Have you ever worked in a situation where the policies and guidelines were not clear? How did you cope in that situation?

"Following my undergraduate program, I worked for a year as a research assistant. The lab I was working in was pretty new and had received a large amount of funding. I worked closely with the primary researcher on establishing SOP's for the work moving forward. In this environment, I asked a lot of questions and learned quickly how to think on my feet with great judgement. In residency, I understand that I will once again be working in an environment where guidelines for patient care won't always fit the unique situations I will be handling. I would come to your institution with the mindset of always doing what is best for the patient and their outcomes."

Answer this question by telling the interviewer about a specific situation you faced where you were unclear about the guidelines or rules. Outline the situation, describe what your responsibility or goal was, and explain how you chose to approach the situation. Be sure to tell the interviewer that even though you were not entirely clear about the guidelines or rules, you still took great care in your approach, leaning on your knowledge base. Give as much detail as you can regarding how you coped in the face of ambiguity. If your process generated positive results, be sure to provide those details. In the end, reiterated to your interviewers that you are fully aware that you will have great autonomy when making important decisions for patients as their next resident.