What do you consider to be your greatest academic accomplishment to date?
Your team of interviewers wants to ensure that their future fellows are motivated and driven to succeed. In asking this question, your interviewers want to know what kind of successes you value in your academic journey towards becoming a practicing physician.
"I would honestly say that my greatest accomplishment in my life so far was being accepted into medical school. I am a first-generation college student and had an uphill battle my entire educational journey. My parents instilled a hardworking and genuine, caring nature in me from a young age, and these values have driven me from my high school diploma to my white coat ceremony in med school and now to finishing training in a great residency program."
Before your interview, research the mission, vision, and values of the institution. Reviewing these should give you a good sense of the type of organization they are and what they look for in the candidates they accept. Think about a stand-out accomplishment you believe will resonate with your team of interviewers. Choose an achievement related to the successes you hope to see as a fellow in their program. Explain why the accomplishment means so much to you, both personally and professionally. Assure the interviewers that you will continue this pattern of achievement as a fellow with their 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
Earning the Leslie Bernstein resident research award is an achievement I am proud of. The award was for a grant I submitted to study speech outcomes in patients with synkinesis. I am proud of it because I created it from the ground, up. It was the first grant I have ever written, and I spent a lot of time on it, learning a great deal through the process. Afterward, I was given the opportunity to meet with influential thought leaders and the then-president of AAFPRS, and I still maintain some of the relationships with those mentors today.
Jaymie's Feedback
This is an amazing accomplishment! Your answer gave specific details about what you did to earn this achievement and what the impact was after you on the award. Excellent answer!
