Should you just answer the interviewers' questions, or...

[CenteredDoc]

For example:

Question: Why do you want to be a doctor?
Answer: Well, there are a lot of reasons. Besides all the rewards such as financial security and prestige, I think, more importantly, it gives me an opportunity to use what I'm good at--to use what I like--to contribute to society. [the end]

Now I know that most interviewers will question my answer by saying that "You can contribute to society by being a fireman, a policeman, or even a teacher. WHY DOCTOR." In that case I will elaborate on my answer. But what if the interviewer doesn't question my answer. Of course, it would be in my interest to elaborate anyway, but I really don't want to sound like I'm making a speech. I want to sound like I'm actually talking to a person, not speaking in front of a crowd. Can my fellow SDNers give me some opinions? I'm having my first interview in 3 weeks, and another one in feb.

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[Law2Doc]

For example:

Question: Why do you want to be a doctor?
Answer: Well, there are a lot of reasons. Besides all the rewards such as financial security and prestige, I think, more importantly, it gives me an opportunity to use what I'm good at--to use what I like--to contribute to society. [the end]

Now I know that most interviewers will question my answer by saying that "You can contribute to society by being a fireman, a policeman, or even a teacher. WHY DOCTOR." In that case I will elaborate on my answer. But what if the interviewer doesn't question my answer. Of course, it would be in my interest to elaborate anyway, but I really don't want to sound like I'm making a speech. I want to sound like I'm actually talking to a person, not speaking in front of a crowd. Can my fellow SDNers give me some opinions? I'm having my first interview in 3 weeks, and another one in feb.

I actually think you already made a misstep by starting with reference to "prestige" and "financial security". No adcom wants to hear that you are going into medicine for the prestige or money, even tangentially, so stay far away from any reference to those things. It's like a professional job interview -- it's considered bad practice to raise the topic of money. If the interviewer wants to talk about those things, they will bring it up, but it is detrimental to your cause for you to raise the topic.
As for your real question, absolutely feel free to elaborate. Don't sound rehearsed, but if you have the gift of gab, use it. There's nothing worse to an interviewer than an applicant who answers in short sentences and single words, i.e. where the interviewer is basically pulling teeth to draw the interviewee out. Having an interviewee who talks without prompting is often going to be regarded as refreshing and welcomed. Of course, you need to have something pertinent to say.

 

[MarzMD]

For example:

Question: Why do you want to be a doctor?
Answer: Well, there are a lot of reasons. Besides all the rewards such as financial security and prestige, I think, more importantly, it gives me an opportunity to use what I'm good at--to use what I like--to contribute to society. [the end]

Now I know that most interviewers will question my answer by saying that "You can contribute to society by being a fireman, a policeman, or even a teacher. WHY DOCTOR." In that case I will elaborate on my answer. But what if the interviewer doesn't question my answer. Of course, it would be in my interest to elaborate anyway, but I really don't want to sound like I'm making a speech. I want to sound like I'm actually talking to a person, not speaking in front of a crowd. Can my fellow SDNers give me some opinions? I'm having my first interview in 3 weeks, and another one in feb.

Heres some advice..........dont use financial security and prestige as your main reasons for wanting to become a doctor(at least dont tell your interviewers this). I would probably stick to the last 3 reasons you mentioned. As far as elaborating on answers, I have been lucky enough to have the majority of my interviewers ask follow up questions, or at least continue a conversation about any topic that was asked about. At most, I have gotten 5 main questions during an hour long interview. The rest is taken up by conversations about that topic. However, i have also had a bad interviewer that did not really try to get to know me, and asked the questions as sort of a checklist thing. Because of this, he would have never gotten to know me if I did not try to elaborate as soon as the question was asked. I would say guage the interiewer in the first couple of minutes and decide for yourself how you think they want you to answer their questions.

 

[jebus]

To parrot the other posters: Don't talk about money. Even if the interviewer brings it up try to steer the conversation somewhere else. It's just tacky to talk about it.
Now, why medicine: Tell a story. Listen to law2doc, elaborate, use your talking ability (if you have it), and talk about your ECs somewhere in that answer. What was it about them that made you want to choose medicine. Or continue to choose it? Some clinical stuff really sucks, and yet you still want to choose medicine? Good for you. Show a commitment with your responses.
And why would your experiences make you a perfect fit at that med school (their mission can work in your favour) and why would that med school fit in with your career plans. Essentially, it's the same stuff you should have said on your secondary. And again, like law2doc said, it's better to say too much rather than too little.

 

[LizzyM]

Here's some more advice... don't rehearse these answers. If you rehearse, they will sound rehearsed and insincere.

Think about why you want to be a physician and speak from your heart with whatever words come to your lips.

One of the worst thing an interviewer can tell me, as an adcom member, is that the applicant was rehearsed and had stock answers to questions.

 

[MDMAMA]

If I were talking with you, what would you tell me fueled your interest in medicine? How old were you? Why medicine instead of law, teaching, or finance. Try relating a story that illustrates experiences that you have had or courses that pointed you in the direction of medicine. If being a doctor meant only making 30k a year, why would you still want to do it? Good luck!