If you’re looking for a job as a rheumatologist, the roles you apply for may have many candidates. One way you can differentiate yourself from others is by preparing for interviews and reviewing common questions and responses. Exploring these questions can help you create effective responses that show hiring managers your knowledge and skills so you feel confident during your interview.In this article, we list 40 rheumatologist interview questions and share four sample answers you can use as a reference when preparing your responses.
- Can you tell us more about your professional background? …
- How do you reassure a patient who is struggling with pain? …
- What excites you the most about this position? …
- What are some of the important developments in rheumatic care? …
- How do you ensure accurate diagnosis?
Rheumatology Fellowship Interviews FY2019 2020
How would you describe your bedside manner?
While knowledge and skills are critical for a rheumatologist, its also important to have a bedside manner that makes patients feel comfortable and reassured. A hiring manager may ask you this question to ensure your approach to patient care aligns with the facilitys expectations. Consider including an example of how your bedside manner has helped you connect with patients.
Example: “I would describe my bedside manner as personalized. Some patients appreciate a warm, personal approach, while others feel more comfortable with a friendly but clinical doctor-patient relationship. Respecting this helps me connect with them. For example, I once treated a college athlete who became upset about an inherited condition that affected his game, and he was polite but preferred to keep me at a distance. I followed his lead, and before his release, he thanked me for giving him space so he could process the situation and noted that it made him feel comfortable and reassured as a patient.”
What motivated you to become specialized in rheumatology?
Physicians have many options for specializations, and they typically have specific reasons for choosing their practice area. Interviewers may ask this question to learn about what makes you passionate about rheumatology. Consider including details about your continued interest in this specialization and how its helped you reach your goals.
Example: “My grandmother had rheumatoid arthritis, and even as a young child, it was obvious how much this disease affected her. She managed intense pain regularly, and although she had some treatment options, theyre much more advanced now. I decided at a young age I wanted to become a rheumatologist to help people like my grandmother, and I find it especially rewarding to help patients of advanced age live with minimal pain and enjoy the rest of their lives.”
General rheumatologist interview questions
Rheumatologists use many specialized medical skills to complete their duties effectively, but having certain soft skills can help them provide quality care to patients. An interviewer may ask you this question to determine if your soft skills suit the facilitys mission, vision and goals for patient care. Consider including an example of how this skill has helped you.
Example: “I believe the most important soft skill for any physician is compassion. My primary goal as a rheumatologist is to help improve the lives of my patients, I once had an elderly patient who felt other doctors had downplayed her concerns because of her age, and she was very grateful when I listened to her concerns and found a treatment that eased her pain. When Im treating a patient, I think, What would I do if this person were my family member? That helps me ensure I give each patient the personalized care they deserve.”
Do you prefer to work independently or as a member of a team?
Physicians often work autonomously, but they also collaborate with other medical professionals to ensure patients receive quality care. A hiring manager may ask you this question to determine if youre comfortable working in either role, regardless of your preference. Consider sharing your preference and then explaining how you can perform well in either situation.
Example: “There are aspects of both I enjoy, depending on what Im doing. I enjoy researching on my own, and sometimes its beneficial to have private conversations with patients and their loved ones because it often feels less overwhelming for them if there are fewer medical providers in the room. That said, I couldnt do what I do with other professionals like nurses and medical technologists, and I enjoy working with them to share ideas and provide patient care.”
Example: “I am most familiar with the MediTracker program used at my current job. I find it easy to navigate through the system and input information into patient files. It also allows me to communicate with other healthcare professionals about patients’ conditions and treatment plans. I would be happy to learn more about the software used by your facility.”
Example: “If I noticed a fellow physician making a mistake, I would first make sure the patient was receiving adequate care while we addressed the issue. Then, I would speak privately with the physician about what they did wrong and how they could avoid making the same mistake in the future. If it was an honest mistake, I would offer suggestions for how they could improve their treatment plan moving forward.”
Example: “I find that many of my patients have trouble communicating with me because they are nervous or scared. I always make sure to speak slowly and clearly so that everyone can understand what I am saying. If someone is having trouble hearing me, I will repeat myself until they understand. I also use hand gestures and facial expressions to help them feel more comfortable.”
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect many different parts of the body. The interviewer may ask this question to see if you have experience diagnosing and treating lupus patients. In your answer, explain what lupus is and how it affects people’s lives. Share one or two signs or symptoms that are common in lupus patients.
If you’re interested in becoming a rheumatologist, you’ll need to complete four years of medical school, followed by a three-year residency in rheumatology. After completing your training, you’ll be eligible to take the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) certification exam in rheumatology.
Tell them your major and the motivations behind why you chose it and how its helped to prep your of this potential job.
One good way to find out about the department is to try to “informally” interview the existing employees over coffee (outside of the office) if possible. Its hard if you dont have any connections there, but if you do a great way to learn about it. Other than that, its often hard to learn about the department so you can turn the table back on them by asking questions to learn about it.
Make you give an example where you discuss details and metrics. For example, I was a tutor in my last job and mentored 5 students on their SAT test taking skills and raised their scores by 15% on average after a 3 month teaching stint.
Many managers mistakenly think that money is the prime motivator for their employees. However, according to surveys by several different companies, money is consistently ranked five or lower by most employees. So if money is not the best way to motivate your team, what is? Employees three most important issues according to employees are: ☛ Respect ☛ A sense of accomplishment ☛ Recognition
Possible ways to find out about the job: Online website listing, friend, professional referral, mentor, career fairs, networking events. You should know about the roles and responsibilities of the job and what theyre looking for. Make sure you read up on that online beforehand or ask the person that referred you.
Be completely honest and thoughtful with this one. You dont want to wake up one to find out that youre moving to a new city or state and it may be a major factor in your eligibility for employment. But again, if you dont want to move then the job probably isnt for you.
Either preference is fine, but just remember you have to be able to explain why. If you say recognition, then back that up by describing how achievement really carries weight with you and how you like to feel valued in the work that you do because it validates that youre helping your teammates / customers and so forth. If you choose money, you can also explain that is important to you as validation and you can highlight how money is important to you because of your goals (financial security, providing for your family, and so forth). The key is to be authentic with your answer. However, if you say you value pay more because youre greedy – know that doesnt align usually to most companys values/vision.
When you respond, keep in mind the type of position you are interviewing for like Rheumatologist based job, the company culture, and the work environment. Your answer should help show the interviewer why youre a match for the job and for the company. Sample answers are: ☛ Im a people person. I really enjoy meeting and working with a lot of different people. ☛ Im a perfectionist. I pay attention to all the details, and like to be sure that everything is just right. ☛ Im a creative thinker. I like to explore alternative solutions to problems and have an open mind about what will work best. ☛ Im efficient and highly organized. This enables me to be as productive as possible on the job. ☛ I enjoy solving problems, troubleshooting issues, and coming up with solutions in a timely manner.
Be sure to paint a clear picture of your career vision that demonstrates your aspirations and goals that are realistic. This could emphasize increased responsibility, the ability to manage people and so forth
Review every deadline you need to meet. Prioritize your projects by deadline and factor in how important each project is. Record your deadlines on a digital calendar or spreadsheet.
FAQ
Why do you want to work in rheumatology?
What skills do you need to be a rheumatologist?
What autoimmune diseases does a rheumatologist treat?
- Internal Medicine, 79.2%
- Patient Care, 12.4%
- Medical Research, 4.4%
- IV, 2.2%
- Vital Signs, 1.0%
- Front Office, 0.6%
- Clinical Expertise, 0.2%
