Acing your upcoming interview is key to landing the job you want. To help you prepare, we’ve compiled a list of the most common interview questions. Reviewing these questions and brainstorming responses will help you feel more confident and ready to take on even the toughest interviewer.
Interview Questions – Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM)
How did the interview impress you?
Tell me about yourself, why you chose to practice medicine, especially osteopathic medicine, and why you chose ACOM.
What made you choose osteopathic medicine in particular, and why ACOM?
In the fall of 2020, I asked you, “Can you explain why you received a “C” in Organic Chemistry 2?”
“Why want to go into medicine and why DO?”
“What do you know about Osteopathic medicine and practices?”
“Tell us why you have low grades on your transcript.”
“How did you study for the MCAT?”
“What would you do if you caught a classmate cheating?”
“Specific questions from AACOMAS application”
“Give information on your research, if any?”
“Why DO , Why medicine and why ACOM?”
Please introduce yourself and explain your motivation for attending an osteopathic medical school.
“What do you do for fun?”
“Why are you applying to ACOM?”
“Have you ever had an experience with a classmate cheating?”
“Tell me about your research.”
“Describe a situation where you saw improper conduct and what you did about it.”
“What are your research experiences?”
“Ethical scenario with a classmate cheating”
“What was the hardest part of being a leader?”
“More positive, open-ended comments, such as, ‘Tell us about yourself. “.
“What would you do if you saw a classmate cheating?”
“What is your learning style?”
“Tell us about your experience with X community service.”
“Do you have family in the area”
“Why did you choose osteopathic medicine?”
“Explain why you believe that osteopathic medicine is a good fit for you. “.
“specific questions about application weakness(es)”
What activities do you enjoy doing to de-stress? How do you deal with stress?
“Did you have any leadership experience?”
“As a doctor, how do you intend to give back to the community?”
“Why did you change directions in your career path?”
“Explain bad grades and MCAT score/ test date”
“Out of 5000 applicants, why should we choose you?”
“What do you do to destress?”
“Describe a leadership position you held.”
“Specific questions about work experience”
“Explain your poor grades in these courses.”
When a fellow medical school graduate is caught cheating, what will you do?
“Since I grew up in Oklahoma why not OSU?”
“Tell me about a time when you engaged in conflict or witnessed it while working in a clinical environment. “.
“What would you do if you saw a classmate cheating?”
“Why are you wanting to become an osteopathic physician?”
“How will you handle burnout?”
If you weren’t accepted to medical school this year, would you think about changing your career interests?
“Why Osteopathic medicine, why ACOM?”
What would you do if you witnessed someone attempting to cheat on an exam?
What was the most difficult course you took, and how did you cope with it?
“Explain your Cs in these classes”
“Tell us about your research.”
“Why do you want to be an osteopathic physician?”
“Tell us about any leadership roles.”
“If you saw a classmate cheating, what would you do? And a f/u question just if the classmate was my good friend?” “.
“Scenario involving catching another student cheating.”
“Explain exposure with DOs, note specifically OMT exposure”
Why do you believe you can handle the challenging coursework of medical school?
“Asked about changes in my MCAT score since I’ve taken it more than once.”
“What kind of medicine do you want to practice?”
“What made you choose medicine?”
“an ethical question, followed by followup questions”
What exactly does it mean to be a team member or a team leader?
What osteopathic medical experience do you have in terms of practice and shadowing?
Tell me about yourself and your motivation for choosing osteopathic medicine as a career.
How adaptable are you in terms of where you choose to do your clinical rotations?
“How did covid impact your path to medical school?”
“Vague question to describe an ethical situation”
“tell me about yourself and why ACOM?”
“Explain your path to medicine and why ACOM?”
“What do you know about OMT?”
“What do you do for fun”
“What do you do for fun?”
If you don’t get accepted to medical school this cycle, what will you do?
“Challenges of being a leader?”
“Whats your most memorable patient interaction?”
What was the most challenging course you took while pursuing your undergraduate degree?
“Why do you want to study medicine?”
“Describe your shadowing experiences and the benefits you gained.” “.
Do you think it will be difficult for you to settle here and get used to life in Alabama?
“If I caught a classmate cheating what would I do.”
“Asked about interesting aspects from my application”
“Talk about retaking the MCAT”
Tell us about your most influential leadership position.
“What draws you to ACOM?”
What two words would your friends use to sum up your personality?
What medical specialties interest you and why? Tell us about the moment you first made the decision to become a doctor. Tell us about your research/clinical significance. Did you receive any publication credit? Were you a coauthor?”.
“Why did you get a couple Cs in undergrad?”
“Where do you see yourself in 10 years”
“What kind of doctor do you want to be”
What would you do if you discovered a classmate taking an exam early and caught them cheating?
“What would you do if a classmate cheated”
“Why did you choose to apply to ACOM?”
“Questions about a poor grade on my transcript.”
“What is one of your hobbies?”
What would you do if you saw a classmate using a cellphone during an exam where using outside resources was prohibited?
“Explain any shadowing and OMM experience.”
Why do you believe that so many medical students experience a decline in empathy over the course of their education in medical school?
“Describe a patient care experience that influenced your decision to become a doctor.” “.
“Most interested in what at the school?”
“Do you know any OMM practices?”
“Picture yourself as a practicing physician in ten years.” What role do you see technology playing in the treatment of your patients?
“What was your favorite course”
“What was your favorite course from undergrad and why?”
“How will you handle burnout and being overwhelmed with classes?”
“time when you witnessed unethical behavior in the workplace”
“Describe yourself in three words.”
How will such a significant transition (distance) to ACOM affect you, in your opinion?
“Tell us about an ethical situation you had to navigate.”
“What three words would you use to describe yourself?”
“Asking about specifics from my extracurriculars (research, volunteering, clubs)”
“What do you like to do to unwind?”
“What do you like to do for fun?”
“If you caught someone cheating, what would you do?”
“What do you do for fun?”
“Do you plan on becoming a healthcare advocate?”
“Who is your best friend and what three words would they use to sum you up?”
“You caught a student cheating, how do you react?”
“Whats the weather in Michigan like?”
“Empathy levels frequently decline during a student’s first year of residency, according to research.” Why do you think that is?”.
“What do you do for fun/relieve stress?”
Who would you choose to eat dinner with, living or dead, and why?
What steps would you take if an ED patient showed up without health insurance?
“What do you like to do for fun”
Show us that you can handle a medical education by explaining your study methods. “.
“How would you react if you discovered a fellow student cheating?”
“Tell me about your parents”
“What do you think of Alabama?”
What would you do if you discovered someone lying to you?
What do you think about a doctor deciding not to see patients who aren’t immunized?
“Why should we admit you?”
“Show me that you are academically capable of handling the demands of a medical school curriculum.” “.
“How have you prepared for the workload of DO school?”
“What do you know about the history of osteopathic medicine?”
“describe an ethical situation and explain what you would do.”
“Explain how you handled a situation that violated ethics in which you were involved.” “.
“Why should ACOM choose you?”
“What do you know about OMM”
Explain why your performance in this course was poor and what you would change if you were to retake it. “.
Tell me about your toughest class and why you received a C in it.
“Explain x weakness in application”
What was your toughest challenge in undergrad, and how did it help you grow?
“Explaining my research was difficult.”
“Tell us the biggest weakness in your application.”
What do you consider to be your application’s biggest flaw?
What three words would your friend use to sum up who you are?
How would a friend (I just ran out of words) describe you in three words?
“Explain the “bumps” in your application”
When was the last time you had to collaborate on a project with someone you didn’t get along with?
“Studies show empathy decreases from OMS1s to Residents. why do you think this is?”.
How do you believe healthcare has changed over the past 50 years in terms of the interactions between patients and clinical staff?
What is a hot-button issue in healthcare that you are particularly passionate about?
“What is your opinion on the Affordable Care Act?”
How do you envision implementing OMT in your future clinical work? “.
“Who influenced you the most”
“In my application, you inquired about a very specific time when I had academic difficulties.” “.
Why do you want to attend medical school in Alabama when you have no family or friends there?
“What would you consider your largest weakness?”
I thoroughly researched the school, read interview prep materials, listened to podcasts, watched interview prep videos, and spoke with current students.
“School research and contacted med students.”
Read my application and personal statement, and did research on the institution by visiting their website and speaking with former students “.
“I’m getting to know the school’s mission and values, learning about the neighborhood where the school is located, and becoming a student doctor.” net”.
“Watched youtube videos and read the Choose DO pages.”
“I used the premed playbook, browsed the website, read The DOs by Norman Gevitz, and requested that others give me numerous mock interviews,” “.
“Researched the school website and spoke with current students.”
“SDN interview feedback, mock interviews with family and friends.”
“Practice questions and mock interviews”
“SDN and interview preparation with friends/family”
I’ve previously participated in mock interviews and attended other interviews. I did research on the school and its details before I arrived. “.
“Find questions on SDN and practice with people”
“My schools committee letter process involved a lot of interviews and searching for interview questions “.
“Mock interview, checked SDN interview questions”
“Studied my file, have general responses ready without sounding rehearsed.”
“SDN and reviewing my file.”
“Prepped basic questions, researched school, mirror talk”
“Application for AACOMAS review, review of feedback from previous interviews, review of ethics, and review of secondary essays “.
“I reviewed my application, research, and personal statement and reviewed some recent developments in healthcare.”
“I reviewed the SDN interview feedback and noted some important details to frequently asked questions. Went over them in my head. “.
“Read “The DOs” by Norman Gevitz. Youtube videos on interviews. Reviewed my app and secondary extensively. Practiced why medicine and why DO answers. “.
“Interview workshops, read SDN, practice”
“I conducted a few practice interviews with current medical students and looked through the past two years’ worth of SND school-specific forums for feedback from other students.” “.
“I did not prepare ahead of time.”
“reviewed my application, my personal statement, and my secondary essay”
“Both interviewers appeared eager to speak with me and were involved the entire time.”
“Faculty presentations were wonderful. The student Q&A was also very insightful. “.
Despite being a very new school, “they have several national simulation championships.” “.
“The interviewers were very emotive and responsive to my answers. They were engaged in the conversation. “.
The interview resembled more of a conversation, and the faculty appeared approachable. “.
They appeared committed to fostering a positive environment and student success.
“interacting with the faculty and the studnets”
“The informational meeting was very thorough, and it was clear that ACOM has more than enough resources to guarantee the success of their students. “.
“How highly the students spoke of their school and faculty”
“I liked the friendliness of the interviewers”
“The school really seems to have everything together. The interview was very friendly and conversational. “.
“Teaching hospital has its own residencies and many rotation sites”
“Great faculty, students really open and helpful, facilities are great”
“What impressed me the most was the people. All of the people I encountered were so kind and took the time to explain various aspects of the school and curriculum. Being the planner that I am, I appreciated that. The simulation center is also very cool, and the school itself is gorgeous (inside, it looks like a posh hotel). “.
“The facility and the staffs dedication to students success.”
“The amount of support given to students and everyones friendliness”
“The passion they have for the students”
“The clinical education, the faculty’s dedication to the school (undivided attention), the fact that their sim instructor is an MD, the fact that they were open to students applying to specialties outside of primary care, and the fact that they design their curriculum for high board scores,” a student said. Their mandatory attendance rate is only 60%, which is lower than other schools’ high mandatory attendance rates. Faculty were extremely welcoming and knew my application extremely well. “.
The staff was well-versed in school statistics and extremely proud of the accomplishments of their students. “.
“The faculty is supportive. The hospice rotation program. The quality of the medical education. “.
“Family vibe, academic support, hands on training from day one.”
“Very friendly, family-like atmosphere, amazing staff”
“Friendly faculty, an integrated curriculum that is strong, a new IM residency that is starting close by, and happy students!”
“The interview was really relaxed and positive.”
“The facilities, students and faculty. They are some sincere people who genuinely care about their students’ success. “.
“How friendly and welcoming the faculty and students are!”
“Very relaxed, conversational interview. Lots of smiles and laughing.”
“Very beautiful facility, friendly students, wonderfully eccentric faculty.”
“Overall the day was impressive. The interview was extremely conversational.”
“very developed and robust clerkship sites”
“The school is incredibly nice; everything is brand new.”
Impressive facilities with a welcoming atmosphere, students who are passionate about learning, and excellent clinical rotation sites.
“The facilities, faculty, and students. The faculty showed students a lot of support and cared about them. Current students were very friendly and honest. “.
“New facilities. Very positive/interactive faculty and students.”
“Administration, student services, facilities, student body and climate in general, curriculum/testing schedule, low cost of living, and interview day structure”
“The environment, friendly students and staff, open and welcoming environment, OMM lab, anatomy lab, large amount of “extra” costs covered in tuition (laptop and tablet, ACOM pays for first attempts at boards, large electronic library, etc.), and others” ). “.
“Almost every aspect of the school was carefully considered before being implemented for the benefit of the students. There is no real greed going on here, and they adhere to their stated mission of being learner- and community-oriented.
The faculty and staff provided a warm, welcoming, and open environment. The school facilities impressed me the most!”.
The class exams reflect the COMLEX difficulty because all of the faculty members are qualified to write for it. Faculty extremely responsive to student feedback. Building is open 24 hours. “.
“Nice building. Good resources. Great clinical rotations.”
“Considering it was only the first interview session of the second interview season, the facilities, the faculty, and the seemingly polished process OMM Lab will not be waived for students who have religious objections. “.
“1) Facilities, and, 2) planned clinical rotations with the seasoned AMEC 3) the students and staff”.
“The lack of personality/emotion expressed by the interviewers.”
“They bragged about their classes but knew little about the others,” “.
“the stress level of the interview”
“Without much of an introduction, the interviews started right away, and at the end we had to end our conversation so they could start another interview.” “.
One of my interviewers was a few minutes late, which temporarily confused me.
“I was a rambling idiot”
“Nothing, please stay the same!”
“Nothing really, just the city, which has everything you could possibly need and was very community based,” “.
“So many students will attend next year, attendance is required, and there is a dress code,”
“The location of the school (Dothan) is cute, but remote. The match list wasn’t great (matching students to a lot of community programs, when I’m interested in academic programs), and Montgomery is two hours away. Currently, the school’s only medical program is its internal medicine program. Additionally, one of the presenters had a tendency to make bold statements about ACOM during the presentations (“ACOM is the only school that “), which was mostly useless since I’ve interviewed at several other schools with comparable characteristics. Research facilities seemed small. Additionally, the COMLEX first-time pass rates were a little below average. To me, that is a huge deal. Board scores are incredibly important to be competitive for residency. “.
For someone like me who was born and raised in a large city, the location is a little strange. “.
“Still a newer school trying to establish a reputation.”
I can’t think of anything particularly negative; today was just fantastic.”
“Lack of dedicated study time for COMLEX I.”
“Honestly, some of the professors seemed pretty arrogant. They incessantly exclaimed how superior they were to other schools. “.
Many professors were away on vacation; I wish we had heard the financial aid talk. “.
The rotation sites will compete with the other medical schools in the state, and Dothan is not the best town.” “.
“Wished there were better opportunities for research”
“I have nothing negative to say!”
“No graduating class so far”
“Lack of research, Dothan’s location, and other healthcare programs on campus are lacking.”
“No research facility as of yet”
“No gym inside the school (no big deal), and the cafeteria/lounge’s food quality (no big deal)”
Due to a scheduling conflict, interviews were unannounced pushed forward to the first thing in the morning, but everything worked out for the best because they got it over with and they enjoyed the rest of the interview. “.
“The interview day was pretty disorganized.”
“The town where the school is located.”
“Nothing in particular stood out in this respect.”
The school is new, but it doesn’t seem to be as significant as it might be if it weren’t connected to AMEC.
“I was a little surprised because I wasn’t expecting two interviewers, but overall this didn’t affect my performance.”
“The history behind the school’s founding.”
“How much the professors try to assist you and that it is a team environment” “.
“that it was not going to be conversational”
“Not quite as conversational as others have said”
“How relaxing the interview would be. It was not stressful at all. “.
“The challenges of traveling to Dothan”
“To relax. The interview itself was very informal and not at all stressful. “.
“After you arrive at 7:30 or 8:00 AM, they feed you at about 12:30.” Make sure you eat before you go! By the time lunch rolled around, I was perishing.
“The interview is very chill so dont panic about it.”
“Be prepared to just have a great conversation with your interviewers. Know a few of the standard questions.” When answering questions, bring up any details you want to expand on.
Wish I had done more thorough research on the area where the school is located. “.
“The schools road isnt on gps yet!”
“Just prepare a bit better for the questions”
“To relax and make sure to eat breakfast”
“How laid-back it would be, and how much I’d love the whole thing.”
“The history of the schools development.”
“Do not stress about the interview. Although it may differ from interviewer to interviewer, mine was very relaxed “.
“TBL opportunities (positive), more details on clinical sites before the interview day so I could include them in my responses,” “.
“How awesome and welcoming this school is!”
“I wish I knew how relaxed the interview would be. I was so nervous!”.
“N/A. I looked into this school in-depth, and I advise others to do the same (you’ll grow more and more impressed as you do).
“The interview atmosphere was serious”
“Honestly, I never felt unprepared during the interview day. Every question was straight-forward and one I was expecting. “.
“I cannot think of anything that I would have done differently if I had known it beforehand.” “.
“From faculty to students everyone was incredibly nice and open. The institution appears to have everything under control and has support systems set up from the moment you matriculate. “.
According to the statistics, there is only a small (12–15%) chance of getting an interview at the school, but there is a 25% chance of getting accepted after the interview. Therefore, if you have a scheduled interview, be glad because you are in the 85%. “.
“Smooth interview. If the technology failed, they had several backup plans in place, so I had to work virtually. Phone call was the first backup. “.
“the interview was pretty stressful. 2 on 1, not really conversational. the interview was online on zoom. “.
Dothan seems to be a great place, and the updated technology and building where students learn seem to greatly benefit them. Overall, I love the school and think they are molding some great students. “.
“Overall the interviewing experience was good. My interviewers did their best to make me feel at ease despite the fact that it was a stressful situation for me personally. Based on previous feedback, I had anticipated more of a conversation.
“Overall, a good experience; I just need to work on my interviewing techniques”
“Keep up the good work; ACOM is winning my heart,”
“Mr. Willis is great and helpful! Wonderful school”
Overall, the school and everyone I encountered impressed me.
“I had a great time learning about the school, and the interviewers were really interesting. Be prepared to discuss red flags on application if any. “.
“I was really impressed with ACOM overall. The faculty and staff appear genuinely invested in the success of their students during medical school and beyond. The facilities are excellent, and they have wonderful rotation sites all over Florida and Alabama, which caught my attention. “.
“The faculty are warm and welcoming. They are proud of their school. The clinical education is integrated throughout the whole curriculum. “.
“The school seemed to be very committed to helping students succeed,” “.
“I adore the school, and it has raised my standards for other institutions.” “.
“Just a great experience and day!”
“Overall, definitely an up-and-coming DO school. They are very active in the neighborhood and have some seriously impressive aspects of their program. “.
“I liked the school overall.”
“Wonderful school. High up on my list. Wish the area wasnt as rural but. wow the school impressed me!”.
“The OMT professor gave a fantastic presentation/talk before interviews. Along with the faculty members who interviewed me, his enthusiasm made me want to attend this school even more. “.
“Incredible school. The staff is extremely passionate about the school, and the neighborhood is incredibly warm. “.
“Great program with an impressive set-up for clinical rotations!”
“Great experience at ACOM, seems like an awesome school.”
“Very nice school. has everything in order and is very adaptable to student needs One of the few DO schools with established rotations. “.
“Great school, but make sure you understand OMT a little bit.” “.
“I was very surprised by ACOM. The program structure and facilities were superior to what I’ve seen at other MD schools. In addition to the program’s strengths being praised by preceptors and board members, the Dothan community values and is well connected to the medical program. In time, ACOM will be considered a top DO program. “.
“Great school that invests a lot in their students success”
“As others have said, very impressive school. The only downside to the school is location. Dothan is nice filled with nice people. That said, there isn’t much else to be found besides restaurants, a few shops, and health care facilities. Fundamentally similar to large cities, but with stark rural contrast just a few miles away, making it seem strange and devoid of much else to do. “.
“The staff and faculty at ACOM are some of the friendliest and most welcoming that I have ever met.” They make you feel very at east. “.
“Seems like a good program.”
The fact that the interview process seems to be particularly concerned with the individual as a whole, rather than just their academic prowess, may be its strongest point. Given that GPA and MCAT scores can be checked beforehand, it seems rather pointless to test candidates on specifics during an interview. Finding out about a candidate’s motivation and personality during an interview is, in my opinion, a much more crucial piece of the puzzle. “.
“Amazing school! Great Facilities. The school actively works to support its students and considers their feedback when making course improvements. “.
Who was the tour given by?
“The short amount of time allotted for the interview was my only complaint. It takes more than 30 minutes to be thoroughly interrogated by the interviewer AND have time to ask questions and get to know the interviewer or interviewers. When I was given the opportunity to ask the interviewers questions, I only had two minutes left. “.
“They get back to you very quickly. I have received regular updates on the procedure leading up to matriculation from the admissions office ever since I was accepted. “.
“Nothing, keep up the good work!”
“Nothing really, very friendly and helpful!”
“Keep up the good work!”
“One small suggestion I would make is to get an email confirming the deposit was successful.” I am aware that most students email Admissions to confirm that the payment was received. “.
Review sample questions and answers to get you ready!
Many applicants to DO medical schools are curious as to how different the interview process is from that of MD medical schools. If you are submitting applications to both MD and DO medical schools, it can be especially crucial to know this. Although the interview process is quite similar, you should be aware of what to anticipate from your DO interview and how to prepare for questions designed to determine whether you are particularly suited to osteopathic medicine. In today’s blog, we will discuss the distinctive features of the DO medical school interview process and offer sample osteopathic medical school interview questions and professional responses to assist you in getting ready.
Disclaimer: Despite our best efforts to provide accurate information, admissions data is subject to frequent change. Therefore, we urge you to confirm these particulars with the university’s official admissions office. You are responsible for your own results. No official colleges, universities, or test administrators are endorsed by BeMo, and vice versa. You can receive a FREE copy of our Ultimate Guide to Medical School Admissions, our Ultimate Guide to MMI Prep, our Ultimate Guide to Medical School Personal Statements & Secondary Essays, or our Ultimate Guide to CASPer Prep if you see an error here. Please email us at content [at] bemoacademicconsulting if you find one. com with any changes, and once the information has been verified, we’ll make arrangements to send you your free ebook.
Note: Schedule a free strategy call if you’d like our assistance with your applications, interviews, or standardized tests. Visit our partnerships page if you represent a university, company, or student organization and would like to collaborate with us.
The latest medical school interview information for the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1535297486911{background-color: #9ab842 !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}”]
FAQ
Does Acom drug test?
Every employee of Acom is subject to thorough credit and criminal background checks, as well as sporadic drug testing.
How do I prepare for medical school interview?
Get a suit, preferably one that fits you well, as part of your preparation for a medical school interview. Read read read. Make a list of interview questions and be prepared with the majority of the answers. Do mock interviews and practice talking about yourself. Research each school’s interview format and tendencies. Take care of logistics.
Is Acom a good school?
ACOM is a good osteopathic medical school. The majority of its graduating doctors match into primary care specialties outside of the state, giving it a recent match rate of 100%. Its long-standing rotation network, dual program offerings, and abundant research opportunities are additional advantages.
How do you answer why do you want to be an osteopathic physician?
You want to make a difference in people’s lives. You feel that prevention-focused, whole-body approaches are necessary for wellness. You want to focus on the person—not the problem. By offering top-notch healthcare in your community and elsewhere, you want to leave a lasting legacy rather than just advance your career.
