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Many thanks to my pal Rachiie03 for prompting this.
With interviews coming up, I know a lot of you are focused on doing well and getting accepted. But keep in mind that the interview process is a two-way street. You need to interview the school as much as they need to interview you. You’re going to dump what, $200K-300K into this school…are they deserving of your money and four years of your life? I’m thinking like a dad...I'd want to know all this stuff if my kids were off to an interview!
Here are some things to consider asking when you interview. I can’t begin to stress enough that you especially ask these questions of the students, since they made the choice already. You’ll want to hear something other than “it’s the only school that accepted me!”
Consider asking about cost of living; curriculum, your gut feelings with each school; what the current students feel about their schools; the localities the schools are in.
Where do their graduates go? For example, How many PCOM grads do residencies in MA??? Or Drexel grads in FL? Keep in mind that match lists are like reading tea leaves.
Step I scores and pass rates? Are they posted anywhere? The DO schools are now mandated to post their 1st time pass rates for COMLEX, FYI.
Board prep time? If you can dig up the school's academic calendar, you can figure out the time for Board prep by looking at when their MS2 class schedule ends. My own students get about 4-6 weeks, depending upon when they schedule their exams. Weaker students take longer.
People say location is everything. You should find out how easy it would be to get a place to live, where do most students live? Any places to avoid? Do students have time to do research? Volunteer with community? See patients? Any resources for finding a place to live? For help with studying? Tutoring available?
If the current students turned down other acceptances, why?
How tight are the students? Do they lose the gunner mentality? (Mine lose theirs as soon as they set foot on campus).
Are lectures videotaped?
Are the Admissions folks nice? Helpful?
Is it hard to get loans? Easy? Help with the process available? (probably!) How about scholarships???
When are exams scheduled? Every week? In blocks? Once or twice a semester?
How's the anatomy lab? Stink of formaldehyde??? (Ours is great, BTW)
Faculty have open door policy? Why are the Faculty there and not at some other med school (or college)? Is teaching a nuisance that they have to get out of the way before they can run back to their labs?
I'll probably think of more...but search through the forums........plenty of people have been through this already! And trust your gut first and foremost.
With interviews coming up, I know a lot of you are focused on doing well and getting accepted. But keep in mind that the interview process is a two-way street. You need to interview the school as much as they need to interview you. You’re going to dump what, $200K-300K into this school…are they deserving of your money and four years of your life? I’m thinking like a dad...I'd want to know all this stuff if my kids were off to an interview!
Here are some things to consider asking when you interview. I can’t begin to stress enough that you especially ask these questions of the students, since they made the choice already. You’ll want to hear something other than “it’s the only school that accepted me!”
Consider asking about cost of living; curriculum, your gut feelings with each school; what the current students feel about their schools; the localities the schools are in.
Where do their graduates go? For example, How many PCOM grads do residencies in MA??? Or Drexel grads in FL? Keep in mind that match lists are like reading tea leaves.
Step I scores and pass rates? Are they posted anywhere? The DO schools are now mandated to post their 1st time pass rates for COMLEX, FYI.
Board prep time? If you can dig up the school's academic calendar, you can figure out the time for Board prep by looking at when their MS2 class schedule ends. My own students get about 4-6 weeks, depending upon when they schedule their exams. Weaker students take longer.
People say location is everything. You should find out how easy it would be to get a place to live, where do most students live? Any places to avoid? Do students have time to do research? Volunteer with community? See patients? Any resources for finding a place to live? For help with studying? Tutoring available?
If the current students turned down other acceptances, why?
How tight are the students? Do they lose the gunner mentality? (Mine lose theirs as soon as they set foot on campus).
Are lectures videotaped?
Are the Admissions folks nice? Helpful?
Is it hard to get loans? Easy? Help with the process available? (probably!) How about scholarships???
When are exams scheduled? Every week? In blocks? Once or twice a semester?
How's the anatomy lab? Stink of formaldehyde??? (Ours is great, BTW)
Faculty have open door policy? Why are the Faculty there and not at some other med school (or college)? Is teaching a nuisance that they have to get out of the way before they can run back to their labs?
I'll probably think of more...but search through the forums........plenty of people have been through this already! And trust your gut first and foremost.