so during the interview

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are you supposed to be fake and give all goody-goody answers or be totally honest/blunt, or... a mixture of both?

i'm kinda confused and wonder if this is any different from job interviews, because usually for job interviews you totally BS most of the answers to try to sell yourself... 🙄

 

[Rafa]

The whole deal is to sell yourself (applicant-wise) to the adcom by proxy. You don't want to come off as a radical or as a reactionary, politically & public policy speaking, but you also don't want to put the interviewer to sleep with fence-sitting answers. I think smiling, being confident, and always remembering that you're trying to leave an overall positive impression of yourself and of your ideals is a good thing to keep in mind.

If, for example, the interviewer asks...
"If accepted, would you attend this school?"

A simple 'yes' or 'no', though honest and blunt, would not necessarily be the best answer to give. That's the kind of question where you've got to use some tact, leaving a positive impression in the mind of the interviewer, but not saying anything that could lead to a perception of dishonesty.

Stuff like that. 🙂

 

[NapeSpikes]

You're definitely trying to sell yourself. I'm not sure what you mean by "goody-goody" vs. "honest/blunt."

 

[Law2Doc]

are you supposed to be fake and give all goody-goody answers or be totally honest/blunt, or... a mixture of both?

i'm kinda confused and wonder if this is any different from job interviews, because usually for job interviews you totally BS most of the answers to try to sell yourself... 🙄

The interviewer is generally going to be judging you on a variety of criteria ranging form your maturity, your apparent interest in the school, how well thought out you are in terms of your chosen profession, and how you present yourself. He will then submit or present his impressions and score to the adcom. You want him to be an advocate, not indifferent. Good interviewees are generally excited to be there, well thought out in their answers, and ask good questions. If that equates to one of your above categories, then that is what you should go with. Hopefully, since this is a big step toward a career that will encompass much of your time for the rest of your life, you will not have to feign interest or fake excitement and everything can be genuine. But you know you better than we do...

 

[Jaykms]

if you're being fake the interviewers can figure it out.

 

[Thundrstorm]

honest, but polished and enthusiastic.

 

[mantraman1010]

We need some drama around here...

Ask one of your interviewers out for dinner....or....how about a one night stand?....(as few people in some forums have) and see how that rolls over. Should be pretty interesting.

 

[crazy_cavalier]

Be honest, or you'll wind up making an ass of yourself.

 

[LizzyM]

Two very senior faculty members on the adcom with me were talking recently after a meeting about what they don't want to see in an applicant.

The basic scientist said he could not tolerate dishonesty.

The physician agreed and added that arrogance, as well, is a deal breaker.

 

[RxnMan]

The physician agreed and added that arrogance, as well, is a deal breaker.

I agree about dishonesty, but what about arrogance? The profession is defined by serving others, but you also have to be REALLY confident in yourself and your abilities before you cut into someone to remove their appendix!

 

[ND2005]

I agree about dishonesty, but what about arrogance? The profession is defined by serving others, but you also have to be REALLY confident in yourself and your abilities before you cut into someone to remove their appendix!

I have also heard the arrogance line.

"Ignorance can be excused, arrogance cannot" is what I was told

 

[LizzyM]

I agree about dishonesty, but what about arrogance? The profession is defined by serving others, but you also have to be REALLY confident in yourself and your abilities before you cut into someone to remove their appendix!

You earn the right to have enough self-assurance to operate independently -- The best surgeon is humble and not arrogant.

Furthermore, no matter how self-assured you are of your skills, you must be respectful and never dismissive, demeaning, or arrogant toward nurses, other hospital workers, families and other members of the public. Someone who comes into the adcom office already having those negative attributes will not get an offer if my collegues on the adcom have anything to do about it.

 

[thegenius]

if you're being fake the interviewers can figure it out.

Some interviewers won't be able to detect that though. If you are really good, then you can be fake and get away with it.

(I'm not necessarily advocating this though.)

 

[tacrum43]

I agree about dishonesty, but what about arrogance? The profession is defined by serving others, but you also have to be REALLY confident in yourself and your abilities before you cut into someone to remove their appendix!

There's a difference between being confident and being arrogant. Plus, I think in an interview it's more about an attitude, like assuming you are hot $hit, and they *will* accept you.

To me, being arrogant in an interview (or just in general) is bad because it's assuming you know more than you do and rubbing your assumed knowledge in other people's faces. It sets you up for making very serious mistakes, which a surgeon (or any other person in a position of such high responsibility) just cannot do.

 

[RxnMan]

Some interviewers won't be able to detect that though. If you are really good, then you can be fake and get away with it.

(I'm not necessarily advocating this though.)

I can't believe this thread. Every day, right after I get on the bus, the cons from the jail's work-release program come on and make up this sort of garbage. Everyone thinks they have some angle or they'll be the ones to lie and get past the judge, cop, interviewer, whatever. And they are never guilty (or advocating it) - it was their buddy. Be honest. It's easier.

 

[drmota]

most doctors i meet are arrogant. just an observation.
-dr. mota

 

[medicalbound]

IMO the line between confidence and arrogance should not only *not* be crossed, it is best to stay a fair distance away from it. While it is obviously good to be "comfortable in your skin", so to speak, those with a sense of entitlement come across as arrogant and abrasive (we all know the type). I feel that the best way to portray confidence is to simply know your stuff. Know why you want to become a physician, how you feel about ethical issues, etc. etc. Be honest and forthright in answering, but not overbearing. Rule of thumb: if you have to tell someone you are confident, you're probably not, or at least will not appear to be.

 

[Rafa]

I think the problem with this thread (and the issue in general) is that we each have different definitions of what it means to be 'arrogant'. If ten of us watched an interview between an applicant and an interviewee, 5 of us could easily say the applicant was overconfident, while 5 of us might well state the opposite. It might help if, when discussing this sort of thing, each person weighing in gave a brief example of what, in his or in her opinion, constitutes as 'arrogance'. And lest we forget, our own insecurities have a *lot* to do with our perceptions of other people's faults and abilities.

 

[Rainman84]

I think the problem with this thread (and the issue in general) is that we each have different definitions of what it means to be 'arrogant'. If ten of us watched an interview between an applicant and an interviewee, 5 of us could easily say the applicant was overconfident, while 5 of us might well state the opposite. It might help if, when discussing this sort of thing, each person weighing in gave a brief example of what, in his or in her opinion, constitutes as 'arrogance'. And lest we forget, our own insecurities have a *lot* to do with our perceptions of other people's faults and abilities.

agreed!🙂

 

[Will Ferrell]

you have to be honest: you are the ideal person. your motivation to go into medicine is to help people. practical reasons never crossed your minds. you plan on volunteering in a 3rd world country during your breaks. you never felt stress and had a problem. you never masturbated either. 😀

 

[happydays]

are you supposed to be fake and give all goody-goody answers or be totally honest/blunt, or... a mixture of both?

i'm kinda confused and wonder if this is any different from job interviews, because usually for job interviews you totally BS most of the answers to try to sell yourself... 🙄

I would suggest going to a couple practice interviews and ask what impression you left on your interviewers. It would be the best to ask med students or someone you know who has gotten in. It's really hard to tell you over a message board how you should behave in an interview.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

you have to be honest: you are the ideal person. your motivation to go into medicine is to help people. practical reasons never crossed your minds. you plan on volunteering in a 3rd world country during your breaks. you never felt stress and had a problem. you never masturbated either. 😀

 

[p00psicleSTICK]

I can't believe people actually LIE during their interviews... what are they thinking? Honesty is the best policy!

 

[jebus]

most doctors i meet are arrogant. just an observation.
-dr. mota

Most everyone you meet who attended a professional/graduate school is arrogant. It seems to be a requirement to get ahead in American culture.
The louder you talk about yourself the better you become at everything. Then your muscles get bigger, your genitals do too, you become smarter and more attractive, your children become smarter and more attractive than everyone else, and the cycle starts anew with them. Turn turn turn.

 

[gujuDoc]

most doctors i meet are arrogant. just an observation.
-dr. mota

Its by product of the cynicism they develop as they go through training.

On a more serious note, most doctors we meet are of a different generation when a lot of things were much much different.

I think arrogance and confidence should not be confused. It is one thing to be confident, but you also have to keep an open mind and not be absolute. Arrogance often is shown in people not willing to see the other side and look at things from both perspectives and who wish to act like they are better then the others. never assume that you are perfect cuz there will always be someone who may do something better then you.

Also, as Lizzy M pointed out, there are other people that make up a healthcare team from nurses to pa's to patient care techs, surgical techs, paramedics, emt's, etc. You need to project that you are capable but acknowledge that you are not the say all end all.

You want to sell yourself but you want to be honest. If they ask you what you've done with your ECs, then give an honest answer and thought out answer but don't overexaggerate cuz they'll see through you.