2014-2015 Virginia Tech Carilion Application Thread

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First round of II's went out on 7/29 last year. Maybe we will be hearing something soon!
Possibly, but most of us didn't receive the complete email until very recently (even if our secondaries were the very first in). I'm going to say we won't hear anything until later next month (although I'd love for you to be right 😀 ).
 
Possibly, but most of us didn't receive the complete email until very recently (even if our secondaries were the very first in). I'm going to say we won't hear anything until later next month (although I'd love for you to be right 😀 ).

True, but last year there was a post of someone who was completed 7/29 and got an II on 7/31. You never know🙂
 
I hope you're right! Anyway, it's still only July. We're kinda putting the cart before the horse if we're already frantically checking every portal for an interview invite (although I'm hella guilty!)
 
Hey all, I interviewed here last cycle but was ultimately rejected. For those interested, here is a timeframe of events that VTC's admissions went through last cycle:

6 interview days: August, September, October, November, January, February
each interview day has about 40-44 applicants for a total of around 250 interviewees
interview invites come out in batches - first one was late July (I believe July 29th was the day I got mine)
they initially accept around 20-25 people from the August and September groups sometime around early November
The rest they accept in mid-April. They accept anywhere from 80-100 applicants in order to matriculate 42 students.
Interviews are MMI; I believe there were 10 stations total with one of the stations being a 20 minute traditional interview station whereas the other 9 are 10 minute scenario stations.
The medical school is state of the art and you get the sense that it's really rich.
However, Roanoke will seem really rural if you are coming from an urban area.

Good luck all and hope this helps.
 
My second essay is done, but I'm unsure what to put for the first one. I've heard it's a school that highly values research, so did people focus on volunteering experiences for that one, or research experiences?
 
My second essay is done, but I'm unsure what to put for the first one. I've heard it's a school that highly values research, so did people focus on volunteering experiences for that one, or research experiences?
I believe they asked for service experiences. I was lucky to have directly served my community through research, so that was my shtick. Either way, just answer the question the way YOU feel is most authentic to your experiences. Anything less will be too contrived.
 
anyone know if carilion has a recommended timeframe for secondary completion? I didn't get to complete this yet and will probably take a few days to do so even though its been nearly 3 weeks since I got it.
 
anyone know if carilion has a recommended timeframe for secondary completion? I didn't get to complete this yet and will probably take a few days to do so even though its been nearly 3 weeks since I got it.

The schools recommends that we submit the secondary within 2-3 weeks. But there is no hard deadline - very few schools do.
 
The mission of VTCSOM is, in part, "to educate physician thought leaders through inquiry, research, and discovery. . ." Thought leaders are individuals who are recognized for innovative ideas and who demonstrate leadership in sharing, promoting, and implementing those ideas.

A. VTC's curriculum fosters a culture of compassion through its community service learning initiatives. Through their inter-professional learning group projects (IPL), students demonstrate leadership and innovation while making a positive difference in the community. Describe an event or a time when your personal contribution was instrumental to the success of a team or made a positive impact on someone else's life.

B. VTC is committed to strengthening the diversity of its community. Through interactions with a heterogeneous population, people broaden their knowledge about other cultures and ultimately develop the ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with others. Tell us about how your life experience has broadened your perspective of the world and how that would lend itself to the overall diversity of the class. Relate how you would add to the diversity of your class, if admitted to VTC.
 
submitted yesterday...about 4 weeks post-invite. Meh, hoping that does not prove fatal to my chances. Really bullish about this school!
 
will the next date be in oct...? im kinda booked full early september... :\
 
Just got an II!! I just knew Carilion and I will be a good fit!!
 
Congrats!! When were you guys complete, if you don't mind me asking

I got the complete email on 7/25, exactly 2 weeks after submitting my secondary.

I honestly believe I'm a great fit for this school, and my application reflected that. My research is off the hizzie, which is right up their alley.
 
That's awesome! Congrats @kthxbai!! 🙂

My essays for VTC were crap -- my strongest essay was certainly the one they cut this year. I'm not expecting good things here, which is a bummer because it seems like an awesome school that fit well with my career intersts. I'm certainly not counting myself out or anything at all, but I don't think my essays are gonna do me any favours.
 
Did you guys just reply to the interview email to confirm the II date? I just said I'd be able to attend that date, is that what everyone else is doing.
 
Did you guys just reply to the interview email to confirm the II date? I just said I'd be able to attend that date, is that what everyone else is doing.

When I send the email that's what I'm going to do!
 
II today as well! Looking for some advice too: I'm considering calling to see if my interview could be moved to the October date. I don't think it would hurt me in terms of rolling admissions since acceptances for Sept and Oct start in early November. The reason I'm considering asking is that if I accept the September interview I will have 3 interviews in 4 days and I'm not sure I have that kind of stamina :/ Not to mention it may be very difficult to get another day off of work that week!
 
That's awesome! Congrats @kthxbai!! 🙂

My essays for VTC were crap -- my strongest essay was certainly the one they cut this year. I'm not expecting good things here, which is a bummer because it seems like an awesome school that fit well with my career intersts. I'm certainly not counting myself out or anything at all, but I don't think my essays are gonna do me any favours.

Thanks @sunflower18!!

While I'd say it's still early to be upset about a potential rejection, you have nothing to be crying about with your Brown and NYU interviews 😛 You're already a superstar with 5 IIs (that's right, lady, I stalked you a little bit through MDapps). Cheer up - you may get that II yet!
 
Thanks @sunflower18!!

While I'd say it's still early to be upset about a potential rejection, you have nothing to be crying about with your Brown and NYU interviews 😛 You're already a superstar with 5 IIs (that's right, lady, I stalked you a little bit through MDapps). Cheer up - you may get that II yet!

Hahaha thank you!!! I'm really excited about my current interviews, as you should be as well!! VTC and Hofstra are great schools (I stalked you too heh). The point I was trying to make is that fit probably has a lot to do with it, and people who were better able to express that in their essays are sure to have a much better shot than people who didn't articulate themselves well. I think that's true at some schools more than others -- this being one that really is looking for a specific fit, I think. All I meant was to say, anecdotally, that those getting interviews must have really nailed their essays and convinced VTC of your fit with the school!
 
Hahaha thank you!!! I'm really excited about my current interviews, as you should be as well!! VTC and Hofstra are great schools (I stalked you too heh). The point I was trying to make is that fit probably has a lot to do with it, and people who were better able to express that in their essays are sure to have a much better shot than people who didn't articulate themselves well. I think that's true at some schools more than others -- this being one that really is looking for a specific fit, I think. All I meant was to say, anecdotally, that those getting interviews must have really nailed their essays and convinced VTC of your fit with the school!

I'm also beginning to believe that at some schools (smaller ones more so than larger, it seems to my untrained eye) fit is a major factor in admissions. I do believe I could not have answered the VTC questions better. I had really well tailored answers that addressed all parts of the prompt.

I went really crazy and bold with NYU and Brown (YOLO, yo), so maybe that will intrigue them? I was complete in early August/late July, so it's just a waiting game for me here.
 
That's awesome! Congrats @kthxbai!! 🙂

My essays for VTC were crap -- my strongest essay was certainly the one they cut this year. I'm not expecting good things here, which is a bummer because it seems like an awesome school that fit well with my career intersts. I'm certainly not counting myself out or anything at all, but I don't think my essays are gonna do me any favours.

I'm right there with you in every aspect. They did however send out invites for the first round of interviews on a Monday all the way through that Wednesday so there's hope for still getting one this week! At least that's what I like to tell myself. :hungry:
 
II today as well! Looking for some advice too: I'm considering calling to see if my interview could be moved to the October date. I don't think it would hurt me in terms of rolling admissions since acceptances for Sept and Oct start in early November. The reason I'm considering asking is that if I accept the September interview I will have 3 interviews in 4 days and I'm not sure I have that kind of stamina :/ Not to mention it may be very difficult to get another day off of work that week!
I am in the same situation! I hope it doesn't affect our chances!
 
Sitting here telling myself I won't get too excited for my first II, it's only another step in the process...

But I was wrong, f*** yes!! Interview Invite!!!! I'm so excited for VTC!
 
Congrats guys. This was my first interview invite last year and now here I sit in lecture in Roanoke. Love this school!
 
Congrats guys. This was my first interview invite last year and now here I sit in lecture in Roanoke. Love this school!
What do you love about it? I'm set for the 9/6 interview, and I'm sooooo thrilled for this school. Can't contain my enthusiasm!
 
Just got my first II here for September 6th! Anyone want to split gas and drive down to Roanoke from the Philadelphia area? PM me
 
What do you love about it? I'm set for the 9/6 interview, and I'm sooooo thrilled for this school. Can't contain my enthusiasm!
There's a lot, but I'll try to be brief.

The small class size is awesome - our group fits together really well and has partied a lot already. If you want to do research in med school, they build in a ton of time here and have mentors seeking you out from the beginning. With PBL, the faculty is very involved in your education so letters of rec will be easy to come by down the road and it's very personalized learning. One of the best aspects is their exams here are tailored to Step 1, so it's easier to know what to focus your studies on and you're actively preparing for boards through your classes both years.

Finally, Roanoke is small but has everything you need and is a really nice place to live. The community loves the med students and the facilities for the school are basically brand new. VTC is young so doesn't have a reputation yet, but it's research focus and the really high board scores of the students will probably boost its reputation pretty quickly now that they have full accreditation (which they received as quick as they possibly could after graduating their first class).
 
There's a lot, but I'll try to be brief.

The small class size is awesome - our group fits together really well and has partied a lot already.

Just wanted to follow up on the above. The small class size is awesome, I can't really stress this enough. I know it's a little far off in the distance, but this carries over to your 3rd and 4th year rotations by not overwhelming attending physicians and residents. Happy attendings and residents = happy medical students. For years 1 and 2, professors are tremendously quick to return emails or call you back (most will give you their phone number).

The classes in general are pretty social, perhaps a product of an MMI style interview. However, "partied a lot" should not turn away applicants who don't seem themselves as partiers (I'm not a partier, but I am very social). Keep in mind that this is medical school and you will only have so much time for partying (no matter where you go), especially as the core sciences kick in. The classes are social in that there are plenty of opportunities for all different sorts of groups, IM sports, clubs, student gov, etc. In addition, as dcc23 stated, people go out to local places for drinks/dancing/etc. I know plenty of people that drink absolutely zero alcohol and they are never excluded from activities or made to feel odd for not drinking. As future doctors we are (or strive to be) entirely accepting and welcoming.

You'll see from the moment the interview day starts, this is a very unique school. Unique in that the curriculum was formed for modern day medicine and is thus not stuck in the 1970s. Medicine has changed a lot in the last few decades...how it's taught should be too 🙂

Good luck everyone!
 
Hey Everybody,

I just received an e-mail indicating that my secondary had been received. However, I still haven't submitted my secondary. In fact, I haven't even completed the essays yet! I'm guessing this was just a glitch, but should I call or e-mail the school to confirm that they didn't receive an incomplete secondary? Anyone else receive a premature "secondary complete" e-mail?

Thanks,
Bill
 
Hey Everybody,

I just received an e-mail indicating that my secondary had been received. However, I still haven't submitted my secondary. In fact, I haven't even completed the essays yet! I'm guessing this was just a glitch, but should I call or e-mail the school to confirm that they didn't receive an incomplete secondary? Anyone else receive a premature "secondary complete" e-mail?

Thanks,
Bill

I got that e-mail and then shortly thereafter received a correction email stating that the first email was sent in error.
 
Just wanted to follow up on the above. The small class size is awesome, I can't really stress this enough. I know it's a little far off in the distance, but this carries over to your 3rd and 4th year rotations by not overwhelming attending physicians and residents. Happy attendings and residents = happy medical students. For years 1 and 2, professors are tremendously quick to return emails or call you back (most will give you their phone number).

The classes in general are pretty social, perhaps a product of an MMI style interview. However, "partied a lot" should not turn away applicants who don't seem themselves as partiers (I'm not a partier, but I am very social). Keep in mind that this is medical school and you will only have so much time for partying (no matter where you go), especially as the core sciences kick in. The classes are social in that there are plenty of opportunities for all different sorts of groups, IM sports, clubs, student gov, etc. In addition, as dcc23 stated, people go out to local places for drinks/dancing/etc. I know plenty of people that drink absolutely zero alcohol and they are never excluded from activities or made to feel odd for not drinking. As future doctors we are (or strive to be) entirely accepting and welcoming.

You'll see from the moment the interview day starts, this is a very unique school. Unique in that the curriculum was formed for modern day medicine and is thus not stuck in the 1970s. Medicine has changed a lot in the last few decades...how it's taught should be too 🙂

Good luck everyone!

That's great to know (I'm 100% NOT a drinker/party goer) - thanks for taking the time to respond!
 
Finished secondary. OOS, 3.83 cGPA, 3.82 sGPA, 35 (12 PS, 11 VR, 12 BS), top 10 undergrad. Hoping for the best
 
For those interviewing in just over a week- what time is the Friday event at the hotel with food and current students? I'm trying to make travel plans for the Oct date and figure the time of the event on Friday will be about the same. Thanks!
 
Got my first rejection this cycle from this school yesterday. Psh didn't wanna be the only brown person at the school anyways.

Good luck to all currently applying! 🙂
 
Got my first rejection this cycle from this school yesterday. Psh didn't wanna be the only brown person at the school anyways.

Good luck to all currently applying! 🙂

Damn, yaar, sorry to hear that. Better luck elsewhere though. Mind sharing when you got your complete email?
 
Damn, yaar, sorry to hear that. Better luck elsewhere though. Mind sharing when you got your complete email?

I guess I should have said pre-secondary rejection lol. Sorry I can't be of more help!
 
For those interviewing in just over a week- what time is the Friday event at the hotel with food and current students? I'm trying to make travel plans for the Oct date and figure the time of the event on Friday will be about the same. Thanks!

6:00 - 7:30
 
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