Guest cassica Posted January 27, 2003 Report Share Posted January 27, 2003 Hey guys, how do you think interviewers would respond if you told them your biggest failure was trying harsh drugs? I consider this one of my worst choices, but then again, I do not want them to think less of me if I did tell them. Would I be getting too personal? Would they consider me incompetent for practicing medicine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bcdentalgirl Posted January 27, 2003 Report Share Posted January 27, 2003 Hi, I have been thinking about these kinds of questions too. My teenage years were rough and in a lot of ways I feel that my experiences add to who I am and demonstrate my ability to overcome adversity or reverse the effects of bad choices. On the other hand, I recognize that to people who have never experienced certain situations, they might not be able to get past the negative/sensational aspects and it might color their impression of me (even if subconsciously). Personally, I wouldn't share that bit of information. There's nothing wrong with keeping some things private and personal. Just my thoughts, take care... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest UWOMED2005 Posted January 27, 2003 Report Share Posted January 27, 2003 I think it totally depends on the interviewer and how you handled it. But I must admit talking about past drug use (particularly harsh drugs) is risky topic. I'd say a good portion of med students have smoked pot, or at the least did things in High School and/or University that would make them look like less than angels, and I'd guess a few have tried harsher drugs such as 'shrooms or E. If they were the student interviewers I'm sure they might be okay with such an admission, depending on how it was presented. On the other hand, I have classmates who I know would NOT react well to such an admission. I could see that being even more true of the members of the faculty on the interview committees (though I'm sure some of them smoked pot) and the members of the community at large. I think it could be a big risk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cramguy Posted January 27, 2003 Report Share Posted January 27, 2003 GUYS! GIRLS! From all the experiences in your life, why are you choosing the ones that will make you look the worst? Why not choose practical every-day experiences and say what you learned from it (and not let the interviewer use what you said to strike negative marks on you)? You can use less dramatic experiences which are more realistic and will help you score points in the interview. Examples: 1) Choosing a bad career or bad topic to major in, for which you spent a lot of time (a lot of your life perhaps) doing something which you realized later did not appeal to you - as a result, you now choose medicine with full reflection 2) Buying a bad (lemon) car, and learning that while the cheapest deals don't always equate to being good deals; as a result, this turned out to be a big and expensive mistake These are just some examples. They are not especially dramatic such as smoking pot or doing cocaine (and then recovering from it), but they are true mistakes that no one would fault you for making. At the same time, they are big mistakes. I'm sure you can pick several from your life. Good luck! Cramguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest UOMeds05 Posted January 28, 2003 Report Share Posted January 28, 2003 I'm of 2 schools of thought... part of me feels that the above statements from cramguy is probably what 75% of students walk in with: Rehersed answers that may come off too rehearsed. I think that there may be some merit to admiting to the drug thing (although i probably wouldn't emphasize harsh) but it would have to be very genuine. my other thought is that what if it is perceived as: you succumbed to peer pressure and experimented with drugs... the next question could easily be: will you succumb to the pressure and anguish of your patients and perform euthanasia? Extreme, I know, but i would tread lightly in this area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cramguy Posted January 28, 2003 Report Share Posted January 28, 2003 bcdentalgirl, cassica Ultimately, you are the applicants and need to do what will work for you. Definitely don't over-rehearse the exact words you will say, but do think about the content of what you want to say beforehand (just imagine trying to think of this answer on-the-spot with your adrenaline running high and your throat dry: some people can do it, but I know I cannot). I have told you what has worked for me. Good Luck! Cramguy UBC Med I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cgb2006 Posted January 28, 2003 Report Share Posted January 28, 2003 Just to offer my opinion: I would absolutely not admit to illegal drug use in my medical school interview, and not even in an interview for a summer job for that matter. Interviewers are looking for people of high moral character. Let me qualify this by saying that just because you may have made some decisions in your life that weren't ideal, it doesn't necessarily mean you are not a moral person. But in the 45 minutes you have for your interview, or better yet the five minutes you'll have to explain this decision, its difficult to make this decision/failure appear admirable in any way. Since most interview panels are composed of 3 individuals, it is highly unlikely that all three interviewers would be impressed with or respectful of your admission. I'm not trying to come across as judgmental in any way, but this is reality. Revealing this information could be very detrimental to your chances of success. The interview is your time to shine, not to offer interviewers information that might severely tarnish your application. Its not a time for confession, its your time to impress. Choose another failure from your life that most of your interviewers will be able to relate to and that is preferably not illegal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest UOMeds05 Posted January 28, 2003 Report Share Posted January 28, 2003 well put cgb2006! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MayFlower1 Posted January 28, 2003 Report Share Posted January 28, 2003 Perhaps if some of the candidates reveal these "illegal" activities it will make the pool that much less competitive? :rollin Sorry...I couldn't resist. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cgb2006 Posted January 28, 2003 Report Share Posted January 28, 2003 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Biochem10 Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 Hey, i was thinking a lot about this question and may be I'm just an optimist, but I don't view anything in my life as a failure. May be it's just me, but I see this word having very big consequences surrounding it. Sure, I've made some poor choices and have not succeeded at everything, but generally I view all these things as learning experiences, not failures. Would an admissions commitee be satisfied with an answer like this? I mean, I don't want to make up some elaborate story just so they can be reminded that I'm not perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lactic Folly Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 Biochem10, that's my point of view too.. but rather than seeming to deny that you've ever failed (could be seen as not plausible/evasive), I would relate a story while focusing on it from that perspective. Perhaps you've experienced some adverse situation/setback that could be construed as failure- if not by you, by others around you? The following, however, is a question I'm having quite some trouble thinking of appropriate examples for..(!) Tell me of a time when your strengths did not help you. (aren't transferable skills supposed to be exactly that? heh.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bcdentalgirl Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 ooooh that's a good one. Possibly asking about a moment of helplessness? Maybe a time when you had to walk away from a situation despite wanting to help? Or a time when you knew you were in over your head and needed someone to help? hmmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Koggetsu Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 Do you think that saying the biggest failure was not getting into medical school last year would be a good or bad answer? Or would that seem too fake an answer. But in a sense its true, because this is probably a very significant point in your life whether you get in or not and so if you don't get in, it is a pretty big failure isn't it? or should I avoid saying that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beth Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 Hi Koggetsu....I went to an information session at McMaster last year and people we asking about the "biggest failure" question on their personal information form. They advised us to use something unrelated to medical school and that it would be looked poorly upon if that is what we talked about. But, it could be different in an interview setting. I think that if you explain yourself well then the interviewers will be statisfied. Just make sure that you say what you have learned about not getting in last year! Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Koggetsu Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 thanx, i just found out that my UT interview would be my first interivew. I am so screwed, i was hoping that the UT interview would be teh last so that I can use all the other interview experiences to make that one my best. Now i am so freaked out!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beth Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 koggetsu.....when did you hear from Toronto? when is your interview? congratulations on the invitation.....I am sure that it will be great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Koggetsu Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 i found out today in my mail. its on Feb.28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Raid123 Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 Hey, are you in the MD or MD/PHD pool? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest UOMeds05 Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 Hey, congrats on receiving an invitation! Don't sweat it that it is the first... As for the question about the biggest failure being the fact that you didn't get into medical school... just my opinion, but I would not use that, written or in the interview. First of all, the fact that you didn't get in most likely has nothing to do with you, and is not "your" failure. It is a result of the system. Chances are, the interviewers view it this way as well. You can only do the best that you can and hope that the rest works out. Don't forget that there is a certain amount of luck involved as well. I try and picture it as though I was on the committee listening to the answers. I'm not exactly sure how i would take that response, but I suspect that I would find it somewhat superficial... I don't think that one's life should amount to whether or not they get into medical school... i think it constitutes a big disappointment in life, but should not be considered a failure. Medical schools should be happy to have you attend (if it really only worked this way!). Good luck on the 28th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Koggetsu Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 no, I'm just in the normal med. application. yeah thats what i figure about the biggest failure question too, but just want to ask to make sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peachy Posted January 31, 2003 Report Share Posted January 31, 2003 I had exactly the same thought Koggetsu! I'm also on the first interview day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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