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Dal Interview Info


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Hi folks,

 

If you are looking for more information on the Dalhousie Interview weekend.... check out the webpage the we (Dalmed class of 2011) have put together to help. We are planning lots of events for the weekend, but they won't be finalized until after our exam on Jan 25th. So check the website a few days after that.... http://2012.medicine.dal.ca , for more info, FAQ, maps to interview site, etc.

 

Also, check out the facebook group "Dalmed interview 2008".

 

Cheers,

Mike

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Hi,

 

I am wondering how final decisions are made at Dal, after the interviews are conducted. Do they go back and look at your GPA/MCAT/essays/LOR in addition to the interview scores? Or, do they simply decide based on the interview scores alone?

 

Thanks for the help.

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Final decisions are made based on a wide variety of information, NOT the interview alone. Your MCAT scores + Academic GPA, Reference Letters, Supplementary Essays, and your Interview are all evaluated individually. They are ulimately converted to a numerical score as objectively as possible. The total of all categories combined will give you a score out of 100. Last year I believe most persons who had a TOTAL score exceeding 75-80% received an acceptance or were ultimately accepted (ie. from wait list).

 

It is important to note that each category does not contribute equally to your final total score. If this year is like previous years, the interview is one category that contributes more than some of the other categories. Keep in mind that even if you have a perfect category (ie. GPA), it will not guarantee acceptance since it is the total of all catergories that is ultimately evaluated.

 

Also keep in mind that exceptional situations are taken into account and points awarded accordingly. For example, participation in varsity sports is a significant time investment and may accordingly reduce the time you have to apply to academics. A small point boost may be added to your GPA + MCAT category due to this. Similarly, perhaps you had a perfect score on the written section of your MCAT (a section that is not included in your MCAT numerical score)...you may then receive a small boost to your GPA + MCAT category due to this as well. Keep in mind that these are examples only. Ultimately, the fine details of the scoring of each category are only known to the ADComm and related persons.

 

If things remain as they were last year, then applicants who were NOT ACCEPTED will receive a letter stating that they were unsuccessful. This same letter will have a break-down of your final score, ino each individual category. The idea being that even though you were unsuccessful, the scores will help you determine which areas you scored lowest in. Therefore, showing you which areas you need to improve for next time.

 

I hope this helps.

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Hi folks,

 

If you are looking for more information on the Dalhousie Interview weekend.... check out the webpage the we (Dalmed class of 2011) have put together to help. We are planning lots of events for the weekend, but they won't be finalized until after our exam on Jan 25th. So check the website a few days after that.... http://2012.medicine.dal.ca , for more info, FAQ, maps to interview site, etc.

 

Also, check out the facebook group "Dalmed interview 2008".

 

Cheers,

Mike

 

The "Interview Weekend" section of the website has now been updated with the plans for the weekend.

 

http://2012.medicine.dal.ca/Interview%20Weekend.htm

 

See you all there in just over a week!

 

Elaine

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Hi everyone,

 

In the past we were able to bring a friend or our significant other to the interview and he/she could wait with us until the actual interview and also meet the 1st year med students and some of their spouses. Is this not the case this year? We just received an email about the interviews and that we should minimize the amount of belongings / cellphones brought (those items would have to remain with the registration desk). It also said that we would be waiting in the Royal Bank Theatre so I didn't see much room for meeting med students and their spouses before the interview.

 

Any thoughts from other interviewees or current med students would be helpful.

 

Thanks,

 

doc2B

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It's my understanding that significant others can come with us on the tour - after the interview.

 

I believe we will still have a chance to talk to 1st yr med students before the interview, but I doubt their spouses will be there. I don't recall them being there last year ...

 

Also, I'm sure everyone got the email, but just in case:

1 pm interviews have been RESCHEDULED for 2 pm, but we are still required to arrive 45 minutes early

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Last year significant others/spouses WERE invited to come along to the interview and meet significant others/spouses of current med students. I remember seeing a few that decided to attend. I'm assuming that option has been taken away because:

 

1) it seems that it wasn't mentioned in the emails/websites

2) since Dal is doing MMIs this year, they would have to stay the full 2-3 hours (or however long it'll take) as opposed to the 30-45 minutes for the traditional style interviews

3) ....who knows??

 

I say contact the 'ask a med student' reps to find out for sure.

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Thanks Madz.

 

I remember spouses of med 1s there last year as well, and I know at least I had someone there with me (I'm sure there were probably others). It makes sense now with the change that they shouldn't come, I just wanted to make sure, but I'll try to contact the ask a med rep just to be sure.

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I took madz's advice and contacted Kate Kelly (ask a med rep) and this was part of the response that she gave...

 

"Please feel free to bring spouses or friends for moral support before

and after the interview - there will be coffee and muffins and plenty of current students milling about for them to chat with while you are in the interview, and they are welcome to join in the activities afterwards - we'd love to get to know them too!"

 

In case anyone else is interested. :)

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Hey everyone who participated in the interviews,

 

Just wanted to ask how you guys feel now that the interview is over. Personally, I am FREAKING OUT about how I did...I am finding it so hard to tell! Does anybody feel that way? Obviously without talking about any of the stations (confidentiality!), does anyone want to share how they're feeling? I keep second guessing what I did and said in the stations, and it is killing me. I keep thinking about what I could have done or said differently, and what I may have done wrong. I just want to make sure that I am not alone. Thanks everyone, and it was really really nice to meet you last weekend!

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I'm glad it's over but I thought it was much more fun than I expected! Slightly less stress? And all the first year med students were super nice. I wonder if there's anyone on here I met...I was at 2:00, Track C!

 

I liked the fact that there was less pressure on any one interaction, you know? But it's quite impossible to know how they felt about it...some where completely deadpan and some were nice!

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Hey everyone who participated in the interviews,

 

Just wanted to ask how you guys feel now that the interview is over. Personally, I am FREAKING OUT about how I did...I am finding it so hard to tell! Does anybody feel that way? Obviously without talking about any of the stations (confidentiality!), does anyone want to share how they're feeling? I keep second guessing what I did and said in the stations, and it is killing me. I keep thinking about what I could have done or said differently, and what I may have done wrong. I just want to make sure that I am not alone. Thanks everyone, and it was really really nice to meet you last weekend!

 

Remember what Dr. Sutton said? There are NO right answers - they are judging our reasoning, communication, ability to defend our positions, etc. You shouldn't beat yourself up over it! Everyone can look back and criticize their performance ... but as long as you did/said what you thought was best at the time, then that's all that matters. You can't go back and change anything, so why agonize over it? Also, remember that the interview is only a part of your whole application. Just try to stay positive, think about the GOOD things you did during the interview - it will make the long wait ahead a little easier :)

 

Personally, I liked this format a lot better than the standard interview. I think I did well - I felt relaxed in all but one station and was comfortable with the questions (they were all pretty much how I expected them to be). I also found most of the interviewers to be nice and easy to talk to!

 

I just hope I don't have to wait until June to find out!

 

Oh yeah, I was 2pm track A

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Hi from 8:30 track E :P

I liked this format a lot, I was super relaxed for the majority of the time (there always has to be that on or two questions that I wasn't prepared for or wasn't expecting... oh well). Other than those q's I'm ok with the MMI format, I found it fun to focus on something else either that trying to sell yourself to the same 2 or 3 people for 30 mins.

 

On another note... I wanted to thank the DalMed 1 students for the weekend and the little ''wine and cheeze'' (lol don't quite know why it was called that but...). I had fun :D

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I also liked the MMI format much better than the regular panel interview. I thought it went very well for me. I hope the interviewers agree. :)

 

I was quite relaxed through the entire process. I don't think I found any of the questions difficult. I liked having those 2 minutes to think of a few points to start off the conversation with. It really removed that awkward feeling of not wanting to take to long or too little time to think about my response.

 

I thought that most of my interviewers were very friendly and easy to talk to. I think there was probably only 1 or 2 that didn't seem quite as friendly as the others but were sufficiently friendly for the situation I guess.

 

I was also in track C at 2pm on Saturday.

 

I agree with Dal07, there's no need to stress over something you cannot change right now. If you don't get in this year they will give you a break-down of your score and if your interview score is low that's the time to reconsider your interview skills/techniques. Otherwise, if you do get in :) then it doesn't really matter how your interview went.

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Hi Guys

 

My two cents. I was 8:30 on Sunday (only time) and on track C station 1. A few people on my track got 'close' as we waited to fly out of Halifax on a broken plane!

 

As for the interview I felt I did well. Of course there are two stations I'm not sure about but they were more info from your application so maybe that will help since they have my application...not sure why I got tongue tied. However, I ended up really enjoying the ethical questions.

 

As for first choice I'm not really sure. I'm an OOP from Ontario but with lots of family in Nova Scotia. I think my first choice would still be Ontario, but getting a spot in medical school does not often come with choice!

 

I wish everyone the best of patience.

KMG

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KMG007, I'm in sort of the same boat, but I'm IP! My parents are in NS, but my siblings are in TO with me, and so is my whole extended family. So I think I'd like to stay in Ontario (let's be honest, my bro and sister won't fly out to see me, but my parents probably will). But I'll be happy if I get into ONE school, and go without complaint!

 

Your chances are probably really good though, OOP and one of the 50 interviewees at Dal? I feel confident for you!

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