E
most bizarre interview moment?
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One interviewer gave me sound advice about the pros and cons of long-underwear for cold climates.
Another told me about her home renovation and asked whether I thought 1960's shag carpeting was aesthetically offensive.
Another asked me if my family has a history of heritable mental illness. 😕
Another told me about her home renovation and asked whether I thought 1960's shag carpeting was aesthetically offensive.
Another asked me if my family has a history of heritable mental illness. 😕
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at my state school, I got a HORRIBLE interviewer (that only one other guy got that day) who turned out to be a judge. Now, in highschool i only got a 2 on my AP Gov test, so of course with my luck he asked me more questions concerning the law than medicine:
1. "So what is Colorado's current legislation concerning young girls under the age of 15 wanting an abortion?"
my response: "Umm, I've been living in KANSAS for the last four years, so i'm not sure.."
2. "What is your take on putting a cap on malpractice lawsuits for personal anguish? You're telling me if a runner had a negligent surgeon cut off his leg above the knee as opposed to below the knee, he only deserves 200,000 dollars?" me~"well I didn't say 200,000 dollars." him~"Well don't back out on me now...I want a debate!! And for your information, $200,000 is the proposal int he recent bill. you know, if you are interested in this field, you should try to be knowledgable in the subject matter." ~OUCH!!!
3. "So you play piano. Are you any good? Are you really, or are you just being cocky?" (I WISH he had a piano around, so I could have showed him i'm not bad - which was my response - then proceded to shove the piano where the sun don't shine!!)
Needless to say I was flatout rejected there 🙁
Different school - My interviewer gave me some low blows, but I was able to handle them much better:
1. "So didn't your premedical advisor tell you to retake the MCAT?? "
2. "Well, I certainly hope that if you don't get in you won't be foolish enough to turn down another school's acceptance to apply here again..."
3. "So i noticed your junior year you received two Bs....do you care to explain this?" (in my head: HAHHAHA ARE YOU KIDDING ME IT WAS IN GENETICS AND NEURO!! 'NOUGH SAID!"
4. After explaining that my family moved to the middle east for some years, then came back to America when i was a toddler, my second interviewer commented, "OHH so you have the typical foreign family situation, you came to America and bought a restaurant at the mall!" All i could stutter was that we aren't foreigners and have been citizens all along....but it was odd how he couldn't stop laughing at his own joke!
I'm on their waitlist, which I think is crazy considering they gave me no indication that they were impressed with my application...
3rd school, funniest moment: At the end of my interview the 4th year med student stands up and states: "OK this interview's over. It's so hot in here, I'm sweating my balls off. I don't know how you sat in here for two interviews."
1. "So what is Colorado's current legislation concerning young girls under the age of 15 wanting an abortion?"
my response: "Umm, I've been living in KANSAS for the last four years, so i'm not sure.."
2. "What is your take on putting a cap on malpractice lawsuits for personal anguish? You're telling me if a runner had a negligent surgeon cut off his leg above the knee as opposed to below the knee, he only deserves 200,000 dollars?" me~"well I didn't say 200,000 dollars." him~"Well don't back out on me now...I want a debate!! And for your information, $200,000 is the proposal int he recent bill. you know, if you are interested in this field, you should try to be knowledgable in the subject matter." ~OUCH!!!
3. "So you play piano. Are you any good? Are you really, or are you just being cocky?" (I WISH he had a piano around, so I could have showed him i'm not bad - which was my response - then proceded to shove the piano where the sun don't shine!!)
Needless to say I was flatout rejected there 🙁
Different school - My interviewer gave me some low blows, but I was able to handle them much better:
1. "So didn't your premedical advisor tell you to retake the MCAT?? "
2. "Well, I certainly hope that if you don't get in you won't be foolish enough to turn down another school's acceptance to apply here again..."
3. "So i noticed your junior year you received two Bs....do you care to explain this?" (in my head: HAHHAHA ARE YOU KIDDING ME IT WAS IN GENETICS AND NEURO!! 'NOUGH SAID!"
4. After explaining that my family moved to the middle east for some years, then came back to America when i was a toddler, my second interviewer commented, "OHH so you have the typical foreign family situation, you came to America and bought a restaurant at the mall!" All i could stutter was that we aren't foreigners and have been citizens all along....but it was odd how he couldn't stop laughing at his own joke!
I'm on their waitlist, which I think is crazy considering they gave me no indication that they were impressed with my application...
3rd school, funniest moment: At the end of my interview the 4th year med student stands up and states: "OK this interview's over. It's so hot in here, I'm sweating my balls off. I don't know how you sat in here for two interviews."
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I have 2 experiences worth mentioning...
1 - at a medical school in chicago that I have since been rejected from... My interviewer had an old school wrestling jersey in a frame on the wall and I sort of assumed it was his from college or something. But when i asked him about it he told me that it was a gift from someone who had known his father - who had jus t died a few months ago. ooops
2 - I had a one on three interview, a male prof, a female prof and a male student. The female prof winked at me atleast 5 times. I'm not sure what she meant by it, but it was alittle unerving, It was hard for me to look her in the eye while answering her questions. She did look good, for a 50 year old.
1 - at a medical school in chicago that I have since been rejected from... My interviewer had an old school wrestling jersey in a frame on the wall and I sort of assumed it was his from college or something. But when i asked him about it he told me that it was a gift from someone who had known his father - who had jus t died a few months ago. ooops
2 - I had a one on three interview, a male prof, a female prof and a male student. The female prof winked at me atleast 5 times. I'm not sure what she meant by it, but it was alittle unerving, It was hard for me to look her in the eye while answering her questions. She did look good, for a 50 year old.
E
entropy2
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I had the most unnerving interview...I was sent to randomly wander through the hospital, which has no signs or anything, some resident took pity on me & took me to my interviewers office, which was behind these doors you needed to get buzzed though & the person who should have been there wasn't....so he leaves me there & it's a maze of cubilces, where I find a lady to take me back to my interviewers office...He's not there!
He comes by a couple minutes later w/ a coke in his hand & says, Oh you must be my interview, looks at his watch, then opens the door...ays have a seat, and goes over to his computer, where my app is up & he says gimme a second here & prints it out, glances at it, looks at me, and starts off in spanish. he stopped once i answered his question, but it took me a second b/c i was like woah that's not english, who changed the channel
He comes by a couple minutes later w/ a coke in his hand & says, Oh you must be my interview, looks at his watch, then opens the door...ays have a seat, and goes over to his computer, where my app is up & he says gimme a second here & prints it out, glances at it, looks at me, and starts off in spanish. he stopped once i answered his question, but it took me a second b/c i was like woah that's not english, who changed the channel
I didnt want to post this because some adcom/interview-ers read this... anways,
I was interviewing at NJMS early last fall. I was escorted to a professors office. He's got a big Yankee's poster on his door and in my mind I am figuring out talking points, since I'm a fan too. I walk in and he says, "Give me a second, let me get these [this weeks football picks] off my desk." While I am waiting, its hard to ignore the blairing radio. He reaches for the remote and instead of turning it off, he merely turns the radio down. We start talking for a bit about my time in college etc. In the middle he get a phone call from his wife. They talk for about 10 minutes trying to figure out what channnel telemundo is. Appearantly, he will be interviewed tonight about a segment on cervical cancer (he's an gy oncologist) and his wife wanted to tape it. Lets not forget the radio's still going. We pick up with our conversation and more on to my brief stint in research. He stop me emphatically, "Oh my! hold on one second..." He picks up the phone, calling down to the OR. As it turns out he had a patient preped about 1 and a half hours ago to collect a sample for a study he was doing. He puts on his lab coat and says to me, "wait here, I'll be back in 15 to 20 minutes." So I twiddled my thumbs for 25 to 30 minutes, looking around his office, and of course, listening to radio. He comes back, looks at my file for a few seonds and says, "so do you have any questions for me?" Disenchanted, I mustered up a few questions feigning interest. I was out of his office no more than 5/10 minutes after he returned. What an awful interview.
I was interviewing at NJMS early last fall. I was escorted to a professors office. He's got a big Yankee's poster on his door and in my mind I am figuring out talking points, since I'm a fan too. I walk in and he says, "Give me a second, let me get these [this weeks football picks] off my desk." While I am waiting, its hard to ignore the blairing radio. He reaches for the remote and instead of turning it off, he merely turns the radio down. We start talking for a bit about my time in college etc. In the middle he get a phone call from his wife. They talk for about 10 minutes trying to figure out what channnel telemundo is. Appearantly, he will be interviewed tonight about a segment on cervical cancer (he's an gy oncologist) and his wife wanted to tape it. Lets not forget the radio's still going. We pick up with our conversation and more on to my brief stint in research. He stop me emphatically, "Oh my! hold on one second..." He picks up the phone, calling down to the OR. As it turns out he had a patient preped about 1 and a half hours ago to collect a sample for a study he was doing. He puts on his lab coat and says to me, "wait here, I'll be back in 15 to 20 minutes." So I twiddled my thumbs for 25 to 30 minutes, looking around his office, and of course, listening to radio. He comes back, looks at my file for a few seonds and says, "so do you have any questions for me?" Disenchanted, I mustered up a few questions feigning interest. I was out of his office no more than 5/10 minutes after he returned. What an awful interview.
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I don't know how bizarre this is relative to the rest of these interviews but for me it did seem a bit strange over all.
My second interviewer and non-committee member was a psychiatrist. I was unsure how to feel about this and joked (half seriously) with the other interviewees that we were going to be psychoanalyzed. Three out of four us were being interviewed by psychiatrists that afternoon.
All three of us were lead on what seemed like half mile walk, mostly outside and then across a four lane road. We were of course in dark suits and it was a sunny and warm day. We finally arrive at the interview location and inside it feels like it is 85 degrees. I was starting to worry about sweaty hands. I was taken to a small break room where I was told to wait. So far nothing was too far out of the ordinary, but I was wondering if they would leave me in here for a while as some sort of test. But really I was just thankful for a chance to cool off and stop sweating before meeting the interviewer.
About 10-15 minutes had passed when he arrived and took me to his office. He did apologize for making me wait but the wait was not really all that long. Then before even sitting me down he asked how the interview day had been. I answered him and then and he uses my answer to ask about my research experience (this is a closed file interview). I answer him and while looking directly at him he sticks his finger in his nose and twists it around. I didn't flinch and kept going with my answer. He then nods like a typical psychiatrist but doesn't seem to want any details. He then only asks where I went to school for undergraduate. Again I answer and again he sticks his finger in his nose! After I'm done he says "Well this is a great opportunity for you then..." I think "huh?" and just say "Yes. I hope so." None of this had me worried but then he asked me if I had any questions.
Questions already!? Now I was freaking out because I had only been in the room with him for less than 2 minutes and he had only asked two questions. How could he possibly know enough about me (closed file)?! I had at least one question ready so I asked him. I thought it would buy me more time but I was flat wrong. He answered my question very briefly and then asked if I had more questsions. I didn't really know what he was getting at so I just told him that the staff had done a great job answering questions and I didn't really have many other questsions. He then says "Okay I'll let you get back to work then."
This is when I thought "Oh crap!" I know it may have been bad but in a last ditch effort to buy more time I said "well actually I do have a few more questions." I had thought of these ahead of time and was saving them for this type of situation. They were the type of questions you ask in class to try to impress the professor. I didn't want to use them, but I felt I had no choice He could tell that I was a little uncomfortable with his style because he said "I know this is a unusual format but you've already had one interview and I'm more of the 'sweeper'." I had no idea what he meant but I nodded.
He answered my questions, again pretty briefly and without much detail, but did say they were good questions.. "phew". But after that he didn't ask me if I had more questions. This is now maybe 5 minutes (10 at the most) into the interview when he stands up says he'll let me get back to work (??) and shakes my hand. This time I had to accept that it was just going to be a VERY short interview and hope he liked me.
Okay I know that's long and anti-climactic but imagine having prepared to answer all kinds of questions and having to answer none of them. I still don't know what to think other than for the circumstance I feel like it went well. I still don't know the outcome at this school.
My second interviewer and non-committee member was a psychiatrist. I was unsure how to feel about this and joked (half seriously) with the other interviewees that we were going to be psychoanalyzed. Three out of four us were being interviewed by psychiatrists that afternoon.
All three of us were lead on what seemed like half mile walk, mostly outside and then across a four lane road. We were of course in dark suits and it was a sunny and warm day. We finally arrive at the interview location and inside it feels like it is 85 degrees. I was starting to worry about sweaty hands. I was taken to a small break room where I was told to wait. So far nothing was too far out of the ordinary, but I was wondering if they would leave me in here for a while as some sort of test. But really I was just thankful for a chance to cool off and stop sweating before meeting the interviewer.
About 10-15 minutes had passed when he arrived and took me to his office. He did apologize for making me wait but the wait was not really all that long. Then before even sitting me down he asked how the interview day had been. I answered him and then and he uses my answer to ask about my research experience (this is a closed file interview). I answer him and while looking directly at him he sticks his finger in his nose and twists it around. I didn't flinch and kept going with my answer. He then nods like a typical psychiatrist but doesn't seem to want any details. He then only asks where I went to school for undergraduate. Again I answer and again he sticks his finger in his nose! After I'm done he says "Well this is a great opportunity for you then..." I think "huh?" and just say "Yes. I hope so." None of this had me worried but then he asked me if I had any questions.
Questions already!? Now I was freaking out because I had only been in the room with him for less than 2 minutes and he had only asked two questions. How could he possibly know enough about me (closed file)?! I had at least one question ready so I asked him. I thought it would buy me more time but I was flat wrong. He answered my question very briefly and then asked if I had more questsions. I didn't really know what he was getting at so I just told him that the staff had done a great job answering questions and I didn't really have many other questsions. He then says "Okay I'll let you get back to work then."
This is when I thought "Oh crap!" I know it may have been bad but in a last ditch effort to buy more time I said "well actually I do have a few more questions." I had thought of these ahead of time and was saving them for this type of situation. They were the type of questions you ask in class to try to impress the professor. I didn't want to use them, but I felt I had no choice
He could tell that I was a little uncomfortable with his style because he said "I know this is a unusual format but you've already had one interview and I'm more of the 'sweeper'." I had no idea what he meant but I nodded.He answered my questions, again pretty briefly and without much detail, but did say they were good questions.. "phew". But after that he didn't ask me if I had more questions. This is now maybe 5 minutes (10 at the most) into the interview when he stands up says he'll let me get back to work (??) and shakes my hand. This time I had to accept that it was just going to be a VERY short interview and hope he liked me.
Okay I know that's long and anti-climactic but imagine having prepared to answer all kinds of questions and having to answer none of them. I still don't know what to think other than for the circumstance I feel like it went well. I still don't know the outcome at this school.
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Gardenia said:
I was going to leave that part to the imagination
. Actually, I don't think so because he used his left hand for the deed and then I shook his right hand. But I was determined not to react regardless. Like I said, I was concious of the fact that I might be 'tested' in that interview.
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S_Talos said:I don't know how bizarre this is relative to the rest of these interviews but for me it did seem a bit strange over all.
My second interviewer and non-committee member was a psychiatrist. I was unsure how to feel about this and joked (half seriously) with the other interviewees that we were going to be psychoanalyzed. Three out of four us were being interviewed by psychiatrists that afternoon.
All three of us were lead on what seemed like half mile walk, mostly outside and then across a four lane road. We were of course in dark suits and it was a sunny and warm day. We finally arrive at the interview location and inside it feels like it is 85 degrees. I was starting to worry about sweaty hands. I was taken to a small break room where I was told to wait. So far nothing was too far out of the ordinary, but I was wondering if they would leave me in here for a while as some sort of test. But really I was just thankful for a chance to cool off and stop sweating before meeting the interviewer.
About 10-15 minutes had passed when he arrived and took me to his office. He did apologize for making me wait but the wait was not really all that long. Then before even sitting me down he asked how the interview day had been. I answered him and then and he uses my answer to ask about my research experience (this is a closed file interview). I answer him and while looking directly at him he sticks his finger in his nose and twists it around. I didn't flinch and kept going with my answer. He then nods like a typical psychiatrist but doesn't seem to want any details. He then only asks where I went to school for undergraduate. Again I answer and again he sticks his finger in his nose! After I'm done he says "Well this is a great opportunity for you then..." I think "huh?" and just say "Yes. I hope so." None of this had me worried but then he asked me if I had any questions.
Questions already!? Now I was freaking out because I had only been in the room with him for less than 2 minutes and he had only asked two questions. How could he possibly know enough about me (closed file)?! I had at least one question ready so I asked him. I thought it would buy me more time but I was flat wrong. He answered my question very briefly and then asked if I had more questsions. I didn't really know what he was getting at so I just told him that the staff had done a great job answering questions and I didn't really have many other questsions. He then says "Okay I'll let you get back to work then."
This is when I thought "Oh crap!" I know it may have been bad but in a last ditch effort to buy more time I said "well actually I do have a few more questions." I had thought of these ahead of time and was saving them for this type of situation. They were the type of questions you ask in class to try to impress the professor. I didn't want to use them, but I felt I had no choice
He answered my questions, again pretty briefly and without much detail, but did say they were good questions.. "phew". But after that he didn't ask me if I had more questions. This is now maybe 5 minutes (10 at the most) into the interview when he stands up says he'll let me get back to work (??) and shakes my hand. This time I had to accept that it was just going to be a VERY short interview and hope he liked me.
Okay I know that's long and anti-climactic but imagine having prepared to answer all kinds of questions and having to answer none of them. I still don't know what to think other than for the circumstance I feel like it went well. I still don't know the outcome at this school.
maybe you should stop being FAKE and show a little human emotion by responding to the insanity of him picking his nose. You obviously failed the psychiatrists test as you showed that you cannot respond to stress correctly (you apparently internalize everything). Instead of showing the kind of critical thinking required by a doctor (calling him out) you decided to try to "play it cool" and NOT think for yourself.
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I don't know... calling him out on the nose picking seems risky. If its not a test, you just made yourself look like a surpreme jerk. Um, excuse me , sir? But this is MY interview, and i'd appreciate it if you dug for gold in your cavernous shnoz on your own time!!!!! hehehe, that wouldn't go over so well. I think i would have had to let it go too, and it was the right thing.
So the question is, did you get into that school?
So the question is, did you get into that school?
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omgwtfbbq? said:
HA Youve just proved my point. No one wants a doctor that is too scared of someone or something that he will not do what is right. Instead of correctly telling the interviewer its inappropritae to pick your nose, it seems pretty sad that you would just sit there and do the wrong thing. Its sad that you are more interested in not offending an interviewer then in doing what is right. TYPICAL FAKE PREMED . And yes I got in to 15 out of the 15 schools I applied to because I have Xray vision.
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socerbal94 said:
The truth is that it really didn't bother me, it just seemed surreal. I was honestly more interested in answering the question in a way that conveyed who I am and it didn't occur to me for one second to say anything or be disgusted. I don't take myself or anyone THAT seriously that I would confront and lecture someone on sticking their finger in their nose be it homeless man or my interviewer. I'm not their mother.
Besides, not doing anything was my REAL reaction and after thinking quickly what I felt was appropriate. Yes I did post it as being bizarre, but I think the situation on a whole was bizarre (out of the ordinary). I don't believe I was being "fake" nor do I think it's possible to be, I am my own actions and decisions.
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yeah i fail to see how that is a right versus wrong situation. s talos was just being polite.
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I don't care if it was a psychological test... If someone has chocolate on their nose, you mention it because they presumably don't know it's there.... But if someone is picking their nose or scratching their butt you just leave them to it unless they're under 10 and belong to you... They know they're doing it, and they know it's not good manners, but it's not your place to correct them... I think stalos (sp?) did the polite thing...
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ha ha funny
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Bump.
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socerbal94 said:
So is picking your nose really that inappropriate? I mean I see people when I'm driving, digging for gold. Plus, plus if it is something it terms of etiquette, should you really lecture someone that is older than you?
😕
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lynn623la said:
I think the interviewee did the right thing. I think it is cruel of the interviewer of testing someone this way (if that's what he was doing), because it's one of those situations that just confuses people. Should you tell him? Should you ignore it? Either way, you feel bad, and at a vulnerable moment such as an interview, when you are trying to please and make a good impression on your interviewers, the last thing you want to do is piss somebody off.
Think about it, if you are in a doctor's office, and he's examining you, and you start picking your nose in front of him, I bet you many doctors will try to ignore it (assuming you are an adult and not a 5 year old) and continue with their business, then they will laugh or complain about it after you left.
😉
Z
zimmie256
S_Talos said:I don't know how bizarre this is relative to the rest of these interviews but for me it did seem a bit strange over all.
My second interviewer and non-committee member was a psychiatrist. I was unsure how to feel about this and joked (half seriously) with the other interviewees that we were going to be psychoanalyzed. Three out of four us were being interviewed by psychiatrists that afternoon.
All three of us were lead on what seemed like half mile walk, mostly outside and then across a four lane road. We were of course in dark suits and it was a sunny and warm day. We finally arrive at the interview location and inside it feels like it is 85 degrees. I was starting to worry about sweaty hands. I was taken to a small break room where I was told to wait. So far nothing was too far out of the ordinary, but I was wondering if they would leave me in here for a while as some sort of test. But really I was just thankful for a chance to cool off and stop sweating before meeting the interviewer.
About 10-15 minutes had passed when he arrived and took me to his office. He did apologize for making me wait but the wait was not really all that long. Then before even sitting me down he asked how the interview day had been. I answered him and then and he uses my answer to ask about my research experience (this is a closed file interview). I answer him and while looking directly at him he sticks his finger in his nose and twists it around. I didn't flinch and kept going with my answer. He then nods like a typical psychiatrist but doesn't seem to want any details. He then only asks where I went to school for undergraduate. Again I answer and again he sticks his finger in his nose! After I'm done he says "Well this is a great opportunity for you then..." I think "huh?" and just say "Yes. I hope so." None of this had me worried but then he asked me if I had any questions.
Questions already!? Now I was freaking out because I had only been in the room with him for less than 2 minutes and he had only asked two questions. How could he possibly know enough about me (closed file)?! I had at least one question ready so I asked him. I thought it would buy me more time but I was flat wrong. He answered my question very briefly and then asked if I had more questsions. I didn't really know what he was getting at so I just told him that the staff had done a great job answering questions and I didn't really have many other questsions. He then says "Okay I'll let you get back to work then."
This is when I thought "Oh crap!" I know it may have been bad but in a last ditch effort to buy more time I said "well actually I do have a few more questions." I had thought of these ahead of time and was saving them for this type of situation. They were the type of questions you ask in class to try to impress the professor. I didn't want to use them, but I felt I had no choice
He answered my questions, again pretty briefly and without much detail, but did say they were good questions.. "phew". But after that he didn't ask me if I had more questions. This is now maybe 5 minutes (10 at the most) into the interview when he stands up says he'll let me get back to work (??) and shakes my hand. This time I had to accept that it was just going to be a VERY short interview and hope he liked me.
Okay I know that's long and anti-climactic but imagine having prepared to answer all kinds of questions and having to answer none of them. I still don't know what to think other than for the circumstance I feel like it went well. I still don't know the outcome at this school.
Note to self: Put pack of tissues in purse pre-interview. That way I can politely offer them a tissue without calling them out or ignoring it...
Haha, that does sound like a very strange interview regardless of what he was trying to do...
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Any new stories or experiences?
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For me, it was definetly when the UMiami interviewer said to me:
"The one thing that stood out to me the most from your application was....
that you are a member of a Stamp Club."
I was smooth, smiled and then proceeded to talk about stamps, Switzerland, pandemics, etc. Really not your typical interview...lasted maybe 20-30 mins max...
"The one thing that stood out to me the most from your application was....
that you are a member of a Stamp Club."
I was smooth, smiled and then proceeded to talk about stamps, Switzerland, pandemics, etc. Really not your typical interview...lasted maybe 20-30 mins max...
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"So, your application lists you being an avid stripper..."
😱
Just kidding. 😎
If that actually happened to someone, my sympathy goes out for you.
😱
Just kidding. 😎
If that actually happened to someone, my sympathy goes out for you.
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Lol, I can just see that happening at my interview. I'm a classical pianist as well, for about 17 years I'd say, and I could just imagine what would happen if they ask me to play something. I would sit down and promptly forget any song that I know. That, and I haven't played by memory in years because once I started high school, I didnt have the time to memorize a piece so my teacher let me perform with my notes because I was one of the more advanced students. Althoguh I haven't performed since high school, so that in itself will be nerve wracking.
Mostly though, this thread just needed a bump now that interview season has come upon us and a few people already had interviews or will be going soon.
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My interview started with: Hopefully you will be crying by the end of this interview. (For context, I was finishing a PhD applying to medical school with the intention of doing physician-scientist work).
Questions asked:
1) How much debt do you have? Do you think you can afford to go here?
2) Do you think you'll be able to have children? (question would never have been asked if I was male)
3) Do you think that you can do research and clinical work and have a family?
The interviewer was a bitter old army surgeon.
I ended up getting accepted off the wait list.
It was a couple of years ago so I forget other specifics. It was basically the most abusive interview I've ever had.
Questions asked:
1) How much debt do you have? Do you think you can afford to go here?
2) Do you think you'll be able to have children? (question would never have been asked if I was male)
3) Do you think that you can do research and clinical work and have a family?
The interviewer was a bitter old army surgeon.
I ended up getting accepted off the wait list.
It was a couple of years ago so I forget other specifics. It was basically the most abusive interview I've ever had.
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I went to an interview at UCSF. My interviewer was a young urologist who was from back east (U of Penn). After some routine pleasantries, he started a very emotional rant about the horrors of affirmative action, and the poor quality of the residents he had to work with. (I am a white male) I sat there stunned to hear such a diatribe in the cradle of progressive thought. I weakly said something to the effect that people should be judged on their merit, but I spent the rest of the interview wondering if the guy was putting me on, or being honest.
I remember being interviewed at Albert Einstein COM in a dimly lit office in the basement of the med school by a radiologist who was a real nice guy. He was so relaxed that he stretched his legs out under his desk and settled his feet into the wastepaper basket there. I'm not sure why, but it seemed absurdly funny to me, and I tried the rest of the time to suppress a snicker.
I remember being interviewed at Albert Einstein COM in a dimly lit office in the basement of the med school by a radiologist who was a real nice guy. He was so relaxed that he stretched his legs out under his desk and settled his feet into the wastepaper basket there. I'm not sure why, but it seemed absurdly funny to me, and I tried the rest of the time to suppress a snicker.
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Don't be so sure that a male would never have been asked the same question. My interviews pressed me a couple of times about how I thought I could manage a family and medicine at the same time, how it would effect my family, how they would feel about it, etc. And yes, i'm a male. But it was fair because I mentioned having kids towards the beginning of the interview.
LOl thats bad how did you feel??
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I literally just read this entire thread (yes all 15 pages of it), completely disregarding the fact that I have much better things I should be doing with my time. Oh well! It was too funny not to read the whole way through! Let's get some fresh stories in here, pronto!! I need an excuse to procrastinate 🙂
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I had one two days ago that was kind of strange. He came to the admissions office and got me. He had cut the back of his head shaving it I guess, so he had a bandaid on it, he was bald by the way. So he says "i'll go ahead and give you the standard disclaimer, my interviews are notoriously short" I was like that's fine with me. We get to the little room, he sits down asks me to tell him about myself and why I got interested in medicine. Then he says, "you know all i try to do with these interviews is see if I could stand to sit by you for four years, he pauses then says, "I could sit by you, so unless you have any questions, i'm done". I asked like one question and we were on our way. like 8 minutes long. It was great.
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Ha! That's awesome. I had a stress interview (I think) but I'm a hard egg to crack, and at the end he walked me to my next stop and waved me off with a smile. 🙂
I know there are more interesting stories out there, so spill it people.
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Whats a stress interview like? And where did you have it?!
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Ooo I have one. My interview was in this professor's office and it was really small. Anyway, the radio was on the whole time! And it wasn't like classical music, it was *Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me*. It was so distracting haha.
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I wasn't too sure if it was on purpose or this guy was actually really bitter, though I think it's both. He was just really negative toward medicine (a PhD) and actually any profession that requires interaction with people, trying to intimidate me with the pressures of the coursework and profession, even giving me dirt on the school's administration. I won't mention the school for this reason. Regardless of what he said, I still think it's a great place to learn medicine. But anyway, when we were done he walked me to my next stop and was pretty nice. I just mailed off my pleasant thank you note to him the other day. 😎
to ExKitty's post.- Joined
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I had a very similar experience at one interview I went to, although my interviewer wasn't bald. Only he made me stay for the entire alotted time because he said he would be in trouble if he sent me back to the group early. So he filled out my eval, and hten started asking me all about the most random things.
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This is too good to miss out on!😎
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- Jan 6, 2006
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Interviewer: "So I was reading this article the other day on how to look good in pictures and it said you should always...blah, blah, blah...Do you have any suggestions for how to look good in pictures?"
Me: "Uhh, always sit up straight?"
Interviewer: "Yeah well besides that"
Me: "Suck in my tummy?"
Interviewer: "Well, duh, we all do that darling, anything else? do you have a good side?"
Me: "I like the side of my face my bangs are on, I guess"
Interviewer: "Hmm, do you wear a lot of gold? I see you as a gold person"
Then for some reason we started talk about facebook versus myspace, and I said I liked facebook better since it was more private, and she said "oh, so you're elitist then?"
It was the weirdest interview EVER! She was a really nice person, just kinda odd. I don't even know how to judge how I did...
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- Oct 23, 2006
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so what's the verdict?
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- May 17, 2006
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I'm non-tradiontial. I've worked full time since I was 16. For the last year and a half I've worked in direct care with young adults with autism in a residential setting. I love the job.
So anyway...we're talking and he's asking me about my job, etc. I go through all of it...teaching my clients personal care skills, hygiene skills, giving meds, going on doctors visits, etc. I thought it was a great conversation, going pretty well. Until, he said " So, is this volunteer work....or do you get paid...?"
Yes. It's not only in my AMCAS but, I spoke at length about my job in my personal statement and secondary. Also, I talked about it alot during the interview. Besides, wtf would my wife and I do for money if I volunteered and didnt work. How could I even afford to get to the interview? I almost asked him if he was joking. He apparently was reading my app. during the interview or something.
So anyway...we're talking and he's asking me about my job, etc. I go through all of it...teaching my clients personal care skills, hygiene skills, giving meds, going on doctors visits, etc. I thought it was a great conversation, going pretty well. Until, he said " So, is this volunteer work....or do you get paid...?"
Yes. It's not only in my AMCAS but, I spoke at length about my job in my personal statement and secondary. Also, I talked about it alot during the interview. Besides, wtf would my wife and I do for money if I volunteered and didnt work. How could I even afford to get to the interview? I almost asked him if he was joking. He apparently was reading my app. during the interview or something.
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I don't see the problem, in some people's cases money isn't an issue so he was probably curious. I doubt it hurt you, honestly as long as you got the same experience, who cares if you didn't give up on eating that week.
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I'm not getting on a soapbox about the fact that money has always been an issue for my wife and I. I responded for three reasons. First, the interview was open-file. I thought it was pretty clear before the question came up. Second, you approach things very differently when it's on a volunteer basis. Also, you are approached very differently when you are an employee. Thirdly, it's not so much about the content/topic of the conversation that makes it bizarre. See...
AMCAS: "I like the color red"
Personal Statement: "I believe that red is great..."
Secondary: "Red is really cool..."
Interview:
Me: "...in conclusion, I think that red is awesome."
Him: "So.... do you like colors...perhaps red?"
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Ahh, you were shocked that he didn't read it. Yeah, some interviewers prefer not to see the file even if they have it, some review it thoroughly, and some are lazy and want to use the info in the file, but don't look at it before the interview. The latter are the type to be thumbing through the file, putting their index finger next to some random thing and then asking you about it.
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- Apr 21, 2004
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i had two awesome and a little wierd ones:
myfirst interview:
so, what do you think of adcoms looking at myspace? do you know what studentdoctor.net is?
we had a good 5 min. talk about the merits of sdn!
2nd interview: so i see you were a radio station DJ, i like wilco and radiohead, any bands you could suggest!
AWESOME! of course i threw out some gems for her.
its been fun, a thought the interview process would be a lot harder and more stressful than it actually is.
myfirst interview:
so, what do you think of adcoms looking at myspace? do you know what studentdoctor.net is?
we had a good 5 min. talk about the merits of sdn!
2nd interview: so i see you were a radio station DJ, i like wilco and radiohead, any bands you could suggest!
AWESOME! of course i threw out some gems for her.
its been fun, a thought the interview process would be a lot harder and more stressful than it actually is.
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2004
- Messages
- 318
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- 0
i had two awesome and a little wierd ones:
myfirst interview:
so, what do you think of adcoms looking at myspace? do you know what studentdoctor.net is?
we had a good 5 min. talk about the merits of sdn!
2nd interview: so i see you were a radio station DJ, i like wilco and radiohead, any bands you could suggest!
AWESOME! of course i threw out some gems for her.
its been fun, I thought the interview process would be a lot harder and more stressful than it actually is.
myfirst interview:
so, what do you think of adcoms looking at myspace? do you know what studentdoctor.net is?
we had a good 5 min. talk about the merits of sdn!
2nd interview: so i see you were a radio station DJ, i like wilco and radiohead, any bands you could suggest!
AWESOME! of course i threw out some gems for her.
its been fun, I thought the interview process would be a lot harder and more stressful than it actually is.
