How would your current colleagues describe your bedside manner?

"My fellow residents, attendings, and care teams that I currently work with wouldn't hesitate to say that I bring a comforting environment to the patients I operate on and their families patiently awaiting great results. If I can, I take the time to talk with patients to explain their procedure and answer any questions they have to put their minds at ease. And equally important is following up after their procedure, whether in the PACU or on the hospital floor later on. These little actions go a long way in the overall health and well-being of my patients."

Now is the time to describe how you treat all patients with respect, empathy, kindness, and compassion, even in the hectic atmosphere of a busy operating room and in pre-op and post-op care. After answering this question, you want your interviewing team to walk away knowing that you would come to their program with a strong focus on the overall care for each case you work with. If you have an example of a time you went the extra mile for a patient at their bedside during residency training, now is a great time to mention that experience and why it was important.