Dermatology residents these days are very prone to burnout. How do you plan to manage the high amounts of stress that come with the three years of an intense training program?

"I'm confident that medical school and my transitional residency year have prepared me for the rigors of your Dermatology residency program. For me, this begins with a focus on my wellness and always doing the right things during my off time. As an active person who stays in shape through exercise and other activities, my mind and body are always in a great state to handle long hours and stressful work. During my shifts, I cope with stressful days by taking things one at a time and not letting my mind get overwhelmed by workloads."

Explain to your interviewers that you have the tools to keep your mind, body, and spirit in the best shape possible to learn and grow daily during residency training. Talk about your ability to maintain perspective, use your downtime to recharge, and come prepared for the challenges you'll face each day.

"During my transitional residency year, I learned some great advice from senior residents that I worked under. First was that chasing perfection would lead to the highest amounts of stress. During my Dermatology residency, my goal is to learn as much as possible and be a great general practitioner. Learning as much as possible to the best of my ability will be my number one goal. Another great piece of advice I received was not to be afraid to ask for help. I know many residents fear this, and if I ever find myself in a bad place, I won't hesitate to ask for help."

"During medical school, I have been interested in wellness. While training can be challenging at times, I hope to take care of my own well-being to help best manage stressful situations. I have been practicing mindfulness meditation as a quick day to day activity to promote my wellbeing. I also find that spending time with my friends and family a good way to relieve stress, and I hope to continue to make time to stay in touch with my support network even when training is stressful."