Help RE: Temple Interview

[redhead]

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Hey guys and gals, I am new to the SDN and needed advice on preparing for my interview. This is my second cycle and very first interview so I don't know what to expect. I read the interview thread about the feedback at Temple but I wanted a more detail account on what goes on. If anyone can tell me about their experiences at their Temple interview, I would sincerely appreciate it! I am really looking forward to the interview and would like to prepare myself fully for what might take place. Any suggestions/advice?
P.S. Do you write an essay when you are there? On my interview agenda, there is a time blocked out for written essay.

 

[DMD_hopeful]

Hey guys and gals, I am new to the SDN and needed advice on preparing for my interview. This is my second cycle and very first interview so I don't know what to expect. I read the interview thread about the feedback at Temple but I wanted a more detail account on what goes on. If anyone can tell me about their experiences at their Temple interview, I would sincerely appreciate it! I am really looking forward to the interview and would like to prepare myself fully for what might take place. Any suggestions/advice?
P.S. Do you write an essay when you are there? On my interview agenda, there is a time blocked out for written essay.

I interviewed there in October. Its VERY laid back, so no need to get all worked up. They do a group interview -- usually 4 interviewees and one interviewer. Questions get asked and each person gets a chance to answer. Questions were similar to the ones on the feedback site -- Why Temple? Why dentistry? -- pretty standard stuff.

They do require an essay. I don't think they are looking for a masterpiece. I gather they are seeing if you can articulate your thoughts and write in an intelligent manner. I think we had about 10-15 to write it.. No sweat -- you are only writing like a paragraph.

The recruiter who spends the day with you, Brian, is super cool and very helpful. Ask him as many questions are you like.

Don't worry about a thing.. Just be yourself and be honest and you should be just fine.

Good luck on your interview!

 

[redhead]

What was the topic of the essay they made you write? Was it about world issues or dentistry? Just curious.

 

[DrTacoElf]

What was the topic of the essay they made you write? Was it about world issues or dentistry? Just curious.

What traits do you value in a professor? was my essay question.

 

[demonicr]

What was the topic of the essay they made you write? Was it about world issues or dentistry? Just curious.

there's not one topic. there are many and are distributed randomly. don't sweat it too much on the essay part, its not on current event.

 

[DMD_hopeful]

What was the topic of the essay they made you write? Was it about world issues or dentistry? Just curious.

Mine was "What do you do when you are stressed?"

 

[delicious]

What was the topic of the essay they made you write? Was it about world issues or dentistry? Just curious.

Mine was: "You've been a successful dentist for 15 years and then suffer a back injury that doesn't allow you to continue practicing dentistry. Assuming that money isn't an issue, what do you do with your life?"

The girl beside me got: "What has been the most important day in your life?"

I thought these essay q's were bullsh#t when I was there, but now that I think about it, they're alright. It's a good way of screening out people who can't communicate, and who can't think creatively.

 

[Bullfan16]

What's up "redhead"....ready to go back to class Tuesday????

Dont worry...I know you will do fine. I know at UIC they ask "what do you do when you are stressed?" as well. Like I said Brian is a cool guy (as someone else mentioned previously) and this will be your first of many interviews.

See you in class.

 

[v&andy_yankee]

don't stay until after 5pm check out the size of the rock on the associate dean's finger (i'm pretty sure they have her drop by for every interview session).

my question was "what are the support systems in your life?" i would say the biggest thing your need to prepare for is interviewing in a group--figuring out who usually talks first, etc. luckily everyone in my group was pretty cool and the group dynamics was pretty good, and we all basically took turns (otherwise, the person who always answers last would just sound like a regurgitator). be aggressive but not too aggressive. another problem is that the interview is basically the last thing on the list--so you'll have to chug through talks and intros and lunch for 5 hours before the interview.

kudos to the admissions office, brian is one cool dude, he'll definitely try to get you all to lighten up (as interviews can be nerve-wrecking).

 

[fruity_trident]

the person who always answers last would just sound like a regurgitator

hi there everyone, i can't believe i haven't found more ppl having the same issue as stated above!

once i heard/read about group interviews, i thought - "what? everyone's gonna say the SAME thing, i'm gonna sound like an idiot saying 'yes, and AGAIN, i would have to agree with A & B' ". PFF.

did anybody feel that the did this?

thanks

EDIT: how did ppl answer the question about treating a drunk patient? 😕

 

[v&andy_yankee]

^^the good thing, fruity_t, is that they really don't care about the content of what you're saying but rather how you're saying it/approaching it. our interviewer even told us afterwards, because he knew a lot of us had that on our minds, that the interview really isn't to see what your exact answers are, but how successful you were in communicating it to the interviewer. they want to make sure, that if you are a dentist, you can communicate/articulate to the patient.

in my interview group there were also a couple of foreign students, and i'm sure the interview process also checks to see if their english is up to par--they may look great on paper, but it's useless if they can't communicate with the patient.

 

[fruity_trident]

in my interview group there were also a couple of foreign students

mwuahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

somehow, i feel that canada (@ least Toronto) doesn't care about THAT issue.

it's more like oh 45 on MCATs? 4.0 GPA..u're in, we don't care if u have a criminal record or if u only know how to say "hello, goodbye and fork" in english.lol
j/k

sorry i edited my post.
did u get the "treating drunk patients" q? if not, what do u think u would've said anyways?

 

[v&andy_yankee]

^^^i think it mainly applies to where you are going. since temple puts such a heavy emphasis in clinics, you can't really graduate and do research or something else, it has to be an actual dentistry.

lol, i'm just imagining if they only "know how to say 'hello, goodbye and fork,'" trying to communicate with the temple city-patients.

 

[boogaking]

Hey guys and gals, I am new to the SDN and needed advice on preparing for my interview. This is my second cycle and very first interview so I don't know what to expect. I read the interview thread about the feedback at Temple but I wanted a more detail account on what goes on. If anyone can tell me about their experiences at their Temple interview, I would sincerely appreciate it! I am really looking forward to the interview and would like to prepare myself fully for what might take place. Any suggestions/advice?
P.S. Do you write an essay when you are there? On my interview agenda, there is a time blocked out for written essay.

Hi Red.... Congrats on the interview invite... I was wondering how long after you sent in the supplemental apps you heard back from Temple...

 

[redhead]

Hi Red.... Congrats on the interview invite... I was wondering how long after you sent in the supplemental apps you heard back from Temple...

You know, I don't quite remember. Maybe a month? I sent in my AADSAS in July and then got a secondary maybe in August/September and then got a email to interview about a month ago. Sorry I couldn't be more specific.