Abortion topic during interview

[Curlyfriez12]

At my UT Southwestern interview, I told the interviewer that I was pro choice when it comes to abortion

She asked me so I said so...

Do you think I am doomed?

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[calimed214]

At my UT Southwestern interview, I told the interviewer that I was pro choice when it comes to abortion

She asked me so I said so...

Do you think I am doomed?

People on SDN need to chill out and stop overanalyzing. Why would you be doomed for honestly expressing a personal stance? Assuming you didn't go on a rant and insult pro-lifers and were able to further defend your position in an intelligent and informed manner, you're fine.

 

[AlexMorph]

At my UT Southwestern interview, I told the interviewer that I was pro choice when it comes to abortion

She asked me so I said so...

Do you think I am doomed?

You said you were pro choice in Texas?

 

[scotsdoc54]

You said you were pro choice in Texas?

I wouldn't stereotype/generalization merely on region. It's almost never that black and white.

 

[GoSpursGo]

You're allowed to be opinionated in your interview as long as you can defend your stance and are still tactful and sensitive to legitimacy other possible viewpoints. Interviewers should understand that you are a real person, and real people are going to have real opinions; in fact, I'd be annoyed if I was interviewing someone who wouldn't take a stand on anything or didn't believe in anything. Yes, there might be a few bad apples who would hurt your application just for saying something like that, but I don't think you should assume that to be the case.

 

[Blesbok]

That is poor form by the interviewer to bring that up if they are going to use it against you, which I doubt is the case.

 

[BlueElmo]

As long as you explained your view intelligently, I think it's all right. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

 

[dotdash]

I wonder if they weren't actually trying to identify anti-choice applicants (who presumably might not perform all procedures)?

 

[GoSpursGo]

I wonder if they weren't actually trying to identify anti-choice applicants (who presumably might not perform all procedures)?

No. There are lots of doctors who are pro-life. They aren't going to make you perform those procedures in medical school if that's against your belief system and you're not planning on ever using them in your practice anyways.

There's no preference either way for pro-life or pro-choice in med school. If they ask you something like that in an interview, they just want to hear you defend your stance in a coherent manner, no matter what side you lie on.

 

[Curlyfriez12]

The interviewer had a very stiff face. It was almost as if she wanted to see how I would react when I am scared. And I started gagging on my tongue when she was looking at me like she didnt like my face.

But I did mention that I know both pro-choice and pro-life have a legitimate argument, and that who choses which side depends on whether they care more about the change in their life-style vs the fetus's legal and ethical rights, if they were ever going to have to deal with an accidental pregnancy.

Regardless, I am sure I looked pathetic and was cringing the whole time because of the interviewer's stiff face. So much for winging the interview.

Here's some advice. BE PREPARED. Dont believe people when they say "just wing an interview". SOME interviewers will try to intimidate you.

 

[chman]

That is poor form by the interviewer to bring that up if they are going to use it against you, which I doubt is the case.

No kidding.

 

[teenmachinery1]

The interviewer had a very stiff face. It was almost as if she wanted to see how I would react when I am scared. And I started gagging on my tongue when she was looking at me like she didnt like my face.

But I did mention that I know both pro-choice and pro-life have a legitimate argument, and that who choses which side depends on whether they care more about the change in their life-style vs the fetus's legal and ethical rights, if they were ever going to have to deal with an accidental pregnancy.

Regardless, I am sure I looked pathetic and was cringing the whole time because of the interviewer's stiff face. So much for winging the interview.

Here's some advice. BE PREPARED. Dont believe people when they say "just wing an interview". SOME interviewers will try to intimidate you.

If I was the interviewer, this would indicate to me that you didn't put much thought into your position.

 

[teenmachinery1]

Does the abortion topic come up frequently from the interviewer?

It shouldn't..

 

[Longshanks]

Be honest and yourself with your answers in interviews. With these hypothetical situation/ethical/current event issues questions, it less important what your stance is but your reasoning behind it and how you support your opinion. Unless of course your stance is completely out there on the extreme or offensive, or you have an answer with no substance. For either situation one needs to do some contemplating of the issues or your own personal life.

edit: If you go the route of "well both sides have valid points", be able to argue both and back them up and delineate any potential pitfalls, this is a mature and acceptable response. However, just saying "well both have good points" without having an opinion or exploring both routes shows either: indifference, lack of knowledge of the situation, or a deficiency in critical thinking skills.

 

[turkeyjerky]

But I did mention that I know both pro-choice and pro-life have a legitimate argument, and that who choses which side depends on whether they care more about the change in their life-style vs the fetus's legal and ethical rights

Wow, just wow.

How about the rights of a woman to control what goes on inside her own body?

On an aside, I think that most feminist rhetoric is b.s., but on this they're absolutely right--if men got pregnant, abortion would always be safe, legal and free.

 

[sr9]

If you don't mind me asking, are you male or female? It's just that of all the people I know applying this cycle, only two have been asked about abortion issues and both were females being interviewed by females...

 

[Fiddlergirl]

I got asked about abortion twice, probably because my AMCAS had a bunch of church volunteer work on it. Both times I said "I'm pro-life" and it wasn't a problem. It's not that big a deal, unless you let the question scare you.

 

[kami333]

On an aside, I think that most feminist rhetoric is b.s., but on this they're absolutely right--if men got pregnant, abortion would always be safe, legal and free.

It's men's way of getting back at women for sticking their heads in the (male) circumcision debate.

 

[turkeyjerky]

It's men's way of getting back at women for sticking their heads in the (male) circumcision debate.

That also pisses me off. Why is it that every time you hear a chick weigh in on the issue, she's adamantly in favor of subjecting infants to a completely unnecessary, elective, and unethical surgical procedure, based only on the whims of whatever spaghetti monster their parents worship.

 

[noahconstrictor]

This is one of the most interesting topics I've seen on sdn. Thanks for bringing it up. Especially since I hope to interview at that school. I personally would have said I don't feel comfortable discussing such a hotly contested and politicized topic, that I avoid the conversation in social situations but will especially avoid it when my future is riding on the answer matching theirs. I have to think that they were seeing if you would take the bait and discuss it. Otherwise I feel it is incredibly inappropriate and unprofessional to screen applicants for their stance on an issue like this.

 

[texahn]

Dallas is pretty liberal.

 

[shouldvestudied]

You told an interviewer at a public medical school that you are in favor of women having the right to a legal procedure. Stop the presses.