most bizarre interview moment?

BU Medical Sciences
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viscous said:
measuring human intelligence by using the means made by humans themselves? Surprisingly, the first "true" scientist Ibn-al-Haitham was a devout Muslim.
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Although I don't believe the crap about studies showing that atheists have a higher IQ, I also think your statement about him being an atheist having anything to do with a low GPA is ignorant. Don't set a bad example for your religion.
 
medhearter said:
just bringing sexy (or should i say this thread) back...

Interviewer: What is this Raaeeiikii?
Me: You mean Reiki? Well its this japanese....
Interviewer: No... I mean Raeeekii
Me: *puzzled, pauses breathing, questioning look on face*
Interviewer: Isn't it Japanese?
Me: well. yes. yes it is
Interviewer: And in japanese.. its Raaaeeekiiii
Me: you know. you might just be right. My teacher always pronounced it "Reiki" and i only ever heard it pronounced as "Reiki" but. you might be correct!
Interviewer: ...


later in the interview:
Interviewer: So what's the offside rule in soccer?
Me: *puzzled, pauses breathing, questioning look on face* the... offside rule?
Interviewer: You DONT know what the offside rule is??
Me: I'm sorry?.. Maybe I'm not familiar with the terminology?
Interviewer: You play soccer?
Me: Yes. Yes I do. But I'm just not quite sure what you mean. Maybe if you described it to me? I might catch on? Hints?
Interviewer: I can't give you a hint! You have to know what it is! (lol) Ask your coach when you get back to *insert hometown here*
Me: okay..

later in the interview:
*interviewer gets up out of seat, turns on screen, looks up offside rule on google, explains it to me via a diagram
Me: but... why are these people taking passes in the crease?
Interviewer: what do you mean? they can do whatever they like so long as they're..
Me: ah
Interviewer: what?
Me: see. the way I've played it
Interviewer: you mean up in *insert hometown here*
Me: yes. we didn't enter the crease unless we were carrying the ball. maybe thats to make up for not having an offside rule?
Interviewer: thats a strange way to play soccer. it must be the *insert nationality here* soccer
Me: well... maybe
Interviewer: but there is no such thing as *insert nationality here* soccer. Me: ...?
Interviewer: Soccer is a British game
Me: well... really ... the british game isn't called soccer at all!
Interviewer: Oh right. its football. but anyway talk to your coach

Turned out there are no offsides in indoor soccer

The rapport, initially anxiety-creating, turned out alright... I hope!
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Seriously, how do you play indoor soccer and not know anything about normal soccer?
 
Blesbok said:
Seriously, how do you play indoor soccer and not know anything about normal soccer?
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Prison rules.

230609prison_soccer.jpg
 
This isn't really that bad, but it's the most awkward moment I've had thus far.

I was at an interview recently that was scheduled right after lunch. I brought back an apple to eat on the long drive home. So I was sitting there in a waiting area, with my apple and little folder, waiting for my interviewer to come get me. The interviewer comes out, and says "Oh hello, nice to meet you, I'm Dr. Brown... I see you have an apple." And I said (sarcastically), "yes I figured if I really start to struggle in the interview I could at least offer you an apple." Guy looked at me like I was a pedophile.
 
KMFDM said:
This isn't really that bad, but it's the most awkward moment I've had thus far.

I was at an interview recently that was scheduled right after lunch. I brought back an apple to eat on the long drive home. So I was sitting there in a waiting area, with my apple and little folder, waiting for my interviewer to come get me. The interviewer comes out, and says "Oh hello, nice to meet you, I'm Dr. Brown... I see you have an apple." And I said (sarcastically), "yes I figured if I really start to struggle in the interview I could at least offer you an apple." Guy looked at me like I was a pedophile.
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Really, like a pedophile? I would have thought he would look at you like a crazy person. Here's a gem I had - not an awkward moment, but definitely notable:

Interviewer: Have you been involved in any extracurriculars?
Me: No. (I offer no explanation).
Interviewer: Have you been involved in any religious or political groups, even if you didn't mention it in your application?
(I ponder whether I should say yes, which would mitigate my last answer, but would also reveal my religious/political views.)
Me: No. (I offer no explanation).
 
KMFDM said:
This isn't really that bad, but it's the most awkward moment I've had thus far.

I was at an interview recently that was scheduled right after lunch. I brought back an apple to eat on the long drive home. So I was sitting there in a waiting area, with my apple and little folder, waiting for my interviewer to come get me. The interviewer comes out, and says "Oh hello, nice to meet you, I'm Dr. Brown... I see you have an apple." And I said (sarcastically), "yes I figured if I really start to struggle in the interview I could at least offer you an apple." Guy looked at me like I was a pedophile.
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Seems more like a weird reaction on his/her part than it was anything you did wrong.
 
Yeah, sometimes you have to remember that doctors are just older, more successful pre-meds. They're often just as socially incompetent as the rest of us. 😛
 
lstone13 said:
Are interviewers technically allowed to ask where else we've applied?
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yeah but i find that to be such an @sshole question. i mean, come on, we all have to apply to a buttload of schools so you're not going to be our one and only, ya know?
 
lstone13 said:
Maybe it's just me, but I feel like that is a very unfair question. I don't feel like my choice to apply to one school or another should affect their opinion or judgment of me. Granted, I can see how the question, "what factored into your decision to apply to schools," is valid and can demonstrate thoughtfulness, but otherwise, I don't feel like I should have to disclose specific schools to the interviewer.
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agreed.
 
dw2158 said:
yeah but i find that to be such an @sshole question. i mean, come on, we all have to apply to a buttload of schools so you're not going to be our one and only, ya know?
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The way I see it, the med school admissions process is like a courtship process. It's long, painful, and expensive, with a lot of lying both ways. In the end, you're screwed.

"What other schools did you apply to" is kind of like asking "What kind of guys do you usually date". Not that bad.
 
I had a question asked in a funny way...

Interviewer: What was a time when you were in an ethical situation?
Me: (thinking) "ok, you know what he kinda means, don't be a smart ass and say 'ethics class'. Don't be a smart ass and say 'ethics class'. Don't be a... etc."
Me: You mean, like a time when I had a moral dilemma?
Interviewer: (realizing his error) haha yeah, sorry about that
Me: haha, no worries.... etc.

If only I hated this school so I could totally see how far I could take "an ethical situation" lol
 
BBender716 said:
I had a question asked in a funny way...

Interviewer: What was a time when you were in an ethical situation?
Me: (thinking) "ok, you know what he kinda means, don't be a smart ass and say 'ethics class'. Don't be a smart ass and say 'ethics class'. Don't be a... etc."
Me: You mean, like a time when I had a moral dilemma?
Interviewer: (realizing his error) haha yeah, sorry about that
Me: haha, no worries.... etc.

If only I hated this school so I could totally see how far I could take "an ethical situation" lol
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And people wonder why they don't get into medical school...
 
BBender716 said:
I had a question asked in a funny way...

Interviewer: What was a time when you were in an ethical situation?
Me: (thinking) "ok, you know what he kinda means, don't be a smart ass and say 'ethics class'. Don't be a smart ass and say 'ethics class'. Don't be a... etc."
Me: You mean, like a time when I had a moral dilemma?
Interviewer: (realizing his error) haha yeah, sorry about that
Me: haha, no worries.... etc.

If only I hated this school so I could totally see how far I could take "an ethical situation" lol
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This reminds me of family guy:

Interviewer: Where do you see yourself in a year?
Peter: [don't say doin' your wife, don't say doin' your wife, don't say doin' your wife...] Doin' your..... [long pause] ...son?

:laugh:
 
KMFDM said:
This isn't really that bad, but it's the most awkward moment I've had thus far.

I was at an interview recently that was scheduled right after lunch. I brought back an apple to eat on the long drive home. So I was sitting there in a waiting area, with my apple and little folder, waiting for my interviewer to come get me. The interviewer comes out, and says "Oh hello, nice to meet you, I'm Dr. Brown... I see you have an apple." And I said (sarcastically), "yes I figured if I really start to struggle in the interview I could at least offer you an apple." Guy looked at me like I was a pedophile.
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Wow I think this is one of the funniest recent posts on this thread. It's amazing how many times interviewees try to crack jokes or relieve tension and the interviewer just TOTALLY ices over...

There was no saving this one...you could've been like, "You're a professor right? Just pretend you're teaching elementary school!"

Or, "Yeah I know it's not much of a bribe but it's all I could afford."

Everything's just downhill from there. Ever been standing in the middle of a frozen lake and then *crack* suddenly you're looking down into the coldest, most painful hour(s) you've ever experienced in your life? Yeah, med school interviews are kinda like that sometimes...
 
KMFDM said:
This isn't really that bad, but it's the most awkward moment I've had thus far.

I was at an interview recently that was scheduled right after lunch. I brought back an apple to eat on the long drive home. So I was sitting there in a waiting area, with my apple and little folder, waiting for my interviewer to come get me. The interviewer comes out, and says "Oh hello, nice to meet you, I'm Dr. Brown... I see you have an apple." And I said (sarcastically), "yes I figured if I really start to struggle in the interview I could at least offer you an apple." Guy looked at me like I was a pedophile.
Click to expand...


An apple a day keeps the dr. away? 😀
 
KMFDM said:
This isn't really that bad, but it's the most awkward moment I've had thus far.

I was at an interview recently that was scheduled right after lunch. I brought back an apple to eat on the long drive home. So I was sitting there in a waiting area, with my apple and little folder, waiting for my interviewer to come get me. The interviewer comes out, and says "Oh hello, nice to meet you, I'm Dr. Brown... I see you have an apple." And I said (sarcastically), "yes I figured if I really start to struggle in the interview I could at least offer you an apple." Guy looked at me like I was a pedophile.
Click to expand...

near the end of a student interview. it was getting less formal and just for kicks-ish

student interviewer: whats your favorite tv sh..o.
me (interrupting and exclaiming): to catch a predator!
 
I have my first interview scheduled for next week, and all these ones about inappropriate humor are making me nervous. I think I will have a problem containing my sarcasm. Especially, if the interviews end up being quite conversational.
 
Caprica6 said:
I have my first interview scheduled for next week, and all these ones about inappropriate humor are making me nervous. I think I will have a problem containing my sarcasm. Especially, if the interviews end up being quite conversational.
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As long as your sarcasm doesn't come across as cynical or dismissive, you shouldn't really have a problem.
 
At one interview at school X i was scheduled to have a 60 minute interview from 3 pm. I got there at 3 and the faculty member wasn't there. A lady in the office next door said he is running late. So i wait patiently (or not) until 3:20 when the guy finally shows up. I go in his office and the whole interview lasted no more than 10 minutes. i kid you not.

it was supposed to be an hour and he only gave me 10 min. 😕

I will see what the result was in the next few weeks.
 
I just thought the interviewer phrased this question in the most round-about way possible:

"If there was a law passed saying that aliens will practice all medicine and perform all medical research starting next year, what would you do instead?"

I almost cracked up right then, but it wasn't a very conversational interview, so it wouldn't have been appropriate.

I also had a good one. I was interviewing at school X:
"So is school Y your first choice?"

C'mon! Why would you ever ask that?!? It put me in an awkward situation because neither school X nor school Y is my top choice, and I didn't want to just say "No."
 
Blesbok said:
And people wonder why they don't get into medical school...
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Cut me some slack, I found it to be relatively awkward and decided to post it for others' enjoyment, not to be berated.

Glad fellow smart alecks found it humorous, lol
 
BBender716 said:
Cut me some slack, I found it to be relatively awkward and decided to post it for others' enjoyment, not to be berated.

Glad fellow smart alecks found it humorous, lol
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Just an FYI, correcting the grammar of people that base their living on being smart, probably not the best idea.
 
BBender716 said:
I had a question asked in a funny way...

Interviewer: What was a time when you were in an ethical situation?
Me: (thinking) "ok, you know what he kinda means, don't be a smart ass and say 'ethics class'. Don't be a smart ass and say 'ethics class'. Don't be a... etc."
Me: You mean, like a time when I had a moral dilemma?
Interviewer: (realizing his error) haha yeah, sorry about that
Me: haha, no worries.... etc.

If only I hated this school so I could totally see how far I could take "an ethical situation" lol
Click to expand...

I should hope you never find yourself in a situation that cannot be described as unethical. :d
 
Myuu said:
I should hope you never find yourself in a situation that cannot be described as unethical. :d
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hahaha though that would definitely have been an awkward moment if the interviewer asked THAT, lol

How would you even approach that? Come up with a truly "unethical" situation you've been in and spin it as a positive? Or really deny that you've been in that situation, lol Oh man... these interviews are driving me into a state of existential angst... my head hurts.
 
I had an interview with a lady who was dressed head to toe in purple. We're talking purple windsuit, purple undershirt, purple outer coat, of course purple boots, and even purple mascara. She told me first that she was originally going to wear even more purple in the form of feathery coat trimmings, but her daughter had suggested she 'tone it down.' Yeah.

So we're in my interview where she had given me the 'tell me about yourself' question because she hadn't even glanced at my file(great). And then her cell phone rang. . . and then she answered it. And I'm thinking, "really? really... youre answering the phone right now during my medical school interview?" and then she gets off the phone and apologizes and explains that her and her daughter got a new puppy and it was very sick and she was getting an update on it. and you know, I understand, you're upset about it. I love dogs. I have 3 myself. But still. And then she started to cry because she got so upset about it. And I'm thinking, "what the heck do I do now?" If I dont try to make her feel better she'll think I'm heartless and give me a bad review. But if I spend the rest of the time making her feel better she'll have nothing to tell the admissions committee.

Yeah. It was ridiculous. Rejected.
 
dmh317 said:
I had an interview with a lady who was dressed head to toe in purple. We're talking purple windsuit, purple undershirt, purple outer coat, of course purple boots, and even purple mascara. She told me first that she was originally going to wear even more purple in the form of feathery coat trimmings, but her daughter had suggested she 'tone it down.' Yeah.

So we're in my interview where she had given me the 'tell me about yourself' question because she hadn't even glanced at my file(great). And then her cell phone rang. . . and then she answered it. And I'm thinking, "really? really... youre answering the phone right now during my medical school interview?" and then she gets off the phone and apologizes and explains that her and her daughter got a new puppy and it was very sick and she was getting an update on it. and you know, I understand, you're upset about it. I love dogs. I have 3 myself. But still. And then she started to cry because she got so upset about it. And I'm thinking, "what the heck do I do now?" If I dont try to make her feel better she'll think I'm heartless and give me a bad review. But if I spend the rest of the time making her feel better she'll have nothing to tell the admissions committee.

Yeah. It was ridiculous. Rejected.
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damn thats terrible
 
I walk in to the room, where my interviewer and I take seats at the opposite ends of a large circular table. My seat's right in front of the door.

Interviewer: I set it up like this so in case I try to come after you, you'll still have a good chance of escaping.
Me: I appreciate the heads up.
 
Steeler7588 said:
I walk in to the room, where my interviewer and I take seats at the opposite ends of a large circular table. My seat's right in front of the door.

Interviewer: I set it up like this so in case I try to come after you, you'll still have a good chance of escaping.
Me: I appreciate the heads up.
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hahaha that reminds me of another "weird entrance":

[in a large boardroom]

Interviewer: Looks like you'll be sitting at the head of the table [points to open chair]
Me: Oh wow, it must be my lucky day, haha
Interviewer #2: You know what we say about the guy who sits at the head of the table, right?
Me: Hopefully something good?
Interviewer #2: Haha, no. Looks like you're buyin' [points to stack of empty pizza boxes in the back of the room]
 
Wrote this in the Rosalind Franklin thread and they told me I should post this here:

My guy had a nice personality and was a nice guy but was NOT a good interviewer.

First the interview is supposed to be semi-blind. First two Qs he asked were "What is your GPA? What is you MCAT?" ...lame. Then he went on to give me a math riddle and told me to take 5-10mins to think about it while he read over my application. ...double lame. He then concluded my interview with:

(him) "Hmm... not a very good picture I see, hahaha."
(me) "What? Hahaha, I didn't think it was that bad."
(him) "Don't worry, it probably won't matter anyways."

Wtf?
 
Steeler7588 said:
I walk in to the room, where my interviewer and I take seats at the opposite ends of a large circular table. My seat's right in front of the door.

Interviewer: I set it up like this so in case I try to come after you, you'll still have a good chance of escaping.
Me: I appreciate the heads up.
Click to expand...


hahaha classic...
 
BBender716 said:
Wrote this in the Rosalind Franklin thread and they told me I should post this here:

My guy had a nice personality and was a nice guy but was NOT a good interviewer.

First the interview is supposed to be semi-blind. First two Qs he asked were "What is your GPA? What is you MCAT?" ...lame. Then he went on to give me a math riddle and told me to take 5-10mins to think about it while he read over my application. ...double lame. He then concluded my interview with:

(him) "Hmm... not a very good picture I see, hahaha."
(me) "What? Hahaha, I didn't think it was that bad."
(him) "Don't worry, it probably won't matter anyways."

Wtf?
Click to expand...

Wow.
I don't know if you flew there or what, but you'd think that when you're spending so much money on flights, hotels, transportation, interview outfits, etc, that the least an interviewer could do is be prepared!

Hope you get accepted - that's just ridiculous!
 
BBender716 said:
Wrote this in the Rosalind Franklin thread and they told me I should post this here:

My guy had a nice personality and was a nice guy but was NOT a good interviewer.

First the interview is supposed to be semi-blind. First two Qs he asked were "What is your GPA? What is you MCAT?" ...lame. Then he went on to give me a math riddle and told me to take 5-10mins to think about it while he read over my application. ...double lame. He then concluded my interview with:

(him) "Hmm... not a very good picture I see, hahaha."
(me) "What? Hahaha, I didn't think it was that bad."
(him) "Don't worry, it probably won't matter anyways."

Wtf?
Click to expand...

:laugh:

what was the math riddle?
 
Damn, I knew this one... because 7 ate... 10 was it?



The riddle I got asked was "Given four 9s, use each one of them exactly once to equal 100."

The answer is on the Rosalind Franklin thread if you want to spoil it, lol And also, like I wrote there, I got it really quickly but sat there for awhile until I thought he read enough of my application in front of me to know me a little bit before interviewing me, lol
 
umm...because 7 8 9... wow..i knew that one in first grade.
 
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