Is it almost a certainty that every medical school interview will have a least one awkward moment?

[Mr Doc Turr]

Tell me about a question that you weren't able to answer without things getting awkward.

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[WedgeDawg]

In my experience, things only become awkward if you make them awkward. I haven't had any awkward interview moments.

 

[Catalystik]

I have rarely witnessed an seriously awkward interview moment. They can come when an applicant doesn't know an answer and tries to wing it, instead of saying, "I don't know the answer to that." Key point here: it's OK to admit ignorance.

 

[RedPhys]

I only had one awkward moment, and it was when one of my interviewers asked me where else had I interviewed, and I said nowhere else.

 

[f4reignbeauty]

I only had one awkward moment, and it was when one of my interviewers asked me where else had I interviewed, and I said nowhere else.

Had that happen too lol... Then he asked me which schools ... Lol

 

[miamiheatfan]

Had that happen too lol... Then he asked me which schools ... Lol

+1 haha!

 

[f4reignbeauty]

+1 haha!

I just didn't know what to say... Lol I just told him two schools and quickly changed the subject

 

[nm825]

I had a very awkward moment at my last interview. I shook the doctor's hand in the admissions office and then we walked over to his office to do the interview. Well, once I sat down, he reaches his hand out. I thought he was trying to shake my hand again for some reason, so I put my hand out to shake again. Evidentially, he was just grabbing something near me, so I pull my hand back. Frazzled and not thinking clearly, I for some bizarre reason reach my hand out yet again. My hand is waiting their for a second or two, and he stares at me for a second and reaches in to finally shake it. At this point, I'm beat red and thinking I just blew my last chance at an MD acceptance for being a nervous goober. He then asks me, "Are you nervous?" And then I'm like, "Yes, a little."

Then there was the student interview after, where I was asked who my favorite fictional character is. Just drawing a complete blank, I just said the first character I remember from my favorite movie, Goodfellas, Henry Hill, who is a coke-addicted, murder conspirator, mobster scumbag. That was awkward as well.

Somehow, despite these two awful, awful moments, I got my only acceptance at this place.

 

[mimelim]

I only had one awkward moment, and it was when one of my interviewers asked me where else had I interviewed, and I said nowhere else.

"So what do we have to do to get you to consider us more than HMS?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I saw your father went there, I assume that you want to as well."
"My father always said that the best interns in his class at B&W came from JH."
"Was he lying?"
"I don't know, do you think he was?"
"No, our students are better."
"Well alright then."



"So I see your Step 2 score is lower than your Step 1 score, why is that?"
"I didn't study nearly as much."
"Do you think that was wise?"
"I live by the maxim, 'never let your schooling interfere with your education.' I didn't think that a few points on a Step exam was worth getting in the way of my away rotations."
"That's stupid."

Program director. Only program that I didn't rank and the only program that didn't match fully of the programs that I interviewed at. ps. my step 2 score was 242.

 

[nemo123]

I had tons of awkward moments... In the end, it all turned out fine.

 

[RedPhys]

"So what do we have to do to get you to consider us more than HMS?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I saw your father went there, I assume that you want to as well."
"My father always said that the best interns in his class at B&W came from JH."
"Was he lying?"
"I don't know, do you think he was?"
"No, our students are better."
"Well alright then."



"So I see your Step 2 score is lower than your Step 1 score, why is that?"
"I didn't study nearly as much."
"Do you think that was wise?"
"I live by the maxim, 'never let your schooling interfere with your education.' I didn't think that a few points on a Step exam was worth getting in the way of my away rotations."
"That's stupid."

Program director. Only program that I didn't rank and the only program that didn't match fully of the programs that I interviewed at. ps. my step 2 score was 242.

It was awkward because he was really impressed with my application and didn't understand how I couldn't have had any interviews (upcoming or already done) aside from that one (at that point).

 

[soccerman93]

I had a student interviewer that asked me if I "could think of an ethical dilemma" in medicine. I had never considered I would ever need to make one up, I assumed ethical situations would be described for me and I would offer an opinion/resolution. I glanced around awkwardly and blurted out "abortions." Not my finest moment as the interviewer appeared pregnant and my answer proceeded in vague and bumbling fashion. First interview, got wait listed there haha

 

[Goro]

Me: "Explain how your hobby relates to Medicine?
Interviewee: stares blankly at me...all cortical functioning goes dark for about 20 seconds, then "I don't know."

Any decent interviewee can BS their way through this question, and that's what I was indeed looking for.

 

[NickNaylor]

Me: "Explain how your hobby relates to Medicine?
Interviewee: stares blankly at me...all cortical functioning goes dark for about 20 seconds, then "I don't know."

Any decent interviewee can BS their way through this question, and that's what I was indeed looking for.

You mean you want applicants to have actually engaged in some degree of self-reflection?

 

[WedgeDawg]

Me: "Explain how your hobby relates to Medicine?
Interviewee: stares blankly at me...all cortical functioning goes dark for about 20 seconds, then "I don't know."

Any decent interviewee can BS their way through this question, and that's what I was indeed looking for.

Just out of curiosity, what would you have thought if this interviewee had said that this hobby doesn't relate to medicine, it's just an endeavor in his personal life that he finds fulfilling, and that there are certain aspects of his life he wants to try and keep separate because he thinks balance is healthy?

 

[gyngyn]

Interviewer: I see that you are from X county.
Me: Yes, sir. I certainly am.
Interviewer: Did your folks ever work on (very famous ranch)?
Me: Yes, we have.
Interviewer: How 'bout that! Your folks have worked on my Daddy's ranch!
Me: How 'bout that!

 

[Lucca]

Interviewer: I see that you are from X county.
Me: Yes, sir. I certainly am.
Interviewer: Did your folks ever work on (very famous ranch)?
Me: Yes, we have.
Interviewer: How 'bout that! Your folks have worked on my Daddy's ranch!
Me: How 'bout that!

LOL! Great way to build rapport: "your dad works for my dad!"

 

[gyngyn]

LOL! Great way to build rapport: "your dad works for my dad!"

The power differential was not lost on me.

 

[Goro]

That's a perfectly acceptable answer!!!

Just out of curiosity, what would you have thought if this interviewee had said that this hobby doesn't relate to medicine,