Operational Baby Doctor Interview Preparation Guide

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Helps patients and their families cope with the practical and emotional concerns that accompany diagnosis and treatment; can help you find resources in the hospital and at home.

The person in the PICU waiting area who assists families and visitors. To reach the customer service representative

A tube placed surgically through the abdominal wall into your child's stomach; used to administer food and / or medications. May be temporary or permanent depending on the needs of your child.

Focuses on the emotional and developmental needs of children; helps reduce the stress and fear of hospitalization through play, education and distraction. To request support from a child life specialist, talk to your nurse.

A physician who has finished residency; fellows train and practice under the supervision of an attending.

A soft plastic tube that fits into the nose and around the face; used to deliver oxygen.

A nurse’s assistant in the PICU.

☛ Tell me about a time you had to face an uncooperative child. How did you handle it?
☛ Recall a time you had a disagreement with a parent. What did you do?
☛ Describe a time you had to determine the symptoms of a child who was only crying without complaining
☛ Give me an example of a time you felt fulfilment for your job

☛ If a child complained about a continuous pain on their leg for the past two weeks, what would you suspect?
☛ Imagine that a parent calls and tells you their child has high fever and a rush. How do you respond?
☛ If two children come into the emergency room at the same time and one is crying while the other is silent, which one do you attend to first?
☛ What would you tell a parent who isn’t sure that they should vaccinate their baby?

☛ When was the last pediatrics conference you attended? What did you get out of it?
☛ Is there a particular pediatrics subject you’re interested in?
☛ Do you have experience in mass screening?
☛ Can you explain the meaning of triage?
☛ What’s the process of examining a newborn?
☛ How do you decide when to prescribe an antibiotic? How do you decide which one?
☛ What’s your experience with online prescription systems?
☛ How many children have you attended to from birth to adulthood?

☛ Was the office clean?
☛ Was the waiting room kid-friendly, with toys and books?
☛ How soon could the interview be scheduled? How long were you in the waiting room?
☛ Was the office staff helpful? Were the nurses friendly?
☛ Was the interview rushed? Did the doctor seem open to questions?
☛ Did the communication feel natural? Was the doctor easy to understand?

☛ How long have you been practicing?
☛ Do you have any sub-specialties?
☛ What are your hours? Do you offer evenings or weekends?
☛ Do you offer same-day sick appointments? How far in advance do well appointments need to be scheduled?
☛ What if my baby gets sick when the office is closed? Who covers in an emergency if you aren’t on call?
☛ Is this a solo or group practice? If it’s solo, who covers when you are gone? If it’s a group, how often will we see you, and how often will we see other members?
☛ Do you have separate sick and well waiting rooms?
☛ Do you respond to questions by e-mail? Do you accept calls for routine and non-emergency questions? If I leave a message, how long does it usually take you to return the call?
☛ Will your initial meeting with my baby be at the hospital or the first checkup? What is your schedule for well baby checkups?
☛ Will you discuss my child’s general growth and issues like discipline and social development?
☛ What are your views on… Bottle feeding? Circumcision? Parenting techniques? Getting babies to sleep? Alternative medicine? Antibiotics? Immunizations? Childhood obesity?
☛ What hospitals do you work with?
☛ Do you take my insurance? Is there an extra charge for…Advice calls during the day? Advice calls after hours? Medication refills? Filling out forms? Will any other fees apply?
☛ What are your policies for insurance claims, lab policies, payments and billing?
☛ What tests are handled in the office, and what is done elsewhere? Where?

Term used describe your child's average blood pressure.

IV line placed in a large vein; used for giving medications, fluids, IV nutrition and drawing blood.

Uses music to help your child cope with their hospital stay for relaxation and to redirect pain.

Measurement of the amount of oxygen carried in your body.

A physician training and practicing under the supervision of fellows and attendings.

A tube placed in your child's airway to assist with breathing; attached to a ventilator.

A member of your child’s care team who helps to make sure your child is receiving enough nutrients to help them heal and grow.

Assists with coordinating patient’s care when multiple medical services are involved and also assists with discharge needs.

The unit secretary located at each nurses station.

Similar to a regular IV but placed in an artery rather than a vein; helps accurately monitor blood pressure and / or draw blood.

A tube placed surgically into your child’s airway through the neck. May be temporary or permanent depending on the needs of your child.

If you go with a doctor in a solo practice, find out who covers when he's away. If he's part of a group practice, ask about the background of the other doctors. Some practices have pediatric nurse practitioners. They are fully trained nurses often with an MA and specialized training. Physician assistants are not nurses. They have college degrees and two years of physician assistant training.

Measurement of temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure.