What is your greatest weakness? What are your greatest limitations? You've probably heard of these common medical school interview question. They are also a common interview questions for many other professional school interviews, such as dental school, pharmacy school and nursing school. But what's the best strategy to tackle these types of questions? We’ll explore how to identify an appropriate weakness or limitation, discuss it constructively, and demonstrate growth and self-awareness. Read on to see how to ace this interview question!
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Answering the interview question, "What is your greatest weakness?" or “what are your limitations?” is intimidating, especially for medical school applicants.
This question can come up in different interview styles from traditional panel interviews to MMI interviews or residency interviews, and is a question that can come up regardless of the professional school you are applying to.
Remember that limitations and adversity can and should be framed in positive lights. You want to showcase how you take risks and form your own unique path, which will inevitably lead to challenges. But ultimately this is question is about how you overcome challenges.
Why Interviewers Ask “What is Your Greatest Weakness?”
Understanding why interviewers ask about weaknesses is crucial for crafting a strong response to the question “What is your greatest weakness?”. This question aims to assess your self-awareness, honesty, and ability to grow from your experiences. Medical schools seek candidates who can critically evaluate their own performance and identify areas for improvement which ultimately makes you a good candidate to become a doctor.
By admitting to a genuine weakness, you demonstrate maturity and a willingness to learn, which are essential qualities in high-pressure fields like medicine. Furthermore, how you handle this question can reveal your problem-solving skills and your approach to personal and professional development.
We asked one of our experts, Dr. Neel Mistry, about why admissions committees even ask about weaknesses, and how you should think about your answer:
“It is important to identify weaknesses and shape them in a positive light, showing how you have grown past it and have matured as an individual. For instance, if you have an average GPA, identify what the reason was for that and be honest with the committee. Doing so will demonstrate to the committee that you are someone who takes time to learn from your mistakes and improve on past experiences. Showcasing a mindset that embraces constant development and self-growth is key to success in any field.” – Dr. Neel Mistry, MD
Nailing your answer requires a strategic approach that balances honesty with a positive outlook. Start by selecting a weakness that is genuine but not detrimental to your application.
How to Answer “What is Your Greatest Weakness”: A Step-by-Step Guide
1. Identify Potential Weakness
Identifying the right weakness to discuss in an interview requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. Begin with a self-assessment to reflect on areas where you genuinely struggle. Choose a weakness that is authentic but not critical to your ability to succeed in the desired professional program.
It can also be advantageous to pick a weakness that directly comes from your resume or AMCAS work and activities section, such as a time you struggled while volunteering, as this highlights your positive experiences during your answer.
2. Reflect on Your Weakness
If you are applying to medical school, avoid mentioning weaknesses that directly affect the practice of medicine, such as poor attention to detail. Instead, focus on areas that show your capacity for growth and self-improvement, such as time management or public speaking.
Here is some advice from one of our experts, Dr. Jamie Cazes, on how to answer this question honestly:
“Do not try to come up with excuses. Honesty really is the best policy, and it is not hard for an interviewer to see that you are lying or hiding the truth. What I would do in these situations is talk in an open and honest way without sounding closed off or confrontational about [my weaknesses]. The best thing to do when asked these questions is to acknowledge the weakness as it is, and rather than just talking about the situation itself and how sorry you are, really talk about what you learned from these situations and WHY it made you a better person/candidate.” – Dr. Jamie Cazes, MD
3. Reframe Your Weakness Positively
Once you’ve identified a potential weakness, ensure it is framed in a way that doesn’t undermine your application. Avoid common pitfalls like choosing weaknesses that are actually strengths in disguise, such as “being a perfectionist” or “working too hard.” These can come off as insincere and fail to demonstrate true self-awareness. Instead, select a weakness that provides a genuine insight into your character and allows you to showcase how you are actively addressing it.
Your best narrative about weaknesses and limitations should be:
- In the past, far enough back that you can reflect on it with some measure of maturity.
- A failure you are now able to partially or fully overcome with this increased maturity
- Realistic and self-reflexive; don’t use an example where you blame someone else or you brag about your lack of failures
- One that doesn't reflect immoral or ethically questionable decision-making tendencies.
Framing your weakness constructively is essential to turning a potentially negative aspect into a positive one. Begin by providing context for your weakness, explaining how it has affected you and why you identified it as an area for improvement. Be specific and avoid vague statements.
4. Identify How You Have Grown
Next, shift the focus to the steps you have taken to address and overcome your chosen weakness. Highlight any proactive measures you’ve implemented and the progress you’ve made. By illustrating your commitment to self-improvement, you demonstrate resilience and a growth mindset, reassuring interviewers that you are capable of tackling challenges and continuously developing your skills.
Looking for more on how to answer the question “What is Your Greatest Weakness"? Check out this video!
Mastering the Delivery: Practice Makes Perfect
Mastering the delivery of your response to the question “what is your greatest weakness?” is crucial to ensuring it comes across as genuine and thoughtful. One of the best ways to achieve this is through mock interviews. Practicing in a simulated interview setting allows you to refine your answer, receive constructive feedback, and become more comfortable with the question.
Mock interviews can help you identify any areas where your response may be unclear or unconvincing, allowing you to make necessary adjustments. Additionally, practicing with different people, such as mentors, peers, or a medical school advisor can provide diverse perspectives and improve your confidence.
Rehearsing your answer is equally important. While you don’t want your response to sound overly rehearsed or robotic, being well-prepared can help you stay calm and articulate during the actual interview. Practice speaking your answer out loud, focusing on maintaining a natural and engaging tone. Pay attention to your body language, as it can significantly impact how your message is received. Make sure to maintain eye contact, use appropriate gestures, and smile when appropriate. By thoroughly preparing and practicing your delivery, you can ensure that your response to the weakness question will be clear, sincere, and impactful, leaving a positive impression on your interviewers.
"What is Your Greatest Weakness?" Sample Answers
This example covers a number of important points. First, the problem is not framed entirely negatively by simply saying “I am bad at public speaking.” Rather, they articulate their difficulty in terms of an internal hurdle that can be readily worked through. They go on to discuss what steps they took, and show both adaptability and a commitment to building this skill in a new environment. They mention repeated instances of success following their major steps to overcome their difficulty, all of which show not only their own comfort in public speaking but that others have also recognized their newly enhanced ability. This example now not only showcases growth and overcoming an obstacle, but highlights a skill.
Conclusion & FAQs
Using the examples above you should craft your own narratives around weaknesses, limitations, and failure. Think of similar situations in your own life that can be used to showcase your growth and maturity following a failure.
You can prepare for this question beforehand and have a well-structured narrative ready when you are in the interview chair. You shouldn’t memorize a speech which might make you seem robotic, but prepare a list of key points and a timeline so that you know you can confidently answer when asked “What is your greatest weakness?".
1. WILL I BE ASKED WHAT IS MY GREATEST WEAKNESS?
Probably! This is a broad common question, regardless of what program you are applying to or interview style.
2. WHY AM I BEING ASKED ABOUT MY WEAKNESSES?
Just like “Why do you want to become a doctor?”, “what is your greatest weakness?” is a question designed to determine if you will be a good fit for medical school, or any other professional school for that matter.
3. CAN I JUST MAKE UP A WEAKNESS?
Getting caught in a lie is a bad idea for any interview and raises some ethical questions. Beyond that a truthful story will be easier to tell and will come off more genuine.
4. ARE THERE ANY WEAKNESSES I SHOULDN’T MENTION?
Try to avoid weaknesses or limitations that would limit your ability to actual perform in the program you are applying to.
5. SHOULD I MEMORIZE MY ANSWER?
Don’t memorize your answer, but do practice it and even engage in mock interviews. This will allow you to be confident in your answer without sounding like a robot.
6. WHEN SHOULD I STARTING PREPARING FOR MY INTERVIEW?
If you’re applying for medical school you should start preparing for questions like “What is your greatest weakness?” as early as possible, even if you have no interview invites yet.
7. WHAT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A WEAKNESS?
A good weakness is one that is not overly negative or arrogantly positive, shows personal growth, and is self-reflexive.
8. WHAT ARE OTHER COMMON QUESTIONS I MIGHT BE ASKED?
There are a number of common questions depending of on if you are applying for medical school, dental school, or law school. There is lots of overlap in questions, especially in the case of broad questions like “What is your greatest weakness?”.
About the Author
Dr. Ashley White, a former admissions committee member at McMaster, former MMI evaluator, and a family physician.
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