Worst/Funniest Interview Experiences

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My interviewer kept cutting me off so I was not able to fully answer his questions. When asked about being a reapplicant, I was only able to describe the situation going on personally and not given the opportunity to address the other issues. --> googles interviewer after --> learns he is an ADCOM
result: expecting a rejection
 
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Interviewer: We have thousands of applicants. Why should we accept you?

Me: My incantations have cured many people's indigestion, and I'm also a hard worker!

.......silence.....

Me: It was a joke

.......silence.....

Interviewer: Anything else?

Me: I have a great sense of humor
 
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I am too honest... that was my weakness at my past few interviews.

We were talking about my brother and i hypothetically fighting, he asked me "Would your brother say you're stubborn?" I said yeah probably. He then asked, "Would you say you're stubborn?" I said, yeah, I can be depending on the situation.
Interviewers: silence... staring at me....

EEK
 
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Oh and again.. with the honesty thing:

Interviewer: "Do you think marijuana should be legalized?"
Me: Yes, if alcohol is legal I think pot should be legal. Alcohol, in my opinion, is a much more dangerous drug.
Interviewer: disagrees, thinks marijuana is worse. "Pot kills your brain, alcohol only damages your liver"
Me: Agree, but then tell him I have never seen someone overdose from too much marijuana, but people die from alcohol poisoning.

Turned into an interesting conversation, but oops. I forgot on ethical questions its best to present both sides before stating your opinion. Bah... in my defense.. I was on west coast time... Up since 3am

EDIT: result- waitlisted
 
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I was recovering from a really bad URI for my first interview.

Interviewer: *reaches out her hand* Hi, nice to meet you!
Me: *rejecting hand* Sorry, I would love to shake your hand, but I'm getting over a really bad cold right now.
Interviewer: uhh, okay...

Later on, after several episodes of coughing

Interviewer: Man you weren't kidding, you really DO have a bad cold
Me: Yea but don't worry, it's not like I have Ebola or anything (wtf did I just say..)
Interviewer: *gives me a concerned look *

I swear I think she moved her chair away from me after I said that. I'm still kicking myself for blurting that outloud.

Result: accepted
 
crossfit4lyfe said:
Oh and again.. with the honesty thing:

Interviewer: "Do you think marijuana should be legalized?"
Me: Yes, if alcohol is legal I think pot should be legal. Alcohol, in my opinion, is a much more dangerous drug.
Interviewer: disagrees, thinks marijuana is worse. "Pot kills your brain, alcohol only damages your liver"
Me: Agree, but then tell him I have never seen someone overdose from too much marijuana, but people die from alcohol poisoning.

Turned into an interesting conversation, but oops. I forgot on ethical questions its best to present both sides before stating your opinion. Bah... in my defense.. I was on west coast time... Up since 3am
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Oh yes, all those alcoholics I see are totally with it mentally...
 
At one interview, I got the standard "Why do you want to come to our school?" prompt.

Repeated the question back to the interviewer verbatim, as that was what I was taught to do when trying to buy time to think about my answer...that got me raised eyebrows from the get-go. I also unconsciously started flapping my arms in the air out of nervousness. Finally coughed up a couple sentences about aspects of the school I really liked, but for some reason couldn't think of the phrase "...these things really resonated/clicked with me because..." After spewing out a bunch of incoherent filler words/grunts for what seemed like an eternity, I eventually just had to go with the first thing that popped into my pea-sized brain: "Yeah, so this school really hits the spot for me."

My interviewer (opposite gender) gave me the most horrified look. I thought I was going to die right then and there.

Result: Accepted.

SO YOU NEVER KNOW.
 
AribaGirl said:
I was recovering from a really bad URI for my first interview.

Interviewer: *reaches out her hand* Hi, nice to meet you!
Me: *rejecting hand* Sorry, I would love to shake your hand, but I'm getting over a really bad cold right now.
Interviewer: uhh, okay...

Later on, after several episodes of coughing

Interviewer: Man you weren't kidding, you really DO have a bad cold
Me: Yea but don't worry, it's not like I have Ebola or anything (wtf did I just say..)
Interviewer: *gives me a concerned look *

I swear I think she moved her chair away from me after I said that. I'm still kicking myself for blurting that outloud.

Result: accepted
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tonydancer said:
At one interview, I got the standard "Why do you want to come to our school?" prompt.

Repeated the question back to the interviewer verbatim, as that was what I was taught to do when trying to buy time to think about my answer...that got me raised eyebrows from the get-go. I also unconsciously started flapping my arms in the air out of nervousness. Finally coughed up a couple sentences about aspects of the school I really liked, but for some reason couldn't think of the phrase "...these things really resonated/clicked with me because..." After spewing out a bunch of incoherent filler words/grunts for what seemed like an eternity, I eventually just had to go with the first thing that popped into my pea-sized brain: "Yeah, so this school really hits the spot for me."

My interviewer (opposite gender) gave me the most horrified look. I thought I was going to die right then and there.

Result: Accepted.

SO YOU NEVER KNOW.
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These two posts killed me! LOL!!!
 
Towards the end of the interview, we were talking about memory and how doctors have to remember so much more in 4 years than people in the early 1900s. So then he asked me, "What was the first question I asked you?" Me, trying to be clever, said, "You asked me what my name was."

He didn't take that answer, but he was pretty cool about it.
 
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OphthMD said:
Towards the end of the interview, we were talking about memory and how doctors have to remember so much more in 4 years than people in the early 1900s. So then he asked me, "What was the first question I asked you?" Me, trying to be clever, said, "You asked me what my name was."

He didn't take that answer, but he was pretty cool about it.
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I like this question! 🙂
 
I told the admission director, who was one of my interviewer at a school, that I went out drinking with the med students last night. <By drinking I mean 30cc of beer which is my limit after which I start to feel tipsy> The moment that I said it, I regret for having done so. I don't suppose it's a good thing to mention the word "drinking" in the interview.

I've been kicking myself in the foot for the slip of the tongue ever since. I just had 3 interviews in 3 different state in a week and this is after having spent the last 1.5 months on the road. So yeah, I should be easier on myself since I could have a worse interview moment I guess.
 
To end a particularly painful conversation of me trying to defend why I don't think it is selfish for me to pursue a field other than primary care...

Interviewer: Well, you must just be one of those girls that always gets everything she wants.
Me: Uhhhhhhhhhhh (Coming from a background where I had to work to help support my family through unemployment/bankruptcy/foreclosure/etc, I think it's safe to say that I'm definitely not accustomed to getting everything I might want, but the best answer I could come up with was seriously one prolonged and very audible uhhhhhh accompanied by what was perhaps the world's most awkward staring contest between the interviewer and myself.)
Interviewer: Let's move on. Tell me about your subpar academic performance your freshman year.
:smack:Definitely not holding my breath for an acceptance letter here.
 
peanutbutterdaisy said:
To end a particularly painful conversation of me trying to defend why I don't think it is selfish for me to pursue a field other than primary care...

Interviewer: Well, you must just be one of those girls that always gets everything she wants.
Me: Uhhhhhhhhhhh (Coming from a background where I had to work to help support my family through unemployment/bankruptcy/foreclosure/etc, I think it's safe to say that I'm definitely not accustomed to getting everything I might want, but the best answer I could come up with was seriously one prolonged and very audible uhhhhhh accompanied by what was perhaps the world's most awkward staring contest between the interviewer and myself.)
Interviewer: Let's move on. Tell me about your subpar academic performance your freshman year.
:smack:Definitely not holding my breath for an acceptance letter here.
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Oh my god! This sounds incredibly antagonistic and nightmareish! I'm so sorry!!
 
Was the school LUCOM or Loma Linda? If not, don't worry.

FFH said:
I told the admission director, who was one of my interviewer at a school, that I went out drinking with the med students last night. <By drinking I mean 30cc of beer which is my limit after which I start to feel tipsy> The moment that I said it, I regret for having done so. I don't suppose it's a good thing to mention the word "drinking" in the interview.

I've been kicking myself in the foot for the slip of the tongue ever since. I just had 3 interviews in 3 different state in a week and this is after having spent the last 1.5 months on the road. So yeah, I should be easier on myself since I could have a worse interview moment I guess.
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idk how bad this is but during my interview, the lady asked me my greatest struggles and how I overcame them in terms of school and education. I told her that I had a hard time in organic chemistry and because I love chemistry, it was a hit on my pride. The bad part comes when I told her that I had an epiphany in chemistry and then slightly raised my volume and said "CHEMISTRY!" to give her a visual representation of my epiphany.
 
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More hilarious on my part than bad, I hope.

During the "name, undergrad, interesting fact" with the dean, after other students gave interesting answers about traveling, scuba diving, etc, I answered "I make a mean frittata". Result: waitlist. WOMP WOMP
 
akaMondo said:
WOW. So. I was at an MMI, and the prompt was something about marijuana/alcohol abuse/etc. I get in the room, the doctor was friendly and joking around, we talked about legalizing marijuana, so on and so forth. After I said I'd probably vote to legalize marijuana and we started talking about the costs of alcoholism on society:

Me: "Yeah, I'd say alcoholism has a high cost on our society. You think about long-term physical and emotional care, cirrhosis, its ties to obesity, and yeah, the pricetag is really getting up there."
Him: *raises his arm up to signal high cost of alcohol*
Me: *goes for a high five*
Him: "Um... Mondo, did you just go for a high five?"
Me: "... no. Definitely not."
Him: "I think you were going for high five."
Me: "No, no, I was agreeing with you as to the high cost of alcoholism on our society."
Him: "Or you were going for a high five."

I was BEET RED. Why in the world did I do that? Why would he be high fiving me after I talked about alcoholism of all things? Oh my goodness! Mortified!
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BEST ONE YET!
 
This isn't an actual stupid response per say, but I remember when an admissions officer told me about an interviewee - after having smoked an interview with the dean - unbuttoned and unbuckled his shirt and belt respectively and rested his feet on the table while doing the second interview...

automatic rejection the very next day... FINISH HIM!!!
 
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awetmop said:
This isn't an actual stupid response per say, but I remember when an admissions officer told me about an interviewee - after having smoked an interview with the dean - unbuttoned and unbuckled his shirt and belt respectively and rested his feet on the table while doing the second interview...

automatic rejection the very next day... FINISH HIM!!!
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@Goro, the funny thing was that he called the dean to angrily demand why he was rejected. the rest was history as they say
 
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jsquared91 said:
More hilarious on my part than bad, I hope.

During the "name, undergrad, interesting fact" with the dean, after other students gave interesting answers about traveling, scuba diving, etc, I answered "I make a mean frittata". Result: waitlist. WOMP WOMP
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Whatttt that sucks!

I sense some jealousy there. I mean I'm jealous. Best I can do is make a disappointing grilled cheese.
 
peanutbutterdaisy said:
Not to worry, Sunflower! I believe my interviewer was going for the stress tactic and trying to rattle me...I wish I could say I didn't let him shake me though! Oh well...
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I'm not an interviewer or adcom, but personally I respect you for staying silent instead of jumping on the defensive when you were clearly being provoked. It shows a lot of self-restraint. I'm sure your interviewer noted this as well.
 
peanutbutterdaisy said:
To end a particularly painful conversation of me trying to defend why I don't think it is selfish for me to pursue a field other than primary care...

Interviewer: Well, you must just be one of those girls that always gets everything she wants.
Me: Uhhhhhhhhhhh (Coming from a background where I had to work to help support my family through unemployment/bankruptcy/foreclosure/etc, I think it's safe to say that I'm definitely not accustomed to getting everything I might want, but the best answer I could come up with was seriously one prolonged and very audible uhhhhhh accompanied by what was perhaps the world's most awkward staring contest between the interviewer and myself.)
Interviewer: Let's move on. Tell me about your subpar academic performance your freshman year.
:smack:Definitely not holding my breath for an acceptance letter here.
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Was it a female interviewer at NJMS?
 
StayCoolIceCube said:
I'm not an interviewer or adcom, but personally I respect you for staying silent instead of jumping on the defensive when you were clearly being provoked. It shows a lot of self-restraint. I'm sure your interviewer noted this as well.
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Thanks for the support!! I can't imagine any positive notes coming from that train wreck of an interview, but maybe I'll get a point or two for not sticking my foot in my mouth?

FFH said:
Was it a female interviewer at NJMS?
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It was a dude interviewer at different school...I hope you didn't have similar interview experience there!
 
peanutbutterdaisy said:
Thanks for the support!! I can't imagine any positive notes coming from that train wreck of an interview, but maybe I'll get a point or two for not sticking my foot in my mouth?


It was a dude interviewer at different school...I hope you didn't have similar interview experience there!
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unfortunately I did. that was the ONLY interview I got 3 years ago and that's how it went down. No worries, I'm real glad that I am not in Newark right now.
 
FFH said:
unfortunately I did. that was the ONLY interview I got 3 years ago and that's how it went down. No worries, I'm real glad that I am not in Newark right now.
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Maybe that was for the best--it seems like you are certainly having a much improved cycle this time around!!
 
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Here's one:

Enter Room.
Interviewer: Hi! Welcome! Great to meet you, my name is blah blah..
Me: Hi, Dr. X, very nice to meet you, I am blah blah blah...
[After some friendly small chat...]
Interviewer: So tell me about yourself.
Me: That's a great question! I went to college in --
Interviewer: Of course it's a great question, I'm the interviewer. Why wouldn't I ask good questions...
Me: ... 🙁

I've had quite a number of interviews at different schools at this point, and was pretty excited to be asked such a simple question to start off my last interview of the day. I think the rest of this interview went quite well though, although he wasn't the most pleasant interviewer.
 
JackieChanFan said:
Here's one:

Enter Room.
Interviewer: Hi! Welcome! Great to meet you, my name is blah blah..
Me: Hi, Dr. X, very nice to meet you, I am blah blah blah...
[After some friendly small chat...]
Interviewer: So tell me about yourself.
Me: That's a great question! I went to college in --
Interviewer: Of course it's a great question, I'm the interviewer. Why wouldn't I ask good questions...
Me: ... 🙁

I've had quite a number of interviews at different schools at this point, and was pretty excited to be asked such a simple question to start off my last interview of the day. I think the rest of this interview went quite well though, although he wasn't the most pleasant interviewer.
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What part of the country did this interview occur in, and where are you from? I'm guessing Northeast and Midwest (or maybe West Coast) respectively.
 
Old&InTheWay said:
I am from Boston, and will tell you that Northeasterners, and Bostonians in particular, have a very distinctive air of assholeishness. The degree to which a Bostonian is an a$$#0le to another human being does not reflect their feelings about that person. It merely reflects the extent to which they have been subsumed by the soul crushing anger and bitterness that the region breeds.

I'm not sure what Maryland is like culturally, but when I moved first to the West Coast and later to Colorado people often thought I was being a jerk when I was not feeling that way. Conversely, I was frequently suspicious of the friendliness that strangers would display toward me.

I suspect your interviewer in this case was taken aback by your complement ("what a great question!") and was merely trying to figure out what your angle was.

*In case it's not obvious, this is (mostly) tongue-in-cheek.
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I find the Northeastern bluntness refreshing. As someone with a New England family who grew up in VA, I moved to MA as quickly as possible to get away from the sickly, simpering falseness *cough* I mean 'politeness'.
I have never found New Englanders to be dinguses, they just don't lie to your face like everyone else, which is an incredibly relaxing and reassuring phenomenon!
 
mehc012 said:
I find the Northeastern bluntness refreshing. As someone with a New England family who grew up in VA, I moved to MA as quickly as possible to get away from the sickly, simpering falseness *cough* I mean 'politeness'.
I have never found New Englanders to be dinguses, they just don't lie to your face like everyone else, which is an incredibly relaxing and reassuring phenomenon!
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I live in the Pacific Northwest and I don't think our niceness and politeness are facades in the slightest! I genuinely feel compelled to be kind to strangers, no lying involved. I'm sorry your experience has indicated an insincerity with this type of behaviour!

On my interview trail, I haven't experienced overt rudeness in any location, though there are some places where people tend to go out of their way to be nice (i.e. The Midwest) and some places where this behaviour is absent. The former locations feel a bit more familiar to me, since that type of attitude is what I'm used to. But it certainly takes all kinds! And I can see the merits of both perspectives.
 
sunflower18 said:
I live in the Pacific Northwest and I don't think our niceness and politeness are facades in the slightest! I genuinely feel compelled to be kind to strangers, no lying involved. I'm sorry your experience has indicated an insincerity with this type of behaviour!

On my interview trail, I haven't experienced overt rudeness in any location, though there are some places where people tend to go out of their way to be nice (i.e. The Midwest) and some places where this behaviour is absent. The former locations feel a bit more familiar to me, since that type of attitude is what I'm used to. But it certainly takes all kinds! And I can see the merits of both perspectives.
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Haha, go to VA...it's allllllllll fake there. Or at least, 50% of it is, which ruins the real stuff anyway.
If you get a bit further south, it's a bit more real.
 
mehc012 said:
Haha, go to VA...it's allllllllll fake there. Or at least, 50% of it is, which ruins the real stuff anyway.
If you get a bit further south, it's a bit more real.
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I've never actually been to the south other than a bit of VA around DC... So I'm clueless! But that's interesting!
 
Old&InTheWay said:
I am from Boston, and will tell you that Northeasterners, and Bostonians in particular, have a very distinctive air of assholeishness. The degree to which a Bostonian is an a$$#0le to another human being does not reflect their feelings about that person. It merely reflects the extent to which they have been subsumed by the soul crushing anger and bitterness that the region breeds.

I'm not sure what Maryland is like culturally, but when I moved first to the West Coast and later to Colorado people often thought I was being a jerk when I was not feeling that way. Conversely, I was frequently suspicious of the friendliness that strangers would display toward me.

I suspect your interviewer in this case was taken aback by your complement ("what a great question!") and was merely trying to figure out what your angle was.

*In case it's not obvious, this is (mostly) tongue-in-cheek.
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Massholes...
 
jsquared91 said:
More hilarious on my part than bad, I hope.

During the "name, undergrad, interesting fact" with the dean, after other students gave interesting answers about traveling, scuba diving, etc, I answered "I make a mean frittata". Result: waitlist. WOMP WOMP
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oh man, was this Hofstra?

My interesting fact was I touched [famous celebrity], then I realized how that sounded and tried to awkwardly backtrack and laugh through it
 
umbrellaapp said:
oh man, was this Hofstra?

My interesting fact was I touched [famous celebrity], then I realized how that sounded and tried to awkwardly backtrack and laugh through it
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I probably will take that as being sarcastic rather by being silly.
 
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