Zuckman Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 Hey guys, I am actually finding it very hard to find a good answer to this question. I am quite an optimistic guy and I rarely see anything as a failure and I always spin it to the positive. Not sure what to say if I get asked this. What would you guys say? Zuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clkt Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 The most horrible thing I have done was back in grade 6. To this day, it still bothers me. I have no problem talking about that in my interviews, though I have never been asked, yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
temp_degoo Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 OP, what you said is correct. YOu should state what you perceive to be a failure, but what you learned from it. The latter is the most important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 The most horrible thing I have done was back in grade 6. To this day, it still bothers me. I have no problem talking about that in my interviews, though I have never been asked, yet. Care to share? Just out of curiosity. I'm trying to think of a major failure.....but most things I can think of are mostly incidents when I said something terrifyingly rude and it's been haunting me ever since. I don't know if it really qualifies as a failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clkt Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 Care to share? Just out of curiosity. I'm trying to think of a major failure.....but most things I can think of are mostly incidents when I said something terrifyingly rude and it's been haunting me ever since. I don't know if it really qualifies as a failure. PM'ed ya WTF? "message too short"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBCstu Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 Is it okay to say that you don't believe you've really had any failures? cuz I really dont think anything has happened in my life that I'd categorize as a failure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 Is it okay to say that you don't believe you've really had any failures? cuz I really dont think anything has happened in my life that I'd categorize as a failure Hmm... think hard, there has to be sometime you let someone down... let yourself down... think hard about it. There has to be sometime you "failed" yourself. I think this is one of the toughest things to answer. Along with "what are your weaknesses." You really have to think about it. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bioboy2007 Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 Is it okay to say that you don't believe you've really had any failures? cuz I really dont think anything has happened in my life that I'd categorize as a failure If you said that in an interview, I would either think you a) live in a bubble, are extremely cocky, c) are not very thoughtful/don't know yourself too well... Follow Law's advice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HandSolo Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 I agree with bioboy. Failure is a relative term anyway. Nobody's perfect, and I think it's human nature (and maybe even a duty) to improve oneself by looking at the problems you've dealt with, and trying to generate ideas about how you could have handled them better...hopefully to learn for the future. There are lotsa people out there that feel like it's a failure to win a silver medal at the olympics... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMmd Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 does getting a 99% when you really wanted 100 is considered a failure jk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwonder Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 The failure question is a really difficult one! I think I would find it easier to describe some of my weaknesses. I have obviously had many failures and regrets throughout my life, like most people, but I wonder what would constitute a good answer here. I guess you don't want to get into issues that are too personal and irrelevant. Would saying something like, I regret not taking advantage of really great opportunities presented to me at certain points in my life because of fear, lack of money, etc. For example, I passed up a chance to do volunteer work in Africa because I really needed to work for the summer, but I have regretted it ever since. I think I have failed in those ways where I could have taken a chance and it probably would have benefitted me in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMmd Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 For example, I passed up a chance to do volunteer work in Africa because I really needed to work for the summer, but I have regretted it ever since. I think I have failed in those ways where I could have taken a chance and it probably would have benefitted me in the long run. i dont think this would be considered a failure because you didnt even try it. I think a failure would be considered something you undertook but failed. At least that's how i envisage it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
premedgirl Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 do you think saying your biggest failure was not getting into medical school the first time you applied, or is it best to not let the interviewers know that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumblebee Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 I recommend discussing a situation which demonstrates your maturity and insight. This is an opportunity for you to showcase your ability to self-reflect and learn from experiences you have had. Think more broadly about situations in which you were disappointed with the outcome, what you have learned and how you would proceed if faced with a similar situation. The interviewers will be impressed with your ability to think outside the proverbial box of typical medical school interviewees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 Maybe think about your relationships, have you ever done anything that you've regretted? It might be better to break away from the "academic" thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachy Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 do you think saying your biggest failure was not getting into medical school the first time you applied, or is it best to not let the interviewers know that?I don't think it's a big deal to let your interviewers know that you didn't get in the first time you applied. (Eg. if someone was asked why they chose to do something else after undergrad rather than go to med school directly, and the answer was because they didn't get in the first time, then it's probably best to just say that rather than make up another reason!) However, I don't think it's a particularly good answer to the "biggest failure" question, as it makes you sound a little one-dimensional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuckman Posted February 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Hey guys, I was thinking about his one for a bit. I personally feel that at one point in my life I was quite unbalanced. All I did was school work and I was physically unhealthy as well as socially unhealthy. I wasn't happy. I feel that not recognizing this inbalance was a failure on my part but I learned from it. I decided to change that and get my life more balanced. My grades are even better now and I am more physically and socially healthy as well as a happier person. Anways, in an interivew I'd be more specific...but this is how I think I'm going to answer that question if it comes up. Zuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sooner Or Later Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 do you think saying your biggest failure was not getting into medical school the first time you applied, or is it best to not let the interviewers know that? Hi There, Just wanted to let you know that I agree with what others have said so far. You need to discuss something else as your biggest failure, something that shows insight into who you are and maturity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I'm gonna focus on an ill-fated "romantic" relationship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpie* Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Do you guys think that a period of falling out with a family member is reasonable as a failure? I see it as a failure on my part, because it was partially my decision. But, it wasn't something that I set a goal to do, and then failed at it. It's just something that looking back, I see as a regrettable thing that happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eise Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Hey guys,I was thinking about his one for a bit. I personally feel that at one point in my life I was quite unbalanced. All I did was school work and I was physically unhealthy as well as socially unhealthy. I wasn't happy. I feel that not recognizing this inbalance was a failure on my part but I learned from it. I decided to change that and get my life more balanced. My grades are even better now and I am more physically and socially healthy as well as a happier person. Anways, in an interivew I'd be more specific...but this is how I think I'm going to answer that question if it comes up. Zuck Zuck, I like this one. Just make sure you give specifics and define 'unhealthy'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eise Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Do you guys think that a period of falling out with a family member is reasonable as a failure? I see it as a failure on my part, because it was partially my decision. But, it wasn't something that I set a goal to do, and then failed at it. It's just something that looking back, I see as a regrettable thing that happened. Sharpie*, my failure is a similar one. I think that as long as you explain why you felt like you failed (e.g. you decided to cut-off a relationship without trying to make it work first) and how you overcame it (either later realized your mistake and fixed it or work at relationships better with other people now), it's fine. I said my biggest failure was being impatient with my developmentally disordered brother when i was younger and have since matured and am now more patient and understanding (in more detail). i then explained how i have improved as a result of this and gave further examples of when i was patient and understanding of others' differences (teaching swimming to blind children, etc.). I was told by a mock interviewer that this was a good response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blinknoodle Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Everyone has different experiences, so likewise, biggest failures will differ between people. Any example is fine, provided it is not a super trivial experience, you can say why it was a failure and what you learned from it and changed later on. If you want to talk about relationships, unhealthy lifestyles, academics, that's fine. Who knows, maybe you had a rough time in high school (various reasons), your life was turned around when you found a mentor, and then went on to establish a program introducing mentors to at-risk teens as you wanted to share what you found beneficial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctorbetty Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 i dont think this would be considered a failure because you didnt even try it. I think a failure would be considered something you undertook but failed. At least that's how i envisage it. Don't forget that it is by trying (and failing many times) that Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity. I think that the biggest failure of all is to never try, just for the sake of avoiding failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footyfanatic Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 My biggest failure is the time I tried to bread my pets together in order to produce a super pet.....one with magical powers and cowboy boots. If you must know - I take my stupid posts seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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