What do you feel are the biggest challenges the medical field will face in the next 10 to 20 years?
Having a forward-thinking and innovative mind is something that medical schools cherish in the candidates that they admit to their program every year. Asking about future challenges that the field faces gives the evaluator at this MMI station the chance to hear about the research you have done and your expectations regarding the hurdles you will need to overcome once you are a physician in practice.
Before your medical school MMI, be sure to do some reading on the projected challenges in the medical field. There are a wealth of resources out there on the topic. Remember that your interviewer will be looking to hear the best candidates go above and beyond in their answers by discussing how they plan to handle those challenges with grace and professionalism.
Pick two or three challenges that you have some passion/interest in. Make sure to paint a clear picture for your evaluator at this MMI station on why the challenge will present itself and what you feel will be the best ways to tackle this challenge. The evaluator will ideally be looking to hear medical school candidates that take a positive outlook on challenges throughout their career, so try not to sound like any issue would be insurmountable.
"One issue that strikes home for me is the staffing challenges. My mother is a registered nurse, and I've witnessed how burnout and stress have challenged her in recent years due to her floor being short-staffed. I also know that this goes beyond nursing and into providers like physicians and APP staff. The demand for healthcare will only continue to rise, and the need for more quality healthcare workers will as well. Finding a solution to this challenge is complicated, but I see myself as an advocate for recruiting future individuals to the field. I love to have conversations with people about why a future in healthcare could be so rewarding, and I feel that I have a knack for seeing the talent it takes within others.
The other elephant in the room is the rising cost of healthcare. While this is partially about the out-of-pocket costs that patients will continue to see moving forward, it also concerns the reimbursement models from insurance companies and public entities like Medicare. I don't have answers right now to fix this, but I look forward to being a part of the solution in the future. Whether it is lobbying for change or advocating for underserved patients, I want my patients to know that their care comes first."
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