When have you had to make a split second decision? How do you react under unexpected pressure?
As an Anesthesiologist, you will be put into some tense situations with patients with serious conditions. Your interviewer needs to be assured that you can make sound decisions under pressure and always take the safety and well-being of the patients into account.
"I thrive in high-pressure situations and am looking forward to bringing my skills in handling these situations to your institution. Last year, I was called to an incoming trauma case in our ER following a bad car accident. With two ambulances on the way with patients in bad condition, we prepared ourselves for the worst, like we always do. I was part of the initial evaluations of each patient. One of the patients was more critically injured than the other. I decided to assist with intubation and leave the other patient in the care of the rest of the ER team. In this situation, a quick triage was an easy decision based on the conditions of the patients."
Tell the interviewer about a specific time you had to make a split-second decision and made the right choice, despite being under unexpected pressure. Outline the situation, describe the last-minute decision you were required to make, and explain how you came to your final decision. Be sure to tell your interviewer that you made a well-calculated decision despite being under pressure. Give as much detail as you can regarding how you weighed the pros and cons of the decision. If your final decision made a measurable impact, be sure to discuss the results you generated.
