How will you manage the high amounts of day-to-day stress that are a part of being a psychiatry resident?

"I know that I will be facing the most grueling four years of my life as a psychiatry resident and I'm both mentally and physically prepared for it. I plan to utilize my free time wisely by doing what is necessary to recharge my mind and rest my body. Some ways I like to do this are playing golf, hiking with my dog, and reading. When working directly with patients, I have the thick alligator skin to be able to take any verbal onslaught brought my way by patients. I would come to your program with the ability to see past this and treat each patient with compassion and care."

Explain to your interviewers that you have the tools to keep your mind, body, and spirit in the best shape possible to learn and grow every day during residency training. Talk about your ability to maintain perspective, use your downtime to recharge, and come to each shift prepared for the challenges that you'll face.