If you witnessed a physician peer doing or saying something inappropriate to a support staff member, how would you respond?

"First, I would ensure that I saw or heard things correctly. Depending on the transgression, I would either confront my colleague discretely to resolve it or report it up the chain of command. My conversation would be direct and highlight the fact that the physician was disrespectful to a well-respected colleague. I would also encourage a personal apology. I would report it if I felt it compromised patient care, would reflect poorly on the hospital (group), or was unethical, immoral, or illegal."

Ideally, your answer will be dependent on the working relationship you have with your physician peer and how out of line the situation is. If you have a close working relationship with the physician, you should let your interviewer know that you would be forthright with your colleague and call them out on their actions respectfully and tactfully. If the situation was serious, talk about how you would take the issue up the chain of command per hospital policy. This would include a conversation with the department chair or administrator.