The_B Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Just to add, there was a post a little while ago that they've axed the community member this year. Haha good. Personally I didn't think they added much. Didn't hurt mind you, but didn't add much (they were impressed by everything.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retsage Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 -there is a 2nd year medical student. Frankly speaking, they usually have the biggest input. These are your future colleagues. If you can get along with them, you can't work with them. - most important to impress Ergo, my post on bias from before. People always think that they need to impress, when really, they need to come across as normal, empathic human beings. The most oft-repeated bull**** around. In an interview of 760 people, 730 of them will be normal and empathic, or at least be able to portray themselves as so for the forty-minute interview. You need a lot more than that, and you do a disservice to people by making them think that they can just be normal individuals and still get in. Not when their competition is just as normal as them - they need something that makes them stick out which, once more, goes back to the inherit biases of the interviewers. Mick, for example, would feel that normal person was the one who worked just like him. So if he needed to pick one out of five for the day, and they were all more or less normal, he's going with summer job, not summer research or summer volunteer trip. Be normal? Nah. Be lucky. Before, one had to be very lucky. Now, one needs to be 50% luckier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_B Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Ergo, my post on bias from before. The most oft-repeated bull**** around. In an interview of 760 people, 730 of them will be normal and empathic, or at least be able to portray themselves as so for the forty-minute interview. You need a lot more than that, and you do a disservice to people by making them think that they can just be normal individuals and still get in. Not when their competition is just as normal as them - they need something that makes them stick out which, once more, goes back to the inherit biases of the interviewers. Mick, for example, would feel that normal person was the one who worked just like him. So if he needed to pick one out of five for the day, and they were all more or less normal, he's going with summer job, not summer research or summer volunteer trip. Be normal? Nah. Be lucky. Before, one had to be very lucky. Now, one needs to be 50% luckier. Think what you will. I'm not pretending like people are going to follow my advice. Generally speaking, if you are a candidate, you are accustom to doing things the way you think they should be done, so most of you will likely think they should have a great story or prepare for hours. I'm just telling you what actually goes on. If you think you can stand out because you traveled abroad, or founded a soup kitchen, well good luck with that. From my experience, everyone has something unique about them. What invariably impresses the interviewers was the poise and ability to be "normal" in a stressful situation. You can call bull all you want, but I wasn't trying to be polite, just honest. When the actual day comes, people all of a sudden, become something they are not, and try to be what they perceive others want (I mean, come on, it isn't hard to believe, it is basic human behaviour). And that kind of behaviour is SOOOO easy to detect. And of course luck plays a role. Who said it didn't. Maybe your personality won't mesh with Jake, who is interviewing you, whereas it would with Jess who is interviewing down the hall. Nobody is pretending that the system is perfect, but, at least for Queen's, it is the best system available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cling Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 What invariably impresses the interviewers was the poise and ability to be "normal" in a stressful situation. Stressful situation? What exactly is going to happen? Am I going to be exposed to wild animals? Maybe gunpoint? There better be a consent form, or I smell lawsuits... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueensInterview2009 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 QueensInterview2009 originally said you would get either an invite, a waitlist (very select few), or a rejection and then later said he wasn't absolutely sure on the waitlist option.. But as of last week when I spoke to Jen Saunders.... they said probably for sending them out this week.... but in any event that Feb 6th (next friday) was the absolute latest they would be sent out. I do not believe that there will be waitlisted offers for interviews this year. The above post is correct that invites are planned to be sent out this week by e-mail. Good luck. Hope to see you here in Feb/Mar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastriss Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I do not believe that there will be waitlisted offers for interviews this year. The above post is correct that invites are planned to be sent out this week by e-mail. Good luck. Hope to see you here in Feb/Mar. Hey QI09, just wondering if you know if they are rejecting post interview? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retsage Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Why reject when you can keep hundreds of people in a delightful state of limbo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpanishFly Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Haha good. Personally I didn't think they added much. Didn't hurt mind you, but didn't add much (they were impressed by everything.) lol my community member (a social worker) was by far the hardest to impress (at least thats how she came off). She was a veryyyy difficult woman...I felt like I was a mother who had abandoned her child and this woman was interrogating me. Anyways, I agree with much of what you said, especially because I know it to be true of myself. I felt it immediately after I walked out of that room and looking back, I wish I had listened to myself (and not to the hundreds of people who thought themselves to be experts on this process) and just be who I am. Maybe the end result would have been the same, who knows, but at least I would have felt like I had really been true to myself (as cliche as that sounds ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Good post. I don't think the interview process is as bad as it's made out to be. I still haven't seen any other objective proposals about how to select applicants. The MMI is one possibility, but I believe that limits the insight the committe is able to gain from an hour long interview. No matter what you say, the process will have some flaws. Much of what the_B says, however, is also true. Wow, so much harshness towards the interview process. Let me tell you about the Queens interview experience from someone who has interviewed there and has interviewed others. -there is a physician on the panel. They usually can get a feel for whether or not someone "gets" it in terms of their ability to think during an interview. - Hardest to impress -there is a community member with no training at this at all. Frankly, if you can't impress them, then I don't know what to say. If you can't speak well about yourself to a future patient, then you must not be that special In all seriousness, this member of the interview panel is there because they are going to be the future patients, and one should be able to demonstrate that they can talk to someone outside of the academic bubble we all end up living in. - easiest to impress -there is a 2nd year medical student. Frankly speaking, they usually have the biggest input. These are your future colleagues. If you can get along with them, you can't work with them. - most important to impress Now there has been a lot of talk about bias towards experience, and differences in what people will be able to contribute to the interview. Take it from someone who has done the interviews before, and will again in the future. WHAT YOU SAY IS A LOT LESS IMPORTANT THAN HOW YOU SAY IT!!! Seriously, who cares if you worked at the corner store or traveled to India to teach Ghandi. NSERC vs volunteered at an old folks home. Yada yada... we all have our stories. Heck. some of us have humble, and comparatively, boring beginnings (I know I do). But that doesn't matter in the interview. What the interviewers are paying attention to is you as a person. Earlier in the thread I posted the CANMED roles. During the interview, whether consciously, or subconsciously, the interviewers are trying to see you fulfilling those roles. The most basic question that we usually discussed after we conducted an interview was whether or not we could see this person as a physician. What they had done before rarely mattered much. Why often did, but not always. I mean, if you worked as a miner to pay the bills, well most people can respect that. If you volunteered, and can explain how that shaped you, we can get that. And so on. People always think that they need to impress, when really, they need to come across as normal, empathic human beings. You can't really prepare for that, and this is what bothers so many of you. Having said that, and I mean this as nicely as I can, but thats life. The panel isn't trying to do what is best for you, and doesn't care if you are smarter than Hawkings, they care about society. Thats why if you think your GPA makes you worthy, you fail to understand why they interview in the first place. Once they make their cutoffs, they know the people who reach them are smart. The interview is about (however imperfect) finding people with the temperament, insight, and integrity for medicine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Haha good. Personally I didn't think they added much. Didn't hurt mind you, but didn't add much (they were impressed by everything.) Mine was the most worst piece of work ever, so don't make that generalization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Ergo, my post on bias from before. The most oft-repeated bull**** around. In an interview of 760 people, 730 of them will be normal and empathic, or at least be able to portray themselves as so for the forty-minute interview. You need a lot more than that, and you do a disservice to people by making them think that they can just be normal individuals and still get in. Not when their competition is just as normal as them - they need something that makes them stick out which, once more, goes back to the inherit biases of the interviewers. Mick, for example, would feel that normal person was the one who worked just like him. So if he needed to pick one out of five for the day, and they were all more or less normal, he's going with summer job, not summer research or summer volunteer trip. Be normal? Nah. Be lucky. Before, one had to be very lucky. Now, one needs to be 50% luckier. This reminds me of a post made many moons ago by someone who served as a student member of the interview panel (UWO, I think...). He said out of all interviewees, about 10% are exceptional, 10% are terrible, but the remaining 80% are pretty tough to differentiate and any of them are worth accepting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 This reminds me of a post made many moons ago by someone who served as a student member of the interview panel (UWO, I think...). He said out of all interviewees, about 10% are exceptional, 10% are terrible, but the remaining 80% are pretty tough to differentiate and any of them are worth accepting. I think, if I'm not mistaken, it was the legendary phoenix... timmymax haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I think, if I'm not mistaken, it was the legendary phoenix... timmymax haha I think you're right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastriss Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I guess we'll just have to make the best of it. If I get queen's (I feel the cGPA may jump to 3.75 or something - this is me getting nervous) I may just go for it before UWO for practice. I'm so grateful for this thread, I am increasing my post count and trying to secretly catch up to Law (sssshhh). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalia Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I don't think they're going to be sent out this week. I called today, and Corrine said they'll be sending them out the first week of Feb, both rejections and interviews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelly31 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 lol my community member (a social worker) was by far the hardest to impress (at least thats how she came off). She was a veryyyy difficult woman...I felt like I was a mother who had abandoned her child and this woman was interrogating me. Anyways, I agree with much of what you said, especially because I know it to be true of myself. I felt it immediately after I walked out of that room and looking back, I wish I had listened to myself (and not to the hundreds of people who thought themselves to be experts on this process) and just be who I am. Maybe the end result would have been the same, who knows, but at least I would have felt like I had really been true to myself (as cliche as that sounds ). Ha ha I think that I know who you are talking about. Actually, she said that she wanted everyone that she interviewed to get an acceptance letter, because everyone was exceptional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvermen85 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 By the way do people find faculties more difficult to impress during interview or the community members? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastriss Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 By the way do people find faculties more difficult to impress during interview or the community members? definitely easiest to impress. faculty members are hardest to impress in my books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n00b Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I think student interviewers are the hardest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvermen85 Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 well, so far all the interviews I went to, the faculties are much more aggressive when comes to questions than the students. Often I feel that the students are more or less intimidated by the faculty member, especially if the faculty is a senior figure (like chair of a department or something). So in the end, it's hard to balance between getting the student interviewer involved while it's mostly the faculty who is keep asking questions (and they tend to interrupt you a lot). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpanishFly Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Ha ha I think that I know who you are talking about. Actually, she said that she wanted everyone that she interviewed to get an acceptance letter, because everyone was exceptional. lol really?...although I do have to agree with her Too bad her wish didn't come true...sigh. oh wait..I just realized i'm in the Queens forum and my interview was at UWO so I don't think we're talking about the same lady (unless she just so happens to do them at both schools, which would be creepy). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 I'm glad we get another week or so to raise our post counts before we go into wave 2 which is the "I can't believe I didn't get an interview, and this person did.":D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redribbon Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 I wonder if Queen's was simply waiting for Western to post their cutoffs, and then they decide their own cutoffs to prevent overlap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supafield Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 I'm glad we get another week or so to raise our post counts before we go into wave 2 which is the "I can't believe I didn't get an interview, and this person did.":D Lol..... I can't wait for that... I can name at least 3 instances in the last two years where I botched something.... even just by a single percent, that would have gave me just a slightly higher GPA.... Alas, here I am with my 3.75 (2 yr) and the hope that the 60% increase in applicants was a result of a bunch of people taking a shot with lower MCAT scores due to last years cutoffs. Lol if not, I'll be back next year begrudgingly with a last 2 year GPA well above the cutoffs given no giant 2nd semester collapse this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueensInterview2009 Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 I wonder if Queen's was simply waiting for Western to post their cutoffs, and then they decide their own cutoffs to prevent overlap? I can assure you this is not the case. The cutoffs for an invite to interview at Queens have been set for a while. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.