Clarifying something said during the interview?

[DieselD]

I was wondering if it would be way off-base to clarify something said in the interview in an email?

I was caught off guard on one of the questions and probably gave a dumb answer. I'm pretty sure it was not THAT big of a deal and I'm just monday morning quaterbacking it. Is clarifying your answer in an email to the interviewer worth drawing extra attention to it? Is it means for an auto-rejection to bring something like that up to the interviewer?Or is it perfectly okay to do it? 😱

Let me know what you all think...and no I will not say what the question was.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[nick_carraway]

I wouldn't do it. You're likely over-analyzing what you said and they likely forgot about your comment. Even if the interviewer noticed that you said something strange, you don't want to remind them about it.

Depending on the school, your interviewer might have already turned in their evaluation and an email from you would just come off as neurotic.

 

[1956Goldtop]

Unless it was something that portrayed you as a terrible human being, or was an outright lie, I would not even worry about it. You will probably bring unnecessary attention to it by e-mailing them. Besides, interviewers don't remember every single thing interviewees say.

 

[Dr_Dan_the_man]

I was wondering if it would be way off-base to clarify something said in the interview in an email?

I was caught off guard on one of the questions and probably gave a dumb answer. I'm pretty sure it was not THAT big of a deal and I'm just monday morning quaterbacking it. Is clarifying your answer in an email to the interviewer worth drawing extra attention to it? Is it means for an auto-rejection to bring something like that up to the interviewer?Or is it perfectly okay to do it? 😱

Let me know what you all think...and no I will not say what the question was.

if you wont say what the question was, nobody can help you.

I say let it be. Unless you said something that might warrant an automatic rejection, your interviewer has probably forgotten about it by now.

 

[XerxesMD]

I was wondering if it would be way off-base to clarify something said in the interview in an email?

I was caught off guard on one of the questions and probably gave a dumb answer. I'm pretty sure it was not THAT big of a deal and I'm just monday morning quaterbacking it. Is clarifying your answer in an email to the interviewer worth drawing extra attention to it? Is it means for an auto-rejection to bring something like that up to the interviewer?Or is it perfectly okay to do it? 😱

Let me know what you all think...and no I will not say what the question was.

I would recommend not doing it. Everyone gets anxious about little things they may not have expressed as articulately as they wanted to during the interview. This is very natural.

But IMO don't send an email. It's more than likely a very minor point that just possibly might have escaped the interviewers notice entirely. Even if it didn't, I am sure the interviewer is aware that you were under some stress, etc. that is a natural factor in an admissions interview. Emailing about it will show that you're a chronic worrier (which I am, and you seem to be also) and that isn't something to bring to their attention. Just let it go and know that nearly everyone feels this way after their interviews.

 

[DieselD]

Unless it was something that portrayed you as a terrible human being, or was an outright lie, I would not even worry about it. You will probably bring unnecessary attention to it by e-mailing them. Besides, interviewers don't remember every single thing interviewees say.

Lets hope it wasn't memorable then. 😀

 

[Vihsadas]

Don't be guilty of saying too much... Chances are you didn't say anything THAT controversial, and if you bring it up, then you are essentially confirming that you said something stupid. The interviewer may not even realize that you said something you felt was stupid until his attention is called to your e-mail. Sending an e-mail is a definite sign of weakness in my opinion. What you should do is send a letter of update a few weeks down the road, and a thank you note right now.

 

[justme456]

I think you'll be fine. At one of my interviews I thought I said some pretty stupid stuff, and I started to worry. I was scared that they would think I was a fool, but I got accepted so they obviously didn't. And I'm sure they understand that you were probably nervous, so I don't think it will be a problem.

 

[LizzyM]

It may be too late. Interviewers are generally expected to write a commentary within a few hours. It is possible that the committee members reviewing the application may do so in as little as 24 hours after the interview.

You could always put some comments in a letter of interest. You could say, "Dr. ___'s question about __ was very interesting and kept me thinking long after the interview was over. I strongly believe that....

you'd close the letter expressing a willingness to matriculate if chosen and noting that if every faculty member is as stimulating as Dr. __ then the students at __ medical school are very lucky indeed.

 

[nick_carraway]

It may be too late. Interviewers are generally expected to write a commentary within a few hours. It is possible that the committee members reviewing the application may do so in as little as 24 hours after the interview.

You could always put some comments in a letter of interest. You could say, "Dr. ___'s question about __ was very interesting and kept me thinking long after the interview was over. I strongly believe that....

you'd close the letter expressing a willingness to matriculate if chosen and noting that if every faculty member is as stimulating as Dr. __ then the students at __ medical school are very lucky indeed.

Ooo now that's a good way to do it. It'd be hilarious if you received a letter in the future that you had told SDN how to write, Lizzy.

 

[Vihsadas]

Ooo now that's a good way to do it. It'd be hilarious if you received a letter in the future that you had told SDN how to write, Lizzy.

That's why she's an Adcom.

Thanks for that tip, LizzyM. I wouldn't have thought of that if something like that happened to me.