Worst Interview Experience EVER!

[Scooby Doo]

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(With the comic guy from the simpsons tone of course)...well, it wasn't that bad...but let's just say that it was NOT good....
My student interviewer...awesome...great job...i was impressed by the school. Then I went to my faculty interviewer. I went in there and he was not there so I just looked around his office which had roughly 50 plaques and awards and I knew I was going to be with a very prestigious guy. He walked in after lunch (late) and sat down. During the course of our interview, we were interrupted 3 times by people coming in or other things happening. First words out of his mouth "I used to interview using a sheet and by reading the application but then I found out that I formed biases and b/c of this I have decided not to read any applications and just feel the applicant for the interview." I thought to myself, "cool, this will be a relaxing interview" WRONG! Next words out of his mouth, "I attended Yale, Harvard, and worked on the Harvard admissions committee..."
That's just great I thought....This guy has seen people with MCAT scores that look like my score squared and people who have invented drugs and probably everything else. But, being an optimist, I felt I could still do it all fine. So he asked, "Where are you from?" I proceeded to start telling him where I went to college and then I was going to go backwards and end with where I was born...he didn't like this...he decided that he wanted to know exactly where I was born. I wanted to give an idea and then focus in on the place so I said "southern california in..." and I was cut off again..."NO, where!??!?!??!!?" Since I was born in a small city no one has heard of I named a landmark that I live 10 minutes from that everyone knows and he said "NO, where exactly?????" I said the name of the city and he then named the county...."Ah yes," he said "It's almost all white folks there who only have conservative views..." AT this point I begged to differ by pointing out many diverse areas of my county and then also saying I went to college in an extremely diverse area saying that diversity was the cornerstone of my university. At this point, he begged to differ saying he had been there earlier that week and said it was definitely NOT liberal. So.....he then said "why do you want to come all the way out here?"...I started by saying I had been to the east coast before and visited family in wisconsin and boston and I truly enjoyed all these areas....now, this was my bad partly b/c we were not in boston, but still...we were in the East....I could not finish my sentences to explain where I was going...He cut me off and said "We are NOT IN BOSTON, I WENT TO HARVARD...this is definitely not boston.." At which point I tried to defend myself by saying that I was only using that as a means to get to why this area...he didn't want to hear it though....
He did not like anything I said...he proceeded to ask me what I thought was the biggest problem in health care...I answered it decently...he then asked what was the biggest problem in the nations health system...I said that it was the same b/c I thought the question was exactly the same...he didn't like that I guess 🙁
Next, we spent 1/2 an hour on a hypothetical situation. He made a story where I got HIV from a transfusion and then went through a huge list of people of who I would and wouldn't tell. He asked if i would tell the dean, my fellow students, chief resident...my patients..etc etc...
Now, he made up a story where an old lady faints and I have to do CPR..do i do it? I tell him of course b/c HIV is not transmittable through saliva...he then changes it so that when the emergency team comes they prick me and then prick her so that she could be infected...do i tell her..at this point I begin to weight both sides to form an argument by starting out that she is very old (80 or so) and then he decides to change it again. He CUTS me off and says "NO NO, NOW SHE IS 40.....AND she is pregnant!" ...haha...wtf!!??!?! jeez..he just grilled me for like 30 min on what I would do and who I would tell...very lame I thought. He did not care about anything of my past and why I wanted to enter medicine...he continually cut me off and made me feel like a maggot who did not deserve to interview with the likes of him. He has probably interviewed over 1,000 students and I don't think he liked me.
He then asked me to ask him questions....so I asked a couple then I worded one "So what is the biggest weakness of this school." Which he began to ramble on...and then before I could come up behind it with my co-question said "Well, you did NOT ASK me the biggest STRENGTH of the school...but if you had I would have to say the students" I had to interject here and say that was my next question but he rolled over it like a steamroller over OJ in the movie The Naked Gun...not even hearing that I asked it. One reason I have stopped asking the strength question first is b/c every school says it's the students and if I have to hear it one more time I will PUKE! I will determine if I like the students or not...I don't need you to tell me that. He claimed to come into it with no prejudices yet I felt continually attacked and basically he inferred that he though I was just a little conservative white boy....so I stated that my parents raised me to be very liberal and all this...but he still disagreed..
Funniest part of this whole story is that I met the dean next and he said "oh, I see you are interviewing with Dr. So and So....he is a great guy...you will love interviewing with him"...at which point I told him I already did interview with him but I did not tell him any details. I regret that right now and I am thinking of sending him an email or a letter explaining I felt I was poorly interviewed and I do not think I was given a fair interview.
Up until this point, I LOVED THE SCHOOL! I thought it was a great place with awesome students! This interviewer ruined my impression of the place and now whenever I think of this medical school all I can think of is this horrible man. Should I write someting to the dean? What do you guys think?

 

[none]

I think you both formed preconceptions about each other instantly and it was probably a bit of both your faults that it wasn't perfect. Still, it doesn't sound too horrible. It sounds like you did your best with your respective mindsets and could still get in.

 

[Original]

Sounds like a great interview to me. I think the guy was just messing with you. Don't be surprised if you get in.

 

[jordews]

haha scoob!! I wonder f we had the exact same guy interviewing us! I never got to tell you about my interview at UAB, but it was almost identical! Let me preface by saying I had 2 really great interviews, so i think it will be ok, but one of my guys sounds exactly like the guy that interviewed you. He was a harvard grad, and had been everywhere, practicing in a bunch of different places. So anyways, I got the hypothetical situation question too, but mine was "say youre practicing 20 years from now and youve got a guy with (big medical terms I dont understand) and he comes to you and says, Doc I just dont wanna live anymore im in too much pain". Well first i tried to weasel my way out of it by saying "isn't there some sort of law or some sort of pledge that doctors sign to never assist in suicide, in which case he responds with "so say youre practicing in Oregon or Washington where assisted suicide is completely legal. So i go off about how as a doctor we have to hold life to a very high standard, and I would try to make him as comfortable as possible, but I would never assist with his suicide. So then, just like your guy he starts changing the situation. He must've changed it 3 times, and every time I just kept saying "naw, even so I still think life is much too valuable, and any kind of miracle could happen" oh it was just awful! But anyways, the worst part of the interview was when we started talking about an alcohol violation i got freshman year. I start explaining how it was a real low point in my life, but I think i have really turned my lfie around, im much more mature etc. at which point he interrupts me and says "well when was the last time you were hungover?" I was shocked! so I kind of stumble over my words just because i was so shocked with the question, and I was like "well I dont drink that much anymore, I drink socially" at which point he cuts me off again and says "No! when, what date, were you hungover last?" Needless to say I was completely shocked, I came out of the interview just wanting to cry! I really have no idea what he thought of me. I felt like i gave some pretty good answers, but the ton eof the interview was just so awful I had no choice but to feel bad about it. Oh well, I guess on the bright side I'll be better prepared in the future if i happen to get that same guy that interviewed you. 🙂

 

[Scooby Doo]

It wasn't at UAB...and no...it was not a good interview..and no, he was not impressed with me. I left out many things that also happened just for the sake of brevity but at some points he got me to take back answers and spit out new ones...at which I had to say, well the more I think about it, I would probably say you are correct and I would do this instead. He laughed to himself when I told him one person I would tell and then he seemed shocked I would do that. Also, he asked me about my perfect day...let's not even go there cuz I did not specify $hit. He almost seemed bitter b/c he wasn't at Harvard anymore b/c when I asked him why he came to "school in question", he said "oh, faculty doesn't count..we don't have a choice, I think this city is horrible."
And to the other person who said I preformed my opinion of him...this is true in ONE sense...only after he started cutting me off and acting like he didn't want to hear what I was saying. I was VERY impressed by this guy...a super genius obviously...and I was expecting a man who was amazing. And you know what, he probably is in his own field, but I don't know if he should be interviewing students. I do not expect to get an acceptance there...I don't even think I will get on the waitlist after that...After stumbling over half of my answers and not being able to answer half of them....and him not accepting "i do not know what I would do" I will get a thin envelope. I went into a long talk halfway through by saying, "If I got diagnosed with something like that, obviousy my life would be changed..I do not think I would be able to make up my mind in a few seconds, let alone a few days! Therefore, I do not know what I would do.." He said, "I am a surgeon, I need a yes or no answer NOW!"
So much for the saying "You can always use I dont know if you you are unsure of a question"
I was at this interview...so I do know that it did not go in my favor. At one point he seemed to agree with me and like what I said...but that was 1 minute of a 70 minute or so interview. I also answered some other questions in the wrong ways...but oh well...screw it....

 

[Sonya]

I agree with "original". he was just testing you. see how you react to that sortof treatment. don't sweat it, sounds like you did great.

 

[kutastha]

Sounds to me like you cracked under pressure. Gotta take what they give you and what they say about you and put a positive spin on it. Sorry to hear you won't mention the name of the school, sounds like a good thing for the rest of the SDNers interviewing there to look out for.

Send him a thank you note, commenting on how you enjoyed his challenging line of questioning. Hell, that interview actually sounds like fun. I would have bantered back and forth - if he keeps changing the HIV patients condition, I'd answer, then come right back and say, "Allright she's bleeding around the gums since she's a chronic crack smoker, what do you do?" and see how he handles it. Don't lay down for these people. Take it, come right back and they'll remember you - and appreciate your strength in doing so.

I see so many people, like yourself, that are straight out of premed that feel so challenged by such interviews. You need to understand that these people may be your superiors and hold your fate in your hands, but do not talk to them as such. Respect them but treat them like colleagues, because of course, that's what you're hoping will happen. It's part mind game, part info session

I wish they'd ask me when the last time I was hungover. Shoot, that'd be Saturday morning and one hell of a story.

Anyhoos, to close, Eleanoor Roosevelt once said, 'No one can make you feel inferior without your permission'.

Andrew

 

[jargon124]

Wow Scooby - I gotta tell you that your narrative was hillarious. I know it probably wasn't funny when it was happening to you, but man o man - go back and read it yourself and you'll see the humor in it.

I wouldn't worry about it so much. As otherd have said, you may not have done as badly as you think - and I wouldn't be surprised if you ended up getting in. I don't think calling the Dean is in order at all - It would come off as whining in my opinion...I can't imagine people calling Deans up any time they think there interview didn't go so well. It is out of your hands now and all you can do is wait...

Mind telling me what school you interviewed at (you can private message me if you like). I don't mind if you want to keep that to yourself, but I was just wondering - just in case I interview there I will make sure to eat my Wheaties. 🙂

By the way Scooby, thanks for your input on Stanford - I have decided not to designate it. I have enough "reach" schools on my list as it is!

 

[Resident Alien]

Originally posted by kutastha:
•
I see so many people, like yourself, that are straight out of premed that feel so challenged by such interviews. You need to understand that these people may be your superiors and hold your fate in your hands, but do not talk to them as such. Respect them but treat them like colleagues, because of course, that's what you're hoping will happen. It's part mind game, part info session

Andrew•

Well, I thought i'd do well in a pressure interview. Hell, i was nervous, and simple questions cast doubt in me, or so I thought. One thing i've realized is that you never know how the interview went. How do you know what the interviewer really wants to see?

Anyway, thats my humble opinion.

 

[kutastha]

Well, I can only surmise what the interviewer wants to see, but I'm not there to give him or her what it is they want to see - I'm there to present in person only what they've seen in writing. But if you're trying to be what they want you to be, I would bet the interviewer would rather not see you panic. You must exude confidence, even if you're in disagreement with the line of questioning. I deal with PIs and such on a daily basis - and they're real people just like you and me. Thus, in my opinion, I'd talk to them like I'd like to be talked to.

Andrew

 

[csgirl]

Scoob, the guy was just messing with your mind... whatever you do don't write to them complaining about the interview!! Be cool about it... I agree with whoever suggested that you write to the guy saying that you enjoyed his challenging questions. I think you're alright. Interviews always seem bad right after they're over... in a few weeks it won't seem so bad.

 

[Big_Poppa DDS]

scoob, why don't you and shaggy go get some happy juice. 😉 😛 😛 😛 😛 😛