Washington, DC
Allopathic Medical Schools | Private Non-Profit
Faith-Based
Application Cycle: 2009-10
⭐ Overall Impressions
How did the interview impress you?
Positively 🙂
What was the stress level of the interview?
5 out of 10
0 = Low Stress, 10 = High Stress
What are your general comments?
Extremely positive. There were a total of five interviews, with plenty of time to talk with students in between. Everybody from the office manager to the financial aid representative was extremely informative and extremely well-spoken. The MD/PhD interviews were relaxed, with the interviewers talking as much about their research as I was talking about mine. As a Christian, I find myself increasingly drawn to this school--they appear to be grounded in the Jesuit tradition and I see this as a strength, especially in light of the kind of education I am hoping for. Finally, they are extremely kind to applicants, and they allow you to feel like an active participant in the process. They want you to know that you have power in the process, even encouraging applicants to write letters of appeal if they are rejected. I will attempt to relate the most important interview questions at the bottom of this evaluation.
💬 Interview Process
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The MD interviewer (an orthopedic surgeon) wanted to know about my past and my clinical exposure to date.
What was the most interesting question?
Ethical question: what would I do if I saw another medical student cheating on an exam. Not to difficult, but I think my answer revealed important information to the interviewer.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Read the online prospectus. Reviewed my research and my application. Told myself over and over again to avoid babbling.
What was the most difficult question?
Do you think you have enough clinical exposure to know what you're getting into?
What impressed you positively?
I was impressed by the commitment to compassion in patient care, and the emphasis on clinical education. The students there were all really cool, and they provided many useful insights. The admissions staff were extremely friendly and helpful.
What impressed you negatively?
Very little to speak of. The emphasis on research is not so strong, but that is only important (I feel) if you have little research experience coming into the program.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
The warnings on SDN about Ms. Sullivan were unnecessarily strong. She believes strongly in the mission of the school, and it is part of her job to help to select students who will be comfortable. She doesn't pull any punches, but when I'm about to make a decision as big as this one, I'd rather have honesty than sugar-coating.
📍 Travel and Logistics
Who was the tour given by?
Student
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