Worst/Funniest Interview Experiences

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skinMD said:
this pertains to faculty interviewers:

You: Hi my name is Joe
Interviewer: Hi I'm Mike
......[you should still continue to call him by his last name and title]
You: So Dr. Awesome question question question
Interviewer: Call me Mike
.....[now you can call him by his first name]
Click to expand...

Absurd. "Hi, I'm Mike" has now defined their identification. If they want you to address them as Dr./Mr. Smith they should introduce themselves as such. The introduction as "Mike" is an implied permission. An interviewer that is big enough of an ass to tell you they are "Mike" but be put off by being addressed as "Mike" should really consider visiting a nearby ER and having the stick removed, esp if they then do not refer to those they are addressing as "Mr./Miss/Mrs. Jonhson" until explicitly informed otherwise.
 
lumbricoides said:
Absurd. "Hi, I'm Mike" has now defined their identification. If they want you to address them as Dr./Mr. Smith they should introduce themselves as such. The introduction as "Mike" is an implied permission. An interviewer that is big enough of an ass to tell you they are "Mike" but be put off by being addressed as "Mike" should really consider visiting a nearby ER and having the stick removed, esp if they then do not refer to those they are addressing as "Mr./Miss/Mrs. Jonhson" until explicitly informed otherwise.
Click to expand...

lol I actually agree this whole issue is really petty.
 
I understood that if they introduce themselves as "Mike" then calling them "Dr. Awesome" instead would be seen as either not paying attention or needlessly formal.

Then again, I work with a bunch of docs and not one has ever cared either way. They only think it's crucial that you to call them Dr. Acula in front of patients. I understand that it's a different situation in an interview...

Thankfully none of my interviewers have introduced themselves as anything not strictly formal.
 
Interviewer: So, why do you want to do into medicine?

Applicant: Well, I always thought mengele got a bad rap..
 
YankeeBean said:
Interviewer: So, why do you want to do into medicine?

Applicant: Well, I always thought mengele got a bad rap..
Click to expand...

I lol'd

I dont think opening with the Holocaust joke is your best bet though.
 
YankeeBean said:
Interviewer: So, why do you want to do into medicine?

Applicant: Well, I always thought mengele got a bad rap..
Click to expand...

Hope that wasn't at Albert Einstein or NYMC :meanie:

Or better yet, even more extra points if you do that at those places. :meanie: :meanie:
 
SilentSoldier said:
Hope that wasn't at Albert Einstein or NYMC :meanie:

Or better yet, even more extra points if you do that at those places. :meanie: :meanie:
Click to expand...

NYMC is MMI, and I withdrew from AECOM 😀

Disclaimer: This was actually just a hypothetical that came to me in the car,
 
YankeeBean said:
NYMC is MMI, and I withdrew from AECOM 😀

Disclaimer: This was actually just a hypothetical that came to me in the car,
Click to expand...

Heh. That would be like answering "Why Emory/Atlanta?" with "I was always a fan of Sherman..."
 
Cambover said:
The one who burned a path through Georgia and torched Atlanta. Very effective in ending the war, but certainly a sore part for Southerners.
Click to expand...

Haha, umm...I'd just go with "Well, I hear this is where the players play, and they ride on them thangs like errryday"
 
Cambover said:
Heh. That would be like answering "Why Emory/Atlanta?" with "I was always a fan of Sherman..."
Click to expand...

Or just play the "Welcome to Atlanta" song by Jermaine Dupri and P. Diddy.
:laugh::laugh:

As a civil war buff, I love the William T. Sherman reference!
 
Interviewer: If you wanted to improve your teamwork skills for the future, how would you go about it?
Me *thinking* Okay....uh, maybe something about joining a community pick-up sports team...?
Me: Well, I would call over some friends and convince them to do a home improvement project together.
Interviewer: :eyebrow: ...
Me: :whistle:
Interviewer: Okay, thank you.
Interviewer: ...
Interviewer: *loses internal battle* 🤣

/end interview
 
Me: "Yeah, I just used zipcar to get here. I'll probably continue to use zipcar as a medical student since car salesmen are such shady guys"
Interviewer: "My father was a car salesman for thirty years"

On the outside we both laughed. On the inside I knew I was ****ed. Waitlisted.
 
candav said:
The worst of the cycle for me was at one of my first interviews.

"Tell me about a situation where you had to say no."

I didn't even pause, I jumped right into my story: "Well, last week I was wearing a t-shirt I really liked, and my dad didn't like it and told me to take it off, and I really didn't want to take it off, so I told him no."

The interviewer stared at me for a good few seconds before saying, "...And you learned from this that it's important to be true to yourself?"

"Yes, yes of course. That's what I learned."
Click to expand...

This is gold
 
Interviewer: What do you expect of the faculty?
Me: Sorry, what do you mean?
Interviewer: As a student at (school), what will you expect of the faculty?
Me: I'm sorry, I don't understand what...like, in general?
Interviewer: Yes. What do you expect of the faculty?
Me: Uhhh... (some bull**** about a support network for students.)

What a horrible question.
 
YankeeBean said:
The general that captured Savannah, GA?
Click to expand...

An interviewer at my school, in Louisiana, asked me why we didn't have a statue for Sherman at LSU seeing how he was one of the founders (or something) of the University. I laughed, I thought he was joking, he then goes on to tell me how great Sherman was for helping end slavery. :wow:
 
This one is fresh off the interview trail, less than 24 hours ago:

Interviewer: What do you know about organ transplant policies?

My response: how much time do you have?
 
I had an interviewer ask me what my favorite soccer team was (apparently he had gotten the impression that I'm a soccer fan from my application somehow).

Me: Oh... I don't really watch soccer. So I guess I support team USA?
Him: ...
Him: You don't like soccer?? Well what do you watch then?
Me: Well I really like college football
Him: Uh OK. (quickly changes subject)
 
This thread makes me feel so much better about my most recent interview 👍
 
Q: i see you have lot of community service, very nice. How did you get started with that?
A: it was court ordered
 
Shjanzey said:
Interviewer: In one word summarize what makes a great doctor
Me: I should probably say something about empathy, saving babies, working for free and community care

"I would say competency" where did that come from? Time to roll with it "sure you can be a nice guy, but that doesn't get you anywhere if you don't know what you are doing. Ideally the physician would not only be competent but compassionate as well.

Interviewer: Exactly! Communication is very important!
Me: Wtf? I didn't say anything about communication
Click to expand...
Translation: "I like you and am going to pretend you gave me the answer I was hoping for." *nudge nudge wink wink* 👍

Or maybe they just misheard you. As long as they liked what they heard, it's all good!
 
triplicate post, move along nothing to see here
 
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CarlisleBeans said:
Just got accepted to this school! Just goes to show it's not always as bad as you think.
Click to expand...
Would just like to repost this to the most recent page. I just cried laughing, thank you.
 
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CarlisleBeans said:
I: Do you have any faults?

Me: Of course, a ton! (Said with way too much enthusiasm on my part)

I: Such as . . . ?

Me: Well, my husband is always telling me I'm too anal. (Oh no, Oh no, don't take it that way. Did I really just say that ?!?!)

I: (Laughs a little and avoids eye contact with me) Well, I don't know if that really could be considered a fault.

Me: (face turns bright red)
Click to expand...
I just would like to bring this to the front page, as it deserves attention. You win, because I'm literally crying from laughter.
 
Goro said:
It takes a lot of incompetence in any interviewee to get a rejection. I may be more of a hardass than some of my colleagues, but my rejections are very few out of the people I see.[/I]
Click to expand...

Does it though? I mean, at most schools you may only have like 30% chance of acceptance. Better chance than getting the interview, but still. All of the people I interviewed with seemed very competent, sociable, etc. Seems like either the interview is less important in the end than scores/grades, or you have to be really nitpicky of the responses you get, and ultimately reject people who interview pretty well. Maybe your schools is one that accepts a very high percentage of interviewees? It just seems like most people can interview pretty well, but most don't get accepted in the end.
 
This is for the same school; I was a lot more nervous than my previous interviews

Interviewer: So it says you're a re-applicant this year. Why do you think your last cycle wasn't successful?
Me: I think because I rushed into it
Interviewer: Why did you do that?
Me: Because my friends were doing it


Interviewer 2: So why didn't you apply to this school last year? (top 20)
Me: I've never heard about this school until this year
Interviewer 2: Wow, okay

Needless to say, I'm not banking on this school haha
 
CarlosDanger said:
Does it though? I mean, at most schools you may only have like 30% chance of acceptance. Better chance than getting the interview, but still. All of the people I interviewed with seemed very competent, sociable, etc. Seems like either the interview is less important in the end than scores/grades, or you have to be really nitpicky of the responses you get, and ultimately reject people who interview pretty well. Maybe your schools is one that accepts a very high percentage of interviewees? It just seems like most people can interview pretty well, but most don't get accepted in the end.
Click to expand...

I think he means a straight up rejection rather than a waitlist that doesn't pan out.
 
I guess I'll contribute. From Northwestern's panel interview. There happened to be an SDNer in the room as well, so he witnessed this mess.

Interviewer: So Amba, say the six of us are going to your hometown tomorrow. What would we do?

*note: my hometown has a population of 1100 and has zero restaurants, stoplights, or really anything to do*

Me: Uhhh. Hmm. Well there is a nice park? So I guess go there?

Interviewer: Then what?

Me: Um. Well there aren't any restaurants and I'd be hungry after going to the park. So maybe my parents would cook food?

Interviewer: Hmm.

Never felt so dumb haha.
 
I was interviewing in a MMI format, and in the hallway was a security camera. I was the first one out of the stations and was nervously waiting. I have no idea why, but I waved to the camera. Later during the interview I find out that the adcoms are watching the applicants via that camera. Very, very embarrassed thinking about it.
 
Cambover said:
I was interviewing in a MMI format, and in the hallway was a security camera. I was the first one out of the stations and was nervously waiting. I have no idea why, but I waved to the camera. Later during the interview I find out that the adcoms are watching the applicants via that camera. Very, very embarrassed thinking about it.
Click to expand...

Dang it. During my rest station I was lying down on the sofa for like 1.5 seconds
 
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Cambover said:
I was interviewing in a MMI format, and in the hallway was a security camera. I was the first one out of the stations and was nervously waiting. I have no idea why, but I waved to the camera. Later during the interview I find out that the adcoms are watching the applicants via that camera. Very, very embarrassed thinking about it.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure which is worse: MMI or group interviews.
 
This happened a few hours ago and caught me completely off guard.

Interviewer: Tell me a joke

Me: (not knowing what to say and only having one joke in my pocket) So this is a "knock-knock" joke and it's about poop. Knock knock

Interviewer: Who's there?

Me: I eat mop

Interviewer: I eat mop who?

It took him a second to realize what he just said but he did get a good laugh out of it so I hope that helps with telling such an immature joke :slap:
 
TCSC13 said:
This happened a few hours ago and caught me completely off guard.

Interviewer: Tell me a joke

Me: (not knowing what to say and only having one joke in my pocket) So this is a "knock-knock" joke and it's about poop. Knock knock

Interviewer: Who's there?

Me: I eat mop

Interviewer: I eat mop who?

It took him a second to realize what he just said but he did get a good laugh out of it so I hope that helps with telling such an immature joke :slap:
Click to expand...

Bahahaha
I literally lol'd
 
TCSC13 said:
This happened a few hours ago and caught me completely off guard.

Interviewer: Tell me a joke

Me: (not knowing what to say and only having one joke in my pocket) So this is a "knock-knock" joke and it's about poop. Knock knock

Interviewer: Who's there?

Me: I eat mop

Interviewer: I eat mop who?

It took him a second to realize what he just said but he did get a good laugh out of it so I hope that helps with telling such an immature joke :slap:
Click to expand...

Please don't be ashamed. This is the greatest knock knock joke since interrupting cow.
 
As I got into the elevator, a guy comes on the elevator dressed in a full suit ( immediately i know he is here for an interview), there was a lady running towards the elevator and he (standing in front of me) did NOT attempt to hold the door for her instead he just looked at her running towards the elevator.

I reached around him and pressed the elevator door button to hold it for her. She gets on the elevator and says "Good Morning" to both of us. ( i recognize the lady.. she is an interviewer and on the committee) the guy says NOTHING. I say "good morning, how are you doing today?" She says Im well thanks for asking.

The elevator door opens (the guy still has not said one word and is texting on his phone now) the guy gets off, The lady gets off and I get off the elevator (im on my way to study in my normal spot);

the guy goes to the interview room and its locked, he turns around and the lady is standing there with the keys to open the door and says "Hi, I will be interviewing you today" I giggle to myself as i knew she was going to be interviewing him because i see her all the time and he was a total jerk to her by ignoring her the entire time. His face turned bright red and i thought i literally saw poop fall out of his pants lol. Classic. :laugh:
 
A interview a few weeks ago:

Interviewer: <Something about why would you choose to go to an out of state school rather than your in-state school>

Me: Well I know I won't be going there at this point so...

Interviewer: What do you mean? Do you mean you won't be interviewing?

Me: <how to say this in a tactful way> ...Yes, I won't be interviewing there. (Makes a vague comment how it's a research-intensive school and research is probably my weakest point of my experiences, then moves on).
 
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Elewynne said:
A interview a few weeks ago:

Interviewer: <Something about why would you choose to go to an out of state school rather than your in-state school>

Me: Well I know I won't be going there at this point so...

Interviewer: What do you mean? Do you mean you won't be interviewing?

Me: <crap, how to say this in a tactful way> ...Yes, I won't be interviewing there. (Makes a vague comment how it's a research-intensive school and research is probably my weakest point of my experiences, then moves on).

Anyone know how a more comfortable way to address this type of question? I feel like I kind of fumbled through it, but am not sure of a more tactful, "no red flag" way to address the fact that I am happy to go out of state because I already got rejected from my in-state school...
Click to expand...
Turn it into a "why their school" answer?
 
Elewynne said:
A interview a few weeks ago:

Interviewer: <Something about why would you choose to go to an out of state school rather than your in-state school>

Me: Well I know I won't be going there at this point so...

Interviewer: What do you mean? Do you mean you won't be interviewing?

Me: <crap, how to say this in a tactful way> ...Yes, I won't be interviewing there. (Makes a vague comment how it's a research-intensive school and research is probably my weakest point of my experiences, then moves on).

Anyone know how a more comfortable way to address this type of question? I feel like I kind of fumbled through it, but am not sure of a more tactful, "no red flag" way to address the fact that I am happy to go out of state because I already got rejected from my in-state school...
Click to expand...

Yeah, you don't need to disclose that the school rejected you, since it's not relevant to answering the question 😛. Just talk about what the school has to offer that the other school doesn't, and explain that that easily overshadows any concerns about OOS 😀
 
Thanks for the feedback, at least next time I'll be better prepared 🙂
 
Amba said:
I guess I'll contribute. From Northwestern's panel interview. There happened to be an SDNer in the room as well, so he witnessed this mess.

Interviewer: So Amba, say the six of us are going to your hometown tomorrow. What would we do?

*note: my hometown has a population of 1100 and has zero restaurants, stoplights, or really anything to do*

Me: Uhhh. Hmm. Well there is a nice park? So I guess go there?

Interviewer: Then what?

Me: Um. Well there aren't any restaurants and I'd be hungry after going to the park. So maybe my parents would cook food?

Interviewer: Hmm.

Never felt so dumb haha.
Click to expand...

My response would be: go to the Dunkin Donuts.

Them: why?

BECAUSE POWDERED DONUTS MAKE ME GONUTS!!!!!!
 
TCSC13 said:
This happened a few hours ago and caught me completely off guard.

Interviewer: Tell me a joke

Me: (not knowing what to say and only having one joke in my pocket) So this is a "knock-knock" joke and it's about poop. Knock knock

Interviewer: Who's there?

Me: I eat mop

Interviewer: I eat mop who?

It took him a second to realize what he just said but he did get a good laugh out of it so I hope that helps with telling such an immature joke :slap:
Click to expand...


oh my god this is hilarious. i lol'd as well.
 
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