If you're on a rotational call for indigent patients or patients without a doctor, how would you feel about having to see a patient in the ED whom you had dismissed from your practice.

"Although I would not choose to see this patient electively, I would follow policy and accept him or her without any personal asides to the patient. If the patient chose not to accept me as his or her doctor for this episode, I would call the Patient Advocate and arrange a consultation with the patient to remedy the conflict."

This is a test of your willingness to comply with policy. Most physicians have dismissed patients from their practice for failure to pay or a failure in compliance. If you're fulfilling an obligatory role and a dismissed patient is assigned care by you, you have to accept it.

Serious infections often end up being treated in the ICU. Would you have any hesitation toward an ICU hospitalist assuming control of your case?

"I am obligated to do what is best for my patient. While both the hospitalist and I can manage the case together, still, one of us must have final authority. This can even be a mixed authority, and all this or any other arrangement just needs is a meeting of the minds--our agreement to pursue what is best for the patient. If ugliness is unavoidable, then the Chief-of-Staff must intervene and if necessary, invite an appropriate consultant as a second opinion."

This is a question over both permission and responsibility, and it impacts the hospital or group, you, and the patient. Most arrangements are stipulated in the hospital's or group's by-laws, but seldom is there really an ugly turf battle, due to the severity of this life-and-death situation. They just want to hear that common sense shall prevail over inappropriate tenaciousness.

Do you feel you have the right to choose any antibiotic you want to treat an infection?

"I base all of my medication choices on evidence-based medicine, but tempered by my own experience. I also include the patient's history of allergies and adverse reactions, and cultures and sensitivities to support any empiric therapy I've begun. Within that sensibility, while my license gives me the right of autonomy in medication choices--even 'off-label' uses--still I have a responsibility to limit the emergence of resistant organisms due to the inappropriate prescribing of medications stronger or more frequently then they need be."

This is a trick question. It is asked because of a sensitivity over antimicrobial resistance, especially in institutions and communities. It is designed to identify your responsible prescribing practices. Sure, you have the right, but should you?

If you are treating a patient with a sexually transmitted infection, do you report this to the patient's spouse or partner?

"I cannot disclose this information unless I have my patient's written or verbal permission. However, I am allowed to write an additional prescription for his/her sexual partner, and I offer to do the follow-up of him/her. I also know that pharmacists are allowed, in most states, to duplicate a prescription to treat an STI for a partner when your patient presents to fill his/her prescription. If I find that treatment of a person who suffered significant exposure has not taken place, I can follow up with the proper health agency to notify that at-risk person that he/she has been exposed to the specific infection and should be treated. By statute (https://www.cdc.gov/std/program/final-std-statutesall-states-5june-2014.pdf p. 277), they're allowed to do this without identifying your patient."

This is a question that puts you in the intersection between HIPAA privacy regulations and your ethical responsibility to do what is best for your patient (which, by extension, ideally includes a significant other). However, it is fraught with danger, medicolegally, morally, and ethically. HIPAA is what it is, and if your patient refuses to give permission to alert anyone else at risk, there are other remedies. Also, you do not need permission to notify the health agencies as required, and it is part of their responsibility to identify and arrange treatment for others exposed.

If you are treating a patient with a sexually transmitted infection, do you report this to the appropriate agencies?

"I am aware of my reporting obligations, but I also know these statutes change from to time, so I am also revisiting the state web site for the compliance criteria which I incorporate into my practice on an on-going basis."

You must follow the law, and each state has recommendations for how to report a published list of diseases. Like the mandatory reporting of child abuse, you are obligated to report the 'reportable' diseases to your state's designated agencies. According to the CDC, 'In the United States, the authority to require notification of cases of disease resides in the respective state legislatures. In some states, authority is enumerated in statutory provisions; in other states, authority to require reporting has been given to state boards of health; still other states require reports both under statutes and under health department regulations.'

Do you accept Medicare assignment?

"Yes, I am a participating doctor in accepting Medicare assignment.Alternatively, I accept Medicare but am a non-participating doctor for accepting assignment.Alternatively, I do not accept Medicare and have opted out. Then... But if a patient needs my attention, it really doesn't matter what or if insurance is current or not at all. I'll see anyone who requires my care."

This is really no business of theirs, unless there is a policy that you must be a 'participating doctor,' accepting Medicare assignment. If it's a group, this might be so; if it's a hospital, it only applies to those employed by the hospital, not independent staff. Nevertheless, this question is another way of asking if you'll see anybody who needs to be seen.

How is your attendance at general staff and department meetings?

"I may have missed meetings from time to time--usually due to my being occupied in clinical duties or vacation. However, I realize how important the business of the hospital (or group) is and will make every effort to improve my attendance."

Running a group or a hospital, unfortunately, requires a significant bureaucracy. The doctors are needed to make that run, which means a responsibility to the clerical drudgery involved. This means meetings--lots of meetings. And they're always at night or--worse--during office hours that can cut into your income. Note that the question doesn't ask whether your attendance will be good, but how it has been in the past. This implies that your answer may be verified by a phone call or two, so tell the truth. (Most likely, no one will be checking up on your answer, so even if you've been truant in the past, pledge to do better.)Our sample answer is of someone who has not been in regular attendance in the past.

What would be your response to hearing a code being called in the middle of the night as you're getting ready to go home after attending a patient?

"Unless managing a clinically unstable situation or in the middle of a procedure, I would respond, and then drop out if there were those there who I felt were more qualified to attend and manage the code. As my primary specialty is Internal Medicine, I am qualified; but if there were a physician there who was currently practicing Cardiology or Internal Medicine, I would defer to him or her as better qualified since I have narrowed my clinical focus to Infectious Disease."

A no-brainer question. Of course you would respond. It is tempting to assume that certainly someone else would be there to respond, and that it typically true, but you don't want to be seen as the type of person who would need to hear the code called repeatedly before you responded.

Would you be willing to serve on a committee investigating an issue with one of your colleagues?

"There is no easy answer for this, only a difficult one: yes, I would have an obligation to do what's right when it comes to patient care and safety, even if that means making an enemy if a disposition were resented by a colleague. If it were a close personal friend being targeted by the investigation, I would ask to recuse myself, but I would be prepared for that not to be granted. The only thing I would want is to not be the only one making a judgement--having more than one investigator, I feel, is necessary to take politics out of such an inquiry and give it additional objective credibility."

Internal affairs and investigation are just necessary. Things happen, and when patient care is affected or jeopardized, they must be explored and dispositions made so that they don't recur. Besides Joint Commission accreditation and insurance reimbursements, a public reputation is jeopardized by uncorrected omissions or errors in care. The interviewer wants to know if you'll have the courage to step up and do what's right.

How timely is your practice to sign off on chart entries and make all of your dictations current? Have you ever been suspended from a staff for failure to do these?

"Although I've been occasionally remiss in keeping all signoffs and dictations current, I feel it is important for me to be diligent in keeping current. It is not lost on me how reimbursement by third-party payors can be affected by incomplete charts; just as important--to me--is the need for accuracy and trying to remember specifics from a procedure or rounds can become spotty if too much time has passed. For these reasons, I agree that keeping current is important and strive to do that."

This type of suspension is not a 'hard' suspension, per se: it doesn't mean there are any deficiencies in your medical care or expertise. Most physicians get a little behind from time to time, the only thing lighting a fire under them to get these clerical loose ends tied up being suspension. However, although this is frowned upon but not necessarily condemned, it does impact the hospital or group's bottom line, so the question is one of fiscal importance.

If you were to receive a communication from the Executive Committee about a practice issue of yours that it feels could have clinical repercussions, how would you address the members when you went to the meeting with them?

"Prior to my meeting, I would research the literature about what I was doing in this particular practice, be it off-label prescribing or using protocols not considered to be evidence-based. My authority allows for some latitude. If in researching this I discover a serious problem that justifies their concern, I would report that I have learned from this and will not be repeating the practice(s) of concern. If I found that I can defend what I'm doing from my research, I would make my case but tell them I will abide by their decision on this."

This is more than just hospital policy, but a challenge to your clinical authority, which is traditionally up to the physician alone. Therefore, it can be upsetting. This is a question of how you handle personal challenges to your privileges. Even if you're right and the Executive Committee is wrong, you have to show them you're willing to be a good sport about the whole thing.

How would you handle a problem in which Utilization Review wants you to discharge a patient who you feel isn't medically ready for discharge?

"If I felt it would be dangerous to send a patient home, I would write a note of necessity for continued admission, on medical grounds, so that UR could submit it for approval from a third-party payer. If the patient just wanted to stay out of convenience, I would explain that he or she has satisfied criteria for discharge, but I would also offer home health follow-up if the patient desired and it were allowed/authorized."

This pits you against the hospital for a solution to everyone's benefit. UR actions are usually based on dollar issues, protecting the hospital bottom line from insurance denials.

Would you be willing to accept whatever electronic medical record process is in use here?

"Of course. If I am part of this, I want to be 'all in' in my compliance to all the protocols."

Another test of your willingness to comply with policy, so you should agree.

Would you please tell me a little about yourself?

"I come here a few years delayed as medicine wasn't my initial goal--I had gotten another degree. So I had to go back to acquire some of the pre-requisites for application to med school. However, once begun, I have been on track. I am married with one child. After finishing my residency, I joined the staff of the school for a year until I could decide where I wanted to go next. That brings me here."

This should be answered briefly and succinctly, and it should include why you want this position and the circumstances behind your leaving your current situation (they will want to know--and will ask if you don't say why).Our sample answer is for someone with some gaps in his/her professional path.

Are there any substance abuse, domestic violence, or other background items that could impact the integrity of our hospital (or group)?

"I have a DUI arrest in my past as a teenager. I do not have a problem with abuse, but my arrest required I partake in prevention programs, which I completed successfully."

Such situations are a reason for running away from a current situation. If there is such a damaging component in your history, own it and explain the steps you took to eliminate the risk of it recurring, i.e., rehab, successfully completed therapy, etc. Let the interviewer know you are comfortable with a probationary period or supervision if deemed necessary. The most likely (and desirable) answer, of course, is 'No.' However, for the sake of example, we included a sample answer of someone with a DUI history.

Are you going to be doing any chronic pain care?

"As an Infectious Disease specialist, I know that I have a responsibility to believe my patient's report of pain. In an acute setting, I plan on prescribing according to my patients need, implementing safeguards and following precautions. With chronic pain, I feel it best to refer the patient to a rheumatologist, physiatrist, anesthesiologist, or other pain management specialist, because seldom is chronic pain a residual condition after an infection has been adequately treated."

This answer is simple if you don't plan on managing chronic pain, but if you do, your interviewer will want to know to what extent. The opioid crisis makes for bad press from overdoses, and institutions and groups want to steer clear of the whole controversy--not to mention scrutiny from the DEA and your state board. Before your interview, you need to know that you are being asked this to see if you're overstepping into controversial practices.

How do you feel about telemedicine?

"I require a patient's physical presence and an exam to document signs and symptoms that are applicable to the chief complaint or the present illness. Since most of my involvement will be with serious issues and/or admitted patients, telemedicine becomes irrelevant. However, if the patient is established with me and I am familiar with his or her case, I can discuss and manage symptoms or medications via telemedicine if management is nothing more than refilling a medication or continuity of an established treatment. An infectious disease, however, often involves rapid deterioration of a patient, and there is very little I can really do via telemedicine."

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine is probably here to stay, and everyone--including hospitals and groups--are looking for ways to incorporate it in a fiscally prudent way. You should be seen as ready to embrace it; not blindly, but thoughtfully within the parameters of what is considered good medical care.

What invasive procedures are you planning to do?

"My invasive procedure complication rate is within acceptable standards, and I follow my specialty to satisfy all criteria for such procedures, qualifying both the need for the patient and supporting my ability to perform them. I can cite the actual complication rates when I apply for the specific invasive procedures as part of your vetting process."

This is a matter of what exact privileges you're seeking in this position. They don't want 'mavericks' who are seeking privileges beyond their training.

If you were to see a peer doing or saying something inappropriate, how would you respond?

"First, I would make sure I saw or heard correctly. Depending on the transgression, I would either confront him or her discretely to resolve it vs report it up the chain of command. I would report up if I felt it compromised patient care, would reflect poorly on the hospital (group), or be unethical, immoral, or illegal."

This isn't your problem to fix. You can't go wrong answering this question by saying you would go up the chain of command. A hospital or group wants something like this handled a certain way, and their best assurance that this will happen (when you're involved) is to pledge yourself to that chain of command, i.e., up the ranks to department chairman, Executive Committee, administrator, etc.

Do you have any personal problems with our seeing or our assigning you indigent or 'charity' cases?

"Having issues with seeing anyone would go against my own values--I will see anyone who needs my services. In fact, taking care of them would be my obligation if I am presented such a scenario."

Before you interview, you should learn the demographics of this group or hospital. You should be comfortable with the demographic distribution because that will determine the type of practice you will have or how you will interact with this demographic. Regardless of whether they take care of such patients, you should always state you have no personal problems seeing anyone who needs you--you just can't go wrong saying this! Many groups and hospitals are required, for example, to have a 'life-and-limb' list of doctors who rotate turns seeing uninsured emergency patients. If a hospital, for example, accepts any federal funds (Medicare or Medicaid), no patient can be refused in their Emergency Department. If your practice does not accept patients under a federal or state program, if you're doing your duty serving on a 'life-and-limb' ED rotation, you will still be required to see such patients as well as provide follow-up in your office, regardless of your practice preferences.

If you're not available, due to illness or vacation, for example, how will your patients be cared for?

"I plan to serve on committees within your department so that I can enter into some reciprocal call agreements with other staff members as soon as possible. However, I won't be taking much time off as I build my practice, because the low numbers will not be too taxing before it gets built up over time."

This is a straightforward question whose answer is always part of the by-laws of any institution. In other words, if you're on staff, your patient should never go without care if you have not made arrangements for coverage. If you're not new to the area, you should identify others on staff with whom you expect to have a reciprocal on-call relationship; if you're new to the area, you should state you intend to be full-time responsible until you can establish such reciprocal relationships. An extra overture would be to say you plan to serve on many committees in order to meet others in your specialty.

Here we have a policy of [STIPULATED]. Do you have a problem with that?

"I wouldn't seek a position here if I had a problem with [STIPULATED]. My only professional stipulation is that I can treat any person who needs my services and be allowed to do what is best for him or her."

You should never have a problem with any policy of the place to which you're applying. A good example is a Catholic hospital that won't provide pregnancy termination counseling. Before you interview, you should decide whether you can practice under such constraints. Luckily, seldom are there any stipulations that will ruin your life.

Do you have any lawsuits currently or in the past, including any settlements?

"I have three lawsuits, each one of them is due to a complication--one an allergic reaction to a dressing, another due to side effect of a medication, and another for a resistant infection that required debridement and cosmetic reconstruction. After discovery, I expect all three to prescribe without incident or settlement."

This is a straightforward question. No one wants someone certain to lose them money or jeopardize their reputation. However, it is a truism that all physicians are at risk for malpractice suits, whether these actually come to pass or not. The interviewer will not dismiss you for lawsuits--he or she just doesn't want someone who is sued so frequently as to suggest there's a problem. That being said, not all suits come to pass, and a lawsuit filed is not a dealbreaker; many are just filed against you for the purpose of initiating and accomplishing discovery to see if there really is merit to a case (for the plaintiff attorney!). If there aren't really any substantial missteps on your part, these go away or prescribe, and your interviewer will know this. A settlement, on the other hand, can be just as bad as a lawsuit you lose, because most settlements are made to mitigate the damage of a likely unfavorable outcome. What do you do if there are suits, losses, or settlements? Be truthful, but half of the truth is your side of the story, so make sure you give it. Do not blame your previous institution or group--that just looks bad for you. Take ownership, but if you can explain why a lawsuit occurred due to a complication and not due to overt malpractice, this is something any hospital administrator will understand.

What can you bring to [OUR ENTITY OR GROUP]?

"The whole reason I want to be here is the pursuit of excellence and state-of-the-art medicine you're known for. Also, your continuing education fits in well with my needs for growth and my interest in teaching. It makes an excellent foundation for my special interest in skin infections, especially with management of methicillin-resistant Staph aureus. I see that your demographic includes many young athletes where MRSA is especially prominent, and the treatments of choice for it have changed and are, in fact, changing rapidly. Having someone like me would service this demographic well, offering state-of-the-art therapy."

You don't just want to say that you're an expert or have a lot of experience, but be a little bold here by stating that, although you find it very impressive here, you have noticed that there are some gaps in the total picture of care rendered and that you feel you can fill these gaps. This is a way of saying that selecting you will not only get this hospital or group what it needs, but even exceed its needs. You can further state that you can bring to this hospital or group additional resources that most hospitals don't have, which would make this organization stand out above the rest. (These are the offerings that will make you particularly attractive, where you tout your 'special interests'; special interests are specific aspects of one's specialization that do not have the bureaucratic designation of certification by a board.) For example, you may be board certified or board eligible in Infectious Disease, or even further trained (for example, in skin infections), but you might say you have a special interest in MRSA, as an example; this would sound very opportune to a hospital whose ED sees a lot of athletes with it.

What is it about [ENTITY REPRESENTED BY INTERVIEWER] that makes you want to be a part of it?

"I know that here the values align with my own. I have done a lot of research and I especially like your dedication to community interaction, your embracing diversity, and always putting the patient and his or her family first. I think I'd be very happy here with the professional mindset and I'd be a good fit."

You must assume the interviewer thinks his or her hospital or group is absolutely wonderful...or potentially wonderful with the addition of the right person. This is--hopefully--you. You can stroke the corporate ego and begin endearing yourself to the interviewer by invoking the Mission Statement and/or Vision of the hospital or group. Most hospitals will have these, prominently displayed on the landing pages of their websites; they are brief and easy to imbue into your interview strategy. You can tell the interviewer that you find those values you saw in the Mission Statement and/or Vision Statement align with your personal views of how you want to lead your professional life. Don't actually refer to the 'Mission Statement' and 'Vision' when you answer; just state that you find this group's values align with yours, and you can paraphrase the ones you saw displayed.

Infectious Disease Physician Interview Questions

Go Back

1. If you're on a rotational call for indigent patients or patients without a doctor, how would you feel about having to see a patient in the ED whom you had dismissed from your practice.
2. Serious infections often end up being treated in the ICU. Would you have any hesitation toward an ICU hospitalist assuming control of your case?
3. Do you feel you have the right to choose any antibiotic you want to treat an infection?
4. If you are treating a patient with a sexually transmitted infection, do you report this to the patient's spouse or partner?
5. If you are treating a patient with a sexually transmitted infection, do you report this to the appropriate agencies?
6. Do you accept Medicare assignment?
7. How is your attendance at general staff and department meetings?
8. What would be your response to hearing a code being called in the middle of the night as you're getting ready to go home after attending a patient?
9. Would you be willing to serve on a committee investigating an issue with one of your colleagues?
10. How timely is your practice to sign off on chart entries and make all of your dictations current? Have you ever been suspended from a staff for failure to do these?
11. If you were to receive a communication from the Executive Committee about a practice issue of yours that it feels could have clinical repercussions, how would you address the members when you went to the meeting with them?
12. How would you handle a problem in which Utilization Review wants you to discharge a patient who you feel isn't medically ready for discharge?
13. Would you be willing to accept whatever electronic medical record process is in use here?
14. Would you please tell me a little about yourself?
15. Are there any substance abuse, domestic violence, or other background items that could impact the integrity of our hospital (or group)?
16. Are you going to be doing any chronic pain care?
17. How do you feel about telemedicine?
18. What invasive procedures are you planning to do?
19. If you were to see a peer doing or saying something inappropriate, how would you respond?
20. Do you have any personal problems with our seeing or our assigning you indigent or 'charity' cases?
21. If you're not available, due to illness or vacation, for example, how will your patients be cared for?
22. Here we have a policy of [STIPULATED]. Do you have a problem with that?
23. Do you have any lawsuits currently or in the past, including any settlements?
24. What can you bring to [OUR ENTITY OR GROUP]?
25. What is it about [ENTITY REPRESENTED BY INTERVIEWER] that makes you want to be a part of it?

Infectious Disease Physician Interview Questions

1. If you're on a rotational call for indigent patients or patients without a doctor, how would you feel about having to see a patient in the ED whom you had dismissed from your practice.

2. Serious infections often end up being treated in the ICU. Would you have any hesitation toward an ICU hospitalist assuming control of your case?

3. Do you feel you have the right to choose any antibiotic you want to treat an infection?

4. If you are treating a patient with a sexually transmitted infection, do you report this to the patient's spouse or partner?

5. If you are treating a patient with a sexually transmitted infection, do you report this to the appropriate agencies?

6. Do you accept Medicare assignment?

7. How is your attendance at general staff and department meetings?

8. What would be your response to hearing a code being called in the middle of the night as you're getting ready to go home after attending a patient?

9. Would you be willing to serve on a committee investigating an issue with one of your colleagues?

10. How timely is your practice to sign off on chart entries and make all of your dictations current? Have you ever been suspended from a staff for failure to do these?

11. If you were to receive a communication from the Executive Committee about a practice issue of yours that it feels could have clinical repercussions, how would you address the members when you went to the meeting with them?

12. How would you handle a problem in which Utilization Review wants you to discharge a patient who you feel isn't medically ready for discharge?

13. Would you be willing to accept whatever electronic medical record process is in use here?

14. Would you please tell me a little about yourself?

15. Are there any substance abuse, domestic violence, or other background items that could impact the integrity of our hospital (or group)?

16. Are you going to be doing any chronic pain care?

17. How do you feel about telemedicine?

18. What invasive procedures are you planning to do?

19. If you were to see a peer doing or saying something inappropriate, how would you respond?

20. Do you have any personal problems with our seeing or our assigning you indigent or 'charity' cases?

21. If you're not available, due to illness or vacation, for example, how will your patients be cared for?

22. Here we have a policy of [STIPULATED]. Do you have a problem with that?

23. Do you have any lawsuits currently or in the past, including any settlements?

24. What can you bring to [OUR ENTITY OR GROUP]?

25. What is it about [ENTITY REPRESENTED BY INTERVIEWER] that makes you want to be a part of it?