Is it normal that I haven’t heard back from UMKC about my status?
I called the office, but they did not give me a clear answer……What should I do?
Should I be worried?
@sss0296, what do you mean they didn’t give you a clear answer?
@Roentgen Wow!! I didn’t catch that they made that typo. LOL!
Yes, the technical standards were part of the online application. Idk why they want to do it again and give the (optional) hassle of printing, scanning, and re-emailing the form on paper. I mean if they really want it again, why not just add another tab to the admissions portal and have us reselect, e-sign and submit…
@Roentgen , the office just told me that I should be getting my answer back in February. Considering that the interview will be starting really soon, I don’t know what will be happening to my status.
@sss0296, my guess is that they don’t really know if a spot will open up or not, as applicants who are invited to interview can potentially change their mind at anytime and either let them know or not show up (just future FYI - in the professional world, this is completely rude and you shouldn’t do the latter, you should always give enough advance notice). Thus, if there is a sudden change, they can immediately react and call/email the next person on the waitlist, so they don’t want to box themselves in and tell you now, we’re not inviting any more, when they don’t know what might happen.
Almost there guys!
So several last-minute things since the first day of interviews is on the 29th (Monday) and runs until the 3rd (Thursday):
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Get there on time. I can’t emphasize this enough. I don’t care if you have to set 3 different alarms to wakeup, but do it. They open up at 7:15 am, and you have to be there by 7:45 am. Not 7:50 am, not 8:00 am, but 7:45 am. Always best to come there earlier so that you can sit and relax, get your thoughts together and in order, rather than having to rush in. If you’re concerned that you might be too nervous to get good sleep the night before, then sleep at a much earlier time, so that eventually your body and mind will get so tired and wear out from your firing nerves and tossing and turning, that you’ll just fall asleep and still be able to get the hours you need when you wake up
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If you can, bring a parent along - although it is nowhere close to being a requirement. They will likely have some brief presentations on things like Financial Aid, Costs of Attendance, the BA/MD curriculum, etc. and in all honesty, you’ll probably have too many “butterflies”, thoughts running in your head, or thinking about the MMI to listen very attentively to the details. Your parent can, on the other hand, listen attentively and take good notes, which you guys can review later at home, and of course you can ask any and all questions about the program here on this thread, and we’ll answer them.
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Be nice and cordial on interview day. Yes, everyone on the inside is nervous (including parents who are nervous, because of their kids who are also nervous). Some level of “butterflies” in this process is going to be normal. It doesn’t mean you can’t still be a good human being to others with courtesy and manners. It takes no effort and costs you nothing. Just remember, many of these people will be your future classmates, and bad initial impressions can be quite hard to let go.
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Bring a calculator. Don’t be “that guy” or “that girl” who forgot to bring a calculator, since they likely will not have any there for you to use. You’ll need it for the Toledo Chemistry Exam. Please see my prior post in this thread creatively titled, “Toledo Chemistry Exam”: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19165698#Comment_19165698. The links I posted state that the exam is at the HIGH SCHOOL chemistry level, so being enrolled in or having taken AP Chemistry is not required. The exam results will be looked at AFTER you’ve already been accepted to the program to see if you’ll be required to take General Chem I + General Chem I Lab over the summer if you don’t pass it. That is its only purpose in the process, since it’s a placement test, and does not factor into whether you get accepted or not initially. It’s not ridiculously hard, but please don’t blow it off either.
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Bring your parking tag and place it in the appropriate place to be seen thru the windshield, if you will be driving your car/rental car into the parking lot. You’ll have more than enough time to get UMKC parking tickets when you’re in the program, trust me.
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Have a snack(s) available - something that will give you a good quick rush of energy and that fits easily in your pockets. You’ll need something quick: http://www.quakeroats.com/products/oat-snacks/chewy-granola/chocolate-chip.aspx, or like gummies: http://www.melaniecooks.com/welchs-fruit-snacks-at-costco/5659/, since you’ll need the quick burst of energy when going from station to station. Don’t bring something like a chocolate candy bar as that can easily melt in your pockets, and the last thing you want is to have to walk and sit from station to station and feel melted chocolate squishing in your pockets. I would say bring a bottled water, but they will likely have some there, but you may not be able to carry something like that from station to station in the MMI.
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Eat a very good breakfast the morning of your interview. Even if you’re not the type to eat breakfast or you’re too nervous and thus don’t “feel” hungry (that’s your “fight or flight” response speaking), sit down and force the food down your mouth to chew and swallow that morning. The interview day can feel like a long day, so having enough energy to draw on is absolutely critical, which your brain will need to grab, in order for you to think. If you need caffeine on interview day, now is NOT the time to try to quit. That being said, don’t overdo it as you can’t go to the bathroom in the middle of a station.
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Please go on the tours at the end of the interview, especially if you are from outside Missouri, both for the undergraduate campus and the medical school campus. The weather forecast is supposed to be relatively good in KC. By then, everything is over, you can relax (relatively speaking) and can actually see what exactly is there and what the UMKC undergraduate campus and the med school campus have to offer you.
Regarding the MMI (some of these I’ve repeated in the past)
- http://as.vanderbilt.edu/hpao/documents/Preparing_Applicants_for_the_MMI.pdf – Read the part, “What happens when an interview/scenario goes wrong”.
Remember, one of the advantages of the MMI vs. the traditional interview experience, is that you have many more stations in which to make a good impression, unlike the 2 traditional interviews which are much more make or break. You are NOT expected to be absolutely, pristine perfect in your answers to the original question and any followup question (sounding “rehearsed” or “scripted” doesn’t help anyways, as this is not a regurgitation type of exercise), so when it’s all over and you’re thinking about it (since you all are Type As, who will do so, regardless of what we tell you), you’ll start saying to yourself, “Damn! I wish I had added this to my answer!” or “I wish I had said this to my answer to her followup question in this way!”, “Or why in God’s name did I say that answer/opinion?”. Remember these stations are TIMED, so you don’t get to expound for ages or go into a soliloquy into your views as this isn’t AP English. You’ll have more than enough time after it’s all over to beat yourself up on how you did – DON’T do it in the middle of the MMI, when you have an upcoming new station coming up. Once 1 station is done, you put it out of your head and move on to the next station. It’s very good practice for real life in not being overly obssessed with being a perfectionist on one thing, because in real life you’d never get anything accomplished when you have several tasks. If you feel you messed up on a station, put it completely out of your head as it is completely irrelevant to the next station coming up which will likely be testing a different competency. You can get an idea of some of those competencies here: https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/admissionsinitiative/competencies/. So in other words, once you’re done with a station: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSFlvxnbgk&t=1m0s.
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The interviewers are likely trained to not give facial expressions or body language that agree or disagree with your opinion as you’re talking. Unlike traditional interviews, in which you may get certain body language cues ("Oh My Gah! He totally smiled at me and so loved my answer on that one!) as you’re going thru it, you likely will not see those on the MMI as this is a standardized exercise. Don’t let those lack of cues alone psych you out mentally, that you may have done or said something wrong. The interviews at each station will likely be more of a discussion (initial question, answer, followup question, etc.), than 1 question, 1 answer, and then done.
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If you get an MMI station that has some sort of standardized actor: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/850572
I posted Youtube video links previously that address this type of station. You might get someone who is angry, fearful, or even outright belligerent. Remember it’s NOT REAL. It’s acting and it’s nothing against you personally. Stay relatively cool and calm, don’t lash out or be impulsive. Remember in real life, as a physician, you WILL have patients/patient’s family like this at one time or another in the hospital/clinic, and their anger may not be because of you personally, but the overall healthcare system, and the loss of control that often comes with that. Think if YOU were the one who was fearful or angry, how would you want someone to help you? Would you want them to yell at you or lecture you? Or would you want them to listen, be empathetic, etc. Same concept.
- Read over your UMKC BA/MD supplemental application and your essays the night before. You may be asked at a station to draw on your personal experiences either in school or in your healthcare activities, when discussing a certain point or something that you learned, etc. hard to draw on those experiences if you totally forgot what you did.
By the way, other ways to practice other than going thru MMI prompts that I found: http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/health_sciences/medicine/admissions/8967.html
If you’re flying in from outside of Missouri (so most likely regional/out-of-state applicants):
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Packing: http://www.businessinsider.com/everything-you-need-to-pack-for-an-interview-2011-5, http://www.travelschecklist.com/
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Fly in at least the day before. KC will feel completely new to you. It’s not cut like a square grid like most major cities are. Remember the interview day is at the UMKC undergraduate Volker campus. Choose a hotel that is relatively close to there and also reasonable in terms of price. You can use websites like Travelocity, Expedia, etc. to get good deals online that may not be offered in-person. You can set up a roundtrip KC SuperShuttle: http://www.supershuttle.com/locations/kansascitymci, to pick you up or drop you off back at the KC Airport when you are done.
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If you have a suit, take it with you, with your carry on. Don’t check it into the storage baggage, as you don’t want to take the chance of it getting lost by the airline. Pack at least 2 sets of dress clothes, in case you get stains/spills on the first one.
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Guys: If you grow facial hair, please keep it shaved or at least cleanly trimmed. Don’t walk into the interview with a 5 o’clock shadow.
I’m not trying to sound arrogant here, but usually when I walk into a room I’m generally considered to be one of the smartest but on Interview Day I’m not. I feel like a lot of people are going to deal with this strange day on their interview day
@Watang at this stage in the process, your level of intelligence does not matter. They have read over every ones resumes and applications. Thats what got you the interview. This stage is something completely different. They dont care what you got on your ap tests, or act/sat. They arent looking for how well you ranked among your classmates. During interviews, they are looking to see who you are as a person, your characteristics, and the way you approach different situations. They are giving you a platform to put a face to your applications, instead of just ranks and numbers. How smart you are doesnt matter now. Everyone who got an interview is smart. Everyone they will choose to be in the program is will be smart.
Hey guys, the time has almost come. Good luck to everybody! I just had a quick question (sorry if it sounds dumb): are we allowed to use the restroom or eat a small snack at any time during the actual MMI? I believe we get a break half way through…
@Watang, I think everyone will feel that way on interview day. None of you have ever experienced a real MMI before, unlike say maybe a traditional interview. All the more reason to keep your composure, and not let an “off” station freak you out and undermine your confidence The MMI’s purpose isn’t to figure out how “smart” or “intelligent” you are. It’s not to see your scientific knowledge. We already have those things since you mailed your transcript and score reports.
Now it’s time to show us what kind of a person you are (the way all interviews are). Think about it, if you were sick or ill in the hospital, as a patient, or maybe you’ve seen a family member in the hospital, do you really care about your doctor’s GPA or ability to regurgitate facts at that point? Probably not. What qualities would you want in your ideal doctor if you were at your most vulnerable? Use that as your guide. An interview is just that. It tells me who you are beyond the pieces of paper you sent me that I can read myself. We have your academics and your CV of things you’ve done. Now go out and show how great you’d be. I think as mentioned by others, as you progress thru the stations, you’ll start getting into your groove to really shine. An interviewer shouldn’t feel like you’re reading from a prewritten script. It’s ok to pause, collect your thoughts. And remember, there isn’t just ONE answer, like on a multiple choice exam. Most likely there will be varying shades of gray, which one angle can be explored and discussed further. And it’s ok during the MMI to pause, collect your thoughts, and then discuss. Remember the interviewers aren’t trying to “get” you.
Before I forget, don’t feel weird if a station “ends” (due to time) and you don’t feel finished. It will happen. You won’t be the only person second guessing yourself, or possibly frustrated with a particular station that might trip up a majority of people. Most importantly, be confident with your answers. Don’t be overly shy or insecure. Remember you get 11 times to make a great impression vs. only getting 2. I don’t think I could have said it any better than @retweet - he/she has excellent posts and advice.
If you’re someone who feels OVERLY anxious and feel your heart beating out of your chest, you can also do carotid massage (ONLY one side though, not both carotids): http://www.mybasis.com/blog/2013/10/the-science-of-stress-heart-rate-and-breathing/, http://i.ytimg.com/vi/l_Y7fqGIIE0/0.jpg, to get your heart rate back to normal and calm down.
@farehahasan, there is a break, halfway in-between the stations, where you can probably go use the restroom, but you wouldn’t be able to go during the MMI since each thing is exactly timed, going to the door with time to read the prompt, time to go inside and discuss for x minutes, then come out, and go to the next door, etc. See my post above regarding a snack(s) that easily fits in your pocket, and that isn’t messy that you can easily scarf down.
I wanted to thank you guys & gals, and wish you all the very best of luck this week. You guys have been absolutely awesome and respectful on the thread this entire cycle and have had really great questions. I’d say probably the best involvement since this thread started. We’ve had previous years, almost like clockwork, if you look back, where a few select people have chosen not to be, which is quite unfortunate. But you guys have been great and your active involvement and contributions here on the UMKC BA/MD thread on CC have made this thread even better as a resource and more helpful to current and future applicants. I know you all will really make me proud. My son is sending you good vibes also - well, he’s gurgling, smiling, and constantly touching and tapping my iPad with his hands, which I take as wishing you guys good luck in his own way!
Interview day Parking confusion @Roentgen : I am hoping someone can clarify as letter states park at non-metered parking while the directions page has park on the 5th level (which is metered parking only). Any idea where do we have to park?
@stdmedsch: quoting from the letter sent here: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19330698/#Comment_19330698
“You may park in the Cherry Street Parking Garage located at the corner of 50th Street and Oak Street. You may park in any of the non-metered parking spots in the parking garage, and take the pedestrian walkway from the 5th floor of the garage to the Student Union. You should have received a parking pass in the mail. Please hang the blue parking pass on your rear view mirror on your interview day. If you did not receive a pass we will have one ready for you at check in.”
I think the directions page mentions the 5th floor because there is a pedestrian walkway that is accessible there on that floor to take you to the Student Union. If the 5th floor of that garage is indeed all metered parking spots, don’t park there – I do not believe, however, this is the case. The parking garage was renovated for a reason, so that MANY more spots could be accomodated. You’ll see there will be tons of non-metered spots. Just make sure you hang up that pass so a UMKC Parking Operations person sees it clearly. I’m sure there’s an elevator or stairs there which no matter which floor you park on, you can go up to that 5th floor.
On a completely unrelated note, please be extra nice to your parents, if you bring them, that day!! They’re probably just as nervous inside for you as you may be feeling for yourself. If they want to take several pictures of you or with you, with your very nice suit and professional dress clothes, smile, humor them and do it. You’ll understand once you’re a parent of how proud they are for all that you’ve accomplished in general, and even having reached this point. UMKC may also be taking headshot photographs of you on the day of your interview, so please bring a hairbrush/comb.
Another FYI: You guys may have seen the Youtube videos that I’ve posted, where each MMI station is enclosed in a separate room and thus you rotate from door to door down one long hallway - The Virginia Tech Carilion video comes easily to mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPGuuOZTtSs, Pics: http://medicine.vtc.vt.edu/galleries/2016/feb/03/2016-multiple-mini-interviews/. Also notice, that unlike the VTC video, you will most likely NOT have a clipboard w/pen on hand to write things down when reading and assessing the prompt, as current UMKC students have confirmed this from when they took it.
It won’t be exactly like that at UMKC, even with it being held in the relatively new Student Union building, which as you can imagine, its conference rooms are used for MANY more university purposes & activities than just solely for a med school MMI. You can see here how each floor is divided and there is not one long hallway on any floor of the Student Union with rooms back to back like in the VTC video: http://www.umkc.edu/union/building_map.asp; Pics: https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=UMKC+student+union&go=Submit&qs=bs&form=QBIR.
There is a morning MMI session and an afternoon MMI session, so likely half the group will do the MMI first in the AM, and half will do the MMI in the afternoon. My guess is the half not currently doing the MMI will be completing the Toledo Chemistry exam (bring your calculator!) in the meantime.
So this is how it will work. The group that is currently doing the MMI, in a particular session, will be divided equally into 4 different enclosed rooms with 11 stations that are all set up in that particular room. So yes, you’re concluding correctly, it’s like there will be 4 complete MMI cycles all going on at once in a session (although in different rooms obviously). So once you go inside your particular room, each station will also have its own individual “prep” area for that particular station. This is where you get that 2 minutes to read, digest, and process the prompt (so instead of being in front of a door and reading a prompt on the door, you’ll be at a specific prep area which will have the prompt there for you to read). Remember all of this is timed – the time to read (2 min), the time for interview (6 min), etc.
There will be a pipe and drape separation between that prep area and that actual interview station similar to this: https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=pipe+and+drape&FORM=HDRSC2. If you’ve worked in theater, or been at exhibit conventions, etc. you’ve probably seen these. So once you’ve read and digested the prompt for 2 minutes, you can go inside the interview area by shifting the drape to come in and then closing it behind you. You then get your 6 minutes to discuss as previously mentioned: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19282647/#Comment_19282647. Once that 6 minutes is done, the station ends, everyone comes out of their respective station, then everyone rotates to the next new station and the same process starts again. All the stations will be reasonably spaced out enough to where you won’t be able to hear other stations and their particular thing going on, or get distracted by them, while you’re at a particular station.
Small detail, no biggie, but I just wanted to make sure you all are aware of the logistics going in, just so that on interview day, you guys aren’t freaking out or thrown off course, just because each station isn’t in a separate room like shown in videos.
Good luck everyone.
@Roentgen, I am so touched by your post #5177.
p.s. I am a parent; DD will apply next year.
@Roentgen Thanks so much for all your advice. I feel we’re the little chicks leaving their mom for the first time. I really benefitted from everything you’ve told this past fall/winter. From advising to apply early, to what to wear, to what to eat, it’s all been great. I also noticed how we’ve been so active this season. I was going to drive alone, but taking your advice today, I asked my mom to come with me. I’m interviewing tomorrow so I better sleep now!
You’re awesome!