MockQuestions

Paramedic Mock Interview

30 Questions Created By

To help you prepare for your Paramedic interview, here are 30 interview questions and answer examples.

First Question

30 Paramedic Interview Questions

10 Interview Questions With Sample Answers

1.   Tell me in detail how you remain calm during a crisis.

How to Answer

As a paramedic, you have experienced stress. By now, it may have become second nature because you've learned to focus on the procedures you need to do to get through it. The way that you answer this question will be crucial. Walk the interviewer through a recent situation and how you handled the situation.

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

Entry Level Example

"I remain calm by taking a deep breath and assessing the situation. I feel confident in my skills and training, and I always handle crises as I am trained. When I am calm, I can help diffuse the situation and calm others around me."

Written by Krista Wenz on November 11th, 2022

Answer Example

"During a stressful situation, I stay focused and communicate with my partner. I stay present and use my energy efficiently by following routine checks and moving quickly. If there is massive blood loss, I focus on stopping the bleeding, pressure points, and patient care. There is no time to be anxious or frantic."

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

2.   What are your career goals?

How to Answer

Consider how the position you are interviewing for will fit your long-term goals as you apply for jobs. As you know, becoming a paramedic takes a lot of hard work and training. There are many options once you have become a licensed paramedic. You may want to consider fields like nursing or becoming a physician's assistant, or you might aspire to work as a paramedic supervisor. The exposure and experience you get while working in this field will open many doors. Think critically about what you want for your future and share how this role will benefit you by helping you get to the next step.

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

Entry Level Example

"I love being a paramedic and cannot see doing anything else. My career goals are to get hired by your company and promoted to Field Training Officer in the next two to three years. By then, I will have five years of experience and will feel comfortable training others."

Written by Krista Wenz on November 11th, 2022

Answer Example

"My career goal in the next few years is to gain more experience and become even better at my job. Once I have more experience, I am interested in applying for a supervisory position with this company."

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

3.   Talk about a time your emotions were tested in a work situation.

How to Answer

Paramedics deal with horrible injuries, people coming from bad situations, and death. With each bad encounter, your emotions will come into play. For this question, your interviewer will be able to gauge your ability to keep your emotions in check while providing patient care. It is okay to let the interviewer know that you were touched emotionally by a particular patient or situation because you are a person that feels real emotions, but talk about how you were able to remain focused and do your job.

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

Entry Level Example

"I spent a good portion of my career as a paramedic covering the small community I grew up in. This is a small town where you feel like you know almost every person and know the clerk's name at the local gas station and the waitress at the cafe downtown. During a call to a suspected stroke at a private residence, we were pulling down the street, and I realized that we were approaching the home of one of my father's close friends that I knew since childhood. When we entered the house, his wife was in a panic as her husband was lying on the kitchen floor. Not wanting my personal feelings to get involved, I relied on my training and stayed focused on the life-saving procedures he needed. Once we got him to the hospital, he was rushed into surgery. The next day, his wife sought my crew out to thank us for our efforts that day to help save her husband's life."

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

Answer Example

"Being a father of two, any time I respond to a call for a child always pulls a little extra emotion out of me. Last year, the local police department called my crew for a child that had been severely injured in what was suspected to be child abuse. When we arrived, we found a three-year-old child with difficulty breathing, bruising around the eyes, and a bloody nose. With a quick assessment of the scene, we highly suspected some broken ribs, so we prepared the child for transport. I'll never forget as we walked out of the house through the living room to see both the mother and father being taken into police custody. It took some willpower to not give them a piece of my mind, but my focus needed to be on getting the child into the ambulance so we could transport them to the hospital."

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

4.   What would you do if a patient expired, and you had to cover their body and wheel them into the ambulance while a crowd of bystanders watched?

How to Answer

This question presents a challenging scenario. It could be highly emotional, depending on the crowd. The interviewer wants to see how you would react and if you have experienced a situation with a similar level of difficulty. Depending on what you have been through on the job, you may be able to relate.

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

Entry Level Example

"In this scenario, I would remain professional while wheeling the patient into the ambulance. I would refrain from answering bystander's questions to respect the privacy and confidentiality of the deceased patient."

Written by Krista Wenz on November 11th, 2022

Answer Example

"Losing a patient is the most difficult aspect of the job. But I would handle this type of situation by focusing on going through the process and staying calm."

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

5.   How would you rate your driving skills in harsh conditions, and do you have experience doing so? Do you have any driving incidents on your record?

How to Answer

Part of the job as a paramedic will be the ability to drive an ambulance safely and with skill and confidence. A clean driving record is essential as most employers will run motor vehicle background checks as insurers of employers are now requiring this. For this question, your interviewer will want insight into your driving record history and ability to navigate treacherous roads and extreme weather conditions. Many accidents happen in the rain, snow, sleet, or other inclement weather, and experience navigating roads in those conditions is imperative.

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

Entry Level Example

"I would say that my driving skills are excellent. I have experience navigating both city and rural roads with ease and operating both auto and manual transmission vehicles. I have a great driving record except for one speeding ticket when I was 18 years old."

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

Answer Example

"In my current role, I drive quite frequently. I have a spotless driving record with no incidents or accidents. Living in a northern climate, I have experience driving in snow and rainy conditions with ease and know how to gauge when the roads may be bad. We also provide ambulance service to the university's athletic events, so I have a lot of experience navigating our ambulance in large crowds when needed."

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

Experienced Example

"In my current role, I assume most of the driving responsibilities when we are out on a call as I am very experienced behind the wheel of an ambulance. Working in a rural community, I am familiar with navigating back roads, country roads, and interstate highways in all kinds of weather and have even had to take our unit to some remote off-road locations for emergency calls. I have a perfect driving record and have always prided myself on that."

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

6.   How do you resolve conflict with coworkers?

How to Answer

Working so closely with your team in a stressful career, it's inevitable that you will have moments where you don't get along. The best thing you can do when answering this question is show your interviewer that you are consistent. Just as you follow the rules and regulations, offer patient care, and have a great attitude, you prioritize your relationships with your coworkers, listen to them, and don't take anything personally. Communicate. Think about those small yet significant ways you maintain those work relationships.

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

Entry Level Example

"Luckily, I have had good coworkers and supervisors with minimal conflict. If I have an issue with a colleague, I like to nip it in the bud. I ask them to speak in private, address the issue, and devise a resolution that makes us both happy."

Written by Krista Wenz on November 11th, 2022

Answer Example

"I've found the best way to resolve conflict with coworkers is to work it out directly with them. Asking them to lunch or to join you for a short break to discuss the situation works best for me. It gives us time to get away from work and discuss the problem during our downtime."

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

7.   You are the first on scene of a major injury vehicle accident with three critical patients. How do you react to each patient before additional help arrives?

How to Answer

The interviewer can see your qualifications on your resume. Be prepared to answer a few scenario questions to give the interviewer an idea of how you respond to stressful situations. Fall back on your training and think about the first thing you must do when arriving on the scene. Show the interviewer your thought process as you prioritize these three patients.

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

Entry Level Example

"When arriving on scene, I would perform a scene size-up to ensure the scene is safe to enter. Once I determine the scene is safe, I would start triaging the patients with my partner, assessing for life threats, and prioritizing them based on their injuries."

Written by Krista Wenz on November 11th, 2022

Answer Example

"First, I would check for scene hazards to ensure traffic is controlled so that there are no additional injuries as we stabilize the patients. Next, I would work with my partner to check each patient's circulation, airway, and breathing and treat any life-threatening conditions. If time allowed before additional units arrived, we would work on placing cervical collars on each patient."

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

8.   How would you intervene with a frantic relative who is grieving over a child's injury?

How to Answer

As a paramedic, you have to be able to work quickly and cautiously during stressful situations. Your interviewer is testing your skills to see how you can balance being compassionate and taking action. They also want to learn how you communicate under pressure. You might not be able to calm the relative, but you could certainly explain what you need from them to effectively do your job to keep the child alive.

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

Entry Level Example

"When possible, I will have another first responder try to calm the family while attending to the patient. If that is not possible, I explain what we are doing to the child so the relative understands we are doing everything we can. When they see that we are there to help, they usually calm down and give me the information I need about the patient."

Written by Krista Wenz on November 11th, 2022

Answer Example

"This is a perfect example of why I always go out on a call with a second person. While one of us tends to the patient, the other can keep the situation and bystanders calm. I would tell the relative that we are doing everything we can for the child. I would ask them to try to stay calm so as not to upset the child and see if there was a friend or relative we could call to be with them."

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

9.   How do you handle death in this job?

How to Answer

Death can be expected in your line of work. When answering this question, remain calm and collected. You're still human, so the interviewer doesn't expect you to behave like a robot. The critical thing to remember is that your behavior affects your team and the patient's relatives. Those are great things to share if you can find a way to share a silver lining or a lesson learned.

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

Entry Level Example

"I knew death would be part of the job when I decided to become a paramedic, which helped prepare me for it. It isn't the death that bothers me as much as the grieving family left behind. I deal with death on the job by being confident in my skills and knowing my partner and I did everything we could. I can keep my emotions in control by being helpful and doing what I can for the family while waiting for the coroner to arrive. I also talk to my partner or spouse if a particular call bothers me more than others."

Written by Krista Wenz on November 11th, 2022

Answer Example

"It is extremely frustrating when I have done everything I can to keep a patient alive. Those are the toughest times on the job, but you have to push through and learn from them. I have found death is easier to handle when providing comfort to the patient's family."

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

10.   Are you available to work night shifts?

How to Answer

Don't consider the interview a bust if you can't tell the interviewer that you are ready to start on the night shift. The position you are interviewing for might be for the day shift, but the interviewer wants to see if covering for other people would be possible. If you can flip-flop your schedule, let the interviewer know. If you cannot work the night shift, be honest, and explain why.

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

Entry Level Example

"Yes, I am available to work whatever shift you need. I do not have outside obligations that prohibit me from working nights, weekends, or holidays."

Written by Krista Wenz on November 11th, 2022

Answer Example

"At this point, I wouldn't be able to work the night shift because I have an infant I need to care for. But if you could give me one week's notice to rearrange a few things, I could occasionally work the night shift."

Written by Ryan Brown on March 10th, 2021

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