List Of Important Interview Questions On Physician Assistant

Q – 1 Tell me why did you choose PA over a doctor?

Ans- ► I want the flexibility that comes with being a PA while still giving excellent care for my patients.
► I feel that one of the best things about being a PA is that you don’t have to specialize in a particular field. PA’s can practice general medicine as well as change specialties throughout their careers. I also think that Pas have the opportunity to spend more time with patients and develop strong relationships.

Q – 2 Explain what you know about Physician Assistants?

Ans- I know that Physician Assistants work under a phsyician. They can do many things such as diagnose illnesses, perform minor surgeries, perform medical histories and examinations, suture small wounds, cast broken body parts and much more. They may work in many settings from geriatrics, obstetrics, pediatrics and surgery to the emergency room.

Q – 3 What are two major ethical issues facing the medical field today?

Ans- Abortion will always be an issue, however, a very interesting issue that I have recently come across in practice is that of whether or not to force a religious based hospital to provide medical care such as contraception or procedures for sterility. Another ethical issue

I see daily is that of overpriced medications. I have run into this issue daily with the limits our patients put on their own medications only being able to afford generics.

Q – 4 What types of people you find most difficult to work with?

Ans- The people that are most difficult for me to work with are those who refuse to do their share of the work. I prefer working with people who have integrity in their work and perform tasks even when they think no one is looking. For me, it is frustrating and difficult to work with someone who dislikes team effort and doing their part.

Q – 5 How will you control your stress and handle patients with care and integrity?

Ans- By establishing a good rapport with my patients. i find that patients are very forgiving if you have established a good relationship.

Q – 6 What practice you observed?

Ans- I was in a small practice with one Dermatologist and his Physician Assistant. Both the doctor and PA performed procedures, treated a variety of skin conditions, and offered cosmetic procedures as well. We worked with a diverse population, and in my time there I learned the necessary skills to perform autonomously those same procedures.

Q – 7 When did you make this decision to be a PA?

Ans- I realized that my chance of being a surgeon is almost zero.So I searched through other programs and found this program as clearly consistent with my experience and interests.

Q – 8 Tell me are you aware of the multifaceted nature of Physicians?

Ans- I beleive that be versatile is ine of the many attributes that people who work into the medical field should have.

Q – 9 What are the last two non-academic books you have read?

Ans- Death Comes to Pemberley by PD James The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

Q – 10 Tell me what you know of my medical practice?

Ans- Works under the supervision of a doctor. treats basic injuries , interprets charts and labs, speaks to patients.

Q – 11 Suppose if A patient has AIDs, would you still treat them as an Assistant?

Ans- Yes i will treat if the my sp and facility policy allow pa to do so.

Q – 12 Tell me will you worry about any infections while performing work with patients?

Ans- When working with patients i will make a strong effort towards maintaining as sterile an environment as possible with my equipment and surroundings. That being said infections should always be in the back of the providers mind.

Q – 13 What is your worst type of patient?

Ans- Does not care.

Q – 14 Tell me what you think will be your greatest challenge in completing Physician Assistant school?

Ans- I think that the hardest part of PA school will be the rigurous work load that comes in the first year of the program.

Q – 15 Tell me do you have specific interests related to medical practice?

Ans- I have been working as an emergency medical technician since the age of 19 and would like to continue to pursue that knowledge working in an ER setting.

Q – 16 Do you know what is a PA?

Ans- A physician assistant that practices under the license of a Medical Doctor.

Q – 17 Tell me how would you rate your previous college education?

Ans- My previous college education was a big challenge for me. Working 24 hours a week and being RA, made a big effect on my grades. however, I could have done so better.

Q – 18 Are you aware of options in the profession of physician assistant?

Ans- Yes, Physician assistants can work in many medical specialties including: geriatrics, obstetrics, surgery, dermatology, oncology and many others. However; when the physician assistant profession was founded in the early 1960 it was set up to allow individuals to learn medicine so that they could provide care to rural areas.

Q – 19 Tell me how would you control the cost of healthcare?

Ans- Not ordering unnecessary tests.

Q – 20 How and where you study best?

Ans- I study best at a desk with some soft background music. Not too many distractions.

Q – 21 Explain a medical ethics issue?

Ans- Well, one of the values are to let the patient refuse or accept the proposed treatment. sometimes in doing this and the patient refuses it goes against another value, which is that the practitioner is supposed to act on the patients behalf .

Q – 22 What is the favorite thing you observed or highlights of your observation experience?

Ans- The highlight of my shadowing experience with a Physician Assistant was when I was allowed to do hands on observation. I was able to listen to lung sounds of patients with pneumonia, heart sounds of a patient with a mechanical valve, along with many other interesting experiences.

Q – 23 Do you know what are the negative aspects of being a Physician Assistant?

Ans- The most negative aspects of being a PA is the stress that comes along with the job. It is important to know patients and their medical history when diagnosing them. Any misdiagnosis will lead to much larger problems as the health field today is full of malpractice charges.

Q – 24 Tell me why have you chosen to pursue this profession?

Ans- I choose the Physician Assistant career after an experience I had early on. In high school I had the opportunity to take a course called Health Science Internship, which provided me the chance to shadow various health care professionals including nurses, various doctors, and a physician assistant. The specific experience included shadowing a Surgical Physician Assistant at the local Surgery Center. That was my first time seeing a Physician Assist.

Q – 25 What is the biggest responsibility that you have ever had?

Ans- ► Coordinator.
► The biggest responsibility i have ever had has been managing the pharmacy and 7 other pharmacy technicians.

Q – 26 Tell me what do you think about HMO’s and the changes taking place in medicine?

Ans- With who else do you work.

Q – 27 Tell me when you are stressed, what signs occur and what do you do about it?

Ans- I know that I am stressed when I become overwhelmed with my tasks. But then I sit down and organize my tasks in order of highest priority.

Q – 28 Tell me does your family support your decisions?

Ans- Yes my family are very supportive of my decisions.

Q – 29 Tell me if you have any sales experience?

Ans- Aren’t we all natural born sellers? When making friends, when seeking a job, when finding a mate, we must actually sell ourselves, be pusuasive, assist others in seeing who you really are and what capabilities, values and solutions you can bring to the table. So yes, I have had sales experience. As a PA I will become a better sales person, invited into the most honorable role of being trusted and providing suitable options and answers.

Q – 30 Suppose If their were no need for PAs, what would you do?

Ans- If there were no need for Physician Assistants, I would pursue another health care profession. I would likely aim toward being a physician, as I am interested in being a provider.

Q – 31 Describe a day without stress?

Ans- I wake up early in the morning and walk outside with my dog and relax with my family at home or on vacation. I would also have one of my favorite books to read at my leisure. In the evening, my family and I would put together a traditional Filipino meal and eat together at the table.

Q – 32 How would your friends describe you?

Ans- Friendly, honest, compassionate, caring, determined, motivated,nice.

Q – 33 What kind of people you work with best?

Ans- I work best with a diverse group of people that all contribute something special to a practice. I like to work with a highly motivated group of friendly individuals.

Q – 34 What is your work ethic?

Ans- Being a Division 1 college athlete has taught me a great deal about work ethic and I find mine to be exceptional. There have been multible times during workouts and games that I have felt like there was no way I could give anymore but have always found a way to push through.

Also, traveling to all of our games and missing two to three days of classes a week during season when we are on the road has really taught me good work ethic. With all the distractions that come with traveling on a bus with 15 other girls, I have always worked hard to get my school work done and still maintain above average grades all due to my work ethic.

Q – 35 Tell me what type of medicine will you practice?

Ans- I currently work in cardiology. However, I am open to a variety of different areas. I think it will depend upon how my clinical rotations go.

Q – 36 Tell me what do you have to offer our school?

Ans- I believe I offer a lot to this school. Primarily, I am interested, engaged, and eager to learn everything I can about this profession and medicine. I also offer a wealth of experience with both acute and long term care as well as patients from young to old, which I feel is very valuable.

Finally, I feel as though I offer the skills such as teamwork and time management that make a person successful both in the classroom and in workplace environments.

Q – 37 Tell me what would your last employer say about you?

Ans- I think my last employer would say that I am patient. I was a TA for a physiology class and held my own office hours for students to come in and ask questions. Sometimes it took many different explanations for a student to understand the concept, and I did not become frustrated when one of them (or some of them) did not understand.

Q – 38 Are you using this as a stepping stone to your M.D.?

Ans- No. I am choosing a career as a physician assistant because I have a love for medicine that I would like to be able to convey to my patients. I do not want to become an MD because I would like to eventually start a family and would like to keep my home life and work life seperate.

Q – 39 A medical practice, acts like a business, Tell me do you have any business experience?

Ans- I have much experience with customer service. I worked as a cook at a Pizza Hut in college.I taught high school for 12 years and smiled at unhappy parents and tried to get them to partner with me to help their child succeed After I left teaching I worked as Lead pharmacy tech at Rite Aid and as an in-patient pharmacy tech at CHM. Both jobs required following orders quickly and accurately even if doctors, nurses, or patients barked at you.

Q – 40 Brief me about yourself?

Ans- I am a hardworking and passionate recent graduate from Michigan State University working as a PT aide at a Spinal and Orthopedic Rehabilitation center. I grew up skiing and ski raced as a kid, and in my spare time I love to enjoy the outdoors. I consider myself to be very personable and I knew that healthcare was profession for me when I was able to help patients as a nurse assistant and I gained satisfaction from their appreciation.

Q – 41 Tell me how did you manage your time among school, work, and other activities?

Ans- The strive for balance, I have learned, must be met with support. Juggling school, work and having a young family requires the support of my community of friends and family. We have made the decision to move closer to family to attend physician assistant school for that reason.

It’s a matter of letting go of perfection and doing your best. I realize that I need to ask for help when I need it and not wait until I’m stressed, exhausted and overwhelmed to admit that I am not SuperWoman. I love being a multi-tasker, I like wearing lots of hats. But in order to do all that well, I have to set up and utilize a strong support system. I feel blessed to have the support in my life that I do.

Q – 42 Explain about the last physician you worked for?

Ans- The physician i am working for right now has taught me how important it is to actually listen , and how important treatment plans are for the patients.

Q – 43 Tell me about your overall academic performance?

Ans- My overall academic performance is good. I could have done better in some areas, however i have learned greatly from some of the lower marks.

Q – 44 Do you handle blood and gore?

Ans- Coming from an emergency room I have more than a few experiences with blood and gore. I handle it well and if anything blood and gore increases my concentration. It causes me to have a sense of urgency, that isn’t to say that i become hectic in the presence of blood but more methodical and deliberate in my actions.

Q – 45 Tell me why did you not choose a career in research?

Ans- I do enjoy aspects of the research process, including discovering a new approach of solution to a problem, but I am drawn to a career that involves the direct patient contact. In my experience as a technician I have found that I thoroughly enjoy the interactions that I have with the patients and their families. I think there is a lot to be learned and gained from the time spent at the bedside and therefore feel that I would be suited by a primary care career.

Q – 46 Who is Physician Assistant

Ans- A Physician Assistant or Physician Associate is a healthcare professional who is licensed to practice medicine as part of a team with physicians.