Orthopedic Surgery Residency Mock Interview

Master 30 Orthopedic Surgery Residency interview questions covering clinical judgment, surgical skills, and program fit.

Question 19 of 30

Have you ever suffered a setback or failure? If so, how did you handle it?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Example Answer
Community Answers

Krista Wenz

Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.

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.

Krista Wenz

Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.

"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."

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30Orthopedic Surgery Residency Interview Questions & Answers

Tough

1.Describe a time when you had your ethics tested.

Education

2.Tell us about your training that qualifies you to enter our residency program.

Discovery

3.Why are you pursuing a career as an orthopedic surgeon?

Compatibility

4.What qualities make an excellent orthopedic surgeon?

Direct

5.What made you choose our residency program over others?

Accomplishment

6.What has been your most outstanding achievement on your path to becoming an orthopedic surgeon?

Ask The Interviewer

7.Do you have any questions about our residency program?

Competency

8.Who is one of the fathers of modern orthopedic surgery?

Discovery

9.What are three strengths you would bring to our program as a resident?

Competency

10.What is one of the most common orthopedic surgeries?

Operational

11.Tell us about a day in the life of an orthopedic surgery resident.

Career Goals

12.Do you have plans to pursue an orthopedic surgery fellowship?

Diligence

13.After researching our program, what electives interest you and why?

Discovery

14.Tell us something about yourself that is not found on your CV.

Direct

15.Orthopedic surgery is one of the most competitive residencies to match. Why should we choose you over other applicants?

Stress

16.What part of medical school was the most stressful for you?

Discovery

17.Do you aspire to have your own practice one day? If so, what about business ownership interests you?

Education

18.Did you spend any time overseas during your clinicals?

Behavioral

19.Have you ever suffered a setback or failure? If so, how did you handle it?

Discovery

20.What are your hobbies and interests outside of work and school?

Direct

21.What is the most recent work of fiction you have read?

Discovery

22.How do you deal with constructive criticism?

Conflict

23.How do you handle conflict with a colleague?

Career Goals

24.Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Discovery

25.Who in your life has inspired you?

Competency

26.What instructions would you give to a patient after having a total knee replacement?

Diligence

27.How do you stay current with the ongoing advancements in orthopedic surgery?

Critical Thinking

28.In your opinion, what are some challenges to working as an orthopedic surgeon?

Discovery

29.Tell me about any organization or groups you have contributed to outside of work.

Teamwork

Orthopedic Surgery Residency Mock Interview

Have you ever suffered a setback or failure? If so, how did you handle it?

30Orthopedic Surgery Residency Interview Questions & Answers

1.Describe a time when you had your ethics tested.

2.Tell us about your training that qualifies you to enter our residency program.

3.Why are you pursuing a career as an orthopedic surgeon?

4.What qualities make an excellent orthopedic surgeon?

5.What made you choose our residency program over others?

6.What has been your most outstanding achievement on your path to becoming an orthopedic surgeon?

7.Do you have any questions about our residency program?

8.Who is one of the fathers of modern orthopedic surgery?

9.What are three strengths you would bring to our program as a resident?

10.What is one of the most common orthopedic surgeries?

11.Tell us about a day in the life of an orthopedic surgery resident.

12.Do you have plans to pursue an orthopedic surgery fellowship?

13.After researching our program, what electives interest you and why?

14.Tell us something about yourself that is not found on your CV.

15.Orthopedic surgery is one of the most competitive residencies to match. Why should we choose you over other applicants?

16.What part of medical school was the most stressful for you?

17.Do you aspire to have your own practice one day? If so, what about business ownership interests you?

18.Did you spend any time overseas during your clinicals?

19.Have you ever suffered a setback or failure? If so, how did you handle it?

20.What are your hobbies and interests outside of work and school?

21.What is the most recent work of fiction you have read?

22.How do you deal with constructive criticism?

23.How do you handle conflict with a colleague?

24.Where do you see yourself in ten years?

25.Who in your life has inspired you?

26.What instructions would you give to a patient after having a total knee replacement?

27.How do you stay current with the ongoing advancements in orthopedic surgery?

28.In your opinion, what are some challenges to working as an orthopedic surgeon?

29.Tell me about any organization or groups you have contributed to outside of work.

30.How well do you collaborate with others?