most bizarre interview moment?

[nmed20]

Just finished all 32 pages! Wow, some great stories here - loved reading them.

Bump!

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[worryfreak]

walked in to the interview and had a two our conversation with a retired professor/doctor who asked me questions ranging from how would I fix healthcare in the US, what's my opinion global warming, how would I fix the economy, what it is the largest problem plaguing the city the medical school is located in, and a lot of other policy and legislation questions about the society and our environment in general. After everyone of my answers, he proceeded to tell me that "I was wrong" and then went on to talk about what he thought. It was a pretty interesting interview, and I didn't know what to think after. Thought I completely bombed it because he must of told me "I think you're wrong" 10 times...

I got in and I'm attending......you never know what's going to happen....

 

[refugiofrey]

This thread is amazing! Interviews are just around the corner, can't wait to hear stories from this season/share my own post-interview stories (once I've got them). Bump!

 

[Reaction]

Mine has to be when I froze in a group interview and couldn't even remember what I had been talking about for the 30 seconds lol

 

[wolverinepwns]

Bored as hell at work, so reading this for the past 2 hours was amazing! hopefully I start getting interviews, and I'll add to this soon (fingers crossed).

 

[Doctor Poetry]

bump bump bump

 

[ponyo]

Just finished this whole thread and thought I'd sort of contribute.

For undergrad I applied to a prominent British university. I should mention that I had a great time with my US interviewers and even though I knew it would be hard abroad... well it went like this:

Interviewer: Here's a diagram. Explain how you would redesign/renovate to reduce heat retention on the 2nd floor.
Me: Uhhhhhh [blank] *makes up some random crap*
Interviewer (in obnoxious Brit accent): Do they not teach you physics in America?

Interviewer: How do you think you will be able to afford our tuition and living costs?
Me: My parents are committed to supporting my education and if I need to, I am fully prepared to take out a loan...
Interviewer: I simply doubt your ability to finance your education, given your family background. Do you have any questions for us? [without pause] Please inform the next candidate that we will be ready for him shortly.

I should mention that my interviewer's title was SIR something, which definitely stressed me out a little bit... Not to mention that for whatever reason, all their doors were A FOOT SHORTER THAN ME (I'm 5'7") and I was seriously like... are these designed for house elves??? I had to duck to get into the room.

Needless to say I was rejected... but I got into both the US schools I applied to so it's all good

 

[loveboatdoc]

One interviewer handed me an apple seed, and asked "is it dead, or alive, and explain to me why"...

Then, the next interviewer was a shrink, who took me into a darkened room with one bright light shining right into my face. He said "tell me about your Mother". I should have said "what would you like to know?", but instead I rambled out an answer.

Got wait-listed. They had me still hanging, even 2 weeks after their MS1 classes began, just in case somebody quit. So, I must have been next on the list. So close, but yet so far...glad now I did not try to do a 3-year program. Got accepted elsewhere (X2) the next time I applied.

(I was not a Virginia resident, so that worked against me, plus I was WAY pregnant! It was a 3-year MD program, so they probably wondered if I could handle it or not...)

 

[LRAccord624]

One interviewer handed me an apple seed, and asked "is it dead, or alive, and explain to me why"...

Was the interviewer trying to liken an apple seed to a zygote/embryo/etc; or see if you would be forward/dumb enough to do so? I just see how it could lead to a potentially dangerous conversation about something that is not necessarily alive, but has potential to grow and survive given the right conditions... lol I would have been nervous about that question during an interview.

Someone above mentioned they forgot what they had been saying and froze. I did the same thing once- I was giving an answer and suddenly forgot what the question even was... haha that was weird.

 

[wolverinepwns]

BuMP, For more awesome/scary moments.

 

[BBender716]

Just finished this whole thread and thought I'd sort of contribute.

For undergrad I applied to a prominent British university. I should mention that I had a great time with my US interviewers and even though I knew it would be hard abroad... well it went like this:

Interviewer: Here's a diagram. Explain how you would redesign/renovate to reduce heat retention on the 2nd floor.
Me: Uhhhhhh [blank] *makes up some random crap*
Interviewer (in obnoxious Brit accent): Do they not teach you physics in America?

Interviewer: How do you think you will be able to afford our tuition and living costs?
Me: My parents are committed to supporting my education and if I need to, I am fully prepared to take out a loan...
Interviewer: I simply doubt your ability to finance your education, given your family background. Do you have any questions for us? [without pause] Please inform the next candidate that we will be ready for him shortly.

I should mention that my interviewer's title was SIR something, which definitely stressed me out a little bit... Not to mention that for whatever reason, all their doors were A FOOT SHORTER THAN ME (I'm 5'7") and I was seriously like... are these designed for house elves??? I had to duck to get into the room.

Needless to say I was rejected... but I got into both the US schools I applied to so it's all good

And that's why they lost the war.

 

[echolalia16]

One interviewer handed me an apple seed, and asked "is it dead, or alive, and explain to me why"...

"Well, sir, I suppose that depends on if you are pro-apple or pro-food."

 

[medicalmatins]

Had the most ridiculous interview last Friday. EVERYTHING possible happened.

1. They told me the wrong building to go to. Had to walk to the right one.
2. The dean came up to my breakfast table and said, "you know, if this doesn't go well...we can always do a second interview."
3. The welcome ceremony guy said "I'm just a jaded old doctor, and you're all so idealistic..."
4. It was hot.
5. It started raining while I was walking between buildings in my suit.
6. Interviews were all over campus.
7. Walking outdoor tours--forgot to bring comfortable shoes.
8. Tried to shake my first interviewer's hand, but he had Dupuytren's or something.... "my hands are deformed" is all he (curtly) said!
9. My tour guide was less than enthusiastic.
10. No gross anatomy lab tour.
11. No SIM center tour.
12. Their microphones didn't work during the presentations
13. The student panel was too tired/jaded/something to sell their school!

 

[addo]

Its not too bizarre, but there was an information session before my interview which ran long, and we had like 3 minutes to get to the place I was supposed to go. I was going to stop by the restroom in the vicinity of where I was supposed to interview. However, my interviewer was already waiting for me and we went into the room. I thought I could hold it, but as soon as i started talking I had the worst, most uneasy tone imaginable, so I asked him if i could be excused to use the restroom. He was cool about it though, so no big deal.

 

[rafflecopter]

This is probably not all that bizarre of a moment, but I had a tour of the anatomy lab on my last interview. I was so lost in my thoughts recounting the interview I just had that I completely didn't prepare myself for entering in the lab. When I went in, a few of the cadavers were uncovered and had been very much dissected already. It was the first dead body I had even seen, so it was a bit of a shock. I didn't get sick or anything, it was just really strange and surreal an experience. I kept staring at them while the student tour guide was talking. Was anyone else taken by surprise when entering in the anatomy lab for the first time?

 

[addo]

This is probably not all that bizarre of a moment, but I had a tour of the anatomy lab on my last interview. I was so lost in my thoughts recounting the interview I just had that I completely didn't prepare myself for entering in the lab. When I went in, a few of the cadavers were uncovered and had been very much dissected already. It was the first dead body I had even seen, so it was a bit of a shock. I didn't get sick or anything, it was just really strange and surreal an experience. I kept staring at them while the student tour guide was talking. Was anyone else taken by surprise when entering in the anatomy lab for the first time?

For the better or for the worse, in Texas they cant do this by law. They did do this at my interview at Indiana though, and yes it did take me by surprise.

 

[Akr]

Was anyone else taken by surprise when entering in the anatomy lab for the first time?

Yeah! I felt like the only one who was, too... another interviewee was like "haha, this is your first time seeing cadavers!?" This room seriously had about 20 of them - there was a class in there, so they were all open and being poked and prodded. I was worried that out of nowhere I might faint or puke or something, but I managed to keep my cool

 

[Hifey]

This is probably not all that bizarre of a moment, but I had a tour of the anatomy lab on my last interview. I was so lost in my thoughts recounting the interview I just had that I completely didn't prepare myself for entering in the lab. When I went in, a few of the cadavers were uncovered and had been very much dissected already. It was the first dead body I had even seen, so it was a bit of a shock. I didn't get sick or anything, it was just really strange and surreal an experience. I kept staring at them while the student tour guide was talking. Was anyone else taken by surprise when entering in the anatomy lab for the first time?

yeah, the first gross lab i walked into, the students were in there dissecting so all the bodies were open and everything. I don't think I actually saw any open tables after that point in my interview trail....

If you think that is bad though, imagine being the student expected to just open the table and get to work. No time for getting queasy! At the beginning I was too hesitant to even cut into the skin and now we don't even wear the protective smocks anymore and if you get a little bit of cadaver on your arm, you can wash it off no problem. You're also grabbing things like the eyes without thinking about it. Moral of the story: you get over it quickly. But no worries...everyone felt the same way once.

Yeah! I felt like the only one who was, too... another interviewee was like "haha, this is your first time seeing cadavers!?" This room seriously had about 20 of them - there was a class in there, so they were all open and being poked and prodded. I was worried that out of nowhere I might faint or puke or something, but I managed to keep my cool

 

[gravitywave]

This is probably not all that bizarre of a moment, but I had a tour of the anatomy lab on my last interview. I was so lost in my thoughts recounting the interview I just had that I completely didn't prepare myself for entering in the lab. When I went in, a few of the cadavers were uncovered and had been very much dissected already. It was the first dead body I had even seen, so it was a bit of a shock. I didn't get sick or anything, it was just really strange and surreal an experience. I kept staring at them while the student tour guide was talking. Was anyone else taken by surprise when entering in the anatomy lab for the first time?

wow i just feel that's incredibly inappropriate. i had no idea that this happened, anywhere. at most interviews i went to last year, they made a point of saying that they wouldn't be including the anatomy lab in the tour because the course was still ongoing, and that it wasn't right to have non-medical people (interviewees) in the lab - i agree.

 

[texahn]

Had the most ridiculous interview last Friday. EVERYTHING possible happened.

1. They told me the wrong building to go to. Had to walk to the right one.
2. The dean came up to my breakfast table and said, "you know, if this doesn't go well...we can always do a second interview."
3. The welcome ceremony guy said "I'm just a jaded old doctor, and you're all so idealistic..."
4. It was hot.
5. It started raining while I was walking between buildings in my suit.
6. Interviews were all over campus.
7. Walking outdoor tours--forgot to bring comfortable shoes.
8. Tried to shake my first interviewer's hand, but he had Dupuytren's or something.... "my hands are deformed" is all he (curtly) said!
9. My tour guide was less than enthusiastic.
10. No gross anatomy lab tour.
11. No SIM center tour.
12. Their microphones didn't work during the presentations
13. The student panel was too tired/jaded/something to sell their school!

lol you were at UTMB

 

[bagelbird]

Student Interviewer: So what do you like to do for fun?

Me: Well, I like to run, it's a great stress reliever and it's great to get outside, blah blah blah

Student Interviewer: Yeah I like to run too but my knees always hurt when I run

Me: Yeah it's all about running on the balls of your feet, it really makes a difference

Student Interviewer: Oh really?

Me: Yeah I've never had knee problems because in cross country my coach taught me to run on my balls.

Student interviewer: ....

Me:

 

[MightyMoose]

Student Interviewer: So what do you like to do for fun?

Me: Well, I like to run, it's a great stress reliever and it's great to get outside, blah blah blah

Student Interviewer: Yeah I like to run too but my knees always hurt when I run

Me: Yeah it's all about running on the balls of your feet, it really makes a difference

Student Interviewer: Oh really?

Me: Yeah I've never had knee problems because in cross country my coach taught me to run on my balls.

Student interviewer: ....

Me:

I fail to see what's wrong with this... Although, it's impossible to know if your lack of knee problems is genetic, environmental, etc.. But still... I don't get it?

 

[ElChamaco]

I fail to see what's wrong with this... Although, it's impossible to know if your lack of knee problems is genetic, environmental, etc.. But still... I don't get it?

I've emphasized the important part for your benefit.

..
Me: Yeah I've never had knee problems because in cross country my coach taught me to run on my balls.
Me:

 

[MightyMoose]

I've emphasized the important part for your benefit.

I don't know how I missed that. That's hilarious. That must have been a little awkward.

 

[rhesuspieces]

This is probably not all that bizarre of a moment, but I had a tour of the anatomy lab on my last interview. I was so lost in my thoughts recounting the interview I just had that I completely didn't prepare myself for entering in the lab. When I went in, a few of the cadavers were uncovered and had been very much dissected already. It was the first dead body I had even seen, so it was a bit of a shock. I didn't get sick or anything, it was just really strange and surreal an experience. I kept staring at them while the student tour guide was talking. Was anyone else taken by surprise when entering in the anatomy lab for the first time?

haha I wouldn't feel bad about that. I took an undergrad anatomy course with a cadaver lab that had probably 30 or 40 cadavers (prosections). The first time I went in for lab we were studying muscles...I saw all the skinned cadavers, turned around, went straight to the bathroom, and puked. Three weeks later I was doing my own dissections (for an honors thing), no problem. You get over it really really quickly.

My prof once offered me a tootsie roll pop as I was dissecting the digestive system...almost accepted but then I realized I had cadaver feces all over me....

 

[tweekin19]

I had an interview at my top choice last week. However, i was a little alarmed by one of them. the first thing this interviewer said was "you must've taken ___________ class before." It was a closed interview and the class he mentioned wasn't even a required pre-med course. He just happened to do research in this field. He then started asking me if there were any professors in my school he could contact since he wants to teach at the university I go to. It went on for about 5 minutes of him trying to extract information to benefit himself. The medical school I interviewed at is a really great research institution, so I don't know why'd he be interested in teaching at my university (it's not as well funded as the medical school). He did mention that he didn't currently have a grant and that he had past faculty positions in other universities (so much moving around...) I just felt like he wasn't really interested in me. When I wrote him a thank you email showing my gratitude and highlight what we've talked about (which wasn't much), all he said in his reply was "Thanks...could you give me the name of the professor again?" without reference to anything interview relevant at all. Is this crossing the line? Or am I looking into it too much?

 

[wolverinepwns]

I had an interview at my top choice last week. However, i was a little alarmed by one of them. the first thing this interviewer said was "you must've taken ___________ class before." It was a closed interview and the class he mentioned wasn't even a required pre-med course. He just happened to do research in this field. He then started asking me if there were any professors in my school he could contact since he wants to teach at the university I go to. It went on for about 5 minutes of him trying to extract information to benefit himself. The medical school I interviewed at is a really great research institution, so I don't know why'd he be interested in teaching at my university (it's not as well funded as the medical school). He did mention that he didn't currently have a grant and that he had past faculty positions in other universities (so much moving around...) I just felt like he wasn't really interested in me. When I wrote him a thank you email showing my gratitude and highlight what we've talked about (which wasn't much), all he said in his reply was "Thanks...could you give me the name of the professor again?" without reference to anything interview relevant at all. Is this crossing the line? Or am I looking into it too much?

if anything, thats good for you, because he will for sure remember you and he will definately try to make sure you get in since you are resourse for him to the school he wants to teach in! so I would personally take this very positively

 

[medicalmatins]

lol you were at UTMB

How did you know?!

 

[juliedi]

This wasn't necessarily bizarre, just nerve-wracking:

faculty interviewer: Before we end, there's one thing that really concerns me about you.
me: *holds breath in silent terror*
interviewer: What's up with your football team!? (I went to USC.)
me: *huuuuge sigh of relief*

 

[StephBee]

I'm just waiting for an interviewer to ask me this!
I goto Syracuse so I'm preparing for some mention of Greg Robinson. Problem is, I never pay attention to our sports. 9/10, I'm working hte nights of games. In all 4 years, I've only been to 1 game .

I guess at least I have the vice president as a alumn.

 

[GlamDoc]

This wasn't necessarily bizarre, just nerve-wracking:

faculty interviewer: Before we end, there's one thing that really concerns me about you.
me: *holds breath in silent terror*
interviewer: What's up with your football team!? (I went to USC.)
me: *huuuuge sigh of relief*

I love it. Silent terror is a perfect description of the feeling after getting a comment like that!

 

[rhesuspieces]

BUMP! It's interview season, guys! You must have more crazy stories than this...

At my recent interview, completely out of the blue:

Interviewer: "How many meals do you think a mother has to feed her child from birth to age 18?"
Me: "Uhhhhhhhh....define 'meal'?"

Even now, looking back on the entire interview, I can't for the life of me figure out a context for that question.

 

[obgyny]

BUMP! It's interview season, guys! You must have more crazy stories than this...

At my recent interview, completely out of the blue:

Interviewer: "How many meals do you think a mother has to feed her child from birth to age 18?"
Me: "Uhhhhhhhh....define 'meal'?"

Even now, looking back on the entire interview, I can't for the life of me figure out a context for that question.

What on earth.... ??? Do you remember what you guys were talking about before that question? Lol how random!!

 

[Mace1370]

BUMP! It's interview season, guys! You must have more crazy stories than this...

At my recent interview, completely out of the blue:

Interviewer: "How many meals do you think a mother has to feed her child from birth to age 18?"
Me: "Uhhhhhhhh....define 'meal'?"

Even now, looking back on the entire interview, I can't for the life of me figure out a context for that question.

Some interviewers like to ask questions like these (I kind of think they are stupid, since the interviewer is in a position of power and the true purpose of the question isn't obvious).

They are looking for you to demonstrate basic reasoning. A "correct" answer would have been:

"Well, I assume that the average person eats 3 meals a day. There are 365 days in a year, so 18 times 365 is the number of days the mother would have to feed her child. Multiply this answer by 3 and get your answer."

Some interviewers are also looking for you to make quick approximations, like "There are about 400 days in a year, and 18 is close to 20 so 400 times 20 = 8000 days of feeding her child times 3 meals per day = about 24000 meals."

Variations on this question I have seen are:

1) How many quarters would you have to stack up to reach the top of the Empire state building?

2) How many medical students are in the US currently?

etc.

Actual #s or details like "children under 3 eat about five meals a day, while children over 3 eat about 3 meals a day" aren't important. They are looking for you to quickly and confidently explain how you would solve the problem (with approximations if necessary).

 

[BBender716]

Some interviewers like to ask questions like these (I kind of think they are stupid, since the interviewer is in a position of power and the true purpose of the question isn't obvious).

They are looking for you to demonstrate basic reasoning. A "correct" answer would have been:

"Well, I assume that the average person eats 3 meals a day. There are 365 days in a year, so 18 times 365 is the number of days the mother would have to feed her child. Multiply this answer by 3 and get your answer."

Some interviewers are also looking for you to make quick approximations, like "There are about 400 days in a year, and 18 is close to 20 so 400 times 20 = 8000 days of feeding her child times 3 meals per day = about 24000 meals."

Variations on this question I have seen are:

1) How many quarters would you have to stack up to reach the top of the Empire state building?

2) How many medical students are in the US currently?

etc.

Actual #s or details like "children under 3 eat about five meals a day, while children over 3 eat about 3 meals a day" aren't important. They are looking for you to quickly and confidently explain how you would solve the problem (with approximations if necessary).

Reminds me of management consulting/i-banking interviews, except in those there are 2-3 people staring at you and expect you to eventually come to a final quantitative answer.

 

[DoctaFuture]

Some interviewers like to ask questions like these (I kind of think they are stupid, since the interviewer is in a position of power and the true purpose of the question isn't obvious).

They are looking for you to demonstrate basic reasoning. A "correct" answer would have been:

"Well, I assume that the average person eats 3 meals a day. There are 365 days in a year, so 18 times 365 is the number of days the mother would have to feed her child. Multiply this answer by 3 and get your answer."

Some interviewers are also looking for you to make quick approximations, like "There are about 400 days in a year, and 18 is close to 20 so 400 times 20 = 8000 days of feeding her child times 3 meals per day = about 24000 meals."

Variations on this question I have seen are:

1) How many quarters would you have to stack up to reach the top of the Empire state building?

2) How many medical students are in the US currently?

etc.

Actual #s or details like "children under 3 eat about five meals a day, while children over 3 eat about 3 meals a day" aren't important. They are looking for you to quickly and confidently explain how you would solve the problem (with approximations if necessary).

yea i wouldve answered the meal question like how you did. it seems for other questions you would have to have to beforehand knowledge, unless the interviewers give you this info.

 

[rhesuspieces]

At first I felt like he was trying to get a logical response from me, but when I look back on it I think maybe he was trying to make a point about his research in epidemiology? Or something?

The guy was actually really nice...sort of a grandfatherly type. He just seemed to be the type that was very involved in his own ideas and thought processes. Another exchange with him:

I: "So have you published anything?"
Me: "No, but not for lack of trying. I just haven't been in the right place at the right time and in human subjects/animal subjects research, timing is everything."
I: "Well you should talk to your professor about getting published."
Me: "I'm working on my thesis and I hope to publish that!"
I: "What you need to do is be the one to present ideas."
Me: "I'm actually head of research in my lab since we don't have a grad student for the animals I'm working with..."
I: "Don't just do the work. Present ideas to your PI!"
Me: "Um, I'm doing my research pretty autonomously...so I'm sort of already the one coming up with all the ideas...my PI just OK's things....UGH, nevermind, sure, I'll present ideas to my PI, thanks for the advice!"

 

[Mace1370]

yea i wouldve answered the meal question like how you did. it seems for other questions you would have to have to beforehand knowledge, unless the interviewers give you this info.

You're right that it seems that way, and that's why I think the questions are unfair. When you are asked them your immediate focus is, "Oh crap, I have no idea how tall the Empire State Building is." Furthermore, most students are afraid to ask, "Do you just want me to make up some numbers?" because the interviewer is in the authority position.

But they don't actually care about that. The intent is for you to just come up with random numbers and "guestimate" the answer. Like, "Well, my room is 15ft tall and the empire state building is probably about 50 stories so it is 50x15 ft and there are probably about 50 quarters in 1 ft." Or something.

 

[MightyMoose]

You're right that it seems that way, and that's why I think the questions are unfair. When you are asked them your immediate focus is, "Oh crap, I have no idea how tall the Empire State Building is." Furthermore, most students are afraid to ask, "Do you just want me to make up some numbers?" because the interviewer is in the authority position.

But they don't actually care about that. The intent is for you to just come up with random numbers and "guestimate" the answer. Like, "Well, my room is 15ft tall and the empire state building is probably about 50 stories so it is 50x15 ft and there are probably about 50 quarters in 1 ft." Or something.

Regardless, these are stupid questions for an interview. This is why we all took the MCAT and knocked out pre-req's.


I would have asked if the child was incapable of feeding himself? Because, if not, I would say the child was capable of feeding him/herself by the age of 3, which makes the calculations much closer to 1k meals. What he defines as feeding a child? Like Rhesus stated, what is considered a meal(This could be breast milk, in utero, a raisin, etc.)? I would have continued to ask defining questions until you could nail a pretty simple straightforward answer. I would have done this to point out the ridiculous nature of the question.

 

[wanderer]

yea i wouldve answered the meal question like how you did. it seems for other questions you would have to have to beforehand knowledge, unless the interviewers give you this info.

Yea. For example if you're asked "how many golf balls can fit in a school bus" can you ask for the size of a golf ball? What are the reference points?

Or something like "estimate the number of brick houses in the USA" (I made this one up, I think), there is data out there on number of houses in the country, or at least in some cities. Can you use that? The question is just too hypothetical so how do you know how much outside info you are allowed to use.

 

[Mace1370]

Regardless, these are stupid questions for an interview. This is why we all took the MCAT and knocked out pre-req's.


I would have asked if the child was incapable of feeding himself? Because, if not, I would say the child was capable of feeding him/herself by the age of 3, which makes the calculations much closer to 1k meals. What he defines as feeding a child? Like Rhesus stated, what is considered a meal(This could be breast milk, in utero, a raisin, etc.)? I would have continued to ask defining questions until you could nail a pretty simple straightforward answer. I would have done this to point out the ridiculous nature of the question.

These are all valid points, and that's why I said earlier that I think this type of questioning in unfair.

Ultimately, any answer you give should be fine as long as you are confident and back it up, even if that answer is, "I don't have the data to accurately answer that question." The interview is mostly just trying to trip you up and see how you react to an unexpected question. And again, just to re-iterate, I think it's a bad/stupid/whatever. I'm just trying to explain what they are trying to figure out by asking you such a question.

 

[MightyMoose]

These are all valid points, and that's why I said earlier that I think this type of questioning in unfair.

Ultimately, any answer you give should be fine as long as you are confident and back it up, even if that answer is, "I don't have the data to accurately answer that question." The interview is mostly just trying to trip you up and see how you react to an unexpected question. And again, just to re-iterate, I think it's a bad/stupid/whatever. I'm just trying to explain what they are trying to figure out by asking you such a question.

I hear you, man. I just quoted yours because it was there. I'm not saying you agree with that style of question. I was just chiming in to agree with how ridiculous that type of question is.

 

[Kuune]

Somehow my interview got sidetracked, and we started talking about politics. My interviewer then starts bashing communism, the Chinese government, and Confucian teachings. I'm Chinese... My only response was the smile and nod politely.

In another interview, I scared my fourth year student away from doing an away rotation at a hospital I volunteered at because I was telling her stories about how rough it could get in the clinic (underserved area). I was using my experiences there as examples of how I watch physicians act professionally when patients are yelling at them, and then she was all "Oh, I don't want to go somewhere like that..." Oops.

 

[kmnguyen1124]

Last Friday

Me: I'm glad you like living in [school's city] so much.
Cute blonde interviewer: It's great. I have my own little apartment downtown. I really love having my own place.
Me: It's the best. I mean, when you have the place to your self, you can walk around the house completely nak- eduhmmm, I mean, completely free to do whatever you want.
Cute blonde interviewer: (silence and lots of smiling) So, do you have any other questons for me?

Oooooooops.

 

[spiderpete]

Some interviewers like to ask questions like these (I kind of think they are stupid, since the interviewer is in a position of power and the true purpose of the question isn't obvious).

They are looking for you to demonstrate basic reasoning. A "correct" answer would have been:

"Well, I assume that the average person eats 3 meals a day. There are 365 days in a year, so 18 times 365 is the number of days the mother would have to feed her child. Multiply this answer by 3 and get your answer."

Some interviewers are also looking for you to make quick approximations, like "There are about 400 days in a year, and 18 is close to 20 so 400 times 20 = 8000 days of feeding her child times 3 meals per day = about 24000 meals."

Variations on this question I have seen are:

1) How many quarters would you have to stack up to reach the top of the Empire state building?

2) How many medical students are in the US currently?

etc.

Actual #s or details like "children under 3 eat about five meals a day, while children over 3 eat about 3 meals a day" aren't important. They are looking for you to quickly and confidently explain how you would solve the problem (with approximations if necessary).

Yeah, I like the idea of talking thru the estimate, ask "shall we confirm that?", then flip open your iPad and talk to Google

 

[hazmat2]

I feel I should finally contribute a few more awkward moments:

1. Not even one minute in (so it couldn't have been me):Interviewer: "So what... can... ... our ... ... ...school... ... ... ... do..." and then he fell asleep.
2. Very old interviewer: "Did you know we have a course on the gays? They're people too and have their own set of cultural beliefs that you need to base your diagnosis on." (...) "So one of the Asian girls here speaks English just like a native. She says she was born here. It's incredible really. I wonder if she drives well too."
3. Interviewer: "Why exactly did you apply to our medical school when there is a much better one down the street?"
4. Interviewer: "There are many questions I would normally ask an interviewee, but you're a non-traditional applicant; I don't need to ask you a bunch of idiotic questions about your plans for the future that I would ask those silly kids applying straight out of undergrad... and then laugh about their 'well thought out' answers over lunch with other physicians. You're an adult. I'm an adult. We both know you have no clue until it actually happens and I bet you'll find that most interviewers agree with me.
5. Interviewer: "How do you deal with someone that has an opposing viewpoint?" (Only ten minutes after a presentation on the school's translational research program) "I see you're interested in translational research. We don't have that here. But just for kicks, can you explain to me what you meant by it?" (I define it.) "Really? Yeah, we definitely don't have that here. In fact, I think you made the term up yourself. There is definitely no such thing. Why would you think there is? Also, if you haven't figured it out, I'm Canadian."
6. Interviewer: "So when you have your meeting with the admissions committee, just make sure to say [a list of exactly what she thought would get me accepted]." (To this day, I still have no clue what she was talking about... a meeting with the admission committee?)

I have more, but will stop here.

 

[uclaussr]

Interview with 2 faculty...talking to faculty 1, and told her something myself and faculty 2 discussed, while refering to faculty by the wrong name (not just any wrong name, but a funny Dr name that could be from the movies) Think Dr. Dracula. Faculty 1 gave me a very odd look lol. I just kept talking.

 

[Endolas]

:...I have more, but will stop here.

Please don't.

 

[Ursa]

Some interviewers like to ask questions like these (I kind of think they are stupid, since the interviewer is in a position of power and the true purpose of the question isn't obvious).

They are looking for you to demonstrate basic reasoning. A "correct" answer would have been:

"Well, I assume that the average person eats 3 meals a day. There are 365 days in a year, so 18 times 365 is the number of days the mother would have to feed her child. Multiply this answer by 3 and get your answer."

Some interviewers are also looking for you to make quick approximations, like "There are about 400 days in a year, and 18 is close to 20 so 400 times 20 = 8000 days of feeding her child times 3 meals per day = about 24000 meals."

Variations on this question I have seen are:

1) How many quarters would you have to stack up to reach the top of the Empire state building?

2) How many medical students are in the US currently?

etc.

Actual #s or details like "children under 3 eat about five meals a day, while children over 3 eat about 3 meals a day" aren't important. They are looking for you to quickly and confidently explain how you would solve the problem (with approximations if necessary).

I think you guys are wrong on the whole "explain the logic" thing. When adcoms ask ridiculous questions that nobody should know off the top of their head (without having to do quick math), the answer should always be "I don't know, but I can find out." If you reply back very very quickly, it shows humility and a willing to use available resources to obtain information. Doctor's don't have bookshelves of information in their offices just to look smart. They have to look at them all the time because its not possible to have everything memorized. The key is knowing where to find the right answer.

Any teeny bopper who knows their times tables can estimate 3 meals a day for 365 days for 18 years. And you wouldn't want a teeny bopper in med school.

 

[DrSmday]

LOL! this reminds me of a very specific Office episode!

Interviewer: What type of artistic endeavors are you interested in? Do you play an instrument?
Ktl: No, no instrument, but I do love to get creative in the kitchen.. baking, cooking, blah, blah, blah..
Interviewer: Oh I love to cook, as you can tell (he's a large guy and proceeds to rub his belly)
Ktl: Very cool (um)
Interviewer: Just the other day, my wife brought home a duck in a plastic bag that someone had shot. Have you ever cooked a duck before?
Ktl: No..
Interviewer: Well first you've got to pluck it and then get rid of the down.. You hold the duck by the neck and dip it into a bucket with hot water and paraffin. Then take it out and put it in a bucket of cold water, pull off the paraffin and the down comes with it.
Ktl: Oh, interesting.
Interviewer: Next you've got to get rid of the gaminess. You can stuff it with sauerkraut or apple or lemon....
Ktl: (wtf?)
He proceeded to go on and on about the different types of duck you can eat.. how the Chinese prepare duck...
It was extremely odd.