Interview Question

Started by dwarfplanet
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dwarfplanet

dwarfplanet

Full Member
5+ Year Member
Hi this is genuinely for a friend of mine who has an interview coming up. Since I’m already in school they asked what I thought about answering the “talk about a challenging time in your life” question that might come up with how they were rejected two application cycles but finally got in after hard work. Is this an appropriate thing to talk about, or is it safer to talk about a separate challenge? I honestly had no idea what to tell them especially since I don’t really know if they have an impressive “reinvention” story
 
I mean the adcom already knows the applicant's medical school cycle history, if it was me I would use the opportunity to introduce more of my personality and background (something not exactly on paper, perhaps) to the interviewer and show off resilience, grit and determination in a different sense. I'm not an adcom so correct me but I imagine not everything you answer with has to or should even be 100% about medicine.
 
dwarfplanet said:
Hi this is genuinely for a friend of mine who has an interview coming up. Since I’m already in school they asked what I thought about answering the “talk about a challenging time in your life” question that might come up with how they were rejected two application cycles but finally got in after hard work. Is this an appropriate thing to talk about, or is it safer to talk about a separate challenge? I honestly had no idea what to tell them especially since I don’t really know if they have an impressive “reinvention” story
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Nope. This shows that the only thing that the interviewee's life revolves around is academics and getting into med school.

Introspection is a required trait for a doctor.
 
Why does a school ask this question? Do they want to admit the person with the best story or the most challenging time of any applicant ever?
No, they want to hear from the applicant what was a challenging time and how it was overcome or gotten through. There are going to be challenges in medical school and further along in life and the skills and strategies you use to deal with challenges will carry through later.
 
gonnif said:
It is like when asked if you dont become a physician what would you do and you say is is you keep applying over and over.
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Just curious, what is wrong with this answer? When I was asked this in an interview, I mentioned that I would sit down with my mentors and advisors and get feedback to address what aspects I could improve on to do well when I reapply, since I can't imagine myself in any other career path.

Was that a bad answer?
 
tunaktunak said:
Just curious, what is wrong with this answer? When I was asked this in an interview, I mentioned that I would sit down with my mentors and advisors and get feedback to address what aspects I could improve on to do well when I reapply, since I can't imagine myself in any other career path.

Was that a bad answer?
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Clinicians need to have imagination, and to be able to prepare for worst case scenarios.
 
I agree with Lizzy M: the importance of the answer is not so much in the challenge, but what the answer reveals about the interviewee. The key is to present ANY CHALLENGE and then provide an example that reveals that you have the the traits and experience to be a good medical student and doctor.
 
How often this question is asked? I think lot of schools have similar prompt for secondary. my kid said no one asked him that (10+ schools).
 
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