How'd you structure answers to "why this school" in interviews? what do ADCOMs look for?

[boltedbicorne]

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I asked something similar before, but I've gone through the msar and the school's website to learn about each school I have interviews at and a lot of the programs at schools like global health, their hospital systems, curriculum, and research endeavors are very similar. Do our reasons have to be entirely unique to this particular medical school? If I comment on how I like the small group active learning structure due to my learning style and explain, then I'm basically taking something that most schools have and acting like it's unique. If I comment on the school's neuroscience center and my research in neuroscience, I could do pretty much the same thing at any other medical school. If I comment on global health opportunities most medical schools literally have the same international/global health opportunities. This makes me really unconfident, what could I do to make the answers seem more genuine and how did you structure your answers? I have picked up unique reasons for a few schools, but some have like nothing I can find that makes them unique 🙁, as superficial as that sounds ("why did you apply to them?" Because I still liked those opportunities and wanted schools that offer them...I guess). What did you do for schools without unique information? Also, what do adcoms look for in responses?

 

[claduva94]

Are you saying there aren't any student organizations or service opportunities that fit your interests? Be specific. Drop names. What are some cool things they offer their students?

 

[boltedbicorne]

Are you saying there aren't any student organizations or service opportunities that fit your interests? Be specific. Drop names. What are some cool things they offer their students?

I've dug through student organizations and a large portion of them are things like AMSA, and MedGLO that many schools have. I've gotten names of faculty with cool research at a few so that works, some dont even have that though =/. how detailed should these answers be overall?

 

[dbeast]

I always imagine if somebody wrote the honest answer...

Secondary: Why this school?
Answer: Because it gives you an M.D.

 

[boltedbicorne]

I always imagine if somebody wrote the honest answer...

Secondary: Why this school?
Answer: Because it gives you an M.D.

LOL, sounds like an instant rejection.

 

[claduva94]

I talk about free clinics, fitness programs, etc. Keep searching. The more stuff you find and the better you can relate it to your experiences the better your answer will be.

 

[theseeker4]

I asked something similar before, but I've gone through the msar and the school's website to learn about each school I have interviews at and a lot of the programs at schools like global health, their hospital systems, curriculum, and research endeavors are very similar. Do our reasons have to be entirely unique to this particular medical school? If I comment on how I like the small group active learning structure due to my learning style and explain, then I'm basically taking something that most schools have and acting like it's unique. If I comment on the school's neuroscience center and my research in neuroscience, I could do pretty much the same thing at any other medical school. If I comment on global health opportunities most medical schools literally have the same international/global health opportunities. This makes me really unconfident, what could I do to make the answers seem more genuine and how did you structure your answers? I have picked up unique reasons for a few schools, but some have like nothing I can find that makes them unique 🙁, as superficial as that sounds ("why did you apply to them?" Because I still liked those opportunities and wanted schools that offer them...I guess). What did you do for schools without unique information? Also, what do adcoms look for in responses?

Basically you just need to demonstrate that you researched the school. If you talk about an interest in rural medicine at a school in the middle of a major city with no notable rural med program, that is not good. However, if something is interesting at a school, you can talk about that attracting you even if it isn't the only medical school that offers it. No one said you had to discuss something that no other med school offers, as long as you are discussing something the school actually has and is known for. Adcoms know you are applying to multiple schools, so as long as you are believable regarding what you like about their school, it doesn't matter whether other schools also offer similar programs and opportunities.

 

[the13fools]

Yeah, just make it clear that you actually care about the school and that you'd be excited to attend if you got admitted.

If that's not true, why'd you apply in the first place?

 

[Goro]

This, plus show us you've done your homework on the institution. Copying and pasting the school's mission statement doesn't count.

Yeah, just make it clear that you actually care about the school and that you'd be excited to attend if you got admitted.

If that's not true, why'd you apply in the first place?