How to handle this situation--an interview who gives you the cold shoulder?

[newborn11]

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I recently interviewed at a medical school and encountered a difficult situation. The interview was close-filed (i.e. the interviewer only had access to a piece of paper with my alma mater and gpa). The interviewer seemed friendly before he read the information printed on the paper. His attitude, however, changed completely afterwards. Throughout the interview, he seemed disengaged when I discussed my volunteering experiences and elaborated on my responses to his questions. He made no eye contact and never smiled. At the end of the interview, he said that the greatest strength of his school was "mere convenience" and that I should consider other more prestigious medical schools.

Has this happened to anyone? I am very frustrated because I showed interest in the school by asking questions and complimenting on the clinical training, curriculum, and learning atmosphere. I showed no signs of arrogance/contempt for the school.

 

[milkandcereal]

Sorry to hear your interview didn't go as well as you would have liked 🙁 It's weird they do a closed-file interview, but give the interviewer the GPA. It seems like he saw that you had a strong GPA or something and felt like maybe you were only applying to his school as a safety. Keep your head up though; if you praised the school, seemed interested, and asked solid questions, then I feel like you did everything you could have in the unfortunate situation. Also, an interview is just a piece of the puzzle, you're not dead in the water because your interview didn't go the way you hoped 🙂

 

[def1]

I had a somewhat similar interview, and im now attending that school so i wouldn't put too much weight on it.

 

[Mr Avante]

At the end of the interview, he said that the greatest strength of his school was "mere convenience" and that I should consider other more prestigious medical schools.

What did you tell him afterwards?

 

[gyngyn]

Let the dean of admissions know. He/she needs to know that this interviewer appeared biased and unfriendly. There is no dean who wants an interviewer with such rudimentary skills and yet we can not eliminate them without feedback.

 

[cde]

It could have been an intentional "stress interview" to see how you would react. 30 years ago I remember walking into the interviewers office. I sat down as he picked up a newspaper and held it between us and he asked in a very bored voice, "so why do YOU want to be a doctor". No rapport, no conversation, nothing. I sat pertly on my chair and gave him my answer and tried to engage him. Now I wish I would have insisted he give me his attention on one of the most important days of my life but I didn't have the balls that I do now.

 

[Goro]

Strongly concur! This interviewer is hurting the school. Keep in mind that you're interviewing the school as much as they're interviewing you, and it now appears they've just lost a qualified candidate.

Let the dean of admissions know. He/she needs to know that this interviewer appeared biased and unfriendly. There is no dean who wants an interviewer with such rudimentary skills and yet we can not eliminate them without feedback.

 

[Nessy]

deleted

 

[Umyo]

Let the dean of admissions know. He/she needs to know that this interviewer appeared biased and unfriendly. There is no dean who wants an interviewer with such rudimentary skills and yet we can not eliminate them without feedback.

I don't know if that will help or just make you seem like a complainer...

 

[gyngyn]

I don't know if that will help or just make you seem like a complainer...

Not at all. Sometimes we suspect a bad interviewer but until we have a report there is little we can do, especially with "senior" interviewers.

 

[Umyo]

Not at all. Sometimes we suspect a bad interviewer but until we have a report there is little we can do, especially with "senior" interviewers.

Oh okay, didn't know it worked like that.

That's pretty good then.

 

[newborn11]

(Just for the sdners' future reference) I was very surprised to find out that I was accepted to this medical school despite this absolutely horrendous interview. I guess self-evaluation of interview performance can be deceptive.

 

[astronautmd]

I had a somewhat similar interview, and im now attending that school so i wouldn't put too much weight on it.

Wisdom

 

[Pacna]

In those situations, I find that it's best to be up front about it. Say "I get the feeling like you and I got off on the wrong foot. Have I done something to offend you?"

Most people see themselves as very friendly, and hearing that they're not coming across that way can make them remember that they're supposed to be easy to talk to. At worst, they still don't like you and you've lost nothing by trying.

 

[Microglia]

In those situations, I find that it's best to be up front about it. Say "I get the feeling like you and I got off on the wrong foot. Have I done something to offend you?"

Most people see themselves as very friendly, and hearing that they're not coming across that way can make them remember that they're supposed to be easy to talk to. At worst, they still don't like you and you've lost nothing by trying.

I actually disagree with this. I would roll with it without acknowledging it outright, and keep your game face on. Congrats, OP! Probably a stress interview.

 

[yehhhboiii]

yep it was a stress interview
don't worry about it too much op, it's hard to gauge your performance
it happened to me once and i was totally caught off guard during the interview. but now you'll be prepared if it happens again

 

[Warrenc]

i was at eastern virginia medical school a few weeks ago. it was a 2v1 interview. my adcom was conversational, and seemed reasonable. however the medical student also interviewing me seemed totally skeptical of everything i said. he never outright called "BS!!!" but his face and tone read that way to me.

any ideas/???

Yea, stop using that emoticon when it doesn't fit with what you're saying.

 

[HopefulReapp]

im sorry

It's okay
-

 

[Chillbo Baggins]

It's okay
-

YOLO





On topic: Glad to hear you still got accepted, OP. Self-grading can often be a tricky beast.

 

[gyngyn]

(Just for the sdners' future reference) I was very surprised to find out that I was accepted to this medical school despite this absolutely horrendous interview. I guess self-evaluation of interview performance can be deceptive.

Now you can let the dean of admissions know about the interview experience (if you were not able to do it before). It would be a favor to everyone. I have always appreciated this type of feedback and I'm sure it would be well received.