What is motivating you to pursue Gastroenterology Fellowship training?
Coming out of Internal Medicine Residency, many are tempted to hit the workforce and go directly into practice for the financial gain and to practice medicine after many years of education and training. Your decision to pursue a Gastroenterology Fellowship training program hopefully means that you have a career path planned out and that you are highly motivated to pursue that plan. Your interviewers want to hear your ultimate career goals following your training or any additional fellowship that you want to pursue.
"From a personal point of view, I've always been fascinated by GI medicine because my sister was diagnosed with celiac disease at a pretty young age, and watching how her treatment plan totally changed her quality of life motivated me to pursue this career. In medicine, my ultimate goal is to practice at an academic institution where I can pursue a career in clinical practice and academics. I love the education aspect in medicine with medical students and residents."
Come to your interview prepared to talk about your ultimate career goals as a physician and why this program is the best option for your pursuit of those goals. No matter what your motivations and goals are, make sure to speak with passion about where you see your career taking you. Don't hesitate to talk about your own personal motivations as well as your answer.
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
I've always been fascinated by GI medicine because I was diagnosed with PUD at a young age and watching how my treatment plan changed my quality of life motivated me to pursue this career. My ultimate goal is to practice at an academic institution where I can pursue a career in clinical practice and academics. I love the education aspect of medicine with medical students, residents, and fellow.
Marcie's Feedback
Awesome! You come across as excited, passionate, and genuine in your answer, which is great. Can you talk more about how your diagnosis and ensuing treatment impacted your life? The more details you can give, the more memorable your answer will be to the interviewer. Excellent job!
Anonymous Answer
I love food and I believe every individual strives for a quality life and the core of quality life is being able to enjoy food/eating. As a physician, one of the best ways I can alleviate one's suffering and have a meaningful impact on their life is by relieving their gastrointestinal symptoms. This was the basis of my interest but it got further solidified as I did GI rotations during my residency and worked with esteemed mentors. I witnessed the amazing combination of cognitive stimulation, procedural intervention, and advancements in research shaping and impacting patients' lives- something I have always wanted to achieve as a physician. Additionally, it allows you to build long-lasting relationships with your patients, especially the ones you follow in outpatient clinics and I have always enjoyed this part as an internist.
Jaymie's Feedback
Your passion for helping others through GI care is evident in your response!
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