"During my clinical rotations during medical school, my preceptors were very complimentary of my relationship building skills. I know that patients are often scared and out of their element when coming to see a physician and I pride myself on being able to make a great first impression. During my general surgery rotation, I took the time to talk with a patient in pre-op by getting to know their name, asking what their fears were and then educating them on the surgical process. I threw in a few easy jokes to set their mind at ease as well and my preceptor was very impressed with the way I handled the situation."

First impressions are everything, and there are many ways to impact a new patient significantly. When you answer, be sure to give a detailed overview of how you would approach making a good impression on a new patient. If you have some work experience, consider telling a brief story of when you built a relationship with a patient, customer or colleagues. You should include specific details of how you developed a relationship with this person. At the end of your response, remember to connect your relationship-building skills and how they will benefit the program, should you match into theirs.