Not answering illegal interview questions: possibly a bad move?

[halethsonofhama]

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I was never asked one of these questions directly. I was asked "what are some of the toughest parts about being a doctor?"

after running through all the professional difficulties it seemed like he was still looking for something else so I said "I can imagine family life can be a challenge for such a demanding job"

this was followed up with "do you think this will be a problem?"

I then brought up how I know it will have its ups and downs and that "what really matters is that I choose an understanding wife. The girl I plan to marry was a pre-med herself and knows the demands that go along with med school and being a doctor." I then made the obligatory "but don't tell her I said marriage!" joke and then we both gave that laugh that can only be interpreted as "girls are crazy!"

Didn't harm my acceptance.

Moral of the story... if you get asked, don't get all uppity and refuse to answer. Either lie about it, or be truthful; just be sure to let them know that you know that there are rough times at ridgemont med.

You should be a good sport with your interviewers even with the uncomfortable parts.

 

[kansaskid]

I was planning on steering the conversation away from these issues by talking about how I like a good challenge and then talking about something else.

Should I take off my engagement ring to avoid the issue altogether? I've been seriously considering it...

 

[HW51Revisited]

I was planning on steering the conversation away from these issues by talking about how I like a good challenge and then talking about something else.

Should I take off my engagement ring to avoid the issue altogether? I've been seriously considering it...

I wouldn't go to the trouble unless you think you'll be more comfortable in the interview without it.
Many, many people in my incoming class are married, or engaged, or will be engaged very soon etc. Like has been said before, unless it's some totally crazy interviewer with their own screwed up personal life this should be an absolute non-issue.

 

[NurWollen]

Not sure if you have evidence to back up your statement but here's an interesting study:

The Hopkins team assessed the specialty choices, marriage histories, psychological characteristics, and other career and personal factors of 1,118 physicians who graduated from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine from 1948 through 1964.

Over 30 years of follow-up, the divorce rate was 51 percent for psychiatrists, 33 percent for surgeons, 24 percent for internists, 22 percent for pediatricians and pathologists, and 31 percent for other specialties. The overall divorce rate was 29 percent after three decades of follow-up and 32 percent after nearly four decades of follow-up.

Physicians who married before medical school graduation had a higher divorce rate than those who waited until after graduation (33 percent versus 23 percent). The year of first marriage was linked with divorce rates: 11 percent for marriages before 1953, 17 percent for those from 1953 to 1957, 24 percent for those from 1958 to 1962 and 21 percent for those after 1962. Those who had a parent die before medical school graduation had a lower divorce rate.


http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/press/1997/MARCH/199703.HTM

Do note that this study was of people living at a time when divorce was less socially acceptable than it is now.

Why was it so much drastically higher for psychiatrists than for other groups? I always figured they have better hours than surgeons or internists. I wonder why the high divorce rate.

 

[tabascosauce]

Dial 911 immediately.

LOL! i need an adult! I NEED AN ADULT!!!

 

[LizzyM]

Why was it so much drastically higher for psychiatrists than for other groups? I always figured they have better hours than surgeons or internists. I wonder why the high divorce rate.

There are some other factors associated with divorce in the period from from the 1950s to 1990s including religion, religiosity, substance abuse, etc that might be different for psychiatrists than other docs.