How to answer "Why X school?" in interviews?

[anotherpremed534536]

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Especially in newer, less established schools that's out of state.

The truth is that I just want to be a physician and I would go anywhere and work my butt off to be one. The school/location doesn't matter to me. But how would I go about answering this in interviews?

 

[AcesCracked]

Especially in newer, less established schools that's out of state.

The truth is that I just want to be a physician and I would go anywhere and work my butt off to be one. The school/location doesn't matter to me. But how would I go about answering this in interviews?

Research the school and find one or two things that are interesting or unique about the school, then talk about how you really enjoy those aspects.

 

[Goro]

Especially in newer, less established schools that's out of state.

The truth is that I just want to be a physician and I would go anywhere and work my butt off to be one. The school/location doesn't matter to me. But how would I go about answering this in interviews?

You're going to have to come up with something.

See above and read every page on the school's website.

If they have a thread in the school-specific threads, read it and ask the current students questions.

You're going spend some $250K on a place and be there 2-4 four years, you ought to know something specific about it other than they'll make you a doctor.

 

[workaholic181]

Especially in newer, less established schools that's out of state.

The truth is that I just want to be a physician and I would go anywhere and work my butt off to be one. The school/location doesn't matter to me. But how would I go about answering this in interviews?

Find a club, student out reach or, something about the school you genuinely think is cool. Talk about that. It doesn't have to be anything major. I just talked about a student org I would join if I was accepted.

 

[sinigang14]

Especially in newer, less established schools that's out of state.

The truth is that I just want to be a physician and I would go anywhere and work my butt off to be one. The school/location doesn't matter to me. But how would I go about answering this in interviews?

Do an extensive search on the website and even any news articles that the schools put out.

Find any programs, electives they have and understand their philosophy and school mission. Use personal experiences to explain why these things are important to you and be genuine in your answers. Location is also important but I have had interviewers ask me “why this school other than location preference?”

 

[curbsideconsult]

Agreed with all of the previous posters' recommendations.

From a student interviewer perspective, I was never looking for someone to wow me with their knowledge of the school or area. What I was looking for was that the candidate was prepared and did their research the best they could. Unless you have a super d*ckish interviewer, you won't have to dig any further than the school's website and maybe do a google search on the location if it's a relatively little known area. The only way you could tank the interview (which has unfortunately but unsurprisingly happened to me and my fellow student interviewers) is if you stare blankly at the interviewer when asked this question or if you answer with something akin to "I don't know." That's like showing up to your surgery rotation and not having any idea what you'll be doing for the day. You don't need to know exactly step-by-step how the surgery is done or the intricacies of it (why are you in med school then and not practicing?) but you should at least know which body part you'll be working on. And that's about the equivalent interviewers are looking for.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Don't be dense. The school has a website, has a mission statement, is located in a particular area of the country, serves a certain patient population and likely has some niche thing to it that may just be that it's new. If you can't answer a simple question like that, it doesn't matter how much you "just want to be a physician." Clearly you're not capable of doing a google search which why would anyone take you seriously as a candidate?

Sorry for being harsh, but this is how it'll be seen.

 

[Goro]

Don't be dense. The school has a website, has a mission statement, is located in a particular area of the country, serves a certain patient population and likely has some niche thing to it that may just be that it's new. If you can't answer a simple question like that, it doesn't matter how much you "just want to be a physician." Clearly you're not capable of doing a google search which why would anyone take you seriously as a candidate?

Sorry for being harsh, but this is how it'll be seen.

/thread!