Pharmacy Residency Mock Interview

Master 37 Pharmacy Residency interview questions covering clinical scenarios, patient cases, and program fit.

WRITTEN BY ERICA WONDRA
QUESTION 4 OF 37

Let's imagine you're stranded on a deserted island. You walk around and find a first aid kit. What three over-the-counter products do you hope are in there?

Erica Wondra
Erica is a University Career coach with almost 5 years of experience working with candidates for positions in pharmacy, healthcare, accounting, and more.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

Although this is a question most would call random, the intention is to understand your thinking and thought processes. In most situations, pharmacists need to have a vast knowledge of over-the-counter medications and treatments, and this question will gauge your knowledge base.

Erica Wondra
Erica is a University Career coach with almost 5 years of experience working with candidates for positions in pharmacy, healthcare, accounting, and more.
Example Answer

"Alright, so I'm on a deserted island, and I find a first aid kit. Well, I imagine I'll be building my own shelter so I'd probably want some Tylenol in case I'm sore from working, and of course, fever is always a possibility. I also think I may want an antacid because who knows what I'll be eating, and I don't want to be sick to my stomach. Lastly, I think I'd want some sunscreen because I imagine the island is really sunny, and I don't want a sunburn to get in my way."

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

There is no right or wrong answer here, but your interviewers want to see you think critically about the situation and work through your answers. As you answer this question, don't hesitate to be a bit creative to show your interviewers that you have more to offer than theoretical knowledge.

37 Pharmacy Residency Interview Questions & Answers

Jump to any question in the set.

01 What drives your passion for success in the pharmacy field? DISCOVERY 02 How did you decide to apply for this particular type of pharmacy residency training? DISCOVERY 03 What does patient safety mean to you as a pharmacist? DILIGENCE 04 Let's imagine you're stranded on a deserted island. You walk around and find a first aid kit. What three over-the-counter products do you hope are in there? DISCOVERY 05 What has been your favorite APPE rotation thus far and why? DISCOVERY 06 Being a clinical pharmacist is an incredibly stressful and demanding career. How will you manage stress as a resident in our program? BEHAVIORAL 07 Please describe your personality in three words. DISCOVERY 08 While in pharmacy school, what was your favorite course and why? EDUCATION 09 Our pharmacy residents have the option to earn a teaching certificate in our program. Does this interest you? DISCOVERY 10 As a pharmacy student, how did you handle the additional stress during the COVID-19 pandemic? DIRECT 11 What are you currently reading in your spare time? DISCOVERY 12 What was the last pharmacological article you read? DILIGENCE 13 What personal and clinical strengths would you bring to our team as a pharmacy resident? BEHAVIORAL 14 What is one weakness you would strive to improve during pharmacy residency training? BEHAVIORAL 15 Tell us about a time when things didn't go your way. How did you respond? BEHAVIORAL 16 Describe your experiences working in teams. What role do you play and how do you work with others? TEAMWORK 17 Can you summarize your CV for us? DIRECT 18 Why are you interested in pursuing training in a pharmacy residency versus heading right into the workforce? DISCOVERY 19 Fast forward 35 years to your retirement party. What would you want your colleagues to remember about you? DISCOVERY 20 What are your short and long-term career goals? How does this program fit into your vision? DISCOVERY 21 What will make you a great pharmacy resident? DIRECT 22 What do you imagine a typical day will be like here in our pharmacy residency program? DISCOVERY 23 Tell us about one of your journal clubs during your pharmacy school. COMPATIBILITY 24 How would you counsel a patient on warfarin? SCENARIO 25 If you were a drug, what drug would you be and why? DISCOVERY 26 What is one interesting issue facing pharmacists today, and how would you plan on tackling this as a pharmacy resident? DILIGENCE 27 What are your plans if you don't match into a pharmacy residency this year? DILIGENCE 28 A patient comes in with hypotension. What do you do? SCENARIO 29 How do you adapt and deal with the continually changing pharmacy environment? ADAPTABILITY 30 Tell us a bit about yourself. DISCOVERY 31 What drew you to apply to our program? DISCOVERY 32 What qualities are you looking for in a preceptor as a pharmacy resident? COMPATIBILITY 33 What are you hoping to accomplish by pursuing pharmacy residency training? ACCOMPLISHMENT 34 What three things would you do on your first day as a pharmacy resident with our program? SCENARIO 35 What do you feel are your biggest weaknesses you would have as a new pharmacy resident? ~PHARMACY RESIDENCY 36 Why should we rank you high for matching into our pharmacy residency program? ~PROGRAM FIT 37 Why do you want to pursue this pharmacy subspecialty training and do you feel our program will help meet your goals? ~PROGRAM FIT
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Erica Wondra
37 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS · PHARMACY RESIDENCY
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