What is a bad interview and what is the impact

[skijumpbump]

Can someone tell me what a bad interview is like? I am talking about one where it has a negative effect on your application and your eventual chances of getting an acceptance.

I don't think I had a bad interview, but on the other hand I don't think that I had a good one. If it did not go really great is this automatically bad? My interviewer seemed really unresponsive, as if he did not like what I was saying or thought it was uninteresting.

My stats for this school are almost exactly at the average for matriculated students so I wanted to have a great interview to give me a nice boost. Yet I feel that I did not do this. How important are interviews, can a good one make you and a bad one break you?

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[armybound]

they ask you questions and your answers prove that you're not genuine, don't know what medicine is about, lied about some aspect of your application, etc. For instance, if you talk about your 2 publications for your awesome research in arthritis, then they ask you what techniques you did, what your findings were, etc, and you have no answer.. you're screwed.

The good thing is that you can get stumped a time or two during the interview and it won't really matter. The interview is just another part of your entire application, and it is viewed holistically at most places.

Don't worry about unresponsive interviewers--they're trained to not show much emotion. My interviewer yesterday even yawned a few times.

 

[skijumpbump]

I hope appeared genuine (I am!), but I dont think he liked my answer to why medicine, which I think is the most important question. He also did some typing on his computer while I was talking. Not that I mind that, I know these people are busy.

 

[pianola]

Kind of an interesting question. I suspect it's somewhat interviewer dependent. Overall, though, I would imagine interviewers are far less likely to tell applicants when they've had a lousy interview than when they've had a good one, though.

 

[linguini]

Unfortunately a bad interview can really screw with your chances of acceptance. From what I've heard from admissions members, people underestimate how important that interview is. At that level, you are competing against people have who similar statistics and ECs.

I guess the silver lining is that your perception of a bad interview does NOT always equal the interviewer's perception. Interviewers have a wide range of styles...which may include an apathetic affect that has nothing to do with your personal demeanor.

This is anecdotal but may make you feel better: my boss interviewed for a fellowship at our current institution a few years ago. He said it was the worst interview he ever had. The guy interviewing him was totally uninterested and distracted and confused by his responses. When he got accepted into the fellowship, the bad interview guy told him, "I'm so glad you're here. I really enjoyed meeting you a few weeks ago!"

 

[armybound]

I wouldn't look too much into it. a lot of people think they bomb an interview and end up getting accepted there.

 

[Vihsadas]

I wouldn't look too much into it. a lot of people think they bomb an interview and end up getting accepted there.

Yeah exactly. You have to be sure that you're talking about interview performance and not interview perception. From what we've seen on these boards, your perception of the interview probably isn't a good indicator of how well you did.

 

[CafeMed]

I wouldn't look too much into it. a lot of people think they bomb an interview and end up getting accepted there.

Whenever I think I did really bad on something, I'm usually pleasantly surprised by the actual outcome. It's when I think things went great that I start to worry...😀

So OP, now that it's over, try not to stress about it. I know it's hard not to keep replaying it in your mind, but that's just going to make for a very long app cycle if you do.

 

[skijumpbump]

I interviewd at this school last year as well and I was eventually rejected. When I left my interview last year I was told by the interviewer that it was a great interview. I have improved my app in many ways since my last time (MCAT, ECs). Is it possible that the information from my first interview is kept in a file and that may be looked at?

 

[fizzle]

Man, I hope my perception is off...I just had an interview today, and I feel like it just went "okay." Not bad but not great, either. The interviewer hardly even asked me anything--just sat there and asked, "Do you have any questions for me?" I was hoping for some start-off question, at least...

 

[shoEs646]

Man, I hope my perception is off...I just had an interview today, and I feel like it just went "okay." Not bad but not great, either. The interviewer hardly even asked me anything--just sat there and asked, "Do you have any questions for me?" I was hoping for some start-off question, at least...

I never know how to answer the "Do you have any questions for me?" question. Is it necessary to have a question or is "no" an acceptable answer? Anyone else have issues with this question.

 

[Depakote]

I never know how to answer the "Do you have any questions for me?" question. Is it necessary to have a question or is "no" an acceptable answer? Anyone else have issues with this question.

well, the problem is that you're typically interviewed at the end of the day, you've already had presentations on the school, financial aid, a student tour, and maybe even another interview... by the then, there's a good chance your factual questions may have been answered. But you really do want to have some questions for your interviewer. Go ahead and ask some subjective questions "what's the area like? what are the strengths of the program/curriculum/etc? where are good places to live?", the type that the answer will vary from person to person. That will give you more than facts on the school, and it's ok if you repeat this question from person to person...

 

[jult24er]

I never know how to answer the "Do you have any questions for me?" question. Is it necessary to have a question or is "no" an acceptable answer? Anyone else have issues with this question.

Yup.

 

[corbis11]

I'll give you an example of a "bad interview" I had

Last year at an interview one of the two people interviewing me asked me about why I wanted to be a leader (it was in my personal statement). I gave him my answer and then he responded by saying "why?" and I gave him an answer and again he asked me "why?" and he asked me about five more times. The last time he asked me "why?" I really had nothing else to say and looked at both of them like "are you seriously asking me for the millionth time???" and I said nothing for like 10 seconds. After that strange silent moment he gave me a disappointed stare and the interview ended right there...got rejected, but somehow I received a letter in the spring saying I was on their waitlist.

 

[jult24er]

Not sure, but I had 6 last year, only thought 1 went badly, and got 0 acceptances, so i dont think it has anything to do with being laughed at, ignored, or asked to stop talking.

Besides the being caught in a dishonesty thing, mentioned by armybound, im guessing, in retrospect, a bad interview is one where the interviewer leaves without the impression that you are 100% passionate about and commited to medicine.

Or, more generally, a bad interview could be one where the interviewer leaves not having formed a very positive opinion about you in the areas that were weaknesses in your paper app.

 

[Jolie South]

I'll give you an example of a "bad interview" I had

Last year at an interview one of the two people interviewing me asked me about why I wanted to be a leader (it was in my personal statement). I gave him my answer and then he responded by saying "why?" and I gave him an answer and again he asked me "why?" and he asked me about five more times. The last time he asked me "why?" I really had nothing else to say and looked at both of them like "are you seriously asking me for the millionth time???" and I said nothing for like 10 seconds. After that strange silent moment he gave me a disappointed stare and the interview ended right there...got rejected, but somehow I received a letter in the spring saying I was on their waitlist.

yea, at this one school, my interviewer asked why i got a d in 2nd semester organic chemistry, and i was like "well, i just didn't put in the effort that i should have." she just stared at me. then, later on she asked why i wanted to go to that particular school. i actually had no idea and i just blurted out the first thing that came to mind from the tour. i think i said something along the lines of "great reputation for producing excellent clinicians" or something equally generic.

these little fumbles were probably not enough to totally kill my app, but here's the real clencher. she asked me about an experience that i'd had in africa. i said that the media paints a bleak picture but that in general people have a very positive outlook and are generally happy. then, get this my eyes started watering. i just kept talking and talking and the more i talked the more i wanted to cry.

i have no idea where that came from, but i swear it took all my strength not to start. my interviewer was totally staring at me.

 

[jult24er]

yea, at this one school, my interviewer asked why i got a d in 2nd semester organic chemistry, and i was like "well, i just didn't put in the effort that i should have." she just stared at me. then, later on she asked why i wanted to go to that particular school. i actually had no idea and i just blurted out the first thing that came to mind from the tour. i think i said something along the lines of "great reputation for producing excellent clinicians" or something equally generic.

these little fumbles were probably not enough to totally kill my app, but here's the real clencher. she asked me about an experience that i'd had in africa. i said that the media paints a bleak picture but that in general people have a very positive outlook and are generally happy. then, get this my eyes started watering. i just kept talking and talking and the more i talked the more i wanted to cry.

i have no idea where that came from, but i swear it took all my strength not to start. my interviewer was totally staring at me.

great story; hope thats in the bizarre interview thread.

 

[droshan]

I'll give you an example of a "bad interview" I had

Last year at an interview one of the two people interviewing me asked me about why I wanted to be a leader (it was in my personal statement). I gave him my answer and then he responded by saying "why?" and I gave him an answer and again he asked me "why?" and he asked me about five more times. The last time he asked me "why?" I really had nothing else to say and looked at both of them like "are you seriously asking me for the millionth time???" and I said nothing for like 10 seconds. After that strange silent moment he gave me a disappointed stare and the interview ended right there...got rejected, but somehow I received a letter in the spring saying I was on their waitlist.

Wow, are you kidding? What a jerk? That's kind of funny though...although I would be mortified if that happened to me. I agree with everyone else on this forum...my interview last week was with the same guy that gave the introduction speech (real nice and cool guy) but his demeanor totally changed when he interviewed me...no emotion...barely spoke. I talked to someone else that interviewed with him and she said she got the same vibes. This was the first interview day at the school too. Don't stress about it.

 

[fizzle]

I never know how to answer the "Do you have any questions for me?" question. Is it necessary to have a question or is "no" an acceptable answer? Anyone else have issues with this question.

Well, it's okay if your interviewer asks you that well into the interview or near the end of it, but my interviewer started the interview with that question and kept continuing to ask it every time a line of conversation ended. I ended up just asking about her own research and her work; it felt as if I were the interviewer and she was the interviewee 😳

 

[p30doc]

what if you are visibly nervous or have a trembling voice due to nerves? does that make for a 'bad' interview?

 

[pianola]

what if you are visibly nervous or have a trembling voice due to nerves? does that make for a 'bad' interview?

If you're so nervous you're paralyzed for the whole interview, that can't possibly be good. But interviewers probably *expect* you to be a little nervous.

 

[mbe36]

what if you are visibly nervous or have a trembling voice due to nerves? does that make for a 'bad' interview?

I'd say it leaves a slightly negative impression. However, porper preparation can go a long way in curing nervousness.

 

[Law2Doc]

I never know how to answer the "Do you have any questions for me?" question. Is it necessary to have a question or is "no" an acceptable answer? Anyone else have issues with this question.

No is not an acceptable answer. This is your time to sell yourself and show interest. You need to relish the opportunity to steer the conversation. So have a bunch of questions ready.

As for the impact of bad interviews, you have to realize that at many places, about a third to half of interviewees will get in. So you really have to beat out the other guys, not just do "ok". At many schools everyone who makes it to an interview has already passed the threshold necessary "on paper", and it's up to the "in person" aspects to make the final determination. Some schools will actually state that everyone who makes it to that stage is deemed on equal footing. At other places the interview is simply given so much weight that other factors aren't likely to have as much impact. So you need to do well. Never believe the foolish posts you see now and then that suggest that the interview is just meant to "weed out the crazies". Even the crazies can hold it together for a 45 minute interview. The interview is deemed hugely important at most schools and can make or break your application. Be as prepared as you can.

I agree with prior posters that folks often don't know whether they are interviewing well or not. There have been tons of threads where folks thought the interview went great and got a quick reject, and others where folks think they did poorly and got a quick acceptance. So a lot of people have problems with perception. It's thus best to practice in front of someone, or on videotape. Interviewing is a learnable skill. Don't just figure you can wing it and you'll be fine if you don't trip up. Go in there ready to sell yourself. Have a good conversation about your favorite topic -- you. Wow them.

 

[go lakers]

I never know how to answer the "Do you have any questions for me?" question. Is it necessary to have a question or is "no" an acceptable answer? Anyone else have issues with this question.

I liked to ask my interviewer about themselves (what brought them to the school, how their time is spent there (research/clinical/administrative), and what their thoughts were on the school). this would usually keep the conversation going for a bit and keep it interesting, as long as they weren't in a hurry to get somewhere.

you learn that people like talking about themselves.. 👍

 

[HigHal320]

I wouldn't look too much into it. a lot of people think they bomb an interview and end up getting accepted there.

Exactly what happened to me and I didn't get any acceptance from places that I think I did really well.

 

[Law2Doc]

I liked to ask my interviewer about themselves (what brought them to the school, how their time is spent there (research/clinical/administrative), and what their thoughts were on the school). this would usually keep the conversation going for a bit and keep it interesting, as long as they weren't in a hurry to get somewhere.

you learn that people like talking about themselves.. 👍

That's always a good last couple of questions to have in your arsenal. I would probably try to have something school specific before you resort to those.

 

[GoLakers310]

Not sure, but I had 6 last year, only thought 1 went badly, and got 0 acceptances, so i dont think it has anything to do with being laughed at, ignored, or asked to stop talking.

Besides the being caught in a dishonesty thing, mentioned by armybound, im guessing, in retrospect, a bad interview is one where the interviewer leaves without the impression that you are 100% passionate about and commited to medicine.

Or, more generally, a bad interview could be one where the interviewer leaves not having formed a very positive opinion about you in the areas that were weaknesses in your paper app.

six interviews and zero acceptance? 😱 Man, that must have sucked...

 

[jult24er]

six interviews and zero acceptance? 😱 Man, that must have sucked...

Yup, thanks for the empathy.

 

[Law2Doc]

six interviews and zero acceptance? 😱 Man, that must have sucked...

That's not a record. There have been folks who have gotten killed at this stage. This basically means they are good enough to get in the door, but not strong enough at interviewing to bring it home. And it's not likely they were "bad". (Once in a while you hear about an interviewee who was too arrogant, or abrasive, but that is actually pretty rare). They probably were simply lackluster, just "going through the motions", trying not to screw up, not really selling themselves. Schools want dynamic folks. Folks who exhibit some excitement about the place. Folks who seem like a "good fit". You need to put the same kind of effort into the interview as you did in every other phase of the application process. The folks that don't, often end up paying for it. So practice, like your future depended on it. Sometimes it does.

 

[jult24er]

That's not a record. There have been folks who have gotten killed at this stage. This basically means they are good enough to get in the door, but not strong enough at interviewing to bring it home. And it's not likely they were "bad". (Once in a while you hear about an interviewee who was too arrogant, or abrasive, but that is actually pretty rare). They probably were simply lackluster, just "going through the motions", trying not to screw up, not really selling themselves. Schools want dynamic folks. Folks who exhibit some excitement about the place. Folks who seem like a "good fit". You need to put the same kind of effort into the interview as you did in every other phase of the application process. The folks that don't, often end up paying for it. So practice, like your future depended on it. Sometimes it does.

Ughh, I hate selling things ... Isnt that why we've chosen medicine?

 

[tabletop]

Is it bad to speak grammatically correctly? Haha, I know this sounds stupid, but my pet peeve is bad grammar. During interviews, I tend to speak with really proper grammar and everything, but whenever I walk out of the interview I feel like I just sounded really fake (you know how sometimes people don't know the answer to a certain question, so they just BS something, make it sound good, and use big vocabulary?), and even though I was being genuine, I'm sure it came off as fake. I just can't talk with immense passion without feeling like a total doofus. I just can't!

 

[olivesolivia]

what if you are visibly nervous or have a trembling voice due to nerves? does that make for a 'bad' interview?

Propranolol! It's a beta-blocker so it stops the SNS response when you're nervous. I use it when I'm going to speak in front a group of people, and it really helps my physical symptoms (heart races, shaky, etc). I will most definitely be using it for my interviews! It will really allow me to focus on myself and what I want to get across to them. I don't want to be distracted by physical stress in those crucial 45 minutes.

 

[URHere]

Interviews are massively important, but most applicants really aren't able to accurately gauge how well their interviews went. Here are a few things I suggest to make things go as well as possible and soothe your nerves:

1) Talk to current medical students about who you are interviewing with if you get the chance - they will often give you insight into your interviewer's personality. I had one interview with an extremely unresponsive and displeased-looking doctor, only to be told by a few current students that it was an AWESOME sign that he smiled twice during my interview...apparently that was rare for him...

2) Always ask questions. Make a list before you go to the interview and always make sure you have something handy. With some interviewers, it won't matter if you say "no, I don't have any questions", but why would you take that chance?

3) If you don't know the answer to something, saying "I don't know" is much better than making something up. Spouting out a big load of BS is an awesome way to make a horrible impression.

4) How you behave for the ENTIRE interview day is vital. You need to make a good impression during the morning introduction session, during presentations, and right up to the moment you leave. I remember talking to the dean of a medical school last year, and he told me that he often formed his opinion of how socially capable the interviewees were before they even walked into his office to interview - he judged them solely based on how they introduced themselves at the morning session and interacted with each other.

5) BE WHO YOU ARE. If you are shy, pretending to be too outgoing will probably make you seem fake, and if you are a social butterfly, trying to be too self-contained will probably just make you look like you have some type of motor tic. Try to be interested and involved, but don't try to overhaul your personality in one day - it doesn't work.

 

[jult24er]

4) How you behave for the ENTIRE interview day is vital. You need to make a good impression during the morning introduction session, during presentations, and right up to the moment you leave. I remember talking to the dean of a medical school last year, and he told me that he often formed his opinion of how socially capable the interviewees were before they even walked into his office to interview - he judged them solely based on how they introduced themselves at the morning session and interacted with each other.

Is that Dean George Bush? And did he let Putin into his medical school?

 

[sunshine8i8]

I'll give you an example of a "bad interview" I had

Last year at an interview one of the two people interviewing me asked me about why I wanted to be a leader (it was in my personal statement). I gave him my answer and then he responded by saying "why?" and I gave him an answer and again he asked me "why?" and he asked me about five more times. The last time he asked me "why?" I really had nothing else to say and looked at both of them like "are you seriously asking me for the millionth time???" and I said nothing for like 10 seconds. After that strange silent moment he gave me a disappointed stare and the interview ended right there...got rejected, but somehow I received a letter in the spring saying I was on their waitlist.

Man, that sounds like my PI. He prides himself in being able to get beyond the more "practiced" answers.

 

[Law2Doc]

Ugh, for the whole-day thing, I'm not usually the type to go out of my way to introduce myself to others. "Hi, I'm xxxx, what's your name? where are you from?" Is this necessary?

Yep. You need to go outside of your comfort zone and be affable and talkative for the day if that is not how you normally are. Despite making you jump through all those basic science hoops during undergrad, medicine is predominantly a service industry. You will be spending much of your time in this field talking to patients, presenting to teams, consulting with colleagues, dealing with social work, PT/OT, ancillary professionals, talking to patients' families and friends. It's incredibly social. Someone with the gift of gab has one part of the toolset important to be a good clinician-- the one most difficult to develop, and the one most tested on interview day. So you really need to showcase whatever you've got in this respect. That means you really can't sit quietly, not make eye contact, not ask questions. You need to be inquisitive, talkative, and engaging. Again, this is something that can be developed with practice, so definitely use every "interview-like" opportunity to hone your skills. (As a side benefit, it will give you a good rap to use at parties and bars 🙂).

 

[THX]

Propranolol! It's a beta-blocker so it stops the SNS response when you're nervous. I use it when I'm going to speak in front a group of people, and it really helps my physical symptoms (heart races, shaky, etc). I will most definitely be using it for my interviews! It will really allow me to focus on myself and what I want to get across to them. I don't want to be distracted by physical stress in those crucial 45 minutes.

How long do beta-blockers last and how long before an interview should one be taking them?

 

[chemolupusMD]

I think is a bad interview if:

a) you start crying in the interview
b) the interviewer screams at you
c) there is more than 1 min silence between every answer

 

[Erina]

what if you are visibly nervous or have a trembling voice due to nerves? does that make for a 'bad' interview?

when i'm interviewing someone, if i see that they're really nervous, i try to calm them down before really getting into the interview. since i interviewed just 2 years ago for medical school, i understand what it's like. so i'm ok with people being nervous...although, if you're so nervous that it really impairs your ability to show me who you are, it's going to be hard to give you a good review.

to be honest, though, i'm more put off by someone who isn't nervous at all! sometimes that comes across as way too confident.

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

Propranolol! It's a beta-blocker so it stops the SNS response when you're nervous. I use it when I'm going to speak in front a group of people, and it really helps my physical symptoms (heart races, shaky, etc). I will most definitely be using it for my interviews! It will really allow me to focus on myself and what I want to get across to them. I don't want to be distracted by physical stress in those crucial 45 minutes.

****, so my "pounding an energy drink" method is not a good idea. I used for my committee interview, went great, keeps me on my toes.

Im sure i'm not the only one who would like to know this. Will propanolo keep your palms from sweating? I can still perform no matter how nervous I am, but my palms will definitely be sweating when i'm nervous.

Any tips?

 

[SDN2013]

****, so my "pounding an energy drink" method is not a good idea. I used for my committee interview, went great, keeps me on my toes.

Im sure i'm not the only one who would like to know this. Will propanolo keep your palms from sweating? I can still perform no matter how nervous I am, but my palms will definitely be sweating when i'm nervous.

Any tips?

anti persperant on the hand

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

anti persperant on the hand

Wont your hands stink and be sticky?

 

[RoyBasch]

One thing I worry about is that although interviews don't make me nervous, they make me feel very warm. I imagine this may be a problem wearing a suit and tie, hopefully they will have the AC set to "arctic blast" in the inerview room (chamber).
-Roy

 

[deleted106503]

One thing I worry about is that although interviews don't make me nervous, they make me feel very warm. I imagine this may be a problem wearing a suit and tie, hopefully they will have the AC set to "arctic blast" in the inerview room (chamber).
-Roy

Ditto. I'm more worried about sweating all in my suit as well as on my hands than anything else by far. All I know is that drinking a lot of alcohol makes me stop doing that, but of course that is not an option, lol. 🙂

 

[linguini]

Ditto. I'm more worried about sweating all in my suit as well as on my hands than anything else by far. All I know is that drinking a lot of alcohol makes me stop doing that, but of course that is not an option, lol. 🙂

it's an option..

but a bad one.

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

Ditto. I'm more worried about sweating all in my suit as well as on my hands than anything else by far. All I know is that drinking a lot of alcohol makes me stop doing that, but of course that is not an option, lol. 🙂

Im with you guys, that's the only solution I can find to having sweating hands. If i'm drunk i'm no longer nervous (about anything), so my hands dont get sweaty.

Probably a bad choice though. Anyone got a suggestion for how to keep hands from sweating (besides being drunk)?

 

[Rach83]

Probably a bad choice though. Anyone got a suggestion for how to keep hands from sweating (besides being drunk)?

This reply is probably too late to be of any help, but I've read that Botox injections (on the palms of your hands or armpits) stops the excessive sweating, but I would imagine that is very expensive. 😛

 

[EastCoastie87]

If your interviewer burns your file at the end of your interview, you know it's a bad interview.

 

[Bahadur]

Not sure, but I had 6 last year, only thought 1 went badly, and got 0 acceptances, so i dont think it has anything to do with being laughed at, ignored, or asked to stop talking.

Besides the being caught in a dishonesty thing, mentioned by armybound, im guessing, in retrospect, a bad interview is one where the interviewer leaves without the impression that you are 100% passionate about and commited to medicine.

Or, more generally, a bad interview could be one where the interviewer leaves not having formed a very positive opinion about you in the areas that were weaknesses in your paper app.

Hey Jult24er, i remember you from last cycle. How are you doing? Hope things are going much better for you this cycle.

 

[Climberak]

Im with you guys, that's the only solution I can find to having sweating hands. If i'm drunk i'm no longer nervous (about anything), so my hands dont get sweaty.

Probably a bad choice though. Anyone got a suggestion for how to keep hands from sweating (besides being drunk)?

If done carefully, chalk will keep your hands nice and dry without being noticeable. Rock climbers use the stuff all the time to keep their hands from perspiring.

Right before the interview, rub some chalk on your palms. Wait a few minutes, then briefly hold them under running water. Dry off with a paper towel, and presto, no sweaty hands for at least an hour.

Be sure not to get any on your suit, and make sure you're in a private bathroom so no one will walk in and wonder what the hell it is you're doing.