Summary of Experience:
Columbia rocks. There is so much energy at this school, it\'s unbeleivable. I stayed with a host and I had the opportunity to meet quite a few students. I can tell you, they aren\'t kidding about their emphasis on extracurricular acitivities. It seems everyone either runs competitively, plays some instrument, speaks some language, or has an arts background. The students definitely take advantage of the fun things to do in NY.
Summary of Experience:
The interview day is less structured than other schools. Many of the students were apologetic, but I appreciated it. Rather than 8 hours of smiling and asking questions, it\'s only 2-3 hours total. The rest of the day you spend how you please. I didn’t get a warm and cushy feeling from the administration, but I met a lot of really nice students while I was there.
I had two interviews, one with a faculty member and one with a student. My student interviewer was incredibly warm and other interviewees in my group had similar experiences. I was asked very detailed questions during both interviews and I was blown away by how astute each interviewer was to any gaps in my application- they had serious outlined notes about me. My faculty interviewer was not afraid to ask difficult questions (like, “okay, so you did xyz for a month during the summer of 2006, what else did you do that summer?”). It was a little intimidating, but I’m sure the adcom will ask the same questions when I’m up for review. It seemed like each interviewee had a very different experience, though. It’s safe to expect a traditional interview, but it’s not safe to expect one like mine. Some interviewees said they did more listening than speaking.
On that note, the Harvard tour varies a lot too. I lucked out and had a great tour guide who went above and beyond to show us around. Harvard has an awesomely pretentious campus. The school is built around a large grass quad with a Mount Olympus feel to it. For me, the highlights were the atriums. It was a really nice surprise to walk inside these traditional marble buildings to modern glass atriums with tons of natural light. There will probably be times during med school when weeks of daylight hours are spent studying. At Harvard, you can feel like you’re spending them outdoors. Also, Vanderbilt Hall was not as bad as I expected it to be. The rooms are small (some drastically so), but there is a very homey feel to it. Each hall has a communal kitchen/bathrooms and there are ample rooms for studying/socials- many of them with distinctly ivy-league decor: rich hardwood floors, decadent furniture, etc. I felt the urge to grab a cigar and a sweater vest. The gym occupies the same space and offers most anything a student could want. The character and convenience at Vandy Hall is hard to match.
Summary of Experience:
Wow. This school is fabulous! I was pleasantly surprised by the nurturing atmosphere and I met many down to earth and well-rounded people during my stay. There is free coffee in the admissions office, so students float in and out throughout the day to grab some joe and chat with interviewees. I found myself thinking, \"Is this place too good to be true?\" Every student I met had wonderful things to say about the clinical, social, and academic experience at Wash U. I was impressed by how active the students were in outside activities like athletics and clubs. Be warned, if you\'re heading to an interview here you might fall in love!
Summary of Experience: This was my very first interview and it set the bar incredibly high. I arrived in Nashville the night before and stayed at a hotel with a free shuttle service to and from the medical center. I used the afternoon to jog around the beautiful campus and check out the gorgeous trees and the traditional southern architecture (Fun fact: Vanderbilt is a registered arboretum). I felt very safe and I had 3 people say “how ya doing today” or “great day for a run” to me while jogging around. Yay for southern hospitality! In the morning, I rode to the hospital with a woman who was staying at my hotel long-term while her son was undergoing cancer treatment. When she heard I was interviewing, tears welled up in her eyes and she told me, “This is a really special place with really wonderful people.” ...She was right.
First of all, the current Vandy students made the interview day! At least a dozen students floated in and out of the admin office to chat with us during the day. They were so welcoming and SO positive about Vandy. I could tell that there is strong camaraderie in each class.
I had two interviews: the mysterious 30 min “short” interview (mine happened to be at 8am) and the 1 hr “long” interview. I heard rumors that the short interview was stressful with rapid-fire situational questions. I actually thought it was fun. My interviewer was really cool/laid back and the questions acted as a catalyst for conversation. I did have to think on my feet a bit, but he didn’t ask me anything too tricky. The long interview was very traditional and detailed (things like tell me your life story, about research, things on app, etc.), but again, I really liked my interviewer.
Summary of Experience:
Creighton lived up to its reputation; the people are just downright wonderful! I had a really warm interview experience here and based on what I hear from current students, it was no act. They are very outspoken about their dedication to service, humility, and balance. I saw these values reflected in the people I met on my interview day. I had two interviews here, one with 2 students and one with a faculty member. They were both friendly and conversational. Also, Omaha was a pleasant surprise. I didn’t know what to expect from Nebraska, the “fly-over” state, but I found an up-and-coming city with a lot of charm. I especially liked the Old Market area downtown. It’s a historic district with brick roads and refurbished warehouses, housing art galleries and a great nightlife. If you go for an interview, you should try to grab dinner at one of the delicious restaurants there the night before. I got the sense that Omaha is a posterchild for the Midwest: the people are nice, the sports stadiums are the unifying symbol of pride, and comfort and ease are the way of life. The Creighton campus is basically downtown, so a large number of students live in apartments in the heart of the city. It doesn’t cost much to live well in Omaha, so students here seemed to be some of the most comfortable I’ve met.
Summary of Experience:
Hopkins is unreal. The school has the best facilities I\'ve seen by a long shot, and with the addition of a brand new hospital, “the best is only getting better”. My only complaint was the student housing, but that\'s being torn down and next year students can opt to live in a snazzy high rise apartment building right off campus. The only downside is the cost (~$900/month). Brand new hospital+brand new housing+ almost brand new academic facilities... can it get any better? Well, it is in a scary area, but let\'s not beat a dead horse.
The interview day is extremely well organized! However, it\'s a marathon. -optional class at 8am -optional housing tour -administrative welcome @ 11am -formal luncheon with faculty -formal campus tour -2, 30min interviews (1 student, 1 faculty) and 4th year students on the ad com keep you company during interview breaks.
I will say, this was my toughest interview. Everyone is very nice, but don\'t underestimate the length of the interview day (especially if you\'re flying in from another time zone). I forgot to load up on food during the luncheon and I felt very drained during my interviews. Just take care of yourself and don\'t go to the optional activities in the morning if it means cutting into sleep! I didn\'t know what to expect with the 4th year panel, but it was extremely laid back and casual. Just have fun and be yourself :) (it might have been my saving grace)
If you get the chance after your interview, try to get out and see some of the (non-scary) surrounding Baltimore neighborhoods. After I toured around Fell\'s Point, I understood why everyone calls it \"Charm City.\" I loved the 18th century row houses and the quaint cobblestone roads! The Inner Harbor is also beautiful. This city has tons of character, even if it is a little rough around the edges.
