What aspect of medicine is not a good fit for you?

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Dr.D-man

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I saw this question listed several times in the interview feedback section. I am not sure how I would respond to this, maybe something like not being able to cure/fix all of the patients I see. What would you say?

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I saw this question listed several times in the interview feedback section. I am not sure how I would respond to this, maybe something like not being able to cure/fix all of the patients I see. What would you say?

Just say, "The part where I have to talk to sick people."
 
I'd give a more realistic answer and say that the demanding hours is not something I look forward to putting in....a lot of doctors are complaining about it these days and I think the adcoms would agree that the hours docs put in are not always conducive to family life. It sounds like a realistic, honest answer, and not some syrupy, faking sound bite like not being able to change the world. :)
 
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Bureaucracy, but that's everywhere. dammit.
 
I'd give a more realistic answer and say that the demanding hours is not something I look forward to putting in....a lot of doctors are complaining about it these days and I think the adcoms would agree that the hours docs put in are not always conducive to family life. It sounds like a realistic, honest answer, and not some syrupy, faking sound bite like not being able to change the world. :)

Expect to get an impromptu lecture on why medical students and residents today are lazy bums, and how back in the day they worked 120hrs a week and are much better doctors because of it. Also expect your interview evaluation form to say, "Lacks work ethic", and expect to get a rejection letter in a few weeks.

Please please please trust me on this: Mentioning the hours is a really bad idea. Once you're in, you'll understand what a huge minefield it is right now.
 
the whole freakin', screwed up system.
*wishes for universal health insurance... and not to get flamed for it*
 
luck, everything else is a perfect fit.
 
I would go for the elitism and pettiness that comes with some of the more competative specialties (surgery, and the like). Or maybe the mistreatment of interns/residents. It's hard to answer this without getting burned, watch your step.
What school is this, btw?
 
Expect to get an impromptu lecture on why medical students and residents today are lazy bums, and how back in the day they worked 120hrs a week and are much better doctors because of it. Also expect your interview evaluation form to say, "Lacks work ethic", and expect to get a rejection letter in a few weeks.

Please please please trust me on this: Mentioning the hours is a really bad idea. Once you're in, you'll understand what a huge minefield it is right now.

COMPLETELY agree. Do NOT for heavens sake say the hours. There is definitely a huge divide in the medicine world right now between the old school and new school folks about how many hours residents should be working. Many many physicians are troubled by the increasing competitiveness of lifestyle specialties and that the new generation of medical students seems more concerned with their own comfort and lifestyle than taking care of patients.

Just to be clear, I'm all about lifestyle, but your interviewers probably aren't. If you must mention something like this, say you think it might be hard balancing everything but do not say the you don't look forward to working 80 hours a week and not sleeping every third night.
 
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I would say "repetition" for certain specialties located in smaller towns... probably won't get to see a variety of challenging ailments, etc.

Another aspect that I anticipate not enjoying is dealing with the bureaucracy of insurance companies. What we have now is such an unnecessarily complicated system.
 
Granted I haven't had to play the game in a while, but here's what I would say:

"Nothing. I really feel like I have thoroughly explored medicine, having spent a good deal of time shadowing and talking with various physicians. I know that, as my medical education progresses, I will encounter aspects of medicine that I dislike, but I think that's both expected and natural, and would occur in any field I went in to. The key is that I have a general understanding of what will be required of me, and I feel that I will be able to live up to those expectations and fit in well with the medical community."

See, you can't just say "nothing" because then it sounds like a dodge. But if you explain it, you sound thoughtful and honest.
 
The red tape before helping patients or in order to help patients. Some don't have the insurance or money to do what's medically necessary. It troubles me that there is no system to save their life long term, all we can do is stabilize in emergencies.
 
Saying "the red tape" feels like a cop out to me. Nobody in any profession likes dealing with red tape.
 
I saw this question listed several times in the interview feedback section. I am not sure how I would respond to this, maybe something like not being able to cure/fix all of the patients I see. What would you say?

not a bad answer, but i would avoid phrasing it in a way that comes off too arrogant, cause there's no one who can cure everyone. Instead perhaps something like "when things are out of my control ..."

josh
 
I can think of two for myself:

1) Getting up in the middle of the night, especially as I'm insensitive to caffeine and a total sleepy head.

2) I might kill someone, being in my sleepy limbo state.
 
Expect to get an impromptu lecture on why medical students and residents today are lazy bums, and how back in the day they worked 120hrs a week and are much better doctors because of it. Also expect your interview evaluation form to say, "Lacks work ethic", and expect to get a rejection letter in a few weeks.

Please please please trust me on this: Mentioning the hours is a really bad idea. Once you're in, you'll understand what a huge minefield it is right now.

Agree. I received a good 10 min diatribe about this from my Harvard-grad pre-med advisor when I mentioned EM (b/c of shifts).

I would talk about how the health system is being taken over by business-minded people instead of patient-minded docs. All docs hate the bureaucracy and business problems dr.s face nowadays.
 
Expect to get an impromptu lecture on why medical students and residents today are lazy bums, and how back in the day they worked 120hrs a week and are much better doctors because of it. Also expect your interview evaluation form to say, "Lacks work ethic", and expect to get a rejection letter in a few weeks.

Please please please trust me on this: Mentioning the hours is a really bad idea. Once you're in, you'll understand what a huge minefield it is right now.


COMPLETELY agree. Do NOT for heavens sake say the hours. There is definitely a huge divide in the medicine world right now between the old school and new school folks about how many hours residents should be working. Many many physicians are troubled by the increasing competitiveness of lifestyle specialties and that the new generation of medical students seems more concerned with their own comfort and lifestyle than taking care of patients.

Just to be clear, I'm all about lifestyle, but your interviewers probably aren't. If you must mention something like this, say you think it might be hard balancing everything but do not say the you don't look forward to working 80 hours a week and not sleeping every third night.

I have not gotten that impression in med school. People who've spoken to us on this topic have not thought that it is unreasonable to complain about the hours. Of course, the advice I was giving to the OP was in regards to the hours of attendings have to put in, not residency.

Agree. I received a good 10 min diatribe about this from my Harvard-grad pre-med advisor when I mentioned EM (b/c of shifts).

I've never had that experience with the people I've spoken with on this topic.

The hours that an attending works is something that was brought to my attention from the medical establishment, and I think saying that balancing the demanding hours of working as a doctor and having a family is a valid point to bring up. At least at my interviews, I've never encountered negatives about it. They even let me into med school. :D
 
Tell them the whole paying a bunch of money to fly over the country to "interview" (read: jump through hoops) bull$hit really blows.
 
dictations

I cant believe how doctors can rattle of dictations that fast. I can't keep a train of thought while speaking for that long :scared: .
 
I saw this question listed several times in the interview feedback section. I am not sure how I would respond to this, maybe something like not being able to cure/fix all of the patients I see. What would you say?

How about a humble response like: I realize that there are going to be many times in my medical career when I am not going to know the answer and will feel very stupid. Nobody knows all the answers.
 
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I like to sleep 10 hours a day. Is that going to fit into the schedule of med school?? :laugh: :laugh:

Um...yes.

At least during intern year/residency. Or if you're a surgeon.
 
Shouldn't that be an 'Um...no.'?

Haha, yeah, it should be a "no".

For some reason I thought the question read "Is it going to interfere with the schedule of med school?"
 
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