I dont know how to answer this question

[BlackPuma]

like I know how to answer 30 ethical questions, siamese twins, euthanaisia, family consent, unethical behavior etc etc etc...

BUT, I don't know what to say, when they say, ok, the interview is almost up, now I am going to make your case to the commissions committee, what is there ONE aspect, that you feel is the most important aspect that I should tell the admission committee about you?! (no whining, or if I did this my gpa would be higher, or my mcat could have been higher had I retake it, nothing like that)...Something but ONLY ONE positive thing aboutr yourself that they would "win" you over...

I never could answer this quesiton, it was the most ******ed question...I mean HELLo, I have my whole file in front of you, with tons of awards, extracurricualar stuff, letters of rec, and all kinds of hobbies and interest, how the heck do you expect to take "one positive" aspect and convince the admissions committee...

how do you guys respond to this? personally this is a sillly question, the interviewer is there to asses the articularition, the sincerity and the intellect of the candidate....I can't think of "one defining characteristics" in me, nor in my friends that makes them to tell the admissions committee.....

I'm reallly stuck on this one, what do you guys focus on? I mean we can't say gpa, mcat, so rule those out, and anything else liek extracurricular activity and such is already written in the application with the letter of recs, so what more is there to say? DUH....pisses me off when they ask that, I feel they haven't done their homework.....

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[Milena]

That is tough. I would think about just reinforcing how much you want to do medicine. You know, get that 'impassioned' look on your face and let them know that you're totally committed to being a great doctor, this is the school you want to do it at (even if it isn't )....

But then again, that could sound over-motivated...

 

[racergirl]

"Tell them I also have nice teeth."

I got a big laugh. And an acceptance.

 

[BlackPuma]

you know that sounds like a good response, but again, if I weren't passionate about it, would I even make it thus far? I think with all honestly, this is a a REAL dumb question...

I said, funny that is what replied, I said, I am highly motivated, try to be a perfectionist (kind of sounded stupid once I said) in everything I try to do, like research or leadership...extremely enthusiastic, and very social...overall my attitude towards medicine and people is very positive....but then when I said it...I felt so stupid...how can I judge my own attitude, wouldn't that make me bias? It's like saying..."I'm the best doctor I know" whatever.......very very very dumb question...I have yet been able to find a "sufficient" answer....to "I have to try your case for the committee"..whatever

incidently, when I've given that response twice and each time, I got a blank stare....so I don't think I'm "winning them over"....whatever, after interviewing a couple of places...I have begun to realize, that maybe...MAYBE, there aren't dumb answers but sometiems really DUMB Questions.....Has anyone else realized that sometimes our performance in an interview is also related to the intherviewer's ability of asking "good questions" that determine all our abilities....not only does one need to be a good interviewee, there should also be a GOOD interviewer.....some of my interviewers honestly, didn't seem very articulated in their questions...some of them would come with pretyped questions...now I ask you, can I come to an interview with pretyped answers?

"oh oh, that ethical question!!! I wrote my reply on page two....." WHATEVER pple

so does anybody else have any other responses, to your BEST ONE positive features?

 

[BlackPuma]

Originally posted by racergirl:
•"Tell them I also have nice teeth."

I got a big laugh. And an acceptance.•••

....I never tried answering it with a joke....maybe I should try that next time

 

[SMW]

Someone once posted that when one interviewer opened the interview with "So, you're interested in medicine..." the interviewee looked around in a confused manner and said "What, this is a medical school? Am I in the right place?" There were a few moments of total silence before everyone broke out laughing!

I did try to loosen up my interviewer at Columbia, with intermittent success, but hey, at least part of the interview flowed smoothly!

 

[dustinspeer]

"I can kiss a$$ with the best of them"

 

[Sonya]

I think they're asking what's unusual about you.
What do you have, that other's dont. If you want to talk about personality, list only a FEW aspects of your personality,a nd emphasize on them. elaborate, give examples. They're also asking, what should we be sure to remember from your profile.

Honestly, unless we know your whole profile and more, I don't think we can answer that.

DON'T USE A JOKE IF YOU'RE LIKELY TO SCREW IT. If you try to ma ke a joke, and it doesn't come off as funny, you'll look really stupid. But if you're good with jokes and such, and know you wont make a fool of yourself, go ahead. But, I may just use the joke to start off, and then give a real reason.

 

[Crazed]

In response to WatchaMeCallit,
Point well taken! I most definitely agree. In fact, at the risk of sounding arrogant, I am not so much worried about how I perform at my interviews, but rather about the chemistry between myself and the interviewer - as that is an equally defining factor in how the whole thing goes. What if my interviewer has NO PERSONALITY??? What if he/she is a freak, who can't converse, doesn't get jokes, doesn't get people? In fact, from my experience of working with doctors, some actually do not get a lot of your jokes. And no, it is not that the jokes are not funny - everyone else thinks they are. However, with some dr's - they just get this blank stare ...huh? Oh well, I guess you have to go into this armed with plenty of boooooring stuff to discuss for all those that can not have a regular conversation.

 

[racergirl]

Originally posted by SMW:
•Someone once posted that when one interviewer opened the interview with "So, you're interested in medicine..." the interviewee looked around in a confused manner and said "What, this is a medical school? Am I in the right place?" There were a few moments of total silence before everyone broke out laughing! •••

hee-hee...That was me! Right at the beginning of the interview. Worked great to lighten the mood (and cover the fact that I don't have a nice pat answer to the "why medicine" question)!