Family Medicine Residency Mock Interview

Excel in 38 Family Medicine Residency interview questions covering patient care, continuity, and your clinical philosophy.

Question 3 of 38

Medicine is changing more quickly than ever. Internet collaboration and telemedicine are now the new normal. Where do you see medicine going in the next five years, and what part do you intend to play as a Family Medicine Physician in the future?

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Audra Kresinske

Audra Kresinske is an educator with over 7 years experience teaching English and employment readiness skills.

This question is meant to explore your vision for medicine in the future because your interviewers want residents who will grow to be impactful physicians in their careers. Medical advancements happen all the time, and physicians need to be ready to adapt to new technology and procedures.

Audra Kresinske

Audra Kresinske is an educator with over 7 years experience teaching English and employment readiness skills.

"I plan to stay within the state-of-the-art parameters and the standard of care, no matter where the future of medicine takes me. That means keeping up with the literature. Whether I'll be a follower or a leader in the future of medicine doesn't matter, as long as I am practicing the current standard of care, which I know will change all the time. I also know there will be times my patient will not fit comfortably in the center of the bell curve. There will be outliers, and that's when I'll lead for the sake of my patient. I can do this by exploring unusual options. As long as I do no harm, I can be creative in offering more than just book knowledge to my patient. Anytime I must deal with the inexactness of the science for the sake of my patient, I feel I'll be leading. I realize that the art of medicine means tangential thinking."

Ryan Brunner

Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.

Before your family medicine residency interviews, make sure you know how telemedicine is impacting family practices around the world. You can find a lot of great reading materials on the subject before the start of your interviewers. Identify and explain whether you'll be a follower or a leader in this realm as a resident and as a physician in the future.

Dr. Griswold

"Yes, over the past few years it has become clear that telemedicine is the new normal. I hope to be a part of providing excellent medicine whether in person or through telehealth. I think it is important to adapt and provide the best patient care possible."

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Jaymie

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Anonymous Answer

It doesn't matter if I will be a follower or a leader as soon as I am helping patients to feel comfortable and better. Certainly, telemedicine is easy for some people to compare to the in-office patients ( especially for those who are using public transport),
they need help too. This is a little challenging for physicians because we don't do a physical exam but we will learn how to deal with these patients.

Chad's Feedback

You are correct that telemedicine can be convenient for the patient, but present challenges for the physician. However, the interviewer will be expecting to hear your vision for medicine in the future. For instance, if you believe internet collaboration and telemedicine will continue to grow over the next 5 years, you could discuss how you plan to contribute to overcoming the associated challenge you identified (i.e. the lack of a physical exam).

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38Family Medicine Residency Interview Questions & Answers

Conflict

1.You see a nurse 'pretend' to give a narcotic to your patient who is writhing in pain while her back is turned to you. Then you see the medication in her pocket. What do you do?

Behavioral

2.You and a peer are waiting on a patient's blood work. You tell the peer one of you should contact the lab and not wait. The results could make a difference overnight. It is the end of the shift; your partner says it can wait and leaves. What do you do?

Creative Thinking

3.Medicine is changing more quickly than ever. Internet collaboration and telemedicine are now the new normal. Where do you see medicine going in the next five years, and what part do you intend to play as a Family Medicine Physician in the future?

Competency

4.Family Medicine is considered a primary care specialty. How would you decide when to handle a case yourself and when to refer a case to anotherâ€”possibly more qualifiedâ€”physician?

Direct

5.Why do you feel we should choose you instead of someone whose scores are better?

Competency

6.What do you feel is your greatest non-medical strength you can bring to this Family Practice?

Career Goals

7.As you know Family Medicine is an important specialty treating patients from all walks of life throughout different stages of life. Is there a specific area of Family Medicine that interests you?

Communication

8.Physicians are very busy people. Do you feel you can assure your patients you'll always be available to them as a Family Medicine Resident?

Career Goals

9.What made you choose Family Medicine?

Career Goals

10.Are you interested in conducting any quality improvement projects during your residency?

Behavioral

11.First impressions are important. What would you do about a scheduler who you discovered was being rude to a patient?

Behavioral

12.What would you do about a patient who was rude to your receptionist?

Behavioral

13.You are being interviewed by a prospective patient couple who want to know your views on pregnancy termination before agreeing to come to you. How would you respond?

Discovery

14.What do you feel is your greatest weakness, and how would you correct it during your time with us?

Behavioral

15.Tell me about a time during medical school where you had a setback or failure? How did you respond to that setback?

Conflict

16.What has been your biggest ethical challenge thus far in medicine?

Career Goals

17.Are there any procedures you would like to focus on learning during your time as a Family Medicine Resident?

Career Goals

18.Following Family Medicine Residency training, do you foresee yourself practicing in an urban or rural setting?

Career Goals

19.Do you have any desire to engage in research as a Family Medicine Resident? How about as you get into practice post-residency training?

Career Goals

20.Have you put any thought into the elective rotations you would like to pursue during your Family Medicine Residency training?

Education

21.Tell us about the most interesting case you were exposed to while attending medical school.

Career Goals

22.What do you wish to gain through training in our Family Medicine Residency program?

Creative Thinking

23.How would you like to see the delivery of healthcare evolve in the family practice setting?

Creative Thinking

24.What do you think is the biggest difference between the U.S healthcare system and that of another developed country?

Education

25.Have you completed all ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) requirements to start a residency?

Discovery

26.We would like to know you on a more personal level. Outside of medicine, what are your interests?

Discovery

27.Are you considering any other Family Medicine Residency programs?

Discovery

28.Who in your life has been the biggest mentor or inspiration to you?

Education

29.How would you stay on top of trends and changes in the medical industry as a resident?

Discovery

30.If being a Family Medicine Physician was not an option, what career path would you have chosen outside of medicine?

Stress

31.How will you manage the high amounts of day to day stress that are a part of being a Family Medicine Resident?

Education

32.How would you invest in your personal development as a resident with our program?

Discovery

33.Would you have any issues relocating to join our Family Medicine Residency program?

Creative Thinking

34.What do you believe is the greatest challenge Family Medicine physicians will face in the coming years?

Discovery

35.Anyone that matches into our Family Medicine Residency must pass a criminal record check and education verification. Is there any reason you would not be comfortable with this?

Communication

36.In a family practice setting, communication skills are essential. How would you describe your communication skills?

Teamwork

37.How will you work effectively and collaboratively as part of a larger care team as a Family Medicine Resident with our program?

Competency

Family Medicine Residency Mock Interview

Medicine is changing more quickly than ever. Internet collaboration and telemedicine are now the new normal. Where do you see medicine going in the next five years, and what part do you intend to play as a Family Medicine Physician in the future?

38Family Medicine Residency Interview Questions & Answers

1.You see a nurse 'pretend' to give a narcotic to your patient who is writhing in pain while her back is turned to you. Then you see the medication in her pocket. What do you do?

2.You and a peer are waiting on a patient's blood work. You tell the peer one of you should contact the lab and not wait. The results could make a difference overnight. It is the end of the shift; your partner says it can wait and leaves. What do you do?

3.Medicine is changing more quickly than ever. Internet collaboration and telemedicine are now the new normal. Where do you see medicine going in the next five years, and what part do you intend to play as a Family Medicine Physician in the future?

4.Family Medicine is considered a primary care specialty. How would you decide when to handle a case yourself and when to refer a case to anotherâ€”possibly more qualifiedâ€”physician?

5.Why do you feel we should choose you instead of someone whose scores are better?

6.What do you feel is your greatest non-medical strength you can bring to this Family Practice?

7.As you know Family Medicine is an important specialty treating patients from all walks of life throughout different stages of life. Is there a specific area of Family Medicine that interests you?

8.Physicians are very busy people. Do you feel you can assure your patients you'll always be available to them as a Family Medicine Resident?

9.What made you choose Family Medicine?

10.Are you interested in conducting any quality improvement projects during your residency?

11.First impressions are important. What would you do about a scheduler who you discovered was being rude to a patient?

12.What would you do about a patient who was rude to your receptionist?

13.You are being interviewed by a prospective patient couple who want to know your views on pregnancy termination before agreeing to come to you. How would you respond?

14.What do you feel is your greatest weakness, and how would you correct it during your time with us?

15.Tell me about a time during medical school where you had a setback or failure? How did you respond to that setback?

16.What has been your biggest ethical challenge thus far in medicine?

17.Are there any procedures you would like to focus on learning during your time as a Family Medicine Resident?

18.Following Family Medicine Residency training, do you foresee yourself practicing in an urban or rural setting?

19.Do you have any desire to engage in research as a Family Medicine Resident? How about as you get into practice post-residency training?

20.Have you put any thought into the elective rotations you would like to pursue during your Family Medicine Residency training?

21.Tell us about the most interesting case you were exposed to while attending medical school.

22.What do you wish to gain through training in our Family Medicine Residency program?

23.How would you like to see the delivery of healthcare evolve in the family practice setting?

24.What do you think is the biggest difference between the U.S healthcare system and that of another developed country?

25.Have you completed all ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) requirements to start a residency?

26.We would like to know you on a more personal level. Outside of medicine, what are your interests?

27.Are you considering any other Family Medicine Residency programs?

28.Who in your life has been the biggest mentor or inspiration to you?

29.How would you stay on top of trends and changes in the medical industry as a resident?

30.If being a Family Medicine Physician was not an option, what career path would you have chosen outside of medicine?

31.How will you manage the high amounts of day to day stress that are a part of being a Family Medicine Resident?

32.How would you invest in your personal development as a resident with our program?

33.Would you have any issues relocating to join our Family Medicine Residency program?

34.What do you believe is the greatest challenge Family Medicine physicians will face in the coming years?

35.Anyone that matches into our Family Medicine Residency must pass a criminal record check and education verification. Is there any reason you would not be comfortable with this?

36.In a family practice setting, communication skills are essential. How would you describe your communication skills?

37.How will you work effectively and collaboratively as part of a larger care team as a Family Medicine Resident with our program?

38.As a new Family Medicine Resident, would you be able to handle direct patient care with little supervision?