Adcoms, how much to interviews really weigh?

[sarcasmrules]

My recent interviews were really chill and it made me think interviews may not weigh much in your final decision. The goal is to ensure you're not lying on your application and don't have any red flags. As long as an applicant checks those boxes and gives a personable impression, which most should, am I right to assume the rest depends on your written application? When I think about it, I really don't think an interview gives much about qualifications compared to your written application.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[LunaOri]

At my school, we use it to assess communication skills, personality traits, and how well we think the applicant will fit in at our school.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

My recent interviews were really chill and it made me think interviews may not weigh much in your final decision. The goal is to ensure you're not lying on your application and don't have any red flags. As long as an applicant checks those boxes and gives a personable impression, which most should, am I right to assume the rest depends on your written application? When I think about it, I really don't think an interview gives much about qualifications compared to your written application.

Then you shouldn't have anything to worry about!

Of course, you got an interview BECAUSE of your written application, so I'm not sure what you intended with the circular logic.

Mission fit. And possible scholarship discussions.

 

[Goro]

At the time the interview arrives, that's what counts for my evaluation. I will note in my comments about the applicant anything worth mentioning about the application whether good or bad. It's extremely rare that somebody does something so poor on an application that it would make me want to underweight the interview.

So at this point, I'd say you're good. Now focus on the next interview

 

[sarcasmrules]

Then you shouldn't have anything to worry about!

Of course, you got an interview BECAUSE of your written application, so I'm not sure what you intended with the circular logic.

Mission fit. And possible scholarship discussions.

I guess what I wanted to ask is are interviews like the lab portion that's worth 20% of your grade but must be passed to pass the class?

 

[gyngyn]

The interview can be the difference between a waitlist and acceptance.
It is the rare interview that results in an immediate rejection.

 

[surelycalm]

The interview can be the difference between a waitlist and acceptance.
It is the rare interview that results in an immediate rejection.

What kinds of things would cause you to waitlist someone over an acceptance or rejection? Are we talking about how someone carries themselves and their personality or they didn't come across as excited enough for the school?

 

[Goro]

I guess what I wanted to ask is are interviews like the lab portion that's worth 20% of your grade but must be passed to pass the class?

More like a separate lab course that you have to pass.

 

[Goro]

What kinds of things would cause you to waitlist someone over an acceptance or rejection? Are we talking about how someone carries themselves and their personality or they didn't come across as excited enough for the school?

Read this:

• Goro's Guide to Interviews: The View from Behind the Curtain

 

[Mr.Smile12]

What kinds of things would cause you to waitlist someone over an acceptance or rejection? Are we talking about how someone carries themselves and their personality or they didn't come across as excited enough for the school?

Louder for the folks in the back.

Mission fit.

 

[eigen]

The advice I give my students is that the interview is what can determine whether you get in or not. You get an interview invite by being a candidate that, on paper, the school thinks is a good candidate.

The interview either confirms that, contradicts that, or does nothing to move your application up.

To use LizzyM's "staircase" model, you're originally ranked somewhere. Interviews can move it up, move it down, or not move it at all.

But for a limited number of spots, you probably want to be one of the people who the interview moves up.

 

[surelycalm]

Louder for the folks in the back.

Mission fit.

Unless you tank the interview, mission fit isn't something that I see changing between your application and the interview.

What if you have a 3.9+ GPA, 520+ MCAT and are above 50th percentile for the school, can carry on a good conversation, make eye contact, are personable, clearly fit the mission of the school...... To be honest, I would think this is true for at least half the folks being interviewed for the given school (adjust MCAT depending on their median). I guess it's a difficult task when you have tons of highly qualified applicants. Was just curious if there were some specific things interviewers look for to send someone to the wait list that is otherwise both academically fit and a mission fit for the school.

 

[eigen]

To be honest, I would think this is true for at least half the folks being interviewed for the given school

Well... if the goal is to cut the pool roughly in half and decide who to give offers to.... then that being true of "half the pool" sounds about right.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Unless you tank the interview, mission fit isn't something that I see changing between your application and the interview.

What if you have a 3.9+ GPA, 520+ MCAT and are above 50th percentile for the school, can carry on a good conversation, make eye contact, are personable, clearly fit the mission of the school...... To be honest, I would think this is true for at least half the folks being interviewed for the given school (adjust MCAT depending on their median). I guess it's a difficult task when you have tons of highly qualified applicants. Was just curious if there were some specific things interviewers look for to send someone to the wait list that is otherwise both academically fit and a mission fit for the school.

I'm going to joke a little with this analogy. "Mission fit" doesn't change on your first date with someone you're matched with through an online app either. There's a reason why there is a first date (second date, etc.).

Passion and authenticity don't carry well on applications. It shows in a limited way for interviews, but it's just as important that the candidate feel comfortable with the school they will send their tuition dollars to for the next 4 years (plus fundraising donation calls).

You may be invested with your passion, but sometimes you may discover the school's students or faculty just aren't into what you are into. Same thing goes with mission fit... how much have you invested your time and curiosity to really know what you would learn at the program? Even if you know as much as the faculty member does, that doesn't mean the faculty member would fully endorse your application.

 

[whatisanmcat]

I'll throw this in there as a lowly M2, so take it with a grain of salt. I think the weight of the interview can variably depend on which school you are at and how their admissions process works. My school interviews a substantial percentage of people that apply, but has one of the lowest post II acceptance rates (according to that excel sheet DataKing made a few years ago) since they put a lot of emphasis on the interview. Other schools that interview <10% of people applying and accept the majority of interviewees are more likely to view it as a screening tool to see if everything checks out.

As someone who interviewed at both types of schools, I would recommend not looking at acceptance rates and redirect your attention to showing adcoms that you'd love to pursue medicine and do it at their institution.

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

Read this:

• Goro's Guide to Interviews: The View from Behind the Curtain

In your opinion: what was the greatest or one of the greatest interviewers you ever heard? What did they do that made them so great at interviewing, and what was their background - if you're comfortable sharing that?

 

[Goro]

In your opinion: what was the greatest or one of the greatest interviewers you ever heard? What did they do that made them so great at interviewing, and what was their background - if you're comfortable sharing that?

The best interviewers I have seen give off confidence, compassion, insight, maturity and passion for what they've done to the extent that they make me think "this is the type of person that I want to be my doctor."

 

[Mr.Smile12]

In your opinion: what was the greatest or one of the greatest interviewers you ever heard? What did they do that made them so great at interviewing, and what was their background - if you're comfortable sharing that?

In admissions, having the "best interview ever" means nothing to the evaluator or the committee because the candidate has the final decision-making power. (That's true for regular jobs though the pressure and context are different.)

It doesn't matter if this is the best interview conversation one has ever had; the candidate can get into a school they rather prefer (or get better financial aid/scholarship packages) and you'd never see the candidate again until perhaps residency interview season.

We do not select future doctors because they were fantastic interviewers. The interview is always a means to an end, and you can have a fantastic interview and still lose the job to someone else.

So that said, the best interviews come from people who are enthusiastic, engaged, and can sincerely see themselves in medicine/dentistry/podiatry/etc. Faculty love to have them around and administrators get excited to spotlight them to alumni and donors. They don't come across as cocky, and they can't wait to wake up at 4am to bring coffee and donuts for morning rounds or conference. They are authentic to their application, and they are sincere with their alignment with our mission and community values. It's that simple.

And yes, you could still get waitlisted.

ADDED: Oh, I just remembered. They show purpose.

Finding Your Purpose as a Health Professional - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

So that said, the best interviews come from people who are enthusiastic, engaged, and can sincerely see themselves in medicine/dentistry/podiatry/etc.

Counterpoint: Imagine Sheldon Cooper interviewing for medical school. His ECs are good, his grades and test scores excellent. And he's enthusiastic about medicine. Something tells me that Sheldon wouldn't be rated very highly by adcoms.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Counterpoint: Imagine Sheldon Cooper interviewing for medical school. His ECs are good, his grades and test scores excellent. And he's enthusiastic about medicine. Something tells me that Sheldon wouldn't be rated very highly by adcoms.

Imagining him starting each MMI/OSCE station with...

 

[surelycalm]

Counterpoint: Imagine Sheldon Cooper interviewing for medical school. His ECs are good, his grades and test scores excellent. And he's enthusiastic about medicine. Something tells me that Sheldon wouldn't be rated very highly by adcoms.

But at the same time, he is probably perfect for MD/PhD programs. Someone like that would do revolutionary research in a lab.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

But at the same time, he is probably perfect for MD/PhD programs. Someone like that would do revolutionary research in a lab.

Rock the bowtie... shoo-in for Ph.D. programs.

I am part of the Doogie Howser as genius doctor generation.

Neil Patrick Harris GIF - Neil Patrick Harris Doctor Patient Check Up - Discover & Share GIFs

Click to view the GIF

tenor.com

 

[gyngyn]

But at the same time, he is probably perfect for MD/PhD programs.

We expect our MD/PhD's to have all the interpersonal qualities we see in our other students, maybe more!
After all, we're paying them to attend and the majority of them become...you guessed it, clinicians.

 

[gyngyn]

doesn't explain how like 90% of MD/PhD candidates I talk to sound like they wore retainers and sat alone at lunch for a majority of their childhood

The ones that matriculate may come disproportionately from the 10% that are delightful. Mine certainly are!

 

[pink_panther]

The ones that matriculate may come disproportionately from the 10% that are delightful. Mine certainly are!

before I deleted it by candidates I meant candidate for the degree

 

[Mr.Smile12]

doesn't explain how like 90% of MD/PhD candidates I talk to sound like they wore retainers and sat alone at lunch for a majority of their childhood

Blames the Harry Potterization of medical school "societies" over the last decade. The MD/PhDs have their own house (h/t APSA). They'll be fine.

They're the future medical school deans beginning in 2035...