Worst/Funniest Interview Experiences

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Interviewer: So why did you chose medicine?
Me: Seriously? That's the most cliche question in the book... Can we move on to the next question?
Interviewer: Uhhh sure (really caught him off guard), what makes ___ medical school stand out over other schools?
Me: Hmm, to be honest, there isn't anything that makes it stand out. I just applied because my MCAT and GPA are higher than the averages. So it's basically a guarantee that I'll get in here.
Interviewer: (Looks at me funny) You do realize that MCATs and GPAs aren't the only things that determine whether you get accepted right?
Me: Yeah... That's why you're interviewing me. Before we move on, can I ask you some questions?
Interviewer: (Getting a little frustrated) Suuure why not.
Me: Why kind of scholarship will I be getting?
Interviewer: None.
Me: I'm done, see ya later.

I got accepted, and I declined.

You have an active WAMC thread and haven't taken the MCAT.
 
interviewer: So why did you chose medicine?
Me: Seriously? That's the most cliche question in the book... Can we move on to the next question?
Interviewer: Uhhh sure (really caught him off guard), what makes ___ medical school stand out over other schools?
Me: Hmm, to be honest, there isn't anything that makes it stand out. I just applied because my mcat and gpa are higher than the averages. So it's basically a guarantee that i'll get in here.
Interviewer: (looks at me funny) you do realize that mcats and gpas aren't the only things that determine whether you get accepted right?
Me: Yeah... That's why you're interviewing me. Before we move on, can i ask you some questions?
Interviewer: (getting a little frustrated) suuure why not.
Me: Why kind of scholarship will i be getting?
Interviewer: None.
Me: I'm done, see ya later.

I got accepted, and i declined.

so alpha
 
Interviewer (dean of admission): So why does ___SOM absolutely have to accept you?
Me: Well, I haven't really been able to come up with a good answer for this question, but I think my application shows that I possess all the qualities med schools are looking for.
Interviewer: Oh... Ok do you have any questions for me?

Accepted. #winning.
 
Interviewer (dean of admission): So why does ___SOM absolutely have to accept you?
Me: Well, I haven't really been able to come up with a good answer for this question, but I think my application shows that I possess all the qualities med schools are looking for.
Interviewer: Oh... Ok do you have any questions for me?

Accepted. #winning.

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Interviewer: "so what do you like to do for fun?"
Me: "Well I am actually a novice painter."
Interviewer: "Really?!"
Me: "Yup, it's not like i'm a Mozart or anything like that.."
Interviewer: (Just looks at me and burst out laughing.)
Me: (WTF is this lady laughing about).. :idea: "Oh well Picasso rather."
Me: 😳😳😳😳😳😳
 
:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Interviewer: "so what do you like to do for fun?"
Me: "Well I am actually a novice painter."
Interviewer: "Really?!"
Me: "Yup, it's not like i'm a Mozart or anything like that.."
Interviewer: (Just looks at me and burst out laughing.)
Me: (WTF is this lady laughing about).. :idea: "Oh well Picasso rather."
Me: 😳😳😳😳😳

This almost tops the Al Pacino/Al Capone guy. :laugh:
 
:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Interviewer: "so what do you like to do for fun?"
Me: "Well I am actually a novice painter."
Interviewer: "Really?!"
Me: "Yup, it's not like i'm a Mozart or anything like that.."
Interviewer: (Just looks at me and burst out laughing.)
Me: (WTF is this lady laughing about).. :idea: "Oh well Picasso rather."
Me: 😳😳😳😳😳😳

lmao
 
Interview was with dean of admissions - he had been at that school for 30+ years and throughout the interview day kept up-selling the city and the benefits of living there (the city has kind of a bad reputation for crime, violence, etc.)

about 35 minutes into what should have been an hour interview:
I: so why did you apply to X SOM?
Me: rehearsed answer
I: And have you had a chance to explore our fine city?
Me: Well I flew in last night and I'm headed to the airport right after this interview...
I: offended look
Me: Oh **** I just told him I didn't care enough to see the city... ummm because I need to be back in lab tomorrow morning because... he cuts me off
I: Well I don't want to keep you waiting for your flight. He stands up and walks to the door. I'll pass your application over to the admissions committee
Me: panicking and desperately trying to save myself Oh last night I saw the __ (famous monument) from the taxi on my way to the hotel
I: That's nice. Good luck to you this application cycle.

RESULT: waitlisted
 
:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Interviewer: "so what do you like to do for fun?"
Me: "Well I am actually a novice painter."
Interviewer: "Really?!"
Me: "Yup, it's not like i'm a Mozart or anything like that.."
Interviewer: (Just looks at me and burst out laughing.)
Me: (WTF is this lady laughing about).. :idea: "Oh well Picasso rather."
Me: 😳😳😳

This story and the Al Pacino/Capone story are both sooo funny! 😀
 
Interviewer: So why did you chose medicine?
Me: Seriously? That's the most cliche question in the book... Can we move on to the next question?
Interviewer: Uhhh sure (really caught him off guard), what makes ___ medical school stand out over other schools?
Me: Hmm, to be honest, there isn't anything that makes it stand out. I just applied because my MCAT and GPA are higher than the averages. So it's basically a guarantee that I'll get in here.
Interviewer: (Looks at me funny) You do realize that MCATs and GPAs aren't the only things that determine whether you get accepted right?
Me: Yeah... That's why you're interviewing me. Before we move on, can I ask you some questions?
Interviewer: (Getting a little frustrated) Suuure why not.
Me: Why kind of scholarship will I be getting?
Interviewer: None.
Me: I'm done, see ya later.

I got accepted, and I declined.

😕 Waitttt what? lol is this a joke?? I honestly want to know. You must have had multiple acceptances at other schools and this school must have been really low tier for you to speak like that at an interview
 
Interview was with dean of admissions - he had been at that school for 30+ years and throughout the interview day kept up-selling the city and the benefits of living there (the city has kind of a bad reputation for crime, violence, etc.)

about 35 minutes into what should have been an hour interview:
I: so why did you apply to X SOM?
Me: rehearsed answer
I: And have you had a chance to explore our fine city?
Me: Well I flew in last night and I'm headed to the airport right after this interview...
I: offended look
Me: Oh **** I just told him I didn't care enough to see the city... ummm because I need to be back in lab tomorrow morning because... he cuts me off
I: Well I don't want to keep you waiting for your flight. He stands up and walks to the door. I'll pass your application over to the admissions committee
Me: panicking and desperately trying to save myself Oh last night I saw the __ (famous monument) from the taxi on my way to the hotel
I: That's nice. Good luck to you this application cycle.

RESULT: waitlisted


Sounds like a very friendly interviewer...
 
Interview was with dean of admissions - he had been at that school for 30+ years and throughout the interview day kept up-selling the city and the benefits of living there (the city has kind of a bad reputation for crime, violence, etc.)

about 35 minutes into what should have been an hour interview:
I: so why did you apply to X SOM?
Me: rehearsed answer
I: And have you had a chance to explore our fine city?
Me: Well I flew in last night and I'm headed to the airport right after this interview...
I: offended look
Me: Oh **** I just told him I didn't care enough to see the city... ummm because I need to be back in lab tomorrow morning because... he cuts me off
I: Well I don't want to keep you waiting for your flight. He stands up and walks to the door. I'll pass your application over to the admissions committee
Me: panicking and desperately trying to save myself Oh last night I saw the __ (famous monument) from the taxi on my way to the hotel
I: That's nice. Good luck to you this application cycle.

RESULT: waitlisted

Oh man that's cold. :scared:
 
I had gotten into the town really late the night before my interview and got very little sleep. For some reason I felt extremely dehydrated during my interview day so I drank about 8 or 9 of those miniature water bottles and kept just sticking them in my purse (to recycle later of course). My interviewer was this brash German woman who I could barely understand. My interview went okay, and at the end as we stood up to shake hands she noticed the collection of water bottles I had horded in my giant bag:

Interviewer: WOW! That's a lot of water... (gives me a curious look)
Me: Oh, ya! I sweat a lot when I'm nervous!

Um...no I don't...? She withdrew her hand before we could shake and awkwardly turned it into a wave towards her door.

Status: wait-listed (this was last year)
 
Sooo i had a super short interview ~ 10 min long

interviewer: you play violin?
Me: Yes! for 7 years and I love classical music
interviewer: What's your favorite?
Me: *Massave Brain Fart Part 1* .... Chopin... Mozart
interviewer: Do you know how to play *insert music names here*
Me: *Massive Brain Fart Part 2* is it this? *starts humming brandonburg concerto*
interviewer: No... you should know this...*looked at me like i'm crazy*
me:.. i'm bad with names (by this time I was sweating balls) what do they sound like
*interviewer pulled up youtube and we listened for 10 seconds*
Me: yes I remember.
WORST interview ever U.U So abnormal for me to be nervous (it was like my 3rd interview excluding mock interviews)...

fml... waiting on that school right now
 
Interview was with dean of admissions - he had been at that school for 30+ years and throughout the interview day kept up-selling the city and the benefits of living there (the city has kind of a bad reputation for crime, violence, etc.)

about 35 minutes into what should have been an hour interview:
I: so why did you apply to X SOM?
Me: rehearsed answer
I: And have you had a chance to explore our fine city?
Me: Well I flew in last night and I'm headed to the airport right after this interview...
I: offended look
Me: Oh **** I just told him I didn't care enough to see the city... ummm because I need to be back in lab tomorrow morning because... he cuts me off
I: Well I don't want to keep you waiting for your flight. He stands up and walks to the door. I'll pass your application over to the admissions committee
Me: panicking and desperately trying to save myself Oh last night I saw the __ (famous monument) from the taxi on my way to the hotel
I: That's nice. Good luck to you this application cycle.

RESULT: waitlisted

Would have had a psychotic break right then and there. Seriously :laugh:
 
It's really weird how abrupt these interviews can be. I know for a fact I would be panicking if they asked me specific names of things.
 
Interview was with dean of admissions - he had been at that school for 30+ years and throughout the interview day kept up-selling the city and the benefits of living there (the city has kind of a bad reputation for crime, violence, etc.)

about 35 minutes into what should have been an hour interview:
I: so why did you apply to X SOM?
Me: rehearsed answer
I: And have you had a chance to explore our fine city?
Me: Well I flew in last night and I'm headed to the airport right after this interview...
I: offended look
Me: Oh **** I just told him I didn't care enough to see the city... ummm because I need to be back in lab tomorrow morning because... he cuts me off
I: Well I don't want to keep you waiting for your flight. He stands up and walks to the door. I'll pass your application over to the admissions committee
Me: panicking and desperately trying to save myself Oh last night I saw the __ (famous monument) from the taxi on my way to the hotel
I: That's nice. Good luck to you this application cycle.

RESULT: waitlisted

Wow, that's pretty terrible... most interviewers understand that some of the applicants are flying in and out, and have jobs or schoolwork to contend with. 🙁
 
Talking about mouse models in research:

I: So why not just look at this in humans?
Me: Because it's illegal and unethical to kill and section human embryos.
I:*Rolls eyes.

He was trying to lead me to talk about iPSCs, but I refuted by saying that no one has transformed iPSCs to the cell type we study.

I: So if medicine was out of the picture, what would you do?
Me: Get my PGA tour card (we had talked about golf earlier).
Got a pity laugh from the interviewer, but I think he wasn't impressed that I undermined his question.
 
I: So if medicine was out of the picture, what would you do?
Me: Get my PGA tour card (we had talked about golf earlier).
Got a pity laugh from the interviewer, but I think he wasn't impressed that I undermined his question.

Eh, unless he's a total egghead with no outside interests (which he may be), he very well could've appreciated the answer. On residency interviews I was asked quite a bit "what would you do if you weren't in medicine?" (a decidedly different question than "what will you do if you don't match into Derm?") and my answer was always something that is so far removed from medicine/academia/etc it seemed to catch people off guard at first, followed by "that's really interesting/amazing" when I explained my previous experience with said job.

They may be looking for a classic "something else sciency, Dr. Professor Sir", but unless they're a terrible interviewer (and again, a lot of docs are unfortunately), they should be able to learn even MORE about you with this kind of answer and appreciate it quite a bit.
 
Eh, unless he's a total egghead with no outside interests (which he may be), he very well could've appreciated the answer. On residency interviews I was asked quite a bit "what would you do if you weren't in medicine?" (a decidedly different question than "what will you do if you don't match into Derm?") and my answer was always something that is so far removed from medicine/academia/etc it seemed to catch people off guard at first, followed by "that's really interesting/amazing" when I explained my previous experience with said job.

They may be looking for a classic "something else sciency, Dr. Professor Sir", but unless they're a terrible interviewer (and again, a lot of docs are unfortunately), they should be able to learn even MORE about you with this kind of answer and appreciate it quite a bit.

+1. I said I would be a Victoria's Secret model.
 
Interview was with dean of admissions - he had been at that school for 30+ years and throughout the interview day kept up-selling the city and the benefits of living there (the city has kind of a bad reputation for crime, violence, etc.)

about 35 minutes into what should have been an hour interview:
I: so why did you apply to X SOM?
Me: rehearsed answer
I: And have you had a chance to explore our fine city?
Me: Well I flew in last night and I'm headed to the airport right after this interview...
I: offended look
Me: Oh **** I just told him I didn't care enough to see the city... ummm because I need to be back in lab tomorrow morning because... he cuts me off
I: Well I don't want to keep you waiting for your flight. He stands up and walks to the door. I'll pass your application over to the admissions committee
Me: panicking and desperately trying to save myself Oh last night I saw the __ (famous monument) from the taxi on my way to the hotel
I: That's nice. Good luck to you this application cycle.

RESULT: waitlisted


Oh man. Was this by any chance at SLU?
 
Mine is interview day, and isn't an interview answer but an awkward moment nonetheless.

I mistook a mid-40s non-trad applicant for the admissions director, and then mistook the young admissions director for a medical student.


Result: Accepted.
 
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Oh man. Was this by any chance at SLU?

If anyone in STL refers to STL as a "fine city" they are crazy and need not be a medical school interviewer.

Mine is interview day, and isn't an interview answer but an awkward moment nonetheless.

I mistook a mid-40s non0-trad applicant for the admissions director, and then mistook the young admissions director for a medical student.


Result: Accepted.

There was a non-trad at one of my interviews too. When he walked in I thought he was a Dean too!
 
Mine is interview day, and isn't an interview answer but an awkward moment nonetheless.

I mistook a mid-40s non0-trad applicant for the admissions director, and then mistook the young admissions director for a medical student.


Result: Accepted.

I bet he/she was flattered
 
If anyone in STL refers to STL as a "fine city" they are crazy and need not be a medical school interviewer.

What's wrong with STL? Admittedly, I've only been there once but I thought it was a beautiful city (with some shady looking people) when I was walking around.
 
Oh man I was good today with dumb responses:

I: "Why did you apply to X COM?"
Me: "Well, a family member went here for his/her masters degree and obviously cause it's instate. Actually, come to think of it, I really didn't apply to many instate schools. Sooo uhh actually that doesn't count."
I: 😕
Me: "But I liked (went on to my reasons for applying to said school)"

I: So how are your support groups?
Me: (standard family response to start) and I have amazing friends. Ya know, this whole application process is brutal. I hate to say this, but it's very hard to not be bitter every now and then. But I have friends who have called me and contacted me who I honestly never thought would be there to support me. So that's nice"
I: "This process is kind of brutal"
Me: "haha I know, honestly I'll go anywhere who takes me at this point" :laugh: (WHERE DID MY FILTER GO!?!?!?!)

Me: (discussing an experience of mine) "and yea, they have electric shock obstacles."
I: "So you actually get shocked"
Me: "yea like *imitiates being shocked* bzzzz" :scared:😕
I: 😱

Results I'll post when I get them. Needless to say i'm expecting wait-list now lol. I honestly have no idea where my filter went.

Hold as expected.
 
Interviewing at an osteopathic medical school...

Interviewer: so how many schools have you applied to?
Me: about 13 MD and 12 DO schools [why was I so specific?! 🙁 ]
Interviewer: so, you really don't care where you go huh?
Me: [panics] well ummm... I do, Its just that... most CA schools are MD programs and [he cuts me off]
Interviewer: but you said earlier that you want to leave CA!
Me: well... my parents don't want me to leave CA... [voice trails off]
Interviewer: so just to appease your parents then. [next question]

🙁 That was my first interview of this cycle, hopefully I will be better prepared next time 🙁

Result: This still haunts me in my sleep... results posted when I find out :'(
 
Sooo i had a super short interview ~ 10 min long

interviewer: you play violin?
Me: Yes! for 7 years and I love classical music
interviewer: What's your favorite?
Me: *Massave Brain Fart Part 1* .... Chopin... Mozart
interviewer: Do you know how to play *insert music names here*
Me: *Massive Brain Fart Part 2* is it this? *starts humming brandonburg concerto*
interviewer: No... you should know this...*looked at me like i'm crazy*
me:.. i'm bad with names (by this time I was sweating balls) what do they sound like
*interviewer pulled up youtube and we listened for 10 seconds*
Me: yes I remember.
WORST interview ever U.U So abnormal for me to be nervous (it was like my 3rd interview excluding mock interviews)...

fml... waiting on that school right now

This happens to me all the time and I've been teaching piano for three years.
 
Interview was with dean of admissions - he had been at that school for 30+ years and throughout the interview day kept up-selling the city and the benefits of living there (the city has kind of a bad reputation for crime, violence, etc.)

about 35 minutes into what should have been an hour interview:
I: so why did you apply to X SOM?
Me: rehearsed answer
I: And have you had a chance to explore our fine city?
Me: Well I flew in last night and I'm headed to the airport right after this interview...
I: offended look
Me: Oh **** I just told him I didn't care enough to see the city... ummm because I need to be back in lab tomorrow morning because... he cuts me off
I: Well I don't want to keep you waiting for your flight. He stands up and walks to the door. I'll pass your application over to the admissions committee
Me: panicking and desperately trying to save myself Oh last night I saw the __ (famous monument) from the taxi on my way to the hotel
I: That's nice. Good luck to you this application cycle.

RESULT: waitlisted

I don't think you sounded like you didn't care enough to see the city; you're there to interview, not to sightsee. I blame the interviewer on this one.
 
Talking about mouse models in research:

I: So why not just look at this in humans?
Me: Because it's illegal and unethical to kill and section human embryos.
I:*Rolls eyes.

He was trying to lead me to talk about iPSCs, but I refuted by saying that no one has transformed iPSCs to the cell type we study.

Yikes.
 
Interviewing at an osteopathic medical school...

Interviewer: so how many schools have you applied to?
Me: about 13 MD and 12 DO schools [why was I so specific?! 🙁 ]
Interviewer: so, you really don't care where you go huh?
Me: [panics] well ummm... I do, Its just that... most CA schools are MD programs and [he cuts me off]
Interviewer: but you said earlier that you want to leave CA!
Me: well... my parents don't want me to leave CA... [voice trails off]
Interviewer: so just to appease your parents then. [next question]

🙁 That was my first interview of this cycle, hopefully I will be better prepared next time 🙁

Result: This still haunts me in my sleep... results posted when I find out :'(

Was this at UMDNJ-SOM, by any chance?
 
Interviewer: "A patient recently informed me that she has to reach down and physically hold her vagina to keep her uterus from falling out every time she has a bowel movement."

Me: "Wow! That would suck! I don't want to get old!"

Accepted three weeks later! :laugh:
 
Interviewer: "A patient recently informed me that she has to reach down and physically hold her vagina to keep her uterus from falling out every time she has a bowel movement."

Me: "Wow! That would suck! I don't want to get old!"

Accepted three weeks later! :laugh:

BAHAHAHA!!! this is the only way to answer that.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using SDN Mobile
 
This isn't a bad answer per se, but during one of my interviews I swear something got lodged in my throat as I was right in the middle of an answer. My voice went instantly raspy, and I started coughing violently. I kept trying to compose myself, but my voice was still raspy and kept coughing. Luckily, the interviewer had a mini fridge in her office with small bottles of water and offered one to me. I made some stupid joke about it once it went away, and we continued on.

Result: haven't heard back yet.
 
I: Tell me about your weaknesses.

Procyon: Well, sometimes I think I can be critical of myself to the point it affects my self-confidence. I constantly try to analyze my situation to figure out ways I can improve myself, but by the same token sometimes I think I can be too critical. For example, I'm doing it in my head right now. I've been critiquing my interview performance, and it's shaken my confidence. To be honest, I'm pretty scared right now. (...Did I seriously just blurt that out? Smooth. )

I: I can tell. 🙂confused: I really seem that nervous?) You know I'm trying to make you as comfortable as possible, right? I hope you realize that medicine is a profession that requires you to be confident at times. You can't be too afraid to deal with patients.

Procyon: Well, to be fair, I think some of my experiences demonstrate my ability to rise to the occasion. I used to be nervous to talk to patients, but through X experience, I eventually become very comfortable with it, and enjoyed it. It was a similar thing when I started to teaching. At first I was nervous, but eventually I became confident, and I think I've been a great teacher.

Interviewer: Well, sometimes you only get one chance. Like in this interview. (What are you getting at? :scared:) Do you have any questions for me?

Result: Waitlisted.
 
I: Tell me about your weaknesses.

Procyon: Well, sometimes I think I can be critical of myself to the point it affects my self-confidence. I constantly try to analyze my situation to figure out ways I can improve myself, but by the same token sometimes I think I can be too critical. For example, I'm doing it in my head right now. I've been critiquing my interview performance, and it's shaken my confidence. To be honest, I'm pretty scared right now. (...Did I seriously just blurt that out? Smooth. )

I: I can tell. 🙂confused: I really seem that nervous?) You know I'm trying to make you as comfortable as possible, right? I hope you realize that medicine is a profession that requires you to be confident at times. You can't be too afraid to deal with patients.

Procyon: Well, to be fair, I think some of my experiences demonstrate my ability to rise to the occasion. I used to be nervous to talk to patients, but through X experience, I eventually become very comfortable with it, and enjoyed it. It was a similar thing when I started to teaching. At first I was nervous, but eventually I became confident, and I think I've been a great teacher.

Interviewer: Well, sometimes you only get one chance. Like in this interview. (What are you getting at? :scared:) Do you have any questions for me?

Result: Waitlisted.

That's unfortunate, your answers weren't really bad but it sounds like your interviewer was a total jerk. He turned on you at the end... :beat:
 
Interviewer: So what books have you read lately?
Me: Well, I just finished a collection of fitzgerald short stories, and I'm reading [some classic] now.
I: Anything else?
Me: [lists a couple more classics]
I: Anything else?
Me: The Hunger Games series.
I: Oh, and what is that about?
Me: [describes plot, realizing how horrifying it sounds as his face grows more and more alarmed]
I: ....and what exactly is it that attracts you to a storyline like that...?
Me: [flustered, gave some answer about its "engaging writing style" then quickly changed topic.]


Waitlisted. :laugh:
 
This isn't a bad answer per se, but during one of my interviews I swear something got lodged in my throat as I was right in the middle of an answer. My voice went instantly raspy, and I started coughing violently. I kept trying to compose myself, but my voice was still raspy and kept coughing. Luckily, the interviewer had a mini fridge in her office with small bottles of water and offered one to me. I made some stupid joke about it once it went away, and we continued on.

Result: haven't heard back yet.

I spit while talking a few times at my last interview by accident lol, hoping neither of these impact their decision hahaha
 
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