2015-2016 Florida International University Application Thread

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
image.jpg
 
Can we get this guy banned yet?

This thread is for medical school applicants. This person is: 1) not even close to applying and has yet to complete any pre-reqs, 2) has nothing valuable to add about the medical school itself, and 3) is detracting from any useful information that might possibly be generated for those who need it.....to say nothing about the fact that I grow weary of his sophomoric analogies.

News flash, scatophile: I can tell you, from experience, that even Ivy League bathrooms are dirty. Welcome to the public domain; you're attempting to become a physician, please get over yourself.
 
Last edited:
Miami_Postbac said:
In fact I have taken prerequisites, and am commenting on things pertinent to anyone interested in going to FIU.

Coming here is among the worst decisions of my life. Although aware of its marginal academic record (although certainly not aware of the profound depths of FIU's incompetence at virtually every level) I was in no way aware of the fact that I was signing up to go to a school with behaviour problems comparable to those found in inner city schools, which includes issues as foundational as potty training.

Certainly you will have to deal with the thug-life student populace, the innane shouting in the lunch room, the hilariously stupid ambient conversation, the poorly kept bathrooms, and a general culture of mediocrity should you choose to attend FIU.

I do not understand why simply resolving this information asymmetry problem is so upsetting for you. The soft side of FIU is a complete disaster. Perhaps the med school is a bright and shining beacon in an otherwise utterly disastrous organization, but in any case, caveat emptor.
Click to expand...

Yeah, and several of us have acknowledged your airings of frustration in an effort to reroute the conversation back to the purpose of the thread. I can only say it so many times but: YOU HAVE NOTHING TO ADD ABOUT THE MEDICAL SCHOOL. Quite literally NO one participating in the academic conversation--which you seem to have derived great pleasure in derailing--cares about your input. I mean, do you really not see that? Your rant is out of place and inappropriate here. Go to the post-baccalaureate threads and blather until your heart is content.

Please let us get back to what was intended.
 
To put this thread back on track... My status changed to "Preliminary Review Completed" today. Does anyone know how long after this to expect to hear from them about interviews/rejections?
 
I've been prelim review complete since 7/21. Submitted 7/6. If that helps you at all.
 
Miami_Postbac said:
Are discussions about the campus, the quality of the students generally, and the quality of the institution generally verboten? Are none of these things relevant to someone considering spending a substantial fraction of their life and excess a quarter million dollars at that institution?
Click to expand...

If you knew any medical students, you would know that most of them don't go to class during their pre-clinical years, and you would rarely venture into the undergraduate portion of the campus for any reason. The medical school, quite literally, is its own entity.

Look, I wish you luck with your journey. From someone who has been where you are, it's not pretty. Find your happiness -- if it's not at FIU, then it's not at FIU. If you're really this disenchanted with the institution, then leave. It is not worth your misery, especially when these years are so critical for your future candidacy.

I'm not discussing this further. Be well.
 
goldy490 said:
Soooooo...who else is interviewing on 8/31? (Read: trying to get the thread back on track...)
Click to expand...
I wish! I didn't see my invite for a couple days so the earliest dates available were 9/14 and 9/18. So 9/18 it is! Feel free to give us the inside scoop after your interview 😉
 
No new batch of interviews sent out? I've been preliminary review complete since like July 10th
 
Still says secondary complete last status update 7/14.... Ugh... Come onnnnnnnnn :bang:
 
finestein said:
I'm pretty sure my II was a mistake because I have 2 rejections and silence from the other 24 schools
Click to expand...

Its super early most schools have only sent out one or two rounds of II's, if any at all (Still radio silence from USF and FSU...). I wouldn't start worrying for at least another month or two
 
goldy490 said:
Its super early most schools have only sent out one or two rounds of II's, if any at all (Still radio silence from USF and FSU...). I wouldn't start worrying for at least another month or two
Click to expand...
Solstice91 said:
I wouldn't start worrying until February lol
Click to expand...
I guess all it takes is one (very very charitable) school to get accepted
 
goldy490 said:
View attachment 195556

To everyone interviewing on 8/31...it just wouldn't be Miami without a hurricane on interview day
Click to expand...

Haha! No worries, all. There are a bunch of meteorologists who don't even think Erika will survive being torn apart in the Leeward Islands. Besides, CAT 1 isn't THAT bad 😉

Expect it to rain, though! It's been thundering here for the last 24 hours.
 
HWCOM takes only one 30 minute interview, or is it two 30 minute interviews?
Also, the interviewers don't know your stats but have read the primary and secondary app, right?
 
BornToLead said:
HWCOM takes only one 30 minute interview, or is it two 30 minute interviews?
Also, the interviewers don't know your stats but have read the primary and secondary app, right?
Click to expand...

Last cycle it was two, and yes. One of my interviewers had my PS right in front of him and referenced things I had wrote.
 
ScubaManD said:
Last cycle it was two, and yes. One of my interviewers had my PS right in front of him and referenced things I had wrote.
Click to expand...

Thanks. So one of the interview is about general stuff while the other one focuses on ethical dilemmas?
Also, they make the applicants tour just the medical building or other parts of the campuses too like the Library, cafeteria etc ?
 
BornToLead said:
Thanks. So one of the interview is about general stuff while the other one focuses on ethical dilemmas?
Also, they make the applicants tour just the medical building or other parts of the campuses too like the Library, cafeteria etc ?
Click to expand...

They split our interview group in 2, half would interview first then tour the campus and the other would tour first and interview later. It was a student led tour of the entire campus, including the cafeteria and library (which is cool cause there's a separate room for med students that only med students have access to).

I can't speak to what others experienced but that's how it was for me. My first interviewer asked me generic questions like why medicine, weaknesses, strengths, etc. My second interviewer was more conversational. He brought up stuff about my PS and asked more about it, gave me a few ethical scenarios and asked my opinion on some controversial topics. My advice: know your application and be able to speak to even the smallest parts, and stay relatively current on some health topics that you can speak to. I loved FIU and it's actually my first choice this cycle, so hopefully you get the same impression. Their step scores were phenomenal last year!
 
ScubaManD said:
They split our interview group in 2, half would interview first then tour the campus and the other would tour first and interview later. It was a student led tour of the entire campus, including the cafeteria and library (which is cool cause there's a separate room for med students that only med students have access to).

I can't speak to what others experienced but that's how it was for me. My first interviewer asked me generic questions like why medicine, weaknesses, strengths, etc. My second interviewer was more conversational. He brought up stuff about my PS and asked more about it, gave me a few ethical scenarios and asked my opinion on some controversial topics. My advice: know your application and be able to speak to even the smallest parts, and stay relatively current on some health topics that you can speak to. I loved FIU and it's actually my first choice this cycle, so hopefully you get the same impression. Their step scores were phenomenal last year!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up! Much appreciated. All the best for this cycle!
 
ScubaManD said:
They split our interview group in 2, half would interview first then tour the campus and the other would tour first and interview later. It was a student led tour of the entire campus, including the cafeteria and library (which is cool cause there's a separate room for med students that only med students have access to).

I can't speak to what others experienced but that's how it was for me. My first interviewer asked me generic questions like why medicine, weaknesses, strengths, etc. My second interviewer was more conversational. He brought up stuff about my PS and asked more about it, gave me a few ethical scenarios and asked my opinion on some controversial topics. My advice: know your application and be able to speak to even the smallest parts, and stay relatively current on some health topics that you can speak to. I loved FIU and it's actually my first choice this cycle, so hopefully you get the same impression. Their step scores were phenomenal last year!
Click to expand...

For my part, my two interviewers both asked pretty in-depth questions. Of course, I had the standard: "Why medicine?" and "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?", but I was also asked questions to the effect of, "I see you have an impressive research background, why wouldn't you just continue with that career?" Both interviewers had my file open in front of them, and one had reviewed my information so thoroughly that I could see portions of it highlighted. That being said, they were both extremely nice, allowed me to get off-topic with them, and laughed when I made jokes.

Don't be nervous, guys! FIU makes it easy on you.

EDIT: The interviews are SEMI-blind (at least, they were last year). The interviewer sees everything BUT your numerical stats (no MCAT scores or GPA)

EDIT 2: The general consensus from my group was that the interviews went well. That being said, expect oddball questions. I got one, and another girl also received one. This preparation is true of any medical school. Many of these representatives want to be sure that you can think on your feet. As long as you articulate SOMETHING and don't sit there, mouth agape, you should be fine.

Good luck!
 
my app still says "secondary app complete" I have been complete since 8/3
 
Last edited:
2016Applicant-Stanford said:
Happy Wednesday! Does anyone have the secondary questions with word limits? Thanks
Click to expand...

mauroz said:
Whether or not you will be a fulltime student, please explain what you will be doing prior to your planned matriculation into medical school. Character limit 600 (including spaces).

Is there any additional information about your academic record that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? Please include any academic difficulties or course withdrawals. Character limit 1000 (including spaces).


You must answer all 4 essays. (Limit each essay to 1200 characters including spaces.)

1. Given the unique mission of the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, please describe how your personal characteristics and values make you a suitable candidate for medicine. How will you contribute to the student body?

2. Describe how you have handled a personal or academic challenge. Focus on what you learned about yourself and how it will help you face possible challenges in medical school.

3. Explain in detail an experience in which you collaborated, worked or were exposed to diverse backgrounds different from your own. Please describe the impact the experience had on you.

4. While scrolling through a popular social media site, you notice an unprofessional posting by a classmate about a faculty member. You are concerned about the posting, but realize many of your peers have agreed with the negative comment. What do you do?
Click to expand...
 
Last cycle when I applied here my application never moved beyond "Secondary Application Complete". I don't want to get stuck in that rut again of not even having my application looked at...any advice?
 
Torilynn92 said:
Last cycle when I applied here my application never moved beyond "Secondary Application Complete". I don't want to get stuck in that rut again of not even having my application looked at...any advice?
Click to expand...

You were complete early in the cycle? And your stats are competitive enough?
 
Torilynn92 said:
Last cycle when I applied here my application never moved beyond "Secondary Application Complete". I don't want to get stuck in that rut again of not even having my application looked at...any advice?
Click to expand...

Oh god. My worst fear. Complete 7/7 and still "secondary application complete"
 
Endo2393 said:
Oh god. My worst fear. Complete 7/7 and still "secondary application complete"
Click to expand...

Relaaaaxxxxx

Most of us have a "Secondary Application Complete" status. In my opinion, it's a good thing -- you see, my application was reviewed at the end of last October and BAM they sent me an interview invite a couple of days later. So, when they DO see you, you want them to be so moved that they act quickly. The status under our files simply means that they have not come across our application as of yet. Personally, I would much rather be in the position we are in at this moment (just waiting in the stack), then to have had my file reviewed a month ago and not inspired any action after the read-through.

They interview through April. They have seats available through April. You're good to go.
 
For the record, last year my app was submitted 7/2, reviewed 9/x and I was invited to interview in February.

this year I was reviewed 7/21. I can't find a rhyme or reason to how this works...
 
ScubaManD said:
For the record, last year my app was submitted 7/2, reviewed 9/x and I was invited to interview in February.

this year I was reviewed 7/21. I can't find a rhyme or reason to how this works...
Click to expand...

Yeah, but despite the inconsistency, you and I are taking this year by storm!

5irRQLe.gif
 
ScubaManD said:
Absolutely. Working in a lab for the gap year means plenty of time to stalk these forums and prep for our soon to be received interview invites.
Click to expand...
Can I ask how you found work in a lab. I live in South Florida too and am having a hard time finding another job
 
motatoes94 said:
Can I ask how you found work in a lab. I live in South Florida too and am having a hard time finding another job
Click to expand...

I'm actually doing a year long internship in a lab at a major academic medical center that I got through my undergrad. But through speaking to a lot of the PI's there, many of them sporadically hire people to work because of turnover. Post docs leave, students go off for further education, people move around labs etc. In my experience, for the most part they don't ever list these positions out online and they tend to hire internally or through personal references. I'd suggest looking at the research faculty at your closest medical center and emailing PI's directly. I did that once and was hired as a Clinical Research Coordinator. Not a sure shot, but worth a try.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

wysdoc
2024-2025 Florida International (FIU)
2 3 4 5
Replies
226
Views
68K
MedEngineer101
M
wysdoc
2024-2025 University of Central Florida (UCF)
3 4 5 6 7
Replies
318
Views
76K
LaurelePoole
L
chilly_md
2023-2024 Florida International (FIU)
4 5 6 7 8
Replies
378
Views
90K
mgm125
M
wysdoc
2024-2025 Florida
2 3 4 5
Replies
246
Views
66K
jerboalover
jerboalover
wysdoc
2024-2025 Florida State
8 9 10 11 12
Replies
567
Views
139K
throwawaybabyitsokay
T
Top