Common Interview Question

[Dr. Roket]

We're all expecting some tough interview questions, I just thought I might start this thread so we can all be comfortable and informed when the really tough ones pop up. Feel free to give your opinion, or pose a tough question of your own if you got one.
"What is the biggest problem in healthcare today?"

My answer: Since I am from New Mexico, the biggest problem I have seen is that health services are a luxury that many of the low income families cannot afford. This can be attributed to a lack of public financial resources and the low level of average education among border state residents, resulting in low wage jobs. This has many negative effects. The uninsured will often go untreated for minor illneses which will then progress into major maladies often only seen in developing countries, i.e. tuberculosis, respiratory, and gastrointestinal diseases. The cost of treating these major problems often goes unpaid, often because hospitals charge the uninsured exorbatantly high rates compared to insurance companies. And these bills enter the system to only drive the cost of health insurance up even higher making it even more out of reach to the poor. Do you think we could raise minimum wage without raising the cost of health coverage?

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[Teee]

• If you couldn't ever be trained to be a physician, what would you be?
I would join a missionary and travel round the world doing work in underserved areas.

 

[swim2md]

all common (and uncommon) interview questions asked by each school can be found on the SDN homepage under "Interview Feedback."

 

[Dr. Roket]

all common (and uncommon) interview questions asked by each school can be found on the SDN homepage under "Interview Feedback."

Thanks. I figured something like that should be around here somewhere, but couldn't find it in pre-allopathic. Im mainly interested in the discussion among each other, so that when an interviewer shoots a hole in our answer we have a quick and thought out response.

 

[Dr. Roket]

• If you couldn't ever be trained to be a physician, what would you be?
I would join a missionary and travel round the world doing work in underserved areas.

I hope they ask me this one!
I'd pursue a career in politics and push for better healthcare in public policy. And then I'd ready the guns and go off on the healthcare system and politicians at once, lotsa ammo.

 

[Teee]

I hope they ask me this one!
I'd pursue a career in politics and push for better healthcare in public policy. And then I'd ready the guns and go off on the healthcare system and politicians at once, lotsa ammo.

a career in politics... okay that sounds better, i am officially changing my answer

/just kidding

 

[MD-To Be]

We're all expecting some tough interview questions, I just thought I might start this thread so we can all be comfortable and informed when the really tough ones pop up. Feel free to give your opinion, or pose a tough question of your own if you got one.
"What is the biggest problem in healthcare today?"

My answer: Since I am from New Mexico, the biggest problem I have seen is that health services are a luxury that many of the low income families cannot afford. This can be attributed to a lack of public financial resources and the low level of average education among border state residents, resulting in low wage jobs. This has many negative effects. The uninsured will often go untreated for minor illneses which will then progress into major maladies often only seen in developing countries, i.e. tuberculosis, respiratory, and gastrointestinal diseases. The cost of treating these major problems often goes unpaid, often because hospitals charge the uninsured exorbatantly high rates compared to insurance companies. And these bills enter the system to only drive the cost of health insurance up even higher making it even more out of reach to the poor. Do you think we could raise minimum wage without raising the cost of health coverage?

Q. "Why do you want to be a physician"

Can be difficult for answer without sounding completely cookie cutter but yet maintaining the motivations which drive most people to medicine (i.e. helping others).

 

[Dr. Roket]

Q. "Why do you want to be a physician"

Can be difficult for answer without sounding completely cookie cutter but yet maintaining the motivations which drive most people to medicine (i.e. helping others).

That is a good one you might overlook because you think it would be an easy answer. I think you would have to really fine tune your answer and make it personal, or relate it to something you feel really strongly about. How about "The fulfillment you get from helping someone through not only a difficult illness, but a difficult time in their life is unimagineable." Kinda cookie cutter but then you could expand on it with a personal experience of when you helped someone through a difficult time, not necessarily medically related, and how good it made you feel.(try and tie it into your interests and you're good.)

 

[Teee]

how about what makes you special?

i'm black

okay okay don't flame, i am bored.

 

[MD-To Be]

That is a good one you might overlook because you think it would be an easy answer. I think you would have to really fine tune your answer and make it personal, or relate it to something you feel really strongly about. How about "The fulfillment you get from helping someone through not only a difficult illness, but a difficult time in their life is unimagineable." Kinda cookie cutter but then you could expand on it with a personal experience of when you helped someone through a difficult time, not necessarily medically related, and how good it made you feel.(try and tie it into your interests and you're good.)

When I interviewed at WSU I had a similar answer with a personalized twist of course and the bulk of one of the interviews related to that question and subsequent questions related to it. I added how a physician can so dramatically impact patients lives in a variety of ways (worded more eloquent of course).

 

[MD-To Be]

how about what makes you special?

i'm black

okay okay don't flame, i am bored.

Well, i'm not black but I can almost touch my tongue to my nose!

 

[Dr. Roket]

Well, i'm not black but I can almost touch my tongue to my nose!

I've got a scar on my elbow that looks like a Nike Swoosh. Fell off the monkey bars, 2nd grade.

 

[MD-To Be]

I've got a scar on my elbow that looks like a Nike Swoosh. Fell off the monkey bars, 2nd grade.

If that dosen't make for a good physician then what does. I mean, come on!

 

[DrBowtie]

I hope they ask me this one!
I'd pursue a career in politics and push for better healthcare in public policy. And then I'd ready the guns and go off on the healthcare system and politicians at once, lotsa ammo.

I'm guessing you'd have a (D) after your name?

 

[Dr. Roket]

If that dosen't make for a good physician then what does. I mean, come on!

How about this. "I've wanted to be a physician ever since 2nd grade when I fell off the monkey bars and my radius ripped through my skin. When I saw the bone popping out I thought I was gonna die, then I passed out. When I came to my jeans were hard with dried blood, and I had a giant cast. It was awesome! Ever since then doctors have been my heroes!!!"

 

[MD-To Be]

How about this. "I've wanted to be a physician ever since 2nd grade when I fell off the monkey bars and my radius ripped through my skin. When I saw the bone popping out I thought I was gonna die, then I passed out. When I came to my jeans were hard with dried blood, and I had a giant cast. It was awesome! Ever since then doctors have been my heroes!!!"

**Tear wells up in my eye***

Touching. Harvard here you come

 

[Dr. Roket]

I'm guessing you'd have a (D) after your name?

Don't roll your baby blues at me Brett. But you bring up a good point. During our interviews how much of our political views should we let loose. If a republican interviews me I'm pretty much screwed! Maybe I should just apply to boston med schools to be on the safe side.

 

[DrBowtie]

Don't roll your baby blues at me Brett. But you bring up a good point. During our interviews how much of our political views should we let loose. If a republican interviews me I'm pretty much screwed! Maybe I should just apply to boston med schools to be on the safe side.

I'd say just tone your original statement down a little bit as to sound like a person, not just someone spouting liberal talking points.

 

[Dr. Roket]

I'd say just tone your original statement down a little bit as to sound like a person, not just someone spouting liberal talking points.

Hey, right wing conserv.'s distrust politicians just as much as liberals, and, and, and, you're gonna tell me liberals are the only ones with gripes about the U.S. healthcare system. Well Brett I believe you might be out of touch with your own party, maybe you should try being an independent, worked for Leiberman!

 

[Dr. Roket]

I'd say just tone your original statement down a little bit as to sound like a person, not just someone spouting liberal talking points.

On a serious note, what's right with the U.S. healthcare system. I find myself easily siding with detractors but what would you say are the positives of the U.S. health system. I would like to think that it's affordable for the majority of the nation, at least like 60 percent right. Does anyone know what the statistics are for americans who are satisfied with their health coverage?

 

[DrBowtie]

Hey, right wing conserv.'s distrust politicians just as much as liberals, and, and, and, you're gonna tell me liberals are the only ones with gripes about the U.S. healthcare system. Well Brett I believe you might be out of touch with your own party, maybe you should try being an independent, worked for Leiberman!

Who's my party? Don't associate me with the wreckless spending and expansion of government as seen under this "Republican" administration.

 

[modelslashactor]

what's right with our healthcare system is that if you have a bad disease and a sizeable fortune, you can still live forever.

 

[Dr. Roket]

Who's my party? Don't associate me with the wreckless spending and expansion of government as seen under this "Republican" administration.

And here I thought we'd never agree on anything.

 

[acrobat]

Watergate does not bother me, does your conscious bother you, tell the truth?

 

[DoctorPardi]

I would try not to make my political beliefs quite so transparent. You can express your problems with the healthcare system, but don't go wacky about it. Everyone wishes we had free healthcare but how do the doctors/nurses/staff get paid in that scenario?

Socialized health care works to a degree in other countries, however there are flaws in any system. It would probably not be in your best interest to sound like an extreme liberal in a very conservative profession.

 

[LabMonster]

Schools want diversity, not zealots. Keep your opinions, but express them as a professional.

 

[Oculus Sinistra]

On a serious note, what's right with the U.S. healthcare system. I find myself easily siding with detractors but what would you say are the positives of the U.S. health system. I would like to think that it's affordable for the majority of the nation, at least like 60 percent right. Does anyone know what the statistics are for americans who are satisfied with their health coverage?

"What's right with the health care system?"
might even be a harder question than the usual
"What's wrong with the system?"



What's wrong with the system?
Depends on who you ask.

 

[applyingsucks]

This question was posed to a good friend of mine 2 years ago at an IVY interview.

Do you masturbate?

If so, how many times a week?

The question was asked tastefully. (Male to Male, I would suppose that if a Male asked a female this question it would fall under some sort of sexual harassment). The question has a large shock value to it, and the ADCOM wanted to see how one handled it.

Other tough interview questions/scenarios that friends have been through:

This one case in particular was a women interviewer who started the interview with a large cough, and throughout the interview coughed loudly and obnoxiously (to the point where my friend asked if she wanted a glass of water). At that point the women said I was wondering how long it would take you to ask, and then ceased to cough for the remainder of the interview.

Again ADCOMS want to see that your normal, most schools wont give you these pressure situations, rather they'll just ask 1)why do you want to become a physician? 2) Where will medicine be in 10 years? (Hopefully still here) 3) Discuss a negative quality about yourself, and then the standard ethical/moral questions.

There are further horror interview stories that I have heard from upperclassmen (not sure if they are true or not, windows being nailed or painted shut and students were asked to open them), Most are probably not true or 1/2 true, but the masturbation question and the coughing scenario have both happened to close friends (thank god not to the same kid).

Bottom line if you got an interview you are good enough to gain acceptance into their class, so just keep your cool, sound interesting, knowledgeable, smile your ass off and don’t be to phony (be a god for 2 hours), seems rough but its possible.

 

[Dr. Roket]

"What's right with the health care system?"
might even be a harder question than the usual
"What's wrong with the system?"



What's wrong with the system?
Depends on who you ask.

Found this online, puts a good point to those who are disabled (I don't know about the elderly). But if you're disabled under the health care system you're moderately well taken care of, can speak only from observation, not experience. And the advances in healthcare are undeniable. The whole article goes on about advancement and rising costs. Interesting read.



"For all the discouraging news about this whole subject, one underlying point is crucial to keep in mind. Health care is in trouble these days because medicine has gotten so good. The elderly and disabled, who represent the most expensive group of Medicaid recipients, are not complaining about the fact that new medications and technologies permit them to live longer and healthier lives. Nobody worried about the supply of chicken-pox vaccine 20 years ago because it hadn’t been introduced. The overriding issue in health everywhere these days is how to create a system that provides the benefits of 21st-century medicine in a way that meets the test of a fair and equitable society." The whole article is here http://www.governing.com/gpp/2004/intro.htm

And 'Applying Sucks' just tell them that you only do it once a day in the shower, no better natural conditioner in the world!

 

[Law2Doc]

I can almost touch my tongue to my nose!

That might say more about how big your nose is than how big your tongue is, though.

 

[Rafa]

^ What do Penelope Cruz and thoroughbreed horses have in common?

Both can pick their noses with their tongues!

 

[Richspiders07]

This question was posed to a good friend of mine 2 years ago at an IVY interview.

Do you masturbate?

If so, how many times a week?

The question was asked tastefully. (Male to Male, I would suppose that if a Male asked a female this question it would fall under some sort of sexual harassment). The question has a large shock value to it, and the ADCOM wanted to see how one handled it.

Other tough interview questions/scenarios that friends have been through:

This one case in particular was a women interviewer who started the interview with a large cough, and throughout the interview coughed loudly and obnoxiously (to the point where my friend asked if she wanted a glass of water). At that point the women said I was wondering how long it would take you to ask, and then ceased to cough for the remainder of the interview.

Again ADCOMS want to see that your normal, most schools wont give you these pressure situations, rather they'll just ask 1)why do you want to become a physician? 2) Where will medicine be in 10 years? (Hopefully still here) 3) Discuss a negative quality about yourself, and then the standard ethical/moral questions.

There are further horror interview stories that I have heard from upperclassmen (not sure if they are true or not, windows being nailed or painted shut and students were asked to open them), Most are probably not true or 1/2 true, but the masturbation question and the coughing scenario have both happened to close friends (thank god not to the same kid).

Bottom line if you got an interview you are good enough to gain acceptance into their class, so just keep your cool, sound interesting, knowledgeable, smile your ass off and don’t be to phony (be a god for 2 hours), seems rough but its possible.

bump... so others could read these ridiculous scenarios