Rochester, MN
Allopathic Medical Schools | Private Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 8% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did okay.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
8.9
Above Average
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 408 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional
8–8.9 Very Good
7–7.9 Good
6–6.9 Mixed
< 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
Positively (83%)
Negatively (3%)
No change (14%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (27%)
Good (54%)
Average (14%)
Poor (4%)
Bad (1%)
What are your general comments?
Applicants commonly shared positive feedback about Mayo Clinic, highlighting its student-centered approach, beautiful facilities, and friendly admissions staff. Suggestions included emphasizing patient-centered values, being authentic in responses, and preparing for a conversational interview style.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The school, MDs, and students do certainly give off a "cult" vibe. (They are NOT a cult, at least not as far as I know, but they do give off the vibe). They want people who will abide to the Mayo system and philosophies...some not so orthodox.
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Absolutely loved this school and would go there in a heartbeat.
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Amazing place
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Mayo values communication, but it's not everything. If you are a strong enough applicant, you may be just fine without sending LOI.
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Absolutely loved the school and the people!
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
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Length:
42 Minutes Average
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Number:
1.9 Interviews Average
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Interview Type (Interaction):
100% One-on-One
0% Group Interview
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File Type:
89% Open-File
11% Closed-File
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Interview Modality:
100% Virtual
0% In-Person
MMS-COMP interviews are an average of 42 minutes, with an average of 1.9 interviews. 100% of interviews are one-on-one, 0% are in-person, and 11% are closed-file.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about teamwork challenges, concerns about starting medical school, ethical dilemmas, personal strengths and weaknesses, leadership experiences, research projects, and motivations for pursuing medicine. Some respondents mentioned facing stress-test interviews with administrators and being asked about specific experiences related to their applications, potentially indicating an MMI format with a focus on non-disclosure agreements.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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“Tell me about a time that you worked on a team and things maybe didn’t run as smoothly.”
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There will be one stress-test interviewer who will try to make things tough on you. This is usually the administrator MD (a dean, senior chair). They might grill you, claim you lied on your app, tell you that your views are wrong, or etc. For me, they attacked my personal identity by saying they have a hard time believing people from my background experienced what I experienced.
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What about starting medical school concerns you most?
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A presented ethical dilemma and asked how I would respond
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Tell me about yourself
What was the most interesting question?
Students said the most interesting questions asked at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine discussed a variety of topics such as personal stories, emotional experiences, research explanations, diverse perspectives, and healthcare reform ideas. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on the range of questions, and respondents may have been subject to a nondisclosure agreement due to the unique and specific nature of some inquiries.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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What's your story?
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When was the last time you cried?
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What do you do with the rest of you? (on other identities besides my major cultural group)
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If you could sum yourself and application up in a short pitch what would you say?
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Tell me about a time when you disagreed with someone or something. How did you work that out?
How did you prepare for the interview?
Many applicants prepared for the interview by revisiting their primary and secondary applications, reading SDN interview feedback, reviewing the school's website, and practicing mock interviews. Suggestions included studying ethical issues, healthcare policies, and the school's philosophy, as well as staying up to date on medical developments and being familiar with the school's curriculum and values.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Re-read primary and secondary app, did mock interviews, reviewed SDN info
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Read my primary and secondary applications.
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SDN, school website
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SDN
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Reread notes from my "deep dive" into admissions site materials. Reread primary and secondary applications.
What was the most difficult question?
Students said the most difficult questions asked at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including behavior-based questions, ethics scenarios, personal growth experiences, and healthcare system reform ideas. Additionally, the mention of MMI format, nondisclosure agreements, and questions related to personal attributes like humility and dealing with mortality were noted in some responses.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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"You are not a very typical applicant, what should I say to convince the admissions committee that you are really dedicated to medicine?"
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N/A
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When was the last time you apologized? Tell me about it.
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How would your friends describe you?
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Behavior-based questions (ask a question and the response is something from your personal experience)
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendly and down-to-earth atmosphere at Mayo Clinic, the beautiful facilities, the strong sense of community among students and faculty, the significant financial support available, the focus on patient-centered care, the unique curriculum with opportunities for customization, and the abundance of clinical and research opportunities. Many highlighted the exceptional faculty-to-student ratio, the support from staff and students, the low tuition costs, and the positive interactions during the interview process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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VERY relaxed, friendly, & conversational. Super low-stress. I promise
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Mayo seems like an amazing school -- everyone I spoke to over the interview week seemed to be absolutely in love with the entire Mayo system and think it's the absolute best, and many of them had intentionally come to Mayo after being at other top schools.
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The campus is beautiful, and the physicians, staff, and students were incredibly down to earth and friendly.
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Students, curriculum, resources
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I mean Mayo is really the mecca of medicine. The hospital system speaks for itself.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants were primarily concerned about the location of Rochester, Minnesota, citing its small size, limited cultural attractions, cold weather, and lack of activities outside of the Mayo Clinic. They also noted the small class size and older student population as potential challenges for social integration, as well as the long interview day and limited feedback provided during the process. Suggestions for improvement included offering more opportunities for social engagement, enhancing student facilities, and providing clearer communication during interviews.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Nothing really
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The stress test and crossing the line to do so (see my other comment)
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Nothing!
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Still not convinced on living in Rochester. I guess everyone is at different points in life and have different priorities, but I feel like I'd be more in love with living here if I was 30 with a family and not in my low-mid 20s. If location is not a huge deal for you, you will love the school.
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Nothing really comes to mind.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Most applicants wished they had known that the interviews were relaxed, to wear comfortable shoes, and to not interrupt the interviewer. They also suggested getting to know other interviewees, being prepared for cold weather, and being aware of the long and tiring day at Mayo.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The interviews were both very chill -- I didn't need to worry so much
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There will be a stress-test
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To wear more comfortable shoes.
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Get to know you the other interviewees as much and as soon as you can.
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Mayo recycles the behavioral/HR type of questions all the time. I actually saw some of the questions before the interview but unfortunately didn't prepare for them as seriously as I could have.
🤝 Campus and Facilities ▼
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How would you rate the Location and Cultural Life?
0 = Low, 10 = High
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants generally appreciate the admissions office's current practices and friendliness, but suggest avoiding stress-inducing tactics like "show me your interest" games and providing more transparency in the admissions process timeline.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Nothing, they seem to be doing a great job this year!
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Throw away the stress tests. Stop playing the games via email with your "show me your interest". The reality is that students need to play the admissions game if they want the best chance at admissions. If you want a great yield for your institution, I suggest changing the system rather than using these tactics. Also never forget the fiasco where they accepted everyone who interviewed and then rejected everyone without explanation, and then proceeded to blame the admissions portal software company (which isn't reasonable because thing like this has never happened in the past and the portal literally does not have any control over sending out acceptance letters). The response was not only delayed but also unprofessional. Applicants never received an explanation. When when they called us to apologize, they still played this "you are on the waitlist" vs "you are HIGH RANKING on the waitlist" game.
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Keep doing what they're doing!
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Not sure what good those highly ranked emails do...
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Stay amazing!
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
Airports Used
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MSP
42% interviewees used MSP (MSP), with 23% using RST (RST) and 19% using Rochester (Rochester) and 6% using rst (rst) and 6% using Minneapolis (Minneapolis) and 3% using the airport in Minneapolis (the airport in Minneapolis).
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by airplane to the interview.
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74% Airplane
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12% Automobile
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14% Train or Subway
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0% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Kahler (average ranking 6.4/10), with some staying at Marriott (average rating 9.7/10). (Top 3 displayed)
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Kahler
6.4/10
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Marriott
9.7/10
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Kahler Grand
5.5/10
What was the cost and time spent traveling?
Cost: Low Cost to High Cost
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are out of state students.
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
Admissions staff (3%)
Other (10%)
Student (87%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Enthusiastic (88%)
Neutral (12%)
All Responses
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