When an application/interview question asks about why you want to go to X school

[pritomd]

Not specifically why you want to go to medical school but why you want to go to a specific medical school....

Is it a bad idea to say location? I want to go to school/be in the South and I'm not sure if I should mention this as a reason for wanting to go to a certain school since I feel like it may be shallow and pedantic/superficial.

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[loveoforganic]

Location is a big factor in where you end up practicing. Why wouldn't it be one in where you went to school?

 

[tremulousNeedle]

Location is a valid reason, but I would have some other reasons too. Sometime before your interview I would recommend that you review the school’s website. Find something specific about the school that you like and use that during your interview as well as your location preference.

This question isn't really asking why our school. The question is really asking, are you interested in our program enough to have taken time to research our what we have to offer or did you just click a button on AMCAS?

-senior medical student / admissions committee interviewer

 

[Morsetlis]

Gosh I love your primary care focus! The pass-fail grading system reduces competition and allow us to focus on actually LEARNING the material. PBL is amazing because it relates medicine in a patient-focused presentation and not just dry book-reading! My parents grew up here and I want my kids to retain this tradition. Plus, my future girlfriend is going to the Pharmacy school next door!

 

[tinery]

Maybe you can talk about the location in context of how it will directly influence your medical education. For instance, maybe it's in a metropolitan city where there is a lot of patient diversity, or maybe a smaller city that gets rare/crazy cases from the surrounding rural areas.