Do adcoms view quiet people as bad candidates?

[mynameissss]

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So, I'm not a very outgoing person, although I do just fine when dealing with patients or customers (I've worked in a restaurant)... but my friend was telling me how our research adviser wrote in her LOR that she was quiet, and I'm probably even more quiet than she is, and this same professor is writing one of my LORs so I'm afraid he'll say it about me in mine. If I have an otherwise fairly competitive application do you think this will severely hurt my chances? I mean I'm not anti-social, I'm just not the type of person who is really that great at small talk. Any thoughts?

 

[chillaxbro]

I'm the same way
As long as you do well on the interview you'll be fine

 

[Ismet]

You're fine. I'm normally pretty quiet unless I'm with friends, but as long as you can interact well with patients (and interact well in your interview), you'll be fine.

 

[TheShaker]

I'm a quiet person myself but I failed out of all my interviews so...😳

 

[OMGMike]

I think it could be looked upon poorly but probably won't affect your app. I seriously doubt it would stop you from getting an interview. And once you have an interview, just make sure it goes well and they won't give a crap if your PI said you are quiet.

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

I'm one of the quietest people I know and I got four acceptances from five interviews. You just need to try to be reasonably friendly throughout the six hours or so of interview day. After that you can go back to being yourself.

 

[virtuoso735]

This thread might be helpful: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=921016

 

[plumhill]

So, I'm not a very outgoing person, although I do just fine when dealing with patients or customers (I've worked in a restaurant)... but my friend was telling me how our research adviser wrote in her LOR that she was quiet, and I'm probably even more quiet than she is, and this same professor is writing one of my LORs so I'm afraid he'll say it about me in mine. If I have an otherwise fairly competitive application do you think this will severely hurt my chances? I mean I'm not anti-social, I'm just not the type of person who is really that great at small talk. Any thoughts?

There's a difference between quiet and antisocial. Being quiet isn't a bad thing (IMO its a good thing) as long as you can still easily interact with people and can be assertive when necessary.

 

[mimelim]

I don't know why a letter writer would write that a person is quiet. Do they not have anything better to talk about? If they are meaning something else and specifically something NOT negative, why not be more specific and say exactly what they mean? Sounds like some just plain bad writing. Poor communication++ (unless the writer is intentionally putting ambiguity/potentially negative things into their letters).

 

[punkedoutriffs]

Just be like Ryan Gosling in "Drive" and you'll be fine.

 

[FxnOverload]

There's a difference between quiet and antisocial. Being quiet isn't a bad thing (IMO its a good thing) as long as you can still easily interact with people and can be assertive when necessary.

This. I even know a school who's secondary asks you whether or not you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert, and I'm guessing it's not so they can outright reject anyone who considers themselves an introvert.

 

[tantacles]

So, I'm not a very outgoing person, although I do just fine when dealing with patients or customers (I've worked in a restaurant)... but my friend was telling me how our research adviser wrote in her LOR that she was quiet, and I'm probably even more quiet than she is, and this same professor is writing one of my LORs so I'm afraid he'll say it about me in mine. If I have an otherwise fairly competitive application do you think this will severely hurt my chances? I mean I'm not anti-social, I'm just not the type of person who is really that great at small talk. Any thoughts?

I wouldn't worry too much about this. As long as you make sure you have letter-writers who describe you extremely positively, and you can figure this out by asking them "Would you be able to write me a really positive recommendation letter for medical school?", you should be just fine.

 

[LizzyM]

Some schools put a lot of emphasis on small group learning and collaboration. If you've been at such a school and do not contribute to classroom discussion, the letter writer might be correct to state that you are "quiet". Some will further elaborate to say that the student, when he has something to say, is eloquent and profound. Or perhaps the writer will note that the student is an excellent writer.

Schools that are looking for lively contributors to classroom and conference room discussion might not feel that a "quiet" applicant will be a good fit with their school. Schools that engage the students in a more passive learning environment may consider a quiet student who is not going to be asking off the wall questions at every turn (you all know the type) to be an asset.