Ugh, terrible interview matchup!

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BlindWillieMCT

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I just came back from an interview from my top choice school

but....

I am a white male from a city that has a far reaching reputation for being rich, white, and racist (not true today but reputations don't fade quickly) and I got my only interview from the chairman for diversity and minority affairs, she made several comments regarding my hometown's reputation, didn't understand any of my science background, and only wanted to talk about diversity.

I really hope this wont hurt me at all.

Has anyone else had any bad matches like this?
 
At one of my top choices, I was matched with an interviewer who didn't shut up. He kept me an HOUR over (luckily the post-interview time was unstructured) and he talked the whole time. I didn't get to say a word. And all the while he was telling me how much the traditional interview process makes it impossible for the interviewers to "really get to know the applicants"...no **** Shurlock, you won't let me talk!

That was my most poorly matched interview yet. Pretty sure I'm waitlisted.
 
truthfully i wonder if it even matters seriously. I was just waitlisted at my top choice where the interviewer did nothing but praise me and tell me how i was one ofthe most remarkable applicants hes seen in a while and how he knows i would make beyond an excellent med student...then today i find out im waitlisted haha...seriously does this bs even matter. I read so many stories where it goes "well" like mine did and the waitlist/reject. Others where peopel are left crying or the interviewer made them feel horrid and discredited everything they said. Then 2 weeks later they are accepted. maybe the key is have a ****ty interview then you are accepted lol

that or i truthfully think at some schools the interview doesnt mean anything. As long as you arent a complete weirdo it wont matter at all. Its all numbers based and they know whos strong and whos not based on what you listed in the primary. The interview is nothing but a formality. But sadly i nor probably anyone else knows here 🙁
 
You should have sang "your southern can is mine".
 
I'm not sure that the interview doesn't mean anything, but rather that it's just really hard to judge how it actually went.

Dude might have talked above's ear off for hours because he really liked him, and the diversity chair might have thought that OP was really sympathetic toward diversity and wanted to talk about that, etc. On the other hand, an interviewer might tell every student that they'd be a great medical student and then stab them in the back.

On one interview, the interviewer (an alumna, without much sway on the admissions commitee, most likely) told me that the school 'would be lucky to have me'; I didn't get in. At another, after telling me that hypothetical ethical questions had no right or wrong answer, the interviewer told me that my answer 'was not what he was looking for'. I got into that school. It's hard to wrap your mind around the whole thing.
 
rockaction said:
At one of my top choices, I was matched with an interviewer who didn't shut up. He kept me an HOUR over (luckily the post-interview time was unstructured) and he talked the whole time. I didn't get to say a word. And all the while he was telling me how much the traditional interview process makes it impossible for the interviewers to "really get to know the applicants"...no **** Shurlock, you won't let me talk!

That was my most poorly matched interview yet. Pretty sure I'm waitlisted.
Click to expand...

Vanderbilt?
 
Last edited:
BlindWillieMCT said:
I just came back from an interview from my top choice school

but....

I am a white male from a city that has a far reaching reputation for being rich, white, and racist (not true today but reputations don't fade quickly) and I got my only interview from the chairman for diversity and minority affairs, she made several comments regarding my hometown's reputation, didn't understand any of my science background, and only wanted to talk about diversity.

I really hope this wont hurt me at all.

Has anyone else had any bad matches like this?
Click to expand...
That's a great matchup for the school. Hopefully you didn't fill the stereotypes they were hoping you would dispel.
 
armybound said:
That's a great matchup for the school. Hopefully you didn't fill the stereotypes they were hoping you would dispel.
Click to expand...

I don't think you get it. I don't fit the stereotype, but she made it clear that she was judging me by those stereotypes. I had to defend myself for where I was born, isn't the person in charge of minority issues supposed to be the one who is trying to stop judgments based on dated stereotypes???
 
BlindWillieMCT said:
I don't think you get it. I don't fit the stereotype, but she made it clear that she was judging me by those stereotypes. I had to defend myself for where I was born, isn't the person in charge of minority issues supposed to be the one who is trying to stop judgments based on dated stereotypes???
Click to expand...
I do get it. I'm not sure if you do.

Of course she wants to stop stereotypes... which is why she was interviewing you to make sure you do appreciate diversity, and you're not a "rich white racist" or whatever. It's very important to the school to know that you are not what some people might expect. They probably thought that this was their one major concern with your file.

If you left that interview able to demonstrate that you do appreciate diversity, it should be a major win for you.
 
i agree with armybound. i do some interviewing in a program i'm involved with and if there are any applicants i have personal concerns about, i sure as hell volunteer to be the one to interview them. it's the perfect chance to address a perceived weakness or concern in your app, and it's much much better than if you got an "easy" interview and that concern comes up at the ad com meeting and nobody can dispel it.
 
armybound said:
I do get it. I'm not sure if you do.

Of course she wants to stop stereotypes... which is why she was interviewing you to make sure you do appreciate diversity, and you're not a "rich white racist" or whatever. It's very important to the school to know that you are not what some people might expect. They probably thought that this was their one major concern with your file.

If you left that interview able to demonstrate that you do appreciate diversity, it should be a major win for you.
Click to expand...

But why should he have to defend himself against these stereotypes? He has done nothing (I assume) to lead people to believe that he is racist, besides having lived in a particular town (which may or may not be in his control). Is it fair place the burden of proof on the interviewee to dispel the notion that he is a rich white racist? This is absolutely absurd in my opinion... you don't just go around assuming someone is racist until they prove to you otherwise.

However, being the "chairman of diversity", said interviewer is most likely obsessed with race to begin with, and may ask these sorts of questions to everyone that he or she interviews, regardless of their background.
 
dukemed22 said:
But why should he have to defend himself against these stereotypes? He has done nothing (I assume) to lead people to believe that he is racist, besides having lived in a particular town (which may or may not be in his control). Is it fair place the burden of proof on the interviewee to dispel the notion that he is a rich white racist? This is absolutely absurd in my opinion... you don't just go around assuming someone is racist until they prove to you otherwise.

However, being the "chairman of diversity", said interviewer is most likely obsessed with race to begin with, and may ask these sorts of questions to everyone that he or she interviews, regardless of their background.
Click to expand...
Every medical school applicant has to prove that they're appreciative of diversity and such. That's one of the things medical schools look for (some schools, anyway).

Coming from somewhere known for being racist means you grew up around a lot of racists and may have been influenced by that culture. They could have a legitimate concern about your attitudes.

Groan and moan about it all you want, it's not hard at all to see why that interview matchup took place.
 
BlindWillieMCT said:
I just came back from an interview from my top choice school

but....

I am a white male from a city that has a far reaching reputation for being rich, white, and racist (not true today but reputations don't fade quickly) and I got my only interview from the chairman for diversity and minority affairs, she made several comments regarding my hometown's reputation, didn't understand any of my science background, and only wanted to talk about diversity.

I really hope this wont hurt me at all.

Has anyone else had any bad matches like this?
Click to expand...

If a white male had asked you the same questions would you have labeled the interview as a "bad match" and said that he "didn't understand any of my science background and only wanted to talk about diversity"? Looks like your "top choice" school wanted to find out if you are suited to attend there and gave you a good test. I hope you passed.
 
looks like he wanted to diversify your med school news by adding in a waitlist. hopefully you break that diversity with some acceptances!
 
dukemed22 said:
But why should he have to defend himself against these stereotypes? He has done nothing (I assume) to lead people to believe that he is racist, besides having lived in a particular town (which may or may not be in his control). Is it fair place the burden of proof on the interviewee to dispel the notion that he is a rich white racist? This is absolutely absurd in my opinion... you don't just go around assuming someone is racist until they prove to you otherwise.

However, being the "chairman of diversity", said interviewer is most likely obsessed with race to begin with, and may ask these sorts of questions to everyone that he or she interviews, regardless of their background.
Click to expand...

I don't necessarily see it as defending himself in the first place. All one has to do when questioned like that is be honest. If you know you're not a racist, then there's no reason to panic at questions meant to determine such. If anything did go badly in that interview it's the fact that the OP went on the defensive instead of just casually answering.

Also, even if you do consider the line of questioning obtrusive, why wouldn't that be appropriate for an interview? One of the reasons for the interview process is to see how you handle controversial topics and situations. That's why they ask you morality questions. This is valuable because you are inevitably going to encounter those types of questions in your career, and it'd be best if you know how to respond in a way other than acting like a deer in headlights.

An interviewee who wavers under pressure = lame.
An interviewee who can stay calm and social despite said pressure = awesome

If you can keep your composure and avoid being offensive, I don't think you'll have a problem.
 
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