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How to prepare for the 10 toughest medical speciality interview questions

Can you identify the toughest  medical specialty interview questions?

Can you answer these  tough medical specialty interview questions?

 Don't let your firstattempt be at the actual interview. The toughest medical specialty interview questions often appear simple. While some specialties use  a complex question structure which can include 2-3 follow up questions, often the really tough questions come in disguise.  Simple to the point the answer appears obvious. With 10 years experience training doctors for entry into medical specialties, I have found that these are the questions that doctors most often answer badly. While medical training is based on a problem solving model requiring linear thinking.  The answers to tough questions need a lateral thinking approach.  In simple terms you need to learn to think in a different way. The following are some of the toughest medical specialty interview questions,

• What is the worst mistake you have ever made?
• Are leaders born or made?
• Do you abide by the polices in your work?
• Name a situation where you did not follow the policy?
• Tell me about a specific time you had to handle a tough problem that challenged fairness or ethical issues?
• Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult patient?
• Which living person do you admire most?
• Your colleague has a higher than usual rate of complications. In particular you notice she is trying to cover up her mistakes. What would you do?
• You are the surgical registrar and a patient who had a skin lesion removed had a frozen section negative 2 weeks ago, but the histopathology has now come back demonstrating malignant melanoma  cells. How will you communicate this to the patient.
• You are working at a regional hospital and notice that their trauma equipment is appalling. You speak to your consultant and theatre staff, and get approval to replace current implants/stock with new ones. You are in the middle of the tendering process when one of the companies offers you an all-expense paid trip to an educational conference overseas that involve these trauma implants you have been discussing with the company. Would you go?

Now is a good time to start thinking about these types of questions. While at each interview you may only need to answer one or two of these. Make sure you understand the intention of the question before answering. if you want to know more or have any specific questions or comments please feel free to make a comment, email me on info@impressiveinterviews.com.au or ring  Deborah on (02) 9331 1853 or mobile 0412 007 682