The Interview

First things first-- I got into med school!!  I am officially going to be a doctor!  I am still waiting to hear back from most schools, but I have been accepted by the first school I interviewed at.  I got the news via e-mail on my phone on the way to work.  Hopefully there weren't too many people on the T staring at me and wondering why my eyes were leaking.  It's been a long journey.

To continue the never-ending medical school application process...  If medical schools like your primary and secondary applications, they will invite you for an interview.  Last go-round of applications I only had one interview.  This time I have seven so far!  Thank you Masters Degree!!

I am omitting the names of schools in this discussion since I am still awaiting their decisions.  Chances are slim that the admissions offices are scouring the internet and reading my blog to make their final decisions, but why risk it?

Interview #2 begins by a secretary handing me the address of a professor's office to go find.  Naturally it is raining, so it's a good start in my suit.  I had just run to catch a bus, so I'm nice and sweaty and I'm sure frizz is at a max.  I find the building and check in at the security desk, who gives me a floor number.  So I go up to the floor, hoping that the offices are labeled, but of course they  are not.  So I poke my head into various laboratories looking for signs of life, hoping someone can point me in the right direction.  Meanwhile the seconds are ticking down until I am late for my scheduled interview time.  Finally I find someone who tells me that the professor's office is on the other side of the locked hallway.  Fortunately he agrees to let me through.  Of course none of the offices are labeled on the locked side, so the head poking continues until I find another scientist to help me.

The first question upon entering his office was, "so, what's up with the MCAT?"  Thanks, I'm so glad you brought up my favorite subject!  Most of the rest of the questions were the typical interview questions I expected and prepared for: What do you do in your free time?  Tell me about yourself.  Tell me about your research.  What would you do in this ethical scenario?  Etc.

One question that I didn't expect was a question about molecular biology techniques.  Naturally my brain froze, and despite knowing the answer I sounded like an idiot.

"Did you ever use Western blots in your research?"
"No."
"Do you know what they are?"
"Yes."
"What are they?"
"...DNA"
"No, that's Northern blots"
"Right, I can picture it, but I just... RNA?"
"No."
"Protein!"
"Yes.  Now why is that important?"

Thank God for process of elimination or that would have gone on forever.  I did ultimately redeem myself for giving the correct explanation of why Western blots are important.  Nothing like being put on the spot!

Every school makes varying efforts to act as if the interview is a laid back thing.  Some are more successful than others at minimizing the stress.  Interview #3 was the most successful at this, which I largely attribute to the fact that it was was closed file.  This let me tell the interviewers what I wanted to about myself, and not spend the entire time defending myself from their nitpicking of my application.

Interview #4 was uncomfortable.  It was too hot in every room, and all of the information sessions seemed to drone on.  Some of the uncomfortable-ness was my own fault for not eating a sufficient breakfast, and for wearing heels.  Fortunately the interviews came before the tour and info sessions in this case.  They had a traditional interview panel, which went mostly well, but the interviewers kept pushing for more with each answer I gave.   They also had a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) session, which sounds scary, but actually turned out to be fun.  I would love to share, but I am sworn to secrecy on the questions.

Interview #5 was very comfortable leading up to the actual interview.  Perfect temperature, comfy chairs, laid back information session.  Then, we had this:

"So, WERE there any effects of exercise across multiple generations of mice?" (my undergraduate thesis)
"no... I didn't really get any results, but I spent a year working on it, so I wrote about it."
"hmmph" [brow furrow]
"Tell me about your research in the brain stimulation lab."
"[long explanation]...so it was really great that I actually got to see a patient get better!"
"yeah, it's too bad those effects don't last"
"oh, well she was still doing well when I left..."
"hmmph" [brow furrow]
"So when you worked with the football team, did you have to respond to inappropriate situations/comments?"
"Yes.... I don't like to repeat the things that were said to me"
"like what?"
I give them a vague example leaving out the vulgar details.
"So, what do you think of Lance Armstrong?  I figure that relates to your football experience."
"well I actually did not see any blood doping or drug usage, but it is an unfortunate situation."
"So, what is your stance on health care?"
[I was beaten down by this point and said something completely nonsensical that did not answer the question]

In case you're keeping count, there are still a few interviews yet to come.  And hopefully some more interview invitations!