How many people interviewed you?
| Response Average | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 1.48 | 274 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Positively | 232 |
| Negatively | 22 |
| No change | 19 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 2.67 | 270 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.87 | 212 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.28 | 183 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| In Person | 0 |
| Virtual | 6 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 0 |
| 10 minutes | 0 |
| 15 minutes | 1 |
| 20 minutes | 1 |
| 25 minutes | 2 |
| 30 minutes | 4 |
| 35 minutes | 4 |
| 40 minutes | 11 |
| 45 minutes | 36 |
| 50 minutes | 44 |
| 55 minutes | 4 |
| 60+ minutes | 169 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| At the school | 262 |
| At a regional location | 1 |
| At another location | 10 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| One-on-one | 270 |
| In a group | 3 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Open file | 245 |
| Closed file | 24 |
| Response Average | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 1.48 | 274 |
"Traditional question"
"Tell us about a challenging time that affected you and others"
"Traditional"
"Why medicine"
"Traditional interview question"
"MMI scenarios"
""Did anyone discourage you from pursuing medicine?""
"Tell me about a time you were challenged"
"Why do you want to go to school here?"
"Tell me about a time that you had difficulty working with someone on a team."
"Tell me about a situation where you had difficulty working with a group and how you handled it?"
"Discuss a time when you had to work with someone you disliked."
"How would you react if you were in a group and someone wasn't pulling their weight?"
"talk about a time when you helped someone in a crisis"
"Tell me about yourself. (This was asked very conversationally.)"
"What type of models do you use to study cancer (I'm a Research Technician at MGH)."
"How have you resolved group conflict in the past?"
"Tell me about a time when you worked with a teammate that you intensely disliked."
"Tell me about yourself (first question...)"
"How will you choose which school you accept admissions to?"
"What is the biggest problem with US healthcare?"
"They asked me to tell them about the pathology of a specific disease that I had seen once in a patient while I was shadowing a doctor, which I mentioned in my personal statement anecdotally. It was stressful, because I hadn't thought too much about the pathology, just the symptoms I had observed."
"What was a big mistake you made?"
"How do you deal with a cancer patient who wants to refuse treatment?"
"Describe a situation involving interacting with a culture different from your own."
"There are over 100 medical schools in the country. Describe to me how you narrowed down to VCU as one of your choices."
"When did you develop and interest in medicine?"
"Did you even consult your undergraduate medical advising office to see if you were a reasonable candidate?"
"If I hypothetically held a gun to your head, what specialty would you choose?"
"What do you think of healthcare reform?"
"So you went to (Undergraduate College). Why?"
"What's your opinion on what is being done with Health Care now?"
"Have you had any teaching experience?"
"What changes do you think need to be made in health care? Do you know which states have implemented individual mandates? What are the problems with these mandates? "
"So you've told me the problems in healthcare, and what you should do to fix it, but HOW would you go about doing so?"
"How do you see yourself in a career as a physician?"
"What was your favorite/least favorite class?"
"How would you deal with cultural differences between you and your patient?"
"How would you define leadership?"
"What do you think about the current healthcare system in America? "
"Why do you want to be a doctor?"
"Detailed overview of extra-curricular timeline."
"What type of medicine would you like to go into?"
"What made you choose medicine as a career?"
"Read any good books lately?"
"What was the most difficult situation you were put in during a patient interaction?"
"What are some of your strengths?"
"What area of medicine are you interested in?"
"Tell me about x,y,z experience - this was the vast majority of the interview, in relaxed, conversational tone"
"Went through my personal statement paragraph by paragraph. Holy moly, that man had it dissected!"
"Do you read? What are you reading right now? Have you read Harry Potter (which is weird because he isn't a fan and he hasn't read it himself."
"Tell me about yourself."
"Why Richmond/MCV?"
"What is your opinion on underage drinking at college, have you seen that it affects education?Marijuana usage? How about medical marijuana? Supreme court cases dealing with this? Terri Shavo? Dr. Kevorkian? Uninsured citizens? Illegal aliens using government resources? Politics involved with medicine. Aka every ethical question imaginable"
"Tell me about your research experience."
"Tell me about your ___ experience working in hospitals. "
"How did you become interested in medicine?"
"What was the lastest fiction you read?"
"How would you deal with a patient who refuses treatment (refer back up the page for details)?"
"tell me about special patient contact incidents. "
"Describe yourself?"
"How do you relate with other cultures?"
"Tell me about your mcat experiences."
"Describe a stressful situation, how you dealt with it, and what you learned from it."
"why do u want to be a doctor"
"What were your volunteer activities?"
"How did your childhood influence your decision to go into medicine?"
"What type of research do you think you want to do?"
"Questions about my background.. Family, why I chose undergrad, why I chose medicine, why "
"everything was about my application...."
"Tell me about a challenging situation in your life and how you handled it."
"Read over application activities. "
"Why don't you want to stay in NY and attend medical school there?"
"Tell me about yourself and why you would like to attend VCU."
"Tell me about yourself. What was your high school like? How did you choose your college? How did you choose your major? Last book read. What do you do for fun?"
"Tell me about yourself..."
"How will you add to diversity at VCU?"
"Why is your verbal score low?"
"Describe your volunteer experience"
"Describe your family (this was the very first question)."
"If you had a patient born at 24 months with hemorraghing, spinal damage, brain damage, etc, how would you approach the parents?"
"Tell me about this medical experience."
"What are your strengths and weaknesses?"
"I noticed that you got a B- in cell bio, which is inconsistent with the rest of your record. Would you like to explain that?"
"Why dont you believe in socialized medicine?"
"What are your hobbies? "
"So why do you want to be a doctor?"
"What are your hobbies? What are your strengths/weaknesses? How would a friend describe you?"
"Why your undergraduate inst."
"Tell me about your experiences in Pakistan and Africa."
"Tell me about a book you've read? And before that?"
"Tell me about your Family?"
"What field of medicine would I pursue? Primary care? (be open to discover other areas of interest in school)"
"How do you pronounce your last name? What books would you suggest that I read? Tell me about your current internship. Your MCAT scores improved a lot, how did you do that? Why VCU? What do you do for fun? What is your favorite movie? Any idea of the field of medicine you want to enter? If you were the surgeon general, the top doctor in the US, what medical issue would you want to tackle? What are your thoughts on PAS? If a patient came to you with terminal cancer and was tired of all the trials and drugs, what would you say to the patient? How do you feel about malpractice insurance? We also talked about health policy, but that stemmed from the malpractice insurance question. Do you have any questions for me? (These are the questions that I can remember…Good luck!) "
"Thoughts on PAS?"
"Tell me about your childhood?"
"Why do you want to be a doctor"
"What do you think about Dr. Kavorkian and euthanasia?"
"Went through the my life: pre-birth to the present."
"Tell me a little bit more about X experience."
"end of life issues"
"Other than the experience described in your AMCAS essay, what has been the most important volunteer experience in your life? "
"Have you ever read Harry Potter?"
"What would have made you comply with your doctor's orders better?"
"What would you tell a parent of one of your students if you suspected they had an eatind disorder. (I've done a lot of work in eating disorders and I coach gymnastics)"
"Describe your family"
"Why did you choose your undergraduate school in the east coast? (I'm from the west coast)"
"The New Orleans question (above)"
"Describe when/how/why you became interested in medicine. This led to other questions related to those experiences. (Describe differences in healthcare in Trinidad and in the US. Describe good attributes of physicians. Describe a negative trait of a physician. Compare the hospitals in Trinidad with those in the US.) "
"Tell me about your paramedic experience."
"Do you like reading fiction?"
"Tell me about you international experience?"
"What do you like to do outside of school and research?"
"something to the effect of how have your work, clinical and volunteer activities effected you or something liek that- I believe this was the first interview question asked"
"Tell me about yourself?"
"Explain your clinical/research experience. "
"What was the last book you have read?"
"Why VCU"
"Have you heard of Dr. Kevorkian?"
"What is the greatest ethical challenge facing medicine and how do you propose to overcome it?"
"why medicine? why VCU?"
"why mcv/vcu?"
"Tell me about your current job, current extra-curricular activities, hobbies etc."
"Talked about prominent health care issues."
"Have you read Harry Potter or the DaVinci Code?"
"Why VCU?"
"Heard of Kevorkian?"
"What would your friends say are your 3 greatest strengths and your 3 greatest weaknesses?"
"Are you into Harry Potter?"
"How do your parents feel about you applying to med school?"
"Describe a challenge you encountered."
"How did you end up at XYZ University"
"What do you enjoy reading for fun?"
"What is your religious background?"
"Will your family /have they support you in your pursuit to become a doctor"
"whats your favorite part of the cell? followed by what do you think about mitichondria and their DNA?"
"Do you think pro-football players get paid to much?"
"what i do to destress?"
"Tell us about your research."
"Tell amout [blank] experience."
"What is the physician's responsibility to indigents or illegal immigrants who do not have access to health care?"
"What are you currently doing?"
"What is your greatest weakness?"
"what do you know about stem cells?"
"Do you read fiction?"
"Tell me about studying in New Zealand"
"What is your favorite part of the cell?"
"What do you think of Dr. Kevorkian?"
"CLONING?"
"I was asked about specific experiences, hobbies, work and research that was listed on my primary application."
"Why VCU/MCV?"
"Why do you want to be in this program? How did you find out about it?"
"Tell me about your research."
"Why did you go to UNC when both parents went to UVA and you grew up in Charlottesville? "
"why medicine and what would you do if you couldn't be a doctor?"
"asked about my life, siblings, parents, etc."
"DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THIS SCHOOL."
"Tell me about yourself (while he read my copy of my AMCAS application I had luckily brought with me...)"
"I see that work "here", how is that experience? What do you do there. "
"Questions about my application"
"What do you think about stem cell research? "
"Nothing out of the ordinary - why medicine? tell about your clinical experiences. specific questions about file"
"what do you see yourself doing 10 years from now"
"What do you think about stem cells and cloning?"
"Do you like football better than soccer?"
"Tell me about your experiences in Ghana"
"What were your SATs? GPA? MCATs?"
"What are you doing now?"
"What do you think of euthanasia/assisted suicide?"
"What brought you to Virginia? Why did you apply to MCV?"
"Why medicine, when you're a liberal arts major?"
"Tell me about yourself"
"What do you think of stem cell research and cloning?"
"What brought you to Virginia?"
"Tell me about cell respiration."
"What is your position on the possible war with Iraq?"
"Tell me about your family."
"what do you do in your lab?"
"What type of doctor do you want to be/why?"
"Why do you want to go into medicine?"
"See example above."
"Describe the path you have taken towards medicine? Was it purposeful?"
"What's your opinion on Stem cells?"
"What do you do now? Why transition to medicine?"
"How does a body obtain energy?"
"would you like to try to explain any of your grades to the admissions committee? (asked in a very friendly way, as if the interviewer was my advocate)"
"Why medicine?"
"What do you do for fun?"
"What do you make of stem cell research? "
"How did you decide to become a physician? and why?"
"Mostly conversational but asked about my activites and grades"
"MMI"
"MMI scenario"
"MMI scenarios"
"Challenge had to overcome?"
"tell me about an obstacle you have overcome"
""Do you think that physicians should be allowed to have time off or vacations?""
"What qualities do you think makes a great physician?"
"Tell me more about *specific volunteer activity*"
"Tell me about a situation where you had difficulty working with an individual and how you handled it?"
"Discuss a challenge that you overcame."
"Have you ever had a strongly held belief that you changed? If so, how?"
"talk about a time that you helped someone out"
"Tell me about a time your leadership was challenged, how you dealt with the situation, and what you learned."
"What type of teaching experience do you have?"
"How do you deal with being pushed outside of your comfort zone? How do you deal with failing at a new task?"
"Tell me about a time you got angry."
"Why VCU? Why medicine?"
"Asked about a specific experience from my AMCAS - tell me more about...what did you learn from it..."
"What is an ethical challenge you faced recently and how did you resolve it?"
"Discuss a time when you were in over your head and how you dealt with it."
"I was asked about the politics of health care and what I thought about reform. This is kind of a common question, but it can be tough to answer. Even if you have thought about it a lot, it's hard to give a full and honest answer, without worrying you're going to insult the interviewer's political beliefs."
"So, I see your grades dropped sophomore year. Why was that?"
"Strengths/weaknesses, mentors, read any good books?, why VCU, most influential person of the 20th century, describe a team conflict you helped resolve, a situation when you helped someone, cultural competency"
"Tell me about yourself"
"Tell me about yourself and what led up to you being here today."
"Do you know what you want to specialize in?"
"If I asked some of your friends and family "What is this guy's Achilles' heel?" what would they say?"
"You've been out of school too long, what makes you even think you can do the work?"
"What do you do in your spare time?"
"Describe a situation when you were really stressed out."
"How would you feel in a situation where you have a homeless patient with a wound that needs to kept clean, but he doesn't qualify to be admitted to the hospital and will end up back on the streets? What would you do in that situation?"
"Tell me a time where you were over yourself, meaning you were in a situation you could not control."
"Talk about _____ experience from your application"
"Why do you want to be a physician?"
"Indirectly asked me "why medicine?""
"What would you do if you didn't get into medical school? "
"What do you do with "me" time?"
"What experience led you to select a career in medicine?"
"If the United Nations mandated a law that said anybody born in 1987 cannot become a physician, what would you do instead?"
"What are your strengths?"
"Where do you see yourself in 15 years?"
"Describe an ethical dilemma in medicine."
"Bunch of questions about high school stats..."
"Wow I think you really hit the nail on the head in terms of identifying problems in our healthcare system. What are some specific solutions you can think of?"
"Do you know any students here at VCU?"
"Tell me about this activity..."
"What books do you like to read?"
"Tell me a little bit about activity X."
"Strongest point?"
"Why did you decide to take a year off rather than applying your senior year?"
"Tell me about your High School."
"Did your mother being a pediatrician influence your decision to become a physician? (Which is a stupid question...of course it did...everything we live through and with influences us; either positively or negatively.)"
"I got the physician assisted suicide question as previously described"
"We talked about physician-assisted suicide for a bit"
"Why would you want to come out from California to go to school in Richmond?"
"Tell me about your family."
"Biggest weakness in US healthcare system?"
"What would you do if a patient wanted a medical service that went against your bioethical beliefs?"
"What fiction have you read lately? in the last week?"
"Do you know what specialty you want to go in to? Why that one?"
"Why do you want to come to the U.S?"
"Why Richmond/VCU?"
"Tell me about your research."
"Who would you want to meet, living/dead, if you could talk to anyone, and why? "
"What is your favorite Beethoven symphony?"
"what do you think is the biggest problem in health care in the states?"
"Describe your research?"
"What would you have to give up by going to medical school"
"What classes are you taking this semester"
"greatest problem facing medicine"
"Do you read fiction?"
"What did you like about ____? (fill in the blank w/ college name)"
"Why did you apply to VCU/MCV?"
"What was the worst day of your life?"
"Why do you want to be a doctor?"
"Describe research, volunteering, etc. "
"Was your friends suicide attempts really serious?"
"What do you do in your free time?"
"Tell me about your employment at xx hospital and about your volunteer experience at xx hospital."
"What are problems facing the health care system today? Tell me about your research experiences. Tell me about your clinical experiences."
"Why do you want to attend MCV?"
"Tell me about your experience with ..."
"Have you ever had to report someone cheating? Have you ever cheated?"
"Tell me about yourself."
"Why VCU? Why medicine? "
"Describe your research experiences"
"What do you feel about the current state of War on Iraq?"
"How do you feel about euthanasia/Terry Schiavo case?"
"Tell me about how you overcame difficulties in undergrad (or something to that effect)."
"How has your application improved since last year?"
"Tell me about research that you were involved in."
"Whats your view on abortion?"
"Explain your low MCAT scores? "
"What fiction books have you read recently? What do you do to keep physically fit? What do you think of stem cell research? How about euthanasia?"
"Why medicine? What kind of medicine?"
"Why VCU"
"Tell me about your college experience."
"Are you ready to make the move from NYC to Richmond?"
"Your MCAT score is high, why then does your GPA not seem to correspond to it?"
"How do I like my current job? Why the change to medicine?"
"How has your undergraduate experience been? How'd you like your major/minor?"
"What is X activity"
"What are your strengths? Weaknesses?"
"What clinical experiences do you have"
"Why do you want to be a Dr.?"
"Waht's my favorite book?"
"Why did you enter medicine"
"Research"
"What was different about volunteering in Red Cross and volunteering in Sri Lanka?"
"stem cell debate"
"What was it like to return to the US after living abroad? How has it changed you? "
"Binge drinking on college campus, medical marijuana, assisted suicide etc. We got into some deep stuff. KNOW YOUR APPLICATION!! "
"Why do you want to leave your current job and go into medicine. (I already have an MBA and have been working for 8 years)."
"Why an MD and not a PhD in clinical psych?"
"How do you feel about human cloning?"
"Do you know who is Dr. Kevorkian?"
"Do you read fiction? Have you read Harry Potter?"
"If your best friends were here, what would they say are your three greatest strengths? What would they said is your greatest weakness? "
"If your three best friends where here, what would they say your three greatest strengths are?"
"Do you know who Dr. Kevorkian is?"
"How do you feel your undergrad premeds have prepared you for med school?"
"Have you heard of Dr. Kavorkian?"
"Do you have any questions for me? "
"why mcv- from reading sdn, this is the key question they seem to always ask."
"What are some of your biggest concerns about the direction of medicine?"
"What do you do for fun/what books have you read recently?"
"What would you say are your strength/Weaknesses?"
"Why did you choose your undergraduate institution"
"why medicine"
"What do you think of stem cell research?"
"Why MCV?"
"When did you first know that medicine was the profession you wanted to pursue?"
"why a doctor?"
"What would you consider as the most important part of a cell?"
"Have you heard of Dr. Kevorkian?"
"What do you do for fun? "
"Cloning? "
"Describe your research experience."
"What is the motivation of a scientist who wants to make a human clone?"
"How do feel about stem cell research?"
"What health care experience do you have?"
"What did you gain most from your clinical experiences"
"Why do you want to come to VCU?"
"Are you patient or research oriented"
"why economics? (my major) what is it about econ and the associated thought processes that you like? "
"Do you know Kevorkian?"
"which school would i love to attend?"
"What led you to medicine?"
"Why did you choose VCU?"
"How will your religion relate to your role as a physician? (part of a larger conversation--I do medical volunteering with my church. Goes to show you--study your activities)."
"What do you think you will be doing in ten years?"
"Why VCU? "
"How was your childhood?"
"have you heard about kevorkian?"
"Have you heard of Kevorkian?"
"What would you do if you couldn't become a doctor"
"Tell me about a lysosome and its function?"
"What do you think about cloning?"
"EUTHANASIA?>."
"What is your motivation for becoming a doctor?"
"What do you do for fun?"
"If you couldn't be a doctor, what would you be?"
"Do you think your school has a drinking problem? a drug problem? How about compared to your high school?"
"what brought you to Va, and what do you like about your school?"
"What do you think about human cloning?"
"tell me about your research. "
"What did you think about the National Health Service hospitals in London?"
"I see on your application you wrote that you received this award. What exactly is that, and how did you receieve it. "
"What do you think of Cloning, Stem-cell research, euthanasia? Before my interview, I thought I would have a hard time with these questions but it really wasn't that bad. so dont worry, just read up on these topics before hand. :) "
"What do you think about Kavorkian?"
"what were your sat scores"
"What do you think of Dr. Kevorkian?"
"Describe my college."
"Describe your non-academic self in three sentences"
"What do you like to do for fun?"
"Why medicine?"
"What has been your favorite college class?"
"Tell me about your parents/siblings"
"Why VCU?"
"How do you deal with failiure"
"What do you think of Dr. Kavorkian?"
"Tell me about your current job."
"Describe mito DNA"
"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"
"what kind of books do you read?"
"What's your favorite book?"
"Talk about an experience in which you failed."
"Why MCV at VCU?"
"Tell me about your medical experiences."
"How do you think you will handle medical school given your current lifestyle (kids, spouse, etc)? Have you given that thought?"
"Should Marajuna be legalized and if so why?"
"Tell me about your [most recent medically-related activity]."
"Tell me about yourself and grwoing up."
"where do you want to practice? "
"How did you manage your time in undergraduate?"
"Why VCU/MCV? "
"What do you think of marijuana legalization?"
"Give me a history of your background and culture?"
"MMI"
"MMI scenario"
"MMI scenarios"
"Ethical question."
"tell me about the last time you apologized"
""Imagine you are in family practitioner and a nurse tells you that the next patient you are about to see is very clearly upset, possibly hysterical. Tell me how you would interact with this patient.""
"What is one thing you failed?"
"Describe a time you faced adversity? How did you handle it?"
"What is a great memory you have from *specific volunteer activity*?"
"Tell me about a challenge that you foresee having in medical school."
"Why VCU? Why Medicine? Research? Updates? Leadership? Clinical? Just the usual interview questions."
"Discuss a time when you encountered a challenge working with a group."
"Have you ever had an uncomfortable experience interacting with other cultures"
"talk about a time you received criticism"
"Tell me about your research. (Asked very conversationally)."
"What was the most challenging part of your research?"
"What do you do if a patient is being irrational?"
"Tell me about a time when you had to deal with someone you disliked and how you dealt with it"
"Tell me about a time you worked on a team and someone had a difference of opinion. Did you assimilate that person's view into your own?"
"Talk about a stressful situation and you've learned from it."
"Why VCU? Explain what this profession means to you. How did your advocacy experience help prepare you for a career in this field? Any questions? Tell me about yourself. What is an ethical dilemma you've faced recently? How will you handle moving across the country? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What do you want to specialize in? What do you like about VCU? What will be the hardest thing for you if you're accepted? The easiest? What do you do for fun?"
"What are your greatest strengths?"
"Discuss a clinical experience that affected the kind of physician you want to be."
"What types of doctors did you shadow?"
"Mainly, my interviewer (MSIV) had thoroughly read my file and we just went through step by step all my experiences and application. It was a great format to showcase your application and gives them a good picture of what you are about."
"Have you interviewed anywhere else? Where have you been accepted?"
"What do you think about the current state of healthcare in the US?"
"What will happen when you change your mind six months into this?"
"What are you reading?"
"Tell me about your (Extracurricular Activities)"
"Describe a time where you held a leadership role, or a leadership experience - not necessarily a title."
"Do you know what is going on with the current health care reform? What do you think of it?"
"One thing you have learned about medicine from your shadowing experiences"
"What books have you recently read?"
"Many things very specific to my application, ecs, etc."
"What specialties are you interested in? "
"What was your most challenging undergraduate science course?"
"What have you been doing since graduation?"
"When you are not studying and working, what other activities do you enjoy doing?"
"How do you take care of you?"
"How would you like me to present you to the committee?"
"Describe your biggest challenge."
"How have you prepared for a career in medicine?"
"How do you see yourself in 10 years?"
"What's wrong with the U.S. healthcare system."
"With the upcoming election, what do you think about the candidates' stances on healthcare reform?"
"What is your greatest weakness/strengths?"
"What would your friends say are your biggest weaknesses and strengths."
"Strengths/weaknesses? Why VCU?"
"Describe yourself."
"What's the latest book you read?"
"Weakest point?"
"What sacrifices will you have to make in order to successfully complete medical school?"
"Your biggest achilles heel?"
"Are there any weaknesses in your file that you would want to explain to the admissions committee?"
"What specialty are you thinking you want to practice?"
"Why did you move around so much? (My family just likes to move.)"
"I little bit about stem cells, cloning, and the recent breakthrough"
"We also talked about my secondary, one of which was about my impressions of the different specialties. Overall, can't remember specific questions. Just A LOT of them :)"
"What qualities do you possess that would make you a good Dr."
"Why MCV?"
"Do you do research? Are you interested in going into research?"
"What would your best friend say is your three greatest strengths and your greatest weaknesses? "
"Why Virginia"
"Several questions about my graduate degree (types of courses, GPA, etc)"
"What would your friends say about you? "
"How would you contribute to your class?"
"Please explain your MCAT verbal score."
"What do you think about the SOLs (Standards of Learning, benchmarks used in Virginia public schools)?"
"N/A"
"Tell me what you did in undergrate school. What you liked about it and what not. "
"What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of your application?"
"why do people in Egypt distrust the health care system? (i did volunteer/research work there)"
"What would you do if you don't go to medical school this year"
"Tell me about your professional experiences."
"If you are accepted, how will your presence benefit the school and other students?"
"tell me about some of our hobbies"
"Are you married?"
"What do you think about our health care system?"
"Stressful situation and how you dealt with it"
"Why do you want to get the PhD? Why not just an MD and do research?"
"What was the best day of your life?"
"How will you deal with a diverse patient population? (ie how will you become culturally competent)"
"Do you read any fiction? Have you read any of the Harry Potter books?? Dr. Brooks loves Harry Potter."
"Tell me about your research."
"What do you think you will lose out on if you attend medical school? What would you do if you did not get an acceptance this year?"
"Why VCU? What will you add to VCU? "
"What would you like to change about yourself? What are your strengths?"
"Describe an experience that was stressful and how you handled it."
"Describe an event in your life that was unexpected/distressing and how it impacted you."
"Biggest issue in healthcare."
"Why VCU? Any questions for me? They liked these."
"Describe what you are doing in this year off."
"How would you sleep at night if you were to euthanize a patient?"
"What made you change your major from music to anthropology?"
"You look hot and sweaty. Want to take your jacket off?"
"What are your concerns about the future of medicine?"
"Is there an alcohol problem at your undergrad? Drug problem?"
"Do you have any questions for me?"
"Who has influenced you the most in your life?"
"Tell me about your best friend."
"Tell me about X experience."
"Politics and healthcare... is politics too involved? (my interviewer seemed to think so, and I also agree) More of an opinion question than testing knowledge."
"Talk about (lots of details of my app...mainly extracurriculars)"
"Why did you transfer?"
"Describe your clinical experiences."
"What research experiences do you have"
"Why isn't your GPA higher?"
"What do you like to do for fun?"
"What would you do if you couldn't do medicine"
"Family"
"how would you have dealt with the situation with your roommate differently if you could? regarding a drug abuse situation"
"harry potter"
"Why are you interested in attending VCU and living in Richmond?"
"Why medicine etc, what do you do to relax, etc. "
"What do you like about MCV/VCU?"
"What do you feel is the weakest park of your app, and how would you explain it?"
"How do you like having Arnold Schwarzenegger as your governor? (I'm from California)"
"What do you think of Stem cell research?"
"Have you heard of Dr. Kevorkian?"
"Describe your family."
"In your mind, what is your one greatest weakness?"
"Mostly questions about my AMCAS and secondary."
"How do you plan to incorporate family life into the career of a surgeon?"
"Why do you want to be a doctor exactly?"
"What will you do if you don't get in?"
"what would you do differently with your education? "
"I know the committee will ask, so how would you like me to present your first year grades to the committee? "
"Any questions about VCU? again & again."
"Would you consider doing research or teaching once you get your MD?"
"What are you values"
"explain your research/clinical experiences."
"Why did you give up your career to go into medicine?"
"What do you think the US could do to increase access to medical care?"
"If your best friend were here right now and I asked him for your three greatest strengths and one greatest weakness, what would he say?"
"grades and MCAT question"
"Why I chose the undergraduate school that I did?"
"Personal questions related to my extracurriculars"
"Questions regarding my amcas application"
"Tell me about your clinical experience. "
"Specific experiences from application"
"Do you think that those people are in the ER who need to be at the doctor's office?"
"Have you heard about Kevorkian? The rest was just stuff from my file."
"What other things have you done?"
"What area of medicine are you considering?"
"What was the defining moment in your life that made you know that medicine was the right career for you"
"Tell me about XXX class you took as an undergrad."
"Why do you want to practice medicine?"
"Why do you want to go to MCV?"
"what do you think the biggest problem with healthcare is today?"
"What do you think about cloning?"
"my major"
"Do you have any questions?"
"Are you considering any other schools?"
"What would you do if you could not become a doctor?"
"How do you deal with stress? (this was asked me in interview after interview in many schools--know your answer to this like the back of your hand)"
"What do you do in your free time?"
"Will you like living in Richmond?"
"What would you do if we reject you?"
"tell me about your family."
"Do you think there was a drug problem at your high school?"
"What will you do to de stress during med school"
"Where does mitochondrial DNA come from?"
"Tell me about this activity: (something from my AMCAS)"
"SCHOOL HAS DRUG PROBLEM?"
"How do your parents feel about you attending medical school?"
"What is your opinion on issues like cloning and stem cell research?"
"Why medicine?"
"Do you like to read- what types of books? What do you do for exercise? What do you think about human cloning? stem cell research? Kevorkian?"
"what information would you like me to present to the board?"
"General questions about my AMCAS information."
"Have you read Harry Potter?"
"ethics questions about organ donation (i work in the field), stem cell research, euthanasia, abortion"
"Do you think a socialized medicine system would work in this country?"
"I see that you volunteered "here". Tell me more. "
"What do you think about human cloning? About cloning human organs and selling them to people who can afford them? "
"what do you do for fun?"
"Do you know about HMO's and health insurance?"
"Did I know what VMI was?"
"Wht volunteer experiences do you have?"
"How did you get to this point? What led you to apply to med school? Is there anything in your app that you'd like to explain?"
"Describe your clinical experience? "
"Tell me a little about yourself."
"What do you do for fun on weekends?"
"Describe your clinical and research experiences. "
"What is different with your application this year than last year."
"What kind of books do you like to read?"
"What are you looking for in a medical school?"
"What brought you to your undergraduate school?"
"what do you think about stem cell research, human cloning, euthanasia, etc..?"
"Why VCU?"
"Tell me about where you are working?"
"Tell me about your clinical research experiences."
"Why didn't you consider medicine earlier?"
"What do you think of organ transplantation and organ buy (meaning, paying people for thier organs)?"
"Why do you want to change careers?"
"do you have any regrets about college? "
"What experiences did you have while studying abroad?"
"Where do you see yourself in ten years?"
"Explain your volunteer work."
"MMI scenario"
"How would you go about picking 4 classmates to work with for a group project? You have 2 class sessions to mingle with each other before deciding on your group members."
"Talk about a time you faced failure"
"mmi ethical questions"
"MMI scenarios"
"If you wanted to plan a vacation with your friends, how would you plan it? and then proceeded to ask every detail about this hypothetical planned vacation."
""What activities and honor societies were you involved in during high school?" (Yes, my interviewer asked me about my high school experience- including class rank and GPA- which surprised me. But I suppose he wanted to know more about my educational background)"
"Are you financially independent"
"How have you changed since you started college?"
"Tell me about your hobbies."
"Discuss a time you misjudged someone."
"how did you work with a teammate that wasnt pulling their weight"
"Tell me about a time when you were judgmental about someone else."
"Tell me something about you that is not in your application."
"Would a single-payer system fix the healthcare system?"
"Tell me about something you have seen in the news recently that was interesting to you and why"
"Talk about a person that was particularly hard to deal with and how you learned from it."
"Name 5 things you can do with a pencil other than use it to write/draw with. (not even kidding)"
"Talk about a patient you have seen who sticks out in your mind."
"They asked me about how I might incorporate research into my career, since I have a pretty extensive background in research."
"Tell me how you got here."
"Have you ever been discriminated against?"
"Who was the most influential person of the 20th century?"
"Describe a situation where you experienced negative feedback, how it affected you, etc."
"Question 1"
"None."
"More questions: What medical experience impacted you the most? What will you do if you don't get accepted this year? What do you like to do when you have some free time?"
"Do you have problems with diversity?"
"What are you reading? "
"nothing was very interesting"
"Do you know what is going on with the current health care reform? What do you think of it?"
"One thing you have learned about medicine from your shadowing experiences"
"What is the capital of Brazil? Argentina? "
"Tell me about a time you stood up for someone."
"Describe a time when you felt in over your head. How did you deal with that? "
"What do you anticipate being the most difficult part of medical school? Of being a doctor?"
"What are some of the most interesting things that you have seen during your experience as a scribe?"
"How do you take care of you?"
"Tell me about your family."
"All very interesting and challenging, but excellent in making me think about medicine!"
"What is the most influential patient encounter you have had?"
"How would you feel if starting tomorrow morning, government had full control over the healthcare system?"
"Why were you in a hedge fund?"
"With the upcoming election, what do you think about the candidates' stances on healthcare reform?"
"Tell me about the best experience of your life."
"How would you fix the healthcare system."
"Why do you want to practice surgery (since I had an interest)?"
"When asked whether they would choose a career in medicine again, 40% of physicians said no. Why do you think that is?"
"I was interviewed by a physician in his office. Most interviews are performed by physicians and then they present you to the admissions committee on Monday afternoons. Therefore the whole point of the interview is to get to know you so that they can present you to the board. We had a friendly conversation in which he went over my AMCAS file and activities. No stress."
"How can you gain the knowledge necessary to work with patients from a different cultural/socioeconomic background as you?"
" Something healthcare related, I cant remember exactly."
"I said I enjoyed googling strange/interesting facts and she asked me what is the most interesting answer/thing you have found on line. I blanked for a second but talked about looking up stuff on Sicko and the other side of the issue..I wish I had remembered some of the cooler/more interesting stuff I have learned."
"Who won the 2010 FIFA Player of the year award? (After I mentioned I liked soccer)"
"She kept asking me about my religion major, and what I studied. However, she became defensive when we discussed my concentration. Plus, she was negative regarding my basic science research background, she preferred a more clinical approach to medicine."
"About my particular experiences"
"Not an interesting question, but my interviewer showed me pictures of his family, and it turned out that I had a literature class with his daughter."
"What was your gpa in high school? SAT's? WHat were you ranked in your high school class? (who remembers that stuff?)"
"How I could tell that I had gained the trust of the autistic child that I was teaching."
"I was asked about the photo I submitted to the admissions committee."
"Who's the governor of your state? Who are the senators? (apparently he asked the interviewee after me the same questions)"
"What would you contribute to your class?"
"Who is your favorite author?"
"Would you participate in physician-assisted suicide?"
"nothing really. No ethical questions. "
"Nothing really. Was only asked ''Why medicine'' and ''Why VCU'', and the rest of the time we chatted."
"What makes you think you're capable of succeeding in medical school?"
"What's your favorite Beethoven symphony?"
"what would your best friend describe you as and what would they say you needed to work on? "
"Describe your life?"
"PHD: You appear to be a great candidate, why are you interviewing so late in the season? Lab: You have been involved with RNAi, is there any advice you can give on problems you have ran into?"
"Arn't your opinions on Globalization seem too idealistic? (My essay was on globalization)"
"How well do you deal with stress?"
"Tell me about your mcat experience"
"The interviewer asked what area I would most likely choose to relocate to in order to be closer to school."
"How would you, as a physician, deal with cultural sensitivities?"
"What is my favorite book and why?"
"All basic questions...why do u want to be a doctor, what is your def of professionalism etc...mainly just talked about my EC activities....my interviewer seemed to know me better than i knew myself haha! very impressed"
"To be honest, all of the questions were very generic."
"Does your school have an alcohol problem? I wanted to ask: What school doesn't? "
"What non-science class did you like the best?"
"tell me about your family"
"All pretty much standard questions, why medicine, tell me about yourself, etc."
"Where do you see yourself in 20 years?"
"What would you do if you found out your friends in your Anatomy class have the answers to an upcoming exam?"
"Is there an alcohol problem at your undergrad? How bout a drug problem? What would you say is your strongest muscle (my application is all about weight-lifting)?"
"nothing really...the interviewer mostly asked questions about my application. She hadnt read it, so she wanted me to pretty much repeat everything I had written."
"Tell me more about racially-charged atmosphere at your undergraduate univerisity."
"What sacrifices are you willing to make for a career in medicine?"
"If a terminally ill patient asked you to NOT tell his family about his condition, would you keep it private?"
"How do you deal with an emotionally scarring event in your life?"
"Have I ever dealt with the long term care of any critically ill patients?"
" What are your thoughts about physician assisted suicide?"
"Nothing was very difficult. Basic information on my research, experiences, and interests."
"My interviewer asked me a lot of questions about my high school experience...grades, AP/IB scores, clubs/sports I did...I just thought it was odd."
"What do you like this "
"What is the biggest issue in healthcare in the US? "
"Have you read any books lately? Can you tell me about it?"
"Do you believe in genes? What do you feel about the recent Supreme Court nominations (when Alito was just nominated)"
"If you were to die tomorrow, what would your tombstone say?"
"Wasn't asked any ethical questions. Mostly conversational, asking me about my experiences."
"Do you think that patients of different ethnic backgrounds also have differences in the quality of medical care that they recieve?"
"What do you think about physician assisted suicide?"
"How are you prepared to face the future of medicine (rising health care costs, increasing uninsured, etc.)? "
"What are your views on Euthanasia. This prompted a disscussion about what a physician's role is as a healthcare provider, and also about the leaglity of the Oregon law (which I was fairly familiar with). Just FYI, it was recently upheld by the supreme court."
"How would a friend describe you?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary."
"none really"
"Tell me about your Family?"
"Have you read Harry Potter? (I think it's a question that only this particular doctor asks b/c he loves the books)"
"the ethical questions because I am a person who values both sides of the issue"
"Have you read any good books recently?"
"Tell me about your childhood? (I have never been asked such a personal question)"
"Nothing too "interesting" per se."
"Describe your value/belief system to me."
"Have you read any of the Harry Potter books? "
"What was the most interesting book you've read?"
"How do you feel about the Supreme Court nominations?"
"How do you like your Governor? (I’m from CA) "
"How are you going to get to know a patient, or get an accurate patient history if only given 10 minutes?"
"Do you read Harry Potter? I didn't but I've been muscled by friends, family, and now a renowned cardiothoracic surgeon to read the series, and so now I will likely read it."
"What was it like to transition in between volunteer work in underserved areas and high-end retail shops? "
"Have you read the Harry Potter books?"
"What would have made you cared more about your illness when you were 14. (I was diagnosed with IBD at 14 and didn't comply with doctors orders. I discussed this in my AMCAS essay.)"
"What are your values?"
"Have you ever read the Harry Potter books?"
"What was the last fiction you have read?"
"With what happen in New Orleans I'm sure you wouldnt want to be in the midst of such devastation(Not the exact words but thats what it came down to) I took it as some sort of trap question."
"What is a negative characteristic of a physician that you have observed? (This was after being asked what are good traits of doctors you've observed, either in a foreign country or as a patient.)"
"What do you think about the legalization of marijuana?"
"How do you plan to incorporate family life into the career of a surgeon? It was all nice and conversational."
"What kind of writing do you do?"
"What do you like to read?"
"If you were the surgeon general, what health issue would you pursue first and why?"
"The questions were specific to my file with one open-ended question about the the state of medicine. I interviewed with a 4th year who was very enthusiastic about the school and about the things I had done. We had a lot in common so the whole inteview was basically a great conversation with occasional questions thrown in."
"What do you do for fun?"
"Asked me about a book I had recently read. Talked about my background, living in another country during a Civil War. What inspired me to become a doctor. "
"What are your values, what makes you tick"
"everything was pretty basic...a lot of personal stuff. "
"Have you read Harry Potter? (No, I'm not joking)"
"What is the greatest challenge facing ER departments? (I've spent a lot of time in the ER and also worked as an EMT)."
"What made your experience in Fraternity and Sorority Life so different than the sterotypical experience?"
"What do you like to read?-I guess"
"about my grades and if i feel i could succeed at VCU/MCV"
"What would you consider as the most important part of a cell? We talked about my answer for a brief time afterward."
"Do you agree with Dr. Kevorkian's practices?"
"Have you read Harry Potter?"
"What is the last book you read?"
"What books have you read recently?"
"Do you think there was a drinking problem at your high school, college?"
"How do you think the government can encourage doctors to practice in rural states?"
"Do you think same gender education should be adopted?"
"Are you into Harry Potter? "
"Nothing was too interesting. All of the questions were really basic."
"All standard questions"
"Describe your best friend and why you're friends with them"
"all pretty run of the mill, talked about my education and experiences living in a variety of different places, nothing particularily interesting though"
"How would you describe your value system?"
"If your best were here, what would he or she say about you?"
"Where does MCV rank on your top 5 list of medical schools."
"many physicians feel that government and insurance policies limit their ability to practice. why is it that you want to enter this field in the midst of such difficulties? what will you do to overcome them?"
"Do you feel that profootball players get paid too much? (This was part of a LONG conversation about my college playing career)"
"my spirituality?? caught me off guard."
"What do you know about the recent Nobel Prize winners?"
"None. All were pretty basic "get to know you" questions."
"How do you deal with failure and set-backs?"
"What is your favorite foreign film? (part of a larger conversation)"
"What is your favorite are period?"
"Why medicine?"
"Nothing unusual. Tell me about X experience type of questions."
"By the way this interview is for the "Prefer Applicants", a sort of Guaranteed Admission to their medical school when you are a sophomore. From what I heard, this is pretty much their real interview tactic also. How was your childhood? (That was the most interesting question ever)"
"What's your favorite football team?"
"Do you like Harry Potter?"
"What was the most interesting class you've taken outside of medical/bio courses"
"why can't you be some other profession and help peeps out"
"Why do you want to leave california and come here?"
"capitol of the south, history"
"What is your favorite part of the cell?"
"mainly generic, unfocused ethical questions like: "what do you think about stem cell research?""
"HOW U FEEL ABOUT CLONING"
"interview was standard"
"What has your family taught you about giving back to society, and as a physician how do you plan to be involved in your community?"
"What do you do at your place of work?"
"In your religion (Hinduism), is there anything that might propose or oppose issues like cloning or stem cell research?"
"Why are you sitting here in front of me? (In other words, what brought you to apply to Medical School?)"
"Do you think that your high school or college had more of a drug problem?"
"what is the best type of wine that washington state makes? (this was in reference to a wine class that i had taken) "
"Did you notice anything new about the security at the airport?"
"What do you think about Kevorkian?"
"What do you think will motivate the first scientist to produce a human clone?"
"what do you know about kevorkian and what do think about his philosophies?"
"None"
"What would you do if a patient came in without insurance and couldn't pay for prescriptions?"
"Do you think a socialized medicine system would work in this country? (in response to a discussion of my volunteer work in England)"
"Is there anything at all on your application that you want me (the interviewer) to make sure is expressed to the admissions committee? "
"what do you think will happen if the government started paying people to donate organs?"
"What do you think of the current financial market? Its was understandable b/c i was in working in banking/investment for a number of years b/f i decided to re-pursue medicine again."
"Basic questions...why medicine?"
"What is the one thing the U.S. has done to turn the Middle East against us?"
"what do u feel about cloning humans"
"Do you think students at your undergrad have a binge drinking problem?"
"Describe the bull fights in Madrid."
"How has working in hospitals abroad changed your outlook on the American medical system?"
"What are your SAT scores? If my interviewer had my file like he was supposed to, he would already know."
"How do you parents feel about you entering medicine?"
"none out of the ordinary"
"What was the most recent book you read?"
"Conversational, asked me about my file"
"The questions were all pretty straightforward, and standard. "
"Tell me about yourself."
"What kind of job can a blind person have?"
"You were a bio major, tell me about cellular respiration and ATP generation."
"Why don't you like the Red Sox?"
"What do you think about the situation in the world today? Should we go to war with Iraq?"
"Did you read Harry Potter?"
"Talk about an experience in your life in which you failed."
"If your best friend was sitting next to you, what would she say about you?"
"What do you think of (insert current medical topic here)?"
"Describe yourself and then tell me about your application?"
"What are you the most worried about for med school?"
"My interview was very conversational, no questions out of the ordinary."
"I was asked a scientific question about mitochondrial DNA."
"if you were stranded on a desert island, what (other than survival items) would you want to bring with you?"
"Tell me how you got there today."
"Nothing really. How would you fix the current healthcare dilemma?"
"What do you make of stem-cell research?"
"In regards to your religion, how would you pray with a patient in the ER who is of another religion and does not believe in your God and may even be against it?"
"Tell me about your artistic endevors"
"Difficulty was balanced between questions. In other words, there weren't specific questions that stood out to be more difficult or easier than the others."
"MMI scenario"
"What responsibility do you have to the homeless population as a physician?"
"laid back"
"MMI scenarios"
"name the last time you had to apologize (i just hadn't planned for this one)"
""Who is the most influential person in history and why?" I'm not a huge history buff but I answered the question and was able to defend my (cliched) answer!"
""We often receive reviews during rotations. What would your reviewer say about you?""
"What is something that your future attending physician or resident would rate you negatively on?"
"Nothing difficulty. Explain this GPA. What will you do if you are not accept?"
"None- all questions were pretty basic behavioral questions."
"(same as #1) talk about a time when you helped someone in a crisis"
"Tell me about a challenge you faced, how you overcame it, what you learned from it, and how you applied that lesson in a subsequent situation. Despite the 'difficulty' of this question, my interviewer was very friendly about it and we "conversed" through my response."
"Tell me about a conflict you had."
"Tell me about your "Aha!" moment for fairness and justice. (I'm still not even entirely sure what he meant by this)"
"Tell me about a time when you misjudged someone"
"Tell me about an experience you have had where you had an "ahh ha" moment reaffirming that medicine is the right path for you."
"Talk about a person that was particularly hard to deal with and how you learned from it."
"Name your most memorable patient (from my advocacy experience as an HIV prevention counselor); a lot of in depth questions about that and hypothetical situations stemming from the one test I talked about."
"Name an example of when you were in an ethical dilemma. How did you handle it?"
"What would your advice be to Congress on Obamacare? How should physicians have presented their side during the debate?"
"They asked me the proverbial "Why medicine?" question multiple times, and it was almost as if they were debating my answers each time."
"What do you think of Obamacare? How would you fix the healthcare system?"
"Any mistakes?"
"Who was the most influential person of the 20th century?"
"What would you like me to tell the adcoms"
"There were no difficult questions, but don't come off as a pigeon-holed pre-med person. Be aware of issues in healthcare, show that you care about your community and that your scope is wider than being a premed."
"What would you say to a co-worker who is a close friend if you noticed a lot of recent heavy drinking? What would you say to a patient who presented with a hx of chronic alcohol abuse?"
"????......there weren't any questions that were not adversarial"
"What was one patient from your clinical experience that stood out in mind?"
"Name your top SEVEN strengths?"
"What has been your most influential medical experience?"
"Tell me a time where you were over yourself, meaning you were in a situation you could not control."
"I didn't think they were too difficult"
"What is your greatest weakness? and another? and another? and another? and another?......"
"None stand out"
"How did you feel when you didn't get into medical school the first time around? "
"If your best friend were sitting here, what three things would they say about you?"
"What other schools have you interviewed at? (difficult because i think this is information that might influence an interviewer's perception of a student in an unnecessary way)"
"So you've told me the problems in healthcare, and what you should do to fix it, but HOW would you go about doing so?"
"There weren't any."
"What would you tell a patient who is dying? (I brought up the subject of patient death myself)."
"Not difficult, but some awkward ones: "Have you cheated before? Would you tell me if you did?" "Do you pre-judge people?""
"What do you think about the current situation of health care?"
"How would you fix the health care system"
"None, to be honest. It was very relaxed."
"What does the term "cultural diversity" mean to you?"
"How would you describe the art of healing?"
"Explaining any weaknesses in your application."
"What are some more of your strengths?"
"What are your thoughts on medical malpractice? (when I asked her to clarify, she just repeated the question.)"
"Nothing too difficult"
"Tell me about a stressful situation and how you dealt with it."
"What are you willing to give up to go to medical school?"
"What would I do if I could not be a doctor."
"What do you think is the biggest weakness in the US Healthcare system?"
"What unique quality do you think you have that no other applicant has?"
" Would you participate in a patient suicide? What is your opinion on embryonic stem cells?"
"Same as most interesting. He also asked something about why I think I'd make a good doctor."
"Why do you want to come to the U.S. to study? "
"Explain your verbal MCAT score (or other weak points in application)."
"see above. There were a barrage of ethical questions, stem cells, medical marijuana, undergraduate alcohol abuse..."
"Role-play how you would deal with a patient who refuses the best treatment and insists on an unnecessary alternative."
"sooooo...your gpa went a little down this past semester...what happened? "
"Describe your life?"
"MD: The person who reviewed your file indicated a problem in your secondary. They wondered why you raised some family issues, how does this apply to medicine? PHD: Tell me how working as an undergraduate differs from working as a lab technician, walk me through the steps you would go through to design an experiment."
"Why VCU?"
"What are your weaknesses?"
"Nothing really...pretty run-of-the-mill questions"
"Specific questions about my grades and MCAT score"
"no tough questions"
"Again, nothing was particularly difficult so I'll say ''Why did you pick MCV specifically?'' (EVERY school asks this question)"
"Some specifics about my research that I did in my Freshman year.. 6 years ago..."
"None really... pretty laid back the whole time."
"How are you prepared to deal with cultural differences? (not too difficult)"
"some very specific questions about my research, since one of the interviewers works in a very similar field"
"What is a weakness you have? And another? And another?"
"Describe a stressful situation you've experienced and how you dealt with it."
"Do you know anything about stem cell research?"
"Tell me about yourself."
"The one stated above."
"What is a weakness that you possess? Are there any medically sensitive issues that you would like to talk about and why?"
" What are your thoughts on stem cell research?"
"Nothing was difficult."
"Why is your verbal score so low?"
"Nothing particularly difficult, it was more of a conversation."
"Where have you demonstrated leadership?"
"questions regarding my feelings on the lack of health insurance and the controversy over physician assisted suicide."
"Argue for euthanasia.."
"He asked me about my weaknesses, and when he didn't like one of my responses he told me to think of another one."
"How do you think that anthropology fits into medicine?"
"Do you understand what I am trying to ask you?"
"How would you increase the chances of young people staying in rural areas instead of moving away to find better opportunity?"
"None were especially difficult. I think they were intended more to encourage conversation than to intimidate or forcefully extract information."
"What would you do if your peers/colleagues disagree with your political views (regarding abortion)?"
"Nothing too difficult."
"Are you ready to make the switch from NYC to Richmond, Virginia? Yes, I know you're supposed to make it seem like they're your 1st choice. But still. It's hard to lie. "
"Your MCAT score is high, why then does your GPA not seem to correspond to it?"
"What is your opinion of euthanasia? (It is legal in Oregon)"
"Favorite movie "
"None; all very standard questions"
"above (I hadn't)"
"A question about the ethics of genetic engineering of humans."
"No difficult questions."
"Describe your value/belief system to me."
"Your standardized test scores are very high...so what's up with the grades?"
"Why isn't your GPA higher considering you did well on the SAT and MCAT?"
"Why the change to Medicine?"
"How do you feel about the Supreme Court nominations?"
"How would you fix the healthcare system?"
"nothing difficult"
"Nothing difficult. Very relaxed conversation."
"None really, but I always hate this one "Tell me about yourself...""
"Stem-cell research, medicinal marijuana, assisted suicide etc. Lots of this stuff. "
"I wasn't asked any overly difficult questions. I'm a non-traditional applicant (graduated college in 1994) so we really discussed my professional career and why the change to medicine now."
"Nothing really, it was mostly just stuff about my file and extracurriculars."
"Do you think your undergraduate institution had an alcohol problem?"
"Have you read Harry Potter? (I didn't read any of it so I couldn't discuss in depth with my interviewer. My interviewer was nice enough to discuss his opinions about it)"
"Explain your verbal score in the MCAT"
"Explain your verbal reasoning score compared to the sciences."
"How do you see your weakness fitting in with a medical career?"
"What is your view on stem cell research?"
"What do you think of euthanasia?"
"Explain your weak undergrad grades. "
"Why should MCV take you over all other out of state applicants, some of whom may have worked with doctors without borders or other activities, what unique trait separates you from them all?"
"About my GPA freshman year- I had a bad semester."
"Explain this grade."
"None were difficult, no ethical questions (I was expecting those). Asked how we can get doctors to practice in rural areas in need of physicians. Another person being interviewed was asked to make a decision regarding a heart transplant between a convicted felon or a 42 year old mother. After she gave her response the interviewer changed the question and asked if the answer would still be the same if you knew the mother was abusing her children. "
"What are your values, what makes you tick"
"What do you think about the legalization of marijuana?"
"Nothing really, the interview was very laid back and conversational."
"No real difficult questions."
"None too difficult really-run of the mill"
"specific questions about my work "
"There were no difficult questions. We talked about hobbies, activities, and jobs listed in the AMCAS application, the reason for why I am pursuing medicine, and life in Virginia (especially the traffic). "
"What is your opinion on stem-cell research?"
"What do you do for fun? (not difficult)"
"None were really diffifult"
"Irani government is involved in selling organs. Do you think U.S. should adopt this policy?"
"Again, nothing was too difficult."
"What is the greatest problem in healthcare (This question came up for me because I currently bill health insurance)"
"The "whys" after every question. The interviewer pretty much disagreed with everything I had to say and shot down every answer"
"I didn't find any of the questions particularily challenging or difficult, my interview was pretty laid back and conversational although some other interviewers did get slammed with ethical questions so definitely be prepared."
"Based on the genomics project you did (in high school), how do you think that advancements such as these will affect the future of medicine."
"Could you help a person to commit physician-assisted suicide?"
"Tell me about your religious background."
"i had read this site, and none of his questions were beyond those listed among others' experiences, so i wasnt unprepared for any of them/found none of the ?s difficult."
"see above"
"What's the receptor mechanism of your research system?"
"Tell me about when you were a "team player"."
"Didn't really ask anything terribly difficult, he mainly just asked me to elaborate on my file."
"What do you feel is the physician's responsibility to indigents or illegal immigrants who do not have access to health care? (I answered that it the physician had the right to care for all, especially in emergency situations, and that medical care is a fundamental right, not a privilege. For this interviewer, that was the correct answer.)"
"They were all ok"
"Nothing really."
"N/A"
"What is your greatest weakness?"
"Explain your first semester Ochem grade"
"why would you go here over xxx"
"Explain my verbal score on the CATs"
"an ethics problem"
"TELL ME ABOUT EUTHANASIA/ KEVORKIAN"
"nothing"
"Question about Glycolysis."
"[Luckily I researched this question beforehand; however, if I didn't, it would have been the hardest.] What are your feelings on cloning and stem cell research?"
"What is the "red flag" that you would mark on your application?"
"None really"
"i didn't have any particularly difficult questions. i had purposely researched several bioethical topics in preparation for this interview, but i didn't get asked any questions on controversial topics, it was just generally about me. It was just hard to direct the conversation in the direction of topics i wanted to make sure that he knew about. "
"Do you think the government should be involved in selling organs?"
"Should the US adopt a policy to compensate or subsidize organ donors?"
"Are you any good at squash?"
"see above."
"What is the f-stop on your camera? (Accusing me of lying about liking photography.)"
"Bioethics questions. Not really hard but definetly know your stance on these topics. "
"None, interviewer was my advocate to the board and just wanted to get to know me in order to accurately defend or push in the board."
"Does the Koran teach militant aggression?"
"what would u do if u couldn't be doctor"
"Do you think the U.S. should clone organs, and sell them to people who can afford them?"
"How is the drug problem at your college vs. your high school?"
"Do you think society is ready for the human applications of cloning? If not, what conditions would need to be present for society to be ready."
"Is there anything in your file that you would like to explain? Kind of open ended."
"Why do you want to be a doctor?"
"If you had a patient who refused to take your advice to change his/her lifestyle and was suffering because of it, what would you say to him/her?"
"no difficult questions"
"Why did your grades fall off in your senior year?"
"Can you explain your verbal score?"
"What do you know about mitochondrial DNA"
"What's the goal for your research?"
"What do you know about mitochondrial DNA?"
"What do you think about euthanasia and human cloning? (He asked almost all of the recent bioethics question.)"
"What's your favorite book/what book have you read most recently (1-I blanked and couldn't remember any of the 20 books piled next to my bed that I use to read myself to sleep, and 2-Thought Harry Potter would sound really, really bad)"
"Explain your low writing sample score."
"What are your three best qualities? What is your weakness?"
"If you think cloning should be banned, should stem cells be potentially used to grow replacement organs, if possible?"
"What do you think of Dr. Kavorkian?"
"Same"
"None."
"the question on how to know for sure that MTDNA comes from the mother."
"did you interview at uva? what did you think?"
"None"
"Nothing really. I was also asked about my freshman year of undergrad because my grades during my first year SUCKED!!!!!!"
"Same as above"
"In regards to your religion, how would you pray with a patient in the ER who is of another religion and does not believe in your God and may even be against it?"
"explain your orgo grades (asked in a nice way ;-)"
"Prepping “why medicine” and basic MMI questions/practice"
"Online MMI practice"
"SDN, consumed informative resources pertaining to MMIs, studied medical ethics, made flashcards. Practice expressing out loud."
"MMI practice, SDN questions"
"I researched the school, but this was not necessary as they did not ask "why us""
"interview prep book, mock interview, sdn"
"mmi prep book"
"Rehearsed my elevator pitch on who I am, fun facts, why medicine, and why VCU"
"MMI practice book, Youtube"
"Youtube MMI advice and reading up on MMI (information from the makers of the MMI)"
"Youtube!"
"this site, the vcu site, my secondary application"
"Read over some ethics cases on the AMA Journal of Ethics, read over my primary and secondary applications briefly as a refresher, but other than that nothing too intensive."
"This site"
"Reviewed my AMCAS/ secondary, Looked over the website, etc."
"Mock interviews, having bullet points for my work and volunteer activities"
"SDN interview feedback and private interview coach"
"Classic interview prep."
"SDN Interview Feedback"
"sdn questions were the best. read over amcas"
"Read questions on SDN, researched the school."
"SDN, school website, review application"
"Looked over healthcare policy, reviewed information about VCU SOM and Richmond, reread my application and essays."
"read my AMCAS"
"AMCAS review, answered SDN interview prep questions, and practiced with a friend."
"studentdoctor.net, flash cards, prepared answers, researched faculty and school"
"SDN, lots of practice questions with friends, reviewed primary and secondary applications, VCU website"
"Read past questions, practice interviews"
"Read over my application and my secondary, mock interviews, read online bios of my interviewers."
"SDN feedback"
"SDN, school website, read AMCAS and secondary"
"Read SDN, VCU website"
"School website, SDN interview feedback, MSAR"
"Researched school's website, re-read AMCAS, spoke with students at the school prior to arriving"
"Reviewed AMCAS/supplemental apps. Read Jeremiah Fleenor's book, The Medical School Interview: Secrets and a System for Success (and I highly recommend it). Read recent articles about healthcare. Reviewed biomedical ethics notes from undergrad. "
"reviewed primary and secondary, looked at school's website"
"Read this, read over PS and secondary essay."
"Read VCU website, AMCAS material, spoke to friends about the school"
"SDN, AMCAS"
"Reread AMCAS, personal statement, secondary essay, interview feedback"
"SDN, school website, virtual tour, practiced in front of a mirror"
"MSAR, School website, SDN, health care reading"
"SND, practiced questions "
"Read SDN interview feedback, thought about why I wanted to go to med school. Other than that, not too much."
"VCU website, reviewed primary"
"VCU website, interview feedback, re-read application. VCU supposedly asks a lot of healthcare questions. I didn't get any, but I definately read up ahead of time on some issues."
"read up on current events/healthcare, read application, website, took notes on potential questions"
"SDN, interview feedback, VCU website, sites about healthcare and ethical issues, primary and secondary apps, PRACTICING OUT LOUD DURING THE CAR RIDE TO VCU"
"SDN, VCU website, primary and secondary"
"Read the feedback on SDN, previous interviews"
"Read about school online, read SDF."
"read SDN, read up on medical issues"
"sdn interview reviews, vcu website"
"Read SDN, looked over my application."
"Read interview feedback, looked at my apps."
"SDN, Secondary, AMCAS, the school's website, student hosts."
"Read through website and looked over specific outreach programs that were of interest to me."
"SDN, talked to people attending the school and others that had interviewed there."
"SDN interview feedback, pre-med committee interview, reviewed school website, reviewed AMCAS and secondary"
"Not much"
"Reviewed file, looked at website, talked to M1's, read SDN's interview feedback, looked over current public health and medical ethics issues, went over answers in my head, asked friends/family what they thought were my best qualities =D"
"VCU website, read AMCAS application, read VCU application"
"Practice interview, VCU website."
"SDN, UWSOM ethics website, other interviews, a lot of health care reading"
"I didn't"
"Read over my application and looked up a few ethical issues on the web."
"SDN, Health Care Meltdown (by Robert H. Lebow, MD) I highly recommend this book"
"Prayed, read MSAR, read AMCAS and secondary"
"Website, application, SDN"
"SDN feedback, looked at their website."
"History on the school, SDN, interview feedback"
"read medical ethics book, application, VCU history, program, etc."
"Read this website and other websites with practice interview questions."
"SDN feedback, school website."
"Read the SDN interview feedback, U of Wash ethics website, wikipedia for healthcare stuff"
"sdn"
"Read over the SDN interview feedback, brushed up on health policy, medical ethics, and re-read my VCU essays."
"looked at the website, sdn stuff, thought of answers to expected questions, reviewed my application & secondaries, read books about health care and doctoring"
"Reread my AMCAS, my secondary, and health-care issue websites..."
"this website, going over my application especially my research, reviewing VCU/MCV's MD/PhD website"
"SDN, VCU website, AMCAS info"
"sdn, review of application"
"Reviewed AMCAS and secondary application and interview feedback on SDN."
"Pulled questions from SDN, mock interviews, reviewed my application, U of W ethical website"
"SDN, AMCAS, my secondary, I read up a lot on healthcare problems but that wasn't even mentioned"
"SDN forum, talked to current vcu students about life and aspects that are truly unique to vcu"
"Reread my application and used wikipedia to brush up on current medical/ethical topics."
"Health care book, U of W ethics, SDN"
"SDN, read over primary and secondary app, MCV website. "
"SDN, mock interviews"
"read over my research, school website, I have a friend who is there as a first year so I asked her some questions"
"Re-read my secondary application, feedback on SDN, explored VCU's website"
"Reviewed AMCAS and Secondary; read SDN."
"SDN, school's website, previous interview experience, U of Washington ethics site because I heard they sometimes ask about physician-assisted suicide (though I didn't end up getting asked about this)."
"Other interviews prepared me well for this -- especially EVMS."
"I read up on the school, re-read my amcas and secondary apps, read up on current healthcare issues....u. of washington site was very helpful"
"Read over application, U of Washington ethics website, researched online, mock interviews with friends and family"
"Read over feedback."
"Re-read my essay and VCU website."
"Browsed website, school's annual report, reviewed research, work and volunteer activities."
"U of W bioethics, health care topics online. AMCAS and 2ndary."
"1. Research the school on line 2. Review both AMCAS and secondary app 3. Research current issues related to health care"
"SDN, and mock interviews"
"mock interview, bioethics website, medical ethics book, checked health news often, read over applications"
"Looked over my AMCAS application, read through SDN, talked to some applicants who interviewed before, read over my secondary."
"Looked over my essays, SDN, the school's website."
"SDN Interview Feedback, VCU Med School Website"
"previous interviews, SDN, school's website"
"Reviewed my secondary, a paper I had helped write, read the school's website, mock interview with my sister."
"Read over AMCAS, essays, SDN."
"Read over my application and essays, went to school's website, had a few "mock" interviews with people"
"website, mostly didn't prepare and just relied on being myself"
"Read my essays, student doctor.net"
"SDN interview feedbacks (very helpful, the questions were on all here I think), the school's website, the MSAR, SDN forum threads about VCU."
"Read SDN, my own primary and secondary. I had planned on being more prepared for this interview but ended up having a biochemistry final the day before, so wasn't as ready as I had been for other interviews. As it turned out, it didn't matter because the questions were so open-ended and the interview was so laid back. "
"SDN, personal application"
"SDN, school website, AMCAS essays, secondary essay, MCV grads."
"Read about the school, SDN, practiced with friends"
"School Website, Studentdoctor.net, Talked to other people who interviewed there."
"SDN, went over my application, essays, normal interview questions I might be asked."
"Read the website, talked to students and staff at VCU, SDN, mock interviews, relaxed!"
"Read over my secondary app"
"VCU Website"
"MCV website, Student Doctors, my application, ethics textbook, reviewed research"
"I was so rushed the night before that I literally barely prepared and just hoped I wouldn't get asked ethical questions. It worked...I was lucky and didn't get asked anything outside of my file. "
"looked over research, AMCAS, secondary"
"Read the school's website, did a practice interview with my girlfriend, ready over my essays"
"read over amcas and secondary, this site, school's website"
"Reviewed potential questions, my Secondary app, looked on SDN"
"Reading school lit/ reading this website"
"Other interviews"
"sdn, school website"
"website, SDN, few articles on stem-cell research"
"SDN, school's website (curriculum, history, facts, etc), a lot of thinking, mock interview (long time ago)"
"SDN, website, students, other materials."
"Reviewed my AMCAS, secondary and SDN Web site. Did mock interviews with friends."
"SDN, VCU website, looked over my app"
"SDN, MCV website, other books"
"studentdoctor.net, VCU website. I got a lot of the same interview questions from studentdoctor.net. practice with these questions on sd.net"
"SDN/webpages on healthcare/learning from prior interviews"
"SDN, read my AMCAS and secondary applications, talked to two current students (one M1 and one M2), read the school's website, looked up various ethical/ current healthcare issues (prepared more than necessary)"
"read my file, interview feedback"
"Read this website, the school's website."
"VCU website and SDN"
"SDN mainly"
"Spoke to a lot of students about as
What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 1)?