Can I be brutally honest in an interview?

[TheConfused]

If the interviewer asks me why I want to be a doctor, why can't I just say I want to make a lot of money, fulfill my ego and enjoy high social status? Do they expect us to say we want to help people or something? I figured if I just told the guy the truth, I would get bonus points for honesty.

Interviewer: Why do you want to become a doctor?

Me: Job stability in 10 years, parents will be proud, high social status and I want to be able to make enough money to live in South SF comfortably and drive a Tesla model S.

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[Benjoe11]

Don't say that.

 

[Ad2b]

troll. Just being brutally honest

 

[WedgeDawg]

What do you think the outcome of this answer will be?

 

[Ad2b]

What do you think the outcome of this answer will be?

an open seat for someone else

 

[Brorthopedic]

What do you think the outcome of this answer will be?

"we've been looking years for a brave soul to tell the truth. Linda, get this man his auto-accept letter and a full tuition scholarship."

 

[Lawpy]

What do you think the outcome of this answer will be?

A warm handshake and being shown the door?

 

[Pagan FutureDoc]

an open seat for someone else

But someone loses out on the Interview because he got inside the 20 yard line and decided to punt.

 

[PhillyMed777]

If the interviewer asks me why I want to be a doctor, why can't I just say I want to make a lot of money, fulfill my ego and enjoy high social status? Do they expect us to say we want to help people or something? I figured if I just told the guy the truth, I would get bonus points for honesty.

Interviewer: Why do you want to become a doctor?

Me: Job stability in 10 years, parents will be proud, high social status and I want to be able to make enough money to live in South SF comfortably and drive a Tesla model S.

If it helps you understand things a little better, since starting medical school, I've become way more poor than all my less achieving friends, miserable, and I also have an extremely low social status (one of a person who studies all the time, is a student, and gets in the way of everyone on rotations)

Your whole 10 years down the line thing is false as well. 10 years from the beginning of school I will be just out of training (or have 1 additional year of training) with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and no place to call home. I will drain my future paychecks (which will be lower thanks to the government) into my debt

 

[zero0]

"we've been looking years for a brave soul to tell the truth. Linda, get this man his auto-accept letter and a full tuition scholarship."

Only 2/3 tuition. He forgot chicks.

 

[Dr.Smexy]

On the 0.001% chance of you're being serious, you should give an honest answer that truly reflects why you want to be in medicine. Yes that means that exact answer in your post. This will not only score honesty point but would make sure that the interviewer can give the school an honest review of you as a candidate for medicine...Also I'm sure that the interviewer will also return the favor and honestly tell you that you should find another career because you either won't make it through medicine with those "reasons" or will be miserable as a doctor and hate your life when you can barely have some of those things while working your ass off in a miserable job that prevent you to even enjoy those somethings. Win-win situation in my mind so yes please answer honestly.

 

[Ad2b]

But someone loses out on the Interview because he got inside the 20 yard line and decided to punt.

Nah, that's not true. That's like saying I take someone younger's II spot. All this dolt is doing is opening up another II slot AND a seat.

 

[7331poas]

If those are your honest reasons then you deserve the honest response from the admissions committee.

 

[cincincyreds]

If the interviewer asks me why I want to be a doctor, why can't I just say I want to make a lot of money, fulfill my ego and enjoy high social status? Do they expect us to say we want to help people or something? I figured if I just told the guy the truth, I would get bonus points for honesty.

Interviewer: Why do you want to become a doctor?

Me: Job stability in 10 years, parents will be proud, high social status and I want to be able to make enough money to live in South SF comfortably and drive a Tesla model S.

I would say just be honest. You're right, you'll make more than 98% of the population if that's what makes you happy. But I'll tell you one thing, having a lot of money doesn't bring you happiness because you can't buy it. And physician salaries in terms of real income have been going down for the last 15 years. As far as high social status, you'll have to look elsewhere. Nobody really cares if you are doctor these days except for life insurance agents who are looking to steal from you. You need to figure out what you want in life because medical school, residency, and the attending lifestyle can be pretty brutal and I've dealt with a multitude of substance abuse and suicides amongst my peers.

If you truly ant to make a lot of money with high social status, learn how to hit a 95 mph fastball or throw one.

 

[TheConfused]

What else should I do then? I already invested too many units into biology/ochem classes that I can't switch to compsci or engineering. Pharmacy is not worth 4 years of school for ~$100k and **** job stability and research is even worse. Right now, the only thing that fits what I want is becoming a physician but because for religious reasons, I can't lie to the admissions committee that I actually want to help people.

edit: I was also thinking of becoming a clinical laboratory scientist, they make ~$30-35 in California after completing a one year post-bac program but my dad makes around that much as a jeweler and that's just embarassing, making less money than your dad is shameful

 

[markovchn123]

Obviously money is always a factor and whoever says it's not is a liar. Still there has to be another reason why you're doing this OP other than money.

 

[md-2020]

It seems like OP has considered dentistry, podiatry, and now medicine within the past year.

Focus on getting the interview first, and then say whatever you want. Maybe you'll just happen to be paired up with a super burnt out nihilist of an interviewer, but I wouldn't bank on it.

 

[mimelim]

If the interviewer asks me why I want to be a doctor, why can't I just say I want to make a lot of money, fulfill my ego and enjoy high social status? Do they expect us to say we want to help people or something? I figured if I just told the guy the truth, I would get bonus points for honesty.

Interviewer: Why do you want to become a doctor?

Me: Job stability in 10 years, parents will be proud, high social status and I want to be able to make enough money to live in South SF comfortably and drive a Tesla model S.

Of course you can say that. You will just be demonstrating that you are an inferior candidate. Your answer is the baseline. We expect that you will a) like money, b) enjoy prestige. Every applicant applying wants those things, whether they admit to it or not. The question is, are there other things that make you more worthwhile for a spot in our class.

 

[BioDoc]

What else should I do then? I already invested too many units into biology/ochem classes that I can't switch to compsci or engineering. Pharmacy is not worth 4 years of school for ~$100k and **** job stability and research is even worse. Right now, the only thing that fits what I want is becoming a physician but because for religious reasons, I can't lie to the admissions committee that I actually want to help people.

edit: I was also thinking of becoming a clinical laboratory scientist, they make ~$30-35 in California after completing a one year post-bac program but my dad makes around that much as a jeweler and that's just embarassing, making less money than your dad is shameful

Computer Science since you want to live in SF. Also, you need to get over the fact you took the bio/chem classes already, just because you taken those classes that doesn't mean you have to dedicate the rest of your life to biology/health related careers. Most people in real life don't even work a job related to what they studied in college.

 

[TheConfused]

I can honestly say I respect that that answer because I believe that whatever your motivation, if it's enough to get you through the schooling, then it's okay. Obviously money is always a factor and whoever says it's not is a liar. Still there has to be another reason why you're doing this OP other than money. I can't imagine an interview going well if you said that because honesty sadly doesn't get you far in life. Just lie and say you're motivated by some bs reason you don't believe in.

\

In a hospital, physicians do have more power over the other staff, so less people to boss you around, so I guess that's another reason, maybe I should say I see myself as a leader, like Dr. House?

 

[TheConfused]

Of course you can say that. You will just be demonstrating that you are an inferior candidate. Your answer is the baseline. We expect that you will a) like money, b) enjoy prestige. Every applicant applying wants those things, whether they admit to it or not. The question is, are there other things that make you more worthwhile for a spot in our class.

What exactly are they looking for in an applicant, I can only think of two things that would benefit them,
1) The applicant won't drop out
2) The applicant does something that benefits the institution

 

[Just1voice]

@TheConfused Your username is telling. You will be poor for years. Why don't you become a P.A. instead? More $ much quicker, less debt.

Highly doubt any adcom will give you the time of day if you repeat what you just revealed as your reasons for pursuing the noble calling of medicine.

I mean, at least make your truth humerus.

Personally, I want to be a doctor because I want to see and touch lots of naked people of all shapes and sizes and it pays more money than porn. But I'm not going to say that...

KIDDING, GUYS.

 

[eteshoe]

@TheConfused you are free to answer the question however you like. Just really take the time to evaluate if the things you mentioned are really good enough to get you through med school and residency. Then evaluate the career lines that really would afford you the same benefits (business, finance, comp sci, law, etc). If you can honestly see yourself doing those things, then you might as well do it. If for some reason you still want to be a doctor - you now have the reason why you should go to med school and become a doctor.

 

[Goro]

Your thinking is very revealing. How about being a good doctor, as what we want????

What exactly are they looking for in an applicant, I can only think of two things that would benefit them,
1) The applicant won't drop out
2) The applicant does something that benefits the institution

 

[JustAPhD]

\

In a hospital, physicians do have more power over the other staff, so less people to boss you around, so I guess that's another reason, maybe I should say I see myself as a leader, like Dr. House?

 

[7331poas]

\

In a hospital, physicians do have more power over the other staff, so less people to boss you around, so I guess that's another reason, maybe I should say I see myself as a leader, like Dr. House?

Like Dr. House....

Right ok. This is a troll folks

 

[Mad Jack]

Yep. You can say whatever you want in your interview.

 

[TheConfused]

A

Your thinking is very revealing. How about being a good doctor, as what we want????

A good doctor is successful at treating his patients, nothing else

 

[cherubb3]

A good doctor is successful at treating his patients, nothing else

Make sure you share this in your interview as well.

 

[NewHorizons]

A


A good doctor is successful at treating his patients, nothing else

Man everyone fed the troll hard ... OP doesn't even know what "treating his patients" even really entails...

Do the world a favour, if you're honest as you claim to want to be... don't do this career for the betterment of society.

 

[NewHorizons]

What else should I do then? I already invested too many units into biology/ochem classes that I can't switch to compsci or engineering. Pharmacy is not worth 4 years of school for ~$100k and **** job stability and research is even worse. Right now, the only thing that fits what I want is becoming a physician but because for religious reasons, I can't lie to the admissions committee that I actually want to help people.

edit: I was also thinking of becoming a clinical laboratory scientist, they make ~$30-35 in California after completing a one year post-bac program but my dad makes around that much as a jeweler and that's just embarassing, making less money than your dad is shameful

Guess if your dad was a millionaire you'd have to be a billionaire to not bring shame to yourself........ like lololol

\

In a hospital, physicians do have more power over the other staff, so less people to boss you around, so I guess that's another reason, maybe I should say I see myself as a leader, like Dr. House?

Dr. House is at least somewhat smart ..... no one else sees you that way.

 

[sosoreal]

If the interviewer asks me why I want to be a doctor, why can't I just say I want to make a lot of money, fulfill my ego and enjoy high social status? Do they expect us to say we want to help people or something? I figured if I just told the guy the truth, I would get bonus points for honesty.

Interviewer: Why do you want to become a doctor?

Me: Job stability in 10 years, parents will be proud, high social status and I want to be able to make enough money to live in South SF comfortably and drive a Tesla model S.

Nice one
There is a high chance you won't receive an acceptance letter but u never know I might be wrong

Tell me how your interview goes it u do say that


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[MADD!!!]

I don't think the OP is trolling. I believe he just has a misguided perception of the true face of the medical world.

OP, I would highly recommend starting off by shadowing people in different fields that you're interested in for a while to get a feel for what the careers are really like.

For everyone laughing, this is actually a very common theme in medicine. Many people pursue it because of how its glorified in society, but when they get hit with the endless hours of studying and work, they begin to drop out of med school like flies. This is why shadowing and working in clinically-related fields is a must for pre-meds so they really understand what they're getting themselves into BEFORE they start medical school.

 

[markovchn123]

...

 

[Lucca]

I don't get how people think it's too late to switch goals after a couple years of college, especially when the original goal was medicine. "oh, I did this for three years in college I guess I have to do it for 50 more years now..."

Switch to CS and be happy OP but don't do medicine

 

[Sardinia]

@Lucca "Switch to CS and be happy..."
Recalls experiences in CS 101 and 102.

 

[Mad Jack]

A good doctor is successful at treating his patients, nothing else

lol, life isn't an episode of House, MD. If your patients and colleagues don't like you, for instance, your career is over. I've seen it happen to a couple maladjusted physicians in the past- they were fine at their jobs, but everyone hated them, so they were shown the door. And then the next door. And then the next door. Until the next thing you know, you heard they were out practicing in NoDak somewhere.

 

[Lucca]

@Lucca "Switch to CS and be happy..."
Recalls experiences in CS 101 and 102.

Hah, well if the OP's bar for happiness is a prestigious, well-paying position with better than average job prospects then he should be Ok in the industry if he's any good at it.

 

[Lucca]

lol, life isn't an episode of House, MD. If your patients and colleagues don't like you, for instance, your career is over. I've seen it happen to a couple maladjusted physicians in the past- they were fine at their jobs, but everyone hated them, so they were shown the door. And then the next door. And then the next door. Until the next thing you know, you heard they were out practicing in NoDak somewhere.

You ever seen the Doctor's Diaries documentary from NBC (I think?). I remember watching it in a high school and one of the ER docs (Harvard MD) couldn't get withs the whole "professionalism" (I.e sucking it up and following hospital regulations on dress and conduct) thing and ended up working per diem all over the place and living paycheck to paycheck in the boonies.

 

[deleted407021]

You ever seen the Doctor's Diaries documentary from NBC (I think?). I remember watching it in a high school and one of the ER docs (Harvard MD) couldn't get withs the whole "professionalism" (I.e sucking it up and following hospital regulations on dress and conduct) thing and ended up working per diem all over the place and living paycheck to paycheck in the boonies.

Almost everyone in that documentary ended up dysfunctional and miserable.

 

[Lucca]

Almost everyone in that documentary ended up dysfunctional and miserable.

But you know who didn't? The one who became a scientist. Yay for science! Lol jk there are a ton of super bitter scientists

 

[deleted407021]

But you know who didn't? The one who became a scientist. Yay for science! Lol jk there are a ton of super bitter scientists

Tons of super bitter everything, really.

But the EM doc who couldn't even afford health insurance?

 

[Sardinia]

Hah, well if the OP's bar for happiness is a prestigious, well-paying position with better than average job prospects then he should be Ok in the industry if he's any good at it.

50% of our class finished CS 101 with a non-pass score e.g. D/F. There was no curve. If your programs worked you passed, if they didn't you failed. Let's compare this to Bio 101 where you don't need to understand everything within a cell and focusing on what you may need to know will still get you a decent score. Same thing with organic, if you know 80% of how a certain reaction pathway undergoes Sn1 or Sn2, then you will get some credit or have some questions you can answer. In computer science, if you write a program that is 80% correct the automated grading system will not recognize it and give you a 0% for the homework/midterm/final. A lot of early comp sci classes ask for higher level thinking a lot earlier than a lot of majors and require the right answer to be given. These classes were the hardest classes I ever took in undergrad. I'm sure people find Java/Data Structures a breeze. But you really need to be a certain type of person to really flourish in the CS field.

tl;dr I know way too many people who regret not going into CS after their Biology / Chemistry degree failed to get them the job experience they wanted. I believe that the CS job market for programmers is lucrative because of the requirements to learn these complex languages within a relatively short time span is impressive. Also I feel sorry for people who take CS currently as a lot of tech companies are looking for promising potential overseas e.g. 40%+ of H1B Visas go to people with bach/masters backgrounds for comp sci jobs overseas. It's tough.

 

[redferrari]

If I wanted prestige, money, and a comfortable life, I would've been an energy commerce, finance, or petroleum engineering major.

My younger cousins always tell me, "You're about to get all the money and women!!" I tell them, "Eh, not really, kiddo."

But please, drop your honesty line in an interview, and let us all know when it results in a rejection letter.

P.S. I know a surgeon in my home state who raises cows to be able to stay afloat. He/she doesn't drive a ridiculously expensive car, lives in a modest house, and doesn't wear the most expensive brands. This person is widely-regarded and gets referrals from hundreds of miles away. You're in for a big surprise if you think medicine is the best profession to get rich.

 

[lyana]

make sure to write your personal statement with those exact reasons you want to go into medicine and then you won't need to worry about the interviews at all!

 

[redferrari]

make sure to write your personal statement with those exact reasons you want to go into medicine and then you won't need to worry about the interviews at all!

I've actually proofread personal statements that had those reasons. Being as we were applying to the same schools, I didn't say anything about it

 

[Goro]

I've actually proofread personal statements that had those reasons. Being as we were applying to the same schools, I didn't say anything about it

 

[lyana]

I've actually proofread personal statements that had those reasons. Being as we were applying to the same schools, I didn't say anything about it

lol!
Seriously honesty is great, but common sense is even better... in some situations.

 

[piii]

This assumes you can even get an interview

 

[Oh_Gee]

"we've been looking years for a brave soul to tell the truth. Linda, get this man his auto-accept letter and a full tuition scholarship."

"he is the chosen one"