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Same, got that e-mail too! Hopefully the next e-mail that comes is an acceptance one!
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Hi guys,
I know the UQ-O website says that in person vs Skype interviews are both equally well regarded...I was recently offered an interview (yay!) and would be able to interview via Skype in two weeks, but would be unable to attend in person that weekend. Do you think Skype presents a disadvantage rather than in person?
Thank you in advance!
I know the UQ-O website says that in person vs Skype interviews are both equally well regarded...I was recently offered an interview (yay!) and would be able to interview via Skype in two weeks, but would be unable to attend in person that weekend. Do you think Skype presents a disadvantage rather than in person?
Thank you in advance!
I don't think so, it's great to actually go to the clinical school in NOLA, to see it for yourself (trust me, totally worth it, it's a fantastic hospital! I recently flew there for my interview a couple of weeks ago) but as long as you impress in the Skype interview, you're fine! No real disadvantage really, they know its an expensive trip altogether, and some people can't make it due to financial or time hardships, don't worry too much, just kill it! Good Luck, wish you the best!
Btw, it's a really chill, fun interview! The interviewers are very VERY friendly and genuinely want to know more about you, not just saying it like other MD programs in the US I interviewed with. Its alright if you're nervous about it, believe me, I was very nervous heading into the business room, and they noticed it and calmed me down about it, and I passed the interview! Head in there with a professional, yet fun, humorous attitude and you will pass it without a doubt! Good luck again!
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Sounds like you got some digits.
I have been sending in my application via email, snail mail, and through my schools' transcript services. As a result I feel like my complete app is arriving in piece-wise. Because of this, I have not received any notification of ANY of my materials being received by the school. Do they only notify you when they have everything? I just want to make sure I am not missing anything.
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deleted466839
I had the same worry. But no worries - they will email you with a decision when they have everything. When did you send stuff in?
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deleted466839
Okay so I am trying to schedule an interview with interview broker - and hoping to schedule for May 11th because I can't make the April 13th date. But May 11th is still not open yet even though it is within the 6 week window - is this normal?
Honestly last week...so I was just being impatient haha. Thank you I should be fine waiting for them to compile everything I will wait a week or so before reaching out. Good luck rescheduling your interview!
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deleted466839
Thank you so much! I just scheduled mine thank god! Okay, yeah then you should hear back fairly soon I think. I was antsy like 2 days after I sent my stuff in, so you are doing better than me 😀
For those who have interviewed onsite...I see that the interview starts at 1245pm and goes until the "late afternoon". I want to know if I can book a flight that returns that night or if i should stay there for two nights (the discounted hotel rate is only for one night onsite at Ochsner). Let me know, thanks!
I stayed there two nights, one at the Brent House, one near the airport for my morning flight (cheaper). The interview and information session go until 4-5pm and we had like 10ish applicants there. There may be more applicants during your session, given that its later in the cycle, so if you can find flights I would say after 8 pm and wanna go home asap, then stay only the one night. If you like going out, feeling the nightlife vibe (I mean it's NOLA, can't say no to that lol) and heading over there with friends or ridin' solo, then stay two nights and head over to Bourbon Street, hella fun and great food!
That's whats uppp! Thanks, I think I would probably do the same... (rushing to the airport last minute might turn into staying an extra night anyway....might as well plan it!)
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deleted822131
Also, did people send thank you notes to interviewers? From googling and reading other forums and stuff, it doesn't seem to hold much/any weight in admissions decisions, and apparently some find them kind of annoying because they get so many, and so I'm debating if I should send them...
I didn't. You can, and I'm sure it would be appreciated as a nice gesture but I don't think it has any impact on admissions decisions.
I think that is common courtesy, takes essentially zero effort, and cannot hurt if appropriately short and (not too) sweet. If you also (concisely) say that Ochsner is top of your list, it could even help if you are a dead tie with another candidate. There are also no grounds for thinking that the interview has zero overtly subjective score component. So...trivial effort with theoretical/*potential*, albeit small, benefit.
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As rosepetal12 described, the interviewers are not supposed to show any emotion or interact with you. A few weeks before your interview, the people at admissions will schedule a phone call with you to discuss what the interview will be like and to answer any questions about it you may have. It's basically you composing a 6 minute essay on the spot based off of the question they ask.
I agree, the interviewers are not supposed to show emotion, and same with my interview, but also not saying you're gonna go to a brick wall. Just saying be calm and proposed and you'll shine 🙂 As they also said, we can't discuss interview details, just have fun like you would in a normal interview for a job 🙂 they still are humans too lol
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deleted822131
Yep agreed. And it seems like some interviewers are more interactive than others so it just depends what you get. It's not going to be a conversation either way, but just be calm and try not to worry if they don't seem engaged or interested in what you're saying. Just wanted to throw this out there because my other med interviews were not this style and I found it really uncomfortable
I don't know if UQ still does this (I'm going back to when UQ Bris still had interviews), but the interviewers at least used to play good-cop bad-cop in one scenario. In other words, be prepared to keep your composure and continue to think rationally if it seems one of them is reacting negatively to something you've said or seems to be interrogating you -- it's a classic test for how you might react to confrontation/adversity.
Australian academia and bureaucracy alike tend to believe that selection interviews can be objective and standardized, which to some extent they can be, but the mistake IMO is in thinking that such improves outcome, or that it at least reduces personal (assessor) bias -- a goal Australians are obsessed with -- more than it creates an artificial atmosphere (i.e., testing and selecting for a depersonalized unreality) with all sorts of systemic biases (through looking for particular responses that can be 'measured').
After more than a decade and a dozen of such interviews, I still find them uncomfortable, maybe even more so now because I've seen so many ways that they can be absurdly, arbitrarily discriminatory.
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Do y’all know who the contact person is and the best way to get hold of someone with good info about questions with the application?
I emailed the mededpath email a while ago and didn’t get a response. On their website it says a woman named Whitney should be good to contact. Is this correct?
I emailed the mededpath email a while ago and didn’t get a response. On their website it says a woman named Whitney should be good to contact. Is this correct?
I would say Alex Marshak or Toby Hudson. Whitney is great but she doesn't really do application stuff. Try Toby first. Toby is very experienced and has been there forever and is a good entry point of contact for questions. Alex is good more for if you have documents to submit and need to know what they've received or what they need.
Thank you so much! How can I contact Toby? I was only able to find Whitney’s info online.
Thank you. Haha I found it and was going to respond about that when you posted this.
I’ll email him today! Hopefully she is fast with responding!
Anyone kinda have an idea of when we should hear back from UQ regarding our acceptances/rejections? kinda nervous about it now, hate the waiting period lol
I think UQ-O sends out their first wave of decisions in May so if you interviewed already then I would think you should get a decision then! I am interviewing in May and am hoping for a decision by early July (I think it takes up to 8 weeks for UQ to make decisions after they have received all materials including the interviewer notes).
Interviewed last week. Did anyone who interviewed last week get the pass/fail feedback email?
I interviewed last week as well and got the email today.
I did.
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deleted822131
People that interviewed in February, have you heard your decisions? Wondering when I can expect mine lol
Not yet, hopefully next week!
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deleted822131
Ok thanks, definitely more than 8 weeks tho. I wonder if they're gonna give decisions to both Feb and March interviews at the same time then
I believe that 8week thing is only if the 8 week timeframe falls within or after the date where they start offering spots. And even then it's not always 8 weeks. I heard back in 4?
My interview was February 23rd, I was notified that I passed the interview on Feb 28th, and I was informed that my application had been sent to UQ on March 27th. I was told to expect a decision in 6-8 weeks, so between May 8th and May 22nd. Obviously, I'm counting down the days. Fingers crossed!
How long did it take you all from when your app was complete to get an interview? Also, do interview slots fill up so that you may not be able to schedule the soonest one available?
I ask because my app will be complete on May 17th because that's when Spring term grades come out. I really want to interview on June 14th/15th as the next one won't be until August. You guys think that's doable?
I ask because my app will be complete on May 17th because that's when Spring term grades come out. I really want to interview on June 14th/15th as the next one won't be until August. You guys think that's doable?
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deleted466839
I definitely think it will be doable for you. I got an interview invite a week after my application was complete.
I think it appropriate to remind people that the past does not indicate the future, and few would even have a grasp of interview trends by interview date across years. From its first year, Ochsner has been in flux, and by the nature of rolling admissions, interview cohorts will vary. If many others get their spring grades and are able to finish their applications before June, then don't be surprised if many rush to get a June interview, or depending on how many spots are left, I could envision Ochsner changing its interview cohort size.
As you all may know UQO no longer requires any essays on the application. I’ve already prepared a personal statement and addendum regarding academic record and low GPA. Could it hurt to attach these files to the application anyway? Maybe I shouldn’t direct additional attention to the low gpa?
Pointing to what is already a major focus of admissions will not make it any more 'visible'.
If an appendum had any impact, it would not be negative assuming you write it maturely (not coming across as self-victimizing or as a dick generally, e.g., as borderline, narcissistic). If you have something in particular to report to them beyond the banal (something beyond the mere writing of an appendum simply for the sake of writing something in response to a low GPA -- i.e., something a reasonable person might consider as a mitigating circumstance), then I would certainly write such a letter. It may not help, but it wouldn't hurt.
As for any application essay, I'd also suggest that you have a couple people whose ability to write/communicate/relate you highly respect read it for feedback.
If an appendum had any impact, it would not be negative assuming you write it maturely (not coming across as self-victimizing or as a dick generally, e.g., as borderline, narcissistic). If you have something in particular to report to them beyond the banal (something beyond the mere writing of an appendum simply for the sake of writing something in response to a low GPA -- i.e., something a reasonable person might consider as a mitigating circumstance), then I would certainly write such a letter. It may not help, but it wouldn't hurt.
As for any application essay, I'd also suggest that you have a couple people whose ability to write/communicate/relate you highly respect read it for feedback.
I think you're right. I just figured maybe I shouldn't since I meet the minimum GPA requirement anyway but I think they will still see it and an addendum regarding it couldn't hurt. The addendum is basically a mix of me detailing some mitigating circumstances (family deaths and diseases) but ultimately me taking responsibility and explaining how I corrected it all.
Thank you so much!
Are any of you still applying to AMCAS or AACOMASthis upcoming cycle?
It sounds worthwhile, particularly since the end shows you've overcome the adversity. To be cynical here, if that journey also led to or enhanced your interest in medicine as a career, that should be weaved in.
If you do this, be genuine. You can certainly opt to point to facts and behaviors, like a behaviorist would, but at some point you need to really convey how you were affected or driven on an emotional level. The two can also be one (showing via objective details), but that's particularly difficult.
However you word it, do show insight, do (if it is relevant) show that you understand your limits, do not sound like a victim (unless your journey is itself about how you *overcame* thinking you had been a victim), and likewise, don't self-aggrandize the accomplishment. I.e., it is what it is, and here you are.
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Has anyone here heard of someone being rejected post-interview?
I know that in previous years' admissions threads, there were people who were rejected on the basis of their interview. They seem to have been informed pretty quickly, though. And honestly, I wouldn't stress it. Make sure you have multiple examples for each value covered, obviously, but I think they mainly want to see that you're a real, dedicated person. Be upbeat and candid, don't over-rehearse, and you should be okay.
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Assuming you're admitted, will anyone be moving to Australia with a spouse? I'm a little concerned about a visa/potential work for my husband. Is this a difficult issue to navigate, does anyone know?
They can get added to your student visa - they can work up to 40 hours per fortnight I believe on that visa. They are 'supposed' to have the overseas health insurance, but nobody checks it for the spouse.
Thank you! Another question - do you know how long we have after acceptance to pay the deposit and pay for insurance? It's around $3000 for each one, right?
It should be in your email, but I don't know if there was a timeline, or if it was just a situation of confirming your spot before it's gone.
Pretty sure it was confirmed by UQ. That is actually who does the admissions after UQO gives the okay after the interview.
Usually a month, but your seat isn't reserved until you pay the deposit so you run the risk of the class filling even with your acceptance. So if you get accepted early you have some time, but if you get accepted later in the admissions cycle you have to make a quicker decision or you could lose your seat.
