Questions that medical schools are NOT allowed to ask during an interview

[Kalyx]

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Hello everyone,

I was reading the thread about the funny/horrendous interview experiences and it got me wondering: what questions are medical schools prohibited from asking during interviews? There was a thread on this in 2003, but it wasn't extensive. I figure anything about religion, racial background, sexual orientation, family planning, etc., but I'd love to get more specifics!


As a side question, I'm also wondering, what should you do if your interviewer makes a racist/sexiest/homophobic/offensive comment at some point during the interview? I've read posters' descriptions of such experiences and it seems like many applicants were really shocked to encounter offensive remarks and thus kind of "stared back" without challenging the interviewer. But is this right thing to do? ("Right" meaning both morally correct and conducive to admission!)



~Kalyx

 

[zempa]

they can ask anything

 

[brooklynblunder]

they can ask anything

not really. they aren't supposed to ask the personal questions

 

[azrael87]

I'm pretty sure they can't ask the color of your underwear. Stuff like that lol.

It seems all kinds of things can be asked about. As long as it isn't blatantly inappropriate (like what I mentioned), they can ask it. Of course, what IS asked isn't always limited to what SHOULD be asked. So be prepared to answer odd things, I guess.

 

[zempa]

not really. they aren't supposed to ask the personal questions

ye they aren't suppossed to but they still do

really who is gonna complain and even if you do nothing will happen..they know this you know this so while technically they can't ask this or that in reality they can ask whatever crosses their mind

 

[rctriplefresh5]

Hello everyone,

I was reading the thread about the funny/horrendous interview experiences and it got me wondering: what questions are medical schools prohibited from asking during interviews? There was a thread on this in 2003, but it wasn't extensive. I figure anything about religion, racial background, sexual orientation, family planning, etc., but I'd love to get more specifics!


As a side question, I'm also wondering, what should you do if your interviewer makes a racist/sexiest/homophobic/offensive comment at some point during the interview? I've read posters' descriptions of such experiences and it seems like many applicants were really shocked to encounter offensive remarks and thus kind of "stared back" without challenging the interviewer. But is this right thing to do? ("Right" meaning both morally correct and conducive to admission!)



~Kalyx

maybe there testing yo uto see if youre assertive. and will stand up for yirself.

 

[FallenHero]

lets measure penis size

 

[KTD]

Actually, there are a lot of questions that they are not allowed to ask by law. This link is pretty good, it's talking about employment interviews, but I think it also applies to school interviews. My university warned us about similar types of questions in a med school interview seminar:

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewsnetworking/a/illegalinterv.htm

 

[genswim24]

I figure anything about religion, racial background, sexual orientation, family planning, etc., but I'd love to get more specifics!


~Kalyx

These are pretty much all of the things we are told not to bring up. We are not supposed to ask about relationship status either, though if someone brings up any of these topics we are free to discuss. If anyone asks you these questions and you felt it negatively impacted your interview you should report it immediately (at any school). We are told that if we are caught asking any of these questions we will be removed from the list of student interviewers on the spot. I know it has happened to student interviewers in the past so it is not an idle threat. The student asked any of these questions will also have the opportunity to have another interview if they would like to. As for the faculty, they receive the same list of no-no's and all the rules apply to them as well.

As an aside, GPA/MCAT are also on the list of questions that are not supposed to be asked but the punishment is much more lenient for those questions because they are not offensive. The reason the interview committee doesn't want the GPA/MCAT question is becuase our main role is to figure out if we would want this person to be our classmate and determine if they would make a good addition to the school.

 

[Elpenor]

why do you think religion should be off limits OP??

Or family stuff...??

The only stuff that should be "off limits" are things that are overly sexual/bordering on sexual harassment.

 

[capricia]

Actually, there are a lot of questions that they are not allowed to ask by law. This link is pretty good, it's talking about employment interviews, but I think it also applies to school interviews. My university warned us about similar types of questions in a med school interview seminar:

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewsnetworking/a/illegalinterv.htm

This is very true but unfortenately even if they do ask an ilegal question it would be very difficult to prove

 

[chman]

why do you think religion should be off limits OP??

Or family stuff...??

The only stuff that should be "off limits" are things that are overly sexual/bordering on sexual harassment.

I am pretty sure they are required to follow federal discrimination laws. These laws prohibit asking about religion on the chance that one may be discriminated against because of it.

 

[MaseratiGT]

why do you think religion should be off limits OP??

Or family stuff...??

The only stuff that should be "off limits" are things that are overly sexual/bordering on sexual harassment.

Because religion doesn't impact anyone being a good student doctor, colleague, or impact their grades. Why should admins be able to use religion to help determine whether a candidate is good for their school??? 😕

 

[KTD]

This is very true but unfortenately even if they do ask an ilegal question it would be very difficult to prove

It's not so much about proving discrimination as it is about knowing what sort of questions you do and do not have to answer. If you are asked these questions in an interviewer, you should probably not file a federal discrimination complaint. You might, however, want to talk to the office of admissions and tell them what happened. They should be much more aware of the laws than your interviewer might be and would likely offer you another interview or other recourse.

To answer the OP's other question, I had an interviewer ask me both the origin of my last name (which is pretty generic so it was odd) and ask if I am a WASP. He did a pretty thorough job of hitting most of those illegal questions just asking two things.I didn't say anything to him at the time because I am not a very confrontational type of person and I didn't talk to the admissions office about this because I was pretty upset leaving the interview and just wanted to go home (he was just generally rude in addition to asking these questions). I did, however, mention him by name in the survey they emailed us later. In retrospect, I should have talked to the admissions office and hopefully they would have given me another interview. I ended up getting accepted so it didn't matter much in the end, but the whole experience soured me on the school.

 

[7starmantis]

These laws prohibit asking about religion on the chance that one may be discriminated against because of it.

Laws dont prohibit on "chances" but prohibit behavior because of something. Just for the record. You would have to prove that your rejection was based upon your answer to said question. Would probably be hard to do.

You might, however, want to talk to the office of admissions and tell them what happened. They should be much more aware of the laws than your interviewer might be and would likely offer you another interview or other recourse.

Certainly should, I know several people who received immediate 3rd interviews and even some that got called back for a 3rd. I should have myself but got the acceptance anyway.

 

[dw2158]

Actually, there are a lot of questions that they are not allowed to ask by law. This link is pretty good, it's talking about employment interviews, but I think it also applies to school interviews. My university warned us about similar types of questions in a med school interview seminar:

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewsnetworking/a/illegalinterv.htm

actually i don't think job interview laws apply to med school interviews. at least that's what one of the lawyers in my office told me.

i've been asked some questions that would be considered inappropriate/illegal at a job interview-- about family/being a woman, etc.

 

[GoodmanBrown]

actually i don't think job interview laws apply to med school interviews. at least that's what one of the lawyers in my office told me.

i've been asked some questions that would be considered inappropriate/illegal at a job interview-- about family/being a woman, etc.

My admissions adviser said they definitely do apply, and further asked all of us that if we were asked questions that we felt were inappropriate to alert the admissions office, or her.

Another question which people are definitely not supposed to ask, but do all the time is what other schools you're applying to. You don't have to answer (not that you have to answer any question), but I guess I felt like it was easier to just give a broad range of schools so as to be relatively unimportant.

One note on health and religion is that people can ask if any medical conditions or your religious convictions would hamper your job performance. As these relate directly to the ability to carry out the job, they're fair game.

That said people break the rules all the time, so you gotta go with your gut about reporting them.

 

[greatnt249]

Here's the deal; there are probably questions that aren't supposed to be asked in an interview, but if you go on and on about how big an impact religion/anything "controversial" had on your life in your personal statement, don't get all in a huff if/when an interviewer asks you about it.

 

[FallenHero]

Here's the deal; there are probably questions that aren't supposed to be asked in an interview, but if you go on and on about how big an impact religion/anything "controversial" had on your life in your personal statement, don't get all in a huff if/when an interviewer asks you about it.

Jesus saved me when I was young, and Jesus was a healer so I want to be a Doctor!!!

Would you call yourself a Christian?

YOULL HEAR FROM MY LAWYER

 

[amine2086]

My admissions adviser said they definitely do apply, and further asked all of us that if we were asked questions that we felt were inappropriate to alert the admissions office, or her.

Another question which people are definitely not supposed to ask, but do all the time is what other schools you're applying to. You don't have to answer (not that you have to answer any question), but I guess I felt like it was easier to just give a broad range of schools so as to be relatively unimportant.

One note on health and religion is that people can ask if any medical conditions or your religious convictions would hamper your job performance. As these relate directly to the ability to carry out the job, they're fair game.

That said people break the rules all the time, so you gotta go with your gut about reporting them.

I have been asked this question one form or other at all of my interviews (Have you been to other interviews? How many schools have you applied to? Have you already been accepted?) I usually give a very vague answer followed by some good reasons (at least I think they are good reasons) as of why I would like to attend the school I am interviewing at.

 

[298609]

Jesus saved me when I was young, and Jesus was a healer so I want to be a Doctor!!!

Would you call yourself a Christian?

YOULL HEAR FROM MY LAWYER

i laughed out loud.

 

[slowbutsteady]

Interviewer: I have to check off some things here. Cup size?

 

[chman]

What about age? I know that employers are not allowed to ask about age due to federal law, what about med school interviews?

 

[greatnt249]

What about age? I know that employers are not allowed to ask about age due to federal law, what about med school interviews?

Seems like a rather silly question to ask, considering your birthdate is probably somewhere on the application.

 

[chman]

Seems like a rather silly question to ask, considering your birthdate is probably somewhere on the application.

Well, I did not really mean it in that sense. For instance, if it was an older or younger applicant than normal, and the interviewer brought up the issue of age. Like, "So, you are only 18 years old, do you think you have the maturity to be a doctor."

 

[7starmantis]

Seems like a rather silly question to ask, considering your birthdate is probably somewhere on the application.

Yeah but most my interviews were "closed file" and the interviewer did not have my age. I volunteered it but they never had it to begin with.

 

[loveoforganic]

Interviewer: I have to check off some things here. Cup size?

 

[mvenus929]

why do you think religion should be off limits OP??

Or family stuff...??

The only stuff that should be "off limits" are things that are overly sexual/bordering on sexual harassment.

Because your religion shouldn't affect your ability to be a doctor. Maybe your schedule in medical school, but not your ability to pass the courses. Ditto your ethnic background. Or your gender or age, but those are kinda hard to hide when you're sitting across from your interviewer.

Now, if you make it explicit that religion greatly shapes and affects your life, you're the one that brought it up and it's free game.

Well, I did not really mean it in that sense. For instance, if it was an older or younger applicant than normal, and the interviewer brought up the issue of age. Like, "So, you are only 18 years old, do you think you have the maturity to be a doctor."

Maturity isn't based on a numerical age, it's based on the experiences you've had in life. I work with a 20-year old girl who acts like she's 12, and I cannot fathom how she managed to get the job. I work with another 20-year old girl (a little younger, though not much), who is comfortable enough with the rest of us that it's hardly necessary to bring up her age. I look like I'm 16, but I'm far more mature and responsible than my sisters' 37-year old dad.

So, this question can easily be avoided by looking at the experiences section of the MCAT and just speaking to the applicant in general.

 

[Law2Doc]

Well, I did not really mean it in that sense. For instance, if it was an older or younger applicant than normal, and the interviewer brought up the issue of age. Like, "So, you are only 18 years old, do you think you have the maturity to be a doctor."

I assure you that nontrads get asked about being older applicants at every interview, right or wrong.

Generally, they aren't supposed to ask the Title VII type questions about race, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, family planning. Instead they ask you about your "support system" and other fuzzy ways to get at the same thing. In general, you can steer the discussion to things you'd like to speak about, without incident, if you are a polished interviewee. It's more often where the interviewer is solely in the driver's seat of the discussion that these uncomfortable topics get tread upon.

Bear in mind that not all interviewers are as familiar with the rules as they ought to be, and so asking somebody about their background may seem totally innocuous to some who have no intention to discriminate. In such cases, you probably get more acceptances if you stop worrying about possible implications of the questions and just have a pleasant conversation. But where the discussion starts getting very uncomfortably racist, sexist etc, that may be the time to mention it to the recruiting coordinator at some point before they evaluate your candidacy.

 

[Law2Doc]

Because your religion shouldn't affect your ability to be a doctor. Maybe your schedule in medical school, but not your ability to pass the courses. Ditto your ethnic background. Or your gender or age, but those are kinda hard to hide when you're sitting across from your interviewer....

I would say that everything in your background, including religion, gender, age, will impact what kind of a doctor you are and what tools you bring to the table. It's not that there isn't a legit reason the interviewer might want to know these things. The concern is that a less than legit interviewer might use this info to discriminate, so you are relieved by the government of the issue by not being allowed to be asked about it. Meaning, there might be a very good reason for an interviewer to want to know if you are a certain background because the demographics of the patients may make you a more desirable physician for that locale (race and language can sometimes work in your favor when doctors are selecting who would be helpful on their team), but the danger of someone using this info to discriminate against you is far too great to allow the question, as a matter of federal law.

 

[chman]

Maturity isn't based on a numerical age, it's based on the experiences you've had in life. I work with a 20-year old girl who acts like she's 12, and I cannot fathom how she managed to get the job. I work with another 20-year old girl (a little younger, though not much), who is comfortable enough with the rest of us that it's hardly necessary to bring up her age. I look like I'm 16, but I'm far more mature and responsible than my sisters' 37-year old dad.

So, this question can easily be avoided by looking at the experiences section of the MCAT and just speaking to the applicant in general.

I was just using that as an example. I know that age /= maturity.

I assure you that nontrads get asked about being older applicants at every interview, right or wrong.

Generally, they aren't supposed to ask the Title VII type questions about race, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, family planning. Instead they ask you about your "support system" and other fuzzy ways to get at the same thing. In general, you can steer the discussion to things you'd like to speak about, without incident, if you are a polished interviewee. It's more often where the interviewer is solely in the driver's seat of the discussion that these uncomfortable topics get tread upon.

Bear in mind that not all interviewers are as familiar with the rules as they ought to be, and so asking somebody about their background may seem totally innocuous to some who have no intention to discriminate. In such cases, you probably get more acceptances if you stop worrying about possible implications of the questions and just have a pleasant conversation. But where the discussion starts getting very uncomfortably racist, sexist etc, that may be the time to mention it to the recruiting coordinator at some point before they evaluate your candidacy.

One of the reasons I asked was because I used to do interviews in the restaurant business. I once asked someone how old they were not knowing that it was against the law. I was not trying to be malicious in any way, but still could have gotten in trouble if the person I was interviewing was so inclined, which they were not.

I guess I could see it being a problem. For instance, an older applicant gets asked about their age in an interview. That applicant gets rejected and sues because they think it is because of their age.

But you are right, there are obviously ways to ask these questions without directly doing so.