How to Answer: Have you ever suffered a setback or failure? If so, how did you handle it?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Orthopedic Surgery Residency job interview.
3. Have you ever suffered a setback or failure? If so, how did you handle it?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewers realize that no one is perfect. They ask this question to determine if you are self-aware and can acknowledge a setback or failure. The interviewers also want to hear how you responded to the setback or failure and what you did to resolve it. Give an example of a setback or failure while spending more time on the resolution rather than the setback. Using the STAR format is an excellent way to formulate your response to this question. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Briefly describe the situation, explain what you were supposed to do, what went wrong, and the result.
Written by Krista Wenz on December 15th, 2022
Answer Example
"Yes, I suffered a setback during my third year of medical school. My mother became ill with cancer, and there was no other family to care for her when she went through chemotherapy. I contacted the Dean and asked for an extended leave of absence, which he granted due to the circumstances. I took a year off to care for my mother, which set me back a year. But I would do it all over again as that was the last year I spent with my mother before she died."
Written by Krista Wenz on December 15th, 2022