If I asked your friends, what would they say are your strengths and weaknesses?
You will likely get a chance to talk about your strengths and weaknesses from your perspective during your Critical Care fellowship interview. This question is unique because your interviewers request that you answer from the perspective of your friends rather than your current resident colleagues or the attending physicians you've worked with in the past.
"If you were to ask my core group of close friends, they would tell you that my strengths are my communication and motivational skills. I have an infectious spirit that can connect with any personality, which always allows me to work well as a part of a larger team. They would also tell you that my weakness is self-criticism. I frequently reflect on my words and actions and wonder if I should have said or done something different. I'm learning to be more confident in my decisions and thought processes and not second guess myself."
Give a strength that is unique to you and applies to medicine. It is a common strategy to offer a weakness that is actually a strength (e.g., "My weakness is that I work too hard"). The interviewers will recognize this as a transparent tactic. For this reason, you must provide an example of a legitimate weakness you have worked to improve. You hopefully will not offer more weaknesses than strengths in your answer.
