can you take a note card into interview?

[startoverat40]

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i was wondering if you're allowed to take a note card into the interview, with some reminders of your standard answers on it. for example an outline of your answer to "tell me about yourself" and "why medicine". also to write down the questions you want to ask them. would that make you look bad?

 

[Geekchick921]

You're going to be doing a metric crapton of memorization in the first two years of medical school. This would be a great place to start honing that skill.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

would that make you look bad?

Yes.

/thread

 

[DrYoda]

That's just weird.

 

[Astarael]

Write out the notecard but don't bring it with you. The act of writing it down should be enough to help you to remember the important parts.

 

[rHinO1]

i was wondering if you're allowed to take a note card into the interview, with some reminders of your standard answers on it. for example an outline of your answer to "tell me about yourself" and "why medicine". also to write down the questions you want to ask them. would that make you look bad?

This would make you look horrible. Honestly, you shouldn't have "standard answers" for these questions at all. In an interview, you will be better served being genuine and personable. If you cannot answer these basic questions off the top of your head, then I would be skeptical your interviews will go well.

By the time you reach the interview stage, you have probably written dozens of secondary essays on these topics, and you should be well prepared for anything they ask you.

 

[BushidoBrown]

You've never been to a job interview, have you?

 

[startoverat40]

You've never been to a job interview, have you?

actually I've taken a clipboard/notepad to job interviews, with a few memory joggers written down, and I took notes during the interview. didn't seem to hurt me.

maybe it's a better idea to use a note card to practice in front of a mirror, but not take it to the interview...

 

[BushidoBrown]

actually I've taken a clipboard/notepad to job interviews, with a few memory joggers written down, and I took notes during the interview. didn't seem to hurt me.

maybe it's a better idea to use a note card to practice in front of a mirror, but not take it to the interview...

Maybe a better idea would be to stop practicing canned answers because interviewers can tell when you're being insincere.

 

[nlax30]

Definitely don't take a note card with an outline on it to an interview.

Honestly, just do some practice interviews so get more comfortable and don't feel like you need any sort of notes/prompts. Even practicing I'd recommend not using anything.

You do want to go into having a general idea of how you'd answer certain types of questions (Why Medicine? Your strengths/weaknesses. Tell me about yourself? What happened during Freshman year? etc...) BUT you don't to just spout off a paragraph you memorized.

 

[startoverat40]

Honestly, you shouldn't have "standard answers" for these questions at all.

Well I had read that you should prepare a standard answer to "tell me about yourself", which will be sort of your sales pitch of yourself. I guess better to practice it and memorize it so you don't stutter and forget things you want to say.

By the time you reach the interview stage, you have probably written dozens of secondary essays on these topics, and you should be well prepared for anything they ask you.

Ya you're right.

 

[startoverat40]

Maybe a better idea would be to stop practicing canned answers because interviewers can tell when you're being insincere.

well just because it is memorized and practiced, it doesn't mean it's canned. "i want to be a doctor because i want to help people" would be a canned answer. but if it's your own personal statement, why not have it prepared in advance. you shouldn't have to improvise all your answers during the interview.

 

[obgyny]

i was wondering if you're allowed to take a note card into the interview, with some reminders of your standard answers on it. for example an outline of your answer to "tell me about yourself" and "why medicine". also to write down the questions you want to ask them. would that make you look bad?

As others had said, I really wouldn't do this. What I did to prepare for the "standard questions" (Why medicine? Which specialty? Why our school? etc), is come up with bullet points of key experiences/reasons I would like to mention. But I would remember the bullet points, not write it down on a card or write out an entire answer to memorize. This way, I wouldn't sound rehearsed, but my answers would have some organization/logical flow.

I did mock interviews with friends to practice, but I felt like I did my best during my real interviews. For some reason, everything came together in the end 🙂.

 

[rhesuspieces]

An interview is a conversation, not a speech. You should behave accordingly. Besides, it's impossible to prepare for every question you could possibly be asked.

If you're really tense about interviewing, most universities offer mock interviews either through the health careers center or the business school. Take advantage of opportunities like that.

 

[NickNaylor]

You would look like a complete fool if you went into an interview with a notecard of talking points.

 

[alwaysaangel]

Having certain points you want to hit is one thing. Think the questions and answers through in your head a few time so you don't miss any of your points.

Having memorized answers is a terrible idea because the best interviews are the ones that are relaxed and conversational and flow easily on both sides. If you have specific answers you may be thrown off if the interviewer interrupts.

Having a note card would look awful

 

[Sesom]

wtf a note card? are you kidding me? smart people write it on their wrists.

 

[BushidoBrown]

wtf a note card? are you kidding me? smart people write it on their wrists.

REALLY smart people write it on the inside of their eyelids, so they can review their answers every time they blink 👍

 

[Suncrusher]

wtf a note card? are you kidding me? smart people write it on their wrists.

Yeah, that seemed to go over so well when Palin tried it

 

[a winner is you]

I actually pre-recorded my answers to those standard questions and just played it back on my iPhone during my interviews.

 

[Amalgamate]

Nothing says "I'm quick on my feet and good at thinking critically" like bringing a note card to an interview. Interviews are supposed to be you talking about yourself, it looks bad if you can't memorize who you are, almost like you're making up things about yourself and need help memorizing a false identity

 

[apumic]

Well, as much as you're all right about the notecard (that's pretty darn tacky), it actually is proper interview etiquette to have notes. The way it's generally done is to have black folder from which you remove your resume to give to the interviewer. I wouldn't go reading off my resume or notes during the interview but you can have the notebook in front of you with your own notes visible to you. That said, you generally only use the notebook when you ask them a question (in order to make a note of their answer). It can show an additional level of professionalism and preparedness. That said, when I've taken one into the interview I never looked at it during the interview itself until I asked the interviewer questions and took notes on the responses. I think looking down to your notes before answering would probably look tacky and unprepared.

 

[BiopsychStudent]

Bringing notes to an interview is fine, and expected; you're not giving a speech but its a good idea to organize your thoughts and questions. Type out your notes and keep them in a business portfolio- it looks much better.

 

[skiing]

I bring a leather padfolio with a company/school logo on it in lieu of a bag to interviews (one of of those large ones that fit my credit cards, keys, and a legal pad in it). it's pretty subtle to have a few things jotted down on the legal pad inside.

However, I don't write down things to bring to interviews because my philosophy is that I merely bring MYSELF, my personality, my inspirations into each interview, I'm there to talk about what I believe in and what I carry inside. So there's nothing canned, nothing rehearsed, it's just speaking the truth of why I want to do medicine and be a doctor. An interview is a conversation, not a canned list of answers to stereotyped questions.

 

[Zjodak]

Is the problem memorization or nervousness when it comes to interviews? I would highly recommend attending mock interviews if your school offers them to get rid of the jitters. Or just asking your friends to help you.

 

[quiltlady]

Why would you need to memorize a conversation about yourself? Don't you know who you are? Don't you know why you want to go into medicine? Can't you remember why you are applying to a particular school?

 

[Limetime]

Agreed, I think bringing a note card is a really bad idea. I may be totally off base, but is the note more for comfort/ a crutch? If you need a note card, you need to practice. Canned is awful, but being able to comfortably answer the "biggies" is good prep. Doing some mock interviews or just going over answers to yourself until it comes naturally can help. Then the night before your interview, read your essays and application so everything is fresh. You can't anticipate every question, and they are really just trying to get to know you, beyond the polished essays and grades. Reading from notes seems to defeat part of that purpose.

 

[rHinO1]

Well I had read that you should prepare a standard answer to "tell me about yourself", which will be sort of your sales pitch of yourself. I guess better to practice it and memorize it so you don't stutter and forget things you want to say.

Ya you're right.

You should definitely expect to be asked both of those questions, and you should have well thought out responses. However, you don't want to sound too rehearsed or even phony. An interview is not a test where you must hit every key point, and there is no one right answer. Keep in mind, your interviewers general impression of you is what is most important, regardless of the answers you give.

 

[naijapikin]

I don't think that would look good if you did that.

Mr Coleonthe roll, you didn't have to say he/she'd look like a fool.......come on man. everyone here offered advice in a reasonable manner.... Grow up dude!!!👍

 

[yamaraja808]

The notecard will just work against you. If you need a notecard, it just shows you have not practiced enough. There will always be uncertainty when going into an interview. This is why all of us practice so as to reduce this uncertainty.

 

[NickNaylor]

I don't think that would look good if you did that.

Mr Coleonthe roll, you didn't have to say he/she'd look like a fool.......come on man. everyone here offered advice in a reasonable manner.... Grow up dude!!!👍

I'll try.

 

[Sesom]

I'll try.

You better!

 

[MedStudentWanna]

well just because it is memorized and practiced, it doesn't mean it's canned. "i want to be a doctor because i want to help people" would be a canned answer. but if it's your own personal statement, why not have it prepared in advance. you shouldn't have to improvise all your answers during the interview.

I think you need to learn the definition of a canned response. You should NEVER EVER memorize ANY answer. You sound like a robot when you do and interviewers can tell. They don't like fakes in med school. They want students who are open and sincere, not students who memorized a few lines that they or someone else thought would sound good to an interviewer. And no, don't ever take a notecard with you.

 

[chrisoc13]

I don't think that would look good if you did that.

Mr Coleonthe roll, you didn't have to say he/she'd look like a fool.......come on man. everyone here offered advice in a reasonable manner.... Grow up dude!!!👍

Yeah but he/she would...

 

[Caesar]

no notecard.

We can tell canned answers, and will likely try to stump you with random questions if you come in reciting. Don't make it harder on yourself. We want people, not robots.

Hell, no one remembers your answers anyway, we just remember our impressions.