Worst/Funniest Interview Experiences

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I'll contribute

Interviewer: If you could have any one superpower what would it be?
Me: oh jeez, what the heck? Ok, focus, don't say anything stupid ... uh... X-Ray vision *with a smirk*
*Both female interviewers look at eachother, burst out laughing"
Interviewer: ya, you're definitely going to have to explain that one
Me: mental facepalm... time to think fast... oh! I know! That way, next time I'm on some show where I need to pick a door and get the prize behind it, I'll win every time
 
My pre-med commitee interview was strange. I didn't really know the professor I got paired with and he has a very intense personality; kind of seems like he doesn't think anyone is qualified for a medical career. It kind of went like this.

Started off with a bang (no introduction or anything)

Interviewer: Why do you want to be a doctor?

Me: Gave a somewhat overly long, prepared answer about how I always wanted to learn more about physiological systems, but wanted to continue to develop skills in dealing with people and be a part of the state's community etc. (thought it was a decent and above all, honest answer)

Interviewer: Okay... But why medicine?

Me: Uhh... :scared:

Interviewer: Who is the secretary of state?

Me: Hillary Clinton!

Interviewer: In what states is euthanasia currently legal?

Me: Oregon?

Interviewer: Yep. Would you abort a fetus that had been prenatally diagnosed with Huntington's Disease?

Me: 🙄

The interview was about 45 minutes of this (pretty stressful), but I think I actually got a decent LOR somehow :laugh:
 
I'll contribute

Interviewer: If you could have any one superpower what would it be?
Me: oh jeez, what the heck? Ok, focus, don't say anything stupid ... uh... X-Ray vision *with a smirk*
*Both female interviewers look at eachother, burst out laughing"
Interviewer: ya, you're definitely going to have to explain that one
Me: mental facepalm... time to think fast... oh! I know! That way, next time I'm on some show where I need to pick a door and get the prize behind it, I'll win every time
Haha you're supposed to say so you'll be the best radiologist ever! :laugh:
 
I have a fun interview story. The school had its applicants write essays while they waited for their interviews and I wrote about a religion related subject. It was about having my views challenged and growing as a person, etc.

Interviewer: What was your essay about?
Me: It was about how I realized I wasn't religious.
Interviewer: (raises eyebrows) How old were you?
Me: I was in elementary school +personal details of the situation
Interviewer: How can you make decisions when you're that young? How do you even remember that? I don't remember things from when I was that young.

- We get into a religious argument. The guy is clearly Muslim and pissed that I rejected it and became Agnostic/Atheist. -

Interviewer: Ok. Let's change subjects. (Proceeds to grill me on insurance and health care) How many people don't have insurance? How many people in the US total? What percentage? What's an HMO/PPO? etc.
Me: (Clearly stressed out at this point and not good at doing mental math when pressured) Uhhhh.....

Interviewer: So you wrote about a natural disaster in your personal statement. What year was that?
Me: (Trying to count backwards in my head to the year when I was nine.) Umm...
Interviewer: You don't even know! Ha! I bet you don't even remember it!

Anyway, this guy made me extremely angry during my interview and I was making a serious effort to keep from yelling at him.

All of that wasn't too strange. I should have known the insurance stuff off the top of my head and I probably shouldn't have mentioned religion to a guy with religious items in his office etc. The strange thing was that he gave me a HUG at the end of the interview. WTH?

A few weeks later I withdrew from the school without hearing back. I'd rather reapply than go there.
 
All of that wasn't too strange. I should have known the insurance stuff off the top of my head and I probably shouldn't have mentioned religion to a guy with religious items in his office etc.

Haha, religion is a thing probably best stayed away from in just about any interview in any context.

In my case:

Interviewer: So, what do you do for fun?
Me: I love to read the Church fathers!
Interview: *blink* *blink*
Me: Ummm, I know Latin.
 
Oooo, I have a good one! I had a group interview a few months ago, where there were three interviewers, 2 PhDs and a DO, all sitting right in front of me across the table.

Interviewer#1- What is your selfish reason for wanting to go into medicine?
Me- Well, I feel that doctors make decisions for their patients, they are trusted to do this. And I really like making decisions. I also feel that I have the experience to make quick decisions.
Interviewer #2- Well that doesn’t really sound like a selfish reason...
Me- It is selfish because I really really LIKE making decisions for other people. It’s something that I enjoy.
Interviewer #3- So, are you telling us that you are really controlling??
Me- No! I am not saying that at all, I just feel that this is a challenge that will be present throughout my career, and I really like the trust and feeling I get when I am able to make decisions for others…

Epic fail… I totally forgot to tell them the rest of why I like making decisions for others and how throughout my life all of my friends let me make their class schedules and allow me tell them what to take in order to graduate with their given major… That I make years worth of plans of what my friends can do in order to become successful in their career or to get into grad school… Kind of why I give advice on SDN… I enjoy it.

But I got accepted less than a week later! So I guess my answer wasn’t that bad!
 
This is one that I kicked myself over at the time, but now that I know the interviewer better, may have been the best possible answer for me to give:

After explaining that one of the main reasons I wanted to be a doctor was because I just really enjoy patient care, the interview challenged me with:

Interviewer: "If you just want to take care of patients, why not be a PA or nurse practitioner? You'll probably get a higher volume of direct interaction sooner with less hassle or debt."
Me: "Uhh... ego?"
 
you said yes when you should've said no, and no when you should've said yes. was this the whole interview? do you have other interviews in the future?

I had another nightmare after that a week later.I drove to the interview drinking 3 big reds and staying focus and hype. Then I entered the room...
Interview: Good afternoon, nice day huh?
Me: Yeah its nice out. (with a huge grin)
Interview: ??? (slight look of disgust on face)
Interview: So.. tell me about yourself.
Me: Blah blah blah yada yada yada
Interview: ??? (same look on face with a curious stare)
Me:* why are they looking at me like this* stomach boiling with gas from soda and butterflies
Interview: So tell me about this on your app
Me: Huh.. *too focused on holding gas within my body, almost pulled a ass muscle*
Me: Eyes began to water and I could not hold it back. The more I tried to think happy thoughts the more red and watery my eyes got.
Later it was over and I stood up knowing if I dare take a step I would blow a whole in my pants. They shook my hand looking at me from head to toe and gave me a eyebrow raising look. I walked toward door pooting with every step and I KNOW they heard them.😕 It smelled like bigred and failure. I went to restroom and noticed I had on a brown and grey shoe like a f*ing *******! Thats why the awkward look when I left and my teeth was the color of an apple from the soda! I wish they said something so I could have explained.🙁 Interviews just isnt my thing or god hates me...


OMG I laughed at the part about the gas and then read the mixed up shoes and by the time I got to the third screw up I couldn't stop laughing!!! omg by far the funniest/worse interview out of the whole thread! and I just spent a week reading this thing.

and how the heck do people not know what Big Red is?! I LOVE BIG RED! You should try the Big Red Vanilla Float one. It's soooOoo good!
 
this is one that i kicked myself over at the time, but now that i know the interviewer better, may have been the best possible answer for me to give:

After explaining that one of the main reasons i wanted to be a doctor was because i just really enjoy patient care, the interview challenged me with:

Interviewer: "if you just want to take care of patients, why not be a pa or nurse practitioner? You'll probably get a higher volume of direct interaction sooner with less hassle or debt."
me: "uhh... Ego?"


rofl
 
not technically an answer because I didn't let the interviewer finish. . .

Interviewer: So I see that you are currently working two very different jobs. How do. . .
Me: (interupting) Well actually now I work one of those jobs. . . Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt you.


Result: accepted.
 
Interviewer: What would your family say that you are weak at?

Me: Stress Management

Yeah after this response, I was FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF.

Still got accepted but wouldn't choose this answer XD
 
First interview:

I had an awkward moment. I'm sure everyone has experienced something like this at a restaurant or movie theater when they tell you to enjoy your meal or movie.

We were reaching the end of the interview, and he was showing me out towards the door. Keep in mind he had asked earlier if I had gotten any other interviews, and I replied that I had an interview at x school. Anyways, as he opened the door to let me out, I sensed that he was going to say, "Enjoy your summer!" but instead he said, "Good luck with your interview at x school!" It was too late, though. Before he even finished what he was saying, I replied with "You too!"

Second interview:

Interviewer: So what do you think about the city?
Me: Umm...it's nice. The mountains are nice. The people seem nice. (I give a sheepish smile. I'm thinking, what the heck does he want me to say??)

Interviewer: So tell me about the health care reform.
Me: Well, there are some things that I like about it. For example, Medicare will start reimbursing physicians more. (I was pretty sure I read this on wikipedia.)
Interviewer: No, you're wrong. They're decreasing reimbursement.
Me: Oh.
Interviewer: (Goes on a long rant about he doesn't like the reform, thinks we need a free market system, blah blah. I just nod my head in agreement)...But anyways, I don't think you care much for my opinion.
Me: Umm...no...it's very interesting...thank you for sharing.

Third interview:

I finished my first interview and headed to my second interviewer. It was still early, so I thought I would just wait in the hall, right outside of her office. I was reading some stuff from my folder. Pretty soon, she steps out, and we make eye contact.

Interviewer: Oh! You must be x.
Me: Hi, yes! (kind of taken aback)
Interviewer: I'll be right back, going to get a drink of water.
(comes back in a few minutes)
Interviewer: OK, now we can have a proper introduction.
Me: (Laughing nervously). Sorry, I wasn't scheduled to interview until x time. I didn't want to come in so early...
 
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Had a three person panel.
Walked in with two of the people present and we start talking about my grad work in nutrition....im talking about obesity
Third person walks in and she's obese
They make me start over again with my answer



decision....REJECTED
 
So all I could think about was how nice florida was compared to new york (it was COLD when I left)

Interviewer: So why do you want to come to school here?
Me: it's close to the beach
Interviewer: you know most people respond with answers about the curriculum
Me: o..(long pause)... well I like that there's early patient contact

guess they like the beach too. decision.....Accepted
 
Had a three person panel.
Walked in with two of the people present and we start talking about my grad work in nutrition....im talking about obesity
Third person walks in and she's obese
They make me start over again with my answer



decision....REJECTED

what kind of things were you saying? it's one thing if you were presenting the facts like "obese people are more likely to have x and y problems" but if you were like "oh those slobs" then i could see how it could be a problem hahaha.
 
So all I could think about was how nice florida was compared to new york (it was COLD when I left)

Interviewer: So why do you want to come to school here?
Me: it's close to the beach
Interviewer: you know most people respond with answers about the curriculum
Me: o..(long pause)... well I like that there's early patient contact

guess they like the beach too. decision.....Accepted

Was this like FIU or UMiami?? And you got lucky that your interviewer flew with that. My advisor up at BUSM. She interviews candidates for the MD program there and she got irritated when someone once responded they wanted to be in BU cuz they love the red sox.
 
my interviewer appeared to be really old. like older than my grandpa old.

interviewer: "so, what questions do you have for me?"
pullupthepeople: ::asks good question about that school::
interviewer: "absolutely!"
pullupthepeople: "so what type of physician are you?"
interviewer: "im an endocrinologist."
pullupthepeople: "and how long have been practicing?"
interviewer: "over 50 years."
pullupthepeople: "wow. so.... when insulin was first introduced, how did that affect your practice?"
interviewer: ::kind of laughs:: "well, insulin was introduced in 1922, so i wasnt born yet. im not that old.
pullupthepeople: "oh my, im sorry... i thought.. i just thought that..."
interviewer: "its ok. even my own children still think that i used to wear a leather helmet when i played football in college."
pullupthepeople: "oh im so sorry, i didnt mean.."
interviewer: "well you should probably get going now. i wish you luck"

interviewer then shakes my hand while simultaneously pushing me out the door.

result: accepted.
 
Interviewer: So, tell me about your MCAT...
Me: Well I know I'm a little unbalanced....I mean...I'm not unbalanced...my subscores are....

(we both laughed pretty good about it...he said it was a great answer lol)

Decision: Still waiting
 
Wow people have never heard of the phrase MRS Degree????????? what world do you come from???

Its a common phrase because in the day and age of our parents or grand parents a lot of owmen were sent to university or school to study but still had the expectation they'd be stay at home wives.

I use this phrase a lot to describe how things are in India. Many women as far back as 15 years ago still were being told to get educated and go to college, earn some sort of masters or ugrad in something like psychology or english or things of that nature for the purpose of being educated but then it was the expectation after they'd find a husband to be a stay at home wife and mother who helped also take care of the in laws and run the household while the husband provided for the family. It is like this with many of my older cousin's families and also my mom's era women so many of the aunties in my town fall in this category.

But in India, even girls going to medical or dental school are many times not doing it with the intention of practicing down the road but with the intention of getting the degree to find a husband because many wealthy men want a very well educated wife but they don't necessarily want her to use this education because they want her to run the household.

I've heard of stories of indian men like that here in the US as well. Like there were stories of fam. friend's daughters who went in medicine and dental medicine and other health professions such as optometry. And these kids well when they were looking for guys when they were single, well some of the guys they came across told them to quit their jobs otherwise they didn't want to be with them but they didn't want to find someone who would be stay at home but not a doctor or other higher health profession because they wanted a woman who was educated. its sooooooooooooooooo stupid. Why anyone would waste the time, blood, sweat of going through arduous medical and dental education to be a stay at home is stupid. But some men are not the brightest bulbs in the pack so to speak to have this common sense.

first off, desi power!!! =D sorry, I love running into indian people on here. second, I completely agree with you on this. It's really upsetting to think that the only people some people go to school is to get a MRS/MR degree and are taking up seats that other people actually WANT! It's horrible to think that people are getting rejected only so someone can have that seat and do nothing with the degree.

Also, there are MR degrees. I know about 5 guys personally who only went for their degrees because their girlfriend's were educated and the girls family wouldn't let her marry the guy because he didn't have a degree. 😡
 
first off, desi power!!! =D sorry, I love running into indian people on here. second, I completely agree with you on this. It's really upsetting to think that the only people some people go to school is to get a MRS/MR degree and are taking up seats that other people actually WANT! It's horrible to think that people are getting rejected only so someone can have that seat and do nothing with the degree.

Also, there are MR degrees. I know about 5 guys personally who only went for their degrees because their girlfriend's were educated and the girls family wouldn't let her marry the guy because he didn't have a degree. 😡

Wow. No in my case, the girls who got degrees were hell no way sitting on their rear ends. They wanted to use their degrees to work and did and turned down a lot of guys until they found the right one that would see sense and let them work. But its sad that there are guys who expect that from a woman.
 
Being later in the interview process, I was hoping for stories to be posted of your awkward or just plain stupid (foot-in-mouth moment).

I was really nervous about these type of issues because I was really prone to digging graves for myself during mock interviews at the career center.

"What is your weakness?"
-Well I might consider myself lazy.... hard to be motivated... no no no wait! i mean, like my free time which... I don't really do anything, Liike in school I..... I.... I give up!

But luckily my interviews have been free of stupid mistakes like that. I did have one question which was cause for awkwardness though. I got to spend many minutes discussing the sexual tendencies of young children... very young children... so that was fun.

Anyone care to share their awkward or dumb answers?
 
The interviewer asked me where I had applied and received interview invitations. I mentioned that "school A" did not send me an interview invite, so they must be "looking for the prestigious kids" without even thinking. He politely corrected my mouth-in-foot moment with "not more prestigious, just different."

There was also a med student sitting in for the interview. I wanted to shoot myself.
 
this is unoriginal brah

Its still interesting, and making a new thread keeps us from having to wade through pages of year old posts we've read before to get to the new stuff.

🙂
 
Its still interesting, and making a new thread keeps us from having to wade through pages of year old posts we've read before to get to the new stuff.

🙂

ha yeah i agree. these threads are always fun so it's all good.
 
Its still interesting, and making a new thread keeps us from having to wade through pages of year old posts we've read before to get to the new stuff.

😕

you don't have to wade through anything. you click the "last" button and it takes you to the most recent posts. plus, the older, traditional threads have a lot of funny stories that can keep you entertained for hours 😀
 
😕

you don't have to wade through anything. you click the "last" button and it takes you to the most recent posts. plus, the older, traditional threads have a lot of funny stories that can keep you entertained for hours 😀

WTF. Are you seriously telling me I can't even figure out how to use a freaken forum? 😡😡😡 Why didn't someone tell me this earlier? Though I still can't find said button. apparently I'm ******ed.
 
I said "yea and then you have friends who are business majors over there that dont have to work nearly as hard in undergrad"

Interviewer "some of us were those business majors"

Me: :scared:, Quick subject change
 
WTF. Are you seriously telling me I can't even figure out how to use a freaken forum? 😡😡😡 Why didn't someone tell me this earlier? Though I still can't find said button. apparently I'm ******ed.

For each post, go to where it says Today at (insert time) by (insert username), there is a right arrow. Click on that.
 
I said "yea and then you have friends who are business majors over there that dont have to work nearly as hard in undergrad"

Interviewer "some of us were those business majors"

Me: :scared:, Quick subject change

Not a med interview, but I was at the dentist today with my friend. We were talking about other majors and I said "north campus majors (non-science majors at UCLA) are all a joke!". Turns out the dentist went to UCLA as a north campus major.

I would have been embarrassed.... but he was a dentist and has no soul.
 
Not a med interview, but I was at the dentist today with my friend. We were talking about other majors and I said "north campus majors (non-science majors at UCLA) are all a joke!". Turns out the dentist went to UCLA as a north campus major.

I would have been embarrassed.... but he was a dentist and has no soul.

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Though my dentist is the only doc I know who seems actually happy with his career, and suggested I become a dentist...
 
:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Though my dentist is the only doc I know who seems actually happy with his career, and suggested I become a dentist...

Hahaha my dentist actually suggested I NOT become a dentist, that I should become a doctor instead. He said dentistry was a more lonely profession (dentists often work alone or with only one colleague who shares their level of education) and that there was too much corruption; too many dentists perform unnecessary work on their patients to make more money.

I have nothing against dentistry, but it was refreshing to hear a dentist be so pro-med. 😀
 
Paraphrased, of course.

Interviewer: What do you think is more important in medicine, knowledge or compassion?

Me: Compassion fo sho.

Interviewer: I'm a pathologist. I vote knowledge.

Result: Acceptance :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
 
😕

you don't have to wade through anything. you click the "last" button and it takes you to the most recent posts. plus, the older, traditional threads have a lot of funny stories that can keep you entertained for hours 😀
I agree with this, the whole point of threads sticking around is to be used again and prevent forum clutter.
WTF. Are you seriously telling me I can't even figure out how to use a freaken forum? 😡😡😡 Why didn't someone tell me this earlier? Though I still can't find said button. apparently I'm ******ed.
Calm down there bro.
 
Two moments from this cycle... one of which doesn't involve an interview question, but was still awkward. Both happened at the same school.

During one of my interviews the interviewer (the Dean) asks me why I didn't end up doing my ugrad at a well known public school in my home city - I talk about how I wasn't a fan of the campus culture and didn't really think I fit in there... after spending a good 5 minutes eliciting what I didn't like about the school, he revealed that his son was a current ugrad.

Earlier that morning they had breakfast set up for the interviewees in a conference room off of the waiting area. We hung out for a while and then went and had our first info session. When we came back I decided I wanted to eat some breakfast, so I walked into the conference room and started picking out what I wanted. I soon realized that despite the room being full of people, it was silent.... I looked around and the Dean and all of the interviewers for the day were having some kind of meeting in the conference room before interviews started. I just mumbled something semi-apologetic and said that I just wanted breakfast and they were like yeah... just get out we'll bring the food out in a few.
 
Two moments from this cycle... one of which doesn't involve an interview question, but was still awkward. Both happened at the same school.

During one of my interviews the interviewer (the Dean) asks me why I didn't end up doing my ugrad at a well known public school in my home city - I talk about how I wasn't a fan of the campus culture and didn't really think I fit in there... after spending a good 5 minutes eliciting what I didn't like about the school, he revealed that his son was a current ugrad.

Earlier that morning they had breakfast set up for the interviewees in a conference room off of the waiting area. We hung out for a while and then went and had our first info session. When we came back I decided I wanted to eat some breakfast, so I walked into the conference room and started picking out what I wanted. I soon realized that despite the room being full of people, it was silent.... I looked around and the Dean and all of the interviewers for the day were having some kind of meeting in the conference room before interviews started. I just mumbled something semi-apologetic and said that I just wanted breakfast and they were like yeah... just get out we'll bring the food out in a few.

Hahaha that mustve been embarassing lol
 
Two moments from this cycle... one of which doesn't involve an interview question, but was still awkward. Both happened at the same school.

During one of my interviews the interviewer (the Dean) asks me why I didn't end up doing my ugrad at a well known public school in my home city - I talk about how I wasn't a fan of the campus culture and didn't really think I fit in there... after spending a good 5 minutes eliciting what I didn't like about the school, he revealed that his son was a current ugrad.

Earlier that morning they had breakfast set up for the interviewees in a conference room off of the waiting area. We hung out for a while and then went and had our first info session. When we came back I decided I wanted to eat some breakfast, so I walked into the conference room and started picking out what I wanted. I soon realized that despite the room being full of people, it was silent.... I looked around and the Dean and all of the interviewers for the day were having some kind of meeting in the conference room before interviews started. I just mumbled something semi-apologetic and said that I just wanted breakfast and they were like yeah... just get out we'll bring the food out in a few.

lol
 
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Hahaha, I was very sober. And yes, quite embarrassing. Not sure what I thought when I realized what I'd walked into... seriously an fml moment.
 
I was given a tour of the campus by a student, who was also an interviewer (but not mine). After my first interview is done I see him talking to another student in the lobby and figure I'll speak some more with him. I sit down and announce
Me: "Well that wasn't too bad!"
"hey... uh.. would you mind coming back? I can talk to you in a bit"
Me: "Actually, I'm just looking for a place to sit. Continue your converstation"
"Well.. you actually, can't be here?"
Me: "oh, private conversation, thats cool"
"No, its just that I'm in the middle of an interview"
Me: "Oh.....OH! soooo sorry!"


But be facebook friend requested me later... so it must not have been that bad. Although I may regret accepting the request... There is some odd stuff on my facebook
 
Interviewer: "If you could have lunch and talk to anyone alive or dead, who would it be?"
Me: *Crap*......silence......."Ummmmmm.... one of the founding fathers...."

I didn't even pick a person!!!! So really I didn't even really answer the question, and it was kind of a lame answer, not because it wouldn't be cool to talk to one of the founding fathers but because I couldn't explain what I would want to ask them. It was a clsguy fail. The worst thing was that several months before my interview at this school I had heard of someone else getting asked the same question! I was still unprepared for it. *Hits myself in forehead with hard object*
 
Second interviewer of the morning. She comes to the office of admissions and we walk down the hallway to our interview room. Breaking the ice:

I: So how has your morning been?
Me: Interviewing for medical school, so great.
Me: How's your day?
I: "****ty. My three children are home sick and my husband, who's also an anesthesiologist, is home with them today."
I: Oops, I probably shouldn't swear.
Me: Sure I'm from Utah, but not offended by language. I hope your kids get feeling better.
Me: (notice that she's wearing an ID badge, glance at it briefly, we get to the room and take our seats)
Me: Psychology huh? I see we have something in common (I graduated in 2008 with a B.S. in psych)
I: (smiles and points to badge). "Pathology"
Me: Yup, slightly different field.

Later on in the interview:

I: So how did you prepare for your interviews?
Me: I spent time considering what questions I would ask if I were interviewing prospective medical students. Made a bullet-point list of these questions, printed it out, condensed my answers and practiced saying them out loud to myself in the bath tub ...
I: (stare)
Me: Not quite sure why I told you that. I actually do a majority of my studying in the bath tub (oh, so we're keeping with the bath tub and elaborating a bit are we?). Been doing that since my senior year of high school.
I: (stare)
Me: Has some neuroscience logic to it . . . . you know . . . . no distractions, the running water provides a form of white-noise that you can tune out and focus on the material. I also re-familiarized myself with current health care reform legislation and bioethics topics on a variety of government and medical web sites.

My friends and fam constantly tease me about my bath-tub studies. Not quite sure how forcing an interviewer to picture me nude in 3" deep warm water while talking to myself like a schizophrenic will work out. Currently waiting on the final decision. :xf:
 
My friends and fam constantly tease me about my bath-tub studies. Not quite sure how forcing an interviewer to picture me nude in 3" deep warm water while talking to myself like a schizophrenic will work out. Currently waiting on the final decision. :xf:

hahaha i want to know, too!
 
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