35 Doctor Interview Questions (With Sample Answers)

Updated 9 March 2023

A doctor is a health care professional who helps patients take care of their well-being. Often, companies require one or several interviews to get to know you and determine if you are the right fit for the position. Learning about the various questions an interviewer can ask you about your credentials as a doctor may help you develop well-thought-out answers and experience more success in your job search. In this article, we discuss 35 doctor interview questions, including sharing a few question categories and providing example questions with sample answers to use as a reference and prepare you for interviews.

General Doctor Interview Questions

Here is a list of general doctor interview questions:

How did you hear about this position?
Why do you wish to work for this organisation?
What are your goals 30 days into the role? 60 days? 90 days?
What are your strengths and weaknesses in the workplace?
How do you remain up-to-date about new medical updates, practices or tools?
Do you have a goal you plan on accomplishing in the next year?
What are your salary expectations?
Why do you think the organisation may benefit from hiring you?
What do you already know about the organisation?
Do you have any other questions about this role or the organisation?

Experience And Background Interview Questions

Here is a list of some interview questions about your experience and background as a doctor an interviewer may ask you:

Why did you choose to become a doctor as your career path?
What is the best medical success story of your career so far?
What tools and equipment are you familiar with using on patients?
Why are you leaving your current position?
Can you talk about your favourite course at university? Why was it your favourite?
How do you inform or educate patients and their families about challenging news?
Have you experienced disagreement or conflict in the workplace with colleagues? How did you handle the situation?
What are your strategies for educating individuals about their health?
Can you talk about a time when you were required to collaborate with other health care professionals?
What are your values in the workplace? How do you prioritise and implement them into your workflow?

In-Depth Interview Questions

During an interview, the hiring manager may ask you in-depth interview questions to understand your qualifications further. Here is a list of some types of those questions:

What do you enjoy most about being a doctor? What do you like least about your role?
How do you establish and build trust with your patients?
How much time do you spend with a patient? How do you determine the time to designate for each individual?
What doctoral skills can you bring to this role compared to other professionals with a similar background?
Have you travelled for a doctor's position in your experience? Are you willing to travel?
What are the essential qualities of a doctor?
Do you have experience working as the head of a medical team role? If so, what was the experience like for you, and did you enjoy it? If not, is this something you have an interest in pursuing?
Can you talk about your daily doctor's routine?
How do you reset your mindset to finish your daily tasks during a challenging day?
Are you familiar with working with 3-D printers in the health care field?

Interview Questions With Sample Answers

Here are five example interview questions with sample answers to use as you prepare for your next meeting:

1. How do you promote patient care?

An interviewer may ask how you promote patient care to determine how you value the individuals in your care. Often, the hiring managers seek empathetic doctors but can also educate them about their conditions and how to improve their health. To answer this question, discuss your doctor values and how you place the patient as your top priority.

Example answer: "I promote patient care by taking my time with each one. When I enter a room and discuss conditions, diagnoses or other health information, I explain everything with empathy but give them the facts. Before I leave the room, I ask if they have any questions for me to answer or clarify the information I gave them. Additionally, I leave them with a card and my emergency number, including a nurse messaging service they can contact any time during the day to answer their questions."

2. What might your former colleagues say about you and your work ethic?

A hiring manager may ask you how your former colleagues might describe you and your work ethic to determine how you may fit into the organisation's work environment. Often, they are seeking professionals dedicated to their patients and committed to their medical careers to providing the best care they can to individuals. To answer this question, share examples of positive feedback from your colleagues and have references to add validity to your claims.

Example answer: "Last month, my colleague praised me for my diligence and kindness at work because I ensure my team members are completing their tasks well while also checking in on their well-being. I begin each day by checking my schedule and then greeting each patient in their room before completing anything else. I do this because I want my patients and team members to feel valued and cared for under my supervision. If you require further references from my current role, I can provide those for you."

3. Can you talk about your professional goals?

An interviewer may ask about your professional goals to determine if this role can help you achieve them. For example, if you are looking for upward mobility in the organisation, they may consider if it is the right fit for both parties. Additionally, organisations value ambitious specialists seeking to enhance their experiences and skills. To answer this question, share the goals you are working to attain and the plan you follow to achieve them within a definite time frame.

Example answer: "A goal I have been working on in the last year has been getting involved in community outreach programmes. In my current role, I have dedicated my time to the programme, assuring it is beneficial and accessible to the community, including speaking with the individuals to ask them what they require to improve their health. By next year, I hope to have created and implemented a robust community health education course free for the community members to attend and learn helpful ways to take care of their health."

4. How do you cope with stressful situations in the workplace?

Hiring managers may ask how you cope with stressful situations in the workplace because they might search for candidates who remain calm when encountering challenges. Being rational when solving challenging cases may help you with problem-solving to remedy the matter. To answer this question, share your strategies for calming yourself down and approaching a situation with a logical mindset. Include how minimising your anxieties may help others around you feel calmer, allowing them to help you. If you have a real-life example, share the story with your answer.

Example answer: "During my first year in residency, I felt overwhelmed with the workload of tasks and hours. Within the first week, I scheduled a meeting with my residency manager to help me determine how to manage my stress. I learned how to section my tasks and create a schedule to follow, helping me cope with the hours. In my last role, we experienced an emergency where we were low on a certain blood type. I maintained an even demeanour and contacted a nearby hospital to see if they had it. They did and delivered it to us."

5. Why did you choose your area of speciality?

Interviewers may ask why you chose your speciality area to understand your career motivations. To answer this question, share your thought process about what led you to your career path. For example, if you have a story about how a doctor positively affected you in childhood, share it in the interview. Another way you may share your inspiration behind your career path is by mentioning a mentor or university professor who changed your academic experience and influenced you to choose a similar pathway to theirs. It is essential to answer this question clearly and concisely.

Example answer: "I chose my area of speciality as an oncology doctor because of my mother. When I was a teenager, doctors diagnosed my mother with breast cancer. I accompanied her to several appointments and sat with her as she received her treatment in the hospital. She beat cancer within the year, and I was proud of her. During that time, the doctors and nurses inspired me with the hope of what modern medicine can do. I admired their dedication and kindness towards my mother. It made me want to create the same feeling for others."