Tell us about a time you received constructive criticism from an attending physician or senior resident during your residency training. How did you handle that situation?
As you enter Critical Care fellowship training, it should be abundantly clear that your work will be scrutinized to the highest degree by the senior fellows and the faculty of the program you join. Your interviewers want to know that you can take any constructive criticism you receive and turn it into a positive learning opportunity.
"During my elective oncology rotation during my second year of residency, I was told I spent too much time with patients during initial and follow-up consults. As a result, I was causing delays in the clinic. Seeing new cancer patients was a new environment, and my nurturing inhibitions took over in most situations. After some coaching from my attending physician on how to best handle consults, I developed a flow of patient consults in that environment. I didn't take the criticism personally and knew it was for the best in my professional development. You can be confident that if I were to match into your program, I would bring this same welcoming approach to feedback from your faculty to help me be the best I can be."
As you answer this question, discuss a time that does not highlight a significant or persistent deficit in your ability to provide care. How you handled this criticism should show your devotion to providing optimal care and your willingness to use the critique to shape how you approach patient care moving forward. Don't hesitate to reiterate to your interviewers that you would join their Critical Care fellowship program, ready to accept any constructive criticism that would come your way.
