This past weekend I was fortunate enough toe attend a minority med student recruitment fair. While there I met with reps form med schools discussing my “package” among othe things. Things were going well with one particular school when the rep asked me if I would mind telling her how old I was. Of course, I wanted to say of course I mind and what does that have to do with my application. Instead I told her (38) and watched her wince at my answer.
I was NEVER expecting to have to answer this question so I didn’t have a snazzy comeback or answer. This is the second time I’ve been my age and or marital status in an formal or unfomral interview situation. Anyone have any suggestions on how to come back after being ask this illegal question?
Perhaps it would be appropriate to state one’s age and then follow that up with: “Is age a factor in your school’s admission process?”
Given that medical school web sites seem to go out of their way to publish disclaimers regarding age, race, etc., this admissions person overstepped their bounds, or else their school does indeed discriminate on age.
I find it interesting how supportive my physician friends are of my premedical program. When they know me as a person, they see it as not unrealistic an idea and say things like “We need more people like you!” and “Go for it!”, whereas many (but not all) complete strangers whom my wife talks with have been quite negative about it.
Maybe (sorry for all this rambling) there’s a lesson in this somewhere. If you talk to that admissions rep about your ambitions, how you’d like to practice medicine, what things you’d like to improve in the system, where you see medicine headed in the next 20 years, etc., they will come to see you in a more positive light, i.e. a mature and sincere person with a lot of good ideas who will contribute to the profession in many ways, with age being an irrelevant detail in the long run.
Terry,
I like your suggestion as to how to respond to the “age” question. When you word it like you did, it throws the ball back in their court without coming across as defensive or overly threatening. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
I have found nothing but support from my colleagues, family, and friends. There are some that don’t pretend to UNDERSTAND, but no one has discouraged me from pursuing this goal of mine. I have had the privilege of working with the medical residents in the University of Wyoming Family Practice Residency Program this spring/summer. They have all been a great source of encouragement to me.
I think it is important to be able to verbalize your motivation for pursuing medical school and the way you see yourself contributing to the profession in the future. Once you are confident that you are doing what you need to do, it is easier to face the naysayers!
Lu
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I was NEVER expecting to have to answer this question so I didn’t have a snazzy comeback or answer. This is the second time I’ve been my age and or marital status in an formal or unfomral interview situation. Anyone have any suggestions on how to come back after being ask this illegal question?
Well, the question itself is not illegal - however, most interviewers know to steer clear of it because if it can be shown that your ANSWER to the question is actually factored into their decision, THAT is illegal. It’s a fine point, I concede!
I think Terry’s suggested response is a good one. It is hard to know why the recruiter asked the question, and her response is unfortunate but to be honest I don’t know what to make of it. I certainly wouldn’t let it discourage you from applying to that school. The recruiter may just know that they’ve never accepted anyone over X age and therefore be saying (more to herself than you, actually) “gee, it’s going to be tough.” She might’ve winced because she LIKED you and had the feeling that age might be a barrier. I know, these are perhaps Pollyanna-ish responses but I just don’t think it does any good to try and figure out what people are thinking. You put your best application out there and pretty much dare them to try and make age an issue, is the way I see it.
Mary
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She might’ve winced because she LIKED you and had the feeling that age might be a barrier. I know, these are perhaps Pollyanna-ish responses but I just don’t think it does any good to try and figure out what people are thinking. You put your best application out there and pretty much dare them to try and make age an issue, is the way I see it.
Mary
Thanks for the feekdback everyone and thanks Dr.Renard for pointing this out. I didn’t think of this and but I certainly thought I got along well with the recruiter.
I’m still not sure if I m going to apply here not necessarily because of this issue but because this school is out of state which would severly make my relocating back home to have family support a mootpoint. Luckily, my other choices of school don’t seem to be concerned with my age so if I could only get them to not focus too much on my MCAT I’d be in good shape!
Path,
There are a lot of medical schools out there. Some of them discriminate against applicants based on age, others don’t. Rather than banging your head on a door that’s closed because of the shortsightedness of an admissions bureaucrat, go where you are wanted and kick butt there…
I also believe that Terry’s advice is on the mark. And do not necessarily take the opinion of one interviewer too seriously; they may not believe that you have much of chance getting into THEIR program, but there are other programs out there. Instead keep forging ahead; it’s your life not their’s, and only you have to answer to yourself for your endeavors and regrets. Perhaps other schools will see you for the skills that do make you a good medical scientist and a great doctor, your dedication, intelligence, passion for the work, compassion for people and patients, and comraderie for your fellow physicians and students.
And I know how you feel, and in a parallel circumstance. In May, I attended a conference for prospective MD-PhD’s and was asked that same (supposedly) “illegal” question. When I told my interviewer my age (41) the doctor seemed a bit put off, grilling me on whether I really want to be in my fifties by the time I settle down to a medical scientist career, what about my family life, I won’t be able to put that much time into patient care and research, etc. Fortunately, I did not tell him that I won’t even begin applying to medical school until I’m 44 or 45: I just started taking my prerequisites all over again (I took them for the first time in 1982 and was told by medical schools to retake them).