Toughest interview Questions

[RizKhan]

Hey all
just wanted to get a feel for what u felt were tough interview questions that u went through and what would u do in retrospect to have answer in a better way
Thanx

rizwan

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DarkChild]

toughest question by far: "why aren't you wearing any pants?"

 

[Coalboy]

I'm guessing that was supposed to be "why aren't you wearing any pants?" :wink:

 

[DarkChild]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Coalboy:
•I'm guessing that was supposed to be "why aren't you wearing any pants?" :wink: •••••ummm.... I dont know what you are talking about
:wink:

 

[Coalboy]

Ah hah, using the 'edit message' feature to make me look stupid, eh? Well, I'll have you know, I can look stupid very well on my own! So there!

 

[Diogenes]

well, aside from some grilling about why I want to be a doctor, and why I did the ECs that I did, the toughest -- or rather most interesting -- one I got so far was...

if you were transplant specialist and Osama bin Laden needed a transplant (and had a willing donor that was a perfect match, etc.) would you do it? Why or why not?

 

[Jamier2]

What one word would you use to describe yourself?

Awesome. :wink:

 

[Trek]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Jamier2:
•

Awesome. :wink: •••••THe question or the word you used to describe yourself? :wink: --Trek

 

[Jamier2]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Trek_OCLV:
•THe question or the word you used to describe yourself? :wink: --Trek•••••I didn't use that word, but thinking back, I wish I had.

 

[cm7b5]

I got a question at my Penn interview that was hard to answer:

Interviewer: So, let's say that you are a doctor in the ER and one of your patients vomits all over you. Why do you like that person?

Me: Bumble, babble, poo, babble, non-sense, blah, showing incompetence.....I like people. That's a very hard question, etc....

 

[Hoo\/er]

RizKhan, you might find this site helpful.

<a href="http://www.interviewfeedback.com/" target="_blank">http://www.interviewfeedback.com/</a>

Enjoy!

 

[Firebird]

Ok, this wasn't for med school, but it's a tough interview quesiton, nonetheless...

Suppose you were at function at the President's (of my University) house, and you were introduced to a very prominent alumni who donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the school. You conversed with him for a while, and eventually the President (along with another individual) walks up to you and the alumni. The President proceeds to introduce the alumni to the other individual, but uses the wrong name.

The alumni becomes very upset and very angry. How do you diffuse the situation?

 

[PMPMD]

Toughest interview question:
"What does Marcellus Wallace look like?"

This interviewer was brutal.

 

[Epi]

Who are three people, dead or alive, that you would invite to dinner and why?

And always be ready for some tough ethical questions - what i learned - no right or wrong answer, just back up your decision with a thoughtful explanation.

 

[Trek]

I got the "here's 7 pieces of paper with different people written on them, who do you give only 1 kidney to?" Man, what a PITA! --Trek

 

[word]

My worst question was a complete 180 degree change in topic. We were talking about my essay, and out of no where he asks me tell him everything I know about the Battle of New Orleans(I went to Tulane).
When I told him I didn't know much, he pressed me further, and I had to guess countries in the war. I guessed every European country except Britain. I wrote him a thank you note with a painting of the Battle of N.O. on the page, and was eventually accepted.

 

[johnM]

My interviewer at MCPHU told me "I can tell you are a smart guy, but it doesn't matter how smart you are. If you want to be a doctor, you have to be a nice guy. How do I know that you are a nice guy?" So I went on explaining how nice I am to people and I was BS-ing about the service stuff that I've done, but to no avail. His retort "that doesn't prove to me that you are a nice guy." So I got a little annoyed and told him that the question was bogus to begin with, and that the only way that you can really evaluate a person's character is by seeing them in action, and that nothing I say can prove anything about what I am actually like.
I guess that didn't go over well, because it was the only post-interview rejection that I have gotten.

 

[scottie]

My hardest (or strangest) interview questions:

At Loyola, I was asked "Who is the king of Norway?" I was also asked about my thoughts on Custer's Last Stand.

At SLU, the interviewer asked me why my parents both received college degrees and then decided to be farmers. It wasn't really hard, but I felt sort of offended by it.

At Iowa, I was asked to name a global problem and how physicians can work to solve it.

Ultimately, I was accepted at all 3 places.

 

[warpath]

At Jefferson, the very first question my interveiwer asked was, "have you ever wrestled?" (I guess he read that somewhere on my application). After confirming that I wrestled last academic year, his next question was, "Are you one of those people who starve themselves to death to make weight?"
I was quite taken aback for a few seconds.

The tough question he asked me was,"what should I tell the committee about you?"

 

[Coalboy]

I had an interview recently that lasted for an hour and a half. I think he threw every conceivable interview question at me. By themselves, they weren't all that bad, but the sum total was pretty exhausting. Sometimes, it seemed like he was telling me how to improve my application so I could get in next year (I've been accepted elsewhere), and other times, he seemed to be supportive. I just couldn't tell. I suppose that he wouldn't have wasted an hour and a half on me if he had thought I was a complete nincumpoop (sp?).

To top it off, it was about a hundred degrees in his office.

 

[ValleyGal]

I was asked if anyone in my family had mental problems. I was a little shocked and had to compose myself before answering!!!

 

[idiot]

I had an interviewer/interrogator that asked:
"Why is your generation amoral?" AND: "What will YOU do to change that?"

He also asked me what differences/similarities I'd noted in the worldviews of common folk from the two states I've lived in.

The discussion would have seemed appropriate had I been interviewing for a position in the Philosophy program; I thought it was a little "heavy" for a med school interview though.

Anyway, during the interview I was sure he had a low opinion of me, he kept interrupting my responses and disagreed with many statements I made...then, as I'm making my way out, he says "I will do everything in my power to get you an acceptance here; you will get in here."
Very bizarre.

I saw the applicant interviewing right after me; he looked at me as if for advice but I didn't know what to tell him. This guy was pretty cocky and I knew the interviewer was going to destroy him.

 

[Original]

I messed-up and told my Duke interviewer that I was a funny guy.

Interviewer: Tell me a joke.

*****: Ahh... ok blah blah blah..

...5 mins and a dry joke later...

Interviewer: Tell me another joke.

Ahhh!*%$#$
<img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />

Moral of the story is NEVER claim any qualities that can be tested there and then. I'm glad I didn't say I was a great dancer. Whew! that would have been tough; especially without any music.

 

[Mystique]

If the end of the world were near and you could pick ONLY one person (besides yourself) to save, who would you pick and why?

I doubt this is a commonly asked question, but hey, one day some senile old man may ask you the same question

 

[Street Philosopher]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by johnM:
•My interviewer at MCPHU told me "I can tell you are a smart guy, but it doesn't matter how smart you are. If you want to be a doctor, you have to be a nice guy. How do I know that you are a nice guy?" So I went on explaining how nice I am to people and I was BS-ing about the service stuff that I've done, but to no avail. His retort "that doesn't prove to me that you are a nice guy." So I got a little annoyed and told him that the question was bogus to begin with, and that the only way that you can really evaluate a person's character is by seeing them in action, and that nothing I say can prove anything about what I am actually like.
I guess that didn't go over well, because it was the only post-interview rejection that I have gotten. •••••Hmmm what you said seems reasonable to me. How they hell can you prove you're a nice guy to someone who's only met you for 30 minutes? I agree with your answer; it's a bogus question to begin with. Maybe you should ask him to prove his theory on God? hehe

 

[katiep]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Schoolboy:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by johnM:
•My interviewer at MCPHU told me "I can tell you are a smart guy, but it doesn't matter how smart you are. If you want to be a doctor, you have to be a nice guy. How do I know that you are a nice guy?" So I went on explaining how nice I am to people and I was BS-ing about the service stuff that I've done, but to no avail. His retort "that doesn't prove to me that you are a nice guy." So I got a little annoyed and told him that the question was bogus to begin with, and that the only way that you can really evaluate a person's character is by seeing them in action, and that nothing I say can prove anything about what I am actually like.
I guess that didn't go over well, because it was the only post-interview rejection that I have gotten. •••••Hmmm what you said seems reasonable to me. How they hell can you prove you're a nice guy to someone who's only met you for 30 minutes? I agree with your answer; it's a bogus question to begin with. Maybe you should ask him to prove his theory on God? hehe•••••Hmm, I have to disagree with both of you.

With difficult, subjective, or seemingly impossible questions to answer, I think the interviewer is trying to assess how well you comport yourself under pressure. You may get a patient, one day, who may get confrontational with you, and you should probably not retort aggressively, but rather be calm and collected.

So, getting annoyed and saying the question is bogus is probably not what he wanted. Any canned answer, even if the interviewer knows it's canned (in fact I would say especially if the interviewer knows it's canned) would be better. I would have said something like "Well, let's see, I would define nice as someone who does A, B, C," and then give examples of how I did or do A, B, C.

Really try putting yourself in the interviewer's shoes. You'll see why your response may not be what he was looking for.

I've had doctors get upset at my questions. They are no longer my doctors.

This sub-thread goes with the "stress interview" threads: you should not be combative, but answer all questions, no matter how negative they may be, with the most optimistic and positive attitude.

 

[WaitingImpatiently]

My interviewer at MCPHU told me "I can tell you are a smart guy, but it doesn't matter how smart you are. If you want to be a doctor, you have to be a nice guy. How do I know that you are a nice guy?" So I went on explaining how nice I am to people and I was BS-ing about the service stuff that I've done, but to no avail. His retort "that doesn't prove to me that you are a nice guy." So I got a little annoyed and told him that the question was bogus to begin with, and that the only way that you can really evaluate a person's character is by seeing them in action, and that nothing I say can prove anything about what I am actually like.
I guess that didn't go over well, because it was the only post-interview rejection that I have gotten. •••quote:••• ••••Exactly. Before I finished reading your post, I thought about what I would've said (assuming I didn't choke from being nervous): "I can't convince you that I'm a nice guy; it's up to YOU to determine how nice I am."

Anyway, I still have trouble with the strengths/weaknesses question, which is too bad because almost every school asks this.

 

[Street Philosopher]

katiep,
I agree with you on that, but it seemed like he tried giving a few answers, and the interviewer answered back saying, "well that's not PROOF". That's the part I thought was pretty lame. I mean sure, you can show people that you are nice, but is there any proof that anyone can give that they are nice? That's pretty tough... That's like asking "Are we living in the matrix? Show me proof" anyway, not too important...

 

[Street Philosopher]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by WaitingImpatiently:
Anyway, I still have trouble with the strengths/weaknesses question, which is too bad because almost every school asks this.[/QB]••••I know what you can say for your weaknesses: "My weakness is that I'm perfect, and I have trouble coming up with any weaknesses when asked during interviews." <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> I'm sure that will impress them!

 

[choker]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by JohnM:
•My interviewer at MCPHU told me "I can tell you are a smart guy, but it doesn't matter how smart you are. If you want to be a doctor, you have to be a nice guy. How do I know that you are a nice guy?" So I went on explaining how nice I am to people and I was BS-ing about the service stuff that I've done, but to no avail. His retort "that doesn't prove to me that you are a nice guy." So I got a little annoyed and told him that the question was bogus to begin with, and that the only way that you can really evaluate a person's character is by seeing them in action, and that nothing I say can prove anything about what I am actually like.
I guess that didn't go over well, because it was the only post-interview rejection that I have gotten. •••quote:••• ••••.•••••-what I would've done would be to smile and offer him a breath mint in my pocket, or my jacket, or my tie, or my pen, or my sister, or my soul...

as many of you already know, i interviewed at cornell on 9/12 when i applied EDP and the head of admissions (my interviewer) came in and the first thing he said was "im sorry im so late, i was just informed that a good friend of mine was killed yesterday." i was like "alright then, let's talk about ME."

sheesh.

hardest question (at another school): "where are my parents from"-not my parents but the interviewer's parents. this was the first thing he asked me and it threw me off. he then whipped out questions like "what is our school class size, how many women, what's the most represented undergrad college, what proportion of interviewees do we accept, what's the population of the united states, prove to me that you like to work with people." all in succession of rapid fire question and answer. after the last question, i was thrown a little aback, but he immediately smiled and stopped me before i answered and answered for me "you dont need to say anything, your application has already proven it to me." he then made me solve a rubik's cube (i mentioned in my application that i can solve one really fast).

- i was accepted 2 days later.

 

[SicVic]

•••quote:•••"im sorry im so late, i was just informed that a good friend of mine was killed yesterday." i was like "alright then, let's talk about ME."••••You said exactly that? Lets talk about me? <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />
Hey Choker - I think you would have looked better off if you told your late interviewer (who claimed that his friend just died)that it would be fine by you if another individual interviewe you or postpone to another convienent day - If he need the time off to grief and bla bla (sorry to hear about your buddy) :wink:

 

[E'01]

My dartmouth interviewer proceeded to inform me about Dartmouth in the most insultingly simple manner. He was like, you do know Darmouth has a small class....NH is rural..I felt like saying duh. He then asked me what are my outside activities. He glazed over when I said I'm a musician and then brazenly more or less stated that I wouldn't be able to cut it at Darmouth because I'm not an outdoorsey person who would go skiing etc. What freakin bull- how the heck does that correlate to being a good prospective student. At the end, he simply stated that I would be happier elsewhere and that he's sure I have choices...blah blah freaking blah. What a waste of a 6 hour trip! I hate when these blimmin schools seem to just know where you're gonna end up. Yeah I get waitlisted at Stony brook because my interviewer thought I was going to end up at Yale or harvard - and did I even get interviews from either one?? NO! This process sucks.

Sorry for the ranting. I'm tired of this process and I just don't care anymore. Okay so maybe that is a bit harsh...

 

[choker]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by sicvic:
• •••quote:•••"im sorry im so late, i was just informed that a good friend of mine was killed yesterday." i was like "alright then, let's talk about ME."••••You said exactly that? Lets talk about me? <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />
Hey Choker - I think you would have looked better off if you told your late interviewer (who claimed that his friend just died)that it would be fine by you if another individual interviewe you or postpone to another convienent day - If he need the time off to grief and bla bla (sorry to hear about your buddy) :wink: •••••OF COURSE I DIDN'T SAY THAT!!!
i am not an idiot. i was thinking it though. i offered my condolences, said some cheesy thing about the whole incident and thought to myself "how the hell am i gonna answer a question about myself in a situation/day like this?"

obviously i couldn't