Fellowship Mock Interview
Master 40 Fellowship interview questions covering research goals, funding justification, and academic potential.
Question 30 of 40
Do you have experience working long hours during residency training? How would you motivate yourself during long stretches of shifts and call time that will be required during fellowship training?
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Christine Pasqueretta is a human resource and recruitment professional with experience creating, developing, implementing, leading, and measuring HR impact initiatives.
Your interviewers want to know that you can handle the long, grinding hours that will be a part of your training with their program. They want to know that you will still get the job done and provide the best care possible, even when it's hard to stay motivated after grueling hours of long shifts and call time. The goal of your response is to show that you are a reliable person who delivers high-quality work, regardless of how motivated you feel at the moment. By the end of your reply, the interviewer should feel confident that you are a self-motivated individual who takes accountability for your work.
Christine Pasqueretta is a human resource and recruitment professional with experience creating, developing, implementing, leading, and measuring HR impact initiatives.
"I know that the next year is going to require hard work and dedication, and I can't tell you how excited I am for this process to start. I'm confident that the long clinical hours of my residency program have prepared me to succeed in your fellowship program. I feel fortunate to have rotated in some great Hospital Medicine and Critical Care settings that have prepared me for long hours on the job. I love the fast-paced world of medicine, and being motivated after even 11 hours on shift still comes easy to me."
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
Tell the interviewers about a specific situation during your residency training in which you completed something you didn't feel motivated to do. Outline the situation, describe your responsibility, and explain why it was difficult to stay motivated. Be sure to tell the interviewers that even though you were not enthusiastic about the task, you did it promptly and with care, knowing that it would benefit everyone involved. Give as much detail as you can about the actions you took to reach the finish line. If your hard work made a measurable impact, be sure to offer details about this accomplishment.
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Anonymous Answer
I have experience working long hours in my Head and neck, VA, and NF rotations. Each occasion is an opportunity to learn and to help patients. I am motivated to see the work through until the end, my philosophy is not to leave until the work is done or loose ends are tied.
Jaymie's Feedback
If you can share a little more detail about the hours you're used to working, that might put things into perspective for the interviewer. Perhaps you worked an average of 50 hours per week, or perhaps you often worked ten or twelve-hour or even double shifts. If you are uncertain about the call requirements, now may be a good time to ask as well.
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