Worst/Funniest Interview Experiences

BU Medical Sciences
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I had my first interview of the year last week. My interviewer asked several questions that seemed to be very similar: What are your strengths? What will help you to get through medical school? What would your mother say your strongest points are? Finally, he asked, "If a professor of yours came in here and I asked him to quickly list off 3 of your personal traits, what would they be?" At this point, I had really run out of words to describe myself. I came up with two, and then was struggling to come up with a third. I had used "dedicated" for one of my other descripters, and I really couldn't get it out of my head. I finally blurted out, "Sorry, but I'm going to have to go back to using 'dedicated.' I guess I'm dedicated to being dedicated."

:smack:

Dedicated to being dedicated? FML. We'll see how that went over when I hear back from that school, I guess.
 
My interviewer asked me what books I'm currently working on, so I named and discussed a few. He wanted to know what else I read, so I said, "Time magazine, Sports Illustrated, and the NY Times."

His response: "I hate the NY Times. They lie. [insert angry comments about liberal bias in the media, Medicare/Medicaid patients, then finally about Obama's unreponsiveness to his letters regarding healthcare reform]"

My response, after a long silence: "I sometimes read the Wall Street Journal for comparison?"
 
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hurryupnwait said:
My interviewer asked me what books I'm currently working on, so I named and discussed a few. He wanted to know what else I read, so I said, "Time magazine, Sports Illustrated, and the NY Times."

His response: "I hate the NY Times. They lie. [insert angry comments about liberal bias in the media, Medicare/Medicaid patients, then finally about Obama's unreponsiveness to his letters regarding healthcare reform]"

My response, after a long silence: "I sometimes read the Wall Street Journal for comparison?"
Click to expand...


I read the NYT regularly too, and I believe it is a credible source, although some politically conservative people do not like the NYT.

I don't see anything wrong with your response. As an international student from West Africa, I like to read the world section of the NYT. I also like how the do a range of personal stories, not to mention the well-crafted slide shows.

So that's something you can mention next time, if an interview hates your reading choice.
Good luck though:luck:
 
Interviewer: "If there were a magic pill that could cure every disease and human ailment, what would you do for a career instead of medicine"
Me, without thinking: "Sell pills!"

In retrospect it would have been better to say something about distributing pills, cus the way i phrased it made it sound like i'm all about the $. But w/e I'm sure there were worse answers...
 
gujuDoc said:
Ok so I don't know about other schools, but I remember hearing once that Dr. Williams of USF's adcom said that the best way to answer the question of

"what do you do if you don't get into medical school this year?" by saying that you'd talk with adcoms to find out what your red flags were and improve upon those red flags and reapply. They don't want to hear that you'd change your career options.

What my response to that would be that I'd do my best to improve any red flags but if things still didn't work out after that I'd probably consider going into another medically related field like PA or something and maybe try again after a few years.
Click to expand...


Good advice!
 
paki20 said:
i keep getting surgeons as my interviewers and they're so hard to read which makes me even more nervous during the interview..and when im nervous i start to ramble on and on...


Interviewer: "So what happens if you do not get accepted to medical school this year?

Me (blurt out with a bit too much excitement): "Actually I think it would be a blessing in disguise!! (wait wtf am I saying)...wait I know that sounds bad but....(he gives me this blank stare...and then I continue to ramble about how it would not be the end of the world and that life is filled with unexpected setbacks)...but yeah I would reapply next year....."
Click to expand...

totalled LOLed @ "blessing in disguise"

poor word choice BUT a NICE SAVE with how you mentioned that life is filled with unexpected setbacks and you would reapply. it shows optimism and dedication 👍

During one of my interviews I said "the motivation is definitely internal"

where else would motivation come from? haha
 
Ugh, first interview, an MSTP one to boot, interview #5 of 5.

"Why should I pick you?"
"...'Cuz I really want it. And I won't stop until I get it."

Don't stop till you drop amirite? Hahaha + ughI'manidiot.

She was still pretty nice about everything, plus that wasn't my last time during the day speaking with her.
 
JmanDO said:
Ugh, first interview, an MSTP one to boot, interview #5 of 5.

"Why should I pick you?"
"...'Cuz I really want it. And I won't stop until I get it."

Don't stop till you drop amirite? Hahaha + ughI'manidiot.

She was still pretty nice about everything, plus that wasn't my last time during the day speaking with her.
Click to expand...

oof. that's unfortunate. but i'm sure one sentence out of 5 interviews won't kill your shot at an MSTP wherever that was. FWIW, i lol-ed at this though :laugh:
 
prometheus44 said:
Motivation can come from external sources.
Click to expand...

true true. LizzyM, in retrospect, I think that particular interview question may have been asked to see if I'm going into medicine for my own sake or due to parental pressure.
 
Interviewer: What is the Kreb's Cycle.
Me: Very detailed explanation of Electron Transport Chain and hydrogen gradient induced ATP production.

Decision: Still accepted. I guess at least I knew SOME biochem...
 
I was just trying to imagine if this were me at an interview:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty_-Mf6QhpU[/YOUTUBE]
 
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Hmm, I wonder why that youtube tag is not working
 
ishchayill said:
Hmm, I wonder why that youtube tag is not working
Click to expand...

There are several html tags intervening between the tag delimiters and the url of the video. Thus, it does not work as it cannot be properly parsed.
 
ciufo88 said:
Interviewer: What is the Kreb's Cycle.
Me: Very detailed explanation of Electron Transport Chain and hydrogen gradient induced ATP production.

Decision: Still accepted. I guess at least I knew SOME biochem...
Click to expand...


Thanks a lot buddy. I caused a ruckus in the library laughing and spilling my guts out...

Epic Quote :laugh:
 
Mine:

I: So what do you like to do in your free time?
Me: Oh, I'm a bigtime outdoorsman. I like hiking and fishing. Oh, I also like boxing.
I: Boxing? Wow. Have you ever gotten a bloody nose or anything?
Me: Yeah, haha. It's not really a good night unless someone leaves with a black eye or a busted lip.(WTF!!!!!😱)
I: Oh..
 
Good job! 👍 Now they better accept you, or else..😡
 
VTBuc said:
Mine:

I: So what do you like to do in your free time?
Me: Oh, I'm a bigtime outdoorsman. I like hiking and fishing. Oh, I also like boxing.
I: Boxing? Wow. Have you ever gotten a bloody nose or anything?
Me: Yeah, haha. It's not really a good night unless someone leaves with a black eye or a busted lip.(WTF!!!!!😱)
I: Oh..
Click to expand...

i box too! it's awesome! i sparred with a dude tonight and i totally kicked ass. 😀
 
Stolenspatulas said:
NICE. Lay the balls out for everyone to see, ha!
I personally wish numbers counted for more... I think the trend is though that they're counting for less (for applicants with average/good numbers to those with awesome numbers).
Click to expand...


But then again I've seen people who thrive academically but lack the personality or skills to be a successful doctor. No wonder we have physicians diagnosing people with stomach flu when clearly the person's suffering from chronic lung disease. I know I'm not in med school.. (YET!) but ..its just that its so :boom: .

The point is your not just making Docs but rather putting a dozen lives at stake if that dude gets loose.

SO, I think future potential as a "Doctor" should triumph mere numbers and alphabets one gathers in their life.

--------->PERSONALITY MATTERS<-----------
 
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This isn't THAT bad, but the interview was almost wrapped up and I had two questions I wanted to ask:

I: So, do you have any questions for me?
me: Question 1, blah blah
I: That's a good question, Answer 1 blah blah blah. Any other questions?
me: Yeah, uhh...
[15 seconds]
me: actually I can just contact someone to ask the question, for some reason I've forgotten it
[interviewer doesn't respond, just keeps looking at me]
[15 more seconds]
me: umm...
[interviewer doesn't respond, just keeps looking at me]
[15 more seconds]
I: Okay well you an just cont--
me: Oh I remember now!
[interview looks a bit annoyed]
me: Question 2, blah blah blah
 
VTBuc said:
Mine:

I: So what do you like to do in your free time?
Me: Oh, I'm a bigtime outdoorsman. I like hiking and fishing. Oh, I also like boxing.
I: Boxing? Wow. Have you ever gotten a bloody nose or anything?
Me: Yeah, haha. It's not really a good night unless someone leaves with a black eye or a busted lip.(WTF!!!!!😱)
I: Oh..
Click to expand...

Haha, but if you ever got anyone who fights, they would immediately get it and thats a great connection to have.
 
FWIW I also thought it was a neuron.

As for funny stories (this was an MD/PhD interview):

Me: My ideal career would be doing research on some neurological disease and practicing in neurology clinic.

I: So you shadowed a neurosurgeon, but not a neurologist. How do you know that you want to be a neurologist if you never shadowed one?

Me: (Crap! Backstory: shadowing doesn't matter as much for MD/PhD so almost all my clinical experience was as a spanish interpreter at a free clinic. I just asked my neurosurgeon neighbor if I could shadow him for a couple of days so that I could put down that I had hospital experience.) Umm...well, I don't really think that I could find an easy balance between a surgical lifestyle and running my own lab. It seems like it would be really hard to be good at both, considering that surgery would require a lot more time to keep your skills intact.

Of course, he was a surgeon who ran his own lab.

Result: Accepted. (!?!)
 
armybound said:
Maybe I'm not really as funny as I think I am..

Interviewer: So, have you always wanted to be a doctor?
Me: No, when I was little I saw my future much differently.
Interviewer: Yeah? How so?
Me: Well, up until I was about 9 or so, I wanted to be a ninja.
Interviewer: . . .
Me: Yeah.. but then I realized there isn't much job security in that line of work..
Interviewer: . . .
Me: . . .

There was another time when an interviewer was asking me about what specialty I liked and why. I told him I liked surgery because noncompliance really bothers me, and "People can't be noncompliant when they're knocked out and you're cutting them open."
I didn't think it was a bad answer, but a couple of interviewees I told that to seemed shocked.
Click to expand...

sounds like your interviewer is the one lacking a sense of humor...i thought that ninja joke was hilarious!
 
Here is my worst interview moment:


Interview: What do you think the biggest health problem in the US is?

Me: Obesity, due to all the other diseases related to obesity.
(I then realize that the interviewer was an obese man :smack:...stupid rehearsed responses)

Rejected.
 
:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
csmittyB said:
Here is my worst interview moment:


Interview: What do you think the biggest health problem in the US is?

Me: Obesity, due to all the other diseases related to obesity.
(I then realize that the interviewer was an obese man :smack:...stupid rehearsed responses)

Rejected.
Click to expand...
 
csmittyB said:
Here is my worst interview moment:


Interview: What do you think the biggest health problem in the US is?

Me: Obesity, due to all the other diseases related to obesity.
(I then realize that the interviewer was an obese man :smack:...stupid rehearsed responses)

Rejected.
Click to expand...
well it was a good answer in general. I mean what else were you going to say? Ebola?
 
I had a very opinionated interviewer who asked me: "So what do you think are the problems with healthcare and what should we do to fix it?"

My answer: "Blah blah normal stuff about how people should get help, but I think most of the people in our government are smart enough not to trash the healthcare system"

His answer: "Actually, they aren't smart enough to make those decisions"

I didn't know they were supposed to ask you a question that you answered based on your opinion then tell you the answer is not your own opinion, but theirs.
 
red10 said:
well it was a good answer in general. I mean what else were you going to say? Ebola?
Click to expand...

That is why I chose it. It just wasn't the most tactful choice in that situation.

Towards the end of the interview, I asked the same guy what he thought the biggest problem was. His reply was smoking.
 
Interviewer: So, your school has a great sports programs.
Me: Yes
I: There must be a lot of athletes on campus. How do the other students view the athletes?
Me: (Thinks: WTF?) Well, they're generally pretty well liked, except for the few that don't care about classes (what am I saying?). Actually, my roommate is a golfer!
I: How were things after that big scandal in (a sport)?
Me: I mean that was a few years ago.. (mentally trying to figure out how this relates to medicine?)

He continued asking me sports questions for most of the interview. Then, he came back with this winner:
I: You wrote that you're interested in pediatrics
Me: Yes, I shadowed a neonatologist and (he breaks in)
I: Well what are you going to do when the government decides to pay pediatricians 10 dollars an hour? WHAT are you going to do then? (Glares at me)
Me: Well, money isn't everything?
 
My last interview, I was describing my research and I was asked a question I thought was completely unrelated which threw me off (he might as well have asked if I thought my lab coat being blue affected the rsch outcome...srsly)
but I recooped by drawing a picture to explain a concept.

I've used a drawing before, since our intvw packet contained a pad of paper, and it went over well, I hope so this time also. Anyone ever use something unexpected during an interview?
 
DendWrite said:
Duke?
Click to expand...

Marengo said:
Interviewer: So, your school has a great sports programs.
Me: Yes
I: There must be a lot of athletes on campus. How do the other students view the athletes?
Me: (Thinks: WTF?) Well, they're generally pretty well liked, except for the few that don't care about classes (what am I saying?). Actually, my roommate is a golfer!
I: How were things after that big scandal in (a sport)?
Me: I mean that was a few years ago.. (mentally trying to figure out how this relates to medicine?)

He continued asking me sports questions for most of the interview. Then, he came back with this winner:
I: You wrote that you're interested in pediatrics
Me: Yes, I shadowed a neonatologist and (he breaks in)
I: Well what are you going to do when the government decides to pay pediatricians 10 dollars an hour? WHAT are you going to do then? (Glares at me)
Me: Well, money isn't everything?
Click to expand...

lol. I was about to say I think we went to the same undergrad
 
csmittyB said:
Here is my worst interview moment:


Interview: What do you think the biggest health problem in the US is?

Me: Obesity, due to all the other diseases related to obesity.
(I then realize that the interviewer was an obese man :smack:...stupid rehearsed responses)

Rejected.
Click to expand...

Was this at DMU? We have an interviewer who asks that question and wants to hear smoking as the answer.

Four years ago when I was applying to medical school...

Interviewer: Tell me about an upcoming issue in medicine.
Me: Started talking about the projected increase in Type II Diabetes
Interviewer: Well, that's a good thing. It will put my children through school.
Me: Bewildered look
Interviewer: Aren't you going to argue with me?
Me: Uh...silence...yeah...

Rejected! 🙄
 
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