University of Hawaii at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Interview Feedback Summary
Hilo, HI
Pharmacy Schools | Public Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 29% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a low stress level and felt they did well.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
8.0
Above Average
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 179 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional
8–8.9 Very Good
7–7.9 Good
6–6.9 Mixed
< 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
Positively (84%)
No change (16%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (50%)
Good (39%)
Average (8%)
Poor (3%)
What are your general comments?
The most common feedback and suggestions from applicants include positive experiences with quick interview responses and acceptances, advice on preparing for interviews by compiling common questions, comments on the casual and stress-free interview environment, and recommendations to be confident, concise, and genuine during the interview process. Many applicants also highlighted the friendly nature of the interviewers and the importance of showcasing positive traits and examples during the interview.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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I got asked for an interview the day after I submitted my PharmCas application. And after the interview, I got accepted the next day.
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Use AirBnB for a budget trip. Save a whole day for the Lava Flow tour, I heard it's awesome. Also, it costs $20 to get into some of the parks.
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What I did to prepare was look over all of interview feedback responses and compiled a list of all possible questions, prioritizing questions that seemed to be asked the most in addition to general questions. I was accepted into the college a couple weeks later.
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The environment is very country-like here. Be prepared to find a hobby or study all the time!
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This was my second time interviewing with them and the person who interviewed me was so much easier to talk to than the person before. It's all in the questions that they ask. The first time I interviewed, I felt like I didn't have a good chance to show them who I was.
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
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Length:
33 Minutes Average
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Number:
1.2 Interviews Average
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Interview Type (Interaction):
100% One-on-One
0% Group Interview
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File Type:
9% Open-File
91% Closed-File
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Interview Modality:
100% Virtual
0% In-Person
UHH-PHARM-COMP interviews are an average of 33 minutes, with an average of 1.2 interviews. 100% of interviews are one-on-one, 0% are in-person, and 91% are closed-file.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiring about the candidate's exposure/experience in pharmacy, qualities that make them a good pharmacist, reasons for choosing them over other candidates for a limited spot, anticipated challenges in pharmacy, and examples of handling conflicts or ethical dilemmas. Some respondents mentioned questions related to personal interests, decision-making processes, and scenarios involving teamwork or moral differences. Additionally, references to 'MMI' or 'Multiple Mini Interview' suggest that the interviews may have been in an MMI format, possibly involving nondisclosure agreements.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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What type of exposure/experience do you have in pharmacy?
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What characteristics do you have that you think would make you a good pharmacist?
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If we had 1 spot left, why should you get it?
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If 89 seats were filled and there was only 1 spot left, why should we pick you over someone else?
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What qualities should a pharmacist have and how have you displayed those qualities?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Hawaii at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy discussed a variety of topics including ethical scenarios with healthcare professionals, personal reflections, and hypothetical situations with fictional characters. The interview questions ranged from handling medication errors in a team, justifying why they should be chosen over equally qualified candidates, to selecting a book for a deserted island, and discussing role models and future aspirations. Some responses indicated a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format with nondisclosure agreements, while others mentioned questions about current pharmacy trends, personal values, and fictional character interactions.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Imagine you’re in a team of healthcare professionals. How would you handle a doctor suggesting the wrong medication/dose for a patient?
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Why should we pick you over the equally qualified students?
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Tell us about yourself.
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Essay: If you could bring one book to a deserted island, what would it be and why?
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Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by researching common questions and practicing their responses, utilizing resources like Student Doctor Network (SDN) and mock interviews. They also reviewed school-specific questions, sought feedback from peers, and focused on maintaining a calm and positive mindset during preparation.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Go over some common questions asked in every pharmacy school interview (i.e. Introduce yourself, Why pharmacy?, Why this school?)
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I googled a lot of pharmacy school interview questions and put them all together in a Quizlet, and practiced from there.
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SDN interview feedback and various internet searches. Wrote questions and possible answers down in a notepad to sort out good answers versus bad.
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Studied school-specific questions on Student Doctor
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Mock interviews, SDN
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Hawaii at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy discussed various challenges in pharmacy, including industry problems, cultural diversity, and future trends. While some mentioned standard interview questions and hypothetical scenarios, others noted unique inquiries like choosing a flower or plant to embody. These responses indicate a diverse range of questions asked, with no specific focus on MMI or nondisclosure agreements.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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What challenges do you think the fields of pharmacy is facing and how do you plan to meet that challenge?
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What problems do you think there are in the pharmacy industry and how would you be able to solve these problems once you become a pharmacist?
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If we had 1 spot left, why should you get it?
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What is a current issue in pharmacy, and how you would address this issue?
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Why would you choose University of Hilo out of all the other pharmacy schools?
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were positively impressed by the friendly and laid-back nature of the interview process, the welcoming and conversational demeanor of the interviewers, as well as the overall friendliness of the staff and faculty. They appreciated the responsiveness and helpfulness of the admission staff, and some mentioned the unique features of the program and the beautiful surroundings. Suggestions included maintaining the informal and friendly atmosphere during interviews and providing timely responses to applicants.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Interviewers were quite nice and one was pretty local, interview felt quite relaxed
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The interviewers were very laid back and nice. Also, their questions were very straightforward.
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Friendliness of the school.
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The interview was very laid back
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The interview was very relaxed.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants were mainly concerned about the interview locations, particularly when held in hotel rooms, and the lack of a dedicated campus or main building for the pharmacy school. Suggestions included providing better facilities for interviews and enhancing the information provided during the interview process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Nothing!
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Nothing.
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My interview was held in Las Vegas at Embassy Suites, horrible location, the fire alarm went off the night before entire hotel was soaked. In addition there was not a table or place to write the written portion. Apart from the interview location, the entire interview went very well, and impressive.
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It would have been nice to have a table for the written portion and better lighting than the light in the hallway.
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The location (in a hotel room).
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Many applicants wished they had known ahead of time about the low stress level of the interview, the importance of arriving early to avoid last-minute stress, and the generic nature of the questions asked. Additionally, several applicants mentioned the need for reliable transportation in Hilo and the unexpected locations of the interviews (such as in a hotel room).
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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I actually had my interview over video chat, instead of actually visiting the college. And I wish I had known that my computer would crash..
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Don't rely on Google maps, haha. Show up 45 minutes ahead of time so you can find the place instead of wandering around. Plus, you get to talk to other people while waiting.
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How low stressed it was.
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How low stress the interview is.
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Fly to Hilo International Airport, not Kona! Hilo International is literally 10 minutes away; Kona is not.
🤝 Campus and Facilities ▼
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as 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 commend the admissions office for their quick and helpful email responses, with a suggestion to include specific directions in interview emails to avoid confusion. Other suggestions include incorporating more questions and extending the length of interviews, as well as providing seating in hallways for waiting students and families.
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Nothing. The admissions office replies VERY quick to emails and they're always very nice and helpful.
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In the interview request email, I think you should mention "We are at the other end, opposite the Observatory", so people don't get lost or park far.
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Continue the great work. My experience was very positive .
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More questions and longer interviews
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The admissions office should provide some chairs in the hallways for students and family while they are waiting.
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
Airports Used
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ITO
15% interviewees used & HNL & LAX (ITO), with 10% using LAX (LAX) and 10% using Hilo (Hilo) and 10% using LAS (LAS) and 10% using Hilo International Airport (Hilo International Airport) and 5% using lax (lax) and 5% using ito (ito) and 5% using SFO (SFO) and 5% using Las Vegas airport (Las Vegas airport) and 5% using McCarren international airport (McCarren international airport) and 5% using McCarran International Airport (McCarran International Airport) and 5% using Hawaiian Airlines (Hawaiian Airlines) and 5% using Las vegas (Las vegas) and 5% using Sacramento International Airportto Long Beach Airport (SMF).
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by airplane to the interview.
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76% Airplane
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21% Automobile
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0% Train or Subway
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3% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Embassy suites (average ranking 7.3/10), with some staying at Naniola (average rating 7/10). (Top 3 displayed)
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Embassy suites
7.3/10
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Naniola
7/10
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The Hilton Las Vegas
10/10
What was the cost and time spent traveling?
Cost: Low Cost to High Cost
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are out of state students.
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
Admissions staff (23%)
Faculty member (23%)
Other (23%)
Student (31%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Enthusiastic (73%)
Neutral (27%)
All Responses
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