why this school?

[docmayer]

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Alright, I am filling out a couple secondaries and they both ask why this school. I understand this question comes up frequently in interviews as well. How do you respond to this question? Lets be honest, we just want to get in somewhere. Do you comment on their curriculum? Posts on SDN by medical students at said school? What do you comment on?

Thank you

 

[HM3]

Be sincere and actually answer the question.

 

[Temperature101]

Alright, I am filling out a couple secondaries and they both ask why this school. I understand this question comes up frequently in interviews as well. How do you respond to this question? Lets be honest, we just want to get in somewhere. Do you comment on their curriculum? Posts on SDN by medical students at said school? What do you comment on?

Thank you

BS them...I think that's what most schools want...They know people apply multiple places since the process is extremely competitive but they just wanna feel special.

 

[DrWily]

BS them...I think that's what most schools want...They know people apply multiple places since the process is extremely competitive but they just wanna feel special.

Weren't you the one saying that everybody should tell the truth? 😕😕😕

 

[Mbeas]

Alright, I am filling out a couple secondaries and they both ask why this school. I understand this question comes up frequently in interviews as well. How do you respond to this question? Lets be honest, we just want to get in somewhere. Do you comment on their curriculum? Posts on SDN by medical students at said school? What do you comment on?

Thank you

It's not a trick question. Use all available resources to get a good idea of the curriculum, clinical rotations, student reviews, location, mission statement, etc. Why do you want to attend the school? Seems pretty straightforward.

A good start: http://www.aacom.org/resources/bookstore/cib/Pages/default.aspx

 

[Temperature101]

Weren't you the one saying that everybody should tell the truth? 😕😕😕

Yeah...I thought they pin people down about what they put in the application...Apparently I was wrong since most of you on SDN pointed that out to me... I should have known that earlier.

 

[HalfListic]

BS them...I think that's what most schools want...They know people apply multiple places since the process is extremely competitive but they just wanna feel special.

Weren't you the one saying that everybody should tell the truth? 😕😕😕

haha...this is interesting...

 

[MedPR]

Alright, I am filling out a couple secondaries and they both ask why this school. I understand this question comes up frequently in interviews as well. How do you respond to this question? Lets be honest, we just want to get in somewhere. Do you comment on their curriculum? Posts on SDN by medical students at said school? What do you comment on?

Thank you

Be sincere and actually answer the question.

+1. Researching school specific answers for this question actually helped me develop an interest in certain schools. You should be sincere because they will ask you again in the interview and if your secondary answer is generic you can count on them outing you for it.

 

[DrWily]

Yeah...I thought they pin people down about what they put in the application...Apparently I was wrong since most of you on SDN pointed that out to me... I should have known that earlier.

This is probably one of those times when you should be sincere. I mean, you have to find things you like about the school and the area to answer the question in a thorough manner.

 

[MedPR]

I suggest looking at community service and other related opportunities. My whole application is basically themed around service so that was a good fit for me. Plus I legitimately care about it and could talk about it all day for an interview if necessary.

 

[Temperature101]

This is probably one of those times when you should be sincere. I mean, you have to find things you like about the school and the area to answer the question in a thorough manner.

I did not mean that people should always tell the truth in every situation...I was just refering to the application process....If I ever got the chance to get secondaries, I will reseach stuff about the school so I can properly answer this question...

 

[DrWily]

I did not mean that people should always tell the truth in every situation...I was just refering to the application process....If I ever got the chance to get secondaries, I will reseach stuff about the school so I can properly answer this question...

I'm so confused. 😕😕

 

[MedPR]

I did not mean that people should always tell the truth in every situation...I was just refering to the application process....If I ever got the chance to get secondaries, I will reseach stuff about the school so I can properly answer this question...

There's only one situation in which you should not tell the truth. Want to know what it is? When you have no interest in primary care, but your interviewer asks you what specialty you want or why you want to be a physician. You lie and at least say you're open to primary care.

 

[selttiks288]

You say why you're interested in that school. If you don't know why you want to go there why should they accept you? I'm sure that's their point of view.

 

[DrWily]

There's only one situation in which you should not tell the truth. Want to know what it is? When you have no interest in primary care, but your interviewer asks you what specialty you want or why you want to be a physician. You lie and at least say you're open to primary care.

I said I was "thinking about primary care and I think I would enjoy long-term patient relationships".

Technically true since I thought about it.

 

[NeuroLAX]

Alright, I am filling out a couple secondaries and they both ask why this school. I understand this question comes up frequently in interviews as well. How do you respond to this question? Lets be honest, we just want to get in somewhere. Do you comment on their curriculum? Posts on SDN by medical students at said school? What do you comment on?

Thank you

The "why here?" question should be one of the easiest questions to answer on a secondary and during an interview. It is a culmination of the time you invest in researching the school. Thus, you need to comment on anything that makes the school appealing to you. Research the school heavily. Go on their website and browse every tab relating to curriculum, academic departments, research, community outreach and other opportunities, etc.

Sure, SDN is an amazing tool we all use to communicate with each other and share our experiences. However, you need to do the research yourself.

 

[MedPR]

I said I was "thinking about primary care and I think I would enjoy long-term patient relationships".

Technically true since I thought about it.

Yes, or you can use technicalities in which case I was truthful regarding primary care also. I said that I would like to work in a primary care clinic because of the shortage and blah blah blah. I volunteer in a primary care clinic that also has many many specialists working there. 👍

 

[dudeliness]

I love it! While it's very true that it's ideal to research the school and come up with little things that they are obviously proud of on their website, (ie high tech robotic patients, special curriculum, community outreach, etc) and mention them as key factors for liking the school, I didn't really do anything like that. I was kind of sick of all the essays and crap so I had a couple of paragraphs that outline a bit of the qualities I have that I think will make a good physician and then finished with a phrase like, "I am eager to continue to develop these skills as a student at X-COM." Then I would change the name of the school and thats it. Most of the schools haven't seemed to mind.
What I would recommend though, is to at least briefly research each school, identify something in their mission statement that you identify with or that goes along with your "brand" (the general theme of yourself and your qualities that would make you a good doc) and write to play yourself up and at the same time extoll those same virtues in the school. That way you are building yourself up, but playing to the mission of the individual school. Win win


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[NeuroLAX]

I love it! While it's very true that it's ideal to research the school and come up with little things that they are obviously proud of on their website, (ie high tech robotic patients, special curriculum, community outreach, etc) and mention them as key factors for liking the school, I didn't really do anything like that. I was kind of sick of all the essays and crap so I had a couple of paragraphs that outline a bit of the qualities I have that I think will make a good physician and then finished with a phrase like, "I am eager to continue to develop these skills as a student at X-COM." Then I would change the name of the school and thats it. Most of the schools haven't seemed to mind.
What I would recommend though, is to at least briefly research each school, identify something in their mission statement that you identify with or that goes along with your "brand" (the general theme of yourself and your qualities that would make you a good doc) and write to play yourself up and at the same time extoll those same virtues in the school. That way you are building yourself up, but playing to the mission of the individual school. Win win


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Sorry chief, but I would go with what you recommend here, not what you actually did 😉

IMHO, I think the best way is to do the research. Find a few things that really stick out to you, whatever they may be, and relate those qualities of the school to some personal belief or extracurricular activity you think was really important or that is related to the school's quality that you're trying to discuss. After all, they want to know why you want to go there, not why you would make a good physician. That's more of a "why medicine" than "why here" response.

 

[dudeliness]

Sorry chief, but I would go with what you recommend here, not what you actually did 😉

IMHO, I think the best way is to do the research. Find a few things that really stick out to you, whatever they may be, and relate those qualities of the school to some personal belief or extracurricular activity you think was really important or that is related to the school's quality that you're trying to discuss. After all, they want to know why you want to go there, not why you would make a good physician. That's more of a "why medicine" than "why here" response.

Succinctly put. That's more what I was trying to recommend, but I tend to ramble and kind of lose my train of thought. Thanks


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[NeuroLAX]

Succinctly put. That's more what I was trying to recommend, but I tend to ramble and kind of lose my train of thought. Thanks


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No problem, broski. I hope I gave you a few things to think about before your interview here. That was sort of the point! 😀