If we asked your friends, what would they say are your strengths and weaknesses?
During your Surgical Oncology fellowship interview, you will likely discuss your strengths and weaknesses and how you view them. This question is unique because your interviewers request that you answer from the perspective of your friends rather than your current resident colleagues or the attending physicians you've worked with in the past.
"If you were to ask my core group of close friends, they would tell you that my strengths are my communication and ability to collaborate as a teammate. I have an infectious spirit that can connect with any personality, and this helps me work well in a team. They would also tell you that my weakness is self-criticism. I frequently reflect on my words and actions and wonder if I should have said or done something different. I know that self-reflection is important, and I will always take a positive approach as a Surgical Oncology fellow with your program."
Give a strength that is unique to you and applies to medicine. It is a common strategy to offer a weakness that is actually a strength (e.g., "My weakness is that I work too hard"). The interviewers will recognize this as a transparent tactic. For this reason, you must provide an example of a legitimate weakness you have worked to improve. You should not offer more weaknesses than strengths in your answer.
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
They would say that when there is a problem I always try to stay calm and face them in the most rational possible way, and that I try to live in an environment where people feel good: On the other hand when I'm really focused on a thing I don't allow people to interrupt me, and if they keep trying i start to ignore them: I'm trying to work on it because it's totally not polite but it is hard.
Jaymie's Feedback
Your strengths mentioned are those that an interviewer would find valuable in a candidate. For your weakness, try to choose one that would not be impactful to the role you're applying for. If you choose to use the example mentioned, try to give specific situations where this occurs and what techniques you are using to overcome this weakness.
Anonymous Answer
If you were to ask my friends to describe me I believe they would use the words leader and creative. They can always depend on me to take control of a situation, develop plans with my quick, forward-thinking, and find solutions to any problems that may arise. I'm well known for my creative hobbies, and the do-it-yourself approach to life, resulting in requests to teach friends new skills such as crafting, refurbishing, decorating, etc.
A weakness that my friends have identified is something they refer to as my fear of missing out (FOMO). Experiences with friends and family hold such a strong place in my heart, given my busy work life and my strong drive to achieve a balance between work and play, I sometimes over-commit myself to things, on days that perhaps could be spent resting to prepare for another busy week. This is advice that I've taken seriously and has made changes to ensure I can balance rest with everything else.
Jaymie's Feedback
You gave an example of a weakness that would not be a deal breaker to the interviewer, and you go into detail about how you're overcoming that weakness, which is the most important aspect. Well done!
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