Gunning at interviews

[CodeBlu]

This thread I am posting below is for your viewing enjoyment and there is also a friendly message from a fellow interviewee on the trail.

-At your respective interviews, don't ask your fellow interviewees where else they are interviewing. It is rude, and if you think admissions isn't listening... well they are. If people start talking about other schools they're interviewing at, leave the room and go to the bathroom (This was a tip from a Mod on this forum before my first interview). Worked like a charm.

-Adcoms/Admissions staff are not stupid, they know you're being extremely nice and careful. Don't be THAT guy/girl who brags about their Mayo/Baylor etc. interviews, even in the bathroom. Why? Cuz someone from the committee might be in the stall, and listening to EVERY word. Most schools make you wear name tags for a reason. So the administrative assistants or anyone for that fact can easily say "yeah that person was a dbag".

See University of Michigan Medical Admissions twitter for Robert Ruiz's comment along the lines... "We care how you treat everyone, not just people you think are important".

Disclaimer: This thread seems super boring AT first... go to post 13-14 and onwards. Enjoy.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=848760

EDIT: An interviewer was actually in the bathroom when someone was bragging about their Mayo interview. The interviewer looked RIGHT at this gunners name tag...

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[zwitterion34]

Thanks for your advice and good luck with all your interviews!

 

[n3xa]

See University of Michigan Medical Admissions twitter for Robert Ruiz's comment along the lines... "We care how you treat everyone, not just people you think are important".

Seriously, this.

It makes my mother****ing blood boil to hear people getting looked down on or snubbed because they, heaven forbid, fix toilets for a living.

Actually I lied I teared up when a plumber relayed his stories to me at the senior center just last week.

 

[drizzt3117]

While I don't think it's a good idea to brag about your interviews, I don't think it's as big a deal as you're making it. Interviewers asked me where I applied/interviewed and I told them. Top candidates are going to get multiple interviews/acceptances, etc, and everyone knows you're applying to multiple schools unless you're applying EDP.

Just don't be "that guy" who brings a laminated copy of his 44T MCAT score report and "accidentally" has it slip out of his portfolio at lunch.

 

[Barcu]

While I don't think it's a good idea to brag about your interviews, I don't think it's as big a deal as you're making it. Interviewers asked me where I applied/interviewed and I told them. Top candidates are going to get multiple interviews/acceptances, etc, and everyone knows you're applying to multiple schools unless you're applying EDP.

Just don't be "that guy" who brings a laminated copy of his 44T MCAT score report and "accidentally" has it slip out of his portfolio at lunch.

Agreed. I talked about interviews/acceptances at other schools with fellow interviewees, the adcom staff, and even my personal interviewers. It will inevitably come up, and you can't leave for the bathroom every time it does. I still got in to some of those places as well. Don't be a dbag about it and make sure you emphasize that while you have other interviews/acceptances, you want to get in THERE.

Don't excessively talk about it or degrade the school you are at in any way, but you can talk about it.

 

[kautionwirez]

This thread I am posting below is for your viewing enjoyment and there is also a friendly message from a fellow interviewee on the trail.

-At your respective interviews, don't ask your fellow interviewees where else they are interviewing. It is rude, and if you think admissions isn't listening... well they are. If people start talking about other schools they're interviewing at, leave the room and go to the bathroom (This was a tip from a Mod on this forum before my first interview). Worked like a charm.

-Adcoms/Admissions staff are not stupid, they know you're being extremely nice and careful. Don't be THAT guy/girl who brags about their Mayo/Baylor etc. interviews, even in the bathroom. Why? Cuz someone from the committee might be in the stall, and listening to EVERY word. Most schools make you wear name tags for a reason. So the administrative assistants or anyone for that fact can easily say "yeah that person was a dbag".

See University of Michigan Medical Admissions twitter for Robert Ruiz's comment along the lines... "We care how you treat everyone, not just people you think are important".

Disclaimer: This thread seems super boring AT first... go to post 13-14 and onwards. Enjoy.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=848760

EDIT: An interviewer was actually in the bathroom when someone was bragging about their Mayo interview. The interviewer looked RIGHT at this gunners name tag...

that was an entertaining read

 

[n3xa]

Just don't be "that guy" who brings a laminated copy of his 44T MCAT score report and "accidentally" has it slip out of his portfolio at lunch.

notsureifserious.jpg

 

[orthomyxo]

It makes my mother****ing blood boil to hear people getting looked down on or snubbed because they, heaven forbid, fix toilets for a living.

Seriously. If you do this, there's an extremely high probability that you're an *******.

 

[girlSam]

I agree about it not really being a huge deal to talk about where you've interviewed. Of course people want to know where else others have interviewed. Obviously don't brag, but I don't know why it would be rude to talk about it.

 

[LRAccord624]

Just don't be "that guy" who brings a laminated copy of his 44T MCAT score report and "accidentally" has it slip out of his portfolio at lunch.

... This actually happened at one of my interviews... at lunch... strange

 

[Donnie1310]

I agree about it not really being a huge deal to talk about where you've interviewed. Of course people want to know where else others have interviewed. Obviously don't brag, but I don't know why it would be rude to talk about it.

Word. So early in the cycle, "so is this your first interview" leads to really easy small talk in waiting rooms. Shared experiences are fun to talk about.

That said, even if I HAD interviewed with the likes of Mayo, I'd probably omit that name just because I don't want to come across as a tool who is trying to brag.

 

[Eric01]

When I first opened this thread I thought about a scenario in which a gunner slaps a sign on another interviewee's back. Like one of those good luck back slaps that turns into a taped sign.

Also that thread Codeblu linked was just depressing to read. I think I'm just going to try to stay away from anyone and everyone when I get into medical school.

 

[minerva3121]

At your respective interviews, don't ask your fellow interviewees where else they are interviewing. It is rude, and if you think admissions isn't listening... well they are.

Even if you ask, people will lie. I've heard stories in which someone lies to other interviewees about already interviewing at school X. Then that person ends up having an interview at school X later in the cycle and sees the same people again...awkward .

While I don't think it's a good idea to brag about your interviews, I don't think it's as big a deal as you're making it. Interviewers asked me where I applied/interviewed and I told them. Top candidates are going to get multiple interviews/acceptances, etc, and everyone knows you're applying to multiple schools unless you're applying EDP.

Just don't be "that guy" who brings a laminated copy of his 44T MCAT score report and "accidentally" has it slip out of his portfolio at lunch.

Yep, one of my interviewers also asked where else I had applied/interviewed. It's okay to discuss these things; just be modest in how you convey the information.

 

[drizzt3117]

notsureifserious.jpg

I wish I wasn't serious. It was at Columbia. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he went there.

 

[zwitterion34]

I wish I wasn't serious. It was at Columbia. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he went there.

I wouldn't think twice to accidently slip out a laminated copy of my MCAT score report if I got a 44T.

 

[zwitterion34]

that was an entertaining read

The crossbow thread was almost equally entertaining.

 

[NickNaylor]

Word. So early in the cycle, "so is this your first interview" leads to really easy small talk in waiting rooms. Shared experiences are fun to talk about.

That said, even if I HAD interviewed with the likes of Mayo, I'd probably omit that name just because I don't want to come across as a tool who is trying to brag.

I agree. It naturally comes up in conversation, though I tried to avoid directly asking where else people interviewed unless the person I was talking to seemed comfortable with it.

 

[URHere]

Also, try to avoid obsessively checking your admissions portal on your smartphone while sitting in a freaking conference room with the dean of another school.

At one of my interviews, no fewer than 4 students were doing this, and their frantic whispering wasn't as subtle as they thought it was.

This isn't necessarily a gunner move, just a really, really stupid one.

 

[FattySlug]

I think the thread title is pretty misleading. A gunner is someone who steps on others to get ahead. While braggers are annoying, they are not gunners unless I got the definition wrong. I thought I would hear some stories about how people mess up others' interviews.

 

[CodeBlu]

Well I did hear a story about someone spilling senna granules into a coffee pot...

don't know if it's true.

 

[zwitterion34]

Well I did hear a story about someone spilling senna granules into a coffee pot...

don't know if it's true.

I guess someone "accidently" spilled if it was true just like "accidently" slipping a laminated MCAT score report.

 

[HumbleMD]

Also, try to avoid obsessively checking your admissions portal on your smartphone while sitting in a freaking conference room with the dean of another school.

At one of my interviews, no fewer than 4 students were doing this, and their frantic whispering wasn't as subtle as they thought it was.

This isn't necessarily a gunner move, just a really, really stupid one.

Turn your smartphone off and wear a watch instead. Otherwise you'll be tempted to use it. This is serious, as checking your facebook or playing angry birds makes you look genuinely disinterested in the interview day, fellow applicants, and the school in general.

That said, you very well may be asked where else you are looking. It's not a particularly douchey conversation unless you make it that way. You can just name geographies instead of specific schools.

 

[NickNaylor]

Turn your smartphone off and wear a watch instead. Otherwise you'll be tempted to use it. This is serious, as checking your facebook or playing angry birds makes you look genuinely disinterested in the interview day, fellow applicants, and the school in general.

That said, you very well may be asked where else you are looking. It's not a particularly douchey conversation unless you make it that way. You can just name geographies instead of specific schools.

Ah, such as "I go to school in Boston:" code for "I go to Harvard."

 

[ModernAlchemist]

I'm so glad this thread was made. Although, I hope the braggers do get called out. They need to learn their lesson.

Sidenote: Get a suit that fits. While I was studying at the med library, I saw so many people taking a tour of UCSD before interviews who looked like they were playing dress up.

 

[BMEN]

Sidenote: Get a suit that fits. While I was studying at the med library, I saw so many people taking a tour of UCSD before interviews who looked like they were playing dress up.

srsly though. A good fitting suit wont cost that much. Its a long term investment for future engagements.

 

[AvidAvatar]

srsly though. A good fitting suit wont cost that much. Its a long term investment for future engagements.

It shocks me how many people include 'suit' in medical school application costs, like they are going to throw the damn things out next spring.

Thanks for the thread CB. There are many traditional medical school applicants out there who just have no perspective on how things work outside of college, because they haven't been exposed to them yet. My advice, as a non-trad, is to act like you are applying for a job. Only folks without a lick of sense would go to a job interview with a medium sized company and, while there, brag about how they interviewed for better positions at Boeing and Google and that they are 'waiting to hear back'.

 

[CodeBlu]

It shocks me how many people include 'suit' in medical school application costs, like they are going to throw the damn things out next spring.

Thanks for the thread CB. There are many traditional medical school applicants out there who just have no perspective on how things work outside of college, because they haven't been exposed to them yet. My advice, as a non-trad, is to act like you are applying for a job. Only folks without a lick of sense would go to a job interview with a medium sized company and, while there, brag about how they interviewed for better positions at Boeing and Google and that they are 'waiting to hear back'.

hahahahaha