What clinical or knowledge-based strengths would you bring to our pediatric dentistry residency program?
Being asked about personal strengths is common in any business or industry. For a graduating dental student looking to join a peds residency program, this question is a bit more pointed and intentional. In proposing this question to you, your interviewers want to hear what you feel is your top clinical or dental knowledge-based strength that makes you the best candidate to match into their training program.
"My greatest strengths are my attention to detail and ability to focus. I am an observant student and a natural listener. This helps me slow down enough to listen to my mentors, patients, and colleagues. I pick up on small details and devote my attention to whatever I am doing in the present. Even when I have other things going on, I can hone in on the task at hand and devote my full attention to it. In your pediatric program, these skills will allow me to retain what I learn and apply the skills in practice with patients."
Before your interviews with pediatric dentistry residency programs, be sure to put some serious thought into the personal strengths that make you an excellent fit for the program you are interviewing with. As you think about your strengths, focus on the dental-specific skills you possess that prove your ability to thrive and learn in the dental specialty in which you hope to train. Feel free to talk about any interpersonal skills, as long as you can prove why that skill makes you a great candidate.
