Dallas, TX
Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit
Application Cycle: 2012-13
⭐ Overall Impressions
How did the interview impress you?
Positively 🙂
What was the stress level of the interview?
2 out of 10
0 = Low Stress, 10 = High Stress
How you think you did?
8 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
8 out of 10
0 = Below, 10 = Above
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
9 out of 10
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What are your general comments?
The interview was very well organized and there were plenty of opportunities to talk to current students, which is how I got the information that is most important to me (details on how clinical training is organized). UTSW may not be the most "hip" school, but it certainly provides a solid clinical training; graduates go to very good residencies in competitive specialties.
💬 Interview Process
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
Open file interviewer (clinical faculty) seemed to have been impressed with my application even before (s)he met me. (S)he asked me about each of my main research projects, my plans in medicine and what I would do if I didn't get into med school (but then (s)he assured me I would get in :)). (S)he was extremely nice and tried to assure me I was doing well.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Read about the school on the school's web site and SDN, read SDN feedback (very helpful!), read some med school interview books, had 2 mock interviews, have been following on current events in medicine
What impressed you positively?
There were plenty of opportunities to talk to current students. Everybody was very friendly and helpful, students were by no means as weird or socially awkward as one could think after reading this site. The new Parkland and University Hospital scheduled to open in 2014 and 2015, correspondingly, right in time for the class of 2018 clinical training, are pretty exciting. The Colleges system seems to be a hit with students. MS3 and MS4 students get a lot of hands on experience and have calls like grown ups :) It was great to tag along with a team on hospital rounds. 2nd year systems-based block schedule with non-cumulative exams every 3 weeks. Opportunities for clinical electives and away rotations in MS4. A 4 year MD/MPH. Burgeoning global health opportunities (UTSW wasnot really big on global health opportunities, but it seems to be improving). Financial information talk.
What impressed you negatively?
Nothing really. The preclinical curriculum is not the most exciting, and there are not that many non-clinical electives, but who cares about preclinical stuff when you get an awesome clinical training? Grading during the second semester of MS1 and during MS2 and MS3 (p/f the first semester of MS1 and during MS4) may not be to everyone's liking, but: 1) it's a chance to distinguish oneself for competitive residencies (and quite a few UTSW graduates go to competitive residencies) and 2) grading is not curved. MS3 is quite hard because students are given a lot of responsibilities and are fully involved in patient care - but then again, you get to learn a lot this way. None of these are really negatives for me, but I can see how they may be negatives to other people.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
I think I had a pretty good idea about UTSW and about interviewing at UTSW before the interview, but some advice for those who may be not as well prepared: 1) do wear comfortable shoes, 2) do prepare a list of questions/topics that are of most interest/importance to you, so you can ask them when you get a chance, 3) Friday morning clinical rounds is a great opportunity to see (some of the) clinical training in action, 4) the view of Dallas from the 14th floor cafeteria is pretty awesome.
🤝 Campus and Facilities
How do you rank the facilities?
9 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this school's location?
6 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
10 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
7 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
8 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
No suggestions. Everything was organized very well, thank you!
📍 Travel and Logistics
Who was the tour given by?
Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Enthusiastic
What is your in-state status?
In state
What were your total hours spent traveling?
0-1 hour
What was your primary mode of travel?
Train or subway
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
< $100
Where did you stay?
Home
How would you rate the hotel?
5 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
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