Psychiatrist Interview Preparation Guide

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This question helps you evaluate whether the candidate would be a team player. You'll learn how he or she might interact with other members of staff and whether the candidate has the capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts respectfully, effectively and independently. You'll be able to determine much about the applicant's work ethic, attitude and professionalism and decide if the psychiatrist would be a match with your existing team. What to look for in an answer:

Appropriate knowledge of conflict resolution strategies
Ability to work well within your team
Ability to admit mistakes and collaborate effectively

Psychiatry is a very challenging and yet very rewarding medical profession. Challenging is because most of time you are not handling a concrete disease entity like in IM. You deal with emotions, moods and abstract thoughts. Rewarding is because I love to listen to personal stories and become my patients' real friends, and eventually helps them to deal with their psychiatric illness.

Suicide is a very controversial topic because different cultures and different religions have different viewpoints. For example, atheists may think suicide is the final release from pain and suffering but Christians may think it's a moral sin. No matter what, as a psychiatrist- a trained medical professional, we should hold the opinion that the outcome doesn't justify the action. So for every psychiatric patient we encounter, we should bear the minds of possible suicide and intensely probe the patient. Early detection and every visit detection is the key. If suicidal thoughts were detected, intense counseling and/or medical treatment is warranted.

Working with patients that have moderate to severe mental illness can require some creative thinking at times to help treat them. Unlike a Cardiologist that can pinpoint a problem and then diagnose and treat with the use of sophisticated technology, life for a Psychiatrist is often not that advanced. The interviewer is looking for your ability to treat a patient as an individual and see your ability to think creatively when treating a patient. Try to be specific with your answer.

Sometimes you cannot help but getting emotionally involved with patients' treatment. If the progress is very slow and full of ups and downs, you need to have great patience. also often you couldn't find a definite diagnosis for a mentally ill patient, and this can cause frustration. so how to avoid burnt-out is the hardest thing.

Still an essential part of psychiatric practice. Personally I think it's a great way to establish long term patient-physician relationships and prevent social issues such as suicide, homicide, substance abuse.

The best way to ensure that patients will work with you to adhere to their care plan is to educate them. When people know exactly what is going on in their body or mind, and why you are prescribing a specific type of treatment, they are more interested in following your instructions. People like to know why they are being asked to do things, so education goes a long way in making sure everyone is on the same page.

Psychiatrists are trained to work in a wide range of areas, so they don't need to stick to just one area of practice. For example, a hospital psychiatrist might decide that he wants to switch his field of practice to provide treatment to people suffering from addictions and so he might apply for a position at an in-patient substance abuse facility. Or a psychiatrist who has worked in private practice for many years might long for more contact with colleagues out of a desire for professional growth and development and seek employment in mental health clinics or universities. A psychiatrist's answer to this application question shows his motivation and suitability for the job.

Fear of the marketplace literally; taken now to be a fear of public of public places associated with panic disorder.

An incorrect belief which is out of keeping with the person's cultural context, intelligence and social background and which is held with unshakeable conviction.

A movement disorder in which the person automatically and inappropriately imitates or mirrors the movements of another.

A syndrome of amnesia and confabulation following chronic alcoholism. Short-term memory is particularly affected.Named after the Russian psychiatrist Korsakoff.

Describes an inappropriate repetition of some behaviour or thought or speech. Echolalia is an example of perseverative speech. Talking exclusively on one subject might be described as perseveration on a theme. Perseveration of thought indicates an inability to switch ideas, so that in an interview a patient may continue to give the same responses to later questions as he did to earlier ones. Perseveration is sometimes a feature of frontal lobe lesions.

Depression is one of the most common mental health issues that psychiatrists treat. This question helps you evaluate whether this particular psychiatrist would treat depression and other common mental health concerns in an effective manner. You'll learn his or her views on particular medications and types of psychotherapy, and you'll be able to decide whether the applicant's approach is something that would suit the clients at your practice. What to look for in an answer:

Understanding of the latest medications/psychotherapy approaches
Treatment approach that would benefit your patients
Warm, positive approach to patient care

I would tailor the treatment to the patient's needs. For some patients, I'd suggest just psychotherapy, and I'd use both medications and psychotherapy for others.

Many patients that a psychiatrist sees may not be able to accept that they need help, and this question helps you understand whether the applicant can effectively and respectfully handle this situation. You'll learn whether the candidate is able to propose alternative treatment methods for the patient and whether he or she is too forceful when recommending treatments for patients. You'll discover whether the psychiatrist is dedicated to trying multiple treatments. What to look for in an answer:

Willingness to try multiple treatments
Ability to clearly and compassionately explain various treatments
Dedication to patients with complex health needs

Psychiatry is the one of the pressure valves of the society. With their successful practice, psychiatrists can prevent suicides, homicides and increase an individual's productivity in the society.

When answering this question, be sure to tell the interviewer that you are able to conform easily to whatever setting you’re placed in. Research the company beforehand so that you have a good idea of what type of atmosphere they have. Keep your answer positive no matter what type of environment you prefer. Include past experiences with different workplace atmospheres to show your range of adaptability.

PM is an individual's capacity for self-examination, self-observation, introspection and personal insight. It also includes an ability to recognize and see the links between current problems within self and with others, and the ability to insight one's past particularly for its impact on present attitudes and functioning. Psychological mindedness bespeaks a capacity to tolerate psychological conflict and stress intrapsychically rather than by regressive means of conflict management or resolution such as somatization.

For psychiatrist, PM is the ability to look beyond the surface of overt behaviour for underlying psychological meaning. For example, understanding the patient’s subjective responses; objective approach to behaviour; ability to make contact with psychiatric patients; understanding of signs, symptoms and syndromes; ability to conduct and organise investigations and treatment methods using physical, psychological and social approaches; and an understanding of the self.

I believe I am a person who handles stress appropriately and thrives when I’m in a situation with a lot of pressure. I know residency can be difficult and stressful but I believe I have the right mindset and social supports outside to be an excellent resident. My family and friends keep me down to earth and are always there for me. They help recharge my energy. I have also been very lucky to have found some mentors who I can share my experiences with and receive feedback from. Overall, I am a person who does well under pressures of treating sick patients and I know how important it is to have a balanced life outside of medicine.

Communication with the family can be a key aspect of outpatient psychiatric care. In my past position, I made it a practice to schedule weekly follow-up calls to family members when I found it necessary to involve them. Depending on the case, I can also meet with the family during or following visiting hours.

Absolutely. Throughout my career as a psychiatric nurse, I’ve been supportive of nurses who are just entering the field. Even in nursing school, I helped friends study psychiatric nurse interview questions before they met with hiring managers in hopes of getting their first jobs. Peer mentoring helped me get where I am today and I want to reciprocate.

Abnormal movements as in tardive dyskinesia a late onset onet of abnormal involuntary movements. Tardive dyskinesia is conventionally thought a late side effect of first generation antipsychotics, but some abnormal movements were seen in schizophrenia before the introduction of antipsychotics.

An abnormal perception caused by a sensory misinterpretation of and actual stimulus, sometimes precipitated by strong emotion, e.g. fear provoking a person to imagine they have seen an intruder in the shadows.

An abnormal involuntary movement disorder which may manifest as lipsmacking bucco-lingual movements or grimacing, truncal movements or athetoid limb movements.

This question helps you evaluate whether the psychiatrist candidate has the necessary professionalism, empathy and warmth to help patients who can be extremely vulnerable. You'll learn what types of patients and conditions this candidate may be best at treating, and you'll be able to ascertain whether the applicant would be able to retain patients and attract new ones to your practice. You may also learn how quickly the candidate psychiatrist builds patient trust. What to look for in an answer:

Ability to be empathetic and professional
Ability to treat conditions commonly seen at your practice
Potential to attract new patients