Tricky/Unexpected Interview Questions Thread
Started by mreyno18
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Not super helpful, but I will forever perseverate on the fact that one interviewer asked me about a speeding ticket I received 7 years ago for going <10mph over the speed limit...
Edited bc I don't know what time is anymore. It was 7 years, not 10.
Edited bc I don't know what time is anymore. It was 7 years, not 10.
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It was a misdemeanor in the state that I received the ticket in 🙂 Disclosed out of abundance of caution!
Just came here to see if anyone is surprised by the questions I ask. 🙂
Now I'm curious...
Such as??? ...... 🙂
My questions leave people crying
Adcom members, you ok?
Evil questions I would ask as an adcom:
Do you think physicians are overpaid, why or why not?
What role does race play in health care?
Do you have any regrets?
What is your opinion on unions? Should physicians be allowed to form unions? Should they be allowed to strike?
Vaccines are controversial. At what point does patient’s informed consent become less important than public health?
Should a religious parent have the ability to refuse care on behalf of their child, even if it may result in a fatal outcome? Why or why not? How would you deal with such a situation?
Do you think it is appropriate for physicians to recommend abortion? In what cases?
Do you think physicians are overpaid, why or why not?
What role does race play in health care?
Do you have any regrets?
What is your opinion on unions? Should physicians be allowed to form unions? Should they be allowed to strike?
Vaccines are controversial. At what point does patient’s informed consent become less important than public health?
Should a religious parent have the ability to refuse care on behalf of their child, even if it may result in a fatal outcome? Why or why not? How would you deal with such a situation?
Do you think it is appropriate for physicians to recommend abortion? In what cases?
Did any tiger moms come after you for that? 🙂
One I had a long time ago in an MMI that I still remember: "You are a resident in the hospital who is treating a pediatric patient with heart failure. You are administering a medication your attending indicated and accidently give 10x the intended dose, killing the patient. What do you do now?"
Harvest the organs?
Do I smell a "The Office" reference 😏
D
deleted1080380
What do you even say to this. Legally isn't there just one answer?
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I guess if you say anything other than "immediately remove myself from clinical activities and report to the appropriate supervising person/authority" then they know not to let you into med school?
The more nuanced version is "you accidentally give too much med/the wrong med, patient seems fine, what do you do?"
I’ve never heard of anybody having a stress test type interview but I’m assuming it could happen in an MMI station. But, I think everybody knows it’s MMI interviewers are following a script. I mean, to some people actually get angry/frustrated at MMI interviewers?
Stress interviews definitely happen, depending on the school and the interviewer. I've seen them reported on multiple threads, over multiple cycles, both in person and virtual.
But are they intentional stress interviews or is it more like inadvertent euthanasia, "I've killed patients, but never deliberately."
Intentional. Apparently, some of your peers like to see how people think on their feet and perform under a little pressure.
Very curious about this thread...
That makes two of us. Perhaps I'm being too easy with my interviews.
Start asking brain teasers.
“How many chicken burritos does the Times Square chipotle serve per year. Explain.”
“How many chicken burritos does the Times Square chipotle serve per year. Explain.”
N=1, but I definitely had an interview that was intentionally stressful. Like, they literally warned us that they were going to make it stressful lol
I do too but I do it while asking seemingly benign questions. Everyone has an enjoyable time and has no idea that I was voted "Interviewer Least Likely to HIghly Recommend Admission".
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It would be a waste of time to deliberately stress them. They arrive maximally stressed.
The interviewer might have gone there, or perhaps a relative did.
Another favorite: In an interview with 2 interviewers in a room at a place with 8 or so other rooms each with 2 interviewers in them.
It was the 'research' oriented room.
One of the interviewers: "Ask me any question about my research"
Me: "Soooooo, ummmm....what uh...got you first, um...interested in your research?" 🤣
(Point being is that they were using this as a screening question to see if people researched all the research faculty (and probably clinical faculty) before the interview).
This was for residency, so I'm not suggesting someone learn about all the possible faculty that could interview you at a med school interview.
It was the 'research' oriented room.
One of the interviewers: "Ask me any question about my research"
Me: "Soooooo, ummmm....what uh...got you first, um...interested in your research?" 🤣
(Point being is that they were using this as a screening question to see if people researched all the research faculty (and probably clinical faculty) before the interview).
This was for residency, so I'm not suggesting someone learn about all the possible faculty that could interview you at a med school interview.
"So why do you want to be a physician?"
Man really threw me for a loop
Man really threw me for a loop
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Not to get too wrapped up in anonymous butt kissing here 🙂, but that's just a reflection of your skill and experience. I haven't been through it yet, but many years of SDN reports indicate that interviews (other than MMIs) are a mix of laid back conversations where the interviewer just wants the interviewee to relax and allow the interviewer to get to know them, and to sell the school, and stress interviews to see how people respond.
While you are clearly getting what you want out of the interview, and are apparently difficult to impress, you are simply not stressing people in the manner others are describing, so it's different, even though it might get you to the same place.
We need to normalize saying money as a reason.
It sure would make my job easier.
I had an OMFS candidate tell me that their reason for applying was to "make bank and be a hero."
I had to google "make bank."
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Fano
Pre-Mad
Someone I know was asked to talk more about a private personal issue that one of the LOR writers decided to inappropriately divulge. Not sure how the interviewer would rate a candidate whose jaw drops to the floor then quickly gains their composure and proceeds to explain how it's no longer an issue. I can't decide who's worse, the LOR writer or interviewer.
Fano
Pre-Mad
Another one was not a tricky question but certainly unexpected and possibly tricky. One of the student interviewers actually commented that they were not happy with the school. imo, whether it was true or a trick, this is nearly a deal breaker. I think this is a school that requires Casper, btw. So it wouldn't surprise me if this was a real-world Casper test to see if you'll let admissions know about it.
That's aggressive! I'd split the paper in half, give it to the interviewer and say, "you draw a cricket pitch while I'm drawing the football field. Then you can tell me how this is relevant." That sort of cultural knowledge 5hit burns me up.
might also win "least likely to get highly recommended for admission" with this one
D
deleted555445
Sounds like the type of questions they ask in consulting interviews
D
deleted555445
chicks money power and chicks
ever since ive started med school ive been lacking all 3
Have you tried being prettier?
D
deleted555445
obviously you're doing it wrong
nah just trying to up my grindset
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D
deleted50541
I've heard of applicants being quizzed on things like being asked to draw out the glucose/Krebs cycles.
These kind of questions seem ridiculous now frankly as an interviewer for residency and fellowship programs. But I guess I have no idea what med schools are looking for these days. *Cue cranky old man signal*
These kind of questions seem ridiculous now frankly as an interviewer for residency and fellowship programs. But I guess I have no idea what med schools are looking for these days. *Cue cranky old man signal*
I was asked to compare the cuban healthcare system to the US healthcare system (essentially comparing a universal healthcare system to our system at the time (pre-obama).
I didn't have a great answer ready for this. I talked about how it would be nice for patients not to worry about medical bills, but at the same time we have more resources. The tricky part was the questioner had phrased the question that forced me to bad mouth the US medical system. So it was phrased in a way that said why is the cuban medical system better. Overall I could only guess as to what their system was like to begin with. I didn't leave that room feeling good and I got waitlisted at this med school. The person interviewing me was also a PHD and not MD.
serotonin1
Full Member
Honestly, the one that threw me off the most so far is why I decided not to take a gap year. Like ofc I have all my reasons but articulating that in the moment did not come easily
I'm surprised that was a difficult one. I feel like a simple answer would be "I was ready."
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