most bizarre interview moment?

[SoCalGirl]

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she was attractive---for a medical student haha.

Ouch!

 

[Maxprime]

This is my first med school interview. I'm told to sit down & wait a few minutes for my interviewer. I sit down in a chair behind a conference table, facing the door (so I can see when he enters & greet him - no super secret strategy here).

Interviewer walks in and says, "Why don't you switch chairs to the one closer to the door in case I get upset and have to come across the table at you? That way, you'll be closer to the door so you have a chance of running away." (stonefaced, not a smile)

Me: "Okay . . . I do feel slightly safer now."
Him: "Tell me the worst thing you've ever done."

For my first one, it was a long, tough interview.

 

[Isradoc1983]

My first interview... the guy seems really nice we chat and the interview is mostly conversational w/o any weired questions.... I am from Israel so we talked about immigration etc etc... than he looks at the languages I speak and says: hmmm, i see you speak Russian, Hebrew, and English
Me: Yes
Him: so, what did you speak in Israel? Israeli?
Me: Ha?
Wanted to ask him if in America he speaks Americana but decided it'll be a bad idea...
However, the room was very loud so maybe he didn't hear me saying yes to hebrew... anyway I was laughing afterwards

 

[mongrel]

The interviewer asks me how I get things done when I'm under pressure from multiple sources. Pretty straight-forward question I thought, so I go into talking about how I prioritize things, set a flexible list of things to do, and then start knocking them off. I think I used the finals week rush as an example.

Interviewer: "Prioritize"? (says with quotey fingers) So... you're okay with giving less than 100% on some things?

My thoughts: Well, that's not what I said at all. But yes, trying to give 100% on everything, big and small, that someone comes up against would make anyone go nuts.

My words: I go into explaining more about how I prioritize tasks and then used emergency triage as an example to back up my thinking.

The interviewer continued making crappy, off based comments and responses like above the whole interview. I suppose it was to test how I receive criticism... but he really just came off as a jerk.

 

[GophurIt]

I am not sure how it started other than this
but
My interviewer started the conversation by talking about crops and farming.
especially marijuana crops.
To summarize: There were a lot of marijuana crops in that area before, big cash crop.
Now its more tobacco, you know, since they made the other kind illegal.

It not an insane story or anything, I just wasnt expecting the subject matter. In fact it was a pretty relaxing conversation so that by the time we made it to regular business, we were both conversational. Maybe that was on purpose.

 

[NJDIF]

interviewer: so with all of your strengths and talents, what would you say is your greatest weakness?

me: im a terrible dancer. you'd think someone who's played the drums for 9 years would have phenomenal rhythm. nope... two left feet. i cant explain it.

*interviewer pauses, bursts out laughing.*

 

[TehDoc]

^ so did you get in?

 

[NJDIF]

ill let you know in a week or two.

 

[87138]

ill let you know in a week or two.

Was he laughing with you or at you?

 

[NJDIF]

nah we had a good laugh. he said he liked my answer. i always thought it pays to not be so schmaltzy all the time.

 

[Jolie South]

i responded in a similar fashion to NJDIF to an interview question.

interviewer: when was the first time you did something all by yourself?
me: well, i just remember the first time I had to make my bed all by myself.
interviewer: laughing hysterically. . . could you elaborate on that? how old were you?
me: I don't really know, but I just remember at first being scared and not knowing how to proceed. eventually though, i just dug in and tried my best. that's the strategy that i employ now, when i'm in unfamiliar situations like I was in Peace Corps. . . .elaborating about PC exp and work that I accomplished. . .
interviewer: oh i see.

He agreed with me and nodded a lot, so I think I pulled it out there at the end even though it looked pretty bleak for a moment.

 

[pezjez]

At the end of an interview, my interviewer shakes my hand,

"it was actually a pleasure meeting you"

how do you respond to that? "i'm glad i exceeded your expectations...?"

 

[cgbg]

interviewer: i see you are in a basketball class, who taught it
me thoughts: i have not been to that class in ages (attendance unnecessary graded P/F) and i have no idea what my teachers name is. she can't be testing me, she must know someone involved in the bball program.
me: why do you ask, do you know the coach of the team?
interviewer: yeah i know coach ---- does he teach your class
me thoughts: crisis averted
me: he is busy with the team so he they have someone else teach my class. my class is open to all students not just members of the team.

 

[Bananas Foster]

interviewer: i see you are in a basketball class, who taught it
me thoughts: i have not been to that class in ages (attendance unnecessary graded P/F) and i have no idea what my teachers name is. she can't be testing me, she must know someone involved in the bball program.
me: why do you ask, do you know the coach of the team?
interviewer: yeah i know coach ---- does he teach your class
me thoughts: crisis averted
me: he is busy with the team so he they have someone else teach my class. my class is open to all students not just members of the team.

Nice!

 

[cgbg]

another bizzare moment came to mind. the med school told me i would be interviewed by a MD. PhD. psychiatrist i found out he went to my undergrad so we were talking about his schooling

interviewer: so after graduating from ---- undergrad, i went to ---- to get my PhD.
me: so you got your MD separate from your PhD?
interviewer: what?
me: you didn't do MD-PhD, you got one after the other?
interviewer: i don't have an MD, i am a psychologist
me: i apologize, the paper they gave me says that you are a psychiatrist and that you have an MD PhD
interviewer: i keep telling them to change that, and they keep telling me i have to sign with MD PhD.

 

[prettyslick]

another bizzare moment came to mind. the med school told me i would be interviewed by a MD. PhD. psychiatrist i found out he went to my undergrad so we were talking about his schooling

interviewer: so after graduating from ---- undergrad, i went to ---- to get my PhD.
me: so you got your MD separate from your PhD?
interviewer: what?
me: you didn't do MD-PhD, you got one after the other?
interviewer: i don't have an MD, i am a psychologist
me: i apologize, the paper they gave me says that you are a psychiatrist and that you have an MD PhD
interviewer: i keep telling them to change that, and they keep telling me i have to sign with MD PhD.

lol...

 

[Cataract]

The first thing my interviewer does when I walked into the room was point to a wall of diplomas on the wall. At first I thought "Alright, jack***, I see you have a lot of awards..." Then he pointed to one diploma with the name of my small, private college.

We both did taekwondo and I found out he later joined the armed forces. Cool. We should have a lot to talk about, I thought. I know my school is known for breeding weirdos, but most of conversation was as bizarre as this:

Me: So do ya continue with taekwondo when you have the time?
Interviewer: ...no, I got into a bad street brawl in college. Couldn't live with what I've done, so I dropped it....then I turned to guns *chuckles to himself*
Me:

 

[cgbg]

after great interview at dream school i go sight seeing with other interviewees. we are waiting for a train and it is cold so i am wearing my new york jets ski cap. some guy who does not seem terribly sane approaches me, the following ensues:
some guy: your wearing the wrong team my friend
me: sorry, this is all i got
sg: so your from new york?
me: yeah
sg: are you jewish?
me thoughts: either i look a lot more jewish then i thought, he assumes everyone from ny is jewish, or he has some great jewdar.
me: yes
sg: i don't really like new york:
me: its not bad
sg: i dont want you to take this personally but the jews in new york are so obnoxious, they think they own everything. not you in particular though
me: (frightened) ok
sg: and the ones that call themselves religious, they are the worst mother******,
me: nervous grin, nod
sg: i mean they are so obnoxious, just because they had a holocaust doesn't mean they have a right to everything. we had slavery, and we are no like that. u know what i mean right?
me: more nervous nodding, i look at the interviewees with me and their jaws are on the floor.
sg: you know what the worst thing about the jews is?
me: no
sg: they are a bunch of ****in racists, u know i would not say it if it were not true.
me: unbelievably uncomfortable, somewhat shaken, nod and walk away.

Amazing thing is, the place this happened at is still my dream school, and i would go there in a heartbeat. now i am armed with a story on the first day of classes.

 

[LikeClockWork]

after great interview at dream school i go sight seeing with other interviewees. we are waiting for a train and it is cold so i am wearing my new york jets ski cap. some guy who does not seem terribly sane approaches me, the following ensues:
some guy: your wearing the wrong team my friend
me: sorry, this is all i got
sg: so your from new york?
me: yeah
sg: are you jewish?
me thoughts: either i look a lot more jewish then i thought, he assumes everyone from ny is jewish, or he has some great jewdar.
me: yes
sg: i don't really like new york:
me: its not bad
sg: i dont want you to take this personally but the jews in new york are so obnoxious, they think they own everything. not you in particular though
me: (frightened) ok
sg: and the ones that call themselves religious, they are the worst mother******,
me: nervous grin, nod
sg: i mean they are so obnoxious, just because they had a holocaust doesn't mean they have a right to everything. we had slavery, and we are no like that. u know what i mean right?
me: more nervous nodding, i look at the interviewees with me and their jaws are on the floor.
sg: you know what the worst thing about the jews is?
me: no
sg: they are a bunch of ****in racists, u know i would not say it if it were not true.
me: unbelievably uncomfortable, somewhat shaken, nod and walk away.

Amazing thing is, the place this happened at is still my dream school, and i would go there in a heartbeat. now i am armed with a story on the first day of classes.

What do you want to bet that guy will be your first patient contact at the med school.

"Hey I remember you! You're that Jew from New York!"

 

[NJDIF]

^ so did you get in?

since this thread was revived, i thought id update: i ended up getting in.

 

[Phoenix.]

Looks like we're going to need a new most bizarre interview moment thread!

Actually, there is no longer a 1,000 post limit to each thread. Carry on.

 

[Mystie224]

I just wanted to thank everyone for sharing their stories. I have my first interview next week and reading this thread has helped me relax about it.

 

[ladyluck3]

Actually, there is no longer a 1,000 post limit to each thread. Carry on.

Out of curiosity, why not?

 

[wiggidywang]

At my MD/PhD interview for SUNY Upstate, we had dinner at the president's house the night before. It was all very nice and pleasant, and right after I went back to my hotel and got to bed early.

At about 1:00am, I woke up covered in huge red welts. After scratching myself for ten minutes I realized it was an allergic reaction. The president must have had cats somewhere in his house, and I am very allergic, so I had broken out in hives in a weird delayed response.

I spent the next two hours itching and burning and driving around Syracuse trying to find a drug store that was still open so I could get some Benadryl. Finally I found a Wegman's and got the medicine, plus a sandwich, and by about 4:00am, I fell asleep again.

Woke up at 6:00 to get ready for my interview...soon to find out that the sandwich from a couple hours ago had given me food poisoning, so I had diarrhea all the way though the morning information session. The rest of the day was rough, but I somehow managed to keep it together without further incident.

Guess I paid my dues because I got in 🙂

 

[ufgrad00]

Actually, there is no longer a 1,000 post limit to each thread. Carry on.

Thanks, that should help to clean up the forum a bit. As well as keeping recent, pertinent, and informative posts from being lost to the archives.

 

[bcat85]

Ok so I just had an interview last week and it was the strangest experience I have ever had.

So I get to my first interview:

Interviewer: Why do you want to be a doctor?
Me: Answer
Interviewer: Why do you want to come to our school?
Me: Answer
Interviewer: (looks at pager) I have a page. Come with me.

He then proceeds to interview me while we're walking down the hallway. We go and they put half of some guy's brain to sleep and run neuro tests on him. That was my interview!


And I go to my second interview:

Interviewer: So what are you going to do this summer?
Me: Work in xxx lab doing research on xxx.
Interviewer: and get some clinical experience
Me: What?
Interviewer: You don't have a lot of clinical experience, so I'm going to write down that you are going to do more this summer. You should make sure you do it, and really get in there. You need to understand the pain these patients and their families are going through.
Me: ...ok

 

[da8s0859q]

since this thread was revived, i thought id update: i ended up getting in.

Good for you. I hope I get an interview that will accept my less-than-100%-stuffiness.

 

[Raider11]

All of my interviews were pretty much standard except for one at UTSW.
We started off talking about my sister and how she has cerebral palsy, he then proceeds to ask about whether my parents ever thought about bringing a lawsuit against the doctor. I explain that my parents aren't the type that look to sue at the drop of a hat and that society as a whole has become way too litigious in general. Well then we go into whether or not lawsuits have increased insurance premiums. Next we talked about the McDonald's Hot Coffee suit and why McDonald's was actually at fault (He starts quoting the case facts and keeps asking if each factor would change my mind... because basically at the beginning I said that the case was ridiculous.) He finally lets me know that he's an MD/JD and is a practicing plaintiff's advocate attorney. To which I answered "cool" because I had no other idea what to say to that. He replies "You don't have to think that's cool." Well it continued on about how there are no frivolous medical lawsuits and such. He basically ends the interview with "Well when I was your age I thought all lawyers were scum too." So I left the room after we traded pleasantries basically with the feeling that my interviewer thought I thought he was scum. Got in on the first day of Pre-Match offers (TX)

 

[chibii]

I really don't have any medical interviews yet..=) hehehe..

nothin' to share people!😀

 

[digitalising]

Not a med school interview (unfortunately/fortunately), but when I was interviewing for Harvard for undergrad, my interviewer mentioned that her car had been stolen. I asked her what car she drove, and she told me it was an Acura Integra. I immediately reply with, "Oh yes, those are really popular with car thieves. You can swap out the mechanicals really easily with Civics so it's even more difficult to trace the parts after they're chopped out of the car."

She gives me this really strange look like she's thinking, "Why does this guy know so much about stealing cars?" I quickly changed the subject and asked her what it was like to be a journalism major and work on the paper.

If that wasn't enough to keep me out by itself, then my entirely-too-honest take on the IB program probably sealed the deal.

 

[Aejiis]

At the medical school that's a part of the university where I did undergrad, before a panel of interviewers:

Interviewer 1: "So, it says here you're a Resident Advisor in [undisclosed] Hall. What have you learned as an RA that will help you in the field of medicine?"
Me: "Uh...how to deal with naked people?" (blanked, first thing that came to my head)
Interviewer 1: "Go on."
Me: (completely babbling) "Well, for example the other night I was on duty and this intoxicated girl came in topless, lettin it all hang out. At first my co-RA and I were concerned about sexual assault, but she was just like 'No, my bra strap got twisted so I took it off.' We asked her if she wanted to put it back on, but she wanted to go back to her room first. She had walked back from the bar like that. I thought that was weird until later when another RA told me a girl came in bottomless. There's a lot of naked people in the dorms."

[awkward pause]

Interviewer 2: "Hey, doesn't your son live in [the same undisclosed] Hall?"
Interviewer 1: "Yeah, he's probably one of the naked ones."

 

[Drogba]

Not a med school interview (unfortunately/fortunately), but when I was interviewing for Harvard for undergrad, my interviewer mentioned that her car had been stolen. I asked her what car she drove, and she told me it was an Acura Integra. I immediately reply with, "Oh yes, those are really popular with car thieves. You can swap out the mechanicals really easily with Civics so it's even more difficult to trace the parts after they're chopped out of the car."

She gives me this really strange look like she's thinking, "Why does this guy know so much about stealing cars?" I quickly changed the subject and asked her what it was like to be a journalism major and work on the paper.

If that wasn't enough to keep me out by itself, then my entirely-too-honest take on the IB program probably sealed the deal.

And what exactly was that take?

 

[seraph524]

At the medical school that's a part of the university where I did undergrad, before a panel of interviewers:

Interviewer 1: "So, it says here you're a Resident Advisor in [undisclosed] Hall. What have you learned as an RA that will help you in the field of medicine?"
Me: "Uh...how to deal with naked people?" (blanked, first thing that came to my head)
Interviewer 1: "Go on."
Me: (completely babbling) "Well, for example the other night I was on duty and this intoxicated girl came in topless, lettin it all hang out. At first my co-RA and I were concerned about sexual assault, but she was just like 'No, my bra strap got twisted so I took it off.' We asked her if she wanted to put it back on, but she wanted to go back to her room first. She had walked back from the bar like that. I thought that was weird until later when another RA told me a girl came in bottomless. There's a lot of naked people in the dorms."

[awkward pause]

Interviewer 2: "Hey, doesn't your son live in [the same undisclosed] Hall?"
Interviewer 1: "Yeah, he's probably one of the naked ones."

😆

 

[notlikethat]

Interviewer: I see you studied Chinese, I speak Chinese so lets have our interview in Chinese ok?
Me: I would prefer it in English
Interviewer: Oh....

Later in the interview

Interviewer: Back to Chinese, Have you ever been to China?
Me: Yes I studied abroad there the summer after my freshman year
Interviewer: Where else in the world have you been?
Me: ::listed everywhere off:: In Asia, Japan, China, Taiwan
Interviewer: Taiwan?? What are the differences between Taiwan and China??
Me trying to remain neutral: In Taiwan they use traditional characters so I cant read anything as I learned Simplified
Interviewer: What else?
Me still trying to remain neutral: Well people tended to speak slower in Taiwan, so it was easier for me to understand. Though this may because my Chinese level improved between when I went to China and when I went to Taiwan.
Interviewer: No I want you to tell me societal differences between the two


and it only went downhill from there

 

[gujuDoc]

Interviewer: I see you studied Chinese, I speak Chinese so lets have our interview in Chinese ok?
Me: I would prefer it in English
Interviewer: Oh....

Later in the interview

Interviewer: Back to Chinese, Have you ever been to China?
Me: Yes I studied abroad there the summer after my freshman year
Interviewer: Where else in the world have you been?
Me: ::listed everywhere off:: In Asia, Japan, China, Taiwan
Interviewer: Taiwan?? What are the differences between Taiwan and China??
Me trying to remain neutral: In Taiwan they use traditional characters so I cant read anything as I learned Simplified
Interviewer: What else?
Me still trying to remain neutral: Well people tended to speak slower in Taiwan, so it was easier for me to understand. Though this may because my Chinese level improved between when I went to China and when I went to Taiwan.
Interviewer: No I want you to tell me societal differences between the two


and it only went downhill from there

The taiwanese and chinese are really bitter towards each other. I have a really good taiwanese friend and she tells me that Taiwanese people hate it when you call them Chinese or vice versa. There's a lot of bitterness between the two nations. Its the same deal with Italians and Sicilians. Never call an italian a sicilian or vice versa. Oh and its also somewhat true of Pakistanis and bangladeshis and indians and of Cyprians and Greeks.

 

[seraph524]

The taiwanese and chinese are really bitter towards each other. I have a really good taiwanese friend and she tells me that Taiwanese people hate it when you call them Chinese or vice versa. There's a lot of bitterness between the two nations. Its the same deal with Italians and Sicilians. Never call an italian a sicilian or vice versa. Oh and its also somewhat true of Pakistanis and bangladeshis and indians and of Cyprians and Greeks.

yea, i never understood the taiwanese/chinese thing. they are all the same people essentially. they need to get over themselves.

 

[notlikethat]

The taiwanese and chinese are really bitter towards each other. I have a really good taiwanese friend and she tells me that Taiwanese people hate it when you call them Chinese or vice versa. There's a lot of bitterness between the two nations. Its the same deal with Italians and Sicilians. Never call an italian a sicilian or vice versa. Oh and its also somewhat true of Pakistanis and bangladeshis and indians and of Cyprians and Greeks.

Haha yes I know all about Chinese vs Taiwanese sentiments. Its just... i would rather it not come up during an interview. I kept trying to stay as neutral as I could be the interviewer wouldnt let me

 

[Bond8204]

Not a med school interview (unfortunately/fortunately), but when I was interviewing for Harvard for undergrad, my interviewer mentioned that her car had been stolen. I asked her what car she drove, and she told me it was an Acura Integra. I immediately reply with, "Oh yes, those are really popular with car thieves. You can swap out the mechanicals really easily with Civics so it's even more difficult to trace the parts after they're chopped out of the car."

She gives me this really strange look like she's thinking, "Why does this guy know so much about stealing cars?" I quickly changed the subject and asked her what it was like to be a journalism major and work on the paper.

If that wasn't enough to keep me out by itself, then my entirely-too-honest take on the IB program probably sealed the deal.

Haha, I look back on one of the undergrad interviews I had and realize what an idiot I was and how little I knew how to interview (read: BS). My interviewer asked the question "What do you like to read?" and I said "I really don't like to read...much of the assigned reading of high school has sucked the enjoyment out of it for me--whenever I try to read anything for fun it feels like I'm assigned it and I'm taking mental notes for a future test."

So I told her I don't like to read, don't read the newspaper...I thought she was being mean at the time but in retrospect she must've been thinking "my God this kid's an idiot not to even lie about it."

 

[Myuu]

Haha, I look back on one of the undergrad interviews I had and realize what an idiot I was and how little I knew how to interview (read: BS). My interviewer asked the question "What do you like to read?" and I said "I really don't like to read...much of the assigned reading of high school has sucked the enjoyment out of it for me--whenever I try to read anything for fun it feels like I'm assigned it and I'm taking mental notes for a future test."

So I told her I don't like to read, don't read the newspaper...I thought she was being mean at the time but in retrospect she must've been thinking "my God this kid's an idiot not to even lie about it."

I liked my assigned readings... then again there was this really awful Canadian novel they made us read to cover North American prose... Then again, we spent a lot of time on the poetry of Latin America, so maybe the quality of writing made it better... On the whole, though, IB just isn't worth the time... unless you like learning how to BS on paper.

Oh, and I got 30 credits out of it!

 

[boobaunutz]

interviewer: "why'd your parents move to the states?"
me: "well, there are a few reasons...[explain some of them] and my dad said there was too much competition in his home country and he knew his children would be too lazy to succeed. I guess he was right..."

i've heard nothing from this school for a while. i'm too lazy to call them up and find anything out. 🙁

 

[nevercold]

interviewer: "why'd your parents move to the states?"
me: "well, there are a few reasons...[explain some of them] and my dad said there was too much competition in his home country and he knew his children would be too lazy to succeed. I guess he was right..."

i've heard nothing from this school for a while. i'm too lazy to call them up and find anything out. 🙁

Priceless.

 

[digitalising]

And what exactly was that take?

That while it was fun, it seemed to be a lot of busy work. I believe I referenced the famous "IB, therefore IBS" slogan.

 

[Drogba]

The taiwanese and chinese are really bitter towards each other. I have a really good taiwanese friend and she tells me that Taiwanese people hate it when you call them Chinese or vice versa. There's a lot of bitterness between the two nations. Its the same deal with Italians and Sicilians. Never call an italian a sicilian or vice versa. Oh and its also somewhat true of Pakistanis and bangladeshis and indians and of Cyprians and Greeks.

There is a lot of tension between Sicily and the mainland, but there is generally a lot of regional identification in Italy no matter where you are and even still no Sicilian is going to get too bent out of shape if you call them an Italian (which they are). Cyprus on the other hand is an independent country and the tension is between the Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots (ethnic minorities) not Greek-Cypriots and Greeks.

 

[nevercold]

That while it was fun, it seemed to be a lot of busy work. I believe I referenced the famous "IB, therefore IBS" slogan.

Irritable bowel syndrome?

 

[tourniquet1963]

Irritable bowel syndrome?

hahah.. thats what i thought when i read it

 

[xiaoyi666]

yea, i never understood the taiwanese/chinese thing. they are all the same people essentially. they need to get over themselves.

Lol, the "taiwanese" need to get over themselves! 😀

History refresher: Formosa (the island that's Taiwan) has traditionally been part of China. Communist Chinese under Mao revolted in mid-late 1940s. The Nationalist Chinese were defeated and fled across the strait to Formosa. The Communist forces didn't chase them across the strait to the island. Now the Nationalists want to declare independence.

 

[Ella Shepherd]

since this thread was revived, i thought id update: i ended up getting in.

Awesome! Congratulations! 🙂 😀 👍

 

[digitalising]

Irritable bowel syndrome?

Probably for some of the people in the program, but generally it referred to how much our BS'ing skills were honed as we went for the diploma (piece of copy paper in a fifty-cent folder).

 

[seraph524]

Lol, the "taiwanese" need to get over themselves! 😀

History refresher: Formosa (the island that's Taiwan) has traditionally been part of China. Communist Chinese under Mao revolted in mid-late 1940s. The Nationalist Chinese were defeated and fled across the strait to Formosa. The Communist forces didn't chase them across the strait to the island. Now the Nationalists want to declare independence.

Everybody needs to get over themselves...its the new century, who cares about what happened in the past? 😀

 

[notlikethat]

edit: meh not gonna get into this debate over the internet