How best to answer this interview question?

[donutzebra]

Very simple question: "What do you do for fun?"

A) "I enjoy playing chess, going swimming, and watching horror movies with friends. I feel chess really helps me to train my mind by encouraging me to always think several moves ahead and be careful about the decisions I make, because seemingly minor mistakes can have drastic consequences. It also helps me to improve my attention to detail, which is a very important quality for a physician to have. I enjoy going swimming because it is one of those few exercises that I feel trains every part of your body, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is extremely important to me. I love watching horror movies with friends because I like putting myself in the shoes of the main character and continually asking myself what I'd do if I were in their situation. I believe practicing empathizing with characters on-screen will help me be more empathetic toward future patients."

or B) "I enjoy playing chess, going swimming, and watching horror movies with friends."

Thanks for your help!

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[willow84]

Personally I would say B.... but I'm not an AdCom. A just sounds so absurd to me for a question where I feel like the interviewer just wants to get to know you. If anything I would add more to B, but just make it more conversational.

I had this question and I answered something to the effect of: "I love to cook and bake. I subscribe to Bon Appetit magazine, and I'm constantly ear marking pages and making fun recipes I see in there. I made X recipe last for my roommate and myself. I also love to travel whenever I have free time; whether it's an extended break or a quick two day trip to a new place. Of course I love to explore food in a new place!"

 

[catmullclark]

I feel like the point of this question is to get to know you as a person. No need to get into the nitty gritty of being a doctor every step of the way.

 

[mbio2015]

I'd prepare for short answers; and prepare to explain more if asked. I was asked this question in my closed-file and open file, and I could barely get the words out before they asked me about the activity. I was only able to list about 2-3 of the several I wanted to talk about

 

[asrw77]

Sorry, I read the first one and audibly said "ew." It's fine to elaborate, you just don't need to tie everything back into how it's going to make you a better doctor. That's not the point of the question

 

[HomeSkool]

I'd prefer to see something in between the two. "B" doesn't give me much insight into you, but "A" = TL;DR (just kidding, but you get my point). Try to answer the question of why you enjoy those activities, not what you think adcoms want to hear about why you enjoy them.

 

[twentyeightmiles]

B for sure. If one of the things you list intrigues your interviewer, they'll ask about it.

 

[Goro]

Very simple question: "What do you do for fun?"

A) "I enjoy playing chess, going swimming, and watching horror movies with friends. I feel chess really helps me to train my mind by encouraging me to always think several moves ahead and be careful about the decisions I make, because seemingly minor mistakes can have drastic consequences. It also helps me to improve my attention to detail, which is a very important quality for a physician to have. I enjoy going swimming because it is one of those few exercises that I feel trains every part of your body, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is extremely important to me. I love watching horror movies with friends because I like putting myself in the shoes of the main character and continually asking myself what I'd do if I were in their situation. I believe practicing empathizing with characters on-screen will help me be more empathetic toward future patients."

or B) "I enjoy playing chess, going swimming, and watching horror movies with friends."

Thanks for your help!

Just answer the bloody question!!!! What would you say if a distant cousin ask you that???

I'd score you low for A, because it tells me that you can't understand simple questions.

 

[mcatjelly]

As a student interviewer: B, all the way. We ask about hobbies BECAUSE we want to make sure you have a life outside of medicine.

 

[de Ribas]

What would you say if a distant cousin ask you that???

I think it is a very good approach.

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

A makes it obvious that you're trying too hard

 

[MCATISEZ]

To be fair, I’m not sure if a distant cousin would ask you so directly what you do for fun with no context to the question. It’s rare you would talk to a distant cousin for 30min to an hour with no expectation on either party you would ever talk to them again

Interviews are for someone to gain a lot of information from you in a short period of time. Thus, I would say A. B seems like you are trying too hard to impress and incapable of having a seemingly normal conversation in a somewhat stressful professional setting.

You should try to impress (in an interview... maybe not as necessary with a distant cousin). But do it in a way that makes you seem... normal.


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[rabbott1971]

You like to put yourself in the shoes of the horror movie character and think what you would do, while you are watching the movie? That's weird man!

 

[MCATISEZ]

You like to put yourself in the shoes of the horror movie character and think what you would do, while you are watching the movie? That's weird man!

No kidding! Or it’s just a irrelevant attempt to relate a seemingly relatable hobby to medicine.


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[Goro]

To be fair, I’m not sure if a distant cousin would ask you so directly what you do for fun with no context to the question. It’s rare you would talk to a distant cousin for 30min to an hour with no expectation on either party you would ever talk to them again

Interviews are for someone to gain a lot of information from you in a short period of time. Thus, I would say A. B seems like you are trying too hard to impress and incapable of having a seemingly normal conversation in a somewhat stressful professional setting.

You should try to impress (in an interview... maybe not as necessary with a distant cousin). But do it in a way that makes you seem... normal.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

You are vastly overthinking this. SDNers should really resist the urge to explain everything when explanations are not asked for, and especially never think that every explanation has to be related to Medicine. Remember, this process is devised to weed out those who can't think beyond the concrete.

 

[donutzebra]

Thanks for all your help! Looks like the overwhelming response is to keep the answer simple and go with choice B, perhaps expanding on the activities a bit but not relating them to medicine. Basically giving a conversational answer to a conversational question.

You like to put yourself in the shoes of the horror movie character and think what you would do, while you are watching the movie? That's weird man!

I might do that once or twice during the movie. "Continually asking myself" is probably an exaggeration. I'm not weird I swear.

Backpedalling is also another one of my hobbies.

 

[LizzyM]

A short answer gives the interviewer more time to ask a follow-up. They might ask when you learned to play chess or the last movie you saw or even provide you some information about the availability of swimming pools on campus. Give enough time for follow up questions. Interviewers find it aggravating to hear such long winded responses that they don't get time for more questions.

 

[Lost in Translation]

As a student interviewer: B, all the way. We ask about hobbies BECAUSE we want to make sure you have a life outside of medicine.

This. Even if the hobbies are common, I'll still ask about one of them to gauge how passionate the applicant is about that particular one.

 

[Jdp00921]

When asked this question, I just answered with a handful of activities I enjoy, essentially those unrelated to medicine. Either the interviewer(s) were seemingly content with that answer or they would ask about an activity I mentioned out of what I would assume was general curiosity. I don't think they are looking for any specific response. As others have mentioned, they just want to make sure you aren't a mandroid.

 

[TypeADissection]

This is just one random dude's opinion on the internet so do with it what you will but try less. Be more real. I've been through the interview process three times now for med school, residency and fellowship. I've also been on the other end interviewing potential surgery applicants. It's very obvious when your answers are pre-packaged and canned. In the words of modern day philosophizer Aaron Rodgers, "Relax." When I was asked why I wanted to be a surgeon I had a nice rehearsed answer ready to go, then I stopped myself and said, "Because it makes sense. Because this is how I want to solve problems." That then served as a springboard for further conversation that was much more organic. So for what it's worth, just be yourself. We just want to know you're a normal person. Caveat: I'm a long time removed from the med school interview process so I may be dated. I also just realized the other day that MCAT scores also changed. Not sure when that happened, but there you go. I just dated myself. Cheers.

 

[VincentAdultman]

OP I would honestly prefer any arbitrary combination of syllables over choice A.