How to address a personal emergency in an interview

[WilliamD]

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I have a mock interview this Thursday, but this also goes into general interviewing as well. The question I have though is that last semester I went through a bout of depression that eventually landed me in the hospital for a sleeping pill overdose. I am much better now and the risk for another bout isn't very high in my estimation as I have been treated, and am still being treated for it. However, I am not sure what I should say about this in my interview, and I suppose this will need to extend to my application as well. Should I mention what caused it. How much detail should I go into. I know I have to say something because the grades were litterally about flipped (3.83 first semester of the year, 1.83 second semester). I will retake a couple of the classes, but I won't have time to retake the other two.

Thanks.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

yikes!! i could have written that except i killed myself to keep my grades up, they dropped slightly but nothing that would seem terribly unusual, especially b/c there were a couple of semesters where i had a similar problem. i have absolutely no intention whatsoever of mentioning it. I think any mention of tha twould make you seem unstable and risky. Because of your extensive drop in grades i think you will have to mention it, but i hope you can explain it adequately as well as assuring them this will never happen again. Good luck, man.

 

[delchrys]

or you could just use a false personal tragedy, like the death of a brother or sister or best friend or whatever, if you can pull that off. that makes you seem much less unstable, especially if the loved one was uniquely close to you. fiancee's a good one.

 

[stinkycheese]

or you could just use a false personal tragedy, like the death of a brother or sister or best friend or whatever, if you can pull that off. that makes you seem much less unstable, especially if the loved one was uniquely close to you. fiancee's a good one.

That is totally unethical.

 

[deleted50541]

I experienced a similar situation my sophomore year. I went from a 4.0 first semester to failing out the second semester after I took ill. Fortunately, I got the help I needed and turned things around. Though I have not had any interviews yet, I am certain this discrepancy in my academic history is bound to arise.

My advice would be to avoid going into detail. If you have applications that ask about discrepancies in your grades, simply state you were having some health problems. And should an interviewer want to delve deeper, reply that you were suffering from depression, sought treatment, and move on. If you are like me, you should avoid making your health issues a defining characteristic.

Take care.

 

[liverotcod]

Answer truthfully if asked - it's a legitimate medical condition that makes a great explanation for exceptional poor grades. But you don't have to bring it up. You want to steer the interview toward the good things in your app, just like you (probably) did in your PS.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

or you could just use a false personal tragedy, like the death of a brother or sister or best friend or whatever, if you can pull that off. that makes you seem much less unstable, especially if the loved one was uniquely close to you. fiancee's a good one.

and i agree with stinkycheese that it's totally unethical, but who knows it's probably the case for the OP, but just tell the truth

 

[abraxas20]

I agree with being honest, but that doesn't mean that you have to tell them why. All you have to say is that you were ill, you are in ongoing treatment and are much better and not in danger of relapse. THey can't ask you what was wrong or why....that is unethical. You haven't lied.

Good luck. I am really glad you are doing better... 😎

 

[delchrys]

yes, it certainly is unethical, and i would never personally do that. however, i am not personally looking at never getting into a residency program because of a past event like that. you might as well tell the program director that you're an alcoholic but that "you're dry now, and you have been for months, and that you don't think you'll ever relapse."

balance the harm done (none) with the good gained (lots).

 

[aparecida]

Depression is not by any means equivalent to alcoholism.

I agree that saying you were ill and are in treatment now is sufficient, but there isn't (or *cough* shouldn't be) any shame in admitting a diagnosis of depression if you're asked specifically.

I wrote about depression in my essay and I flat-out failed two semesters and withdrew from a third. Of the schools I've heard back from, I got an automatic (presecondary) Pitt interview, got an in-state interview, and passed Wake's screen. (I got rejected at Vandy, but I probably would have anyway ... no research.) You'll be fine. Just make it clear you are in recovery and you are confident it won't happen again.

 

[adamj61]

That is totally unethical.

your lameness is unethical

 

[beanbean]

There is no reason to go into details unless you decide to discuss this in your personal essay as part of the reason you have chosen medicine as a career.

When asked about what happened to your grades that semester, simply state that you had a serious illness from which you have now recovered. It is not unusual for students to have a semester where they get mono, appendicitis, depression, etc and their grades suffer. As long as there is no continous pattern you will be fine.

Glad to hear you are well now.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

there's no way it won't be very obvious...you have to explain something