A recent patient survey comes back, and you find out that you did not meet a patient's expectations as their physician. What are the next steps you would take to improve as an Internal Medicine Resident in training?

If you were to ask any physician if they have ever received critical feedback on a patient survey, the answer would be a resounding yes. The goal in answering this question is to demonstrate to your interviewers that you can take the feedback, analyze it, and use it as motivation to improve the care you provide moving forward. Keep in mind that most patient feedback is anonymous, and you may not be able to pinpoint the exact interaction that resulted in the feedback from the patient.

"When faced with this situation as an Internal Medicine Resident, I wouldn't let it get me down. I would see it as an opportunity to improve. I would do my best to analyze the feedback and remember which patient encounter it came from. I would take time to reflect on why the patient may have said this about me and take all necessary measures to improve. I also wouldn't hesitate to get feedback from a senior resident or faculty member."

"I realize that being a physician means being a lifelong learner. I would take the feedback graciously and figure out how I can improve going forward."

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.