OBGYN Residency Mock Interview

Prepare for 23 OBGYN Residency interview questions covering surgical skills, patient care philosophy, and program fit.

Question 13 of 23

How would you dismiss a patient from your practice?

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Example Answer
Community Answers

Ryan Brown created and launched MockQuestions in 2008.

This is a question that seeks to know what you would find unacceptable in someone you've pledged to serve. At what point is that service untenable? Medicine is a relationship between patient and physician, and as such it requires the obligations of both parties. When those obligations falter on the part of one of the "partners," the entire relationship becomes faulty and untenable. Just because a patient is being "served" by you does not give him or her a pass for defaulting on his or her obligations to the relationship. You need to show the interviewer that there are lines beyond which behavior is unacceptable and grounds for ending the patient-physician relationship.

Ryan Brown

Ryan Brown created and launched MockQuestions in 2008.

"To me, behavior and compliance are equally important in the sort of 'contract' I would have with a patient that makes up the patient-physician relationship. It must be a 2-way street if it's a true relationship. If there is the behavior I cannot abide, such as abuse of the clerical or ancillary staff, I must determine that this behavior isn't part of the pathology; if not, I owe it to those who render care"”with me"”to separate from this patient after due warnings. Compliance, on the other hand, only hurts the patient. I go to clinic, for example, whether the patient complies or not. Again, though, I would need to know that the patient's lack of compliance isn't part of his/her pathology. "

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Anonymous Answer

The patient-doctor contract is based on mutual respect and understanding. If a patient is verbally abusive to me or office staff, then they have breached that contract, and I have an obligation to keep the staff in my office safe and free of abuse. I would send them a letter explaining that they are being dismissed from the practice and have 30 days to find a new provider, and I would make myself available for their appointments within that 30-day window.

Amanda's Feedback

You've answered well and provided an adequate time frame of 30 days to allow the patient to find another physician. Consider enhancing your answer by sharing any steps you would take to save the patient relationship before having to issue the termination letter, such as sitting down with the patient to gain more insight into the underlying expectations or communicating clearly with the patient about appropriate expectations/behavior, the standard healthcare process, and the consequences of continued issues.

Anonymous Answer

If I felt it necessary to dismiss a patient from my practice due to repeated absences or rude behavior towards staff, I would first start with a few warnings. It would not be fair for me to all of a sudden dismiss someone without first allowing them the opportunity to fix certain behaviors. If problems continued to arise, I would give the patient a 30-day notice to allow them time to find care somewhere else.

Marcie's Feedback

Nice! Giving the troublesome patient a chance to fix their behavior is a good first step. Providing them time to find care elsewhere shows your compassionate nature. Good answer!

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23OBGYN Residency Interview Questions & Answers

Leadership

1.If you were Chief Resident, how would you resolve a dispute between two residents each of whom state they cannot take call on a certain day, yet one must be assigned. Both reasons are equally important. How would you handle this?

Situational

2.You are assisting in a C-section on a homeless woman having her 4th child, and your upper-level resident makes some disparaging remarks about the patientâ€™s situation. What do you do?

3.Another resident confides in you about a substance abuse problem. How should you address this, if at all?

4.A patient of one of your peers wants to switch to you because she felt he was 'creepy.' What do you tell her and how would you manage the switch with your associate?

5.What have you learned from your family that will carry over into your professional life?

6.How do you feel diversity in medicine is working out?

7.Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? 20 years?

8.What do you feel is your greatest non-medical strength you can bring to the practice of OBGYN?

9.OBGYN is a mix of book knowledge, insight, dexterity, and ethics. If you had a pie chart, how might these, %-wise, divide out for you personally and is there any change you feel you should work on to adjust it?

10.Physicians are very busy people. What would be your formula for balancing work duties with family obligations?

11.What do you feel are your family obligations?

12.How would you prioritize between clinical and educational enrichment?

13.How would you dismiss a patient from your practice?

14.A young woman comes to you for advice on an unwanted pregnancy. What do you tell her?

15.You are treating a 22-year-old for endometriosis and schedule a laparoscopy. Her father calls you to tell you confidentially that it is all a ploy to get narcotics. Whatâ€™s your next step?

16.Your 21-year-old Jehovahâ€™s Witness patient suffers an abruption, threatening her life and that of her unborn baby. Your upper-level resident tells you to order a blood transfusion so she and her baby wonâ€™t die. Do you do this? If so, why? If not, why

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

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18.What is the rate of completion of the residency by those who begin their first year here?

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19.Are there any subspecialties not represented by the staff?

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20.Is there exposureâ€”and how muchâ€”to subspecialties?

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21.What is the call schedule typically in this residency?

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22.What is the ratio of men-to-women?

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OBGYN Residency Mock Interview

How would you dismiss a patient from your practice?

23OBGYN Residency Interview Questions & Answers

1.If you were Chief Resident, how would you resolve a dispute between two residents each of whom state they cannot take call on a certain day, yet one must be assigned. Both reasons are equally important. How would you handle this?

2.You are assisting in a C-section on a homeless woman having her 4th child, and your upper-level resident makes some disparaging remarks about the patientâ€™s situation. What do you do?

3.Another resident confides in you about a substance abuse problem. How should you address this, if at all?

4.A patient of one of your peers wants to switch to you because she felt he was 'creepy.' What do you tell her and how would you manage the switch with your associate?

5.What have you learned from your family that will carry over into your professional life?

6.How do you feel diversity in medicine is working out?

7.Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? 20 years?

8.What do you feel is your greatest non-medical strength you can bring to the practice of OBGYN?

9.OBGYN is a mix of book knowledge, insight, dexterity, and ethics. If you had a pie chart, how might these, %-wise, divide out for you personally and is there any change you feel you should work on to adjust it?

10.Physicians are very busy people. What would be your formula for balancing work duties with family obligations?

11.What do you feel are your family obligations?

12.How would you prioritize between clinical and educational enrichment?

13.How would you dismiss a patient from your practice?

14.A young woman comes to you for advice on an unwanted pregnancy. What do you tell her?

15.You are treating a 22-year-old for endometriosis and schedule a laparoscopy. Her father calls you to tell you confidentially that it is all a ploy to get narcotics. Whatâ€™s your next step?

16.Your 21-year-old Jehovahâ€™s Witness patient suffers an abruption, threatening her life and that of her unborn baby. Your upper-level resident tells you to order a blood transfusion so she and her baby wonâ€™t die. Do you do this? If so, why? If not, why

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

18.What is the rate of completion of the residency by those who begin their first year here?

19.Are there any subspecialties not represented by the staff?

20.Is there exposureâ€”and how muchâ€”to subspecialties?

21.What is the call schedule typically in this residency?

22.What is the ratio of men-to-women?

23.What is the diversity mix?