2017-2018 Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (MWU-AZCOM)

[HopefulDoc91]

I live 10 hours away...I have half a mind to just drive

I just drove 16 hours to an interview at ACOM...I'm very happy I did that.

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[2XY1XX]

Should we be checking the portal consistently, or do they send II's via e-mail? I have read mixed things.

Portal. I got an invite late July and still have not gotten the email.

 

[ak1395]

Portal. I got an invite late July and still have not gotten the email.

This might sound really dumb but where in the Portal did you find it?

 

[814965]

This might sound really dumb but where in the Portal did you find it?

A link called 'Interview Scheduling' will appear just above the link for the supplemental application.

 

[2XY1XX]

A link called 'Interview Scheduling' will appear just above the link for the supplemental application.

This

 

[DocHopeful120]

I just drove 16 hours to an interview at ACOM...I'm very happy I did that.

Any thoughts you'd care to share? Mine's in 2 weeks

 

[HopefulDoc91]

Any thoughts you'd care to share? Mine's in 2 weeks

Don't over think it! It was literally the most relaxed interview I've ever experienced. I enjoyed every moment of the day, and all the faculty are so excited that you're there. Just be prepared for the standard interview questions (why do you want to be a doctor, why DO, etc), and know your application details.

 

[ily2017]

Checked the portal on 8/8 and got an II

 

[BlueFeesh]

FIRST II!! The only interviews I see are for November, so I signed up. I'm so excited!!

Eyyy, nice Dark Souls 3 username haha! What II did you sign up for in Nov? Mine is the 17th. Best of Luck friend!

 

[PreMedHeart]

On interview wait list and going crazy waiting. I feel like I was put on it at least a month ago and it's only been two weeks! Fingers crossed I get an II

 

[Yhorm the Giant]

Eyyy, nice Dark Souls 3 username haha! What II did you sign up for in Nov? Mine is the 17th. Best of Luck friend!

Hey I'm glad you got that! Blue feesh.... basically blue centennial's haha. Yeah I made this account last summer when I was playing like crazy instead of doing organic chemistry. I'm doing it that Monday, but I'm really hoping that an earlier date opens up. I feel like I might get some interviews at other places that are lower on my list and then have to put down a deposit at those other places cuz you just never know. Good luck to you!

 

[deleted736411]

I wish I saw the messages about the portal updating so much earlier than getting an email. Current earliest is in mid-Nov and I'm on vacation for 3 weeks in Nov

Fingers crossed it'll be fine cause I heard a good amount of applicants that interviewed in January still got accepted!

 

[Yhorm the Giant]

I wish I saw the messages about the portal updating so much earlier than getting an email. Current earliest is in mid-Nov and I'm on vacation for 3 weeks in Nov

Fingers crossed it'll be fine cause I heard a good amount of applicants that interviewed in January still got accepted!

Yeah it's interesting that I never got an email but luckily I was checking the portal at least once a day, if not 87. Does anyone know what the likelihood of earlier dates opening up are?

 

[deleted736411]

Yeah it's interesting that I never got an email but luckily I was checking the portal at least once a day, if not 87. Does anyone know what the likelihood of earlier dates opening up are?

I called and they straight up just told me no - earliest is whatever the portal shows

EDIT: I just looked at the portal and I guess cancellations are also live-updated cause I just managed to snag a 9/21 interview!

 

[Yhorm the Giant]

I called and they straight up just told me no - earliest is whatever the portal shows

EDIT: I just looked at the portal and I guess cancellations are also live-updated cause I just managed to snag a 9/21 interview!

Oh my gosh thank you for posting this! I just snagged one for that Tuesday! That brings it like two months sooner haha

 

[ahmadmz]

Out of no where, SO MANY dates for interviews opened up for Sep and Oct. Does this mean within last few hours, many people just withdrew their applications??

 

[ardparts]

I called and they straight up just told me no - earliest is whatever the portal shows

EDIT: I just looked at the portal and I guess cancellations are also live-updated cause I just managed to snag a 9/21 interview!

Wow. Thanks for this! Going in October instead of Nov.

 

[BlueFeesh]

Hey I'm glad you got that! Blue feesh.... basically blue centennial's haha. Yeah I made this account last summer when I was playing like crazy instead of doing organic chemistry. I'm doing it that Monday, but I'm really hoping that an earlier date opens up. I feel like I might get some interviews at other places that are lower on my list and then have to put down a deposit at those other places cuz you just never know. Good luck to you!

Haha, thanks. Best of luck to you too friend!

 

[Scrubb]

II, noticed on the portal today. Submitted secondary 8/12.

 

[HopefullyAPedsDoc]

Moved my interview from Oct 19 to Sept 21... that just got really close

 

[ahmadmz]

Moved my interview from Oct 19 to Sept 21... that just got really close

Same! Moved mine from Nov 13th!

 

[HopefullyAPedsDoc]

I'm hoping this is a "one and done"... its my top choice

 

[ahmadmz]

I'm hoping this is a "one and done"... its my top choice

Can I ask your reasons to why it's your top choice?

 

[814965]

Is there a lot to do in the Phoenix area in November? I'm considering using the interview as an excuse to just take a vacation there for a few days,

 

[joeception]

Complete 8/15, II this morning! First one, now time to buy my first suit!

 

[deleted736411]

Moved my interview from Oct 19 to Sept 21... that just got really close

Same!! Moved mine from mid-nov to 9/21

 

[HopefullyAPedsDoc]

Yeah so I'm a student at the IL campus right now and I really like how they structure the curriculum - I've gotten used to the quarter system and testing style that Midwestern has. I'm from the Southwest and I want to practice in underserved Hispanic communities, which AZCOM has a lot of opportunities to work with that community partly because of location and partly because of the commitment to service thats apart of the school's mission. I miss the area, I worked in several Phoenix ERs in undergrad and the doctors that graduated from AZCOM were some of the best physicians I've worked with (have thousands of hours of patient time in a variety of clinic settings and the AZCOM grads really stood out to me). They also put a lot of support back into their students which is something that really attracts me to the school. Also my boyfriend is an MS-1 there so thats another plus. My biggest thing is location and it being an osteopathic school - I really tailored my applications pretty selectively so that I only applied to schools I would be absolutely thrilled to go to and fit my goals/values when it comes to patient care. Really have had a great experience with Midwestern overall and I miss the heat (this winter thing is weird here in Chicago). *sorry for any typos, doing this from my phone*

Can I ask your reasons to why it's your top choice?

 

[ahmadmz]

Yeah so I'm a student at the IL campus right now and I really like how they structure the curriculum - I've gotten used to the quarter system and testing style that Midwestern has. I'm from the Southwest and I want to practice in underserved Hispanic communities, which AZCOM has a lot of opportunities to work with that community partly because of location and partly because of the commitment to service thats apart of the school's mission. I miss the area, I worked in several Phoenix ERs in undergrad and the doctors that graduated from AZCOM were some of the best physicians I've worked with (have thousands of hours of patient time in a variety of clinic settings and the AZCOM grads really stood out to me). They also put a lot of support back into their students which is something that really attracts me to the school. Also my boyfriend is an MS-1 there so thats another plus. My biggest thing is location and it being an osteopathic school - I really tailored my applications pretty selectively so that I only applied to schools I would be absolutely thrilled to go to and fit my goals/values when it comes to patient care. Really have had a great experience with Midwestern overall and I miss the heat (this winter thing is weird here in Chicago). *sorry for any typos, doing this from my phone*

Thanks for your awesome response! Got me excited for AZCOM now lol. Was debating between AZCOM vs CCOM.

 

[HopefullyAPedsDoc]

Thanks for your awesome response! Got me excited for AZCOM now lol. Was debating between AZCOM vs CCOM.

Don't get me wrong! Both schools are AWESOME! I just feel more suited for AZCOM because of my background/goals.

 

[Yhorm the Giant]

So because of a scheduling conflict I went to go and reschedule my interview, hoping for a different time in September or even October. To my surprise they had one for the end of this month, in just over a week. I decided to jump on the chance for an early interview but it has me freaked out a little haha. But I figure as long as I prepare well over the next week, some practice questions for myself I can do well. So everyone essentially says that it feels conversational and wasn't too terribly high stress. Is it not MMI? I feel like a lot of schools have just very recently changed their style so I didn't want to go back too far on the threads. Is it a regular panel? I swear I read that it was MMI or group interviews somewhere

 

[HopefulDoc91]

So because of a scheduling conflict I went to go and reschedule my interview, hoping for a different time in September or even October. To my surprise they had one for the end of this month, in just over a week. I decided to jump on the chance for an early interview but it has me freaked out a little haha. But I figure as long as I prepare well over the next week, some practice questions for myself I can do well. So everyone essentially says that it feels conversational and wasn't too terribly high stress. Is it not MMI? I feel like a lot of schools have just very recently changed their style so I didn't want to go back too far on the threads. Is it a regular panel? I swear I read that it was MMI or group interviews somewhere

I believe you are interviewed by 3 people: A PhD, DO, and 4th year student

 

[DODoc2Be91]

Hello all, I am a current OMS I. We are on our 4th week of classes and just finished our 5th exam. Feel free to ask me any questions and I will try to respond back in a reasonable time. If it's not personal, please consider posting it on here as it will most likely be helpful for everyone else!

 

[Yhorm the Giant]

Hello all, I am a current OMS I. We are on our 4th week of classes and just finished our 5th exam. Feel free to ask me any questions and I will try to respond back in a reasonable time. If it's not personal, please consider posting it on here as it will most likely be helpful for everyone else!

Why did you choose AZCOM? What are your favorite aspects so far? What would you change?

 

[DODoc2Be91]

I chose AZCOM for location as it is close to home and I felt a more relaxed atmosphere than some of the other schools that i've interviewed at...which was important to me because there ain't no way Im dressing up business casual for mandatory lectures.

Currently, there's nothing too drastic that that separates AZCOM from pretty much any other school. You will get a great education wherever you go.

However, the campus itself is starting to feel small now that all the other schools are about to start. The library is my biggest complaint given how small it is for the number of students Midwestern admits. Starting next week, an additional 635+ students not including the 500 OMS I and II will be on campus at any given time. For reference, the OMS I's usually fill up the study rooms just with our class alone.

 

[Yhorm the Giant]

I chose AZCOM for location as it is close to home and I felt a more relaxed atmosphere than some of the other schools that i've interviewed at...which was important to me because there ain't no way Im dressing up business casual for mandatory lectures.

Currently, there's nothing too drastic that that separates AZCOM from pretty much any other school. You will get a great education wherever you go.

However, the campus itself is starting to feel small now that all the other schools are about to start. The library is my biggest complaint given how small it is for the number of students Midwestern admits. Starting next week, an additional 635+ students not including the 500 OMS I and II will be on campus at any given time. For reference, the OMS I's usually fill up the study rooms just with our class alone.

Thank you so much! That is good stuff to know for my interview next week.

 

[drips23]

II! Via portal, no email. Complete 8/17, Canadian, LizzyM ~69

 

[py335]

Received a rejection email a few hours ago. A bit disappointed because I thought I had a pretty decent shot. Oh well, good luck to the rest of you guys!

 

[Yhorm the Giant]

Is it worth it for me to apply with an mcat score under 500? In other words, is there minimum requirement mcat a hard rule? 498 Mcat, 3.9 GPA, Az resident and African American. Thanks for any help.

My vote is yes, but maybe someone else can chime in

 

[joeception]

Is it worth it for me to apply with an mcat score under 500? In other words, is there minimum requirement mcat a hard rule? 498 Mcat, 3.9 GPA, Az resident and African American. Thanks for any help.

That is a tough one for this particular school as they are mcat heavy. I would say go for it if you have the money. Your GPA is fantastic and your URM status plus being in-state will help alot. I have heard they do not interview below 507ish mcat until after January so do not worry if you do not hear back right away.

 

[deleted736411]

I believe you are interviewed by 3 people: A PhD, DO, and 4th year student

So on the MWUAZCOM website: "When applicants come to campus for interview appointments, they join several other interviewees to meet with members of a three-person interview panel, ..."

This might be a stupid question but do we go into panel interviews alone or is this a group interview with other applicants?

 

[PreMedHeart]

Received a rejection email a few hours ago. A bit disappointed because I thought I had a pretty decent shot. Oh well, good luck to the rest of you guys!

Dang! Sorry to hear. Thank you for sharing though. I'm still on the waitlist for an interview

 

[HopefulDoc91]

So on the MWUAZCOM website: "When applicants come to campus for interview appointments, they join several other interviewees to meet with members of a three-person interview panel, ..."

This might be a stupid question but do we go into panel interviews alone or is this a group interview with other applicants?

I'm pretty sure you're in there solo, I haven't heard anything about group interviews

 

[hopefuldoctor93]

Yeah no group interviews, but there is 3 people interviewing you.

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[Johnny Appleseed]

Anyone know what the post interview acceptance rate is?

I was just rejected post interview from BCOM, and I interview at AZCOM on Wednesday. I'm starting to get super nervous about the thought of another post interview rejection...

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[Yhorm the Giant]

Anyone know what the post interview acceptance rate is?

I was just rejected post interview from BCOM, and I interview at AZCOM on Wednesday. I'm starting to get super nervous about the thought of another post interview rejection...

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Word on the street is about 75% but I haven't been able to find any data to back that up

 

[swimmer to dentist]

Hey guys, congrats on all the interviews! I'm a current Dental Student at Midwestern with an extra room that is listed on Airbnb. I stayed at airbnb's for all my interviews and tried to stay where current students lived so it gave me a better feel of what it would be like, and I loved it!

If you're a first time airbnb user this is my referral link which gives you $40 off your first stay at any airbnb.
Get $40 off your first adventure!

This is the link to my room
Private Room and Bathroom - Apartments for Rent in Glendale, Arizona, United States

Good luck to you all!

 

[Yhorm the Giant]

Man I'm starting to get some nervous about this interview on Tuesday. I initially had the interview set for a couple months out but then when I saw such an early date I grabbed it without really thinking. I hadn't not so mock interview with my pre-med advisor, more where we went over my main talking points, but not my actual interviewing skill. I have done mock interviews before but it was like a year ago and I got pretty positive feedback though I did stumble on a couple of questions. I feel like I am not very informed on a lot of healthcare field information, at least as far as politics and laws go. Like I read about it occasionally and I have broad strokes ideas, but if people start getting into some specifics I'll be lost. Doesn't seem like these guys really nitpick you on those that much? Worried that I and shooting myself in the foot by taking such an early interview without as much crap as I should get but also feel like my best chances are going to come early on. This is just me rambling and hoping for the best! I feel like I've got okay answers for why this school why I want to be a physician why and osteopathic physician and the tell me about yourself question. They just have your CV that we submitted right? No transcripts or MCAT or anything?

 

[zeroman]

Man I'm starting to get some nervous about this interview on Tuesday. I initially had the interview set for a couple months out but then when I saw such an early date I grabbed it without really thinking. I hadn't not so mock interview with my pre-med advisor, more where we went over my main talking points, but not my actual interviewing skill. I have done mock interviews before but it was like a year ago and I got pretty positive feedback though I did stumble on a couple of questions. I feel like I am not very informed on a lot of healthcare field information, at least as far as politics and laws go. Like I read about it occasionally and I have broad strokes ideas, but if people start getting into some specifics I'll be lost. Doesn't seem like these guys really nitpick you on those that much? Worried that I and shooting myself in the foot by taking such an early interview without as much crap as I should get but also feel like my best chances are going to come early on. This is just me rambling and hoping for the best! I feel like I've got okay answers for why this school why I want to be a physician why and osteopathic physician and the tell me about yourself question. They just have your CV that we submitted right? No transcripts or MCAT or anything?

Don't stress yourself out. If they chose you for an interview, they are interested in you. You have something to offer!

Next, for political/social issues, the main point is to explore the idea and understand both sides (well demonstrate you understand both sides). For example, for vaccinations don't just say "People who vaccinate their kids should be forced to listen to Madonna until they do". Instead, say something like "Vaccination is the best choice but patients don't always make the best choices for them. It's important to understand why they are making that choice and provide them with all the relevant information. " I did get asked about antibiotics abuse and did get a fact wrong, but instead of panicking, I explained the gap in my knowledge and it leads to an interesting conversation with one of my interviewers. Point being, don't try to make up facts and answer the best you can. These questions are about seeing can you think about an issue critically (part of which is understanding which pieces of info you may not fully know).

I will suggest the youtube series Healthcare Triage, which explains a lot of the issues very well.

They also don't seem to nitpick answers much. They may ask for you to elaborate, but it won't ever be excessive.

Main advice is, don't overthink this interview. The adcom isn't trying to trick you and the dean really seems sincere about looking at the entire applicant. Just be as calm as possible (easier said then done I know) and give complete answers. It will probably turn into more of a conversation rather than an interview in 5 min.

 

[zeroman]

Anyone know what the post interview acceptance rate is?

I was just rejected post interview from BCOM, and I interview at AZCOM on Wednesday. I'm starting to get super nervous about the thought of another post interview rejection...

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As far as post acceptance rate, I don't have a number but the stat thrown around is 75%. I do know that a lot of the people who interviewed earlier were accepted and I didn't interview until March and got off the waitlist in July Actually, most of my group was accepted. Though I will say they love putting people on the waitlist. Though, I wouldn't worry about that right now. Focus on doing well on the interview and obsessively look at the acceptance portal after.

 

[DODoc2Be91]

Is it worth it for me to apply with an mcat score under 500? In other words, is there minimum requirement mcat a hard rule? 498 Mcat, 3.9 GPA, Az resident and African American. Thanks for any help.

I think in a class of 253, 2% classified themselves as AA. Not super related, but just a point of reference as to how skewed our demographics are. ~60% White ~25% Asian.