Do you think people like the secretaries, people who work in the admissions office, medical students that lead tours, etc. report back with their perceptions of you, and that factors into the decisions somehow? Kind of like spies, haha.
What happens outside of the interview...
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I mean, if you were outrageously obnoxious and full of yourself and treated everyone else awful cuz you thought you were awesome, then yes, they might find a way to let the admissions office know. But speaking as a tour guide myself, we definitely don't speak to the adcom on a regular basis at all. So feel free to ask whatever questions you like on your tours and relax 🙂
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i would avoid talking about interviews at other places, being a tool etc infront of ppl from the school
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Eh I ask because I had an interview recently at my alma mater, and since I went to school there, I was more relaxed than I would have usually been, and I'm afraid I might have come off as unprofessional. Ie. we had a break in the middle of the day, and I was probably the most chatty person in the room the entire time. I picked up a phone call while a med student stopped by to talk to us on her way through the office because I already was friends with the student from college so I didn't think twice about doing it. I also declined a suggestion from the secretary to visit something during the break, because, well, I went to the school so I could see this thing whenever I wanted to, and my feet hurt lol.
I know this is probably a silly question, but now I'm afraid that the secretary in the office might have noticed these things and somehow relay it to the office that I behaved in an unprofessional or blase manner.
I know this is probably a silly question, but now I'm afraid that the secretary in the office might have noticed these things and somehow relay it to the office that I behaved in an unprofessional or blase manner.
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You're overthinking things. That's only natural and everyone does it, but try not to freak out; there's no way that a med student or secretary would try to blackball you over those little things.
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For the most part...no. However, if you are a complete jerk to the secretary or say something so rude and inappropriate that you offend someone, then they might mention it.
I am a medical student and I used to give tours and I never reported anyone.
I am a medical student and I used to give tours and I never reported anyone.
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I'm not positive one way or the other, but egregious behavior towards some of the staff may prompt a negative report on you. Like an admissions director told me, if you're rude to the secretaries, they might 'accidentally' lose your file.
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The fact that you were relaxed is probably a good thing. Good luck, hopefully it turns out well.
On another note: I have heard a story in which a member of the adcom randomly walks into the admissions office and starts chatting with an interviewer without announcing who he is. I think he was also wearing fairly casual clothes, so the interviewer had no clue. Just be nice to everybody.
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Sure, absolutely be nice to everyone, cuz you never know; that person standing next to you on the elevator could be the dean of admissions. That said, don't stress about it; as long as you're nice and not a jerk, you're not going to do anything that's going to drive them to think of you negatively.
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Go Spurs sums it up well. I'll elaborate a bit.
I've been reminded by an adcom member to, always, remember that during an interview day, you are (can/may be) being judged from the moment you are greeted at the front door, to the moment you pay parking and leave. And lets not forget the financial aid meeting that you bail on to see a friend at the school, do you really want to be that guy/girl? And your student host the night before? Do you want to be the one with bad table manners who comes back to the house at 1am after hooking up with your ex in NYC...for example.
Do you really want to gamble that that host doesn't know the doctor interviewing you? The one your host has clinic with every thursday morning at 7am??? 😱
Read any med school "incoming student" brochure....they're all about professionalism. In the clinic. In class. In the building. Rules. Guidelines, etc. I'm going to start with the interview, myself.
People seem quick to say "no" here, as if, no secretary or student tour guide would EVER report you. That's a really really risky way to think. We've come so far, do you really want to be the guy caught picking your teeth after having that chicken salad sandwich for lunch as the adcom member walks by and realizes it was YOU he saw... Or being rude to a cashier, secretary, street vendor nearby, etc. I'm thinking about a couple of urban schools I've visited and you just never know who you'll run into at the falafel stand outside the front door! (the P&S falafel/crepe stand was actually very good!)
Anyway, I would treat everyone I encounter that day with the utmost of respect. Out of politeness, and a little extra that day, even if it sounds self serving.
I've run into MANY people in strange places and I'll be damned if I'm going to let a chance encounter mess things up for me after taking all these pre reqs, the MCAT, etc. I remember going in to meet an admissions director who I'd never met before for some guidance on their school, and I was running late (a no no in the first place). But anyway, as I entered, there was a nice woman leaving the building, walking down the hall, she said hello, I replied, with a smile, "How are you today?" Lo and behold, that was the Dir. of Admissions who returned to the office three minutes later.
In another meeting that week, with a Dir of Admissions at another school, we met in a large hotel lobby. Just so happened that EVERY one of the admissions directors of every regional med school were in the lobby at THAT exact time (for a yearly meeting). Aside from how nice that was, and that I was introduced to them all, and had a nice meeting, you never know who is who... so act accordingly. This is the real deal.
There are also some VERY small med schools that come to mind, and walking through the lobby/hallway of those places, I can't help but think that EVERYONE knows everyone else. I'm not going to take chances.
Good luck. In your particular situation, OP, I think you're fine.
So the solution isn't to worry, overanalyze, not be yourself, it's actually a very simple solution:
Be yourself and mind your manners while you act very professionally at all times during interview season the moment you arrive at your school. It could make the difference. You just NEVER KNOW.
D712
I've been reminded by an adcom member to, always, remember that during an interview day, you are (can/may be) being judged from the moment you are greeted at the front door, to the moment you pay parking and leave. And lets not forget the financial aid meeting that you bail on to see a friend at the school, do you really want to be that guy/girl? And your student host the night before? Do you want to be the one with bad table manners who comes back to the house at 1am after hooking up with your ex in NYC...for example.
Do you really want to gamble that that host doesn't know the doctor interviewing you? The one your host has clinic with every thursday morning at 7am??? 😱
Read any med school "incoming student" brochure....they're all about professionalism. In the clinic. In class. In the building. Rules. Guidelines, etc. I'm going to start with the interview, myself.
People seem quick to say "no" here, as if, no secretary or student tour guide would EVER report you. That's a really really risky way to think. We've come so far, do you really want to be the guy caught picking your teeth after having that chicken salad sandwich for lunch as the adcom member walks by and realizes it was YOU he saw... Or being rude to a cashier, secretary, street vendor nearby, etc. I'm thinking about a couple of urban schools I've visited and you just never know who you'll run into at the falafel stand outside the front door! (the P&S falafel/crepe stand was actually very good!)
Anyway, I would treat everyone I encounter that day with the utmost of respect. Out of politeness, and a little extra that day, even if it sounds self serving.
I've run into MANY people in strange places and I'll be damned if I'm going to let a chance encounter mess things up for me after taking all these pre reqs, the MCAT, etc. I remember going in to meet an admissions director who I'd never met before for some guidance on their school, and I was running late (a no no in the first place). But anyway, as I entered, there was a nice woman leaving the building, walking down the hall, she said hello, I replied, with a smile, "How are you today?" Lo and behold, that was the Dir. of Admissions who returned to the office three minutes later.
In another meeting that week, with a Dir of Admissions at another school, we met in a large hotel lobby. Just so happened that EVERY one of the admissions directors of every regional med school were in the lobby at THAT exact time (for a yearly meeting). Aside from how nice that was, and that I was introduced to them all, and had a nice meeting, you never know who is who... so act accordingly. This is the real deal.
There are also some VERY small med schools that come to mind, and walking through the lobby/hallway of those places, I can't help but think that EVERYONE knows everyone else. I'm not going to take chances.
Good luck. In your particular situation, OP, I think you're fine.
So the solution isn't to worry, overanalyze, not be yourself, it's actually a very simple solution:
Be yourself and mind your manners while you act very professionally at all times during interview season the moment you arrive at your school. It could make the difference. You just NEVER KNOW.
D712
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One guy who gave tours for a NY school, Albany or NYMC maybe. He said he was actually instructed to report back any students who seemed really interested and those who didn't.
i have to say that at downstate (my only interview so far) the administrative staff was SO nice and supportive and did not seem like the kind of staff that would "report" any sort of behavior. when i checked in with them before i left for the day they were like, "you survived your interview! yay!" it was really cute.
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I hope the majority of people do not have a problem with this issue. If you are normally a good-natured, polite, courteous person you will not have anything to worry about.
Even if you are, you should still be on your best behavior. I kind of equate it to when you are a house guest with someone that isn't a close friend but is doing you a favor. You will do a better job of being a gracious guest than if you were on your own or with a really good friend. When you think about it, they ARE doing you a favor by considering you a candidate for admission and bringing you in for an interview. This is such a "gimme" (not getting the interview itself, but being able to behave during the visit) as opposed to all the other hoops you have to jump through, that to be denied on the fact you were rude, or didn't turn your cell off, or appeared disinterested on a tour... well I can't blame anyone at an institution if word goes through the grapevine about anything negative you did. In that case, you deserve the bad reputation.
However, I think most people are going to be better behaved and more conscientious in this situation, I hope, where you should not have to worry about it.
Even if you are, you should still be on your best behavior. I kind of equate it to when you are a house guest with someone that isn't a close friend but is doing you a favor. You will do a better job of being a gracious guest than if you were on your own or with a really good friend. When you think about it, they ARE doing you a favor by considering you a candidate for admission and bringing you in for an interview. This is such a "gimme" (not getting the interview itself, but being able to behave during the visit) as opposed to all the other hoops you have to jump through, that to be denied on the fact you were rude, or didn't turn your cell off, or appeared disinterested on a tour... well I can't blame anyone at an institution if word goes through the grapevine about anything negative you did. In that case, you deserve the bad reputation.
However, I think most people are going to be better behaved and more conscientious in this situation, I hope, where you should not have to worry about it.
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word
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njbmd
In any interview situation (medical school, job etc), you are "on" as soon as you arrive. Is there ever a reason to be unprofessional, impolite and otherwise stupid at any time? Please use some common sense and pretend that you are mature and polite even if you are not.
You can be kicked out of school for unprofessional behavior at any point. As an attending physician, your patients can sue you for unprofessional behavior. There is never a reason to act like a jerk or behave rudely in any professional situation.
You never have to worry about being observed doing something unprofessional if you don't engage in this type of behavior in the first place.
You can be kicked out of school for unprofessional behavior at any point. As an attending physician, your patients can sue you for unprofessional behavior. There is never a reason to act like a jerk or behave rudely in any professional situation.
You never have to worry about being observed doing something unprofessional if you don't engage in this type of behavior in the first place.
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Very true. It doesnt hurt your chances to extremely nice to the staff. But I am pretty sure it will hurt your chances if you arent or being "cocky" or bored
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