The Correct Answer Resident

 

A universal secret to getting more marks or score in viva, oral exam, interviews, presentation to clients or customers, got revealed to Dr. Dev (Fictional Name) by chance during a clinical class in AIIMS, New Delhi. I say universal secret as this principle is applicable regardless of the subject you are studying. Dr. Rajesh (Fictional Name) Assistant Professor was taking the clinical class of the Post Graduate MS (Master of Surgery) resident doctors in AIIMS in Surgical ward C. Dr. Dev was also in the class. During the class the students got stuck up when Dr. Rajesh asked a complicated question regarding chemotherapy in Breast cancer. As none of the resident doctors in the group was sure of the correct answer, they starting answering hesitatingly, each contributing some part of the answer. Dr Rajesh appeared displeased at the way the residents were answering. Suddenly, Dr. Gary (Fictional Name) came to meet Dr. Rajesh for some personal work. Dr. Gary was a star student of the department and a budding Urologist then. (Urologist ­– A super-specialist surgeon dealing with the surgery related to Kidney, Urinary tract organs and male genital organs). Dr. Rajesh posed the same question to Dr. Gary and asked his opinion. After a moment thought, Dr. Gary with supreme confidence stated his answer in clear cut words. There was no hesitancy or uncertainties as seen in the answer given by the other residents. After answering Dr. Gary left to continue his own work. After he had left, turning to the residents, with a look bordering on contempt, Dr. Rajesh said, ‘See, how well he has answered when all of you were struggling. Learn something from him.’ The residents were, to put it mildly, indignant by their comparison with Dr. Gary. They kept thinking about the answer given by Dr. Gary even when the class continued further. Suddenly one of the resident exclaimed, ‘Sir, the answer given by Dr. Gary is wrong!’ Then he put forth his reason for supporting his claim. Another student chipped in, ‘Yes sir, he was wrong, this is the right answer…’ and suddenly the consensus was that the answer given by Dr. Gary, who Dr. Rajesh was all praises few moments ago was wrong.

Now the residents start looking at Dr. Rajesh with questioning eyes, as if silently asking how can he accept Dr. Gary’s wrong answer so willingly over their answer?

Dr. Rajesh replied, ‘See how confidently he answered, that is the way you should answer in exam.’

So the secret: Answer confidently. Ooze confidence from every pore of your body when answering something or talking with someone. A confident appearing person is likely to get better marks or score than a diffident person with the same level of knowledge. Even if you are wrong or not sure about the answer, answering with confidence, with the tone and body language that you are absolutely sure about the answer can convince them that you are right.

Sometimes even your examiner, interviewers, potential client or customer is not 100% sure about the question or query they have raised.  The examiner or interviewer can start to doubt their own correct knowledge when faced with the confidence of the candidate they are interviewing or examining. Especially in exams or job interviews with many candidates to evaluate, the examiner may not get time to cross check your answer, and by the time he realizes that you were wrong, the marks or score would already have been noted and sealed.

Now the second part for many of us who like Dr. Dev gets nervous and tongue twisted when even asked to tell their name. If you are not born confident then develop confidence. Don’t believe that if you have full knowledge of your subject matter you will automatically sound confident. The reverse is more likely to be true. It is more likely that a person will appear to be having full knowledge because they are answering confidently.

Confident appearance can be separate entity from your knowledge. Since that time, I have cross checked the answers given confidently with absolute surety by many confidence persons, (Google and mobile net makes this a breeze) and found that they give even wrong answers with equal or in fact more confidence than right answers.

So develop a confident attitude. Take help of professional personality development coaches or trainers if needed. Practice and more practice till you reach a level when you can confidently say a wrong answer and still convince the highly erudite AIIMS faculty member that you are right.

— ND

(Based on allegedly true incidence.)

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DISCLAIMER: This article is intended only for fun purposes. The author does not promote or recommend any behavior illustrated here or claim it to be useful. Use the information herein is at your one's own risk. Before trying to emulate or follow anything the reader is well advised to take into account ethical, moral, legal, and other considerations. The author recommends that Medical Practice should be of the highest ethical and moral level keeping in mind the interest of the patient as foremost. 

DISCLAIMER: This article is intended only for fun purposes. The author does not promote or recommend any behavior illustrated here or claim it to be useful. Use the information herein is at your one's own risk. Before trying to emulate or follow anything the reader is well advised to take into account ethical, moral, legal, and other considerations. The author recommends that Medical Education should be of the highest ethical and moral level keeping in mind the interest of the patient as foremost and according to MCI and other Board’s norms.