If you and a colleague had a disagreement about how to treat a patient, how would you handle the situation professionally and respectfully?

Scenario-based questions are common during medical school multiple mini interviews as they allow the interviewer to gauge how you will act in real-world scenarios as a student with their program when you are completing your rotations. While the types of scenarios that could be presented to you during the interview are endless, practicing responding to them professionally and respectfully in a short time frame will pay dividends during your interview. Also, remember that your interviewer will evaluate your body language and tone of voice as you respond.

The first important thing you want to drive home with your interviewer is that you will take the time to talk things out with the colleague you disagree with. Stress that you would speak your professional opinion confidently while listening to your colleague's perspective. From there, it is all about making the best decision for the patient and coming to an agreement. You want to give your interviewer at this MMI station the sense that you are always willing to speak up on your professional opinion and that you are willing to concede when better options present themselves, both in your time as a student with their program and down the road in practice.

"First and foremost, I'm not too proud to think my way is the only way because medicine and the human body are complicated matters with more than one solution at times. When a colleague and I should disagree, it would be important to talk things out, give our own opinions and put our heads together to find a solution. My approach with my colleague would be to listen attentively to their thoughts on the matter while taking the time to give mine as well. Even talking over the pros and cons of each approach would be important. Pride can't stand in the way of providing the best care possible to a patient, and this would never be an issue for me. I foresee that colleague disagreements will be fairly common as far as patient care is concerned. It's all about taking a professional approach that focuses on the best path for the patient. As a student in your program, you'll quickly find that I'm willing and ready to say I'm wrong when I'm wrong and am humble enough to do that in any given situation."