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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 34% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a low stress level and felt they did okay.
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 439 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional8–8.9 Very Good7–7.9 Good6–6.9 Mixed< 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
Positively (86%)
Negatively (8%)
No change (6%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (29%)
Good (46%)
Average (19%)
Poor (6%)
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview experience at ACOM to be positive, with many mentioning the supportive faculty and staff, the conversational nature of the interview, and the school's commitment to student success. Some applicants highlighted the school's impressive facilities, community involvement, and emphasis on holistic evaluation during the interview process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
Overall a pretty relaxed interview. Which interviewer you get paired with impacts this quite a bit.
It was very conversational but you need to be sure and touch on the things that make you a unique/stellar applicant! Given the volume of interviewees, this is super important.
I had a great interview. It was very conversational and not as stressful as I made it out to be. The post-interview presentation was great and it seems like the school/admin really care about their students.
From faculty to students everyone was incredibly nice and open. The school seems to really have everything together and has support processes in place right from the start of your matriculation.
Based on the numbers, the likelihood of getting an interview at the school is pretty low at between 12-15% but the chance of acceptance after interview is 25%. So, if you’ve got an interview scheduled be happy because you’re in the 85%.
Overall I love the school and think they are molding some great students! Dothan seems to be a great place and the updated technology and building where students learn seem to greatly benefit them.
Overall the interviewing experience was good. It was high stress for me personally, but my interviewers tried their best to make me feel comfortable. It was less conversational than I had expected based on prior feedback
I was really impressed with ACOM overall. The faculty and staff genuinely seem interested in developing their students and helping them succeed when in medical school and beyond. The facilities are top-notch and they have excellent rotation sites throughout Alabama and Florida that captured my attention.
Overall, definitely an up-and-coming DO school. They have some seriously impressive aspects of their program and they are heavily involved in the surrounding community.
The OMT professor gave a fantastic presentation/talk before interviews. His enthusiasm really sold me on this school, as well as the faculty members who interviewed me.
I was very surprised by ACOM. The facilities and program structure exceeded what I have seen at multiple MD schools. Board scores and preceptor feedback support the program's lauding its strengths, not to mention the medical program is connected well and appreciated by the Dothan community. In time, ACOM will be considered a top DO program.
As others have said, very impressive school. The only downside to the school is location. Dothan is nice filled with nice people. That being said, you won't find much else besides restaurants/some shopping/medical establishments. Fundamentally not too different from major cities but stark rural contrast just 1-2 miles away makes it seem like an odd place with not much else going on.
Perhaps the best part of the interview process is that it seems particularly concerned with the individual as a whole, and not just their academic prowess. Rightfully so, GPA and MCAT can be screened ahead of time, so quizzing on minutia during an interview seems rather pointless. Getting a few for a candidates personality and drive is a much more important piece of the puzzle in my opinion, and this interview focused on that.
ACOM-COMP interviews are an average of 28 minutes, with an average of 1.7 interviews. 87% of interviews are one-on-one, 21% are in-person, and 0% are closed-file. Of the in-person interviews, 100% are held at the school.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include topics such as 'Tell me about yourself', strengths and weaknesses, reasons for choosing medicine or osteopathic medicine, study habits, ethical scenarios, research experiences, and handling academic challenges. Many respondents also mentioned questions related to the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format, indicating possible nondisclosure agreements in place during the interviews.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
Why osteopathic medicine as opposed to allopathic?
Students said most interesting question asked at Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including strengths and weaknesses in their applications, personality traits, ways to unwind from stress, impacts of AI in medicine, and handling ethical dilemmas. The interviews may have been in an MMI format as mentioned by some respondents, with questions tailored to personal experiences and applications, and some respondents noted a conversational flow to the questions.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
As a new physician how will you go into an office full of nurses with 20+ years of experience and treat them with respect as well as asserting yourself as a leader?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by utilizing resources such as SDN, Reddit, and mock interviews to practice common questions and review their application materials. Suggestions included researching the school's website, practicing with friends and family, and familiarizing oneself with the school's mission and values.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
I looked on SDN, reddit, and spoke with past students about their experiences
I checked the last two years of the SND school-specific forums for other students' experiences, held 2-3 mock interviews with current medical students.
Students said the most difficult question asked at Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including strengths and weaknesses in the application, future goals, ethical scenarios, and reasons for choosing osteopathic medicine over allopathic. Many responses indicated questions about personal weaknesses, challenges faced in academics, and ethical dilemmas, with some mentioning specific academic grades and the importance of empathy and healthcare relationships. Some responses hinted at an MMI format, suggesting possible nondisclosure agreements due to the vague or specific nature of questions.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and warmth of the faculty, staff, and students, as well as the supportive and collaborative community at the school. They also appreciated the emphasis on student success, the quality of resources and facilities, and the conversational and welcoming interview experience. Suggestions included maintaining this positive atmosphere and continuing to prioritize student support and community engagement.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
How friendly everyone was and how much students and faculty loved the school. They really emphasize their responsiveness and feedback from current students. Everyone seemed happy.
My interviewer made a point to keep the interview conversational. Said they know I fit stats wise, just want to make sure we align values and personality wise
What impressed me the most was the people. Everyone was so nice, and they took the time to explain several aspects of the school and curriculum. Being the planner that I am, I appreciated that. The school is beautiful (looks like a fancy hotel inside), and the simulation center is also very cool.
The clinical education, the fact that faculty are devoted to the school (undivided attention), their sim instructor is an MD, they were open to students applying to specialties outside of primary care, they design their curriculum for high board scores. Compared to other schools with high mandatory attendance, theirs is only 60% mandatory attendance. Faculty were extremely welcoming and knew my application extremely well.
The facilities, faculty, and students. Faculty were extremely supportive of students and really seemed to care about them. Current students were very friendly and honest.
Administration, student services, facilities, student body and general atmosphere, curriculum/testing schedule, cheap cost of living, structure of Interview Day
The atmosphere, friendly students and staff, open welcoming environment, OMM lab, anatomy lab, large amount of "extra" costs covered in tuition (laptop and tablet, ACOM pays for first attempts at boards, large electronic library, etc.).
Almost every detail of the school exists as a result of well-thought out decision and for the sake of the students. Truly no greed here, practice what they preach in regards to their mission (learner-oriented, community oriented)
All faculty are certified to write for COMLEX, so the class exams reflect COMLEX difficulty. Faculty extremely responsive to student feedback. Building is open 24 hours.
The facilities, the faculty, the seemingly polished process considering it was the first interview session of only the second interview season. Students will not be allowed to skip OMM Lab because of religious views.
Applicants were primarily concerned about the lack of engagement and emotion from interviewers, the remote location of the school in Dothan, and the limited academic and research opportunities offered. Suggestions include improving interviewer training to be more personable, enhancing academic offerings, and increasing research opportunities to attract more applicants.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
Certain interviewers were more difficult to connect with/ make conversation with
The interviewer had a lack of emotion and seemed annoyed with giving the interview to begin with. He didn't have anything good to say about Dothan either
The interviews jumped immediately into the interview without much of an introduction and at the end we had to cut off our conversation so they could begin another interview.
The location of the school (Dothan) is cute, but remote. Montgomery is two hours away! The match list was not great (matching students to a lot of community programs, whereas I am interested in academic programs). They only have an internal medicine program associated with the school right now. Also, during the presentations one of the presenters tended to make big claims about ACOM ("ACOM is the only school that..."), which was mostly crap because I have interviewed at several other schools which have similar features. Research facilities seemed small. Also, the first-time COMLEX pass rates were a bit below average. To me, that is a huge deal. Board scores are incredibly important to be competitive for residency.
Interviews were pushed forward unannounced to first thing in the morning due to a scheduling conflict, but ended up working out for the best, got it out of the way and enjoyed the rest of the interview.
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time how relaxed and conversational the interview would be, encouraging future candidates to chill out and not stress. They also suggested preparing questions in advance and being ready to discuss their narrative while highlighting their strengths during the interview.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
Know a few of the standard questions, but be prepared to just have a great conversation with your interviewers. Bring up information during questions that you would like to talk more about
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How would you rate the Location and Cultural Life?
0 = Low, 10 = High
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants generally praised the admissions office for their efficiency, friendliness, and communication but suggested providing more time in interviews and confirming successful deposits via email to enhance the overall experience.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
None! Everything and everyone was absolutely fantastic!
My only complaint was the lack of time allotted for the interview. 30 minutes is not enough time to adequately be questioned by the interviewer AND have time to ask questions and get a feel for the interviewer/s. I had several questions prepared for the interviewers but only two minutes left once I was allowed to ask them.
They get back to you very quickly. Since being accepted, I have had constant communication from the admissions office on the process between now and matriculation.
One small thing I would suggest is to receive an email confirming the successful deposit. I know most students email Admissions to make sure the money went through.
26% interviewees used ATL (ATL)
, with
11% using Atlanta (Atlanta)
and
11% using Dothan (Dothan)
and
5% using Panama Beach, Florida (Panama Beach, Florida)
and
5% using Montgomery (Montgomery)
and
5% using Panama City (Panama City)
and
5% using DHN (DHN)
and
5% using PCB (PCB)
and
5% using Harstfield-Jackson Intl in Atlanta (Harstfield-Jackson Intl in Atlanta)
and
5% using Panama City Beach - (ECP)
and
5% using Panama City Beach, FL and Destin, FL (Panama City Beach, FL and Destin, FL)
and
5% using Tallahassee (Tallahassee)
and
5% using My interview was virtual (My interview was virtual)
.
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by automobile to the interview.
✈️
38% Airplane
🚗
54% Automobile
🚆
0% Train or Subway
🚲
8% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Comfort Inn (average ranking 7.8/10), with some staying at Holiday Inn (average rating 6.5/10). (Top 3 displayed)
🏨
Comfort Inn
7.8/10
🏨
Holiday Inn
6.5/10
🏨
Comfort Inn & Suites
6/10
What was the cost and time spent traveling?
Cost: Low Cost to High Cost
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are out of state students.
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
Admissions staff (15%)
Faculty member (8%)
Other (14%)
Student (63%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
