Company Physician Interview Preparation Guide

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Another important job interview question that is commonly asked to the doctor is about their qualification. To become a doctor you have to go through a tough process of studies. You should try to get admission in medical colleges. You shall be able to give a detailed explanation of your degrees. Also, you should give details about any field if you have done specialization in.

This is probably one of the most dreaded questions in a job interview. Answering this question requires self evaluation and honesty. Remember, whatever weakness you decide to share, make sure it is not a key characteristic needed to perform your job as a physician.

Truthfulness and tact is key in answering this question. You should always detail the reasons for looking for work outside of your current employment in a positive context. You may want to find new challenges or seek career advancement. You may also reveal that you wish to work for a more secure organization with better benefits. While answering the question, it pays to refocus the inquiry by highlighting why the available position you’re applying for can provide what was lacking in your previous job. But take particular care not to talk badly about a current/previous employer.

It’s best that you don’t talk about your salary expectations during an interview. However, if you are asked about it, you must be cautious in providing a specific figure. If you ask for an amount that’s too high, you might be eliminated from consideration altogether. If the number is too low, you might give the impression that your talents are not of sufficient value. If it cannot be avoided, the best possible answer to this question is to respond that you are looking to receive a competitive salary that matches your expertise, experience and anticipated workload.

All of us have some weakness or strength and same goes to the doctors too. You should never hide your weakness, if any, from the interviewer. Say if you can do all your duties well, but it will be difficult for you to be available for night shifts due to same personal problems. Also, any strength can act as a benefit for you. Like you are a cardiologist, but you can also perform surgery in case of an emergency. In this way you can save the life of a patient.

Knowing how you will handle a difficult situation will tell the interviewer if you have the the right attitude for this job. Being a physician means you have to deal with people from very different backgrounds and with varying personalities. Give the interviewer an example of how you would handle an angry patient.

Nobody enjoys a braggart but if you’re asked about your achievements, you should not hide them. Detailing awards and scholarships that you have received and seminars/conferences that you have attended is not only to subtly suggest that you’re an exceptional doctor. It is to emphasize your serious dedication to the profession.

Like the previous interview question, this one is also specific to physicians. When answering questions like this one, you must stress how serious and dedicated you are when treating your patients. This means having extensive knowledge of the patient’s condition which you will learn along the way through patient communication and the processes of conducting examinations. You must also mention that in cases where you are uncertain how to proceed with treatment, you are always mindful to consult with other doctors and even refer the patients to specialists outside your field if necessary.

You should never hide about your achievements from the interview panel. List down all the awards that you have achieved for your hard work. If there are scholarships that you have won, then list them down in your award list. Never forget to list the seminars and conferences that you have attended. Any workshops that you have conducted for the betterment of your patients. If you are a member of a faculty in any of the medical institutes or called for taking lectures, listing all these will highlight your achievements and will show the interviewer your dedication about the work.

If you are a doctor then you always dream of something big in your lifetime. You should explain the interviewer about your future plans of opening a hospital in the country with all the latest medical equipments from all around the world. Also, how you are going to invest your entire plan, whether through loans or any other backup that you have.

This is one of the most common questions asked to physicians during interviews. The medical profession is held in high regard by many and it is perceived as a noble career path. However, some also see it as a lucrative livelihood. Employers want to hire physicians who regard the profession as the former. Interview panels at hospitals do not enjoy hearing doctors say that they’ve joined the profession for the money. A satisfactory answer would be to say earnestly that you desire to help other people by dedicating yourself to preserving human life.

Working within the medical career field you are trusted with sensitive information each day. Don't fall into this trap and answer this question with a story containing confidential information, people will view your answer negatively and view you as not being trustworthy. If you choose to tell about a situation be sure to be vague and not use names or too many details.

As a doctor you have to face many challenges daily. So, you must highlight your ability to tackle these challenges very carefully and intelligently rather than getting hyper. Dealing with challenges faced by a doctor, if not handled properly can lead to death of the patient. Show your power, making decisions in situations of emergency rather than losing control.

For answering such medical interview question, you should explain the interviewer that, in case there is a medical emergency in the hospital your first step will be to save the patient rather than getting engaged in the formalities. As a doctor you know your duties and will try your best in doing them. You will try to arrange all the specialists if required. Informing the police after taking care of the patients will be your duty.

Chou notes that healthcare is a “service industry”and providing service goes beyond “talent and quality.”

Hospitals look for talented doctors that could work well with others and serve patients well. Their medical team must also preserve the hospital’s goodwill and support its policies. You must take note of all three when coming up with the answer for why you are the perfect fit for the available position. Be careful about overselling yourself. You must be realistic with your motives and what you can bring into the fold.

☛ What kind of problems do you deal with?
☛ What do you do if you can’t solve a problem on your own?
☛ Do you deal with a significant amount of conflict in this job?
☛ What systems are in place for dealing with conflict?
☛ What constraints, such as time and funding, make your job more difficult?
☛ Describe some of the toughest situations you’ve faced in this job.
☛ What are the major frustrations of this job?

☛ What are the skills that are most important for a position in this field?
☛ What particular skills or talents are most essential to be effective in your job?
☛ What are the skills that are most important for a position in this field?
☛ How did you learn these skills?
☛ What are the skills that are most important for a position in this field?
☛ Is multitasking a skill required for this job?
☛ These are my strongest assets [skills, areas of knowledge, personality traits and values]. Where would they fit in this field?
☛ How can I assess whether or not I have the skills needed for a position such as yours?
☛ With the information you have about my education, skills, and experience, what other fields or jobs would you suggest I research further before I make a final decision?
☛ Who else do you know who is doing similar kinds of work or uses similar skills?

☛ My current career is [job title]. How easy or difficult do you think it might be to make a transition from that career to your career?
☛ The skills I use the most in my current career are [skill] and [skill]. To what extent and in what ways do you think those skills are transferable to your career?
☛ What aspects of my background do you feel would be the most helpful in making the transition to your career field?
☛ What aspects of my background do you feel would be the biggest obstacles to
☛ someone making the transition to your career field?
☛ What skills needed in your career field do you think someone in my current career might be lacking and might need to develop?
☛ What would be the best kind of training to get to make the transition from my current career to your career?
☛ What’s the best way for me to get more experience in your field without taking
☛ major steps backward from the level to which I’ve progressed in my current career?
☛ How do you think someone in my current career would be viewed by those with
☛ hiring power in your career? Would you personally hire someone coming from my current career field?
☛ The things I like the best about my current career are:
☛ Will I find some of those same things if I switch to your career?
☛ The things I like the best about my current career are:
☛ Will I find some of those same things if I switch to your career?
☛ The things I dislike the most about my current career are:
☛ Will I encounter any of those same challenges in your career?
☛ Do you know of any other people in your career who have made the transition to your field
☛ from my current career or a career similar to my current career? How did the transition work out?
☛ I’ve heard that people in your field have characteristics such as [example] and [example],
☛ which I have not had the opportunity to develop yet. How important are those characteristics?.
☛ Knowing what you know about your career field, and knowing what I would have to do to
☛ get into this field, do you think you would make the change if you were me? If not, can you
☛ suggest any other fields that might be more appropriate for me?
☛ Could you take a brief look at my resume and suggest ways I could tailor it to make myself
☛ more marketable in changing from my current career field to your career field?

☛ What is a typical entry-level salary in this field?
☛ What are the salary ranges for higher levels in this occupation?
☛ Is there a salary ceiling?
☛ Does the company encourage and/or pay for employees to pursue graduate degrees? Is there a tuition reimbursement program?
☛ Does the company offer an employee discount on the products it sells?
☛ What does the company reward?

☛ Why did you decide to work for this company?
☛ What do you like most about this company?
☛ How does your company differ from its competitors?
☛ Why do customers choose this company?
☛ What is the company’s relationship with its customers?
☛ Has the company made any recent changes to improve its business practices and profitability?
☛ What does the company do to contribute to its employees’ professional development?
☛ What systems are in place to enable employees to give management feedback and suggestions?
☛ How does the company make use of technology for internal communication and outside marketing?
☛ What other technologies are integral to the company’s operation?
☛ What are the people like with whom you work?
☛ Do you participate in many social activities with your coworkers?
☛ Is there a basic philosophy of the company or organization and, if so, what is it?
☛ What is the company’s mission statement?
☛ What can you tell me about the corporate culture?
☛ What’s the dress code here? Is it conservative or casual? Does the company have specified dress-down days?
☛ Can men wear beards or long hair here?
☛ What work-related values are highly esteemed in this company (security, high income, variety, independence)?
☛ What kind of training program does the company offer? Is it highly structured or more informal?
☛ How does the company recognize outstanding accomplishments of its employees?
☛ Are there people within or outside the organization that the company holds up as heroes?
☛ Does the company observe any rituals, traditions, or ceremonies?
☛ What is the typical job-interview process at the company? How many interviews do candidates generally go through before being offered a position?
☛ What does the company do to foster innovation and creativity?

☛ What is your exact title?
☛ Do other people in the company with the same job title have the same responsibilities?
☛ What was your title when you first started working here?
☛ Can you give an overview of the duties, functions and responsibilities of your job?
☛ What is a typical day like?
☛ What percentage of your time is spent doing each function?
☛ Is your job what you thought it would be when you started?
☛ How much job security do you have in this position?
☛ What kind of decisions do you make?
☛ How does your time use vary? Are there busy and slow times or is it fairly constant?
☛ How much flexibility do you have in determining how you perform your job?
☛ What projects have you worked on that have been particularly interesting?
☛ Is there a great deal of turnover in this job?
☛ How would you assess your prestige or level of status in this job? In the company?
☛ How does the company evaluate your job performance?
☛ What are the major qualifications for success in this occupation?
☛ What qualifications would you be looking for if you were hiring for a position such as yours?
☛ What qualifications would you be looking for if you were hiring for a position subordinate to yours in the office?

☛ What are the educational requirements for this job?
☛ What types of credentials or licenses are required?
☛ Is graduate school recommended? An MBA? Some other graduate degree or certification?
☛ How important are grades/GPA for obtaining a job in this field?
☛ How do you think the reputation of [name of your college] is viewed when it comes to hiring?
☛ What courses should I be taking?

☛ What are the typical entry-level job titles and functions?
☛ What entry-level jobs offer the best opportunities for learning?
☛ What trends in the field would be most likely to affect someone just entering this career now?
☛ What kinds of people experience the greatest success in this field?
☛ What is the most important thing someone entering this career field should know?

☛ To what extent do you interact with customers/clients?
☛ Which other departments, functional units, or levels of the hierarchy do you regularly interact with?
☛ Is your work primarily individual, or do you work in groups or teams?
☛ How are work teams or groups organized?