Seeking interview advice - unique question

[Karine04]

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This is a unique interview question. Situation: this past February, I participated in a production of The Vagina Monologues at my undergrad institution. Since then, I've been thinking more and more about my career and the direction I want to take. Specifically, I've become more interested in women's health and now am leaning very strongly towards OB/GYN.

I have my last interview (at PCOM) on March 30. Should I mention this? I know other people who have participated in the Vagina Monologues sometimes don't refer to the show by name in resumes and such, but I think it would be silly not to do so at a medical school interview. Sure, it's a controversial show...but I don't see a reason not to mention it in my interview. Any advice?

I realize my aspirations may change as I get exposed to other fields once in medical school, but I'd like to present this episode as an example of how my experiences shape my thoughts and goals.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

 

[Khenon]

I guess I wouldn't bring it up unless asked. There's no reason for you to be ashamed of the word "vagina" in the title, but at the same time I (as an adcom member) might wonder why you felt like you "had" to bring it up. In general you want to be a little careful about anything politically charged. If it comes up, go ahead and talk about it freely. Otherwise I wouldn't make a scene about it (no pun intended! )

 

[medic170]

I don't understand the whole Vagina monologue thing. In fact, I am actually offended by it. Lat year, I has d to explain to my 6 year old nephew why some loony broad on campus was singing loudly about how her vagina is like a tree in the wind that always brings her self-perpetuated pleasures 😡 Every year, a bunch of chicks practice all over campus for this thing where they say poems about how much they love their wonderul vaginas. It is just a body part people, I don't rant about how much I love my penis 🙄 feminism gone awry 🙄 I am all for equal rights for womes, but damn do these ultra-femminist man haters ever annoy me and my wife as well. please sing about your vaginas in private ladies 👍

 

[Karine04]

I don't understand the whole Vagina monologue thing. In fact, I am actually offended by it. Lat year, I has d to explain to my 6 year old nephew why some loony broad on campus was singing loudly about how her vagina is like a tree in the wind that always brings her self-perpetuated pleasures 😡 Every year, a bunch of chicks practice all over campus for this thing where they say poems about how much they love their wonderul vaginas. It is just a body part people, I don't rant about how much I love my penis 🙄 feminism gone awry 🙄 I am all for equal rights for womes, but damn do these ultra-femminist man haters ever annoy me and my wife as well. please sing about your vaginas in private ladies 👍

I can't tell if you're serious or joking, and I don't want to start any sort of argument. I am not an ultra-feminist man-hater. In fact, many of my closest friends (including my significant other - go figure!) are men. The Vagina Monologues isn't about publicly loving your vagina - it's about awareness of women's situations in many disparate cultures. The shows on college campuses nationwide raise money to help end the violence against women (the $5300 raised by the show on my campus was donated to the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center). So it's not really meant to be a "feminist," in-your-face thing. It's about raising awareness and money.

In fact, there is also a lot of medically relevant information to glean from the fantastic play. It's not some screwball scheme to make people uncomfortable; it's a learning experience.

Anyway, the point is: the experience made me really aware of women's health issues and it influenced me to look into a career in ob/gyn. The only reason I asked the question on this forum was because this experience isn't in my application (since my application was complete many months before I participated in the play), and I was wondering whether it would be worthwhile to mention it in my interview. I guess the answer is no.

PS I have never sung about my vagina in public.

 

[medic170]

I can't tell if you're serious or joking, and I don't want to start any sort of argument. I am not an ultra-feminist man-hater. In fact, many of my closest friends (including my significant other - go figure!) are men. The Vagina Monologues isn't about publicly loving your vagina - it's about awareness of women's situations in many disparate cultures. The shows on college campuses nationwide raise money to help end the violence against women (the $5300 raised by the show on my campus was donated to the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center). So it's not really meant to be a "feminist," in-your-face thing. It's about raising awareness and money.

In fact, there is also a lot of medically relevant information to glean from the fantastic play. It's not some screwball scheme to make people uncomfortable; it's a learning experience.

Anyway, the point is: the experience made me really aware of women's health issues and it influenced me to look into a career in ob/gyn. The only reason I asked the question on this forum was because this experience isn't in my application (since my application was complete many months before I participated in the play), and I was wondering whether it would be worthwhile to mention it in my interview. I guess the answer is no.

PS I have never sung about my vagina in public.

Sorry, I was not referring to you, I was referring to the people on my campus. maybe it is different in other places, I was describing my experience with it here. You said yourself it is controversial. If it does nothing but help raise money and awareness, why is it controversial, there must be some truth to my description eh?

Anyway, I apologize for hijacking your thread, it was not appropriate as you had a legitamite question. To answer it, agree with what Khenon said. Again, I do apologize for hijacking your thread to vent. 😉

 

[kaikai128]

the experience made me really aware of women's health issues and it influenced me to look into a career in ob/gyn

If I were you and I was asked the question as to what I thought I would be interested in for a future career I think would mention it. However, I think I would begin by saying although I have always been interested in OBGYN, "a recent experience made me really aware..." I would then possibly give example of some of the specific women's health issues that you are speaking of.

As a female, I was not particularly impressed with the version of the vagina monologues that I was exposed to. I found it to be quite radical and overboard on the side of feminism. You obviously had a different experience with it. That being said interviewers may have had negative experiences too. I would not start off saying that participating in the Vagina Monologues made you want to be an OB, but rather lead into it based upon what you drew from the experience rather than the name--therefore nobody is jumping to any false conclusions. The fact that it was a very recent experience shouldn't be an issue as long as you still show that you are open minded to other fields.

 

[llort]

What a coincidence?!! I particpated in the Penis Monologues and I am interested in Urology!!

 

[cooldreams]

I don't understand the whole Vagina monologue thing. In fact, I am actually offended by it. Lat year, I has d to explain to my 6 year old nephew why some loony broad on campus was singing loudly about how her vagina is like a tree in the wind that always brings her self-perpetuated pleasures 😡 Every year, a bunch of chicks practice all over campus for this thing where they say poems about how much they love their wonderul vaginas. It is just a body part people, I don't rant about how much I love my penis 🙄 feminism gone awry 🙄 I am all for equal rights for womes, but damn do these ultra-femminist man haters ever annoy me and my wife as well. please sing about your vaginas in private ladies 👍

well put.

 

[jkhamlin]

I don't understand the whole Vagina monologue thing. In fact, I am actually offended by it. Lat year, I has d to explain to my 6 year old nephew why some loony broad on campus was singing loudly about how her vagina is like a tree in the wind that always brings her self-perpetuated pleasures 😡 Every year, a bunch of chicks practice all over campus for this thing where they say poems about how much they love their wonderul vaginas. It is just a body part people, I don't rant about how much I love my penis 🙄 feminism gone awry 🙄 I am all for equal rights for womes, but damn do these ultra-femminist man haters ever annoy me and my wife as well. please sing about your vaginas in private ladies 👍

I actually was in a lab group with a girl that went to one of these. She was as conservative as I am, so I asked her why the heck she would want to go to that. She said "You don't know how a woman feels." I replied "That depends on what you mean by that." 😀

 

[TwoLegacies]

I don't understand the whole Vagina monologue thing. In fact, I am actually offended by it.

i think you have to see the show to understand what it's about, and if you did, you probably wouldn't be offended (unless the word "vagina" itself offends you). it isn't about man-hating, or even vagina-loving, necessarily. from what i understand, it's more about being proud to be a woman. for so long, and in so many cultures, being a woman was/is something to be ashamed of or something that made/makes you deserve less respect than if you were/are male.

so the point that *i* got out of the show was "celebrate your femininity" and "be a strong woman", not "men suck". i think many other portrayals of women in the media/movies/tv are deserving of offense, but not this.

i think the reason it makes people uncomfortable is that they either don't realize what it's about, or they just don't like hearing the word vagina.

to the OP: being that your interviewers are grown-ups, i don't think it should be a problem to mention the vagina monologues. of course it should be in response to an appropriate question-- like what sparked your interest in OB/GYN, etc. don't be afraid to mention it by name. they are looking for honesty, and you should be proud that you did something positive for an issue you obviously feel strongly about. i don't think anyone rational will think that it was a bad thing for you to raise money for a just cause.

 

[babyruth]

i think you have to see the show to understand what it's about, and if you did, you probably wouldn't be offended (unless the word "vagina" itself offends you). it isn't about man-hating, or even vagina-loving, necessarily. from what i understand, it's more about being proud to be a woman. for so long, and in so many cultures, being a woman was/is something to be ashamed of or something that made/makes you deserve less respect than if you were/are male.

so the point that *i* got out of the show was "celebrate your femininity" and "be a strong woman", not "men suck". i think many other portrayals of women in the media/movies/tv are deserving of offense, but not this.

i think the reason it makes people uncomfortable is that they either don't realize what it's about, or they just don't like hearing the word vagina.

to the OP: being that your interviewers are grown-ups, i don't think it should be a problem to mention the vagina monologues. of course it should be in response to an appropriate question-- like what sparked your interest in OB/GYN, etc. don't be afraid to mention it by name. they are looking for honesty, and you should be proud that you did something positive for an issue you obviously feel strongly about. i don't think anyone rational will think that it was a bad thing for you to raise money for a just cause.

I agree totally. I also had a very good experience, as did my husband and male friend at these performances. I also interview and I know that I wouldn't be offended; but then you have people that posted above (that don't know the difference between radical feminism and political feminism and haven't seen the show in order to comment) on some of these committees. Medicine, unfortunately, can be very conservative and traditionalistic in its views, and in this circumstance it would behoove you to conform to just stating why you are so interested in women's health (i.e. the international view and treatment of women, ignorance in reproductive issues, etc. etc). Good luck and I hope you get in!

 

[jkhamlin]

Medicine, unfortunately, can be very conservative and traditionalistic in its views...

That's an opinion.