What do you feel is the greatest non-clinical strength you can bring to our ID fellowship program?
As your interview team considers many great candidates for their program, sometimes the non-clinical skills come into play when they decide how to rank students if clinical strengths are all relatively equal. This question helps your interviewers separate the good candidates from the great candidates.
Your answer to this question could include soft skills such as empathy, charity, integrity, and consistency. Tell a brief anecdote that demonstrates why you find this strength important for future practice in Infectious Disease. Be sure that your answer is well thought out and speak with a passion to impress your team of interviewers.
"I was drawn to a future practice in ID medicine because of my strong sense of patient care and doing what's right for patients. The biggest strength I would bring to your program is my ability to put the needs of my patients first. That means putting in the extra time and effort for them and going the extra mile to provide them with the best care and care plans possible."
"One of my biggest strengths is my ability to be calm, cool, and collected during stressful situations. I desire to become an academic physician in practice, and I know the rigors of publishing, teaching, and maintaining clinical activities aren't for every Infectious Disease physician. As a fellow with your program, I look forward to proving my ability to handle any stress thrown my way."
