Indiana University School of Medicine Mock Interview
Master 40 IU School of Medicine interview questions covering clinical scenarios, research, and mission alignment.
Question 5 of 40
What do you feel is the single most important quality a physician should possess?
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Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
This can be a challenging question to answer, as there is more than one single quality that makes an excellent physician. However, when reviewing the IU School of Medicine website, you will see that the faculty looks for candidates who demonstrate excellent academic performance (intelligence), emulate humanitarianism, possess strong interpersonal skills, and intend to become superb physicians. Additionally, the university considers an applicant's character, personality, and altruism.
The interviewer wants to see that you have researched their medical school and have insight into the desired qualities and characteristics they are looking for in their medical students. This is an opportunity to give a unique answer, so it is recommended to dig deeper than responding with "good bedside manner" or "strong attention to detail." Here are some ideas to consider:
- Empathy
- Compassion
- Patience
- Integrity
- Optimism
- Self-confidence
- Altruism
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
"I believe the most important quality for a physician to possess is compassion. Many institutions describe how their medical staff offers compassionate care, which is excellent. However, I am not sure everyone truly understands the definition of compassion. Compassion means to suffer together. It is the feeling one gets when confronted with another person's suffering and the motivation to relieve that suffering. While compassion may seem the same as altruism or empathy, it is not, even though the concepts are related. I do not think a physician can be excellent at their job without having compassion."
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
"I believe a physician should possess empathy, above and beyond all other attributes, as this will carry any helping provider throughout their career with the right directives. Without understanding my patients' concerns and complaints, I would be doing them a significant disservice by simply providing 'textbook treatment.' I have already been working on building my empathy skills by taking on volunteer experiences outside of my comfort zone and carefully examining any unconscious bias that I may possess."
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