Internal Medicine Residency Mock Interview
Prepare for 40 Internal Medicine Residency interview questions covering clinical reasoning, patient care philosophy, and program fit.
Question 37 of 40
As a new trainee in our Internal Medicine Residency, how would you handle being asked to do a procedure or task that you were unfamiliar with and uncomfortable handling?
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Community Answers
Dianne Barnard is a Registered Nurse and former nursing instructor. She is also board certified in Psychiatric Nursing and Holistic Nursing Critical Care.
As you enter Internal Medicine Residency training as a new medical school graduate, you know that you will be tackling many new procedures and tasks in practice that you haven't completed before. In proposing a question like this, your interviewers will be looking to hear that you would take a collaborative and learning approach and that you aren't afraid to ask for help when you know your shortcomings.
Dianne Barnard is a Registered Nurse and former nursing instructor. She is also board certified in Psychiatric Nursing and Holistic Nursing Critical Care.
"I am confident in my medical knowledge and skills, but I also know that I will be tackling some things that will be very new to me. When faced with this situation, I wouldn't hesitate to ask a senior resident or faculty member for guidance. My goal is to leave residency with all of the skills necessary to be a confident and competent physician, and I greatly look forward to these learning opportunities with your program."
Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.
This is not the time to say that you would jump in with both feet and potentially risk the safety and wellbeing of a patient. Your interviewers are not looking for someone who jumps when someone says jump, but someone willing to jump with confidence and competence. Provide an answer that illustrates this difference. As you answer, talk about your willingness to ask for help and learn in the process.
"I would communicate to my senior resident or attending that I was unfamiliar with doing that given task. I would ask for additional teaching so that I could safely be able to perform the given procedure or task."
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Anonymous Answer
1. I am confident in my medical knowledge and skills, but I also know that I will be tackling some things that will be very new to me.
2. When faced with this situation, I wouldn't hesitate to ask a senior resident or faculty member for guidance.
3. My goal is to leave residency with all of the skills necessary to practice independently with confidence and competence, and I greatly
look forward to these learning opportunities with your program.
Marcie's Feedback
Nice! It's great that you won't hesitate to ask someone senior for guidance. You might also talk about maintaining a positive outlook, starting with a small step to keep things manageable, gathering information and resources, and seeking to collaborate with others.
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