Looks and successful interviews...

[whale.of.a.time]

Just wondering what, if any, bias people think there might be during the interview process when it comes to aesthetics.

 

I've been reading a lot about biases within the med programs, mainly against obese students, significantly older students, students with disabilities, etc. and was trying to decide whether or not this may be a problem for some people during the interviews as well...

 

Do you think that someone who is either:

 

1) overweight

or

2) physically disabled

or

3) mentally disabled (but functional enough to get the grades, volunteer work, etc. to reach the interview stage)

or

4) over 60 years old

or

5) just not very attractive

 

has a chance in the interviews? Or will they be screwed from the get go?

 

Love to hear your thoughts!

[ploughboy]

5) just not very attractive

 

I got in. There's hope for you.

[terryann]

where did you read this about biases...would love to see the articles...it interests and concerns me..

[sailor_d198]

I'd really hope that looks or weight would not influence the interviewers, but bias, even if subconscious, is hard to completely avoid. As long as the candidate looks and acts professionally, i think appearance would be of less import. As for age >60 ... i honestly think that getting an interview/admitted might be a stretch.

 

I'm interested in the physical disability aspect, because it sort of applies to my current situation:

 

I recently broke my shoulder (ie. 10 days ago) and have an interview this Sunday. I'm debating whether or not to wear my brace as i don't really want to draw attention to my injury. As of today, I pretty much need the brace to function, but could sit for 45 mins without it, though i may look awkward to the interviewers with a seemingly frozen left arm. Do you think a brace may bias the interviewers?

 

Any suggestions would be welcome!! Any thoughts of what any of you would do in a similar situation?

[terryann]

Broken shoulder is temporary and will heal.so they should look past that....they certainly will remember you...and that may be to your advantage..

Give yourself credit, some people would have cancelled...ie..I broke my shoulder..so kudos to you

[Jochi1543]

I've found that people I see at interviews (both applicants and med students) seem to be better-looking than the average population. I've definitely met some overweight med students at my interviews, too.

 

If you're over 60, you probably won't be applying, and I don't think they'd bother interviewing you, either (you are almost more likely to keel over before finishing med than you are to work after finishing residency, lol). So that's a bit of a stretch.

 

I saw a girl with a hearing aid at my U of C interview, but I haven't seen anyone else with an obvious physical disability. Then again, I don't see many physically disabled younger people day-to-day, either (speaking of general population, not people in the hospital). You also have to sign the technical standards form, so some people with disabilities are excluded by virtue of not being able to perform at the expected level.

 

As far as high-functioning mental disabilities....you mean someone with mild autism or something? I think it would come down to whether it would strike the interviewer as strange behaviour. They'd obviously be looking for someone who's generally likeable and, essentially, doesn't weird people out. If a person is difficult to communicate with or otherwise strikes the interviewer as strange, I don't think they'd get too far at the interview, disability or not - it basically comes down to the technical standards issue. A lot of the standards on my U of C form, for example, were geared towards the non-physical stuff (ability to communicate effectively, etc).

[FABS]

hehehe i love this thread

 

my personal opinion...

 

if you are the hottest thing alive but have the dullest personality, with very little intellectual capacity, I doubt you would go far in the interview

 

if you are slightly overweight or have a disability, i do not think that this is negative at all. your personality could be amazing, your intellect outstanding...and hopefully your interview performance would show these qualities

 

research has shown that physical appearance may impact 1st impressions..but when it comes to interviews, they are evaluating your personality, your intellect and your abilities...

 

i dont think 1st impressions matter as much as the lasting impression that you are going to leave the interview panel with

[NewfieMike]

A med student once told me "as bad as it sounds, if you don't 'look' like a doctor, you won't get in". I'm not 100% sure what the prototype "doctor" is supposed to look like though. Here's a picture of me, hopefully it's what they're looking for: http://www.alysania.com/friends/d/1047-1/Derek.jpg

 

An interesting point I want to bring here though. A middle aged obese patient with hypertension and type 2 diabetes is more likely to listen to the counseling advice of:

 

1.) an obese doctor

2.) a healthy sized doctor

[LivetoDance]

You forgot to mention the bias with blondes. I heard that this is also something that can be discriminated against. I think as long as you look and speak intelligently you can't go wrong!

[Jochi1543]

 

An interesting point I want to bring here though. A middle aged obese patient with hypertension and type 2 diabetes is more likely to listen to the counseling advice of:

 

1.) an obese doctor

2.) a healthy sized doctor

 

It's been brought up a few times....we've had exhaustive debates on the topic, so if you do a search, you can probably find lots of stuff about the "role model" issue.

[BigManOnCampus]

With all other factors constant it is to your advantage to be good looking, tall, fit, etc. It's called the halo effect: People with positively perceived traits are - SHOCKINGLY - perceived more positively than those lacking them.

[Jochi1543]

With all other factors constant it is to your advantage to be good looking, tall, fit, etc. It's called the halo effect: People with positively perceived traits are - SHOCKINGLY - perceived more positively than those lacking them.

 

Well, you never know what a person's own preference is, for one, I prefer shorter men.

[BigManOnCampus]

Well, you never know what a person's own preference is, for one, I prefer shorter men.

 

Too bad for me, I guess.

 

On a serious note, I was speaking in generalities. To each their own.

[truffle]

Here's a picture of me, hopefully it's what they're looking for: http://www.alysania.com/friends/d/1047-1/Derek.jpg

 

and did you know that when some schools ask for wallet size photos of us at interviews, they intend to post every student's photos on a wall and rank the students based on looks?

[NewfieMike]

good thing, I'm hot as balls

[Jochi1543]

good thing, I'm hot as balls

 

I thought balls were cooler than the rest of the body?

[NewfieMike]

I thought balls were cooler than the rest of the body?

 

haha true enough. However, "...as balls" is just something a few friends and I have come into saying following ANY adjective. The funniest was a friend of mine describing the look of his fingers after doing the dishes -> jeeze, they're wrinkly as balls! ... finally, an adjective that actually applies!

[astudentis]

and did you know that when some schools ask for wallet size photos of us at interviews, they intend to post every student's photos on a wall and rank the students based on looks?

 

funny, only two of the schools in canada I applied to asked for photos... and i got an interview at both places

 

but in all seriousness, I dont think it should matter... I know if i was on the admission committee, I would avoid any such biases... again, I dont know about the other people

[Wolvenstar]

funny, only two of the schools in canada I applied to asked for photos... and i got an interview at both places

 

but in all seriousness, I dont think it should matter... I know if i was on the admission committee, I would avoid any such biases... again, I dont know about the other people

 

Considering most of your first impression of someone comes from your looks, and that for the majority of people, their first impression has a significant impact upon the lasting impression of that person, I highly doubt that. I doubt you would actively discriminate against someone who is fat or bald or crippled, but I would put money on you judging people who look better easier than those who are lacking in the looks department.

 

 

 

Well, you never know what a person's own preference is, for one, I prefer shorter men.

 

Well I also have hair, green eyes, and an athletic build, does that count? BTW what is your range for short?

[Jamer]

This thread has given me a new approach to the interview.

 

I'm going to go to the gym hard before my interview, run there before my swell goes down, and do my MMI with a wife-beater on.

 

Thanks PM101! You never let me down.

[Pantaloons]

I found the research!!!

 

THE EFFECTS OF HAIR COLOR AND COSMETIC USE ON PERCEPTIONS OF A FEMALE'S ABILITY

The results demonstrated significant main effects of both hair color and cosmetic use. Specifically, the applicant was rated more capable and was assigned a higher salary both when depicted with brunette hair color and when depicted without cosmetics.

 

RESPONSES TO OVERWEIGHT JOB APPLICANTS

Undergraduate participants perceived overweight (vs. average-weight) applicants as having more negative work-related attributes, but did not discriminate against them in the hiring process.

 

 

CLOTHING COLOR VALUE AND FACIAL EXPRESSION

Clothing color value was more important in influencing perceptions of Potency, i.e. competence and boldness, but only for male interviewers. Results indicate that clothing color may have significant but not substantial impact on hiring decisions made by male business persons.

 

(Please note my tongue slightly within my cheek)

[Guest rpuff]

my buddy is in U of S dent and he said his class is ridiculously good looking....one of the profs who was part of the interview process admitted they cared a lot about looks...obvs they'd never advertise that lol.

 

i think definitely think looks make a difference. If you had two applicants, equally personable and intelligent but one is really pretty and the other is not so easy on the eyes....

[FABS]

This thread has given me a new approach to the interview.

 

I'm going to go to the gym hard before my interview, run there before my swell goes down, and do my MMI with a wife-beater on.

 

Thanks PM101! You never let me down.

 

hahahaha you got me there For two weeks before the interview, I was doing an extra amount of yoga/pilates/cardio/ballet/swimming/weights to go along with that saying "feeling good is reciprocal with looking good"

 

hmmm...

[astudentis]

yea i know, i was too:D

[whale.of.a.time]

You guys are all awesome! This has become a really great thread.

 

I left the papers at home in Mtl, but am going to try to find the titles for you all. There's an amazing book in there that is written by different med students who have faced different challenges...black, fat, older, disabled. Really made me think.

 

Anyway, I totally look like McDreamy...I am a girl though...think that makes a difference?