1. Please tell me why are you leaving your current position?
This is a very critical question. Don't bad mouth your previous employer or co-workers or sound too opportunistic. It's fine to mention major problems, a buy-out or a shutdown. You may want to state that after long personal consideration, your chance to make a contribution is very low due to extensive company-wide changes.
2. Tell me have you ever accomplished something you didn't think you could?
The interviewer is trying to determine your goal orientation, work ethic, personal commitment and integrity. Prepare a good example where you overcame difficulties and succeeded. Prove that you're not a quitter.
3. What do you consider your most significant accomplishment as Consultant?
A good answer to this question can get you the job. Prepare extensively-discuss hard work, long hours, pressure and important company issues at stake. You may want to tell a two minute detailed story, discussing personal involvement.
4. What's the difference between debt and equity finance?
Debt and equity finance are the two main ways by which a business can raise money.
Equity finance means raising money by selling shares - that is, stakes in the company - either privately to investors or on the stock markets. Debt finance means raising money through taking out loans or by issuing bonds - pieces of tradeable debt - on the markets.
5. Tell me how have you worked in a team effectively?
Sometimes this question might be phrased as "What does team work mean to you?" You could answer it along the following lines: "I work well in a team: I'm a good listener and can take account of different perspectives and empathise with others. I'm a good communicator and hope I'm a positive role model. I encourage colleagues to engage in the clinical process. I respect the contributions and expertise of others."
6. Explain how do you handle pressure? Do you like or dislike these situations?
High achievers tend to perform well in high-pressure situations. Conversely, these questions could imply that the open position is pressure-packed and out of control. Know what you're getting into. If you do perform well under stress, provide a good, detailed example. Be descriptive.
7. Explain how would you plan and deliver a service improvement?
Patient safety is paramount here. You should also make sure that you back up your answers with examples from your own practice, your specialty, or your local area. For instance, you might say, "Any service improvement would put patient safety first, as well as providing a higher quality and more sustainable service. The change would be clinically led, using evidence based medicine. The service would be tailored to local circumstances using national frameworks. Patients, the public, and staff would be engaged throughout."
8. Why do you believe you are qualified for this position as Consultant?
Pick two or three main factors about the job and about yourself that are most relevant. Discuss for two minutes, including specific details. You may mention a technical skill, a management skill and/or a personal success story.
9. How would you define commercial awareness?
Knowing what's being written about in the business press is a big part of commercial awareness, but it's important that you demonstrate you know there's more to it than that.
Commercial awareness is also about understanding the fundamentals of how businesses work and having the skills to function effectively in the business world.
10. What do you like and dislike most about your current or last position?
The interviewer is trying to determine compatibility with the open position. Be careful; don't say you dislike overtime, like management, or get too detailed. It's safe to say that you like challenges, pressure situations, opportunities to grow, or that you dislike bureaucracy and frustrating situations.
11. Tell us how would you plan and manage a new service?
You could answer this question, and other similar ones, along these lines: "When planning the new service I would assess how it fits into the trust both physically and financially. I would approach senior managers to assess its sustainability, as well as gathering feedback from patients, service users, and colleagues. I would appraise the options in terms of benefits and risks.
"I would then identify the level and type of resources needed to deliver a safe and effective service. I would also minimise waste by using resources efficiently and effectively. Ensuring that my team is onside would be paramount. I would use their skills to ensure that outcomes are met and support my team to develop their roles. I would finally analyse performance using a range of sources. I would take responsibility for tackling difficult issues and build on my experience for future developments."
12. Tell us how have you grown or changed over the past few years?
Maturation, increased technical skills and increased self-confidence are important developmental aspects. To discuss these effectively is indicative of a well-balanced, intelligent individual. Overcoming personal obstacles or recognising manageable weaknesses can help identify you as an approachable and desirable employee.
13. What are your weaknesses as Consultant?
Sometimes this question is phrased as, "What would your worst critic say about you?" It is important to state a weakness that is either a positive or a negative that you have overcome. This could include "not being assertive enough, so I took assertiveness training and had discussions with senior colleagues," "I used to leave work late but I have now taken steps to improve my work-life balance and try to finish on time," or perhaps "I take on too much work but I have learnt to delegate and manage others."
14. Explain how has your technical ability been important in accomplishing results?
A potential employee needs a strong level of technical competence. Most strong managers have good technical backgrounds. Describe specific examples of your technical abilities, and how you resolved a technical issue.
15. Explain what do you consider your most significant strength?
Know your key five or six strengths-the ones most compatible with the job opening. Discuss each with specific examples. Don't include your management or interpersonal skills unless you can describe specific examples of good management, or how your relationship skills have been critical to your success.
16. Tell me what makes you a good doctor?
This is a common opener, which is intended to allow the candidate to relax and start talking. Don't ramble. Follow the personal, academic, clinical, and external (PACE) format.
A good answer would be: "I feel I am a good doctor because, personally, I am affable and polite. I am not judgmental, and I get on well with my colleagues. This can be supported by evidence from my multi-source feedback, comments made by colleagues and consultants, and from my references. Academically, I have passed all my exams well and have prizes in [. . . ]. I have published X number of articles in peer reviewed journals and presented X times nationally and X times internationally. I enjoy teaching by the bedside in small group tutorials and in larger lectures. Clinically, I have been told by my colleagues and supervisors that my clinical acumen is good and my operative skill is appropriate for a consultant. My logbook shows that I have been involved in X index cases, having been primary surgeon in X cases. Externally, I enjoy sport and can play the piano to grade seven."
17. Tell us how would you deliver a cost improvement program?
Your answer to this will need to cover a number of issues. You might say, "Initially, I would assess how the program fits into the trust's values and vision. With the input of financial and clinical colleagues I would draw up a detailed plan, including five-year forecasts. I would ensure that everyone involved in the plan had clear responsibilities and appropriate deadlines. The performance improvement would allow savings to be removed from departmental budgets. I would manage a risk register for the program. Once delivered, I would ensure regular monitoring and reporting using financial and non-financial indicators. I would also ensure regular audit."
Your interviewer wants to know how introspective you are, and to see if you can learn from your mistakes. Don't be afraid to talk candidly about your failures, especially if you learned something significant from them.
19. What is the FTSE, is it up or down, and what does that mean for the economy?
Employers like this question as it tests whether you understand some key business concepts like stock exchanges, the workings of corporations, and economic fluctuations, and whether you can look at the big picture for businesses as well as zoom in on particular stories.
The proactive, results-oriented person doesn't have to be told what to do. To convince the interviewer you possess this trait, give a series of short examples describing your self-motivation. Discuss one example in-depth, describing the extra effort, your strong work ethic and your creative, resourceful side.
Think on your feet. Ask questions to get more details and break the problem into subsections. It is highly likely that you will have had some experience dealing with the subsections. Answer these and summarise the total. If you can't answer directly, state how you would go about solving the problem. Be specific and show your organisational and analytical skills.
22. Tell me how would you deal with a drunk doctor?
Any question about difficult doctors requires a set answer that addresses the problem as well as the consequences for patients and the trust. You could answer along the following lines: "I would talk to my colleague and try to ascertain what the underlying problem was. I also would investigate any complaints. My primary concern would be patient safety and I would arrange cover for the doctor so that the trust's commitments are met. Either I or a senior colleague would check the doctor's decisions to ensure safety was not compromised. I would escalate the matter within the trust, using trust guidelines. I would ask for advice from senior colleagues, the clinical director, or the medical director, human resources, or the General Medical Council. I would ensure that support was provided for the doctor."
Most companies, unfortunately, face these problems daily. If you can't deal with petty problems, you'll be seen as uncooperative. How you overcome these are important. Diplomacy, perseverance and common sense will prevail in difficult circumstances.
Your interviewer is looking for strong management skills. You need to be creative and describe your toughest management task, even if it doesn't meet all the criteria. Most situations don't. Organisational and interpersonal skills, handling pressure and good handling of this question are indicative of effective management skills.
25. Pathology Consultant Interview Questions:
☛ What is the difference between clinical governance and clinical effectiveness?
☛ Describe an audit which you have done.
☛ Where do you see your role given the planned restructuring of pathology services (Carter report) and what are the advantages and disadvantages of the proposals.
☛ What makes a good leader!
☛ Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
☛ What advancements do you think you will have made to the department and how do you plan to develop the service over the next 5 years?
☛ Are you happy just giving clinical advice (as a consult) without full responsibility of the patient? What do you do if the advice is then ignored?
☛ How would you save costs in pathology?
26. Paediatrics Consultant Interview Questions:
☛ Why do you want to work for this Trust?
☛ What projects have you done that you have seen through to completion?
☛ Give an example of conflict between members of your team and how you dealt with it?
☛ Our Trust has signed up for "Patient first". What does this mean?
☛ What were the lessons of the Mid-Staffordshire report?
☛ Can you outline how you propose to undertake CPD as a consultant?
☛ What were the lessons from Baby P and how does this affect your practice?
☛ What is the NHS constitution?
☛ Do you know of any objective way of measuring risk?
27. ICU / Anaesthesia Consultant Interview Questions:
☛ Talk me through your training.
☛ You've published a bit, most seems to be from earlier placements in your country of origin. Is research easier there?
☛ What did the General Instructor Course equip you with for teaching? Does it really help?
☛ You've mentioned simulation in your presentation. Who do you use it for, and how do you keep it realistic?
☛ You've mentioned patient safety in your presentation. Which single thing would you do to increase patient safety?
☛ What is the first thing you would change on the ICU if you're given the job?
☛ How do you know that you're a good team playe?
☛ You said you've got communication skills. Can you expand on that?
☛ How would you deal with a situation where you find that the surgeon you're working with is below par?
☛ How would your friends describe you?
☛ How do you think you can help move UHL forward in the climate of the Comprehensive Spending Review? Follow-up question: Do you think some of your older colleagues might struggle with going out selling our services to buyers (GPs)?
☛ Why do you want to work here?
28. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Consultant Interview Questions:
☛ Talk us through your CV.
☛ What are your strengths and weaknesses?
☛ What would you like to look back on when you retire and feel proud of?
☛ What relation issues could arise between 2 consultants on an inpatient unit and how would you manage that?
☛ What isyour experience of developing services and how do you succeed when there is resistance to change?
☛ What outcome measures would you collect?
☛ Why should the Trust take the risk of giving such a high profile post to a new trainee?
☛ Other candidates are more experienced than you. What do you have to say about this?
☛ What will your contribution to research be?
☛ How would you help enhance this trust's reputation?
☛ How would you evaluate this service?
☛ What is unique about you?
29. Orthopaedics (Spinal Surgery) Consultant Interview Questions:
► Describe your postgraduate training - especially in your subspecialty.
► Describe your practical experience during you fellowship.
► What are your thoughts on cross specialty working within spinal surgery?
► Do you see any areas of commonality / difference between orthopaedic and neurosurgical spinal surgery?
► How would you organise MDTs?
► Where do you see the areas of expanding demand within spinal surgery?
► Can you expand on your comments regarding joint operating?
► How do you view research?
► You talked about postgraduate teaching - do you have any undergraduate teaching experience?
► Ho would you organise the spinal service?
► How would you organise the trauma service?
► How can you support the work of the trauma specialists?
► Ho do you think we are performing in the management of fragility fractures (osteoporosis)? How would you improve it?
► Describe a weakness?
► Describe another weakness?
► How would you demonstrate to me that you a good doctor?
► What action would you take if you discovered shortcomings in a colleagues practice?
► What two issues keep me, the CEO, awake at night re this Trust?
► In your experience what is the main limiting factor for efficient throughput in theatre? How would you improve it?
► How would you respond to complaints from nursing staff regarding changes in their working arrangement? (In the context of improvements in theatre practice)
► Did you realise that you have spelt orthopaedics incorrectly in your application form? How does that speak in favour of your attention to detail?
► What has been the biggest change and development for you moving from trainee to locum consultant?
► You discussed team working - how have you managed this during your time as a locum consultant?
30. Paediatrics Consultant Job Interview Questions:
► What information would you need to be given by the management on a regular basis in order to perform your duties as a consultant effectively?
► What would you be guided by when treating children?
► Tell me about an ethical problem you have encountered in your practice. What did you do and what did you learn?
► How do priorities differ between a Level 1 and a Level 3 neonatal unit?
► How do you ensure that paediatric and obstetrics teams work together?
► Take us through your CV.
► How would you deal with a drunk consultant colleague?
31. Dermatology Consultant Interview Questions:
☛ What service would you develop in your department and how?
☛ How would you reduce the costs of the department by 20%?
☛ How do you know that your teaching methods work?
☛ Are there any published studies on the outcomes of teaching?
☛ To produce a good undergraduate teaching, we will need to run less clinics or see less patients in clinics. How can you defend/argue this?
☛ Our hospital has poor feedback on patient experience. What one thing do you think we could change to improve this?
☛ In the current times when there is demand to see more patients, how can you defend spending time in research?
☛ What is the most interesting paper you have read this year and why?
☛ There is pressure to move some specialities into the community. What arguments would you use to keep your speciality hospital-based?
32. Radiology Consultant Based Interview Questions:
► Why do you want to work for this Trust?
► You were one of the first SpRs to be based in a DGH for your training. How was it? Is there any situation you feel you couldn't handle?
► Have you written up any of your oral or poster presentations?
► Have you come across the ethics committee form?
► What interests would you like to develop?
► What are your views on flexible working?
► Do you have any ideas about how we could reduce waiting time?
► It has been recommended that every consultant should spend one SPA on risk management issues. How would you spend this time?
► Your CV mentions various examples of leadership and management. Tell us about one that is particularly interesting or that you are particularly proud of.
► What could you you do to improve the patients' experience in your department?
33. Histopathology Consultant Interview Questions:
► Tell us about your training experience. What did you feel were the advantages and drawbacks?
► How many cases have you reported?
► The post needs research interests. How do you think you can develop this?
► What is you subspecialist interest and how can it fit within the current job plan?
► What is your experience in GI pathology?
► Not everyone can be a leader. What do you understand by 'Clinical Leadership'? How would you develop this within your department?
► What leadership role would you like to take in future?
► What are the changes propsed by the current white paper?
► Which of these do you think is the most important change and why?
► What is the major threat to our Trust as a result of the proposed changes?
► What are the criteria for patient satisfaction during the period of their treatment in a hospital?
34. Histopathology Consultant Job Interview Questions:
► Take us through your CV and your histopathology training.
► Who should run the MDT meetings? (Question asked by a surgeon).
► One of the consultants in the department complains their workload is excessive. What do you do?
► How would you describe yourself in relation to the way you work in a team?
► How would you improve efficiency in the lab?
► You are reporting a metastatic malignant melanoma. Looking at the previous histology, which is a skin biopsy, this was reported as a benigh naevs but is clearly a melanoma that has been missed. You were the reporting pathologist. What do you do next?
► How would you ensure that your department is working well and demonstrates excellence?
► What is the Trust's future direction and how can you contribute towards it?
► You talked so passionately about teaching that I am now wondering why you applied for a post which does not have a big teaching component. Why?
35. Anaesthesia (Pain) Consultant Interview Questions:
► Tell us 3 skills you have acquired in your training which make you different.
► Is the role of psychology important in pain?
► What are the new requirements in the curriculum by the Faculty of Pain Medicine for training?
► What is the difference between a consultant and a trainee?
► Tell us about your research experience?
► Tell us about your MSc?
► Do you read any subspeciality journals?
► What have you read which changed your practice?
► What is the future of pain services in 5 to 10 years?
► Tell me about a memorable patient encounter?
► How do you measure quality in chronic pain?
► How do you now chronic pain services are value for money?
► What is the point of integrating King's, Guy's and St Thomas and KCL?
► What initiatives do you know for infection control in the wards?
► Should we ask GPs how we are doing?
► How will GP consortia change pain management?
► How do you increase patient satisfaction on the wards with regards to pain?
► How do you get nurses to improve pain scoring and assessment of pain on ward?
► What are King's values and which one of them do you identify with?
