MOST Annoying Interview Question

[Ambs]

"So, where else have you applied?"
"Where have you interviewed at already?"
"What other interviews do you have coming up?"
"Did you have both faculty and student interviews at these places?"

THEN...

"Tell me about your research."
"Do you plan on doing research as a physician?"
"Do you see yourself doing research as a doctor?"
"Do you feel you have a STRONG need to do research?"
"Will you be doing research while also in private practice?"

(Asked by the same interviewer one after the other)

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[evajaclynn]

"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"


What did they expect me to say?

"In 10 years, I expect to be saving the world, thank you."

 

[UCLAstudent]

"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"

I hate this question most of all!

 

[BlueMagpie]

I really can't stand that "where will you be in 10 years?" question either.

I also hate this one, even though it's valid:

"If you had to choose between us and XYZ other schools, why would you choose us?"

 

[neuropower]

"Is there anything ELSE you do besides everything you described in your personal statement, activities list, and what we've just spent an hour discussing?"

They always make me feel like I should have done more. hate that!

 

[rotatores]

Most annoying pre-med answers:


"because I want to help people"

"because I want to work in an underdeveloped country"

"because I plan on volunteering at a free clinic"

"because I like working with sick people (based on my weekly volunteering at my local community hospital)"


USUHS 2006

 

[dopaminophile]

Most annoying pre-med answers:


"because I want to help people"

"because I want to work in an underdeveloped country"

"because I plan on volunteering at a free clinic"

"because I like working with sick people (based on my weekly volunteering at my local community hospital)"


USUHS 2006

Why are those annoying? Sure, they're well worn and incomplete but they are legitimate answers. I've volunteered in underdeveloped countries' free clinics helping sick people. There's nothing more gratifying than getting things done. You get to see more pathology, more patients, have more control and be more creative in environments without all the obscene insurance and malpractice of the west. The only validity to those being annoying is when people say it disingenuously or without knowing what it means.

 

[Ambs]

The reason those interview questions annoyed me so much was because she literally asked them one after the other... the SAME damn question just said slightly differently... When she asked me if I had a "strong need to do research," it was a little creepy -- she leaned forward in her seat and said it in a low but still intense voice.

But yeah, the whole "where do you see yourself in 15 years" question is pretty lame.

 

[evajaclynn]

Why are those annoying? Sure, they're well worn and incomplete but they are legitimate answers.

I was going to say the same thing, but wanted to see if anyone else had the same opinion. Maybe it would be annoying for the interviewer to hear this answer all day long, but if you are giving an honest answer, what else should they expect?

 

[Tiddly of Winks]

I like the first four because at least I know the answers.

 

[Uegis]

"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"

The UCLA secondary asks this question, so I was well prepared to answer it when I was asked this. But yea, I just talk about how I see myself professionally and how I want to have a family by then. Easy.

 

[sdnstud]

Question: Why would you come to the midwest and not stay in CA?
My answer: cos' i didn't get into any CA school...duh.

Question: How would your friend describe you?
My answer: zhit...i'll give you my friend's number, you can ask him or her that question if you so desire.

Question: Tell me what you wrote in your personal statement (interviewer has PS in hand)?
My answer: hello...read it!!!

Question: how would you finance your medical education? (i'm from a poor background)
My answer: I have a feeling I will win the lottery in two weeks. oh wait....probably by taking out loans.

Question: Are you married? (i am a non-trad)
My answer: No..do you have a daughter you can introduce me to? how bout your wife?

Question: What is your take on abortion (interviewing at a catholic school)?
My answer: I am usually pro-choice, but since I am interviewing at a catholic school, I am pro-life today.

 

[CaMD]

Question: Why would you come to the midwest and not stay in CA?
My answer: cos' i didn't get into any CA school...duh.

Question: How would your friend describe you?
My answer: zhit...i'll give you my friend's number, you can ask him or her that question if you so desire.

Question: Tell me what you wrote in your personal statement (interviewer has PS in hand)?
My answer: hello...read it!!!

Question: how would you finance your medical education? (i'm from a poor background)
My answer: I have a feeling I will win the lottery in two weeks. oh wait....probably by taking out loans.

Question: Are you married? (i am a non-trad)
My answer: No..do you have a daughter you can introduce me to? how bout your wife?

Question: What is your take on abortion (interviewing at a catholic school)?
My answer: I am usually pro-choice, but since I am interviewing at a catholic school, I am pro-life today.

 

[krelian]

LOL... sndstud, that is good stuff

still, it's better to have annoying interview questions than none at all. i had an interview where the interviewer sat down and read my appl for 20 minutes . then, he asked me if i had "any questions". what a waste of an airflight and a whole day.

 

[UCLAstudent]

still, it's better to have annoying interview questions than none at all. i had an interview where the interviewer sat down and read my appl for 20 minutes . then, he asked me if i had "any questions". what a waste of an airflight and a whole day.

Yeah, really. I had a similar experience. Sadly, it was at my top choice. I felt cheated.

I also don't like being asked where I applied/have been accepted. If I don't answer it, it looks like I'm hiding something (which I am, hahaha). If I do answer it, it might look like I'm not as interested in the school I'm interviewing at. I try to be vague with that question.

 

[constructor]

i hate the "which person would you save if you could only save one?" questions. not only because they're usually set up to be extremely unrealistic, but also because nurses are always the ones who decide who gets seen first - the doctors never make this decision.

 

[lmnop]

I really hate "why our school?" if it's one of my top choices I feel like my answer just sounds to kiss-up-y, if it's not one of my top choices I never know quite what to say. I generally try to explain what made it better than the schools I didn't apply to but sometimes the answer is just that they take a lot of students and I wanted to have a bunch of safety schools. Recently, I've taken to rehearsing this question on the plane rides.

 

[TMag]

i hate the "which person would you save if you could only save one?" questions. not only because they're usually set up to be extremely unrealistic, but also because nurses are always the ones who decide who gets seen first - the doctors never make this decision.

while i agree that some of these questions are annoying, i want to remind everyone that these are being asked not because they are genuinely interested what exactly you'll be doing in 10 years, but instead they want to get a feel for the kind of person you are. Have you thought ahead. Have you thought at all about what you're doing and why? Similary, some questions aim to find out how you reason. What you answer is not the important part. How you deduced the answer is what counts. Just my .02

 

[Khenon]

I really can't stand that "where will you be in 10 years?" question either.

This is annoying. Especially since we will ALL be pretty much finishing our residencies and starting our first jobs. It's like they're begging to hear the same thing over and over again.

I know, I know . . . put some thought into your future, blah, blah, blah.

 

[Khenon]

Question: Why would you come to the midwest and not stay in CA?
My answer: cos' i didn't get into any CA school...duh.

Question: How would your friend describe you?
My answer: zhit...i'll give you my friend's number, you can ask him or her that question if you so desire.

Question: Tell me what you wrote in your personal statement (interviewer has PS in hand)?
My answer: hello...read it!!!

Question: how would you finance your medical education? (i'm from a poor background)
My answer: I have a feeling I will win the lottery in two weeks. oh wait....probably by taking out loans.

Question: Are you married? (i am a non-trad)
My answer: No..do you have a daughter you can introduce me to? how bout your wife?

Question: What is your take on abortion (interviewing at a catholic school)?
My answer: I am usually pro-choice, but since I am interviewing at a catholic school, I am pro-life today.

Love it!

 

[lulubean]

Q. What element of the periodic table are you? Which one do you aspire to be?

Now is there even a correct answer to that question??!!?

 

[Wiggy73]

Q. What element of the periodic table are you? Which one do you aspire to be?

Now is there even a correct answer to that question??!!?

Of course there is! He, so I can be healing 'em!

 

[constructor]

Of course there is! He, so I can be healing 'em!

wow...

 

[sdnstud]

Md

Q. What element of the periodic table are you? Which one do you aspire to be?

Now is there even a correct answer to that question??!!?

 

[lulubean]

Of course there is! He, so I can be healing 'em!

 

[lulubean]

Md

where were you when i needed you???

 

[acl3623]

"so, tell us about yourself...?"

ugghh...what do you want to know? i dont like getting that vague of a question.

"what's your clinical experience/volunteer experience?"

What I wrote in my AMCAS and my secondary I paid you guys $100 to READ!!!

 

[supersnuffles]

Of course there is! He, so I can be healing 'em!

That is the first time I laughed out loud all day. Thank you.

 

[Jmuhnie]

Tell them arsenic and maybe they'll cut the bs.