Illegal substances - admitting to using them at interview

[JeanLuc]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hi. I have a broad interest in neuroscience and by the time I start interviewing I will have had a substantial number of classes relating to psychopharmacology. Specifically, they are neuroscience classes with research papers relating to psychopharmacology. I don't want to give more details to avoid anyone identifying me down the road.

One thing that has to some degree attracted me to neuroscience (and has been a fair amount of the focus of my papers) is the ability to personally perceive/experience first hand the biochemical changes in the brain as a result of psychoactive substances. That is only a minor part of my attraction to the field, but it is something that you cannot miss in picking-up on if you read a paper of mine or hear me talk about the things I read/wrote about.

I realize that the interviewer probably cannot legally ask me about my [former] drug use, but would it hurt me to freely admit to trying two illegal substances in high school (3 years ago)? I feel that this would be almost unavoidable in an interview if the interviewer desires to know my complete life experience pertaining to my choosing an academic/career pathway.

Thank you in advance for your responses.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Everyone's going to disagree with me on this... but if you ONLY used twice, and it was back in HS, and you REALLY have never touched the stuff except for those two isolated incidents... then I think you would be OK to bring it up. If you've used any time in college, then keep that to yourself.

Honestly, I'd probably play it safe and say it in the context of "a friend from HS," but I think you could get away with it in front of some interviewers. Some adcoms will be impressed with your being honest and forthcoming, but I also think you should be prepared that a few will be extremely turned off by the stigma associated with illegal drugs. I'm not going to comment on whether that's fair or not, but you should be aware that you could essentially hang yourself in the eyes of some interviewers if you bring it up.

 

[202781]

As far as I'm concerend you can tell the interviewer that you like smoking ganja while tripping balls on acid and giving abortions to underage women while advocating for less regulation on the death with dignity laws...Now do I think it will help you out, NO!!!

DO NOT ADMIT TO TRYING DRUGS. I do think that you could talk about the fact that you are interested in studying why drugs work the way they do or how we as doctors may be able to put these to use. I just think you would be shooting yourself in the face by saying you have tried drugs...think about it bro, nothing good will come from that.

 

[DrYoda]

My gut tells me to not bring up an illegal activity they don't know about.

 

[majahops]

Haha, my interviewer at one of my interviews spent half of our time together talking about how much the world had changed, and how he did so many drugs while an undergraduate, he'd never be able to survive in today's premedical world.

That being said, yeah, don't offer up any information about naughty things you've gotten yourself into. The chances of your interviewer being like mine are very slim 😛

I should say, however, that if I was an interviewer, I'd be most bothered by an applicant who told me he/she smoked cigarettes. I mean here is a drug that has been shown to cause and be-associated-with so many terrible diseases and death... if you knowingly still smoke, perhaps looking out for the good health of others isn't your calling.

Everyone's going to disagree with me on this... but if you ONLY used twice, and it was back in HS, and you REALLY have never touched the stuff except for those two isolated incidents... then I think you would be OK to bring it up. If you've used any time in college, then keep that to yourself.

Honestly, I'd probably play it safe and say it in the context of "a friend from HS," but I think you could get away with it.

 

[Thrombomodulin]

.

 

[PremedIowa]

Why would it possibly be a good idea to bring this up? If I was interviewing someone and they willingly brought up using illegal drugs, I would DQ them on the spot. You have to know when and where is a good time to talk about things, and a job/med school interview is not one of them.

 

[JeanLuc]

Why would it possibly be a good idea to bring this up? If I was interviewing someone and they willingly brought up using illegal drugs, I would DQ them on the spot. You have to know when and where is a good time to talk about things, and a job/med school interview is not one of them.

Its not that I'd be bringing it out of the blue. Its just that my academic focus leading up to the interview would have been on classes in neuroscience and all of my individual papers in those classes are relating to the physiological changes psychoactive substances create and the observable behavioural product. I feel that the interviewer (or any person for that matter) would want me to say how did my interest develop - what attracted me to the field to get started on this academic/career path.

 

[URHere]

I wouldn't admit to using illegal drugs, however, if you are asked about your stance on certain drugs, whether or not you think they should be legal, etc. I think you should voice your honest opinion (as long as you can back it up).

When I interviewed last year, my major research interest was in addiction research and psychoneuropharm (and it sounds like yours is also). At one interview, I was directly asked whether I thought marijuana should be legal or not, and my answer led into a very interesting debate between myself and the interviewer about which things in society would improve and which things would decline if certain drugs were legalized. Afterwards, my interviewer told me that he had truly enjoyed the conversation and that he appreciated how honestly I presented my opinions.

I guess my point is that you shouldn't downplay your opinions for the sake of an interview (unless you can't argue for them well), but you really shouldn't need to draw on "personal experience" to make your point.

 

[PremedIowa]

If you are sure. However, I would look at what everyone is telling you rather than going with your gut feeling on how to proceed. If everyone tells you something is a bad idea, then it probably is.

It's your life, though.

 

[majahops]

I think this answer is perfect.

I wouldn't admit to using illegal drugs, however, if you are asked about your stance on certain drugs, whether or not you think they should be legal, etc. I think you should voice your honest opinion (as long as you can back it up).

When I interviewed last year, my major research interest was in addiction research and psychneuropharm (and it sounds like yours is also). At one interview, I was directly asked whether I thought marijuana should be legal or not, and my answer led into a very interesting debate between myself and the interviewer about which things in society would improve and which things would decline if certain drugs were legalized. Afterwards, my interviewer told me that he had truly enjoyed the conversation and that he appreciated how honestly I presented my opinions.

I guess my point is that you shouldn't downplay your opinions for the sake of an interview (unless you can't argue for them well), but you really shouldn't need to draw on "personal experience" to make your point.

 

[JeanLuc]

I wouldn't admit to using illegal drugs, however, if you are asked about your stance on certain drugs, whether or not you think they should be legal, etc. I think you should voice your honest opinion (as long as you can back it up).

When I interviewed last year, my major research interest was in addiction research and psychoneuropharm (and it sounds like yours is also). At one interview, I was directly asked whether I thought marijuana should be legal or not, and my answer led into a very interesting debate between myself and the interviewer about which things in society would improve and which things would decline if certain drugs were legalized. Afterwards, my interviewer told me that he had truly enjoyed the conversation and that he appreciated how honestly I presented my opinions.

I guess my point is that you shouldn't downplay your opinions for the sake of an interview (unless you can't argue for them well), but you really shouldn't need to draw on "personal experience" to make your point.

That helps a lot. So, if the interviewer does want to give more specific attention to my academic interests, I'll just talk about it from a more objective stance and avoid the topic of "personal experience" that may come across as a bit unprofessional/questionable (as others have hinted). Also, maybe by describing my interests as stemming from a purely scientific interest may come across as more impressive than by saying that I got started by basically doing a line of coke in high school. Thanks for the insight.

 

[mmmcdowe]

I hear telling the Interviewer which of the other interviewees you wouldn't mind sexually harassing is always a plus.

Funny story, I had an interviewer who's first question to me was if the female interviewee he had that day was hot.

Turns out, she was lol.

 

[Law2Doc]

Its not that I'd be bringing it out of the blue. Its just that my academic focus leading up to the interview would have been on classes in neuroscience and all of my individual papers in those classes are relating to the physiological changes psychoactive substances create and the observable behavioural product. I feel that the interviewer (or any person for that matter) would want me to say how did my interest develop - what attracted me to the field to get started on this academic/career path.

There is nothing to be gained by admitting to criminal activity -- it can only hurt you. Your goal is to downplay your former transgressions, not highlight them. As an interviewer, they are going to be concerned that you still have interests in drug use which may make it difficult for you to get a DEA license when you become a physician. So steering far away from this subject is your best gameplan. Someone without a drug history may be able to debate legalization without it coming across badly, but someone with such a history (apparently mentioned in articles) is going to end up regarded as STILL a pothead. Steer clear of this. This is not suitable fodder for interview discussions. Drug use by medical students and physicians is a big problem in the profession, let alone the patient population you will work with, and schools want to know they will have no problems when they send you to the wards, where prescription drugs are handed out.

 

[Bacchus]

"I have really good stats, great ECs, superb LORs, magnificent research but I didn't get accepted." This is whats going to happen, save me the foreshadowing. Admitting would be in this case.

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

Just like in every other part of your interview....lie, lie until you cant lie anymore. Any responsible applicant would tell you the same.

 

[Chemist0157]

Just like in every other part of your interview....lie, lie until you cant lie anymore. Any responsible applicant would tell you the same.

😀

I assume you didn't do drugs enough to hamper your thinking and that you are not doing them anymore. Having said that, unless specifically asked, I wouldn't bring it up. If they wanted to know about drug use, they would've asked you in the secondary or during the interview.

 

[dezokitty]

As a pharmacy student, I'm going to be more than slightly biased....

BUT, I just wanted to point out that that the consequences of violating the Controlled Substances Act are QUITE DIRE for health professionals. Thus, personally I would probably try and avoid mentioning the subject.

 

[chiz2kul]

Everyone's going to disagree with me on this... but if you ONLY used twice, and it was back in HS, and you REALLY have never touched the stuff except for those two isolated incidents... then I think you would be OK to bring it up. If you've used any time in college, then keep that to yourself.

Honestly, I'd probably play it safe and say it in the context of "a friend from HS," but I think you could get away with it in front of some interviewers. Some adcoms will be impressed with your being honest and forthcoming, but I also think you should be prepared that a few will be extremely turned off by the stigma associated with illegal drugs. I'm not going to comment on whether that's fair or not, but you should be aware that you could essentially hang yourself in the eyes of some interviewers if you bring it up.

lol someone wants one less interviewee for one more spot at one more school to compete with lol

Admitting to doing drugs in an interview does not bring out your honesty and candor lol, it brings out your lack of insight in bringin up such a topic.

 

[chewsnuffles]

it won't add to your case for admissions, and may detract from it

 

[bcat85]

"And then I picked up a hooker and shared it with her... errrr... him. I think it was a her, but I didn't check."

But seriously... don't do that.

 

[PremedIowa]

I think OP is weird enough to do it anyway, regardless of what advice we give him/her.

 

[Retsage]

I feel that the interviewer (or any person for that matter) would want me to say how did my interest develop - what attracted me to the field to get started on this academic/career path.

So tell them you love Hunter S. Thompson.

 

[stooges287]

Admitting to doing drugs in an interview does not bring out your honesty and candor lol, it brings out your lack of insight in bringin up such a topic.

Lol basically. As an interviewer, I wouldn't care (read: judge) you if you did drugs or not, as long as you were a functioning, normal human being. But voluntarily bringing it up in an interview would show to me a tremendous lack of judgment on your part. That in and of itself would be a red flag to me.

 

[Loon]

What if the drugs you took were not illegal in the place that you took them? Or alternatively, drugs that are legal here but not in the country you took them (Vick's inhaler sticks, those ones that smell oh-so-good, are illegal in some countries).

 

[MilkmanAl]

Yeah, talking about anything that might be illegal is a bad plan.

 

[pazan]

Yeah, talking about anything that might be illegal is a bad plan.

Seriously. Isn't that just common sense. How would this even come up?... is the interviewer all of a sudden going to ask "Soooo, have you ever used illegal drugs?... if so, which ones and why?"

And I hope you'd never start a sentence with, "This one time, in high school, when I was trippin hard on LSD..."

 

[ANF1986]

Seriously. Isn't that just common sense. How would this even come up?... is the interviewer all of a sudden going to ask "Soooo, have you ever used illegal drugs?... if so, which ones and why?"

And I hope you'd never start a sentence with, "This one time, in high school, when I was trippin hard on LSD..."

Im kind of baffled that the question even needs to be asked in the first place. You know how your parents and teachers always said "Honey, theres no such this as a stupid question..." They lied, this is a stupid question.

It should be a forgone conclusion not to ask this. You would not bring this up to an employer in an interview, you should treat med school no differently.