Spat out gum in front of interviewer...

[geretts]

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Hi all,

I am an idiot. Long story short, when I met my interviewer, I realized that I still had my after-lunch gum in my mouth. Instead of swallowing it like any sensible person would, I waited until we got into the room and dropped it from my mouth into the trash can right in front of him. I immediately knew that I had made a mistake and said "excuse me" as I shook the other interviewer's hand.

Was that a really unprofessional thing to do? Do you think that it jeopardized my chances?

 

[Hemorrage]

Yeah that was dumb.

 

[Chipster.]

Hi all,

I am an idiot. Long story short, when I met my interviewer, I realized that I still had my after-lunch gum in my mouth. Instead of swallowing it like any sensible person would, I waited until we got into the room and dropped it from my mouth into the trash can right in front of him. I immediately knew that I had made a mistake and said "excuse me" as I shook the other interviewer's hand.

Was that a really unprofessional thing to do? Do you think that it jeopardized my chances?

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Your chances at this school are likely zero.

 

[Microglia]

LOL. I think these responses are over dramatic. Maybe not the best first impression, but not gonna kill your app. Don't sweat it, people do silly things in interviews all the time.

 

[Lambda Phage]

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Your chances at this school are likely zero.

Sarcasm, I hope?

I agree that spitting our your gum in front of someone is a less than ideal way of disposing of gum, but is it really that bad?

 

[deleted407021]

Swallowing gum sounds like something I couldn't manage, as if it would adhere itself to my uvula and I would just writhe on the floor hacking in a very unflattering manner.

As for your situation, I would think it a bit uncouth for an interview environment. The better option (sans swallowing it) would be to politely ask if you could dispose of it. Instead, you hawked it into a trashcan like you were in a saloon. However, if the rest of the meeting went well and you made a better impression, I don't think a slip of manners would be that big of a deal. Don't worry yourself further. Can't change the past.

 

[Cinclus]

Not the best move, but probably wouldn't be the thing that kills your chances.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

Why didn't you just take it out of your mouth and then throw it away D:

EDIT: I don't think it helped you any, but I doubt it'll be the reason you get a rejection if you get one. Then again we're all premeds here so what do we know.

 

[Catalystik]

Why didn't you just take it out of your mouth and then throw it away D:

. . . [ideally remembering not to use the same hand to shake with.]

 

[LuciusVorenus]

. . . [ideally remembering not to use the same hand to shake with.]

Ugh one time I was talking to a Mormon missionary (I was ambushed!) and it was allergy season so I accidentally wiped my nose and then tried to shake his hand with the same hand when he was leaving. He was like "uh...no thanks." So much embarrassment.

 

[deleted407021]

Ugh one time I was talking to a Mormon missionary (I was ambushed!) and it was allergy season so I accidentally wiped my nose and then tried to shake his hand with the same hand when he was leaving. He was like "uh...no thanks." So much embarrassment.

We're just animals. Can't blame us too much for our grossness.

 

[Life Sucks]

Wow, you're such a rebel!

 

[Oso]

lol after reading the title I envisioned the OP spitting his gum on to himself or on to the interviewer's clothes or desk.

The real story now seems highly civilized and well-mannered (perhaps even accolade-worthy). I am not in a position to give advice. Goodbye and good luck.

 

[Ismet]

almost spat out my gum laughing when i saw the thread title 😆 i was imagining you accidentally spat it out on the table while talking to the interviewer.

it's not something that will get you rejected, but it wasn't a good move either. don't worry about it, there's a chance the interviewer didn't even mention it in his/her report.

 

[NorthernMav]

If this is the make or break moment of your application, then that interviewer is a joke. It happened, nothing you can do about it now. I personally don't think it should be that big of a deal, but if your interviewer was a total tool and knew nothing about how to judge one's character, well then it may be an issue. Just try to remember what your interviewer was like after, did you sense negative vibes?

 

[Goro]

It's better than continuing to chew gum during the interview, like one interviewee did once. He got rejected. Not merely for the gum, but also because he was so full of himself.

Hi all,

I am an idiot. Long story short, when I met my interviewer, I realized that I still had my after-lunch gum in my mouth. Instead of swallowing it like any sensible person would, I waited until we got into the room and dropped it from my mouth into the trash can right in front of him. I immediately knew that I had made a mistake and said "excuse me" as I shook the other interviewer's hand.

Was that a really unprofessional thing to do? Do you think that it jeopardized my chances?

 

[QuinnTheEskimo]

almost spat out my gum laughing when i saw the thread title 😆 i was imagining you accidentally spat it out on the table while talking to the interviewer.

it's not something that will get you rejected, but it wasn't a good move either. don't worry about it, there's a chance the interviewer didn't even mention it in his/her report.

Don't interviewers attend the committee meeting and speak in person on your behalf? Or do they write a report that everyone reads? How does it work?

 

[Ismet]

Don't interviewers attend the committee meeting and speak in person on your behalf? Or do they write a report that everyone reads? How does it work?

Depends on the school. At my school, interviewers submit a report. They don't attend the committee meeting unless the interviewer is also on the committee.

 

[compstomper]

Hi all,

I am an idiot. Long story short, when I met my interviewer, I realized that I still had my after-lunch gum in my mouth. Instead of swallowing it like any sensible person would, I waited until we got into the room and dropped it from my mouth into the trash can right in front of him. I immediately knew that I had made a mistake and said "excuse me" as I shook the other interviewer's hand.

Was that a really unprofessional thing to do? Do you think that it jeopardized my chances?

The only context where this could in any way shape or form be construed as appropriate is if the interviewer had an old-timey antique spittoon in his office that you spat your saliva filled gum into.

Unprofessional, yes. Jeopardizing your chances? Unfortunately it's certainly possible, as you never know what someone's pet peeves are.

 

[Chipster.]

@LizzyM @Goro - thoughts? I'm also curious.

 

[Winged Scapula]

There are some segments of society that view gum chewing as either childish and/or uncouth (I was raised by such parents) and should only be done as an adult momentarily to freshen one's breath. In addition, when disposing of said gum, it should be wrapped in a tissue and placed into a waste basket. Spitting, whether saliva, gum or food, should never be done (despite all my medical education I am still stymied by the proliferation of spitting in our society. I was bemused when a Swedish friend mentioned that one of the things he appreciated about America was the lack of spitting [apparently its rather common in Sweden]).

However, despite those views (and my own personal thoughts which echo those of my parents and see gum chewing in the office as a "Britney/white trash" sort of thing), I can't see it as something worth negatively judging an otherwise good candidate for. I would just <sigh> and momentarily think my old person's thoughts about the degradation of modern society and move on.

 

[xffan624]

There are some segments of society that view gum chewing as either childish and/or uncouth (I was raised by such parents) and should only be done as an adult momentarily to freshen one's breath. In addition, when disposing of said gum, it should be wrapped in a tissue and placed into a waste basket. Spitting, whether saliva, gum or food, should never be done (despite all my medical education I am still stymied by the proliferation of spitting in our society. I was bemused when a Swedish friend mentioned that one of the things he appreciated about America was the lack of spitting [apparently its rather common in Sweden]).

OMG in Korea and Japan it was crazy the amount of spitting. In Kyoto, I literally heard a guy gather his snot and hawk a loogie on the ground from across a river. He was that loud. Definitely one of my pet peeves. But I think there is a difference between shooting your gum from a distance into a trashcan and simply placing yourself over a trashcan and opening your mouth to let the gum out.

I'm a chronic gum chewer purely for breath freshening post meals, but I think I abstained the day of my interviews. Eliminates any possible issues.

 

[Winged Scapula]

But I think there is a difference between shooting your gum from a distance into a trashcan and simply placing yourself over a trashcan and opening your mouth to let the gum out.

Definitely a difference.

 

[LizzyM]

I could see some interviewers at my school being so horriied by this that it would color the rest of the interview and they'd be hard pressed to find one good thing to say about you. Others would let it go. FYI: I would have preferred to see you descretely remove the gum from your mouth into a facial tissue and deposit the whole thing in the rubbish-bin.

And @Winged Scapula -- we could be sibilngs; my parents raised me the same way yours did.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

There are some segments of society that view gum chewing as either childish and/or uncouth (I was raised by such parents) and should only be done as an adult momentarily to freshen one's breath. In addition, when disposing of said gum, it should be wrapped in a tissue and placed into a waste basket. Spitting, whether saliva, gum or food, should never be done (despite all my medical education I am still stymied by the proliferation of spitting in our society. I was bemused when a Swedish friend mentioned that one of the things he appreciated about America was the lack of spitting [apparently its rather common in Sweden]).

However, despite those views (and my own personal thoughts which echo those of my parents and see gum chewing in the office as a "Britney/white trash" sort of thing), I can't see it as something worth negatively judging an otherwise good candidate for. I would just <sigh> and momentarily think my old person's thoughts about the degradation of modern society and move on.

I was similarly raised. The only other times Gum is okay is in your privacy or close friends. That said, I wouldn't think that a person will be rejected solely on this, but could they have made the interview tougher (more likely to get asked tougher questions) by looking bad? Absolutely.

 

[Winged Scapula]

And @Winged Scapula -- we could be sibilngs; my parents raised me the same way yours did.

Did yours ever allow you have more than a half-stick of gum? My mother would always break it in half; she did the same for herself, believing that a whole stick looked like a "cow chewing its cud". At one brief point there was some evil joy being away from her and putting a whole wad of Halloween bubble gum in my mouth. LOL...

 

[LizzyM]

Did yours ever allow you have more than a half-stick of gum? My mother would always break it in half; she did the same for herself, believing that a whole stick looked like a "cow chewing its cud". At one brief point there was some evil joy being away from her and putting a whole wad of Halloween bubble gum in my mouth. LOL...

My mother didn't allow me to chew gum at all... I had to sneak it.

 

[QuinnTheEskimo]

I could see some interviewers at my school being so horriied by this that it would color the rest of the interview and they'd be hard pressed to find one good thing to say about you. Others would let it go. FYI: I would have preferred to see you descretely remove the gum from your mouth into a facial tissue and deposit the whole thing in the rubbish-bin.

And @Winged Scapula -- we could be sibilngs; my parents raised me the same way yours did.

Out of curiousity, does the committee take the interviewer personalities/biases into account when reading their interview reports?

 

[Winged Scapula]

My mother didn't allow me to chew gum at all... I had to sneak it.

Ahh mine weren't that strict about it, but of course, no gum in public. Only at home, in the car etc.

 

[geretts]

Thanks for your input everyone. I felt like the rest of the interview went well. I'll report back once the verdict is in...

 

[chondroblast]

One of the neurosurgeons I shadowed as a pre-med chewed gum all the time, but it was nicotine gum. He apologized and told me and the patients that he was addicted and weaning off the gum was the best thing to do. He never spat it out, instead, he used a tissue. Everyone understood.

 

[Goro]

See my post above yours.

@LizzyM @Goro - thoughts? I'm also curious.

 

[Goro]

To a degree, ours does. Some of my fellow Adcom members are softies and would admit Josef Stalin. Others are hard-assesses and have particular biases, like dining people for not having X coursework, despite the fact that X is not a requirement for our applicants. So, at meetings, we try to rescue people who appear to have been unfairly wait listed, but look a little more closely at folks who appear weak if it looks like they were given a free pass.

Out of curiousity, does the committee take the interviewer personalities/biases into account when reading their interview reports?

 

[Mad Jack]

And here I was thinkintg my excessively awkward handshake at the end of my interview was bad. It was one of those, I stopped shaking but he kept going, so then I was like, screw it, he wants to keep shaking, I'll keep shaking, and started another round of firm handshaking immediately as his hand went limp. As I clenched that dead fish of a hand, I felt like I was squeezing the life from my very application. Awkward as hell. Still got into the school though. People are just awkward in general. And sometimes a tad bit gross, as in the op's case, but we're imperfect animals, so whatever.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

To a degree, ours does. Some of my fellow Adcom members are softies and would admit Josef Stalin. Others are hard-assesses and have particular biases, like dining people for not having X coursework, despite the fact that X is not a requirement for our applicants. So, at meetings, we try to rescue people who appear to have been unfairly wait listed, but look a little more closely at folks who appear weak if it looks like they were given a free pass.

Well you know what they say. If Hitler had gotten into that art school...