Source
r/premed•
ripstep1

Friendly reminder for interview day

🗨 Interviews

During interview day a school usually brings out two or three students where you can ask questions and get their opinions on the school. Just keep in mind that these students are usually picked by the school or at least greenlighted after an open sign up.

The reason I bring this up is most students who end up doing these question and answers sessions are supportive of the school or are at least neutral. My program is a complete disaster, but the students who do question and answer sessions are not likely to make outward statements that are negative. Therefore, if medical students have a positive opinion of a school on interview day, they either genuinely feel that way or do not want to make outward negative statements. Students who strongly dislike the admin would never show up.

For example, at my school there is literally a group of 6 or so students who do all the Q&A sessions because no one else is willing.

Posted Sep 12, 2021, 3:28 PM UTC

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Geeky_GumptionAPPLICANT-MD/PhD•

I mean damn how would you get an accurate picture of a program then? Salty, burnt out medical students anonymously shitting on the school?

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ripstep1OPMS4•

Anonymous students are honestly the only way in my opinion. Or students who are speaking 100% off the record without any admins monitoring.

Even if a student seems salty, I would take their opinions seriously.

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The_Specialist_saysMS4•

You get their emails and ask them directly. I was kinda bamboozled by the school I ended up going to. They preached about inclusion and diversity but the actual class and support was lacking and the town is shit.

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WaloooOMS-1•

Message them on FB or LinkedIn.

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oserireADMITTED-MD•

there was a student who gave a VERY honest and grim answer at one of the interviews I went to, and I thanked him profusely for the honesty because that’s so valuable to hear

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KruuuuggADMITTED-MD•

If you are comfortable with it, could you PM your program. I am applying right now and would very much want to avoid going into that kind of environment.

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ripstep1OPMS4•

I will think about it. If i want to go that route ill reach out to you and others who pm'd me.

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AegonTheC0nquerorADMITTED-DO•

OP: “Anonymous statements are the only way premeds can get an accurate representation of the school”

Premed: “What school do you go to”

OP: “I don’t feel comfortable making an anonymous statement.”

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ripstep1OPMS4•

Sure, but you act like I'm obligated to answer your questions. At the end of the day my only concern is matching and graduating. My school is the type that would definitely retaliate, so why should I feel compelled to play that game?

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AegonTheC0nquerorADMITTED-DO•

So then what’s the point of your whole post?

You mentioned a problem which we all assumed exists anyway, propose a solution for it, but then refuse to follow through with your own proposed solution.

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Laxberry•

Why the hell would you be opposed to just saying it? Jesus Christ why is everyone so paranoid over every little thing. You’re already a medical student for fuck’s sake. Just say the name of the program so people can avoid it. Why are you supporting the school and perpetuating the problem by still protecting them

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ripstep1OPMS4•

Schools retaliate against students all the time.

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SegwayStevenAPPLICANT•

Make a throwaway account and name & shame, then. If anonymous student whisteblowing is the only way schools can have their weaknesses called out to prospective applicants, why not back up your claim?? "at the end of the day it's a favor, not an obligation 😤." Bullshit. You just don't like people calling you out for your BS and are rationalizing your hesitancy due to paranoia. Premeds, students, and residents all agree that the medical education system is broken and unjust, so do something about it instead of saying "wahh I don't wanna, it's too hard to make an anonymous throwaway account and make a post detailing my disaster program without doxxing myself"

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Laxberry•

Bro I promise you nobody is going to find your anonymous Reddit account and analyze every post to somehow figure out your identity and then use it to retaliate against you. Especially since you’re literally not saying anything bad…

-4†
CommandercurryMS3•

I'm pretty sure this happens at alot of schools. Our school handpicks students to be part of an org that does all the interview day stuff. You get a scholarship for getting in. Requirements are to be able to sell the school and never say anything negative about it. You will never get a straight answer from them about anything bad

If they say something adverse about the school, they will be reprimanded and get in trouble with admin. Best bet for any applicant is to find a random student walking the halls and ask them their unbiased opinion. Never ask the people who signed up to show up

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pulpojineteMS2•

So, that's horrifying.

I can't say that my school is like this, and I am very sorry that you're learning in an environment like that.

We have the opposite issue, where our Dean basically begs us for feedback and criticism. If someone told me I needed to be able to "sell" the school I would feel pretty greasy about it.

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Finger-SaladsMS1•

Everyone at mine in contrast wants to do it, we're all friends and love it here. No gunners no drama M1 has been sweet so far

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lecompositor•

Loyola? :)

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Finger-SaladsMS1•

Nah but I have a friend there who really likes it :-)

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ShmurdaTK•

I understand the sentiment, but I haven't had that experience with most of the schools I interviewed with. Yes, I agree that most student panels are voluntary and the students will be happy or neutral with the school.

However, I certainly had many students be 100% honest with their experiences of what they loved and hated about the schools.

I would say when they place a "student leader" to watch over the student panel, that's a big red flag. In those situations, I've had students be literally cut off when they tried to answer negatively about something.

So yeah, sometimes student panels can be shady, but for the most part the students are honest. Albeit, a bit biased.

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ripstep1OPMS4•

There is no way you can know if they are being genuine. If anything, students will add a couple negative opinions so they come off as unbiased.

My point is that at good programs students will have overall positive opinions of the school. However, at poor programs you will still see generally positive reviews.

0†
touch_my_valleculaRESIDENT•

if the school is having only 2-3 students show up then that should be a major red flag...

At my school we had probably 10-15 student interviewers each interview day, 10 students who would join for lunch, then 5 who would participate in a panel in the afternoon. All of these were different students for the most part.

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ripstep1OPMS4•

Yep. Bad schools will just claim that they setup the interview day so that only 2-3 students are needed for the Q&A.

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bonefixer4lyfeRESIDENT•

I tried to be honest, if students are critical of some aspects of the school then they are at least trying to be more honest. If the students have 0 criticisms then too good to be true.

Also they may say they aren’t evaluating you/the Q.A session is not part of the interview, they are still always evaluating you. Just cause their students doesn’t mean you can let your guard all the way down.

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chzsuxADMITTED-MD•

What do you mean by this? I understand that you shouldn't ask a weird/offensive question or say anything weird/offensive, but are they really going to judge you if you didn't ask a question? A lot of times at these Q/A sections, I've tried to ask questions but it's usually been that people always speak up before I can ask anything or my questions have already been asked.

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bonefixer4lyfeRESIDENT•

That’s not the end of the world, it’s more the former that’s the bigger issue. Better to say nothing than say something bad.

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chzsuxADMITTED-MD•

ok great, I feel a lot better now - there was actually an interview day I had where they basically had us sit in a student panel for 2.5 hours. At the end of it, I pretty much had nothing to ask and I was worried about not participating

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smolboi1995MS2•

I am a student who did those lunch sessions at my school and it was really just people who signed up! We weren’t given any kind of training or prep, and because of the zoom breakout rooms everyone was candid and the good and the bad. All to say this isn’t the case everywhere!

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rttr123UNDERGRAD•

My friend just asked people he knew at case western (and the other two he was accepted) about the program. Like doctors of his, and a college “FB friend”, who went to one of those.

My friend told me he learned a lot of… interesting things, that helped him get a picture of the 3 schools he got into, which is why he chose case western.

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Pension-Helpful•

Man maybe my opinion will change if I get more than one acceptances this cycle, but dang I'm crossing my fingers just to get into one school, even if has some insane flaw I'll regrets later as a student so long it's not a Caribbean school.

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ripstep1OPMS4•

Yeah I mean even with my schools flaws, it's way better than being rejected and 4ever premed.

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gabs781227ADMITTED-MD•

I thought this was kind of obvious haha

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IwishIhadbiggerfeetNON-TRADITIONAL•

If you decide to tell people what school it is, I'd love to to be DM'd as well. If not, could you tell us what the issues with the school are? I want to go to medical school, but just mastered out of a phd program because of major issues I faced. I really don't want it to happen again :(

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luria485•

Would you be willing to DM me the school? If not, no worries.

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MysteriousMachine652MS1•

If after your interview day you want to speak to more students you can usually email the office of admissions and they'll put you in touch with someone you can speak one-on-one with. I think in those environments people can be more candid.

With that being said, every school is different. My school really emphasizes to the students who do these Q and As to be completely honest and they don't have anyone in admissions present. I think it gives a decent representation.

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sumb123ADMITTED-DO•

I am also curious about the school if you are willing to DM. I want to avoid this type of environment for sure

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