"One of the challenges I have seen during internal medicine rotations is having patients who fail to predict an exacerbation of their heart failure and do not take an extra Lasix or contact a provider when they gain weight and become progressively short of breath. As a result, these patients frequently come to the emergency room and are admitted to the wards for diuresis. We need a healthcare system that follows these patients and actively calls them or seeks them out to ask for their daily weight and symptoms. Then, we should recommend an additional Lasix dose or a visit to a physician's office to avoid being hospitalized if appropriate."

Before your Internal Medicine Residency interviews, research this question so you can come to your interview prepared to talk about a couple of the issues. Remember that the unstated question is how to fix the issues. You are more than welcome to give your own educated opinion on this as you answer.

"One challenge Internal Medicine is currently facing is providing excellent medical care to all. In the age of electronic health records and large hospital systems, it is very easy for patients to feel like they are a number when they are receiving care. Some patients are not able to access care at all. My goal is to provide personalized care and to help patients who are underserved."