Tell me about a time you had to deal with a significant change in your practice. How did you manage that change successfully?

"Having been in an evolving Nephrology practice for over nine years, I have been a part of many changes that affected my day-to-day duties on the job. I have always embraced technological changes and work process advancements because, in the end, they make our jobs easier, safer, and better for individual patients. The biggest change I endured was an organizational merger when a private hospital I worked for merged with a larger health system. During this merger, my day-to-day work was flipped upside down from new computer systems to work on, a new work location, a new leadership structure, and a change in pay and benefits. I was able to positively influence my team by helping others embrace the change and see the light at the end of the tunnel while changes were happening."

In any healthcare setting, large or small, change is inevitable. Technology, processes, leadership, laws, and organizations change regularly, and with change at a high level comes changes in work processes for Nephrology practices. Your interviewer needs to know that any candidate they seriously consider comes with the ability to embrace change and remain fluid when it inevitably occurs.

Stress that you are open to change when it improves your patients' situations. Talk about a change you had to endure in the workplace and express how you embraced the change. It's important to highlight your positive attitude and willingness to step out of your comfort zone for the greater good.

Talk about a difficult patient experience you had during your career. How did you handle that situation?

"A few years ago, I treated a patient diagnosed with kidney failure. While it was a standard acute failure, the patient also had a schizophrenia diagnosis. This made our one-on-one interactions very difficult, to the point where the patient was uncontrollable at times. During my visits and his dialysis, we asked that a trusted family member stay with him for communications and to provide a safe harbor. My approach required calmness and gentleness, far beyond what I've ever provided for a patient. It was a fun experience that I learned a lot from."

Healthcare organizations like hospitals and clinics emphasize patient care and attending to the patient's needs. As a Nephrologist, you tackle some challenging patients. This question allows your interviewers to assess the patience, communication, conflict resolution, and stress management skills you would bring to their institution.

Talk about a simple scenario you've experienced during your career, but don't spend too much time describing the patient's story. Instead, spend your time describing your thoughts and actions. Your answer should demonstrate your ability to remain calm, patient, empathetic, and logical.

"The most difficult patient I had was when I was on respiratory was a patient with early advanced dementia from a nursing home, admitted with a pulmonary embolism soon complicated by pneumonia and delirium. The family wanted everything, including inpatient malignancy workup and NGT feeding while the patient was delirious. The situation was made worse because the respiratory consultants changed over and had differing views, and the geriatric team was consulting and also providing differing views, and it got even more complicated for the family. As I was liaising with the family the most, the decision was made I would be the single point of care, and when unsure I would ask other respiratory doctors or the geriatric team for advice, and I would communicate that directly with the family, and by having single person communicating the consensus of what both respiratory and geriatric doctors felt was best for the patient, I was able to work with the family to also provide patient-centered care, and provide care everyone was happy with."

Tell me about a time you showed initiative by taking the lead on a project during your career.

"With my current organization, I am a co-chair of our personnel committee. We oversee all physician employment matters, including hiring, discipline, and training matters. I was nominated for this co-chair role and have loved leading the efforts of our diverse committee. It requires a few extra hours of admin time per week, but I love dedicating time to bettering our hospital and clinic practice."

Your interviewers want to see that you are confident enough to take the initiative when the opportunity arises at their practice. They want to know that you are a natural leader.

Describe any project or learning experience where you saw a chance to lead and took advantage of it. Talk about the success of the project and your biggest takeaway from the experience. This is a great time to talk about any formal experience leading various committees or groups in your current or former practices.

Tell us about a time you had to work with new technology. What did you do to ensure proficiency as quickly as possible?

"First and foremost, I want you to know that I understand that today's physicians need to embrace technology to provide the best patient care possible. I've always been enamored by great technological advancements in healthcare. More recently, during the pandemic, one area that physicians need to embrace is telehealth, and I have been fortunate to be exposed to this in my current practice over the last few years. Learning technologies like Zoom and other video conferencing apps were new to me. Before beginning their use, I watched training videos and practiced having virtual consults with my classmates to ensure there wouldn't be any technical glitches when I worked with patients. I am fully confident in my ability to use video for telehealth consults with patients."

Technology in the medical field has been evolving and will continue to evolve year after year. While you may be clinically gifted, your interviewers need to know that you can pick up and master new technologies and equipment if you join their practice.

Think of a time you had to learn new technology and choose an example that proves your ability to study, learn, and master its use in short order. Then, explain to your interviewing team that you know you will potentially be learning a new EMR and other medical equipment and are willing and ready to be a great learner of any new technologies thrown your way during your time with them.

Tell us about a time you had a conflict with a patient. How was it resolved in a healthy manner?

"A couple of years ago, I had a patient become very upset when I urged him that his fluid intake needed to increase. I let him express his disagreement because I knew I approached the situation with an empathetic approach. I used reflective listening techniques and was able to debunk some of the things he was saying. It would have been easy to turn a blind eye, but I always consider what is best for my patients. While he calmed down a bit before he left, he was still adamant that he would not be drinking as many fluids as I recommended. In this situation, I considered calming him down a win in itself."

Physicians need to be able to respectfully handle patients who are stressed, in pain, or angry. As you interview to join their practice as a Nephrologist, your interviewers need to know that you can handle patient conflicts with ease.

Briefly describe a simple scenario, focusing on your response to the challenge rather than the details of the conflict. When you discuss how you handled it, emphasize that clear communication was instrumental. Describe what you took from that situation that you will put into practice in your next Nephrology role.

"When I was on respiratory, I admitted a lady with a large submassive pulmonary embolism , who I already knew from a previous oncology rotation as an eccentric strong independent lady with metastatic melanoma. She was still eccentric but it was obvious her cognition had worsened, and her family had significant concerns about her coping at home. She was adamant she wanted to return home, and would occasionally escalate when she felt her concerns were not heard and there was a lot of pressure to ITO her. As I had known her before, I always was able to speak to her, listen, and calm her down, and establish she wasn't delirious just strong-willed, and was able to reason with her the importance of staying in the hospital. I think like with many cases of conflict, the most important thing is to dedicate the time and listen to any issue and concerns, and then you can work together to find an acceptable solution for everyone."

This role may require outreach to some of our satellite clinics. Do you have the ability to travel up to an hour certain days of the week?

"Yes, I certainly do. In my current role, I have a day of clinic at a community hospital in my system that is a 45-minute drive away. My patient block there is scheduled for seven hours each day to allow for ample travel time to and from."

If the institution you are interviewing with is large and has satellite clinics in smaller communities, you may be required to travel to the clinics and dialysis facilities. If asked this question during your interview, they want to ensure that you would join their practice with the ability to travel.

Convince your interviewer that you are willing and able to travel to any locations that would be required. This detail is often in the job description, and you should know if this is required before your interview. If you have traveled for any of your practices in the past, now is a great time to discuss that.

What patient volume are you comfortable seeing in a Nephrology clinic setting?

"On my outpatient clinic days, I see around 18-20 patients daily. Follow-up appointments are scheduled for 20 minutes, and new patient consults are always scheduled for 30 minutes. This is a great patient load because it helps ease the burdens some clinics face and allows ample time for patient charting."

The patient load that a candidate is used to and comfortable handling will be an important evaluation factor for the institution you are interviewing with. Your interviewer asks about your current and past patient loads to get a feel for how you can join their practice and hit the ground running on your first day.

Speak openly and honestly about your current practice and the number of patients you see daily. It is good to outline what you are used to for timeframes for new patient consults and follow-up appointments. As you answer, be sure your interviewer walks away knowing that you can handle any patient volume thrown your way in this role.

"Ideally, I would like 30 minutes to see new patients and 15-20 minutes for reviews depending on their complexity. I know this is often not the reality, especially when patients are booked as reviews are often new to the current registrar. I often like to obtain clinic lists at the start of the week, and review previous documentation and types of the blood of patients booked into shorter clinic slots in advance, so I can spend most of the clinic appointment speaking to the patient about what is important to them to guide further care."

If offered a position in our Nephrology practice, do you have any compensation requirements?

"This potential move is not driven by compensation as I'm fairly compensated in my current role. While I'm currently compensated with a mix of salary and RVUs, I'm certainly open to your full salary compensation model because it better reflects considering patient needs above all else."

If your interview goes well, your interviewer will want to ensure that the practice meets all of your needs. With this question, they are openly asking if you have any compensation requirements for joining their practice.

Before your interview and even applying for the position, you've hopefully done your research on the compensation of the institution you are interviewing with. You want to be honest with yourself and a future potential employer as you answer this question, but you also need to ensure that you don't price yourself out of a job. This is where your prior research will come in handy.

Are you considering or actively interviewing for any other Nephrology practices?

"I am keeping an eye out and applying to a few reputable practices in this region to be close to my family. I have one other formal interview, and I told them I wanted to explore your institution before making any decisions. I love what I've learned throughout your interview process and can see myself thriving here."

In most cases, the institution you are interviewing with wants to hear if you are under a timeframe for a decision on joining a new practice. It always puts a little fire under the interviewers if they know you are actively pursuing any other opportunities, especially if you are a top candidate.

Talk openly about the applications you submitted, but emphasize your interest in this particular Nephrology practice. Give the specific reasons you want to join this Nephrology practice. It's best to be open and honest about your pursuit of a new practice and what your motivating factors are as you answer.

If I asked your closest friends, what would they say are your strengths and weaknesses?

"If you were to ask my friend, I'm sure they would say that my strength is my compassion, and I take this same approach with my patients. They would then likely say that my weakness is self-criticism. I frequently reflect on my words and actions and wonder if I should have said or done something different."

You will likely talk about your strengths and weaknesses throughout your interview. This question is unique because your interviewer requests that you answer from the perspective of your friends rather than your physician colleagues or Nephrology care teams you've worked with in the past.

Give a strength that is unique to you and applies to the field of medicine. It is a common strategy to offer a weakness that is actually a strength (e.g., "My weakness is that I work too hard"). The interviewers will recognize this as a transparent tactic. For this reason, you must provide an example of a legitimate weakness you have worked to improve. Don't offer more weaknesses than strengths in your answer.

What one or two characteristics do you possess that are vital for success with Nephrology patients?

"I believe that honesty is important no matter the job title. I have found that being honest with colleagues and patients creates an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect. This quality is essential when building rapport with patients and co-workers."

There is more than one reason for asking this question. First, the interviewer wants to know what qualities you think are necessary to provide the best care possible as a Nephrologist. Second, and most importantly, your answer will tell the interviewer if you hold yourself to the same standard as others.

If you want to see characteristics in your peers, you should be able to confidently tell the interviewer that you also possess those traits. This question is one that interviewers often use to distinguish sincerity on the part of the candidate. Speak honestly about the key characteristics that enable you to provide the best patient care possible.

What motivated you to pursue a career as a Nephrologist?

"Even upon entering Internal Medicine training, I was still a bit unsure on my eventual career path. I thrive on challenging patients situations and love putting together the puzzle that is providing individualized care and my first rotation in Nephrology really helped me see that this field is just that. Coupled with the fact that groundbreaking research will help alter this newer field in medicine in the coming years, Nephrology was the perfect path for me."

Your decision to pursue a career as a Nephrologist means that you have a career path planned out and are motivated by the types of patients you see daily. Your interviewers want to hear you speak passionately about this chosen career field in medicine.

Come to your interview prepared to talk about your motivation for pursuing training and a career in Nephrology. Whether that motivation comes from personal experiences growing up or your experiences during medical school or residency training, be sure to display your passion for the patients and doing what is best for them.

"I’ve had an interest in renal medicine since a child, as I grew up with my grandfather on peritoneal dialysis. When I underwent my renal rotation as a basic physician trainee, I found it challenging and rewarding to care for the sick complex patients on the wards, and for at least 1/3 of my rotation, I had the opportunity to cover for registrar leave so I participated in a lot of consults and clinics as well. I especially liked that renal involved treating interesting and varied renal disorders, that you care for a patient as a whole, including not just treating the renal disease but also for example cardiovascular risk, and the most important thing to me was nephrology involved long-term care of your patients so you could followup your own patients and truly build meaningful relationships. But I knew I wanted to do renal medicine since my final year elective medical placement in Freeman hospital, Newcastle UK which was the transplant center of the North, so I saw renal transplants, pre, and post-transplant care, and people with renal disease thriving, and I have hoped to work in renal medicine since."

Do you have any experience working directly with advanced practice providers? If so please discuss your working relationship.

"Yes, I've been fortunate to work closely with APPs throughout my residency and fellowship training and into my current practice. Right now, I have a PA in my practice that sees a full load of clinical patients, and she allows for more access for patients. I sign off on any prescriptions. We have built a trusting relationship where we can text or IM quickly if needed and share an office where she can bounce thoughts off of me."

Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants are becoming more and more common in the Nephrology practice setting for many reasons. If asked this question during your interview, you will likely be working alongside an advanced practice provider or two, and your interviewer needs to hear that you are open and willing to do this.

First, outline your experiences working with NPs and PAs throughout your career. Carefully outline their role in the practice and how you worked with them cohesively as one provider unit. To seal your answer, let your interviewer know that you look forward to working with mid-level providers at their institution.

What experience do you have working with peers from diverse background?

"Diverse teams in healthcare bring about new ideas, new thoughts, and new ways of doing things. I've always loved working among diverse teams in medical school, residency and fellowship training, and now in clinical practice. My current team of physicians is very diverse with a great mix of women and men and physicians from all over the world."

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the forefront of the minds of all healthcare institutions. With this question, your interviewer wants to know that you are open to meeting and learning about new people and becoming an integral part of their diverse team.

Discuss the diverse teams you have been a part of during your career and how you've thrived in them. Be sure to highlight the importance of a diverse workforce in healthcare and how it helps provide the best team experience and patient outcomes. If you have direct training in diversity and inclusion, now is a great time to discuss that with your interviewers.

Do you foresee any issues in relocating to and living in this city as our next Nephrologist?

"No, I don't foresee any issues as an area like this is what my family is looking for. We are looking for a family-friendly city that has great schools and great entertainment, yet is more rural compared to where we've been for the last seven years. My family wants to settle in a safe and friendly community, and we love what we've seen so far."

Your interviewers know that turnover can be costly. In addition to ensuring a long-term fit, they'll want to hear you talk about the research you've done on the city in which the company is located.

If you have lived in or visited the city or adjacent cities, mention this. If you know anyone in the city, talk about the good things they have told you. If it is an unfamiliar city/region, pick unique traits that would intrigue you and explain why you are open to living in the area. Assure your interviewers that you have done your homework on the city and can see yourself thriving there.

Do you have any subspecialty practice interests within a future Nephrology practice?

"I'm ideally looking for a well-rounded general Nephrology practice, but I also love to see and treat pediatric patients and am trained in interventional nephrology. My current practice has enabled me to provide ultrasound-guided procedures, and I'd love to continue to do so."

Your interviewer needs to get a good feel for the overall practice desires of each candidate. While they can likely get a good feel for this by looking at your CV, your interviewer wants to hear you discuss any subspecialty interests you may have in a future practice to get a feel for how you will fit with the current team and patient load.

First, your research into the position is vital in answering this question. The job description itself may shed some light on any areas the organization hopes their new physician will delve into. While being honest with yourself, describe your ideal practice setting as far as patients are concerned and ensure that your needs meet the need of the role you are interviewing for.

"I would ideally be hoping to work in transplant medicine, as I think this is a very exciting area with increased rates of pre-emptive transplantation, increased outcomes of ABO and HLA incompatible transplants, and maybe in my lifetime artificial kidney transplantation. But at the moment I find all of nephrology interesting and will look forward to working as a general nephrology registrar."

How would your current nursing and other support staff in your Nephrology practice describe working with you?

"I do not doubt that my current care team and support staff would say that I am a fair doctor, and I always try to make sure that assignments and expectations are fair to everyone. While I can't do every job alone, I won't ask someone else to do something I would refuse to do myself. They've always commented on my ability to stay positive and bring out the best in others, all while having fun in providing great care."

A good working relationship with allied health support staff is critical to any Nephrology practice. Knowing how to communicate with those who report to you is very important. The interviewer is looking for cues from you that you can establish a good working relationship with those for whom you have charge and that you can self-reflect on how others see working with you as the physician in charge.

If you have direct feedback from nursing, support, or administrative staff in your current or former practice, now is a great time to discuss that feedback. Some things you ideally want to highlight are your excellent communication skills, ability to lead with grace, respectful nature, and ability to make the clinical setting fun for all.

Tell me one thing about yourself that most people would not know.

"I have written several children's books and had them published. Most people see me as a physician who works long hours and is married to my work. Although that may be true, I love to read and write and have used that gift to share my love of reading with others."

While your interviewing team will evaluate your clinical knowledge and skills, they must also ensure you are a good fit for their team and culture. This question allows them to gain insight into your personality and interests, ultimately helping them see how good of a fit you will be with their team.

Before your Nephrology interview, put some thought into a question like this. You'll ideally want to discuss something unique about yourself that sets you apart from other candidates. Possible answers can include a unique hobby, an interesting fact about your childhood, or a secret talent.

Take some time to tell us about yourself and what you like to do outside of your practice.

"I grew up with six brothers and sisters, so patience was a necessary virtue. They shaped my experiences. For example, when my sister needed hip surgery, we spent a week in the hospital, and I learned how doctors and nurses cared for her, including operating on her and controlling her post-operative pain. My parents taught me to be dedicated to my family, and I carry this tradition to my family. Outside the practice, we enjoy traveling and spending as much time outdoors as possible. We are active in sports, water activities, and cooking dinners as a whole family."

In asking this question, your interviewers are looking for insight into your personality to ensure that you would be a great fit with the culture and staff at the institution. They'll also be looking to hear that you have ways to disengage from the stress that a Nephrology practice can bring to a physician.

Take this opportunity to give your ultimate sales pitch and tell your interviewers what makes you the top candidate for their organization. While there is no right or wrong answer to a question like this, there are a couple of directions you can take to have the greatest impact on your interviewers. Talk openly and honestly about some of your hobbies and interests outside of work. It's great if you can highlight some very unique and interesting things about yourself or talk about your family life.

"Personally, I grew up in Melbourne but moved to Adelaide as a teenager to study medicine and have called Adelaide home since. I met my fiancée here and we have a German short-haired pointer puppy. We love walking and hiking around South Australian national parks, exercising, and traveling, and are planning to do the W trek in Patagonia Chile in December this year. My guilty pleasure is playing board games, and I especially love catching up with friends and playing board games together."

As a Nephrologist at our institution, will you be comfortable educating medical students, residents, and other trainees?

"In this role, I would love the opportunity to work closely with and help train the future physicians and nurses of tomorrow. I had great experiences with the physicians I did a rotation with and would love an opportunity to give someone else that kind of experience."

If a question like this is posed during your Nephrology interview, the institution you are interviewing with either has medical training programs or works closely with rotating students from medical schools and other medical specialties. Your interviewers want to know that you would look forward to providing education to residents, fellows, medical students, and rotating nursing students as part of their practice.

Before expressing interest in this particular Nephrology role, you'll need to consider all aspects of the practice. If providing education is a part of the practice, this is something you should be passionate about. Talk openly about your experiences throughout your career in working with different trainees and how you prefer to interact with them. Highlighting how your mentors along your training helped you can help seal your answer to this question.

"Yes, I am very passionate about clinical education. I have been involved in both informal and formal teaching of junior doctors and medical students and have achieved academic status with Flinders University, I actually have a graduate certificate in clinical education from Flinders University, and I am acknowledged in the most recent How to Pass the FRACP book for my contribution of many questions and answers."

What are some challenges that the field of Nephrology currently faces?

"The main issue I've felt firsthand over the last few years is staffing, both on the physician and nursing side. While nephrology reached its peak in the '60s and '70s, the field isn't as attractive as it once was to bright medical students and nurses, and we're seeing a major decline in the numbers of trainees coming into a much-needed field. I've always been and will continue to be an advocate in our field when I work with rotating medical students, mid-level provider trainees, and nursing students."

This question assesses your familiarity with the field of Nephrology and your ability to foresee challenges that are currently occurring. Your interviewers hope the candidates they interview are prepared to discuss the issues the field faces and provide some insight into how to best handle those issues.

Before your interview, think about the top one or two issues facing your field of medicine so you can come to your interview prepared to discuss them. Remember that the unstated question is how to fix the challenges. You are welcome to give your own educated opinion on this in your answer.

How would you like to see the delivery of Nephrology care evolve?

"One of the biggest evolutions I would like to see happen is at-home care whenever possible. Some institutions have already started to expand into home hospital patients and other services in the home, and I think there is room for growth in this area of Nephrology care. In almost every situation, patients would rather be in their own homes, including those on dialysis treatment. As long as the monitoring tools and staff are available to make this a reality, the sky is the limit."

Your interviewers want to understand how you feel healthcare can evolve for the better and that you have a keen eye for the future of the Nephrology field. Demonstrating a forward-thinking and innovative vision will set you apart from the other candidates competing for this Nephrology role.

Put some thought into questions like this before your interview so you are prepared to talk in an educated manner about how the delivery of healthcare can improve over time. Perhaps you feel that healthcare can best evolve through more patient-centric attitudes. Maybe you think care coordination and synergy within the administration is the fastest way to improve healthcare. Maintain a positive attitude and describe how you feel healthcare is currently evolving.

"I believe the three main challenges facing nephrology are the inequitable outcomes of first nations patients, the increased rates of cardiovascular disease in renal patients, and the poorer quality of life of dialysis patients. The most important intervention is always primary prevention; and I would most like to see for many reasons everyone in Australia having access to good food, good housing, and good education, especially first nations people, and I think this would be key to reducing rates of kidney and cardiovascular disease. Secondly, improved screening rates of kidney disease and early identification and aggressive cardiovascular risk management, including outreach programs with ideally first nations health care professionals for first nations patients, would be key to secondary risk reduction. Finally, in patients with existing kidney disease, I would like to see increased renal supportive care programs running concurrently with standard nephrology care to improve the lives of patients with chronic kidney disease, increased rates of pre-emptive transplantation so many patients can ideally avoid the need for dialysis, and increased dialysis options at home to help improve the quality of life of many of our patients."

What aspects of our institution interest you the most?

"As I embarked on a search for a new practice, there were a few key things that I was looking for, and I'm confident that I found them here. Number one was a focus on patient care. I don't want this focus to just be words on paper, but rather actual action in practice. From what I've heard from colleagues, you live that mission daily. The other main aspect I am seeking is innovation through research as I'm very motivated to advance our field through innovation, and I love the things your team is currently doing in research. It is a team that I would love to be a part of."

While your interviewers will try to get a feel for your clinical skills and interests in Nephrology during your time with them, you must also see their institution as a great fit for you. The interviewer wants to hear that you've done your homework on the company's mission, values, and culture and see it as a great fit for yourself, both personally and professionally.

Think about two or three features of the institution that interest you and how the program can help you achieve your personal goals. Before your interview, thoroughly research the career site of the organization to read about their mission, values, and culture. More often than not, you can find a lot of great information on the website. Talk to your interviewer about how your values match those of the institution.

Describe your personality in three words.

"If I could describe my personality to you in three words, I would say that I am compassionate, intelligent, and fluid. My personality is well suited for medicine as my patients' well-being is always at the top of my mind. My intelligence has carried me through residency, fellowship, and into my career as a physician focused on clinical care and translational research. My ability to adapt and change with any situation sets me apart from most people because I thrive in environments where things don't remain constant every day."

Your interviewers pose this question for two reasons. First, they want some insight into your personality to understand how you will fit in with your future colleagues in their Nephrology practice. They also want to hear how you view yourself. Notice they do not ask how others would describe you, but how YOU would describe yourself.

Since you only have three words, make sure the words you use will make a lasting impact on your interviewers. Your answer can include words like 'adaptable,' 'brave,' 'compassionate,' 'respectful,' 'helpful,' 'positive,' 'thoughtful,' and 'versatile.' As you prepare for a question like this, try to avoid giving the same answer other candidates give. Explain your reasons for choosing these words to describe yourself.

"Compassionate, Organized, and Efficient. I always like to provide care for my patients as if they were my friends or family, and I think that helps me be compassionate even when busy. In order to do this, I like to be organized and prepare in advance prior to meeting patients, including reviewing documentation and bloods prior to clinics, so I can spend more time talking to patients. Additionally, I always have a paper list of things to do for the day, and I transfer any outstanding jobs to a protected google sheet to ensure all jobs are followed up. I think by always having a list of things to do I can always prioritize what's most important and delegate jobs when possible, which helps me stay on top of everything, ensure nothing is missed, and be efficient."

Do you believe telehealth is effective in a Nephrology practice?

"I believe it is effective in the right situations. Over the last three years, I've experienced the benefits of remote patient monitoring using telehealth. While it has certainly freed up much-needed clinical space, it was also a huge benefit to the patient by keeping them in their home and limiting their travel. In surveys of my patients using at-home monitoring, a vast majority were happy with their care and had great outcomes. I'm excited to see what further advances happen in this area in the coming years."

While telehealth principles have been applied to patient care for years in Nephrology, it has come to the forefront in recent years. Your interviewers want any physician they consider for their practice to have a positive outlook on telehealth and a vision for where it will go in the future.

Although telehealth has limitations, including the inability to do a physical exam and obtain vitals, it is a useful way to reach out to patients who otherwise would not be able to get care. For this reason, we must embrace telehealth platforms while recognizing that they are not ideal. Your answer should provide the pros and cons of telehealth and any direct examples of its use you are familiar with.

"I believe it is effective in the right situations. For existing, educated, motivated patients, I think the patients benefit by keeping them in their homes and limiting their travel and potential for infection. However for new patients, I find it much more difficult to engage them in the importance and need for self-education and management of their conditions, and I feel some patients don’t view telehealth as a proper appointment and interpret it as the doctor is less invested or concerned about their care, and for these patients, I think telehealth is much less effective. Additionally, while home BPs, weights, and self-reports of ankle swelling are OK, I still feel examination is a significant part of the consultation, and I feel by not examining the patient it would be easy to miss things such as worsened dyspnea in a stoic patient, or the gestalt that something is “just not right” which have previously identified serious problems before which I don’t think I would be able to identify via telehealth."

What are your thoughts on the relationship between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry?

"While I recognize that financial incentives provided by pharmaceutical companies are not acceptable and should be restricted, I see value in pharmaceutical sales representatives as useful sources for information about a new drug, including data from clinical trials, samples for my future patients, and information about the manufacturer's program. This can make their drugs more affordable for patients who struggle financially, particularly those who don't have health insurance."

As a Nephrologist, you have experience prescribing medications and working with reps from various pharmaceutical companies. Your interviewers want to hear that you can see the positives in your relationships with the pharma industry if you join their institution.

Due to the tendencies of these companies to financially reward physicians for using or prescribing their products, it is important to realize that sales representatives of pharmaceutical companies are an important ally for physicians and provide essential information. Assure your interviewers that you are open to listening to the reps and learning about new medicines for your patients.

Do you consider yourself an organized physician?

"Yes, I consider myself very organized on the job. Currently, I manage a busy clinical patient load while managing several research projects and participating in two hospital committees. To do this, I need to be very sharp in the clinic with charting, and I pride myself on my ability to do this. To manage my other projects, I ensure that I have time blocked each week for my work on research and my committee meetings. I work closely with scheduling staff to ensure I have this time blocked."

If your interviewer poses this question during your interview, you will likely be joining a busy practice. Your interviewers need to know that you have the skills and tools to keep yourself organized and on track.

Use this opportunity to talk about the ways you prioritize organization. Remember that a busy day in the clinic requires you to be organized and not make sloppy mistakes. You'll want to discuss your ability to chart in the EHR efficiently and use your communication skills with your entire care team to be as organized as possible.

"Yes, I consider myself very organized. I always like to have a plan of what my week is like early, so I can prepare in advance for any clinics. I always like to have a list of jobs to do for the day, and ensure they are all crossed off or transferred to my protected google sheet to follow up on another day. And for inpatients, I ensure they are all on a google sheet to ensure all discharge summaries are done and any follow-up jobs are completed to ensure patient care is complete from their most recent admission."

What personality type or characteristic in your colleagues do you find most difficult to work with?

"I am most often challenged by staff who are poor communicators. In a busy clinic, communication lines should always be open between the physician staff, care team and administration. If someone on my team wasn't communicating properly, I would respectfully approach them to explain what I need from them concerning communication. If the problem persisted, I would take it up the proper chain of command."

No matter what institution you are interviewing with, you will work with a diverse faculty and support staff. Every colleague will have their own unique personality and work style. Your interviewers ask this question to understand your ability to work with even the most challenging personality styles.

Pick a quality that doesn't reflect poorly on you. If possible, choose something that impairs the ability of even the most competent and hard-working physicians to deliver high-quality care or work as part of a high-functioning team.

"I am most often challenged by staff who are poor communicators. I think clear communication and expectations are important when working as part of a team, and when this isn’t clear it often leads to frustrations that could otherwise be easily avoided. Because of this, I have learned to address early when there is any uncertainty, and I will often instigate paper rounds and job delegations myself to ensure all tasks I know of are performed to ensure nothing is missed."

How do you stay on top of trends and changes in the Nephrology field?

"I actively participate in the ASN and subscribe to and read the JSN and Kidney 360 publications. I love staying up to date on the latest research findings in our field. I love opportunities to participate in CME conferences and training throughout the year. While it can be tough to find the time, I do my best to carve out time for travel. Can you talk about some of the CME your staff participates in?"

Your interviewers want to know that you fully immerse yourself in the field of Nephrology. This includes keeping up to date on new trends and understanding the challenges the industry faces, both now and in the future.

Talk about the resources you use to stay on top of medical industry trends. This is the best time to talk about the journals you read, the societies you belong to, and the CME events you attend regularly. Don't hesitate to talk about your network of professionals in the field.

"At the moment I am mostly focused on consolidating the basics, but I have subscribed to the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology and keep up to date with kidney school, and when I can read articles and listen to podcasts from kidney 360."

How do you deal with a disagreements among your care team?

"Whenever I face a disagreement, I always try to handle things in a manner that considers the patient and the best possible outcome. A great example of this was last year when I was asked to be part of an RFP team to look at new dialysis machines. We went through a rigorous process of listening to and working with five vendors, heard their sales pitches, and then had several meetings to discuss which vendor we wanted. Some of the administrative members of our RFP team were motivated by overall costs and overlooked key aspects of units that would benefit our patients. I never hesitated to speak up and discuss the direct benefits patients would see and, in the end, we ended up going with great new units that still fit within the budget."

Whether it's with your immediate care team within the Nephrology unit or other referring staff outside your care team, disagreements are bound to happen in medicine. Your team of interviewers wants to know that you would join their institution with the ability to be respectful and diplomatic when you face a disagreement with your care team or colleagues.

To best answer this question, talk about a specific time you successfully handled a disagreement with great results because of your action. If there was a significant and imminent risk of harm to the patient, explain how you took swift action and considered the patient's needs and medical necessity. Explain how you came to a decision and communicated with others in a firm yet respectful manner.

"Firstly, I think it is important to identify and acknowledge there are differences in views. Often this means there is an issue two people are passionate enough about to express their views, so the next step would be to identify the issue, and the different views on the matter, and encourage people to work together to come up with the best solution to address the issue together."

How do you prioritize patient confidentiality as a Nephrologist?

"I'm trusted with confidential information every day in my current practice. I make a point to leave my work at work and not discuss patients outside of the office. In the office and the clinic, I always do my dictation in a private setting and lock my computer screen whenever I walk away."

In a busy Nephrology clinic setting, you are trusted with sensitive information. Given that patient confidentiality and HIPAA laws are at a premium in today's digital age, your interviewer needs to know that you take all necessary precautions in keeping patient information private.

Don't fall into this trap and answer this question with a story containing confidential information. If you do, the interviewer will view your answer negatively and consider you untrustworthy. Instead, talk about how you take precautions in maintaining patient confidentiality. Be sure to also talk about any formal training you've had in this area.

How do you perform under pressure and handle the stress of a busy Nephrology clinic?

"I'm not a stranger to the pressures of a busy clinical schedule. My first three years in practice involved a practice that was short-staffed. I learned how to stay organized and dictate patient notes efficiently and how communication was key to providing the best care possible. I attribute much of my ability to handle pressure-packed situations at work to taking care of myself outside of the clinic walls. I prioritize exercise, rest, and quality family time while away from the clinic, and they help me come to work each day relaxed, refreshed, and ready to take on any challenge."

Physician stress and burnout are more prevalent than ever, especially among Nephrologists. Your interviewing team has likely felt the effects of turnover due to this, and they need to know that you have the tools and skillset to face the pressure that comes with their practice.

Provide an example of a time you were challenged by a challenging workload or a pressure-packed situation. Possible examples include managing several critical patients or handling a large workload. Discuss how you reacted in that situation, what you learned from this experience, and if you would do things differently next time. Don't forget to mention the resources you used to ensure that you paid close attention to the fine details.

"I find the only way to handle a busy nephrology clinic is to be organized; review the patient's previous documentation and blood prior to the appointment, and spend the appointment time getting to know the patient so you know how to guide their care. Although this is busy and difficult at the start, I find it is the only way to know your patients well, so your next appointment with them doesn't require this preparation and is a lot more enjoyable."

A recent patient survey comes back, and you find out that you did not meet a patient's expectations as their physician. What are the next steps you would take?

"I love that my current institution surveys patients about the care we provided, and I have always taken feedback constructively. Early in my career, I had patients say that my approach was too stern for their liking. This helped me reflect on my approach, and my patient surveys have been top notch since."

Patient satisfaction surveys are commonplace in any healthcare institution and are put in place to ensure that the best possible care is provided to every patient of the institution. Your patients will fill out satisfaction surveys about your performance, and your team of interviewers poses this question to understand how you will take constructive feedback from a patient's survey and learn from it or how you have handled survey results in practice in the past.

If you were to ask any physician if they have ever received critical feedback on a patient survey, the answer would be a resounding yes. The goal in answering this question is to demonstrate to your interviewers that you can take the feedback, analyze it, and use it as motivation to improve the care you provide moving forward. Remember that most patient feedback is anonymous, and you may not be able to pinpoint the exact interaction that resulted in the feedback from the patient. If possible, discuss any direct feedback you've received on patient surveys as you answer this question.

"I would first like to review the feedback and self-reflect on my interactions and management of this patient and their care. I am always happy to take on any feedback and adjust my communication style and management accordingly. If there are major concerns, I would ideally like to offer the patient an appointment to discuss their concerns directly so I can personally address them and in order to help them and future patients."

As a new Nephrologist in our practice, how would you handle being asked to do a procedure or task you were unfamiliar with and uncomfortable handling?

"I am confident in my medical knowledge and skills, but I also know that I may be tackling some things that will be very new to me. If faced with this situation, I wouldn't hesitate to ask a senior faculty member for guidance as I would never want to put a patient at risk."

You may be asked to tackle a new or unfamiliar procedure/task in practice that you haven't completed before. In proposing a question like this, your interviewers will be looking to hear that you would take a collaborative and learning approach and that you aren't afraid to ask for help when you know your shortcomings.

This is not the time to say that you would jump in with both feet and potentially risk the safety and wellbeing of a patient. Your interviewers are not looking for someone who jumps when someone says jump, but someone willing to jump with confidence and competence. Provide an answer that illustrates this difference. As you answer, talk about your willingness to ask for help and learn in the process.

"If I am unfamiliar or uncomfortable with a task, I always acknowledge this and ask for help early. I would do my own preparation including the necessary reading and instructive video watching, but if I haven't done the task before, I would ask a colleague if I could observe them first or ask If they could observe me to ensure it is safe when I perform the procedure."

As a Nephrologist in our practice, you will often have to deliver discouraging news to patients and their families. How do you handle such hard situations?

"Delivering bad news is hard. I always try to be soft-spoken and give the patient and their families time to ask questions. It's important to remember that one day I may be the one receiving bad news and to treat those I am caring for the way I would like to be treated."

Delivering discouraging news can be difficult for any healthcare provider. Your interviewer does not expect you to react as though you are resilient to all challenging situations. Rather, they want to know that you can get the job done while bringing a compassionate and educational approach to their patients.

If possible, you'll want to use a direct example of a time you had to break bad news to a patient. While you do this, describe the personalized and empathetic approach you used with the patient (and their family). Highlight your ability to educate the patient on the next steps and how you work with them moving forward.

"If I know I will have to deliver bad news, I like to ask the patient to bring a support person to be present in advance. I often provide a quick introduction and warning shot I will be delivering bad news, but honestly, I like to tell the bad news in a sensitive way upfront, so the rest of the consultation can be spent focused on helping the patient process their emotions and answer questions they may have. I think it is important to provide only the minimum necessary information in the first consult and book a follow-up appointment soon after to follow up with the advice to write down any questions they have in between and use that second appointment to provide more information, answer their questions, and only ask the patient to make decisions then."

Nephrology Interview Questions

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1. Tell me about a time you had to deal with a significant change in your practice. How did you manage that change successfully?
2. Talk about a difficult patient experience you had during your career. How did you handle that situation?
3. Tell me about a time you showed initiative by taking the lead on a project during your career.
4. Tell us about a time you had to work with new technology. What did you do to ensure proficiency as quickly as possible?
5. Tell us about a time you had a conflict with a patient. How was it resolved in a healthy manner?
6. This role may require outreach to some of our satellite clinics. Do you have the ability to travel up to an hour certain days of the week?
7. What patient volume are you comfortable seeing in a Nephrology clinic setting?
8. If offered a position in our Nephrology practice, do you have any compensation requirements?
9. Are you considering or actively interviewing for any other Nephrology practices?
10. If I asked your closest friends, what would they say are your strengths and weaknesses?
11. What one or two characteristics do you possess that are vital for success with Nephrology patients?
12. What motivated you to pursue a career as a Nephrologist?
13. Do you have any experience working directly with advanced practice providers? If so please discuss your working relationship.
14. What experience do you have working with peers from diverse background?
15. Do you foresee any issues in relocating to and living in this city as our next Nephrologist?
16. Do you have any subspecialty practice interests within a future Nephrology practice?
17. How would your current nursing and other support staff in your Nephrology practice describe working with you?
18. Tell me one thing about yourself that most people would not know.
19. Take some time to tell us about yourself and what you like to do outside of your practice.
20. As a Nephrologist at our institution, will you be comfortable educating medical students, residents, and other trainees?
21. What are some challenges that the field of Nephrology currently faces?
22. How would you like to see the delivery of Nephrology care evolve?
23. What aspects of our institution interest you the most?
24. Describe your personality in three words.
25. Do you believe telehealth is effective in a Nephrology practice?
26. What are your thoughts on the relationship between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry?
27. Do you consider yourself an organized physician?
28. What personality type or characteristic in your colleagues do you find most difficult to work with?
29. How do you stay on top of trends and changes in the Nephrology field?
30. How do you deal with a disagreements among your care team?
31. How do you prioritize patient confidentiality as a Nephrologist?
32. How do you perform under pressure and handle the stress of a busy Nephrology clinic?
33. A recent patient survey comes back, and you find out that you did not meet a patient's expectations as their physician. What are the next steps you would take?
34. As a new Nephrologist in our practice, how would you handle being asked to do a procedure or task you were unfamiliar with and uncomfortable handling?
35. As a Nephrologist in our practice, you will often have to deliver discouraging news to patients and their families. How do you handle such hard situations?

Nephrology Interview Questions

1. Tell me about a time you had to deal with a significant change in your practice. How did you manage that change successfully?

2. Talk about a difficult patient experience you had during your career. How did you handle that situation?

3. Tell me about a time you showed initiative by taking the lead on a project during your career.

4. Tell us about a time you had to work with new technology. What did you do to ensure proficiency as quickly as possible?

5. Tell us about a time you had a conflict with a patient. How was it resolved in a healthy manner?

6. This role may require outreach to some of our satellite clinics. Do you have the ability to travel up to an hour certain days of the week?

7. What patient volume are you comfortable seeing in a Nephrology clinic setting?

8. If offered a position in our Nephrology practice, do you have any compensation requirements?

9. Are you considering or actively interviewing for any other Nephrology practices?

10. If I asked your closest friends, what would they say are your strengths and weaknesses?

11. What one or two characteristics do you possess that are vital for success with Nephrology patients?

12. What motivated you to pursue a career as a Nephrologist?

13. Do you have any experience working directly with advanced practice providers? If so please discuss your working relationship.

14. What experience do you have working with peers from diverse background?

15. Do you foresee any issues in relocating to and living in this city as our next Nephrologist?

16. Do you have any subspecialty practice interests within a future Nephrology practice?

17. How would your current nursing and other support staff in your Nephrology practice describe working with you?

18. Tell me one thing about yourself that most people would not know.

19. Take some time to tell us about yourself and what you like to do outside of your practice.

20. As a Nephrologist at our institution, will you be comfortable educating medical students, residents, and other trainees?

21. What are some challenges that the field of Nephrology currently faces?

22. How would you like to see the delivery of Nephrology care evolve?

23. What aspects of our institution interest you the most?

24. Describe your personality in three words.

25. Do you believe telehealth is effective in a Nephrology practice?

26. What are your thoughts on the relationship between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry?

27. Do you consider yourself an organized physician?

28. What personality type or characteristic in your colleagues do you find most difficult to work with?

29. How do you stay on top of trends and changes in the Nephrology field?

30. How do you deal with a disagreements among your care team?

31. How do you prioritize patient confidentiality as a Nephrologist?

32. How do you perform under pressure and handle the stress of a busy Nephrology clinic?

33. A recent patient survey comes back, and you find out that you did not meet a patient's expectations as their physician. What are the next steps you would take?

34. As a new Nephrologist in our practice, how would you handle being asked to do a procedure or task you were unfamiliar with and uncomfortable handling?

35. As a Nephrologist in our practice, you will often have to deliver discouraging news to patients and their families. How do you handle such hard situations?