Pulmonary Critical Care Fellowship Mock Interview

Practice 30 fellowship interview questions covering clinical scenarios, research experience, and critical care philosophy.

Question 29 of 30

Talk about a time you successfully educated a patient on a complex topic during residency. How did you ensure the information was understood?

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Ryan Brunner

Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.

Patient education is an essential skill for any physician, and that is especially true of internal medicine and its sub-specialties like pulmonary critical care. If asked this question during your fellowship interview, the interview panel expects to hear that you enjoy teaching and have a knack for explaining complex topics in an easy-to-understand way.

Ryan Brunner

Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.

Think about a time you educated someone on a hard-to-grasp topic, and walk your interviewers through your teaching process. Keep in mind that fellows must utilize available technology in providing education and that customizing your approach to others' learning styles is important.

Ryan Brunner

Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.

"A few months ago, I worked with a patient recently diagnosed with HIV. He refused to take his antiretroviral medication. Of course, I knew the consequences of not taking the ART medication could be fatal, so I spent time with the patient discussing the real-life impact of noncompliance. My approach was caring and respectful, but I didn't hesitate to talk about the fatal consequences. During the conversation, I learned that the patient was resistant because he didn't understand how the medication worked or why he had to take so much of it. I offered explanations about how the medications worked using relatable comparisons, stopping frequently to assess his understanding and see if he had questions. By the time I left, the patient agreed to stay compliant until our next visit."

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Jaymie

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Anonymous Answer

Last month I had a patient with severe sepsis caused by acute choledocholithiasis, he didn't even know about the existence of the gallbladder. After some attempts trying to explain it simply, he was still confused. So I took out a piece of paper and started drawing the gallbladder, the bile duct, and the gallstones obstructing it. I even managed to dribble a Gi tract and explained the ERCP procedure. He kept the drawing to explain it to his family.

Jaymie's Feedback

Great example of using various methods to teach a patient and not giving up or becoming frustrated.

Anonymous Answer

Working with an AA male patient at my continuity clinic, a patient with Type 2 DM and HTN, with worsening kidney function. First visit to our clinic, he told me he hadn’t been taking his medication due to changing insurance after starting a new job. I was able to refill his medication with both insulin and two antihypertensives. Since his BP was elevated I wanted him to return to the clinic after starting his medication (no dose changed here). On returning, his BP is still elevated and has not picked up his medication. I explained the danger of uncontrolled HTN and DM on his kidney (which at that time was CKD 3-4), and he told me he was not able to pick up because of his new job. We found a way to get it delivered to his house, but I needed to be very clear on the consequences of kidney failure and possible dialysis. I explained it in simple terms and checked for his understanding as well as how to take his medication, and when to be seen emergently. By the time I left the clinic nursing reported that he had been complaining although he missed his office visit. But I noticed that patients can read right through you if you care about them and I make sure they know that I do.

Communication

29.Talk about a time you successfully educated a patient on a complex topic during residency. How did you ensure the information was understood?

Communication

30.As a fellow in our program, how would you change your communication style if a patient's family had trouble understanding what you were trying to tell them?