Is this a courtesy interview?

[clearedwater213]

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So I have a friend who recently interviewed at a MD school. She works for this SOM, said that her boss personally knew the Dean of Adm. at this school, and that her boss put in a good word for her to be interviewed. Apparently, two days later from her boss telling her to "be on the lookout for an interview invite," an II from this school appeared and she was interviewed within a week. The Dean was doing interviews that day, and she interviewed with him herself. She said that the first thing that the Dean asked her was, "So what do you think your boss sees in you to recommend you?" Next, the Dean asked about personal issues that were disclosed on her application, and then spent a lengthy time talking about that. She said she definitely did not expect the interview to be so personal and that she thinks she might have done poorly.

From these statements, she assumed that the only reason she got this interview was because her boss recommended her. I am trying to tell her no, that she is very competitive with "average" stats for T20 and T10 schools and so obviously she is qualified academically. She has hundreds hours of research and clinical contact and volunteering and non clinical volunteering etc... but she is worried that her personal issues are too big of an issue and that she would have never gotten this interview had it not been for her boss due to these issues.

What do you all think?

 

[chaim123]

So I have a friend who recently interviewed at a MD school. She works for this SOM, said that her boss personally knew the Dean of Adm. at this school, and that her boss put in a good word for her to be interviewed. Apparently, two days later from her boss telling her to "be on the lookout for an interview invite," an II from this school appeared and she was interviewed within a week. The Dean was doing interviews that day, and she interviewed with him herself. She said that the first thing that the Dean asked her was, "So what do you think your boss sees in you to recommend you?" Next, the Dean asked about personal issues that were disclosed on her application, and then spent a lengthy time talking about that. She said she definitely did not expect the interview to be so personal and that she thinks she might have done poorly.

From these statements, she assumed that the only reason she got this interview was because her boss recommended her. I am trying to tell her no, that she is very competitive with "average" stats for T20 and T10 schools and so obviously she is qualified academically. She has hundreds hours of research and clinical contact and volunteering and non clinical volunteering etc... but she is worried that her personal issues are too big of an issue and that she would have never gotten this interview had it not been for her boss due to these issues.

What do you all think?

I think that T20 and T10 schools have their pick of who to interview. There was probably a mild annoyance by the Dean at yet another applicant gaming the process, or at the subtle nudge that the Committee on Admissions wasn't working fast enough for this student's liking. Perhaps she is perfectly qualified, as are many applicants. But the timeline suggests this was a curtesy to a friend. Let us know what happens in the end!

 

[Goro]

So I have a friend who recently interviewed at a MD school. She works for this SOM, said that her boss personally knew the Dean of Adm. at this school, and that her boss put in a good word for her to be interviewed. Apparently, two days later from her boss telling her to "be on the lookout for an interview invite," an II from this school appeared and she was interviewed within a week. The Dean was doing interviews that day, and she interviewed with him herself. She said that the first thing that the Dean asked her was, "So what do you think your boss sees in you to recommend you?" Next, the Dean asked about personal issues that were disclosed on her application, and then spent a lengthy time talking about that. She said she definitely did not expect the interview to be so personal and that she thinks she might have done poorly.

From these statements, she assumed that the only reason she got this interview was because her boss recommended her. I am trying to tell her no, that she is very competitive with "average" stats for T20 and T10 schools and so obviously she is qualified academically. She has hundreds hours of research and clinical contact and volunteering and non clinical volunteering etc... but she is worried that her personal issues are too big of an issue and that she would have never gotten this interview had it not been for her boss due to these issues.

What do you all think?

This is a textbook example of a courtesy interview.

Your friend will soon get a polite spot on the wait list, to be followed by a very polite rejection at the every end of the cycle.

 

[tshabalalala]

Personal issues disclosed on the application? That doesn't sound like a great thing to be the entire topic of the interview. I assume if she'd blown the doors off it she'd still have stood a chance, but if the interview went like that then he probably was just annoyed at needing to play the political game with her.

 

[clearedwater213]

Thanks for responding. What do you see as clearly being a sign of courtesy interview? I’m not familiar with any of the medical school process, but I got my current job from a great recommendation from a past boss which is why I told her it was a good thing her boss put in a good word.

Poor girl because she also told me that she never asked for her boss to put in a good word and he did it on his own accord. Lol

 

[chaim123]

Thanks for responding. What do you see as clearly being a sign of courtesy interview? I’m not familiar with any of the medical school process, but I got my current job from a great recommendation from a past boss which is why I told her it was a good thing her boss put in a good word.

Poor girl because she also told me that she never asked for her boss to put in a good word and he did it on his own accord. Lol

If medical school worked that way then only those with physicians in the family or powerful names would ever become doctors - that's not the world we want.

Your friend could have politely asked him not to, but she didn't. Nevertheless, it won't make a difference. Before, she didn't have an interview. Now, she got an interview, but won't be accepted. So she will not go to this school either way.