Speech Impediments & Interviews

[Will Ferrell]

I always hear that people who are bad at communicating are eliminated at the interview stage in application processes. Are medical school looking to cut poor communicators? Are people with speech disorders discriminated against even if it is a handicap?

I'm a year from applying and the only part of my application left that I need to be concerned about is how I'm going to present myself to medical schools (essays & interviews). I had speech therapy from the ages of 4 to 11 and I still have trouble speaking articulately. Can anyone who applied with a speech impediment describe their experiences?

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[tigress]

Well, I don't know your particular speech impediment, but I've met multiple doctors with stutters, a few of them severe. The head of pathology where I work has a stutter, but it's not too bad. Anyway, I'm sure plenty of people get into med schools with speech problems. Honestly, there might be some interviewers out there who would hold it against you, but I'd bet that the vast majority wouldn't. Just try to practice interview answers so you can say them relatively smoothly, and if stress makes your problem worse, come up with some coping mechanisms for before the interview to calm yourself down.

good luck

 

[mrhealth]

I always hear that people who are bad at communicating are eliminated at the interview stage in application processes. Are medical school looking to cut poor communicators? Are people with speech disorders discriminated against even if it is a handicap?

I'm a year from applying and the only part of my application left that I need to be concerned about is how I'm going to present myself to medical schools (essays & interviews). I had speech therapy from the ages of 4 to 11 and I still have trouble speaking articulately. Can anyone who applied with a speech impediment describe their experiences?

just be confident. i wouldnt worry about it. in fact, its a good thing to put down in your secondaries. a lot of secondaries ask about problems youve had to overcome. this would work nicely.

 

[tank you]

well, i dont have any speech impediments, but i am always told that i tend to mumble and speak very softly. but during the interviews, its just the two of u, and being in a very small office, it doesnt matter how u think u sound, they will most likely hear u perfectly clear. in fact, my first interviewer actually told me that i speak very confidently and have good interviewing skills go figure
good luck

 

[oompa loompa]

I tend to trail off and not finish my sentences. I haven't been doing this as much in interivews, though when I'm nervous I have trouble expressing my thoughts cogently. I haven't been very consistent in my interviews. Some have praised me as being "friendly and garrulous" ; others have nodded sympathetically (and prob. in agreement) when I tell them my greatest weakness is speaking