Personal questions Flashcards
Why do you want this job
UCLH is an internationally renowned organisation with excellent reputation in diagnostics, research and education
The histopathology department is very highly regarded
The pathology department is undergoing exciting developments with the joint venture
Dermatopathology is firmly established at UCLH and has close relations with its dermatologists. There is exciting potential for development and for developing areas of special interest.
Uropathology is highly regarded, and as a referral centre for prostatectomies cystectomies and penile resections there is a high volume of interesting and complex cases
The opportunities for involvement in undergraduate and speciality training is exciting, with its close links to the medical school and envied speciality training programme
There is no place better to be involved in translational research
What motivated you to train in this speciality
An interest in basic sciences, a need to know not just what happens but why things happen
Intercalating in pathology and microbiology, and organising my research project in neuropathology at Frenchay where I cut slides, and used immunofluorescence to investigate the relationship of Caveolin-2 with cerebral amyloid angiopathy in alzheimer’s disease.
The variety in the work, where one can never be bored
The ambience of a histopathology department where close and warm relations are formed with colleagues
How would your friends describe you
Loyal, caring, considerate Genuine, reliable Optimistic Try to see the best in everyone Always try to help
What do you consider are your main strengths
Dedicated
Hardworking
Thrive in a team and interact well with those around me
Prepared to go above and beyond what is expected of me to achieve something
Practical and get on with things rather than lament over problems
Know my limitations and not afraid to ask for help
What do you consider are your main weaknesses
I can be obsessional and perfectionist - reporting, content and quality of teaching
I am motivated and hardworking but give myself too much to do sometimes - all the things I want to do at work (several research projects, large audit, medical student lectures, trainee supervision) along with all my extracurricular activities
I am self-critical and am my own worst enemy - confidence in myself to be able to do things
Find it hard to say no - if colleagues need me to cover cut-up, teaching juniors, lectures
How do you deal with criticism on a personal level
Can you give an example
I have always welcomed and encouraged feedback on my performance, and never view it as an affront but as an invaluable guide to how I can improve as it may be in aspects that I had not been aware of.
I am more than ready to recognise if there are areas in which I need improving and I try to demonstrate to my critic how I have adapted in response to their comments.
I have therefore always had very open and productive discussions with colleagues about my performance and I feel this has encouraged them to be very enthusiastic in giving me guidance and teaching, and it becomes a positive cycle
Criticism of reporting style: for example frugal use of pronouns, or a need to incorporate a higher level of uncertainty in some reports where I have tried to be a bit too helpful to the clinician, criticism of dissection technique at autopsy. I have always gone away to have a rethink and demonstrate that I have understood the logic of their advice and and demonstrate that I have incorporated it into my practise.
Tell me a time when you got angry about something at work and how you reached a solution
There was a very strong smell of formalin in the cut-up lab over one particular bench. The laboratory manager had run out of sticks that are used to measure formalin levels but measured the speed of the downdraft and confirmed it was sufficient, as a surrogate marker for formalin extraction. However all the staff continued to complain of a strong smell of formalin, staff were getting headaches, nasal symptoms, going off sick. I persistently asked him to investigate the strong formalin smell, and was continuously reassured that there was no problem. Finally we dismantled the sink and discovered that the extraction flue had become disconnected, therefore there was good downdraft but the formalin was being recirculated. I was very angry at the previous dismissiveness of the laboratory manager to our complaints, and I had a meeting with him to explain why I was upset. He acknowledged that it was not acceptable that there was no way to measure formalin levels in a histopathology laboratory, and promised to order the required equipment immediately. We discussed how this could be prevented in the future, with staff wearing passive formalin sampling badges and a long-term formalin sampler placed in the laboratory.
If you are co-ordinating annual leave rota, how would you deal with colleagues who didn’t get their requests
Speak to them and explain why they didn’t get their requests (submitted the request too late, lack of cover that particular week due to other colleagues being away etc)
See if there are alternative weeks that they could take off instead
Speak to the other colleagues to see if anyone is able to swap
If you had an extra 3 months to train, what would you do
Develop my research
Focus on my areas of interest - attachments and courses
Involve in management
Teach
What communication skills are required of a histopathologist
Verbal - to clinicians, at MDTs, in the department, at inquests, teaching
Written - reports, research proprosals
