MD Anderson Cancer Center Mock Interview

Practice 30 MD Anderson interview questions covering clinical excellence, patient care, and mission-driven values.

Question 6 of 30

Please share one of your most difficult cases and how you dealt with it.

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Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

Being able to talk about a difficult case is one thing that will show the interviewer your coping mechanisms. Proper coping mechanisms are essential when caring for any clients, especially those with a diagnosis such as cancer, as these cases are usually multi-faceted. Share your thoughts with the interviewer.

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"The most difficult case I have ever had was a four year old with leukemia. I will never forget her. She had been misdiagnosed before coming to us which caused a delay in an appropriate treatment plan being started. Her family, understandably, experienced denial through the whole process of her treatment. She survived for 6 months after her diagnosis. I poured myself into work and eventually took classes to become a bereavement counselor. Learning how to process grief and how to help others process grief helped me deal with the feelings I had regarding her death."

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"The most difficult case I ever had was actually not my patient. My dad was diagnosed with lung cancer on his 62nd birthday. He was given 6-12 months to live. He survived for 9 weeks. I went to a counselor after his death to help me process the grief. Once I decided to return to work full-time, I knew oncology is where I wanted to be. I wanted to care for people who were going through the same things my family and I went throug

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"The most difficult case I ever had was actually not my patient. It was my dad. My dad was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer when he was 62 yrs. old. The doctors said he had 6-12 months to live. He survived 9 weeks. It was difficult getting through the grief associated with his death because we didn't have time to process the diagnosis before he died. Once I did, though, I decided I wanted to work with patients and families who were going through the same thing we did. I think I felt like it was my way of giving back and honoring my dad."

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30University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Interview Questions & Answers

1.Not all cancer patients will go into remission. How do you deal emotionally knowing that you are caring for someone who probably will not survive their illness?

2.What are some ways that you feel are beneficial in resolving work-related tension among co-workers?

3.How long have you worked oncology, and what is the most stressful part of this job?

4.Have you ever been responsible for providing education to chemotherapy patients regarding changes that may occur in their bodies due to treatment?

5.Chemotherapy often affects a patient's immune system. What are some things you would suggest to these patients to help prevent complications during chemotherapy treatment?

6.Please share one of your most difficult cases and how you dealt with it.

7.If you could choose a specialty area other than oncology, what would you choose, and why?

8.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, we actively participate in clinical trials. What are your thoughts regarding cancer patients being involved in clinical trials?

9.Cancer is the leading cause of death from disease among children and adolescents in the United States. Have you ever worked with pediatric oncology patients?

10.Do you know how to perform a breast self-exam and how to instruct others to perform the exam?

11.Would you say that you agree or disagree with using complimentary or alternative medicine in place of or in addition to standard medical treatment for cancer?

12.One common diagnosis weamong cancer patients is Altered Body Image. Have you ever had a patient with this diagnosis?

13.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, we like to provide holistic care which includes spiritual care. What are your thoughts about this?

14.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center we encourage a healthy balance between our work and personal lives. What are some things that you do to help create a healthy work/life balance?

15.Statistics have shown that healthcare providers who work in high stress areas such as oncology or emergency rooms are more likely to abuse drugs. Have you or anyone you know ever experienced an issue with drug abuse?

16.Many times healthcare providers who work with critical patients, such as cancer victims, tend to distance themselves from others. Why do you think this is, and do you think it is beneficial?

17.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, we encourage growth and advancement. Have you ever worked as a team leader or in another supervisory position?

18.What made you choose a career in healthcare?

19.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, we try to accommodate employees by offering different options for shifts or schedules, when possible. Is there a specific shift or schedule that would fit best with your family life and schedule?

20.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center we want to give everyone a fair chance. However, salary is often commensurate with experience. How do you feel about someone with the same job title as you having a higher salary based on experience?

21.We like to have a community presence and like to work with community leaders to identify needs of people in the areas we serve. Have you ever done any volunteer work within the community?

22.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, we encourage growth and development with regard to education and specialty skills. Have you ever considered going back to college or getting a certification in a specialty area?

23.If you were the person responsible for hiring :Cnew employees, what qualities would you be looking for during the interview? Do you feel that you display those qualities yourself?

24.Has there ever been a time that you felt singled out for your personal convictions? If so, what did you learn from that experience that allows you to feel empathy towards your patients and/or co-workers?

25.While we at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center seek to hire employees who have intentions of staying with us for the long-term, we understand that changes occur in life. What changes in your personal or professional life do you anticipate to occur within the next 3-5 years?

26.University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has several employees from different backgrounds. What are your thoughts on diversity in the workplace and can you share a personal experience ?

27.Everyone you meet has an individual personality. What is something you would like people who are meeting you to know about your personality?

28.A disagreement can be expected when large groups of people work together. Can you think of a time you had a disagreement with a co-worker and, if so, how did you resolve it?

29.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center we believe in rewarding good work. Have you ever received recognition for your job performance or contribution?

MD Anderson Cancer Center Mock Interview

Please share one of your most difficult cases and how you dealt with it.

30University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Interview Questions & Answers

1.Not all cancer patients will go into remission. How do you deal emotionally knowing that you are caring for someone who probably will not survive their illness?

2.What are some ways that you feel are beneficial in resolving work-related tension among co-workers?

3.How long have you worked oncology, and what is the most stressful part of this job?

4.Have you ever been responsible for providing education to chemotherapy patients regarding changes that may occur in their bodies due to treatment?

5.Chemotherapy often affects a patient's immune system. What are some things you would suggest to these patients to help prevent complications during chemotherapy treatment?

6.Please share one of your most difficult cases and how you dealt with it.

7.If you could choose a specialty area other than oncology, what would you choose, and why?

8.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, we actively participate in clinical trials. What are your thoughts regarding cancer patients being involved in clinical trials?

9.Cancer is the leading cause of death from disease among children and adolescents in the United States. Have you ever worked with pediatric oncology patients?

10.Do you know how to perform a breast self-exam and how to instruct others to perform the exam?

11.Would you say that you agree or disagree with using complimentary or alternative medicine in place of or in addition to standard medical treatment for cancer?

12.One common diagnosis weamong cancer patients is Altered Body Image. Have you ever had a patient with this diagnosis?

13.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, we like to provide holistic care which includes spiritual care. What are your thoughts about this?

14.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center we encourage a healthy balance between our work and personal lives. What are some things that you do to help create a healthy work/life balance?

15.Statistics have shown that healthcare providers who work in high stress areas such as oncology or emergency rooms are more likely to abuse drugs. Have you or anyone you know ever experienced an issue with drug abuse?

16.Many times healthcare providers who work with critical patients, such as cancer victims, tend to distance themselves from others. Why do you think this is, and do you think it is beneficial?

17.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, we encourage growth and advancement. Have you ever worked as a team leader or in another supervisory position?

18.What made you choose a career in healthcare?

19.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, we try to accommodate employees by offering different options for shifts or schedules, when possible. Is there a specific shift or schedule that would fit best with your family life and schedule?

20.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center we want to give everyone a fair chance. However, salary is often commensurate with experience. How do you feel about someone with the same job title as you having a higher salary based on experience?

21.We like to have a community presence and like to work with community leaders to identify needs of people in the areas we serve. Have you ever done any volunteer work within the community?

22.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, we encourage growth and development with regard to education and specialty skills. Have you ever considered going back to college or getting a certification in a specialty area?

23.If you were the person responsible for hiring :Cnew employees, what qualities would you be looking for during the interview? Do you feel that you display those qualities yourself?

24.Has there ever been a time that you felt singled out for your personal convictions? If so, what did you learn from that experience that allows you to feel empathy towards your patients and/or co-workers?

25.While we at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center seek to hire employees who have intentions of staying with us for the long-term, we understand that changes occur in life. What changes in your personal or professional life do you anticipate to occur within the next 3-5 years?

26.University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has several employees from different backgrounds. What are your thoughts on diversity in the workplace and can you share a personal experience ?

27.Everyone you meet has an individual personality. What is something you would like people who are meeting you to know about your personality?

28.A disagreement can be expected when large groups of people work together. Can you think of a time you had a disagreement with a co-worker and, if so, how did you resolve it?

29.At University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center we believe in rewarding good work. Have you ever received recognition for your job performance or contribution?

30.If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?