As a new Gastroenterology Fellow, are you comfortable speaking to the importance of nutrition to your patients?

Question

Ryan Brunner · Accepted Answer

"I believe that I would be pretty comfortable speaking about the importance of a healthy, balanced diet to my patients. If a patient had a digestive diagnosis like GERD, ulcerative colitis, or Crohn's disease, I would recommend a tailored diet for their condition that includes a healthy mix of fiber, protein, and essential vitamins. But, I would also join your program knowing that I have so much more to learn regarding effective nutritional treatments for patients and I would look forward to learning and growing more in this area with your faculty."

Ryan Brunner · Answer

It is a well-known fact to your interviewers that a large number of GI fellows self-report that their knowledge of nutrition and its importance in GI care is subpar. While you won't be expected to match into this program as a nutritional expert, your interviewers will ideally want to hear that you have at least some level of comfort speaking to the importance of a healthy diet to help limit many different GI issues that your patients will be facing.

Ryan Brunner · Answer

This is a question to be very open and honest with your interviewers on your comfort level. If you would be comfortable, give some insight into your knowledge of nutrition and its importance in GI health and assure your interviewers that you would join their fellowship ready to learn more and educate all of your patients. If you wouldn't be comfortable from the start, that is okay. Just focus part of your answer on the fact that you would join this program and work to learn the important educational aspects of nutrition in practice with your patients.

Anonymous User · Answer

"I would be pretty comfortable talking about healthy diets to my patients with GI disease; GERD, and IBD. I would learn more about the nutritional aspect by joining your GI fellowship program."

Anonymous User · Answer

"Yes, I have a degree in Exercise Science and Rehabilitation where I had to take multiple nutrition courses. I also competed in professional sports for many years of my life so I have a very good knowledge of nutrition. I am also good at explaining this in lamens terms and do this regularly in my clinics. For example - a discussion of high protein and high energy foods for cirrhotic patients and low sugar and fat for fatty liver patients."

Anonymous User · Answer

"I would be quite comfortable discussing the impacts of nutrition on various gastrointestinal diseases. During my practice as a hospitalist, I have routinely encountered patients with GERD, acute pancreatitis, IBS, celiac disease, and Cholecystitis and I have utilized every possible opportunity to learn about specific diets and implement them in education for my patients. I am sure I will have many more opportunities to learn more about healthy nutrition and dietary requirements specific to the treatment of various GI illnesses during the training."

Anonymous User · Answer

"I feel very comfortable speaking to patients about this. This comfort originates from my knowledge and appreciation of the importance of nutrition for GI health and general health, we are getting more and more evidence regarding the benefit of diet and microbiome changes on health and specific diseases like IBD. I practice discussing dietary habits and the implementation of healthy dietary habits daily when I see my patients in the clinic. They usually praise the tips and the advice I provide them and they mention how helpful it usually is to improve their symptoms and life in general."

Anonymous User · Answer

"I realize that nutrition is an important part of GI training and we are less comfortable discussing it with our patients due to a myriad of reasons including lack of exposure, knowledge gaps, etc.

As a clinical pancreatology fellow, I have spent a lot of time caring for pancreatitis patients and developed some acumen in describing and counseling optimal nutrition to my patients."

Anonymous User · Answer

"I feel comfortable. As a former medicine resident, it was vital for us to teach our clinic patients the various types of diet based on the pathology. I also think that understanding nutrition, particularly in GI will have a positive impact on their well-being."

Anonymous User · Answer

"I feel fairly comfortable talking to patients about nutrition education, breaking it down in layman's terms. I understand that the basic tenets of nutrition education in cirrhotics are cutting down the salt intake to 2g/day, and encouraging adequate protein intake with frequent meals throughout the day due to the high risk of developing frailty and sarcopenia. In terms of IBD, patients are encouraged to consume a balanced diet, avoiding foods that may potentially trigger flares and navigating through other avenues for nutrition in case issues like structuring and bowel obstruction arise. I do need more insight into this and I feel that fellowship training will be able to polish my skills more."

As a new Gastroenterology Fellow, are you comfortable speaking to the importance of nutrition to your patients?

How to Answer: As a new Gastroenterology Fellow, are you comfortable speaking to the importance of nutrition to your patients?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Gastroenterology Fellowship job interview.

3. As a new Gastroenterology Fellow, are you comfortable speaking to the importance of nutrition to your patients?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

How to Answer

Answer Example

Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback