Funny Med School Interview Stories from Student Doctor Network, part 2

Why you should avoid critical comments as an interviewee:

Interviewing at a state school:

Interviewer: “So, how did you enjoy going to ______ state school for undergrad?”
Applicant: “Blah, blah blah, I loved it, it think public education is important. I think I received just as good an education as people who go to Harvard or Yale. I think those schools are over rated for undergraduate education…(going on about grade inflation)”

(later on)

Applicant: “So where did you do you undergraduate education?”
Interviewer: “Harvard.””
Applicant: “and where did you go to medical school?”
Interviewer: “Yale.”

About that photo you included with your med school application:

First thing the interviewer says after an applicant walks through the door:

“WOW! You look so much FATTER in the picture you sent with your application!”

The other way that can go:

Interviewer: (gives me an incredulous look, then opens my file before looking back at me) “Wow, you certainly photograph well.”

How to be Awkward:

“This happened at my interview about a month ago. Kind of threw me off.

Interviewer: (sneeze)

Applicant: (nothing just sat there)

Interviewer: Thanks for saying God Bless You. Didn’t you say that you were a caring person.

Applicant:  Uh… Sorry, I forgot.

Result: Waitlisted”

I’m having difficulty controlling THE VOLUME OF MY VOICE:

Interviewer: “So I see you have virtually no research experience.”

Applicant: (I don’t know how this happened, maybe I breathed funny or lost my train of thought, but I answered with a loud, long “NO” followed by a loud, short “MAM” *awkward*)

She made me feel better by mentioning she had no research experience before medicine either.

Be ready for anything:

“So at my 5th interview, I’m feeling real good… do the standard chatting up with the other interviewee’s, then have my first interview with a Ph.D and that goes super well cause we just end up talking about research….

then the day goes on and I meet my second interviewer

she appears to look like a nice old lady, i assume she is a retire M.D. doing this interviewing thing for fun. But no, let me just say to NEVER ASSUME what your interviewer is like based on appearance. She takes me behind the admissions office, in a little room and sits me down.

She starts out asking nice easy questions, “tell me about yourself, oh you like sports, what did you do studying abroad… blah blah blah..”

then she hits me with “Ok now that we have that over with…. we will start the REAL interview”

meanwhile i was just thinking, come on… how hard can this be, I am a pro at interviewing now…

she asks me “You are the governor of the state, and I want you to draw up a detailed plan for a health care system, please keep things realistic… start now”

so i said “well… i endorse the idea of a universal health care system…”

“NO! WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? BREAK IT DOWN FOR ME”

(a little shocked by her tone… and facial expressions…)

“ok, well I guess you would start with implementing a policy where everyone can get screened by health professionals..”

“NO THAT IS NOT RIGHT”

(awkward pause)

(sweat drips down armpit)

“well, I think it is necessary to emphasize preventative medicine in order to cut down on costs…

(interrupts) “NO THAT IS NOT RIGHT EITHER. I WANT YOU TO BREAK IT DOWNNNN FOR ME”

So basically it goes on like that for 40 minutes of her interrupting me and preaching the ideas of healthcare she has. I have to admit she was right about everything, but HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW HOW TO CREATE A HEALTHCARE SYSTEM FOR AMERICA!??”

You must know basic geography for your interview:

Interviewer: “ so what do you like about our school?”

Applicant: “oh I loved everything… ann arbor seems like such a cool city, and…”

Interviewer: interrupts, “you’re not in ann arbor, you’re in pittsburgh.”

awkward pause…

Applicant: “oh that’s what i meant…”

REJECTED”

When they ask you about what specialty you like, don’t bring up the specialties you don’t like:

An applicant talking with an orthopedic surgeon about why he wants to be a doctor:

Interviewer: “Have you thought about what you’d like to specialize in?”

Applicant: “I work with [a doctor at the school I was interviewing at] and I really enjoy what we’re working on and can see myself in internal medicine/infectious diseases. I really enjoy diagnosis and talking to patients, I don’t really see myself focusing on procedures.”

Interviewer: “Procedures like hip replacements?”

Applicant: (mental facepalm) “… Procedures… like hip replacements.”

Stupid questions and history lessons:

“My interviewer appeared to be really old. Like older than my grandpa old.

Interviewer: “So, what questions do you have for me?”
Applicant:  asks good question about that school:
Interviewer: “Absolutely!”
Applicant: “So what type of physician are you?”
Interviewer: “I’m an endocrinologist.”
Applicant: “and how long have been practicing?”
Interviewer: “Over 50 years.”
Applicant: “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 wasn’t born yet. I’m not that old.”
Applicant: “Oh my, I’m sorry… I thought…I just thought that…”
Interviewer: “It’s ok. Even my own children still think that I used to wear a leather helmet when I played football in college.”
Applicant: “Oh I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean..”
Interviewer: “Well you should probably get going now. I wish you luck”

Interviewer shakes my hand while simultaneously pushing me out the door.”

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