Interviews

[adrakdavra]

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On an interview, how would you answer a Q like this:

What will you do if you don't get in?

 

[AnthonyBourdain]

On an interview, how would you answer a Q like this:

What will you do if you don't get in?

Try again just put more eloquently. Show your commitment.

 

[Ismet]

That is a person-dependent answer and you should answer it honestly. I usually ask a similar question (if you couldn't get into med school for whatever reason, what would you do?) just to dig at what the person's other passions and interests are. A person who lives and breathes medicine and only medicine is pretty boring and won't add much dynamic to the class. If you're asked that, answer truthfully.

If you're asked "what if you don't get in this cycle" the usual answer is "improve my app and try again" but you can expand/elaborate on that to make it seem less canned.

 

[KinesiologyNerd]

I was asked how many times I would reapply if I didn't get in this cycle. "Well, I'm already in..." may not have been the best answer.

 

[Ismet]

I was asked how many times I would reapply if I didn't get in this cycle. "Well, I'm already in..." may not have been the best answer.

Hahaha nooo do not answer with that!

 

[NickRiviera MD]

Hahaha nooo do not answer with that!

why not? the advice you gave before was to answer truthfully.

 

[Geebeejay]

reevaluate myself and likely reapply....just tell the truth and try not to come off as an idiot, racist or bigot. Pretty much how you answer any question really.

 

[Ismet]

why not? the advice you gave before was to answer truthfully.

Haha true, but this is meant as a hypothetical question, hence the "what WOULD you do if..." Just saying that you're already accepted can be a kind of smart a** answer and still doesn't answer the question. So yeah, be truthful so that you don't sound canned or super cliche, but also answer the question at hand.

 

[adrakdavra]

What if you say , use everyday as an opportunity to make tomorrow even better, so I hope to get an opportunity today. 🙂

 

[Ismet]

What if you say , use everyday as an opportunity to make tomorrow even better, so I hope to get an opportunity today. 🙂

Sounds pretty cliche, IMO. If a friend asked you what you would do if you didn't get in, how would you answer?

 

[KinesiologyNerd]

Haha true, but this is meant as a hypothetical question, hence the "what WOULD you do if..." Just saying that you're already accepted can be a kind of smart a** answer and still doesn't answer the question. So yeah, be truthful so that you don't sound canned or super cliche, but also answer the question at hand.

Haha I definitely agree with this. I kind of caught myself and spun into "I'm accepted there, but I'm at this interview because I like you better." I guess it worked, I got into the school.

 

[adrakdavra]

Sounds pretty cliche, IMO. If a friend asked you what you would do if you didn't get in, how would you answer?

I am not going to be happy about it, but life goes on.
However, I hope to get an opportunity today.

 

[mirimonster]

The question was always posed to me along the lines of: what if there was a law passed that mirimonster could never go to medical school, and there's no way to fight this law... What would you do? Basically, what if med school was not an option? I think that's the real point of this question, not to find out if you would reapply or not. Like Ismet said, it's about getting to know your interests and passions outside of medicine. Answer it truthfully, it can lead to some really interesting discussions. My answer had nothing to do with healthcare and I got accepted to every school that asked that question. You don't have to pretend to be healthcare or bust as long as you've clearly demonstrated your commitment to medicine through the rest of the interview.

 

[Ismet]

I am not going to be happy about it, but life goes on.
However, I hope to get an opportunity today.

That still doesn't really answer what would you DO? What are the next steps you will take after finding out you didn't get in anywhere?

 

[mirimonster]

That still doesn't really answer what would you DO? What are the next steps you will take after finding out you didn't get in anywhere?

Exactly.

On these same lines, don't try to evade interview questions by giving non-answers. It's just annoying to the interviewer and it doesn't make you look good. It's like answering the "What's your greatest weakness?" question with "I work too hard" or "I give too much." It says nothing about you except that you're at best uninteresting and at worst insincere.

 

[BABSstudent]

I always start with saying, "Assuming medicine never works out..."

Then I go into saying that I would become a teacher and list things that I have done that show that is what I would do. I also say what traits I have that would make me a good teacher and also share with them my teaching philosophy. Then! I link it all back to how this relates to medicine and how I would rather go into medicine for numerous reasons but would be okay with being a teacher.

It must have worked because I got into every place I interviewed and I was asked this at each interview.

 

[mirimonster]

i hear they like it when kids say: "DO school."

DO school is medical school, so if anything I think it would just make you seem ignorant.

 

[Ismet]

I always start with saying, "Assuming medicine never works out..."

Then I go into saying that I would become a teacher and list things that I have done that show that is what I would do. I also say what traits I have that would make me a good teacher and also share with them my teaching philosophy. Then! I link it all back to how this relates to medicine and how I would rather go into medicine for numerous reasons but would be okay with being a teacher.

It must have worked because I got into every place I interviewed and I was asked this at each interview.

That is an excellent answer.

 

[Ismet]

DO school is medical school, so if anything I think it would just make you seem ignorant.

*whispers* i think he was kidding 😉

 

[pandahunter]

*whispers* i think he was kidding 😉

😉

it's okay. let's see where this goes.

 

[mirimonster]

Hehe sometimes I'm not very quick on the uptake. 😳

 

[Ismet]

😉

it's okay. let's see where this goes.

You're gonna crash SDN. There's a limit to how many MD/DO debates can be on the front page at one time, dontchaknow? 🙂

 

[TheShaker]

Is there ever a danger that you sound TOO enthusiastic about your alternative career and they begin to think that you're better suited to that one?

 

[mirimonster]

Is there ever a danger that you sound TOO enthusiastic about your alternative career and they begin to think that you're better suited to that one?

I majored in my alternate career, so I was a little concerned, but part of my "why medicine" involves "why not that" so it worked out. Try to tell a coherent story, and feel free to end the answer to this question with: "but really that's just a hobby and I really want to be a doctor."

 

[Ismet]

Is there ever a danger that you sound TOO enthusiastic about your alternative career and they begin to think that you're better suited to that one?

Nah. Unless you suddenly shift to a completely depressed negative mood when talking about clinical experience or something. 😉 But no, at least for me as an interviewer, it's fun and interesting to see an applicant break out of their shell a little and talk about something they are passionate about outside of medicine. I can get a sense from the rest of the interview, and the adcom can tell from the app, how serious someone is about pursuing medicine, but outside passions might not be conveyed as strongly in a short blurb on AMCAS.

 

[malaika]

Is there ever a danger that you sound TOO enthusiastic about your alternative career and they begin to think that you're better suited to that one?

Good question. So this thread leaves me wondering, what kind of questions should i except to answer at Med school interviews?

 

[Ismet]

Good question. So this thread leaves me wondering, what kind of questions should i except to answer at Med school interviews?

There is a treasure trove of info on that on SDN

http://studentdoctor.net/category/interview-secrets/

and

http://studentdoctor.net/schools/?view=medical
for this, click on the school you want to see, then under "interview feedback" click on "view survey results" then scroll down and open the drop menu called "questions." that will give you some ideas of what to expect.

 

[mirimonster]

Nah. Unless you suddenly shift to a completely depressed negative mood when talking about clinical experience or something. 😉 But no, at least for me as an interviewer, it's fun and interesting to see an applicant break out of their shell a little and talk about something they are passionate about outside of medicine. I can get a sense from the rest of the interview, and the adcom can tell from the app, how serious someone is about pursuing medicine, but outside passions might not be conveyed as strongly in a short blurb on AMCAS.

You mean it's not a trap? This is so reassuring and goes against every neurotic pre-med bone in my body.

 

[Ismet]

You mean it's not a trap? This is so reassuring and goes against every neurotic pre-med bone in my body.

I think it depends on the interviewer. I certainly don't mean it as a trap!

I should just mention that everything I'm saying is just my opinion based on both getting interview advice as a pre-med and how I conducted interviews this past year. Take everything with a grain of salt, as you should with most things on SDN.

Disclaimer over.

 

[Sabate]

You mean it's not a trap? This is so reassuring and goes against every neurotic pre-med bone in my body.

All interview questions can be traps if you blindly walk into them. Be honest and thoughtful.

 

[487806]

I always start with saying, "Assuming medicine never works out..."

Then I go into saying that I would become a teacher and list things that I have done that show that is what I would do. I also say what traits I have that would make me a good teacher and also share with them my teaching philosophy. Then! I link it all back to how this relates to medicine and how I would rather go into medicine for numerous reasons but would be okay with being a teacher.

It must have worked because I got into every place I interviewed and I was asked this at each interview.

Good advice/anecdote. 👍

All interview questions can be traps if you blindly walk into them. Be honest and thoughtful.

What is that alien creature? 😕😱

And what does Bush's response to the mortgage crisis have to do with this?

 

[Ismet]

What is that alien creature? 😕😱

Dude do you have amnesia from like 3 days ago? CC will never let you back in 2016 now.

 

[487806]

Dude do you have amnesia from like 3 days ago? CC will never let you back in 2016 now.

The 2016 one was Admiral Ackbar. This gif references a completely different alien.

 

[Ismet]

The 2016 one was Admiral Ackbar. This gif references a completely different alien.

a dyslexic admiral ackbar apparently

 

[487806]

a Democrat apparently

 

[Ismet]

sometimes i worry about you, B 🙄

way to derail the thread, btw.

 

[487806]

sometimes i worry about you, B 🙄

way to derail the thread, btw.

You missed the TARP reference.

And I didn't derail the thread. I supported BABStudent's anecdote, and decided to humorize the spelling-prone gif, which was somehow sidetracked to some new direction. 🙄

 

[487806]

I think it depends on the interviewer. I certainly don't mean it as a trap!

I should just mention that everything I'm saying is just my opinion based on both getting interview advice as a pre-med and how I conducted interviews this past year. Take everything with a grain of salt, as you should with most things on SDN.

Disclaimer over.

This here is a key point.

 

[Sabate]

You missed the TARP reference.

And I didn't derail the thread. I supported BABStudent's anecdote, and decided to humorize the spelling-prone gif, which was somehow sidetracked to some new direction. 🙄

Admiral Ackbar knows a trap especially when its TARP.

Back on track, BABS has great advice.

 

[adrakdavra]

That still doesn't really answer what would you DO? What are the next steps you will take after finding out you didn't get in anywhere?

The next step is to work and make money so I can pay for medical school.

 

[RyanRt]

Definately don't say "I will hunt you down like the dog you are"

 

[malaika]

Why do people always say "grain of salt" never "grain of sugar" or better yet, "grain of rice"?