Walked out of interview

[C.P. Jones]

my work day spans beyond 5 o clock and yes i do work weekends. did i mention im not getting paid for this?

you're not the only one.....doesn't it suck!

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[C.P. Jones]

HA! You expect a pre-med to be given respect on a grander scale than a resident? Man, you people are so full of yourselves.

i know the person who posted the comment you are replying to already replied, but it's really really obvious that this is not what he meant.....

i understand you, runnermd

 

[LuisitoMD]

she was a Ph.D.
I received a voice mail at about 2:30... we were set to meet at 1... saying she was waiting for me...


there. more fuel for the fire!

 

[Doctor Bagel]

she was a Ph.D.
I received a voice mail at about 2:30... we were set to meet at 1... saying she was waiting for me...


there. more fuel for the fire!

I knew it! What, she had some academic emergency and had to write a paper in a hurry. So lame. My motto is to only take sh%t from people if you have to. If you don't need 'em, screw it.

Did you call her back and tell her you were there at one? Now, that would be fun.

 

[Telemachus]

My motto is to only take sh%t from people if you have to. If you don't need 'em, screw it.

Don't come to my med school. Nobody wants to work with people like you.

 

[Law2Doc]

I knew it! What, she had some academic emergency and had to write a paper in a hurry. So lame. My motto is to only take sh%t from people if you have to. If you don't need 'em, screw it.

Did you call her back and told her you were there at one? Now, that would be fun.

Well, PhDs are allowed to have meetings run long that they can't get out of too. I still would have waited. But I see your point.

 

[LuisitoMD]

I knew it! What, she had some academic emergency and had to write a paper in a hurry. So lame. My motto is to only take sh%t from people if you have to. If you don't need 'em, screw it.

Did you call her back and told her you were there at one? Now, that would be fun.

no, I wrote a letter asking to be removed from consideration, but I did write about what happened... not because of revenge... but because this person should not be allowed to interview if they are going to be pulling stuff like this.

It wasn't the only reason I left. MANY of the students there didn't seem to be very happy... I was also told, by a current student, that if you werent SDA, you would feel like an outsider. If someone you just met told you this tid bit of info right off the bat... you should take the hint.
I just didn't feel comfortable and the interview problem just made it clear...

 

[jebus]

she was a Ph.D.
I received a voice mail at about 2:30... we were set to meet at 1... saying she was waiting for me...


there. more fuel for the fire!

Professors take shîts. Sometimes their shíts go longer than scheduled. This leaves you waiting longer than 15 minutes in their office while they wipe their ass. Should you prefer they could wipe in front of you. Next time be more explicit when you're talking with the admissions office personnel.
Wow, but your hostility towards PhDs is laudable... or maybe not...

 

[SMC2UCLA2_]

oh... I'm sorry. I neglected to notice you were there. miscommunication??? meeting at 1pm... hmmm I wonder what that means???? could it be that we were going to meet at 1pm....

I don't care what anyone says. Id do the same as you if I was in your position. Having been accepted to other schools already, you should be looking for a school you will be more comfortable or happy with. The faculties organization and respect for potential students was clearly lacking.

Let everyone else take it in the butt because they seem so eager.

All the best
A.N

 

[banana k]

not siding with OP or with other.

but to highlight a two central points y'all are operating on wrt interviews:
-interviewer has more important responsibilities, adcom work being dirt low priority
-interviewer is doing adcom work on volunteer basis

i think i shelled out enough cash to each school i applied to (not to mention worked damn hard to get there) to be catered to in terms of interview scheduling. why put something like interviews on people who really do have better things to do? our application fees must go somewhere--pay some poor bastard who gives a damn and is interested to do all this nonsense. then, OP becomes non-issue.

re the OP: not sure i'd walk off, but mostly cos i don't know if i've got the backbone. if you did, at least your cojones are large.

 

[mercaptovizadeh]

I see a lot of people here are waiting on their spine donors. I don't really get why premeds here seem to be encouraging a grovelling attitude. Talking about eating people's ****, being a sex slave, an indentured servant, etc.

This is ridiculous. Everyone deserves a basic level of respect, regardless of their profession or knowledge or capabilities or position in society. One part of that is keeping your appointments. This interviewer was not forced to interview, she volunteered. She therefore should have organized her schedule to make her appointment. It is sometimes acceptable to be late or to miss an appointment, with justifiable cause - you get sick, a family emergency, an emergency surgery, consultation, etc. It is not acceptable to be late to an interview just because you had to chat with your post-doc or take a dump. I don't care if she's professor of _______, as a PhD, there are truly very few reasons why she should have missed that 1st interview, and even fewer why she should have missed the second one. She is not God. She didn't even have the courtesy of leaving an explanatory note, and I'm betting because it was something inexcusable. I can only conclude that she doesn't respect the interviewee, which likely means she doesn't respect her subordinates much at all.

 

[Law2Doc]

I see a lot of people here are waiting on their spine donors. I don't really get why premeds here seem to be encouraging a grovelling attitude. Talking about eating people's ****, being a sex slave, an indentured servant, etc.

If you plan to go into medicine, for a very long time from here on out, you will be the low person on the totem pole, the indentured servant, eating people's... Time to get used to it.
You just don't get to bail on someone because they are 15 mins late (for reasons unknown and perhaps even important - PhD notwithstanding ). Life happens, and it doesn't always revolve around your schedule.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

If you plan to go into medicine, for a very long time from here on out, you will be the low person on the totem pole, the indentured servant, eating people's... Time to get used to it.
You just don't get to bail on someone because they are 15 mins late (for reasons unknown and perhaps even important - PhD notwithstanding ). Life happens, and it doesn't always revolve around your schedule.

maybe, but we're not there yet. an interview is a two-way street. the school is trying to sell itself to you, and you're trying to sell yourself to the school. the op is essentially a potential customer -- she already has other options, so she doesn't need loma linda to be a doctor. consequently, she's really not the low person on the totem pole. most likely, the school wanted her more than she wanted them.

as for waiting, it's not about waiting 15 minutes one time. it's about being totally blown off for the first interview, and then getting the impression of being blown off the second time. also, the fact that the interviewer called at 2:30 suggests taht the interviewer probably didn't show up until at least 2 or later. honestly, i think everyone here is being way too meek about these things, and i'm starting to wonder if the bad treatment medical students and residents receive is a function of this attitude.

 

[BOBODR]

I was in a similiar position to the OP but dont have luxury of an acceptance to be able to walk out.

My interview was 2.5 hours late. Which is ok because thats part of being a doctor. Then we go to a room, she asks 3 questions . What are my stengths/weaknesses, why are my freshman year grades lower than the rest, and to tell her about the 12 house blitz (habitat for humanity). Then asks me if I have any questions for her. WTF, this was supposed to be a 45 minute interview and she is supposed to be my adcom representative. It lasted 10 minutes for the questions and another 10 minutes because I started interviewing her. Asking questions about her speciality, her history major, favorite book, etc

I find this to be B.S. I waited forever for someone who didnt care. At first I thought it must have been speicfic to me and maybe she was busy that day. Well I talked to other people who had her this year and last year and she did the same exact thing to them. Actually didnt even show up at all for 2 people. Everyone said she was disinterested, just went through the motions, took calls during the interview and what not. Why the heck is this person interviewing?!

 

[MoosePilot]

I see a lot of people here are waiting on their spine donors. I don't really get why premeds here seem to be encouraging a grovelling attitude. Talking about eating people's ****, being a sex slave, an indentured servant, etc.

This is ridiculous. Everyone deserves a basic level of respect, regardless of their profession or knowledge or capabilities or position in society. One part of that is keeping your appointments. This interviewer was not forced to interview, she volunteered. She therefore should have organized her schedule to make her appointment. It is sometimes acceptable to be late or to miss an appointment, with justifiable cause - you get sick, a family emergency, an emergency surgery, consultation, etc. It is not acceptable to be late to an interview just because you had to chat with your post-doc or take a dump. I don't care if she's professor of _______, as a PhD, there are truly very few reasons why she should have missed that 1st interview, and even fewer why she should have missed the second one. She is not God. She didn't even have the courtesy of leaving an explanatory note, and I'm betting because it was something inexcusable. I can only conclude that she doesn't respect the interviewee, which likely means she doesn't respect her subordinates much at all.

Exactly. I don't want to attend classes that start an hour and a half late because a professor wasn't courteous enough to tell the people in their incredibly important meetings, "You'll have to excuse me, I have another appointment scheduled and the meeting is running longer than scheduled."

You have to be able to control your schedule as a responsible adult, not just drift along, missing appointments because meetings run long and you can't control them at all.

 

[Lorrayne]

If you plan to go into medicine, for a very long time from here on out, you will be the low person on the totem pole, the indentured servant, eating people's... Time to get used to it.
You just don't get to bail on someone because they are 15 mins late (for reasons unknown and perhaps even important - PhD notwithstanding ). Life happens, and it doesn't always revolve around your schedule.

Just because you are a med student/resident doesn't mean that you have to be spineless. A doctor I know well has told me of her nightmare rotation during third-year with a total chauvinist who literally told her that "women don't belong in medicine." The final straw came when he wanted to "do rounds at Hooters" -- she had already spent hours re-evaluating all the patients that morning, but once he said that, she just glared at him and left, refusing to continue with him. Even though she was the lowest woman on the totem pole, it was still important for her to maintain her dignity. She's a successful physician today.
Regarding the OP, it's totally her choice if she wants to wait for the interviewer or not. The school did not fulfill their commitment to her to have someone there in a reasonable amount of time. Her interview was scheduled for 1pm; then she got the call from her interviewer to meet at 2:30pm.; and then she waited for at least 15 minutes after 2:30. I think she demonstrated "professionalism" by waiting for almost two hours. Certainly the school could have found someone else by then if her interviewer was really involved in some great emergency. If LL was her top choice, then maybe she would have been more forgiving; it wasn't, so she left.

 

[kimmcauliffe]

Wow... I honestly can't believe how harsh people have been to Mam on this thread. Actually, I can.

I probably would have waited a little longer, but it's ridiculous to be kicking Mam for being frustrated. Most of you seem to be forgetting that it's MAM'S money that will be going towards this school, and considering the disregard that the interviewer showed, I'm not surprised that Mam was upset- I would be too! Think about how much money goes to these schools for education. If the faculty can't spare 15 minutes to interview me, then I don't want to go there. The least the interviewer could have done was to reschedule for another day. It also shows that the interviewer and his/her secretary, if they have one, is seriously lacking in the appointment department.

Yes it's hard to get into medical school, we all know that. But would you want to work in a place that dismisses their subordinates in this manner? I don't think do. Medical students are still people, and people spend money to go to these interviews, prepare themselves, and have worked thier butts off to get good grades and pass the MCAT. We don't do all of that just to be waiting around for someone who obviously has more 'important' things to do.

 

[CameronFrye]

This thread is hilarious. I can't believe you people would tolerate such treatment. As someone who is interviewing for residency right now, this crap would never fly at a residency interview (and if it did happen, that program would not be ranked by applicants). This shows extreme disorganization on the part of the med school. The interview day isn't just about the applicant impressing the school. The school should be doing everything they can to impress applicants too. If this is how the school runs an interview day (when they should be putting their best foot forward), I would be very concerned about that place.

 

[Camillekc]

Cameron, you're the only med student who has posted on this thread whom i would actually want to be my doctor.

All the other med students ragging on the OP about his lack of 'perspective' seem to think that doctors run the world, probably waiting for the day when they are in that position. And that somehow you confer respect only to people who you think are your superiors, and what, not everyone else? You don't get to treat people like crap just because you think you're better than them. That just makes you an dingus.

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

Cameron, you're the only med student who has posted on this thread whom i would actually want to be my doctor.

All the other med students ragging on the OP about his lack of 'perspective' seem to think that doctors run the world, probably waiting for the day when they are in that position. And that somehow you confer respect only to people who you think are your superiors, and what, not everyone else? You don't get to treat people like crap just because you think you're better than them. That just makes you an dingus.

This makes no sense...the people ragging on the OP are not saying that what the interviewer did was ok or that it is justified to treat people like crap when you are higher on the "totem pole". Certainly, there is a level of crap you should not have to take, but waiting 15 minutes is not close to acceptable if you want to make a case that they are disorganized or trying to crap all over you. The bottom line is that the OP lost a great opportunity to show some humility, maturity, and class.

Also, if you want to make an argument that respect should be given to everyone and not only to superiors, shouldn't you also think that you should respect everyone and not just those who treat you like their top priority? I hope I never have to work with people who are so illogical and self-centered.

Also, what the h*ll does being a phd have to do with anything? IMO this is just further evidence that the OP has a lack of understanding for what doctors do and a lack of respect for authority figures. Obviously, you have never worked around a Phd if you think they aren't busy or don't have important conferences and meetings to go to....

 

[QuikClot]

This makes no sense...the people ragging on the OP are not saying that what the interviewer did was ok or that it is justified to treat people like crap when you are higher on the "totem pole". Certainly, there is a level of crap you should not have to take, but waiting 15 minutes is not close to acceptable if you want to make a case that they are disorganized or trying to crap all over you. The bottom line is that the OP lost a great opportunity to show some humility, maturity, and class.

I agree I wouldn't fault the OP for not waiting -- we all have our own line between "eager and flexibile" and "spineless." But the way the OP went about leaving was wrong. You don't just leave. It seems, rightly or wrongly, as if the OP got emotional and fled. Wounded pride, a quick temper, a desire to match rudeness with rudeness -- we all have these impulses, but a doctor has to be able to keep them under control.

How long you wait is a personal decision. When you decide you aren't going to wait any more, what I would suggest is: call the interviewer's office, tell the story, and say that you're sorry, but you can't wait any longer, and would they please call and reschedule? Then call the dean's office or whomever and register a polite protest.

Now you are both standing up for yourself and demonstrating emotional control and a high level of professionalism.

It's a difficult situation to have been put in -- good luck to the OP, and I hope I never have to take my own advice!

 

[nekrogg]

you're not the only one.....doesn't it suck!

if you took the time to read the post i was responding to... wow why am i even bothering.

 

[Telemachus]

I agree I wouldn't fault the OP for not waiting -- we all have our own line between "eager and flexibile" and "spineless." But the way the OP went about leaving was wrong. You don't just leave. It seems, rightly or wrongly, as if the OP got emotional and fled. Wounded pride, a quick temper, a desire to match rudeness with rudeness -- we all have these impulses, but a doctor has to be able to keep them under control.

How long you wait is a personal decision. When you decide you aren't going to wait any more, what I would suggest is: call the interviewer's office, tell the story, and say that you're sorry, but you can't wait any longer, and would they please call and reschedule? Then call the dean's office or whomever and register a polite protest.

Now you are both standing up for yourself and demonstrating emotional control and a high level of professionalism.

It's a difficult situation to have been put in -- good luck to the OP, and I hope I never have to take my own advice!

Dude, well said.

 

[Camillekc]

I'm not saying I agree with what he did. Like rsfarrell, I think s/he should have went back to the office and said that he was leaving, and couldn't wait any longer (given that I think he waited much longer than 15 minutes from his posts), so that the interviewer didn't have to wait for him.

I was actually referring to the people who did say that it was okay for the interviewer to act like that, but not the OP, because the interviewer was a doctor. Which is "illogical and self-centered"; neither should have.

 

[MoosePilot]

I agree I wouldn't fault the OP for not waiting -- we all have our own line between "eager and flexibile" and "spineless." But the way the OP went about leaving was wrong. You don't just leave. It seems, rightly or wrongly, as if the OP got emotional and fled. Wounded pride, a quick temper, a desire to match rudeness with rudeness -- we all have these impulses, but a doctor has to be able to keep them under control.

How long you wait is a personal decision. When you decide you aren't going to wait any more, what I would suggest is: call the interviewer's office, tell the story, and say that you're sorry, but you can't wait any longer, and would they please call and reschedule? Then call the dean's office or whomever and register a polite protest.

Now you are both standing up for yourself and demonstrating emotional control and a high level of professionalism.

It's a difficult situation to have been put in -- good luck to the OP, and I hope I never have to take my own advice!

Well, given that the experience made him decide he didn't want to go there, a call to register a protest, especially after the admissions office flat told him the interviewer was there waiting would have been appropriate. Maybe on his cell phone on his way home...

 

[Law2Doc]

Regarding the OP, it's totally her choice if she wants to wait for the interviewer or not. The school did not fulfill their commitment to her to have someone there in a reasonable amount of time. Her interview was scheduled for 1pm; then she got the call from her interviewer to meet at 2:30pm.; and then she waited for at least 15 minutes after 2:30. I think she demonstrated "professionalism" by waiting for almost two hours. Certainly the school could have found someone else by then if her interviewer was really involved in some great emergency. If LL was her top choice, then maybe she would have been more forgiving; it wasn't, so she left.

I think either you are totally misundestanding the scenario or I am -- I had understood that the interviewee bailed after waiting for 15 minutes, and then later got a call (long after she had left) at about 2:30. She didn't wait until 2:30 and then wait another 15 minutes. If she had waited an hour and a half I think that would have been very different. But I think from her posts that she didn't. And she didn't give the school a chance to find someone else to interview her, as you suggest -- she didn't go back to the admissions office after this 15 minutes -- she just left. As rsfarrell suggested below, that is where the unprofessionalism comes in. Two wrongs don't make a right.

 

[banana k]

law2, i think you missed the point made a few times that the OP waited twice. granted that 15 min was a little short for the second time, but please be careful not to oversimplify.

anyone have any insight into why some adcom interviews are run so smoothly and some aren't? are there different systems out there? do some schools have devoted interview committees who do so as a paid assignment during a chunk of time carved out of the rest of their year, and do other schools just sort of ask for volunteers at faculty meetings from members who are clearly harried and overscheduled? really, with a good system, the OP becomes moot because this just wouldn't happen.

and after having read more and more posts, i think i will have to take sides. someone characterised the "spineless, bend over and take it" side as being overly worshipful of their superiors, and then made the EXCELLENT point that this may be because many of them will not see a problem mistreating their underlings when THEY are in the superior position. i gotta say, there is some logic in that. i do expect to be treated like a human being, even if i don't have a doctorate yet. if circumstances arise in which i get screwed over, i expect the other parties involved to apologise to me. it's what i'd do for them, without question, and it's what i plan to do if i'm in a position of superiority. we should all be able to expect that kind of courtesy.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

law2, i think you missed the point made a few times that the OP waited twice. granted that 15 min was a little short for the second time, but please be careful not to oversimplify.

I agree. If the interviewer hadn't screwed up with the first interview, I don't think it'd be a big deal to wait 15 to 20 minutes for her to show. That is normal on interviews, especially because interviews tend to run over. However, the fact that the interviewer couldn't be bothered to make the first interview and then made the op wait is just downright rude on her part.

 

[ragda26]

hey

this has happened at UMDNJ before as well with a friend of mine. Dont worry. As long as you showed interest in the school, they will look up for you.

 

[45408]

Don't come to my med school. Nobody wants to work with people like you.

so you let people walk all over you? cuz that's what she was saying she won't put up with.

 

[nekrogg]

so you let people walk all over you? cuz that's what she was saying she won't put up with.

Its one thing to be walked on, and another thing to have too much pride. Waiting a cumulative 30 minutes for someone who is probably twice your age with 10x more responsibility and then storming off in anger is quite childish. The interviewee deserves no respect what so ever. You are given respect though because you are a human being. But what has she done in her life that is so great? Shes not more special than the PhD. In fact in the greater view of things, her life is pretty trivial compared to the PhD. The PhD isnt out to specifically disrespect you. So everyone get off your high horses because honestly your pre-med life isnt that important atm.

 

[Law2Doc]

anyone have any insight into why some adcom interviews are run so smoothly and some aren't? are there different systems out there? do some schools have devoted interview committees who do so as a paid assignment during a chunk of time carved out of the rest of their year, and do other schools just sort of ask for volunteers at faculty meetings from members who are clearly harried and overscheduled? really, with a good system, the OP becomes moot because this just wouldn't happen.

I'm pretty sure the adcom members who do interviews were personally appointed/asked to by a dean (it's not something just tossed out at a faculty meeting at large seeking volunteers). Most are faculty or clinicians with other full time gigs. They are not usually paid for the admissions work. Deans of Admission are paid for that role, but often have clinician gigs as well. Student interviewers usually do it for the free lunch.
I did notice that the OP had indicated that the 15 minutes was the second attempt to have an interview, but because she didn't mention any waiting time for the first instance, I gathered that it was a reschedule snafu and that she didn't actually have to wait for it, just bear with some disorganization. I have personally been on interviews where the interviewers, times or locations got changed at the last minute -- no big deal, you just have to roll with the punches. I've also had interviews where the prior interview went long and I had to wait 20 minutes or so, and frankly as long as it didn't cost me any of my interview time, I certainly didn't make a fuss about it.
I don't really understand how folks feel that waiting 15 minutes or dealing with a disorganized admission committee makes one "spineless". If you want something, sometimes you wait. Not just in the admissions game, in life. The phrases "good things come to those that wait" and "patience is a virtue" were not coined by accident, sometimes they are the smartest course.
Nor do I understand how folks feel that someone who is late for a meeting is so diss'ing you that you should just storm out and leave after a paltry 15 minutes without at least swinging by the admissions office to let them try to defuse the situation. But I guess that's just me.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

i got the impression from the op's initial post that she waited a significant amount of time the first go around when the interviewer just straight up forgot about the interview. i'm assuming the first wait was more than 15 minutes. i think it's reasonable to expect the interviewer to be somewhat prompt with the second interview since she blew it the first go-round and totallly forgot about the interview. personally, if i flake on something, i make sure i'm especially prompt and courteous on my chance to fix it. having a ph.d. doesn't exempt one from trying to be polite and thoughtful of others.

 

[DrBowtie]

Law2Doc, exlawgrrl......

Its time to take this to The People's Court.

The dishonorable BB will be presiding.

Sorry I couldn't resist.

 

[Law2Doc]

Law2Doc, exlawgrrl......

Its time to take this to The People's Court.

The dishonorable BB will be presiding.

Sorry I couldn't resist.

I'll try to remember to bring my receipts

 

[DrBowtie]

I'll try to remember to bring my receipts

Don't forget your completely biased witness.

 

[Law2Doc]

Don't forget your completely biased witness.

I'm coaching him as we speak.

 

[Iluvmatt]

I went to interview at Loma Linda this morning. First interview went great! The second interviewer didn't show up. She didn't even call. I ran around looking for the interview coordinator. I was asked to meet with the interviewer later... she was at a meeting that ran late and she forgot she had to interview. Went to meet with her again... waited for 15 minutes... decided to leave.

I took a day off of work, lost about $300 off of my paycheck.... ahhhhhhhh what lack of professionalism and consideration!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is pretty obvious you just want to be a doc only for the money and title. You show lack of care and respect and are pretty selfish. Apparently, you have better schools to attend to. But don't forget, patients have options too. How do you expect patients to return to you when you have an attitude like that? Change the attitude or you'll be changing career--and that's not by choice.

Don't make smart people look like a dumb-a$$.

 

[Iluvmatt]

i do expect to be treated like a human being, even if i don't have a doctorate yet. if circumstances arise in which i get screwed over, i expect the other parties involved to apologise to me. it's what i'd do for them, without question, and it's what i plan to do if i'm in a position of superiority. we should all be able to expect that kind of courtesy.

He didn't stay long enough to get an apology. If I was the interviewer, I would apologize. But I'm not going to make an effort to find him to say sorry if he didn't make an effort to wait for me.

 

[45408]

Its one thing to be walked on, and another thing to have too much pride. Waiting a cumulative 30 minutes for someone who is probably twice your age with 10x more responsibility and then storming off in anger is quite childish. The interviewee deserves no respect what so ever. You are given respect though because you are a human being. But what has she done in her life that is so great? Shes not more special than the PhD. In fact in the greater view of things, her life is pretty trivial compared to the PhD. The PhD isnt out to specifically disrespect you. So everyone get off your high horses because honestly your pre-med life isnt that important atm.

Thanks for responding to the wrong post. Anyways, we'll get off our high horses if you get off your enormous soap box.

It is pretty obvious you just want to be a doc only for the money and title.

Wow, Miss Cleo has joined the thread!

 

[Jon Davis]

To the OP: I understand you're frustrated and all, but the opportunity cost of NOT having been admitted dwarfs your puny $300. Granted, time is money, I hope it wasn't a huge hit to your pocketbook.

I certainly don't advocate being a bootlicker, you must have a spine, no doubt (esp. in medicine where you have to stand your ground frequently). I would have waited for the interviewer and told him/her the troubles you went through to meet them (in a respectable tone - in situations like this your tone means everything).

Bottom line, it was foolish to leave. If you're angry or frustrated again, take a few seconds to cool down and decide RATIONALLY.

 

[banana k]

if i may summarise...

-utter spinelessness is bad, and even though someone has a more important position, that doesn't give them the right to walk all over pre-meds. if something happens which requires inconvenience, an apology and friendliness is courteous.

-it is advisable to be flexible as per the nature of this field (including academics, if i can stand up for us geeks out there), and one should wait and discuss and exhaust options before throwing hand in the air.

-above all, REMEMBER WHERE YOU ARE NOW, and how you're feeling as an interviewee and/or nailbiting premed, and treat your students well someday. you are not worthless, neither are they.

one quick story that came to mind that's been making me STEAM while i read this thread... when i was starting my thesis last september, my advisor scheduled a meeting between me and my secondary advisor at 11am on a tuesday. my secondary and i both made sure we were available and turned up, hunted around, and couldn't find him. many many phone calls & text messages to home and mobile phones, much badgering of department secretary (who is rather humourless and was annoyed with us for asking). five hours later, i finally get a call from first advisor--he'd been FISHING all day. hadn't told anyone where he was going or seen fit to cancel with us. no apology either to me OR my secondary (who was a colleague and not even an underling), ever. people with egos this size should be smacked.

oh, and Jon Davis, what's the Victory Act? should i start rousing liberal Australians? (thank god Patriot was deee-nied...)

 

[Law2Doc]

if i may summarise...

-utter spinelessness is bad, and even though someone has a more important position, that doesn't give them the right to walk all over pre-meds. if something happens which requires inconvenience, an apology and friendliness is courteous.

-it is advisable to be flexible as per the nature of this field (including academics, if i can stand up for us geeks out there), and one should wait and discuss and exhaust options before throwing hand in the air.

-above all, REMEMBER WHERE YOU ARE NOW, and how you're feeling as an interviewee and/or nailbiting premed, and treat your students well someday. you are not worthless, neither are they.

one quick story that came to mind that's been making me STEAM while i read this thread... when i was starting my thesis last september, my advisor scheduled a meeting between me and my secondary advisor at 11am on a tuesday. my secondary and i both made sure we were available and turned up, hunted around, and couldn't find him. many many phone calls & text messages to home and mobile phones, much badgering of department secretary (who is rather humourless and was annoyed with us for asking). five hours later, i finally get a call from first advisor--he'd been FISHING all day. hadn't told anyone where he was going or seen fit to cancel with us. no apology either to me OR my secondary (who was a colleague and not even an underling), ever. people with egos this size should be smacked.

oh, and Jon Davis, what's the Victory Act? should i start rousing liberal Australians? (thank god Patriot was deee-nied...)

I think everyone on this post would agree that unless the PhD was a doctor of marine biology, fishing would not have been a good enough reason to be late for the OP's interview. I think your summary in the first part of your post was spot on -- especially clause two.

 

[nrddct]

Looks like a test. guess what, you FAILED!

Lol, that exactly what I would've thought.

 

[DNM503]

If you plan to go into medicine, for a very long time from here on out, you will be the low person on the totem pole, the indentured servant, eating people's... Time to get used to it.
You just don't get to bail on someone because they are 15 mins late (for reasons unknown and perhaps even important - PhD notwithstanding ). Life happens, and it doesn't always revolve around your schedule.

That may be the case, but if you are fortunate enough to be able to have a choice of which medical school you attend, how you are treated as an applicant is going to make a major impact on your decision because it likely reflects how you will be treated as a student. I declined an interview at Mount Sinai because they hung up on me twice without letting me finish my sentence. I believe you get the best training when you are SUPPORTED as a student, not walked all over or treated like crap. Yes, occasionally things will go wrong, people will have meetings, people will be late...but for it to happen twice in one day by the same person without any sort of notice is unprofessional and reflects poorly on the school. If it were me, I would rule out the school as well because I see that as a sign of the consideration you will get as a medical student. And if you have the option get more consideration/be treated better elsewhere, then why waste your time on places that do not even compare?

 

[nekrogg]

Thanks for responding to the wrong post. Anyways, we'll get off our high horses if you get off your enormous soap box.


Wow, Miss Cleo has joined the thread!

I honestly hope for your patients sake you dont retain this condescending attitude. In any case, next time you have an interview try walking out and see far in life you will get: it will be our SDN experiment of a failure in action.

 

[Jon Davis]

oh, and Jon Davis, what's the Victory Act? should i start rousing liberal Australians? (thank god Patriot was deee-nied...)

The Patriot Act was denied for renewal. However, I don't think it is totally out of the picture. It only takes another fabricated terror attack to re-introduce it. (Atty. Gen. wants to bring it back: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1402687) In times of fear, like 9-11, crazy laws like this are passed without much scrutiny (357–66 in the House of Representatives, 98 to 1 in Senate). This law is an absolute insult the American people and violates their rights and freedoms. Th President has called the Constitution as a "G-d piece of paper". http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7779.shtml

You never hear about this in the mainstream media because it is owned by the pals of law makers with agendas. There is so much I can share with you about how disgusting D.C. has become and how America is being destroyed from within. PM if you wish.

Anway, on to Victory Act. Read about it here: http://irregulartimes.com/victory.html This is a law that Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, and other dictators only DREAMED of. The American people are being cheated and looted. Not more than a slight hiccup has come from the people. Keep the public occupied with the nothingness of entertainment and the jungle of materialism. Crazy times it is.

 

[dilated]

But what has she done in her life that is so great? Shes not more special than the PhD. In fact in the greater view of things, her life is pretty trivial compared to the PhD.

Speak for yourself. My life is of exactly the same importance as any PhD. Having spent some time in graduate school and written a thesis does not, amazingly enough, increase your value as a human being.

I'd rather have my dignity than be a doctor (which is not necessarily the choice here, but I get the impression plenty of people here are slavering to eat the metaphorical - or literal - poop hot dog). Fortunately, I don't have to choose - if any school wants to be a choad about it, there are plenty of other schools which treat their applicants well and don't act like they're inferior, one of which I will pick and attend next year.

 

[banana k]

sorry, minor hijacks:

jon, yikes, that sounds way too much like an ashcroft wet dream for my comfort... too bad johnny howard keeps aping the bushies so much that that legislation will get downunder in a couple of years too...

oh, and dilated--oddly enough, the PhD in question for me WAS a marine biologist for all intents and purposes (the zoology half of my venoms project). granted, he was an invertebrate ecologist and has nothing to do with fish. regardless, he took the day off work and didn't see fit to tell anyone... in order to do a bit of rod-and-reel data collection. we were not amused, especially when he didn't seem the least bit contrite.

 

[MoosePilot]

Its one thing to be walked on, and another thing to have too much pride. Waiting a cumulative 30 minutes for someone who is probably twice your age with 10x more responsibility and then storming off in anger is quite childish. The interviewee deserves no respect what so ever. You are given respect though because you are a human being. But what has she done in her life that is so great? Shes not more special than the PhD. In fact in the greater view of things, her life is pretty trivial compared to the PhD. The PhD isnt out to specifically disrespect you. So everyone get off your high horses because honestly your pre-med life isnt that important atm.

The interviewee deserves no respect whatsoever because her life is trivial compared to a great and mighty PhD?

Here's a hint. Most PhDs never really contribute anything special to science. They're just a different flavor of worker bee with a chance to make a contribution to science if they turn out markedly more talented/lucky than the other 99% of their ilk.

The admissions office heard about the situation and then said the interviewer was now available and waiting. That turned out to be false, despite 15 minutes of waiting the interviewer still didn't show. 2nd failure to show... what was there a scientific emergency meeting?