Essential Osteologist Interview Preparation Guide

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Scientists who study dinosaur bones (or fossils) are called paleontologists. Paleontologists have a lot in common with archaeologists - both excavate and study animal bones. Archaeologists who specialize in animal bones study zooarchaeology, which means “the archaeology of animals”.

Archaeology, or archeology, is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, and cultural landscapes. Archaeology can be considered both a social science and a branch of the humanities. In North America, archaeology is considered a sub-field of anthropology, while in Europe archaeology is often viewed as either a discipline in its own right or a sub-field of other disciplines.

growth plate; epiphyseal plate

Anatomy is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is inherently tied to embryology, comparative anatomy, evolutionary biology, and phylogeny, as these are the processes by which anatomy is generated over immediate (embryology) and long (evolution) timescales. Human anatomy is one of the basic essential sciences of medicine.

Social anthropology or anthroposociology is the dominant constituent of anthropology throughout the United Kingdom and Commonwealth and much of Europe, where it is distinguished from cultural anthropology. In the USA, social anthropology is commonly subsumed within cultural anthropology.

A typical analysis will include:

☛ an inventory of the skeletal elements present
☛ a dental inventory
☛ aging data, based upon epiphyseal fusion and dental eruption (for subadults) and deterioration of the pubic symphysis or sternal end of ribs (for adults)
☛ stature and other metric data
☛ ancestry
☛ non-metric traits
☛ pathology and/or cultural modifications

end of long bone; secondary site of ossification

rounded prominence; usually found at the site of articulation with another structure

smooth, nearly flat articular surface

☛ How do you define empowerment?
☛ Describe the time period and circumstances when you became self-supporting.
☛ Do you think that your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement?
☛ If you could start your professional life again, what would you do differently?
☛ What are some of the things your supervisor did that you disliked?
☛ Give me an example from a previous job where you've shown initiative.
☛ How many raises were given at your last position? Why were you given them?

☛ Describe some ideas that were implemented.
☛ Have you handled a difficult situation with another department?
☛ Who has impacted you most in your career and how?
☛ Did you have a strategic plan as Osteologist?
☛ Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?
☛ What steps do you follow to study a problem before making a decision?
☛ What is the highest-level job one can hold in this career?

☛ What gets you out of bed in the morning?
☛ How would you tackle the first 90 days at this job?
☛ What type of salary are you worth and why?
☛ What do you like best about your school?
☛ What would you consider a conducive job atmosphere?
☛ What do you do when making a mistake?
☛ What can you tell us about our company?

☛ What aspects of your job do you consider most crucial?
☛ What will your last supervisor tell me are your two strongest areas?
☛ How do you incorporate fun into your day?
☛ In what way did this type of work interest you and how did you get started?
☛ Describe the type of teacher who had the most beneficial influence on you.
☛ How have you helped increase sales and/or profits?
☛ What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?

☛ Describe some ideas that were implemented.
☛ Have you handled a difficult situation with another department?
☛ How do you reach a decision if you don't have all the facts?
☛ What do you see yourself doing within the first days as Osteologist?
☛ How do you maintain a positive discussion?
☛ How do you define your key team members?
☛ What irritates you about other people?

☛ What are you interested in outside of your career?
☛ How do you delegate authority?
☛ What were the development steps on your last performance appraisal?
☛ Have you ever been fired?
☛ What are the steps you follow to study a problem before making a decision?
☛ Give me an example from a previous job where you've shown initiative.
☛ Tell me about someone you admire and why?

hole (orifice) through which nerves, ligaments, or blood vessels pass

cavity within the bone; usually filled with air

Ossification in bone remodeling is the process of laying down new bone material by cells called osteoblasts. It is synonymous with bone tissue formation. There are two processes resulting in the formation of normal, healthy bone tissue: Intramembranous ossification is the direct laying down of bone into the primitive connective tissue, while endochondral ossification involves cartilage as a precursor. In fracture healing, endochondral osteogenesis is the most commonly occurring process, for example in fractures of long bones treated by plaster of Paris, whereas fractures treated by open reduction and internal fixation with metal plates, screws, pins, rods and nails may heal by intramembranous osteogenesis.

Forensic Anthropology is the application of anthropological knowledge and techniques in a legal context. This involves detailed knowledge of osteology (skeletal anatomy and biology) to aid in the identification and cause of death of skeletal remains, as well as the recovery of remains using archaeological techniques.

narrow ridge of bone

depression in or on bone

Cultural anthropology is a branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans. It is in contrast to social anthropology, which perceives cultural variation as a subset of the anthropological constant.

According to the Museum of Osteology, the study of bones is called osteology, which is practiced by doctors and researchers called osteologists. Osteology is a complex science that uses information and data from anatomy, archaeology and anthropology.

shaft of long bone; primary site of ossification

glassy textured cushion at the end of long bones used to absorb stressful joint movement