When you suffer a setback, how does that emotionally affect you and your work?
Everyone handles the stress and disappointment of setbacks differently, and a few are sure to come your way during the next four years of attending dental school. Your interviewers ask this question in hopes that you would come to their program with the ability to put your head down and get to work harder when you face a setback or challenging time during your time with them.
"Experiencing a setback is always disappointing and can be very disheartening, especially when involving a project that I have put a lot of time and effort into. I understand that setbacks happen often, and to everyone - despite their level of expertise or years of experience. If I experience a major setback, I will take a few moments to internally debrief, get some fresh air if possible, or discuss what I could have done differently with a mentor. Then, I move on. Rather than dwell on my mistakes, I choose to learn from them."
Discuss with the interviewers how you typically cope with setbacks in your work. That can include both your classwork and your on-the-job work throughout your past. If you give an example, highlight how you powered through the situation with a positive attitude and came out stronger and better in the end. Reiterate to your interviewers that you are ready to tackle any challenge that will come your way during your time in their dentistry program.
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
It bothers me at first, but I quickly talk myself out of the situation and see how can I improve from that setback. I learned in the past to not dwell too much on what happened but come out of that setback with a lesson learned. It is important to learn from your mistakes so they can be avoided next time.
Rachelle's Feedback
It sounds like you are great at adapting to setbacks and recovering from them! One suggestion is to avoid 'You' language and use 'I' language, which will make your answer feel more personal and less like a lesson you are teaching the interviewer. If you have an example of a time when you overcame a setback, it would be great to provide a story-based example using the STAR framework. I've provided a starter for you below.
"Setbacks can bother me at first, but I quickly talk myself out of disappointment and look for ways to improve from the setback. I have learned not to dwell on what went wrong but to come out of that setback with a lesson learned. I must learn from my mistakes to avoid the situation from happening again. One example of a time when I overcame a setback was when...(give your story-based example using STAR)."
