How many people interviewed you?
| Response Average | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 2.75 | 85 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Positively | 78 |
| Negatively | 2 |
| No change | 5 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 2.75 | 84 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.77 | 69 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.59 | 63 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| In Person | 0 |
| Virtual | 3 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 0 |
| 10 minutes | 0 |
| 15 minutes | 0 |
| 20 minutes | 1 |
| 25 minutes | 4 |
| 30 minutes | 23 |
| 35 minutes | 5 |
| 40 minutes | 7 |
| 45 minutes | 17 |
| 50 minutes | 4 |
| 55 minutes | 1 |
| 60+ minutes | 23 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| At the school | 78 |
| At a regional location | 2 |
| At another location | 5 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| One-on-one | 83 |
| In a group | 1 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Open file | 73 |
| Closed file | 10 |
| Response Average | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 2.75 | 85 |
""What national healthcare issue would you most want to fix?""
"Tell me about your clinical experiences"
""What books have you read recently?""
"My first interviewer she just peered through my file and asked me questions about my experiences."
"Tell me about your leadership experiences."
"What is your biggest weakness?"
"Why medical school?"
"What do you think will be the biggest difficulty for you in medical school?"
"If you could do one thing to improve the new Healthcare Policy legislation, what would it be and why?"
"Why medicine/physician?"
"What are your strengths?...and?...and?...and?...and?"
"Why didn't you want to become a nurse instead? (wtf)"
"What are your hobbies?"
"General why medicine, what you like/dislike about healthcare reform"
"Why MUSC"
"Why Medicine/Why MUSC? etc."
"About my relationship with my father."
"What do you think you'll have the most trouble with in medical school?"
"Why MUSC? What is unique about you?"
"Tell me the biggest health care concern...how would you fix it?"
"How do you feel about the healthcare reform? "
"Why medicine/MUSC?"
"What do you do for fun? "
"Tell me about your background (schooling research etc)."
"How can you bring diversity to MUSC?"
"Why are you applying to MUSC as an out of state applicant?"
"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"
"What do you feel is the status of healthcare today and how would you change it? Is healthcare a right or priv?"
"Why medical school? (Both interviewers)"
"I see you work here. What research are you doing?"
"Tell me about yourself."
"Tell me about yourself?"
"what are your strengths/weaknesses? tell me about leadership experiences...how would you be an asset? the usual..."
"Why are healthcare costs so large and why are they growing?"
"Why MD/PhD?"
"What would you like to contribute to medicine? "
"Explain research experience."
"Why do you want to be a doctor and what makes you better than the next applicant?"
"What brought you to South Carolina?"
"The standard: Why MUSC? Why Med., etc"
"How do you expect med school to affect your social life?"
"Why do you want to be a doctor?"
"What is the toughest challenge facing medicine in the future?"
"Tell me about your research."
"Where do you see yourself in 10 years."
"Tell me what books you’ve recently read."
"What are your strengths/weaknesses?"
"Tell me about yourself"
"Why Medicine?"
"why MUSC and why should we pick you?"
"Tell me about your research. It was asked by everyone."
"What is the biggest problem facing healthcare in America?"
"What has your patient care experience taught you about people?"
"Why should medical school accept you over someone else?"
"Why I chose my major?"
"What makes you better than any other applicant?"
"Tell me about your research. . ."
"Describe your Weaknesses."
"Why did you major in..."
"What do you think is the biggest health care problem today? (By both interviewers)"
"What books have you read lately?"
"what do you do when you are stressed?"
""What experience have you had in a patient-care setting.""
"One interviewer asked ethical questions such as my feelings on abortion, the importance of teaching medical ethics courses in medical school, assisted suicide, etc"
"What is one ethical concern in medicine that you have experienced?"
"What national healthcare issue would you most want to fix?"
""Can you see yourself moving to Charleston?""
"What makes a good student?"
"Tell me about your job as a scribe."
"If you don't get in this year, what are your plans?"
"How did your immigration experience shape you as as person?"
"How do you de-stress?"
"What will you do to be more of a leader in medical school?"
"Tell me about the work you are doing in your year off before med school."
"What kind of leadership experience have you had?"
"tell me about yourself?"
"Why medicine?"
"How are YOU able to educate patients about medications in your place of work?"
"What are your strengths and weaknesses?"
"What is your greatest strength/weakness?"
"What are your thoughts on Healthcare reform"
"How well do you function in groups?"
"They will ask questions based on your personal essay so read through it again."
"Many questions about particulars of my school/work chronology, which, admittedly, is super weird."
"Name a person outside your family who has inspired you."
"When have you seen medicine and science not agree? What ethical dilemmas will you face in medicine? Who is your life hero?"
"Tell me about the last book you read. "
"What inspired you to become a doctor?"
"What are you most proud of?"
"What would you like me to tell the admissions committee on your behalf?"
"How are you like/unlike your mother and father?"
"What attracts you to MUSC?"
"What area of medicine and why? Why now? (I am a non-trad student)"
"What makes you a better applicant?"
"Do you think diversity is important in the medical community?"
"Explain something that sets you apart from other applicants and shows that you would be a good physician."
"What are strengths/weaknesses?"
"What is your opinion on abortion?"
"Tell me about this (research experience, teaching experience, work experience, etc,)..."
"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"
"Tell me about your research."
"So you were an EMT. What were the 2 craziest calls and/or satisfying calls?"
"a question regarding the gardasil vaccine and the issues surrounding giving it to pubescent girls- to see if i was comfortable talking about those issues"
"Questions regarding my MCAT score from both interviewers."
"Why MUSC?"
"Tell me about yourself"
"What leadership roles have you held?"
"What do you do for fun?"
"How will you define success when your a physician?"
"What drives your passion?"
"Your grades are subpar, so why should we accept you over someone with a 4.0?"
"What is your greatest weakeness."
"What's the latest book you've read?"
"What are your core motivations for becoming a doctor? Who has motivated you to be a doctor?"
"Who are you? (This is how the retired MD/PhD started his conversational interview - really allowed me to bring up a lot of things I wouldn't have been able to elsewise)"
"Tell me about yourself."
"Why MUSC? Why medicine?"
"Who aside from your parents have influenced you the most in your choice to pursue medicine?"
"How do you plan to finance your medical school?"
"What do you like to do with your spare time?"
"What do you like to do for fun?"
"what kind of medicine are you interested in?"
"What was your favorite non-science class you've taken?"
"What type of medicine would you like to practice?"
"Why do you want to be a doctor, and how does medical school know you'll be a good doctor?"
"Some ethicals: euthanasia, death penalty"
"[I took 2 years off after college] Why did you take time off? What have you done?"
"Why are you applying for the MD/PhD program?"
"What other schools have you applied to?"
"If the technology is available to detect harmful abnormalities in children before birth, should the technology be mandatory or by choice of the mother, given that these babies are at a huge cost to society?"
"Where else have you applied?"
"what other schools did you apply to/where do you want to go?"
""Why do you want to be a physician scientist?""
"One interviewer asked me about my family, particularly my family history of mental illness and suicide (3 suicides, including my mother, manic depression, and depression), and my own history of depression."
"If I could walk away with one thing from your application what would you want me to bring to admissions committee decision?"
"Biggest strength and weakness"
""What type of doctor do you want to be?""
"What makes a good teacher?"
"What type of doctor do you want to be?"
"At what point did you decide you wanted to switch careers and go into medicine?"
"Tell me about yourself?"
"What's your best quality?"
"What makes you a better candidate than other students for this medical school?"
"What is one thing about you that sets you apart that I could go back and tell the rest of the committee that'll get you into this school?"
"Name three things you like about Obamacare and one thing you disliked"
"Where else did you apply?"
"talk about your activities"
"Why MUSC?"
"Do you know what the term "health disparity" means?"
"Why should we accept you?"
"What extracurriculars are you involved in, what do you do for fun?"
"What salary do you want/expect as an MD?"
"What 3 adjectives would you use to describe yourself?"
"Strengths/weaknesses? Tell me about a time that you did the right thing even though you could have gotten away with something unethical. When have you struggled? What non-academic activity are you most proud of?"
"Tell me why diversity is important in medical school and how you can bring diversity. "
"What type of medicine would you like to go in?"
"What is your biggest weakness?"
"What is it that you, as an out of state student, really like about MUSC? "
"Describe your undergraduate experience."
"Whats the most dificult situation that you have overcame and how?"
"What questions do you have for me?"
"What do you think is going to happen in healthcare with the new President-elect?"
"Tell me about yourself."
"I see you put (specialty) as your interest; what brought you to that decision?"
"What are your weaknesses? Strengths?"
"Where do you see yourself in 10-15 years (location, type of practice, etc.)"
"What field of medicine do you want to go into?"
"Tell me about your shadowing experience and what role that played in your decision to become a physician. ***I would also note that both my interviewers asked this question and continuted to ask further questions about this subject with interest. They seem to pay very close attention to this part of your application."
"You were a backpacking guide? Explain to me what you did as a guide."
"tell me about yourself, tell me about your family, what do you want me to relay to the admissions committee?"
"What ever happened to death with dignity? (Came after a line of questioning about issues surrounding healthcare POA v. hypocratic oath to first ''do no harm.'')"
"Tell me about your job at Blue Cross Blue Shield"
"What will you do if you don't get into medical school? "
"How do you handle stress?"
"How did you get interested in medicine?"
"Do you have any questions for me? (Makes you think you have to keep asking questions at the close of the interview)"
"What are two weaknesses that you've managed to improve and how have you done it?"
"Why would you be an asset"
"What has been you're most difficult situation and how did you get through it?"
"What do you do for fun?"
"What are you going to do if you bomb your first round of exams?"
"Tell me about your research."
"What first got you interested in medicine?"
"What are you most proud of in your life thus far?"
"Do you like research?"
"What is a major issue in Health care and why?"
"tell me something about yourself that's not on your application"
"Why MUSC and why MD/PhD?"
"Why do you want to attend MUSC?"
"How does health insurance work? What is Medicare? What is Medicaid? What is the difference?"
"What three words would your twin use to describe you, and what three words would you use to describe yourself?"
"I didn't receive the typical interview questions like your strengths, weaknesses, etc - but still prepare for those, I just 'lucked' out"
"What created your interest in medicine, what would you do if medicine wasn't an option? "
"Do you have any questions?"
"Tell me about your research experience."
"If it was absolutely certain you couldn't become a doctor, what would you do instead?"
"In what area do you want to specialize?"
"who is your biggest influence?"
""Do you like cream and sugar in your coffee?" We met at a coffeeshop."
"The most common questions I get at interviews are about my research, since I went to graduate school for a few years before I decided to go to medical school. I got a lot of open-ended questions like "tell me about your research.""
"If you could be a lion, dog, otter, or beaver what would you be and why?"
"What is a question you wish I had asked you?"
""What is something that you have done, academic or non-academic, that makes you most proud?""
"Why didn't you choose biology as your major? (I have a BA in foreign language)"
"What was your favorite/least favorite class in undergrad?"
"Who is your favorite musical artist?"
"Tell me more about this research you did."
"Do you have a temper?"
"What type of animal would you be and why?"
"Who is your biggest inspiration and why?"
"What do your siblings do?"
"If you could meet anyone in history who would it be and why?"
"If you had unlimited time and unlimited money, what would you do?"
"How would you bring your background as a yoga teacher to your practice of medicine?"
"Describe a time when you felt you were underappreciated?"
"What is your conversation piece? (wanted to know a hobby or particular interest, just phrased it like this)"
"Tell me about you sister"
"What kind of people irritate you?"
"Ethics question related to child with bacterial meningitis and Christian Scientist parents."
"What 4 things would you do to change healthcare in this country?"
"*If you took the time to use these interview feedbacks to help you prepare, take the time to fill one out for the next person. Don't be selfish.* Question 3"
"If you could have one person to have dinner with (dead or alive) who would it be?"
"What are some reasons why patients don't recieve the best possible care?"
"Tell me about ____ extracurriculum activity."
"Tell me about yourself. (This is your chance to take the interview in the direction that you want.)"
"Who do you think prescribes the most anti-depressants? (Ans: Primary Care physicians) "
"Tell me about ______ experience."
"As a nurse tech, what did you learn from your patients about important qualities a doctor should have?"
"Nothing too out of the ordinary. A couple of what if scenario questions involving Patient Care and of course the inevitable healthcare question."
"I actually didn't get asked any really crazy questions, but one interviewer was very throrough and encouraged me to talk about experiences from high school as well as college."
"Nothing too ''interesting''"
"Ethical question about finding a copy of an exam (scheduled the next day) in the copy machine. What would you do?"
"For a given situation, you feel that the right course of action would be to prescribe riddalin (sp?) to a child; however, his parents are staunchly against the idea. What do you do?"
"Why do you believe family medicine is often viewed as a rather difficult field?"
"Say you have someone on high blood pressure medicine and they come back a month later and nothing has changed, what do you think is the cause and what would you do?"
"You're in a crayon box...What color are you?"
"At what point is a fetus technically considered a fetus? This question came after a long line of ethical questions, and I honestly didn't know the answer to this one. So I just told him that. "
"Have you seen the movie ''Dream Girls?''"
"You really know Steve Spurrier's brother Graham?"
"It was really more of a conversational atmosphere in both of my interviews"
"Do you have any knowledge of Human Rights Issues?"
"How many countries in the world have on paper a universal insurance plan for their citizens?"
"How do you feel about the topic of evolution?"
"What book have you read that changed your outlook on life in general and when did you read it?"
"Ethics question dealing with cheating on a test."
"What disturbs you about MUSC?"
"Tell me about a book you read in a literature class you took in college (tough to remember since I graduated a while ago)."
"Have you ever committed a felony?"
"They were all pretty mundane. They all just wanted to know about my research mainly."
"What do you think of the pituitary gland?"
"Tell me a situation where you wanted something different than what others you were with wanted, and how you convinced them to go your way."
"Tell me your greatest failure and what you learned from it?"
"Tell me about yourself"
"Was there time in your life when you had to undergo extreme emotions?"
"ethical questions about future situations and why I think I'm ready for medical school"
"All were very similar. Note: the MD/PhD interview process is TOTALLY seperate from the MD-only. Different profs and likely different questions. "
"With all your clinical experience, what have you learned about patient expectations?"
"How have your experiences with minorities changed or enhanced your views of other races and cultures?"
"Tell me about fencing."
"What is an amacrine cell? (In relation to the retina)"
"Name the 9 planets of the solar system. Or name the colors of the rainbow."
"Hypothetical/Situational questions"
"What was the most difficult decision I ever had to make."
"How do you deal with stress?"
"Describe your ideal career."
"What type of medicine do you want to practice?"
"If you could be reborn in any country, which would it be based on their healthcare system?"
"Who are your role models?"
"if i could travel anywhere, where would it be and who would i go with?"
"What do you think about music? "
"One of my interviewers asked a lot of ethical questions."
"What do you like to read?"
"What is one thing on your application you would change?"
"Tell me about one of your worst days. *Answered* Now tell me about your best day."
"The interviewer gave an ethical scenario about patient non-compliance and asked how I would respond/react as a physician."
"What does it mean to be professional as a med student?"
"What is the most difficult thing you've been through."
"What are your weaknesses?"
"There wasn't any particular question that stood out as being difficult to me. My two interviewers made interviews more conversational than confrontational."
"What is the biggest problem with society today and how would you fix it?"
"What are 3 benefits and 3 disadvantages to the new Healthcare Policy?"
"Why didn't you take the MCAT again?"
"None. all pretty direct and nothing to trip you up."
"Why be a doctor and not a PA, RN, etc.?"
"Why don't you pursue an MD/PhD?"
"What is your solution for childhood obesity? Not a very difficult question but I was a little surprised by it."
"Why did you make this certain grade in this class"
"How do you feel about people who voluntarily live high-risk lifestyles (smoking, etc.)?"
"If we admit you, will you actually come?"
"For some reason I hung up on the question about who has inspired me"
"Tell me 4 ways we can improve health care...I could only think of 3...I struggled to come up with one more. "
"What do you think about the racial disparity in health care?"
"I just finished reading a book. Give me a recommendation for another book and tell me why you liked it. (Not so hard, more that I just blanked)"
"What do you think will be your biggest challenge in Medical School?"
"None"
"Is healthcare a right or a privilege? "
"How would you fix the Heathcare situation of the US?"
"''Why Medicine'' is always a biggie."
"I was asked more than just the ''tell me about yourself question.'' I was asked about the status of healthcare, abortion, is healthcare a right or privelidge... then the standard strengths, weaknesses, why me.. etc... one guy, actually a student, grilled me pretty hard. The other was a teacher, and it was more just a conversation about me."
"What is something you've failed at?"
"What should the US healthcare system do with the uninsured population?"
"Tell me about your friends."
"What is wrong with the US health care system, what are some possible solutions, and is it a feasible fix in the next 10-20 years?"
"A patient scenario: Diagnose someone w/DM Type 2...7 years later, not a thing has changed. In fact, things are worse, the patient is resistant to any lifestyle modifications, doesn't care about the later sequelae of DM/if they die, etc. What do you do?"
"What is biggest challenge/most difficult thing you have ever faced and how did you deal with it? Both interviewers asked me some version of this question."
"What did you learn from your experience working in the ER?"
"Tell me about yourself. "
"You really know Steve Spurrier's brother Graham?"
"tell me about yourself...I proceeded to spend the next 30 minutes walking my interviewer through my profile"
"Did you shadow a physician-scientist?"
"If U.S. citizens receive the greatest amount of insurance money, why do they have the 25th highest mortality rate?"
"If you are an OB/GYN and the ultrasound reveals only a brainstem growing, but the fetus has no motor capabilities, would you give an abortion, even if the newborn could live for a brief time? "
"Tell me everything you know about the Malpractice and insurance reform act."
"Tell me about yourself. (I will never get used to that one)"
"Give pros and cons about stem cell research/use."
"Why not MD/PhD, with your background in research?"
"How the heck do you expect to make it through medical school with a wife and kids?"
"They got into some pretty detailed aspects of my research, like exactly how the mass spec read the peptides that I was looking for. I know a little, but definitely wasn't prepared for that specific of a question."
"Ethical questions."
"Tell me about a frustrating situation where you had to change your intended course of action."
"Tell me of a situation in which you were misjudged?"
"Tell me about yourself"
"Was there time in your life when you had to undergo extreme emotions?"
"none were really difficult, one of the interviewers was extremely businesslike and talked WAY more than I did... hard to handle an interviewer that wants you to know about him more so than learn about you"
"Tell me about the phase problem (in relation to crystallography)."
"What is a possible downside to being a physician?"
"Describe current events that are affecting stem cell research."
"Why do you think that America, with all it's money and great doctors, has such poor healthcare?"
"What makes you stand out among all other applicants?"
"Graduate school involves many obstacles. Give an example from your past that demonstrates how you might handle these obstacles?"
"What is the greatest challenge that you've faced thus far in your life?"
"What was the most difficult decision I ever had to make."
"None were difficult. . . No ethical Qs."
"Describe your weaknesses."
"Why did you choose your major?"
"One interviewer gave the "pressure" interview with LOTS of ethics."
"Why are you pursuing MD/PhD when you can do research as an MD?"
"why are you better than any other applicant? also lots of ethical questions."
""If you had to pick another job for the rest of your life, what would it be?""
"Why are you applying for the MD/PhD program?"
"In a group setting how would you deal with someone who was not pulling their weight?"
"Talked questions out loud"
"Read my application, brainstormed examples/stories/ideas for a lot of common interview questions"
"Re-read my primary application, re-read some other secondary application questions that I answered for other schools, practiced answering common medical school interview questions."
"SDN, website, The Medical School Interview (book)"
"Read reviews on here, looked at practice interview questions and answered them out loud."
"I talked with the associate dean of admissions, residents that work on my floor, other applicants who had just interviewed at the same school. I did a mini mock interview over the phone with admissions counselors at other schools that I knew personally. I did interview questions with friends and family to practice talking about myself. I slept well the night before, ironed my clothes and had a delicious breakfast to put me in a good mood. Also some meditation and deep breathing to stay calm and positive throughout the interview day."
"Mock interview with girlfriend asking me questions, going over questions in my head and answer as if I was at the interview."
"SDN, mock interviews, talked with people who had interviewed"
"Practiced with friends and a university provided interview coach with questions from StudentDoctor.net"
"Spoke to current students, explored their website, Studentdoctor.net, Found a list of common questions and answered them"
"Mock interviews, reviewed questions, typed out answers"
"Sdn interviews, mock interview, prayer"
"Reviewed my AMCAS, familiarized myself with current healthcare talking points, read a bunch of stock interview questions and came up with answers for them"
"I read a book, did mock interviews, got a good night's sleep"
"Went through SDN interview questions and made talking points about questions I thought were most relevant & looked up info on the school as well as healthcare reform & other issues in medicine"
"Online healthcare research, studentdoc.net, talking to professors"
"SDN Interview Feedback. Four previous interviews."
"just read previous feedback here"
"SDN"
"googled interviewing tips...sdn...got someone to ask me interview questions I hadn't looked over yet. "
"Application review, SDN, research on healthcare and controversial topics"
"Reviewed AMCAS, watched the news, not much else."
"Prayer!!!! SND, mock interviews."
"SDN Interview Feedack and Forum Topics, Reviewed my Application."
"SDN, AAMMC, and MUSC websites"
"Read the book "The Medical School Interview""
"SDN, reviewing AMCAS, reading interview tips, mock-interviews"
"SDN, AMCAS application, talking to alumni, reading MUSC's website"
"SDN interview feedback, consults with a local physician who served on an adcom in the recent past, school website."
"SDN, read at MUSC on the site, other interview examples of questions on other sites"
"Lists of questions, SDN reviews, talking with current medical students"
"sdn, read over apps, MUSC website"
"SDN, lots of reading, mocks, etc."
"SDN, current events, mock interviews, and relaxed."
"Used this website, went over my app, did a mock interview, etc."
"Student Dr. and mock interviews"
"Review research work and look up professors."
"SDN, MUSC website, My cousin told me about the types of questions they ask, practiced general interview questioins, reviewed my AMCAS application."
"I used this website and read articles about current health care issues."
"SDN, read my AMCAS application, read some ethick articles. Had half an hour before my first interview so I went and googled all three docs to find out about them."
"SDN, mock interview, read about tort reform, medicare/medicaid"
"SDN, Looked over AMCAS, 100 Interview Questions via the Web, OPPA at University of South Carolina, Mock Interviews"
"Student doctor, reviewed amcas, and looked up random medical terms on wikipedia."
"Practice interviews with college counselor and research over my research topics to refresh my memory."
"reviewed my application and previous feedback from SDN"
"went to happy hour the day before"
"I didn't really other than reading over my application."
"Read over school's website, had dinner with a student, read some books on healthcare."
"Open Source information and talked to a friend who graduated from MUSC."
"SDN, reading my application, and looking over my research paper"
"MUSC's website, this website."
"reviewed AMCAS app, reviewed MUSC secondary, SDN, interview workshop, talked to current med students"
"SDN, amcas, research on ethical issues"
"SDN, MUSC website, my application"
"Reviewed application, Studentdoctor.com, researched ethical issues"
"reviewed my application, this site, MUSC site"
"SDN, reread personal statement, reviewed past research. "
"SDN and the school's website"
"AMCAS application,personal statement."
"studentdoctor.net, review interview questions"
"Reviewed primary & sencondary app, sdn entries, web search, interview book."
"Reread AMCAS and secondary application. Reviewed MUSC website and MSTP CD that they sent. Talked to a current MD/PhD student."
"This website, talked to a physician, reviewed my application, read an article summarizing today's health policy (not crucial - just know very basics)"
"Re-read my application, read through a few interview prep books, spoke with doctors, and StudentDoctor.net"
"talk to med students, websites, know answers to the basics..."
"Reviewed AMCAS and secondary applications and my current research methods and papers. "
"Reviewed typical interview questions at SDN and looked over my application. "
"School's website and MSAR material"
"i researched the school online and spoke to others that have interviewed there."
"I brought a copy of my CV and handed it to him at the end. He was very impressed. "
"I reviewed my AMCAS essays and looked at the MUSC website."
"Interview feedback questions"
"It was a super laid back conversational day-they really just want to make you feel welcome and a part of the MUSC family."
"They really wanted to make us feel comfortable and relaxed"
"The central location, the facilities, the campus was completely immersed with the hospital"
"New Flex Curriculum, they put the student first, friendly faculty and students, very impressive and modern simulation center, state-of-the-art telemedicine center, MUSC hospital always top in region, diverse range of specialties, Charleston is a great area"
"The interview was very laid back. I was expecting it to be intimidating and hard, but everyone was very nice and the interviews were more like conversations with a colleague rather than being interviewed."
"MUSC involves their students and alumni in the interview process. My first interviewer was a practicing surgeon who had graduated from MUSC, and my third interviewer was a 4th year medical student. I think this shows how much MUSC values the opinions and judgement of their students and made me want to be a part of their school."
"The admission people made me feel very very very welcome there, I loved the people there. Students who took me around campus were very down to earth, and left me their email addresses after the lunch session. School itself is well maintained, and the library reminds me of my college days studying for classes..."
"Mainly conversational interviews. Both my interviewers were interested in me and everything I have accomplished."
"The friendliness of all the staff involved in the interview process and the organization and communication of the interview day."
"The school is very nicely laid out. The support system is great, people are friendly."
"Was given a tour of the neurology department, the location"
"The school is great, Charleston is great..(no so much during the summer but still a nice place to spend the next 4 yrs). Adcom goes OUT OF THEIR WAY to keep you relaxed during the interview. They really want you there! Can't say anything bad."
"Wanda!"
"Campus, new construction, atmosphere"
"The friendliness of the admissions staff, medical students, and interviewers"
"The laid-back style of the interviewers"
"Opportunities for research, facilities, simulation lab."
"Everyone was very friendly and chill"
"Everybody is incredibly friendly. The simulation lab is pretty cool. The new curriculum seems good, though I'm a bit wary about getting into it as just the second class to try it out."
"Simulation center, friendliness of staff and students, Charleston"
"the city. simulation lab. new curriculum. student support services such as tutoring. everyone is nice and chill. "
"Everyone was soooo friendly! All the interviewers at the school were really friendly and really relaxed."
"MUSC is changing to an integrated/block curriculum. Like that. It seemed to be a really hectic day but everyone was very friendly and graceful, even considered to when I was here 2 years ago. The interviewers all spoke with a lot of candor. Low pressure interviews."
"A fanstastically organized interview day with breakfast and lunch. A lot of information from many different people, all of whom were nice. A genuine crowd."
"Simulation Center"
"Great atmosphere and nice faculty and staff."
"Laid back, conversational interview. Gave advice about MUSC and the practice of medicine"
"The new simulation center and the integration of the curriculum."
"The simulation center (amazing!), the academic support, student activities."
"The faculty, interviewers, and students are all very enthusiastic about MUSC and seemed genuinely interested in helping me achieve my goals. Wanda in the admissions office has made all parts of the application process a little smoother!"
"The ''don't stress, we want you here'' message given by the staff, the friendly atmosphere exuded by all, including students, the city of Charleston!"
"I like the school, the fact that they offer anatomy in the summer, and the way they do their testing schedule to get you ready for boards."
"Excellent campus, excellent location, amazing people, laid-back interviews, new hospital construction"
"everyone on campus was friendly"
"Facilities on the campus and the attitude of the faculty."
"The campus staff were all really cordial and everyone that notice that you were interviewing for medical school asked you how the day was going and wished you good luck!"
"That both interviewers mentioned MUSC works to keep you in the program and not to discourage you or anything of the sort. They want to help you become an MD."
"Enthusiasm of the campus as a whole, the area in which it's located"
"Both the faculty and students are very laid back."
"Everyone was very very friendly, Charleston is a beautiful historic city, and the facilities are nice."
"Two of my interviewers were very kind and positive. They really expressed a love for their work and the school. "
"Super faculty and psychiatry department."
"block testing...5 weeks of classes, 1 week off, 1 big test building a new hospital, have lots of resources at the school"
"The Admissions Committee was very Welcoming :)"
"Interviews were not high tension and the students seemed to love medical school."
"I was impressed that the school claimed they are like a huge family network with no cut-throat attitude. We will see!"
"That first years actually get patient contact and their problem based learning."
"Charleston was really fun, especially after Winston-Salem, Chapel Hill, and Pittsburgh. Everyone was really laid back, did not meet any pretentious people. Most important: The interview day is very concise. Everything thing goes very smoothly. First school that did not have a mind-numbing, energy-sucking, droning financial aid discussion."
"Every affiliated with the school were so enthused about being there. They were genuinely excited about MUSC."
"The campus is gorgeous. The old southern architecture of some of the buildings is amazing. Also, the fact that you can take summer gross anatomy before you start medical school is incredible. The campus will be completely wireless (90% now) by the time the 2006 class starts. The funding of research that the school has gotten in the past few years is very impressive. All in all, I was very impressed!"
"Pediatric Clinic and new construction."
"Everything... There is a beautiful little medical history library, the NIH money is increasing at one of the highest rates of any program, the students were really nice, the faculty seemed to really care about the students, the students are matched at the best residencies in the country, the faculty are from the best institutions in the country (lots of ex-Duke, Yale, Harvard profs), and Charleston is great: full of history, and right by the beach."
"Charleston."
"they have excellent facilities, the students love being there and love what they are doing, admissions staff is VERY friendly and welcoming, introduction was very thorough"
"The interviewers were extremely warm, friendly, and non-intimidating"
"the school's programs"
"Interviewer went out of their way to make me feel at ease and comfortable."
"charleston is great, impressive start to the day, nice facilities, met some really nice people"
"Almost everything! This program isn't just thrown together like many of those out there. It's well organized and has great faculty, facilities, research, and financial support! The graduates go to top notch training programs. The gym is incredible also."
"The large size of the university hospital and its facilities"
"I was impressed by the size the hospital and the friendliness and approachability of the admissions committee staff and Deans."
"Friendliness of everyone."
"Very casual. The interviewer was trying to prepare me for the interview day at MUSC. He wanted to give me a good review. After the interview (which was short & consisted of the "normal" questions), he discussed how I interviwed & the areas which I needed to improve. "
"They are extremely friendly and they seem to really care about you and making you comfortable, not trying to intimidate you."
"The block exams - an exam covers all three classes of the semester into one long exam (3-6 hrs). But you have the week off to prepare for the exam. Nice gym too. "
"I felt the facilities, faculty, and students were great. I was extremely impressed by MUSC. The availability of opportunities for learning are tremendous. The city of Charleston is incredible, too."
"Friendliness of the doctors and students."
"An honest effort is bieing put into the program. MSTP funding is a plus. "
"The sheer kindness of the faculty and staff."
"The courtesy of the interviewer. He was very disarming."
"Casual attitude of admissions staff - They really made you feel comfortable."
"The people were so nice."
"how amazingly friendly everyone was; how laid back the setting was."
"The people!! Of all my interviews, the people here were the friendliest. The interviews were more like conversations than inquisitions. The other thing that impressed me was the Neuroscience Institute. I've done research in neuroscience (and now I am working in the facilities at MUSC for the summer), and I was VERY impressed with the equipment and techniques they have available to them here. "
"The scale of the school & their communtiy involvement. They also change their curriculum to best fit the needs of the students. They also have an open policy on admissions- you can ask them what kind of improvements you need to make if you were not admitted."
"Nothing was super unique about the school...all they covered was basics of the program/curriculum/school. Other schools stood out more to me because they told me about specific and personal things that were unique to their school and program."
"The school doesn't offer any student housing, and although it is in a city, it is recommended that you have a car. They also recently transitioned to an organ-based curiculum this year, which is great, BUT it sounds like the professors haven't fully adapted and they are still working out the kinks."
"One of my interviewers was late, and the other one clearly hadn't read my file"
"The roads were very confusing due to construction and I got lost several times driving around Charleston...something that would resolve very quickly living there. I wasn't thrilled that our interviews were around campus, but they had people in place to help explain where to go or to walk you all the way to the interviewer's office."
"Honestly, I had such a positive experience all around. If I were to be extremely nit picky, I would say I wish my interview schedule had allowed for a longer tour of the facilities and more time to talk with my 2nd year student tour guide."
"Nothing in particular. Be prepared to walk for about 3 minutes to your interviewer's building if your one or both of your interview is in another building. (Girls often worry about whether wearing heels in going to be troublesome, but there wasn't that much walking in my opinion. Go for it ladies!)"
"One interview was late, which gave me almost no time between interviews."
"Library, construction"
"pretty much everything else."
"The HEAT. It was extremely hot and my interviews required me to walk to different buildings on campus. So make sure you hit the bathroom to freshen up before you walk in for an interview if you've been walking around."
"Traffic was pretty heavy, and roads around MUSC were not in the best shape. Nothing major."
"Nothing--other than the lack of a proper law school in Charleston for my husband to attend."
"Construction and parking"
"there is always construction going on...pass/fail system"
"If you reside in Columbia or Greenville they ask that you do one interview with a local MUSC alumnus before the big interview at MUSC. My experience with the local doctor was alot different because he was very busy with patients and did not seem excited at all to have to interview me. I was almost a burden to him. "
"Nothin.'"
"This is a tough one, parking?"
"Hard to find interview site"
"Parking is a disaster."
"There are not a lot of facilities reserved solely for Medical Students and parking is a big issue."
"Nothing to report. I loved it."
"Housing is very expensive."
"Downtown parking, commuting"
"older facilities"
"The M-I classroom was not impressive."
"Nothing that comes to mind"
"nothing comes to mind right away."
"Both interviewers asked a lot of ethical questions and really pressed me on them. Although I was able to respond, I don't feel as if this was in any way a gauge of how I would do in medical school. "
"Downtown floods when it rains sometimes, parking"
"My first interviewer was a cold fish. "
"First year classroom isnt much."
"When it rains, it floods in charleston...The M1 lecture hall was outdated."
"The Classroom where first year classes are held (Baruch is old!!!)"
"The food in the cafe was wretched. "
"parking in Charleston is horrible"
"Some of the equiptment was old. Not as much cutting-edge technology. Third interviewer seemed bored, was not at all engaging."
"Ummmm....nothing!"
"Parking was a bit expensive, but they even gave us a voucher for that."
"Parking!!"
"There was a lot of construction going on while I was there, which is good because it means that the area is growing and prospering, but it made the campus fairly ugly."
"nothing."
"Be prepared to walk! There didn't seem to be many places on campus for med students to study. Too much construction- it took away from Charleston's natural beauty and made driving difficult."
"nothing, I was completely possitively impressed!"
"TRAFFIC...Charleston!!!! I mean...come on"
"some people weren't as outgoing as I had expected from MUSC, lots of construction going on..."
"The cost of living was higher than expected. The student body didn't seem very diverse. Public transit is nonexistent. "
"The University seems very impersonal owing to its size"
"Interviewer was dressed very casually."
"Nothing!"
"Nothing - everyone was friendly including interviewers. No 'grilling' interviews though one asked many random questions (see above)."
"Cost of living in Charleston."
"Limited study hours on campus after 12:00, everything closes; I didn't get a tour due to interview conflicts."
"The MD/PhD students fit nowhere really. There is tension between them and the MD-only and PhD-only students. "
"There was no campus tour, so I didn't get a chance to see the facilities. "
"Nothing really."
"Facilities"
"There seemed to be so little diversity in my interview group."
"nothing"
"I felt very intimidated by one of my interviewers, a D.D./Ph.D."
"Only the upperclassmen get parking close to campus."
"Do not be stressed! Just look professional but be yourself--they can see if you're being fake."
"Some interviewers will drill you a bit more than others. I had one super conversational interview, and one that I was literally sweating through. I also did not know there was a third, outside interview until I received the email with my assignment a few days before."
"The interviewers were all extremely different - one was a very senior faculty member, one an attending physician, and one a first year resident. Each required a slightly different demeanor/interviewing style."
"The local alum interview is blind/closed-file."
"That it was not going to be as intimidating as I thought it would be and that once you get an interview, they are really advocating for you to be a good candidate."
"I wish I had known that my first interview with the "outside physician" was going to be a blind interview. (He knew nothing about me other than I had earned an interview invitation.) He did tell me right at the beginning of the interview, but I think I would have come into the interview with a slightly different approach."
"I wish I could have learned to enjoyed the journey of application to interview to acceptance. It is a stressful process, learning to deal with stress and cope with anxiety is an essential life skill. Looking back, I can now laugh at my own silliness in worry too much about things I can't control."
"How relaxed it was going to be"
"What the initial introduction and speech was going to be about and that interviews would take place all around campus, not just in one central location."
"That my interviewer would be late."
"some interviews are in different buildings around the campus. Wear comfortable shoes! Dont stress..the walks between interviews are a good breather."
"That I would be expected to walk all over campus to each interview."
"Not to worry about the interviews, it was an absolutely stress free, impressive day!"
"That MUSC was such a great school."
"Shouldn't have worn heels--walked around a lot on the tour"
"Interviews may start late and may go over the allotted time."
"Even though they say the interviews are 1 hour each, they're not. It's just a max. Two interviews lasted for 30 mins...the last guy lasted for 10 minutes! I was a bit disappointed, but I guess he'd seen enough because I was accepted. "
"Nothin'."
"That one of my interviews would be conducted while the walking! I would've worn different shoes."
"The correct address!"
"maybe that all the roads were flooded?? lol"
"nothing"
"Parking is expensive"
"I'm from the area, so I knew most of what was said ahead of time."
"Nothing, I live in Charleston so I knew most of the information beforehand. "
"you get hot walking around on the tour! dress for the weather"
"I had nothing to worry about, all of my interviews were very laid back and conversational"
"The buildings are a maze. You should have a map on hand. "
"You can take gross anatomy early (summer) and they have block testing...really cool."
"show up early and check the weather forecast before you leave"
"The tour around the school was very long and it was very hot!!!"
"I wish I knew the parking garage was so expensive and a better place to park."
"How cold it was going to be."
"Hmmm.....the gym is really nice???"
"Summer gross anatomy is offered--great for someone like me who has been out of college for a few years."
"Charleston is a GREAT place to live. Already knew that, but it was good to reinforce the thought."
"This place is for real. I expected it to be on the level of some Caribbean med school, but it proved that it should be in with the ivy league names. Also, that I would never need to rent a car in Charleston. I was going to until I realized that everything of importance is in a 5 square mile area."
"The tour is going to be very, very long and it is still really hot in charleston."
"have a list of questions to ask your interviewers"
"Charleston is a busy place."
"The girls are pretty cute...i wonder if they are med students?!?!?!?"
"Sometimes it is best to be a listener and sit back while the interviewer talks about their own experiences."
"long day, lots of walking around campus"
"You definitely need to own a car to live there. "
"The existence of a summer Gross Anatomy Course"
"That all of the applicants for early decision were above the average applicant accepted the year before, and only 20 would be accepted. "
"None. Do your research & you won't have regrets."
"More about the curriculum at MUSC."
"nothing."
"There is a hu8ge break between clinical and basic sciences"
"I wish I had familiarized myself with the interview locale; I almost got lost."
"There is one interviewer who is fond of walking his interviewee around the hospital, and to the gross lab. I stuck my hand in a cadaver's abdomen during the interview. . .wierd."
"that i should not have been stressed at all...it was an amazing experience."
"Maybe I could have done better on my interviews, because I got into the M.D. program, but not the M.D./Ph.D. program."
"Have on good walking shoes."
"Have fun with it! If you leave the day smiling then it's a good fit for you."
"I was accepted. My recommendation is to be as genuine as possible in your answers--they are excellent at knowing when your answers are scripted/over-practiced. Brainstorm ideas but avoid practicing your actual answers unless you really struggle with interviews."
"MUSC seems like a great school in a great city! Charleston itself is absolutely lovely and has so much to offer. MUSC is in the downtown area and is easily accessible. The campus is combined with the hospital campus, so it is easy to go from classes to clinicals and the library. Though there are many historical buildings, it seems like they are also working to renovate the campus. Overall it seems like a great school!"
"I really liked the school. It is so well integrated with the surrounding hospitals, you'll really get the clinical feel from year 1. Very intriguing accelerated 3-year curriculum. MUSC is a known name in healthcare across the region and it is very highly ranked nationally."
"I really like MUSC. I was afraid I wasn't going to, but it was a really nice school. I really like the fact that there are so many different colleges within the university, and we are able to interact with the other colleges from the get go. Everyone there is VERY nice and truly love the school."
"I received an acceptance letter and have decided to attend MUSC. If my medical school experience is anything like the admissions process, I am sure I've found the right place."
"Admission wants you to do well at the interviews, do your best to boost your chance of admission!"
"Overall, I really enjoyed the interview day experience at MUSC. Food was provided, although it was at most nibbled by a few students. Lunch was good, and the staff were friendly and extremely helpful in calming interview day nerves of all applicants."
"This is a wonderful school!"
"I was extremely nervous before I got to the interview! This school is my #1 choice. When I got there everyone on the adcom made it clear that they want everyone to relax and just shine! One of the physicians that spoke to us even mentioned that if we felt that our interview was unfair or you blew one out of the 3 ..let the staff know and they may schedule you another interview! Not saying to blow it...but if you pass out it sounds like they would give you a second chance.. I have not seen one school to possibly even consider that..."
"I think MUSC is a great school, but the admissions process is kind of crap."
"MUSC is a great school and the interview day was fantastic. The interviewers simply wanted to know who I am outside of my application rather than grilling me with really hard questions. Each one of them were very friendly and personable."
"This school should be more popular/better known among applicants."
"I had one interview with a community doctor prior to the school interview day, because I live locally. My first interview at the school was a bit more formal, and my second was mostly conversational. MUSC goes out of their way not to choose interviewers who grill you about academics, or are too challenging, which is nice. Overall a very laid back interview day."
"Be yourself...I don't have stellar stats, but I did have great summer programs, ecs, volunteering, ect...so, if you got an interview, don't blow it. They clearly saw something in you. So it could make you or break you. They're interested in the whole student. "
"Very relaxed. These people really want to win you over so they are very nice and welcoming (even the receptionists and other staff that you see). I'm in love with this school!"
"3 interviews, they went variable length as follows: 1st about 60 min., 2nd about 60, 3rd about 30 min."
"MUSC is a very special place. It was my 8th interview and it showed up every school up to that point. Culturally sound, happy student population, wonderful city, nice faculty, friendly staff. Newer buildings. ON and on and on I liked it."
"MUSC seems like a great place. So far all the students and faculty have made a great impression."
"Outstanding time. Enjoy it."
"Interview lasted over an hour. Very insightful and informal. Great experience and confidence builder for my interview day"
"The third interview was off campus. It was done the day before my on campus interviews and lasted approxiametly 45 minutes. The interview was very enthusiastic and seem to go well."
"A great day. Everyone is friendly and positive. My first interview was slightly tougher than the second one but the whole day was very relaxed. The students and faculty seem really happy to be at MUSC."
"A very positive experience that left me wanting to come to MUSC!"
"Incredible. One of my interviewers gave me less of an interview and more of a brainstorming session on how to get me in. I didn't have a single ethical question or patient scenario. It was surreal. I came away feeling very much like they want me there, even if I don't make it in. Fantastic school."
"I had a good experience. I applied last year, and my experience was good then too. I was pretty much just asked to tell them about me. They weren't out to get you by any means. My 2nd interview this year with a student was a little more grilling, but they were questions you should have answers to in the back of your mind ''just in case.'' Nothing stumped me though."
"Excellent."
"This was my first med school interview experience, and it was a lot less stressful than I thought it would be. The staff/students were all very friendly and emphasized the cooperative nature of MUSC. You basically start with an info session in the morning, and then you break off for your interviews. After regrouping, you go on a tour with a student (M2) and then have lunch."
"Starts around 8:30 or so with introductions, speeches, etc. Then interviews last about 30-45 each and your first interviewer will escort you to your second interview. After interviews we had a tour of the school and facilities followed by lunch. "
"Starts at 8:30 with coffee and snacks. Presentations by some faculty an interview. Tour around campus and lunch. Then a second interview in the afternoon."
"Not terribly nerve-wracking. I had an outside interview w/an alumni (who knew nothing about me and told me his purpose was just to get to know me as a person and to find out if he could see me as a future colleague) before my interview day at MUSC. out of the 3 interviews: 1 conversational and the others more structured. 1 had lots of patient scenarios. everyone is very kind and calming"
"This was one of the most laid back interview experience I have ever had and the school did everything to impress you. Make sure you can talk about your research and knowing a little about their research helps but wasn't as important as about you."
"I had a wonderful experience, we met in a conference room at 8:30 and introduced ourselves ( about 13 of us). The director opened the orientation saying '' We want you to leave today feeling like you had a wonderful experience, we are not here to intimidate you in any way, if you feel like an interviewer was unfair let us know and we'll schedule you another one.'' The admissions staff gave a short orientation and we went to our first interviews. at 12:00 we split into groups and went on a tour with 2nd year students and ate lunch with them at 1:00. I had two more interviews and finished at about 4:15. "
"MUSC seems like a wonderful school. The day started early, but the whole process was easy going and enjoyable. "
"Great docs...very conversational interview"
"pretty good day, other than the rain and being wet all day"
"The Interview experience was very good. I feel like I did well but I'm still unsure if I will be accepted. "
"1 off campus interview, 2 on campus interviews"
"It was great. Relaxing and reaffirming that I am suppose to be a doctor."
"The day starts early at 8:30a with a few speakers discussing everything from housing, financial aid, the interview/admission process, and student activities. Interviews were scheduled throughout the day with a break for a tour and lunch with a student. My first interview lasted almost an hour and was great. The physician was very positive and left me feeling confident. The second one drilled me, so I'm not too sure how it ended up."
"The day goes by very quickly. A few people come and talk to you while you load up on coffee and then you go straight into your interviews with lunch and a small tour in between."
"Very good! Relaxing day overall. The only stress was the stress I put on myself. Good school, good ppl, good times!"
"Tough interview from admin committee member, easy from retired md/phd and fellow in hem/oncology. The lunch was nice and the facilities were top notch."
"It was a great time. All of the interviewers and the students were very nice, and the faculty were amazing. One of them even took his Saturday afternoon to show me around one of the research facilities. Charleston is a nice, compact town with tons of history and a quaint Southern touch."
"Charleston is a great place & the interview day at MUSC is really low key. There were two or three interviews so the day is really long, but it is definitely worth it. nothing really to worry about."
"The entire admissions staff is genuinely very enthusiastic happy you are there. There was a long, but very informative, introduction and then we all left for our morning interviews. We later all met back up and split up into smaller groups for student-led tours around campus. Finally, we had lunch and people either left or had their afternoon interviews."
"It was a great experience. The people were friendly, the facilities were nice, the admissions staff was great. No complaints!"
"overall it was a good experience...faculty, staff, and students seem to like their school and enjoy living in Charleston...the interview is very laid back...more about trying to find out about you."
"This was a preliminary interview with a local physician. I was very impressed with her career and was intimidated at first. However, she went out of her way to make sure I felt at ease and the interview was more of a conversation to get to know me as a person."
"great day overall, learning experience, met some really nice, motivated people"
"It was a great interview day! All the faculty were easy to talk with, and the interviews were more conversational than direct questions and answers. They really wanted to know about you and your interests. Of the 7 interviews, only one was somewhat stressful, and I think that interviewer was just tired from seeing applicants all day. Several of the interviews aren't used for evaluation, but they function as recruiting sessions. Overall, I enjoyed the day and was extremely impressed. This place may not be on the tip of everyone's tongue yet, but it will be soon. "
"Each interviewer had a different prospective on medical school as a whole. The surgery intern offered recent, learned advice, the psych. prof. offered advice on patient interaction skills, and the head of graduate studies offered research/Match advice during the course of the interviews. All were very friendly and open to questions."
"I applied to the University of South Carolina and the Medical University of South Carolina the year before. I was not accepted to either school. However, I, like every other rejected applicant was able to speak with the Chairman of the admissions committee at MUSC. He advised me how to improve my application. The admissions personal including the students and faculty at USC were rude and aloof. The campus is small, old, and dirty. I decided to apply for early decision at MUSC. I was accepted. It is a great place! "
"Very stress-free, I had a great time."
"I had 3 interviews in the morning, lunch with MSTP students, then 3 more interviews, and an informal interview with the director. The first 3 (one with a student, 2 with faculty) evaluated me. Then the next two were for recruitment purposes. The last interviews were with the associate and program directors who evaluated me. They were very casual, conversational interviews. Most of the time the interviewer spent more time talking about their research and what they thought of Charleston. I really loved this experience; my first interview experience was an enjoyable one."
"Good experience. I had an atypical experience since I wasnt asked typical interview questions. One interviewer asked me no more than 2 questions before going on a tangent about his frustrations with today's healthcare policy. Know that all three interviews (1 regional, 2 on-campus) are weighted equally. But other students I spoke with had typical questions that are on this website. "
"I thoroughly enjoyed the interview experience at MUSC. This is an excellent school and could very easily see myself spending four years here. My first interview was before the interview day at MUSC, was off-campus, and closed-file. My second and third interview were both at MUSC. The second interview was open file and the third was closed."
"My interview experience at MUSC was terrific. All 3 interviews were very conversational based and laid back. The doctors made it a point to put you at ease and basically just get to know you as a person. Most of my questions stemmed from the flow of the conversation. However, some applicant's interviews were 100% ethical Q's. There was a lot of down time so bring the newspaper, magazine, or something for you to do. The ad com is very pro-active with the admissions process. They do not want to deny anyone at that point. The whole admissions process is based on a points system, it is set up so that you can only gain points, not lose them. They just reduced the weight of the interviews from 50% to 25%. Overall, it was an enjoyable day. "
"Charleston is nice, the program is nice. I get the feeling that faculty come here to retire and lead a slower life. They were trained at the best places. . ."
"I thought it was wonderful. I even told the director of the program that I was expecting my interviewers to be more hostile, but instead they were kind and attentive. However, it is exhausting to have six interviews in one day, and even though they were not very stressful my head was pounding by 5pm. The dinner, which the MSTP office arranges for you to have with three other MSTP students at a local Restaurant is the best part, the food is AMAZING and a glass of wine is the best cure for the post interview headache (and this is from a future (hopefully) doctor)."
"The interview was conducted by an outside physician. The Dr. was very pleasant, and the interview itself was very relaxed. We just chatted."
"Overall, I think the experience was very positive. The staff was wonderful and helpful. I felt very comfortable with one interviewer, we had a good two-sided conversation for 30 minutes. My second interview was more intimidating, but I think he was trying to test my reaction, really. It was more stressful since the second person asked ethical questions, one right after the other."
"I was asked no ethical questions, but other students in my interview group got some doozies. Overall, my MUSC interview was a great experience."
"it was a great process and i really felt like i got a good perspective of the school. the student tour took us all over campus and we even got to go into the cadaver lab. i interviewed with three people for an hour each (one e.r. administrator, one ob/gyn, and one third year student), then we ate lunch with some students, then we got a great tour."
"This interview was known as the MUSC "off-campus" interview. Candidates meet with a physician who is affiliated with the university a couple of weeks before the big on-campus interview day. It was so nice to have a cup of coffee with this doctor, it was a pleasure and I could tell he will endorse me when he speaks with the adcom."
"This was the best interview experience I had. I had a total of 10 interviews, with 9 of them occurring over 2 days on campus. The last interview was done by a doctor in a rural setting the following week. The interviews were generally very relaxed and most of the people I dealt with were very nice and did everything they could to make the experience pleasant. I had lunch and dinner with some of the MD/PhD students and lunch and a tour with MD students. I was surprised that one of the M.D. students doing the tour and one of the MD/PHD students I had lunch with were my lab partners in chemistry 5 years ago. One of my interviewers was in the same graduate program as me many many years ago and knew some of the older professors that I had worked with there (now I'm working in her lab for the summer). It's a small world. "
"This school in great! The interviewers wanted to know who you are & what you are like. They have a conversation with you- very relaxed. The only problem is that you have an interview after lunch & by this time you are tired & can't remember if you mentioned something to that interviewer or if it was one of the other 2 from that morning."
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Student | 70 |
| Faculty member | 0 |
| Admissions staff | 1 |
| Other | 0 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Enthusiastic | 50 |
| Neutral | 4 |
| Discouraging | 0 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.93 | 58 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| In state | 46 |
| Out of state | 12 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 0-1 hour | 16 |
| 2-3 hours | 20 |
| 4-6 hours | 12 |
| 7+ hours | 8 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Airplane | 3 |
| Automobile | 53 |
| Train or subway | 0 |
| Other | 0 |
CHS
CHS - the municipal airport
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| At school facility | 0 |
| With students at the school | 3 |
| Friends or family | 15 |
| Hotel | 21 |
| Home | 3 |
| Other | 0 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| < $100 | 31 |
| $101-$200 | 11 |
| $201-$300 | 5 |
| $301-$400 | 2 |
| $401-$500 | 0 |
| $501+ | 1 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.29 | 62 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 9.05 | 65 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 9.08 | 64 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.87 | 38 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.84 | 38 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 6.88 | 34 |
"Shorten the interview day"
"Nothing"
"I had a very positive experience throughout the admissions process with MUSC. The associate dean of admissions is very accessible and helpful at every point. She and her team provide clear information and communication and will go the extra mile to help you be the best candidate possible."
"I enjoyed speaking with current students at the school, and wished that I could have spent more time with students walking on campus and learn more about MUSC on the day of my interview."
"Admissions process was smooth and very welcoming."
"They do a really great job getting back to you after you ask questions."
"Less time in between individual interviews"
"Staff are extremely friendly and can answer any questions!"
"I thought they did a great job."
"I really felt like my interviewers were trying to trip me up. It did not feel like an opportunity for them to learn more about me. Instead I constantly felt like the interviewers were trying to challenge my worthiness to becoming a physician. And why are non-MDs interviewing candidates for medical school. It makes for a very awkward conversation about why you want to go to medical school instead of get a PhD!"
"It was a perfect day, nothing needs to be changed."
"They have been really kind and helpful."
"The staff here is EXTREMELY friendly, leave it to Charlestonians."
We help students become doctors. TM
What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 1)?