Student Admission's Committee member looking for input

[adcompost]

Hey everyone!

I am a first year medical student, and part of the Student Admissions Committee at my institution. As many of you probably know, institutions around the country will be doing virtual interview days for this upcoming cycle.

So we want to hear from you! What can we do as an admissions office to give you the best virtual look at our school, and maybe more importantly, what do you want us not to do? What can we do that would make you feel like you really got to understand what our school is about, even from hundreds of miles away? Conversely, what could we do that would make you think we are just wasting your time? Our main priority is finding engaging, casual ways that you as applicants can get to know some of our students, and our culture. All suggestions are welcome!

Disclaimer- I am not making this post to represent my institution or anything about it, but just to gather some information on the thoughts of applicants.

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[eartharte]

I'm actually super nervous about this online interview season! I'm applying this cycle, and I think the most important aspect for me is still getting the opportunity to get an good idea of what the medical school is like without the tour aspect. I think that, besides the typical lectures you might have on interview day, I'd love to see a virtual tour (with a real tour guide) or something along those lines, so at least I can feel like I'm there on campus experiencing it. Also having the opportunity to talk to a tour guide or whoever would normally be giving the tour and be able to ask questions verbally.

 

[adcompost]

I'm actually super nervous about this online interview season! I'm applying this cycle, and I think the most important aspect for me is still getting the opportunity to get an good idea of what the medical school is like without the tour aspect. I think that, besides the typical lectures you might have on interview day, I'd love to see a virtual tour (with a real tour guide) or something along those lines, so at least I can feel like I'm there on campus experiencing it. Also having the opportunity to talk to a tour guide or whoever would normally be giving the tour and be able to ask questions verbally.

Thanks for your response! I know that is something we plan to put a lot of thought into over the next few months, so I appreciate you bringing it up!

 

[mr-dookie]

yeah I am pretty concerned with having to make a decision on where i am going to live/learn for 4 years without physically visiting there. Hopefully something changes where applicants are able to come to the campus later in the year? But if not, it would be great if schools would do their best to give as much information/resources to students interviewing not only about the campus itself, but maybe the town/city that the school is located in. I know for a lot of people location is very important. It might also help to connect prospective students with current med students so they can hear their perspectives on the school/city.

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

One of the most valuable things at the interview day has been getting to talk to current students MS1's-4's. You should make some way of students sending in questions for current students before the virtual interview then have the student panel answer either in video to send out with the virtual tour video or as an FAQ that interviewee's can access.

 

[KnightDoc]

One of the most valuable things at the interview day has been getting to talk to current students MS1's-4's. You should make some way of students sending in questions for current students before the virtual interview then have the student panel answer either in video to send out with the virtual tour video or as an FAQ that interviewee's can access.

Even better, you should consider arranging for invitation only online chat sessions (either video or audio only) with that day's candidates and whoever would normally be speaking with candidates so that you could most closely replicate the in-person experience. I am operating on the assumption that in-person visits will probably be limited to second looks in the Spring for admitted students, assuming things calm down by then.