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Doctor Interview Questions

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  1. How do you react to highly stressful situations or deal effectively with personal stress in your job as a doctor? See answer
  2. Why did you make medicine your chosen field of study and career path? What aspects of medicine drew you to the specific area you chose? See answer
  3. What particular skills as a doctor do you bring to our practice? How would you use those skills to complement our current staff? See answer
  4. How would you handle an emergency that comes up while you are consulting another patient? What precise steps would you take to see to both? See answer
  5. What strategies do you use to decide what medications to prescribe to patients and how do you keep up with the release of new pharmaceutical treatments? See answer
  6. How have your listening skills helped you understand and diagnose your patients’ needs correctly? Do these skills make you a better doctor in other ways?
  7. What strategies do you use to get through to patients who are resistant to treatment?
  8. What does the Hippocratic oath mean to you and how do you apply it in your day-to-day actions?
  9. Tell me about a recent controversy about medical ethics that interested you and how you feel about the subject.
  10. As a doctor, you are a mandated reporter for abuse and neglect. Are you comfortable filing a report if you suspected one of your patients was being abused?
  11. How do you treat patients when they can’t tell you what is wrong, such as young children or adults with disabilities?
  12. What would you do if a nurse or aide disobeyed a direct order related to a patient’s care?
  13. How would you tell a patient that they had a terminal illness?
  14. What strategies do you use to make sure you can meet the medical needs of a diverse population?
  15. Do you have experience recommending lifestyle changes and nutrition plans to patients as both preventative and responsive care?
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6 Doctor Interview Questions and Answers

Q:

How do you react to highly stressful situations or deal effectively with personal stress in your job as a doctor?

A:

Depending on the specialization, a doctor may encounter a variety of high-pressure situations during the day-to-day job. In many cases, doctors must make split-second decisions that can have a big impact on their patients. It is also crucial that a doctor is confident in his or her skill set as well as steady under pressure. You want someone who is able to deal with stress in a positive way. What to look for in an answer:

  • Specific coping mechanisms for managing stressful situations
  • The ability to maintain a steady, calm pace
  • Making correct decisions quickly

Example:

“I work through the situation quickly and calmly. I don’t just ignore stress. I speak with team members for emotional support and professional guidance.”

Q:

Why did you make medicine your chosen field of study and career path? What aspects of medicine drew you to the specific area you chose?

A:

Many medical institutions want to hire doctors that have the necessary professional skills to add to the team and an emotional range that can benefit potential patients. This question can help you gauge the underlying emotional and personal reasons a candidate may have entered the medical field. Most doctors will spend part of their day interacting with patients on a highly personal level. What to look for in an answer:

  • Reasons that are unrelated to pay
  • Anecdotes that can help you gauge bedside manner
  • Long-term goals that exhibit emotional range

Example:

“I saw a need in this particular specialization that I felt I could fill by providing knowledge and emotional support to patients.”

Q:

What particular skills as a doctor do you bring to our practice? How would you use those skills to complement our current staff?

A:

You may be looking for a physician with a specific set of abilities to add to your roster of professionals. Candidates should be able to tell you about any specialized training they have received and how that training could supplement the abilities of your current staff. They may list personality traits that are helpful to doctors as well. What to look for in an answer:

  • Personal traits that augment professional skills
  • Any special training that fills a role you need
  • Accolades from the candidate’s school

Example:

“I received training that allows me to work in specialized fields of medicine, and I supplement that training with quick, accurate decision-making skills.”

Q:

How have your listening skills helped you understand and diagnose your patients’ needs correctly? Do these skills make you a better doctor in other ways?

A:

The answer to this question will illustrate that the candidate pays attention to what each patient is saying and truly listens to what is bothering the individual rather than just going through the motions or making assumptions. Listening to a patient’s needs is a crucial part of bedside manner and leads to critical problem solving as the doctor assesses any issues and forms a proper diagnosis. What to look for in an answer:

  • Forming a diagnosis based on patient information
  • Conveying medical information in a relatable way
  • Offering emotional support when necessary

Example:

“I listen to patients describe symptoms and use my medical knowledge to work through possible scenarios quickly. Patients see that I make real time for them.”

Q:

How would you handle an emergency that comes up while you are consulting another patient? What precise steps would you take to see to both?

A:

This question demonstrates not only a doctor’s ability to work quickly and well under pressure but also how effectively he or she might be at dealing with multiple situations at once. Managing changes rapidly can be a crucial part of any medical environment. You’ll want to make sure your candidate can react appropriately to emergencies while handling any ongoing consultations with care and attentiveness. What to look for in an answer:

  • Being able to switch tasks quickly
  • Making sure current patients still receive care
  • Devising solutions to emergencies en route

Example:

“I would prioritize the emergency but make sure my current patient still feels listened to. I would put the patient in safe hands to finish the consultation.”

Q:

What strategies do you use to decide what medications to prescribe to patients and how do you keep up with the release of new pharmaceutical treatments?

A:

Doctors must have extensive knowledge of the types of medications they can prescribe to treat various conditions. They should also be aware of current developments on the market and potential new treatments for common issues. Interviewers can ask this question to learn about the doctor's awareness of pharmaceutical best practices and their own philosophy on prescribing medication.

A good response will include:

  • Critical thinking
  • Listening to patient needs
  • Knowledge of chemical interactions

Here is one example answer:

Example:

"There are many drugs on the market that treat the same conditions in different ways, so I consider many different aspects of a patient's experience including other medications that might have an interaction, what side effects they are willing to experience and what their insurance will cover. I talk to my patients about what has worked for them in the past or draw from my experience treating similar ailments."

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    Last updated: Apr 21, 2021