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You aren't even close to crazy with those suggestions!
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I interviewed someone with a felony intent to distribute or similar. Not pot, either.
This was very early in my career and my school was less discerning.
Autoreject after the interview, naturally.
I'll give you a moderate one: we had a fellow show up for the interview in full mariachi traje de charro. I won't forget that any time soon.
We just acted like everything was normal. The same was true for the figure skating catsuit.
This thread is as juicy as a Georgia peach!
We had an applicant show with his Mother who demanded to sit in on the interview. She was quite flummoxed and had no idea why she was escorted out.
We get at least a few of these every year!
I'll bet both embarrassed and relieved .
Radiology2020beyond
Full Member
Applicant talking about bowling as a hobby, and then got very excited and stood up and proceeded to fake bowl to show his “form !”
Applicant ate taco salad for lunch with fingers.
Applicant sent thank you note on pink paper with a bunch of sparkly dog stickers stuck on.
Applicant never once looked at me in the eye during the 20 min interview.
Applicant fell asleep in waiting room.
I could go on....
Applicant ate taco salad for lunch with fingers.
Applicant sent thank you note on pink paper with a bunch of sparkly dog stickers stuck on.
Applicant never once looked at me in the eye during the 20 min interview.
Applicant fell asleep in waiting room.
I could go on....
The only one of those that sounds “crazy” is the applicant with the lack of eye contact. None of the others seem particularly bad in any way.
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Radiology2020beyond
Full Member
Oh yeah, a guy who worked in Hollywood as a writer (before applying to medical school) proceeded to name drop a bunch of people and gossip about their drug use..... he received a rejection.
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With or without a guitarro?
Radiology2020beyond
Full Member
Showing your quirks is just not a great idea when there are so many others that give us a better sense that they will fit in and have no issues for us to deal with later (even though they may be perfectly nice people).
It really is difficult to cull down a list of 100+ people on a waitlist who on paper all look great and similar. We look for whatever/anything to make the list shorter after interviews (hard truth)!
It really is difficult to cull down a list of 100+ people on a waitlist who on paper all look great and similar. We look for whatever/anything to make the list shorter after interviews (hard truth)!
What's sad is that all these people were good enough to receive an interview ....
Radiology2020beyond
Full Member
I anticipate that virtual interviews will make it even more difficult, which we will soon see...
If he had done this in response to "teach me something", would you still consider that too quirky?
I don’t think it’s sad.. I mean (most) these things aren’t THAT bad. For the primary/secondary, it is quite a static process. You have time to edit and refine your essays to craft the ideal picture you want to send. But go interviews, it is a lot more dynamic. You have to respond reactively. Some people are better at this than others. You could argue that people who do better in these environments make for better doctors (which I think is valid). But I don’t think just because you ate taco salad at lunch with your fingers doesn’t mean you’re automatically going to be a bad doctor. But the guy next to you who didn’t do these weird things is just as qualified (if not more qualified) as you are, putting you at a disadvantage. Idk just my .02
Appeared to be relieved and deflated at the same time.
Without, sadly.
D
deleted804295
I liked that one story about the student that came to the first day of class even when they weren't accepted 🤣 🤣 🤣
Eating nachos with your fingers, ok. Taco salad with your fingers? Yuck.
D
deleted804295
Before or after October 15? That may have played a part.
Some people really stop caring after their first acceptance and do crazy stuff.
I have declined to participate in video interviews for this reason.
D
deleted804295
I had to insist to my parents that they couldn't come inside to say hi for my state school. 🤣
Parents are just as nervous as us sometimes
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D
deleted804295
That was the only normal one to me. I was very shy with eye contact up until this year. In the past I couldn't look older people in the eye for longer than 5 seconds 😳
It was in the early 90's. Iirc, it was late summer. I remember thinking he must be uncomfortable in the heat.
The ones who show up to graduation ( in full regalia) are my favorites.
Med school interviewees, or for residency????
The *'d one above would be lethal at my school as well. Don't know how the fingers and taco salad would go over though. The kid who fell asleep I'd cut some slack to. These all sound like great interview question scenarios!
Radiology2020beyond
Full Member
The taco salad story was from a resident interview and the other residents told me.
The other ones are med school interviews.
We also have had applicants for residency fall asleep during the noon conference (but I can sympathize with that since they just ate lunch and the room is dark).
A few times I have wondered if an applicant was on drugs (acting spacy with dilated pupils).
I'm 37 years old. My first interview invite arrived days after I had shoulder surgery and the interview was scheduled for a week after that. I was not able to drive due to the surgery and the school was an hour from the closest airport, so I asked my mother to come with me and do all the driving. Sure enough, as we pulled up the school on the morning of the interview, she absolutely insisted that I get out and have my photo taken in front of the school's sign. I flat out refused and she definitely has still not forgiven me for denying her that moment. 😳
(But in all fairness to her, she also had to help me get dressed and do my hair that morning, so she was probably right to think of me as an eight-year-old at that point).
D
deleted804295
Adcoms please don't ding applicants for having background noise or cats/dogs coming in and out 😢
Ugh I actually feel so bad for this cohort. I used to get very anxious when somebody would walk in during my at home exams I can't imagine how stress inducing it'd be to interview with siblings/parents/roommates/cats/dogs
Ugh I actually feel so bad for this cohort. I used to get very anxious when somebody would walk in during my at home exams I can't imagine how stress inducing it'd be to interview with siblings/parents/roommates/cats/dogs
I know, right? I can just imagine my younger two kids busting into my room with the third chasing them, all three squealing and laughing...because it happens on the daily. My kids can't seem to understand the meaning of "don't bother mom right now!" It'd be just like the handful of viral videos of people being interviewed for news programs whose kids barge into the shot completely oblivious.
We understand the limitations
At least they disclosed it like they're supposed to. Residency applicant didn't...came back to bite them in a BIG way.
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