A Talent That Must Be Seen To Be Believed

[Spinach Dip]

Okay, this is kind of an odd question.... But let's assume that an applicant has a talent, skill, or other activity that must be seen to be believed or appreciated. Would it be appropriate to display this skill to the adcom during your interview?

I have 3 examples I have considered, which may help clarify my question:

1. The most direct (and unlikely) skill I can imagine would be sword-swallowing. Imagine for a second that you are one of the ~100 people on Earth who can actually do this. Would you actually bring your sword (or a blade-less, similar, prop) to your interview and show off to the adcom? (Or, if you can't do that, would you bring in a video of yourself swallowing a sword recorded on your ipad, so you can pull it out and show them?)

2. Or, for another example, presume you could solve a rubiks cube in 10 seconds. Would you bring one with you to the interview and show off your abilities while answering their questions?

3. On the line of 'other activity', presume one of your ECs is to train seeing-eye dogs. Would you bring the current dog you are training to your interview? (Assuming you're not traveling cross-country.)



I'm interested in what you have to say. I think it would be advantageous to stand out from the other couple-hundred people being interviewed. But I think standing out too much could have the opposite effect.

Thanks

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[gettheleadout]

1. YouTube video link in primary.

2. If I could get my solve down to 10 seconds, I'd be internationally ranked, so... No I wouldn't bring one lol. I can do it in a about a minute and change IRL.

3. No I wouldn't bring my service dog unless I were disabled and it were actually my service dog.

 

[Catalystik]

I agree with #1 and #3. For #2, I'd be willing to take your word for it.

 

[Ismet]

3. On the line of 'other activity', presume one of your ECs is to train seeing-eye dogs. Would you bring the current dog you are training to your interview? (Assuming you're not traveling cross-country.)

Absolutely not. I trained a seeing-eye dog...just put it in your activities section and some of your interviewers will pick up on it in open file interviews, or you can find a way to bring it up. The actual dog is not necessary.

 

[pv515]

I think if the activity is far-fetched enough, the adcom might actually take the time to verify you are who you say you are by calling references, looking you up, etc.

I was asked to show parts of pole vaulting technique while in my interview suit. Nothing crazy, but it definitely felt a little silly

 

[Winged Scapula]

Just record a video and have it on your phone if they wish to see it. Please do not bring a sword, pole, seeing eye dog or your mother (or SO) to the interview.

 

[SpecterGT260]

Just record a video and have it on your phone if they wish to see it. Please do not bring a sword, pole, seeing eye dog or your mother (or SO) to the interview.

Disagree. I carry a sword always. Never know when the black knight will show up. And I usually bring my mom to interviews. Great character reference.

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[Winged Scapula]

Disagree. I carry a sword always. Never know when the black knight will show up. And I usually bring my mom to interviews. Great character reference.

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I know you're teasing but people have been known to bring their parents or spouse to an interview. aPD posted about it once (and that was for a residency interview which was even more appalling).

 

[SpecterGT260]

I know you're teasing but people have been known to bring their parents or spouse to an interview. aPD posted about it once (and that was for a residency interview which was even more appalling).

Seriously?..... omg

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[Doctor Strange]

No, no, and no. It's unprofessional to bring props to an interview.

 

[BABSstudent]

I know you're teasing but people have been known to bring their parents or spouse to an interview. aPD posted about it once (and that was for a residency interview which was even more appalling).

Apparently bringing SO to residency interviews isn't as strange as I thought. Some schools even ask you to bring them and have them sit in on the actual interview. Others encourage you to bring them only for the social night.

And here is the post you are probably talking about:

There's an interesting story that the PD at my school tells about spouses on interviews. That a few years ago there was a guy who was a really strong candidate and the program was already pretty interested in him before the interview. On interview day he brought his wife along and she was the biggest pain in the a**. She interrupted people, asked questions at inappropriate times, criticized what small call rooms the programs had, etc. Well, as you might predict, although the program liked the candidate himself they ended up not even ranking him because his spouse left such a bad impression.

Even if you think your spouse will be an asset in figuring out where to go, think long and hard about whether it's critical to have him/her following you around during an interview.

I should emphasize for future people: medical school interviews should be about you. You can bring a significant other to the city, but don't bring them to the interview/tour. You can always recap what you saw or heard. Take pictures or even give a tour to him/her after.

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

Seriously?..... omg

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That would be so odd.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Apparently bringing SO to residency interviews isn't as strange as I thought. Some schools even ask you to bring them and have them sit in on the actual interview. Others encourage you to bring them only for the social night.

And here is the post you are probably talking about:



I should emphasize for future people: medical school interviews should be about you. You can bring a significant other to the city, but don't bring them to the interview/tour. You can always recap what you saw or heard. Take pictures or even give a tour to him/her after.

That wasn't the post I was referring to but its a good one.

aPD posted about a residency candidate who brought his/her parents. PARENTS. To a residency interview. For an ADULT.

Bringing the SO to the social event varies by program (some say yes, others say no) but to an interview? I've never heard of a program inviting someone to bring their SO to the interview (bring them with you so they can see the town, check out jobs, etc. is fine, but not to the interview. Its a job, they are not hiring your SO.)

I think its inappropriate whether for medical school, residency, IBM or any job. Frankly that would tell me so much about the candidate that their application would be tossed right then and there.

 

[SpecterGT260]

Ahem..... "adult"

That's hilarious though.

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[Winged Scapula]

Ahem..... "adult"

That's hilarious though.

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Seriously.

As I am recalling it, I think it was a young single Asian female who had gone to medical school and lived at home and was planning on having her parents move with her to residency. I suspect she had no idea that this was considered odd.

 

[SpecterGT260]

Seriously.

As I am recalling it, I think it was a young single Asian female who had gone to medical school and lived at home and was planning on having her parents move with her to residency. I suspect she had no idea that this was considered odd.

I guess that is better than what I was thinking. I was picturing a mommas boy with mom along for the ride

The Asian family culture thing is understandable albeit still weird as hell.

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[BiologyNerd]

Parents that move in sound awesome. I'm goin to try that.

 

[aspiring20]

Okay, this is kind of an odd question.... But let's assume that an applicant has a talent, skill, or other activity that must be seen to be believed or appreciated. Would it be appropriate to display this skill to the adcom during your interview?

I have 3 examples I have considered, which may help clarify my question:

1. The most direct (and unlikely) skill I can imagine would be sword-swallowing. Imagine for a second that you are one of the ~100 people on Earth who can actually do this. Would you actually bring your sword (or a blade-less, similar, prop) to your interview and show off to the adcom? (Or, if you can't do that, would you bring in a video of yourself swallowing a sword recorded on your ipad, so you can pull it out and show them?)

2. Or, for another example, presume you could solve a rubiks cube in 10 seconds. Would you bring one with you to the interview and show off your abilities while answering their questions?

3. On the line of 'other activity', presume one of your ECs is to train seeing-eye dogs. Would you bring the current dog you are training to your interview? (Assuming you're not traveling cross-country.)



I'm interested in what you have to say. I think it would be advantageous to stand out from the other couple-hundred people being interviewed. But I think standing out too much could have the opposite effect.

Thanks

as cool as sword swallowing sound, i really wouldn't show (much less bring an actual sword) to the interview. i am 100 percent for people putting non-medical hobbies and achievements/passions on their app, but a line has to be drawn somewhere. this is a good place to do so.