What is your ideal practice environment?

There is no right or wrong answer to this question. The institution you are interviewing with wants to train a diverse pool of fellows. The faculty at the program you are interviewing with have trained fellows who have gone on to practice in every setting possible. As long as you answer honestly, they'll hear your passion for ID medicine and be able to help shape your training according to what you want to achieve down the road.

"Having grown up in a rural farming community where access to healthcare often required a long drive, I'd love to practice someday in the area where I grew up with a health system that has community practices in rural settings. I envision myself in a regional hub hospital and doing clinic outreach as part of my ideal practice. Part of my motivation for going into medicine was to give back to the community where I grew up."

"Following my Infectious Disease fellowship training, I envision myself practicing as an attending at a large academic medical center. With your program, I believe I will get the best possible training to be prepared for this goal. For me, a great base in clinical practice, innovation, and research to help me blossom into a promising faculty member following my training."