most bizarre interview moment?

[doinmybest5840]

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This isn't nearly as interesting as some other people's posts, but I thought I'd post it anyway.

I had my first MD interview this past week, and during one of the interviews there, an IT guy interrupted to fix the interviewer's computer. So he excuses himself while they go to work on the problem, and after about 10 minutes of me sitting and looking out the window pretending to be taking in the view, the IT guy leaves and we continue. The strange thing is, though, that the interview literally starts ALL over again. The same questions in the same order, as if nothing had happened prior to the IT guy's arrival. I don't know if the interviewer just forgot, was reviewing to make sure he didn't forget anything, or was testing for consistency in my responses, but it was definitely a little odd.

In one of my DO interviews, I met with 2 interviewers at once, who were in a board room with a ton of windows. They were each sitting at the first seats by the head of the table, and I was seated at the head spot. The problem was that since nobody was directly in front of me, I was pretty much looking out the window. I personally find windows to be very distracting, so it was pretty difficult for me to keep focusing my eyes on the interviewers when they naturally move toward the window. I thought that they could have set the room up a little better, or conducted the interview elsewhere. Oh well.

I can't wait to hear some of the other crazy stories that are bound to arise, as I thankfully haven't had to experience anything too awful yet.

 

[EEL08]

bump

 

[gujuDoc]

This isn't nearly as interesting as some other people's posts, but I thought I'd post it anyway.

I had my first MD interview this past week, and during one of the interviews there, an IT guy interrupted to fix the interviewer's computer. So he excuses himself while they go to work on the problem, and after about 10 minutes of me sitting and looking out the window pretending to be taking in the view, the IT guy leaves and we continue. The strange thing is, though, that the interview literally starts ALL over again. The same questions in the same order, as if nothing had happened prior to the IT guy's arrival. I don't know if the interviewer just forgot, was reviewing to make sure he didn't forget anything, or was testing for consistency in my responses, but it was definitely a little odd.

In one of my DO interviews, I met with 2 interviewers at once, who were in a board room with a ton of windows. They were each sitting at the first seats by the head of the table, and I was seated at the head spot. The problem was that since nobody was directly in front of me, I was pretty much looking out the window. I personally find windows to be very distracting, so it was pretty difficult for me to keep focusing my eyes on the interviewers when they naturally move toward the window. I thought that they could have set the room up a little better, or conducted the interview elsewhere. Oh well.

I can't wait to hear some of the other crazy stories that are bound to arise, as I thankfully haven't had to experience anything too awful yet.

It wouldn't surprise me if the first situation was a test to see if you are consistent. I've heard from this thread and others that they will do a lot of things you wouldn't get in a job interview. I've heard some pretty crazy stories on here and elsewhere about interviews.

 

[namsoon]

I love this thread. One post actually had me in tears from laughing so hard. (I can see why it's lasted for five years!). Unfortunately, this story is more bizarre rather than funny. I was sitting outside the interviewer's office with another applicant (he was going to be interviewing with the same person after I was done). I started talking to him for a bit and was a little put off by his attitude...OK, I'll admit, was A LOT put off: he came across as quite arrogant to me. Anyway, I got called in...I sit down and the following conversation ensues:

Interviewer: So I see you grew up in city X.
Me: Yes, I did.
Interviewer: So I see you majored in X.
Me: Yes.
Interviewer: ...at school X.

[pause]

Me: Uhh, no, school Y, actually.

As it turns out, the other applicant sitting outside (who was also Asian), grew up in the same city, majored in the same major, but went to a different school. Understandable mixup, I suppose. At the end of my interview, my interviewwer told me I wouldn't have a problem getting in there or anywhere. In the end, I didn't even get waitlisted (nor did I get interviews anywhere else that year 🙁), and I sometimes wonder if I got confused with that j@ck@$$ again when my interviewer presented my case (I'm not bitter or anything, I swear! 🙄). I have another interview in about an hour (though it's a job interview)...I just hope I don't burst out laughing in the middle of the interview as I will inevitably think about these stories.

 

[duuri]

wow, i finally made it to the end. i don't know how you guys were going through this in a couple of hours. maybe i'm just slow but it took me a couple of hours ALL WEEK. ehn, its addictive.

i had an interview last week, not really funny but just strange.... so it was 2 people (half-hour with the first person and half-hour with the second). my interview with the second person went extremely well and that with the first went extremely badly.

and the thing is, i've been reading these threads, the first person (it was a lady) was not trying to give me a stress interview. if she had been, i might have at least thought, its okay.. bring it on. but this lady was so dry and un-smiley it was ridiculous. she'd ask me a question, then i'd answer and then she wouldn't really write down anything but just kind of stare at me with a blank expression, and then move on. it was unreal. she asked me how long i had been in the country and then wrote that number down.

i'm telling you, whoever said the opposite of love isn't hate, its indifference, got it right on. i don't think i would have minded some flare and heated discussion, but just that look of "why are you here wasting my time" makes it very not conducive to me even getting a chance to show the med school what i have to offer. but apparently from what people have been telling me, in a real professional interview i shouldn't be expecting the chummy decent folks. bleh..

 

[Ziggy08]

bumpity bump!

 

[Kthanksbye]

Definitely inappropriate.. in my anatomy lab if we were to do anything inappropriate with the cadavers or parts of the people we get kicked out and that would definitely classify.. I sure wouldn't want someone joking around with my dead body if I donated it to science

Hmm...My dad said that back in the day when he went to med school, they would cut the penises off and throw them at each other. I suppose that would be considered "inappropriate" today, hu?🙄

 

[DOinPractice]

About ten years ago - after having practiced for a while - I took a faculty position at a state supported DO school - I was an associate prof of family medicine.

Anyway, word was passed around that the admissions committee needed clinicians to do interviews (one basic science prof; one clinician; and some other character) - basically everyone in the department ran the other way so I ended up with the assignment. I soon found out why no one wanted to participate.

After the first several they became rather mind-numbing and it was wasting my time (I was also helping to run a residency program). In essence, I had no direct say on the admissions process although my recommendations along with a strange point system they came up with was forwarded to those who decided on things.

Since the school didn't give me any real guidelines they simply got my biased preferences. I didn't care that much about grades - I was more interested in a person's overall knowledge about the humanitiies and society in general. I'd ask what book they last read and why (I soon found out that many applicants hadn't read anything aside from a textbook since high school); I asked about art, medical care in society, ethics, things they did outside of class in college, their jobs, the news - you name it. I tried to be friendly and conversational and I never gave anyone a really bad score.

Still, I came across a collection of numbskulls. One applicant told me he wanted to practice in a rural area and was hoping to open the first rural PET scanning facility (serious). Some were dressed like *****s because their clothes didn't fit well and they looked uncomfortable in a suit - like they were at the prom in a rented tux. Some went on various courses they took - which sounded petty. I also didn't much care if they volunteered in an ER or shadowed Dr. X - that meant nothing to me. I just was hoping for something upbeat and interesting in the way of a conversation and life experiences, if they were older.

The best part was asking why they wanted to be a D.O. - a completely loaded question fraught with problems. I always found manipulative therapy not only bogus but an embarassment and think the whole OMT thing is basically nonsense so it was hilarious to hear "testimonials" about how their back was "healed" by a D.O. years ago. If you're interviewing at a DO school, avoid talking about manipulation. It's like discussing religion. I got all sorts of screwball answers - these people were clearly lying or deluded but they knew they had to play the game so they went into philosophical reasons for wanting to become a D.O. which was ridiculous because most had nothing really to go on in the first place (unless their mom or dad was a DO - then the answer becomes very easy). Every so often, an applicant would say they knew virtually nothing about osteopathic medicine or worse, tried to define it and mess up - and though they were honest it showed lack of preparation to me. Occasionally I would tell an applicant that just because I was taught OMT doesn't mean I have to dogmatically use it - that ultimately, this is a medical school, not "The 700 Club," and as a practitioner it's my choice alone on how to treat a patient.

My advice is to relax - just go with the flow and be yourself and be honest without apparently being stupid or fawning. If you don't know what to say, then simply stop talking. I liked it when applicants came across as wanting to know about the school, the curriculum, the social life, the politics of the university and where it was headed. The interview should not necessarily be about just wanting to get admitted but more about seeing if the school is a good fit for the applicant.

 

[plauto]

I drove to my first interview about 3 weeks ago. The school is about 2 hrs from my house and I didn't want to get my suite wrinkled so I just wore sweats in the car and had everything ready to get changed once I was in the parking garage or parking lot. Anyway, once I got there I parked right on the side of a building of the school and starting getting changed. I got my pants off and as I was starting to button my white shirt the school police pulls right next to me. I lower the window, show them the letter for the interview and they kinda were cool about me not having any pants at the very moment. They pull away and I kept dressing. Now I am sweating like a pig and moving all over my bench seat so that my pants wouldn't touch the dirty floor. After struggling a little longer I get out of the car all proud for not having any wrinkles. As I am standing out of my car I wearl my belt, pull my socks up and use one of those rubber toothbrushes that you slip on your fingers since I had had breakfast in the car. Once I was done I went on to my interview. I get into the room and and saw that the interviewer's room was fricking on top of my car. He basically made it clear he saw the whole thing and mentioned something about me having striped underwear or something. The only thing I was able to tell him is that they were new for good luck for the interview.
I have not heard from this school yet.

 

[geneticclone]

I drove to my first interview about 3 weeks ago. The school is about 2 hrs from my house and I didn't want to get my suite wrinkled so I just wore sweats in the car and had everything ready to get changed once I was in the parking garage or parking lot. Anyway, once I got there I parked right on the side of a building of the school and starting getting changed. I got my pants off and as I was starting to button my white shirt the school police pulls right next to me. I lower the window, show them the letter for the interview and they kinda were cool about me not having any pants at the very moment. They pull away and I kept dressing. Now I am sweating like a pig and moving all over my bench seat so that my pants wouldn't touch the dirty floor. After struggling a little longer I get out of the car all proud for not having any wrinkles. As I am standing out of my car I wearl my belt, pull my socks up and use one of those rubber toothbrushes that you slip on your fingers since I had had breakfast in the car. Once I was done I went on to my interview. I get into the room and and saw that the interviewer's room was fricking on top of my car. He basically made it clear he saw the whole thing and mentioned something about me having striped underwear or something. The only thing I was able to tell him is that they were new for good luck for the interview.
I have not heard from this school yet.

😀😀😀😀😀

 

[nlax30]

I drove to my first interview about 3 weeks ago. The school is about 2 hrs from my house and I didn't want to get my suite wrinkled so I just wore sweats in the car and had everything ready to get changed once I was in the parking garage or parking lot. Anyway, once I got there I parked right on the side of a building of the school and starting getting changed. I got my pants off and as I was starting to button my white shirt the school police pulls right next to me. I lower the window, show them the letter for the interview and they kinda were cool about me not having any pants at the very moment. They pull away and I kept dressing. Now I am sweating like a pig and moving all over my bench seat so that my pants wouldn't touch the dirty floor. After struggling a little longer I get out of the car all proud for not having any wrinkles. As I am standing out of my car I wearl my belt, pull my socks up and use one of those rubber toothbrushes that you slip on your fingers since I had had breakfast in the car. Once I was done I went on to my interview. I get into the room and and saw that the interviewer's room was fricking on top of my car. He basically made it clear he saw the whole thing and mentioned something about me having striped underwear or something. The only thing I was able to tell him is that they were new for good luck for the interview.
I have not heard from this school yet.

HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!! OMG, that is priceless.

I'm sitting here stalling from studying for my final anatomy exam on Monday (head/neck) so thanks for making my night!!

 

[plauto]

HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!! OMG, that is priceless.

I'm sitting here stalling from studying for my final anatomy exam on Monday (head/neck) so thanks for making my night!!

BTW, this was NJMS. The admission office is right in front of the outdoor lot (the taller building).
I think they have fun spotting the interviewees going in! 😉

 

[Monarch Kong]

LOL nice. That's an interview he won't forget any time soon.

 

[fashafosho]

I would look him straight in the eye and say "Sir, Dr. Prez can have the heart." Look down briefly, and come back up with a glimmer of tears in my eyes, "I will give my mother my own."

effing awesome dude. reminded me of puss in boots from shrek with the eye thing.

 

[da8s0859q]

I drove to my first interview about 3 weeks ago. The school is about 2 hrs from my house and I didn't want to get my suite wrinkled so I just wore sweats in the car and had everything ready to get changed once I was in the parking garage or parking lot. Anyway, once I got there I parked right on the side of a building of the school and starting getting changed. I got my pants off and as I was starting to button my white shirt the school police pulls right next to me. I lower the window, show them the letter for the interview and they kinda were cool about me not having any pants at the very moment. They pull away and I kept dressing. Now I am sweating like a pig and moving all over my bench seat so that my pants wouldn't touch the dirty floor. After struggling a little longer I get out of the car all proud for not having any wrinkles. As I am standing out of my car I wearl my belt, pull my socks up and use one of those rubber toothbrushes that you slip on your fingers since I had had breakfast in the car. Once I was done I went on to my interview. I get into the room and and saw that the interviewer's room was fricking on top of my car. He basically made it clear he saw the whole thing and mentioned something about me having striped underwear or something. The only thing I was able to tell him is that they were new for good luck for the interview.
I have not heard from this school yet.

Oh, that just sucks. Funny as hell though.

 

[Picklesali]

effing awesome dude. reminded me of puss in boots from shrek with the eye thing.

hahaha! I love Puss...and Antonio Banderas
(P.S. I'm a girl)

 

[jochi1543]

I answer him and while looking directly at him he sticks his finger in his nose and twists it around.
.......
Again I answer and again he sticks his finger in his nose!
.......

he stands up says he'll let me get back to work (??) and shakes my hand.

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!


😆

 

[thejonqproject]

my interviewer at a pretty good school ( top twenty ) was way into human thought and cognition. we had some pretty heavy conversations about the nature of the human existence and basic cognition, and also went into the perception of dreams and the notion of reality.

at the end of my interview he encouraged me to enjoy the pleasures of life - specifically to sleep with lots of women and smoke lots of pot while i was still young. needless to say we got along really well 🙂

 

[drizzt3117]

I have a pretty bizarre interview story to tell, but this one will have to wait until WAY after Oct 15, hehe.

Two fun things from UW. First of all, the night before the interview I was going to this student social thing at the med school, which was pretty useful, and right upon walking in, there was a guy playing the piano (they have a piano in the lobby of the very large and beautiful main hall which has about eight stories of vaulted ceiling space above it, it looks like a museum) which was pretty funny. He was banging out "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" by Chicago and at first I thought he was hired to play the piano but he was just doing it for fun.

Second, they had some sort of special event so many of the rooms that would normally be used for interviews were occupied so they used some other rooms for the interview. My interview went really well, and the interviewer shook my hand as I was going to leave, and another interviewee was waiting to come in. We went to open the door, and did a double take because there wasn't a door knob, so we looked at each other, looked around the room, and then saw the door knob sitting on the floor a few feet away. I picked up the door knob, put it in the door, and was able to open it, then it promptly fell back on the ground. We both laughed and that was it. The other interviewee later told me that they had even more problems with the door and they had to have maintainance fix it before they could leave 🙂

 

[DrPavoreal]

I drove to my first interview about 3 weeks ago. The school is about 2 hrs from my house and I didn't want to get my suite wrinkled so I just wore sweats in the car and had everything ready to get changed once I was in the parking garage or parking lot. Anyway, once I got there I parked right on the side of a building of the school and starting getting changed. I got my pants off and as I was starting to button my white shirt the school police pulls right next to me. I lower the window, show them the letter for the interview and they kinda were cool about me not having any pants at the very moment. They pull away and I kept dressing. Now I am sweating like a pig and moving all over my bench seat so that my pants wouldn't touch the dirty floor. After struggling a little longer I get out of the car all proud for not having any wrinkles. As I am standing out of my car I wearl my belt, pull my socks up and use one of those rubber toothbrushes that you slip on your fingers since I had had breakfast in the car. Once I was done I went on to my interview. I get into the room and and saw that the interviewer's room was fricking on top of my car. He basically made it clear he saw the whole thing and mentioned something about me having striped underwear or something. The only thing I was able to tell him is that they were new for good luck for the interview.
I have not heard from this school yet.

Automatic acceptance.

 

[pathongko]

bump

 

[GoofyDoc]

I drove to my first interview about 3 weeks ago. The school is about 2 hrs from my house and I didn't want to get my suite wrinkled so I just wore sweats in the car and had everything ready to get changed once I was in the parking garage or parking lot. Anyway, once I got there I parked right on the side of a building of the school and starting getting changed. I got my pants off and as I was starting to button my white shirt the school police pulls right next to me. I lower the window, show them the letter for the interview and they kinda were cool about me not having any pants at the very moment. They pull away and I kept dressing. Now I am sweating like a pig and moving all over my bench seat so that my pants wouldn't touch the dirty floor. After struggling a little longer I get out of the car all proud for not having any wrinkles. As I am standing out of my car I wearl my belt, pull my socks up and use one of those rubber toothbrushes that you slip on your fingers since I had had breakfast in the car. Once I was done I went on to my interview. I get into the room and and saw that the interviewer's room was fricking on top of my car. He basically made it clear he saw the whole thing and mentioned something about me having striped underwear or something. The only thing I was able to tell him is that they were new for good luck for the interview.
I have not heard from this school yet.

OMG, very Mr. Beanish! 😆

 

[vbh61422]

This story isn't really about the interview, but it was during an interview day, and in hindsight, hilarious...

We were on the tour of the campus and were being led around by an M1 as the M2s were unavailable due to some exam. Unfortunately, the M1 really didn't know her way around the campus entirely, and we somehow got lost. On top of this, it was humid with temps in the upper eighties, and so as the sweat was streaming down my back, the M1 comes up with the brilliant idea of putting us under a tree so we could hide in the shade until she found out how to get back to the med school.

Now to preface, college squirrels are the most brazen animals known to man. Constant feeding has given them no fear whatsoever. So as we were waiting under a tree, we hear this scream and these two squirrels fall from the tree and right into our party five. Unafraid of the humans, they continue their quarrel and start circling around this girl from Texas. The girl starts freaking out and essentially starts having a breakdown. We are all in awe, and no one is doing anything...partly because it was hot as hell and partly because this wasn't really registering with any of us. So as the girl is freaking out, she takes her heeled shoe, and boots one of the squirrels promptly putting an end to the fight. As we look at her with our mouths open, she just breaks down and starts crying...

As callous as this sounds, it is probably one of the funniest things I have ever seen...I mean it seriously was just a squirrel!

 

[87138]

This story isn't really about the interview, but it was during an interview day, and in hindsight, hilarious...

We were on the tour of the campus and were being led around by an M1 as the M2s were unavailable due to some exam. Unfortunately, the M1 really didn't know her way around the campus entirely, and we somehow got lost. On top of this, it was humid with temps in the upper eighties, and so as the sweat was streaming down my back, the M1 comes up with the brilliant idea of putting us under a tree so we could hide in the shade until she found out how to get back to the med school.

Now to preface, college squirrels are the most brazen animals known to man. Constant feeding has given them no fear whatsoever. So as we were waiting under a tree, we hear this scream and these two squirrels fall from the tree and right into our party five. Unafraid of the humans, they continue their quarrel and start circling around this girl from Texas. The girl starts freaking out and essentially starts having a breakdown. We are all in awe, and no one is doing anything...partly because it was hot as hell and partly because this wasn't really registering with any of us. So as the girl is freaking out, she takes her heeled shoe, and boots one of the squirrels promptly putting an end to the fight. As we look at her with our mouths open, she just breaks down and starts crying...

As callous as this sounds, it is probably one of the funniest things I have ever seen...I mean it seriously was just a squirrel!

Hahaha, simply amazing.

I'd be excited to be present for her first GSW in the ER.

 

[vbh61422]

lol...she would kick the bullet out...u should have seen this punt...simply amazing

 

[Neutrophilomfs]

There are no good threads for dental interview stories so I'll just post it here. Anyway, it was mid afternoon after all the morning interviews and lunch with the students and everything. Me and 2 other interviewees were shadowing in the Oral Surgery clinic. We each had our own case to watch. Everything was fine until I hear, "Someone get the oxygen!" I look over and I see a my fellow interviewer passed out on the floor! I guess on the way down she took out the intrument tray and her head ended up knocking over a trash can. She was totally fine afterward, pale and greenish, but fine....but it's not something you expect from a potential dentist. Anyway, long story short, we both ended up getting accepted a few weeks later.

 

[Textuality]

I somehow managed to utter the words "butt flap" during my faculty interview...yup...

Lucky for me it was midway through, and we share a similar sense of humor. It was strange, my interviewer really liked the number 3. He asked me to give 3 things I looked for in a med school, his picture frame had room for 3 photos, and when I asked him a question about what he thought was surprising about his school, he insisted he give me three reasons. And when he couldn't think of a third, he ended with saying he'd think it'd be surprising if I wasn't in next year's class, which I took to be a good sign.

Haha, "butt flap"?!? What the hell was I thinking... (It was in reference to pajamas...haha, even more random right?)

 

[nomoreplz]

After my interviews at UPenn, I got locked in the room where they let you keep your luggage. I banged and rattled the door until someone from the student lounge heard me and rescued me. It was mildly hilarious, especially when I saw the signs on the doors leading into the room - DOORS LOCK BEHIND YOU.

 

[hazel16]

I've had so much fun reading through this thread, I'm glad to finally have something to contribute.

I'm waiting in the conference room and the interviewer comes in to get me. She stop and looks at me with a bit of shock.

Interviewer: Wow. You look so much better than your picture.

Me: (laugh) Is that a compliment or not?

Interviewer: No, seriously. You look so much better.

Me: Um. Okay.

Interviewer: No, you've got to see your picture. Have you seen it? I'll show it to you. You'll be surprised.

...

Luckily, by the time we got to her office, the topic of conversation had moved on.

There really wasn't anything wrong with my picture. Standard, passport style, professional enough looking, I think. The only real difference was that in the photo I had curly hair and for the interview I wore it straight. I guess she preferred it that way? 🙄

 

[tacrum43]

So as the girl is freaking out, she takes her heeled shoe, and boots one of the squirrels promptly putting an end to the fight. As we look at her with our mouths open, she just breaks down and starts crying...

As callous as this sounds, it is probably one of the funniest things I have ever seen...I mean it seriously was just a squirrel!

Wow, that is so weird. And hilarious. I mean, who does that? Hopefully the squirrel was okay?

 

[Sir Buckethead]

best thread ever.

I think these would be fun interviews to have. If they asked me to sing a song I'd bust out "Let's get it on" and tear off my tux during the bridge to reveal a temporary "X medical school" tattoo wrapped around my chest.

 

[drizzt3117]

After my interviews at UPenn, I got locked in the room where they let you keep your luggage. I banged and rattled the door until someone from the student lounge heard me and rescued me. It was mildly hilarious, especially when I saw the signs on the doors leading into the room - DOORS LOCK BEHIND YOU.

Wait... shouldn't the point of having a locked room be so no one could get in the room, not out?

 

[nomoreplz]

Wait... shouldn't the point of having a locked room be so no one could get in the room, not out?

Yeah. It didn't make any sense. Open from the outside, locked from the inside.

 

[erica31]

HAHAHAH.... LOLOLOL... love it! (couple years old but still a gem)

At one of my interviews that I was able to drive to, I was having a bad day; just had a totlaly sleepless night due to a family situation. I accidentally backed into a car in the parking lot at the med school and dented it. I didn't want to be late to the interview and didn't know what to do, so I left a note apologizing and left my name and phone number and told them to call me and I would reimburse them for any expenses. Then I hurry in to my interview, trying to forget about the incident, my family situation and just concentrate on the interview.

Later on when I go to meet with the student interviewer, he says to me "walk out with me. Someone just told me that some idiot backed into my car and smashed it up. I need to check it out and that dude will pay." I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. 🙁 😳

 

[erica31]

even better....😍

The conversation went something like this:

me: (growing slightly pale) this is really embarrassing but I think I have to tell you something

him: you're not going to tell me you saw the dude who hit my car

me: (turning as white as a ghost and feeling like I'm ready to pass out)no, but i'm going to tell you that i am the dude who hit your car. 😳

him: (starting to laugh) you're ****ting me, right?

me: i wish I were

now we reach his car and he takes off the note and reads it.

him: hey at least I see you might be a lousy driver but at least you're honest

me: (probably sounding like and idiot and sounding as if I'm making up excuses but it was later validated further on in the interview in response to something else we were discussing) Actually I'm not always a lousy driver, but my grandmother has been in the ICU for the past week on life support and i really haven't gotten much sleep in a week. I'm so sorry and please give me your information so i can reimburse you for the damages.

I later asked if we could start over and pretend it never happened. We actually got along very well and have talked a couple times since.

 

[erica31]

Before I start, I want to preface by saying the interviewer was at least 70 and a retired Army doctor

Interviewer: So... your significant other graduated from West Point, eh?

Me: Yes.

Interviewer: Wow, that's a much better school than the one you attended.

Me: Well, I really liked my CA state school, but yes-- its a good program

Interviewer: So what does he think of his lady friend attempting to get a career of her own? Don't most women that get a West Pointer just become Army wives?

Me: Maybe, but my dream is to become a physician... I think women can have both a successful career and marraige

Interviewer: No. You will limit his career. He will not get promoted as fast if you aren't around for all the military functions. You need to be with him to help his career.

Me: Well I think my career is just as important as his, and I'm sure he can do well on his own (attempt to smile)

Interviewer: NO. Its a damn shame you are limiting a West Pointer's career.



We didn't ONCE discuss medicine during the interview, and I got a swift rejection letter afterwards. 😡

Thank god I'm going somewhere else....

 

[silverlining1]

My gosh, that's awful! I am very glad that you had other acceptances.

Before I start, I want to preface by saying the interviewer was at least 70 and a retired Army doctor

Interviewer: So... your significant other graduated from West Point, eh?

Me: Yes.

Interviewer: Wow, that's a much better school than the one you attended.

Me: Well, I really liked my CA state school, but yes-- its a good program

Interviewer: So what does he think of his lady friend attempting to get a career of her own? Don't most women that get a West Pointer just become Army wives?

Me: Maybe, but my dream is to become a physician... I think women can have both a successful career and marraige

Interviewer: No. You will limit his career. He will not get promoted as fast if you aren't around for all the military functions. You need to be with him to help his career.

Me: Well I think my career is just as important as his, and I'm sure he can do well on his own (attempt to smile)

Interviewer: NO. Its a damn shame you are limiting a West Pointer's career.



We didn't ONCE discuss medicine during the interview, and I got a swift rejection letter afterwards. 😡

Thank god I'm going somewhere else....

 

[Jolie South]

So, at all of my interviews talking about my Peace Corps experience usually ends up being the main point of discussion. At this one particular interview, it just went horribly wrong.

After discussion about why medicine, Peace Corps, etc. . ..

Interviewer: So, are people happy in Africa?

Me: Yes, I would definitely say so. Their outlook is different . . . blah blah blah

Interviewer: Well, then what about all the hungry children on tv?

Me: tears start welling up in my eyes. . . kids are happy and loved . . . blah. . . they can play with a tin can in the street for hours and they're happy with nothing. . . still fighting back tears . . . the point is that they don't think that they're suffering . . . WTF stop talking . . . blah blah blah.

Interviewer: Staring at me like I'm crazy. . .

Even though I knew I was a train wreck, I just could not stop. I don't even know why I was tearing up. Good thing I did not like this school at all! Waitlist. . .

 

[Phoenix.]

So, at all of my interviews talking about my Peace Corps experience usually ends up being the main point of discussion. At this one particular interview, it just went horribly wrong.

After discussion about why medicine, Peace Corps, etc. . ..

Interviewer: So, are people happy in Africa?

Me: Yes, I would definitely say so. Their outlook is different . . . blah blah blah

Interviewer: Well, then what about all the hungry children on tv?

Me: tears start welling up in my eyes. . . kids are happy and loved . . . blah. . . they can play with a tin can in the street for hours and they're happy with nothing. . . still fighting back tears . . . the point is that they don't think that they're suffering . . . WTF stop talking . . . blah blah blah.

Interviewer: Staring at me like I'm crazy. . .

Even though I knew I was a train wreck, I just could not stop. I don't even know why I was tearing up. Good thing I did not like this school at all! Waitlist. . .

Jolie - Unfortunately I know exactly what you mean. I had a similar experience at a school (and was also waitlisted). It's so tragic when you realize that you just can't seem to shut up, and the most idiotic things are coming out of your mouth that you can't quite believe you're actually saying them willingly. And the tearing up too. Ugh! Almost like an out-of-body experience. Who is that idiot?

 

[Jolie South]

Jolie - Unfortunately I know exactly what you mean. I had a similar experience at a school (and was also waitlisted). It's so tragic when you realize that you just can't seem to shut up, and the most idiotic things are coming out of your mouth that you can't quite believe you're actually saying them willingly. And the tearing up too. Ugh! Almost like an out-of-body experience. Who is that idiot?

seriously. i think at a later point in the interview i even mentioned how i was glad my parents had found some hobbies because it means that they're not meddling in my life.

 

[Textuality]

Jolie - Unfortunately I know exactly what you mean. I had a similar experience at a school (and was also waitlisted). It's so tragic when you realize that you just can't seem to shut up, and the most idiotic things are coming out of your mouth that you can't quite believe you're actually saying them willingly. And the tearing up too. Ugh! Almost like an out-of-body experience. Who is that idiot?

Haha, me too! Hopefully it only happens to us once 🙂 And hopefully not at our dream schools!

 

[Jolie South]

Haha, me too! Hopefully it only happens to us once 🙂 And hopefully not at our dream schools!

it kicked my arse. luckily, it happened BEFORE my interview at Baylor.

 

[Phoenix.]

Haha, me too! Hopefully it only happens to us once 🙂 And hopefully not at our dream schools!

Praying it doesn't happen this week at Mayo. Hopefully it's a one time issue and the learning curve is steep on sensing when you're descending into interview madness.

seriously. i think at a later point in the interview i even mentioned how i was glad my parents had found some hobbies because it means that they're not meddling in my life.

I think I was asked about how I would cope with really difficult situations as a medical student and as a doctor. Of all the responses I could have given, why, oh why, did I talk about how I would cope if I did something that led to a patient's death? Good god. Why did I bring up that particular scenario? Sounds like I'm already envisioning accidentally killing people. UGH! I don't know who was interviewing that day, but I swear it wasn't me.

What was that silly "horror" movie about a guy who had a renegade hand he couldn't control? That's pretty much how it feels for those of you who haven't experienced this yet. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

 

[Jolie South]

I think I was asked about how I would cope with really difficult situations as a medical student and as a doctor. Of all the responses I could have given, why, oh why, did I talk about how I would cope if I did something that led to a patient's death? Good god. Why did I bring up that particular scenario? Sounds like I'm already envisioning accidentally killing people. UGH! I don't know who was interviewing that day, but I swear it wasn't me.

that's tough.

the interview that I did after this disaster was probably one of the best I did, so I'm sure you'll do just as well. good luck at mayo.

 

[Textuality]

What was that silly "horror" movie about a guy who had a renegade hand he couldn't control? That's pretty much how it feels for those of you who haven't experienced this yet. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Haha, I remember that movie! I thought it was pretty funny... I think it was called "Idle Hands"

I keep thinking the experience reminds me of Mean Girls, when Lohan's character is talking about how she can't stop talking about that other girl, it just keeps spilling out like "word vomit". That's how it felt, like I knew I should stop talking/tearing up...but just couldn't, lol.

 

[drizzt3117]

Me: tears start welling up in my eyes. . . kids are happy and loved . . . blah. . . they can play with a tin can in the street for hours and they're happy with nothing. . . still fighting back tears . . . the point is that they don't think that they're suffering . . . WTF stop talking . . . blah blah blah.

You know, the funny thing though is that it's totally true, even if an interview isn't necessarily the best place to relate this experience. I worked throughout Asia for several years and one of the most surreal experiences I've had is in the Philippines. When you drive by the main garbage dump in Manila, you see all these people who live there in cardboard boxes dancing, singing, and having a grand old time. They look a lot happier than many people in the US and they literally live on a mound of trash. It's unreal.

 

[Phoenix.]

that's tough.

the interview that I did after this disaster was probably one of the best I did, so I'm sure you'll do just as well. good luck at mayo.

Thanks, I'll need it! A) It's Mayo; and B) I haven't interviewed in seven weeks. I hope I haven't lost my interview mojo magic!

 

[shevie]

Wow, that is so weird. And hilarious. I mean, who does that? Hopefully the squirrel was okay?

I think i would have just fainted. you know the way some ppl are scared of heights? spiders? dark? well, I am seriously terrified of squirrels. Not exactly sure why because they are just like giant rats w/ big tails. Im not scared of rats....anyway, I really really feel for this girl 🙂

 

[OMFB]

i found this sort of amusing:

you know when they sometimes sit you in a common area and everyone waits for the interviewer to show up? well i was sitting there, and i guess all the interviewers had our pictures because each one walked in, scanned the room, found us, and then came over to get us. well this middle-aged guy walks in, scans the room and his eyes stop on me. he walks over, shakes my hand, and kinda mumbles his name: Dr. .....

I was like what? Because I was pretty sure that wasnt my interviewer, but he seemed so sure I followed him. When he sat me down and began to talk to me, I was pretty sure he got the wrong person. After telling me, he checked the photo, got really embarassed, and mumbled something to the effect of "you guys [asians] all look alike." except the girl didnt look ANYTHING like me, minus being an asian girl.

 

[bcat85]

So I'm at this interview right. And I'm just getting grilled... not at all the conversational interview you hope and pray for.

Interviewer: What would you do about medical malpractice?
Me: mumbling... issues... "To be honest I don't really know."
Interviewer: Well I don't think anyone really does