What is the biggest adversity that you have overcome?
Going to PA school is stressful, being a PA is stressful, the interviewer wants to know if you can recognize a challenge, and if you can handle the stress that comes with the PA profession. Acknowledge the adversity you faced but be sure to emphasize the lesson you learned and how you have applied the experience to later challenges.
"One of the biggest struggles that I have overcome is finishing my bachelor's degree after being required to withdraw after a period of academic probation. I went through a very hard time early in my college experience and it took a lot for me to get back on track. However, after that experience, I am confident that I can overcome any struggle by remembering that any obstacle is only a temporary roadblock to my goals."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I decided to go back healthcare field after graduation, marriage, a baby, and a gap year. I didn't know how to start my career with a 7-month-old baby while my husband was going through a transition phase. I challenged myself and accepted a PRN position as a nursing assistant in a hospital. I was also breastfeeding and we were still in the pandemic period. On top of this, I had to through hospital training, in class/lab, quizzes, and exams. I took an exam and scored 98% in the final.
Marcie's Feedback
Wow! You are clearly determined, motivated, and self-disciplined. Any interviewer will be impressed by how you overcame all of these challenges. Your response also shows how strong your desire was to rejoin the healthcare field despite all the challenges you faced. Excellent!
Anonymous Answer
My parents divorced when I was in high school and my father moved out of the state soon after that. I was always really close to my dad so that was a difficult transition for me. Luckily I had a close group of friends and I really relied on them to get through that difficult time. I think the whole experience has made me a more empathetic person and I really try to pitch in when I can tell that others are having a difficult time in life.
Marcie's Feedback
It definitely sounds like that was very challenging. It's good, however, that there was a silver lining in that the situation made you more empathetic and understanding of others and the difficulties they might be facing. Talk more about how these traits that you developed will benefit you in the PA role. Nice job!
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