Is there a personality type that you find difficult to work effectively with?
As you enter Critical Care fellowship training, you will work closely with intensivists, nursing staff, pharmacists, respiratory staff, PT staff, chaplains, and mid-level providers. This will be a very diverse team that will all have their own unique personalities and work styles. Your interviewers ask this question to determine your ability to work with even the most challenging personality styles.
"The two personality types that I find most difficult to work with are those who gossip and those who are self-centered in their approach to providing care. As an Internal Medicine Resident, I learned quickly that there was no room for gossip or a lack of team worth in the care environment. If someone on my team was narcissistic or gossiping, I would never hesitate to respectfully approach them to explain what our team needed from them. If the problem persisted, I would take it up the proper chain of command."
As you answer this question, you ideally want to pick a quality that doesn't reflect poorly on you. Talking about demanding personalities may make you seem lazy or unable to work with demanding faculty in the program. Instead, choose a quality that impairs the ability of even the most competent and hard-working doctors to deliver high-quality care or work as part of a high-functioning team.
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
- poor teamwork ethic - those who would sit in the mess and not help colleagues
- rudeness - had several incidents of witnessed rudeness to either junior members of staff or patients. I respectfully intervened and addressed the issue.
Jaymie's Feedback
The interviewer wants to learn more about how well you work with others, especially those who may be different than you. If you can, go into more detail on how you addressed the situation. Did you pull the person aside and professionally and kindly discuss their behaviors and the impacts? This will help show the interviewer you possess communication, interpersonal, and conflict-resolution skills.
