Most Embarassing Interview Moments

[deleted407021]

Another "not an actual interview" one...but at my undergrad, there was an undergrad student in my biology class that wore a white labcoat that said "Dr. _______, MD"

No joke.

What a n00b. Everyone knows that you don't have to have the "Dr." if you have the MD after the name.

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[AlteredScale]

Another "not an actual interview" one...but at my undergrad, there was an undergrad student in my biology class that wore a white labcoat that said "Dr. _______, MD"

No joke.

Oh god. That's terrible.

I had one at community college that had his name and "premed-1" embroidery on it.

And I will admit that for perhaps a few seconds I was jealous until I realize how ridiculous it looked.

 

[AlteredScale]

I tripped at least four times during one of tours on the stairs. The tour guide looked at me like was a special needs kid.

Did anyone laugh at you?

 

[hawruh]

I tripped at least four times during one of tours on the stairs. The tour guide looked at me like was a special needs kid.

Unfamiliar shoes + nervousness + stairs = death trap.

I've tripped at least once at each of my interviews.

 

[AM508]

I too have had a shoe-related incident. This happened at my first interview of the cycle. Before leaving the hotel, I checked my suit and shoes and everything, and it all looked great. After leaving the interview, I noticed that my shoe felt weird. I looked at it and saw that the sole had become 2/3 unstuck at some point . All I could think was "geez I hope that happened after the interview and that I wasn't inadvertently walking around with my sole flapping all day". It was bad enough that I had to go to the local Wal-Mart and buy a cheap pair of sneakers to travel home in.

 

[ananasmed]

I wonder if anyone has tripped walking INTO the interview room.

This happened to me at KCUMB. I didn't fall or anything, but I stumbled slightly... walking on carpet in high heels is hard My interviewer was entering the room behind me, so I was super self conscious about it and mumbled something like "oops," but he ignored it completely and the show went on.

 

[allantois]

Another "not an actual interview" one...but at my undergrad, there was an undergrad student in my biology class that wore a white labcoat that said "Dr. _______, MD"

No joke.

They probably read The Secret

 

[RavenclawMed]

In one of my interviews, I pulled back the chair too far and almost fell on the floor. But I managed to ungracefully sit down

 

[baxt1412]

Kid at my UG got an anatomically correct heart tattoo on his chest freshman year because the wanted to be a cardio surgeon... He is now no longer pursuing medicine as far as I am aware

 

[deleted407021]

Kid at my UG got an anatomically correct heart tattoo on his chest freshman year because the wanted to be a cardio surgeon... He is now no longer pursuing medicine as far as I am aware

Still got that legit tat tho.

 

[DoctorSynthesis]

At the end of one of my interviewers the interviewer said you don't have any questions right?

 

[DoctorSynthesis]

Another "not an actual interview" one...but at my undergrad, there was an undergrad student in my biology class that wore a white labcoat that said "Dr. _______, MD"

No joke.

Probably a parents lab coat.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Probably a parents lab coat.

No, he had it specially made for him.

 

[DoctorSynthesis]

No, he had it specially made for him.

Oh damn. I actually have done this before but it was a parents lab coat.

 

[Goro]

My lovely 9 year old daughter, who is definitely a daddy's girl, would beg to disagree with you. Ditto my 12 year old son. Oddly, compared to me at that age, he is the polar opposite of me as a 7th grader.

Goro seems like he would be a hardass kinda dad... Think Robert De Niro Meet the Parents.

Helicopter = always hovering around to make sure nothing bad ever happens to their precious little ones. Constantly pester teachers over any little grade that's not an A. Will actually do homework for kids, even in college. Refuse to let their kids play outdoors.

Tiger= pushes kids to excel to the point of exhaustion. Kids typically take violin lessens, art class, a foreign language, play a sport, and get yelled at for getting A-'s (What! Why didn't you get an A+?!) from 2nd grade through college. Will say things like "Your sister went to Yale, so you're going to Harvard!" Definitely NOT limited to Asians.

Sound familiar?

What's the difference between helicopter and tiger parents?

 

[deleted436726]

My lovely 9 year old daughter, who is definitely a daddy's girl, would beg to disagree with you. Ditto my 12 year old son. Oddly, compared to me at that age, he is the polar opposite of me as a 7th grader.



Helicopter = always hovering around to make sure nothing bad ever happens to their precious little ones. Constantly pester teachers over any little grade that's not an A. Will actually do homework for kids, even in college. Refuse to let their kids play outdoors.

Tiger= pushes kids to excel to the point of exhaustion. Kids typically take violin lessens, art class, a foreign language, play a sport, and get yelled at for getting A-'s (What! Why didn't you get an A+?!) from 2nd grade through college. Will say things like "Your sister went to Yale, so you're going to Harvard!" Definitely NOT limited to Asians.

Sound familiar?

What's the difference between helicopter and tiger parents?

Eurocopter Tiger parents = the worst of both. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurocopter_Tiger

 

[kalat]

At the end of one of my interviewers the interviewer said you don't have any questions right?

Jesus, that's brutal. How bad was that interview for someone to make a snide remark like that? I feel like I'd actually just get a bit angry at something like that unless I felt like I had already made an ass out of myself in some way.

 

[634931]

Had a fellow interviewer tell me she bombed an MMI station when she tried to relate to an actor portraying someone who just found out she had cancer. By mentioning that her uncle died of cancer.

 

[AlteredScale]

My interviewer told me that they read somewhere in my app that I was interested in some other school. I started praising this school and told him how I had made a good friend there and it took me about 30 seconds and a confused look on interviewers face to realize that I was going the wrong way and brought it back to "but I enjoy this school more because (insert reasons here)".


Heavy breathing

 

[Omppu27]

Had a fellow interviewer tell me she bombed an MMI station when she tried to relate to an actor portraying someone who just found out she had cancer. By mentioning that her uncle died of cancer.

Lol I think I know what school this is.. I had the same situation.

 

[kalat]

Lol I think I know what school this is.. I had the same situation.

It's Canadian schools that do MMI right? I've never heard of MMI in a DO school and maybe only a few US MDs.

 

[Omppu27]

It's Canadian schools that do MMI right? I've never heard of MMI in a DO school and maybe only a few US MDs.

Mine was at a DO and there are many U.S. DO and MD that do MMIs

 

[DoctorSynthesis]

Jesus, that's brutal. How bad was that interview for someone to make a snide remark like that? I feel like I'd actually just get a bit angry at something like that unless I felt like I had already made an ass out of myself in some way.

It wasn't snide it was kind of more a remark where we were running low on time and I clearly knew a lot about the school. I did have questions so it was awkward. The interviewers were jerks and asked stupid questions IMO but I answered everything very diplomatically. I gave a very neutral interview. Nothing to be excited about just wanted to come across as a normal person.

 

[rkearl27]

Ur tall and pretty let me hold ur hand long time....kind of weird.

Aside from that, how did you like the panel interview?

I think it was my favorite style personally. Fast paced, different personalities to work with and different viewpoints to hear.

Heck I'll toss in another gem from that same interviewer. It is common for members of my religious organization to serve as a missionary and its a common thing for applicants to include as a service extracurricular(I did not serve one). So during the interview this interviewer(the hand holding one) randomly asks if I had ever been overseas to which I replied no. They then reply with a confused look on his face he said that he thought everyone served an overseas mission. I'm pretty sure I gave the interviewer the most confused look ever because I was figuring that he was referring to a medical mission not a religious mission. Thankfully another interviewer quickly steered the focus back to medicine hahahaha

 

[634931]

It's Canadian schools that do MMI right? I've never heard of MMI in a DO school and maybe only a few US MDs.

This happened at a DO school.

 

[Limvostov]

Agreed, I am married and there was no way I was bringing my wife to my interview. If she had off, to check out said city yes but not to an interview.

I was told my wife should go the LMU-DCOM interview. I thought it was crazy (she liked the idea of going). I got accepted so I guess it was fine. Another interviewee had her mother there.

There was an awkward moment at the end of my interview at LMU where we all sat in a room (with our guests if we had them) waiting for our turn to interview. One interviewee came back in tears and was told that he was caught lying on his personal statement. Then when I was taken back to the room the physician shook my hand and said, "I really hope you choose us. It would be great to see you here next summer." --- There was dead silence for the next ten minutes and I got some glares. Good times.

 

[cdistel]

I was told my wife should go the LMU-DCOM interview. I thought it was crazy (she liked the idea of going). I got accepted so I guess it was fine. Another interviewee had her mother there.

There was an awkward moment at the end of my interview at LMU where we all sat in a room (with our guests if we had them) waiting for our turn to interview. One interviewee came back in tears and was told that he was caught lying on his personal statement. Then when I was taken back to the room the physician shook my hand and said, "I really hope you choose us. It would be great to see you here next summer." --- There was dead silence for the next ten minutes and I got some glares. Good times.

This is the exception to the rule but hey whatever works! Congrats on the acceptance!

 

[Limvostov]

It was six years ago. Guess I should have mentioned that.

 

[dreday710]

Another "not an actual interview" one...but at my undergrad, there was an undergrad student in my biology class that wore a white labcoat that said "Dr. _______, MD"

No joke.

fake it till you make it ....I guess

 

[deleted407021]

It was six years ago. Guess I should have mentioned that.

Congrats on being a doctor for like 2 years, then!

The kind of person to glare at someone who just achieved something like you had is not endearing themselves to anyone, much less to the interviewers watching their every move.

 

[kalat]

I was told my wife should go the LMU-DCOM interview. I thought it was crazy (she liked the idea of going). I got accepted so I guess it was fine. Another interviewee had her mother there.

There was an awkward moment at the end of my interview at LMU where we all sat in a room (with our guests if we had them) waiting for our turn to interview. One interviewee came back in tears and was told that he was caught lying on his personal statement. Then when I was taken back to the room the physician shook my hand and said, "I really hope you choose us. It would be great to see you here next summer." --- There was dead silence for the next ten minutes and I got some glares. Good times.

Lying on a personal statement? What would someone even lie about? It is literally just supposed to be where you come from and why you want to practice medicine.

 

[Higherprimate]

Lying on a personal statement? What would someone even lie about? It is literally just supposed to be where you come from and why you want to practice medicine.

I know a kid who completely made up a story for his personal statement. Of course he was caught didn't get in. The unfortunate thing is he had a really good life story and experience to write about, he just chose not to.

 

[AlteredScale]

I know a kid who completely made up a story for his personal statement. Of course he was caught didn't get in. The unfortunate thing is he had a really good life story and experience to write about, he just chose not to.

Wow that's absurd. I honestly feel a good way to check this is to have letter writers for your most significant activities.

But that's just crazy. I wonder how said applicant reacted when he was caught.

 

[AM508]

I honestly feel a good way to check this is to have letter writers for your most significant activities.

While that would work in a lot of cases, a requirement of such would be a fairly heavy burden to those of us in the non-traditional realm. For example, what I consider to be my pivotal activity that put me on the path to medicine, occurred in 2002. Since that time, any of the people who could have written me a letter are retired and/or gone to places unknown or are unfortunately in ill-health.

 

[AlteredScale]

While that would work in a lot of cases, a requirement of such would be a fairly heavy burden to those of us in the non-traditional realm. For example, what I consider to be my pivotal activity that put me on the path to medicine, occurred in 2002. Since that time, any of the people who could have written me a letter are retired and/or gone to places unknown or are unfortunately in ill-health.

Ah makes sense. Perhaps then moving that requirement outside of "pivotal" moments and just toward activities that one has committed to.

 

[AM508]

Ah makes sense. Perhaps then moving that requirement outside of "pivotal" moments and just toward activities that one has committed to.

Yeah, I could definitely see that working for recent significant activities or at least have a caveat that if its an old activity you can write an explanation in a box as to why you can't obtain a letter; like an extenuating circumstances sort of thing.

 

[IslandStyle808]

I was told my wife should go the LMU-DCOM interview. I thought it was crazy (she liked the idea of going). I got accepted so I guess it was fine. Another interviewee had her mother there.

There was an awkward moment at the end of my interview at LMU where we all sat in a room (with our guests if we had them) waiting for our turn to interview. One interviewee came back in tears and was told that he was caught lying on his personal statement. Then when I was taken back to the room the physician shook my hand and said, "I really hope you choose us. It would be great to see you here next summer." --- There was dead silence for the next ten minutes and I got some glares. Good times.

When I interviewed last cycle. One interviewee had her mom there also, but since they drove there, maybe they were taking turns driving (not sure). I did not find it too weird.

So back then was it open file or partial blind interview? Currently the interview format is completely blind, so I don't think the faculty could know what was on the personal statement pre-hand (if that had happened recently).

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

I dont know if you remember this @AlteredScale. But when we were on the interview at KCUMB we had just come from the little mini clinic tour and the nice receptionist offered us lollipops. So first off, it was hilarious that all of us looked at her like it was a trap... we were all probably thinking "is it unprofessional to eat a lollipop on a tour?.... but wait if we refuse do we look too uptight?...." I think me and one or two other people grabbed one. So we are just sort of doing our thing, lollipopping away, going through the campus with our tour guide and chatting among ourselves. The lollipop must have made me regress 15 years because I realized I had no idea where we were going and felt like I was wandering campus like a bright eyed 8 year old at a carnival.

I continue to innocently follow, not a care in the world, as the tour guide leads us through a building and down some steps and through a double door and BOOM. Like 40 dead bodies on the tables.... We were awkward and quiet as crap, just sort of staring out over the sea of cadavers... After what felt like a minute or so passed in silence there was an extremely uncomfortable and audible crunch that echoed across the room - someone respectfully decided that it would be best to finish the lollipop. I almost burst out laughing it felt so awkward. I legitimately thought of ways that I could just swallow the lollipop stick whole (like maybe if I just bite it into a couple smaller pieces - these things are just fiber right?).

I am sure people even chew gum or whatever during anatomy, I am certainly not a stiff on that kind of stuff. It was just hilarious how we had no clue where we were going and were so innocent and awkward about these stupid lollipops haha. It will be a funny story to tell prospective med students one day when I am a big scary attending.

Thats about the only story I have. The other ones from MUCOM are just mean so I will keep it at that.

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

Know the feeling. Had my mom tell me if I move away for medical school, to call her twice a day. There are parents that are happy their kids call once a week. I can tolerate once a day, but twice a day is overkill in my book.

Jeepers, I must be a sucky son. My mom will get once every 2-3 weeks and my pop gets like every 4 months. I know they want to talk to me, but its pulling teeth for some reason...

I talk with my bro for hours on xbox live every monday and thursday though haha.

 

[Higherprimate]

When I interviewed last cycle. One interviewee had her mom there also, but since they drove there, maybe they were taking turns driving (not sure). I did not find it too weird.

So back then was it open file or partial blind interview? Currently the interview format is completely blind, so I don't think the faculty could know what was on the personal statement pre-hand (if that had happened recently).

Happened last cycle actually. Also three of my interviews this cycle have been open file, the entirety of those interviews was asking about my personal statement and expanding on the experiences that I wrote about.

 

[deleted407021]

I dont know if you remember this @AlteredScale. But when we were on the interview at KCUMB we had just come from the little mini clinic tour and the nice receptionist offered us lollipops. So first off, it was hilarious that all of us looked at her like it was a trap... we were all probably thinking "is it unprofessional to eat a lollipop on a tour?.... but wait if we refuse do we look too uptight?...." I think me and one or two other people grabbed one. So we are just sort of doing our thing, lollipopping away, going through the campus with our tour guide and chatting among ourselves. The lollipop must have made me regress 15 years because I realized I had no idea where we were going and felt like I was wandering campus like a bright eyed 8 year old at a carnival.

I continue to innocently follow, not a care in the world, as the tour guide leads us through a building and down some steps and through a double door and BOOM. Like 40 dead bodies on the tables.... We were awkward and quiet as crap, just sort of staring out over the sea of cadavers... After what felt like a minute or so passed in silence there was an extremely uncomfortable and audible crunch that echoed across the room - someone respectfully decided that it would be best to finish the lollipop. I almost burst out laughing it felt so awkward. I legitimately thought of ways that I could just swallow the lollipop stick whole (like maybe if I just bite it into a couple smaller pieces - these things are just fiber right?).

I am sure people even chew gum or whatever during anatomy, I am certainly not a stiff on that kind of stuff. It was just hilarious how we had no clue where we were going and were so innocent and awkward about these stupid lollipops haha. It will be a funny story to tell prospective med students one day when I am a big scary attending.

Thats about the only story I have. The other ones from MUCOM are just mean so I will keep it at that.

A shame I can only like this once.



I don't think it would be a problem for my parents to travel with me on my interviews. However, I'm not about to let them in campus with me; they are going to have to spend all day in town or shopping or something. Definitely not stepping foot on that campus.

 

[AlteredScale]

I dont know if you remember this @AlteredScale. But when we were on the interview at KCUMB we had just come from the little mini clinic tour and the nice receptionist offered us lollipops. So first off, it was hilarious that all of us looked at her like it was a trap... we were all probably thinking "is it unprofessional to eat a lollipop on a tour?.... but wait if we refuse do we look too uptight?...." I think me and one or two other people grabbed one. So we are just sort of doing our thing, lollipopping away, going through the campus with our tour guide and chatting among ourselves. The lollipop must have made me regress 15 years because I realized I had no idea where we were going and felt like I was wandering campus like a bright eyed 8 year old at a carnival.

I continue to innocently follow, not a care in the world, as the tour guide leads us through a building and down some steps and through a double door and BOOM. Like 40 dead bodies on the tables.... We were awkward and quiet as crap, just sort of staring out over the sea of cadavers... After what felt like a minute or so passed in silence there was an extremely uncomfortable and audible crunch that echoed across the room - someone respectfully decided that it would be best to finish the lollipop. I almost burst out laughing it felt so awkward. I legitimately thought of ways that I could just swallow the lollipop stick whole (like maybe if I just bite it into a couple smaller pieces - these things are just fiber right?).

I am sure people even chew gum or whatever during anatomy, I am certainly not a stiff on that kind of stuff. It was just hilarious how we had no clue where we were going and were so innocent and awkward about these stupid lollipops haha. It will be a funny story to tell prospective med students one day when I am a big scary attending.

Thats about the only story I have. The other ones from MUCOM are just mean so I will keep it at that.

Oh I do remember this!! Hahaha yeah I think I saw you and another person grab the candy and the rest looked around and grabbed one. It was definitely a big "it's a trap!" Moment haha.

But I think I remember hearing someone crunch away as our student ambassador described the sentiments behind the donated bodies. Super awkward!

 

[baxt1412]

I GOT PRESENTED A MEDICAL QUESTION IN MY INTERVIEW ON TUESDAY! Like legit we started talking about the history of cancer in my family (my mom was the 9th with breast cancer in 4 generations of her maternal tree) and then my interviewer goes...

Interviewer (almost verbatim): "So, if a 45 year old female patient came in to you with back pain and no history of trauma or disease, what would you do first?"
Me: "herp a derp xray herp a derp maybe MRI herp a derp"

Then later he said what would I do for a male with high PSA. FML seriously why me?


I mean overall the interview went well, and I truly do think he likes me and thinks I'm a good fit for the school, but holy balls.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Lol I'm sorry. I think that was an OMT question.

An X-ray probably was an alright answer. But it was too specialized. You basically concluded that he has a herniated disk.
You should have just palpitated his back.

 

[baxt1412]

Lol I'm sorry. I think that was an OMT question.

An X-ray probably was an alright answer. But it was too specialized. You basically concluded that he has a herniated disk.
You should have just palpitated his back.

regardless, i'm not a medical professional. i thought it was a little strange. he did say in the midst of talking about it that it's okay that i didn't have a perfect answer.

i feel like an xray is pretty generic.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

regardless, i'm not a medical professional. i thought it was a little strange. he did say in the midst of talking about it that it's okay that i didn't have a perfect answer.

i feel like an xray is pretty generic.

I think it's kinda generic. But just palpitating really was the best answer.
But I think if you answers the question relatively well you're fine.

 

[baxt1412]

I think it's kinda generic. But just palpitating really was the best answer.
But I think if you answers the question relatively well you're fine.

ya i wasn't expecting something like that, so i hadn't thought of any answers for it at all lol. physical exam obviously makes sense. i wasn't too worried about it, but thought it was a good experience to post on here haha.


that and same day, different interviewer (jokingly) asked me what steroids i was on when he saw that powerlifting was in my hobbies listed. haha awkwardddd, could have been worse if i would have spouted off a list of them haha (for the record, i'm clean )

 

[acapnial]

I GOT PRESENTED A MEDICAL QUESTION IN MY INTERVIEW ON TUESDAY! Like legit we started talking about the history of cancer in my family (my mom was the 9th with breast cancer in 4 generations of her maternal tree) and then my interviewer goes...

Interviewer (almost verbatim): "So, if a 45 year old female patient came in to you with back pain and no history of trauma or disease, what would you do first?"
Me: "herp a derp xray herp a derp maybe MRI herp a derp"

Then later he said what would I do for a male with high PSA. FML seriously why me?


I mean overall the interview went well, and I truly do think he likes me and thinks I'm a good fit for the school, but holy balls.

Breast cancer sometimes metastasizes to the spine, which can cause back pain. He may have been trying to see if you would perform a breast exam, or order a mammogram or something.

Just doing OMM could miss some very nasty diseases you would want to catch as early as possible, so I wouldn't worry about not saying that. But there's no reason to expect you to know anything about back pain at this point. That's what medical school is for. Not sure what he was trying to evaluate, but on the surface that just seems like a bad couple of questions. Personally, I don't think there was anything wrong with your answer at all. Maybe he just wanted to see if you'd think on your feet or freeze up.

 

[AlteredScale]

I GOT PRESENTED A MEDICAL QUESTION IN MY INTERVIEW ON TUESDAY! Like legit we started talking about the history of cancer in my family (my mom was the 9th with breast cancer in 4 generations of her maternal tree) and then my interviewer goes...

Interviewer (almost verbatim): "So, if a 45 year old female patient came in to you with back pain and no history of trauma or disease, what would you do first?"
Me: "herp a derp xray herp a derp maybe MRI herp a derp"

Then later he said what would I do for a male with high PSA. FML seriously why me?


I mean overall the interview went well, and I truly do think he likes me and thinks I'm a good fit for the school, but holy balls.

You should have LITERALLY said the bolded. LOL

 

[AlteredScale]

HAHAHA my avatar was included in the post of the day! HAHAHAHA!