Columbia, SC
Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 31% 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
8.1
Above Average
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 297 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 (88%)
Negatively (1%)
No change (10%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (41%)
Good (48%)
Average (9%)
Poor (2%)
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview day to be well-organized and laid-back, with friendly interviewers and a welcoming atmosphere. They appreciated the conversational nature of the interviews, the opportunity to interact with current students, and the unique 'cookie time' session with the admissions committee. They also emphasized the importance of being genuine, showcasing passion for medicine, and making a memorable impression during interactions with committee members.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Such a well-organized interview day!
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Very laid-back and conversational. Most questions were very generic and nothing really stood out.
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This is a very laid back interview, everyone is super nice and welcoming, they are not out to get you, know details about your application and you will be fine
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Wonderful school if you want to go into primary care or internal medicine.
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Amazing school. It is going to be a major contender in the near future.
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
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Length:
32 Minutes Average
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Number:
2 Interviews Average
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Interview Type (Interaction):
97% One-on-One
3% Group Interview
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File Type:
97% Open-File
3% Closed-File
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Interview Modality:
100% Virtual
0% In-Person
USCSM-COMP interviews are an average of 32 minutes, with an average of 2 interviews. 97% of interviews are one-on-one, 0% are in-person, and 3% are closed-file.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools cover a range of topics such as personal motivations for pursuing medicine, experiences in healthcare, challenges facing the healthcare system, ethical dilemmas, and reasons for choosing a specific institution. Some respondents also mentioned questions related to MMI formats, nondisclosure agreements, and specific scenarios testing ethical reasoning and critical thinking skills.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Why USC?
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Why do you want to be a doctor?
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Tell me about yourself
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Know all your activities you listed on AMCAS. Have specific examples if they ask for significant memory from an activity. Know how to respond if they ask how the experience impacted you and what you learned from it or how it influenced your decision to pursue medicine. My interviewers basically ran through my "Work & Activities" section with me and that's what we talked about.
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Describe what you look for in a physician.
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of South Carolina School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics including healthcare ethics, personal qualities, and hypothetical scenarios. While there were no specific mentions of MMI or nondisclosure agreements, questions covered areas like managing stress, personal motivations, ethical dilemmas, and personal growth experiences.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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What is the biggest issue facing healthcare?
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How would you handle a situation where a patient's family asks that you lie to the patient about their health?
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Very very specific questions from my application!
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Are you an anxious person/how do you manage stress?
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Are you interested in medical activism or law?
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by utilizing resources such as Student Doctor Network (SDN), mock interviews, reviewing their applications, and researching common questions. They also focused on being themselves, practicing answers out loud, and seeking feedback from peers or professionals to build confidence and honesty in their responses.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Peer review and ChatGPT
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Reading past questions, practicing verbalizing responses on Zoom
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SDN, review application, review school info
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Go over the questions on SDN. Did mock interview with pre-med office.
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SDN, online mock interviews, common questions
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of South Carolina School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including scenarios like delivering bad news to patients, personal reflections on career choices, ethical dilemmas such as patient confidentiality, and opinions on healthcare policies. The interview format may have included MMI (Multiple Mini Interview), as some responses hinted at nondisclosure agreements, while others highlighted the conversational nature of the interviews aimed at understanding the applicants' character and motivations.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Would you be able to tell a patient bad news? (not hard but none were really hard)
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If you could change anything in your life, what would you change?
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What do you want us to tell the admissions committee about you?
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Describe one specific patient from your scribe experience and explain what you learned from the encounter.
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What should I tell the evaluation committee about you when we meet?
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were consistently impressed by the welcoming and friendly atmosphere, the sense of community and support among students and staff, the advanced technology and facilities, the close-knit campus environment, and the emphasis on student well-being and satisfaction. Suggestions for improvement were not prevalent in the feedback provided.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Everyone was so kind and personable.
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The Q&A panel with current med students helped calm me down, they were very positive
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Everyone was so nice and welcoming
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Everyone was very nice and complimentary
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Ultrasound Institute, warm and friendly students and staff, strong sense of community and camaraderie
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the lack of time during the welcome session to learn about the school, outdated facilities, the traditional curriculum, uncertainty about rotations, and the surrounding area of Columbia. Suggestions included providing more time for interactions with the admissions committee, updating facilities, and addressing concerns about the school's location and curriculum.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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N/A
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Not enough time during welcome session to learn enough about the school compared to other interviews
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Nothing
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You're assigned letter grades, out-dated facilities, traditional 2-year preclinical curriculum, Columbia area is a bit sketchy, not impressed by adjacent VA hospital
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(USC Greenville) At the end of the day, its a new school. It is going places, but I cant go somewhere without a match list.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time that the interview process would be very relaxed and conversational, with a focus on getting to know the candidate as a person. They also advised being prepared to ask questions, being oneself, and not stressing over the process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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N/A
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Don't stress! It is very chill. Mostly just going through your application, and it really felt like a conversation more so than my other interviews.
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Super laid back
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How laid back and easy this day would be!
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How friendly the students were
🤝 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 commonly suggested that the admissions office should improve their processes by transitioning to online applications and secondary forms to streamline the application process and make it more convenient. Many also recommended enhanced demonstrations, particularly for specialized programs like the Ultrasound Institute, to provide a more thorough and impressive experience for prospective students.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Do a better job with the Ultrasound Institute demonstration. The M2s on my tour did their best, but a demonstration from an instructor would be much better and more impressive.
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They put on a great presentation. No negative comments
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Switch to online secondary.
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Develop an online application. This is the only school to which I applied that I had to fill out and mail a paper application.
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Everyone is really helpful and welcoming.
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
Airports Used
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CAE
60% interviewees used CAE (CAE), with 20% using CLT (CLT) and 20% using GSP (GSP).
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by automobile to the interview.
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11% Airplane
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86% Automobile
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0% Train or Subway
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2% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Hampton Inn (average ranking 8.5/10), with some staying at Holiday Inn City Centre (average rating 10/10). (Top 3 displayed)
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Hampton Inn
8.5/10
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Holiday Inn City Centre
10/10
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Hilton
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 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%)
Student (98%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Enthusiastic (84%)
Neutral (16%)
All Responses
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