How will you motivate yourself to keep going on the most difficult days during your pediatric dentistry resident?

"I pride myself on my ability to stay focused and win in stressful situations, especially when others may cave and give in to the situation. As a pediatric dentistry resident, I know that I will be facing long and stressful days of training and clinical experience and my focus on bettering both myself and my patients will be all that I need to stay motivated. From my experience in completing my undergraduate program and dental school, taking care of myself in my off time helps me stay focused and alive while in the learning environment. This self-care includes a healthy diet, plenty of sleep, and fun time for my family."

Nobody is wholly motivated 100% of the time and your interviewers understand that. You need to assure your interviewers that you can quickly get yourself back on track when things get tough during residency. The best way to assure them of this is by trying to bring up an example of a time you did just this. As you answer, make the challenge clear and explain how and why you kept a level head in the situation. To seal your answer, explain what the positive result was and why it was important to you.