Medical School interviews!

[810390]

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SDN,

I'm a high school senior, and was recently accepted for an interview at NSUCOM and LECOM. I'm waiting for interview invitation on some others too...
RCOM, NYITCOM, VCU Medical, Drexel BS/MD

As many of you have already went through the process of interviewing, could anyone possibly provide some insight to what key points I should contemplate before attending an interview, or questions that you've personally been presented with during the interview?

Thanks!

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

.... High school?

Use this:
https://schools.studentdoctor.net/?reload=1&r=1481983071951

Questions schools have asked in the past can be found there (both MD & DO.)

As for general prep, know your primary and secondary applications backwards and forwards. Also have a general idea of what is going on in the world of healthcare (just in case they ask something relevant to recent news; happened to me a couple times) and make sure you know where you stand on controversial issues. As long as you can explain why you believe what you believe, you're good. There is no "right" and "wrong" when it comes to those types of questions.

 

[810390]

.... High school?

Use this:
https://schools.studentdoctor.net/?reload=1&r=1481983071951

Questions schools have asked in the past can be found there (both MD & DO.)

As for general prep, know your primary and secondary applications backwards and forwards. Also have a general idea of what is going on in the world of healthcare (just in case they ask something relevant to recent news; happened to me a couple times) and make sure you know where you stand on controversial issues. As long as you can explain why you believe what you believe, you're good. There is no "right" and "wrong" when it comes to those types of questions.

Thanks for that site, it's going to help so much.
Yep HS Senior, applied to BS/MD and BS/DO programs. Early assurance

And...
I'm being overwhelmed by all the terminology people are putting on their posts in SDN

What is primary, secondary, step 1 step 2 step 3, comlex, rotations, PGY-1, USMLE
What the heck? : I

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Thanks for that site, it's going to help so much.
Yep HS Senior, applied to BS/MD and BS/DO programs. Early assurance

And...
I'm being overwhelmed by all the terminology people are putting on their posts in SDN

What is primary, secondary, step 1 step 2 step 3, comlex, rotations, PGY-1, USMLE
What the heck? : I

Oh awesome, that's nice.

Primary application is the first application you send to medical schools through AACOMAS. Secondary is your secondary application you send to medical schools (it's usually a few essays you have to write.) If you are applying early assurance you might not have had to do any of that, not sure.

Steps 1, 2, & 3 are exams you take in medical school. Step 1 is a comprehensive exam after your first two years and is very important for your residency placement (training after you graduate.) Step 2 is a comprehensive exam including material from years 3 and 4 in medical school. Step two has two parts (from my understanding): a normal test and then a clinical skills test. This exam holds some weight in your residency placement, but I believe Step 1 is supposed to be hands down the most important exam. Step 3 I believe is the exam you take to graduate residency.

MD and DO schools take different Step exams: MD schools take the USMLE, and DO schools take the COMLEX. If you go to a DO school and want to get into a highly competative residency (dermatology, ophthalmology, surgery, radiology, anesthesiology, etc.) you will have to take both exams (long story short.)

Rotations are what you do during your third and fourth years of medical school. It is when you explore different areas in medicine (family medicine, internal medicine, OB/GYN, general surgery, etc.) This is when you establish connections with people that can help you get into a good residency program after medical school, and when you figure out what type of doctor you want to be.

Not sure what PGY-1 is.

 

[sab3156]

Thanks for that site, it's going to help so much.
Yep HS Senior, applied to BS/MD and BS/DO programs. Early assurance

And...
I'm being overwhelmed by all the terminology people are putting on their posts in SDN

What is primary, secondary, step 1 step 2 step 3, comlex, rotations, PGY-1, USMLE
What the heck? : I

To add on to what @NecrotizingFascitis posted:

PGY stands for "post graduate year", and refers to the residency year you are in. PGY-1 is a first year resident, PGY-2 is second year, etc.

 

[810390]

Oh awesome, that's nice.

Primary application is the first application you send to medical schools through AACOMAS. Secondary is your secondary application you send to medical schools (it's usually a few essays you have to write.) If you are applying early assurance you might not have had to do any of that, not sure.

Steps 1, 2, & 3 are exams you take in medical school. Step 1 is a comprehensive exam after your first two years and is very important for your residency placement (training after you graduate.) Step 2 is a comprehensive exam including material from years 3 and 4 in medical school. Step two has two parts (from my understanding): a normal test and then a clinical skills test. This exam holds some weight in your residency placement, but I believe Step 1 is supposed to be hands down the most important exam. Step 3 I believe is the exam you take to graduate residency.

MD and DO schools take different Step exams: MD schools take the USMLE, and DO schools take the COMLEX. If you go to a DO school and want to get into a highly competative residency (dermatology, ophthalmology, surgery, radiology, anesthesiology, etc.) you will have to take both exams (long story short.)

Rotations are what you do during your third and fourth years of medical school. It is when you explore different areas in medicine (family medicine, internal medicine, OB/GYN, general surgery, etc.) This is when you establish connections with people that can help you get into a good residency program after medical school, and when you figure out what type of doctor you want to be.

Not sure what PGY-1 is.

Thanks. You've got no idea how much that helped!