Practice station 1
Understanding the medical profession, and the personal attributes that matter in it
This station focuses on your understanding of the medical profession and the personal qualities you believe are important for a doctor.
Run it under timing
Two minutes to read, then eight to answer. Read the questions the way you would on the door, then start the clock and answer out loud. Nothing is recorded and nothing is scored.
The questions
What do you think are the three most important qualities a doctor should have? Can you provide an example of how you’ve demonstrated one of these qualities?
Describe a time when you were faced with a challenging situation that required resilience. How did you handle it, and what did you learn?
What do you understand about the emotional challenges of being a doctor? How do you think you will manage them?
Can you explain how you will balance empathy with maintaining professional boundaries in a healthcare setting?
What is being marked here
This station is mostly about the following. They are the same things every station tests, in one combination or another.
- Motivation for medicine. Is your reason yours, is it specific, and does it survive the follow-up question?
- Self-awareness. When you talk about a failure, is it a real one, and do you know what it taught you?
- Empathy and perspective-taking. In a role-play, do you notice how the other person feels before you try to solve their problem?