Religion on PS and Interview

[LincolnMass]

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😕 So I am religious, regarding my faith, so here is my question. Is it tacky to bring up time, energy and devotion to your faith? What I'm saying here is that a majority of my EC is derived from my involvement with my temple/church. I told want to go into an interview quoting Hebrew/ New Testament stuff. I realize that some faiths may be perceived as narrow minded or inwardly focused. So is it worth mentioning that I spent a summer in Israel or some place performing missionary work/ good cause stuff? Anyone?

 

[bubbleyum]

i am religious also, and i did mention in my ecs and ps that i taught sunday school and did missions work, etc. i think you should definitely mention it if it has had a siginificant impact in your life, but since this is an application to med school you should be focusing on how that relates to your motivation for medicine and how it's helped you in your life, and not doctrine or theology etc (or make it sound preachy in any way.) then you should be fine!

 

[NapeSpikes]

I think there's a fine balance. You shouldn't hide your faith--it's part of who you are--but don't let it be the center of the interview or your ps. Those should be focused on your pursuing medicine, not your religion. Also, it is very important to show that yes, you have your faith, but that you are open and nonjudgmental to other faiths.

Yes, definitely mention mission work if you actually did "good cause stuff," that is, something more than going abroad to convert heathens like me 😉

 

[LincolnMass]

"..fine balance.." EXACTLY...I don't want to imply that I am some kind of narrow minded prick. We all breathe the same air...(don't want to get into a RFK speech) and I want to demonstrate that it is who I am w/o presenting/ relying. No I don;t handle snakes but I did participate in a medical/ missionary cause abroad. Thx

I think there's a fine balance. You shouldn't hide your faith--it's part of who you are--but don't let it be the center of the interview or your ps. Those should be focused on your pursuing medicine, not your religion. Also, it is very important to show that yes, you have your faith, but that you are open and nonjudgmental to other faiths.

Yes, definitely mention mission work if you actually did "good cause stuff," that is, something more than going abroad to convert heathens like me 😉

 

[Beau Geste]

😕 So I am religious, regarding my faith, so here is my question. Is it tacky to bring up time, energy and devotion to your faith? What I'm saying here is that a majority of my EC is derived from my involvement with my temple/church. I told want to go into an interview quoting Hebrew/ New Testament stuff. I realize that some faiths may be perceived as narrow minded or inwardly focused. So is it worth mentioning that I spent a summer in Israel or some place performing missionary work/ good cause stuff? Anyone?

As a fairly devout Catholic, I can give you the advice of how I would handle it. I would definitely put missionary work in Israel on your app/resume/anything that you can put it on. Regardless of religion, it was probably a great experience to see healthcare from a different point of view.

Personally, I wouldn't bring up my beliefs unless I was asked about them, or unless they applied to a particular situation. So, I wouldn't walk into the interview quoting Mark, but I would, for example, give my opinion on abortion based on my personal and religious beliefs, or cloning as well. As much as I want the whole world to know Jesus and be saved, the admissions committee is not the time or place for me to wear my religion on my sleeve. I prefer to "walk softly and carry a big stick" - in other words lead by example not by my mouth. (Personal decision - others may not)

I think your devotion to your faith is a great "extracurricular" (to the adcoms) to discuss. It shows dedication and perseverance to a cause! I don't think following a particular faith that has issues with certain areas of medicine is narrow-minded at all. If anything, a religious person will spend a great deal of time deliberating to make the appropriate decision.

It sounds as if you are in some form Jewish (Messianic with the New Testament?), but from a Catholic standpoint, the "religion" aspect was fashioned by man over the years with the laws and rules derived from scripture. Unfortunately there has been many different interpretations of scripture (hence different denominations now), therefore there are some things I do not agree with the Catholic Church on, especially in regards to medicine.

For instance, I do not agree with abortion (neither does the church), but I do believe in contraception (but the church does not) for preventative measures.

So, I may have digressed a little, but these are a few thoughts I had after reading your post. You can take them or leave them, but a CAVEAT to other readers -

I AM NOT TRYING TO START A FLAME WAR ON RELIGION/CATHOLOCISM/MEDICINE OR ANY COMBINATION OF THESE. I AM RESPONDING SPECIFICALLY TO THE OP'S POST.

Good luck, and remember - you can always pray about it! 🙂

 

[LincolnMass]

No missionary work in Israel...just meant to put a "/ " between the 2 to show one or the other. Just want all to know that I don't go around try to convert Arabs......my goal was to remain vague about my religion so as to be objective be it I am a Jew, Catholic, Pretestant, Muslim, SDA, Quaker, or anything thing else. I tried to be cautious here but I detect that someone in the next threads*****yep there is the gas smell from the stove****ah yes, here come the flames from the blow torch. Please, just want some sound advice here. Sorry Medboo but I believe you and I will begin a flame,

As a fairly devout Catholic, I can give you the advice of how I would handle it. I would definitely put missionary work in Israel on your app/resume/anything that you can put it on. Regardless of religion, it was probably a great experience to see healthcare from a different point of view.

Personally, I wouldn't bring up my beliefs unless I was asked about them, or unless they applied to a particular situation. So, I wouldn't walk into the interview quoting Mark, but I would, for example, give my opinion on abortion based on my personal and religious beliefs, or cloning as well. As much as I want the whole world to know Jesus and be saved, the admissions committee is not the time or place for me to wear my religion on my sleeve. I prefer to "walk softly and carry a big stick" - in other words lead by example not by my mouth. (Personal decision - others may not)

I think your devotion to your faith is a great "extracurricular" (to the adcoms) to discuss. It shows dedication and perseverance to a cause! I don't think following a particular faith that has issues with certain areas of medicine is narrow-minded at all. If anything, a religious person will spend a great deal of time deliberating to make the appropriate decision.

It sounds as if you are in some form Jewish (Messianic with the New Testament?), but from a Catholic standpoint, the "religion" aspect was fashioned by man over the years with the laws and rules derived from scripture. Unfortunately there has been many different interpretations of scripture (hence different denominations now), therefore there are some things I do not agree with the Catholic Church on, especially in regards to medicine.

For instance, I do not agree with abortion (neither does the church), but I do believe in contraception (but the church does not) for preventative measures.

So, I may have digressed a little, but these are a few thoughts I had after reading your post. You can take them or leave them, but a CAVEAT to other readers -

I AM NOT TRYING TO START A FLAME WAR ON RELIGION/CATHOLOCISM/MEDICINE OR ANY COMBINATION OF THESE. I AM RESPONDING SPECIFICALLY TO THE OP'S POST.

Good luck, and remember - you can always pray about it! 🙂

 

[DropkickMurphy]

If you make it a centerpoint of your interview you risk getting an interviewer like me who enjoys picking apart religious doctrine (and how that doctrine is mishandled). There's nothing wrong with being religious (I actually go to church on a regular basis), but at the same time you're interviewing to prove you deserve to be allowed to become a doctor, not a minister/rabbi/priest....keep the faith to a minimum unless it directly affects what you are asked.

 

[lyn2006]

😕 So I am religious, regarding my faith, so here is my question. Is it tacky to bring up time, energy and devotion to your faith? What I'm saying here is that a majority of my EC is derived from my involvement with my temple/church. I told want to go into an interview quoting Hebrew/ New Testament stuff. I realize that some faiths may be perceived as narrow minded or inwardly focused. So is it worth mentioning that I spent a summer in Israel or some place performing missionary work/ good cause stuff? Anyone?

I agree with a couple of other responses... don't bring up your beliefs unless asked, but do talk about volunteering or community service or health-related experiences you've had.

I will preface the rest of my post by saying that I am not religious, go to a pretty liberal college, and am from a liberal state. so don't feel like you even have to keep reading if you think I might be too biased (which I am not trying to be). Anyway, in my opinion, religion has become pretty linked to politics recently and I wouldn't want to tell someone my beliefs and have them automatically assume I am associated with a certain party and share all those positions on controversial topics. So I'd avoid getting into the topic of religion...

 

[LincolnMass]

Good points made here fellas...all duly noted and respected. I am from a mega-liberal state so I'm used to the dispute. I don't intentionally invite but invariably get them. I am tolerant. Thanks for the advice all. 👍

 

[maddscientist]

You should never mention religion or politics during an interview; it is simply unprofessional. If the interviewer does, change the subject. Unfortunately these two topics have become inextricably intertwined in this nation despite the best efforts of Jefferson.

 

[LincolnMass]

the logic is that if i have most of my ecs tied up in religious activities it will inevit. come up. So do i set there like an idiot or do I respond with an expanded version. It's not like I going to roll in there with torah. i don't have a sex/religion/politics agenda planned. If it is not professional to bring it up, and the interviewer brings it up then do I simply dodge and starting talking about the Wine List PF Changs or what. Seriously it will come it and I want to be prepared.

Build-A-Premise:::

If it is not professional to bring up religion & the interviewer initiates religious commentary = interviewer not professional? If interviewer breaks the professional "code" then should I return with an "unprofessional" response of discussing it? Or should I fence with him/ her?

I've heard all kinds of nutty stuff that happens at those interviews. My cousin was asked to arm wrestle by his interviewer last year, WTF? I mean what if an interview pulls a knife on me or something? (just kidding here)

I get your point through despite your idealist political ideology noise...and what is this about Thomas Jefferson? Yeah I learned about Sep. Church/ State too when I was in 3rd grade.

 

[Beau Geste]

No missionary work in Israel...just meant to put a "/ " between the 2 to show one or the other. Just want all to know that I don't go around try to convert Arabs......my goal was to remain vague about my religion so as to be objective be it I am a Jew, Catholic, Pretestant, Muslim, SDA, Quaker, or anything thing else. I tried to be cautious here but I detect that someone in the next threads*****yep there is the gas smell from the stove****ah yes, here come the flames from the blow torch. Please, just want some sound advice here. Sorry Medboo but I believe you and I will begin a flame,

Yeah, I realize when I post as much as I did I run the risk of criticism, but oh well. Even with my disclaimer there are bound to be people who want to argue for argument's sake. The people that have posted so far have given good advice though!

I'm not sure if in the last part of your post you were flaming me? Help, I'm having a senior moment!

 

[Sweetlill1]

In one of my interviews last year, my interviewer (who I believe was Indian) was very interested in learning more about my religion (I am Jewish) and we did talk about this for a significant period of time. My religion was evident from my ECs. I do not believe that talking about this was a bad thing, he was just curious and wanted to know more.

 

[LincolnMass]

No flame intended 🙂

Yeah, I realize when I post as much as I did I run the risk of criticism, but oh well. Even with my disclaimer there are bound to be people who want to argue for argument's sake. The people that have posted so far have given good advice though!

I'm not sure if in the last part of your post you were flaming me? Help, I'm having a senior moment!

 

[LincolnMass]

In one of my interviews last year, my interviewer (who I believe was Indian) was very interested in learning more about my religion (I am Jewish) and we did talk about this for a significant period of time. My religion was evident from my ECs. I do not believe that talking about this was a bad thing, he was just curious and wanted to know more.

Exactly, This is what i am trying to avoid...

 

[velo]

😕 So I am religious, regarding my faith, so here is my question. Is it tacky to bring up time, energy and devotion to your faith? What I'm saying here is that a majority of my EC is derived from my involvement with my temple/church. I told want to go into an interview quoting Hebrew/ New Testament stuff. I realize that some faiths may be perceived as narrow minded or inwardly focused. So is it worth mentioning that I spent a summer in Israel or some place performing missionary work/ good cause stuff? Anyone?

If you spent a large chunk of time doing charity work for your church/temple/whatever I see no reason to hide it. What would look suspicious is to have few activities, a summer you don't account for, and leave the adcom thinking "what did this kid do with all of his time." I think religion is largely a positive--although it becomes a huge negative in my book when it causes people to become closed-minded. If that doesn't apply to you I wouldn't worry. I wouldn't bring up religion in an interview unless specifically asked about it (remember ms. manners: nothing makes people more uncomfortable than discussing sex, politics, or religion), but I certainly wouldn't hide it. If you're a strong candidate I don't see it being a problem...

 

[Kimka83]

I'm not sure if it is always best to leave out religion. I had a secondary essay prompt that asked what coping skills I used in face of adversity. My faith is certainly helpful in this way. It helps me stay positive. That is all I said in my response, I didn't specify what my faith was, and I don't think that it was a bad choice. I feel that my answer would be incomplete without referencing my beliefs. If asked about it in an interview, I wouldn't feel uncomfortable explaining. But that's just me.

 

[tacrum43]

You should never mention religion or politics during an interview; it is simply unprofessional. If the interviewer does, change the subject. Unfortunately these two topics have become inextricably intertwined in this nation despite the best efforts of Jefferson.

I disagree. Yes, you shouldn't try to convert the interviewer to your viewpoints about religion and/or politics. However, if it has had a big impact on your life and personal development, I would think it would be relevant, kind of like another applicant discussing what impact their race, sexual orientation, etc. has had for them.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

As a fairly devout Catholic, I can give you the advice of how I would handle it. I would definitely put missionary work in Israel on your app/resume/anything that you can put it on. Regardless of religion, it was probably a great experience to see healthcare from a different point of view.

Personally, I wouldn't bring up my beliefs unless I was asked about them, or unless they applied to a particular situation. So, I wouldn't walk into the interview quoting Mark, but I would, for example, give my opinion on abortion based on my personal and religious beliefs, or cloning as well. As much as I want the whole world to know Jesus and be saved, the admissions committee is not the time or place for me to wear my religion on my sleeve. I prefer to "walk softly and carry a big stick" - in other words lead by example not by my mouth. (Personal decision - others may not)

I think your devotion to your faith is a great "extracurricular" (to the adcoms) to discuss. It shows dedication and perseverance to a cause! I don't think following a particular faith that has issues with certain areas of medicine is narrow-minded at all. If anything, a religious person will spend a great deal of time deliberating to make the appropriate decision.

It sounds as if you are in some form Jewish (Messianic with the New Testament?), but from a Catholic standpoint, the "religion" aspect was fashioned by man over the years with the laws and rules derived from scripture. Unfortunately there has been many different interpretations of scripture (hence different denominations now), therefore there are some things I do not agree with the Catholic Church on, especially in regards to medicine.

For instance, I do not agree with abortion (neither does the church), but I do believe in contraception (but the church does not) for preventative measures.

So, I may have digressed a little, but these are a few thoughts I had after reading your post. You can take them or leave them, but a CAVEAT to other readers -

I AM NOT TRYING TO START A FLAME WAR ON RELIGION/CATHOLOCISM/MEDICINE OR ANY COMBINATION OF THESE. I AM RESPONDING SPECIFICALLY TO THE OP'S POST.

Good luck, and remember - you can always pray about it! 🙂

I don't think there is anything wrong with mentioning your commitment to a faith; especially if it makes you who you are and your passion is reflected in so many of your ECs. But I would not start quoting scripture or try to sway someone to your beliefs. I also would not volunteer my beliefs on any controversial issues like abortion or stem cell research. Bringing up your faith often opens you up to these questions. They can be extremely volatile and your answer may be contrary to your interviewers beliefs, causing him to challenge you how you can still give adequate and equitable care to all. I'd avoid that at all costs...and i was so warned about that by others because I do have strong beliefs.

 

[Camillekc]

You are who you are. Since it doesn't sound like you be trying to prostelytize, just answer the questions truthfully. No need to accidently sound like you're lying or hiding something. Lots of people are religious (although I'm not, I really feel like it's nothing to hide).

 

[DrBowtie]

Medicine deals with ethics. Your ethics are largely molded by your religion. I don't think when asked ethical questions it is possible to steer totally clear.

 

[Beau Geste]

I don't think there is anything wrong with mentioning your commitment to a faith; especially if it makes you who you are and your passion is reflected in so many of your ECs. But I would not start quoting scripture or try to sway someone to your beliefs. I also would not volunteer my beliefs on any controversial issues like abortion or stem cell research. Bringing up your faith often opens you up to these questions. They can be extremely volatile and your answer may be contrary to your interviewers beliefs, causing him to challenge you how you can still give adequate and equitable care to all. I'd avoid that at all costs...and i was so warned about that by others because I do have strong beliefs.

I gave the abortion example because of my faith AND personal experience. I probably wouldn't delve into the stem cell area though. I really don't know too much about it to begin with! Like I said, if you are ok talking about your faith, it's best to let the adcom bring it up instead of throwing it out there. To each his/her own. I'm going to focus on SCUBA LOL!

 

[WhatUpDoc!]

Medicine deals with ethics. Your ethics are largely molded by your religion. I don't think when asked ethical questions it is possible to steer totally clear.

I agree... I spent so long trying to circumvent mentioning my faith while writing my PS. Needless to say, it sucked. Until finally, I let loose and used my religion to back up my motivation to enter the medical arena. It never became the centerpiece of my PS, but as soon as I made the connection, writing the final draft was cake. 🙂

 

[edfig99]

if your faith is important to you and shapes who you are as a human being, it will be impossible to hide in your application, so by all means put it out there. just remember that anything that is in your application becomes "fair game" for an interviewer to discuss, so the "rules of engagement" so-to-speak no longer apply (i.e. interviewers are warned not to bring up issues regarding religion, child bearing, finances, etc...however, if it's mentioned in your app or if you bring it up, it's fair game).

the best case scenario, it's glossed over and no one gives it a second thought.

the worst case scenario is that you will get an interviewer who will pick and probe -- possibly to be a di%k, but more likely to test how far you're willing to go -- not so much with how strong your faith is, but rather, will your faith affect your relationship with your classmates and/or your patients in a negative fashion (i.e. proselytizing, restricting choice, imposing your moral beliefs)

the more likely scenario is that someone will acknowledge and mention how important your faith is, and give you the opportunity to describe how your faith has shaped your world view.

religion/faith in and of itself isn't a bad thing, it's just that it becomes one of those areas that people use to claim that their was interviewer bias and occasionally take it out on a school, so it becomes one of those hot topics that is best avoided....if it's not meaningful to you.

 

[Mutt]

You are religious, and your religion guides the choices you make. Trying to stifle it so that you don't stick out is hiding who you really are. You should let them know who you really are.

Talking about your religion is a great idea. You should bring it up at the interview when you explain your thinking behind answers that you give to some of their questions. I'm sure they'll find it well thought out.


Also, it will help open up spots for other people trying to get into that school. 😉

 

[LincolnMass]

Good advice there skipper! Layin' in on real thick, are ya'? Your funny

 

[Saluki]

I ended up putting on my AMCAS activities section the public health work that I'd done through my church's mission board but not my involvement in teaching sunday school, cleaning church offices, etc. I'm not sure that's the right decision, but that's what the pre-med advisor suggested that I do...

 

[MahlerROCKS]

No missionary work in Israel...just meant to put a "/ " between the 2 to show one or the other. Just want all to know that I don't go around try to convert Arabs......my goal was to remain vague about my religion so as to be objective be it I am a Jew, Catholic, Pretestant, Muslim, SDA, Quaker, or anything thing else. I tried to be cautious here but I detect that someone in the next threads*****yep there is the gas smell from the stove****ah yes, here come the flames from the blow torch. Please, just want some sound advice here. Sorry Medboo but I believe you and I will begin a flame,

I'm Jewish and I can tell you are not for two reason: I have NEVER heard of Jewish missionaries, and if you were Jewish and converted people you'd be a lot more... feisty. I have NEVER met a Jew who has ever been to Israel and has not had their feeling of Zionism reinforced to the point of almost always making it an issue. I guess my advice is that if you are applying to Loma Linda or a southern Baptist school be sure to make your religion an issue, otherwise try to keep it as minimal as possible.

 

[CoffeeFreak]

I'm Jewish and I can tell you are not for two reason: I have NEVER heard of Jewish missionaries, and if you were Jewish and converted people you'd be a lot more... feisty. I have NEVER met a Jew who has ever been to Israel and has not had their feeling of Zionism reinforced to the point of almost always making it an issue. I guess my advice is that if you are applying to Loma Linda or a southern Baptist school be sure to make your religion an issue, otherwise try to keep it as minimal as possible.

The OP never said he was Jewish. If you READ his/her post he does not claim to be a "Jewish Missionary"....his/her point is just trying to be vague to avoid being judged by a certain religion. The OP is just trying to get some advice about religious convictions and how they may surface during a interview/PS.

BTW Not every person thinks exactly the same way as you. 😴

I agree with you that religion should be kept at a minimum for numerous reasons.

 

[45408]

I have a few EC's that stem from doing things at my church, but I kept the mentions of religion to a minimum on my AMCAS/secondaries.

 

[MahlerROCKS]

The OP never said he was Jewish. If you READ his/her post he does not claim to be a "Jewish Missionary"....his/her point is just trying to be vague to avoid being judged by a certain religion. The OP is just trying to get some advice about religious convictions and how they may surface during a interview/PS.

BTW Not every person thinks exactly the same way as you. 😴

I agree with you that religion should be kept at a minimum for numerous reasons.

I know he said that he wasn't necessarily Jewsih, I was just saying that if he is interviewed by someone who is Jewish, they will most likely realise from his work in Israel that he is a Christian (LDS, Baptist, Pentecostal, etc.), and that may or may not harm him

 

[MrBurns10]

The problem is, while mission work does a whole lot of good for people who need medical care/education/village building help, a lot of it is also about proselytizing one's religion. I'm not at all implying that any or all of you who have done mission work have tried to convert people along the way. What I am saying is that oftentimes mission work involves doing just that, and if your interviewer isn't Christian or doesn't agree with trying to convert people, then that could cause a problem. I think it's perfectly fine to talk about your mission work as long as you put it in terms of helping people and not proselytizing (because not everyone needs conversion; in fact, most people don't).

 

[CoffeeFreak]

Right on....agreed....think the OP raises a good issue without going into extreme detail of the OP EXACT background.

In summary I think that it is fair to say that it is ok to mention religion if affiliated with ECs but not to make it a centerpiece or a crutch, correct?

I think that anyone who relies on religion as the ONLY source of motivation then it is a bad idea. -Out

 

[tigress]

I'm Jewish and I can tell you are not for two reason: I have NEVER heard of Jewish missionaries, and if you were Jewish and converted people you'd be a lot more... feisty. I have NEVER met a Jew who has ever been to Israel and has not had their feeling of Zionism reinforced to the point of almost always making it an issue. I guess my advice is that if you are applying to Loma Linda or a southern Baptist school be sure to make your religion an issue, otherwise try to keep it as minimal as possible.

Sorry, just had to jump in here. I spent 4 months in Israel and didn't have my "feeling of Zionism reinforced to the point of almost always making it an issue." As a matter of fact, I often make it an issue: to point out that not all Jews are ultra-Zionists, and many of us actually support the Palestinians' right to a state and land. Not all of us ascribe to revisionist history.

Anyway, more on the point of the thread: I brought up religion in an interview, when I mentioned that I volunteer as my synagogue's secretary, and also in discussing how I need to live in an area with a synagogue, so that may limit my ability to practice rural medicine, etc. (Actually one interviewer sort of brought it up; but I went to a Jewish school, so it's a bit obvious.) And my second interview yesterday was almost entirely politics. So I guess I broke both those rules. 😛 The second interview yesterday I spent discussing my passion for bringing healthcare to the entire population, preferably through a single payer system, and my passion for social justice, access to healthcare, etc. I only started discussing this after it became obvious that my interviewer held many of the same political opinions as I do. I don't know if he supports single-payer healthcare, and I made sure to mention that I can understand why people wouldn't want to support it, but that in my opinion it's the best option. I didn't sound crazy opinionated or closed-minded. I clicked with the interviewer and we had a great discussion. I came away from the interview knowing that I had left a good impression, which is the best I can hope for from an interview.

So I guess my point is to be cautious, but don't make any strict rules about what you should or should not discuss. I never planned on being that opinionated in an interview, or bringing up religion, or anything of the sort. But in the appropriate situation it worked out great.

[please, don't turn this into a debate about the opinions I mentioned...my point was only that it's sometimes okay to bring up political views, and sometimes not]

 

[MahlerROCKS]

Sorry, just had to jump in here. I spent 4 months in Israel and didn't have my "feeling of Zionism reinforced to the point of almost always making it an issue." As a matter of fact, I often make it an issue: to point out that not all Jews are ultra-Zionists, and many of us actually support the Palestinians' right to a state and land. Not all of us ascribe to revisionist history.

Anyway, more on the point of the thread: I brought up religion in an interview, when I mentioned that I volunteer as my synagogue's secretary, and also in discussing how I need to live in an area with a synagogue, so that may limit my ability to practice rural medicine, etc. (Actually one interviewer sort of brought it up; but I went to a Jewish school, so it's a bit obvious.) And my second interview yesterday was almost entirely politics. So I guess I broke both those rules. 😛 The second interview yesterday I spent discussing my passion for bringing healthcare to the entire population, preferably through a single payer system, and my passion for social justice, access to healthcare, etc. I only started discussing this after it became obvious that my interviewer held many of the same political opinions as I do. I don't know if he supports single-payer healthcare, and I made sure to mention that I can understand why people wouldn't want to support it, but that in my opinion it's the best option. I didn't sound crazy opinionated or closed-minded. I clicked with the interviewer and we had a great discussion. I came away from the interview knowing that I had left a good impression, which is the best I can hope for from an interview.

So I guess my point is to be cautious, but don't make any strict rules about what you should or should not discuss. I never planned on being that opinionated in an interview, or bringing up religion, or anything of the sort. But in the appropriate situation it worked out great.

[please, don't turn this into a debate about the opinions I mentioned...my point was only that it's sometimes okay to bring up political views, and sometimes not]

sorry, I guess I generalized too much; it’s just that I had a really moving experience in Israel

 

[tigress]

sorry, I guess I generalized too much; it’s just that I had a really moving experience in Israel

so did I

 

[CoffeeFreak]

Israel is great!

 

[Beau Geste]

Heepwah!

 

[BooMed]

When did it become inappropriate to be religious? Is it really so bad for a person to be guided by a sense of faith, spirituality and morals?

I grew up very, very prejudiced against Christians. Not any other religions, just Christians. I thought that they were responsible for all of the evils of the world, that they constantly pushed their faith on others and were mainly old, rich, white guys. I even purposfully avoided having Christian friends. 😱

But when I moved to the South, almost everybody I met was a Christian. And, surprise surprise, the people that I thought I hated turned out to just as good, kind, and ordinary as everyone else.

Now I'm ashamed that I ever thought it was okay to dislike a whole group of people like that. I never would have thought the same things about any other type of person, but isn't that how all sexist/racist/homophobic/etc. people justify themselves? By thinking that the people they dislike are the bad ones?

Anyway, I don't think you should have to hide your religion during an interview. I would be very sad if somebody didn't think you should be a doctor because of their own preconseptions about your faith.