Scrapping Interviews

[tartrate]

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http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...erviews-scrapped/story-e6frg8y6-1111115025591

A little dated, but it has many interesting points.

Highlights from article:

AUSTRALIA'S biggest medical school is scrapping interviews for student selection as "useless", saying they are too prone to bias and there is no evidence interviewers can pick which applicants will perform well during the course.

The university expects other medical schools may follow suit -- and the move seems likely at least to reopen a debate about the merits of interviews, which attracted controversy last year over allegations of bias.

There has also been unease over the growth of expensive courses that coach students what to say in interviews to maximise their chances of being accepted.

Earlier in the year the university had been accused by its former deputy chancellor of "unwritten discrimination" against applicants...

"All the evidence shows that the interview is useless," he said. He said the potential bias of the interviewers was also a valid concern.

"Even though we have had very rigorous training programs for interviewers, there's inevitably a level of subjectivity there, and there have been some questions raised about quality control, standardisation and fairness, and defensibility," he said.

 

[senorsquishie]

It would certainly save a lot of money in travel expenses, but interviews go both ways. I want to see the schools I may decide to go to.

 

[Eric01]

That would save a lot of stress for me if they did away with interviews. If you still want to see the school and speak with someone to learn more about the campus then sure have that option open, but don't make it apart of your application credentials.

GPA + MCAT scores already are the largest determinant for getting in as seen by the rising scale of accepted applicants chart.

LOR + EC + PS + Essays should form the bulk of the intangibles required.

Interview seems unnecessary. Especially since it's difficult to obtain an objective measure of an applicant through only 30 minutes of talking with them.

 

[235788]

interviews are necessary.

 

[anbuitachi]

interviews are ******ed and is completely subject to bias

even if someone is a total jerk, he's smart enough to not show it during interviews.

 

[Kaustikos]

interviews are ******ed and is completely subject to bias

even if someone is a total jerk, he's smart enough to not show it during interviews.

I'm waiting for people who know what they're talking about chime in and prove you wrong....

 

[Kaputt]

Pros of interviews: made sure the kids you're admitting aren't psychos; you get to visit the school (though if they didn't do interviews you'd still have second look weekends)

Cons of interviews: $$$...$$$...$$$...

 

[juliedi]

interviews are necessary.

+1. You'd never get hired for a job without being interviewed first; why would it be any different for medical school?

 

[Kaputt]

+1. You'd never get hired for a job without being interviewed first; why would it be any different for medical school?

They should teleconference interviews. Then you get to save $ and do the interview. The AAMC could even set up local teleconference centers in major cities and charge people to use them...more money for them.

 

[mauberley]

+1. You'd never get hired for a job without being interviewed first; why would it be any different for medical school?

My guess is that the argument against interviews involves a policy of admission based solely on academic merit.

 

[Person0715]

Just as there are people that are not good test takers, there are people that are bad interviewers, although both skills can be honed.

The biggest problems with interviews, though, is that they are expensive and too prone to bias. After all, interviewers are just human.

 

[juliedi]

They should teleconference interviews. Then you get to save $ and do the interview. The AAMC could even set up local teleconference centers in major cities and charge people to use them...more money for them.

You know, I wouldn't be surprised if that started happening in a few years. Technology, I like it.

 

[EpicBearMan]

Interviews can be helpful in making sure that accepted applicants have reasonable social skills, but they are extremely expensive and subject to bias. I think schools that interview 3-4 times as many people as they accept are wasting the money of too many students. Even interviewing twice as many students as are accepted is pushing it in my eyes.

I'm a fan of both MMI and electronic interviews.

 

[erure]

That'd be cool if they could do video calls instead of actual interviews. That would save loads of money on traveling.

 

[latrala2300]

interviews are ******ed and is completely subject to bias

even if someone is a total jerk, he's smart enough to not show it during interviews.

I'm waiting for people who know what they're talking about chime in and prove you wrong....

I agree with anbuitachi. It's easy to shine as someone you're not in a 30 min interview, while it's pretty hard to forge 15 experiences and your GPA/MCAT.

 

[afreaknamedpete]

Even if interviews are removed, wouldn't the actual tours still stay around? I'm guessing even w/o interviews most students would still go for the tour, simply as it shows interest, and thus still have to pay travel fees.

 

[mauberley]

I agree with anbuitachi. It's easy to shine as someone you're not in a 30 min interview, while it's pretty hard to forge 15 experiences and your GPA/MCAT.

Having gone through job interviews and med school interviews personally, as well as conducted a few job interviews, in my experience it is not that easy. It's also generally assumed to treat interviews with the appropriate amount of skepticism, knowing that the whole point of an interview is to put one's best foot forward.

 

[Whatyousay]

That'd be cool if they could do video calls instead of actual interviews. That would save loads of money on traveling.

I think Duke allows for virtual interviews (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

 

[STAT EKG]

Doing away with interviews is an absolutely ridiculous notion.

First of all, "The interview" is more than some might think, at least from what I know now...

Second, here's a concept - Would you agree to start a multiple-year relationship with someone without seeing them in person?

Imagine we meet Mr./Ms. Incredible on a dating site... way hot, definitely a 10.

Maybe it's just me, but I've "heard stories" about people, um, presenting in person as someone not even remotely near who they've portrayed online.

The Pretentious would love no interviews, but that's why they'll always be there.

 

[DISCOSTEW]

Doing away with interviews is an absolutely ridiculous notion.

First of all, "The interview" is more than some might think, at least from what I know now...

Second, here's a concept - Would you agree to start a multiple-year relationship with someone without seeing them in person?

Imagine we meet Mr./Ms. Incredible on a dating site... way hot, definitely a 10.

Maybe it's just me, but I've "heard stories" about people, um, presenting in person as someone not even remotely near who they've portrayed online.

The Pretentious would love no interviews, but that's why they'll always be there.

i totally agree. I mean, you guys have seen those videos of those interviewees that sound absolutely idiotic and are just regurgitating planned responses in monotonious tones (pardon the spelling). Those people would slip by and be the laaamest classmates. Even if the smarter ones can hide their doucheness, it still gives a chance for Adcoms to siff through their batch.

 

[NeuroKidd]

I think Duke allows for virtual interviews (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

Yeah I know people who applied to Duke and did interviews through some Skype-esque thing.

And as far as scrapping interviews entirely - it's easier to understand how important they are when you have a panel interview... and hilarity ensues.