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Lying at an interview, now holding an offer.

I know somebody who lied about everything at their MMI interview, from their extra curricular activities to what they did and experienced and who they met at their work experience placements, and i'm not sure what to do about it.

I've known this for a week (she told me) and it's really bothering me. I truly believe that she doesn't deserve the offer because doctors should be honest and trustworthy, and lying about every minute detail about ones application,and getting away with it, is not, so I feel inclined to notify the admissions team and allow them deal with it (if).
Should I?

P.S: I don't want any replies telling me that this isn't any of my business - it bothers me that she's lied about so much, and subsequently holds an offer. It's almost as if the interviewers met a mask instead of the person and I feel like she's snatched an offer away from other potential borderline applicants who may or may not have excelled at their interview.

(edited 12 years ago)

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Reply 1

User570431

If you don't want to be viewed as a snitch then don't.
If you believe in karma you know this person will be caught out later on for what they did and trust me they will.
People lie all the time and the true hardline facts are that not all doctors are trustworthy etc and all the stuff they teach you in medicine school. Many of them are crooks.
Their time will come.

Focus on what you have to do and what you need to do to succeed.

Reply 2

MrHayden

They probably will get caught out eventually so justice will almost certainly be served.
However I think that, right now, there is still a vague possibility that another more honest person might get the place instead of her, if they find out in time. It may be too late, but medicine offers definitely come out a lot later than most others, and if there's a chance that someone else can get the place instead of her then I think it would be the right thing to make happen.

Reply 3

Elwyn

You made an account just to tell people this?
If you really want to ruin her life by taking that offer from her then go ahead, but I can't see why it would bother you so much. I know people who told little white lies to get into medicine, does it bother me? No, not in the slightest. I'm sure most applicants do it.

Reply 4

omlette

Whilst she told you she "lied" in her interview, the trouble is you weren't actually there in her interview to judge whether her answers were "lies" or not. Some people can be prone to selectively recalling only certain parts of an interview, so what could seem like "I lied my way through that" to her could actually be only the mild "embellishment" here or there. Especially in an MMI, where some stations can be based upon factual recall, questions that the interviewee might be expecting (eg. why medicine?), or problem solving/ role play that candidates can't prepare for fully. I'm sure "lying" would've only got her through so many stations. I don't think it's for you to go behind her back calling her out to admissions.

Reply 5

skylight17

Original post by Surprises!

You have no concrete evidence to notify the admissions team with and I think you would end up looking like a prized tit if I'm honest!

Everyone lies a bit on their applications/at interview (obviously not to a serious degree), but we are surrounded by white lies through out everyday life...

I would let it pass over your head and concentrate on what you have to do.

What exactly would you gain from doing this? other than for your own personal satisfaction from ruining someones chance of becoming a doctor :confused:

Reply 6

Someone123123

Well, if you decide to tell admissions, the first thing they will say is:

"Prove it."

Reply 7

MrHayden

There's a difference between white lies/exaggerating and making something up completely. If this person had simply expanded upon some of her hobbies and interests a little bit it would be normal, but if the OP is correct and she made claims about meeting people on work experience that were not true, it's more than just petty exaggeration: either you have met someone or you haven't. I can't see why this person would claim that they lied about meeting someone who they actually had met, that wouldn't make sense, so it seems likely that they did just come out with a total fabrication. That really doesn't seem on to me.
It is true that it would simply be mean to crush someone's chances of being a doctor for no particularly good reason, but as I said before, if there is a chance that somebody else, who isn't a liar, can have the chance instead, I think it is pretty obvious who deserves it more.

Reply 8

avig613

Unlike some of the other posters, I believe that all lying is wrong. You are a morally corrupt person if you think that small lies are ok.

Edit- wwow- thatt's a lot of negs for saying that lying is wrong! It's hardly an extremist policy!

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 9

internet tough guy

don't hate the player, hate the game

Reply 10

internet tough guy

Tbh I say fair game, one of the attributes of being a good doctor is to conceal your inner-feelings and make your patients feel comfortable regardless. If she has truly got an offer based on those lies, it shows that she's so convincing that even professionals couldn't catch her out. Providing she knuckles down with the work at uni without cutting corners, she can be a good doctor.

Reply 11

Glia

I have to say I don't envy your situation. It's one of those ethical questions you get in interviews, but hope it never actually happens.

Have you tried talking to her and clarifying the situation? Did she totally make stuff up, or did she "exaggerate"? Like avig said, both are bad but let's face it...99% of interviewees exaggerate a tad. Interviewers know that, and it's only when something is completely fabricated or extremely exaggerated that I'd say you need to get involved.

Do you have any evidence to back up your claims?

If she truly did make stuff up which led to her receiving those few key points that differ between offer and a rejection, and you can prove it, then I would do something about it. I'd suggest that she comes clean herself, and if they decide to still give her the offer then good for her. If she doesn't want to come clean I would contact them myself.

Like others said, there is still time for the offer to go to someone who didn't make stuff up, so doing something now can have a positive effect. Yeah, it sucks that she would lose her spot (maybe), but that's a spot she didn't deserve in the first place.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 12

emclme

It seems a bit petty to tell the admissions about her lies. People lie and exaggerate all the time at interviews, if this was for something other than medicine I'm sure you'd just shrug it off. She probably just got nervous and exaggerated, maybe she will eventually do the work experience she was lying about. It's not your place to tell, if she has the grades and determination to be a doctor then well done to her!

Reply 13

rugbyladosc

Original post by Elwyn

If you didn't get in, would it still not bother you?

Reply 14

Madmia

I felt the same when my friend was copying pictures off google for her GCSE art exam, In a way I really do wish I mentioned it but I know I would have regretted it, All these people will get what they deserve in the end, I wouldn't tell If I was you as you don't have any evidence

Reply 15

BenjyK

Original post by Surprises!

So you'd be willing to destroy this person, who obviously trusted you enough to confide in you about her interview experience, chances at medicine, all because you want to boost your ego by taking a "moral highground"? Some kind of friend you are, yes she is in the wrong, but to be honest worse things have happened, you dont even have any proof, so if you were to report her, what would you say?

From what i can see your just going out of your way to find someway to hurt this girl and in my books that makes you worse than her :colonhash:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 16

Hippokrates

I would be gutted if they'd got an offer and I hadn't but at the end of the day the university is unlikely to make anybody else an offer if they take theirs away. They sound uncommitted so they'll probably drop out when the work starts to come their way. If I was you I'd leave it because you'd loose a friend and you have no proof as you don't know what they said in the MMI.

Reply 17

chinaberry

I wouldn't want a nasty doctor who mistakes an inflated ego for a sense of righteousness, that's for sure.
Don't do it OP. If you can't see beyond what it brings you, consider that what goes around does come back around, somehow it works out that way, people think for themselves.

swaaag!

Original post by Elwyn

Maybe she should of thought about it before lying? The amount of people in my school with no offers for medicine who are having to become health care assistants for a year would certainly have something to say about it don't you think?

Did you tell lies by any chance?