Interview Question

[PreMedDocMD]

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I don't know much about interviews, so pardon my stupid question. But...how are you supposed to go to your interview? Usually interviews are done during the winter time, when you still have classes. So, do you miss your classes do go on them?

 

[nick_carraway]

Pretty much. Negotiate with the professor when you first find out your dates. Sometimes you get the unfortunate luck of having an interview during exams.

Most upper-div, science professors are pretty understanding since you aren't the only pre-med (hopefully).

 

[PreMedDocMD]

Why did they set up the system in such a stupid way?

 

[Surf Rx]

Why did they set up the system in such a stupid way?

Is there a better, more efficient way you can think of?

 

[PreMedDocMD]

Is there a better, more efficient way you can think of?

Having them all during winter vacation. I mean, Med School is all about GPA, and it would be pretty hard to maintain a high one if you aren't in class for a couple weeks (how lond do all interviews take??).

 

[nick_carraway]

Having them all during winter vacation. I mean, Med School is all about GPA, and it would be pretty hard to maintain a high one if you aren't in class for a couple weeks (how lond do all interviews take??).

Don't worry. If you focus on your interviews and do well, you won't have to care about your GPA 🙂

 

[drizzt3117]

Having them all during winter vacation. I mean, Med School is all about GPA, and it would be pretty hard to maintain a high one if you aren't in class for a couple weeks (how lond do all interviews take??).

Your GPA after you submit AMCAS isn't that important (as long as you do acceptably) unless you don't get in anywhere, then it's really important haha

 

[nick_carraway]

Your GPA after you submit AMCAS isn't that important (as long as you do acceptably) unless you don't get in anywhere, then it's really important haha

There's always a catch in this process 😉

Good luck to us all though! Yay!

 

[SharpieMarker]

Having them all during winter vacation. I mean, Med School is all about GPA, and it would be pretty hard to maintain a high one if you aren't in class for a couple weeks (how lond do all interviews take??).

you can usually do interviews in a day. they tend to end in the afternoon. fly in the evening before, do the interview, fly out same day. you'd miss one class. and you shouldn't be so sad if you've got so many interviews that you're missing several days. 😉

 

[PreMedDocMD]

Can some be done on weekends?

 

[SigurRos]

generally they are on weekdays. So far all three of mine have been scheduled for mondays or wednesdays

 

[Surf Rx]

I haven't head of any being done on the weekends. I hardly doubt that the admissions office staff wants to go to work over the weekends.

 

[ADeadLois]

Having them all during winter vacation. I mean, Med School is all about GPA, and it would be pretty hard to maintain a high one if you aren't in class for a couple weeks (how lond do all interviews take??).

Are you serious?

 

[Phoenix.]

I haven't head of any being done on the weekends. I hardly doubt that the admissions office staff wants to go to work over the weekends.

Sorry that I don't remember which school, but I do recall someone on SDN mentioning that one of the schools offers Saturday interviews. *shrug* But since most don't, it's kind of a moot point.

I noticed that Jefferson only interviews on Wednesdays. Annoying for people having to fly to Philly middle of the week. While most schools offer you a choice of two or three days of the week, most offering a M or F option (but not all).

My best suggestion to the OP would be to try to make one or two days in your schedule "light" on classes, and try to schedule as many interviews as possible on those days. Otherwise, try for a M or F interview, and just miss one day of class. That's the best I can offer by the way of advice.

 

[mvenus929]

Having them all during winter vacation. I mean, Med School is all about GPA, and it would be pretty hard to maintain a high one if you aren't in class for a couple weeks (how lond do all interviews take??).

Interviews generally last half the day. Some run from 8 in the morning til early afternoon, and others start in the afternoon and run into the late afternoon. Besides, if each school only interviewed people during winter break, they'd be very limited as to how many applicants they can interview.

I noticed that Jefferson only interviews on Wednesdays. Annoying for people having to fly to Philly middle of the week. While most schools offer you a choice of two or three days of the week, most offering a M or F option (but not all).

Yeah, the school I'm interviewing at also only gives Wednesday interviews, and it's in a much smaller town than Philadelphia, so it's much harder trying to schedule flights in and out (the only flight I could make lands at nearly 11 at night on Tuesday, and I have to fly out at 6 am Thursday morning).

 

[etf]

. Sometimes you get the unfortunate luck of having an interview during exams.

happened to me twice. interview season took a toll on my grades, so when it was time to send an update letter, i was actually a worse candidate than before.

 

[etf]

Why did they set up the system in such a stupid way?

you'll quickly find that not everyone that you meet on the interview trail is still in school.

 

[alwaysaangel]

Sorry that I don't remember which school, but I do recall someone on SDN mentioning that one of the schools offers Saturday interviews. *shrug* But since most don't, it's kind of a moot point.

University of Kentucky offers Saturday interviews - but its kind of moot since thats only helpful for KY residents or people with strong ties there.

you'll quickly find that not everyone that you meet on the interview trail is still in school.

Yup. A lot of people are no longer in school, and they have to take off work - which depending on your job can be better or worse. For me it was a cinch.

But seriously - the money and time it takes has got to be a major reason for the increase in people doing one year out...I think its up to almost 50% at this point.

 

[ADeadLois]

University of Kentucky offers Saturday interviews - but its kind of moot since thats only helpful for KY residents or people with strong ties there.



Yup. A lot of people are no longer in school, and they have to take off work - which depending on your job can be better or worse. For me it was a cinch.

But seriously - the money and time it takes has got to be a major reason for the increase in people doing one year out...I think its up to almost 50% at this point.

Maybe more. At my school, '07 college graduates are definitely a minority.

 

[alwaysaangel]

Maybe more. At my school, '07 college graduates are definitely a minority.

Yeah its definitely up there - I just don't know the exact stats - I've only met a few people who graduated in 07' many more are my year ('06) or really non-trad.

 

[smq123]

Having them all during winter vacation. I mean, Med School is all about GPA, and it would be pretty hard to maintain a high one if you aren't in class for a couple weeks (how lond do all interviews take??).

I noticed that Jefferson only interviews on Wednesdays. Annoying for people having to fly to Philly middle of the week. While most schools offer you a choice of two or three days of the week, most offering a M or F option (but not all).

If you offered interviews only during winter vacation, it would make it easier to interview while still being a student. However, you would lose the chance of getting a student host or interacting with any current med students during your interview.

To take Jefferson as an example (since that's where I go to school) - applicants always favorably remark on how much med student interaction there is during the day. The coordinators are 2nd year students, there are student interviewers, the tour guides are always students, and the "post-interview" reception is hosted by students.

However, if Jefferson held 2 interview days a week, they would have to remove most of the student interaction. We have to miss class in order to give a tour, and we often have to give up an evening of study in order to host a student. Furthermore, the weeks right before winter break are always exam time, which makes it even more stressful to try and organize the admissions day stuff.

 

[LucyGoose]

Having them all during winter vacation. I mean, Med School is all about GPA, and it would be pretty hard to maintain a high one if you aren't in class for a couple weeks (how lond do all interviews take??).

And you've got to remember that not all schools have long winter breaks. Some are only 2 weeks long, so unless they are interviewing on Christmas and New Year's that leave a lot of students with little options.

 

[etf]

But seriously - the money and time it takes has got to be a major reason for the increase in people doing one year out...I think its up to almost 50% at this point.

actually, i think it's more because of the increase in the level of competitiveness. from what i understand, a few years ago if you had your name on a few pubs you were headed to ucsf. now, you need that just to get a secondary.

 

[alwaysaangel]

And you've got to remember that not all schools have long winter breaks. Some are only 2 weeks long, so unless they are interviewing on Christmas and New Year's that leave a lot of students with little options.

Not only that but can you imagine the costs associated with flying during the holidays?!?! 😱