What is the hardest interview question you have ever had?

[sirdude]

I was wondering what kind of hard/crazy questions some people have faced out there during interviews. I know that personally my hardes question to answer at one interview was, "What is one main reason why you think that you won't be the best student to accept into this school?"

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Nomemory]

I had some lame, long drawn out illness while in school and this was the reason. I really didn't feel like it was appropriate to be discussing my reproductive health in an interview so I tried to side-step it a little, which I'm sure made me look shady. In the end I ended up mentioning my uterus AND looking shady to boot. 🙄

Rule No. 2 of interviewing: If at all possible, for God's sake, don't mention your uterus.

 

[DocBR]

I had some lame, long drawn out illness while in school and this was the reason. I really didn't feel like it was appropriate to be discussing my reproductive health in an interview so I tried to side-step it a little, which I'm sure made me look shady. In the end I ended up mentioning my uterus AND looking shady to boot. 🙄

Rule No. 2 of interviewing: If at all possible, for God's sake, don't mention your uterus.

Same type of question for me (but not my uterus). There was some short speculation that I had an auto immune disease which was later thrown out, but an ultimate diagnosis was never found (the illness just went away as mysteriously as it came).

The interviewer asked why so many W's, then immediately followed up with "If you do have an auto immune disease....how do you possibly think you will survive the stress of a residency?" He said it in a very accusatory way, I stayed cool and as soon as it was over, his stern demeanor turned into a big smile and the interview was over. I was accepted to that school, so I think he was just trying to gauge my reaction while under pressure, but it sure made me feel like I had bombed the interview.

So... Rule No.3 of an interview: No matter what happens, above all else, keep your cool.

 

[braluk]

What is California's health care system and how does it differ from that of Massachusetts. I honestly had no clue.

Another one- but I answered it eloquently and they seemed to agree

Define what the art of medicine is, define the science of medicine. How will you prepare for the two?

 

[Nomemory]

What is California's health care system and how does it differ from that of Massachusetts. I honestly had no clue.

Another one- but I answered it eloquently and they seemed to agree

Define what the art of medicine is, define the science of medicine. How will you prepare for the two?

They're at two different ends of the world, why would you? Unless you're from CA and interviewing in MA or in MA and interviewing in CA, then maybe. And even then, only MAYBE. I mean who cares, it's not like your knowing about it is going to change some problem the country has been up in arms about for I dunno how long. If you were interviewing for a political position then yeah, maybe. 😉

 

[etf]

Rule No. 2 of interviewing: If at all possible, for God's sake, don't mention your uterus.

especially if you're a dude

 

[braluk]

Lol I just simply said I do not know. I went to college in MA and I had a peripheral idea of it, the California system of healthcare was a shot in the dark.

 

[Nomemory]

especially if you're a dude

 

[pyrois]

"Why would you leave California to come to this God-forsaken place."

 

[Quiet-Storm.]

I havent interviewed yet but the one question I am dreading is

"If you don't manage to get into medicine, what other options will you pursue?"

That question is tricky because you want to illustrate that you have other options but at the same time you dont want the interviewer to think you will be ok even if you are rejected.

Similarly, you want to illustrate that you want to get into medicine above all else but at the same time you can't make it seem like you have no back up plans and that if you dont get into medical school your going to live in the forest by yourself, grow a big beard and eat racoons for dinner.

 

[Critical Mass]

Give me a 2-minute impromptu speech on the topic of humility.

 

[DocBR]

Give me a 2-minute impromptu speech on the topic of humility.

Someone that I interviewed with got "Tell me a joke"

If I were given that prompt during an interview I would draw a total blank.
I know a lot of jokes, but most are not safe for interviewers 😀

 

[braluk]

Did you ever see Boondock saints, in that scene in which the Russian mobster asks one of his henchman to tell a joke on the spot? It'd be kind of like that. I have a couple corny ones up my sleeve that I could tell Its all in the delivery

 

[MirrorTodd]

Did you ever see Boondock saints, in that scene in which the Russian mobster asks one of his henchman to tell a joke on the spot? It'd be kind of like that. I have a couple corny ones up my sleeve that I could tell Its all in the delivery

"I'll have a coke then." Not too sure if that one would go over very well.

 

[braluk]

Lol not that joke, I just mean the tense situation in telling a joke. But good god, i can only imagine how fast the reject stamp would come out

 

[gary5]

I was happy that I did not receive the common question, "Tell me about an interesting novel that you've read recently.", since I typically do not read novels.

 

[Critical Mass]

Someone that I interviewed with got "Tell me a joke"

Did you hear that Michael Jackson was at Wal-Mart last week? He heard that little boys' pants were half off.

 

[kdburton]

if they ask you to tell a joke:
Q "What does Snoop Dogg wash his clothes with?"

A "BLEEEOOOTCH!"

 

[deleted103730]

Knock, Knock
-Who's there?
The Interrupting Cow
-The interrupting co...
Moooooo!

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

"Are you a frequent liar?"

<stutter>

"That's ok, a majority of today's doctors are liars, so you're well on your way already."

 

[crimsonkid85]

I was happy that I did not receive the common question, "Tell me about an interesting novel that you've read recently.", since I typically do not read novels.

with respect to the novel question: i don't usually read novels either, but i picked one up at the airport during one of my interview trips...and finished the whole dam* book because the flight was delayed for THAT LONG. so yea, i was covered for that question...although, no one ever ended up asking me about it.... ?

 

[sirus_virus]

Why medicine?

 

[cubbbie]

"If we let you in, would you come here?"

I completely stumbled over that one. It was awful.

 

[JennyB]

"If we let you in, would you come here?"

I completely stumbled over that one. It was awful.

That is hard...if you say yes, then you would probably be lying (unless of course, it's your first choice), but if you say, "I could tell I would fit in nicely here but I would have to consider my other options" or something like that, they would think that you weren't committed. I guess you could go around the question and say why you like the school. That's a tough question!

 

[Yehosh]

At a few US schools, I was asked where else I've applied to and I wasn't too happy about it, but I didn't want to answer "it's non of your busisness"

Another tough question I got asked at UFT was

"If the Maple Leafs decide to donate an MRI machine to Toronto General Hospital, but would want in return preference when their players require medical diagnostics, would you allow it?" keep in mind, Ontario has socialized health care and it is a big deal for schools here. When I gave my answer the interviewer kept playing devil's advocate.

 

[Malla]

"What is life?"
"Describe pain to someone who cannot feel pain."
"It's your first week of medical school and you are volunteering in a student run clinic. Your first patient is here for test results. You look at her chart and she has terminal cancer. Role play and tell me that I am going to die of cancer."
"Was this interview hard for you?"


Yikes....even better was that it was ALL THE SAME INTERVIEW. Needless to say that I am hoping for some type of divine intervention to get me into this school which is my top choice.

It makes me begin to ask myself the hardest question of all..... why would you want to leave Hawaii for the Northeast?

 

[dudemeister]

Give me a 2-minute impromptu speech on the topic of humility.

I bet HumbleMD would have nailed that.

 

[plickfu]

Head of Anesthesiology at UCSF asked me what I thought about the presence of anesthesiologists during lethal injections...
...hence, Rush Class of 2011.

 

[acrunchyfrog]

[Q]Similarly, you want to illustrate that you want to get into medicine above all else but at the same time you can't make it seem like you have no back up plans and that if you dont get into medical school your going to live in the forest by yourself, grow a big beard and eat racoons for dinner.[/Q]

Dangit, that's exactly what my plan IS if I don't get in!

 

[lina123321]

something a fellow interviewer was asked:
1. what is life?
2. describe the color red.

 

[chaldobruin]

"How do you feel about the war in Iraq?"

Got that at Penn State.

Oh, and I got rejected post-interview

 

[IDBasco]

Head of Anesthesiology at UCSF asked me what I thought about the presence of anesthesiologists during lethal injections...
...hence, Rush Class of 2011.

I'm curious to know what your answer was and the interviewer's response.

 

[Cirrus83]

I have my stony brook interview today and so I'm up doing some last minute interview question review. Man, they ask some pretty HARD questions at Stony Brook! Or rather, some people seem to have gotten asked really HARD questions while some other people apparently weren't asked any hard questions. Go figure.

Might even have to brush up on some random medical ethics topics just in case, since I wrote about it in one of my essays (DOH!!!).

 

[ItOnlyTakesOne]

"Why would you leave California to come to this God-forsaken place."

ha ha...I got that one too at the end of my interview...'well sir, I love the look of dirty half-melted snow on the side of the road in the winter, frozen pipes, 90% humidity in the summer, and complete lack of any large body of water.'
hmm....don't know if he bought that answer😛

 

[IckeyShuffle]

it is 50 years from now and you are being awarded with a prestigious award for being such a great doctor. during your acceptance speech someone comes up to the stage and rips out the microphone power from the wall. they begin yelling at you..... what are they saying ? 😱

 

[GoBlueMD83]

Interviewer:So, lets do a hypothetical situation. I am a 15 year old male, and I was born with a rare genetic disease which makes it impossible for me to experience physical pain. I am also blind, and have a very low IQ, (I think he said about 60). In the best way possible, explain to me what pain is in a way that I can understand.

Oh, also, since I speak spanish, and noted that on my AMCAS, my interviewer and I spoke in Spanish for about 10 minutes. So if you say that you speak a foreign language, you better be able to back it up.

 

[Doc Martins]

Interviewer:So, lets do a hypothetical situation. I am a 15 year old male, and I was born with a rare genetic disease which makes it impossible for me to experience physical pain. I am also blind, and have a very low IQ, (I think he said about 60). In the best way possible, explain to me what pain is in a way that I can understand.

Oh, also, since I speak spanish, and noted that on my AMCAS, my interviewer and I spoke in Spanish for about 10 minutes. So if you say that you speak a foreign language, you better be able to back it up.

lol.. let me guess, Dr. Nun?

 

[NexusMD]

That is hard...if you say yes, then you would probably be lying (unless of course, it's your first choice)

"Are you a frequent liar?"

<stutter>

"That's ok, a majority of today's doctors are liars, so you're well on your way already."

Looks like your safe to lie 😉

 

[pedsdoc2b]

Why medicine?

Umm, I'm pretty sure no one applying to medical schools should be unable to answer this question. I mean, I suppose it might be difficult because you have to decide which of your motives you actually want to acknowledge, and how to convey your thoughts, but come on, this is a standard interview question that any applicant should be prepared to answer!

 

[GoinBack2Cali?]

"Would you go here if you got in?" - Adcom Member

 

[etf]

"do you have any questions for me?"

 

[GoBlueMD83]

lol.. let me guess, Dr. Nun?

Yep, Dr. Nun. Interesting interview, but that was definitely the toughest question I had throughout all of my interviews.

 

[Piper2011]

"So, should we reject you, put you on low-hold, high-hold, or kidnap you and never let you go?"

I was like "I get to choose?" and then said that I guess they should kidnap me.

Then I was put on hold.

(And then later I was accepted...)

 

[Sondra]

I was asked to describe my pre-high school years. I was like any other middle school kid. Nothing special. Played outside a lot. Then I was asked what I learned from my pre-high school years. I just replied that I learned how to get along with my siblings. It was an odd question. The only one that stumped me during interviews.

 

[yomama'sdoctor]

here's a doozie....what has been your worst success and your best failure.

It took me a while just to figure out the meaning of the question!

 

[agscribe]

😳 The worst question I got was "If you could be any element on the periodic table, which would you be and why?" It was a student interviewer, I bet he got slapped with a lame, pointless question like that when he was interviewing and he was just getting even. I said "Mercury, 'cause it is unique among metals in that it is liquid at room temperature. That exemplifies me because I am unique blah blah blah."

 

[spicedmanna]

At a few US schools, I was asked where else I've applied to and I wasn't too happy about it, but I didn't want to answer "it's none [sic] of your busisness"

Yeah, I just had a similar experience. Not only that, but I was asked where I had received an interview and the breakdown between allopathic and osteopathic schools. I didn't flinch and was honest as I could be, but afterward, I couldn't help feeling uneasy about those questions. I know they are just trying to see if I would actually attend their school, if accepted, but why didn't they just ask (they never did)? I've interviewed on the job scene for many years and I've never had another employer ask me what other companies I've interviewed at. Sheesh.

While this interview is over, I would still like to know what others think the best way to answer this type of question is, and what reason they have to ask this question so specifically? I can't really think of a graceful way other than simply giving them the answer; everything else would seem like a dodge.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Did you ever see Boondock saints, in that scene in which the Russian mobster asks one of his henchman to tell a joke on the spot? It'd be kind of like that. I have a couple corny ones up my sleeve that I could tell Its all in the delivery

That was the Italian mobster 😉

 

[gujuDoc]

"What is life?"
"Describe pain to someone who cannot feel pain."
"It's your first week of medical school and you are volunteering in a student run clinic. Your first patient is here for test results. You look at her chart and she has terminal cancer. Role play and tell me that I am going to die of cancer."
"Was this interview hard for you?"


Yikes....even better was that it was ALL THE SAME INTERVIEW. Needless to say that I am hoping for some type of divine intervention to get me into this school which is my top choice.

It makes me begin to ask myself the hardest question of all..... why would you want to leave Hawaii for the Northeast?

Was this at Tufts???? I'm guessing from your MDapps and the style of questions. I have heard that there is one particular psychologist or so who interviews people at Tufts and asks very profound questions like the ones you mentioned. Other types of questions this guy asks are "what is compassion?" "What does the color blue mean to you?" etc.

I've heard some stuff about this guy from someone on SDN as well as a friend who's now at UF med but had been accepted to Tufts. Interesting questions but rather philosophical and thought provoking in a manner many interviewers will never come close to.

 

[MChitty]

Was this at Tufts???? I'm guessing from your MDapps and the style of questions. I have heard that there is one particular psychologist or so who interviews people at Tufts and asks very profound questions like the ones you mentioned. Other types of questions this guy asks are "what is compassion?" "What does the color blue mean to you?" etc.

I've heard some stuff about this guy from someone on SDN as well as a friend who's now at UF med but had been accepted to Tufts. Interesting questions but rather philosophical and thought provoking in a manner many interviewers will never come close to.

Yea this guy is pretty interesting. I didn't get him when I was at Tufts, but someone I was kind of talking to all day did. I guess he asked relatively hard questions, but in the end was pretty nice.

I actually live with 2 Tufts M3s and it turns out he's the anatomy professor and is actually the coolest/most relaxed guy ever. Funny to think especially with his interview style...