Facial hair during an interview, to look more mature

[DrDre2001]

Two questions:

1. In your opinion, is a well trimmed goatee (a regular "full circle" goatee, not a rock and roll "soul patch" or anything like that) fine for an interview?

2. If you answered No to the above, would you change your mind consdering that: I seriously look like I am 15-16 years old without the goatee. The adcoms will obviously know I am really 22+ years old, but physical appearance affects people subconsciously...just think about how differently everyone treated that 6 foot tall kid in 8th grade that looked like he was 18, despite the fact that they all knew his true age. It will be hard to an adcom to look at someone who looks like he is 16 and say that he is fit to be a doctor.

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[Poliscidoc]

Two questions:

1. In your opinion, is a well trimmed goatee (a regular "full circle" goatee, not a rock and roll "soul patch" or anything like that) fine for an interview?

2. If you answered No to the above, would you change your mind consdering that: I seriously look like I am 15-16 years old without the goatee. The adcoms will obviously know I am really 22+ years old, but physical appearance affects people subconsciously...just think about how differently everyone treated that 6 foot tall kid in 8th grade that looked like he was 18, despite the fact that they all knew his true age. It will be hard to an adcom to look at someone who looks like he is 16 and say that he is fit to be a doctor.

Pics

 

[Slane]

Shave it off. They're not going to think bad of you for having a baby face, and your application will clearly show your date of birth, allowing them to know that you're not fifteen. They are going to think bad of you for not shaving before a big interview, which is widely considered the thing to do. You only get one shot--why chance it with something that's widely considered unprofessional?

 

[Petypet]

Its not the 50's anymore, a well manicured goatee is suitable for a professional interview.

 

[IamaBanana]

I think it very much depends on a number of factors including the school, interviewer and interviewee. I know that when I was just at LECOM-B I saw no students with facial hair and was glad to have decided to recently get rid of mine. Maybe at a school like UNE or KCOM, where the population tends to have more facial hair, it would be more acceptable. The biggest question is you: how do you look with facial hair? Does it look natural or forced? If you feel like you look young, won't you just look like a young kid trying to look older? Be natural, be yourself and be confident. Changing your appearance will only serve to make you more self concious than before.

 

[p30doc]

It probably doesn't matter, either way you aren't talking about doing something radical. Do as you please.

 

[Element]

Post pictures of what you're trying to pull off. Lets play judge and jury.

 

[Dr Yiot]

I wouldnt just because certain people view it differently. Some people could care less and some would view it negatively. The point is, noone will view it positively so althought I don't think it will make a difference in thier decision to accept you, I personally wouldnt do it. everyone is different though and they won't care about the fact that you look young, they care that you are going to make a good doctor.

 

[Element]

Post pictures of what you're trying to pull off. Lets play judge and jury.

which one?

 

[megathunder]

Two questions:

1. In your opinion, is a well trimmed goatee (a regular "full circle" goatee, not a rock and roll "soul patch" or anything like that) fine for an interview?

2. If you answered No to the above, would you change your mind consdering that: I seriously look like I am 15-16 years old without the goatee. The adcoms will obviously know I am really 22+ years old, but physical appearance affects people subconsciously...just think about how differently everyone treated that 6 foot tall kid in 8th grade that looked like he was 18, despite the fact that they all knew his true age. It will be hard to an adcom to look at someone who looks like he is 16 and say that he is fit to be a doctor.

I'm in the same boat, I look young without any facial hair and so I always rock a trimmed beard. In our case (assuming you keep your facial hair more often than not) it's best to stay with how we normally look than to shave just for interviews. I've read a lot about this and there was even a long thread over on the Md forum which came to no general consensus other than just do what will make you look best and, more importantly, make you feel comfortable. Keep the goatee

 

[DbDan]

I think it very much depends on a number of factors including the school, interviewer and interviewee. I know that when I was just at LECOM-B I saw no students with facial hair and was glad to have decided to recently get rid of mine. Maybe at a school like UNE or KCOM, where the population tends to have more facial hair, it would be more acceptable. The biggest question is you: how do you look with facial hair? Does it look natural or forced? If you feel like you look young, won't you just look like a young kid trying to look older? Be natural, be yourself and be confident. Changing your appearance will only serve to make you more self concious than before.

We only saw a few students while we were there though. I think a couple guys at the interview had facial hair, one w/ a full beard.

To be completely honest, I would go with however you feel comfortable looks wise. Keep it clean cut and professional though. If a goatee is how you normally wear your facial hair I doubt there would be a problem with it, just make sure its not out of control and is well groomed. I'm a huge proponent of keeping yourself comfortable during your interview. The last thing you want is to feel awkward without the goatee and be nervous about looking young and cause yourself to interview poorly.

 

[zetabetazeta]

Haha, same here. Everyone is saying I look like a 15-year-old teenager girl, but I'm actually 21 already

So my dad recommended me to have a new haircut before going to my interviews, but it still cannot change the fact that I have a babyface, lol..I think you would probably look better without the facial hair, you know, more organized and neat..It's ok to look young yet still act like a mature adult.

 

[kuanileqa]

An epic fu manchu = immediate acceptance.

 

[blueflower]

Go with what you feel comfortable with. And double check with those around you (ie. parents, friends), since they know what you look like with/without.

 

[drctother]

As people said you could post pics....but I personally wouldnt on SDN

I would say ask your family and a gf if you got one. For that matter just ask some of your girl friends from undergrad. Girls are pretty good at deciding what looks good and what doesnt on guys, from my experience

And as someone said above, if you feel confident as **** with a goatee...do the goatee cuz i think the interview itself is more important that your facial hair

Edit: As long as its not a hobo beard

 

[seap3]

My first instinct was to say to shave, but I just watched Nova's how to interview for med school video and 2 of the men had facial hair. In fact, one was the dean and he had a handlebar mustache.

So maybe it's best to decide based on the attitudes of the particular school and what makes you feel most confident.

 

[UnlikelyDoc]

I would suggest that if you're going to mention surgery as an area of interest the lines and corners should be extremely tight.

 

[Adamb83]

I would shave, if I were you. You want to look professional, clean,and polished. But when it comes down to it, if you're not going to feel confident or comfortable, then leave the facial hair.

 

[megathunder]

I just got an interview so I may have to be clean cut at all my med school interviews now.

 

[painmd87]

I think we have this discussion multiple times a year on here.

In my opinion it boils down to:

1) Is it professional looking? A high percentage of physicians sport facial hair that is neat and well groomed.

2) Are you applying to a military/religious/otherwise strict school that would look unkindly on facial hair?

If the answer is yes to #1 and no to #2, clean yourself up and make the lines straight. Chinstrap pencil beards are a terrible idea. Fireman moustaches probably also are bad.

Don't show up at USUHS with a full beard. Horrendous idea.

For the record, I attended my interview at LECOM-E with a full beard and was admitted.

 

[FutureCTDoc]

If you interview at Nova and you have a better 'stache than Dean Silviagni auto-admit.