most bizarre interview moment?

[swman]

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At one interview this year, the admissions director gave me to go to the hospital next door and meet my interviewer, and if he wasn't there in 10 minutes to call them back.

I went to the hospital, found the right office, and the doctor's secretaries had me wait. 10 minutes later he was not there and the secretary asked me if I was sure I had an interview since the doctor was scheduled to be somewhere else at that time. I told her I was instructed to call back and she even dialed the number for me. The admissions director answered and told me to come back to the school.

I went back to the school and the director told me that the doctor was now ready for me and to go back to where I just was.

I went back to the hospital and the doctor was not there. His secretary told me I would have to explain to him why I left and that he seemed "kinda angry".

5 minutes later the doctor came in and started yelling at me about wasting his time and why I left and how he's never in all his years had an applicant do that, and he couldn't understand why anybody would do that, DESPITE me clearly explaining myself, twice, that I was simply following directions. He remained TO'd and stormed into his office. Another interview RUINED!!!

I thought I had been punk'd, but Ashton was nowhere to be found. Long flight home.

 

[zurned]

At one interview this year, the admissions director gave me to go to the hospital next door and meet my interviewer, and if he wasn't there in 10 minutes to call them back.

I went to the hospital, found the right office, and the doctor's secretaries had me wait. 10 minutes later he was not there and the secretary asked me if I was sure I had an interview since the doctor was scheduled to be somewhere else at that time. I told her I was instructed to call back and she even dialed the number for me. The admissions director answered and told me to come back to the school.

I went back to the school and the director told me that the doctor was now ready for me and to go back to where I just was.

I went back to the hospital and the doctor was not there. His secretary told me I would have to explain to him why I left and that he seemed "kinda angry".

5 minutes later the doctor came in and started yelling at me about wasting his time and why I left and how he's never in all his years had an applicant do that, and he couldn't understand why anybody would do that, DESPITE me clearly explaining myself, twice, that I was simply following directions. He remained TO'd and stormed into his office. Another interview RUINED!!!

I thought I had been punk'd, but Ashton was nowhere to be found. Long flight home.

Sounds like they were testing you. I wouldn't be surprised if you get an acceptance.

 

[QofQuimica]

My interviews haven't been particularly surreal like some of yours. But one interviewer did manage to temporarily put me at a loss for words. I had just finished describing my PhD work to the interviewer, who had a PhD in biochemistry. I also was explaining my career goals (academic medicine). At the end, I stated that I would graduate with my PhD this May. As soon as I finished saying that, the interviewer promptly asked me why, if I'm so interested in research, I wasn't applying for the MD/PhD program. After about ten seconds, I finally said that I figure one PhD should be sufficient to last me a lifetime, because it's been hard enough to earn even one. The interviewer started laughing and agreed, then apologized. 😛

 

[tacrum43]

My interviews haven't been particularly surreal like some of yours. But one interviewer did manage to temporarily put me at a loss for words. I had just finished describing my PhD work to the interviewer, who had a PhD in biochemistry. I also was explaining my career goals (academic medicine). At the end, I stated that I would graduate with my PhD this May. As soon as I finished saying that, the interviewer promptly asked me why, if I'm so interested in research, I wasn't applying for the MD/PhD program. After about ten seconds, I finally said that I figure one PhD should be sufficient to last me a lifetime, because it's been hard enough to earn even one. The interviewer started laughing and agreed, then apologized. 😛

Awkward moment.

 

[Dixie06]

My interviewer ended up being best friends with the father of this guy I have been dating for ONLY a few weeks Called the dad up on the phone with me in the room, saying "I am interviewing your future daughter in law. We took a picture for her file today... want me to send it? She's going to fit right in with the family!!!" Then we proceeded to talk about my past relationships and why I should give this new guy a chance. Talk about random. And frightening.

 

[SailCrazy]

My interviewer ended up being best friends with the father of this guy I have been dating for ONLY a few weeks Called the dad up on the phone with me in the room, saying "I am interviewing your future daughter in law. We took a picture for her file today... want me to send it? She's going to fit right in with the family!!!" Then we proceeded to talk about my past relationships and why I should give this new guy a chance. Talk about random. And frightening.

How did the name of your new man's father come up during a medical school interview? 😱 😀

 

[Psycho Doctor]

At one of my interviews, this Doctor had brought her newborn child to the interview. The baby was crying maybe half of the time while i was talking, and the last half, she was BREASTFEEDING right infront of me. I paused for a seccond right when she started but continued like nothing was happening. I wonder if it was a test?

that whole thing sounds very unprofessional. If she couldn't be there to give you her full attention, she should not have been doing the interview.

 

[Dixie06]

How did the name of your new man's father come up during a medical school interview? 😱 😀

He used to play baseball at my undergrad, and so my interviewer, once he saw where I go to school, asked me right off the bat... "do you know so and so?". I was obviously in shock, so he knew that I did in fact know him.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Interviewer: I see you're part of the Men's Glee Club.
Me: Yes, I am.
I: care to sing a song?
Me: Excuse me?
I: Sing something.....anything.
Me: (The first song that popped in my head was the theme song to Fresh Prince of Bel Air.....then I remembered one of the songs from our Glee club concert)
Me: Uhhhh....ok, I haven't really warmed up or anything.
Me: (I sang for 2 minutes)
I: That was interesting. (He had tried really hard not to laugh)

It was a surreal experience! Fun...nonetheless. Hehehe.
Plus I got in!

you have got to be kidding.... 😱

 

[QofQuimica]

you have got to be kidding.... 😱

Don't doubt it. If you write that you can do something unusual on your app, people *will* test you. I mentioned that I study yoga, and I'm just waiting for someone to ask me to sit in the lotus position during an interview. 😀 (So far it hasn't happened, and I just hope that I'm wearing pants and not a skirt if it ever does. )

I did get tested on my Spanish at one interview. In college, I was a double major in Spanish and I spent a semester studying in Costa Rica. I had written on my app that I speak Spanish. So one interviewer actually started speaking to me in Spanish! The question was about what I do, and I was explaining (in Spanish) that it is very hard for me to describe my work in Spanish because I don't know the words for technical chemistry terms. (How do you say "Erlenmayer flask" or "peptidomimetic" in Spanish? ) After we spoke in Spanish for a few minutes, the interviewer told me (in English) that I spoke very well, and then we continued on in English like normal.

 

[Saluki]

Don't doubt it. If you write that you can do something unusual on your app, people *will* test you. .

I mentioned in my personal statement that I was born with a congetinal hip deformity. My interviewer drilled me about it and then asked if he made me run down the hall way he would notice something wrong.... I said only if I ran fast, and he let it go, but I was half expecting to have to jog around the desk in my high heels....

 

[gujuDoc]

Don't doubt it. If you write that you can do something unusual on your app, people *will* test you. I mentioned that I study yoga, and I'm just waiting for someone to ask me to sit in the lotus position during an interview. 😀 (So far it hasn't happened, and I just hope that I'm wearing pants and not a skirt if it ever does. )

I did get tested on my Spanish at one interview. In college, I was a double major in Spanish and I spent a semester studying in Costa Rica. I had written on my app that I speak Spanish. So one interviewer actually started speaking to me in Spanish! The question was about what I do, and I was explaining (in Spanish) that it is very hard for me to describe my work in Spanish because I don't know the words for technical chemistry terms. (How do you say "Erlenmayer flask" or "peptidomimetic" in Spanish? ) After we spoke in Spanish for a few minutes, the interviewer told me (in English) that I spoke very well, and then we continued on in English like normal.

My favorite story to date was one of the stories someone told in an earlier thread about interviewees who lie.....

Anyhow, in that particular post, someone said they could play the piano. So the interviewer took them downstairs to a piano and asked them to play their favorite song. Since that particular interviewee was lying, he couldn't do it.

However, if that was asked to me, I'd be so EXCITED. Why??? I'd just start playing Fur Elise by Beethoven. I know that song by the back of my hand.

 

[QofQuimica]

My favorite story to date was one of the stories someone told in an earlier thread about interviewees who lie.....

Anyhow, in that particular post, someone said they could play the piano. So the interviewer took them downstairs to a piano and asked them to play their favorite song. Since that particular interviewee was lying, he couldn't do it.

However, if that was asked to me, I'd be so EXCITED. Why??? I'd just start playing Fur Elise by Beethoven. I know that song by the back of my hand.

I always liked that song too. I used to play piano when I was in middle school, and that's about the only song I can still kind of remember how to play. 🙂

 

[ShyRem]

that piano one always bothered me... I had 12 years of training as a classical concert pianist (unfortunately I HATE performing in front of a crowd), but I don't think I could play anything from memory anymore. I just putter when I'm alone with my music books - clementi, scott joplin, bach, debussy... but I don't have anything committed to memory.

 

[TimmyTheWonderD]

I mentioned in my personal statement that I was born with a congetinal hip deformity. My interviewer drilled me about it and then asked if he made me run down the hall way he would notice something wrong.... I said only if I ran fast, and he let it go, but I was half expecting to have to jog around the desk in my high heels....

they certainly do pick these things out of your essay...i mentioned that i had my hands full during undergrad with a husband, a house, a job and a small zoo (2 dogs, 3 cats, an iguana, 2 large snakes and a frog) and i was asked about all of my animals. i also mentioned my cousin who died due to CF and my CF volunteer work and i was asked about current CF research.

i think the strangest thing was being asked if there were any support groups for the INCREDIBLY rare genetic blood disease that runs in my family 😕 maybe they wanted to see how "involved" i am it....hey, i have the disease, so does everyone on my father's side of the family, my kids will have it, isn't that involved enough? the strange thing is the disease does not make your life abnormal in any way (other than the fact that you cannot donate blood, it would be useless to others) once you've had your spleen out, so support group? why, so we can all compare splenectomy scars? 😛

 

[TimmyTheWonderD]

oohhhh.....creepy, had to post another reply as after the one i just left the # of replies that showed up was 666 😱

oh dear, i hope that does not mean anything...i am not in need of anymore bad luck in my life

 

[DrCarebear]

Has anyone drawn a complete blank during an interview? Perhaps my most bizarre interview moment was when I was interviewing at my *top* choice school and couldn't remember the name of the novel I was reading at the time. I recalled the title after a few seconds, but the "blank time" was utterly agonizing.

Oh interview jitters . . . how they induce odd things to occur.

 

[Bluntman]

the strange thing is the disease does not make your life abnormal in any way (other than the fact that you cannot donate blood, it would be useless to others) once you've had your spleen out, so support group? why, so we can all compare splenectomy scars? 😛

lol...perfectly normal...eeeeveryone gets their spleen out. 😱

 

[LizzyM]

i think the strangest thing was being asked if there were any support groups for the INCREDIBLY rare genetic blood disease that runs in my family 😕

Interviewers can be curious about things that are unfamiliar to them. I'd guess that the interviewer never heard of the blood disease (or heard about it as an M2 in pathophysiology and never again) and wanted to know more without asking a really personal question. So, are their support groups?sounds like an intelligient question that isn't too personal.

When I was called for jury duty, I even had a judge who asked every potential juror if they had pets - - not because it was related to the case but because he just liked to ask -- to put people at ease, I guess. Asking about all of your pets might have been an interviewer's way of making small talk and asking unstressful questions to get started.

 

[Thundrstorm]

Interviewer: "So, what are you researching?"
Me: "Clathrin-independent endocytosis. So, what I'm working on is--"
Interviewer: "What's clathrin?"
Me: "What's clathrin?"
Interviewer: "Yes."
Me: "umm, a protein on the cell membrane that coats the pits that bud off to form vesicles."
Interviewer: "Okay, continue."

 

[ExtraAverage]

Interviewer: "So, what are you researching?"
Me: "Clathrin-independent endocytosis. So, what I'm working on is--"
Interviewer: "What's clathrin?"
Me: "What's clathrin?"
Interviewer: "Yes."
Me: "umm, a protein on the cell membrane that coats the pits that bud off to form vesicles."
Interviewer: "Okay, continue."

Boredom bump

 

[Chinorean]

Has anyone drawn a complete blank during an interview? Perhaps my most bizarre interview moment was when I was interviewing at my *top* choice school and couldn't remember the name of the novel I was reading at the time. I recalled the title after a few seconds, but the "blank time" was utterly agonizing.

Oh interview jitters . . . how they induce odd things to occur.

I couldn't remember what I had done for the last three summers...the "Oh--research!" that came to me after a long pause probably looked bad.

 

[bubbleyum]

that's funny that you guys mention that because this happened to me just 2 weeks ago. I've played piano for 17 years of my life (classical concert pianist as well) and my interviewer actually goes "wow. play for me afterwards" I initially thought she was joking but as soon as the interview was over, sure enough she goes.. lets go! I was sooo unbelievably nervous, and what made it worse was literally like the entire first and second year med school class just HAPPENED to be hanging out in the student lounge where the piano was. Anywyas thank goodness the last piece I played (like 5 years ago) was still in memory so I played the first minute or 2 of it. My interview was really nice though. It wasnt a test or anything liek that... i think she just wanted to hear me play. Nevertheless, my heart was pounding like no other during the walk to the piano.

that's funny. i guess playinga musical instrument or singing etc would prompt an interviewer to ask you to perform all of a sudden like that. i was an art/design major, wonder if during my interview the person would jump up and direct me to their computer asking me to photoshop something for them! or draw, hahah. i wouldn't mind though, as long as they let me in!

 

[ExtraAverage]

Goddam I hate the night shift... bump

 

[big_smiles]

I had some interesting ones. I was asked "so, what did you learn in improv theatre?" I declined politely to get up and act- - not quite appropriate, I thought.

Same day: another interviewer kept making me laugh, and I snorted, I literally could not stop laughing, again. . not too professional on my part, but the interviewer was hilarious.

I lost the tour group that day, so I proceded to make my own, walking around the place in hopes not to get lost for the next interview.

One interviewer told me : "so, you're not the nerdy type. . " and there was awkward silence.

One interview asked: so what do you know about me?

One intervewer got a phone call that a relative passed away during my interview.

Despite these oddball moments, I got in!

 

[entropy2]

i started this thread in may of 2002.....never thought it would become this popular....

 

[Elastase]

Wow congrats!

Somehow I don't believe you....your "entropy2"...not "entropy"...hmmmmmmmmm 🙄

 

[Thundrstorm]

I had an interviewer with a strange maniacal laugh that he would interject at inappropriate points in the conversation. Weird.

 

[gujuDoc]

Wow congrats!

Somehow I don't believe you....your "entropy2"...not "entropy"...hmmmmmmmmm 🙄

Entropy and entropy2 are the same person with different usernames. For what reason they have 2 usernames is not well understood. nor is the purpose of why he has posted threads like this 3 times now. Last time, he made a whole thread dedicated to how popular his other threads were.

Me thinks he is a troll.

 

[entropy2]

bump

 

[lilymoo]

bump! Good post! Can't stop laughing.

 

[Depakote]

Just an abreviated question from one of the uglier stress interviews I had...

"So you say on your application that you struggled with your basic sciences due to the abreviated nature of the curriculum, but how could you struggle with them, they were basic sciences?"

 

[bubbleyum]

ok, well i just had the most horrible interview at my state school. makes me sad because after the morning interview i was sitting there waiting for the elevator thinking that the past 2 years of hard work all wet down the drain in a matter of 2 hours... looks like i won't be going to med school this year.

these were the questions barked at me:

1. so, what brings you here to my office? what?? speak up!!

2. so, you go through four years of med school. then what??
(i answer about doing residency and how i would stay in my home state close to friends and family, who are my emtional support. they actually live in the bigger city/capitol, which is where i live now.)

3. huh?? u know at this school we are trying to focus on training good physicians who are going to practice in the rural areas of this state! now, what do you know about rural medicine?!

4. so, you've been a practicing doctor for the past 10 years, and you overhear some of your patients talking about you. what are they saying??

5. in 10 years, how are your concerns about your patient going to be different from now??

6. we just built a new molecular cell bio and genetics reseach center. what is the significance of that?? (i am blank for a bit and try to start answering. he interrupts,) let me dig you out of this trap.

also, he had those type of eyes where you're not sure which one you should be looking at.

ARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!! everybody else talked about their little vacation trips to australia and how much they enjoy working with children etc etc in their interviews. why???? feel like such a loser.

 

[temmie]

okay this is weird. The most bizarre moment was when my interviewer called a week later to say she forgot to ask me some questions. She asked me more questions a week after. Isnt that weird?

 

[tacrum43]

ARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!! everybody else talked about their little vacation trips to australia and how much they enjoy working with children etc etc in their interviews. why???? feel like such a loser.

Did they have the same interviewer as you did?

 

[drmota]

interviewer: have you seen harold and kumar go to whitecastle?
me: yes
interviewer: you remind me of kumar
me(in my head): uhhhhh, i swear i'm not high

-mota

 

[bubbleyum]

Did they have the same interviewer as you did?

no. we were all farmed out to different interviewers and i got mr. tough guy.

 

[funshine]

ok, well i just had the most horrible interview at my state school. makes me sad because after the morning interview i was sitting there waiting for the elevator thinking that the past 2 years of hard work all wet down the drain in a matter of 2 hours... looks like i won't be going to med school this year.

these were the questions barked at me:

1. so, what brings you here to my office? what?? speak up!!

2. so, you go through four years of med school. then what??
(i answer about doing residency and how i would stay in my home state close to friends and family, who are my emtional support. they actually live in the bigger city/capitol, which is where i live now.)

3. huh?? u know at this school we are trying to focus on training good physicians who are going to practice in the rural areas of this state! now, what do you know about rural medicine?!

4. so, you've been a practicing doctor for the past 10 years, and you overhear some of your patients talking about you. what are they saying??

5. in 10 years, how are your concerns about your patient going to be different from now??

6. we just built a new molecular cell bio and genetics reseach center. what is the significance of that?? (i am blank for a bit and try to start answering. he interrupts,) let me dig you out of this trap.

also, he had those type of eyes where you're not sure which one you should be looking at.

ARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!! everybody else talked about their little vacation trips to australia and how much they enjoy working with children etc etc in their interviews. why???? feel like such a loser.

aw, sometimes you just happen to get a rough interviewer...but just because he asks tough questions and seems to contradict everything you say doesn't mean the interview went badly. I'd be more worried if you showed disinterest in the school or couldn't explain why you wanted to go into medicine. And the eyes, haha. Sounds like the flight attendant teacher in View from the Top.

okay this is weird. The most bizarre moment was when my interviewer called a week later to say she forgot to ask me some questions. She asked me more questions a week after. Isnt that weird?

yeah, it's weird. I'm pretty sure interviewers are told NOT to call the applicant after an interview or ask them to give additional answers, but I guess it shows she was interested in you!

 

[TimmyTheWonderD]

At the end of one of my interviews, the interviewer stood up, and reached behind me to the little table that was there and took a GIANT glob of waterless hand sanitizer....as I stood up and looked at it, then her, she shoved the bottle towards me and pumped a huge glob into my hands saying "I have conjunctivitis" (her eyes looked fine to me). As I tried fruitlessly to rub in the copious amount of alcohol-laden goo, she insisted on shaking my now slimy hand.... 😕

 

[lazygunner]

interviewer: have you seen harold and kumar go to whitecastle?
me: yes
interviewer: you remind me of kumar
me(in my head): uhhhhh, i swear i'm not high

-mota

hahaha...if that's a true story, it's amazing...great answer too. Although, that comment could be a good thing considering kumar kicked ass in his interview until he started talking about getting bombed in front of the doctor.

 

[Chronic Student]

interviewer: have you seen harold and kumar go to whitecastle?
me: yes
interviewer: you remind me of kumar
me(in my head): uhhhhh, i swear i'm not high

-mota


Your name is Mota, now that's funny!

 

[doctorE2010]

during an interview I inquired about community service. The interview told me about a program which the students go to elementary schools to teach kids about being healthy (diet and exercize). He then proceeds to stand up, open the blinds to his window, and point out all the "fat" people below on the street. He literally pointed to at least four people, guesstimated their wieghts and called them "gross" and "fat." How do you respond to that???? I didn't really say anything.

 

[MzzMisty]

Bumpity Bump 😉

 

[socerbal94]

OK so this interview was really bad....

As soon as I walk into the docs office she leans back in her chair, puts her feet up, and says:

"you might want to take that jacket off because Im going to grill you and it might get a little toasty in here"

I let out a little chuckle because shes obviously joking.....

but shes not.

she goes on to ask me all sorts of ethical and political questions, and no matter the answer that I give, she continues to play devils advocate and argue with everything that I say. Which is somewhat stressful in an interview setting.

but thats not too bad, I mean, if you know about issues and medicine and can back up your opinions your fine right?

wrong

what made the interview truly a "grill" was these responses to some of my answers:

1. "wow I feel personally insulted by that statement"
2. "how can you believe that"
3. "are you serious?"
4. "do you even watch the news?"
5. "I think your missing the point."
6. "I dont think you quite understand the question."
and my favorite: 7. "Well at this point....... well.... lets just move on."

I would chalk it up to just being a ****ty ****ty interviewee, but in the 6 other interviews that Ive had, some of which were quite intellectually demanding, I did just fine.

So........ When kids say that the "Med School Grill" is just a myth,

THEYRE LYING

peece

 

[Flopotomist]

OK so this interview was really bad....

As soon as I walk into the docs office she leans back in her chair, puts her feet up, and says:

"you might want to take that jacket off because Im going to grill you and it might get a little toasty in here"

I let out a little chuckle because shes obviously joking.....

but shes not.

she goes on to ask me all sorts of ethical and political questions, and no matter the answer that I give, she continues to play devils advocate and argue with everything that I say. Which is somewhat stressful in an interview setting.

but thats not too bad, I mean, if you know about issues and medicine and can back up your opinions your fine right?

wrong

what made the interview truly a "grill" was these responses to some of my answers:

1. "wow I feel personally insulted by that statement"
2. "how can you believe that"
3. "are you serious?"
4. "do you even watch the news?"
5. "I think your missing the point."
6. "I dont think you quite understand the question."
and my favorite: 7. "Well at this point....... well.... lets just move on."

I would chalk it up to just being a ****ty ****ty interviewee, but in the 6 other interviews that Ive had, some of which were quite intellectually demanding, I did just fine.

So........ When kids say that the "Med School Grill" is just a myth,

THEYRE LYING

peece

Which school was this?

 

[butmylipshurtrealbad]

Interviewer: So your family is from Europe, were you born there?
Me: No, I was born here (US).
Interviewer: No you weren't, you moved here when you were three.
Me: Ummmm.....No...I didn't?
😕

 

[jpwinsmcgee]

one of the suny schools:

so, i see your mcat score here. tell me where these scores put you.
(i tell him the approximate percentile ranges)
so, how exactly is the mcat structured? what do they test on it?

you're interviewing me for med school. shouldn't you know what this test is?????

 

[Its_MurDAH]

Interviewer: So your family is from Europe, were you born there?
Me: No, I was born here (US).
Interviewer: No you weren't, you moved here when you were three.
Me: Ummmm.....No...I didn't?
😕

hahahhah ROFL...that is hilarious!

I can totally picture something like that happening to me---
Interviewer: so what do you have to say about your mcat score
me: well i got a 38, which i thought was pretty decent...
Interviewer: dont lie to me...it says here you got a 25.
me: um...i think you may have the wrong fi-
Interviewer (standing up): I think we are done here. get out.

 

[etown]

Him: You know what kind of wine Argentina is known for? Wait, are you even old enough to drink?
Me: Yes, I am. Um, I'm not sure, but I recall Mendoza being a big wine-producing region.
Him: Mendoza isn't in Argentina!
Me: I was supposed to study abroad there, so I'm fairly certain...
Him: I've been to Argentina! Mendoza is NOT in Argentina, I believe it is in Chile.
Me: Okay...(I studied abroad in Chile, which he has already remarked on from my file, guess I should have said "Mendoza is NOT in Chile, I've been to Chile!")

 

[Heimerfink]

I started juggling in mine - pieces of chalk since that's all I had.