Summary of Experience:
High priority waitlisted :( Better than nothing, and I'm very happy to have made it this far, but definitely a little disappointed, I was really hoping for an acceptance. I absolutely adore this school.
Next, we got to go up towards the top of the library into a large, beautiful conference room, where we got some packets with more information (and a pen), and had about 2 hours of presentations about student life, financial aid, diversity, a Physician Keynote speaker, and also got to hear from Dr. Callahan and Dr. Brooks (they were awesome, super personable and down to earth).
From here, student interviewers (very casually dressed, carrying backpacks) picked us up from the conference room and took us to our location for the student interview (mine was just in an open area at a small little table in a building, not a private room). My student interviewer was a first year student, and the interview was VERY conversational. We ended up having a good deal of things in common, and I never once felt like I was being interrogated. I think it really put me at ease for the rest of the interview day, and I had an overall great chat with my student interviewer.
Then, they dropped us off at lunch, which was DELICIOUS (salmon, chicken, potatoes, salad in the biggest bowl I have ever seen in my life), and we got the opportunity to speak with the same students we saw in the morning. I also used a few seconds of time to look up who my faculty interviewer was (we received this information on a slip of paper in the conference room), and before I knew it, lunch was over and we were headed on a tour.
We proceeded on a tour of the facilities, except we unfortunately did not get to see the hospital, but we saw the anatomy wing (and a lab in session), a lecture hall, the library, and lots of other key places on campus. I love the area, Philadelphia seems like an amazing place full of culture and character, especially by the school. The day I interviewed also happened to be the day of the school’s involvement fair, so there were a ton of students in the main courtyard checking out booths and signing up for different activities. Jefferson really stresses involvement in passions and activities outside of medicine as well, which is very important to me.
Finally, was the faculty interview! Mine was with a family physician who had been at Jefferson for quite a while, and it was a little more professional than the student interview, but very laid back (my interviewer wasn’t even wearing a suit jacket). We talked about his dog, and he told me some funny stories about his family, but otherwise he basically pulled up my application on his computer and asked me about each of my activities one by one. That’s not necessarily how every interviewer will do it, but that was how my particular faculty member decided to conduct it. He would prompt me with some more questions about certain experiences where he saw fit (ex. What were some big challenges with this position, or what did you learn from this situation). He was very soft spoken, which is different from myself, but we had a very nice chat (at least I think so). I think I could have done better, but I just tried to be true to myself, do my best, and I will hope that I get good news in a month! I really really had a great impression of Jefferson and I would be ecstatic to attend.
She brought us into a room on the 2nd floor of the library, where we each had some papers, a pen, and a GW Medicine tote bag. From there, we had some presentations from faculty in financial aid, in student affairs, in diversity, and from one of the Deans at the school (who was really nice, and seemed to care a lot about what all of our college mascots were, which was cute).
After this, we went on a tour of the facilities in Ross hall, where we saw the main lecture hall, and their brand new CLASS (clinical skills and simulation) center, which I am really impressed with. They have so many great ways to practice your skills and learn 24/7, working with standardized patients, dummies, and actually have several female birthing dummies that can give birth normally, have a breech birth, a C-section, or a birth with the cord wrapped around the baby's neck. We didn’t get to see the hospital, so I feel like that’s a common theme since that didn’t happen on my first interview either.
Next, we came back to the library room for lunch, which was a bag with a sandwich, some fruit and chips and a cookie. Was definitely hungry at this point. During lunch, current students came in to have us ask any questions that we wanted, and they were all very warm, welcoming, and friendly. One by one, we got taken into study rooms for our student interviews. My student interviewer was really nice, and she did ask me some questions that were more like simply asking questions instead of having a conversation, but the feel was overall very conversational and casual.
Next, I waited a little while to have my faculty interview, where I was brought up to her office (she had a gorgeous view of the Potomac and Georgetown from her office window). She was a very very nice lady and extremely personable. It was definitely a little more professional, she asked some more typical interview questions that I had luckily anticipated, but we also talked about books and similar experiences we had, so it was again, a really nice interview.
After the interviews, I was free to go! My overall impression of GW: I don’t know if it is my absolute top choice, but I can still see myself there and I think I would be happy there, so it is definitely up there on my list. The area is great, it serves a very diverse patient population, and boasts a huge list of extracurricular activities and ways for students to get involved. I also really love their new curriculum, as well as the track programs, which seem really beneficial to supplement the medical education. However, I didn’t get the same overall vibe from the students and the school in general that I had at my interview the day before. It didn’t feel as much like home as my first interview experience, which is definitely something to keep in mind.
For someone who wants a big city location for medical school, I surprisingly loved Penn State! I felt very welcomed and at home. However, not too keen on Hershey and the price tag.
Summary of Experience:
Withdrew, honestly didn't care for it too much, would rather attend several of my other accepted schools, and cost is much more than where I will likely be matriculating
