Being on a reality TV show?

[thebillsfan]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I dont want to say too much about it at this point, but I may have an opportunity to be on a reality TV show. I'm with a performing group that may be filmed starting this fall. There's a possibility that the group could be portrayed in a negative light (with a lot of scripted drama, etc). Even if I don't curse/drink on the show, do you think this would still be a liability down the line, either for med school, residency, or other nonmedical aspects of life? Or, would it be something interesting to talk about at interviews? I just dont want it to be a liability more than anything else. I know this is a tough question to answer because so few people have experience being on TV, but perhaps LizzyM can take a stab at it if she's ever come across a similar situation.

 

[Web MD]

I think if you punch pauly D and the situation you get automatic acceptance - don't worry about the show portraying italians in a negative light

 

[ThaliaNox]

I wouldn't go down this route. Even if you don't do anything objectionable, they can do amazing things with editing and taking clips out of context these days. It also will never go away. It'll be on YouTube for the rest of your life, might come up when someone googles your name and anything done on the show will be connected to you forever. Do you think most of the people on reality TV want to be portrayed the way they are?

I'd say something like this could be as bad as mentioning that you're an avid motorcycler to an emergency room doc.

 

[PetitAllegro]

I definitely wouldn't. You said yourself that a group you're part of may be portrayed in a negative light - while there's no way of saying whether this show may ever come to the attention of anyone who has a hand in your admissions process, it seems like a silly risk to me.

 

[nickmx50]

Much of reality TV may be scripted, but many people still view them as real. I wouldn't want to give anyone a reason to question your character, ethics, or integrity. If becoming a doctor is your goal, I wouldn't do anything to jepordize it. Reality show acting is normally very short lived.

 

[thejetplane]

If you aren't going to be a major part of the show, maybe you could go by a fake name and no one would recognize you.

 

[chman]

I think it is a bad idea personally. People get worried about their facebook being discovered, let alone a reality show. I mean, let's be honest, most reality shows do not portray people as med-school material. Just my 2c.

PS-Even if your actions are of the best moral character, you cannot control how others act, which, perhaps unfairly, may put you in a bad position.

 

[LizzyM]

You now assume that adcom members watch reality shows about bands and would even recognize your name or anything about you from the show... 🙄

I think you have nothing to worry about. If you have any doubts, just don't include it on your application.

 

[unhappytnt]

This is the second time I am seeing this question being asked on the forums. The other one was in the confidential consult section. Proves the saying "everyone will get their 15 minutes of fame". 🙂

 

[e46]

You on a tv show.

 

[ThaliaNox]

You now assume that adcom members watch reality shows about bands and would even recognize your name or anything about you from the show... 🙄

I think you have nothing to worry about. If you have any doubts, just don't include it on your application.

Student interviewers, on the other hand...

 

[LizzyM]

This reminds me that I interviewed someone who had won money on a game show that involves trivial questions or puzzles (I'm going to be vague here). I asked what I thought was a rather light and breezy question about the show. I got a sullen answer indicating to me that the applicant was deeply hurt not to have answered a particular item correctly and then the applicant said, "I don't want to talk about it."

It was that response to a disappointment, and not the appearance on a game show, that provided some insight into the applicant's personality. In the end, the applicant didn't seem like a good fit for us.