- Joined
- Oct 26, 2016
- Messages
- 14
- Reaction score
- 23
Since I just interviewed here, I will share my two cents. If you back track to last years thread, there are members who commented about the interview style, and its still spot on as of 2018. Keep in mind, 7,000 applicants apple to Bradenton, 700-800 are interviewed, 200 matriculate. I dont recall how many people total are accepted (probably somewhere between 300-500) nor how many are waitlisted.
The format. We start off with a CLOSED file group interview session with a total of six students and two faculty. They ask us to answer questions, but to address one another as we sit around a table rather than directly towards them. Honestly, this was great. Looking at peers was much more comfortable than being stared down by two faculty members, as I have experienced at another interview. You also get the chance to build upon each other's thoughts, and create momentum in your answers. It is important not to dominant the conversation nor interrupt. Shout out to the people who start off these discussions first, because it gives everyone else a chance to think and reflect. Avoid rambling for too long, answer the question so that there is enough time for everyone else to chime in.
Following the group interview, we sat down for a one on one interview. Again, this involved two faculty, but this time we are given a prompt and told to read it out loud. I think this was suppose to be the MMI. My faculty members were extremely kind. When I gave my answer, one of them told me about what he liked about what I said, and addressed something I had forgotten. I really appreciated the way he did this, it was in a kind manner and for the first time in an interview, I was given feedback, which allowed me to learn from the experience.
Then we met with the dean for a short period of time. Then we speak with the PBL director. We then have the entire interview group split into two groups to get a campus tour with two student ambassadors that are second years, before returning and eating lunch with the OMS-2 students. Shout out to the OMS-2 keeping it real about their experiences at LECOM and not trying to sell us on a program that might not be right for us.
Then we observe the PBL session in live action, again with OMS-2 students. I personally think that I can definitely succeed in a PBL curriculum based on my personal experience. In medical school, we end up teaching ourselves anyways, so this is nothing new to me. My concern was really two folds.
1. If you have ever taken an online class before, without a professor emphasizing and deemphasizing certain topics, it can be overwhelming. I took medical terminology online, a relatively straightforward course, but the online exams were stressful because literally anything could be on the exam. There was no one to hint or guide us that certain terms were more likely to appear and be tested, thus we had to know it all. Students, and physicians I know that graduated from LECOM, have said that they wish that the PBL curriculum would incorporate a powerpoint or outline into the program, but the philosophy at LECOM-bradenton is strictly against such, per our PBL director.
2. If you have ever taken a science lab, you know how it feels to be overwhelmed with the material, the feeling of being unprepared, and not learning a damn thing. Remember those chemistry calculations? How the hell did we get a yield of 300%? I was afraid it would be the blind leading the blind. However, the students seemed to know their stuff. I can definitely see how an extrovert, teacher, or leader can succeed in the program. And if you do not feel like you are one of those individuals, you can find an opportunity to challenge yourself and work on these skills. Everyone reads the same material, and once again, builds off each other. They all share google docs with their notes and collaborate outside the class.
I enjoyed watching the PBL session. It was collaborative, an open environment to joke, talk, and learn. I was amazed when I saw everyone open a different textbook simultaneously when they got to a point in the patient's case that they did not know the answer to, and then they started to reference certain chapters for further learning. The goal with PBL and the patient cases is NOT to reach a correct diagnosis, but to find gaps in your knowledge, and read up on it for the next session. You will not be given an outline or powerpoints that emphasize certain science topics. And you certainly will NOT have anyone hold your hand to tell you what you need to know for an exam.
Overall, I enjoyed my time at LECOM. I certainly thought about cancelling my interview invite, but I am very glad I made the trip to see the school for myself. I also thought it was interesting that the ENTIRE interview was done by Ph.D and MD physicians. Go figure.
However, what concerned me was when the director of student affairs began to talk about third and fourth year doing clinical rotations. What I took away from his discussion was, "we do not have strong hospital affiliations yet, but we predict that you will be placed in the northeast of the US." He did not name a single hospital, and described being placed anywhere at all being a "privilege" since LECOM does not pay to have students at hospitals. Someone please correct me if I am wrong here.
I can handle the PBL. I can handle dress attire (most schools have this, ya'll), and even not having water with me when I am outside the cafeteria. I can even walk the halls that are heavily decorated with clowns alone in the dark without wetting myself. My interview felt very low stress and casual, and I enjoyed meeting the faculty. They seemed to be sincerely nice, kind, and well spoken. But the third and fourth year made me really concerned. Also, it seemed like NOT A SINGLE STUDENT here picked LECOM Bradenton over another school. It was always the same response of, "I did not get in anywhere else, but here." Damn.
For what its worth, they talked about the high COMPLEX score (ranked #1 and #2 in the nation for highest average over the course of a decade), and the high match rate, 31% in non primary care (surgery, EM, nephro, etc....) and the rest in primary care (FM, IM, PEDs, etc), with 100% match for the last graduating year.
Also, they are offering early decision (Mid September) and normal decision (Nov 15) for when you receive an answer post interview.
The format. We start off with a CLOSED file group interview session with a total of six students and two faculty. They ask us to answer questions, but to address one another as we sit around a table rather than directly towards them. Honestly, this was great. Looking at peers was much more comfortable than being stared down by two faculty members, as I have experienced at another interview. You also get the chance to build upon each other's thoughts, and create momentum in your answers. It is important not to dominant the conversation nor interrupt. Shout out to the people who start off these discussions first, because it gives everyone else a chance to think and reflect. Avoid rambling for too long, answer the question so that there is enough time for everyone else to chime in.
Following the group interview, we sat down for a one on one interview. Again, this involved two faculty, but this time we are given a prompt and told to read it out loud. I think this was suppose to be the MMI. My faculty members were extremely kind. When I gave my answer, one of them told me about what he liked about what I said, and addressed something I had forgotten. I really appreciated the way he did this, it was in a kind manner and for the first time in an interview, I was given feedback, which allowed me to learn from the experience.
Then we met with the dean for a short period of time. Then we speak with the PBL director. We then have the entire interview group split into two groups to get a campus tour with two student ambassadors that are second years, before returning and eating lunch with the OMS-2 students. Shout out to the OMS-2 keeping it real about their experiences at LECOM and not trying to sell us on a program that might not be right for us.
Then we observe the PBL session in live action, again with OMS-2 students. I personally think that I can definitely succeed in a PBL curriculum based on my personal experience. In medical school, we end up teaching ourselves anyways, so this is nothing new to me. My concern was really two folds.
1. If you have ever taken an online class before, without a professor emphasizing and deemphasizing certain topics, it can be overwhelming. I took medical terminology online, a relatively straightforward course, but the online exams were stressful because literally anything could be on the exam. There was no one to hint or guide us that certain terms were more likely to appear and be tested, thus we had to know it all. Students, and physicians I know that graduated from LECOM, have said that they wish that the PBL curriculum would incorporate a powerpoint or outline into the program, but the philosophy at LECOM-bradenton is strictly against such, per our PBL director.
2. If you have ever taken a science lab, you know how it feels to be overwhelmed with the material, the feeling of being unprepared, and not learning a damn thing. Remember those chemistry calculations? How the hell did we get a yield of 300%? I was afraid it would be the blind leading the blind. However, the students seemed to know their stuff. I can definitely see how an extrovert, teacher, or leader can succeed in the program. And if you do not feel like you are one of those individuals, you can find an opportunity to challenge yourself and work on these skills. Everyone reads the same material, and once again, builds off each other. They all share google docs with their notes and collaborate outside the class.
I enjoyed watching the PBL session. It was collaborative, an open environment to joke, talk, and learn. I was amazed when I saw everyone open a different textbook simultaneously when they got to a point in the patient's case that they did not know the answer to, and then they started to reference certain chapters for further learning. The goal with PBL and the patient cases is NOT to reach a correct diagnosis, but to find gaps in your knowledge, and read up on it for the next session. You will not be given an outline or powerpoints that emphasize certain science topics. And you certainly will NOT have anyone hold your hand to tell you what you need to know for an exam.
Overall, I enjoyed my time at LECOM. I certainly thought about cancelling my interview invite, but I am very glad I made the trip to see the school for myself. I also thought it was interesting that the ENTIRE interview was done by Ph.D and MD physicians. Go figure.
However, what concerned me was when the director of student affairs began to talk about third and fourth year doing clinical rotations. What I took away from his discussion was, "we do not have strong hospital affiliations yet, but we predict that you will be placed in the northeast of the US." He did not name a single hospital, and described being placed anywhere at all being a "privilege" since LECOM does not pay to have students at hospitals. Someone please correct me if I am wrong here.
I can handle the PBL. I can handle dress attire (most schools have this, ya'll), and even not having water with me when I am outside the cafeteria. I can even walk the halls that are heavily decorated with clowns alone in the dark without wetting myself. My interview felt very low stress and casual, and I enjoyed meeting the faculty. They seemed to be sincerely nice, kind, and well spoken. But the third and fourth year made me really concerned. Also, it seemed like NOT A SINGLE STUDENT here picked LECOM Bradenton over another school. It was always the same response of, "I did not get in anywhere else, but here." Damn.
For what its worth, they talked about the high COMPLEX score (ranked #1 and #2 in the nation for highest average over the course of a decade), and the high match rate, 31% in non primary care (surgery, EM, nephro, etc....) and the rest in primary care (FM, IM, PEDs, etc), with 100% match for the last graduating year.
Also, they are offering early decision (Mid September) and normal decision (Nov 15) for when you receive an answer post interview.
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