Epic Interview Fail

[grsonn]

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So, during my interview when I had the chance to ask questions of my interviewer, I froze. I even had a list of well-prepared questions written down in front of me, but all I could think of was a literary magazine I heard the medical school used to publish. A literary journal. Full of poems and creative writing about medicine. Not scientific. Probably not even published any more (my interviewer was stumped). I actually asked about poetry. Not about residency matches, or how the pass/fail grading system works, or preparation for the USMLE - nope, I asked about poetry. Poetry.

Anyone else care to share their epic fails in the application process?😀

 

[ShenanigansMD]

you're fine

 

[kpcrew]

...

 

[Tots]

If that is your biggest interview fail(if it even counts as a fail) than I think you are doing awesome. I got into a school where the interviewer(the dean of admissions) asked me: "As a _____ major, how are you qualified for your current job?" and I said without thinking: "Well, I'm not." That was a fun one to elaborate on.

 

[ribbondino]

That made me lol.

 

[Pattycake25]

If that is your biggest interview fail(if it even counts as a fail) than I think you are doing awesome. I got into a school where the interviewer(the dean of admissions) asked me: "As a _____ major, how are you qualified for your current job?" and I said without thinking: "Well, I'm not." That was a fun one to elaborate on.

You got in due to your refreshing honesty. =)

 

[iBear]

I had a similar mess up to Tots. I was asked what I thought my biggest obstacle in medical school would be. I said it would probably be third year, when I started clerkships and could see how I would perform in an actual hospital setting. She asked me what I would do if I found out I couldn't cut it.

Me: "Well, I'd probably owe it to all my potential future patients and myself to leave medical school, then."

Her: 😱

Me: "... UHHH. But I would, of course, do my best to improve before I took such a drastic action!"

I also had another interviewer ask me what TV shows I watched. I was marathoning Supernatural at the time and answered that, and she seemed to be judging me pretty harshly...

Oh well.

 

[grsonn]

If that is your biggest interview fail(if it even counts as a fail) than I think you are doing awesome. I got into a school where the interviewer(the dean of admissions) asked me: "As a _____ major, how are you qualified for your current job?" and I said without thinking: "Well, I'm not." That was a fun one to elaborate on.

Ha ha - I would have loved to see the expression on his face when he heard your response!

 

[Ismet]

OP, it's no biggie. Stop worrying about it. If anything, it shows that you have interests outside of medicine, and that's a good thing! 🙂

I also had another interviewer ask me what TV shows I watched. I was marathoning Supernatural at the time and answered that, and she seemed to be judging me pretty harshly...

Oh well.

LOL I got the same weird look last year when I said my favorite show was Doctor Who. *sigh*

I'm currently catching up on Supernatural though 👍

 

[KnuxNole]

I had a similar mess up to Tots. I was asked what I thought my biggest obstacle in medical school would be. I said it would probably be third year, when I started clerkships and could see how I would perform in an actual hospital setting. She asked me what I would do if I found out I couldn't cut it.

Me: "Well, I'd probably owe it to all my potential future patients and myself to leave medical school, then."

Her: 😱

Me: "... UHHH. But I would, of course, do my best to improve before I took such a drastic action!"

I also had another interviewer ask me what TV shows I watched. I was marathoning Supernatural at the time and answered that, and she seemed to be judging me pretty harshly...

Oh well.

Hey, Supernatural is a good show!

 

[grsonn]

I was asked what kind of books I like to read, and when I said science-fiction, the interviewer paused and then said "Interesting . . ." followed by another awkward pause.

 

[ShenanigansMD]

I was asked what kind of books I like to read, and when I said science-fiction, the interviewer paused and then said "Interesting . . ." followed by another awkward pause.

At least you didn't say Twilight, or 50 Shades.

 

[SilverCat]

This is a little off topic, but I went to an undergrad with a medical school in the US News top five. So my interviewer at a lower tier school asked me, 'So why not go to your undergrad's medical school?' I kind of fudged by saying that I really wanted to get out of the city I'm living in, but I don't think they bought it.

How do you guys answer that question? Be honest and say, 'I applied there, but they don't think I'm good enough for interview, so I'm coming to your school instead,' and imply that their school is crummy? It seemed like such a Catch-22 question.

 

[mimelim]

This is a little off topic, but I went to an undergrad with a medical school in the US News top five. So my interviewer at a lower tier school asked me, 'So why not go to your undergrad's medical school?' I kind of fudged by saying that I really wanted to get out of the city I'm living in, but I don't think they bought it.

How do you guys answer that question? Be honest and say, 'I applied there, but they don't think I'm good enough for interview, so I'm coming to your school instead,' and imply that their school is crummy? It seemed like such a Catch-22 question.

Meh, I got that a couple of times interviewing for MS (Wash U UG). SLU asked me if I'd go there over Wash U. Hopkins asked if I'd consider them over HMS. Do not in any way that will diminish their school or the other school. Personally, I always joked with them that if as undergrads we simply picked which medical school we would go to, it would be an entirely different process. I think you can either evade the question or simply highlight some of the positives of the school that you are at. You don't need to compare the two schools for them.


My biggest interview fail from MS interviews was that I told one of the Hopkins interviewers that my biggest weakness was my memory. It was a student interviewer so I doubt it mattered much, but the guy couldn't get over my initial answer. Even though I explained how I had spent undergrad learning how to be an effective studier, they just couldn't get over that someone with a natively 'poor' memory would apply to medical school.

 

[Tots]

I also had another interviewer ask me what TV shows I watched. I was marathoning Supernatural at the time and answered that, and she seemed to be judging me pretty harshly...

Oh well.

LOL I got the same weird look last year when I said my favorite show was Doctor Who. *sigh*

I'm currently catching up on Supernatural though 👍

Pft Supernatural is awesome. NO REGRETS!

I spent one of my interviews talking about Dr. Who, it was great!

 

[Planes2Doc]

At my interview, one of the people in my group was a non-traditional student. When he came back, he said that the interviewers asked him about a specific computer language he had on his resume. He told them that he didn't actually know what it was, and only had it on there because it looked good.

I didn't see him on campus this year!

 

[CuttingCorneas]

At my interview, one of the people in my group was a non-traditional student. When he came back, he said that the interviewers asked him about a specific computer language he had on his resume. He told them that he didn't actually know what it was, and only had it on there because it looked good.

I didn't see him on campus this year!

That's like the story about the guy who claimed to be a great piano player. So they interviewer took him outside, down the hall, to a piano, then asked him to play.

Or the one where a guy claimed to be in an a cappella group and was asked to sing in front of his interviewers. I don't think being tone-deaf helped.

 

[mimelim]

I was quizzed on rocket propulsion stuff at a residency interview. It was actually kinda fun 🙂

Don't put it in your app if you don't want to talk about it!

 

[Sandstorm]

R

 

[unhappytnt]

During my interview I kept referring to the school as Upstate. I was interviewing at Downstate...

 

[iBear]

Happy to see all of the Supernatural love in this thread!

During my interview I kept referring to the school as Upstate. I was interviewing at Downstate...

You have to come back and tell us the result!

 

[Doctor246853]

I told my interviewer he had a bright and beautiful smile....I'm a guy🙁...

 

[Stumpyman]

I told my interviewer he had a bright and beautiful smile....I'm a guy🙁...

 

[WileECoyote]

OP, it's no biggie. Stop worrying about it. If anything, it shows that you have interests outside of medicine, and that's a good thing! 🙂



LOL I got the same weird look last year when I said my favorite show was Doctor Who. *sigh*

I'm currently catching up on Supernatural though 👍

Doctor Who is SO inspiring!!! Makes me want to make a difference in the world! BUT I'm no so sure I would say that in an interview

 

[Owlie]

At least you didn't say Twilight, or 50 Shades.

Seriously

Talk about career suicide

 

[Hermione03]

I took Latin Freshman year and my interviewer asked me which Latin authors I had translated, couldn't remember a single one. I spent a while trying to brainstorm names but was never sure enough about whether they were Greek or Roman authors to say any of them. That was the first of three random things he asked me that I couldn't remember an answer to....

 

[PreMedOrDead]

Q: What type of person do you hate?
A: [Insert racial group]


Note, I didn't ever actually do this.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Q: What type of person do you hate?
A: [Insert racial group]


Note, I didn't ever actually do this.

Hahahahahaha!!!

 

[Blaughable]

I froze on "Which super hero best represents your qualities?"

I started having this huge internal argument. Batman? No he is overly self sacrificing and hides behind a mask and doesn't know how he fits in to society. Spider man also hides behind a mask. Superman doesn't have a mask, but he doesn't have to work hard for his talent, he also feels like an outsider. I couldn't come up with one and ended up just saying....."I really don't know." I'm still not sure who....Mr. Fantastic?

 

[KnuxNole]

I would have went with Batman. Able to use a variety of tools, good detective-like skills, and has a pretty sweet ride 🙂

As far as the mask thing goes, I would have spinned it to represent: When I'm at "work" I suit up and get things done, but when I'm not at "work", the mask and suit comes off and I'm just a regular joe. Kinda like most superheroes and their secret identities

Unless you're Iron Man and just bluntly tell it to people. But that can represent overly-eager pre-meds 😛

 

[idontcaureuknow]

When I forgot that in my PS I mentioned that I really REALLY wanted to goto another school for my undergraduate education. Forgot that the school i referenced in my PS was considered a "rival" school to the one I was interviewing at. Got asked about it in interview and I was like "uhhh-oooooh.... ummm... hi, i love your school?"

 

[iBear]

I froze on "Which super hero best represents your qualities?"

I started having this huge internal argument. Batman? No he is overly self sacrificing and hides behind a mask and doesn't know how he fits in to society. Spider man also hides behind a mask. Superman doesn't have a mask, but he doesn't have to work hard for his talent, he also feels like an outsider. I couldn't come up with one and ended up just saying....."I really don't know." I'm still not sure who....Mr. Fantastic?

616!Captain America is probably the best overall answer, but I would suggest knowing your comic canon to back it up.

I don't think Batman is a bad answer. He may hide behind a mask, but his alter ego is still a philanthropist who loves his city and wants to help it, even if he has to come across as a bit pathetic to pull it off. "Overly self-sacrificing" probably isn't a negative the interviewer would think of if you said it...

Anyway, these are best 'general' answers. The superhero that fits you best might be Iron Man, who is brilliant and rich and actually a nice guy, but totally a douchebro at the same time. No need to be ashamed. 👍

 

[CuttingCorneas]

I froze on "Which super hero best represents your qualities?"

I started having this huge internal argument. Batman? No he is overly self sacrificing and hides behind a mask and doesn't know how he fits in to society. Spider man also hides behind a mask. Superman doesn't have a mask, but he doesn't have to work hard for his talent, he also feels like an outsider. I couldn't come up with one and ended up just saying....."I really don't know." I'm still not sure who....Mr. Fantastic?

Superman, hands down.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_cEoK1mXms[/YOUTUBE]

 

[CarlisleBeans]

Professor Xavier. Hands down. In my book, he's a superhero.

 

[Planes2Doc]

I'd say Turkish Superman.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9oI7Fd3Uec[/YOUTUBE]