Has there ever been a time that you felt singled out for your personal convictions? If so, what did you learn from that experience that allows you to feel empathy towards your patients and/or co-workers?
Bullying is unfortunately not exclusive to school-aged children. It is often seen among peers in the workplace. This question presents an opportunity for you to share a personal experience that may have caused you to feel vulnerable, but also gave you the chance to react in a way that is positive. Feeling like your personal beliefs are under scrutiny can be stressful. Your answer, especially if you have experienced this personally, will show the interviewer how you handle stress and how you may be able to diffuse a similar situation in the future.
"I think we all have felt singled out at one time or another. For me, religious issues have been where I have experienced the most trying situations. My religion practices a strict dress code and there were times, especially as a teenager, that I felt some of my practices were the reason I was excluded from activities. However, I believe that differences are what make the world a more interesting place. If I can't participate in something because of a particular practice that I observe, I simply find other things to occupy my time."
