I got an interview!!!!!

[bolly01]

Well folks, I have been reading these threads and they came to good use. It did something at least because I got an interview scheduled for August 8th.
If there are suggestions that any of the experienced would like to share with me it would be great. By the way, I hope to start in Jan 06 term.
Thanks for all the help, and wish me luck!!!

[BTH]

Salutations "bolly01":

Welcome to the forum. Congratulations on getting an interview. That is the first step towards achieving your goals. You can search through the Saba forum for old posts about interview questions and what to expect. Basically, you just have to be honest and enthusiastic in your response. They'll simply ask your basic "Why do you want to be a doctor", "Why did you choose Saba", and "How do you feel about attending school in the Caribbeans" type of questions. There are also various other questions that can be asked. Again, simply be honest in your response and try to relax. They're not trying to trick you or anything, just get an idea of who you are and why you chose Saba. The fact that they are granting you an interview bodes well for you. Good luck on your interview. Let us know how it goes. Ciao.

[radboy710]

Hey Bolly1,

The fact you got granted an interview is a GOOD thing, just be yourself during the interview. They will ask you how you heard about SUSOM? WHat do you know about the curriculum? WHat do you know about the island? Why do you want to go to SUSUM? Why do you want to become a doctor?

good luck,
R

[IntlMed]

Hello Bolly01 (Is this short for Bollywood ?? :) )

Here are the questions that I was prepared with for my SABA interview:

1. Why Medicine?
2. Why Saba?
3. How will you fit in Saba?
4. What do you know about the island of Saba?
5. Why did you apply only to Saba ? or Did you apply to other schools?
6. How are you planning to finance your education?
7. How did your shadowing experinces help you?
8. Do you think you know enough about Medicine?
9. Do you plan to take the MCAT or Why have you not taken the MCAT?
10. How is your family reacting to your MD decision?
11. Why did you fail/withdraw/did poorly on XYZ course or XYZ degree?

Good Luck and ask us if you have any more questions.
Welcome to the club.
International.

[bolly01]

I have got accepted!!!!! I just got back from Toronto today to find a huge envelope. And there staring me straight in the face was my acceptance letter!! I would like to thank all of you for the much needed help. I do not know what I would do without this forum!!

If anyone else is going in Jan 06 please reply to this thread.

[eljefe]

Bolly 01 I will be seeing you in Jan 06. I will be coming from Los Angeles, California

[TO*MD]

Congratulations Bolly01!! I am also from Toronto and have an interview scheduled for Aug 18th. I hope I have the same good news to share when it's all over :D .

[Hyperglycemia]

Congrats Bolly01.....enjoy yourself and good luck to you....also congrats TO*MD getting an interview.

[confuce]

bolly, can u plz let me know how many questions did they ask , and what were they if u remember by chance , including the answers , thank u very much .

[bolly01]

Sure confuce,



First I would like to say that the interview process was very relaxed, which I am sure you have read from other posts. And also Every question that they asked me was also from previous posts.

I had two interviewers, one was male and other female, I did not catch there names because of the very bad telecom. They started out by introducing themselves, then they asked a few personal questions ex: Where are you from? just to calm the nerves I suppose. Then they started with the real questions:

1. Why you want to become a doctor?

-I stated what I thought the role of a physician is and elaborated on why I would fit that. Told them it was my nature to help others. I have the proper background (education, experience, and cultural) that I think is necessary to be a good physician. A lot of my family members are physicians.

2. Why did you choose SUSOM?

-I researched that it was amongst the best in terms of getting residencies and clinical rotations and students getting good USMLE scores. I liked the small student teacher ratio. Very reasonable tuition.

3. What do you like about the island?

- I liked that is was small with hardly any distractions. Liked what I heard about the natives and student relationship.

4. Asked about my work experience.

- Told them where I worked (Nursing Home), and what type things I did there. Told them about the relationship I had with the patients and doctors. i enjoyed professional atmosphere. Felt confident in what I did. Felt great satisfaction as well.

5. Asked about where I did undergrad and how that experience was.

- I lived away from home for 3 years. I have gained the necessary maturity to do well in med school. Gave me great feeling of independence.

6. Asked me if I am aware of the USMLE and the challenges that I will face.

-I told them about the three steps of the USMLE. One must do well on the USMLE in order to get desired residency.

7. How do your parents feel about me going to Saba?

- My parents have always had confidence in what ever I pursue. They have trusted me in my undergrad years and have proven myself to them so they are confident that I will be able to face the challenges ahead.



This is all that I remember, but I think that I got all of them. They seemed to be very interested in my experience with my work in the medical field. I would study these questions and the many more which are posted and make small bullets of what you would say about each of those questions. This really helped me. Also study whatever they have on their web-site (about the island and the school). If you do these things then you will do great!! I felt very confident after giving the interview and if you feel the same way when you are done, then you WILL get in.

I wish you all the luck!!





When is your interview and when do you plan on starting?

bolly01

[krust3]

first of all congrats.


how soon did you get your acceptance after the interview?

[confuce]

thank u bolly , bolly did u take mcats? if not , what would have been ur answer , if they were asked u ?thank u

[confuce]

thank u bolly , i am planning to join from 2007 jan , did u take mcats , if not , what would have been ur answer regarding mcats?

[bolly01]

Hi krust3,

I got my acceptance letter exactly 1 week after the interview.

[bolly01]

Confuce,
You still have a lot of time to worry about these types of things!!
Well its good in a way. I did not take the MCAT. If they were to ask me why I did not I would have said that I was very concerned with my GPA, and for me to improve it, it required for me to spend a lot of time on my certain subjects.
Something along that line.

[Prairie lily]

I was just wondering how long it took for the admissions office to get back to you about scheduling an interview after they had received your completed file. I spoke to Gardner last week and they said that they should be reviewing my application last Friday(the 19th) - today is Wednesday and I am freaking out. Am I being neurotic to think that I would have already heard something from them? I just really want the opportunity to have an interview. Any replies would be gratefully appreciated! Congrats to all of you who have received acceptance to a great school.

[cabrillo]

I was just wondering how long it took for the admissions office to get back to you about scheduling an interview after they had received your completed file. I spoke to Gardner last week and they said that they should be reviewing my application last Friday(the 19th) - today is Wednesday and I am freaking out. Am I being neurotic to think that I would have already heard something from them? I just really want the opportunity to have an interview. Any replies would be gratefully appreciated! Congrats to all of you who have received acceptance to a great school.

gardner send me an email saying that they were going to review my completed package on friday or monday!!!!! I am freaking out too!!!! the more I think about it the more I hope I will get into SABA. good luck and God help us.

[Prairie lily]

Thanks for the reply Cabrillo! I pray for us that we hear something very soon. The fact that you are still waiting to hear back from the office makes me feel better, but I also feel bad for you because you are probably feeling the same nervous anxiety that I am feeling. I just want the opportunity to explain why I want to go to medical school because I feel like I can really explain myself better than my application does. I too want to go to Saba - I think this sounds like the best environment for studying medicine.

Please post as soon as you hear anything and I will do the same.

I am just trying to relax and focus! Take care, Prairie lily.

[BTH]

Salutations:

Take it easy fellas. Give Gardner perhaps a week to get back to you about scheduling an interview. I'm sure they're swamped with applications for admittance right now, so just try to relax (as hard as that may seem). If your grades are decent, you shouldn't worry too much. Meanwhile, you can look at some of the questions that may be asked. Try searching through the forums, there have been some great questions posted by previous users. Other than that, just go out, have fun, go to the movies, do whatever it takes to get your mind off the worrying. You'll make yourself crazy, and you haven't even started medical school yet! Let us know how it goes for you guys/girls. Ciao.

[Prairie lily]

Thanks BTH!

My concern is that I had two pitiful years when my marks were a disaster. Then I had two semi-good years to finish my degree. Then upon my return in the last year I have had good grades.(returned to do a second degree in Micro and Imm) I took much more difficult classes this year with mainly sciences to boost my overall science gpa, but I am scared that I will continue to pay for those first two years for the rest of my life. I am totally focused and nothing will deter me from becoming a doctor - I will continue to boost my gpa and take science courses to gain experience. I just feel ready in my heart for this opportunity. This is the reason I am soooooo anxious. Anyway, can't do much else but pray for this opportunity.

Thanks again for the encouragement!

[BTH]

Salutations "Prairie lily":

That's the attititude to keep up. Think positive and try to be optimistic. Remember that Saba looks at every aspect of the applicant, not just their GPA (cumulative and science) or MCAT score (if any). They will consider your voluteer experiences, publications (if any), letters of recommendation, and how you performed during the interview. If your grades have been steadily improving, they will probably take that into consideration also, especially since you have been taking much more advanced courses. Right now, it is out of your control so let fate (or the admissions committee, haha) decide. I wish you the best of luck in receiving an interview. Ciao.

[eljefe]

Prairie lily and cabrillo
As said in the past from me to other aplicants, BTH is right again, just give them time. You have done your part, let them do theirs..
Best of luck to all of you and hope to see you all in Jan '06