How to Explain that Your TA is Insane During Interview?

[MDforMee]

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I had an emotionally/mentally unstable TA last quarter.

She'd talk about wanting to live in the forest, "harvesting piglets," and other straight up weird stuff. Other times, she'd blow up and yell at students for little things, with spit flying out of her mouth. It seemed like a mix of bipolar and social issues, to me. It didn't help that she wore funky clothes, had a buzz-cut, and topped it off with a magic the gathering tattoo in her cleavage, but who am I to judge.

Worst of all, though, our section had the lowest average in the class on assignments she graded. The professor refused to curve our lab section because there was apparently a grading syllabus given to the TAs; however, this is BS because our section had average scores that were 20% lower than other sections. We compared our grades. Many students complained to other TAs about her, as well as to the professor, concerning her grading; myself included.

If it comes up in an interview that I received a lower grade in this class, when the rest of my grades in my major are 3.7+, how do I explain to interviewers that I was dealing with a loon? I received grades on midterms that were 1 standard deviation about the rest of the class, but the loony TA graded my lab reports.

Thanks for reading.

 

[dirty630]

Don't. It will reflect poorly on your character. Unless you did poorly in the class and the interviewer asks specifically why, don't mention the class at all. Even then, it would probably be best to avoid talking about that.

 

[1John418]

From what I've heard, it's generally frowned upon to blame any sort of academic dips on anyone other than yourself. Adcoms want to see you take responsibility in a gracious manner, not dump the blame on someone else. Maybe since this person was way out there, it would be a slight exception, but I doubt it. But honestly, unless there is a really major difference between this grade and your others, they probably won't even bring it up.

 

[Amba]

There is almost no way you can bring this up without sounding whiny. So don't bring it up. I had a TA who was unable to speak English attempting to teach me Calc II during my freshman year, and I ended up with a 5 credit B. Stuff like this happens to almost everyone. If your overall gpa is good, then you're fine.

 

[911 Turbo]

Just mention that the whole section's grade was 20% lower

 

[chenzt]

Isn't lab usually 1 credit? That's insignificant compared to ~16 credits in a normal semester and probably won't be noticed by adcom. Even if you were asked, it's better off to say you were careless initially when you started doing labs but soon got a hang of it. The carelessness resulted in below average lab grades and dragged down your semester grade.

 

[MDforMee]

Isn't lab usually 1 credit? That's insignificant compared to ~16 credits in a normal semester and probably won't be noticed by adcom. Even if you were asked, it's better off to say you were careless initially when you started doing labs but soon got a hang of it. The carelessness resulted in below average lab grades and dragged down your semester grade.

They combine lecture and lab grades, and our lab grades are more heavily weighted, unfortunately.

 

[LiveLoveLearn]

I had an emotionally/mentally unstable TA last quarter.

She'd talk about wanting to live in the forest, "harvesting piglets," and other straight up weird stuff. Other times, she'd blow up and yell at students for little things, with spit flying out of her mouth. It seemed like a mix of bipolar and social issues, to me. It didn't help that she wore funky clothes, had a buzz-cut, and topped it off with a magic the gathering tattoo in her cleavage, but who am I to judge.

Worst of all, though, our section had the lowest average in the class on assignments she graded. The professor refused to curve our lab section because there was apparently a grading syllabus given to the TAs; however, this is BS because our section had average scores that were 20% lower than other sections. We compared our grades. Many students complained to other TAs about her, as well as to the professor, concerning her grading; myself included.

If it comes up in an interview that I received a lower grade in this class, when the rest of my grades in my major are 3.7+, how do I explain to interviewers that I was dealing with a loon? I received grades on midterms that were 1 standard deviation about the rest of the class, but the loony TA graded my lab reports.

Thanks for reading.

I wouldn't. It would make you look like you aren't taking responsibility for your grade. Whether it is true or not, lots of students say, "I did bad in X class because the teacher was a Dbag/*****/loon/etc.", and there is no way for adcoms to discern between the ones that really had a crazy person and the ones that are just blaming others for their mistake. They are also more likely to tend to side with the teacher, since many of these folks are either professors or attendings that teach residents, and have likely been the target of statements like these before. Additionally, pretty much everyone has had at least 1 crazy or unfair teacher, so it sort of balances out.

I doubt that they will ask you about any individual grade, but if they do, I would just say that it was a challenging course and maybe that your TA had a different teaching-style that you initially had difficulty understanding. Then try to turn it around and say something that you learned from the situation/how you grew. Maybe how you learned to work with and respond to people that communicated and expressed themselves and different ways than you, and how this will help you work better within the very diverse groups of people that make up the medical field. Something along those lines.

 

[cerno]

As stated above, regardless of how true it might be, it still makes it sound like you're making up very cliche excuses.

 

[IncognitoGuy]

That's life. I guarantee they won't ask you about it.

 

[ericksonj15]

.

 

[Twinnering]

I would like to add I doubt it's ONE lab grade that they ask you about on an interview that would keep you out of medical school. If you give off the impression you're really immature in terms of how you decide to voice these matters, it will probably do more damage.

 

[Lucky Louie]

How do you talk about your TA during interviews? You don't. Deflect the conversation.

 

[gimghoul]

You don't if you want to get into medical school.

 

[MDforMee]

You guys have given me some good advice. I'm feeling better about all of this, now, too.

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

So you're a mental health professional qualifiedc to diagnose her?

Don't blame your teachers for your grades.

 

[Benedictus123]

Yeah, you risk sounding like a whiny entitled brat who's used to getting their way with everything in life, and the second something outside your control pops up you crumple like a cheap tent.

Also, what does having a Magic the Gathering tattoo have to do with anything?

 

[circulus vitios]

We live in a society where people in positions of power are seen as infallible. It would be in your best interest to make up a lie, or to create some bs spinoff about how you 'learned a valuable lesson.'

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

What? Who cares its one class...unless you got like a D nobody cares.

I'll emphasize it one more time. Nobody cares about your crazy TA. If you started complaining about your TA in an interview I doubt anyone would take that positively.

 

[Omppu27]

What did you get in the classs.

 

[pre med 2014]

You won't be asked about a B with a 3.7 GPA

 

[gimghoul]

We live in a society where people in positions of power are seen as infallible. It would be in your best interest to make up a lie, or to create some bs spinoff about how you 'learned a valuable lesson.'

We work in a medical profession where someone who harps on blaming an inconsequential bad result on someone else being an insane, terrible person trips the screening red flag for borderline PD. It has nothing to do with the person being in a position of power. Someone in a position of power complaining blaming poor performance on those under them being insane and terrible throws up the same red flag.

 

[circulus vitios]

We work in a medical profession where someone who harps on blaming an inconsequential bad result on someone else being an insane, terrible person trips the screening red flag for borderline PD. It has nothing to do with the person being in a position of power. Someone in a position of power complaining blaming poor performance on those under them being insane and terrible throws up the same red flag.

You are the type of person that I was talking about.

 

[MDforMee]

We work in a medical profession where someone who harps on blaming an inconsequential bad result on someone else being an insane, terrible person trips the screening red flag for borderline PD. It has nothing to do with the person being in a position of power. Someone in a position of power complaining blaming poor performance on those under them being insane and terrible throws up the same red flag.

Since I've made up my mind on what to do during interviews concerning this matter, that'll free me up to talk about this issue, personally.

Our section was scored 20% lower than other sections by someone with obvious social/mental problems.

Is it against the rules or your code of conduct to speak up when there's an abuse of process and negligence occurring?

 

[deleted307836]

Since I've made up my mind on what to do during interviews concerning this matter, that'll free me up to talk about this issue, personally.

Our section was scored 20% lower than other sections by someone with obvious social/mental problems.

Is it against the rules to speak up when there's an abuse of process and negligence occurring?

I don't really know what you're getting at with this post, but everyone else is right. There is no good way to bring this up; it will only reflect poorly on you. It's like the classic job interview question where you're asked what challenges you've overcome in the workplace - if you start badmouthing and blaming your "superior" (TA in this case), and how hard it was to work with this person due to supposed "mental issues," it is a huge red flag, and for good reason.

What grade did you get?

 

[pre med 2014]

Since I've made up my mind on what to do during interviews concerning this matter, that'll free me up to talk about this issue, personally.

Our section was scored 20% lower than other sections by someone with obvious social/mental problems.

Is it against the rules to speak up when there's an abuse of process and negligence occurring?

You should do this and see how many acceptances you get. I'm certain the adcomms will be impressed that someone else's mental problems caused your inability to perform in lab.

 

[MDforMee]

I don't really know what you're getting at with this post, but everyone else is right. There is no good way to bring this up; it will only reflect poorly on you. It's like the classic job interview question where you're asked what challenges you've overcome in the workplace - if you start badmouthing and blaming your "superior" (TA in this case), and how hard it was to work with this person due to supposed "mental issues," it is a huge red flag, and for good reason.

What grade did you get?

This is a good ethics question to bring up on this forum because it raises interesting points about when to speak up to professors and/or departments about subjectively assigned grades by incompetent teaching assistants.

Obviously, there are a lot of different thoughts on the issue, so freeing this discussion from the confines of what to say or not to say during an interview opens new dialog on the central part of my question. Namely, when to speak up when there's an obvious problem with a TA in your class.

I think that it might help people on here to learn from my experiences, and apply it in their own situations, if they need to. I'm not emotionally invested in this. I know that the TA is a nutbag, and that our section was unfairly graded.

Other TAs have called her "aggressive," and "rude." Some students have accused her of racism and sexism. It doesn't take a road map to put the pieces together here, kids.

 

[MDforMee]

You should do this and see how many acceptances you get. I'm certain the adcomms will be impressed that someone else's mental problems caused your inability to perform in lab.

Are you the TA? lol

 

[KnuxNole]

This is a good ethics question to bring up on this forum because it raises interesting points about when to speak up to professors and/or departments about subjectively assigned grades by incompetent teaching assistants.

Obviously, there are a lot of different thoughts on the issue, so freeing this discussion from the confines of what to say or not to say during an interview opens new dialog on the central part of my question. Namely, when to speak up when there's an obvious problem with a TA in your class.

I think that it might help people on here to learn from my experiences, and apply it in their own situations, if they need to. I'm not emotionally invested in this. I know that the TA is a nutbag, and that our section was unfairly graded.

Other TAs have called her "aggressive," and "rude." Some students have accused her of racism and sexism. It doesn't take a road map to put the pieces together here, kids.

I get that you are frustrated, but think of it from the viewpoint of the interviewers. They see hundreds of excuses walk into their door every day. On the off chance they ask about your grade, it would seem juvenile to talk about a TA that way, even if it's true that she was a harsher grader. A grade which I'm not sure you mentioned....if it's a B, literally noone would care. Remember, they don't care that your TA wants to live in the forest and is kooky and a big meanie. They want to know how you deal with tough situations, and not letting one blemish rile you up. After all, if you have a 3.7, that one grade cant affect you that badly right? Don't drag on the topic if mentioned, and move onwards.

 

[whatbout2morrow]

If the majority of students in your class feel you are being graded unfairly, you bring it up with the TA, then the supervising professor, and the head of the department, etc as needed preferably while the semester is still in progress, before final grades are posted at the latest.

From the responses here, I think you will agree that the medical school interview is neither the time nor the place to bring it up. At that point you just suck it up and move forward.

 

[deleted307836]

I agree with whatbout2morrow -- though in some cases it may even be appropriate to go straight to the professor about your concerns. If you feel you are being treated unfairly during a course - sure, go ahead and explore the issue.

That is a completely separate matter than defending yourself in interviews after the course is over. In this case, externalizing the cause for a lower grade will only raise suspicion from interviewers. As Knux points out, imagine if you were in their shoes. Imagine how it would look if every time you point out a potential weakness, applicants blame it on other people. Then imagine if an applicant took responsibility for the weakness and talked about what they learned from it - which would be more favorable from your perspective as the interviewer? Of course, this supposes they would ask about it in the first place, which they won't unless it's a very low grade. I can't imagine they would ever ask about a C+ or above - C or C- yeah, maybe, and below that, you should probably be retaking the lab anyway.

 

[circulus vitios]

Since I've made up my mind on what to do during interviews concerning this matter, that'll free me up to talk about this issue, personally.

Our section was scored 20% lower than other sections by someone with obvious social/mental problems.

Is it against the rules or your code of conduct to speak up when there's an abuse of process and negligence occurring?

Dude, don't talk about it. Do what I said. Make up some bs story about how you "learned an important life lesson" or something and make up some more crap about how you improved as a student and a person. It's just one big idiotic game.

 

[pre med 2014]

Are you the TA? lol

No

 

[deezqtm]

You should do this and see how many acceptances you get. I'm certain the adcomms will be impressed that someone else's mental problems caused your inability to perform in lab.

Yes, you have to think

 

[pre med 2014]

I very well might dislike the TA if I met her, I just don't know if a desire to raise piglets and live in forest is enough to sustain a diagnosis of bipolar.

 

[MDforMee]

Dude, don't talk about it. Do what I said. Make up some bs story about how you "learned an important life lesson" or something and make up some more crap about how you improved as a student and a person. It's just one big idiotic game.

For sure. I will definitely do that.

I've already got something good in mind.

 

[gimghoul]

Since I've made up my mind on what to do during interviews concerning this matter, that'll free me up to talk about this issue, personally.

Our section was scored 20% lower than other sections by someone with obvious social/mental problems.

Is it against the rules or your code of conduct to speak up when there's an abuse of process and negligence occurring?

It's not against the rules; it's against your self interest. You should speak up when there is an abuse of process and negligence to the proper individuals, not to a disinterested third party trying to evaluate your character.

 

[gimghoul]

You are the type of person that I was talking about.

A trained medical provider who has experience recognizing comments that warrant screening for personality disorder?

It doesn't matter if you're right or wrong. You're in a job interview, and you don't want to throw in any red flags. A job interview is not the place for a sob session about how your TA was awful, whether she was or not. Anyone who thinks it is has at best a lot to learn about professionalism.