Me, Myself and I

‘Tell me about yourself”, is a low hanging fruit for the interviewer to judge the interviewee. Answering this question appropriately can be the key to a successful interview.?

Let’s see how I tackle this question for 3 interview situations.?

Situation one

I met Sana during my medical school internship in 2010. Sana was a year junior to me; she was in the final year. By the end of 2011, we decided to take our relationship seriously. One fine day, I met her parents. I was sitting with her father, who is a chief engineer in merchant navy. We were facing each other, and he pops the question. Son, tell me about yourself.?

I was just 23 years old at that time. I was about to finish medical school. I never had a real job. I had no money in bank account. I didn’t know if I will even match into a residency program. Heck, I didn’t even know how to drive a car at that time. And here I am, sitting confidently in front of my future father-in-law. Ignorance is bliss, sometimes!?

I begin.?

Uncle, I was born and brought up in Faridabad. My father is in Yamaha motors, and my mom has a government job. I am finishing medical school soon, and preparing for a residency in the US. I am hoping to match into a residency program in 2013. Sana is also preparing for USMLE as you know. I am sure I will be able to guide her. Life should be good in the States. I love her and will take good care of her. I will always keep her happy. She is a sweet girl, and I am sure my parents will also love her just like a daughter. We are happy with each other, and wish to spend the rest of our lives together. I request your blessings, and welcome any more questions you may have. I promise you I will be honest and sincere.?

Okay, it wasn’t word by word, but something on these lines.?

Yeah, there were more questions.?

Situation two

Year 2012. I applied for 2012-2013 Match cycle. I had a couple of months of observership experience. No publications. Step 2 CS attempt. Let’s say I was invited for an interview, and asked ‘Tell me about yourself.’

Thanks for having me here. As you know, my name is Krishan. I recently graduated from the only government medical school in my state. Becoming a doctor was the best thing that happened to me. I feel it is my privilege to care for my patients who put their trust in me. My friend, Dr. M, inspired me to pursue USMLE since it will give me an opportunity to practice evidence-based medicine, and implement the latest clinical guidelines in patient management. During my recent US clinical experience at a community hospital, I learned a lot about the inpatient workflow. My interactions with residents were inspiring, and hearing their success stories motivated me further to practice medicine in this technologically advanced environment. I will always strive to provide the best patient care possible, and I assure you that I will always give my best to your program.?

Situation three

I graduated from residency in June 2016. I started looking for a job in the second half of 2015. With all the logistics of my life at that time, I felt an inpatient job would be best for me. I interviewed at a few places. Here is how I answered the ‘Tell me about yourself’ question.?

Thanks for having me here. I came to US in 2012 for observership and matched in the Internal Medicine program at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I will be graduating in June 2016. Residency was a great learning experience. I am fortunate that I was mentored by an excellent faculty. We had a robust inpatient curriculum, which has made me well versed with the inpatient workflow and management. As a resident, I interacted closely with nursing teams and case management. I understand and appreciate their integral role in providing excellent patient care, and I have immense respect for them. I feel comfortable working with the consultants and I feel I will be a good team player. I understand the importance of quality metrics and strive to implement those in day to day patient care. At the end of the day, my goal is to provide best patient care possible.?

I may not have lived perfectly to these words, but I sure try!

Repost?

Sincerely,

Krishan