Gainesville, FL
Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 19% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a low stress level and felt they did well.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
8.6
Above Average
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 1,073 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 low 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 (90%)
Negatively (5%)
No change (5%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (42%)
Good (49%)
Average (9%)
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview experience at UF to be comfortable, enjoyable, and low-stress. They appreciated the welcoming atmosphere, conversational interviews, and the opportunity to interact with current students. Some mentioned the long day, informative presentations, and the fast turnaround time for decisions as positive aspects of the experience. There were mixed reviews regarding the interviewers, with some being very friendly and others being more challenging. Overall, many applicants left with a positive impression of the school and felt excited about the possibility of attending UF.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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This was a great interview. I would feel comfortable doing it again.
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Overall very comfortable and leisure interview. Just be yourself and an overall enjoyable person and you will be fine. It is a long day so have some caffeine on hand
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Very low-stress, enjoyable interview. Don't worry too much!
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This school is absolutely incredible and truly cares about choosing the best human beings for their student body! I can't wait to be a Gator!!
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Very happy with this school and their interview day
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Go to the free dinner the day before if you can! It really helps you relax!
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It was obvious why UF is considered the best Florida medical school. They seem to truly care about their patients, and the students appear happy.
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I was not expecting to love this school, and I absolutely did. It is now ranked WAY higher on my list than it was before the interview.
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They really make an effort to make you feel comfortable. They also said out of everyone UF interviews, 95% get in somewhere.
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Wonderful experience! Just be yourself
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Hopefully ill be here next fall!
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So excited to be going here!! It's a great school!
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Great interview experience. Only stress was from it being my first interview.
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Nice admissions staff, interview day is packed with a lot of info about the school. I liked Gainesville, but if you're one of those people that loves the big city life, probably not for you. The hospital seemed nice, a bit old but I didn't get to see much of it. I was impressed with the school on my interview day because it was my first interview, and I didn't have anything to compare it to. In retrospect, after comparing it with other schools I have interviewed at, I'm not as impressed as in that first day. Overall, still a great institution to get a medical education, and students there seemed very happy with the school.
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I mean...we took pictures with a cardboard cut-out of Albert in a white coat as part of the interview process. How do you not love UF?
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It was awesome. i liked it.
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Great School. Wonderful Atmosphere.
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It was nice and I was pleasantly surprised
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I thought the interview day was organized and put together very well. They made the day a long one to try to ease our nerves and keep us relaxed for the afternoon when our interviews took place. It worked and I think my interviews went extremely well. They also did a good job of matching me with my interviewers. I'm not sure if it was sheer coincidence or not but one of my interviewers did some research that was similar to some things I did and was also a big basketball fan which made for great conversation. I thought the med students got along well and the rumors of the ultra competitive environment seem to be completely untrue, especially with the new pass/fail grading system in place. Leila is a pro at getting things together and the whole staff was very friendly and professional. Also heard some of the students playing Chopin and Liszt during our lunch break, so they obviously have good taste in music.
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Good school, good ppl, nice interview, but probably not for me...
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I came in thinking I would hate UF and I came away actually considering it as a serious option. Good work admissions office!
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Interviewed on 11/20/2009; accepted via email 12/01/2009. It's all been said before: it's a very conversational interview. Their goal is not to "acid test" you but to find out who you are. At least for me any stress encountered was self-induced.
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Relax and be your self. I saw a couple interviewees who were nervous and very much showing their anxiety. Learn to relax and learn to be at ease, that is the best advice you could possibly get from anyone in this whole process.
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Love Gville, go gators and this school definitely producing quality physicians.
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The school was very good!
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Go Gators!
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So casual, nice interviewers, no pressure at all
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The tour(s) weren't so bad as I was led to believe. I have to admit, from the SDN feedback I was expecting the worst. But it wasn't any worse than other schools I've visited. Maybe the tours were changed this year (???)
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My interview experience was horrible. The first person who interviewed me was a doctor and they were nice. However, it was ruined by the 4th year medical student that was a total jerk and basically tried me all throughout the interview. Am I overreacting? HELL NO! This person did a total different interview than the IVY league student he had just before me. Which tells me that the guy basically just didn't like me by my file not by my interview or liking me because he got to know me. NO, he judged me and acted accordingly which accounted for a horrible interview. If this sounds like sour grapes go on SDN right now and look at all the scandals and comments about UF's horrible interviewing / selection process. I hated my experience and wish to god I didn't waist my time going there and waisting my day. I am much more happy with my experiences at other schools and the other schools I got into. I did e-mail the dean and he followed up with me but nevertheless screwed me over at the end. I never wanted to go to this school after I visited it. Sorry if this sounds depressing but it is the only thing I can do to account for my WAISTED DAY
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Great day, though a little long. Everyone, from students to admissions staff to faculty, were very encouraging throughout the day. I would have preferred the interviews to be done before lunch and THEN do the tours, etc. Overall, great impression of the program.
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Overall it was a positive experience, everyone was helpful and it seemed that they were also trying to really sell their school to the interviewees and make them feel welcome. Very busy day, packed schedule.
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An interview at UF is not so much an evaluation of you but more UF wants to get an eyeball on you as a person. My interviewers were very relaxed and just wanted to get to know me. Basically if you have an interview with UF: Don't sweat it; UF already likes you otherwise you wouldn't be invited.
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It was a very relaxed interview. The day is very well organized and goes by fast. The interviewers made me feel really comfortable and all of the staff was very friendly and helpful.
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Very pleasent. My first interviewer happened to be a very well known facutly member at the uf med school so it was slightly intimidating.
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Both of my interviewers were really friendly and helpful. They just wanted to get to know me as a person. One of my interviewers choose not to read a lot of my file because he thought it was better to get to know the student face to face, and then read the application to learn more afterward. I thought it was a cool idea and it was nice to not feel like I was repeating things that he had already read about.
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I was asked to explain thoroughly some issues in my application. Though it was tough in a way, I really felt like my interviewer wanted to know all about everything so that I could be best represented in front of the committee. I felt like the interviews were a chance to show who I was and the interviewers took what I said to heart.
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Overall, not sure how it went but I was impressed by the school.
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Student area needs updating; first interviewer was aggressive.
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The interviews weren't bad at all. I didn't get too many difficult questions. Be prepared to explain everything on your application. The interview day was REALLY long too (9 a.m.- 5 p.m.). Also, the way they conduct their acceptances is disappointing. They put most of their applicants ''on hold'' til March. Only a few people are given straight acceptances.
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Very comfortable and thorough. The day is long: the morning (8-12am) is full of briefings (financial aid, research opportunities, UFCOM info), while the afternoon (1-5pm) is divided into 4 segments (2 are 1-hour interviews, 2 are 1-hour tours with plenty of Q&A time). The interviews (one by a 4th year, one by an instructor) were both open file, but my file was referenced sparingly. Both interviewers wanted to know ME and not the paperwork. Everyone I met was friendly and in a good mood. The best part of the entire process is the turnaround time: I did my interview on Friday, and received a call 4 DAYS LATER (Tuesday) saying that I had gotten in. Even if you're not admitted right away, you'll find out you've been wait-listed within a week, and there are several reviews before the May deadline for decisions. The application process for UF has been the best thus far.
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The school is wonderful with enthusiastic faculty, staff and students. I only wish there hadn't been such a discrepancy between my interviews.
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The interviews went well. The 4th year pretty much went through a list of questions. The MD and I talked about lawsuits, ice hockey, and other schools. The day starts at 9 and ends at 5:15. It's way too long.
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It was great! It's my top choice, so I hope to get in!
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Morning tours / speeches, lunch with medical students, interviews in the afternoon, and more tours!
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Terrible, UM's simulation center was twice as big, Shands is great and all but how much trauma is there really gonna be in Gainesville/Ocala? The students didn't even know each others name which confirms the rumor of a this school being filled with a bunch of gunners. A little un-welcoming if you ask me.
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This was a great interview experience. Everyone was extremely friendly and honest.
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It was fabulous! My first interview went very well, and I feel that I gave my interviewer plenty of information to be able to be an advocate for me. The second interview was a bit iffier in that he wasn't as friendly (sadly) and didn't seem to be taking what I was saying at face value. I wasn't able to articulate as well as I normally do because he was giving me very little feedback and didn't seem to agree with a lot that I was saying. Hopefully he respected my opinions though!
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It's a very long day (9 to 5:20 - wear comfortable shoes!!!), and they pack that entire day full of information. The tours were great. Students were eager to talk to us about the great experience they had had there so far.
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I went into the day at UF feeling sure that I wanted to come here. However, by the end of the day I was not quite so impressed. When a prospective student interviews for medical school, he or she expects a reasonable amount of professionalism from the school and its faculty. I was shocked by the treatment I received but I believe my experience is probably the exception and not the rule. UF is a good school but at the end of the day it left me disappointed.
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Great school, great people, overall good day
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Prepare to stay all day.
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Overall, the interviews were not particularly stressful, and I felt as though the interviewers were on my side. It seemed like they really wanted to get to know me better so they could give an accurate impression of my merits as an applicant to the admissions committee.
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The interview experience was very enjoyable! I was intrigued not only by the facilities but also by the atmosphere of the University of Florida College of Medicine. The staff, current medical students and physicians were extremely helpful and definitely enhanced the interview experience.
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Very conversational with a few of the standard kinds of questions thrown in.
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I really like the school. I left the interview feeling much more excited about the possibility of attending UF.
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I would caution very much against forming an opinion based on what the admissions office throws at you. Pull aside those students who weren't sent there by admissions and get their opinions on this place. Overall, I wasn't pleased with this place, and I have serious doubts about the 3rd and 4th year clinical training.
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The interview is 9am-5pm. There are a number of tours and presentations. Everyone at UF COM is friendly and puts you at ease as soon as you get there. The actual interviews were conversational and the interviewers were very pleasant. Before the interview I was aware that UF had a good reputation, but now I realize what an incredible program it is and I completely understand how it earned that reputation.
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The interviewers tried to make it conversational
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It was a long day, but everyone should go in expecting that. Buy special soles for your formal shoes (I bought gels, I recommend them). Even with the special soles I was tired after two hours of tours. I can't really explain why I really liked this school, I just did. They try to make everything as relaxed as possible so that you can be yourself. The professors seem to love-love-love-love what they do (even if one of them is a walking cure for insomnia).
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My first interview was very short, <30 minutes. I am not sure if this is good or bad. My second interview was alot better, more of a conversation. A few questions based on my work expereinces, but other than that no specific questions about my application.
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It is a good school with a tradition of graduating successful doctors with less debt than other schools. A lot of Southern charm.
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Overall, it went really well. Everyone is extremely nice and I believe that UF truly puts their students before everything else. The admissions staff did a good job.
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Florida has a great reputation, and you will hear that reiterated throughout the day. It seemed strange to hear how amazing the classed do on the USMLE, but how there isn't any real competition - I didn't believe it, but every student I talked to said that they really do like each other and try to help each other out. Florida does seem to be stuck on how great they are - but they didn't really seem to be improving the facilities as compared to the other schools I have visited. I think that you either go there and love it, hate it, or feel completely neutral about it - but that all the students who attend absolutely love it. My only big complaint about the actual interview was the question line of ''Where else have you applied, interviewed, and been accepted?'' I didn't see how that question was any of their business, and it made me very uncomfortable.
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It was a pleasurable experience which resulted in me being more inclined to attending this institution.
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I had a great time. The staff and students were all very nice and gave a great view of life at UF. I was impressed with almost everything UFCOM has to offer. The only thing negative was that the day is too long (not exhausting, but lots of repetition). They could leave out some of the days activities and the experience would have been just as informative and much more enjoyable.
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Just be yourself. Relax and socialize with your fellow interviewees. You are all in the same boat--so have fun! And talk about topics (to each other) besides medicine just to relax! ie football, fun stories etc. RELAX!
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Seems UF gives interviewers free rein over what they ask in interviewers. neither of the interviewers were PhDs. one guy asked me a really artificial question, for which i gave a blunt response. then he said my response seemed ''contrived''. ok then, speak for yourself and your own question. the student tour was not much better. one of the tour guides was also bragging about her ''4.0'' from Florida State. im sorry, but a 4.0 from FSU doesn't change the fact that it's still FSU.
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It was a lot more laid back than I thought it would be. The interviews were much more conversational than anything. Overall, it made me want to go there more.
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Very laid back.
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Very well organized overall. A long day but Robyn, Denise, and Dr.Gessner were very welcoming and the day was organized such that you were kept occupied and learned a lot about the school. The group of interviewees was approx 15-20 students.
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Both interviewers I had were great. The first interviewer was incredibly easy going. We mainly just talked about different things. I think the only question he actually asked me was why I want to do medicine. The second interviewer was more traditional but the questions were typical and he was very nice.
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It was interesting; UF did a pretty good job of matching me with interviewers in terms of interests and background.
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My interviews were both conversations as opposed to question/answer sessions. Both of my interviewers were very interested in knowing about my researach, considering UF is a large research facility. They are opening a whole slew of new cancer, genetic, and spinal research centers. Overall, everyone was extremely friendly and UF is an excellent example of southern hospitality. I'm slightly biased considering it is the only school I applied to for undergrad.
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Just be yourself and you'll be fine. The interviewers were both pretty nice, and each have their own way of questioning you. The first interview was done almost entirely open file, while the second interviewer barely looked at my file.
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Very positive experience, made me really excited about the school, the interviews didn't go that well, but i didn't sleep much the night before. they didn't ask hard questions, i just didn't do as well as i could have.
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Sat in a room for what seemed like days, changed room, and repeated. Then 2 tours with interviews intermingled in the afternoon.
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The interview day was way too long and I felt that it was very repetitive. But overall it was good to be able to talk with so many students and get their thoughts about the school. The staff was very nice and helpfull in answering all of our questions.
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WAY TOO LONG! Also, very disjointed. I feel like there are two different people who interview at UF and I have advice for each. For the people who are seriously considering UF and are moderately or less competitive applicants: the school is not bad, and don't be misled by the interview day. To the people who are competitve at other schools and applying to UF because its their state school: don't go here just because its cheap. The kind of experience you get for the interview is likely to be similar to the experience of going to school there.
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Very long day, but very impressive. Tours and info sessions in the morning, lunch at 12, interviews and more tours in the afternoon. STAN, the simulation robot, was awesome and so was the Harrell Center. UF sells their med school very well.
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My 2 interviewers were so nice and understanding so I would not get too stressed.
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It was too long and too many little bad things happened, so overall, I just got a bad impression.
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It was overall a nice day.
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I was extremely impressed when I came to UF COM. The students, faculty, and staff are kind and willing to answer questions. I learned everything that I wanted to know and more. The day was filled with activities and each served a unique purpose. I especially enjoyed the STAN demonstration, the chat in the Maren reading room, and the tour of Shands Hospital. I felt at ease throughout the day.
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Great experience, though I may not have performed as well as I had hoped on the first of the two. Time will tell, though.
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It was great. I really hope I get accepted to UF COM.
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The day at UF COM is long (9 am to 5:30 pm) but informative and fun. The interview group was large (~20 people); that doesn't really mean anything, but I was surprised since most schools aimed for no more than 15. There were presentations about the school, financial aid, the Harrell Center (where students learn clinical skills on standardized patients), STAN (a robot patient), and the reading room (a place for med students to relax). There was lunch during which you could ask med students questions. We were then sent off for 2 interviews and 2 tours (hospital and school) in different orders for different people. My interviews were good (see other SDN feedback for other experiences); the people seemed genuinely interested in learning about me. Questions were straight out of your application because UF is open file (translation: give explanations and examples, don't just repeat what your application says). Tours were interesting; we got in-depth views of many wards and clinics. The day wraps up at 5 pm. The admissions process is as follows: after interviewing, you are accepted (very few), rejected (even more rare), or put on hold (the majority). Hold IS NOT the alternate list; it is a list of applications about which no decision has been made. Around March-April, people on hold are reviewed to be accepted (a few more), rejected (still rare), or put on the alternate list (about 100 people). The alternate list behaves as it does at any school (it may be informally ranked too, but this is speculation/word-on-the-street); few people are taken from the alt list though (weirder things have happened). Update UF COM with important happenings, awards, new grades, or anything you feel will improve your standing. I hope that helped.
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Delightfully suprised. Quite beautiful. The area is not too rural as I thought. Students are happy. Food average. Go and plan to walk alot but you can relax.
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It was a long day but I was very impressed with the extensive information that was covered during the interview. All my questions were answered and if I had any additional questions there was always someone there willing to listen. Also I thought the admissions staff were friendly and made the day as stress-free as possible.
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I had a good time at this interview. Your fellow interviewees will all be very interesting people and the faculty and current medical students will do their best to help you relax. Also, you'll get candy in the morning and some pretty good lunch as far as interview food goes - which you'll get to share with current medical students. This was by far my best interview day of the season so please don't dread this day - be excited, you'll have a good time and learn a lot.
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I was pleasantly surprised after my day at UF. The interview day positively influenced my opinion of UFCOM.
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Overall, a very positive experience and I am looking forward to hearing from the school.
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The day exceeded my expections. As a UF undergrad, I was familiar with the campus and hospital but appreciate the tours for those that aren't. The USMLE board scores are impressive and yes the school should be very proud of their and the students accomplishments. The morning gives you the opportunity to think of questions to ask during the interview to show your interest. STAN is a marvel. Ladies; Robyn is not kidding, wear comfortable shoes. All the ladies in my group had blisters by the end of the day. The interviewers make you feel so welcomed and just want to get to know you better and assess your fit into the program. Come prepared with questions to ask, as many people in my group stated the interviewer wanted them to lead the direction of conversation.
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Basically it goes how everyone else says it does. They try to sell you the school in the morning, and you try to sell yourself to the achool (at least during your interviews) in the afternoon. It is really low stress. My interviewers were very friendly and tried to put me at ease. I love this school and I can't say enough good things about it! If anyone who is reading this is holding a spot in the class and is sitting on the fence about whether or not they like the school, please, please give up your spot so I can have it!
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I had a really great time. All of the students had great personalities and really loved the school and the faculties. It was very low stress. The support staff are some of the best.
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My visit went very well. There were a couple of things that kind of peeved me throughout the day though. First off -- way too much info. I know it's very nice that you have a new reading room. But I really didn't need a 25 minute presentation on it. Second off -- the board scores are GREAT...but there repeated emphasis throughout the day made it seem like that's all the administration cares about. Third off (and this isn't a UF only problem, but it bugs the crap out of me) -- YOUR FACILITY IS NOT UNIQUE!! Almost everyone in the country has standardized patients now. They all have cameras in the room to record your performance (some of them even have 2!). They all have the anesthesia dummies. EVERYONE has it...quit telling me you're the only ones! Ok. Mini-rant over. Had to get that out of my system. I really liked that you get to go down to Jacksonville and have some of your rotations in an urban setting. It also seemed like the med students had pretty healthy interactions with each other - not too much crazy competitiveness.
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I had a great time. Everyone was really nice and I think my whole interview group thought their interviews went well.
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My first interview was very direct which took me aback at first but then I realized his purpose for doing so. The questions from him were fair and flowed very well. I did not feel that the interview was a bunch of questions but was more of a conversation. My second interviewer had a list of questions prepared and again like a conversation. She also had questions that stemmed directly from my application and seemed to memorize or know a couple of things about me. In general, I think the committee does a great job matching you with an interviewer who has your same research/medical interests. good luck!
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Very positive. Enjoyed the school. It was really laid back. I liked the medical students there and the students I was walking around with which made me realized I would fit in well at UF.
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This has been my favorite interview experience of 4 that I have done. Though the day was long, it was also very fun and the people were friendly and welcoming. Robyn and Denise are awesome and Dr. Gessner does a good job of easing the tension with jokes. Rumor has it that the committee is obsessed with grades and scores, but the interview does a good job of making this seem untrue.
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Wonderful experience overall. I felt at ease with all of the faculty and students and the place just has a good vibe. The interviews were easy going and nothing to be concerned about.
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It's a long day but the admissions staff plans it well so that you don't really start getting tired until after your interviews. The information they give you is very helpful and the interview day definitely placed UF higher on my wish list.
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Very pleasant and relaxed. The day was long, but went by fast. We were provided with a lot of helpful information, as their goal was to help us to pick the medical school that was right for us. It felt like we were being recruited, which helped me to relax and not be so nervous.
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The interview day was well planned though I think it was a bit long. Morning activities were all about UFCOM. Then lunch (which was kind of small compared to other schools). Interiviews and tours in the afternoon. Overall day was good. Interviewees are people that I would probably get along with. Hope I get in.
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The first interviewer was a little more traditional in that he had a few standard questions that he probably asked everyone. He also asked about specific things such as my research and classes I had taken. The second interviewer was much more relaxed and sort of let me direct the interview. I was asked if I had any questions about 15 minutes into the interviewer. He had obviously read through my file and actually seemed genuinely interested in some of the research I had done.
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Great experience and pretty stress free. Although the day is long, it goes by pretty quickly because you are always doing something. Interviewers are not out to get you (although I think one of mine might have been falling asleep on me) and the interview is pretty straightforward. The hospital/med school complex is huge and continues to get bigger.
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If you end up having an interview with Dr. Paulus, be prepared to walk---really fast! Great Doc though
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Long day (9-5), completely filled with tours and interviews. comfortable and relaxed interviews.
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Wow, this was the craziest interview ever. My first interviewer wasn't in her office, so I waited about half and hour. Suddenly, she comes running down the hall, telling me, "Hi, come with me--we've got to put out some fires." So I walk into an exam room with her where they're in the middle of a procedure with a patient, and the patient actually ended up asking me most of my interview questions! It was actually pretty fun--the patient had a great personality, as did the dr. My second interviewer had to take me at the last minute because another interviewer cancelled, so he got about 3 minutes notice about me. But we ended up chatting a lot and I was accepted, so beware--crazy days are good!
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UF has a very collegiate feel to it (surprise surprise), and I had a hard time imagining being on a professional track there. Not like you can do tons of stuff outside of school, but you are very isolated out there. But, UF's facilities are great, the people seem to love it (a little too summer camp-y for me even), and they go the distance to get you to love it. My two interviewers were the major selling points. Both of them were people you would see as fantastic professional role models. I won't hold the fact that one of them made me explain Transcription and Translation against him.
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Overall, UF is an amazing school and I really hope that I get in. The facilities are amazing, and the presentation was very professional and on-time. My interviews were really conversational, interesting and thought-provoking.
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Overall my experience at UF was a very positive one. The negatives are minor in comparison to everything positive the school has to offer. I detailed specifics below.
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Interviewers were very friendly. I was able to relax during both interviews. Don't worry if you are asked a difficult, controversial question. Just try and give a response that shows you understand both sides of the issue and try not to lean towards one side.
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The day is long, damn long. But the one on one interviews are very chill and everyone is extremely friendly. The facilities are nice, as are the students and the admissions staff. I can understand the day being long, since the school is trying to sell itself. There is a small lunch, it could definitely be a little bigger, I was starving by the end of the day. My interviews were extremely laid back and went jjust like a normal conversation. In general, eat a good breakfast, wear comfortable shoes, be confident in why they should want you and how good a fit you are for the school, and knock em dead.
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Overall it was great. The interviewers were very friendly. They each had a sheet of questions to ask me, but it was mainly conversational.
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Casual, conversational, positive experience.
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I was positively impressed, over all (see "what positively impressed me" section). I was also impressed by the caliber of students applying with me, UF definitely attracts a high class crowd. I think a lot of people were nervous about the interview ahead of time though (some people had been told horror stories of "testing/mentally trying" interviews"), however, both of the people I met with were extraordinarily nice and intriguing to talk to. Some of my ethical perspectives were challenged in the interview, but I stuck to my guns and that was all. Neither of the interveiwers was "out to get me" - they were intelligent, interesting, thought-provoking people. Just go in there prepared to stand your ground and learn a little.
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Excellent school. This was my undergrad institution and I was overly impressed. The faculty and students are very eager to assist you, and the environment seems very educational rather than competitive.
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Very pleasant. I was nervous at the begining, but as the day progressed I relaxed as I realized how laid back everybody was. I feel like I really had a chance to show both interviewers my passion and commitment for this profession.
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UF is a fantastic school and a great option for in-state residents. I did feel that the interview day was too long; after a while, my brain just kind of shut down. Robyn and Denise, if you're reading this, please dispense with the hospital tour in the future. It isn't nearly as informative as the Harrell Center, Stan, and medical school tours are, and we were all so fried by then that I kind of felt bad for our tour guide. Also, it would be great if you could provide some coffee and bagels or something in the morning, because it is hard to make it through such a long day on so little food.
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The first half of the days is like an orientation to the school. The two interviews are in the afternoon, seperated by tours of the hospital and the med-school. There were plenty of opportunities to chat with the students and the other interviewees. Med students and even some residents dropped in on our group througout the day to share their feelings and experiences with us.
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Like everyone else has said, Denise and Robyn are amazing and very friendly. Everyone tries to put you at ease. For most of the interviewees, it was the first interview we were going to, so some tension remained, but because you sit through a couple of presentations, a tour, and lunch before the interviews start some of the jitters go away. They try to pair you with interviewers that match to your application. I had one PhD and one MD, both of whom asked very good questions. Know your current events and your application's strengths and weaknesses. It seems to me that if they invite you to interview, you have passed their biggest academic criteria, so you want to sell yourself on the positives. Two tours, two interviews and then a wrap up session. I feel that one of the tours could have been eliminated in favor of an hour to just relax for a bit - they have you doing things the entire day. Everyone talks about the board scores too much I feel. Overall, a good experience and I think a great school to attend. I recommend staying with a student host.
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Great! Low-stress. Friendly.
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Very positive, pretty relaxed. wonderful student body and faculty. it was my first interview, and I really enjoyed it. My med school host was so nice. I would recommend staying with a student.
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Overall, it was a very long draining day. It wasn't the least bit stressful though. Be prepared to walk a lot. There were several presentations in the morning, followed by a trip to visit STAN, the Harrell Center, and then lunch. The food was pretty good, but I wish I had stacked more on my plate because there is not chance for seconds, so don't be bashful as most interviewees are with food. Medical students come in and get a free lunch once the interviewees pass through the line, so they cleaned up pretty nicely. They were very eager to talk to us, answer questions, etc. They were fairly honest as well, which was refreshing. After lunch, the group is divided and some go for interviews while others tour the med school and hospital (two separate 1 hour tours). I think this is what dragged the day on too long, as we were brought places we had already been. The tours should be combined, with much less emphasis on the hospital as its not necessary to see the front door of the new NICU, or floor after floor of the same things. After the tours & two interviews, everyone convenes for a final message from one of the deans, where he lets you know your chances (which are very good) of getting in. Overall, it was a great day, and I learned a lot about UFCOM. I had a high opinion of the school coming in, but the day showed me it was an even better place to go to med school than I thought.
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It was a long day, from 9-5:30, however, it did not seem that dragged out. We were constantly doing something. The demeanor of the students was great, they all truly seemed to be happy there. There seemed to be a great sense of camaraderie. They went on and on about how great the faculty was. First interviewer was an older faculty member that seemed very indifferent and uninterested. Second interview was with a 4th year, very comfortable. Overall a positive experience that bumped up UF on my list. Not one question about healthcare at all though, kinda surprising. Of course its the topic I prepared most for.
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The day runs from 9 AM to 5 PM. In the morning a lot of information about the school is given (USMLE scores-very impressive!), tour to the brain institute to see STAN, and a visit to the Harrell Center and to the Marren room. Then comes lunch with other medical students. In the afternoon, you have two interviews, a tour of the hospital, and a tour of the medical school facilities. People are very friendly, which helps you relax before and during the interviews. Students seem very happy with their choice and do a great job promoting their school.
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Long Day....But very little stress. Very informational.
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The interview was an overall good experience. I wasn't very stressed because Robyn and Denise provide a comfortable atmosphere. I thought I performed fairly well under the conditions and it was good to see the campus. UF is probably the best med school in Florida. MAIN Things to know: 1) good cop/bad cop interviewers: I don't know if they actually plan this or if it works out this way, but one interviewer tends to be nice to you and the other more mean. There are varying degrees of "good" (bubbly to pleasantly curious) and "bad" (argumentative to mildly disinterested/emotionally distanced). Just don't be surprised if one person loves you while the other leaves the room to make a phone call (DURING the interview). Be poised, calm, and do your best. 2) the admissions process: Before I begin, let me just say that this is speculative; I have heard this as "the word on the street." After interviewing, you are either accepted, rejected or put on hold. Hold means they have made no decision about you. They then review people on hold for acceptance, rejecton, or waitlist. This is definite. The operation of the waitlist is what is speculative. From what I've heard, the list is split into three groups, or tiers. Consideration for acceptance goes in order from Tier 1 to 3. As you submit materials to the school, you can move up or down from one tier to the next. If this is true, then the list is semi-ranked. In other words, Tier 1 has a better chance of getting in than Tier 2, but everyone in Tier 1 has the same chance. I can't say this is 100% true or the implications, but I just wanted to give a possibility.
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Overall a great experience and low stress, so relax if you've had interviews elsewhere, particularly in the New England area. Also remember that when they act arrogant and try to intimidate you, they're probaby just trying to test your nerves, and as long as you remember that you'll be fine. RELAX! Robyn Sheppard was sick during our interview, so Denise Chichester took over for her, but I know Robyn is usually good at keeping everyone relaxed, so try and have fun and you'll do better.
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I got along really well with my first interviewer and he asked me some very good questions; the interview flowed and lasted about 60 min. However, my second interview only lasted 20 min and I felt like I did not impress the second interviewer at all. I go to another school in Florida and I think that both of my interviewers believe that I want to stay there. It was difficult to convice them that I wanted to leave and attend Florida without belittling my current institution.
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The day starts at 9:15am and ends at 5:00pm. In the morning we had presentations which then lead to lunch. After lunch you rotate between interviews and tours of the medical school and the hospital. At 5pm the have a rap up session and then its over.
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Overall, everything was very impressive except the day is long (9:15-5:20). Robyn, Denise, and Dr. Gessner are awesome and try to make you feel as relaxed as possible. They explain the process very thoroughly and commend you for making it to that point. My first interview was closed file but the second interview was open file. I felt like the questions asked during my interviews were tougher compared to the other students that I talked to. I love UF and after interviewing it reassured me of being my top choice.
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The interview day was very well planned out. After welcoming us and a brief info session, they took us to the Harrell Center- a simulated doctor's office for standardized patients where students can get hands on learning experience starting in the first year. We then saw the HARVEY cardiac stimulator, followed by the Maren Reading Room- a room where students are allowed to do anything but study filled with non-medical books, dvds, art work, and a piano, providing a nice break from the rigors of med school. Then we had lunch and talked with the students who were very enthusiastic. After lunch we had two one hour interviews and tours of the med school and hospital. I thought my first interview went really well, my interviewer really tried to sell the school to me (although I told him that after the morning session, UF was definitely my first choice)and was very encouraging. My second interview with a 4th year student was less conversational and felt more like an interrogation, and I didn't get much positive feedback from him so I'm not sure what he thought of my answers. He was very nice though, I just don't know how much I impressed him. UF told us they would get back to us within week with either an acceptance or a "hold." Hold just means that they may accept the applicant at a later date until they form the alternate list around late april or may.
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Well, in Miami, where i am from, you have to leave your house an hour and a half early to get somewhere on time...in Gainesville if you leave an hour and a half early, you will get to the school an hour and a half ahead of time. So I was there at 7:30, but fortunately I wasn't the only one. We chatted for awhile, and I found that most people in my interview group were very personable. I love the Harrell reading room, and we got to touch the patient simulator. By lunch, I was famished (lunch consisits of sandwiches, which are blah, but I think they do it on purpose since we have 2 interviews and 2 more tours in the afternoon, and they don't want to overload our stomachs). The students were great, and I got the positives and negatives of the school. Next, I was in the half that went on another tour, and by that time everyone was laughing at me because my feet were on fire! My first interviewer was great, since we had similar interests, and he knew my file completely. One more tour, then my second interview, which was closed file. He asked me some interesting questions (the poor one) and wrote EVERYTHING down...he didn't know my name when I walked in. Overall, it was a great day, and I got my acceptance letter the next week, which was also nice!
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Enjoyed my day, I thought the admissions staff did a wonderful job with making us interviewees feel very welcome and relaxed
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Very relaxed. We talked about standard stuff including my application. Then we had a conversation about various issues.
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I felt very good about myself and UF when I lef the interview. I came in with rather low expectations, but that changed in a hurry. I should have been a little more assertive in the interviews.
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The overall experience was great, and it solidified my desire to go to UF over any other school. the day is very long, and some of the tours begin to drag on. they really stress that everyone is a family here, however, and i really like that.
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I was very impressed with the school. It is a long day, so get a good night sleep. Everyone was extremely nice. It was more like a recruiting trip.
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My student interview went very well, we had a very casual conversation. My MD interview was much more formal, and I was asked many more questions than I expected.
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Had two interviews, one with a PhD, one with a 4th year. They were both relaxed, conversational interviews. Also, they interview on Friday and decide things the following monday night, the fastest turn-around time I've seen
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I had a great time, I loved the school, and it definately made me want to go there. The best thing is they interview on Friday, the committee meets on Monday and they let you know right away. I knew I was accepted on Wednesday by email from one of my interviewers.
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There was a group of about 20 interviewees. Day began at 9:15. The entire morning was spent on presentations about the school, admissions, financial aid, etc. I learned a few things and liked what I heard, but it dragged a little. We heard from current students during lunch, and they seemed very happy. (They were getting free food out of the deal.) The afternoon consisted of 4 one-hour blocks. Two were spent interviewing and the other two were tours of the medical school and hospital. Interviews were given by ADCOM members, some of which are students. One of my interviews was traditional. The other took place in the OR, which was interesting, but didn't afford much time to talk. The nicest thing about the process is that they interview on Friday, meet on Monday, and letters go out on Tuesday. Nice to get a quick response. I had my acceptance six days after my interview.
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Awesome.. UF was great.. and it would be awesome to get in there b/c of the faculty and you seem like you really get a great education there
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It was pretty laid back. My first interviewer asked all the traditional questions (why a doc? what's the deal with med now? explain this part of your application. etc.) and was very amiable and gave much insight into the awesome community there. Then the second interviewer (who was apparently a "hit or miss") was AMAZING. Dr. Vogel was his name and he just talks to you about life - his life, his kids (one of which goes to UF and the other is thinking about medicine), your life,...everything - and there're no specific questions. He's just an amazing guy - very intelligent - and makes you feel really comfortable while relating the depth of his life experiences to medicine and why going to UF is an amazing choice. The students you get to talk to are also amazing and vivacious. And I got my acceptance letter a week later, so that's awesome too!
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Awesome! Everyone seemed so nice and caring. The first years were genuinely happy, even though they had their final in a few days. The faculty seemed to be willing to do just about anything so the students succeed. I found out that UF was the type of school I was looking for.
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I was iffy whether i wanted to stay in state or go out of state because i've never been out of state before. however, interviewing at florida really made it seem like staying in state isnt so bad after all. i was really impressed with the enthusiasm of the students. they were so helpful and so happy, even with 5 exams coming up in a couple of days. none of them gave an aura of snobbiness, which is really really good. i felt like everyone was part of a big family. this atmosphere is exactly what i am looking for in a school. florida would definitely be among the top choices on my list. also, the interviewers were great. they really just want to get to know you. they arent there to throw you off the wall questions or anything. and if you dont know something, just say i dont know. the one thing you really have to know is yourself. It may be good to know something about current health issues; i got one question, but it wasnt bad.
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Positively impressed me more than I thought I would be. The whole day was not stressful at all, and interviewers were not harsh. Students seem to have a great time without sacrificing the quality of education.
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My first interview was with Dr. Gravenstein. He was exemplary and quickly came across as a warm-hearted, encouraging, supportive individual. He went out of his way to make me comfortable and was engaging to talk with. When he asked me how I saw myself practicing medicine 10 years from now, I asked him, "Ideally or realistically?" He said, "Ideally." I told him those grand dreams that keep me motivated through school and even shared some research ideas I had. We spent the whole time together and I wished we had longer. What an intelligent, remarkable man. Dr. Bass was my second interview. He came across as if he were somewhat disinterested and in a hurry. When I left the interview, I immediately had an awkward feeling. Did I answer the questions effectively or should I have thought them out a little more thoroughly before responding? However, upon reflection, he was subtly very kind and supportive. He asked what he was interested in knowing rather concisely. Yet he listened to my whole explanations and continued with my thoughts that sometimes evolved into engaging conversation. He seems to enjoy discussing political topics objectively and offers his valuable insight as well. I have a lot of respect for Dr. Bass. It is only just a little difficult to determine how I was coming across to him. I wish that I would have elaborated to both interviewers about some of the recognition such as awards and scholarships I received in school, but I really wanted to project more of my personality that they could not read off of my AMCAS summary. By the time I actually had my first interview, I had met a few staff members that were so friendly that I felt quite comfortable. My impression is that this school will enable you to realize your full potential while in medical school and even beyond. It had the facilities, the staff, and the expertise in teaching that appear unrivaled in the whole Southeast.
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The interview day begins at 9:15. Walking into the conference room with every interviewee staring at you is a bit intimidating at first, but as the day goes on it gets more comfortable. You spend the morning listening to presentations and going on a tour to the Harrell Center and the Maren Reading Room. Then lunch where med students come to converse casually and faculty speaks. Then, you either go on a tour of the school or have an interview. It goes like this: interview, school tour, interview, hospital tour; or, school tour, interview, hospital tour, interview. Finally, quick talk with Dr. Guessner, the Chair, and day is over (around 5:25 for my session). I was stressed at first, but everyone there does their best to help you relax. By the time I got to my interview in the afternoon, my stress level was pretty low. One thing that I think is important to comment on is that I had two interviewers who were completely different. On of my interviewers chose not to read my file and the interview was very conversational, no difficult or seemingly pointless questions. The other, however, had read my file and just drilled me (and others who had her) with questions. It all depends on who you get. My suggestion: be prepared for all interviewer types!
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The day was long (9:15-5:15) and included several different meetings, two tours, two interviews and an introduction to STAN. Overall though, it was great and I'd be very happy attending UF next year.
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Not so bad...
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I was just SO impressed with the administration and the students. The facilities are much better than I expected, the students have these labs/study spaces that they basically live in, and everyone is intellectual and outgoing. For your state school, which many people will view as their back-up, this would be a pretty great place to be.
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All in all, it was a very exciting day and i would love to be a student at UF. this was the first batch of interviewees for the 2005 season, and i was so excited to have a chance to go here!
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Wonderful experience highlighted by the incredible faculty and staff. The students were very helpful and informative and really enjoy their school. The actual interview was very relaxing and conversational. Relax.........
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It was definitely the best experience I've been through. All the interviewers were great. It was more like a story telling session.
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For all future Junior Honors applicants (BS/MD over 7 years), just enjoy your interview day, and NEVER panic! People do get in! :)
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The interview experience overall was low stress and rather enjoyable. It was an opportunity for the school to know who you are. The interviewers are like your personal representatives who will vouch for you in front of the decision committiee. In fact, the mock interview with my father was much more draining.
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The day is pretty informal and not rigidly structured. the admin staff does not make you sit through presentation after boring presentation (as they do in some places); its justa brief morning fin aid session and then the director talks. after that they pretty much cut you loose and you talk to students, eat lunch, and find you interviewer's office (they give you directions). the day will depend on who you get, but nobody got anybody really bad the day i was there.
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Great! the interviews were much more conversational than I expected, there weren't any 3 specific questions I was asked; one interviewer went down a list of different questions (maybe 10 or more in total) ; the other interviewer was very, very friendly and in both interviews we just talked about different topics- feminism, cooking, etc.
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I thought UF did a great job. I was quite nervous, but it was not because of anything they did. It was just because of what the day meant to me.
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Overall, UF will give you a great medical education but the experience will be hell. The students have no lives and are extremely competitive (about 12 students with straight A's). And since all students evaluate one another (the evaluation goes into your permanant file) everyone is extremely fake and walks on eggshells trying not to tick one another off.
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UF seems by far to be the best school in Florida. If only it was in a more urban location....
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A little stressful, mostly because it was my first - my interviewers were both pretty nice, but I had trouble reading them. Hopefully all goes well...
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I had a great time, it was a very relaxing experience and I met a lot of people. We just talked a lot.
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Mostly positives
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I had aa very positive experience. The admissions staff, (Robyn and Denise), are amazing. The day was very well organized. During lunch the deans and students came in to speak about the school in a more friendly atmosphere rather then standard presentation format. The interviews were laid back and more converstional than Q &A.
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Reading SDN is good to get a feel for things, but it also can cause unnecessary stress. If you feel comfortable in the minutes before the interview, it will go well.
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It was an extremely positive experience. The interviewers were friendly and just trying to get to know us- not out to get us. Although 1 hour seems like a really long time to have an interview, the time flies by. In fact one of my interviews went over by 15 minutes and we did not even realize it!! Amazing school with clinical experiences from day 1 and top of the line technology.
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UF has a lot to offer and is definetly one of my top choices. Financial aid is reasonable. My first interviewer asked a lot of questions dealing with three's: What are the top three world health problem's? What are your top three best traits? Three worst traits? Who are your three hero's and the like...The second interviewer was very converstional and we talked about her work as well as things on my app. The day is pretty relaxed. UF will let you know in a week where you stand.
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In the morning we had an information session about the school, which could have been more informative. Then lunch with the med students, then interviews and tours. My first interviewer was disagreeable and clearly trying to rattle me. He started the interview by telling me that my career goals are unattainable. He also interrupted me a lot. I didn't feel that the interview was very meaningful because I couldn't even get a point across before he threw more questions/statements at me. The other interviewer was very nice and seemed genuinely interested in me. That interview was more conversational. The people in my interview group had very similar questions/experiences as those posted on this website. ("What is the biochemical mechanism by which sickle cell anemia confers resistance to malaria?" was a general interview question--not for someone who did related research!) Despite what the adcom says, I think that some of the interviewers use the interview process to try to shock or fluster the applicants in order to see how the respond to such stressors. In general, it was an okay interview experience. The faculty members who spoke to us were very nice, but I don't think I really got a good feel for the school.
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I had a great experience at UF. The interviews are very laid back, and the students are nice and eager to answer your questions.
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The day was a bit long, but overall it was a very good experience for me. This was my first interview, so I was stressed out, but now that I look back, it was not bad at all.
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I like that the day starts out at 10:30am - kinda late compared to other interviews. We had a welcome session and a financial aid session, then the group split up into 2 parts - one went to interviews, and the other went on a tour. There were two interviews and two tours. Interviews were very laid back - no tough questions really.
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The medical school interview experience at UF is great. I'm living in Gainesville right now and really hadn't put UF at the top of my list b/c of the town (desire for more metropolitan area), but after the interview I think UF is at the top. I've been on other interview trips, and UF has a great student body (much happier/friendly than other schools). UF's board scores are incredible, which demonstrate the strength of the well-known faculty. The two interviews were also very laid-back and conversational. Some challenging questions, but it made for good discussion. This was the first interview I had where the faculty, instead of ask me questions where I had to defend my opinion, actually complemented my file and discuss how strong my application was. UF doesn't hide the fact that once you garner an interview, they will actively try to recruit you. They do a great job of that and I know I would be very happy to attend there. Oh and particularly with my 2 faculty interviews, I could tell they read my application in detail and it was nice to know they had thoughtful questions prepared.
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Overall, my interview experience was great. The interviewers were very straight forward and friendly. One interviewer had not read my packet, but had a list of general interview questions. The other interviewer was very familiar with my packet and asked specific questions. The interviews were conversational even though my last interview ended after 35 minutes.
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Great school, smart students, good, traditional curiculum, great board scores, bad town, bad location, good profs
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Very positive and informative.
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It had ups and downs... I couldn't read my first interviewer at all. She would look at me as if I was saying something wrong when giving my opinion and cut me off sometimes. I don't think she expected a certain answer and it may have just been her personality. It was definately intimidating but I am hoping that I gave a good impression. My 2nd interview was great. We had some similarities and it was quite conversational. Also I learned a lot about the school from my interviewer. UF is a great school and should be considered by anyone in Florida.
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Great, they advertise their school pretty good.
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Everyone was very friendly and did their best to put us all at ease. There was a constant mantra of "be yourself" fed to us as well, which kept things on a lower key. Also, it was awesome to meet famous doctors that were incredibly laid back.
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I have to say kudos to the UF COM admissions office. As a current Gator, I knew UF COM was a great school, but the interview experience far exceeded my expectations. The interviewers are not out to get you. They are more interested in your personality and what makes you tick. For anyone worrying about this interview, you shouldn't. It is more like talking with a friend than being interviewed. The interview is from 10:30 until about 5:20 but it's not a long day at all. Also, even though the interviews are an hour long, you actually might find that it is too short, so don't be worried about how "long" an hour seems. Just be yourself and more than likely you'll have a great time. Also, be prepared to talk about your essays as most interviewers took a good amount of time asking the applicants to expand on stuff they wrote about.
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Good day. The first interview was amazing, though the second was hard to read. Both interviews are 60 minutes long, so come ready to talk. There is no reason to be nervous about anything.
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Very relaxing and informative
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UF is an incredible school, GREAT student body and faculty, the students are extremely well prepared for their boards, and you can't beat the in-state tuition!!
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The overall interview day is setup well and the school is great. The students are awesome. If you get an interviewer like mine it would be a good idea to get some practice talking to a brick wall or other inanimate object.
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The day was very informative and they do a great job selling the school. I've applied to a lot of big name schools, but UF is my first choice now. Robyn Sheppard is terrific- such a sweetheart, but you probably already know that if she's called to tell you you've gotten an interview. The orientation gives you a lot of important info about UF, but I would have liked it to come later in the day- it takes a long time to actually get to your first interview. I guess they're trying to warm you up first (sort of a rolling start), but you might have to wait almost 4 hours from the start of the day before you get to the first interview. Both of the interviewers, however, we're extremely down-to-earth, humble guys (even though they're both heavy-hitters in their fields) and the interviews were very relaxing and conversational. I actually wanted more time for both of them because I was having such a good time. My best advice would be to RELAX and be yourself- its not necessarily what you say, but how you present yourself that's most important.
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UF is a great medical school- made that way mostly by the exceptional people there.
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The experience was unbelievably enjoyable. The overall atmosphere of the school was excellent and the energy of the students was overwhelming. I really fell in love with the school after the interview. You meet with two individual people, which could be anybody on the committee. There are ten fourth-year students on the committee. So, my first interviewer was actually a student. My second interviewer was a pediatrician. Both interviews were very relaxed. We basically just talked like any two normal people. The interviews are held in the afternoon. Each one is one hour and they squeeze tours of the facility in between each one. The morning is an orientation where they give a lot of general information about the school and then lunch with the students and the chairman of the medical selection committee.
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The student interviewer was hard to gauge, he generally asked from a list of questions and that felt kind of formal&#8230;he didnt give any verbal/nonverbal feedback so it was a little intimidating, but he was seemed to be paying close attention to what I said&#8230; His questions related almost entirely to medicine. The faculty interview was very conversational and low stress because it flowed and was natural, I ended up having fun and feeling like i learned something and wanted to go to school at UF.
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UF is my number one choice as of now. It really empressed me. The students, facilities, and location are ideal.
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They market that school extremely well- the who experience leaves one desirious of an education of UF COM.
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I interviewed here b/c it i knew it would be inexpensive to attend. But I was pleasantly surprised by the school and the interview. It's not just a "state school." They have a great deal to offer besides cost.
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I checked out Gainesville beforehand, and I was so unimpressed with the city that I was very skeptical about going to UF even if accepted. There didn't really seem like much to do besides frat parties and college sports stuff, which I have no interest in. I raised my concern to some students and some also grappled with this before attending, but have not regretted their decision at all. One MS4 said you wouldn't have time to enjoy a nice city anyway. I came away from the day very impressed with the school overall. The staff and students did a tremendous job selling the school. They did such a great job that I can see myself going there despite my reservations about Gainesville.
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Interviewing with UFCOM is very relaxed; two one-on-one interviews, I had one with a 4th year medical student and one with a research/faculty member
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UF tries to pair you with interviewers who have similar interests as you. So if you write about something you're interested in on your application essay or do research on something, make sure you know the subject enough to discuss it. They only arranged for you to talk to first year students (besides the fourth year interviewer and the two fourth year students who led one of the tours), which kind of sucks since they've been in med school a whole 6 weeks when they talk to you.
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Both interviewers were pretty laid-back and very friendly. i wouldn't worry about the interviews much, although a couple of people did say that theirs didn't go so well. but the majority of interviewees sounded like they had a good time. oh and definitely try to wear comfortable shoes -- it's a long day with 2 long tours.
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In general it was a relaxing experience. One of my interviewers seemed to want to shake me up, but in general I was prepared to maintain my composure and got through it with no problem, while keeping her interested and laughing.
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VERY positive, totally changed my opinion of gainesville. Was ranked low on my list of schools, now its one of the top.
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It was great, very impressive of the school as a whole. The day is set up so you meet the director, have lunch, do one interview (1 hour), tour, 2nd interview (1 hr), tour and then a final "debriefing". The schedule helped to take the pressure and anxiety off since there was other things to do also.
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Great, UF COM seems like a very close group of friends. I loved what i saw, mainly concerning its friendly academic atmosphere.
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The interviews were relaxed. One was conversational and the other was question/answer mixed with conversation. Both interviewees were very friendly and easy to talk throughout the hour we spent together.
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Very positive experience.
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Overall it's a pleasant day. They definately put their best face forward in an attempt to recruit the best in-state students as well as some top non-Floridians. They also informed us that the class size is expanding, to the low 120s. The interviews I had were both with professors, and they were "traditional" in the sense that they asked questions and I answered. Both asked questions getting to why I want to be a doctor.
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Overall, I was very worried the day before the interview. But, once I got there I saw UF as a very stress-free environment for having your first interview. When you go....BE YOURSELF AND RELAX. They want to get to know you as a person. They do not want to scare or intimidate you.
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My interview experience was truly enjoyable. I was fascinated by the doctor who interviewed me and the student was very friendly and supportive. The questions asked were very reasonable and for the most part, expected. Everything was well-organized and moved smoothly. A great day all around!
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Overall, UF was a great place to have my first interview. I was able to attend an amazing lecture on obesity and brain activation and the brain institute is unreal!
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I had an excellent first interview experience. I was interviewed by a fourth year medical student and then a faculty member. Both were so welcoming and laid-back. I liked touring the Brain Institute and seeing the simulated patient. We had two tours: one of the hospital (by student) and one of the Brain Institute (by staff). All students, faculty, and fellow interviewees were wonderful.
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Wonderful. I had known that UF was my top choice in FL merely because of reputation,location, and the power house of a teacing hospital, but I learned so much more at the interview. The faculty and students we met impressed everyone in my group. I was suprised at the other interviewees though. Everyone was tense and shy. I dont know whether that is a good thing in their eyes or not, but i was defintly not nervus or shy. It was my first interview and my first time seeing a hospital like that and i was extremly happy.
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I was worried a lot before the interview. This was for their Junior Honors program, early admission to Med school so the mean gpa was above a 3.9 for applicants. The interviews made all the difference, but they still made it relaxed. I know this sounds crazy, but I did have a good time during it.
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My Second interviewer spoke about himself for 40 mins and didn't really ask me any questions....I was a little disappointed...
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I went to UF for undergrad, so I was somewhat familiar with the facilities. Everything about the day is quite impressive. You have a great opportunity to meet many of the current students. I was also impressed by the faculty and their commitment to the student body. Be prepared for a long day, but try to relax. My interviews were very conversational. Another thing to note, they instruct the interviewers to make it a partially open file interview (AKA don't look at grades and test scores, but look at everything else). One of my interviewers followed that policy. The other just made it a closed file interview.
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Excellent school, then again I have seen better.
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Two interviews, two tours, lunch, and a couple of presentations by the admissions staff. A typical interview day, but the interviews WILL BE an hour apiece, so be ready to sit and talk your head off. Both interviews were extremely conversational, so if you want to avoid being drilled, try and gear the conversation towards your accomplishments and goals (the stuff they want to know!). Just insert tangents where appropriate ;)
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An amazing experience. My interviewers impressed me so much with their humor and intelligence.
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A great small-town atmosphere, very relaxed. Students were speaking of their school passionately, how it was really the best in their opinion. We had a tour by a student where he showed us the library that "was only open till midnignt" and the "blue study room" that was "open the rest of the time". The "blue room" appeared stuffy, and there were several students with glazed expressions there; however, it was hard to imagine studying there for sheer lack of oxygen. Robyn Sheppard was the most amazing person - so warm and reassuring. Everyone was also raving about the brain institute, how they got that project over Harvard. Another tour was given by a faculty member, so he took us to that brain institute to the ICU, and then showed us the breathing plastic model for practicing treatment of patients who are either overdosed or going into cardiac arrest. Overall, a very informative interview day that starts with financial aid spiel, merges into lunch, and is followed by interviews and tours.
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This was my first interview and although some of the questions I was asked were a bit difficult, the interviewers seemed to really want to get to know me. Definitely take advantage of the med student hosting service - being able to ask questions beforehand really helped me prepare and relax for the interview.
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The Admissions staff were very friendly. But once out of the office things got really "pro-forma" including the student tour which was conducted by a student who seemed to be doing me a favor. I think UFCOM is a good school to attend if you're a Florida resident (cheap tuition) and plan to spend your career in a little rural town treating people just like yourself.
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I had a great interview experience. We were given lunch, two tours, and two interviews. The interviewers were very friendly.
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Overall, it was a very relaxed day. They started out with a presentation about financial aid, then the chairman of the selection comittee talked, then lunch. Then we had interviews, a tour, then another interview. Both interviews were very easygoing, almost conversational! Just be able to take control of the conversation if they say, "So? What else?" Read up on generic interview questions.
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I had a really good time learning about the COM and they made me feel good about being there.
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Day is scheduled from 11-5: includes an orientation, then lunch, then 2 interviews and 2 tours. Some interviewers read everything and some only look at your personal statement. One of my interviews was 40 min and the other was only 20, but they both were really nice and laid-back. Oh, and Robyn Shepard is the nicest lady ever.
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It was a great long day and everyone is just so happy there. The school really caters to the students. Interviews were really relaxed and conversational. Be prepared for the possibility of having to hold the conversation on your own.
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Very friendly. Yet felt like they got their job done by asking tons of questions.
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I had a very positive experience. One of my interviewers was excellent (Dr. Gold). He made me feel completely comfortable, and explained everything I needed to know about the school. Everybody was very nice. The students all wanted to answer all of your questions. Oh, I said above that it was open file, but it is really half open/half closed. They have access to your personal statement and all that, but are not supposed to look at your numbers. They look at that afterwards
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My first interviewer was very laid back, he was sincerely interested in finding out more about me, he had looked through my app somewhat and asked questions from that, but for the most part it was very conversational and casual. my second interview instructed me to tell him about myself while he browsed through my app, he asked me alot of hypothetical questions(what would i do if...particular situation...etc), the interview was more structured and less casual.
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1 hr. presentation on the school, admissions process, and financial aide. 1 hr. interview followed by a tour. Then another interview followed with a second tour. Very relaxed afternoon
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I had a great time. My interviews were very conversational, and my interviewers were personable and easy to talk with.
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Loved UF, but I already knew that. It followed a basic format of 1hr intro, 1hr lunch, then 2x 1hr interviews, and 2x 1hr tours. However, the tours and interviews last more like 30-45 minutes.
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Start at 11 am, 1 hr of 2 short presentations (financial aid), 1 hr lunch with students, 1 hr tour hospital, 1 hr interview, 1 hr tour educational facilities, 1 hr interview. Great interviewers, relaxed atmosphere, as long as you be yourself you should do great.
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The interview is semi-open----they don't see your grades, recommendations, and mcats beforehand, but they see everything else. They asked me about my grades in the interview (towards the end). The interviews are scheduled to last an hour. The day is long, but very well organized.
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
🕐
Length:
54 Minutes Average
🔄
Number:
2.1 Interviews Average
👥
Interview Type (Interaction):
100% One-on-One
0% Group Interview
📁
File Type:
95% Open-File
5% Closed-File
💻
Interview Modality:
100% Virtual
0% In-Person
UF-COM-COMP interviews are an average of 54 minutes, with an average of 2.1 interviews. 100% of interviews are one-on-one, 0% are in-person, and 5% 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 strengths and weaknesses, personal statement details, motivations for pursuing medicine, role models, non-academic achievements, challenges faced, books read, and opinions on healthcare topics. Some respondents also mentioned being asked about specific experiences mentioned in their application, while others were subject to MMI format questions and nondisclosure agreements.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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My strengths and weaknesses
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Why medicine?
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Tell me about yourself.
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Tell me about yourself?
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Asked multiple questions about my personal statement. "what made you write ___? could you explain __ idea?"
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Tell us about role models in your life
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What is something that isn't on your application that you'd like the admissions committee to know about you? Also asked "Tell me your story," but told me to not mention things on my application and not my story towards medicine but the story of my life and motivations
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Most of their questions were about experiences I had written about in my personal statement or secondaries. Just asking me to explain those in more detail.
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What is a recent book you have read?
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Explain mire in detail this thing in your personal statement
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(After explaining why medicine) Then why not be an NP?
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Tell me about a time you faced a challenge, and how you overcame it.
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Tell me about yourself
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It was very conversational. I was asked "tell me more about when you learned another language"
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Opinions on affordable Care act
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Tell me more about how your passion to become a physician started
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How is your sister now with her Lupus?
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About my history - I am a non-traditional student, so they asked me about my path to medicine
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What's your mcat score? (they're not supposed to ask this), and how did you study for it?
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What would you consider to be a weakness about yourself?
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Why UF / why doctor
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Tell me about your best and your worst volunteer experience
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What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment so far?
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Where do you see yourself in 10 years
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Are you sure YOU want to be a doctor? (b/c my brother is a doctor, asking as a follow-up to what does your brother do)
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What do you think about the health care reform debate?
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What was it like in the Peace Corps (Uganda)?
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What are your strengths/weaknesses.
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Why medicine? Why UF? Is UF your top choice?
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Why do you want to go to UF?
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What do you think of health care reform?
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Why UF?
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INT:1 Tell me about yourself INT 2: So what did you do [on your senior engineering project] for Angiotech(a biomedical corp.)
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Tell me about your research.
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Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
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They just reviewed my file with me covering mostly research but also other extracurrics like leadership and volunteering.
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Why do you want to be a doc?
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How did you end up choosing medicine?
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Why did you not indicate the research track?
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''You didn't do the greatest at your previous institution, (mind you I was a business major before and wasn't as serious i.e. in my PS,) but did very well at an 'EASY School' how do you think you could perform well here?'' MOUTH ON FLOOR number 1!
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If you had unlimited time and resources, what changes and/or fixes would you implement in medicine?
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What qualities do you have that you think will make you a good doctor?
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See interesting question question. I was only asked this in one interview
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They went over most of the info on my AMCAS; very conversational
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What car you be and why? What musical instrument would you be and why?
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What is the hardest challenge that you have faced in your life? How did you overcome it?
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What is 10^6?
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Tell me about your activities. Which activity on yoru AMCAS would you put most emphasis on? What is your greatest nonacademic achievement? What would you do for a living if there was a law that said you couldn't do medicine as your career?
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Talk about your family
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Motivation for medicine
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Tell me more about your extrecurricular involvement (organizations I've been very active in).
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Tell me about your family
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Describe yourself.
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Heroes and why.
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Do you think that there is a problem with the healthcare system?
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Unique challenges of practicing _____ field of medicine.
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Tell me about yourself. Tell me about ____ activity on your AMCAS. How do you know ______ (letter writer)... etc
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What is the largest problem with health care in our country and how should we go about fixing that?
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Why do you want to be a doctor?
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What is the greatest strength of your application?
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Why your major?
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Describe your motivation for medicine.
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Explain this deficiency on your record. Now do it again. And AGAIN.
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What would you like to know about UF?
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What is the biggest problem with healthcare?
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Imagine your perfect day as a doctor (in your specialty)...how is it like? How do you being your day? etc.
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If you had to list them, what are your strengths and weaknesses?
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Describe your volunteer experience.
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Tell me about yourself...
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How do you relax?
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What are your strengths/weaknesses?
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What kind of medicine do you want to practice in the future?
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Explain your research
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If you just found out you had a twin sister and she was moving in with you, what are five things you would tell her about yourself?
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Why do you want to go into medicine?
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Describe your research...
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What is wrong with health care in the United States?
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Talk about research
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Why is UF a good fit for you?
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What is the leading cause of death in the U.S?
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Just basically talking about my AMCAS application.
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How do you deal with stress?
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Tell me about how you decided to pursue medicine?
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What is the biggest problem in the healthcare system and how would you fix it?
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From the second interviewer (4th year) -
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What will you do if you're not accepted?
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Tell me about yourself? (general)
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Why do you want to be a doctor and why UF?
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How would your friends describe you?
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See above.
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Would you call yourself XXX?
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Tell me about the XXXX experience you have listed here on your application.
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Tell me about [fill-in-the-blank from your app].
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Tell me about high school.
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Tell me how you came to chose medicine. Include your high school experience too.
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What are your strengths and weaknesses?
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Tell me about your experiences with Habitat for Humanity.
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What journals were your papers published in?
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Why did you choose to leave Florida for school?
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Why do you want to become a doctor?
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Tell me some of your strengths and weaknesses.
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What motivated you to pursue medicine? do you think passion is important?
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What do you want me to tell the admissions committee?
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Explain how DNA creates proteins (!) What are the red flags in your application? What are the things I should highlight to the adcom?
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How would you describe yourself to a long lost sibling?
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See above. The rest was really conversational. Loved it!
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What would you say is your most prominent non-academic achievement?
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What would you do if you did not get accepted to UF?
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What do you look for in a med school?
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What's the one question I haven't asked you that you wish I would ask you?
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Where do you see yourself in 10 years (asked in BOTH interviews)
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What did your military experiences teach you that will help you as a medical student and physician?
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What do your siblings do?
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What do you think is the worst problem in the US healthcare system? How would you fix it?
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From open-file interviewer: What made you interested in UF COM? What questions do you have for me?
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Talk about research and volunteer experiences
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Tell me about a difficult time in your life.
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Describe yourself to me as if I were your long lost brother.
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Strengths/ weaknesses
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Why MD?
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How do you see in ten years?
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What was the most innfluential discovery in medicine over the past 100 years?
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Describe your research.
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The patient advocacy question
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Tell me about your research, how does this translate to clinic?
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Name some Supreme court justices.
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Explain this course on your transcript
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Do you think all doctors that choose not to work in clinics are just in it for the money?
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How I became interested in medicine?
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Ethical dilemnas in healthcare? (my opinions)
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What is the worst problem in healthcare ... and then he told me I had a good answer, but I could improve it in a certain way in future interviews.
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What is the biggest issue in the medical field today?
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Tell me about the extreme sports you're involved with...
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Tell me about yourself. What should I tell Ad-com?
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What do you think about malpractice insurance?
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Why Florida?
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How would you describe yourself?
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What book was I currently reading?
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Tell me about your research?
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Why a doctor? What's the biggest problem for medicine? What do you see as your biggest challenge as a doc? Tell me about your time in Pennsylvania (where I researched the summer while living with my girlfriend at UPenn). So what are you doing your last semester in college (I said I was only taking one class...but I explained everything). And what do you do in your classes now, specifically business strategy? (I don't know how we got onto this last one but he was probably wondering if I actually knew the business I claim to be majoring in)
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What's a solution to the obesity epidemic?
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Why are you interested in Medicine?
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What do you think are three current health issues today? (before the interviewer asked me the question though, he said that there were no wrong answer to the question and that if i didnt know, it's ok. he also said he wasnt looking for me to come up with solutions to the problems either. he was great).
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How do you deal with difficult situations?
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What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?
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A 12 year old gets pregnant and her parents want her to get an abortion. As her physician, what do you tell her? What if her body cannot handle the pregnancy.
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When did you first realize you were meant to become a physician?
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Physician assisted suicide?
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Tell me about a situation when you had a big problem and how you dealt with it.
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Have you been through hardship?
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When and Why Medicine? Tell me about ....... on your AMCAS.
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Mostly straight off of the secondary. What kind of doctor do you want to be?
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Both interviews were weird...one guy was just really distracted and asked really basic questions that he could have figured out from actually reading my file closely.
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What would your friends say about you?
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Name some qualitites about yourself, and explain them.
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Basically just asked questions about my AMCAS file and secondary application.
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Where do you see yourself in ten years?
-
You sound very interesting tell me about yourself
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Tell me about your family. What do you do for fun? Strengths and weaknesses.
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Tell me about yourself.
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What are the biggest problems in healthcare today and what should be done?
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What are your views on healthcare? What would you change about healthcare today?
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Why engineering?
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3 heros and why?
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What are your greatest strengths?
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What is a prion and how does it reproduce? What is sickle cell and give the reason (biochemically) that it gives a resistence to malaria? The biochemical cause of gout (from my essay - i was unsure of the cause and had an incorrect notion about it). She corrected me :(
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Why was the president vaccinated against small pox?
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Do you consider yourself a leader? Give some examples.
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There were many questions about my personal statement and my history.
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What would you do if you weren't a doctor? how do you feel about shadowing? if you had 2 applicants files, and they were both equally qualified, except one did more shadowing than the other, how and why would you select one over the other?
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What are some major problems with health care?
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What is your greatest accomplishment?
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What are the 3 biggest medical problems in the US and how would you solve them?
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It was all pretty standard. Sometimes the standard questions would lead to something else. But I didn't get any off the wall questions, like some others did.
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The bulk of the interview were questions directly dealing with what I had written in my essays and my AMCAS. Why did I stop working at a certain place? What did I enjoy most about being in a specific department? Give a specific example of an experience you had in this organization.
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What is one thing I should I tell the admissions committee about you?
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Why did you choose W&J college, and not a "better" institution.
-
Please explain the experiment from the paper you had published.
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What will you like best/least about being a doctor? what 3 movies would you recommend for a person to see in their lifetime and why? what book/magazine have you read lately?what are your hobbies? what was your favorite/least favorite undergraduate class? what was your favorite/least favorite thing about college? what has been a stressful time in your life and how did you handle it? what have you learned about medicine from your volunteer experiences?
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Tell me about what high school was like for you. Why didn't you pursue the activities you were involved with in high school? What was your point average in a high school sport? why did you chose your undergraduate school? Your major? Tell me about your family.
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Describe your research experience
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What would you bring with you to the profession?
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What was the most memorable thing to happen in my life
-
Why do you want to be a doctor? What field do you want to go into/where do you see yourself in ten years?
-
See the two above
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What three movies would you recommend?
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What are some of your hobbies?
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What is your favorite composer and why?
-
What has been your greatest challenge?
-
If you met me at a football game, what would you tell me about yourself?
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Have you read any intersting books/magazines lately? Who is your hero (nonmedical or medical). Name two strengths and one area in which you could improve. How did you decide to go into medicine?
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What is you greatest achievment?
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If I had to choose urban vs rural which would it be?
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So tell me about your family?
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What are you going to do if you do not get in this year? (they ask everyone that)
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What do you do for fun?
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How do you think medical care is in spain? ( i spent time there)
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When did you decide you wanted to become a doctor?
-
Besides the XYZ person on your application, has there been anyone else who motivated you to choose medical profession?
-
What do you think about physician-assisted suicide?
-
What other schools I had visited for interviews?
-
What is the major healthcare crisis in the U.S.?
-
Who is your hero? (Asked twice)
-
Had I shadowed a doctor?
-
Tell me about yourself. Why do you want to be a doctor/when did you know that medicine was right for you? What would your best friend say about you? What is your greatest failure?
-
If your friends were here, how would they describe you? Weakneses?
-
What did you over all the summers?
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What are your plans if you don't get into medical school?
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If i could only say one thing to the committee about you, what would it be?
-
Tell me about your hobbies.
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What are the two most pressing issues in healthcare today.
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Where do you see yourself in 10 years? (asked twice) What would you do if you couldn't practice medicine?(asked twice) What do you do for fun? (asked twice)
-
Tell me about yourself? Tell me about your research? Why did you volunteer where you did? talked about each experience
-
Why do you want to be a doctor? (Be specific in your answer)
What was the most interesting question?
Students said the most interesting question asked at University of Florida College of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, but many responses mentioned scenarios involving patient care ethics and personal reflections. The interviews seemed to cover standard questions along with some unique inquiries, showcasing a mix of conversational and thought-provoking elements, suggesting a diverse interview style.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Describe a time that you received constructive criticism. How did you handle it
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If you could eat dinner with 3 people dead or alive who would they be
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What excites you and scares you the most about medical school?
-
What is your favorite book genre
-
2-parter! First question, interviewer asked me "Tell me about a time you had to face a challenge that had a positive outcome. Now tell me about a time you faced a challenge that had a negative outcome / failure?"
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This thing in your application really seemed to be the turning point for you, explain it more and how it impacted your career in medicine?
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None stand out
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What was the last thing you googled just because you were curious?
-
Any interesting classes outside of your major?
-
The one that required thinking outside normal interview questions was: I was given examples of types of reimbursements doctors get from insurance companies. I was then asked to give the pros and cons of each situation.
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If you had a patient with tonsil cancer that smoked, drank, and did cocaine, how would you handle that situation?
-
Tell me about your immediate family.
-
Why did you visit the school for an overview of your application last year?
-
Have you read any books recently regarding medicine?
-
Tell me a funny story.
-
What do you like about UF?
-
If your friends could change one characteristic about you what would it be?
-
If you could have lunch with three people who are living, who would they be?
-
If I knew what killed Michael Jackson?
-
What do you think about the debate between Peter Singer and Harriet McBride Johnson?
-
What do you think your peer reviewer said about you?
-
What was your favorite course and why?
-
What do you think Ayn Rand would think of this health care dilemma we are in?
-
Very few direct questions, other than the ones listed above. Mostly conversational.
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Will you turn down Johns Hopkins if you are accepted here?
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What was the last movie you saw?
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How would you respond if asked to perform a task you have little experience on?
-
What is the weirdest question that I could have asked you?
-
How do you see yourself balancing your religious views and practicing medicine?
-
What was my favorite art piece i've made
-
How did you like (insert country visited here)?
-
If I could tell the admissions committee one thing about you, what would you want me to say?
-
NOTHING, The second student interviewer was a complete JERK. He was on my file the entire time and it was disgusting his attitude towards me.
-
What should I tell the admissions committee about you?
-
Dr. Kevorkian recently came to UF. What is your position on euthenasia?
-
What would a typical day as a doctor be like?
-
Out of a square, circle, triangle and squigly line, which shape are you and why?
-
What do you think about the Mitchell Report? (We were talking about baseball and the Mitchell Report about steroid use had come out the day before)
-
I didn't get any ''deep'' questions. Both interviewers wanted to know all about the information I had put in my AMCAS application and in my secondary.
-
As a doctor, what title would you give yourself? Like what would you want to be remembered as? What is your greatest nonacacemic achievement?
-
What book/movie character best describes you?
-
If a patient told you she did not want a blood transfusion no matter what, and then later on she came in to the hospital needing one to live, do you give it to her or not?
-
In the future, if you have a mass casualty/triage situation with your comrades and foreign fighters/insurgents, how would you deal with it?
-
Why do you stress your interdisciplinary education?
-
What do you think about the amendments on the Florida ballot?
-
How would your best friend describe you?
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If I had to eat dinner with three people from the past, who would they be and why?
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They were all run of the mill very basic questions
-
What is your favorite baseball team?
-
Mostly we talked about me!
-
I was asked by one interviewer about my trip to Italy that I mentioned in my Secondary. He had spent a great deal of time looking through my application and knew all the minute details included!! (i appreciated it)
-
None were very interesting. My first interviewer acted like he didn't want to be there and my second interview answered phone calls and cut me off in mid-sentence.
-
If someone said you could weren't allowed to ever be a doctor, what career would you choose instead?
-
How will genetics influence the future of medicine?
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What question aren't you prepared to answer?
-
Pretty straightforward questions
-
''Are the animals you do research on harmed?'' BTW-none are :)
-
Why'd you decide to go to X?
-
What was your high school experience like? (I attended an in an inner-city medical magnet program)
-
Nothing really interesting
-
Imagine an IDEAL day in your job as a doctor (in my stated specialty). Describe to me what you are doing.
-
Questione were very basic: why do you want to be a doctor, what area of medicine interestests you, etc.
-
All were pretty standard.
-
There weren't any really interesting questions - everything was related to my application materials.
-
N/A
-
If you were interviewing students for medical school admission, what questions would you ask?
-
Would you perform Euthanasia? and comply with Do-Not-Resuscitate orders? Explain your thought process for each.
-
Why [xyz] extracurricular activity?
-
How could you change medicine?
-
We talked about a lot of interesting things b/c i had a lot in common w/ both my interviewers
-
Ten years down the road, what do you think will be the major ethical problem you will have to face in medicine? ...lively discussion ensued...
-
What schools have you applied to? Have you been accepted anywhere yet?
-
The interviews were pretty conversational
-
How do you think Chris Leak will do in the NFL?
-
How is the health coverage in China? (We had previously spoken about my experiences shadowing overseas)
-
Nothing surprising/particularly interesting
-
One thing led to another in conversations...we talked about books I'd recently read and food i loved....it was very informal and conversational
-
Tell me five things you'd say about yourself to a a potential roomate.
-
Nothing interesting really
-
Nothing interesting
-
Are most physicians able to
-
What was your favorite class and what was your best class, and why was one your favorite and one your best?
-
Pretty standard questions
-
What are the greatest problems in healthcare today?
-
If asked, would you participate in an experiment to simulate blunt force trauma to an animals brain in order to compare this to the effects of certain addictive chemicals? (Caught me very off guard)
-
What was your favorite class at your undergrad outside of science?
-
What volunteering activities have you done that you recommend to someone else? (It was implicit that the activities were to help someone understand what it is to be a doctor.)
-
How my christian worldview would help or hurt my care of patients
-
My questions were pretty much straight out of AMCAS so make sure you know what you included in your application
-
More women than men are entering medical school these days, how do you feel about that and could you maybe explain why this is happening?
-
I had two faculty interviewers. The first was stuck on ethical issues and statistics, such as how many uninsured persons currently reside in the US. The second was intimately familiar with my research, which wouldn't be bad, but for almost an hour he regailed me with his opinions on what I should be doing.
-
Describe the advantages of your research as if you were applying to a grant.
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What would you like to know about UF COM? Also, after discussing the interviewers research he asked what novel clinical applications I could think of.
-
If you could totally eliminate one disease, what would you get rid of?
-
A series of questions about pop culture.
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Why do you think chimpanzees cannot talk?
-
What can I tell you to help you decide whether you want to come to Florida?
-
I did not really get many questions mostly they just wanted to find out about me. It was more of a conversation than individual questions.
-
What would your friends say is the LEAST thing they like about you?
-
If you could take one thing off your medical school application, what would it be?
-
Where have you traveled?
-
My first interviewer didn't really ask me many interesting questions, they were very straightforward, and the second interview was a conversation.
-
If the Japanese language is picture-based, how do they fit all of the characters on a computer keyboard? (I'm Japanese, so unless you are, too, you shouldn't worry about getting this question)
-
What experience do you have with medicine aside from your volunteering? Any family members in the medical field?
-
Tell me about volleyball.
-
Ufcom is funded by state residents to subsidize your education. this includes taxes from many poor peoples who cant afford healtcare. do you feel that you owe these residents? how can medical graduates help these people?
-
How do you know what medicine is all about?
-
What are three adjectives to describe you?
-
When did you know you wanted to be a physician?
-
Specific question about my research...it actually got me thinking about variables I had not considered and may help me out in the next few weeks in the lab...who would have thought.
-
When is it okay to lie?
-
So you're a practicing psychiatrist and you just diagnose someone with dementia NOS, and your patient decides to get a second opinion. How do you feel?
-
A fourth year medical student asked me to teach him what I learned about the healthcare system and medical billing on my internship.
-
What do you think about abortion?
-
You seem like a people person and have artistic capabilities, do you think you would want to specialize in something artist like plastic surgery or dermatology?
-
What would you do if you did not go into medicine?
-
What is your opinion about HMOs? (This was from a conversation we'd been having about how HMOs really save money for the company and CEO, not for the patients.)
-
What do you feel is the biggest problem in medicine?
-
Describe yourself outside of your med school app.
-
What do you feel is the most well known line in poetry or prose?
-
We were talking about patient-centered care, and the interviewer asked me how I thought I could accomplish this within the average 7 min pt-doctor consultation
-
How do you think your wife will handle you being in medical school.
-
If you were doing an operation on a Jehovah's Witness who refused a blood transfusion, would you let her die?
-
How should physicians advance medicine?
-
What was the most innfluential discovery in medicine over the past 100 years.
-
What do you think is the most important attribute for a doctor to possess?
-
Tell me why patient advocacy is important.
-
What is your biggest accomplishment?
-
All my questions were pretty striaght forward. When have I ever been in a situation in which the leader was incompetent and what did I do?
-
What is a recent medical issue that you know of that has been on the news?
-
What is your stance on the Terri Sciavo case?
-
What inspires you?
-
I told him I related to Dr. Ben Carson (who he did not know), who came from humble beginnings, to which he replied: "If you are so poor, how did you afford to go to ___ for 4 years of undergrad?"...Wow, I hope my mouth didn't drop open!
-
What i thought about the private social security accounts president bush has proposed
-
Specific questions about my application
-
Very few actual questions were asked, it was more of an unfocused conversation.
-
Name some US senators. Name some Chief Justices.
-
What kind of impact did the documentary "supersize me" have on the american ppl?
-
If you had three wishes what would they be?
-
What newspaper do you read?
-
How do you think a socialized health care system such as the one in Britain would work here?
-
Nothing particularly interesting. All questions were about my application. No ethics scenarios or healthcare questions. I am non-trad, so just talking about the things I have done filled the time.
-
Do you ever feel like the world will come crashing down on you? how do you handle this feeling?
-
What do you think of the Atkins diet?
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What do you perceive to be the biggest challenge you will face as a doctor?
-
Why do we have sulci/gyri?
-
What nonacademic accomplishment are you most proud of?
-
If I were to present you to the committee tomorrow, what do you want me to say about you?
-
How do you feel about alternative medicine?
-
What do you feel is the most important advance in medicine or, possibly the interviewer who asked me to draw a picture of where I saw myself in 10-15 years
-
If the government offered to pay for your medical school tution, fees, etc., would you be willing to spend 3 years practicing in a rural part of the country? This could be considered a form of socialized medicine, how do you feel about government intervention such as this?
-
(one interview was with a 4th year student, the other with a dr.)
-
He asked me about my opinions on abortion
-
Tell me about your travel experiences.
-
What is the biggest difference in the practice of medicine here vs overseas (I volunteered overseas for some time)
-
Most question were pretty standard. Nothing too off the wall or out of the ordinary.
-
Do you know Madhuri Dikshit?
-
Not a specific question, but one of my hour-long interviews was given by an anesthesiologist who took me around the OR. Yes, I got out of my suit and scrubbed in. We walked around and watched about 8 different surgeries, and it was an incredible experience. He introduced me to the surgical teams very nonchalantly as they were performing their surgery! The interviewer was amazingly friendly and open too; since we didn't have an opportunity to really talk in the OR he finished his interview with me over the phone later that week.
-
Most of the questions were straight off of the secondary, but they asked me why I wanted to say in Gainesville.
-
"do you have any questions for me?"
-
When have you experienced a time when there was a lack of leadership skills (on anyone's part) and what did you do about it?
-
Why did the President get vaccinated for small pox?
-
The interviewer handed me a piece of paper and a box of crayons and told me to draw how I saw myself in ten years.
-
My first interviewer shared similar research interests, and so he asked many interesting questions that were specific to my research experience and views on the direction the field is currently taking
-
Why don't you play college basketball? (I played in high school)
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Are you smart?
-
All of the question were simple getting to know me questions based on my application
-
If you had two terms left as president of the United States, what would you do?
-
Are there any specific role models or heroes that guided you to medicine?
-
What would you do if you and your family were at a Gator football game and some of your fellow medical students (wearing UFMED shirts) were openly drunk and being obnoxious? Would you report them to the dean's office?
-
As a physician, how do you plan to achieve the type of relationship with your patients that you think you should have?
-
Who is your hero?
-
If you can't do medicine for some reason, what other field would you go into?
-
Hypothetically, 3 of your classmates are being obnoxious drunks at the football game and are making a scene. Your family is with you at the game. What do you do?
-
What sets you apart from other interviewees?
-
Why shouldnt we bomb the hell out of afghanistan?
-
How would your friends describe you?
-
Draw a picture (with crayons!!!) of what where you would like to be in ten years... N.B. i really suck at drawing hence I had to label it.
-
If I would like to go back to my native country, once I graduated or later in my life.
-
Why do we have opiate neuroreceptors?
-
For the most part the questions were pretty straight forward. Off-topic of medicine I had some interesting questions regarding atheltics.
-
None stand out as interesting.
-
Would i want to do medicine and research? (i guess not too interesting, but every question was fairly routine)
-
"What three movies would you recommend that your friends watch (not your three favorite movies)?"
-
Who do I admire most and why?
-
Who is my hero and why?
-
Who is XXX? (I can't remember the name- turned out to be the most prolific furniture maker in the U.S.!)
-
You have had a lot of healthcare experience. Tell me which of them was the most significant to you and why?
-
What extracirricular activities did you do in high school?
-
"Name three movies that you enjoy and explain why you enjoy them."
-
If a patient came to you and asked to receive the smallpox vaccine what would you tell him or her?
-
If you were strongly anti-abortion and one of your patients requested the procedure, how would you handle it?
-
If you were on adcom, what would you look for in aapplicant?
-
What would you think if the federal government was in charge of medical schools and anyone could go, but after you graduate, you owe 3 years of healthcare service to the government?
-
How has your view of death changed? (I volunteer at hospice)
-
What job would you really not want to do?
-
After the interviewer asked me what I thought about the uninsured, she asked how I would go about fixing the system. Makes you realize how hard it can be to change things in a realistic manner.
-
Do i know why schools discourage post-bac work?
-
What was the most difficult situation you have faced in your life?
-
Nothing real out of the ordinary, though one interviewer and I talked about some recent injuries I had involving triathlon.
-
What can you take from past part-time jobs and apply to medical school?
-
What types of poker games do you play?
-
If you (the interviewer) had to pick one characteristic in your determination of accepting a medical student, what would it be?
-
What kind of animal describes you and what animal would you choose to be?
-
What else should I have asked you?
-
If you could recommend only two movies for a person to see in their lifetime what would they be?
-
What did you think of the book "The House of God"
-
Why do people feel it necessary to help each other?
-
Nothing
-
As a whole, do you think the medical profession is on the right track?
-
Nothing special, just general stuff
-
How do you feel about the present state of medicine?
-
You seem to have a romanticized view of bieng a dr. do you know what it is really like? How do you know what it is like? What woul dyou do if you couldn't be a dr.?What do you fear about being a dr.?
-
What aspect transcends all cultures that causes individuals to care?
-
Have you heard anything interesting in the news lately?
-
What did I know about the University of Florida COM.
-
What stresses you?
-
If I were a patient, what would I look for in a doctor?
-
What did I think about the current situation with the Boy Scouts regarding religion?
-
What would your best friend say about you?
-
What do you think will be the hardest thing about going into med school/medicine for you?
-
Within the past 50 years, what do you think is the most influential technological advancement in the field of medicine? Why?
-
Do you know know what the 5th vital sign is?! (turns out it was pain)
-
What color would best describe your personality and why?
-
What do you fear most about entering medical school?
-
My interview was very personal - the questions reflected mostly on my personal statement. I also was asked about my research experience.
-
Only one interesting question. All others were the generic questions you hear all the time. Some people were asked about their favourite color... but I was asked about the price of a pint of beer in England.
-
So...what else? Anything else?
-
What would your best friend say about you? Give me three weaknesses. Where have you travelled?
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by reviewing their application materials, reading feedback on Student Doctor Network (SDN), practicing mock interviews, researching the school, and staying informed about current healthcare issues. It was common for applicants to focus on understanding their strengths and weaknesses, being able to discuss their experiences in depth, and engaging in thoughtful reflection on why they want to pursue medicine.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Reviewed SDN, mock interviews, took personality tests to help me figure out my strengths and weaknesses
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SDN, Mock interview, Gator Social, Studied their handout information
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Mock interview w UF medical student, SDN, and youtube videos
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Mock interviews, SDN, researched the school
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I researched the school, practiced common questions
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LOTS of research, attended Swamp Social, read interview feedback on SDN, compiled list of most common questions and things I would like to touch on but also just practiced with several mock interviews
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VITA, practicing common interview questions with a friend
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Did practice questions with a friend and read over secondary and primary
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Read through AMCAS app and secondary. Made list of common interview questions and possible answers. Read up/watched videos on the US healthcare system and its issues. Did a few practice interviews with random people online (through r/premed reddit page).
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Read the website, reviewed my own application thoroughly (this was important. both interviewers basically had annotated copies of my application, and asked very specific clarifying questions about it)
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SDN and reread application.
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Looked on here, watched some videos
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SDN, list of typical interview questions, read primary and secondary
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Read questions here and really read over my application. They know everything about you so make sure you do too!
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Reviewed: AMCAS Essay, AMCAS App, Secondary App, Practiced with current medical students, read the book, "The Medical School Interview"
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Practice in Mirror, overview AMCAS and secondary application
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Reviewed SDN interview feedback, read my primary and secondary responses, researched the school's curriculum etc.
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SDN interview feedback questions (almost everything they asked me was on here), read up on the affordable care act, Looked over my app, looked at their website.
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Numerous mock interviews.
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Reread AMCAS, secondary, and mock interviews
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SDN, UF website
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Mental Preparation and Review of primary and secondary applications
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SDN and the UF website
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Read about the school on their website and on SDN.
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This site helped a lot, mock interview with @ my school, and practiced in the mirror
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Read over AMCAS and secondary, surfed UF's website a bit, talked to current student.
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Looked up questions on this site and reviewed my AMCAS application.
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UF Website, SDN, Reviewed AMCAS & Secondary
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Reviewed Secondary, Reviewed AMCAS, read medical related books, check out school online...
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Read: AMCAS, Secondary, Research articles, talked to students.
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SDN, reviewed my application, read UF's website.
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Researched school online, talked to students, talked to alumni, mock interviews
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Big bowl of grits and talking with some friends at UF.
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SDN, reviewed 1',2' apps, mock interview, reviewed healthcare changes and current events.
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No specific preparation. Just tried to be myself.
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School materials
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SDN, mock interviews, reviewed application materials before hand
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Mock interview, SDN, MSAR, fellow med students, school's website
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SDN, other mock interviews
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Brainstormed a little on recent issues in medicine, practiced not speaking too quickly!
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Friends, SDN, and people who interviewed there before me. Also my student host was very nice and I liked him a lot. Too bad the rest of the experience was so negative.
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SDN, read through AMCAS and secondary application. Nothing special.
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Read over applications, mock interview with career center and friends, read sdn
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Mock interview, list of common questions asked (none of which were asked)
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Read SDN, reviewed my AMCAS and info about UF COM
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SDN, UF website, friends
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SDN and school website
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Mock interviews, read over my applications and essays, visited SDN and looked at previous interviewees.
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SDN feedback and went over my AMCAS. I'd advise you to know your AMCAS well and know about issues related to things peripherally related to your essays and activities. i.e. if you mention your native country and the poverty there then be able to know the political issues that may be the root of those problems and be able to discuss it. They don't expect answers to be the world's solutions just to see that you can think quickly about the issues and that you are able to come up with an answer on the spot.
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Sdn
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Read over AMCAS, secondary app, sdn, and look at current news on website
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SDN, read secondaries, read school's website and interview material
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Website, AMCAS app, talked friends who go there, SDN website.
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I stayed with friends who room with a 1st year and 2nd year.
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SDN, Researched the school
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SDN, AMCAS application, secondary application, news sources.
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Read over essays, and SDN
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Studied public health policy, organized my personal thoughts about my future as a doctor, and reviewed the school's website.
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SDN, school materials
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SDN, read over my application, school's website, talked to a friend at the school
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Read studentdoctor.net, read up on health care issues, read a health care ethics book.
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Reviewed the problems with the US health care system- and I was asked about it in both interviews
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Mock interview with advisor
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Practice interview, reviewed AMCAS and UF application
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Read medical application books, mock interview at career services office of my university, asked former interviewees about their experiences, talked over questions and answers with family and friends.
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Read my apps
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Read my primary and secondary, Browsed the school site.
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Read over my file, read over prepared answers to anticipated questions, read sdn
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SDN & reviewed my application
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This website and looked over my application
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Re-read my applications and essays, SDN, read their websites, call up hotels, etc.
-
I read about the program from the school's webpage, talked with a few people who had gone through the interview process, and looked at Studentdoctor.net.
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SDN, review my AMCAS/ secondary essays
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SDN, read over my application and prior publications, looked at UF COM website
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Relaxed - but I probably should have read over what I wrote again.
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N/A
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This website, the school's website, read up on health care policy, read my application.
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SDN, reviewed my AMCAS, mock interviews with my sister, know your med issues!
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Read application
-
SDN, read over my essays
-
SDN, UF COM website, AMCAS
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SDN questions, my application materials
-
Several other interviews...
-
SDN, AMCAS, Secondary, school website
-
Read SDN
-
SDN interview feedback, review my Diversity Essay for UF, my Personal Statement, and AMCAS activity essays
-
Mostly SDN
-
Reread AMCAS and secondary essays, SDN
-
Read application, scanned SDN
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I actually didn't prepare much- ooo!
-
SDN, App file.
-
SDN, reading AMCAS application.
-
Looked around at SDN
-
SDN, read application, reviewed ethical issues
-
SDN, UF website, AMCAS
-
Looked on studentdoctor.com, looked at the school's website, re-read my application.
-
SDN, read UF COM website, reviewed secondary application
-
Reviewed submitted materials and drew upon past research of the school.
-
SDN, reread AMCAS app and secondary app, looked at the school's website
-
SDN, reviewed my application, went over possible questions I could be asked (e.g. why do you want to be a doctor, describe some activity, etc.)
-
Experience from other interviews. Primar reread.
-
SDN, AMCAS, read over the UF website
-
Reviewed AMCAS, talked to students, and thought a lot.
-
Read over my AMCAS
-
SDN, UFCOM website, reveiwed HMO's and socialized medicine, recent article, etc...
-
Read application & AMCAS, MSAR, Wall Street Journal, NY Times, WHO website, UF website
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SDN, AAMC application, Ivyleaqueadmissions.net ($20.00 to download admissions/interview guide), MSARS, UF COM website, Reviewed research projects, UptoDate.com, WHO website, practice interview.
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SDN, The Interview Rehearsal Book (don't waste your time with this, most of the advise is too obvious or laughable), relaxed before-hand
-
SDN, AMCAS
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I looked at this site. But I did not get any of the questions that people posted.
-
SDN, AMCAS, secondary apps, spoke to med students at the school, researched about the school, prepared possible interview questions (ie: mock interview)
-
Studentdoc.net, UF website, AMCAS application, WHO website, read the news
-
AMCAS, SDN, talked with students who previously interviewed at UF
-
This web site, read application
-
SDN feedback, UF website
-
SDN, looked over AMCAS, read up on recent medical news
-
SDN, read application, UFCOM website
-
Read sdn interview feedback. Reviewed AMCAS essays. Looked over some of my old research. Browsed their website. Had coffee with a friend who just graduated from the med school.
-
SDN, UF website
-
Mock interviews with HPAC and a previous interview a month before
-
Sdn feedback, relaxed
-
Previous interviews, looked over app, SDN
-
Read the questions on SDN! ALL OF THEM... I got asked every ridiculous question in the book (by an MS4 nonetheless)
-
Previous interview feedback, review AMCAS and essays, stayed familiar with current events, spoke with current medical students and graduates of UF COM
-
UF website, SDN, re-read primary and secondary applications
-
Read up all interview feedbacks on SDN, browsed UF website, reviewed my application completely, did a little bit of minor research on public health and HMO's (I was really ignortant in that field).
-
Read SDN posts and practiced answering these questions on my own. Browsed UF website, reviewed every application essay I ever wrote, reviewed AMCAS.
-
Standard stuff, SDN, apps, schools website, etc.
-
I read SDN, and UF's website.
-
SDN, read amcas, and studied current events
-
Watched the news, read the news, SDN
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This website, read up on healthcare current events, reviewed my AMCAS and secondary
-
I reviewed the feedback from SDN, read the NYTimes for some time prior to the interview, and read about HMOs, different types of healthcare systems, medical ethics, etc.
-
I reviewed my AMCAS and secondary applications (the interviewers have access to both), read about UF COM on their website, read the previous interview feedback here on SDN, and practiced answering those questions. As with all interviews, make sure to come here with questions to ask your interviewers.
-
This website, read current event
-
SDN, read my file, read the news, attended an interview workshop
-
SDN, read file, talked with students/host.
-
SDN, internet, talked with some Doctors
-
UF COM website, SDN, read over AMCAS app, read up on current issues in healthcare
-
SDN, Medical Ethics textbook, read UFCOM site
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SDN, UF website, various websites about medical ethics and us healthcare
-
This website, schools website, read my application
-
Read SND and the UF website.
-
Reading interview info at student doctor.net, reviewing my application, practice interview, attempting to stay current with the news
-
SDN, a couple of interview books
-
Studentdoctor.net
-
StudentDoctor Network, Amcas Application, read up on pertinent medical issues
-
Internet, SDN, UF website
-
SDN, read school website, talked to medical students, read current events
-
SDN, read UF's website
-
SDN, read my AMCAS, read website extensively, talked with students
-
Came up with a lot of questions about the school from the website, reviewed application
-
Read SD feedback, my application, and toured the school the day before the interview.
-
This site, the school's site, talking to the med student I stayed with, going to the Equal Access clinic, sitting in on a class (the last two were with my student host, who was awesome).
-
Studentdoctor.net and asking current med school students about the process
-
This site, with friends
-
School website, SDN, looked over application
-
Read SDN, AMCAS application,
-
Read this, read my app, read their site
-
SN.net, reread my essay, talked to my friends about how their interviews at other schools had gone
-
This site, UFCOM website, Bioethics website.
-
This website, brushed up on current health issues
-
SDN, application
-
Reviewed my application
-
I had an interview before this, so I took my experiences from the first interview to help me prepare.
-
Sdn, mock interview with friends, read up on the current issues and asked people about their thoughts on current healthcare issues.
-
Read application, read studentdoctor.net
-
I did not prepare because I did not want my answers to sound contrived.
-
Read posts on SDN, talked to friends who interviewed here, researched the school on their website, practiced some possible questions and answers (though wanted my answers to be spontaneous).
-
Read over my AMCAS application, SND and several articles about ethical issues in medicine.
-
Read over my application, here on SDN...Read about the school in the huge packet they gave us at 9am that we had at least until 1 to read before the first interview!
-
Read over my app and SDN
-
Nothing
-
Read my amcas app, sdn, current events with the new york times
-
SDN, AMCAS, Thought alot....
-
Read most of the prior interviews. Rehearsed OUT LOUD in front of a mirror.
-
Made sure my suit fit. Get alterations done well before your interview date!!!
-
I practiced questions that I got from studentdoctor.net and other online sources. My father (a psychology professor at UCF) gave me a mock interview.
-
This webpage
-
Student doctor site; practice with family
-
SDN, alot of thought.
-
Talked to current med. students.
-
Looked at UF's website, read up on current events
-
Reviewed my AMCAS app, looked at SDN reviews, looked at some general issues in healthcare
-
Studentdoctor.net, UFCOM
-
UF website, SDN, Read my App
-
SDN, mock interviews with friends.
-
Study the website and get current on healthcare issues to build confidence. Given confidence, there is no other prep necessary.
-
Read information provided on the UFCOM website. Read up on current issues. I am a UF undergrad so I really knew a whole lot about the school already.
-
Read this website, reviewed application. Prayed a lot.
-
SDN, read current health issues, reviewed UF website (not all that helpful)
-
I prepared by looking over the sdn website, UF website, and my application.
-
Read over my AMCAS application and personal statement, SDN, read over UF COM's website and brochures
-
SDN, Read over primary, talked to students
-
SDN, talked with students, etc
-
Reviewed Apps and SDN
-
Reveiwed my essays, read up on current medical and political issues, looked at this website, revewied the school website and wrote down any questions I wanted to ask them.
-
SDN, prepared for old questions and the more common ones, asked friends about the school.
-
By reading sdn
-
Read over AMCAS, thought a lot, tried not to stress out.
-
SDN. Reviewed UF COM's website. Talked to current med students. Reviewed some of the current medical issues.
-
SDN. I go to UF for undergrad, so I didn't do much prep.
-
Sdn, mock interviews
-
SDN, website, and reviewed my AMCAS app and CV.
-
SDN, UF website, etc.
-
This site, read my stuff, read the website, thought long and hard about what I wanted to say during my very long drive to Gainesville
-
Read over my applications and read experiences on studentdoctor.net.
-
I read over everything I had every submitted to them - personal statement, essay I wrote for their secondary, all of my post-secondary activities I had listed on AMCAS. I was sure that everything I had discussed had substance and that I could come up with concrete examples for all experiences. The only question I prepared for was, "why do you want to be a doctor." I wanted to make sure I had a solid answer with plenty of support for this question. I had been reading a national newspaper for months beforehand so that I would be up to date with all the latest news about healthcare. This was a huge assett when responding to questions dealing with HMO and malpractice. I also read up on everything about the school. I read the school's entire website. Most importantly, I not only read all of this material, but I thought about it critically. I asked myself questions and evaluated how I felt on many specific points. The result was that by the interview, I could give answers that had been thought through and made sense.
-
SDN, know your own application well
-
I read information about the college on-line and got a good nights rest.
-
Studentdoctor.net, two books with sample questions
-
Read my file. Interviewer asked specifics about my research.
-
SDN, UF website, read over essays.
-
Read studentdoctor.net, reviewed AMCAS and secondary applications, looked up articles about current medical issues, mock interview
-
Student doctor, UF website, read over my amcas and UF applications, talked to current students.
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Read website, msar, essays
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I read the feedback on SDN, went over my AMCAS and secondary, reviewed the website, and asked many questions of my student host.
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Studentdoctor.net, going over secondaries and AMCAS essays. Also, I was taking a class on current medical issues, and that helped with one essay.
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Studentdoctor.net, went over sample questions with my speech teacher, talked with doctors at Shands (I attend UF for undergrad so had this opportunity)
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SDN, read up on the school, and talked to a bunch of med students I know there about the school and the area.
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I volunteered at Shands, read about the school on the web, and spoke to past and current students.
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SDN, reviewed application materials, mock interview
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Didn't really... wasn't necessary because I attend UF undergrad.
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Mock interviews with friends
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Interview feedback, researched school site, practiced with friends, reviewed my app & essays and researched major issues online.
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Sdn, UF web-site
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SDN, read on bioethics/current medical issues (not asked), mock interviews, answered many sample questions
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DId a mock interview with a FL professor.
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A lot... prepared answers to standard questions, read SDN feedback, talked to current and former students etc
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Read my Application and read the UF website as well as Student Doctor.
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Read my application, some commonly asked questions and looked at studentdoctor.net.
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My file, SDN, current medical issues
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Skimmed over SDN, my personal statement, and the essay they asked for in the secondary application.
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Answer questions out loud to myself
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Interview feedback, mock interviews with professors, reading about current healthcare issues
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Reviewed my essay and application; SDN was very helpful - for example, I did get asked that question about 5th vital sign, and I remembered from someone else's feedback that it was pain! I have also read up on medical ethics, but there were no questions either on ethical dilemmas or current events.
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SDN, practiced answers to popular questions, talked to medical students at UF
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Visited their website and talked to current students who I knew, MSAR entry, SDN web site.
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Student doctor network, a mock interview, the career center at my school.
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SDN interview feedback, reviewed my application, went over generic interview questions
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I read over my application and research. I also met with my pre-med advisor who gave me a list of common questions to look over.
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Looked at UF's website, SDN for questions, re-read AMCAS & supplemental app.
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Interview Feedback, health policy listservs (weren't necessary), UF website
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Personal Statement, interview feedback
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SDN, reading up on the school, and i also tried reading up on current issues in medicine, but I really don't feel that did me any good!
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Reread my app, thought of some questions to ask, talked to current students
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Did practice rounds with a professor. Prepared scripted answers for the usual questions such as "Why do you want to be a doctor"
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Studentdoctor.com, read other "getting into medical school" guides, spoke with community physicians on how to handle myself in the interview
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Read SDN, this interview feedback, archives from the old interviewfeedback.com, brushed up on current events, ethics, and my old research I had partially forgotten.
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Looked over a list of typical interveiw questions. SDN. Book of interview questions. Read up on current healthcare issues. All of the preparation was a waste of time b/c it seemed like they just wanted to know about me and my personality.
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Interviewfeedback, sdn, read up on health care and ethics, UF website, asked TONS of questions to my student host
What was the most difficult question?
Students said the most difficult question asked at University of Florida College of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including handling difficult conversations, defining failure, addressing healthcare issues, and personal experiences. While some respondents faced challenging ethical dilemmas and questions about their motivations for pursuing medicine, the interviews were mainly conversational, with no overwhelmingly difficult questions reported.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Describe a time that you had a difficult conversation and how did you handle it
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What is the biggest issue in healthcare you would fix
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How do you define failure? Describe a time when you failed.
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How do you deal with conflict
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Is UF your top-choice school? (I then answered that it was at the top of my list but after today, it was my number one) then my interviewer rebutted and asked "why it wasn't before" which I had to think quickly on my feet with. Gave an honest and truthful answer that impressed my interviewer
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They asked me to talk about a difficult experience I had that I mentioned in my secondaries. Only write about things you're willing to talk about!! But also don't be afraid to be personal, I think they really appreciated my experience.
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Tell me about your research
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Asked me about my interest in a subject/issue that I never mentioned in my app, then insisted it was on my app when I told them I had no experience with it and had never talked about it. Odd experience- I do not know if it was a weird version of a stress test or if I was confused for someone else.
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What is the most important quality for a physician to have?
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What do you think the biggest problem in healthcare is?
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None were difficult, most conversational interviews I've ever had
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Tell me about a time you had a leadership role and what frustrated you mostly
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None
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How do you know that medicine is the same as, or different than, what you read in the book?
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What other schools did you apply to? what's your top choice? WTF
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(in reference to something I had said) "I'm going to play devil's advocate..." and then proceeded to debate my idea. It wasn't hostile; more of a friendly challenge.
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NA
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Why do you think we didn't accept you last year?
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What is a pressing issue in healthcare today?
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How would you solve today's healthcare problems? (following a question about what I thought were the biggest problems in healthcare)
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Would you ever lie to a patient? ... really, never?
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Tell me about yourself.
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How are you going to pay for your national healthcare plan? (took me by surprise)
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No very difficult questions. They just wanted to learn more about me.
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What is the importance in consenting patients, since your research only requires a small amount of blood and doesn't represent a health risk? What was a ethical // moral dilemma which you faced?
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Do you think that the medical approach to mental health is better than the counseling approach? How to you think having medical training will help you treat mental illness?
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Do you believe healthcare is a right or priveledge?
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What would you bring to medicine?
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Research specific questions....know your stuff!!
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None too difficult
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Why did you change schools so many times?
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Where do I start? The first interviewer asked good questions that were relevant. The most difficult question was when she would ask something such as, ''What makes a good doctor, but don't use Empathy and give me three different things.'' She did that for another question too. Overall she was nice. However, the 4th year person interviewing me was honestly an jerk and wouldn't get off of my file. He tried to just degrade me and the school I went to for undergrad saying ''an easy school like this.'' Referring to my school. My jaw hit the floor and was in disbelief thinking why did they ask me to come here. He kept going with questions about my file and never let off of them. I mean if you have one or two marks that need explaining that is fine but this person was acting so rude and obnoxious about the interview. He would ask me rhetorical questions that with my super highlighted file I knew he knew the answer too. What really was upsetting about the whole thing is that the person that interviewed, FROM and IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL, before me said that ''oh this guy is so nice.'' NO HE WASN'T which makes me question UF's whole attitude toward people of small name schools as they only let people in from IVY LEAUGE Schools or with a 40K donation from rich republicans that can get Charlie Crist to write a letter and have their kids get in without MCAT's or an application.
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No difficult questions.
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Nothing too difficult
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Tell me about yourself (hard to do this without just restating my personal statement)
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What are the three biggestd issues that need to be addressed nationally, not having to do with medicine?
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The Presidental elections are coming up, and you are a candidate on the campaign trail. What is your stance on health care reform, and what are you going to tell the people to get them to vote for you?
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Something about ATP and the Kreb's Cycle. The question wasn't so difficult, but the context was strange. The interviewer just wanted to see how I would react. It was almost like it was intended to by an ice-breaker.
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See above. Also, question about the political situation in my country. I mentioned my native country in my essays.
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Same as the most interesting.
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What do you think of a physician's inability to cure?
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The standard Jehovah's Witness 14 year-old boy is dying, parents refuse to allow a blood transfusion, what do you do?
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Tell me about yourself. (Only difficult when you see the attention of your interviewer waning and his head bobbing up and down out of sleep).
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Nothing difficult -- it was very relaxed actually!
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Describe your best friend and what's their impression of you. (This question may not seem hard, but when it's placed in between conversation directly related to YOU, it's kind of hard!)
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What is your stance on abortion. What would you do if a 6 month pregnant women came in for an abortion saying she was raped.
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What do you think is the biggest problem with healthcare (globally or nationally)?
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How do all of your interests fit together?
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Why is your research so poorly designed? (It's not - it's being published later this year)
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Discuss a personal or academic struggle you have faced and tell how you coped with it
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What do you think is a problem facing the American medical system?
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As your advocate to the admissions committee, what should I say to convince them to accept you?
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How do you feel about the insurance system in the United States?
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Nothing
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None really. Very straight forward, conversational interviews
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Was really hammered repeatedly about a deficiency on my record. I think I handled it well.
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I did not get any difficult questions.
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Who is your hero?
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They didn't really ask me any difficult questions, but many of the questions required time and thought.
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Strengths and weaknesses.
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How would you improve health-care in US?
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There really weren't any difficult questions either - just explaining what I put in on AMCAS and the secondary.
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N/A
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If you were interviewing students for medical school admission, what questions would you ask?
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No questions were difficult. All were pretty standard. Some ethics, some health care system etc.
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Asked about grades
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I didn't think any were really difficult
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I can't remember; they were both extremely conversational; did not take any notes
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Where would you place UF among the other programs you are considering? How hard should I fight for you during the committee meeting?
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Nothing really. Nothing harder than tell me about your research or why do you want to enter into medicine.
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What does a gpa at [Ivy league UG] equate to at UF undergrad?
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Why do you want to be a doctor? (I don't really have a defined reason, but many small ones...)
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Nothing too difficult, I had to explain a poor semester in college.
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Did you read about what research I've done? (PhD interviewer)
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How would you change American Healthcare?
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What is wrong with healthcare?
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Very detail questions about my reserach. And a why? after every answer.
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A little critical of my answers. Very condescending
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Nothing difficult
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Who do you admire the most and why?
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Nothing really difficult
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All of the questions were very straightforward from both interviewers.
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Why does the brain possess receptors for chemicals such as opiates or marijuana?
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What do you think about the FL law to ban doctor's from practicing medicine if they've lost three malpractice suites?
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What do you think about the clash between science and religion? (This was an informal question and not really meant to catch you, so don't worry if you get a controversial issue like this.)
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Mostly just the depth and explaination I had to go to answer the common questions. (Lots of interview time and few questions to ask).
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Why did I receive the MCAT score I did
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Again, no particularly difficult questions if you know your app.
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My student interviewer didn't like it when I said I wouldn't apply to medical school if I didn't get in this year or if I tried again next year and still didn't get in. Apparently she thought I didn't want it bad enough if I wasn't willing to try three times.
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How many uninsured people live in America today? How many of them are seniors? What could we do about this?
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I did not have a question that truly stuck out as being overly difficult. However, answering "What can I tell you about UF COM" after being bombarded with information and stats for the day was somewhat difficult.
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If you were determined to be a physician, why did you chose this other profession first? I was prepared for this question but I don't think I articulated the answer as well as I had hoped.
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Why do you feel you were put on the waiting list last year?
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What questions do you have for me. they give you so much information throughout the day that by the time you get to your interviewers, you don't have anything left to ask
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Why was your verbal score so much lower than your biological science and physical science on the Mcat.
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What are three things you like about medicine?
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Biggest problem in medicine (wasn't really super hard)
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Oh you have a sister? How come you didn´t mention that sooner? I guess you sometimes assume that your interviewers know more things about you than they really do.
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No difficult questions
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Same as above
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None. Very conversational.
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Nothing was too difficult.
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Nothing really that difficult. Maybe "What is one of the biggest ethical issues facing physicians?"
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What are your reasons for becoming a doctor vs. a PA, nurse, etc.
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None too difficult, very casual and conversational
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What would you do if parents from another culture refused to treat their epileptic child, stating her condition made her special and revered in her culture?
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Who do you most admire?
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Nothing extremely difficult.
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You have x doses available of a miraculous (and highly expensive) drug that seems very effective in treating a high mortality rate cancer...you have 2x number of patients who need the treatment...what criteria do you employ in deciding who gets the treatment and who is left to, more than likely, die? Some of these patients are known to have lifestyle factors that decrease the effectiveness of the drug...does this play into your decision and how?
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When is it okay to perform an abortion?
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What ethical question are you most likely to face as a practicing psychiatrist?
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I was asked how putting myself through school on my own was a disadvantage and how it was an advantage
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You seem to have many positive qualities and strengths, what are your weaknesses?
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What would you do if you did not go into medicine?
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None. The interviews were both very pleasant and conversational. Both interviewers had been at UF COM for a long time, and they gave me some good insights about the school. My first interview was open-file, but the second was closed-file. (That interviewer told me up front that he had decided not to read my file until after interviewing me.)
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None really. one interviewer asked me to give specific examples demonstrating certain personal qualities I mentioned.
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Do you have any questions? It was very hard to think of something that hadn't already been answered.
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What is the most difficult ethical situation you can imagine for physicians?
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What do you feel is the most well known line in poetry or prose?
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What do you think should be done in New Orleans in relation to public health?
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None were particularly difficult. There were no ethical/moral dilemma questions, just plain, easygoing, getting-to-know-you conversation.
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Jehovah's Witness question
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What has been the most difficult time in your life?
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How to fix the uninsured crisis; just wasn't expecting it the way the interview was going.
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What was the most difficult time you had in school? (Not very difficult, just out of nowhere.)
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Nothing really..we spoke about patient advocacy and why it's important for physicians to be leaders and role models, and related this to lobbying in Congress as a way to have a broader impact for your patients as a doc.
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Why the Junior Honors Medical Program? Why the rush?
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Above
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None really
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What are your thoughts on abortion? If pro-choice, when is it too late for a person to have an abortion? How do you define life?
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Name a stressful situation and how you dealt with it?
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What is the one thing you would change about yourself? (Oh and the poor question)
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Same as above, who were the supreme court justices, ethical issues in orthopedics?
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Ethical dilemnas in medicine: I didn't know how partial I should be regarding the sensitive issues that came up.
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Do you have any questions for me? (this is 10 minutes into a 60-minute interview)
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Name some US senators. Name some Chief Justices. How can we fix the problems in healthcare?
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Best aspect of the american healtcare system - we've been trained to identify only the problems
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If you had three wishes what would they be?
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What do you think about the prospect of Universal Healthcare in the United States?
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If you had 3 wishes, what would you wish for?
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What is the one negative thing on your application that you want to elaborate upon?
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Why is your Personal Statement so negative? (I didn't realize it was. OOPS.)
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What is the biggest problem in healthcare and how would i solve it?
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What would you do if a Jahovah's Witness would not let you give her blood during surgery?
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What do you think is, currently, the biggest challenge facing medicine?
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If you need to deal with people that are uncooperative or hostile, how will you do that?
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What is one non-science subject that you like?
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How do you react in stressful situations?
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How do you feel about physician-assisted suicide?
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So I see you have held several different jobs working under physicians... why not stick with one of those positions? Why go the extra mile and become a doctor? (This shouldn't have been as hard as it was, but my interviewer would not accept any answer that involved my desire to care of patients because he said I cared for patients in my other jobs as well.)
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Ethical issues were brought up a lot. What do you want me to tell the admissions committee about you? Somehow, I'm never prepared for this.
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Nothing really...everything was very relaxed
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Have you ever been through hardship? (the answer is yes but it's very personal, so my interviewer got embarrassed when I started to squirm but then I basically shared the information)-- he just wanted to know how I cope with things and what my support network is.
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Nothing really...there was basically one question in the beginning (what made you decide that medicine was for you?) and the rest of the hour, it was related conversation
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None were necessarily difficult. If you dont know, simply say you dont know and dont try and make something up. They are very understanding and enjoyable people.
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What can you contribute to the Junior Honors Group? Why should we pick you?
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None were difficult, but the one that was probably most commonly asked question was "what do you bring to the table?"
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The most difficult question was also the most interesting: Many people are bored in Gainesville, so why stay in Gainesville? Do want to go to school somewhere exciting and different?
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Why did you get a --- in this course?
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Name the Supreme Court Justices, State Senators, etc.
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Same
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Why did you decide to take a year off?
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Do you feel it is a doctor's responsibility to force his morals on his patients?
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Are you smart?
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Define success
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None really. Had to know alot about medical/nonmedical issues of the world.
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So, why did you decide to double major in business?
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What are your views on abortion?
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Same. He later explained that this had actually happened.
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Your career goals are impossible. Respond.
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What is your stance on abortion?
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You seem to have had a good deal of experience with volunteering with the elderly, what is your view on euthanasia?
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Describe to me your proudest acheivement?
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What do you feel are the 3 biggest global issues in the world, NOT health-related?
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What is the largest problem in healthcare and what would you do to solve it?
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If you could have 3 wishes, what would they be?
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Tell me about your application process last year. or Tell me about yourself.
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A twelve year old is raped and becomes pregnant, her parents want her to get an abortion, but she is unsure and comes to you... what do you tell her? this was really difficult, not because of the ethical question, but because my interviewer kept questioning me about the answer i gave. This also happened with other ethical questions.
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There was none
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If you were the interviewer, what two questions would the student have to nail for you to give them your recommendation to the panel?
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What do your brothers think of you going into medicine?
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What would your friends say are your strengths and weaknesses?
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See above
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"How do you foresee your medical career in 10 years?"
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Who would you side with in the Shivo case and what would you tell the other side when you made your decision?
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As a followup question, I was asked for some details on a class I'd taken more than a year ago. I wasn't quite ready for that.
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Who are the senators from California?
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What are the problems in health care and how do you propose to solve them.
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There were a couple of difficult questions in both interviews. In the first, she brought up one thing I had said in an essay that she disagreed with. So, I had to defend my point while not insulting her. There was also another point where I had begun to answer why I wanted to be a doctor, but I said something she disagreed with. Again, I had to defend my point. The second interview had a tough question. We were discussing problems in today's healthcare system. I had solid knowledge on the issues, but then she asked me how I would solve them. And I had no idea.
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What was the most stressful moment in your undergraduate career?
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"How can healthcare be reformed?"
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Who won the Nobel Prize twice in Medicine?
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Why UF?
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Nothing really; generally very conversational and friendly. More of information exchange than anything, Although the first interviewer was very tough to read and gauge his reactions.
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How would you change the healthcare system?
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Students begin medical school and their careers full of altruism and enthusiasm, but are often quickly jaded by the health care system. How are you going to keep yourself from being jaded by the system?
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What are your weaknesses?
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I was asked to draw where I thought I would be in ten years, I was not prepared for that.
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What would I do as a career if i don't get into medicine (I hadn't prepared an answer)
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What is your most meaningful accomplishment?
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I was asked two situational questions, "what is your stance on the distribution of scarce medical resources" and "You have a patient who has terminal lung cancer (6 months to live), and it has been found that he has pericardial fluid, which may pose a risk to his health. How do you approach him with this information"
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What will you dislike about being a doctor?
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Are there any problems with the healthcare system in the U.S.?
-
What qualities do you have that will make you a good physician?
-
The above question
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What negative aspect of medicine, if it were to increase, would cause you to pursue another profession?
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How far is mars from earth?
-
Same as above.
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Do you know what "@%&$@%$ (from my research)" is?
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What would I bring into a group situation
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What do I know about Healthcare today? How would I change it? What do I think is wrong with it?
-
Same as above. It was pretty vague.
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Describe a situation in your life, where you observed lack of leadership, what could have been done?...
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Nothing difficult.
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Go through every summer since your sophmore year in highschool. What problems do you se in medicine (on personal and macro levels)
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I see that you have experience working in a research section of your hospital. Have you actually considered going to other wards, i.e. intensive care, just to see what they were like? Have you been to other departments?
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If you saw a 12-year old girl who was raped and her parents wanted her to have an abortion, what would you do?
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What were the three biggest problems confronting healthcare in the US right now. I was ready for one but not THREE!
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Do doctors only make people better?
-
And? What else?
-
What is my biggest failure?
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What is your greatest failure?
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What do you want to talk about? Have any more questions for me?
-
If there was only one seat left and I(interviewer) think that you are most fit for that sit, how would you want me to convince the faculty about you?
-
What was the most challenging experience you have had?
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What do you fear most about entering medical school? Why are Americans so sue-happy?
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What are the two most pressing issues in medicine today.
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Tell me about yourself. (this is right after I sat down). I blabbed for about 5 minuutes, then asked if he'd like me to take my autobiographical escapade any particular direction. After a few moments thought, he suggested I focus on 'things that will help me get into medical school.' So I blabbed somemore, until we finally went off on a tangent. Thing were good from there, but I would suggest you be prepared with a plan if they just ask you to sit down and start talking.
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Nothing really. I guess the most difficult question would be... do you have a copy of your published paper? (I didn't, so during a break I ran and made a copy and delivered it at the end of the day)
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What do you see in the future of medicine/health care?
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the enthusiasm, friendliness, and happiness of the students at the school, as well as the supportive and caring nature of the faculty and staff. The state-of-the-art facilities, high USMLE board scores, focus on patient-centered care, and emphasis on student wellness were also highlighted as key positive aspects of the school. Additionally, the personalized attention, thorough knowledge of applicants' files, and the effort made by the admissions team were noted as exceptional.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Really great presentations by faculty
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They were very receptive, it was conversational
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The tour, presentations, and my interviewers. It seemed like they specifically selected my interviewers based on themes or activities in my application.
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Amazing clinical education, faculty, and sense of community. My interviewer did med school and residency at UF and spoke super highly of its programs. Every person I interacted with felt that they truly loved being there.
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It was very casual and conversational. A lot of student and staff were involved and it felt very comfortable and like they put alot of time and effort into it and cared
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The strong sense of community and humanism in medicine
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They knew my application inside and out, very conversational
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The interviewers knew my application inside and out. This was the only school I have interviewed at so far that truly cared about my application and read over it. They remembered minute details that I had mentioned in my application and both spoke on my personal statement and secondary application, even quoting particular points of it and asking me to elaborate. So so organized and everyone is so passionate about the school's vision and mission! Loved the director of admission's presentation as well about the art of medicine.
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How kind, empathetic, and human the interviewers were! I had a bad experience with my first interview (with another school) so I expected this one to be tense but it was very friendly.
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How intimately everyone at the school and admissions know you and your interests based on your primary. They really go above and beyond to make you feel like you’re not just another number.
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Focus on patient care and student wellness is obvious. Liked the patient experience panel and lunch with the students.
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There is a strong emphasis on collegiality and caring for medical students well. All the students seem very chill and get along with each other well. I heard a lot about how student feedback is taken seriously.
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Students were extremely approachable and friendly. Everyone wants their classmates to succeed. Plus, HMed is beautiful!
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The enthusiasm, how genuinely happy all the students are and how they help each other out. The presentations and overall energy was great.
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Everyone was so happy! They went out of their way to make sure we all were comfortable.
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The new curriculum, campus, new buildings and hospitals being built
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The students were genuine and extremely happy to be at the school. One student even mentioned that the balance between the rigorous material and the great student lifestyle makes him forget he's in med school at times. The school is a true pass/fail school, which eliminates competition and promotes a family-like culture. This in conjunction with UF's new integrative, team-based curriculum is making a great impact on student learning and performance on STEP 1. During interview day, they showed us a chart of UF's performance vs the National Avg for USMLE Step 1 and each year (especially since starting the new curriculum a few years ago) UF students performed well above the national average. Also, UF is trying to become a Top 10 Public institution and due to this they have a great amount of funding coming in and a lot of that money is being used on the medical school and students. I will be entering as the class of 2019 and when we start they will have a start of the art new medical school building that is built to really help us succeed. UF blew me away, not exaggerating, and cannot wait to start. They put their students first and you can tell! OH! And they took us out to eat for dinner the night before the interview, for FREE at the restaurant the Swamp with medical students! So awesome.
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The tour was beautiful and the admissions team was extremely nice.
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Dr. Lynch and the tour, especially the part in the clinical simulation center. The friendliness and helpfulness of the students.
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Gainesville was a pretty nice small town, much better than what I had heard about it.. P/F grading system was a plus, and students were very nice and helpful with all our questions, admissions staff was super nice also. Unique interview day experience, emphasis on patient-centered care was important.
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How willing and blunt the medical students were in talking about their school.
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The kindness of the faculty and deep dedication to the school. Also, the new curriculum.
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The medical students seemed happy
-
New hospital tower
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Everything. The students and faculty. and the wonderful synergy of the campus. The facilities and hospital.
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The innovative technology
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The interviews seemed like free flowing conversations and I felt my interviewers were just trying to get to know me better and were not testing whether or not I could handle medicine. My first interviewer seemed impressed with my file which helped me stay relaxed and confident and the interview went very well because of that. We spent some time talking about basketball and since he was a fan, he was able to converse intelligently and seemed to appreciate collegiate athletes.
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Both interviewers were VERY nice and i felt like they genuinely wanted to get to know me
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The faculty was SO nice, great resources, STAN, Humanities in Medicine program, how much students liked UF.
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How supportive the administrators were.
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Professionalism, environment, USMLE scores, the students we met during lunch. There's a reason this school is the best in the region.
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Very conversational interviews, students were excited for UF.
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Students were very friendly, encouraging and helpful.
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The people. Seemed very happy and laid-back. They have a life outside medicine.
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How hard they worked to "sell" the school to us...and it worked!
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The staff was very friendly and helpful. Dr. Hsu, the program director, was one of the nicest people I met during my 13 interview experiences. They also let us interviewees practice in their simulation center.
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Wow, the school does a great job selling itself and appearing honest while they do it. You'll see for yourself :)
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Everything. Everybody was very nice. They were not "out to get me" but just wanted to make sure I was the right fit for them and they were the right fit for me.
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The tour of Shands, the "non-science" room, high scores on USMLE, lots of opportunities for research
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Politeness of staff, interviewers, and medical students
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The interviewers/day was very relaxed and comfortable
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Students were emphatic about the possibilities available at the school, IF you're proactive. Quite a wealth of activities to be involved in.
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EVERYTHING. The school blew me away. The modern teaching facilities, visiting many departments and meeting inviting staff members in each one, meeting really cool and honest medical students, the amount of research available, construction of the new cancer hospital, my interviewers taking a true interest in me, etc. I fell in love with the school during my interview day.
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NOTHING, I WAS VERY UPSET
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I'm already familiar with the school and it's reputation. The students really do love it here, and the faculty all seem very approachable and supportive. I'm also very impressed with the admissions office. Only two people, Robyn and Denise, and they do a better job than most other programs with larger staffs.
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The enthusiasm of the students, the praise for the faculty and quality of education received
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The students made UF sound like a very nurturing environment where the goal of the faculty is that everyone succeeds. I also like that the bar is not lowered if someone can't make, but that extra help is provided to those who want it.
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How well the Med students do on the Step exams
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Everything
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How friendly and helpful the staff was. One of my interviews ran late, and I missed my tour. I went to the office of admissions and they helped me find the tour while giving me a mini tour themselves.
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I like the time we had with the second year medical students during lunch. I got candid answers to my questions. Also, it really does seem like everyone loves being there, though they admit that medical school is grueling. I felt like everyone was honest, and no one tried to put on a show for us.
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Very enthusiastic. Liked the fact that the hospitals and everything was close by rather then on the other side of town. Also impressed with Stan the dummy
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The admissions staff was GREAT!! my second interviewer was nice.
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The facilities are nice
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Students' quality of life, openness of everyone, facilities were great, people were friendly, weather was fine.
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My first interview lasted over an hour and was incredibly informative. Furthermore, I feel I was given the opportunity to fully present my strengths as a candidate and give some insight into any potential weaknesses.
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STAN and the weather.
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The students, the faculty, the staff, everything!
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The closeness of the students. I know several people at the school and everyone loves it. The staff was very welcoming as well.
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Simulation center, all of the students who kept saying C for M.D.
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All of the students seemed genuinely happy.
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Everyone is nice. The students are busy, but super excited to talk to you. They are very confident that they are doing things right at the school and this comes across very positively. They make you feel like they care mostly about what you think of them instead of what they think of you. They want you to be able to see yourself at UFCOM. I love that the COM is located on the main campus. So cool.
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They have their own testing center for their students to take the board exam!
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The students seem to to enjoy being at the school, the facilites are quite good, and STAN was impressive.
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Everything- the other students, faculty, interviewers, and med students were so nice.
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Nice facilities
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The Admissions staff were phenomenal! The staff and students were very welcoming and encouraged us throughout the day!
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The interviewers knew my file, and came in ready to have a conversation with me about my interests and aspirations rather than grill me with a set of pre-formulated questions.
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What the students said about the faculty; medical humanities
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The enthusiasm of the students, great town (I love football)
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Stan was kinda neat
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Everything! The students were enthusiastic, the faculty and staff were dedicated to the students, the facilities are great and everyone was super-friendly. I had a great visit and could go on and on about how much I loved this program.
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The students were helpful and happy to be there
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I LOVED THIS SCHOOL! The mindset, attitude, and heart of this school really appealed to me (I had awesome interviewers as well). I was very impressed and the rumors that I heard that this school was top-notch was justified to me.
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The school's scores are very high. The students seemed very happy with the program. STAN was great. Robyn was great, she made the day less stressful.
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STAN, the enthusiasm of the students
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Medical technology that UF created which is now used world-wide. I also thought that the faculty was really nice and dedicated to the students. Plus, the med students giving the tour were down to earth, honest, and cool.
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How enthusiastic the students were. My second interviewer was amazing - I would attend the school just to learn from him. Lunch was very good.
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The calibur and friendliness of the students and faculty.
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How enthusiastic all the students were about UF COM.
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The students are so happy and enthusiastic about their school. There seems to be a strong social cohesion. Administration seems to be strong and supportive of their students. It is definitely a ripe learning environment. Also, the statistics for USMLE impressed me!--and the fact that the standardized patient began at UF! The students there are helpful and even led me to different parts of the med school when I became lost! They are happy for the interviewees--we were the first group of the class of 2009. Also, Robyn and Denise had written for each interviewees, their schedules and directions how to get to the rooms where our interviewers would be. No maps and leave us alone--very nurturing and hand-holding, it seems.
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See below
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Their medical humanities program is really cool, their USMLE scores are really high, the students really love their teachers
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The students' enthusiasm about their school
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Everything. The facilities are beautiful and amazing. The support staff set up the day very well and were very informative. There were TONS of student tour guides, and they all came to talk to us during lunch and were so excited to talk to us. They praised the faculty and the school in general, and it was obvious they all love it there.
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Students seem happy, diverse class, suprising number of opportunities to explore areas of medicine such as medical humanities, ect. Solid pre-clinical years, great Step 1 scores, really happy 4th year students. Good amount of research opportunities.
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Just about everything. Loved the Harrell Center. STAN was cool. Faculty was nice. Students seemed excited and happy. Students also do amazingly well on Step 1's. They also seem to be on top of their game with most things such as having converted their histology class to looking at images on the computer instead of standing all day at a microscope with slides.
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Students very friendly, i had a great host, UF seems like it balances clinical focus and research
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UF's facilities and enthusiasm of the staff, teachers, and students
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STAN was really cool. The scores on the USMLE were equally impressive Although a little too long, the day was pretty laid back.
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The students, enthusiasm of everyone there about the school
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Technology, positive attitude of students, high USMLE scores
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I grew up in FL and so knew all about Miami and G-villeway before I went and visited. I had interviews at both schools during the same weekend and was fully expecting to love miami and not be so excited about UF. I was worried about UF's location. However, I LOVED UF! The faculty are so supportive, the students are happy and LOVE it there, the classrooms are beautiful, and the hospital is really, really nice. About the location: the fine arts there are really incredible, and it's a liberal college town, and cost of living is so cheap! Unlike other schools, the students I met all wanted me to come there- they really love it and love the education they recieve. It really is top notch!
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The students and faculty were nice and enthusiastic.
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How happy the students seem and how much they love the faculty.
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Not much
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Facilities, admissions staff, students, interviewers
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The students were extremely happy and the faculty was very nice.
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The facilities and the enthusiasm of the faculty.
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STAN was pretty cool. The facilities are big and definately above average.
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The students all seemed very happy to be there; they spoke highly of the faculty. the facilities and technologies (ex. STAN) are excellent.
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Mostly everything about the school and Shands. Seems to be a great place to study with excellent faculty and support staff. The medical students seemed enthusiastic and overly friendly. The interviewers were very professional.
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STAN, friendliness of staff and students, the Harrell Center and patient simulation, Shands, faculty are willing to come in on the weekends and help students, i love the gainesville area; it's a college town
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The students and staff were willing to answer any question and were very friendly. UF COM is continually growing and adding to its facilities (a cancer center, proton therapy center, and genetics institute are just 3). There seems to be a solid commitment to providing the best possible education. Also, the quality-of-education-to-cost ratio is very high (i.e. high quality and low cost).
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All the students I met were happy. The emphasis the administration seemed to have on the privilidge of practicing medicine. Have online testing center for boards
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The interviewers were extremely friendly and generous and were genuinely interested in what I had to say. They were not intimidating or trying any scare tactics
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I was really impressed by the hospital and the fact that it's now a level 1 trauma center. Also, I thought the fact that some third year clerkships can be done in Jacksonville is a great opportunity to see cases you otherwise wouldn't get to see in Gainesville. One last thing - this interview day is really low stress, I got the sense that they were interested in me as a person and not just what I wrote in my applications. They really just want to get to know you, so relax and you'll actually have a good time at this interview.
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Students really do seem happy there. They also showed us a lot of the hospital.
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The interview day was pretty much bump free. Although long, it isn't just haphazardly thrown together. The board stats seem impressive. The clinics were neat.
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The USMLE board scores were quite impressive and I am happy the school emphasized them. I was not aware of their strength prior to the interview. The facilities, although the layout is a bit confusing, are well-done and very modern (with exception of the 1st and 2nd year MDLs - not a big deal though). The students appear stress free and are very enthusiastic about being there.
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The enthusiasm of the students and faculty. The day was well organized and it was comforting to know that you are truly vauled and sought after if you are sitting in that room. The speed at which you'll find out the selection commitee's answer.
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The students that I met are all very enthusiastic about their school, which was great to see. The faculty and staff were also very enthused. Overall the atmosphere is a very positive one.
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All the students were incredibly enthusiastic about the school. There was really little to find that I didn't like
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The medical students and faculty were very friendly. The doctor who interviewed me seemed extremely smart.
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The very high board scores
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I really like that UF gets hands on experience early in your education. Also they have almost a 100% pass rate on the liscensing exams.
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Even though many students were gone because of the break, the med students that came were excellent. i can tell it is a close family. the faculty (including the admissions personnel) are great and warming as well. the faculty stressed the development of the whole person not just spewing out medical doctors at the end of four years.
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The Harrell teaching center. Looked like a real medical clinic..very cool teaching environment
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Almost everything, but particularly the students.
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UF has a very warm and friendly environment. You feel a sense of family amongst students and faculty. The facilities were state of the art and the weather is of course amazing. The other interviewees also impressed me a great deal. I would enjoy having all of them as classmates.
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Everything-the students were friendly, the facilities were great, UF really places an importance on developing a humanistic approach to medicine which I really appreciated, also the impressive USMLE scores
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Enthusiastic and friendly students and professors, very well organized interview day, impressive facilities, very friendly admissions staff.
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The facilities are nice and relatively new. now a trauma 1 medical center. students really like the school.
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How much everyone there really seemed excited about the program.
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Facilities were nice and Shands is always adding additional building. STAN was pretty cool as well. Also, UF students have really good board scores and they make sure you know it. They give you all these graphs showing how everybody passed last year and that their score are independent of what MCAT scores would predict. Students seem very happy and upbeat despite being in the middle of tests.
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Being around the students even after they had finished their exams for the semester--they were still very enthusiastic about medical school and attending UF. I'm interested in pursuing mission opportunities during and after medical school, so I was excited to find out the plentiful opportunities that exist through UF. Technology is pretty good too.
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I go to this school for undergrad. the quality of the faculty stood out most during the tours and interviews. they really were high caliber (academically and personally) individuals; definately above my expectations. there is considerable flexibility in the college if you want to pursue other things, for example dual degrees, opportunities abroad, or other activities that would take a significant portion of your time as a medstudent. very innovative learning tools (STAN human simulator, harrell center) the school is so balanced in terms of research, education, and patient care.
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That UF has such a great reputation while also having a comfortable "second family" atmosphere among students and staff. STAN is pretty sweet. Robyn and Denise are delightful.
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Both of my interviewers. Tremendously interesting people, and both were very good at actual interviewing. They had lists of questions, but it didn't feel like a quiz. Consequently, I felt very at ease throughout both of them.
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Almost everything was impressive. The facilities were kept very nice with many new buildings and units. All the staff members, students, and interviewers were friendly and enthusiastic. STAN and the Harell center seem like wonderful resources. A huge number of students (probably 25) came to have lunch with us and talk about their experiences. This really showed me that the students were excited about the program. I actually enjoyed that the day was from 9-5. Unlike other reviewers on this website, I thought this long day showed that they were willing to take time to show us their school, it made me know that if I go to UF I will be taken care of, and it gave me a chance to thoroughly see what the school has to offer. At other interview days for other schools I felt like I left the school without seeing many of the facilities. I enjoyed both tours and think that if I hadn't gone on both I would have missed out. Plus, the entire day was ontime and very rarely did I feel bored. We saw the cadaver lab, emergency room, PICU, etc.
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Everything! The day was long but I barely noticed because I was always doing something. When I walked into the room and saw the folder individually prepared for me with my name tag including my Alma Mata, I knew this was going to be a different experience. The admissions staff is extremely professional. The facilities were amazing- particularly the Brain Institute and STAN (the standardized man developed at UF which can mimic several clinical scenarios allowing use as an amazing clinical learning tool). The students (including my two hosts) were phenomenal and the camerarderie is really there. Not just rhetoric! In fact, on my interview day, the second year class sang to the first years before their very difficult head and neck exam (apparently a UF tradition). The Harrell Center, the Maren reading room, the student-run Equal Access Clinic and the annual mission trips to different countries all impressed me.
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The school overall is incredibly impressive. The academics are stellar - UF boasts USMLE step 1 scores well above the national average and right up there with all the most impressive ivy leagues. The professors must be doing something right. Students appear to be incredibly happy at their school...they have a sense of comraderie not seen at other institutions and look like one big happy family. The facilities are state of the art and very modern. The anatomy lab visit was very cool, and the Harell Center is excellent (rooms with simulated patient interations for clinical training and testing - you'll see). Shands Hospital is really big. With regards to Gainesville, cost of living is much cheaper than in other places like Miami and Tampa. Tuition at UF is cheaper than other schools and there seem to be numerous opportunities for financial aid.
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How happy the students are to be there. Got to see the anatomy lab which was cool. The highly-motivated staff and faculty. Robyn and Denise are full of energy and are really nice. Shands hospital is huge.
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Friendliness of the staff and students. Commitment to future with many new facilities for research, etc.
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Everybody's enthusiasm and willingness to help.
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The robots (STAN and Dianna)& how cool the med. students were...they seemed very happy
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The 4th year med student who interviewed me was extremely passionate about what he was studying - not fake - but sincerely happy about where he, what he was studying, and the education he had received. You could tell he loved it here. The students I met also talked a lot about how the teachers were genuinely concerned with the students. The students also disagreed with comments about UF being "cut throat" when I asked, noting that there are always people who strive to be #1, but that the general atmosphere is more one of students helping students. That is the atmosphere I'm seeking, so that greatly impressed me - and I asked NUMEROUS students regarding the cut throat issue and received similar answers that cut the rumor down. Also, the board scores were extremely impressive, especially the fact that UF students actually take the USMLE on campus & don't have to worry about freak standardized test experiences.
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The facilties are incredible, the staff and students are pleasant, their board scores are awesome!
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What everyone has been saying: the med students seemed VERY happy to be there. Also that the scchool has amazing facilities and that the faculty and staff were very supportive.
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1. Students seem ridiculously happy, even the third- and fourth-years. 2. The Harrell Center and Stan: they are both very cool and state-of-the-art technology. 3. The research track option. 4. Early clinical exposure, including a three-week preceptorship during December of the first year. 5. Low in-state tuition (about $20,000 per year for state residents) compared with private schools.
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Students very friendly, spoke very well of the faculty. They have a really cool STAN doll, too.
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The enthusiasm of the students, and the numerous students and faculty/staff that came to welcome us, and answer our questions throughout the day
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Enthusiasm and overall happiness of the students. Free coffee for students and student-run store.
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How great the facilities were, the fact that the faculty are full-time teachers, how happy the students were, impressive board scores.
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Students' enthousiasm. I was not expecting a lot from my visit and was very impressed by the comraderie b/wn students and the helpfulness of the faculty. USMLE scores are very high. Day was very well organized.
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STAN the simulated patient, Shands, camaraderie of students (they really did seem very happy), and the way UFCOM makes its interviewees feel they are important.
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The students enthusiasm for the school and the faculty, as well as for the other students.
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The enthusiasm and warmth of professors and students
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Everyone was nice, the facilities are amazing and all of the students were very happy. Board Scores are some of the best in the nation if not the best. STANS the man!!
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Everything: the admissions staff, the Harrell Center, STAN patient simulator, students' USMLE scores, good atmosphere, up-to-date facilites
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The facilities were quite impressive. Though Gainesville is a small town, the Shands hospital complex is quite large, with new areas constantly being built (i.e. the new Cancer and Genetics Institute and the Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute (a beautiful building on 34th St).
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Absolutely loved the school
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The cohesion of the student body and faculty; Also, the institutions and programs where the 4th year medical students matched
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Harrel Prefessional Center, STAN, and how happy and content the students were.
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The students were very enthusiastic about the school, the presentation, Harrell center, USMLE scores, facilities at Shands
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Harrell Center, Maren Reading Room, USMLE scores, friendliness of students and Admissions staff, Equal Access clinic, research track option
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The day was long, but in retrospect, and compared to my other interviews, you got the feeling they really wanted you to be there and were recruiting you, which was why they wnated you to get a look at most of the facilities. UF COM stuck out in my mind just because I had seen so much fo it, and became so familiar with the school.
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Students test scores, focus on student-patient interaction
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The relatively new construction projects... expansion and also the focus on humanistic approach to medicine.
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How proud and happy the students were, the usmle scores, the standarized patient program. I was also impressed by the faculty's research experience and the Neurology class I attended.
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The enthusiasm the students have for being there
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Board scores, faculty/student relationship, students' happiness
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How happy students and faculty were. Also how well students did on board exams.
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The close friendships between the students and how approachable the faculty seemed.
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They really stress the humanistic side of medicine, the faculty/administration and students seem to have a good relationship, and the students are happy to be there
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The students and faculty really seem to like the school and genuinely care about the Art of Medicine which is mentioned repeatedly. They want you to learn how to be a good healer and feel comfortable talking to patients as well learn all the knowledge.
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Lots about the school is impressive, but the most impressive aspect was the pool of fellow interviewees. I think almost all of them would make great classmates. Smart, motivated, and friendly.
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The med students seemed so happy. they all raved about the school and for once, it did not seem forced.
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The board scores, the students, and the facilities. They have the Harrell center (a clincial teaching center for students).. the faculty also seems very enthusiastic
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The enthusiasm and tightly-knit social structure...what an exellent social milieu.
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The students USMLE performance stats
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The tour of the hospital. I loved the pediatrics ward.
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The students were super enthusiastic. they couldn't stop talking about how stellar the professors are, how they go out of their way (coming in on the weekends when they are not required to) to help students learn and prepare for the exam. also, the school has a room dedicated to the arts of medicine instead of the science of medicine, which is something different. in this room, students are asked to take a break from studying and encouraged to express their creative side through art, music, and literature.
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Students were overly pleasant, easy to get along with, genuinely positive, and student/faculty seemed like a big family. Feel UF more than adequately prepares students to do excellent on USMLE.
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The thoughtfulness that the staff puts in to the teaching process. They have maximized the students ability to learn and enjoy the medical school by blending problem-based learning with a complete education of the basic sciences. They have invested in a number of institutes and technology for conveyance of knowledge. If you are interested in researching an idea, several students mentioned that the faculty will bend over backwards to get funding and support for your project. I had previously thought that a small town could hardly present a variety of cases to prepare you for residency, but the numerous facilities make exposure to a large variety of cases possible.
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Med students seem very happy to be here, faculty seems very helpful, facilities are nice, STAN is cool, great USMLE scores!
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The students and faculty were incredibly enthusiastic and the facilities were very modern and clean.
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The facilities are amazing and the classes and faculty are very tight knit
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The students really love it there and the faculty seems so genuine and helpful
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Basically everything. The students were incredibly smart and happy and loved being there. My interviewers (a faculty member and a student) were just wonderful, and the administration was amazing. They try so hard to sell you on their school so that they can compete with some of the big names that will also probably admit you.
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The happiness of the students!!! it seemed like the whole first year class came to greet us when we were going for lunch. it seems to be a great atmosphere to learn/live in. some professors even came down to say hi. the research track is excellent for people that are interested in research, but dont want to do a PhD (like myself). very impressive facilities and the stats are AMAZing. before i got there, i thought that the 9-5 interview schedule would be unnecessary, but robyn and denise do a great job of organizing the day and it is well worth it! i enjoyed every minute of it. STAN (living, breathing robot) was very cool too
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The statistic were through the roof and the student were so extremely accomodating and helpful. The staff was incredible with the entire day and everything was positive.
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UF's statistical standings.
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This interview was for the junior honors medical program. There is a stigma of extreme competitiveness associated with this program, but all the people I met were very outgoing and friendly. Also, the interviewers were all very personable and very very friendly. I love the University of Florida, this medical school is truly one of the best when it comes to student-professor relationship.
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I am from UF, so I knew most of what they were going to show. However, STAN impressed me immensely. The organization of the students and their successfulness after med school was also very impressive.
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The facilities are great! the students were awesome and very peppy considering that they were in teh middle of a day of class.
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The students were sooo happy (with their choice to stay at UF, with the curriculum, teachers, etc; The administrative staff and faculty who visited were really kind! The lunch was yummy (especially the brownies!)
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The interviewers.
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Tour was very well organized. Very good board scores, which will almost positively be the highest ever this year (step1).
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The clinical research track...no other school has a comparable program!!! the facilities are great, students friendly (and they cliam to have a life outside of school); the close relationship between faculty and students
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The med students we met were all very positive about the school - none of them looked overworked or over stressed. They also have very high board scores.
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The amount of students that were willing to answer our questions and how friendly they were.
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State of the art facilities, new technology, endless research opportunities
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The staff was amazing. ALL of the students were happy and willing to tell you everthing they felt about the school.
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Admissions office (Robyn, Denise and Dr. Gessner) are very professional and helpful. UF admissions seems to be very student-centered.
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The students (all years) loved the school and had nothing negative to say about it. The admin staff was very warm and welcoming. Everyone went out of their way to make us feel at home and get us excited about being there. Additionally you will find out that first year clinical experience is really extensive. You are assigned a family and sent somewhere in the state to complete a preceptorship within your first semester!! Additionally they have STAN and the Harrell center which really help to develop great history taking, and patient skills.
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UF has so many innovative programs and opportunities for students. During the first year you get off for a month to shadow a doctor and the students do mission trips. Also there is the Arts in Medicine program and a free outreach clinic run by students. UF gives students the opportunity to garner more research experience by changing around some classes and now the campus has wireless internet throughout the facility. Everybody was supernice and laid back, including the other interviewees.
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The students were nice. I liked the facilities--plenty of student space for studying/hanging out. The faculty seems very genuine and committed to the students. I really like the UF campus (though med students don't seem to spend much time on other parts of campus). One of my interviewers was great. The tours were good.
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All of the students that I was able to speak with had nothing but positive things to say about UF and its program.
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The friendliness of the students and faculty, the extremely caring attitudes of the professors, and the UF facilities.
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Great atmosphere. I had heard that there was this cut-throat competition amongst the students, but I did't see it. I also realized that it varies by year - one of my interviewers said that the 4MDs are pretty competitive, but all other years are great. Also, the faculty were really nice and helpful. Interviewees were also a good crowd. Students were very cool - the whole 1st year class came out to say hello (or at least it felt like the whole class). But they were nice and helpful - ready to answer questions. Faculty seems awesome and accesible. While we were there, Dr. Gessner gave away these awesome concert tickets to a 2nd year student.
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Everything (particularly "Stan")
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The students were very friendly. The facilities were amazing and the board scores were impressive.
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Very intelligent students, well-rounded interviewees; great facilities; hands down, best med school in florida, and top 5 in the southeast-ok maybe thats hyperbole but who cares, you get the picture
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The students I spoke too were all very friendly and excited. They stressed the importantance of teamwork and assured us this was not a competative enviroment. The resources such as STAN and the Harrell Center are amazing.
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The feel of the students, they all seemed happy and excited. the board scores and preparation, the faculty seem great, the cost.
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The students are all very down to earth and seem to have a great relationship with most of their professors. everyone seemed very happy
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Without a doubt, the most impressive aspect of UF's medical program is their student body. Every student I talked with seemed so positive and enthusiastic. Students are also more than willing to help each other out and their is non of the typical "I can't help you because you are my competition." Aside from the students, the Admissions office was more than helpful with everything. Lectures were kept short and to the point, and staff went out of their way to make sure you were calm and relaxed.
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Board scores are awesome, students, staff, faculty were all friendly. Presentations were brief, to the point, and organized. Cookies were exceptional. Great directions to the interview rooms.
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The school, the hospitals, how happy the students seemed. my interviewer was very encouraging. im not a science major and he kept expressing how great it was for me to be majoring in something other than science.
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The students and faculty at UF are amazing!! Their energy is contagious and I was on a total high all day! There is a true sense of camaraderie at this school - everyone seems to genuinely want to help their peers - they're not cut-throat. I left Gainesville with UF #1 on my list.
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The great facilities and teaching as well as the general positive attitude in students.
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I think the most important thing I took away from my visit was that UF seems like an excellent place to learn if you want to be a practicing physician. Every last student I talked to mentioned how great the teachers were. Students at this schools do very well on their boards, and get good residency matches. I came in not expecting that I'd want to go there for med school, but I left knowing that I'd be very happy if that's where I end up. Also, if warm sunshine is your thing, this place has plenty of that.
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Students were bubbling over with positive attitudes toward the program. They all seemed very happy, well cared for, and to be carrying low stress loads.
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UFCOM seems kinda like a big family. The faculty were very open to us and from what the students say, the teachers are amazing, the deans are caring, available, and personable, and all of the staff are truly on your side. I learned from many students that the teachers will come in on weekends and hover around the study room to help, and they give the students their pager numbers and are so willing to help. Also, the Brain Institute was awesome. We saw the robotic person, and this thing was invented and built by UF biomedical engineers. The guy giving the presentation with it injected it with some drug that made it's muscles twitch, then gave it a muscle relaxer and intubated it, gave it CPR until it died, and the whole time we hear the sounds and beeps of the machines and see the various equipment that you would use. It responds to 200 medicines. Very cool. All the students there were eager to tell you about the school and so many took the time out of their day to come brag about their school. The curriculum is integrated, so you study the same topic from 5 different angles (in different classes). Gainesville is a small town, but because it is home to one of the biggest and best universities in the world, many big time attractions can be found there (or at least go there- like sports, concerts, famous speakers, etc).
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During our lunch, they had medical students of all years stop by and talk to us. The atmosphere among them was phenomenal. They had so much energy and were so enthusiastic about their education. It most impressed me because my date fell on one of their test days (block testing = testing for 8 hours). However, they still had the very best attitude possible.
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The way student feedback about courses and cirriculum is used...UF has good board scores...lecture and PBL combined
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The students were a close group. It was more of a "community centered" atmosphere among doctors, students and staff. Everyone was up-beat. Everyone. Despite a exam, the first year students still came and expressed how they were happy they chose UFCOM.
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The admissions staff's efforts at preparating for the interview were phenomenal. They matched me up with two interviewers who were in two specialties of medicine that I am interested in, so the interviews were effortless. The students were happy and graciously came to talk to us during lunch even though they were on their break from this huge exam they had to take, and the tour was extremely informative.
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School academics. Very strong board scores. Faculty was highly distinguished. Facilities are incredible. Interview was well organized and included time to speak to students.
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Students are so happy there. The MS1's were in the middle of a day long test (yep day long) with a break for lunch. They stopped by and said hello and tried to answer questions for us newbies. Very touchy. Clinical facilities were very nice, campus is beautiful, admissions staff very knowledgable and helpful, tuition is awesome, board scores are great.
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How friendly the medical students were (even the first-years who were taking an 8-hour test that day came out and talked to us on their lunch break); students and faculty seem to have great interactions and medical students are genuinely happy to be there
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One of my interviewers was a fourth year medical student who was genuine and very informative. the students are also very excited to go to school at UF and rave about the faculty. Robyn Sheppard is really nice and frank. Also UF developed "Stan" the standardized patient manequinn, which was really cool to see (it blinks, breathes oxygen, bleeds, and dies).
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We got to talk to a lot of med school students, and all were so happy with the school (they were almost bouncing off the walls)
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I did not have UF as a top school on my list, but after visiting it now is. The students love the staff and vice versa.
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It may sound trite, but the happiness of the students was completely out of this world. Maybe they are hiding the sad ones, but everyone i saw was digging it. Also, the sandwiches were good!
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Everything. The students all were happy with the school and eager to offer their input. The faculty are all very committed to teaching and patient care. The school has developed many simulators and various patient care facilities so that the students are well prepared in many situations.
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Everything. Mainly the friendliness of the students and faculty there. The faculty seemed to generally care about the students, and knew a great deal about everyone, not just name and year, but also interests both medical and non-medical. This wasnt a show, after i talked to a bunch of my friends about it, i found it was really how they were. Also, the level of academics and board scores really impressed me.
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In addition to the enthusiasm and camraderie shown by students, faculty and staff, the board scores were higher than I expected and there is an optional research track.
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Students, Faculty, and Administration were very friendly and not at all pretentious.
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Brain Institute is a nice new building, but unless you're into research you wouldn't spend much time there. Shands is a great hospital for being in the middle of a podunk north central Fl town. Students we spoke with seemed genuinely happy there. And Roybn (admissions coordinator) has been the best out of all the schools I've been to thus far - she and the admissions office people were extremely open about... everything. Last, I like that the Chair of Admissions plans to keep all the applicants up to date with a monthly email. It's kinda like they're going out of their way to make sure we know that they know we're still out there.
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The medical faculty and students were incredibly helpful and welcoming !
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How friendly and relaxed the students were. They were really enthusiastic about the program and seemed genuinely happy to be there.
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The students and faculty...it really was like a community.
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Everyone was so nice. I felt very comfortable and relaxed. I went to UF for undergrad so I already knew how wonderful the hospital is.
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The size and diversity of care at shands is ridiculous. There is no feild that is not well represented there. The students and faculty were all great. Admissions people were up front about statisitcs of acceptance. 55% of interviewees get accepted.
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Everyone was really friendly and the hour interviews were rather informal, just a conversation. They took really good care of us.
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The Radiology software programs...no films.
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Everything! The students have an amazing comraderie and everyone knows everyone. The staff is friendly and the facilities are top notch. The day is very well planned and organized.
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The school itself, facilities, friendlines of both students and faculty
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The faculty and students were the nicest ever. Everyone here really loves their school!
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They try really hard to make you feel relaxed and good about yourself. the students seemed really happy. they had a good lunch
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Everything! It was very laid back! I wanted to go to UF College of Medicine even more after my interview.
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I was impressed that Gainesville is such a student-oriented place. It virtually seems to be one huge campus. Great atmosphere if you're planning to spend just about all your time studying, because there is not much else to do. Also, UF is associated with a clinic where students can volunteer an evening a week starting their first year! Having such early patient exposure is a plus. And everyone was very friendly and easy to talk to.
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Everything! The students are very happy and all the staff (faculty and administration) are very encouraging and supportive. The facilities were amazing and Shands is huge!
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Robyn Shepperd in the Office of Admissions was the only bright spot in an otherwise dreary interview experience.
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The students were enjoyed their school. The medical facility and the physicians interest in the students.
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The happiness of the students, the relaxed environment of the interviews, the nice interviewers!
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The students are really happy to be there and they have a positive relationship with their professors and each other. Also the teaching facilities and Shands are awesome.
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Everyone was really excited about the school--including the students we saw hanging out in the halls etc.
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How happy all the students are and how quickly changes are made to the programs as a result of student feedback.
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Happiness of students and nice faculty
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The students! They were all so happy, and it was almost like a family unit. Everybody knew everybody regardless of what class they were in.
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The friendliness and relaxed nature(even though they had their first exams that day) of the students and the availability of the faculty.
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The community atmosphere.
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How happy the students are, and how much they love going to school. Many said they were enjoying it better than undergrad.
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The overall happiness of students and facualty. Everyone got along well, and really made me believe in their low-stress approach.
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Students. Stress free interviews. Robin Shepard the admissions coordinator is GREAT!!! Interviewers were great and easy to talk to. Positive feedback from an interviewer.
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Thehappiness of students there, the beautiful facilities, the way med students are respected there and not asked to do scutwork, responsiveness of the school to students' requests, cheap in-state tuition, innovative professors, basically everything!
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly mentioned that the interview day was long, with unnecessarily lengthy presentations and tours, disorganized aspects such as finding interview locations, and the lack of escorts to interviews. Some also expressed concerns about outdated facilities, the location of the school in Gainesville, and the competitive atmosphere emphasized during the interviews. Suggestions included streamlining the schedule, improving tour coordination, updating facilities, and providing a more inclusive and welcoming environment during interviews.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Nothing
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Nothing to be honest. It's an incredible school!
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Nothing 10/10
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Nothing at all, this school blew me away with their organization
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Nothing I loved everything about the day. Maybe too many interviewees on one day? But not really.
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Interview day felt very long
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Their research opportunities seems somewhat lacking.
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Nothing about UF, only that Gainesville is a small town
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Nothing much but the anatomy lab did appear a bit drab and their wasn't a gym located in the same area as where classes were held but we learned the gym is a quick 5 min bike or bus ride to one of the main campus gyms, Southwest Rec.
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Second interviewer did not take notes during our interrview
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No complaints.
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The majority of the presenters weren't even there. They were all out of town and apparently forget about being there. It made it seem like they didn't take things seriously. Also, the person that was supposed to give our tour wasn't there so they had first years give us the tour and there was a lot we didn't see ( no tour of the hospital or the lecture halls). Maybe it's because it was the first interview day but things seemed a bit disorganized. Also, the students told us at least 3 times this story about this student giving a tutoring session for the genetics test for other students because he had a pHD in genetics. In the closing presentation of the day, a student came to us for the explicit purpose of telling us that same story. It seems like they were trying really hard to dispel that gunner reputation they had/have. Also, since their curriculum is pretty new they still don't have it fully planned out, they couldn't tell us what we'd be doing beyond the first year, just very vague descriptions.
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The organization seemed a little off ahead of time.
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The student guides didn't seem terribly engaged.
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The doctor leading the opening session took a call. seemed a bit full of himself.
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Old classrooms
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I don't really like the fact that most students are waitlisted and the class is really filled in March to give late interviewees a fair shot. Seems like it takes away from the advantage of applying early but I can see their logic in trying to get the best quality applicants into their school. However, most students want to get some idea of where they are going before Christmas and waiting until March or later can be unnerving. Also, it would have been nice to see the anatomy lab.
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It felt VERY research oriented, which is awesome... but I am looking more towards clinical medicine
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It's in Gainesville. BLEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh.
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Not many negatives here...
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Did not get to interview with a fourth year med student; both of my interviewers were pretty tough.
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Gainesville. Not a huge fan of the town, or football.
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The facilities badly need improving.
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Nothing about the school specifically, I went in looking to get comfirmation as to whether a didactic first two years or a systems based clinical combination was best, and they did a great job convincing me why their system works.
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They mentioned that we should tell them if any of our interviewers asked unfair or inappropriate questions, but followed up with "although usually it's just a misunderstanding" --> My interviewer asked some questions that I found inappropriate (I will not list it as I am afraid it could be self-identifying) but I didn't say anything because I'm afraid they will say it was "just a misunderstanding" and then I'll make my chances of getting in lower.
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One interview was outside - it was soooo hot!
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I wish the school had spent less time 'dispelling myths' because honestly, *no one* believes that UF only trains researchers or that UF students are gunners or that UF students are arrogant. Consider this a public service announcement for people who are uninformed about the school.
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Nothing.
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The facilities were disgusting. It looked like they were built in 1961 and were never updated, EVER. Gainsville is a rednecks dream. Which leads me to another point. On my interview tour the two girls interviewing me walked past a hall way and named all the offices, ''this is administration, this is financial aid, oh and Hahahehehehe this is the Minority Affairs office but I don't know what it is for, hehehe I never been there.'' The other people in my tour guide that were black hispanic or otherwise looked at each other ask if to say 'wow that was weird and insensitive.' Which leads me to another point that the diversity at UF seems to be non-existent. One more point. I didn't like the curriculum either. It is totally traditional and SHAM's wasn't that impressive. If I mentioned before that the school was archaic in its upgrades then the IT was even worse.
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Nothing major. Some of the facilities could be updated, but this doesn't change the education the students are getting.
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Some of the facilities did not have many windows
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Nothing really.. just a verryyyy long day.
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The facilities are a bit old.
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The day was on the long side. We did not get out until close to 6:00 pm, but looking back it didn't feel that long. Make sure you take the ''wear comfortable shoe'' warnings seriously.
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They couldn't give impression from the other side, so it seemed like they were overly positive for the school.
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We had to go and find our interviewer's office. I also had to do my interviews back-to-back-- no break! My first interviewer was aggressive and confrontational, which made me feel unwelcome and did not make me want to go to UF. He had a sarcastic tone at times. Also, the student facilities are awful! You are in the basement of Shands, and there are no windows. It's drab. The lecture halls were also very depressing considering how much time you spend in them. Pretty much everything needs considerable updating in terms of where the students are.. which is too bad since UF has a good reputation.
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The city of Gainesville. It is in the middle of nowhere.
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Looooong day.
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My second interviewer literally fell asleep during the interview, which lasted barely 25 minutes. I tried coughing loudly and kindly tapping the desk with my foot so as to arouse him, to no avail.
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Gainesville is not the place to get experience. And the students you meet do not tell the truth. I already knew some of the complaints med students have, and what some of them think about the place. But when I asked about those specifically the students acted like those problem did not exist. But one tour guide told us the truth, which, while nice to know, makes everyone else look bad.
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Nothing -- expect to be amazed.
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Redundancy of some of the tours and/or lack of preparation on where we went in the hospital/med school.
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Interviewer asking about abortion without me saying anything about it. The tour of the world's largest scanning magnet!!!...was done by a tech who didn't even show us any scans.
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The teaching facilities seemed old, but they will be updated soon.
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Too many fluorescent lights lol. To be expected though.
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My first interviewer. He was biased and unprofessional. He treated me like I had no business applying to medical school and belittled my research.
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Everybody seemed a bit over-enthusiastic.
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One interviewer seemed to imply that he had little reason to advocate my acceptance by asking me to tell him what he should tell the admissions committee.
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Some of the students really tore into other medical schools. There was almost an inferiority complex among some of the students.
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The whole day, I felt like I was being sold a used car, not just by the admissions folks, but also by the students that were trotted out by admissions; they did not strike me as honest at all. I did, however, manage to pull aside a few random students at the med school, though. They weren't nearly as enthusiastic as their counterparts, and they struck me as kind of petty, negative toward their classmates, and possibly (?) competitive. Also, Gainesville seemed like a dead town.
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Not much really except that Gainesville is a lot smaller than what I am used to.
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They didn't provide breakfast and the interview day is from 9-5
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The two tour-guides seemed to be winging the whole thing. It wasn't really planned. One of the poor guys was worn out from an exam (I said his attitude was ''neutral'' but he was very nice and very open to questions and he obviously loves medicine).
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The med students had nothing negative to say about the program. I got the impresion that they weren't being completely honest. The students also pushed the scores alot, ad nauseam.
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The fact that our interviews were after a morning of sitting listening to presentations and just after an hour long tour.
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Just like everyone else has stated, the day was long and some of the tours were unnecessary. I would recommend giving a check off list to the student leading the tour so that they know where to go and where not to go. It just seemed too off-the-cuff.
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The lack of dry erase boards - plasma screen TVs and chalkboards everywhere. It's strange, but it really bothers me. Also, all the power points and videos were dated - they stressed how amazing they were but didn't update any of the material. The facilities were good, but not amazing - I've seen better at other schools. Also, the fact that they kept comparing themselves to Harvard, and how they had been the 'first' to do a lot of things - but all those firsts seemed like they have never been updated. And I was going to vomit if I had to hear one more time about the two national championships - I understand about school pride, but honestly, I want to go to medical school, not watch football.
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N/A
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Three tours of the facility, the last two of which were pretty much pointless (we were taken back to places we had already seen earlier in the day). Also, there were no escorts to our interviews, which would have been nice.
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Not applicable. but maybe the lack of seats during lunch and long line for food. nothing related to the med school though. I enjoyed the brownies..yummy chocolate!
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Read below
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It was a really long day, and it seems some of the presentations could have been shorter.
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Not as varied in terms of clinical experiences, there seems to be Shands and VA in Gainesville, and then the center in Jacksonville for a more urban setting. Having to split time between Jax and Gainesville. Facilities seemed a little old, and almost everything seemed some shade of orange and blue. School pride, yes, but it wasn't the most pleasing aesthetic.
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Nothing really. Students said they have to work non-stop, but I think that is expected for just about any med school.
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Nothing really, it was an enjoyable experience
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Had to walk to my interviews by myself
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I was hoping to see more of SHANDS, but by the time we had the tour of the hospital, it was already 4, and everyone was dead tired. All I remember from the tour were the NICU and pediatrics floors and seeing lots of babies. The entire interview lasts from 9 to 5:30, and some of the interviews can be quite far away, so wear comfortable shoes. Also, remember to EAT Breakfast!
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They sort of just give you directions to your interviews and even though they were step-by-step after about 8 steps it got very confusing. Also, the day was inordinately long with such unnecessary sections as ''medical humanities''
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Nothing!
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The long interview day...I was absolutely exhausted at the end.
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At some points the interviews seemed very disorganized. We had to find the interview location by ourselves, nothing to well planned. Very repetitive and long!
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The day was way too long and many parts were entirely unnecissary. STAN was cool, but I've seen similar things at other schools. The Harrel center is nothing new, and I've seen much better facilities at other places. The video for the program looks like its about 20 years old. The day seemed very disjointed, there was nobody to tie things up at the end and nobody took us around to interviews and such. I was hoping to leave with a favorable impression, but I was VERY displeased with my experience. UF didn't represent themselves well at all. I know the school is better than they lead the interviewees to believe from the crappy interview day.
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Everything was great
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The Gainseville airport is really small so you would usually have to fly to an airport about an hour away.
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First, the chair of the selection committee was not there. He usually concludes the day, and no one was there to conclude anything. So a group of us went to the admissions office to say bye, and they had already left at 5 pm! Also, the day was too long. Really. The food was just sandwiches. Moreover, my original interviewer had an emergency and the interviewer I got placed with knew nothing about my file and I had nothing in common with him. Oh, and I was lucky enough to be the only one to have back to back interviews, although they did apologize for that.
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The tours seemed very rushed and other aspects of the day seemed to take too long. This is the only school I've interviewed at where you are not escorted to your interviews. They give you directions, but I just think it reflects a little negatively on the school that you have to find your way around on your own. Other than that, everybody was friendly and it was a nice interview day.
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Nothing significant
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Nothing. Great tour. Impressive interviewers (very accomplished faculty member and a friendly fourth year)
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The 1st and 2nd year student lounge areas were kind of drabby/cold
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The day is a bit too long; some of the presentations could have been shortened or eliminated. It would have been faster and more efficient to just provide handouts of the Powerpoint presentations so we could review the info on our time. While I realize that UF is proud of its students, there was too much about how high USMLE and shelf exam scores.
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Parking was hard to get. Not too big on making lecture material available in audible and written(electronic)form
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Can't say I had a negative impression of anything.
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My student interviewer didn't like it when I told her that I would apply to med school twice and if I still didn't get in I would explore other career options in medicine. Apparently she thought I wasn't passionate enough to be a doctor if I wasn't willing to try three times, which I didn't agree with.
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Gainesville is not what I would call a "booming metropolis." All of emergencies on the ER board seemed to involve CO poisoning, farm equipment, or auto injuries. oh, and when people say the interview is 50 minutes, that is just one of the two interviews.
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There were only 2 things that bothered me: 1) The MDL & Anatomy lab areas did look like a dungeon, but the Anatomy lab was relatively clean & didn't smell too bad considering what they do in there. 2) Parking - Read the signs so you know where to go. I highly recommend scoping out the area before if you can otherwise you might end up in the wrong parking garage.
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Although it is not directly related to the interview day, I want to pass along my story with the hopes it may help someone in the future. After submitting my AMCAS application, I received secondary applications either by e-mail or regular mail to all the designated schools, except UF. This really bothered me being UF COM is my school of choice. I went on their admissions web site and at the bottom of one of the pages there was a tip to turn off your spam filter or set up a seperate account with low spam controls. I had never looked in my spam folder figuring if e-mail is in there it's junk. Well, UF had been trying to contact me several times over a two month period. I was so relieved but by then I had 5 days before the deadline to submit the secondary application materials. I recommend following their advise but I would also like to see something this important followed up with a regular mail invitation from the admissions office to those who have been selected for a secondary app. if no contact is made. I can't believe something so trivial as a spam filter almost made me lose this opportunity of a lifetime.
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The med school facilities were it seemed like you would be spending quite a lot of time (the MDLs, the anatomy lab, etc) are not very well lit and felt a bit like a dungeon.
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The classroom that first years are stuck in
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The emphasis on the very high board scores
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The day was a little long it went from 9-5:30
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It seems that this med school focuses on numbers, but they reassure you that you have pretty good chances of acceptance once you receive an interview. I heard about the STAN machinery but our group didn't get to see it. It was not negative (we did get to see HARVEY which most students will not see),however, I was anticipating it.
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Some of the people were overly biased and knocked down other schools. that is not neccessary
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How much UF tries to recruit students from big name, ivy schools. It´s very discouraging because it seems that someone from Stanford or Duke is preferred over someone from Florida State based on that alone.
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What can I say, it's Gainesville
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Gainesville is kind of in the middle of nowhere.
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Not very much.
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Nobody really wanted to get into some of the weaknesses of the school. Also, no taped lectures or any type of notetaking services are available to med school students.
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Walking around the the main classroom area is dismal, i wish there were more windows. neutral: gainesville is not the place to get great emergency/urban/crazytime experience (but there are rotations in jacksonville).
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It's Gainesville.
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Gainesville. While they try to debunk the "myth" that there is a great patient population in gainesville, you get the impression that the massive hospital system is kind of contrived- built for the academics, and not for the community. The clinical side made me nervous (and all that commuting to Jacksonville sounds annoying)
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Nothing negatively impressed me. As for improvement in the interview day, I felt like some of the information was redundant. The talk about the curriculum in the Maren reading room was information we all already knew from our own research into the program. Also, at the end of the day Dr. Gessner spoke for 30 minutes about what Robyn told us in 3 minutes regarding the decision process.
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The one thing...the tour! We had two 1hour long tours and I still didn't see anything. The medical school tour was by two first-years that could not walk and talk simultaneously! We stood outside the library and they told us about the different sites for about 30min and then by the time we got to the Multi-Disciplinary labs it was time to rush back to avoid being late for our interviews. The hospital tour was much better but the tourguide was a 4th year that kept saying she was extremely tired. I felt bad for her and wished we could stop so that she could get some rest. All in all, the sites I saw were absolutely amazing, it's just that I wanted to see more.
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I'm not quite sure how strong and varied the clinical experiences are during third and fourth years...Shands is a huge, very modern private hospital ideal for clinical opportunities but the regional location sets it back in my opinion. Gainesville is a quiet college town and lacks the diversity and hussle of a busy, urban, public hospital setting, like Miami. The students say that those in search of that kind of experience can do more than the standard required rotation at the Jacksonville setting...this is more urban and hosts a greater variety in cases (ie, more diseases, trauma, gunshots, etc.), so thats a possibility. As far as life in Gainesville goes, well, it seems like there isn't much to do there though, aside from the typical college scene of...um...drinking and debauchery...I have a girlfriend back home though and am not much of a drinker, so I would essentially be shut out of the social activities there....maybe I'd go kayaking or something.
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Nothing of particular importance. The tours were kind of long and repetitive.
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GAinesville is just not that appealing of a city to me. But it is quite cheap to live there. Also a very long interview day, with one too many tours in the afternoon, I was exhausted at the end and had travelled very far to get there.
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Nothing really.
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I wish there were more windows - a lot of the areas (classrooms, libraries, labs, etc) seemed so closed in & boxed in, & the med school walls were so bleak in some areas that the place looked kind of like a giant off-white maze. Also, I got the impression that grades mattered more than the person's accomplishments at some times.
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Nothing really
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Nothing really...
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1. Gainesville is a college town, but at least the cost of living there is cheap, and there are cultural things to do there. 2. You probably have to move out to Jax for some of your rotations.
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Gainesville looks boring
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Nothing comes to mind
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Students didnt want to provide any of the weakness about the school, which every school has. I am familiar with two of the top med schools in the country and can easily name weaknesses with both - so I wondered if they weren't telling us something. Also didnt like how the classes had to raise alot of money for their graduation (a seperate ceromony than regular graduation), I would figure the school would cover that and the class would make a donation or something at the end. Just my personal thought on it.
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Too many people stressed the USMLE scores...it was somewhat redundant. the tours were too long. we were really tired by the end of the day, and interviews are late in the day.
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The medical school building is over 50 years old, and has had few renovations. Harrell Center is cramped. Students have to pay $100/year for the "priveledge" to park 15 minutes away. The Maren Room is nice, but it is really doted on too much. Most students never use it, and of the few that do, they use it for napping. For me, it did nothing to sell the school (and I appreciate the arts).
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The constant mention of their board scores...we got it.
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Everything was pretty nice
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Limited information about the admissions process/statistics, med student area is a bit old
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Nothing...I went to UF as an undergrad, and I like it here. Some could say that Gainesville is too small, but it's not as if you'll have that much time for much else anyway!
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Some of the tours were not coordinated properly so that we repeated lots of the areas on both of my tours
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Very long day and one of my interviews was across the street at the VA hospital
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UF is in Gainesville, which I knew and had been to before, but from a med student's perspective, especially one who wants to work with underserved populations, the opportunities seem limited compared to other places...I will be spending a lot of time at the Equal Access clinin and in Jacksonville.
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Not too much
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Relatively small patient population because of it's semi-urban area.
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Gainesville. I thought it was interesting that there was no PBL at all, but I talked to one of the administrators about it and he convinced me.
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Location
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It was a long day. Process could be shortened.
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Gainesville seems rather dull and doesn't offer the same opportunities as a larger city would.
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Interview day that ran from 9-5 with some stuff that wasn't really necessary
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The day could have been shorter, or interviews earlier, I was exhausted by the end of my second interview at 5pm
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Day is longer than it needs to be. Many of the speakers were given more time than they needed and overlapped one another. Also, the tours were not great, but I'm not really sure how they could be improved, specifically.
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The second tour given was unprepared and hasty.
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No internet links in classrooms
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Too long, the whole day could have been compressed into 3-4 hours... a lot of sitting around, the two tours lasted only about 20 mins. each
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Not really anything. I asked the students what the bad things about going to the school were and they couldn't answer the question, so that made me wonder if they were hiding something, but I doubt it.
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Nothing really. everyone was so nice and they tried their best to make the whole interviewing process less fearful. i cant say enough about the students... they were great. they were eager to answer any questions anyone had, and it wasnt just a yes, no answer.
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Most of med school facilities are in a basement.
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The tours were not well organized and just served as a way to pass the time without conveying very much information.
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Can't think of anything. If I had to say something, it may be that Shands is not located in an urban area, so it seems like not as many interesting cases may come in, but I could be wrong
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I don't think my second interviewer did a good job getting to know me. He seemed more concerned with trying to crack me by throwing out bizarre questions. Disregarding this one interview, I would have given the overall stress level a 2 instead of a 5.
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The fact that it was 9am-5pm...I'm sorry but it really stressed me out to be imprisoned there for so long...The 2 tours should be combined into one and the other presentations all shortened by 10 minutes each in order to get us out much earlier
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There isn't that much to do around the school.
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I still just can't see myself living in Gainesville. UF is a lot like my high school: really smart people whose boundaries are unfortunately reduced to the peninsula they live on.
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Nothing. i am not sure of the criteria that they will use to differentiate the interviewees, since everyone came back saying that the interviews were very conversational and very relaxed.
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Very impressive day, tough to say anything was negative.
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Not much. It was a well-organized day.
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Nothing much, really. I know that Gainesville is a slow city and there is not much to do here; but after living here for 4 years, I have learned how to enjoy myself.
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They had nearly 30 med students come in and field questions during lunch--almost all of them were from UF undergrad. Nearly 70% of the class is from UF...maybe not so good if youre from another school (like me).
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Tours kind of cut close to the interview times, perhaps there should be an effort to give 15 minutes lax time between tours so students can be less nervous about making it to their interviews on time.
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The general assembley area was very cold.
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Dean of Admissions is very cocky and loves admitting students with musical backgrounds, no lie. For example, according to a second year student, approximately 2/3 of the class plays an instrument. Luckily this is the last year of his tenure, I believe. Also, Gainesville is the epitomy of a college town. Everything revolves around UF. For example, during the fall med. students must move their cars by 5PM on Fridays to make room for all the football fans with RV's.
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Gainesville...it's a college town, and it may be surreal to be older than the vast majority of the population
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Their human simulator STAN was all locked up and we weren't able to see it during the tour - that was disappointing.
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One interviewer (MD) yawned at me but said she was tired. Had to pay for parking.
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None
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I wish they had guaged the probabilities of getting accepted immediately versus a deferral.
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The food was okay, but some people in our group did not like mayo and it was all over the good. I would suggest bringing a snack with you just in case.
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Few URM's and the facilities are older. Plus the day is pretty long, I slept like a baby that night.
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Almost all of the students seem to have come straight out of undergrad and don't seem very worldly (though there were a few exceptions). The students don't seem to get much clinical practice before 3rd year and they seemed to think that there isn't much difference between an actor-patient and a real one. The med students didn't wait for the interviewees to get our lunch before they pounced on the food; not very considerate. I don't think Gainesville can compete with what larger cities have to offer, even considering that they have opportunities in Jacksonville.
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Nothing about the school...I went to UF as an undergrad, so I am very fond of it. However, I did receive a parking ticket for parking in the designated garage (but that was actually the transportation services fault), and I still had to pay part of it even after an appeal.
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Some of the facilities aren't that nice - the halls are kinda monotonous.
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Nada
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One tour was in between interviews and you were not given much time to get from tours to interviews vice versa.
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Extremely combative interview. wierd questions. wierder responses.
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The comittee chair was not there because he was attending a conference. Also there should have been more time allotted for the tours.
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The location... I am from a city, so Gainesville seemed really small to me. Of course the hospital being here has both negatives and positives.
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Gainesville
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There was not enough time to make it to my interview in another building on time after the somewhat scattered hospital tour.
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The mustard on the sandwiches ;)
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The med school grounds aren't as "fancy" as some of the others I've seen. Tours ran over time, so I was late to both interviews.
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Nothing at all. definitely my top choice.
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Some of the shared student spaces were a little unexciting. Then again, this was my first interview so I have nothing to compare them with.
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The 1st interview was hard to get to on time (it was across the street from Shands). I knew where I was going and barely made it...Suits were not meant for jogging ;) My 1st interviewer was great but the second was a bit dry and dull. She had a legal pad with all her questions written out and little spaces to jot down my answers. I talked as much as I could but she said very little and just flew through her list, leaving about 30 min left over. Then I asked a bunch of questions. In the end it wasn't much of a conversation.
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The hospital tour wasn't much. It's a long day. Best to just let us leave an hour earlier. Also, the lunch. The sandwiches had just about every condiment under the sun on them. And picking apart your food probably isn't the best way to make a good impression. Then again, maybe I'm just a picky eater.
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The second tour wasn't really well organized- we walked toward one of the wards and then the student told us we couldn't go in because HIPPA regulations prevented it, so we just sort of stood around in the hallway asking random questions about the school.
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I had a tough interview and thought the man hated me, but I now know that he thought I was ok because he emailed me. Shands Teaching Hospital is an unusual hospital- that it is its strength and its weakness. Mostly, I wish the the medical school was nicer. Much of the campus, and even the hospital is beautiful, but the facilities the students learn in are not very nice or new or fancy compared to some other schools I have seen.
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My one criticism of the school is the actual facility itself. The teaching labs are excellent, as well as the hospital. It really is top of the line. They also have many places in the school where they can relax and have some social time. However, the medical school itself is located in a building that is very dull and boring on the inside. The hallways go on and on and are a very bleak looking light blue color.
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Nothing really...except after i said i was interested in primary care, interviewer told me i should go to USF or FSU because "UF trains specialists"
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It all seemed good. Perhaps enough seats for lunch so some people don't stand?
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They explained the bitter truth about admittance to us in the orientation and wrap up sessions: most of us would be put on the wait list.
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It's a VERY long day. Be prepared for the 2 one-hour interviews and 2 walking tours.
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The city of Gainesville. I arrived into the city a day early just to check it out. Really uninterested in living there since I've been in NYC for a bit.
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The person who was going to show us the simulated patient was late, and so we didn't get to see much of him before rushing off to our first interview
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After the first interview was a tour of some of the facilities. They give you less than 5 minutes to get to your next interview. Mine was at the VA Hospital, which is across the street (NOT a 5 minute walk), so I had to run all the way there. I got there a few minutes late, and the interviewer was on the phone so his secretary told me to wait outside. When he got off the phone, he came outside and acted like it was my fault for being late. During the interview he MADE (not answered) two phone calls that lasted like 15 minutes, and not in between questions either. I was in the middle of an answer and he told me to hold on, picked up the phone, and made a phone call (twice). He could have at least waited to call between questions. Then when I asked about community service, he told me he didn't believe students should be involved in community service in med school (because they are just "playing doctor") and they should be spending all their time studying. Then he started piling about 50 pounds worth of books about the kidney into my lap, almost yelling at me about how much stuff he has to teach about the kidney in 6 hours of lecture time. He didn't tell me when our 60 minutes of interview time was up, and let the interview go over by 30 minutes, so I missed the other tour. And the fourth year student who was waiting for me to take me on my own tour (in the remaining 15 minutes) was rude and wouldn't tell me what I was missing on the tour.
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Location (doesn't seem like there is much to do in gainesville); there were a lot of student interviewing that day (around 20); dr.gessner wasn't there that day
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Not much, I felt that at the end of the day we were just left hanging, there was more scheduled on the program, but some of the speakers did not show up.
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Nothing really, the tours were a little a little haphazard, but that's ok because they were led by 4th year students, so i liked that I didn't feel i had to impress anyone during that time. Just be myself.
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Nothing. The interview was laid back and the facilities and faculty are amazing.
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Some of the facilities werent great, though overall, I liked them a lot.
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I enjoyed the entire experience.
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Tours were not as well planned as they ought to have been.
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Their grading scale is A-F (but they claim that it's not a competitive atmosphere).
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Nothing !
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The tours. I think we all know what lecture halls and classrooms look like and the hospital tour consisted of wandering around on each floor (and the all looked identical except pedi). My feet hurt and I was tired.
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Nope.
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My intervieweers didnt let on what they thought of me. Couldnt read them. One interview lasted 35 minutes out of an hour given, the other lasted 85 minutes out of 60 given so go figure...
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I thought my interviewer was a little rehearsed, it was as if he had a list of questions he asked everyone he interview. So much so I know from the posted Interview feedback who had him.
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How their class was 99% full by now.
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UF seems to be a little bit competitive in the didactic years. Not like other schools that try to bring students together to help everyone else learn, but some students will thrive in this type of system.
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The faculty member who was giving us a tour made several comments about how UF is better than Yale - don't know what Yale had to do with that interview day. Seemed like insecurity to me.
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Nothing really. Some might say that Gainesville leaves a bit to be desired, but having lived in bigger cities, I find it a relaxing change.
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The robotic students I encountered outside of the admissions office. Comparative lack of clinical experiences in the first two years of the curriculum.
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The area of Gainesville.
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On our tour, they took us in this dirty room called the rec room and the student giving the tour said not to hang out in there because there were probably creatures in the couches. They shouldn't show people that room.
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Gainesville.
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Nothing in particular
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Location, i go to UF undergrad, and for me, a big city environment is better
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Some of the buildings looked as if they could use a face-lift. We didn't get a chance to see the cool research labs.
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Not much - if anything I would say the lack of windows in the school
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Not much. Some talks were a bit repeptitive. But that is stretching it. Oh, and Gainesville is hot as hell, but we knew that already.
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Some classes are graded with letters, the school didn't seem very diverse
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time that the interviews would be conversational and low-stress, with interviewers genuinely interested in getting to know them beyond their application. They also suggested being more relaxed, knowing about the importance of patient presentations, and being prepared to discuss personal perspectives rather than rehearsed answers.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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To not be as stressed as I made myself to be. The interviewers genuinely want to know you as a person.
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That the questions would be more leisurely and not the type that you often read online (did not ask me why medicine or to "tell us about yourself" or any of the cliche questions i had prepared for)
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I wish I had known that it is very low-stress and there are no trick questions.
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It is very conversational and low stress. There are no trick questions.
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To not worry as much about the nitty gritty, my interviewers asked difficult questions but cared about giving me the time to give the best answer and truly wanted to have a conversation with me, rather than to grill me.
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The interview day is /all day/. You get to learn a lot about the school.
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How conversational and relaxed everything would be
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They put pictures of the interviewees in the medical school lobby a day or two before the interview. They also had the medical students who were coming to the lunch clap for all the interviewees as they exited the presentation room.
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The patient presentation is REALLY important. Both interviewers asked me to talk about my impressions of it, if I remembered the patient's name, etc. I think it's how they evaluate how patient/person-centered you are.
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Don't be nervous. They just want to get to know you beyond your application.
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Nothing
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How relaxed the interviews would be, I loved the format.
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Its not very stressful at all
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Not to be so nervous! The week before I was very nervous and you will hear the medical students tell you to "be yourself" and honestly that is so true. The interviews are not as bad as I expected, just be yourself and it will go well!
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How large of a group there would be.
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That I would be interviewed by a psychiatrist. Always makes me nervous.
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Nothing.
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How nice the interviewers would be! Also, there is no coffee or breakfast provided, so eat before hand.
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That my shoes were going to break :(
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That this interview would be sooooo AWESOME.
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That the day would be exhausting
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That the grading system is now Pass/Fail for the first two years. Many of my questions were geared towards the grading system and competition between students.
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Everyone says this, but a lot of walking with no real food offered (tiny sandwiches which sucked). EAT BREAKFAST BEFORE YOU GO. i was starving the entire time and did more cardio that day that i had in 6 months.
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How LONG the day is. Drink lots of coffee!
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That they don't serve you breakfast. Eat before you arrive!
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I wish I would have been more relaxed through the first interview - just nerves (first med school interview). Otherwise I felt relatively well informed.
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Nada... people said relax and don't worry. I did exactly that and I think it went very well.
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More specific details about my research and wish I had practiced explaining my research.
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That it would be so laid-back. This was my first interview, so I was pretty nervous, but once I got there, I was totally relaxed.
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I knew it was a long interview day, but just make sure to mentally prepare yourself for 8+ hours at UF! Despite the length, it was still fun.
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That I didn't have to worry so much, it was a lot easier than I expected.
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I thought it was 30 minute open file interviews, was surprised to see 50 minutes allotted for each interview!
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That I could have used a bottle of water all day long
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The rooms were kind of cramped for 20 interviewees at a time.
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That the interviewers were so nice. They did not attack me with formal questions, it was more of a flowing conversation.
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I wish I would of known that they had the most odd acceptance process and only out right acceptances they give are to IVY LEAUGERS. The rest of everyone else gets put on hold and then finally at the end they just get wait-listed. The school's diversity is a joke and they need to improve upon that. They need to update the school and get off their high horses and be more amenable. The only highlight was the student hosts and the other students I met there that day. Everything else WAS TRASH.
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I was interviewing with two ob/gyns. My background and research is in an entirely different field.
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Eat a good breakfast, you will be starving by lunchtime.
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UF is very selective when it comes to interviews. My interview group was told that if UF invites you for an interview that they expect that you will get in other places. The way the numbers broke down that about 60-65% of the people interviewed eventually (after some candidates decline, etc.) received an acceptance.
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I had to walk across the street to the VA hospital to get to one of my interviews. Also, the day really does run from 8am-5pm non-stop, so be prepared!
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I researched what the ''typical day at UFCOM'' would be like by looking at this site. So, nothing really threw me off guard.
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That the students are very friendly and not as gunnerish as people portray them nor is this impression that all they want are people with extensive research necessarily true. I'd advise you to know your AMCAS well and know about issues related to things peripherally related to your essays and activities. i.e. if you mention your native country and the poverty there then be able to know the political issues that may be the root of those problems and be able to discuss it. They don't expect answers to be the world's solutions just to see that you can think quickly about the issues and that you are able to come up with an answer on the spot.
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Keep your cool, some interviewers try to rile you up, which I hate. I knew this ahead of time, but others didn't: no breakfast is provided.
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That the hotels are ridiculously overpriced.
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I wish I'd known that the interviews would be so low-key.
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One should be prepared for anything - including, apparently, a fatigued interviewer.
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The best way to get honest opinions is to talk to the friends of med students.
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I had a bit of trouble finding the exact location of the place we met in the morning. If possible, try to come early just in case you have problems finding it.
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How relaxed the interview setting happened to be. Remember future interviewees, your interviewers are chosen to be your ADVOCATES not ENEMIES! They chose to interview you, because of something they were interested in on your application.
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Interviewers here love to ''Pimp''
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Nothing - I was already familiar with UF Med.
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The interviews couldn't have been more relaxed and I wish I wouldn't have stressed out so much because the day was actually fun!
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I wish I had known I would be asked about my desired specialty. I also wish I had known that the interviewers would be "acting as my advocates to the admissions committee."
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An umbrella looks stupid until it rains.
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I felt prepared. All I can say is be yourself. If they like you and you like them great. That just means you are the type of student they are looking for in their school. If it doesn't work out you are probably better suited for another school you will be accepted at anyway.
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I wish I knew how friendly and fun the medical student were -- I would have opted to stay with one of them.
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Nothing. I was prepared because I was gellin' the whole interview (that helped a lot!). Heaven have mercy on that poor girl with 4 inch heels...walking for two hours!!!!
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NA
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How long and pointless half of the morning session was going to be, and that there was no breakfast or coffee.
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N/a
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When they say wear comfortable shoes, they aren't kidding! There is a lot of walking, and my feet were killing me by the end of the day.
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Wear comfortable shoes
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I knew it was going to be a long day, and it was! Very helpful and positive experience, however.
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UF serves a great vegetarian lunch!
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They use standardized patients. Their curriculum seems very traditional and there is only a little bit of patient interaction in the first two years. It seems to work for their students though.
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I'm from UF, and know pretty much everything about it already
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Be sure to go over your essays and personal statement. Also, UF tends to match you with interviewers in your field. Both of my interviewers were heavy into research.
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1) UF has this great Medical Humanities program which really piqued my interest. 2) G-ville is not a cultural black hole. In the next couple months, Hairspray, the Tibetan Monks choir, Chick Corea, Bela Fleck, and NUMEROUS others are coming. 3) Liberalism lives in G-ville! (that's a positive for me)
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I got very hungry and tired so eat a good breakfast that will keep you going.
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How disappointed I'd be with my interview day.
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How laid back and conversational the interviews were...just know yourself well and that's it
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The other people in your interview group can be really competitive. I should have not gotten affected by them. Stay yourself.
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That the curriculum is very traditional and there is very little if any integration between classes and activities like patient work/simulation.
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How large the building is and how to get to places. Make sure to leave time to get to your interviews. There are two separate interviews.
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Who I would be interviewing with so that I may have read up on his research. The research is very interesting but I felt unprepared to talk about it and, as such, felt that I may not have performed in my interview as well as possible. Hopefully I am just being overly critical of myself.
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The more relaxed you are the better. They just want to get to know you and they can only see the real you when you feel comfortable and relaxed.
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This may be common sense, but get a good night's sleep. The day is long (~8 hours) and you don't want to be struggling to stay awake (that could leave a bad impression). Oh, and the interviews don't necessarily go for the full hour slated; both of my interviews were around 45 minutes, so DON'T WORRY.
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UF developed STAN the first mechanized simulated patient and own the patent.
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That it can get pretty hot in Florida even in early March, especially if you're wearing your interview gear and taking tours around the school. Bring a handkerchief (sp?)
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The parking lots aren't as easily navigated as I thought they would be. Morning traffic is also a little heavy.
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I will reiterate what others have said. Wear comfortable shoes. I am a girl who is sporting two blisters right now on both feet (not fun!). Follow Robyn's advice; they really walk you all over (both in the morning and afternoon) and if you have to interview at the VA Hospital (like me) you have a bit of a hike across the street, etc. So, comfy shoes are a must.
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The various committees that a med student can be a part of at UF. I would have liked to talk to them more about the oppurtunities.
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You will be walking a lot, so listen to Robyn and wear comfortable shoes! She knows what she is talking about.
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They reallly mean wear comfortable shoes.
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My shoes were not as comfortable as I thought they were.
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One of my interviews was scheduled with a doctor who meet me in the operating room. If you get this doctor do not be scared because he was really nice.
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Not all the students who sign up for the research track neccessarily get an interview with the head of the research track (I did not). to bring a heavy coat around winter time
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How little time I would have to get nervous. I didn't get nervous because I didn't have time to! we were always walking around.
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How laid back it was
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If you get an interview with a doctor, you'll probably end up spending your time chasing him/her around instead of actually talking about your resume
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Nothing. I did my undergrad here, so I knew a lot about both the school and the city of Gainesville.
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Long day and no breakfast was provided. Some coffee wouldve been nice. Also, if you filled out the optional essay for the research track, the only thing it does is set up you with an interviewer who is familiar with research.
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I wish I had brought a bottle of water with me and had eaten a larger breakfast. When they say, "lite-lunch," that's what they mean. Also, lunch is the only time they provide drinks. And, wear walking shoes!
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That the interview would last the entire fall semester.
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How much more UF's program had to offer than I had realized before. UF became my top choice after this visit.
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That Gainesville really isn't so bad. After my interview, my hosts took me out to dinner and a movie and showed me around downtown Gainesville. It really wasn't that bad at all. I could do that for a couple of years.
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Nothing really.
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They waitlist a large number of applicants, however it seems many of these people will receive acceptances later inthe process, so if you are dead set on going there and get waitlisted, I would suggest sending them thingsto add to your file to show your commitment.
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That it was going to rain.
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I had a negative impression of the school going in. I thought UF was all about numbers and didn't care about their student...I was wrong.
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That lunch was going to be light (I recommend eating a big breakfast).
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If you call a cab, it will take from 15 to 20 minutes to arrive. So make sure you call with enough time in advance, so you don't freak out when is 8:45am and you are supposed to be at your interview at 9:00am and the taxi has not arrived...
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Robyn and Denise are basically the only people in the whole admissions office, so they really work hard to make the interview day happen. Thanks so much, ladies.
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Bring a LIGHT bag if you plan to carry it around all the time
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I wish that I had more questions to ask my interviewers. The interview at UF is very much a recruitment process; everyone seems eger to answer questions. If you're coming to UF to interview start brain-storming.
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Most airlines fly into Gainsville using smaller airplanes, which have smaller overhead compartments. Even if you are packing light, you may have to check your bag in.
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How great the school is.
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Bring comfortable shoes to walk around in.
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Nothing really
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Gainesville is a great town....not your typical "small town". There is tons of stuff to do with an excellent community feeling.
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The tier system, unusual interview tactics
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That you can really get your sweat on when you're wearing a business suit
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The interviwers are fairly laid back
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Nothing since I did undergrad at UF and was familar with most of the stuff
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I knew UF was a good school, but it has a lot more going for it than I originally thought, and is now definitely my first choice.
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Ladies: There's always one idiot who wears pointy high-heels without a change of shoes for the tours...take it from me...don't be that idiot...
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The supreme court justices names
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I wish I had been more prepared for the conversational, open interview. I should have asked questions I already knew the answers to, because I didn't ask them enough questions.
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I wish i had known what chief justices and senators there were. also, i should have looked over ethical issues more because he asked me to create theoretical situations where i would have ethical dilemmas. i was definitely not prepared for that.
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Relax... It's a laid back environment.
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How high students Step 1 scores were and how much they excel academically.
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Interviewers are very interested in finding out how the military works. There really wasn't any time left for any of the "standard" interview questions.
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That shands is now a trauma level 1 center
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Nothing new really - I go here for undergrad.
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It felt more like a recruiting trip rather than an assessment, very stress free.
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There were considerably more women than men at the interview. I am not sure if being female will hurt my chances for acceptance. I would like to know if there are many more females that applied than males this year.
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I go to uf for undergrad so I pretty familiar with everything. I prepared myself pretty solidly that felt that there were no great surprises or anything.
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I learned some valuable information while I was there, but it was not necessary to know anything that I did not already know before going there.
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Nothing - I did enough research ahead of time
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To get to the second level of the parking garage you have to exit out of the bottom level and then go through another gate on the second level. (It actually took me a few laps around the first level before I figured this one out!) Get there early if you don't know the area because there is some construction going on that can slow you down.
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The coffee at the front of the hospital is cheaper than the ones at the Java Hut...So in the morning I could have saved a few cents by getting it at the front instead!
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Don't wear a black suit. Everybody's doing it.
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That my interviewer would have my ENTIRE amcas application in front of her (mcat scores, letters and all). slightly intimidating at first and made me wonder if mcat scores/grades would influence her opinion of me...
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It is not nearly as bad as initially thought. Save yourself the hassle and just relax, as difficult as that may sound.
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I think I spent so much time researching UF Med and JHMP that my bases were pretty much covered. One surprise was that one of my interviewers could not make it in so another interviewer had to fill in. No big deal, just be prepared for changes of plan and go with the flow.
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The comments from studentdoctor.net really helped me and I was aware before hand that the meeting room would be cold, that I was going to only eat once. However, I thought the food they served was fine. Oh yes, for the ladies, be sure to bring an alternate pair of shoes just in case your feet hurt: you will be going on two 30 minute tours.
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There are TWO interviews, each of them is one hour long! this is probably some of teh longest interviews you will find, but they are relatively low stress. ALSO--they place nearly everyone on a "hold list" following the interview. it isnt a wait list, but you wont find out anything for a while.
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The day was much more informal than I expected. Definitely dress nicely, but don't be too uncomfortable, rigid.
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It was cold.
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Nearest apartments are 1/2 mile away. Nearest parking, except on weekends, is 1/2 mile away (I measured it). So expect a hike to and from campus EVERYDAY.
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The clinical research track option; they really don't provide much food for lunch (very few vegetarian options, so eat a big breakfast.
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Not much - this was my first interview, so I really didn't know what to expect, but it went pretty well.
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Not going to be hard if you study about yourself and have prepared ideas that you can easily discuss.
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Where comfortable shoes.
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Pronunciations (long story).
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Everyone from my organic chemistry class got into UF and is there now. UF has newly instituted a deposit of $200 to hold your spot.
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I wish I had been able to get more info about the med school. I didn't know anything about the curriculum or the philosophy of the school (still don't know much). I also wish I had known more about the other UF campuses, such as the one in Jacksonville. You do a lot of walking on the tours; some people's shoes were uncomfortable.
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I should have broken in my shoes before wearing them....you do a lot of walking from place to place.
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Stan is pretty cool. Also, they try and pair you up with someone who they think will relate to you. I was paired up with a hispanic doctor because I'm hispanic - it was nice. Also, eat what you can because the students there aren't shy about eating your food. One of my interviewers talked about how UF places high value on research and community service during the selection process - they do a thorough job selecting people to interview so that acceptance rate is about 50% once you get an interview.
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Not much out of the ordinary. get some nice walking shoes
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The committee chair was away at a meeting and unable to meet with us.
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Eat a huge breakfast, cuz the food sucks
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Everyone was so nice and relaxed, there really was no reason to get all anxious and worked up. The interveiws are not a drill session, but a chance for them to get to know you. We talked about fishing for 20 minutes! I did not discuss any medical issues or political topics unless I brought them up so DON'T WORRY.
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That uf's campus is so big. there was no way I could have found the building by myself... needed a friend's help to get to the building for the interviews
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Students are very active in atheltics and the board scores are phenomenal. A very large percent of students score above the 90% percentile.
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Again, I go to UF and knew what to expect.
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UF conducts some student-run interviews which I had always assumed would be great and totally relaxing - but I found it to be just the opposite. I thought it was intimidating and a bit patronizing. Plus, my student was writing comments during the interview which made me self-conscious. My faculty-run interview, on the other hand, went extremely well. It was close-file and it flowed like a conversation.
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That you might get one of your interviews with a 4th year, which I would definitely prefered over the doctor I had.
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That I can't find my way driving around Gainesville. I got lost every time I got in my car, and was 10 minutes late for the interview. Also, traffic is horrendous. I would aim to get there a half hour early.
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I hear that there is some tunnel over to the VA Hospital, and I would suggest knowing where it is in advance because you will probably have an interview there and it may be hot (or cold).
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Absolutely nothing.
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While there is no formal MD/PhD program there is a research track that can become anything you want...
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Nothing. No surprises.
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I should have definitely eaten more during lunchtime.
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The new "research track" sounds good if you don't want to do the MD/PhD but want some research exposure.
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During the first year, after the essentials of patient care class (which ends around thanksgiving), you have a preceptorship with a physician for about 4 weeks full time. Housing is provided and in some cases, housing is a beachhouse. Can't beat that. Also, no overnight calls for med students.
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To be prepared to answer questions on current medical issues and think about ways to improve the healthcare system
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If you are at all interested in touring the facilities, ask your interviewer ahead of time to keep track of time for you (I thought it would be rude to glance at my watch) to make sure you don't miss the tours.
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I wish I had know more about the school in general, the website does not do it justice.
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The tour at the end was optional, and i could have left an hour early without it hurting.
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That my shoes were going to give me blisters! The tours go to various places within the complex (which is very large and encompasses several buildings) so try to find comfortable shoes. And try to find out about your interviewers- the med students were great about giving everyone a heads up during lunch so you could know what to expect.
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I already knew a lot about the school, and talked to a bunch of people, so nothing really surprised me.
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Not all interviewers intend to put you at ease.
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The lunch they serve you is finger sandwiches... and they come with mayo and mustard on them... AND I DON'T LIKE THOSE BLOODY CONDIMENTS!! seriously, why couldn't they just put them on the side?! in any case, if you're like me, I'd recommend bringing some crackers or a granola bar or something... cuz there's so much friggin' mayo on them sandwiches that you're NEVER gonna wipe it all off.
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That i would be so hungry in the afternoon. Lunch is so early!
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UF doesn't have an established MD/MPH program.
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They cannot tell an interviewee if they will be placed on hold, accepted, or rejected until Oct. 15th.
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The style of interview was one that supprised me. I have taken many philosophy classes and was looking forward to nailing ethical questions that never came. It was purley conversational. It is hard to rememer any pointed questions even though its only been two days since the interviews.
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Nothing... I was prepared for just about every question they asked
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The parking garage they told me to park at was full, so I had to park farther away, which took more time.
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Parking there takes a lot of walking and searching for your car
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Bring a watch
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That I should not have been stressing about my interview as much as I did.
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I didn't realize that it could get in the low 40's for daytime high in Gainesville - wish I brought my coat :)
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13th Street in front of the university gets backed up so if you are staying a bit further away from campus, leave a bit earlier than you think you need to.
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Shands Hospital is basically a mid-sized hospital in a little back woods Florida town. Everyone seemed intent on telling me how great it was. Personally, I didn't see any advantage of going to UFCOM other than it's cheap in comparison to other schools. Maybe you get what you pay for!
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That the interviewers only knew half of your information, only your biographical information and your personal statement. They look at your numbers afterwards.
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Nothing really because I stayed with a med student the night before. I really recommend staying with a student because I was less nervous and I was able to learn a lot more about the school.
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They spent 1/2 the interview telling me how great UF is and asking what i like about it or why i would choose it over UM for example
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Don't be afraid to eat a lot for lunch. I was starving by the end of the day.
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The lunch they serve sucks (sandwiches and cookies). I was pretty hungry by the end of the day.
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That preparing for generic questions can be a good idea.
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Nothing, I attend UF as an undergrad so I have had plenty of exposure to the med school and hospital.
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Nada
🤝 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 praised the admissions office for being friendly and well-organized, but suggested improvements such as updating materials, reducing the number of presentations, making the application process electronic, and improving communication with interviewers. Some also mentioned the need to review room numbers for interviews and ensure a smoother interview experience.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Keep doing what you're doing, it was all fabulous!
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Maybe get rid of the poster with our faces so we don’t know that we’ve been showcased in the building all week. I get it’s to prepare the current students to be on the lookout for us but it’s can come off kinda creepy
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N/A
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Keep doing what you're doing!
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Review some of the materials beforehand, I noticed that some materials had last year's date
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None - great work
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Double check the room numbers for the interviews printed on our schedule. The room number of my first interview did not exist and luckily, there was someone near that made a room available for the interview. Another student with the same problem had to have the interview outside (it was 90 degrees that day).
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None, great and extremely friendly.
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Keep it Up!!!
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It would be better to have less presentations. We had a million 15-minute sessions that obviously all ran over.
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The interview day was very well organized and the bottles of water were a great idea. Wish we could have seen the anatomy lab on the tour though.
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It is a lot of walking ... but it is what it is
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The interview day was very, very long. By the end of the day I was so exhausted that I couldn't absorb any more information about UF!
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Fabulous day... no complaints. I really enjoyed lunch and interacting with current students!
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The day was very well-organized, and the admissions office was SO friendly.
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Please make the application an electronic process, otherwise, wonderful job.
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Make online application
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Make admissions process electronic rather than paper.
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It would be nice if we could sit in on a class :)
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Grammar check, they seem like they don't have college degrees let alone letting people into medical
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They are very friendly and efficient, great people!
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The admissions office at UF has only two people, and those two alone could teach a thing or two to a
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The admissions office is very helpful and do a great job making us feel welcome.
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Everyone was great.. I interviewed on a Friday and was emailed the next tuesday by my interviewer le
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The admissions office was one of the best parts of the whole application process. I don't know what
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Some interviewers are terrible, maybe screen them more? And have the interviewers come to us.
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Change the way they conduct their acceptance policy (putting 85% of their interviewers on hold til M
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
Airports Used
✈️
GNV
30% interviewees used GNV (GNV), with 19% using JAX (JAX) and 15% using MCO (MCO) and 7% using mco (mco) and 7% using TPA (TPA) and 7% using Gainesville Regional (Gainesville Regional) and 4% using TIA (TIA) and 4% using OAJ (OAJ) and 4% using Gainseville (Gainseville) and 4% using orlando (orlando).
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by automobile to the interview.
✈️
21% Airplane
🚗
74% Automobile
🚆
4% Train or Subway
🚲
1% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Paramount Plaza (average ranking 5.3/10), with some staying at Country Inn (average rating 9/10). (Top 3 displayed)
🏨
Paramount Plaza
5.3/10
🏨
Country Inn
9/10
🏨
Cabot Lodge
4.5/10
What was the cost and time spent traveling?
Cost: Low Cost to High Cost
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are in state students.
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Friends or family or with friends or family.
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
Admissions staff (2%)
Faculty member (4%)
Other (1%)
Student (93%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Enthusiastic (90%)
Neutral (10%)
All Responses
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| Application Cycle ▿ | Impression | Performance | Interview Location |
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