Questions about books read at interviews

[AAAmeds]

Hey all,
I've heard that majority of the schools ask about the books that you have read in one way or another ("last book you read", "which three books would you take to an island with you", etc). I don't usually read books these days (last one I read was the Harry Potter series more than 8 years ago) as I prefer to be entertained visually (e.g. movies, TV shows). How should I approach this type of questions in the interviews?
Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[To be MD]

I'd recommend reading a book. 😉

 

[iluvbeingpremed]

Look in the thread about least favorite interview questions for suggestions.

 

[hungrybox]

Look in the thread about least favorite interview questions for suggestions.

lmao

 

[machete fred]

Some posters on SDN make me feel a lot better about my perceived lack of social skills

 

[jqueb29]

Tell them video games are the new books and they need to catch up with the times

 

[Seldon]

What's a book? Are those those big pieces of paper I find on the train?

 

[LizzyM]

If you don't like fiction, read non-fiction. Read history of medicine (Knifeman is great as is Acres of Skin) or biographies/autobiographies (Down from Troy or The Warmth of Other Suns) or humorous books (I loved Bossypants). If you don't like prose, try poetry. I am a fan of Mary Oliver whose poem The Summer Day is inspirational and her book Dog Songs is great if you are a dog lover.

There are also books on tape.

 

[Nietzsche's Barber]

I see so many posts about reading! I can honestly say that I have never read anything that wasn't required. Also, I have never been asked about what I have read (attended 5 interviews last year)...

Go outside.

 

[Mad Jack]

Hey all,
I've heard that majority of the schools ask about the books that you have read in one way or another ("last book you read", "which three books would you take to an island with you", etc). I don't usually read books these days (last one I read was the Harry Potter series more than 8 years ago) as I prefer to be entertained visually (e.g. movies, TV shows). How should I approach this type of questions in the interviews?
Thanks

We had a Harry Potter fanatic at one interview. She was pretty adorable about it tbph, would totally give her a spot if I were interviewing.

Could say you're not much into books. It's actually not a question I ever encountered- got asked multiple times about the ACA, greatest weakness, etc.

 

[Lawpy]

seems like a such a drastic course of action.

If you don't like fiction, read non-fiction. Read history of medicine (Knifeman is great as is Acres of Skin) or biographies/autobiographies (Down from Troy or The Warmth of Other Suns) or humorous books (I loved Bossypants). If you don't like prose, try poetry. I am a fan of Mary Oliver whose poem The Summer Day is inspirational and her book Dog Songs is great if you are a dog lover.

There are also books on tape.

what about for someone who doesn't read many books, but just reads magazines and newspapers like The Economist, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic etc. regularly?

 

[AAAmeds]

Some posters on SDN make me feel a lot better about my perceived lack of social skills

How does reading books have anything to do with social skills?

 

[Lucca]

Don't understand how people don't like books. Books are the best. Very few things in the visual medium have been able to come close to what I've found in books.

 

[hungrybox]

Don't understand how people don't like books. Books are the best. Very few things in the visual medium have been able to come close to what I've found in books.

>books
>visual media

I think that's really stretching the definition of "visual" lol

 

[Lucca]

>books
>visual media

I think that's really stretching the definition of "visual" lol

? I meant like movies, TV, etc

 

[hungrybox]

? I meant like movies, TV, etc

Oh, I see. You're saying that visual media aren't as good as books. It was kind of ambiguous.

 

[JoaoMoutinho]

@AAAmeds for as much as I love reading books ,I haven't had a single question about what I've read in any of my interviews so far. Asking what you've read is supposed to be a pretty standard question for medical school interviews, and I can say from my own experience that it's a very common question in job interviews. I would be prepared just in case.

 

[mistafab]

Why aren't people like me????? YArrrrrrrrrgghhhhhh 😉


Just poking fun. Anyway, I love non-fiction books. OP, you can always be honest and say "i'm really not into books."

Don't understand how people don't like books. Books are the best. Very few things in the visual medium have been able to come close to what I've found in books.

 

[LizzyM]

There are some folks who believe that you can learn much about the human condition from literature.

I know a clerkship director (and undergrad math major -- not some crazy humanities major) who loves The Brothers Karamazov and has read it several times.

People sometimes use this as a question to find commonality with an applicant or to find out what interests an applicant beyond the cookie-cutter of pre-med coursework and activities. I rarely ask but when I do, I'm often fishing for suggestions for my own reading. That's how I discovered Knifeman which is just fascinating.

 

[wizzed101]

I know a clerkship director (and undergrad math major -- not some crazy humanities major) who loves The Brothers Karamazov and has read it several times.

I want to interview with that person ^_^

And can I discuss books if I am asked "tell me something?"

 

[AAAmeds]

@LizzyM is it a really bad sign if I say that I am not into books and I rather watch shows/documentaries instead?

 

[Goro]

If I ask it it's to find out how intellectually curious the candidate is.

There are some folks who believe that you can learn much about the human condition from literature.

I know a clerkship director (and undergrad math major -- not some crazy humanities major) who loves The Brothers Karamazov and has read it several times.

People sometimes use this as a question to find commonality with an applicant or to find out what interests an applicant beyond the cookie-cutter of pre-med coursework and activities. I rarely ask but when I do, I'm often fishing for suggestions for my own reading. That's how I discovered Knifeman which is just fascinating.