Surgical Oncology Fellowship Mock Interview
Master 30 Surgical Oncology Fellowship interview questions covering complex cases, research experience, and multidisciplinary care.
Question 5 of 30
If you were in surgery and called for a certain instrument that wasn't available, thus adding time to the surgery that otherwise would have been much shorter, how would you address this problem?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Example Answer
How to Answer
Community Answers
This question asks how you would solve a problem that affects your efficiency as a Surgical Oncology fellow. Your interviewers ask this for a couple of reasons. First, they want to ensure that you would effectively and respectfully address the issue. They'll also want to hear that you would never blame or shame others for setbacks.
"I would contact Central Supply and ask what such an instrument costs or--if it is available--and why it wasn't available to me at the time of the surgery. By letting them know the purpose of the instrument and its use in my surgeries, it would be known moving forward that it is an essential tool in saving lives. Since I take responsibility for my surgery, I want to strive to have the best state-of-the-art equipment."
Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.
You'll want to answer this with the usual bureaucratic steps you'd take, but you also should include in your answer the sentiment that you and you alone are responsible for what happens in your surgeries. Displaying that you would be respectful in this situation will go a long way in winning over your interviewers at the Surgical Oncology fellowship you are interviewing with.
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Anonymous Answer
This is a problem that we face often in Italy. The last time that it happened, my professor and I referred to the supply center and explained to them the time out is a cost as well in OR and proved that the last time that we had what we needed the surgery was much shorter. In the end, there were no differences in cost between the two surgeries and since then we were able to obtain devices every time we needed them.
Jaymie's Feedback
The interviewer is seeking insight into your ability to problem-solve and also be proactive. You did a great job demonstrating your ability to communicate within the team to address the issue without causing harm to patients.
Anonymous Answer
I would ensure I approach the situation in a calm and respectful fashion. Firstly, I would inquire as to whether the instrument can be made available in a timely fashion and consider any possible alternatives to assist me in getting the procedure done safely and appropriately. I would also use forward thinking and discuss with the appropriate personnel to ensure the necessary equipment is available for future cases and identify any possible sources of communication breakdown that could have resulted in this particular occurrence to prevent them next time.
Jaymie's Feedback
Your response shows that you can remain calm and problem-solve, both of which are critical skills for this role! You took your answer a step further and added that you would communicate and get to the root cause to avoid the situation from happening again in the future.
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