Interviewer's Gender

[ipecac]

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don't take this seriously, it's just an observation of mine

i've had a lot of interviews, and the only schools i did not get outright accepted to were those where i didn't have at least one male interviewer. of course this might all change with the release of the remaining two decisions i'm waiting on.

oh yeah, i'm female.

 

[baylormed]

don't take this seriously, it's just an observation of mine

i've had a lot of interviews, and the only schools i didn't not get outright accepted to were those where i didn't have at least one male interviewer. of course this might all change with the release of the remaining two decisions i'm waiting on.

oh yeah, i'm female.

This is a hard question. I don't think you can generalize ALL female interviewers to be biased againt female interviewees. Although I am almost willing to say that some of the older ones, which got accepted into medical school in an era in which it was harder for them, in which they had to act more like "one of the boys," might be a little uncomfortable with accepting an applicant who comes in with a certain kind of attitude.

 

[gary5]

Gender can definitely be a relevant factor. I had one school with 2 male interviewers - waitlisted, and another with 2 females - accepted. I think that gender played a factor in both (I'm male). The females were engaging and helpful, while the males were like, "Prove it to me".

 

[Auron]

interesting. I've always done better with the ladies, guess they can't resist that charm 😀

 

[RinaBe]

I've noticed this both with gender and age. At the school where I had an older female interviewer, I was accepted. At two schools, I had middle-aged male interviewers (and one male med student interviewer at one of these places)- waitlisted at both. I'm waiting to hear from a fourth school where my interviewer was an older female. Obviously, I'm hoping the trend continues.

 

[ClockworkDoc]

I have only had male interviewers (6 schools) and I have been accepted nowhere!!!

 

[Psyche Estrelle]

In my experience, interviews with females have almost always been easier (little to no "difficult" questions etc.) than interviews with males. I have no idea if others have had the same experience. (I'm female in case you can't tell)

 

[Kfire326]

In my experience, interviews with females have almost always been easier (little to no "difficult" questions etc.) than interviews with males. I have no idea if others have had the same experience. (I'm female in case you can't tell)

I'm male. I've had 3 male interviewers and 2 female interviewers. Both of my interviews with females had been much more relaxed...I felt more comfortable with them than with males. They were much more friendly and chit-chatty than my male interviewers.

 

[baylormed]

I'm male. I've had 3 male interviewers and 2 female interviewers. Both of my interviews with females had been much more relaxed...I felt more comfortable with them than with males. They were much more friendly and chit-chatty than my male interviewers.

Well that's just female nature. 😛

 

[SunshineNYC]

don't take this seriously, it's just an observation of mine

i've had a lot of interviews, and the only schools i didn't not get outright accepted to were those where i didn't have at least one male interviewer. of course this might all change with the release of the remaining two decisions i'm waiting on.

oh yeah, i'm female.

Isn't it also possible that we act a little bit differently in our interviews with a male vs. a female interviewer? For example, if you are female, in some ways you can indentify more with the female interviewer, so just that alone creates a slightly different dynamic with her rather than with an older male interviewer, who you might treat more like your grandfather or whatever mold you have ingrained in your head for each "type" of person. However, if it works that way, then it should also work in reverse, where they see you differently based on who they are and who you are due to their prior experiences. I'm merely suggesting that it works both ways and there might not be a way to determine who's bias caused the final outcome.

 

[sirus_virus]

don't take this seriously, it's just an observation of mine

i've had a lot of interviews, and the only schools i didn't not get outright accepted to were those where i didn't have at least one male interviewer. of course this might all change with the release of the remaining two decisions i'm waiting on.

oh yeah, i'm female.

negative * negative = positive I am assuming. So you did get accepted by the females or what? I actually have a headache now, so nevermind.

 

[swtiepie711]

I had 10 male interviewers and 4 female interviewers. Of the schools with all male interviewers, I got accepted to 4, rejected by 1. Of the schools with mixed gender interviewers, I withdrew from one and was accepted by 1. From the school with one female interviewer, I have yet to hear back.

What I walked away from it was that the women were "easier/friendlier" interviewers (for the most part), but that I felt they were better at hiding how they felt about me. While the men were a bit more aggressive/abrasive/etc, they were very upfront, honest. I knew that the male interviewers who rejected me didn't think I was a good match for their school.

I don't think it's as simple as gender, but I do think interviewers personal traits/qualities (gender, race/ethnicity, background, opinions) weigh heavily.

 

[INdyMD]

I had a male and a female in the one interview I've had. The female was older, and basically gave me a death stare the entire time (I'm female). The male was nice overall, but was a bit abrasive at times.

 

[thedelicatessen]

Anyone can be a horrible interviewer or a fantastic interviewer regardless of gender. Based on my own personal experience, my traumatic interviews were with men, but I had plenty of great interviews with males too. Fewer in number, most of my interviews with females were uneventful, but my favorite interview was with an Asian American female doctor because she had such an inspiring view of the medical profession and because I could really relate to her. I was accepted at that school too 🙂.

 

[ipecac]

negative * negative = positive I am assuming. So you did get accepted by the females or what? I actually have a headache now, so nevermind.

oops, i'm stupid. i meant to write "DID NOT." Yeah, the all-female interviewer schools didn't immediately accept me.

 

[pacma]

Even before reading this thread, I definitely suspected that the interviewer's gender mattered.

I'm female. I had 3 interviews:
1)male interviewer=accepted
2)two female interviewers=deferred
3)two male interviewers=accepted

In fact, it was even before interview #2 and #3 that I suspected this. Interviews for undergrad college and for jobs have been especially good when the interviewer was the opposite sex.

0f course, it's not impossible to still get in whichever the gender is 🙁 but there does seem to be a more positive response from the guys.

 

[corranh314]

.

 

[ipecac]

Yeah, for me it's

1) 1 male interviewer=accepted
2) 2 male interviewers/2 female interviewers=accepted
3) 1 male interviewer/1 female interviewer=accepted
4) 1 male interviewer/1 female interviewer=accepted
5) 3 female interviewers=waitlisted
6) 2 male interviewers=accepted
7) 1 male interviewer/1 female interviewer=decision pending
8) 1 male interviewer/1 female interviewer=decision pending
9) 2 male interviewers=accepted
10) 2 female interviewers=rejected
11) 1 female interviewer=decision pending

Seems like I need at least 1 guy on my side. 🙂

Even before reading this thread, I definitely suspected that the interviewer's gender mattered.

I'm female. I had 3 interviews:
1)male interviewer=accepted
2)two female interviewers=deferred
3)two male interviewers=accepted

In fact, it was even before interview #2 and #3 that I suspected this. Interviews for undergrad college and for jobs have been especially good when the interviewer was the opposite sex.

0f course, it's not impossible to still get in whichever the gender is 🙁 but there does seem to be a more positive response from the guys.

 

[polycon7]

Now that I think about it, my only female interviewer was a student interviewer at Pitt.

 

[Disinence2]

My pitt female student interviewer was outright hott...

Combine the anxiety of a medical school interview with that of talking to a hot chick = waitlist

 

[blackrsx]

I'm a male, seems like I've always needed a female to be accepted (let's see if it holds true for BCM).

1) Male + Female = Accepted
2) Male + Female = Waitlist
3) (Male + Female + Female) + Female = Accepted
4) Male + Male = Waitlist
5) Male + Female = Accepted
6) Female = Accepted
7) Male = Waitlist
8) Male + Female = still waiting

 

[stiffany]

In my experience, interviews with females have almost always been easier (little to no "difficult" questions etc.) than interviews with males. I have no idea if others have had the same experience. (I'm female in case you can't tell)

I actually had the exact opposite experience as a female. I interviewed with 6females and 3 males over interviews at four schools. In general, the female interviewers I had were more demanding with both more difficult questions and also a more rapid fire "prove yourself to me" demeanor for three of the six female interviewers whereas the 3 male interviews I had were more supportive and less hardcore.