Interview Questions to Ask Physician Candidates

Whether you work in physician recruitment, Administration, or Human Resources, finding the right physicians is critical to the success of your hospital or medical practice. Today’s healthcare consumers are savvy and demand more from their doctors than just strong clinical abilities. A physician must possess both excellent clinical and interpersonal abilities. Consumers want someone who will listen to them, take care of them, and truly understand who they are.

Finding someone with the necessary training and expertise is only half the challenge. It is also essential to know what matters to the community, the medical practice, and the organizational culture when hiring healthcare workers, in addition to understanding what matters most to candidates.

Of course, there are always some unknown elements in recruitment. But by asking the right questions and carefully assessing the candidates’ responses, you will improve your chances of success. Below is a list of example interview questions. It is not exhaustive, but it will give you a good idea of the style of questions you should ask. H/T to these excellent resources for some of the questions below.

General questions

• Tell me about yourself.
• Why did you choose to become a physician?
• Why did you choose to specialize in (specialty)?
• How do you handle stressful, pressure-filled situations?
• Professionally, what do you consider to be your main strengths?
• What do you believe are your biggest weaknesses/challenges?
• What type of patient population are you interested in treating?
• What EMR (electronic medical record) are you comfortable working with?
• Are you looking for a management/leadership position in the future?
• How good are you at completing your own charts in a timely manner?
• What call schedule are you comfortable with?

Behavioral open-ended questions

• Can you provide an example where you disagreed with an administrator or colleague and how you resolved the issue?
• What do you feel are the most important contributions you have made to your practice, community, and hospital?
• How do you present complicated information to your patients?
• Tell me about a time when you misdiagnosed a case and how you resolved it.
• Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures.

Asking the right questions during the hiring process can improve your chances of hiring a candidate who will contribute to the long-term success of your healthcare organization. These questions enable the interviewer to learn more about the candidate’s work performance, their approach to various situations, and how they use their knowledge and expertise as a physician.

What if you are short on time for interviews?

This is where recruiting firms like Mission Recruiting add tremendous value. You can stay focused on high-level company responsibilities and team management while we do the initial screens of potential candidates. There is no risk to signing with us to handle your recruiting needs: we fill your position or you don't pay. Learn more about our healthcare recruiting services here.