Stuttering and MD Interview

[Premedhopee]

Hey everyone,
I have three MD interviews coming up, and these are my first ever MD interviews. Ever since I could remember I've had a mild stutter which obviously gets worse during stressful times such as interviews.
I was wondering what adcoms think of it when they encounter an interviewee with a stutter.
I was also wondering if any of yall have any tips/comments/advice for me.
Any comments from fellow interviewees, MD student interviewers and/or adcoms would be highly appreciated. 🙂

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[brownman23]

I have a mild stutter as well. It's almost non-existent in a casual setting with people I know well. However, it acts up whenever I'm stressed (phone calls to/with strangers, introducing myself to strangers, etc).

I am an applicant that has attended a few interviews and I am fortunate to have been accepted to a school. I also know a few people who stutter who are in medical school right now. So, I definitely do not think a stutter will keep you out of medical school.

As for the advise, something that always helped me was coming in early (and not feeling stressed about travel). I also like to converse with the fellow applicants as we waited for the day to start. Talking with other people usually calms down my nerves and it helps ease my tongue too.

 

[Techguru2323]

Hey everyone,
I have three MD interviews coming up, and these are my first ever MD interviews. Ever since I could remember I've had a mild stutter which obviously gets worse during stressful times such as interviews.
I was wondering what adcoms think of it when they encounter an interviewee with a stutter.
I was also wondering if any of yall have any tips/comments/advice for me.
Any comments from fellow interviewees, MD student interviewers and/or adcoms would be highly appreciated. 🙂

Interviewers know the interviewees are in a high stress situation. As long as they can understand you, I don't see how a stutter would hurt your chances especially since its involuntary. I know it's hard but just think about it as any other interview. MD interviews (haven't done DO) are some of the most chill interviews I have ever been to (as opposed to regular jobs). The students and adcoms were super nice.

 

[Goro]

http://profiles.utsouthwestern.edu/profile/17917/perrin-white.html
See this guy?
I knew him when I was a lab tech in NY. He had a grand-mal stutter.
Didn't stop him.
It won't stop you.

Hey everyone,
I have three MD interviews coming up, and these are my first ever MD interviews. Ever since I could remember I've had a mild stutter which obviously gets worse during stressful times such as interviews.
I was wondering what adcoms think of it when they encounter an interviewee with a stutter.
I was also wondering if any of yall have any tips/comments/advice for me.
Any comments from fellow interviewees, MD student interviewers and/or adcoms would be highly appreciated. 🙂

 

[Premedhopee]

Thanks so much to all of you for your kind and supportive words!
@Goro if you have ever interviewed an applicant with a mild stutter, how did the stutter affect your overall impression of that applicant, if at all?

 

[marcelo12]

I have a mild stutter but mock interviews helped a lot!!! I got 3 interview invites (only stuttered a little during the first one), and got an acceptance from my 3rd interview. Practice makes perfect


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[Goro]

Honestly, I don't recall any. Maybe some have had a slight stammer.

I also don't recall an interviewee's speech impediment ever being brought up in our Adcom meetings.

When people get nervous, they tend to start speaking faster, or start babbling.

Thanks so much to all of you for your kind and supportive words!
@Goro if you have ever interviewed an applicant with a mild stutter, how did the stutter affect your overall impression of that applicant, if at all?

 

[DokterMom]

What will they think? They'll think you have a stutter and expect that it'll be worse in high-stress situations such as med school interviews -- essentially, that the stutter they see will be about as bad as it ever gets.

If you can be matter-of-fact about it and not let it visibly throw you, you'll be fine. If it does throw you temporarily, acknowledge that it exists and how you deal with it. "You'll have noticed that I sometimes stutter when stressed. I've found that doing X, Y, Z generally helps and have taken public speaking classes, etc..."

 

[vellez]

I don't stutter, but obvs, I get nervous, like everyone, during interviews. It's all about practice, IMO. I practiced interview questions while recording myself, so I could be aware of my eccentricities or mannerisms that could be distracting. When you are practicing your interviews (you should be practicing, BTW), have your interviewers push you, don't get mom to ask you questions.

I'm not a doctor, but what comes to mind with stuttering being an issue is presenting to an attending...that can be nerve wracking and you do it daily in med school.

 

[Premedhopee]

Thank you everyone for the encouragement! I just slowly die a bit inside everytime I check a school's website and see the phrase "outstanding communication/interpersonal skills" among their listed qualities, but in order to stay positive, I tell myself that interpersonal skills is more than 100% fluency and also involves active listening, empathy, etc too. Hopefully everything goes well!!

 

[SSSMDt]

I've stuttered all my life and owned up to it during my interviews. Have gotten accepted to a few schools so I suspect it was a non-factor. In terms of advice.. just own it like you've always had it I guess. Try to relax and take a deep breath before answering (this has little benefit for me). Dodge trigger words. For example, say I have a feeling that I'm going to stutter on the word "stress" during an interview. Instead of saying "stress" I'll describe the word "stress" (anxiety, pressure, etc.).. but these are all strategies you probably already know. You'll do great!

 

[Premedhopee]

I've stuttered all my life and owned up to it during my interviews. Have gotten accepted to a few schools so I suspect it was a non-factor. In terms of advice.. just own it like you've always had it I guess. Try to relax and take a deep breath before answering (this has little benefit for me). Dodge trigger words. For example, say I have a feeling that I'm going to stutter on the word "stress" during an interview. Instead of saying "stress" I'll describe the word "stress" (anxiety, pressure, etc.).. but these are all strategies you probably already know. You'll do great!

How did you own up to it? Did you or any other stuttering interviewees mention the fact that you stutter at all during the interviews (for instance when asked about your weaknesses)? Or were you guys asked about it by the interviewer?

 

[SSSMDt]

How did you own up to it? Did you or any other stuttering interviewees mention the fact that you stutter at all during the interviews (for instance when asked about your weaknesses)? Or were you guys asked about it by the interviewer?

Owned up to it as in just let it happened when it happened and "fight through it". I think its pretty easy to differentiate a stutter due to an actual condition as opposed to stuttering just out of nervousness that others might do occasionally, so they won't hold it against you. I no doubt stuttered all throughout my interviews (like I do throughout every day of my life) but I was never asked about it and it was never addressed. I did write about it on a secondary so the interviewers for that school knew about it beforehand.

I should note that my stutter is only intermittent, not severe with every word, but I certainly have my trigger words.

 

[gapyearguppy]

I stuttered all the way through my interview. I acknowledged it briefly - a quick, "Sorry! I stutter" and just kept going. But I think the interviewer found it endearing, because I was accepted.

 

[Premedhopee]

Awe it's so inspiring to hear these success stories! Thanks guys!

 

[ruedjgtc]

Hey everyone,
I have three MD interviews coming up, and these are my first ever MD interviews. Ever since I could remember I've had a mild stutter which obviously gets worse during stressful times such as interviews.
I was wondering what adcoms think of it when they encounter an interviewee with a stutter.
I was also wondering if any of yall have any tips/comments/advice for me.
Any comments from fellow interviewees, MD student interviewers and/or adcoms would be highly appreciated. 🙂

I have a very mild stutter, much better than when I was a kid. For me, it usually doesn't matter if I'm nervous or not, if I'm with friends or strangers, I can feel it coming on and then boom dysarthria.

I don't recall if I stuttered at all during medical school interviews, but I'm sure I was anxious about "what if." I was accepted into my top choice. Stuttering only came up as an issue once on rounds, I think it was exacerbated by fatigue and stress, I told the chief resident that I work with that "No, I'm not nervous about presentations, I'm nervous that I stutter." Now, I just casually warn people, as for some people it's not just an issue of being shy but an actual dysfluency. But, I understand your real anxiety, people conflate stuttering with uncertainty, lack of practice, and low confidence. True for some, but it would be total crap for people who consistently stutter. Anyways, just be yourself and try not to give it much thought. If it comes up, just reassure them that you have a stutter, and do your best.

General tips:
1. For yourself, read up on what stuttering is, i.e. the pathophysiology of those who don't just have the occasional stutter. If you have a consistent stutter, there are interesting things to read about stuttering and neurology. It helps to know it's not your "fault."
2. Be well versed in what you're going to say/points to make, that way if you're having a hard time getting words out you can easily re-direct while still staying consistent. This helps when you have words you can't get around. Have a 2-minute version and a 5-minute version of all of your interview points.
3. Some people find that delayed audio feedback helps, there are free apps that you can use with blue-tooth headphones. Not likely useful for interviews, but it could help you "retrain" yourself prior to the interviews to hear yourself, develop good rhythm and prosody.
4. Don't be too hard on yourself, that'll just make things worse.

 

[MedicalDoge]

I stutter a lot when I am nervous, and stuttered at several points during my interviews. My advice is to not think too much about it and be yourself! I personally went to all of my interviews without practicing any questions (researched the school though of course) because I wanted to be completely genuine. I think this strategy worked out! I think Adcoms actually appreciate when an applicant is noticeably nervous, because they want to graduate doctors that take things seriously and are nervous when making big decision, in a healthy way of course. One dean expressed this to our interview group. So just be yourself!

 

[gapyearguppy]

did you become successful in gaining a residency spot in usa despite being a stutterer as i am?

I'm a 3rd year so I haven't had residency interviews yet lol but I hope it doesn't!

 

[gapyearguppy]

you mean to say that you are a 3rd year medical student and yet to take residency interviews?are u IMG?

Right.
And no, I will be an AMG.

 

[Sushi5]

I am writing this post to inspire others who stutter and is going through tough times. I remember reading these posts 3-4 years back when I was going through the same.
It was a challenge for me during my entire medical school as this profession requires great deal of communication. I still feel frustrated in some days when I know I ruined my excellent presentation due to stuttering. I am currently a second yr hemonc fellow. I know I have a long way to go and feeling hopeful that I will be able overcome the future challenges as well.
The thing I want to emphasize
1. Do not be shy admitting your friends, colleagues, attendings and patients that you stutter
2. It is Okay to stutter. Just don’t forget to put a smile on your face when you stutter. Your smile is beautiful.