Interviews - Any overweight applicants

[Stacker]

When you guys went to your interviews about what percentage of those who interviewed with you were overweight?

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[dentalprodigy]

0 from mine

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk

 

[boomshakalaka1]

When you guys went to your interviews about what percentage of those who interviewed with you were overweight?

LOL this is a very odd question, what does overweight have to do with anything may I ask? You are not interviewing for some kind of talent show...

 

[Stacker]

LOL this is a very odd question, what does overweight have to do with anything may I ask? You are not interviewing for some kind of talent show...

Every interviewer is subconsciously making stigmatizating judgments (all obese individuals are lazy, which is false) about overweight people before their rational moral compass kicks in. I have this hunch feeling that adcom won't be too pleased with inviting overweight individuals to interviews after viewing their picture on their application. I say this because severely overweight students might have a hard time operating on their patients while sitting down and trying to kneel over their belly to reach the patient.
Sounds silly but that's what I'm expecting.

 

[ttpharm]

I am using my obesity to stand out from others. I was obese and a type 2 diabetic but lost 100 pounds. (250->150). :}

 

[ta11geese3]

For me, probably zero that were actually obese.

However, I have a hunch that there are fewer obese people in the applicant pool than the general population in the first place, and that that's the reason there are so few obese people at interviews.

At my college I hardly saw any obese people. Maybe a handful. There's probably a correlation between being high achieving enough overall to get into a decent college and keeping yourself healthy. Maybe has to do with self control, I don't know. And then you narrow that down even further to predents, and then even more to interviewees... you're not going to see many (any?) interviewees that are obese.

Oh, and plenty of schools don't ask for photos either. Schools do require a physical before matriculation, and on my form there was a section asking my doctor if there were any conditions that would impair my abilities as a future dentist lol. I think that not being able to bend over and move around effectively might belong in that section...

 

[Baker2010]

I think there was 1 interviewee that was a little overweight.
It does seem like dental schools are little biased about the obesity thing.
I mean, in the US, there is a ridicuolous number of overweight and/or obese individuals (greater than 60% I think?) but there are very few of either in the field from what I have seen, as students or doctors.

 

[pk62281]

Come to think of it. I don't recall seeing one overweight person in any of my interviews either.

 

[dentalWorks]

LOL this is a very odd question, what does overweight have to do with anything may I ask? You are not interviewing for some kind of talent show...

no one will tell you this to ur face, but an attractive interviewee goes a long way

 

[jdrummerjd]

none at my 7 interviews

 

[2012IHOPE]

None at my three interviews, but one of the dental student tour guides was.

 

[Davermz450]

A friend of mine is going to start pharm school in June and she is larger, she had 7 interviews and got into 5 schools. She also doesn't have a BS or BA

 

[Stacker]

A friend of mine is going to start pharm school in June and she is larger, she had 7 interviews and got into 5 schools. She also doesn't have a BS or BA

Different occupation. Neither obese nor anorexic pharmacists touch patients or operate in close-quarters.

 

[SupDanLOL]

Zero.

 

[LucyLucille]

Interesting question. I've wondered about the same thing myself, but I'm actually pretty surprised that few of you saw any overweight candidates.

I knew a pharmacist who was talking to me about hiring a pharmacy tech and told me upfront "If she is fat I'm not going to hire her because fat people are so lazy." I think it's shocking and the stigma is sad. There are plenty of overweight people who are also fit and motivated. I consider myself one, since I run 3 miles a day most days of the week, work hard, and still manage to be categorically overweight. I know plenty of students in med school who are overweight, but are well dressed, attractive and look healthy so their weight isn't the first thing you notice about them. I am suspicious that since being overweight is almost the norm now, there are probably more candidates that are overweight (according to BMI) than people recognize.

However, obesity definitely causes limitations, not only physical but psychological, so it makes sense that there would be some aversion to accepting/inviting obese candidates. Also, we all know that patients in any health profession are probably less likely to take healthcare advice from someone who apparently doesn't follow their own advice. I hate to add to the stigma, but it's true. It's hard to avoid being distracted by obesity.

 

[sacapuntas]

I think that if you go by the governments guidelines of overweight (BMI 25-30), there are probably a good number of overweight candidates. The thing is, we are so used to looking at obese people in this country that overweight doesn't always look overweight.

 

[bhagan01]

I saw none at all at 7 school. I myself am considered obese, but my body fat is only 8-10 percent. Oh the glories of BMI scales. So how are we defining obesity. I mean height/weight scales are kinda bs.

 

[Stacker]

.

 

[Stacker]

I saw none at all at 7 school. I myself am considered obese, but my body fat is only 8-10 percent. Oh the glories of BMI scales. So how are we defining obesity. I mean height/weight scales are kinda bs.

Obese - you cannot see your toes while standing up
Overweight - your thighs rub together when you walk or when you are driving your car and hit a bump, you feel your chest move almost separately from the rest of your body

 

[Seahawk]

Thinking about it, I can't recall any dental students or pre-dents that I've seen who are overweight.

However I know about 30 dentists who are, haha.

 

[y3nd0]

Obese - you cannot see your toes while standing up
Overweight - your thighs rub together when you walk or when you are driving your car and hit a bump, you feel your chest move almost separately from the rest of your body

You're probably joking, but your definition of overweight is so off.

My thighs touch when I walk, and my boobs are big enough to bounce when the car hits a bump (maybe TMI).

Although the BMI scale isn't very reliable, I'm still in the "green zone".

 

[hmmmmm]

You're probably joking, but your definition of overweight is so off.

My thighs touch when I walk, and my boobs are big enough to bounce when the car hits a bump (maybe TMI).

Although the BMI scale isn't very reliable, I'm still in the "green zone".

girls need to have that gap

if you don't have the gap, you could probably do with some weight loss

I knew a pharmacist who was talking to me about hiring a pharmacy tech and told me upfront "If she is fat I'm not going to hire her because fat people are so lazy." I think it's shocking and the stigma is sad. There are plenty of overweight people who are also fit and motivated.

i work with a pharm tech who is obese. she takes frequent breaks, complains her knees are giving out, etc...

i think all sterotypes or stigmas has some basis in truth, or else how would they start in the first place?

I saw none at all at 7 school. I myself am considered obese, but my body fat is only 8-10 percent. Oh the glories of BMI scales. So how are we defining obesity. I mean height/weight scales are kinda bs.

BMI is a very good scale. As a risk factor, it correlates VERY WELL with risk of stroke, CVD, diabetes, etc...

BMI is a scale for the averages. OBVIOUSLY it doesn't apply to the body builder, or the paraplegic.

Are you going to knock on CrCl levels because they don't work for body builders, old frail ladies, paraplegics or people temporary disease states (eg. acites, renal failure, etc...)?

BMI works for most people and its quick and easy to explain to patients. To think a general rule of thumb should apply to all the outliers of the human race is stupid.

 

[y3nd0]

girls need to have that gap

if you don't have the gap, you could probably do with some weight loss
.

Tell that to a 110lb girl with small hips. (Not me, just sayin') Not everyone can achieve the thigh gap and stay in the healthy range.
Just trying to say that I'm considered healthy on the BMI scale. Although, yes, I could stand to lose like, 10 lbs.

 

[LucyLucille]

i work with a pharm tech who is obese. she takes frequent breaks, complains her knees are giving out, etc...

i think all sterotypes or stigmas has some basis in truth, or else how would they start in the first place?

I can't argue with that, but it's still shocking to hear someone come right out and say it. Also, as has become apparent through this thread, people's different notions of "fat" aren't always related to their actual physical abilities. Being obese to the point of being disabled is one thing (and discriminating based on disability can lead to a lot of trouble!), whereas being denied a job just because your thighs touch together is quite another.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

girls need to have that gap

if you don't have the gap, you could probably do with some weight loss



i work with a pharm tech who is obese. she takes frequent breaks, complains her knees are giving out, etc...

i think all sterotypes or stigmas has some basis in truth, or else how would they start in the first place?



BMI is a very good scale. As a risk factor, it correlates VERY WELL with risk of stroke, CVD, diabetes, etc...

BMI is a scale for the averages. OBVIOUSLY it doesn't apply to the body builder, or the paraplegic.

Are you going to knock on CrCl levels because they don't work for body builders, old frail ladies, paraplegics or people temporary disease states (eg. acites, renal failure, etc...)?

BMI works for most people and its quick and easy to explain to patients. To think a general rule of thumb should apply to all the outliers of the human race is stupid.

right, the BMI is a good scale if you don't exercise much or the "averages". you don't have to be a bodybuilder for the BMI to be inefficient. If you go to the gym 3-4 times a week and lift weights and maintain a healthy diet, you can still be falsely represented on the BMI scale.

 

[LucyLucille]

Tell that to a 110lb girl with small hips. (Not me, just sayin') Not everyone can achieve the thigh gap and stay in the healthy range.
Just trying to say that I'm considered healthy on the BMI scale. Although, yes, I could stand to lose like, 10 lbs.

Ah, the coveted thigh gap!

Probably a good percentage of purported thigh gaps wouldn't exist without low camera angles, widely placed feet or arched backs. Getting "that gap" without some postural manipulation is either a result of unusual genetics or obsessive dieting.

A never ending source of thinspo, nonetheless.

 

[hmmmmm]

Ah, the coveted thigh gap!

Probably a good percentage of purported thigh gaps wouldn't exist without low camera angles, widely placed feet or arched backs. Getting "that gap" without some postural manipulation is either a result of unusual genetics or obsessive dieting.

A never ending source of thinspo, nonetheless.

I see a good portion of people having the thigh gap in canada. I hope i can see the same in the states or I will be

 

[dantemac]

I don't recall anyone being overweight at the interviews. Most people applying to dental school are good looking, pro-active, etc. about their appearance, if I had to guess. And if they have extra pounds on they are probably losing them