Practice Interview Questions & Answers Flashcards
(66 cards)
1
Q
“Tell me about you; Walk me through your background.”
A
“Elevator Pitch” Time:
- _WHO I AM_: I proudly possess 2 synergistically beneficial advanced health sciences degrees giving me an extremely strong background in public & population health, as well as a doctorate level scientific understanding of multiple specialties and subspecialties within clinical & preventive medicine.
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_WHY I AM QUALIFIED_: I’ve spent the greater part of the last 12 years studying the healthcare system from many different vantage points.
- During my 2 years (2006-2008) at the University of Colorado (MPH) I was able to successfully match my very strong analytical skills with a degree concentration in Epidemiology. This discipline also allowed me to pursue my greatest passion – helping to eliminate health disparities by ensuring equal access to quality health products/services – with an internship at the CDPHE, Office of Health Disparities (now Department of Health Equity). (Presented at community events and assisted with health disparity research analysis on Public Health projects.
- During my 4 years at Ross University SOM (MD) consisted of 2 years of Basic Sciences, followed by 2 years of Clinical Rotations back in the United States. Various hospitals where I rotated Jamaica Medical Center, Jamaica Queens, NY (IM), NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases (Otho Surg-Spine), University of Miami Hospital (Cards, Neuro, EM), Cleveland Clinic (EM & Vasc Surg), and a mentorship sponsored rotation back home at the University of Colorado School of Medicine (Ortho Surg-Trauma).
- Finally, after graduating from medical school in 2014, I received dual specialty residency physician training (1 year in General Surgery at Nothwell Health on Long Island in NY; the last 2 years in PM&R with WSUSOM at Beaumont Health in MI.
- _WHY I AM HERE_: Although I love clinical medicine and patient encounters, it is limited in its flexibility for career development, and it still relies on outdated assessment measures to determine specialty placement. Therefore, there is not as much wiggle room to specialize in an area that you may be more passionate about and, therefore, excel at. This position will allow me to utilize the talents that I bring in in combination with the talents of the other team members in a way that achieves the highest level to team success while situating each member well to advance in the career direction of their choosing.
2
Q
“What are your greatest Strengths?”
A
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An insatiable curiosity for learning as a means to success.
- Situation or Task…
- Action(s) taken…
- Results…
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Highly motivated to do better than expected.
- Situation or Task…
- Action(s) taken…
- Results…
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Extremely persistent towards meeting the high goals I have set for myself.
- Situation or Task…
- Action(s) taken…
- Results…
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Strong Interpersonal and Communication skills.
- Situation or Task…
- Action(s) taken…
- Results…
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High level of Emotional Intelligence.
- Situation or Task…
- Action(s) taken…
- Results…
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Results Driven.
- Situation or Task…
- Action(s) taken…
- Results…
3
Q
“What are your greatest Weaknesses?”
A
4
Q
“Tell me about something you did – or failed to do – that you now feel a little ashamed of.”
A
Honestly, I harbor no regrets. I like to live life in the current moment. I do not like to dwell on the past or worry about the future. Rather, I prefer to take a little time at the end of each day to review how things are going. This is when I can truly learn from the past and prepare for the future appropriately. However, if I don’t focus on the quality of my work in the moment then the quality of the finished product will only be as good as the moments that created it.
5
Q
“Why did you leave your previous position?”
A
- I realized early on in clinical medicine that the equation for Residency placement and, therefore, the equation that determines which specialties & subspecialties physicians can practice, was not one that matched individual strengths/talents with the right position but rather predetermines a limited number of strengths/talents of value in a physician as a whole (reading, writing, math), and then places those who are lucky enough to excel at those few areas of intelligence in the more competitive/high paying specialties & subspecialties. This process creates many situations where physicians can become pigeon-holed into practicing a specialty that they may not be passionate about and/or good at, and that leads to high rates of burnout.
- The pharmaceutical industry seems to prefer assessing individual strengths/talents/global intelligence of its employees and then place them in positions that they are both interested in and will excel at. And if the formula was off, there’s a lot more flexibility for transition in pharmaceuticals than could ever be possible for physicians under the current policies.
- I needed 3 years of PG residency training + Pass all 3 USMLE Step Exams in order to receive my Medical Licence. My PM&R residency program was undergoing a lot of internal changes, not to mention transitioning from a WSU program to a Beaumont Health program. In discussion with my supervisors, I used this opportunity of change two goals: First, To become a licensed physician and second, to restructure my career plans by sticking to my goal of never feeling forced to do a job you’re not excited about and/or good at.
6
Q
The “Silent Treatment”
A
- Keep quiet yourself for a while and then…
- Ask, with sincere politeness and not a trace of sarcasm, “Is there anything else I can fill in on that point?”
7
Q
“Why should I hire you for this AHFAE position?”
A
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From what I understand about the position, albeit working solely off of the posted job description and information I received from the recruiter, you’re looking for someone with the following qualifications:
- Advanced Degree Candidates with 3+ years of relevant external healthcare experience (MD, MPH with 12+ years of healthcare experience)
- Demonstrated Leadership Skills
- Strong Business and Financial Acumen of the external healthcare environment (MPH, Residency Training, Healthcare Family w/high-level hospital executive father).
- Strong Interpersonal and Communication Skills (MPH Networking, Cross-functional Leadership, seasoned presenter and educator/instructor of medicine and other health sciences).
- Prefer, Strong Negotiating Skills (use, “Six Figure Salary Negotiation” as proof).
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My diverse experiences as a healthcare provider in Clinical Medicine has provided me with a strong understanding of the pharmaceutical needs of clinicians and the Integrated Delivery Systems (IDS) they are employed by. When combined with my seasoned interpersonal and communication skills, I view myself as a key asset in our team’s ability to communicate the Clinical Value Proposition for assigned products. using my science background to build team credibility and my fluency in clinical medicine terminology for effective communication between company divisions, team members, and the client accounts we are responsible for:
- I**t has always been essential to clearly demonstrate why a brand offers incremental value over existing therapies.
- I understand that changing ingrained habits of clinicians is particularly challenging because we feel that we know what works best for our patients since that is how we’re taught in medical school. There is very little if any emphasis on the overall value to the healthcare system as applied to the selection of various clinical products. when both the value of care and the cost value are considered, which and now have to deal with justifying decisions that have financial impact. I can utilize my MD to leverage credible relationships with IDN pharmacy leadership for selected accounts. (Serves as proof that I can truly empathize with the daily frustrations prescribing clinical healthcare providers face when dealing with a poorly constructed drug formulary. Shows sincerity and dedication to applying the “Patient First, Profits Later” ideology).
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My strong interpersonal and communication skills transition well to the job description duties of:
- Presenting Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) brand pricing to Integrated Delivery Network (IDN) pharmacy leadership
- Communicating approved financial and Budget Impact Models (BIM)
- Communicating product access with overlay Field Sales Team for assigned accounts
8
Q
“Aren’t you overqualified for this position?”
A
- I believe the term “overqualified” is a relative term and relies too much on paper documented degrees. I have recently been identified as a “Gifted” Adult which innately pushes me to learn more and try to be better. My early goals within the health sciences field* was to:
- a.) study clinical medicine and become a physician,*
- b.) to study population/public health, and*
- c.) to learn the business of medicine.*
- I have now completed the first 2. And, instead of returning to school for another advanced degree (MBA, MHA) I would like to leverage my breadth and depth of knowledge in clinical medicine and public health to assist this team as best I can in exchange for developing and deepening my understanding of the business aspects of medicine. At this point in my career, I prefer to meet this goal in a career at the* source. All this while receiving a salary to help pay off the first 2 goals I’ve already met.
9
Q
“Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”
A
Most importantly, I’m looking to make a long-term commitment in my career now. I’ve moved around enough during my years of medical training to be sure that this Company, Position, and Location/Region is where I want to be to meet both my professional and personal needs.
As the position has been explained to me thus far, it is exactly what I’m looking to do and the job duties cater perfectly to my greatest strengths.
I truly believe that if I combine my work ethic excellence to every project I’m fortunate to work on, and if I’m given the proper opportunities to learn and develop from some of the best in the industry, any future opportunities will take care of themselves. They always do.
10
Q
“Describe your ideal Company, Location, and Job.”
A
Company:
- A global pharmaceutical company that takes pride in putting people over profit.
- Has a therapeutically diverse product and pipeline list. Serves two purposes: a.) company stability in that it does not “live and die” on the success/failures of a single product, and b.) provides equally diverse opportunities to succeed in this company.
- Provides great Professional Development opportunities.
Location:
- Region (CO, KC, MO, NE) - Family support is important to me. I’ve been gone from them for a long time and this position’s geographic location allows me to stay close to them again.
Job:
- Utilizes my strong interpersonal & communication skills.
- Allows me to be a vital and respected member of supportive team of other vitals members, all collaborating to achieve a shared, or set of shared, goals.
- Ability to trade my advanced knowledge for learning any business areas I may be lacking.
- Helps me maintain my clinical medicine knowledge by working on the clinical value of a number of pharmaceutical products used in the clinical setting.
- One where each team member’s opinions are valued and constructively criticized in an open and honest way that promotes individual and/or group learning, with individual specific and confidential discipline as needed on a situational and individual basis. I believe in learning what works best for each individual employee and trying to help them succeed by tailoring performance improvement and/or disciplinary techniques to their individual strengths.
11
Q
“Why do you want to work for Merck?”
A
- Merck’s Global Human Health (GHH) Division abides by a “Patient First, Profits Later” ideology.
- Values Diversity in the workplace - True emphasis on Promoting & Celebrating diversity in the workplace.
- The Culture - I watched the “Beyond the Job Description” series on the Merck Careers website and found a common theme that caters to my strengths; a Collaborative and Cross-Functional work environment. This structure truly creates synergistic advantages over companies that don’t foster this, and create a much friendlier work environment
12
Q
“What are you Career Options right now?”
A
- Clinical Medicine - While every other career opportunity that I am currently exploring is in the Pharmaceutical Industry, I am a believer in keeping career options open for a multitude of reasons. As a current example, I am currently studying for and committed to successfully passing the USMLE Step 3 exam, the final step in the process of receiving my medical license. Doing so allows me the option of working for an Urgent Care facility part-time on weekend to a.) maintain knowledge of clinical practice, if desired, and b.) help pay back school debt, or full-time in case of any unexpected emergencies (always best to be overprepared).
- Other than that I will only be using this extra credential for any added assistance it may bring, if any, in acquiring a non-clinical pharmaceutical position like this and applying the leverage it brings to future salary negotiations, should I not be offered this position.
13
Q
“Why have you been out of work so long (since July 2018)?”
A
- I wanted to take the time to study the pharmaceutical industry and what the career options were for someone with my experience and with my particular strengths. In doing so I was able to narrow my choices down to a few specific areas of interest with managed markets seeming to fit best with my abilities.
- Figuring out my Giftedness and Studying with a tutor to help pass USMLE Step 3.
- If you know anything about residencies then you understand that a short 1-2 month vacation upon completion is as deserved as it is required by the soul.
14
Q
“Tell me honestly about the Stong Points & Weak Points of your previous boss, company, management team, etc.”
A
- Highly intelligent
- Strong emphasis on teaching
- Respected by all residents for his commitment to the above
- Very approachable
- Truly listened
- Respected his residents as peer physicians with less experience. Made communication much more comfortable allowing for the best ideas to be expressed and not suppressed by any intimidation
15
Q
“What good books have you read lately?”
A
- Essentials of Managed Care textbook
- Medical Science Liaison book
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12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos - Jordan Peterson, Ph.D.
- Summary -
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The Gifted Adult: A Revolutionary Guide for Liberating Everyday Genius - Mary-Elaine Jacobsen, Psy.D
- Summary -
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Cutting School: Privatization, Segregation, and the End of Public Education - Noliwe Rooks
- Summary -
16
Q
“Tell me about a situation when your work was criticized.”
A
- I’ve been fortunate to benefit from honest feedback from previous employers evaluation processes. And these have consistently praised me for my patience, personability, and highly teachable w/ high-level desire to learn.
- Surgical suture technique - During my
17
Q
“What are you outside interests/hobbies?”
A
- Marathon Runner - Ran Miami Marathon in 2011 and the NYC Marathon in 2015. I have also completed numerous Half-Marathons during marathon training. I find it necessary for me to incorporate some level of exercise into my weekly routine. The dedication it takes to train for a marathon is always a welcome and therapeutic challenge for me giving me an extremely difficult goal to meet in a given amount of time, but the flexibility to employ one of several, or a combination of several, proven strategies that match best with my strengths. I believe there is always more than one solution to a problem and allowing employees to be innovative in their strategies allows supervisors to assess their employees’ decision-making capacity. And, when supervisors are open to new methods to receive the same result in a more efficient manner. Allowing this creativity is what excites me about his industry as it is truly why it is as successful as it is and I’m all for that
18
Q
The “Fatal Flaw” Question
A
- Be honest about shortcoming
- Don’t apologize or try to explain it away (this “supposed” flaw is nothing to be concerned about, and you want the interviewers to adobt that belief as well based on your confident lack of concern for it.)
- Any “flaw” I may seem to possess concerning my fit for this position is the same cause of my determination in making it much further than I could have even imagined. This is what feeds the hunger of my insatiable curiosity to learn and improve as a person.
19
Q
“How do you feel about reporting to a younger person, minority, woman, etc?”
A
Not a problem at all. I believe in hiring and promoting employees based solely on ability and interest. Whoever my supervisor is, they obviously earned their position and will happily learn from anyone of any age, race, gender, etc.
20
Q
“On Confidential Matters…”
A
NEVER reveal anything truly confidential about a former employer
21
Q
“Would you Lie for the company?”
A
If pressed, ALWAYS choose Personal Integrity
22
Q
“Looking back, what would you do differently in your life?”
A
Honestly, no. It’s been a wonderful journey so far.
23
Q
“Could you have done better in your last job?”
A
With the benefit of hindsight, I believe we can all evaluate our past performance and strive for improvement based on what we’ve learned from that reflection. However, there was certainly nothing of concern.
If pressed, choose a situation that was out of your control
24
Q
“Can you work under pressure?”
A
Absolutely.
- 80+hr surgery work weeks with overnight oncall shifts, holding 2 services (eg, trauma & vascular) with a strict deadline of completing all overnight patients notes and morning sign-out before 5:00am rounds. I was successful in this task through strong organizational skills, using my interpersonal skills to build strong relationships with unit nursing staff who were life-safer’s for the residents they liked. Little signs of appreciation for those I worked with a majority of my weekly hours went a long way and made me look great to my supervisors in the process.
25
"What makes you angry?"
I'm an even-tempered and positive person who tries to remain as mindful as possible in every situation, especially those that may be stressful and/or challenging.
26
"Why aren't you earning more at this stage of your career?"
Making money is important to me and one, albeit not the most important, of the reasons I am here.
Throughout my career, I have always been more focused on learning and doing something I truly enjoy rather than the money. That said, two advanced degrees don't pay for themselves so taking those into consideration is always appreciated.
27
"Who has inspired you most in your life, and why?"
**Mom**
* Nurse Practioner
* Worked in AIDS clinic
* Showed me the value to Patient before Profit
* Has supported me in everything I've wanted to do
28
"What was the Toughest Decision you ever had to make?"
Leaving for medical school or staying and playing it safe:
29
"Tell me about the Most Boring Job you've ever had."
Perhaps I've been fortunate but I've never found myself bored in any job I've ever had. From the Zoo in HS all the way through residency. I've always enjoyed and excelled at hard work and find myself getting bored easily when I'm not working hard on something of value.
30
"Have you ever been absent from work more than a few days in any previous positions?"
*No. As a matter of fact, I never missed a day of work in either of my last 2 positions that wasn't scheduled at least 6 weeks in advance, and I never took more vacation days than I was given.*
31
"What changes would you make if you came on board?"
As a clinician, I never provided a diagnosis without first doing an exam. Using that same approach
* I would first assess the work environment and learn why things are being done the ways they are.
* I would then like to listen to what each team member likes about how things are done and what they think could be improved.
32
"I'm concerned that you don't have as much experience as we'd like in..."
33
"How do you feel about working Nights/Weekends?"
34
"Are you willing to Relocate or Travel?"
Yes and Yes
35
"Do you have the stomach to Fire people? Have you had experience Firing many people?"
36
"Why have you had so many jobs?"
37
"What do you see as the proper role/mission of a good AHFAE, a good Manager, an Executive, a Leading Company in the Pharmaceutical Industry?"
38
"What would you say to your boss if he's/she's crazy about an idea, but you think it stinks?"
39
"How could you have improved your career progress?"
40
"What would you do if a fellow executive on your own corporate level wasn't pulling his/her weight...and this was hurting your department?"
41
"Why not continue on with Clinical Medicine?"
1. *It is too limited in its flexibility for career development.*
2. *It still relies on outdated assessment measures to determine specialty placement rather than updated assessments of talents and abilities as a means of helping employees excel in their own chosen career paths. This is what makes the Non-clinical setting so attractive. For Example, I know that I need to be constantly challenged in my work to perform at my best. Routine and Slow are not a part my ideal work environment. It’s not that I want the day to fly by so I don’t have to work anymore. I just truly want to enjoy what I do so much that I lose track of time* *all-together**. However, I also know that my strongest learning styles can occasionally benefit from the patience & support during training and career developments process required to give certain projects the detail-oriented attention they truly deserve. Simply said, Clinical Medicine just does not provide me with the proper working environment for my strongest abilities. This leaves little wiggle room to specialize in an area that you may be more passionate about and, therefore, excel at, leading to high rates of burn-out. I’m getting out ahead of that storm as I can sense it coming like a bum knee.*
3. *\*\*As IMG need at least 3 years of Post-Graduate Residency Training + Pass on all 3 Steps of USMLE to receive Medical License in most States. Now that I’ve completed my 3 years of residency training and passed USMLE Steps 1 & 2, all that’s left is for me to pass Step 3, which I’m studying for now with an expected test date around April/**May,* *2019.\*\**
42
"May I contact your previous employer for a reference?"
Yes. My references are on the last page of my CV. I have an extra copy if you need one.
43
"Give me an example of your creativity (analytical skills, managing ability, etc.)."
44
"Where could you use some improvement?"
45
"What do you worry about?"
46
"How many hours a week did you normally work in your last 2 jobs?"
1. **PM&R Residency: ~65hrs/wk**
2. **Gen. Surg. Residency: ~80hrs/wk**
47
"What do you envision being the most difficult part of being an AHFAE?"
48
**The "Hypothetical Problem"**
49
"What was the toughest challenge you've ever faced?"
50
"Have you considered starting your own business?"
51
"What are your goals?"
52
"What is your approach to hiring people?"
53
"Sell me this stapler, pencil, clock, or other objects in the room."
54
**"The Salary Question"**
"How much do you want?"
1. I'm sure an experienced company like Merck has already established a salary range for this position. Could you tell me what that is?
2. I only want a salary that is commensurate with my abilities and qualifications. I believe all great relationships begin with trust and I trust that you'll be fair with me. So, what does the position pay?
3. *My research shows* *that,* *“The typical Merck Regional Account Manager salary is **$160,076**. Regional Account Manager salaries at Merck can range from **$154,556 - $171,116**. [https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Merck-Regional-Account-Manager-Salaries-E438\_D\_KO6,30.htm](https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Merck-Regional-Account-Manager-Salaries-E438_D_KO6,30.htm)*
55
**"The Illegal Question"**
eg, Children (now or plan on)?
56
**"The *_Secret_* Illegal Question"**
Speak about strengths you think the interviewer may be concerned about, but hasn't asked you about directly
57
"What was the _toughest_ part of your last job?"
*The interviewer will assume what you found toughest may cause you trouble in your new position.*
There was nothing in my last position that I found overly difficult.
* I found the more challenging parts of the job were those that I excelled at, at that's been a trend throughout my life.
* The easier aspects of the position served as opportunities to perfect those skills.
58
"How do you define '**Success**', and how do you measure up to your own definition?"
*noun*
* "The accomplishment of an aim or purpose."
* Based on that definition I would say I have been extremely successful...
59
**"The Opinion Question"**
"What are your opinions on Abortion, The President, The Death Penalty, or any other controversial subject?"
1. Why do you ask? If presses, ask another question.
2. Speak in generalities (eg, "I'm finding it hard to like any politicians right now").
60
"If you won $10 million in the lottery, would you still work?"
After a return to normal, I would definitely continue to work. I'm a life-long learner and find it more enjoyable to continue doing so while adding value to the world.
61
"Looking back on your last position, have you done your best work?"
I always try to do my best work and truly feel that I'm at the top of my game and just now hitting my career stride matching my strong academic and professional training with the maturity to pick the right career for my interests and strengths.
62
"Why should I hire you from the outside when I could promote someone from within?"
In general, I think it's a good policy to hire from within. That said, it's only natural to want the strongest candidate to help make the department as strong as possible. I feel that I could fill that desire by bringing a strong clinical medicine and public health background to the team. I have a scientific background but an acumen for business and I believe that we would both be highly benefited by my addition to the team.
* Passion
* Maturity
* Experience
* etc.
63
"Tell me something negative you've heard about **Merck**."
I have honestly only heard good things about this company.
64
"On a scale of 1 - 10, rate me as an interviewer."
"You have been very methodical and analytical, as am I when in situations like yours. Therefore, I am confident that this approach results in excellent hires for your team.
65
"Based on what you know about the position, what would you think makes for a good Account Manager/Executive?"
1. Strong interpersonal and communication skills
2. Multifunctional
3. Results driven
4. Works well as part of a team - sharing of advanced knowledge among team members creates a better understanding as a whole and allows for increased group success and individual improvement in knowledge.
66
"It is vital that you are able to remain organized when dealing with multiple client accounts at the same time. How do you organize your work?"
Getting Things Done method (Book: by David Allen, 2001)
* I have adopted this system that teaches you how to identify, track, and-most important-choose the next action on tasks, commitments, and projects. It thus helps you master all the demands on your time while also unleashing your creative potential.
* I use the Evernote software and app to keep track of my tasks, commitments, and projects. Here I have a Notebook for each Project
