How would you handle a situation if a physician was rude to you in front of a patient?

How to Answer
Answer Example
Experienced

No matter what profession a person is associated with, there are times that tensions can run high. Although no one wants to be embarrassed or have someone be rude to them, especially in front of someone else, the interviewer wants to know that you are capable of maintaining your composure and handling an uncomfortable situation in a professional manner. If you have experienced a similar situation, it is ok to share the event as long as patient confidentiality is not compromised.

"If a physician was rude to me in front of a patient, I would act as calmly as possible and wait until we are not in front of the patient before trying resolve the situation. Overreacting or acting out in response to someone who is being rude can only make matters worse. Instead, I would continue with the care of the patient and when finished, ask the physician if we can speak privately. At that time, I can discuss my feelings about what has happened and try to come to a resolution to prevent another incident from happening."

"I had an incident like this happen when I first began work as a medical assistant. The physician I was working with raised his voice at me when I was talking to a patient. Although it upset me, I remained calm and assisted him with the rest of the exam. After the patient left, I told my immediate supervisor what happened and asked if we could schedule a time to discuss the issue with the physician. My supervisor told me that the physician had received some bad personal news that morning and was probably projecting his frustration toward me. She talked with the physician and later the physician apologized to me. I accepted his apology and told him if there is anything I can do to help lighten his load while he is dealing with other things, to let me know."

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How to Answer: How would you handle a situation if a physician was rude to you in front of a patient?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Medical Assistant job interview.

28. How would you handle a situation if a physician was rude to you in front of a patient?

How to Answer

No matter what profession a person is associated with, there are times that tensions can run high. Although no one wants to be embarrassed or have someone be rude to them, especially in front of someone else, the interviewer wants to know that you are capable of maintaining your composure and handling an uncomfortable situation in a professional manner. If you have experienced a similar situation, it is ok to share the event as long as patient confidentiality is not compromised.

Answer Example

"If a physician was rude to me in front of a patient, I would act as calmly as possible and wait until we are not in front of the patient before trying resolve the situation. Overreacting or acting out in response to someone who is being rude can only make matters worse. Instead, I would continue with the care of the patient and when finished, ask the physician if we can speak privately. At that time, I can discuss my feelings about what has happened and try to come to a resolution to prevent another incident from happening."

Experienced

"I had an incident like this happen when I first began work as a medical assistant. The physician I was working with raised his voice at me when I was talking to a patient. Although it upset me, I remained calm and assisted him with the rest of the exam. After the patient left, I told my immediate supervisor what happened and asked if we could schedule a time to discuss the issue with the physician. My supervisor told me that the physician had received some bad personal news that morning and was probably projecting his frustration toward me. She talked with the physician and later the physician apologized to me. I accepted his apology and told him if there is anything I can do to help lighten his load while he is dealing with other things, to let me know."

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