Bombed interview...

[LMBLBM]

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[jlocker83]

Not only is it going to look terrible at this particular school, I've also heard adcomm's talk to each other and they will likely inform other schools about your inability to recollect the names of your state senators. Not going to lie, the road to medical school looks grim for you.......

 

[thegypsyqueen]

No. It would have been nice to know the answer, but this does not make or break your interview.

 

[LMBLBM]

Not only is it going to look terrible at this particular school, I've also heard adcomm's talk to each other and they will likely inform other schools about your inability to recollect the names of your state senators. Not going to lie, the road to medical school looks grim for you.......

Oh.... Is there anyway to repair the damage?

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Last week, I was interviewing at my state school.

Everything was going well... and the final question came

What are the names of state senates?

I swear I knew the answers but I was so nervous that I failed to answer the question.

Is this gonna be a huge red flag on my application?

I was asked that at VCU. My interviewer prefaced that group of questions by saying they were "behavioral" questions meant to see how I'd react and answer them. I knew one senator, then I needed two guesses for the next. I don't think those types of questions mean much. Then again, I didn't get accepted during the first round, so maybe that's what's holding me back! (kidding)

 

[jlocker83]

Oh.... Is there anyway to repair the damage?

Send fruit baskets. Several.

 

[jeffs office]

Wtf? Why is this important to know for medical school?

 

[thegypsyqueen]

Oh.... Is there anyway to repair the damage?

There is no damage unless you spazzed at the question. Just move on, and in the future know that it is okay to say, "I don't know/can't recall at the moment."

 

[Hipocrates]

Last week, I was interviewing at my state school.

Everything was going well... and the final question came

What are the names of state senates?

I swear I knew the answers but I was so nervous that I failed to answer the question.

Is this gonna be a huge red flag on my application?

Fortunately when an interviewer asked me, "Who is buried in Grant's Tomb?", I knew the answer.

 

[NuttyEngDude]

It probably only matters in Texas. (ted cruz and some other dude 😛 )

 

[Cambover]

Fortunately when an interviewer asked me, "Who is buried in Grant's Tomb?", I knew the answer.

FYI, the actual answer is Grant and his wife, Julia Dent Grant.

 

[jeffs office]

FYI, the actual answer is Grant and his wife, Julia Dent Grant.

Google told me "no one" because they aren't buried underground.

 

[Beargryllz]

Wtf? Why is this important to know for medical school?

Stress tactic. They want to see how the applicant reacts.

 

[Cambover]

Google told me "no one" because they aren't buried underground.

Hmm. Good answer.

 

[kyamh]

Stress tactic. They want to see how the applicant reacts.

I don't know that I completely agree. I would think an informed adult in the world today would know who the two state senators were and who their representative was...it's only 3 names to remember, they aren't asking you to know their politics.

Knowledge of current events is not only valuable in and of itself but it is also valuable as a measure of someone's involvement in their community and their general curiosity about the world they live in. I am under the impression that medical schools want students who are aware of the world beyond classes and homework, who are curious and excited about learning, and who value other people and their experiences. If you value others' experiences, shouldn't you know a little bit about what is happening in the world?

 

[gyngyn]

I would think an informed adult in the world today would know who the two state senators were and who their representative was...it's only 3 names to remember, they aren't asking you to know their politics.

Knowledge of current events is not only valuable in and of itself but it is also valuable as a measure of someone's involvement in their community and their general curiosity about the world they live in. I am under the impression that medical schools want students who are aware of the world beyond classes and homework, who are curious and excited about learning, and who value other people and their experiences. If you value others' experiences, shouldn't you know a little bit about what is happening in the world?

I must agree on this one.
We are expected to serve not only as clinicians and scientists, but citizens as well.

 

[bear2roo]

Well unless this was an OOS applicant, I think you should know who your state senator is. At least I do...i remember they drilled this in my head in elementary school (they haven't changed once since then!) and i keep up w/news regularly.

 

[Ismet]

One question usually isn't enough to bomb an interview unless you REALLY blow it by being unprofessional or something. If this is the only question you stumbled on, I don't think you bombed it.

 

[LMBLBM]

I must agree on this one.
We are expected to serve not only as clinicians and scientists, but citizens as well.

The reason that I am worried because I agree with these comments. And, I do know all of my senators. I just didn't expect the question and had a brain fart. I guess I wouldn't be hearing from the school. Darn it. I really liked the school too

 

[tantacles]

The reason that I am worried because I agree with these comments. And, I do know all of my senators. I just didn't expect the question and had a brain fart. I guess I wouldn't be hearing from the school. Darn it. I really liked the school too

You should stop panicking. People in this thread can't give you any real feedback; only the school can.

 

[CarlosDanger]

I dunno, I think this question is a little dumb. Who cares about state senators? I know who my US senators are, but state senators? I've moved around a lot in the last few years, so I haven't been that involved in local government, but I put a lot of effort into current events because I'm genuinely interested...and I wouldn't have known how to answer that.

I've heard of Virginia schools doing this, they just want to know if you actually care about their state and would practice there. Its probably not detrimental.

 

[gyngyn]

The reason that I am worried because I agree with these comments. And, I do know all of my senators. I just didn't expect the question and had a brain fart. I guess I wouldn't be hearing from the school. Darn it. I really liked the school too

This is not enough to sink you. Good luck.

 

[CarlosDanger]

ok...looks like everyone is referring to US senators - anyways, just sayin, theres a big difference

proceed.

 

[eizeral]

I think you're fine. Sure, it may communicate that you don't keep up with current events, but if they are willing to take you out of the running because of that, then it's because you bombed other parts of your interview. That alone won't be enough for them to not consider you.

 

[Goro]

Quit fussing, you're fine. Unless you're a political science major.

I rarely ask trivia, but the interviewer seems like he wanted to throw you a curveball...or maybe a spitball.

Last week, I was interviewing at my state school.

Everything was going well... and the final question came

What are the names of state senates?

I swear I knew the answers but I was so nervous that I failed to answer the question.

Is this gonna be a huge red flag on my application?

 

[inycepoo]

I dunno, I think this question is a little dumb. Who cares about state senators? I know who my US senators are, but state senators? I've moved around a lot in the last few years, so I haven't been that involved in local government, but I put a lot of effort into current events because I'm genuinely interested...and I wouldn't have known how to answer that.

ok...looks like everyone is referring to US senators - anyways, just sayin, theres a big difference

THANK YOU THANK YOU. I was praying 🙂xf🙂 that someone would stop and point out the difference because I was really losing faith in humanity as the two were being egregiously spoken of as synonyms...

Quit fussing, you're fine. Unless you're a political science major.

I rarely ask trivia, but the interviewer seems like he wanted to throw you a curveball...or maybe a spitball.

So only poli sci majors should know the names of local politicians? Regardless, that's a gross generalization of what the discipline is about (poli sci major here).

Also, the names of the current US Senators of 2013 in the home state of an applicant is not trivia. (Trivia, by definition, are details or pieces of information of little importance or value.)

WOOT INFORMED PHYSICIANS!!11!!!11!!11!! (not) And the profession is scandalized when lawmakers tend to not factor in its "voice" whilst making policy decisions? Hm, I wonder why........ 😆 🤣


Okay, I get it. Americans are not, and will never be, as involved or interested in politics as our European or Asian counterparts are for a variety of historical, social, and political (no pun intended) reasons. Doctors are busy and they could care less for the circus that is the political sphere. Fine, that's all fine.

But it's deeply concerning that there is such a backlash against the asking of this question as "stupid" or "pointless" during an interview. It's not like the interviewer asked if Senator X voted yay on HR 341 last week or something. That borders on being trivia. He/she asked the names of the two Senators. That's four words in total. It's a perfect question to attempt to gauge how informed the applicant is about the world he/she lives in. If we accept the idea that med schools are looking to build a diverse class, this question is not blasphemous as people ITT think.

There's been a lot discussion in the "opinion" sections of NEJM, JAMA, Annals, Health Affairs, etc., regarding pervasive and detrimental culture problems within the medical field. The quip made by Goro epitomizes this worrying reality. When providers are so boxed up into their profession so as to leave little to no time left for engagement, even at the most primitive level, that of observation (i.e., reading), in other fields, it is not a surprise that certain areas in medicine remain archaic, frustrating, and inefficient because they remain completely opaque to advances and improvements that could be adapted into the profession. If we want this to change, small things, such as knowing the names of two of the most powerful lawmakers from your state, is a good place to start.

That being said, though, if a med school found this enough to reject an applicant, I can see how this would be one reason, but there must be other more compelling reasons to go along to put the app in the trash stack. Otherwise, OP should be fine.

TL;DR: Don't make any effort to know anything about politics, whether national or state or local, if you don't care to. That's fine. But stop this "I'm going to med school, don't need to know anything except MCAT, basic sciences, and how to talk to people, so how dare you ask me such a question during an interview where you're calling the shots" facade. It doesn't do any good for anyone.