The interview question bank

Sample answer outline

1. 1State the priority: patient safety. If the resident may be impaired, they should not see patients until that is resolved.
2. 2Don't assume. Speak to them privately and calmly, say what you noticed, and ask how they are.
3. 3If the concern stands, tell the attending or supervisor before the shift starts. You don't need proof to raise a safety concern.
4. 4Show care for the colleague: impairment can signal illness or crisis. Point to physician health and support programs.
5. 5Acknowledge your position as a trainee and follow the hospital's reporting policy.

Sample answer outline

1. 1Answer clearly: yes. Care is based on medical need, not moral worth. Justice and the duty to treat apply to everyone.
2. 2Acknowledge that discomfort is human; professionalism means not letting it change the care.
3. 3Handle the practical side: security and staff safety, and letting a colleague step in if someone truly can't give good care, as long as treatment isn't delayed.
4. 4Note that punishment belongs to the justice system, not the hospital.

Sample answer outline

1. 1First check on the patient: are they at risk right now? If so, alert the team immediately.
2. 2Speak to your friend promptly and privately. Encourage them to disclose and offer to go with them.
3. 3If they won't, take it to your supervisor yourself. Patient safety outranks loyalty.
4. 4Acknowledge the pull of friendship and their fear, and point out that errors are reported to fix systems, not only to punish people.

Sample answer outline

1. 1Don't look at it, and say so.
2. 2Find out what you can without spreading it: is it really the exam, and how widely is it shared?
3. 3Encourage the classmate to stop and come forward.
4. 4Tell the course director either way. The exam's fairness affects everyone, and future patients depend on honest assessment.
5. 5Stay fair: you're reporting facts, not judging the person.

Sample answer outline

1. 1Clarify the terms: is it a professional duty, or an expectation? A role model in what sense?
2. 2Give the case for: credibility, patient trust, the public image of the profession.
3. 3Give the case against: doctors are human, health isn't only about choices, and policing it could stigmatize doctors who are ill.
4. 4Take a position, for example: doctors shouldn't undermine their own advice and should look after their health, but perfection isn't a professional duty.
5. 5Close on the implication: supporting physician wellbeing.

Sample answer outline

1. 1Stay calm and don't take it personally. Ask what's behind the request: a past experience, a specific worry.
2. 2Explain your role briefly and confidently: your training, how you work with the physician, what you'll do today.
3. 3Offer a path: you'll start the visit and involve the physician if needed, or arrange for them to see the doctor.
4. 4Respect their choice if they still prefer the physician.

Sample answer outline

1. 1Check whether the patient or family could hear. If so, protect their dignity first.
2. 2In the moment, a light redirect can work without humiliating anyone: "Let's keep it professional out here."
3. 3Afterward, if you feel safe, talk to the resident privately and explain the impact.
4. 4If it's a pattern or severe, use the program's reporting channel. As a student, involve a trusted supervisor.
5. 5Acknowledge the power gap honestly; speaking up as a junior takes judgment and courage.

How to approach situational questions

1. 1Start with safety: is anyone at risk right now?
2. 2Gather information before judging anyone involved.
3. 3Act in proportion: a private conversation first, escalation when needed.
4. 4Close the loop: follow up, document and reflect.

We haven't written a sample answer for this one yet. Practice it out loud and the AI interviewer gives you feedback on your own answer.