Skills qs

Question 1

Teamwork

Answer 1

During my part time job as a customer assistant at a tailoring and alterations shop. My role is to accurately communicate job requests from the patient to the customer. I do this by actively listening to the customer, explain this effectively to the dry cleaning team and tailor, to ensure that the item meets customer satisfaction.
During my work experience in cardiology at epsom hospital, I watched how the team worked together to efficiently insert the pacemaker, taking into account multiple factors (oxygen levels, pain from patient, heart rate from physiologist, x ray monitor from technician)
Working together as part of a team to ensure the best possible outcome.

Question 2

What are your strengths?

Answer 2

My ability to communicate effectively and build rapports with a variety of different people from different backgrounds. I am a trilingual and so have been volunteering as a translator for the past 10 years.

Question 3

What are your weaknesses?

Answer 3

I understand how important to recognise what weaknesses are through reflection- strengthen them
- Public speaking
Recognising it is a weakness
How I have worked on improving this
How it will make me a good medical student
Why its an important skill for doctors to have

Question 4

When have you shown leadership skills?

Answer 4

• GSP, taking lead
• Ability to work with others, empathy, communication

Question 5

Describe a time when you showed teamwork skills

Answer 5

As part of a group study project, I worked alongside 5 others to create a scientific poster. I made an organised plan of what had to be on the poster. I expressed my thoughts and ideas clearly and made sure that everyone understood by asking them to explain back to me. I also considered the points of views of the other members with respect. I regularly kept in contact with the team via gc and kept them up to date with my progress. Reflecting on this experience, by remaining open minded to feedback and collaborating, it ensured that we were able to make a high graded poster as a team that we wouldn’t have been able to achieve individually. Saw the importance of using everyones strengths.
During my work experience where I watched a pacemaker insertion, I saw how the doctor coordinated clearly with the physiologist, radiographer and nurses by listening actively to information and communicating using clear instructions his next actions. Reflecting on this, I saw the importance of understanding everyones roles within a team to ensure that there was a coordinated response. This ensured patient centred care and best possible care for patient. As a result the pacemaker was inserted successfully- restored heartbeat.
As a doctor, it is really important to be able to not only lead but also work within the team in order to provide the best quality of care to patients. By being flexible and considering different points of views of mdt it ensures that the patient is at the centre of decisions and the best quality of care is provided to the patient.
Working together well as part of a team is a core value of NHS

People bring different ideas but all the care is patient centred