Worst Interviewers...EVER

[canebob]

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[runie46]

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[whatuthinkin]

Yeah, that guy sounds a lot like my interview at a Texas school. I'm pretty sure we had the same guy. He asked me the same questions (I'm also a non-science major). I didn't do any research and he didn't like that!!!! He asked me what transcription factors are involved in some XYZ mechanism. F if I know, I took Cell Biology like 2 years ago. Then he told me I was not ready for medical school because I had had trouble in the past dealing with my father's death and its deleterious effects on my mother's mental/physical health. How could I possibly be ready for the rigors of medical school if I cannot handle my personal problems he stated. AWESOME. I, surprisingly, held it together. I'm 25 and I waited until I knew I was ready to continue on this path to medicine and that ******* negates everything I had done in academic, emotional and medical preparation. This school is my top choice and I was probably the one of the most excited interviewees there that day, my dad went there too... Anyways after the interview I found a place to cry for about 15 minutes then met a physician who I had been conversing with via email for about a year. Turns out this dude is on the admissions committee. Upon telling him my story he said to go talk to admissions and they gave me another interview that same day. The doctor told me later in another email he can see why I had a hard time with that PhD. When are then gonna take his ass off the interviewers list???

Ok, I’ll bite.

Had a Phd interviewer that straight off the bat was like, “sit down”.
Then busts out with this before I can even say a word.
“Why are you trying to get into med school with your degree (non science)?
“It might be better to try for PA school or nurse practitioner”.
“Have you even taken a general chemistry course?”

I was like, um…yeah, the pre-requisites for medical school as well as biochem, blah blah blah.

Then he starts accusing me of lying on my application. He’s like “These numbers aren’t right, you would have had to work 80+ hours a week to get all these shadowing hours in.” Apparently he can’t read dates or something, because I haven’t to this day figured out what the hell he was adding up. He couldn’t explain it to me but just kept saying, it was wrong. I told him I had all the doctors signatures and verification. At this point I’m starting to just get mad.

Then he starts drilling me because apparently he didn’t think people with non science majors should go to med school. He was like do you even know what an antibiotic is? Whats a broad spectrum antibiotic? Do you know the difference between gram + and gram - ? “What is the difference between a recessive and a dominant trait?” Now I’m starting to think I’m getting punked or something and the whole thing starts to be kind of funny to me. Which is where I went wrong, because I started to get a little sarcastic (I’m that way anyway). My undergrad research was on the pathogenesis of lung injury in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa infections among CF patients. It was pretty insulting.

Then he goes off on cystic fibrosis. He starts asking what happens in cystic fibrosis and why. I’m explaining the pathogenesis of the disease and he’s like, “No, I mean what happens in the body?” Then he asks what specific gene mutation causes CF? By this time I’m like, “I have no idea”. I said that’s why I’m applying to medical school. lol

Then he saw that my parents were missionaries in the Ukraine when I was a kid. He sits back, folds his arms and start shooting:
“Name all the countries that border the Ukraine.”
I started by saying Russia and he goes, “Everyone knows Russia, what else?”
“What is the #1 health problem in the Ukraine today?” By the way I was like 12 years old last time I was there. I’m nearly done by this point and just say, “alcoholism?”
He’s not amused and says, “No, TB!” “It was in a very influential journal, everyone should have seen it.”

Then he busts out with, “Tell me about your research.” As I’m doing it he interrupts.
“What are A549 cells, do you know?” I say, lung epithelial cells and he just says “nope” and shakes his head. I’m confused if I’m supposed to argue with him or what. He says, “They are cancer cells.” I‘m like “well yeah obviously! We use them because they grow fast and are hardy, but they are lung epithelial cancer cells.” He goes, “well I guess they are epithelial cells from the lungs.” lol jackass!

Then he changes tones and shows me this page of questions he is supposed to ask and was like “I can ask you all of these but I think I can judge them from your file”. “I could just give you this page, but I don’t think they are important.” Like that was some kind of pep talk or something.

I’m just ready to get out by this time, I shake his hand and get up and leave. Funny thing was I wasn’t even that flustered, I was just amazed and shocked. I still laugh to this day when I think about it.

This was at a Texas school, so I haven't heard anything from them just yet. Next couple of days hopefully.

 

[faith2]

The worse interview for me was at NOVA. I was suprised that I got in. It was horrible. I felt like it was the spanish inquistion. There were the two interviewers going back and forth. I was so nervous and my answers were incoherent. All my interviews after that went well. I am glad it was my first interview because it was an icebreaker.

 

[7starmantis]

Yeah, that guy sounds a lot like my interview at a Texas school. I'm pretty sure we had the same guy. He asked me the same questions (I'm also a non-science major). I didn't do any research and he didn't like that!!!! He asked me what transcription factors are involved in some XYZ mechanism. F if I know, I took Cell Biology like 2 years ago. Then he told me I was not ready for medical school because I had had trouble in the past dealing with my father's death and its deleterious effects on my mother's mental/physical health. How could I possibly be ready for the rigors of medical school if I cannot handle my personal problems he stated. AWESOME. I, surprisingly, held it together. I'm 25 and I waited until I knew I was ready to continue on this path to medicine and that ******* negates everything I had done in academic, emotional and medical preparation. This school is my top choice and I was probably the one of the most excited interviewees there that day, my dad went there too... Anyways after the interview I found a place to cry for about 15 minutes then met a physician who I had been conversing with via email for about a year. Turns out this dude is on the admissions committee. Upon telling him my story he said to go talk to admissions and they gave me another interview that same day. The doctor told me later in another email he can see why I had a hard time with that PhD. When are then gonna take his ass off the interviewers list???

Wow, yeah he should be gone. Sorry you had that same experience. Did it change your mind about the school any?

 

[whatuthinkin]

At first, kind of. The whole experience really upset me. However, I'm almost positive that that *****hole doesn't teach med students. That doctor onthe committee didn't even know who he was until a few weeks ago. My health professions advisor actually though the dude was trying to get out if interviewing. Whatever the case may be, arrogance or senility, it doesn't matter. That's where I want to go to school. I loved everything else.

 

[7starmantis]

At first, kind of. The whole experience really upset me. However, I'm almost positive that that *****hole doesn't teach med students. That doctor onthe committee didn't even know who he was until a few weeks ago. My health professions advisor actually though the dude was trying to get out if interviewing. Whatever the case may be, arrogance or senility, it doesn't matter. That's where I want to go to school. I loved everything else.

Yeah, I loved it as well and I grew up there so would love to be there. However this was early August and after sitting on it, some other schools have looked really good to me.

 

[ftrflyr29]

I interviewed at a school in the greater DC/VA/MD area.....the interviewer, a Derm, asked me if I was married and had children. If I remember correctly, these are questions they are not supposed to ask, but whatever, so I answered honestly.

He then proceeded to say..........

"........you will probably get in here, so once you're accepted, you and your spouse need to start marriage counseling right away to ensure your marriage is strong enough to handle it......."

I did get in here, but was so turned off by it

 

[Rawls87]

I interviewed at a school in the greater DC/VA/MD area.....the interviewer, a Derm, asked me if I was married and had children. If I remember correctly, these are questions they are not supposed to ask, but whatever, so I answered honestly.

He then proceeded to say..........

"........you will probably get in here, so once you're accepted, you and your spouse need to start marriage counseling right away to ensure your marriage is strong enough to handle it......."

I did get in here, but was so turned off by it

😱

 

[rockaction]

Things me and my Vanderbilt interviewer talked about (he picked these topics, mind you, and did most of the talking):

-The media coverage surrounding Michael Jackson's death
-How much cheaper state schools are than Vanderbilt
-How I could get the same education as Vanderbilt at my state school
-How he wished he traveled more in his life
-How he wished I would travel more in my life and not waste it in Nashville
-How much he hates interviewing
-How he hired a babysitter that went to my university that left a cybersex AIM window open on his computer
-How I probably wouldn't get in
-How nobody last year who he interviewed that got accepted matriculated
-Why I wasn't making a career on Music Row (since I listed music as an EC)
-How people who work or did research at Vanderbilt don't have any advantages in admissions (I did research at Vanderbilt)
-He told me about residency, as if I had never heard of it before
-And about how he predicts we'll conquer the "aging problem" in my lifetime

and he kept me an hour over talking about more stuff like this.

I was waitlisted.

Maybe if we talked more about me, the person who was being interviewed, I might have had a better chance of getting in. Thanks dude.

 

[ftrflyr29]

😱

My thoughts exactly.


In addition to....."what a complete jackass!"

and...

 

[Rawls87]

Things me and my Vanderbilt interviewer talked about (he picked these topics, mind you, and did most of the talking):

-The media coverage surrounding Michael Jackson's death
.
.
.

I was waitlisted.

Maybe if we talked more about me, the person who was being interviewed, I might have had a better chance of getting in. Thanks dude.

WTF

I'm glad people are posting their stories in this thread. I can't believe some of the stuff I'm hearing.

 

[KingstonPre]

^yeah these stories are crazy...

 

[squiddy]

Not exactly an interview but...

..after my first (unsuccessful) application cycle I met with the dean of med school admissions (at the ivy league university in the big apple) where I did my undergrad. He proceeded to pull out my file and for 45 minutes went through point by point and explained to me why I was unfit for medicine and his institution. He also emphasized that there was nothing I could do to improve my application for future cycles. I'm surprised that I kept it together until I got back to my car, where I burst into tears. (I've heard similar stories from others as well)

I didn't reapply there, but on my next cycle got into my 3 top choice programs, and just received a dean's award for outstanding academic achievement during my MS1 year.

Take that Mr. fancy pants ivy league dean.

You realize, of course, that Mr. Fancy Pants would take credit for getting you into those programs, *and* for your dean's award, for "spending time with you and properly motivating you" - he'd likely say had he not spent those 45 minutes "motivating" you, you'd almost certainly be in Beauty School now?

You can't win with academics. But congrats!

 

[deleted249431]

I had a "Dr. S" at one of my interviews. I was only scheduled a half an hour, and there was a student immediately after me. When I got to her office she was writing an email, and she told me to sit down. She then proceded to waste 10 of the 30 minutes writing the email, and then finding my file. When the "interview" finally began she just said "Lets start". She didn't actually ask me a question. I was just like "Ummm.... You just want me to start talking?" After I waited a couple of awkward seconds. She said yes. Almost immediately after I started talking about why I'm interested in medicine and the school she began to fall asleep in her chair. She even had the whole head bob thing going. She never actually asked me a question, she would just make comments on my application like "So, I see you are a philosophy and bio person. That isn't unique or interesting, so I don't want to hear anything about that from you." By the time I left the interview I was sooo pissed that I had to fly across the country for that woman to waste my time.

My result: Waitlist.

 

[Rawls87]

I had a "Dr. S" at one of my interviews. I was only scheduled a half an hour, and there was a student immediately after me. When I got to her office she was writing an email, and she told me to sit down. She then proceded to waste 10 of the 30 minutes writing the email, and then finding my file. When the "interview" finally began she just said "Lets start". She didn't actually ask me a question. I was just like "Ummm.... You just want me to start talking?" After I waited a couple of awkward seconds. She said yes. Almost immediately after I started talking about why I'm interested in medicine and the school she began to fall asleep in her chair. She even had the whole head bob thing going. She never actually asked me a question, she would just make comments on my application like "So, I see you are a philosophy and bio person. That isn't unique or interesting, so I don't want to hear anything about that from you." By the time I left the interview I was sooo pissed that I had to fly across the country for that woman to waste my time.

My result: Waitlist.

Sounds bizarre to me.

Which school, if you don't mind telling?

 

[Shinobiz11]

Ditto.

I also read on the VCU forum about "Dr. G" who is notorious for causing conflict with students. She even told a veteran that serving your country is not really honorable.

This forum should be used for seriousness and also some laughs.

People who are going to interview at schools should be given an HONEST heads up of what to expect, really. If your interview group has 12 people, and there is that "one" interviewer. You could be THAT person sitting across this person. Having a heads up on other peoples experience can only benefit you.

I have been told about terrible interviewers and if you read around, people speak about these individuals vocally on school specific discussions.

The medical examiner???😱

 

[rockymhs]

I had a "Dr. S" at one of my interviews. I was only scheduled a half an hour, and there was a student immediately after me. When I got to her office she was writing an email, and she told me to sit down. She then proceded to waste 10 of the 30 minutes writing the email, and then finding my file. When the "interview" finally began she just said "Lets start". She didn't actually ask me a question. I was just like "Ummm.... You just want me to start talking?" After I waited a couple of awkward seconds. She said yes. Almost immediately after I started talking about why I'm interested in medicine and the school she began to fall asleep in her chair. She even had the whole head bob thing going. She never actually asked me a question, she would just make comments on my application like "So, I see you are a philosophy and bio person. That isn't unique or interesting, so I don't want to hear anything about that from you." By the time I left the interview I was sooo pissed that I had to fly across the country for that woman to waste my time.

My result: Waitlist.

That sounds messed up....

I thought my interview didn't go well, but after hearing yours, mine was a very nice interview....

 

[CielloStelatto]

The medical examiner???😱

 

[7starmantis]

As an update, I was accepted to the school that I had the terrible interview at. So, you never know I guess.

 

[DntStopBelievin]

wow, what a great thread! I can finally release some steam about my interviews!!! i dont even know where to start. I walked into the room, we shook hands and sat down. And the first thing he says is "So does your dad wear a turban?" And i proceded to explain and then his next question is "So..you got an K on your mcat, that's pretty bad!" Then after I explain myself, he starts talking about himself and how he became a doctor and how hes traveled to so many countries and how everybody loves him (wtf-so f-ing egotistical!). He then asks "so what are you looking for in a med school>" and i tell him. He goes "no you shouldn't look at that! look for x,yz!" So the whole time i was basically learning about his life and he disagreed with everything i said! And to top things off, he would talk loudly sometimes and get in my face...honestly if he got a cm closer i would have knocked him out!!😡 Yeah, i blew my first interview. Oh well...uh i just wish I could complain to someone...some interviewers should not have even wasted their time to sign up to interview ppl when they themselves have other issues going on. Honestly, how can you get a fair chance if you are the unlucky applicant that gets stuck with some jerk off! I know thats why some schools have two interviewers (for inter-rater reliability!)

 

[Siew]

... He then asks "so what are you looking for in a med school>" and i tell him. He goes "no you shouldn't look at that! look for x,yz!"...

If you don't mind, could you elaborate? I'm curious what he thought was important/unimportant.

I can't believe the interviews I'm reading on this thread!!

 

[7starmantis]

wow, what a great thread! I can finally release some steam about my interviews!!! i dont even know where to start. I walked into the room, we shook hands and sat down. And the first thing he says is "So does your dad wear a turban?" And i proceded to explain and then his next question is "So..you got an K on your mcat, that's pretty bad!" Then after I explain myself, he starts talking about himself and how he became a doctor and how hes traveled to so many countries and how everybody loves him (wtf-so f-ing egotistical!). He then asks "so what are you looking for in a med school>" and i tell him. He goes "no you shouldn't look at that! look for x,yz!" So the whole time i was basically learning about his life and he disagreed with everything i said! And to top things off, he would talk loudly sometimes and get in my face...honestly if he got a cm closer i would have knocked him out!!😡 Yeah, i blew my first interview. Oh well...uh i just wish I could complain to someone...some interviewers should not have even wasted their time to sign up to interview ppl when they themselves have other issues going on. Honestly, how can you get a fair chance if you are the unlucky applicant that gets stuck with some jerk off! I know thats why some schools have two interviewers (for inter-rater reliability!)

Ok, that sucks. I hope you at least feel better getting it off your chest! 🙂 This thread is therapeutic!

 

[DntStopBelievin]

If you don't mind, could you elaborate? I'm curious what he thought was important/unimportant.

I can't believe the interviews I'm reading on this thread!!

Ok, that sucks. I hope you at least feel better getting it off your chest! 🙂 This thread is therapeutic!

This was rather therapeutic! If I could turn back time, i think i would have called him a "testicle head"!!

I said that I was looking for specific emphasis in humanities in their program. Then he says, "well all medical schools are the same, you should look for schools that offer lots of support and yada yada yada" i seriously was already pissed that i had already tuned him out so i dont remember the rest. This especially pissed me off bcause i had already told him way before he even asked that I was looking for a supportive school, I guess he wasnt listening! how rude!
Like i said i wish i couldve called him a scrotum head as i left! oh what fun that would have been!
I hear back from this school in about 4 weeks.

 

[strummin]

wow, what a great thread! I can finally release some steam about my interviews!!! i dont even know where to start. I walked into the room, we shook hands and sat down. And the first thing he says is "So does your dad wear a turban?" And i proceded to explain and then his next question is "So..you got an K on your mcat, that's pretty bad!"

Why would he ask whether your dad wore a turban? Are you a Sikh or something?
And, no offense, but K is truly a horrendous writing score, lol.. how did you explain that?

 

[Wheee]

I'm applying MD-only, but spent about 15-20 minutes at the very beginning of my Vandy interview being attacked about my research last summer: how horrible it was that we didn't know the hypoxic chamber wasn't actually hypoxic, and that there should have been some standards for that and an organization to make sure everything was working and we shouldn't have assumed that it was working fine (she asked why we didn't realize it was faulty, given our data that didn't show our expected results, and i'm like, "...because we didn't KNOW what our results were supposed to be, that's why it's RESEARCH???") and that the school I did my research at clearly had issues and wasn't running things properly. When she finished insulting the school she moved on to me, telling me I explained the theory behind my research wrong, which I checked with my PI and I was right.😡

Waitlisted. I wasn't exactly surprised, because I could tell she pretty much hated me and I hated her right back.

I don't know if that was coherent or not but it sure felt good! I was so insulted and a little shaken after being put on the defensive after the first question...I'd heard they were supposed to have the most laid-back interviews ever, and I got stuck with that.

 

[calimed214]

Note to self: don't read this thread 2 days before you have an interview scheduled.

 

[metalgearHMN]

Why would he ask whether your dad wore a turban? Are you a Sikh or something?
And, no offense, but K is truly a horrendous writing score, lol.. how did you explain that?

burn...

 

[dendrites]

Note to self: don't read this thread 2 days before you have an interview scheduled.

too late!!!!

 

[luckyjaf]

1) Texas Tech Lubbock
2) Dr. A-hole Surgeon
3) After a thoroughly awkward interview, in which every answer I gave was returned with a "huruphh" and a grimace, he proceeded to spend ten minutes telling me about the various Caribbean medical schools and why they might be a good option for someone like me!
4) Accepted on first day of pre-match (WTF?)

 

[c5212]

Ditto.
She even told a veteran that serving your country is not really honorable.

I'm only 17, evidently not a veteran or actively serving my country in the armed forces (which in my mind is the most honorable and noble thing a person can do) but if someone said that, I probably slap that particular individual across the face.

How honorable is it to say that serving you nation is not honorable?

To all the veterans and those currently serving --->

 

[TexasPrincess]

To help give everyone hope, a member of the adcom at the school I interviewed at on Friday told me that if you get a bad interview, they look at who did it and will often just throw it out. I am glad that school has 2 interviews. One was great, one wasn't.

Good luck!

 

[Longshanks]

As an update, I was accepted to the school that I had the terrible interview at. So, you never know I guess.

Hey, man, you took it to him, so maybe he was just testing your fortitude. Who knows. Whatever it was, you passed the test.

 

[ApoK]

I'm applying MD-only, but spent about 15-20 minutes at the very beginning of my Vandy interview being attacked about my research last summer: how horrible it was that we didn't know the hypoxic chamber wasn't actually hypoxic, and that there should have been some standards for that and an organization to make sure everything was working and we shouldn't have assumed that it was working fine (she asked why we didn't realize it was faulty, given our data that didn't show our expected results, and i'm like, "...because we didn't KNOW what our results were supposed to be, that's why it's RESEARCH???") and that the school I did my research at clearly had issues and wasn't running things properly. When she finished insulting the school she moved on to me, telling me I explained the theory behind my research wrong, which I checked with my PI and I was right.😡

Waitlisted. I wasn't exactly surprised, because I could tell she pretty much hated me and I hated her right back.

I don't know if that was coherent or not but it sure felt good! I was so insulted and a little shaken after being put on the defensive after the first question...I'd heard they were supposed to have the most laid-back interviews ever, and I got stuck with that.

lol! Who was your interviewer? Vandy is certainly getting a reputation for this BS.

 

[Ilvcurst]

So I posted this in the weird interview thread but this is much more appropriate!

Okay I can finally add something to this site. Some of you will know where this was at some won't. I'm a Chinese female and it will help you understand.

Him: So what ECs are you involved in?
Me: Well I swim, surf, snowboard, volleyball..basically a lot of sports since both my parents were college athletes.
Him: Yeah and you aren't like 80 lbs.
Me: (WTF did he just call me fat, then it came to me) Actually that is a stereotype of Asian people, that they are all 5'0" and 100 lbs. People from the South part of China tend to be smaller but I'm from Northern China, all my male relatives are over 6'0". (To be honest, I said this in kind of a stern manner cuz I was pissed).

Him: So what other school have you interviewed at?
Me: Well I interviewed at _____ earlier this week.
Him: That is not a good medical school, they don't make good doctors.
Me: (wow you should have a sign that says douche bag on your shirt so I know in advance)

Him: I mean with your GPA and MCAT (which btw isn't THAT low) you probably won't get in.
Me: (Okay...why did you invite me here then?)
Him: I can plead an underprivileged case to the committee, can I do that?
Me: Well I did grow up in a third world country but no, I'm not underprivileged, that is why I didn't mark disadvantaged on my application.

He was so rude and basically didn't read my application or allowed me to talk at all about my experiences. He was supposed to be my advocate for admissions 😡😡😡

 

[Ilvcurst]

Ok, that sucks. I hope you at least feel better getting it off your chest! 🙂 This thread is therapeutic!

seriously! I left thinking am I just horribly unlucky but apparent not...man the school should refund our money...

 

[Hifey]

So I posted this in the weird interview thread but this is much more appropriate!

Okay I can finally add something to this site. Some of you will know where this was at some won't. I'm a Chinese female and it will help you understand.

Him: So what ECs are you involved in?
Me: Well I swim, surf, snowboard, volleyball..basically a lot of sports since both my parents were college athletes.
Him: Yeah and you aren't like 80 lbs.
Me: (WTF did he just call me fat, then it came to me) Actually that is a stereotype of Asian people, that they are all 5'0" and 100 lbs. People from the South part of China tend to be smaller but I'm from Northern China, all my male relatives are over 6'0". (To be honest, I said this in kind of a stern manner cuz I was pissed).

Him: So what other school have you interviewed at?
Me: Well I interviewed at _____ earlier this week.
Him: That is not a good medical school, they don't make good doctors.
Me: (wow you should have a sign that says douche bag on your shirt so I know in advance)

Him: I mean with your GPA and MCAT (which btw isn't THAT low) you probably won't get in.
Me: (Okay...why did you invite me here then?)
Him: I can plead an underprivileged case to the committee, can I do that?
Me: Well I did grow up in a third world country but no, I'm not underprivileged, that is why I didn't mark disadvantaged on my application.

He was so rude and basically didn't read my application or allowed me to talk at all about my experiences. He was supposed to be my advocate for admissions 😡😡😡

I totally agree! this hasn't actually happened to me, but its like...if you don't approve of me, then why was I invited to interview?! I think sometimes interviewers and schools lose sight of how much money you have invested in this process and forget that the interview day is also their chance to make a good impression on the applicant. Its really ridiculous that some interviewers don't even TRY.

 

[Hifey]

I guess I'll give it a go as well. These weren't necessarily my "worst" interviews, but definitely my weirdest ones.

This was at a school on the east coast. The weirdest part of the interview:

Him: your mcat score is not that great, and not in line with your GPA.
Me: yeah (explained why...)
Him: Your verbal score is great though because it shows good basic intelligence and the ability to comprehend well.
Me: Thanks!
Him: But this score wouldn't get you into *insert more competitive school's name here*
Me:.....( I'm not freakin interviewing at that school, I'm interviewing HERE).

And the rest of the interview, he pretty much took apart my personal statement. He would pick something up and then say well its not as significant as you make it out to be and then I would kinda defend it and then he would move on to the next topic. We talked about him most of the time, and I didn't get much of a chance to ask questions about the school. This went on for over an hour. I walked out thinking for sure that this was a waitlist or a rejection. Result: Accepted.

At another school on the east coast, the MD that I was with started GRILLING me about why i wanted to go to the school. Every time I would say something, he'd chime in with "yes, but what really makes you want to come here?!" After that we talked about lecturing styles, how pissed he is when people don't show up to lecture when he spent so much time preparing it, and what I would do in his situation. My whole thought process was "what the hell, I'm not applying for a teaching job!". We also spent the entire hour long interview talking about him, he took like three phone calls, and didn't ask me ANYTHING about my application. I walked out thinking I bombed it, but he ended up giving me his card at the end and telling me to email him if I have any questions. Result: Accepted!


Apparently, I do well on interviews where we don't talk about me....

 

[Ilvcurst]

I guess I'll give it a go as well. These weren't necessarily my "worst" interviews, but definitely my weirdest ones.

This was at a school on the east coast. The weirdest part of the interview:

Him: your mcat score is not that great, and not in line with your GPA.
Me: yeah (explained why...)
Him: Your verbal score is great though because it shows good basic intelligence and the ability to comprehend well.
Me: Thanks!
Him: But this score wouldn't get you into *insert more competitive school's name here*
Me:.....( I'm not freakin interviewing at that school, I'm interviewing HERE).

And the rest of the interview, he pretty much took apart my personal statement. He would pick something up and then say well its not as significant as you make it out to be and then I would kinda defend it and then he would move on to the next topic. We talked about him most of the time, and I didn't get much of a chance to ask questions about the school. This went on for over an hour. I walked out thinking for sure that this was a waitlist or a rejection. Result: Accepted.

At another school on the east coast, the MD that I was with started GRILLING me about why i wanted to go to the school. Every time I would say something, he'd chime in with "yes, but what really makes you want to come here?!" After that we talked about lecturing styles, how pissed he is when people don't show up to lecture when he spent so much time preparing it, and what I would do in his situation. My whole thought process was "what the hell, I'm not applying for a teaching job!". We also spent the entire hour long interview talking about him, he took like three phone calls, and didn't ask me ANYTHING about my application. I walked out thinking I bombed it, but he ended up giving me his card at the end and telling me to email him if I have any questions. Result: Accepted!


Apparently, I do well on interviews where we don't talk about me....

Thanks for giving us some inspiration!

 

[Rawls87]

Bump

 

[Morsetlis]

Interviewer giving you their business card = good thing?

 

[dokein]

At one of the schools my interview was literally 3 questions long, the third question being "do you have any questions about XYZABC?"

 

[ziggyd0c]

At one of the schools my interview was literally 3 questions long, the third question being "do you have any questions about XYZABC?"

omg same here. mine just kept being like "ok, anything else? anything else?" for about 20 minutes i was like wtf i ran out of questions i ended up asking him about the weather and stuff because i didn't know what else to say lol

 

[rockaction]

Interviewer giving you their business card = good thing?

they all do that. in case they don't, you ask for one. just in case you have more questions or want to send them a thank you note.

 

[teenmachinery1]

The University of Washington interview system kind of avoids this problem of having a horrible interviewer by actually interviewing you as a committee of three faculty (or sometimes two faculty + student).

I like it because there are three people there and the likelihood of all three of them being absolute d-bags is small.

However, one of the interviewers is designated to represent you at adcom meetings.

During my interview, the interviewer that was also my representative, was really fascinated by a fishbowl that was in the corner of the room while I was talking.

I was like, "Um, ... Hey! Over here. Are you listening to me?"

It was really annoying to see him space out while I was trying to make eye contact with him.

 

[morning]

I'm surprised how many people had awful reviews and were still accepted. If the terrible interviewer gives everyone a terrible interview and the school just disregards it, why even keep the interviewer in the first place?

Bureaucracy/idiocracy 🙄

 

[boaz]

Most of these "terrible" interviews are stress interviews. In such an interview, the interviewer rattles your cage to see how you react...

But they sometimes go overboard. Like the case of the Asian girl a few posts up.

 

[bamtuba]

Interviewer giving you their business card = good thing?

Well, maybe. My ONLY rejection post interview was at the interview where I also had my ONLY job offer ("come work in my lab between year 1 and 2!" type thing).

Yeah...

I still have to say that school's interview system was just f*'d up.

 

[NNukibw77]

interviewer: so i'm sure you have a lot of acceptances already
me: i've been fortunate enough to have a few
interviewer: so why would you come to NYU
me: yada yada about NYC, their hospitals, great ortho opportunities, etc.
interviewer: but really, you could get into a better school yada yada
me: yada yada about nyu being a great school and how arbitrary the rankings are and how it has all the things i look for in a medical school yada yada
...
me: yada yada some story about a flight from san diego
interviewer: so you were at ucsd, you get in there? it's better than NYU
me: no actually it was part of an internship
interviewer: so did you get into any cali schools
me: no i want to be near home in NY
interviewer: what other schools in ny did you apply to
me: yada yada lists some other ones
interviewer: you get in to any?
me: no
...
at end of interview
interviewer: so why would you come to NYU?
me: look, it took me 5 hours to get here from school, i'm missing classes, it cost me a couple hundred dollars, im on financial aid. i'm an econ major i understand opportunity cost and don't enjoy wasting your or my time. i wouldnt be here if i wasnt serious. (sparknote summary, i was nice about it)


this is just a microcosm, every question was somehow trying to find out if i was realistically interested in nyu. wtf nyu is a great school.

 

[AKAdemic]

Interviewer - "What's your major?"

Me - "Biochemistry"

Interviewer - "I majored in the three B's at college - Beer, Booze and Baseball."

Me - (WTF? Jaw drop...chuckle? confused? Is this a joke???) 👎