Worst/Funniest Interview Experiences

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kraskadva said:
The interviewer and @Matthew9Thirtyfive are right.
Botulism spores are in honey (as well as improperly canned foods), which would have to be canned/autoclaved to kill the spores but isn't because the heat would ruin the honey, and infants' immune systems can't handle the bacteria in the gut.
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my bad. thanks for the correction!
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mmaslyanko said:
So i was interviewing in this one school in October. Very small group of us, less than 10. So it is beginning of the day, we are all going around introducing ourselves. Everyone is from amazing schools, like Duke, Yale, etc. This one girl is like "i have a black belt in ...." (dont remember what), one by one everyone names amazing hobbies. By the time the line gets to me i start feeling more and more inadequate about my humble history (veteran, went to the cheapest state school i could find, no hobbies, because i work full time. You get the point). So as the day is going on, and everyone is getting to know each other, and talking more and more (by the way, amazing people), i start feeling more and more that i am in a WRONG place. Like, i LOVED the school. But there was a whole world between me and those kids (they were all also SO young). But yet, i was feeling pressure to come up with ANYTHING interesting to say about myself.
So, my first interview starts. One on one, long (45 min). This older gentleman walks in, a retired pediatrician. So, 10 minutes into the interview he asks me what my hobby is.... without even thinking, - tired of pretending to be someone i am not, - i just blabbed "Eating". With very serious face. "I am REALLY good at it. You know how people watch all the fancy cooking shows for cooking? i watch them for eating". The guy froze.... and started laughing. He immediately stopped me, and said that he HAS to write that down. He said that he had been interviewing medical school applicants for 30 years but never ONCE he heard that one.
We were laughing through the rest of the interview, - so much that i was almost late to the next one.

Still waiting for that school to give me the final answer.
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I went to an interview that was very similar to what you described. 10 people, almost all of them were Ivy grads with various hobbies and research they had done. I was thinking I was okay, because I'm a medic in the military. Then one of the guys says he is in military intelligence, just got back from a deployment a couple months before the interview (I've never been deployed), and he has a degree from Harvard. I'm just thinking "how did i get an interview?" Somehow, I got accepted though lol
 
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TempuraOreos said:
This thread has been hilarious so far. Had some "interesting" experiences this cycle. This one still takes the cake for me honestly.

As soon as I arrived to my first interview day, I get pulled aside by one of the interview coordinators. She let me know that one of my interviewers had an emergency and couldn't make it. She assured me that they were working on getting me a replacement and that she would find me in the afternoon during lunch to let me know. Since this was my first interview, internally I was a little nervous but calmly replied to her. Fast forward several hours later, and the interview coordinator finds me and gives me the new name.

When it was time to leave, one of the M4 tour guides offers to take me to the room where my interviewer will be. However, she wasn't very sure exactly where this room was. Along the way she meets a friend heading in the same direction and passes me along to her. After walking around the hospital floor for a few minutes trying to find where this doctor was, a man walks out of a conference room calling my name.

I shake his hand and follow him into the room. To my surprise, he was actually in the middle of finishing up his pre-rounds meeting with a bunch of his residents and M4s. Being a naive interviewer, I was thinking, "Wait, wasn't this supposed to be a 1:1 interview. Why are they here? Guess, I'll just hang back and wait for him to finish."

NOPE! WRONG!

My interviewer seats me right next to him in the front of the room and proceeds to start the interview while also still finishing up his pre-rounds meeting. Again, trying to keep it cool. But now, I'm confused. Do I just address him? Or the whole room? Well, that didn't even matter because he gets an emergency call a few minutes in, and LEAVES! He passes my app to one of his residents and the rest of the room proceeds to finish my interview. I was so nervous and thrown for a loop. During all my responses, I would fan the room as I spoke, addressing everyone and trying my best to keep it together.

At the end of it all, everyone is waiting in the hallway and the physician comes back, apologizing. Needless to say, I haven't heard back from that school and Im okay with that.
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UPDATE: Heard back from this school and I was put on the alternate list to which I promptly removed myself from. Wasn't going to go there even if I did get in.
 
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Looking forward to this thread being revived as this next cycle gets going!
 
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just read 77 pages within 24 hours... #worthit
 
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Interviewer: What’s something that your professors would say about you?

Me: I always turn things on time!

Interviewer: That’s certainly important

Me: I even like to get things done early and submit before the deadline. In fact, I was born 2 months premature!

His face was a weird mixture of “LOL” combined with “WTF did he just say?”
 
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Ok, you maniacs we're well into interview season. Let's hear those stories.
 
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I have an acceptance to the school where I had my biggest foot-in-mouth experience this interview season (so far?), so there’s hope.
 
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Waited for my interviewer for 1hr. Thought it was an IQ test or something.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
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Towards the end of my interview and their "required" questions, the conversation slowed a little and they opened up the floor.

Interviewer: So, tell me about what you do in your free time, any hobbies?
Me: Oh, yeah, uh, well I carve rocks.
Interviewer: Did you just say rocks?
Me: Yes. Well I mean they're soft rocks, not like a rock on the side of the street but it is a rock, yes. I am not very good at it, but I can make small animals if I don't accidentally chisel the head off. There aren't many rock carving mentors around the area I live...

My interviewer just sort of stared at me confused. In that moment I felt like I should've just mentioned how I like to surf...
 
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Listle said:
Towards the end of my interview and their "required" questions, the conversation slowed a little and they opened up the floor.

Interviewer: So, tell me about what you do in your free time, any hobbies?
Me: Oh, yeah, uh, well I carve rocks.
Interviewer: Did you just say rocks?
Me: Yes. Well I mean they're soft rocks, not like a rock on the side of the street but it is a rock, yes. I am not very good at it, but I can make small animals if I don't accidentally chisel the head off. There aren't many rock carving mentors around the area I live...

My interviewer just sort of stared at me confused. In that moment I felt like I should've just mentioned how I like to surf...
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Not a lot of rock carvers among the current M1’s I bet. They need you to enhance the diversity of their student body :rolleyes:
 
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I actually can't decide if that interview went really bad or really good. Here's another nice snippet: Before we went into the interview the admissions member orchestrating the day mentioned when we went into our interview there would only be 3 chairs and she has heard applicants get nervous about picking the right chair, and since the 2 interviewers will be seated, there will only be one chair so we don't have to stress.

I walked into the interview room to see 3 chairs at the table, but 30 or so chairs in the room, so I made a joke "Oh god, they said there would only be 3 chairs, but there's 30. I hope I pick the right one"

They were really confused so I then had to explain what the adcom lady said to us earlier that morning and my joke which made it no longer funny and honestly it probably wasn't funny in the first place. Rip me
 
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Me, leaving my top choice. The dean is shaking everyone’s hands on their way out.

Dean: “it was a pleasure to have you”
Me, a tired idiot: “it was a pleasure to have you too”

Still got accepted tho
 
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One School That Shall Not Be Named gave me two different addresses for the location of my interview - and not only were both of them wrong, neither of them existed! One of them led to the basement of the hospital. I went down there in the elevator, got out, looked up, saw a sign that said "Morgue," went like,
tumblr_ptbm6hbq4N1sfsfyr_540.jpg

and quickly got back on the elevator again



Not today, [REDACTED] College of Medicine....not today
 
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While walking into one of my MMI rooms I rocked the interviewer in the head with the door by accident... :oops: the trash can was right behind the door and she was bending forward to open it and throw her snack away. I apologized extensively and even made a joke about how that was the wrong way to start an interview, but she was great about it - very forgiving and powered through the interview despite visibly being in pain. two stations later I saw her get swapped out for a new interviewer....... haven't heard back on a post-II decision yet so we shall see how an adcom views concussing an interviewer
 
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2Broke2bMD said:
While walking into one of my MMI rooms I rocked the interviewer in the head with the door by accident... :oops: the trash can was right behind the door and she was bending forward to open it and throw her snack away. I apologized extensively and even made a joke about how that was the wrong way to start an interview, but she was great about it - very forgiving and powered through the interview despite visibly being in pain. two stations later I saw her get swapped out for a new interviewer....... haven't heard back on a post-II decision yet so we shall see how an adcom views concussing an interviewer
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The good news is she probably doesn't remember if it was a bad interview...
 
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Stagg737 said:
The good news is she probably doesn't remember if it was a bad interview...
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On the flip side, she might not remember you at all.

Adcom: Should we accept 2Broke2bMD?
Interviewer: Who's that?
Adcom: ...
 
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Just an awkward start to an interview that threw me off a little.

Interviewer: Where are you from?
Me: California!
Interviewer: No, where are you FROM? *pointing to my ethnically ambiguous last name on my folder*
 
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Eponine1912 said:
Just an awkward start to an interview that threw me off a little.

Interviewer: Where are you from?
Me: California!
Interviewer: No, where are you FROM? *pointing to my ethnically ambiguous last name on my folder*
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Wow. That’s highly inappropriate. You should definitely email the admissions office about this!
 
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Eponine1912 said:
Just an awkward start to an interview that threw me off a little.

Interviewer: Where are you from?
Me: California!
Interviewer: No, where are you FROM? *pointing to my ethnically ambiguous last name on my folder*
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Your response (?): my last name is native to San Bernardino if you must know
 
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I attended an MMI interview and one particular station was role play. The scenario was something along the lines of a student has been slandering teachers on social media and I was responsible for responding to the situation. The interviewer was the student while I was the principle. The scenario was to start with the student waiting in my office for me...

Me: *walks in with a big smile on my face extending my hand* “Hello, insert name here, it’s great to meet you”
Her: *looks up slowly after playing on phone. Says nothing and returns to looking down at phone*
Me: I guess we started...
 
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Eponine1912 said:
Just an awkward start to an interview that threw me off a little.

Interviewer: Where are you from?
Me: California!
Interviewer: No, where are you FROM? *pointing to my ethnically ambiguous last name on my folder*
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I'm sorry if this made you uncomfortable. On the other hand, I used to get this alllllll the time and it never really bothered me.
 
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Detective SnowBucket said:
I'm sorry if this made you uncomfortable. On the other hand, I used to get this alllllll the time and it never really bothered me.
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It's definitely something I've heard a lot throughout my life so I'm used to it. I just wasn't expecting it from a medical school interviewer and thought it fit the topic of the thread :)
 
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I messed up the question “what do you think is the biggest challenge facing docs today.” For whatever reason I thought it was asking what’s threatening our jobs and stammered on about mid levels. Probably the only question I bombed but now I’m nervous as hell.
 
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Well time to add number 2 to the list... go figure it’s another MMI experience. As a little introduction, one of the prompts talked about a guy named Chris and how he disliked his manager and all this blah blah. Well I walked in introduced myself and he introduced himself by his first name. I talked on and on and felt that I killed it. I felt very confident about my performance. Well I wanted to show him that I appreciated meeting him so when I was about to exit the room I shook his hand again and said “Thanks Chris, it was great meeting you”. I only hope he understands...
 
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beattheprocess said:
I messed up the question “what do you think is the biggest challenge facing docs today.” For whatever reason I thought it was asking what’s threatening our jobs and stammered on about mid levels. Probably the only question I bombed but now I’m nervous as hell.
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Eh, depending on the interviewer you may have scored some major points or be totally screwed. More likely the latter since it's academia, but you can always pray!
 
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One interviewer asked me, "So what makes you think you could even handle med school? Are you smart enough?" before I had the chance to even sit down.
 
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peanuttbuttah said:
One interviewer asked me, "So what makes you think you could even handle med school? Are you smart enough?" before I had the chance to even sit down.
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'Yea, I'm smart enough to walk out of here if you keep coming with those dumb**** questions"
 
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we were on a tour of the school with a small group of peeps plus a 2nd year student. One of the other interviewees mentioned that he had just started using anki and that he was making his way through a "massive deck for med students" (I assume Zanki). I could literally see the cringe in the med student's eyes when she says, "please... do not do any more of it." I nearly fainted.
 
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fnakamura1 said:
Me: *sits down*
Interviewer: "So what brings you to [city where school is located] ?"
Me: "Uhhh..."

I'm assuming they meant "why did you apply to this school?" but I was so nervous that the wording threw me off and I just stammered for a solid ten seconds.

Anyway, I got in at that school, so don't get discouraged if you have a painfully awkward moment!
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I got a “so why are you here” and I said “well to interview” this is the only post-II response I’m waiting from so I guess we’ll see lol
 
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my 2 favorites:
1.
Interviewer: "Am I your first interviewer?"
Me: "No, I was actually at school x,y,z the other week."
Interviewer: "I meant as in your first interview of the day.."
2.
Interviewer: so you said you like to pleasure read..Whats the last book youve read?
Me *instinctually answers without thinking*: "Captain underpants and the attack of the talking toilets"
Interviewer: um..Cant say i expected that answer.
Me: stammers for the remainder of the interview attempting to explain that I have a young cousin that I was reading a book to last night
 
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I quoted a Darius Rucker song and said "Some people may look at me and say that boy just ain't right" during one of my interviews lol
 
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Ak09 said:
my 2 favorites:
1.
Interviewer: "Am I your first interviewer?"
Me: "No, I was actually at school x,y,z the other week."
Interviewer: "I meant as in your first interview of the day.."
2.
Interviewer: so you said you like to pleasure read..Whats the last book youve read?
Me *instinctually answers without thinking*: "Captain underpants and the attack of the talking toilets"
Interviewer: um..Cant say i expected that answer.
Me: stammers for the remainder of the interview attempting to explain that I have a young cousin that I was reading a book to last night
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this is hilarious hahahah
 
I was welcomed to the school at the very beginning of the day with a handshake and "Welcome to X SOM". This is the Dean of Admissions. As I'm shaking, I say while nodding, "Welcome". I then proceed to improperly time handshake detachment, pulling out too soon and rubbing the palm of the interviewer with my clammy fingertips/nails.


Waitlisted.
 
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ChymeofPassion said:
I was welcomed to the school with a handshake and "Welcome to X SOM". As I'm shaking, I say while nodding, "Welcome". I then proceed to improperly time to handshake detachment, pulling out too soon and rubbing the palm of the interviewer with my nails.


Waitlisted.
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Damn, I thought the nail to palm brush was a certain acceptance!
 
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Ak09 said:
Interviewer: so you said you like to pleasure read..Whats the last book youve read?
Me *instinctually answers without thinking*: "Captain underpants and the attack of the talking toilets"
Interviewer: um..Cant say i expected that answer.
Me: stammers for the remainder of the interview attempting to explain that I have a young cousin that I was reading a book to last night
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aw I think that's adorable though, obviously not the intent of the question but I think it ultimately reflects well on you. Can't fault someone for reading with their baby cousin.
 
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TelemarketingEnigma said:
aw I think that's adorable though, obviously not the intent of the question but I think it ultimately reflects well on you. Can't fault someone for reading with their baby cousin.
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I think what made it so awkward is the fact that without missing a beat I responded with "Captain underpants and the attack of the talking toilets" and then proceeded to sit there, waiting for his follow up question before the ridiculousness of my response fully dawned on me lol. On the plus side, once we both regained our composure and he stopped laughing the interview drastically improved (granted it couldn't get much worse lol)
 
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Eponine1912 said:
Just an awkward start to an interview that threw me off a little.

Interviewer: Where are you from?
Me: California!
Interviewer: No, where are you FROM? *pointing to my ethnically ambiguous last name on my folder*
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Classic microagression. Totally uncalled for. Complain to the Admissions Dean...it's the only way we can get rid of bad interviewers.
 
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someone mentioned this above
I had a similar situation

Interviewer: So is this your first interview?
Me: Oh no, I have had a few so far...

WHOOPS haha
 
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