What are some things that will get you automatically rejected if you say them during an interview?

[Windom Earle]

Going into medicine for the money is a big one, I'm sure. I would like to see what the AdComs have personally heard

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[MADD!!!]

Loll I think if you said medicine for the money they'd probably laugh really hard first. Even if they accepted you you'd probably drop out.

And people rarely get rejected for saying the "wrong" thing. Some people lie on their app and get caught during interview, many people say the "right" thing but sound so insincere, fake, and rehearsed that the only thing admins hear is "I don't want to do medicine, please reject me" or "I have no idea wtf I'm talking about, someone just told me to say this and I'd get in." And then there is the scenario where what you say doesn't add up to what's on your app.... red flags.

 

[MADD!!!]

And sometimes... you say the right thing but your interviewer is biased or interpreted your answer in a wrong way. You did everything right and yet you still got fcked.... that's why the #1 advice is to always apply early and BROADLY. There are some things you just can't account for no matter how "perfect" you and your app are.

 

[deleted244469]

"I haven't gotten into an Allopathic school yet, so I figured that I would apply Osteopathic as a backup plan."

 

[Geo16]

"I haven't gotten into an Allopathic school yet, so I figured that I would apply Osteopathic as a backup plan."

You beat me to it.
OR saying anything negative about MDs. For sure, I've seen it somewhere that (Goro's post?) bashing MDs isn't a good idea.

 

[Luka75]

"Why should I choose this school over X school?"

or... "I have Charisma." ( the interviewer might tell you :"You should take something for that...")

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

You beat me to it.
OR saying anything negative about MDs. For sure, I've seen it somewhere that (Goro's post?) bashing MDs isn't a good idea.

At my LECOM -Erie group interview one of the people in my group accused MD's of being "pull-pushing soulless physicians" and that was a big reason as to why they wanted to be a DO.

Shocked by the seemingly unprovoked attack on our allopathic colleagues, I looked toward the interviewers when the interviewee finished their answer to see what type of a response this might elicit. To my right, a slightly startled looking face; nothing too dramatic. To my left, a beat red face; steam billowing out the ears.

Moments later, the interviewer to my left informed us that they were a "pull-pushing MD" who proceeded to utterly pulverize the interviewee's confidence into the depths of their soul; never again to reemerge.

Highly recommend not bashing MD's OP we'll all be on the same team one day.


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[Geo16]

At my LECOM -Erie group interview

Group interviews exist? Didn't know that! Not sure which one I'd prefer.

 

[allanMED15]

At my group interview at LECOM-Bradenton we were given a totally hypothetical situation and expected to respond to it. One of my group members rather than answering the question, talked around the question by saying "he had not prepared for this scenario".

I imagine not answering the question directly looks pretty bad.

 

[allanMED15]

Group interviews exist? Didn't know that! Not sure which one I'd prefer.

I think they were fun honestly.

 

[mfrey28]

At a group interview for LECOM-SH we had to discuss why DO. Many of the interviewees kept saying MDs just treat with pharmaceuticals and don't practice "holistic" medicine. Interviewer definitely did not like that response.

 

[deleted244469]

At a group interview for LECOM-SH we had to discuss why DO. Many of the interviewees kept saying MDs just treat with pharmaceuticals and don't practice "holistic" medicine. Interviewer definitely did not like that response.

"Holistic" is a death word at LECOM. They HATE it.

 

[Mad Jack]

Group interviews exist? Didn't know that! Not sure which one I'd prefer.

If you're a good interviewer, you basically get a boost by all of the weak people around you. In my 8 person group interview, we correctly guessed who would get in and who would crash and burn.

 

[Geo16]

If you're a good interviewer, you basically get a boost by all of the weak people around you. In my 8 person group interview, we correctly guessed who would get in and who would crash and burn.

Yeah, that's whole another variable now. But I think I prefer the group interview. It'll get rid of awkwardness of being alone.

 

[Geo16]

"Holistic" is a death word at LECOM. They HATE it.

Why? Also, how did you find out?

 

[Marrowist]

"I enjoy PCP on occasion."

 

[Medic741]

LOL -- during LECOM-B interview they asked: "why LECOM?"... I answered that their PBL curriculum trained innovative thinking and it would prepare me to not only be a competent physician, but give me skills to be an innovator in my future practice.

Guy took off his glasses and angrily glared at me:

"What's wrong with being competent?"

Sigh...

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Group interviews exist? Didn't know that! Not sure which one I'd prefer.

They're fun as long as your group doesn't have any gunners trying to take up everybody's talking time. Don't be one of those people if you do a group interview in the future; be a team player. Bring others people up, don't cut people off, compliment other interviewees if you genuinely enjoyed their answer, etc. It's stressful enough in those situations, no need to act like an ass; be respectful and relaxed.


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[Geo16]

They're fun as long as your group doesn't have any gunners trying to take up everybody's talking time. Don't be one of those people if you do a group interview in the future; be a team player. Bring others people up, don't cut people off, compliment other interviewees if you genuinely enjoyed their answer, etc. It's stressful enough in those situations, no need to act like an ass; be respectful and relaxed.

Dude, this is my biggest fear. What if other people's performance silence my aptitude? That means I gotta step it up a notch and find a way. I'd like to work together and get accepted together.

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Dude, this is my biggest fear. What if other people's performance silence my aptitude? That means I gotta step it up a notch and find a way. I'd like to work together and get accepted together.

It happened in my Bradenton group, but not my Erie group. Not really sure what the best way to handle that situation would be. Teamwork seemed a very important skill to be evaluated on interview day because of their PBL curriculum, so when people do that I feel like it kind of ruins it for everyone in a way. I guess I'd just do your best to be yourself, answer questions to the best of your ability, and not stress if it happens.


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[poloboy]

Take-home point: Be honest throughout your application so you can be real during your interview, unless you're a great actor who can passionately express your embellished stories.

 

[popopopop]

Not during interview time, but during a tour, a guy actively tried to discredit OMM and its science. He then went on to question why the DO schools had lower GPA/MCAT averages than MD schools. The student tour guides tried to deflect it as best as they could. I even interjected at one point. I'm not sure what he was thinking considering he was interviewing there....

During my own interview, I used the word "physician burnout" a few times, but the physician interviewing me didn't like it because he says it doesn't exist. I got accepted, but just throwing it out there that things can be very subjective so be careful of wording.

 

[AlteredScale]

If you cited SDN.


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[MADD!!!]

If you cited SDN.


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Naa, KCU loves when you cite SDN . Make a strong presence like @AnatomyGrey12, write a good review of KCU, and you in.

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Not during interview time, but during a tour, a guy actively tried to discredit OMM and its science. He then went on to question why the DO schools had lower GPA/MCAT averages than MD schools. The student tour guides tried to deflect it as best as they could. I even interjected at one point. I'm not sure what he was thinking considering he was interviewing there....

During my own interview, I used the word "physician burnout" a few times, but the physician interviewing me didn't like it because he says it doesn't exist. I got accepted, but just throwing it out there that things can be very subjective so be careful of wording.

With regards to you mentioning physician burnout:

I asked an ER doc I shadowed if he felt like it was a problem in the EM field in general, as I had read it in an article about EM. He reacted defensively... I was really confused. It was worded incredibly neutral and was a genuine question.


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[Medic741]

It's a really personal question that a professional experiencing burnout is not comfortable discussing with someone who is young & without much history.

When younger people would ask this question I would cringe.

That's something you can really only appropriately discuss with someone who you know well and knows you well.

You don't know their context -- and trust me -- it's important to understand that professional respect is an understanding of what is just not an appropriate question to ask -- especially since -- you really, really wouldn't like the answers to your questions

 

[pseud0]

Not during interview time, but during a tour, a guy actively tried to discredit OMM and its science. He then went on to question why the DO schools had lower GPA/MCAT averages than MD schools. The student tour guides tried to deflect it as best as they could. I even interjected at one point. I'm not sure what he was thinking considering he was interviewing there.....

well if it was anything like my group tour, it was just a bunch of second year students showing us around, not adcoms. They didn't even know our names really

 

[sammiesings]

well if it was anything like my group tour, it was just a bunch of second year students showing us around, not adcoms. They didn't even know our names really

Anything you say during interview day is fair game to be reported back to adcom and thus taken into evaluation. It wouldn't have been too difficult to find out the obnoxious one's name and report them if the tour guide wanted to.

 

[You're My Boy Blue]

"It wasn't really my fault, that cop was a total dou@#e"

 

[Scrubs101]

"It wasn't really my fault, that cop was a total dou@#e"

Or "he/she was out to get me!" Whether it be about a class you failed or a cop.

Also at one of my interviews there was one kid using a ton of slang terminology and speaking in acronyms (and not like schools name ACGME/AOA type but like "OMG"), while i dont think this is a straight forward deal breaker id be curious as to see how adcoms read this.


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[Goro]

"DO and MD, it's all the same"

Anything said with an attitude

Addressing interviewers by their first name.

"The cop was out to get me" (this was actually said by one of our interviewees)

"Can I answer that?" (about another interviewee's question from a pathologically exuberant interviewee in our panel format)

"I don't know" (said by someone with a deer-in-the-headlights look after a softball question)

"What was the question?" (said after starting to answer, but then the brain shorted out)

"Why didn't I shadow a DO? I didn't think I had to, because other doctors said nice things about them" (said by one candidate from a DO-rich region, but couldn't be bothered to actually contact one)

Going into medicine for the money is a big one, I'm sure. I would like to see what the AdComs have personally heard

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

It's a really personal question that a professional experiencing burnout is not comfortable discussing with someone who is young & without much history.

When younger people would ask this question I would cringe.

That's something you can really only appropriately discuss with someone who you know well and knows you well.

You don't know their context -- and trust me -- it's important to understand that professional respect is an understanding of what is just not an appropriate question to ask -- especially since -- you really, really wouldn't like the answers to your questions

I probably should have thought more about that. One of my pre-med mistakes I guess!


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[deleted812153]

If you cited SDN.

Is this true or a joke? Doesn't that show thorough research into medical school and interest?

 

[Goro]

I doubt that 90% of my faculty colleagues know what SDN is. The wily old Admissions dean sure does.

Is this true or a joke? Doesn't that show thorough research into medical school and interest?

 

[Major]

Don't ever cuss or use unprofessional language

 

[mfrey28]

"I don't know" (said by someone with a deer-in-the-headlights look after a softball question)

Well I may be SOL. However I felt the question I had was a difficult ethics question. So I sure hope it wasn't a death sentence.

 

[AlteredScale]

Is this true or a joke? Doesn't that show thorough research into medical school and interest?

It was a neutral statement. If you say it and the faculty member doesnt know what it is, its probably nothing for or against you saying it,p. If you say it and the faculty knows what it is and thinks of sdn to the likes of reddit and you act like its some holy grail of why you want to be a doctor then you will probbaly get weird looks.




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[gallons]

speaking negatively about another school. At least it should imo.

 

[Goro]

Ethics questions are NOT softballs! The question I remember the "I don't know" guy bombing was a softball.

Well I may be SOL. However I felt the question I had was a difficult ethics question. So I sure hope it wasn't a death sentence.

In my experience, this would more likely land one on the wait list. Trashing the school to one of the tour guides while you're visiting is reject provoking though. Students take pride in their school and will report back unusual behavior or language.

speaking negatively about another school. At least it should imo.

 

[B_52]

You beat me to it.
OR saying anything negative about MDs. For sure, I've seen it somewhere that (Goro's post?) bashing MDs isn't a good idea.

I have a question along the whole playing nice with MD's thing/ looking for someone to calm my post interview neurosis.

So they asked me a question along the lines of:
"after shadowing many hours with both MDs and DOs, did you notice any sort of advantages that DOs had?" I was an ED scribe so had a lot of shadowing both kinds of docs there for endless hours at a time.

My answer was something like:
"Well I noticed that the DOs were more likely to get up right away and at least eyeball and greet every patient rather than wait to see PIT labs or immaging for the less pressing cases, and maybe the DO foundation of a more hollistic approach to the patient allows them to think in a way that they aren't as likely to "treat the numbers before the patient" as MD docs might be."

Is this safe enough? or did i inadvertantly bash my second interviewer in the room who I later learned happened to be an MD?

 

[dwgrubbs1s]

Talking politics. Bashing other schools/professions. Saying you are applying D.O. for "holistic" reasons. Just being an idiot in general. My notion is that if you make it to the interview stage, your acceptance now largely hinges on you not being a complete ***** and being able to answer questions and talk like an intellectual adult. (Some cases it may be a late interview or other circumstances that prevent an acceptance but the interview is a major factor). I have read some horror stories about interviews and often wonder how these people have made it this far in life. It is one thing to be nervous and give a bad answer. It is another thing to just be an obnoxious tool. I think interviewers can differentiate this in a lot of cases.

 

[B_52]

Also, I mentioned hollistic stuff during my interview, but compared it to my really enjoyable undergraduate experience at a Jesuit school (jesuits are very open and proud of having a hollistic approach to education) and said that the philosophies of what made my undergrad enjoyable and one of the major the philosophies that make the DO approach unique to MD are very compatable. I would hope that this was an ok way to bring up the whole hollistic thing in a way that isn't asinine in the way of just rattling off buzz words.

 

[dwgrubbs1s]

I have a question along the whole playing nice with MD's thing/ looking for someone to calm my post interview neurosis.

So they asked me a question along the lines of:
"after shadowing many hours with both MDs and DOs, did you notice any sort of advantages that DOs had?" I was an ED scribe so had a lot of shadowing both kinds of docs there for endless hours at a time.

My answer was something like:
"Well I noticed that the DOs were more likely to get up right away and at least eyeball and greet every patient rather than wait to see PIT labs or immaging for the less pressing cases, and maybe the DO foundation of a more hollistic approach to the patient allows them to think in a way that they aren't as likely to "treat the numbers before the patient" as MD docs might be."

Is this safe enough? or did i inadvertantly bash my second interviewer in the room who I later learned happened to be an MD?

I think it should be safe enough. You may have worded it as a "just my personal experience" type of deal that way it didn't seem as if you had given all M.D.'s that label, just giving your personal observations. But no, personally I wouldn't think negatively of your answer. If that is what you noticed, then that is what you noticed. No harm no foul.

 

[B_52]

I think it should be safe enough. You may have worded it as a "just my personal experience" type of deal that way it didn't seem as if you had given all M.D.'s that label, just giving your personal observations. But no, personally I wouldn't think negatively of your answer. If that is what you noticed, then that is what you noticed. No harm no foul.

Thank you; yeah i used mild language, no sweeping blanket statements like "all MDs just sat on their asses and managed patients entirely from their computers and DOs were the infallable marvels of a moddern ER".

 

[gallons]

I have a question along the whole playing nice with MD's thing/ looking for someone to calm my post interview neurosis.

So they asked me a question along the lines of:
"after shadowing many hours with both MDs and DOs, did you notice any sort of advantages that DOs had?" I was an ED scribe so had a lot of shadowing both kinds of docs there for endless hours at a time.

My answer was something like:
"Well I noticed that the DOs were more likely to get up right away and at least eyeball and greet every patient rather than wait to see PIT labs or immaging for the less pressing cases, and maybe the DO foundation of a more hollistic approach to the patient allows them to think in a way that they aren't as likely to "treat the numbers before the patient" as MD docs might be."

Is this safe enough? or did i inadvertantly bash my second interviewer in the room who I later learned happened to be an MD?

leading the witness your honor.

 

[B_52]

leading the witness your honor.

I'd say that's exactly what it was, and I definitely fell for it, but hopefully not too badly.

 

[SurgDoc95]

I can honestly say I referenced SDN in almost all my interviews not with a very heavy emphasis though more of "I really wanted to find out how current students feel about the school and the learning atmosphere and after talking to the student ambassadors and current/former students on SDN..."

 

[NerdherderHelpDesk]

I definitely messed up this question in my last interview, so I wanted to know how I could best discuss this specific topic:

The question posed to me was: "What do you feel has been your biggest mistake to date and what would you have done differently?" The answer I gave was the first thing that came to mind, but I know that the interviewer was fishing for a particular answer from my application. I had taken part in a masters in biosciences program the year before. While in the program, I attained a conditional acceptance to the COM based on completion of the program and my final GPA in the program. I blew the GPA requirements by .1 (the equivalent of 3 exam questions).

At this point in time, I know that my biggest failure is not working hard enough to maintain the conditions of my acceptance, but I am not sure how to address that in future interviews. Any suggestions?

 

[luckyely91]

I definitely messed up this question in my last interview, so I wanted to know how I could best discuss this specific topic:

The question posed to me was: "What do you feel has been your biggest mistake to date and what would you have done differently?" The answer I gave was the first thing that came to mind, but I know that the interviewer was fishing for a particular answer from my application. I had taken part in a masters in biosciences program the year before. While in the program, I attained a conditional acceptance to the COM based on completion of the program and my final GPA in the program. I blew the GPA requirements by .1 (the equivalent of 3 exam questions).

At this point in time, I know that my biggest failure is not working hard enough to maintain the conditions of my acceptance, but I am not sure how to address that in future interviews. Any suggestions?

I had questions like this posed during my interviews, and I definitely did not mention anything academically related. From what I've read and heard from current medical students and some of the admission committee members, it is recommended that you talk about other mistakes that do not concern academics. For instance, I talked about how I was unable to run less than a 9 minute mile, and I considered that a personal failure. The admissions committee really liked that, and kept asking me questions for follow up. Therefore, my advice is to possibly talk about other mistakes unrelated to academics because it shows personal growth outside of school. However, if you feel like blowing the GPA requirements was sincerely your biggest mistake to date, then I would discuss that AND what you learned from it.

 

[Kgizzle]

Dude, this is my biggest fear. What if other people's performance silence my aptitude? That means I gotta step it up a notch and find a way. I'd like to work together and get accepted together.

Sometimes you just have to volunteer as tribute