Yes, interviews have started! I had mine yesterday, and it was a fantastic experience. My day began around 10:30 when I got to the admissions office, and there were already lots of interviewees in the conference room they set aside for us. My interview was scheduled for the end of the day, but several of the interviewees had theirs earlier in the morning before the presentations. The group I was in was very friendly and outgoing, so we chatted and joked until Dr. Willmore came in with some current medical students. We initially had about 10 minutes to speak to some current students (an MS1 and MS2) and ask them about their experiences. They stressed how great P/F is (as well as all recorded lectures!) and that SLU really cares about keeping their students motivated and happy. Dr. Willmore's speech was great, as he stressed how important medical student wellness is for SLU and spoke about the changes they've made to the curriculum, which they hope will furnish the students with more relaxed environment. Some examples are the P/F grading, having every other Wednesday completely free, recording all of the lectures, and having anatomy as the second block rather than the first. Also, they take Step 1 a bit earlier, around April/May I think, to get students into rotations sooner come third year, which I think is awesome.
After the talk, we were divided into two groups and assigned a current medical student as our tour guide. My group was led by an MS4, and he was very enthusiastic about the school -- he said he already has interviews for residencies, and felt prepared thanks to the SLU curriculum and professors. We toured several lecture halls, which were big and pretty modern; the student lounge and cafeteria; the children's hospital which was beautiful -- picture cheerful walls everywhere, a huge yellow submarine in the lobby for the kids to play with, a sunny playground in an atrium off of the lobby, and drawings on the ceilings; the simulation center, which has several mannequins for students to work with (the really special part is that there are trauma rooms set up, such as a mass casualty room, and even a bay that looked just like medics in the Air Force would set up... the simulation center operator can pipe gunshots, helicopters, and any other noise into the room to truly simulate a combat environment, and any student is welcome to sign up to practice a scenario); and lastly, the anatomy lab on the 4th floor -- this room was equipped with large touch screen monitors and was very bright, with views of StL through the many windows.
After the tour, the groups merged again and we were taken to eat lunch. Here, we were joined by current students who chatted with us and answered more of our questions. I felt this was a great way to get to know more about the school in an informal setting, and might prove useful for those who still had interviews to go to. My student spoke about her experience at SLU and once again espoused P/F, so I can tell the students love the curriculum changes and grading system. After lunch, we had a brief financial aid session and then we were either free to go (for those who already had their interviews) or could head off to our interviews. Mine was in the hospital, so I was given a swipe card and step by step directions to my interviewer's office, which I was very thankful for. My interviewer was extremely friendly and kind, and our talk was conversational and jovial -- I think I spoke to my interviewer for at least an hour! It was a great experience, and I left feeling really excited about the school. The campus was very nice, with a cheerful blue fountain right in the center, and a mix of modern and historic buildings all around. Plus, you had the undergraduate campus close by, with all of their facilities available to you in addition to the medical campus'. Most buildings are connected through walkways or underground tunnels, so it makes things very convenient for the students, while allowing for lots of greenery in between buildings.
I had a really good time, and enjoyed StL a lot. I recommend going out to explore the city itself either before or after your interview day -- it's worth it! StL has great food and lots of free things to do. Let me know if you have any other questions or want recommendations for things to do in StL. Good luck to everyone else interviewing!!