Confrontational interviewer

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ClearDay

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Can anyone comment on confrontational interviews? Better yet, has anyone ever been accepted to a place where you think the interviewer was 'aggressive' in their line of questioning? I had this interview at a school where my friend (an MS at the school) told me that interviewers are really nice and just want to know who you are. One of my interview was totally confrontational. I felt like he/she might be prejudiced against me because of my non-traditional/cultural background. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks!
 
well, do you think you held your own when she was grilling you? in that case, if you performed well under pressure, maybe it's a good thing. think of it this way, some schools give interviews that are so fluffy - "what's your family like," "what are your hobbies," "blah blah." then, everyone has a good interview and it's hard to feel like you'd be able to stand out in any way. so, maybe this was your chance to stand out. i've met so many people at these interviews who seemed so agitated and unsure of themselves. i can imagine lots of those people would crack under a lot of pressure during an interview. best of luck.
 
I did the best I could and I think all of my answers are valid and show my strengths. I'm just praying that what you said is true in this case. Thanks!
 
ClearDay said:
Can anyone comment on confrontational interviews? Better yet, has anyone ever been accepted to a place where you think the interviewer was 'aggressive' in their line of questioning? I had this interview at a school where my friend (an MS at the school) told me that interviewers are really nice and just want to know who you are. One of my interview was totally confrontational. I felt like he/she might be prejudiced against me because of my non-traditional/cultural background. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks!


Where did you interview? Baylor?
 
Why? Is Baylor famous for this type of interview???
 
ClearDay said:
Why? Is Baylor famous for this type of interview???

I don't know but I was there yesterday and felt my guy kept trying to be confrontational
 
JG198 said:
I don't know but I was there yesterday and felt my guy kept trying to be confrontational

was it Dr. Phillips?

He's generally very nice! But he may come off as kind of dry.....still very nice though.....especially once you get to know him.
 
I interviewed at Baylor on Oct. 7th and felt my interview was confrontational. I was not the only student who felt the interview was confrontational but then again other students that day did not have the same experience. I don't know what can be done about it because the admissions decision was made that evening. I have not heard any thing from them so I am assuming I did not get in. 🙁
 
Hi maxlady.
From what I heard so far, there are people with confrontational interviewers that get in. I also think someone said they seem to be accepting 9/9 interviewees at this point. So, I assume you still have a little while to wait. Good luck.
 
If it makes you feel any better, my only acceptance so far came out of what I thought was my worst interview. The guy grilled me on my background but I guess I defended myself well.

good luck! 🙂 :luck:
 
The impression I'm getting these days of Texas school interviews is they only want to weed out the unpleasant types and if you pass that test, you have a good chance of getting in. The only place I've heard of a confrontational interview was UT Houston.
 
I think that one strategy for dealing with this type of interview is to turn the tables on the interviewer and respond by deflecting the hostility by saying something like, "(pause for effect) I am sorry, when you first asked me _____ I thought you were being a bit hostile, but now that I think about it, I am sure that you just wanted me to explain...."

often, the interviewer may not realize that he is being outright hostile, so by this gentle reminder that you are a human with feelings, they might back off a bit. It also shows social grace. I sorta hope I get an interview like this - as unpleasant as they are, they really give you the opportunity to shine. Good luck!
 
I sure hope I get one of these now that I have an admission to a school I would not mind going to. I will stand on a soap box and set these abusive jerks straight, sorry but I am a strictly believer in non-confrontational exchange of ideas not who can scream the loudest or these childish; prove your point nonsense.
 
ClearDay said:
Can anyone comment on confrontational interviews? Better yet, has anyone ever been accepted to a place where you think the interviewer was 'aggressive' in their line of questioning? I had this interview at a school where my friend (an MS at the school) told me that interviewers are really nice and just want to know who you are. One of my interview was totally confrontational. I felt like he/she might be prejudiced against me because of my non-traditional/cultural background. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks!

My first interview was with a really confrontational guy. It was a somewhat elderly psychiatrist at Downstate. I've read since that he is infamous for being really mean, even making interviewees cry. He basically challanged everything I said and even told me a few times, outright, that he didn't believe me. I got sick of it and started to push back - which oddly enough he loved. He warmed up immediatly and even walked me back to the admissions office. I got an acceptance a few days later.

-casey
 
one school - two interviewers, both very aggressive. challenged me on my lack of experience, lack of coursework, and was especially combative about an essay i had written for the secondary (i essentially said in my answer that i thought the question was stupid). but i stood by my answer and my record.

i got in. tho i'm still a bit shaken by that interview.
 
I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who's had to deal with a confrontational interviewer. I had a guy who started out by saying that he needed to discuss my weaknesses in order to be my advocate on the committee, but then he basically ripped me to shreds (my gpa was too low, my MCAT was too low, my clinical experience was lacking and he wanted to make sure my decision wasn't based on episodes of ER (???), I got a B- in ochem 2, what were my safety schools, maybe I should take review classes to make up for my Bs, blah blah blah blah). At one point, he asked me why I wanted to be a doctor and I gave this whole elaborate response, which he summed up as "So, you want to help people." :laugh: I wanted to cry. I'm sincerely hoping that he was so hard on me so that he really could act as my advocate, but I left that interview feeling about 2 inches tall.
 
i had a confrontational interviewer at NYMC tryin to bust my balls on the question of socialized healthcare....he pissed me off very bad...in the end i was rejected
 
I had a very confrontation interview at VCU. The guys really did not seem to like me. I still havent heard from them but im betting its a no-go. I definitely wanted to cry right after and it tainted my whole impression of the school. 🙁 🙁
 
Flopotomist said:
I think that one strategy for dealing with this type of interview is to turn the tables on the interviewer and respond by deflecting the hostility by saying something like, "(pause for effect) I am sorry, when you first asked me _____ I thought you were being a bit hostile, but now that I think about it, I am sure that you just wanted me to explain...."

often, the interviewer may not realize that he is being outright hostile, so by this gentle reminder that you are a human with feelings, they might back off a bit. It also shows social grace. I sorta hope I get an interview like this - as unpleasant as they are, they really give you the opportunity to shine. Good luck!
yikes, i'd never say that; some people don't like being put on the defensive and could hold it against you. or if i brought it up at all, i'd tone it down A LOT by not using the word "hostile"
 
Casey James said:
My first interview was with a really confrontational guy. It was a somewhat elderly psychiatrist at Downstate. I've read since that he is infamous for being really mean, even making interviewees cry. He basically challanged everything I said and even told me a few times, outright, that he didn't believe me. I got sick of it and started to push back - which oddly enough he loved. He warmed up immediatly and even walked me back to the admissions office. I got an acceptance a few days later.

-casey
wow, that is a terrible way to interview; i'm glad it paid off in your case. Not everyone would appreciate that, though, you got to know your audience.
 
If they're mean to me, I'm not going even if I get in. I'm extremely sensitive. Sniff; Sniff.
Seriously though, the experiences you guys are describing would probably leave me in tears....
 
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