Have you ever been rejected after feeling you nailed the interview?

[mbene085]

Hey guys,

 

Just had my first ever interview. I feel that it went really well - I can't think of anything I said that I regretted, or any questions that I wish I hadn't been asked.

 

I'm just wondering if anyone with past experience has felt that they nailed the interview, but ended up being rejected. If I don't get in...I'm actually unsure of what I could do to improve for next time. I feel I gave good honest answers, and if I'm rejected, the only thing I could really hope for is that for some reason the interviewers just like me more next time. I didn't panic, draw a blank or have something come out differently than I intended.

 

I have more interviews coming up, so I'm not an eggs in one basket kind of guy...but I'm wondering how common it is for your perception of your performance to differ from the interviewers' opinions.

[blinknoodle]

http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7528

http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7912

 

I think it is important to remember that the interview, while important, and what you have the most control of right now, is not the sole deciding factor on your admission. It sounds like you have a positive view, and feel that you have self-reflected and do not want to change anything. It is good that you are focusing on you handled yourself. So often people base their own evaluation on the feedback they receive from the interviewers - did they smile, did we get along, etc - whereas that likely has nothing to do with how they grade you. If you feel you gave genuine and honest responses, I would continue with that. No use changing your answers to something you are not.

 

Good luck with your upcoming interviews.

[mbene085]

Thanks for those links!

 

I think you're right though...you can never judge based on the interviewers' reactions. I don't feel I could have been 'more honest' or 'more genuine' or anything like that...I'll just have to continue to be myself and hope that their perception of me is that I'm being honest as well.

 

I guess I'll have to wait to see what they thought of me...if they mistook enthusiasm for cockiness, etc etc. If I can keep it up for my other interviews, it will just be up to fate I suppose...I can't be any more 'myself' than I feel I was at this past interview.

[Bittersweet]

I had a great interview last year - I was surprised actually. I have alot of clinical experience, and was confident my answers were thorough. I was comfortable talking about the subjects (politics, ethics, healthcare, critical reasoning), and to my shock, the anxiety and fear disappeared. I was able to relay my answers as if I was in a 'conversation' with the interviewers - 3 interviewers even commented on how impressed they were with my answers and experience (??strange - they are not supposed to do that).

 

So you can imagine how confused I was when I didn't get in. My GPA is only 3.8 - wondering if maybe that had anything to do with it.

So this year, I struggled with 'how can I improve' for next years interviews. Tough. It was a real reflection year, that's for sure.

[Alastriss]

I had a great interview last year - I was surprised actually. I have alot of clinical experience, and was confident my answers were thorough. I was comfortable talking about the subjects (politics, ethics, healthcare, critical reasoning), and to my shock, the anxiety and fear disappeared. I was able to relay my answers as if I was in a 'conversation' with the interviewers - 3 interviewers even commented on how impressed they were with my answers and experience (??strange - they are not supposed to do that).

 

So you can imagine how confused I was when I didn't get in. My GPA is only 3.8 - wondering if maybe that had anything to do with it.

So this year, I struggled with 'how can I improve' for next years interviews. Tough. It was a real reflection year, that's for sure.

 

I find it really hard to believe that you cant even gauge ur performance on the interview. I dont see how so many people with amazing interview experiences didn't get in. It is the worst nightmare for me cuz I wouldn't know how to even improve. My only explanation, if there is one, is that those that delivered great interviews must have had lower marks etc that counted in the final formula and those hurt them.

[mbene085]

I had a great interview last year - I was surprised actually. I have alot of clinical experience, and was confident my answers were thorough. I was comfortable talking about the subjects (politics, ethics, healthcare, critical reasoning), and to my shock, the anxiety and fear disappeared. I was able to relay my answers as if I was in a 'conversation' with the interviewers - 3 interviewers even commented on how impressed they were with my answers and experience (??strange - they are not supposed to do that).

 

So you can imagine how confused I was when I didn't get in. My GPA is only 3.8 - wondering if maybe that had anything to do with it.

So this year, I struggled with 'how can I improve' for next years interviews. Tough. It was a real reflection year, that's for sure.

 

I really sympathize with you. If I continue to feel this comfortable with my interview performances, I'll be really disheartened if I don't get it. "Only" a 3.8 - there are plenty of people who get in with lower marks, so I don't know if that would really be the reason. I think with solid marks and a solid interview, it comes down to perception - maybe the interviewers thought some of the answers sounded pre-planned or overconfident, even when they weren't.

[halijon]

Gaging your chances based on your self assessment of how your interview went is an exercise in futility. Interviewers are making jugements on your merits relative to other applicants while you are making jugements relative to your own abilities. Apples and oranges.

 

Student A has graduate training in medical ethics, supervised clinical training and professional clinical experience so he/she is judging his/her interview performance based on personal experience and abilities.

 

Student B is in third year of undergrad and is basing his/her self assessment on a different set of abilities.

 

Student B might get in because he/she did well and has remarkable GPA/MCAT or Student A might get in because of experience, but trying to predict this based on your own impression of the interview won't get you anywhere. Do your best and they'll let you know.

[Alastriss]

I think You hit the nail onthe head..and I was thinking about this before. Its probably how well you do relative to the competition. If you had a relaxed and laid back conversation with the ad com and felt like you clicked? who's to say that their friendly nature wouldn't make the other candidates feel like they clicked as well?

Likewise, if they grilled you, it may be that others were grilled as well. Its probably relative to the competition.

 

I am just going to spend some time reflecting on myself, my journey, and my experiences, and hope that sincerity and honestly come through for me

[mbene085]

Gaging your chances based on your self assessment of how your interview went is an exercise in futility. Interviewers are making jugements on your merits relative to other applicants while you are making jugements relative to your own abilities. Apples and oranges.

 

I'm not trying to predict anything. I was saying that I don't think I could have given a better interview, and that like Bittersweet, I'd have difficulty reflecting on the experience and figuring out how to go about it next time.

 

I was looking for insight from students like Bittersweet, seeing how people who were happy with their interviews have dealt with a rejection from that round of applications.

[Bittersweet]

It was tough, that is for sure. I'm a bit older too, which makes things more complicated (I can't keep doing postgraduate training / and or applying endlessly to med school).

During the '07 OMSAS applications process, I did apply to foreign med schools, and post graduate studies. I deferred acceptance - so I suppose I do have some options. 1 month after getting the rejection, I also moved across the country, and accepted a more clinically challenging, and autonomous position, in hopes that the experience would help me grow professionally, and provide some insight.

 

Like I said, the year was really a self reflection year. I do believe the additional health care experience, and increased responsiblility has helped - lots of collaborative interaction (which has helped to improve communication skills). Also just having more interview experience now, may help (last years MMI, lots of job interiews this year). I have been told to practice MMI's outloud, and this has helped with the confidence I lost after the rejection. Lots and lots of practice.

 

I finally decided that there really wasn't much I would change about my answers last year (which is depressing). I did the best I could, and there are alot of other competetive applicants out there.

 

Of course there is always room for improvement - increasing my GPA, and becoming more articulate (which comes with lots of practice).

How I present my answers can be done differently (not necessarily the content of my answers) - which once again, takes lots of practice.

At meetings, I am used to having a pen and paper to jot down important issues to address - however you can't do that at the MMI. I figure, that is where I have to practice the most.

 

Hope this helps mbene085 ... everyone has their own perspective on what to do about a rejection though.

Some schools provide feedback with a rejection (if requested) - I know Mac doesn't though.

 

I woudln't panic yet though - you still have a few more interviews to go. Think of it as great experience - the more you interview, the more comfortable you feel with the process (job interviews, med school, etc).

[cnmnluvr]

Well, this thread definitely describes me. I thought I did fairly well at the interview--I felt relaxed during the process and pretty good afterwards. I just got the rejection today and it says I scored in the bottom 10%. I'd really like to know why I did so badly and how to improve it for next time (hopefully, I won't need a next time...).

[tallguy408]

Self-assessment of an interview is a good thing, but wait until you get the rejection first! Once you guys finish off your interviews, do whatever it takes to avoid thinking about med school. May 15th takes FOREVER to come as is.

 

cnmnluvr (or anyone else): If things go that poorly and you end up not getting in anywhere, you may wish to consider a professional interview prep service. Most schools' student's unions offer such services. Also, if you have any other general questions, I would be happy to do what I can to help.

 

Word.

[7kkww]

Which school were you applying to that rejected you? I didn't know that other schools have already finished interviewing. Mine is only just coming up on March 30th.

[cnmnluvr]

It was Dal. My school has a mock interview available (which I did, and it was helpful), but that was for a panel interview--not for an MMI. Now I have no idea what to think about my other interview where I felt like cr@p afterwards since I felt good after the Dal one I'm just trying not to think about it.

[peter_pan]

Interviews seem sort of unpredictable. They say that attractive people are more likely to get hired for jobs, anyone think someone's looks have to do with med school interviews? Im thinking even if the interviewers try to avoid it, it probably sub-consciously manifests itself somehow? Anyone have any ideas? Also, its good that most interview panels have a mix of both males and females on them. I wonder if anyone has ever gotten through an interview by flirting. Looking forward to other responses to kill the time.