MrBurns10 said:
Okay so I need some advice (man, I've posted a lot today, and not once about mint M&Ms!). Anyway, I'm interviewing at a school I'm really interested in in February; I also work in a research lab at this school. My lab PI is on the adcom, and asked the interview-scheduling woman if he could interview me and, shockingly, she said yes. Problem is I seriously doubt she knew that he's my employer. I mean, the secondary was 8 essays and in only one sentence did I mention what my current job is, so that fact is easily overlooked (on the other hand, since he requested me she obviously knows he knows me personally). I feel really weird about this, so I talked to him later today and said that I think it would be better if someone else interviewed me since he's going to write an additional letter of rec for me and it would probably seem sketchy that he interviewed me, but he wouldn't take "no" for an answer. He kept saying that I have nothing to lose by having him interview me, how he sees no reason why I would want someone else, etc. So, is it just me or is this unethical? I don't want to seem like a freak by e-mailing him and asking again if he would change his mind, but I think this should be changed. And if he won't change his mind, should I talk to the woman who schedules interviews? Strange strange situation.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated (I know what you're going to say already, Q, but feel free to share if you want 🙂 ).
I had a somewhat similar experience last year when I was applying (the first time around
🙁 ). At the time, I was working for an organization loosely affiliated with the local medical school. A colleague of mine, who was an undergrad alumna of the school, was also applying. Our numbers (i.e. gpa/mcat) were very similar, but our experiences completely different. Also, she's an URM, while I'm not.
Anyway, our applications became complete at about the same time because of the August MCAT. She was offered three interviews at various medical schools, but ended up being rejected pre-interview from her alma mater. I ended up being offered an interview at the same school much, much later in the cycle.
In the meantime, however, one of her undergrad advisors, who is on the med school committee at this school, learned that she's been rejected by this school. He then proceeds to tell her that the school uses an online system for the evaluation of secondaries. According to him, committee members can choose any name off the list when reviewing candidates for an interview. He apologized profusely to her, saying that he'd missed picking her name off the list because he'd being working on a grant submission. In addition to this, he noted that the school had offered too many people interview slots during this cycle. As a result, the committee had met and had decided to raise their standards for all the candidates still waiting review.
My colleague and I spent many lunches puzzling over this information, particularly once I was offered an interview. I had worked for the school, so I also had contacts on the committee, and I wondered if my interview offer was simply a matter of happenstance (e.g. two doctors I know picked my file while no one she knew picked hers).
The situation was quite strange and left me feeling uneasy about the whole admissions process. I think the dilemma, like the one you face MrBurns, raises a larger question: if we get into medical school, will it be because of what we've accomplished/who we are, will it be about who we know, or is all of this just completely random? I'm certain the process isn't so black and white as my question suggests, but it is an interesting issue. I'm curious to know--what do you all think about this?
