike me. About 30 minutes into the interview she stopped paying attention, gazed out the window a few times and checked her watch more than once. I can handle myself fine in an interview, but I'm still not a fan of pressure interviews, I feel they really don't serve a purpose. Make sure you're up on your healthcare knowledge and take a stand on the questions and don't budge.
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Loved the school, felt medium about the area, thought the interview was tough
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Went very well, people are so friendly it almost creeped me out a little, but i suppose thats a good thing - they asked me a whole lot of ethical questions, i can't remember them all.
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The interview day at EVMS was great. The day started with an introduction and a presentation on the school's SP program. the admissions staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. the standardized patient program is amazing; definitely a big reason to attend EVMS - as a student you get massive amounts of patient exposure and clinical experience. Next was a tour of the children's hospital, excellent facility. Then came lunch along with a financial aid briefing. Lastly, the interviews. I had interviewed here a couple of years ago, and I can definitely say that the experience this time was totally different, much more relaxed and friendly. Maybe because i had different interviewers? Regardless, the interview panel was very down-to-earth, quite jovial. The healthcare and ethical questions were to be expected; reading SDN and consulting with someone with clinical experience helped alot.
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The students are friendly and warm. The facilities seem to be well maintained, and the library looks brand new. The other candidates interviewing on the same day were really friendly. The panel interview is a bit daunting.
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The two interviewers played good cop/bad cop. One was very nice, and put me at ease. The other kept asking me a difficult question, then cutting me off when I was halfway done. It was more stressful than I anticipated, but I was dumb to succumb to nervousness. Just stay as relaxed as you can; they can smell fear.
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I really liked EVMS. I liked the idea of living near the water for four years. During the interview day as some of us walked around the campus other students came up to us and said good luck, etc. The students seemed upbeat and nice, which impressed me. I also visited the standardized patient center which I encourage others to do. I got to watch the first years do their first patient interviews from the control room, very interesting!! I was accepted about three weeks after my interview and I will probably attend!
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Awesome!!
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Good first experience. The students interviewing the same day were fantastic. I really liked our group.
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It was a really fun and informative day. They brought in a Standardized Patient for us to "play" with. The Children's Hospital is the most child-friendly hospital I've seen yet. I was really nervous about the panel interview and the impending questions about ethics and healthcare, but it really wasn't bad at all. they were really very friendly.
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Overall, I was thoroughly impressed by EVMS. The students passing by in the hall stopped to talk to us and expressed their enthusiasm for their school. They emphasized the non-competitive and cooperative nature of the student body. Their standardized patient program is unique and very appealing. I also learned that the school is extremely focused on developing clinical skills. Don't be intimidated by the panel interview. The common sentiment of all the interviewees I talked to was that their doctor(s)/medical student combo was extremely nice and engaging. Don't worry too much about the interview questions. Read the questions posted on other posts, formulate your opinions, and stick with them when asked.
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This was the first interview i had and overall i think it was a pretty good experience. i was most intimidated by the other interviewers [14 of us total] who had gone on 5 or 6 already and kept saying they were glad that this wasnt their first. everyone was very nice, very laid back, and overall seemed very happy to be there. i got to norfolk the day before the interview so walked around a bit and the downtown seemed pretty nice. i keep hearing that it isnt a very safe city, but the small section that i did see looked nice - clean, pretty vibrant, looks like there were pleanty of good bars and restaurants. the interview day was very relaxed and informal [the dean sat in front of us in plaid pants. loved it]. i dont have anything to compaire the facilities to, but they looked fine to me. the strengths of the school lie in the strong relationship with the community, the fact that they do not own a teaching hospital [thus allowing you to have a myrad of clinical experiences], the student body is very cohesive, and the standardized patient program. talk about these. they love it. the interview itself was fine - mostly normal questions that i was expecting, but i wasnt asked why i wanted to be a doctor, which i found kind of odd. overall, a great day though! cant wait to hear!
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To preface this, EVMS mailed their decisions shortly after 10/15. I received my acceptance in the mail a few days later. This is a perfect example of how a terrible interview can still lead to positive results. I cannot tell you how terrible my interview experience and performance was. The interview was 3 to 1, with one student on the admissions panel, the director of admissions, and a practicing physician. The physician had a negative impression of me the entire time, and his body language was of extreme annoyance and boredom toward me and my answers. Every time I would speak, he would look away and sigh while the other two interviewers would stare at him instead of paying attention to my answers. After I would answer a question, the interviewers would stop and stare at each other rather than converse with me. There would be a terrible awkward pause for a long period of time, until one was brave enough to ask another question. They would never make conversation with me but would go straight into a question with an entirely different subject. The questions were made in an extremely aggressive manner and my replies were received with indifference. After a long series of aggressive bioethical and current issues questions, I became slightly flustered and started repeating relatively the same answers for all the questions. When it was my turn to ask questions, all my questions were answered by the student since the other two refused to reply to me. This interview was tougher than anyone can describe--do not underestimate it.
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I went into this day thinking that EVMS is a vastly underrated school-- a diamond in the rough, if you will. It was not a BAD experience by any means, but the school didn't really try to impress the interviewees or show what sets their school apart from others. I left with no clear idea of why I would want to choose EVMS over another school. They really stressed their standardized patient program, which seems great, but there must be other things that we as applicants should learn about their school before deciding to go there. They didn't give us any kind of viewbook or information about their curriculum, just a packet of (helpful but scary!) information about financial aid.
My interviewers really tried to stress that the interview should be conversational and not intimidating. I just don't see how that could happen given the situation. There was no give and take, it was just me answering their questions. This made the more difficult questions worse than they maybe could have been because you feel like you are getting no feedback and begin to question whether you are even making sense. Maybe they do this to see if you can keep your cool etc, but it certainly wasn't my idea of a conversation. The interviewers were very nice and certainly didn't make me feel bad or try and trip me up in any way, I just felt like I wasn't able to really show my personality or even why I wanted to be a Doctor (they didn't ask this question).
Anyway, I still like EVMS, I'm just not sure if it's the best place for me. I won't be heartbroken if I don't end up there.
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Besides what I've already described, it is important to read up on some relevant health care issues because they will ask you at least one question on that. They also touch on things in your personal statement so make sure you know what you've written! Overall it is pretty relaxed, they ask probing questions and guide you to what they're looking for.
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The entry before mine was accurate (we interviewed on the same day, obviously). Start with an explanation of the day from an adcomm assistant, followed by neat little get-together with the standardized patient (SP) director. We got to "interview" an SP...the SP could even cry on cue. Then tour of Children's Hosptial, then tour of library, then lunch - which is interspersed with the Director of Admissions (unconventional guy, maybe unprofessional?, but made good points) and financial aid staff. THEN - finally - interviews. Two people tag-teamed me, could be just one or as many as three.
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We started off teh day with a talk on standardized patients and how clinical experience is the strength of the school; saw a standardized patient; had a tour. Clinical experience, community service, and a very copperative class seem to be the main strengths of the school. The interviiew itself was a mixed bag. There were the run of the mill questions, but then there were also some pretty tough ones. Another guy who interviewed seemed to have it tougher - how do you pay for socialized medicine? research on people by the Nazi's, although unethical by today's standards still yielded valuable info.; would you accept their research knowing how it was obtained?
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Very relaxed - surprising for a panel interview. Actually was pretty fun.
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In general, I really enjoyed my interview experience. I would just make sure to know my secondary application inside and out because the interviewers try to sway you from you position and they will keep hounding you to make you change your opinion. Just be yourself and stick to your opinions!
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There is so much to love, it seems to overshadow my concerns. The family friendly environment. The professors frequently have potlucks for the student where the profs bring the food. They have movie nights in the auditoriums with kids in one room and adults in the other. Everyone is full of vision and hope. A great sign. Professors are there because they want to be. Many of them have designed the program and have a great deal of pride in it. It is very obvious that this school has great things in store.
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It was a great experience that really made me want to attend EVMS, everyone including the interviewers were extremely friendly
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EVMS is an awesome school. Yes they aren't a very rich school but they have a great education (high board percentages) and a very friendly atmosphere. The interviewers were laid back, and quickly tried to make me feel comfortable. They really did seem to want to get to know me better. The key thing is to be friendly and HONEST. Make it into a chat and it will make it easier for you to answer their questions.
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Overall, good experience. The interviewers sort of bombarded me with questions that do not seem relevant to the practice of medicine.
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It was very relaxed
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This was a great experience - the staff is really friendly and the interview was definitely more like a conversation even though it was "panel" style.
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Great interview experience. Excellent way to spend my very first interview.
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Toured school and observed standarized patient presentation. attended lunch w/dean. interviewed at end of day with student, faculty and alumni in group setting.
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The day began with an introduction to how the STD. PT. prg works. We had a volunteer whom we did not know at the time was actually one of the faculty members play the role of a pt. and one of us volunteered to be the doctor trying to find out what is "wrong" with this "pt." That went really well, there was a part two of that which was based on how to perform a physical examination (auscultation). A tour of the childrens' hospital followed and then the medical school and anatomy lab. Lunch break followed and a brief informal financial presentation FYI out of state students $52,000/yr. My interview was at 3:30pm I had about one and half hours down time, bring something to read. Don't be intimidated, you have three pple. interviewing you in one of the rooms located in the library only one has your open file with your academic transcipt and MCAT scores. The other two don't. The team comprises of a faculty member, clinician, and a medical student (M1-M4). A panel interview may not be favorable with most pple., but it is not different from the one on one, Just be yourself.
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EVMS is way underrated. The school has very solid curriculum that emphiseizes human values and clinical skills. Their standardized patient program is among top 3 in the nation. If you are looking for school that will make you the best physician you can be, EVMS is the one. The interview itself was really low stress. It consisted of 3 people: student, adcom member and scientist. They had really great sense of humor and the interview itself felt more like a conversation than an interview (which hard to accomplish because because its 3 against 1). They did ask however about typical physician day, healthcare problems, abortion etc but nothing hard. Overall, I really liked the school and people who interviewed me.
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In the morning you conduct a mock interview with a standardized patient and recieve a tour of the hospital and school. Then you have lunch (wraps!) and you move on to the library for interviews. If you have a later interview (the first one starts at 2:00) bring something to read. The panel interview set-up was not as intimidating as I thought it would be, but I think I had it easy compared to some people. I have definately heard stories about people coming out crying! The inerviewers are tough, they test your opinions, knowledge of the subject matter (not necessarily the legality of the situations) and your ability to think quickly, reason and back yourself up. The student tour guides will tell you some of the questions that they will ask. It is important to have good solid reasons for wanting to attend EVMS and to be a doctor.
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The interview was easy and everybody was very friendly.
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The day was really organized. We got a really nice demonstration of how the standardized patients are used and how they give feedback. The tour of the hospital was nice and for the tour of the school, there were several groups. The lunch was okay and the financial aid presentation was very helpful.
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Honestly, the interview is not so bad. It feels like an interview more than a conversation, but you can get around that by just trying to enlighten the situation early on. They really will try to get you on an ethical question. The admissions staff warn you prior, that they will try to say the opposite of what you say, to see if you will stick to your guns. STICK TO YOUR GUNS! Lunch was nice. And the Dean of Admissions Dr. McCombs is awesome. He reminded me of Bob Hope (he wore a white golf shirt and big plaid pants!). The class size is so small that really everyone knows each other. The rumor about them pushing you towards primary care is not true at all. They have a plaque outside the library doors of last years residency matches, and there are plenty of other programs graduates went into. Overall, take the day seriously. It is a legit school, and just be yourself. You will do fine.
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Comfortable interview day, too many interviewees, school seemed under financed.
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The panel interview wasn't that bad. I enjoyed being asked about the ethical questions. I was interviewed by researcher and got asked a lot of questions about my research.
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This was my first interview, so I was very nervous beforehand. But as soon as the conversation got going, it was very relaxed.
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Two or three people will be interviewing you at the same time. There will be a barage of ethical questions. The interview is conducted in a small quiet study room in the library, which has very big windows. Even though they ask a lot of ethical questions, the interviewers do it in an informal manner so it is not too stressful. For these types of ehtical questions, just think about your answer for a few seconds before speaking. Then pick a side, justify your stance, and don't sway from it no matter what else the interviewers say.
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Overall, the interview experience was great. I was really nervous about the panel interview, but the interviewers made me feel really comfortable and didn't "drill" me. They honestly just want to know what kind of person you are and if you can defend your answers to their questions. Seeing the cadavers was pretty cool too!
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It was stressful- one older guy (on the board, he told me himself!) asked the "book" questions (strengths/weaknesses, why this school, etc) and another peds MD asked q after q of situational/ethical questions- it was a lot!
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Sweet place!
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The day started at 10AM. First, we had a presentation on standardized patients with two demonstrations. Then, we were supposed to have tours of the hospitals, but those were cancelled. We spent almost an hour just chatting amongst ourselves. We then had student tours of the facilities. We met with the Dean and had the financial aid talk. We were supposed to have lunch with the Dean, but the food never arrived. A last minute tour of the ER was arranged. Afterwards, we ate delivered pizza in a small humid class room. The first interviews were scheduled to start at 2, but we were running late. I had the last interview time. It was the 2 hour wait that stressed me out most, though the interview itself was fine. My day didn't end until 5PM.
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Although the actual interview was kind of stressful, I came away from the day loving the school. I was pleasantly surprised at how happy all the students seemed, despite it being finals week. In general, it feels like a small, supportive, fun environment.
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The panel interview was supposed to have 3 interviewers - a first year student, a clinician and an academic. My clinician didn't show up. The academic had weak personal skills, made me feel uncomfortable, and asked weird questions. She also made every attempt to make things more stressful by making comments under her breath and questioning me. You should know they make a practice of asking ethical questions, and pushing you about your responses to see if you'll budge. The students who gave us the tour did warn us about this - but I was surprised at how unprofessional my interviewer was. The student interviewer was nice, but she didn't say much.
Also, you MUST give them a very clear answer as to why you are interested in EVMS. Lie if you must, but they only want people who are completely enthusiastic about their school.
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Overall a pretty good experience but it was my first interview and it's tough when the interview is 3 on 1. Also, I had to PhD's and a med student interviewing me so the PhD were kind of stubborn.
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Not a very stressful interview. I was expecting ethical scenario questions but received none.
The interview is the easy part so just relax and be yourself.
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It was not a stressful interview at all. Be sure to explain why you are interested in EVMS and be prepared to answer some ethical questions. During the lunch before the interview, the admissions staff will tell you teh kind of questions the interviewers will ask.
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I don't know. This school didn't really impress me. It is my last choice of the schools I have been to so far. The standardized patient program is emphasized alot but other schools have it as well. I also didn't learn anything about the curriculum. The students were cool and talked to me during the down time during the day but still the students have been great everyhwere I've gone. Don't get me wrong I would be happy there I just would probably be happier elsewhere. It just didn't feel right there. On the other hand I did see attractive girls at the school which is always a plus. I don't know how to describe my feelings about the school, it just didn't feel like a place I would jump at having the chance to attend. I also saw residents interviewing which was pretty funny. They looked exactly the same as all of us.
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Good, better than expected
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Great time - two interviewers at once which was a little confusing because one was a med student and one was an older doctor. They had looked at my file but not too extensively I don't think. It was very conversational.
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The 3 on one interview actually is very comfortable. However, some panels were pretty variable, I saw a couple students who told me their experiences were "intense".
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The area, the great surgical residency, and the breadth of opportunity for clinical experience early makes this my top choice school. My advice: be yourself; they know you're not a doc yet. Be willing to admit your faults, if you have them... (can I get an amen?)
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The facilities, campus, and students were very impressive. The interview itself was what was a negative experience for me. EVMS will surely scare away potentially good students becuase their interview process is poor. It needs to become a better school before it requires one to undergo such a painstaking process for admission. Its lack of research opporunities is a concern for me, but if not accepted into a more research oriented school I would go here for the location and the congeniality of its students.
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I'd love to go here if just for the location. Standardized patient program was their pride and joy, and it seemed like a great program to prepare you for patient contact.
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This school offered the most in depth look at their school, starting with the demonstration of the standardized patient assesment. We were even allowed in the anatomy lab, my first time seeing cadavers!! The hospital tour was amazing, the students are so down to earth and friendly. The atmosphere is really comfortable and welcoming.
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EVMS is really a great school. I underestimated it. why
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I had a wonderful interview experience. All of the staff was extremely friendly and the students giving a tour of the school were extremely helpful.
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Wonderful and low-key. My interviewer really helped me stay focused and understood that I was nervous. Loved the school! Would go in a heartbeat!
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The food was good. We had a selection of three sandwiches. They sprung for crab! Southwestern chicken wraps with rice and pinto beans were good. The dean has a wry sense of humor which takes a moment to get used to, but you can tell really soon that he's a great guy.
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Great. Very comfortable and we laughed.
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It was very laid back. The interviewers made jokes to calm me down. They were very receptive to my answers and respectful of my questions. I didn't feel incredibly inferior to them.
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The school is now my top choice and i really wish i was a state resident. everything from the standardized patient program to the very cool, relaxed, and friendly student body, the school seems to promote a "work hard, play hard" mentality. the area of norfolk is nice and i would love to be here next year.
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My experience was very positive. The school has moved to the top of my list.
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Glad THIS SCHOOL was my first medical school interview ever. had a great experience overall. comfortable community friendly atmosphere. Wouldn't mind going EVMS.
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Well I walked out of the interview knowing that I am not getting in based on this interview--he really intimidated me and made me distrust myself. BUT just stay with your beliefs, no matter what the interviewers try to make you say.
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Everyone was worried about the ethical questions that would be asked, but I did not encounter any questions of that nature. My interviewers were pretty laid back, and asked good "thinking" questions, but I didn't get the feeling that they wanted to trip me up. Overall, the interview wasn't too stressful, but make sure you prepare for "standard" questions about your motivation, personal attributes, etc.
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From start to finish I had a great time. I would advise everyone to just chill and be yourself. The interviews were not bad for me. I didn't have a single bioethics question. Rather, I had many more questions on the healthcare system in the U.S. and other countries. It really is a fantastic school!
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Overall, not bad, not too stressful
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Everyone arrived at 10am looking sharp (9 ppl). We assembled in a conference room where we were given our agendas for the day and a preso on SP's. We also got to practice on a real SP (pipe up and volunteer!). We then toured the hospital and the classrooms. Afterwards we had lunch and talked about money. Then 3 sets of interviews (you will only go to one) scheduled 45 minutes apart. Mine was the 2nd set so I had an hour to kill. I had 2 interviewers. They asked about me specifically and probed me about my ethics, passion and commitment. Then I asked questions. Guys!-Don't all wear black (it makes you all look the same!)
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Norfolk is a naval community predominately Caucasian with African Americans living towards the outskirts. I can only assume that my interviewer figured a student of ethnic minority would meet resistance in this town and wanted to see how I would deal under pressure. Future interviewees should not panic over this, but I want them to be aware of my experience--after this the other interviews were much easier.
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I thought that the school was great. I wish that my interview wasn't so late though.
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The interview was really easy going. There were no off the wall questions and the flow was conversational. One of the interviewers asked all the questions while the other just sat there and smiled. Questions included: Weaknesses/Strengths, Why EVMS? Why MD? Your thoughts on Stem Cell Research? Confidentiality question on pregnant teen. What do you think of the Iraqi conflict?
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The panel interview is kind of annoying, but not that bad. I learned a lot about the school, and was able to ask lots of questions prior to the interview. But I was a little tired by the time my interview came around. I was waitlisted about 10 days after I was there. Nice turnaround, anyway!
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Incredibly friendly, and it is obvious that the medical students are the entire school's first priority ((vs. the MD program being one of many within the school).
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It was very easy going. exactly what i expected. no tricks and they were very nice.
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Everyone was very friendly and helpful. The interview day was well-organized. Faculty answered questions and seemed genuinely interested in us each; students were open and nice.
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I was scared walking in, hence the higher than necessary stress rating. However, the panel interview was actually very enjoyable. It was even more conversational than 1-on1's that I have had. This school really has some potential, and I would be very happy to attend there.
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The school has the wrong kind of people on the admissions committe.
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The school really surprised and impressed me. We were made to feel welcome and comfortable, while the interview day was informative and planned with care. After my visit, EVMS quickly climbed my list.
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The whole interview process was great. Dr. Lewis, the dean of admission, were very informativ. I went to this school thinking that it would be one of my safty schools and came out wishing to be accepted. They take the art of medicine very seriously and train their students to be great physicians.
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I was extremely impressed with the school and the students. I would be more than willing to move from the west coast to the east coast to attend EVMS. The tour given by the students was great. I got to go into the physiology lab to check out the cadavers! If you are looking for a school that emphasizing more on the art of medicine than the science of medicine, this is the school for you!
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The outgoing Dean of Admissions, Dr. Lewis, is really nice and straightforward. During the informal lunch discussion, he basically outlined for us some of the types of questions we might be asked and gave us tips on how to answer them. That was a real surprise, especially as some of the other interviewees got asked the very same "sample questions" for which he had given sample answers just a short time earlier!
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Interview was a little stressful, since it is by a group, but they're very nice.
I really think that the students genuinely believe in helping
each other. There seems to be little to no competition between them, which is great.
Fantastic school. Since it is new, it doesn't have the repuation
of other schools, and can be looked down upon for that, which is
completely a farce! They can't rely on a history, so they do
everything they can to make sure that they create a wonderful environment
for teaching and patient care. I've heard from doctors who say
they can tell which residents are from EVMS (in a good way)- that says
a lot. I see others complaining about Norfolk, but I've spent time there,
it's actually a pretty cool place. On top of that, there are seven cities
right there (Hampton Roads), giving innumerable experiencess locally (along
with Virgnia Beach to relax).
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I really loved the school and would be very excited to be accepted.
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This has been my best interview so far and I would be honored if I was offered a place at their school
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On the whole, it was pleasurable and gave me some good insights for future interviews.
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Overall, I would be honored to be selected and attend EVMS. It is a really great academic program and has great oppurtunities.
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I had a great time here, and even though it is still buildling its reputation, i think it woudl be a great school. interviews were a little tougher than others, but they are nothing to really worry about if you go in and be yourself. they might seem tough but at the end the interviewers are all smiles.
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The interview was with a student and retired doctor, they made me feel fairly relaxed, it was my first interview.
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The interviewers were both MDs. They seemed to drill me quite a bit with ethical questions. Did not have much of a chance to talk about anything casual. The interview was more stressful than I expected though the dean of admission, Dr. Lewis was very nice and helpful. Though Dr. Lewis introduced everyone in the round table with all their credentials, don't let that bothers you and ruins your confidence if your experiences sounds kind of bland compared to others'.
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The first 2/3s of the interview were devoted to the "difficult" questions. Once that was over with, the interviewers really wanted to just chat about things I like to do and why I've chosen medicine.
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Overall, it was a great experience. It was my first interview so I was a little nervous, but the other applicants, admissions people, and students were really, really nice. In fact, one third year student talked with me for almost an hour and a half. During that time I met 1st through 4th years, who were are very helpful and answered a lot of my questions. I even got to meet one of the professors as he was passing by who was a very friendly and interesting person. Definitely was a very good atmosphere.
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After having been brainwashed into thinking that EVMS was a low-quality school, the interview day totally changed my perceptions. It doesn't have the reputation because it is a relatively young school, but I was impressed by their board scores. Their standardized patient program is well-developed, and they truly do emphasize the clincal aspect of medicine. Everyone, without exception, was very nice and friendly, from the people in the administration office to the random med students who walked by. The interview was very low-stress, and everyone did their best to put us at ease. Also, my interviewer told me flat out - if you want to do research, go to UVA; if you want to focus on the patient, come to EVMS.
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A very positive experience. They presented themselves very well during the interview day. I discovered a lot of things about them that I did not know before. I did not expect to fall in love with the school as much as I did!
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It was my most difficult interview yet. The interviewer kept challenging my answer that I knew was right. I explained what an 'emancipated minor' was, since my student host explained it the day before to me.
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The interview was very laid back. The Dean of Admissions is a great person who seems to genuinely care about applicants. The location is beautiful. They also have retreats for students and faculty included in tuition.
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Overall, a good experience
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Like the place alot, heard about a professor tutoring a student in anatomy for 3 hours on his own time, now that's what I call individual attention.
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Good experience; students were friendly and down to earth and nice--would be great classmates; interview wasn't as bad as I anticipated it could be; SP/teaching associate program and clinical teaching facilities were impressive
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It was not the fear fest that others had preped me for, but I was the last to go that day so I was tired and had a lot of downtime between the tour and interview. If I had a chice between an early time on Wed or a late time on Fri, I would go Wed.