Interview Horror Stories

[BadInterview2016April]

It looks like the MD forum hasn't done this thread since 2012, so let's restart it. Here are mine:

1. Interviewer didn't shake my hand on the way in. As I was leaving he stayed seated, so I walked up to him and offered my hand. He looked at it like I was an alien, and then eventually stood up and shook my hand.

2. Interviewer interrupted me about 20 times, so I interrupted him about 3 times, which is horrifying in retrospect. I just wanted to finish my thoughts.

3. Interviewer says that my biggest weakness is that I took computer science classes. This was so surprising that I couldn't think of anything to say for what felt like 2 minutes. Then I said I got good grades, I also did all my premed classes, and maybe I will write medical software some day. But how is that a weakness? I was 100% not expecting that.

I admit that all 3 of the horror stories above are partially my fault. I tend to remember mistakes that I make, because I feel embarrassed and regretful.

My advice: Expect the unexpected. Above all else, be polite and don't freak out. Sometimes you cannot give a good answer, so just try not to embarrass yourself.

---

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[DrSponge]

Interviewer showed up 1 hour late. When she interviewed me, I could tell right away that she wasn't really into it. After 10 minutes, she said "I am sure you will make a fine doctor someday," and left. Ended up getting waitlisted, but dropped it due to an acceptance at my top choice.

BTW, this was my first medical school interview.

 

[Lannister]

I've shared this story before but I'm still bitter about the whole experience so I'll repost. This happened at a certain Jesuit school in a large midwestern city during an interview with an oncologist.

I was talking about how my experiences shadowing and volunteering taught me how to communicate with patients and how important that skill is for doctors, and he said something along the lines of, "well, communicating with patients isn't really that important, it's knowing the hard sciences that's important for a physician". He then proceeded to tell me that my research was useless because it wasn't related to medicine, and that my shadowing was useless because I did most of it in "Peru" (told him I actually studied abroad in Chile about 10 times and he kept saying Peru) and therefore know nothing about US medicine. He then summed it up by saying my application gave no indications that I had any interest in medicine.

He didn't have access to my GPA but implied several times throughout the interview that he didn't think I was good at science because I'm a Spanish major. He spent 15 minutes making me tell him all the AP classes I took in high school (???) and when I couldn't remember one or two he just sat there and stared at me. Then he made me go through all the honors societies I was in, but in high school, not in college. He seemed disappointed when I told him I was in National Honor Society and graduate Cum Laude, as if that wasn't good enough. I asked him if classes were P/F, and his answer was a 15 minute diatribe about the process of med school and residency, did not even answer my original question. Then, possibly the worst part of the whole interview was the very end. We said our goodbyes, I thanked him, and we shook hands. He grabbed onto my hand, held onto it for at least 30 seconds if not more, all the while staring at me and saying nothing. It was EXTREMELY uncomfortable, I actually tried to pull away because it was so uncomfortable but he still wouldn't let go.

 

[KitKat30]

Interviewer: What are you most proud of?
Me:...
*Awkward silence for what seemed like eternity*
Me: I can't really think of anything.

 

[xc_stallion92]

Jesus. It's times like this that I'm thankful for MD/PhD interviews. So much more relaxed. I did have one interviewer though who, I can only imagine, assumed I was much more well-versed in doctoral-level immunology than I actually am. That led to quite an uncomfortable discussion about his research with a lot of fudging on my end and what was clearly some frustration on his end. Oh well, I loved the school and I'm going there anyway. Maybe I'll try to have that conversation with him again after I know a bit more about the subject. It seemed like really neat research.

 

[occams_razor]

I've shared this story before but I'm still bitter about the whole experience so I'll repost. This happened at a certain Jesuit school in a large midwestern city during an interview with an oncologist.

I was talking about how my experiences shadowing and volunteering taught me how to communicate with patients and how important that skill is for doctors, and he said something along the lines of, "well, communicating with patients isn't really that important, it's knowing the hard sciences that's important for a physician". He then proceeded to tell me that my research was useless because it wasn't related to medicine, and that my shadowing was useless because I did most of it in "Peru" (told him I actually studied abroad in Chile about 10 times and he kept saying Peru) and therefore know nothing about US medicine. He then summed it up by saying my application gave no indications that I had any interest in medicine.

He didn't have access to my GPA but implied several times throughout the interview that he didn't think I was good at science because I'm a Spanish major. He spent 15 minutes making me tell him all the AP classes I took in high school (???) and when I couldn't remember one or two he just sat there and stared at me. Then he made me go through all the honors societies I was in, but in high school, not in college. He seemed disappointed when I told him I was in National Honor Society and graduate Cum Laude, as if that wasn't good enough. I asked him if classes were P/F, and his answer was a 15 minute diatribe about the process of med school and residency, did not even answer my original question. Then, possibly the worst part of the whole interview was the very end. We said our goodbyes, I thanked him, and we shook hands. He grabbed onto my hand, held onto it for at least 30 seconds if not more, all the while staring at me and saying nothing. It was EXTREMELY uncomfortable, I actually tried to pull away because it was so uncomfortable but he still wouldn't let go.

wow

 

[Pastamahn]

I've shared this story before but I'm still bitter about the whole experience so I'll repost. This happened at a certain Jesuit school in a large midwestern city during an interview with an oncologist.

I was talking about how my experiences shadowing and volunteering taught me how to communicate with patients and how important that skill is for doctors, and he said something along the lines of, "well, communicating with patients isn't really that important, it's knowing the hard sciences that's important for a physician". He then proceeded to tell me that my research was useless because it wasn't related to medicine, and that my shadowing was useless because I did most of it in "Peru" (told him I actually studied abroad in Chile about 10 times and he kept saying Peru) and therefore know nothing about US medicine. He then summed it up by saying my application gave no indications that I had any interest in medicine.

He didn't have access to my GPA but implied several times throughout the interview that he didn't think I was good at science because I'm a Spanish major. He spent 15 minutes making me tell him all the AP classes I took in high school (???) and when I couldn't remember one or two he just sat there and stared at me. Then he made me go through all the honors societies I was in, but in high school, not in college. He seemed disappointed when I told him I was in National Honor Society and graduate Cum Laude, as if that wasn't good enough. I asked him if classes were P/F, and his answer was a 15 minute diatribe about the process of med school and residency, did not even answer my original question. Then, possibly the worst part of the whole interview was the very end. We said our goodbyes, I thanked him, and we shook hands. He grabbed onto my hand, held onto it for at least 30 seconds if not more, all the while staring at me and saying nothing. It was EXTREMELY uncomfortable, I actually tried to pull away because it was so uncomfortable but he still wouldn't let go.

I feel like that is worthy of reporting. That's past the conditions for a "stress" interview and just seems plain disrespectful. Also, you narrowed it down a good amount by saying a Jesuit school in the Midwest haha.

 

[trickydick]

Interviewer: What are you most proud of?
Me:...
*Awkward silence for what seemed like eternity*
Me: I can't really think of anything.

Same exact thing happened to me. I eventually answered that I was the only non-white person in my high school and I was proud of myself for being able to deal with that. Basically, I told my interviewer my greatest accomplishment was graduating high school. Your response was somehow better.

 

[Lannister]

I feel like that is worthy of reporting. That's past the conditions for a "stress" interview and just seems plain disrespectful. Also, you narrowed it down a good amount by saying a Jesuit school in the Midwest haha.

I thought about reporting it but I kind of just wanted to be done with it and not have to deal with them again.
And yeah, I know haha.

 

[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

I thought about reporting it but I kind of just wanted to be done with it and not have to deal with them again.
And yeah, I know haha.

Does it rhyme with Ebola?

 

[Lannister]

Does it rhyme with Ebola?

Yeah. It also rhymes with ployola.





(It's Loyola).

 

[0dee]

Not a medical school school interview but at an internship interview for a highly ranked hospital system in the US. I have a regular ol' English name, but my family and I are immigrants from the eastern part of the world.

Interviewer: so let's start off with basics, what's your name?

Me: John Doe

Interviewer: no, no, I mean what's your REAL name?

Me: *awkward silence for 5 seconds* John Doe!!!

I didn't get in

 

[carpediem22]

Not so much a horror story, but for one of my MD/PhD interviewers, I showed up and he had no idea that he was supposed to interview me and was otherwise engaged. He was embarrassed and found 20 minutes to squeeze me in. Another interviewer at the same school asked me, "So, what can I help you with? Is this an interview or...?"

Both PhD interviewers. Not too surprising though since those are usually very chill and more of an opportunity for applicants to learn about research opportunities!

 

[Pastamahn]

Not so much a horror story, but for one of my MD/PhD interviewers, I showed up and he had no idea that he was supposed to interview me and was otherwise engaged. He was embarrassed and found 20 minutes to squeeze me in. Another interviewer at the same school asked me, "So, what can I help you with? Is this an interview or...?"

Both PhD interviewers. Not too surprising though since those are usually very chill and more of an opportunity for applicants to learn about research opportunities!

Not familiar with MD/PhD interviews, but how many actual interviews did you end up having after those two flops??

 

[Technology]

This thread is very entertaining!

I have only had a few interviews with colleges, and only one was moderately awkward. The interviewer kept asking me about a religious/cultural club I lead and how it would affect my performance in college. She seemed very concerned for some reason... so I assured her that my high school activities would be different from my college endeavors.

I was waitlisted

 

[rukia013]

During my first (MD) interview of the season, one of my interviewers confessed halfway through the interview that he had been looking at the previous candidate's file but then proceeded to continue taking notes on the same page. Not sure if my interview was compromised...my decision has been stuck at pending since October.

 

[summergirl]

One of my interviewers asked me what's the best thing about getting into med school. And I answered: "It will make my mom very happy" (!!!). What I meant was that my mom has been super supportive of my decision of go back to school even though I know she wishes that I just took the easy way out by getting a job, get married and give her grandchildren. She still supported my decision because she knows it would mean the world to me if I get in. Yeah I don't think that came across in my answer.

 

[summergirl]

I've shared this story before but I'm still bitter about the whole experience so I'll repost. This happened at a certain Jesuit school in a large midwestern city during an interview with an oncologist.

I was talking about how my experiences shadowing and volunteering taught me how to communicate with patients and how important that skill is for doctors, and he said something along the lines of, "well, communicating with patients isn't really that important, it's knowing the hard sciences that's important for a physician". He then proceeded to tell me that my research was useless because it wasn't related to medicine, and that my shadowing was useless because I did most of it in "Peru" (told him I actually studied abroad in Chile about 10 times and he kept saying Peru) and therefore know nothing about US medicine. He then summed it up by saying my application gave no indications that I had any interest in medicine.

He didn't have access to my GPA but implied several times throughout the interview that he didn't think I was good at science because I'm a Spanish major. He spent 15 minutes making me tell him all the AP classes I took in high school (???) and when I couldn't remember one or two he just sat there and stared at me. Then he made me go through all the honors societies I was in, but in high school, not in college. He seemed disappointed when I told him I was in National Honor Society and graduate Cum Laude, as if that wasn't good enough. I asked him if classes were P/F, and his answer was a 15 minute diatribe about the process of med school and residency, did not even answer my original question. Then, possibly the worst part of the whole interview was the very end. We said our goodbyes, I thanked him, and we shook hands. He grabbed onto my hand, held onto it for at least 30 seconds if not more, all the while staring at me and saying nothing. It was EXTREMELY uncomfortable, I actually tried to pull away because it was so uncomfortable but he still wouldn't let go.

The handshake part gave me chills...it's almost like...sexual harassment.

 

[carpediem22]

Not familiar with MD/PhD interviews, but how many actual interviews did you end up having after those two flops??

Lol, I wouldn't call them flops -- they were super nice, just seriously did not know that they were supposed to interview me so it was a tad awkward for the first 5 minutes. I am assuming that the MD/PhD interview organizers just called it a "meeting". I got in though, so no harm no foul!

It depends on the school, but most programs have 2-3 MD interviews (or a panel if a school does that), 1-2 interviews with the MD/PhD director(s), and 5-6+ PhD interviews depending on how many PIs they can find to speak with you. The fewest number I had was 2 MD interviews, 2 PhD interviews, and 1 director interview. The PhD ones are sometimes not evaluated, or only a few are (you don't know which), but usually they are given the option to submit evaluations even if it is not required. Since so few are accepted into each program, even flopping 1 or 2 interviews out of 10+ could matter if they give negative feedback on you.

 

[CowboyNiceguy]

Not a medical school school interview but at an internship interview for a highly ranked hospital system in the US. I have a regular ol' English name, but my family and I are immigrants from the eastern part of the world.

Interviewer: so let's start off with basics, what's your name?

Me: John Doe

Interviewer: no, no, I mean what's your REAL name?

Me: *awkward silence for 5 seconds* John Doe!!!

I didn't get in

This story is a lot funnier if your name is actually John Doe.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

I've shared this story before but I'm still bitter about the whole experience so I'll repost. This happened at a certain Jesuit school in a large midwestern city during an interview with an oncologist.

I was talking about how my experiences shadowing and volunteering taught me how to communicate with patients and how important that skill is for doctors, and he said something along the lines of, "well, communicating with patients isn't really that important, it's knowing the hard sciences that's important for a physician". He then proceeded to tell me that my research was useless because it wasn't related to medicine, and that my shadowing was useless because I did most of it in "Peru" (told him I actually studied abroad in Chile about 10 times and he kept saying Peru) and therefore know nothing about US medicine. He then summed it up by saying my application gave no indications that I had any interest in medicine.

He didn't have access to my GPA but implied several times throughout the interview that he didn't think I was good at science because I'm a Spanish major. He spent 15 minutes making me tell him all the AP classes I took in high school (???) and when I couldn't remember one or two he just sat there and stared at me. Then he made me go through all the honors societies I was in, but in high school, not in college. He seemed disappointed when I told him I was in National Honor Society and graduate Cum Laude, as if that wasn't good enough. I asked him if classes were P/F, and his answer was a 15 minute diatribe about the process of med school and residency, did not even answer my original question. Then, possibly the worst part of the whole interview was the very end. We said our goodbyes, I thanked him, and we shook hands. He grabbed onto my hand, held onto it for at least 30 seconds if not more, all the while staring at me and saying nothing. It was EXTREMELY uncomfortable, I actually tried to pull away because it was so uncomfortable but he still wouldn't let go.

That's certainly a horror story... I'm glad you've been accepted elsewhere.

 

[Dr. Death]

First off, interview day starts at 7.15 and is about an hour from my house. Which already sucked.

Interview 1. 30 minute 1 on 1 interview. Interviewer shows up 25 minutes late and sitting alone in the waiting area for 25 minutes really messed with my nerves. Yet he somehow has my application memorized backward and forward and was a good interview, but ended up going 15 minutes over time.
Interview 2. Interviewer patronized me for being late, which I explained that my first interviewer was late but he didn't seem to care. He proceeds to ask me what I think is the cause of Autism, what I think about declining physician salaries, and criticizes my answer to both. He then tells me how average my application is and asks me how he should sell me to the admissions committee.

Same school MMI
Very clear cut ethical issue about improper benefits and relationships with patients. I give the appropriate answer (that it is wrong) and the interviewer, who spoke very broken English told me my answer was incorrect, that the scenario was very simple and straightforward and how I failed that interview.

Looking back now I wish I would have requested another interview because that was an option. But I was so horrified that I just wanted to get the hell out of there.

 

[moisne]

What do you do to relax?

*mind blanked* bubble baths....


------------
And I had one illegal question - something like "how are you going to make time to have kids??"

"I can't - im infertile"

Killed personally questions.

 

[Ioannes Paulus]

ugh

During my first [and only] MD interview, the physician made a comment that I was too young and asked "Do you think you have enough life experience to be a physician? I mean, you're just soo young, I can't imagine a 21 year old having the responsibility to care for people." The question caught me soo off gaurd that instead of talking about being a gay man growing up in a lower-class immigrant traditional muslim family and how that has helped me to mature at an early age, I just rambled on about extracurriculars and the perspectives they taught me. It was just a question/comment that I was totally unprepared for. I ended up getting waitlisted and, just recently, rejected. @Goro how often is young age brought up in admissions committees?

 

[frosted_flake]

ugh

During my first [and only] MD interview, the physician made a comment that I was too young and asked "Do you think you have enough life experience to be a physician? I mean, you're just soo young, I can't imagine a 21 year old having the responsibility to care for people." The question caught me soo off gaurd that instead of talking about being a gay man growing up in a lower-class immigrant traditional muslim family and how that has helped me to mature at an early age, I just rambled on about extracurriculars and the perspectives they taught me. It was just a question/comment that I was totally unprepared for. I ended up getting waitlisted and, just recently, rejected. @Goro how often is young age brought up in admissions committees?

I couldn't imagine being 21 and entering medical school (nor would I want to...) as I have gotten older I have learned so much about myself and life!

 

[Goro]

In our Adcom meetings, young age is less of an issue where life experiences are concerned, but immaturity is more of an issue if age ever gets mentioned.

USER=334945]@Goro[/USER] how often is young age brought up in admissions committees?

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

I wonder if most of these seemingly intentional awkward questions can be diffused by just showing thick skin and laughing it off with a brisk remark before framing it with BS and tying it back to medicine.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Interviewer: so I see your dad died from hepatitis C...what can you tell me about the viral structure and mechanism of hepatitis C?

Me: I'm not too familiar with the science behind how the virus acts :/

Interviewer: Wow I would think you'd care enough to learn about the virus that killed your father

Me:

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

Interviewer: so I see your dad died from hepatitis C...what can you tell me about the viral structure and mechanism of hepatitis C?

Me: I'm not too familiar with the science behind how the virus acts :/

Interviewer: Wow I would think you'd care enough to learn about the virus that killed your father

Me:

that's incredibly insensitive. I'm sorry about your dad.

 

[jebelali]

Interviewer didn't know I was coming. She waved me off at the door to engage in a (rather heated) discussion with a colleague. I stood there awkwardly waiting in the hallway. When she waved me back in, her office was a mess with no room to sit. She made an effort to clear some space and tried to make a cliff notes version of my application since she hadn't read it. I didn't know this. As she was muttering something to herself about me, I answered with affirmative yeses. She straight up told me I am talking to myself lol.

2 min in, she gave up and told me that I am going to experience a blind interview (school told us during introductions that the interview was open-file but blind to grades). She proceeded to ask me vague weird questions about medicine and hobbies and interrupted me numerous times with "yea yea yeah you like knitting because of handiwork" and then would ask me follow up. After this went on, and I gave up on the school, I didn't care anymore and became a bit less nice. This is when she learned I had a unique story to my background and she became interested. However, I was done.


When they wait listed me, I didn't really care. If they want to offer me a position, I'll decline and cite her unprofessional behavior as a reason. This was also at a Jesuit school. Too bad, their loss.

 

[Pastamahn]

Interviewer: so I see your dad died from hepatitis C...what can you tell me about the viral structure and mechanism of hepatitis C?

Me: I'm not too familiar with the science behind how the virus acts :/

Interviewer: Wow I would think you'd care enough to learn about the virus that killed your father

Me:

I'm so impressed you (I'm assuming) kept your cool. I would have been so mad after that. And as others have said, I really am sorry for your loss.

 

[md-2020]

Wow these are just so crazy to read. I honestly can't say I had a single interview that was anything short of extremely well organized, cordial, and great to experience. Glad you guys all seem to have moved on with better options, and hopefully most applicants out there can avoid these situations

 

[Lannister]

I actually got my first acceptance the day after I had that horrible interview experience. Those 24 hours where there was a possibility I might be forced to go to the school that rhymes with Ployola were hell.

 

[md-2020]

I actually got my first acceptance the day after I had that horrible interview experience. Those 24 hours where there was a possibility I might be forced to go to the school that rhymes with Ployola were hell.

On the bright side, the little park across from their hospital is a notorious drug dealer hang out. You probably could've survived by partaking in copious amounts of mary jane

 

[Lannister]

On the bright side, the little park across from their hospital is a notorious drug dealer hang out. You probably could've survived by partaking in copious amounts of mary jane

Or I could've become a dealer. Then I could graduate debt-free. Hmmm. Starting to regret withdrawing now.

 

[centyrone]

Interviewer: so I see your dad died from hepatitis C...what can you tell me about the viral structure and mechanism of hepatitis C?

Me: I'm not too familiar with the science behind how the virus acts :/

Interviewer: Wow I would think you'd care enough to learn about the virus that killed your father

Me:

My response would be "Thank you for your time but I have no interest in a school that wants to tell me how to grieve". I'm sorry for your loss, I hope you gave them hell for treating you so poorly.

 

[Yellow_Elephant]

My very first interview day went strangely for me, left me with a bad taste of the school. My first 1 on 1 interviewer was a physician who while I was with him, was actively seeing patients...He would talk to me for a few minutes and then (without telling me anything !) would walk out his office door to see a patient. At first I did not realize what he was doing, as he kept returning and leaving the room without any explanation. Eventually a resident came in and without any introduction, the resident and my interviewer began discussing a patient they just saw for about 15 minutes. The entire time I just sat there totally confused. Then my interview ended! We had maybe 5-10 min total of talking...as I walked out the door he handed me my interview evaluation form that was blank, he said "so that you know what to focus on for your next interview"
Really........

Second 1 on 1 interview that I went to directly after this one..the interviewer was not in his office. With the help of his office mate we searched for him, thinking he was in his lab or the bathroom or something. After 20 minutes, with him still a no show, I called the interview coordinator who preceded to call him (of course no answer). Around 40 minutes after my scheduled time, he strolled into his office and was confused he was even supposed to interview me...these interviews were open file but he hadn't ever read my application and wasn't sure what program I was interviewing for.

Overall, not the greatest impression of this school! Haha as soon as I was accepted elsewhere, I withdrew.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

that's incredibly insensitive. I'm sorry about your dad.

I'm so impressed you (I'm assuming) kept your cool. I would have been so mad after that. And as others have said, I really am sorry for your loss.

My response would be "Thank you for your time but I have no interest in a school that wants to tell me how to grieve". I'm sorry for your loss, I hope you gave them hell for treating you so poorly.

Thanks guys. To be honest I was just so surprised the guy had the balls to say that with a straight face I was just silent for a second. Responded with something to the effect of that I cared more about the person he was than the virus that was killing him.

Anonymously reported the interviewer, and withdrew the next day...but they were courteous to send me an email telling me I was wait listed anyway .

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

On a brighter note, vandy rejected me then send me a bill for tuition the next day...

9/10 trolling effort

 

[Goro]

Public service notice: this is indeed an "illegal" question and if any interviewer asks you this, report him/her to the Admissions dean immediately! this is the only way the system can cleanse itself of bad interviewers.


------------
And I had one illegal question - something like "how are you going to make time to have kids??"

"I can't - im infertile"

Killed personally questions.[/QUOTE]

 

[KitKat30]

Public service notice: this is indeed an "illegal" question and if any interviewer asks you this, report him/her to the Admissions dean immediately! this is the only way the system can cleanse itself of bad interviewers.


------------
And I had one illegal question - something like "how are you going to make time to have kids??"

"I can't - im infertile"

Killed personally questions.

[/QUOTE]
What if it was the Dean who asked the question??? This happened to me and I was annoyed but just brushed it off.

 

[Ismet]

What if it was the Dean who asked the question??? This happened to me and I was annoyed but just brushed it off.

Then that's probably a school you don't want to attend anyway.

 

[bananafish94]

Interviewer: so I see your dad died from hepatitis C...what can you tell me about the viral structure and mechanism of hepatitis C?

Me: I'm not too familiar with the science behind how the virus acts :/

Interviewer: Wow I would think you'd care enough to learn about the virus that killed your father

Me:

Christ. What in God's name would possess someone to say something like that?

 

[swolesoul]

My interviewer went 50 minutes over on a 20 minute interview then made a comment about how I was late for the interview! I said nope I've been sitting outside for an hour.

 

[magicdock]

I've shared this story before but I'm still bitter about the whole experience so I'll repost. This happened at a certain Jesuit school in a large midwestern city during an interview with an oncologist.

I was talking about how my experiences shadowing and volunteering taught me how to communicate with patients and how important that skill is for doctors, and he said something along the lines of, "well, communicating with patients isn't really that important, it's knowing the hard sciences that's important for a physician". He then proceeded to tell me that my research was useless because it wasn't related to medicine, and that my shadowing was useless because I did most of it in "Peru" (told him I actually studied abroad in Chile about 10 times and he kept saying Peru) and therefore know nothing about US medicine. He then summed it up by saying my application gave no indications that I had any interest in medicine.

He didn't have access to my GPA but implied several times throughout the interview that he didn't think I was good at science because I'm a Spanish major. He spent 15 minutes making me tell him all the AP classes I took in high school (???) and when I couldn't remember one or two he just sat there and stared at me. Then he made me go through all the honors societies I was in, but in high school, not in college. He seemed disappointed when I told him I was in National Honor Society and graduate Cum Laude, as if that wasn't good enough. I asked him if classes were P/F, and his answer was a 15 minute diatribe about the process of med school and residency, did not even answer my original question. Then, possibly the worst part of the whole interview was the very end. We said our goodbyes, I thanked him, and we shook hands. He grabbed onto my hand, held onto it for at least 30 seconds if not more, all the while staring at me and saying nothing. It was EXTREMELY uncomfortable, I actually tried to pull away because it was so uncomfortable but he still wouldn't let go.

Lmfaooooo


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Goro]

I'm reminded of the Mel Brooks line from History of the World, Part I, and so am paraphrasing : "It's good to be Dean".

Agree 100% with Ismet

What if it was the Dean who asked the question??? This happened to me and I was annoyed but just brushed it off.[/QUOTE]

 

[Ho0v-man]

I had a group interview at a DO school and I was the first one in the group to get the "Why DO?" question. I guess I accidentally destroyed the canned answers of everyone in the room.

I replied "Well, if I was an admissions committee member at a DO school, me and the other interviewer would be running a pool to see how long it takes before someone says the word "holistic", since you hear that every time you ask that question, am I right?" I then went on to give an explanation that was actually genuine instead.

The moment I said "holistic", everyone in the room looked mortified because now they didn't have an answer for the question and the interviewers cracked up. One of them teared up a little laughing.

I'm sure this was a horror story for all the other people in that interview because their answers all sounded fake when the said it, but I had a blast.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DoctorDad0410]

I had a blind interview at a school. I was the first of the day and when I walked into the room there were 3 interviewers who had just arrived and were still getting set up. I tried to make the best if it and shook their hands and sat patiently for them to get ready.

First question out of the gate by the individual in the right side of the table, "Why medicine?" I answered the question but then a few questions later the lady sitting on the left side of the table looks at me and asks, "Why medicine?" I thought maybe she had missed the question due to her getting set up still when the interview started. I answered her question the same as before and continued with the interview.

I was asked what type of hobbies I enjoyed by the lady in the center of the table. I answered and then about 3 questions later, the lady on the left side asked me again what type of hobbies I enjoyed.

To this day I'm still a bit unsure if she was just being very inattentive during the interview or conducting some type of social experiment on me.

 

[dreee]

Interviewer: so I see your dad died from hepatitis C...what can you tell me about the viral structure and mechanism of hepatitis C?

Me: I'm not too familiar with the science behind how the virus acts :/

Interviewer: Wow I would think you'd care enough to learn about the virus that killed your father

Me:

Wow. That's so rude that I just got offended!

 

[atomi]

Not a med school interview, but a residency interview...

Interview starts with "so you used to be engineer huh? why did you go to med school? You wanted more money -- that was it, wasn't it?" and
"How do I know you aren't just going to quit residency like you quit engineering when something else better comes along?"
Followed by "I'm pretty sure I Know why you chose this field -- you just don't want to work very hard and you think you can get away it here."

So yes, malignant interviews do exist later on down the road too. Although this was ridiculously out of the ordinary and the only time I experienced anything like this.