If you are faced with a large clinical workload, extra hours in the hospital, and an increasing administrative workload during your career, how will you prevent burning out?
According to recent studies, one in three physician assistants have met the requirements for being considered burned out, and almost half meet the requirements for being exhausted. At this MMI station, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you are aware that you are entering a demanding field and will come to their program with the tools, resources, and strategies necessary to avoid burning out.
From a candidate's perspective, the MMI process gives you the ability to talk about your past experiences and how they will help you be a successful student and future physician assistant in practice. Think about some times you successfully navigated stressful situations and come ready to explain how you did that.
The main goal of your answer is the talk about how you stay organized and on track on the job and take care of yourself mentally and physically outside of work and the classroom to ensure that you can perform at your peak at all times. As you discuss how you would do this as a PA, let your history be your guide; your interviewer knows that past behavior can help predict future performance in the clinical setting.
"This all comes down to striking a balance between focusing on my work in the clinic and focusing on myself during my off time. As I've shown through multiple semesters with a large credit load and working part-time on the side, using tools to keep me organized and on track has always helped me from becoming too stressed in my work. I love to use calendars to ensure that my daily tasks are taken care of. Setting aside time for future work prep is vital as well. I'm all about maintaining a healthy and productive lifestyle in my personal life. I keep myself revitalized by weight lifting and running regularly and maintaining a healthy diet. I don't drink caffeine or soda and feel this keeps my head clear. I look forward to the coming challenge of PA school and a successful career in practice as a physician assistant in orthopedic surgery."
