Do looks matter?

[tbone1234]

So I thought I'd start what I think is an interesting topic.

How much do you think physical looks matter to adcoms? Sure, we can say that interview skills and a great application matters most, but it's impossible to say that attractiveness does not play a role since... after all, adcoms are human.

And yes, I bring this up because I'm slightly worried about my own appearance. I've gained a lot of weight the past year (personal reasons... not a good excuse though), and have been working hard to lose it by interview time.

What do ya'll think?

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[FutureDrB]

I'd say no impact. At least I hope not. Especially in a professional field like medicine where knowledge matters...unlike some other fields like sales, where your looks (especially female) weigh in significantly.

 

[Kliffmeister]

As long as we have hormones surging through our bodies, looks do matter.
I think it's just human nature to give preference or favoritism to those we think look hot. I mean medical students can become potential workmates. The interview panel isn't only made up of 'unbiased' professors or whatnot. There are also student interviewers (I'm not saying students are biased and operate on hormones...but generally the younger the person is, more sexual hormones). What the interview panel is looking for are people they can tolerate working with as well as being competent in medical knowledge.
That being said, I doubt looks will have a huge impact during interview. If it has any effect, I would say it will be minimal. But it's always nice to look at a person when they are very good looking...it is easy on the eyes.
I'm not writing this to start an argument...i'm only giving a perspective on human behaviour. I know the adcom will most likely try to be fair and try not to judge the applicant based on their physical attributes.
Call me shallow if you will, but pretty teachers get higher rating from students...same goes for pretty doctors.
But don't worry bud, I know many gals who like their man with little meat on their bones lol

 

[binko]

Probably a lot up to a point, then not so much.

That's about as specific as you can get with something that's both subjective and subconscious affecting decisions, unless you do some kind of psychological study which would be cool.

 

[kcin]

Yes.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I'd say no impact. At least I hope not. Especially in a professional field like medicine where knowledge matters...unlike some other fields like sales, where your looks (especially female) weigh in significantly.

It doesn't matter whether it is an interview for a sales position or for a managerial position or even for residency interviews, looks matter. The first impression you will ever make on anyone will be based completely on looks, and if you're a bad looker or sloppily dressed, then you're going to have to spend a lot of time trying to redeem yourself with intellect and personality. But in the end you will most likely be out competed by someone who has the full package of being intelligent, attractive, and well dressed as well as skilled in kissing ass, and not surprisingly most pre-med matriculates fall into this group of people.

To exemplify a situation and to distract you from the ideals of our society: Pretend you're in a pancake shop, you're a waiter, you are given the choice to serve a single group of people, you can choose to serve a table with a couple of attractive people, or a table of people who look they live in the swamp. Who would you choose?

 

[kcin]

To exemplify a situation and to distract you from the ideals of our society: Pretend you're in a pancake shop, you're a waiter, you are given the choice to serve a single group of people, you can choose to serve a table with a couple of attractive people, or a table of people who look they live in the swamp. Who would you choose?

What do you have against swamp folk? You're > < this close to being called out to a dance off.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

What do you have against swamp folk? You're > < this close to being called out to a dance off.

Bring it!

 

[Dr Yiot]

Bring it!

i happen to find your comment about swamp people very insulting as I love the show.

I am going to 100% say that yes, it totally plays into the decision. I hate the fact that it does but it does. even if your dressed to impress, clean cut and present yourself well if your not a looker it will play against you.

 

[denco88]

I would say it matters too... I think especially when it comes to weight. I noticed that on the interview trail, that there were never overweight students talking to us. I think this may be a health thing as well. If you were a patient and you went to an overweight PCP, and he/she told you you needed to lose weight, how exactly would you take it?

Again I am definitely not saying its right, but I do believe it factors in.

 

[FutureDrB]

To exemplify a situation and to distract you from the ideals of our society: Pretend you're in a pancake shop, you're a waiter, you are given the choice to serve a single group of people, you can choose to serve a table with a couple of attractive people, or a table of people who look they live in the swamp. Who would you choose?

Well, that's disheartening. I guess I'm one of those guys who still holds some hope for humanity.

In all seriousness though, I actually worked as a waiter throughout college and I would choose the "swamp people" any day over the nice dressed group.

I had to do a research project for my capstone statistics class and so I did it on who tips the most. I broke it down by gender, singles, groups, appearance, etc. I was blown away by the results. The worst-dressed people tipped the most, as do small groups of women. Teens and groups of business-dressed men were the worst tippers by far.

I took into consideration that I was a male and that might sway how other males tipped, but I will certainly never judge a book by it's cover based on that, as well as a few other experiences I've had over the years.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

That's actually some really interesting research.

But you're only looking in the realm of the conscious, below it lies an entire subconscious which has already unconsciously made a decision about those people. But, meh... I'm just poking at things at this point.

But on a side note, this conversation makes me think of a lady I had in my microbiology class, she had this horrible odor floating about her and everyone basically referred to her as the smell lady. It makes me think that if I was an adcom and I had to interview a really smelly person, what would I do? I think I'd probably have an extremely negative opinion of the person for a good portion of the interview.

 

[Goro]

To this AdCom member, and our AdCom, absolutely not. I have several students who are, quite seriously, morbidly obese, and a few I'd call anorexic.

Dressing like a slob on interview day is NOT a good idea, however. You don't have to wear a suit, but we've rejected people who physically looked like they didn't take the interview seriously. Imagine how they'd be with patients!

So I thought I'd start what I think is an interesting topic.

How much do you think physical looks matter to adcoms? Sure, we can say that interview skills and a great application matters most, but it's impossible to say that attractiveness does not play a role since... after all, adcoms are human.

And yes, I bring this up because I'm slightly worried about my own appearance. I've gained a lot of weight the past year (personal reasons... not a good excuse though), and have been working hard to lose it by interview time.

What do ya'll think?

 

[randomusername]

Just based on what I've seen when I look around MWU's campus, looks matter a helluva lot more in dental school than in med school.

 

[fastlane]

I hope so!! But in all honesty, as long as you are dressed well and professional, it should not matter how you look.

 

[KDT]

Yeah looks matter no matter what. As hard as you can try there will always be some kind of bias with looks. Even though they may not intentionally man to do it. All in all dress nice, don't overkill on cologne/perfumes, and cover up.