Radiation Therapist Interview Questions with Answer Examples
16. Tell Me About A Time You Had To Deal With A Frustrated or Overwhelmed Patient Because Of Lack Of Progress?
Whenever you get this question, the interviewer is trying to assess how well you can deal with a difficult patient. Ensure to add a real-life experience.
Sample Answer
While working at Hospital X, I had the chance to interact with a frustrated patient because of lack of progress after taking therapy. I did not rush at giving him an answer and did my best to listen to him actively. Once he was done, I assured him that it is okay to be frustrated.
Later I explained to him how radiation therapy works. I explained to him that there are cancer patients whose first-line treatment may start working and then suddenly stops.
I assured him that this is normal and explained to him that our team would assess the situation to see if he is fit for the second-line treatment. He was satisfied by this as he did not have enough details of how radiation therapy works.
15. How Do You Handle Stress?
In most cases, the interviewer asks this question to see how you react when presented in a stressful situation. How you resolve the stressful situation portrays your problem-solving skills.
Sample Answer
For me what I deem most while handling a stressful situation is effective communication skills. While working at hospital X, there was an instance where the x-ray did not present accurate beams.
During this time, I gathered my team and brought it up that we have uncertainty in our responsibilities. So from that day, we delegated duties on who would be checking if the equipment is properly functioning. It is great that from the meeting, the inaccurate results have never happened again.
If I was a patient, how would you explain how radiation kills cancer cells to me?
An interviewer may ask this question to gauge your ability to explain complex processes in simple terms to patients. Knowing how to explain technical concepts to patients is important for easing their concerns and helping them to understand their condition. To answer this question, outline the steps for how you would explain the process of radiation therapy to a patient.
Example: “The processes for how radiation kills cancer cells are complex, but patients dont need to understand all the biological and chemical reasons why radiation works. I focus on explaining in general that radiation damages the DNA of certain types of cells, which slows their growth and stops their ability to spread. If a patient asks to know more, Im always willing to provide a more in-depth description.”
2. What Are The Roles Of A Radiation Therapist?
Employers tend to ask this question as they need to assess if your experience aligns with what they are looking for. In most cases, employers tend to hire candidates who have shown that they have taken up similar responsibilities before.
While answering this question, you should share examples of how well you executed your responsibilities.
Sample Answer
My duties and responsibilities often involve explaining my patients’ treatment plans and determining the best course of radiation for the patients. With this, I ensure that I answer any questions the patients might have about their procedures. I delight working hand in hand with the oncologist to develop a great radiation treatment plan.
While dealing with my patients, I make use of my customer service skills to ensure that every patient is satisfied and comfortable.
