Internal Medicine Residency Mock Interview
Prepare for 40 Internal Medicine Residency interview questions covering clinical reasoning, patient care philosophy, and program fit.
Question 4 of 40
Take some time to tell us about yourself.
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Ryan Brown created and launched MockQuestions in 2008.
A three year internal medicine residency program is a very thorough and intense training path where you will become very close with your fellow residents and faculty. Knowing that you'll spend many long and grueling days and nights alongside your colleagues, learning and growing with each other, learning that you will be a great personal and cultural fit with the program is very important to the IM residency team. With this question, they open the floor to you to talk about your motivations for pursuing internal medicine training and to give some insight into who you are as a unique individual that would be joining their program.
Ryan Brown created and launched MockQuestions in 2008.
"I grew up with six brothers and sisters, so patience was a necessary virtue. They shaped my experiences and exposures. For example, when my sister needed hip surgery, we spent a week in the hospital and learned how doctors and nurses cared for her, including operating on her and controlling her post-operative pain. In college, I was required to take a human anatomy course, which I loved. I started shadowing a surgeon and took more classes relating to the human body, eventually completing my premedical requirements and solidifying my interest in becoming a physician. In medical school, I loved my rotations in both nephrology and hospital medicine because I loved being able to fix a debilitating problem that affects a patient's quality of life."
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 a great chance to give your ultimate sales pitch and tell your interviewers what makes you one of the top candidates for their internal medicine residency program. While there is no right or wrong answer to a question like this, you ultimately want to make sure your interview team walks away knowing that you are motivated for the right reasons to join their program and that you would be a great fit with the entire team there. Prior to your interview, be sure to thoroughly research the IM residency program, their curriculum and their culture so you can come prepared to sell yourself as the top candidate for it.
"I am a highly motivated, hard-working team player. I love learning and try to expose myself to new topics when I can to expand my horizons. I have always enjoyed the process of bringing learnings and conclusions from various disciplines together to solve a new problem."
Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.
"If I'm fortunate enough to match into your esteemed internal medicine residency program, you'd be getting a motivated and hard working resident that is willing and ready to put in the work necessary to be a top resident. My ultimate career goal is to be a clinician and researcher in cardiovascular medicine, which my personality aligns perfectly with. I'm a people person and a motivator who loves providing education to others. As an internal medicine resident, I look forward to working side by side with patients and one day becoming a chief resident during my final year."
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Anonymous Answer
I am from Cameroon, in Central Africa. I have 3 siblings, a wife, and a lovely daughter. I grew up in a small rural community and my experiences there growing helped shaped my determination to do medicine. I do play basketball and do fishing during my free time. My background working in a heavily underserved population with limited resources helped sharpen my clinical skills and my passion. of helping put smiles on people in their vulnerable states. I lead community outreach activities to combat HIV, diabetes, and hypertension. My real strengths are being able to lead and work as a team, being adaptable and passionate, and being committed. What I am looking for is a program that is passionate about training physicians and providing them with the necessary skills to serve an underserved community. And I have seen all this in your program, the reason why it's my top choice. I am a compassionate, detail-oriented physician who will help achieve the major objectives of your program. I am a people person, and tend to easily get along with nurses, coworkers, and patients.
Marcie's Feedback
Excellent! Your background is interesting, and you do a great job of explaining who you are, where you come from, and why you're passionate about medicine. Emphasizing the experience you have and the skills and qualities you will bring to the program will show the interviewer why you should be a top candidate. You come across as passionate, well-rounded, compassionate, personable, and full of integrity. Great response!
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