interview reviews

[Habari]

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for those who have looked at mdphd.intransit.us [reviews] to prep for your interviews or to consider what schools to apply to - please take some time this year to write down your own impression of a school to contribute to the site. it can only stay as a current resource if you add your own impressions [in a format loosely parallelling the one on the site]. also, there are a lot of schools that have no representation, and it would be great for those who are applying in the future. please BUMP this during the season to keep reminding people.

even if you don't post on sdn, but just lurk, please help out and send something in to [email protected] [reviews are anonymous]

thanks

 

[Habari]

now that you guys are actually starting the interviewing - - bump.

 

[wgu]

bump

Sciencemag.org 's NextWave is featuring the MD/PhD topic for this month (Oct), and Habari's one of the student authors. Does that qualify him for first author in Science? 😉

 

[Doctor&Geek]

Hey, I would put it on my CV, thanks 😀.

 

[surge]

Awesome article, Habari 😉

 

[Neuronix]

Wow, that's awesome! Out of curiosity about how to be a superstar, were you invited to write that article? How'd that happen?

 

[surge]

I believe he was indeed invited to contribute.

 

[ghostfacekilla]

Could anyone cut and paste that article and some of the other artcles in that subscription about mudphuds. My school doesnt carry Nextwave and Im too cheap to shell out 10 clams.

 

[Habari]

hey yeah thanks - and congrats to surge as well

here is the url for my article
http://nextwave.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2003/10/02/3

here is the url of another sdn'ers article 😉
http://nextwave.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2003/10/02/1

yeah we were both invited to contribute - hah - but i was upstaged by my suitemate [and 1st year md/phd classmate] who had a real first author science paper come out a couple weeks ago:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/301/5639/1545

 

[coldchemist]

That photo is priceless!

 

[ghostfacekilla]

Ack. Can anyone copy and paste the text body of the articles. Im sure Habari looks smashing in his hat so no need to paste that.

 

[wgu]

Amazing- it was only an undergrad and his PI who authored a Science paper

Originally posted by Habari
hey yeah thanks - and congrats to surge as well

here is the url for my article
http://nextwave.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2003/10/02/3

here is the url of another sdn'ers article 😉
http://nextwave.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2003/10/02/1

yeah we were both invited to contribute - hah - but i was upstaged by my suitemate [and 1st year md/phd classmate] who had a real first author science paper come out a couple weeks ago:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/301/5639/1545

 

[coldchemist]

Goodness gracious, I'm using this material at Georgetown tomorrow. Hope that's okay, surge...

So, if neither Habari or surge has a problem with it, I'll post both of the articles here. Otherwise, I can email it to ya, Ghostface...you just gotta give me the address.

CC

 

[jberg4]

Please post! I want to read it too!

 

[surge]

Personally, I certainly don't have a problem with it (posting it here or using it at Georgetown).
Out of sheer curiosity, how are you going to use it? 😀

 

[ghostfacekilla]

Habari,

Anyone tell you look like Ali G. Very good article and i enjoyed reading it.

 

[coldchemist]

Well, I'm back. I must say that some of my answers to interview questions were inspired by you, surge. The major change I made in my approach was to put some feeling into my responses. I also decided to add a healthy dose of idealism, and I let them know that my decision to pursue the MD/PhD is as personal as it is intellectual. Even though it's true, I may have left that part out had I not read your article.

I guess a big "THANKS" is in order...so, thanks. Very inspirational.

 

[Habari]

just wanted to let you know that i've updated a bit of the site - added a review for case western [thank you to the contributer] and a new international section [please let me know what other information would have been helpful].

please send me more reviews [even if i already have one of the school] because the site can only continue if fresh information is coming in - and programs are re-reviewed to reflect changes they have made. if it has helped you - please give back by writing a review for the schools you have interviewed at.

thanks

 

[surge]

Hey Habari,

thanks for including the int'l student's section! 😍 😉

 

[prasads]

`

 

[Habari]

Hey all, I was wondering,

If i havent heard replies from some schools yet, would it be worth it to call them and tell them that I've received an interview at another higher ranked competitive school to kind of expedite the process. Because the adcoms can be capricious, i thought it might be useful to play the interview-clout ticket.

whaddya say?

i can assure you that they couldn't care less [they move at their own rate], and they might even find it offensive [how would you go about phrasing this conversation?].

no harm in trying out an idea - better here than for real.

 

[coldchemist]

My opinion, so please don't take offense, but...

This would run contrary to common sense. You risk insulting the admissions staff and possibly the admissions commitee, and you will come off as arrogant. Then again, it might not affect your standing in any way, but it's my policy to err on the side of caution--you might just piss off the wrong person. If you plan on doing it anyway, I would advise you to be extremely tactful in your wording.



This is a game in which patience truly is a virtue...

 

[vixey1230]

You know... I did try something similar to that. My undergrad intitution has an MSTP guidance counselor, and he told me that it is without a doubt acceptable to call and tell a school in close proximity to one where I have schedule an interview that I will be coming to the area for an interview with school X, and would appreciate the opportunity to interview at their school during the same trip. Of course this assumes that you're talking about a school that's long distance from you, and within close proximity to one where you have an interview scheduled.

The person I spoke to didn't seem to mind the question at all, and was very polite in telling me that their interview season starts about a month later than my scheduled interview so that would not be possible. But that she would keep me informed of my interview status as the committee makes a decision regarding my application.

 

[coldchemist]

I agree with your approach, but what you did was more like asking for a favor, which is generally acceptable.

What prasads is talking about seems like it could be taken as a threat.

 

[prasads]

well actually, what vixey1230 is speaking about is exactly what i had in mind. i'm not implying that it might be helpful, or even appropriate, to call the adcom staff at school X and insinuate that you deserve an interview because their school is inferior to another school where you are interviewing.

Rather, something more like telling them that you will be interviewing in the area, and that you wanted more information on their interviewing schedule/ your status concerning interviews. For example, the folks at Albert Einstein specifically asked that if you are being interviewed in the area, to call them and inform them of the dates so that they could make the process more convenient for you. If these dates are imminent, then they may expedite your app for consideration of interviews. It's obvious that being totally transparent and honest in the interview process is key.

Anyway, the only reason that I suggested calling the adcoms offices was to address this issue, of making life more convenient. They're often willing to go out of their way for applicants. sorry for the misunderstanding!

 

[davidgw]

hey yeah thanks

 

[Habari]

sorry to keep harping on this - but please send me interview reviews of schools you have visited [even if i already have one for that entry] - the site will get stale and is unsustainable if i don't get new information. there are tons of you guys with interviews; and i'm sure many times that just watching the board without posting - you don't have to send a review for everywhere you have been if that is too much work - i would be happy to get anything you could contribute.

goodluck on your interviews
you can e-mail [email protected]
or [email protected]

-jot

 

[Newquagmire]

Dittos. It'd be nice to hear about UCSD if anybody has some info...

 

[Neuronix]

One thing that I'd like to request is that you please don't just write alot of fluff about the programs either. I think for future applicants, it's not really helpful to harp about how much you love a program or how great the program is. All MSTPs are great programs, but all programs have weaknesses and differences in philosophy that make some candidates more suited for that school. I think it's better to try to give an objective look at things, such as things you didn't like or just things that you think are different from other programs.

Disclaimer: I'm not a part of jot's site. It's just a humble request from a bystander 🙂

Good luck!

 

[Habari]

Thanks a lot for the reviews i've recently recieved:
1 for UPitt
1 for Case Western [a new place not previously reviewed]
1 for U Mich
2 for UCSD
1 for Vanderbilt
1 for Cornell TriI


Thank you for sending these into me, and please help out by sending your own impressions of schools that you have interviewed. Again, even if the place is already there, and you had a similar impression - multiple sources are helpful.

 

[Habari]

i just updated it with the new reviews ...

 

[Habari]

updated the site again ... 4 new reviews

i know a lot more people read it [~10,000] - please send reviews from your interviews otherwise it simply won't be sustainable ... thanks for those who have contributed thus far