Did you ever have a situation during residency training where you felt you could have communicated better?
Patient-centered communication is vitally important for the fellows of any GI program and your interviewers need to be assured that you would join their program as a great communicator. They'll also want to be assured that you can be aware of your communication shortcomings if you ever are faced with one during your time as a fellow with their institution.
Prior to your interview, think back to a time when you were able to reflect back upon a time you could have communicated better during your residency training. While the example you talk about could come from any situation, make sure that the situation you describe can show how you learned a lesson and took action to make the situation right. No matter how you answer, make sure that your interviewers walk away from your time together knowing that you are cognizant of the fact that your communications are very important during Gastroenterology Fellowship training and that you will take each and every conversation at their institution seriously.
"On a busy day during my rotation in the rheumatology clinic, my preceptor and other physicians were trying to keep up with the high patient volume that day. With one patient, my preceptor let me handle the patient follow-up after examination to discuss the next steps and a treatment plan. Knowing that time was running short for the clinic to close, I hustled through my conversation with a patient. As I went to close, my preceptor jumped in and finished with some great points of education and follow-up with the patient. After the patient left, I learned a very valuable lesson from my preceptor that day and that was to only worry about the task at hand with the patient in front of me at the time. This is a lesson I will carry with me for the rest of my career as a physician."
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
Great communication.
I will take poor communication as Learning approve and improving myself.
Marcie's Feedback
Make sure to directly answer the question. Here the interviewer wants you to talk about a time during residency training when you didn't communicate as well as you could have. Did this type of situation ever arise? How should you have communicated differently?
Anonymous Answer
During my intern year, I had a patient who had significant hip pain and he had requested increased doses of narcotics during pre rounds. I had rounded on him at 7:45 a.m. and we were supposed to start attending rounds at 8:30. I told him I would discuss with my senior and get back to him. I discussed it with my senior and did go up on the dose but I did not get s chance to go back and inform him. During attending rounds he was very upset about his pain and medication situation. This taught me a lifelong lesson to never promise a patient and if you do, make sure you fulfill it. From that day onwards, I make sure I communicate everything with the patient regarding their care.
Jaymie's Feedback
Your response demonstrates your ability to take ownership of a mistake and learn from it so that the same mistake is not repeated in the future. Good job!
Anonymous Answer
I was once asked about the LFTs of patients. She had isolated and slight AlkPhos elevation(127 vs. normal 110) but had severe Vitamin D deficiency. I had ordered GGT to differentiate the Alk-phos from liver vs. bone. I failed to communicate this and learned early on to be very specific when stating facts including lab values rather than editorialize them.
Jaymie's Feedback
This is a great example to share!
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