STAR Approach

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STAR technique is used to provide meaningful and complete structured answers for questions asking for a specific example. e.g.,

  • Tell us about a mistake that you have made while on duty 
  • Describe a situation where you dealt with a difficult patient 
  • Tell us about a time where you played an important role in a team 
  • Describe a situation where you handled a complex case  

STAR Approach

Situation or Task

Briefly describe the situation, i.e., the background, that you were facing. This is like a short trailer for the 'Action' section. Only focus and explain the relatable part of the background. For example, if the question is about a mistake that you made, you will keep the clinical details about the patient to a minimum, while explaining what the actual mistake was that happened. If the question is asking you to tell about a situation where you encountered a difficult patient, explain how you met them and why they were being difficult, rather than explaining the medical conditions of the patient.

Action 

This is the most important part of this structure. This is where you are going to demonstrate that you have the skills and attributes that the question is seeking. Once you have set the background of the situation, now you are going to explain the action you took. Your answer should cover: 

What you did?

  • Explain the steps that you took to resolve the situation. focusing on your own actions, not of others.  

Why did you do it? 

  • You must also explain the reasoning of your actions. This will show that you understood the purpose of your actions and what results would that actions achieve. 

Result / Reflect 

Explain the result of the situation i.e., what was the outcome of your actions. After this you can also mention what you learned from this situation and what skills you demonstrated to resolve the situation. 


Important Points: 

  • Talk about yourself. Focus on your actions, not of others
  • Be careful with the details. Do not over simplify or over explain the situation. 
  • Explain what you did and why you did it. The second part is more important!