What can they ask me in this interview?

[GlitteryBalls]

I have also posted this in women's rights and legal matters in the hope of getting lots of different perspectives:

This is a fairly hypothetical question at this precise moment in time...

I am currently taking a year out of medical school to have my baby (I am 33+4). I am between 2nd and 3rd years. As well as taking a year out, I am also trying to transfer to a medical school more local to my home town where me and partner are now living, and where both my families are based (we were seeing eachother long distance before I fell pg). Transfering halfway between a course is rare, but they know my circumstances and they are considering me. They have asked for lots of supporting information, including info about the course to see if they are compatible and info about results and feedback I have received so far. They said the only thing that would make it a definite no would be my having failed any assessments or taken any retakes - but this is not the case, in fact my results are better than average.

They have said that once they have reviewed this info, then the next stage would be to interview me. They have said this will be a fairly informal interview as I won't be "competing" for my place as people starting at the beginning are. It is more just for them to get to meet me in person etc.

At my interview for the medical school I am currently at, I was 26 at the time. One of the interviewers was playing "bad cop" and was asking quite awkward questions.At once stage he asked me when I planned to have a family. I answered that I wasn't sure yet, but I was serious about the course and would give it 100% etc etc and only AFTER I had given my answer did one of the "nicer cop" interviewers interrupt me and say I shouldn't have had to answer that question. When I told people later, they said that to ask this kind of question to a woman just because they are at childbearing age is actaully illegal and considered sexual discrimination. (Though as some of the -dickhead- men I have spoken to have said, in hindsight they were right in asking me as I went and got myself up the duff a couple of years later!).

So - I don't have an interview yet for this new school, but I like to be prepared and I was thinking of ways I could start to prepare now just in case. Me and dp are in limbo as if I did get a place at the local uni, we can stay in our current house, he could keep his job etc. If I didn't, I can still go back to my current uni but we would have to relocate 300 miles so would have to move house, he would have to get a new job etc. So we have not looked into specific logistics regarding childcare etc as we have decided to find out first where we stand and then go from there.

So, therefore, if they ask me about what my arrangements for childcare etc will be at this interview, I won't have worked out the specifics as we are kind of waiting for the outcome before we start to plan.

So, my question is, at this interview, what is the legality concerning talking about family etc? After all the only reason they are considering me is BECAUSE of my family situation. Or, technincally, should this interview be more focussed on my academic ability to do the course etc. i.e. could they catch me out with awkward questions about how I am going to balance childcare etc and turn me down on the basis that I may appear unprepared?

The truth is, I have way more support here at home by default due to our families being around, and I am waiting to hear what happens before I make specific enquiries, work out costs etc. BUT whatever happens I WILL make it work no matter what. Is this an adequate enough answer? Or should they not be asking me this and could I potentially (not that I would dare) refuse to answer sucah questions?

Phew - sorry about long post!

As far as I am aware the law only really extends to job interviews. To ask you about your family situation RE studying is not illegal. Don't quote me on that though.

My mum used to interview students wanting to do Social work and she was allowed to ask abotu their childcare arrangements and family support because it was imoprtant that they weren't offering places to people who would then struggle - as much for their sake as the profession's sake.

I know that she did turn people down if their lives were incompatible to the amount of study they would be expected to do.

They might ask about childcare because they are able to offer a bursary or other such benefit. It might not all be bad.

I think DF is right though that the law only covers jobs and not student places.

Just say something like it's not decided yet but your priority is with the course and you family life won't interfere with that.

Fair points. Thing is, if it only covers job interviews and not student ones, why did they tell me at my first med school interview that I shouldn't have been asked that? Was it because I hadn't even had any children yet and they were just pre-empting the fact that I may chose to have children at some point? I thin the issue is would they have asked a 26 year old MAN the same question? And why should it cover employment interviews and not student interviews? What's the difference? Surely one's family situation can affect your ability to do a job just as it would a course?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not particularly on my soap box about this, and I'm happy to talk about my situation (and not naive enough to think that it shouldn't matter at all). I was just curious to know what the actual law is/my rights are - especially in light of what happened at my first med school interview (which incidentally threw me right off - two interviewers having a bit of a row half way through!).

I think you should be quite brief and say that you have made the necessary arrangements with family and/or nanny and this will not intefere with your studies in any way (even if you did not do this). Do not go into too much detail and do let them expand on this subject... To be honest, I am shocked that someone asked you / could ask you this. I come from the financial services industry and at my interviews for an executive position no one even asked me about my family once for obvious reasons... I don't think it is anyone's business. You are an adult and will make the necessary arrangements. Good luck!

meant to say to not let them get further into this topic

They should not ask questions of female interviewees that they would not ask of a male one. As your situation is unusual, possibly unique, then it would be hard to demonstrate.

I think the general principle is that they can ask about the personal in so far as it is directly relevant. It would be OK to talk about the expected hours and check you will be available; the detail of your domestic arrangements would be distinctly iffy.

I wouldn't worry too much about it as it sounds like the interview is merely a formality prior to transfer. Usually there will be one or two med students per cohort taking a year out to have children so your situation is by no means unique. If they do ask about childcare arrangements just reiterate the reason for transfer ie better social support network etc. It should not be too difficult to arrange childcare with a nursery or childminder as a medical student without on call commitments anyway. It's the shift work after qualifying that makes things difficult.

Thanks everyone. x