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Practice Questions
General Interview Questions
- What are two of your strengths and two of you weaknesses?
- Who has influenced you the most?
- Do you have any volunteer experience? Discuss.
- Discuss a book that you have recently read for pleasure. Why does this book interest you?
Discipline Related Questions
- Imagine you’re working as a (fill in your discipline, e.g., doctor) in a hospital or clinic. What role do you see yourself fulfilling as a part of this kind of team?
- What are some of the pros and cons of being a (fill in your discipline, e.g., clinical psychologist)?
- What experiences have you had and what insights have you gained from these experiences that lead you to believe that you would be a good (fill in your discipline, e.g., pharmacist)?
- If we had only one spot left in (fill in your discipline, e.g., veterinarian) school and a dozen qualified applicants, why should we give that spot to you and not them?
Ethical Questions
- What would you do if your mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness around the same time as your final (fill in your discipline, e.g., medicine) examinations?
- Your friend told you he has been feeling very low lately. One day, he tells you about his suicidal plan. What would you do?
- Your fellow-classmate at (fill in your discipline, e.g., dentistry) school has a part time job to support himself. He has been unable to make it to some of the class compulsory seminars because of these commitments and has asked you to mark his name present on the sign-in sheet. What do you do and why?
- You are doing your clerkship/work term at a long-term care facility which employs people from the community to help with the everyday living of the residents (e.g. washing, changing clothes). You oversee the scheduling of the employees and the resident they attend. One resident, Mrs. Hanson, does not want one of the colored employees to be assigned to her. What are the issues at hand?
Critical Thinking Questions
- If you could recommend one book for the whole world to read what would it be and why?
- Talk about a time when you had to overcome major obstacles.
- Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way?
- Provide an example of a time when undertaking critical analysis changed the way you considered an issue.
Collaboration Scenarios
- Without using your hands, explain how to tie shoe laces.
- Without telling the other candidate in the room what you are designing (eg., a computer, a cell phone, a car, an airplane, etc.), describe the various steps involved.
- When you enter the room there will be a sheet of paper in front of you. On the other side of the room there is another candidate who will provide you with instructions regarding how to turn this paper into an origami (paper folding) project. Do not look at the other candidate until told that you can do so.
- When you enter the room there will be two pieces of rope in front of you; one is black, and one is white. You will be sitting back-to-back with another candidate who will provide you with instructions regarding how to complete the tying of a certain knot. Do not look at the other candidate until told that you can do so.
Problem Solving Questions
- Describe how you handled a problem relationship with someone at school or work.
- You and three other people were shipwrecked and are stranded on a deserted island with little food and clothing to protect against the elements. Describe what you did to survive this ordeal until you were rescued.
- You are attending a conference in Hamilton, Ontario. You take a day trip to Toronto with a group of colleagues. One of your colleagues, who has never been to Toronto before, becomes separated from the rest of the group while at the Metro Toronto Zoo. What actions would you take?
- You are employed to lead a team of highly skilled researchers from a wide variety of fields. The previous team leader was fired because the team was not meeting deadlines. The team members are not welcoming you as their new team leader. What would you do about this?
Role Plays Scenarios
- You are backing out of your driveway when you hit your neighbor’s expensive sports car. Your neighbor, who is standing outside on his porch, becomes visibly upset and approaches you. Unfortunately, you do not currently have the means to pay for repairs to this vehicle. Proceed into the room.
- You are a (fill in your discipline, e.g., Cardiology Technologist) student completing placements on the medical ward. Your fellow-classmate, Heather, is also assigned to the same hospital but you see her sitting alone in the common room a lot of the time. You decide to approach her and ask if everything is alright. Heather reveals that she has been feeling very low lately and tells you that at times she wonders if any of the schooling and hard work is even worth it. She mentions suicide in passing, but you’re unsure how serious she is. Have a conversation with Heather.
- You usually feel lucky. You were assigned an awesome roommate, Sean, for your dorm and everyone else on your floor thinks so too. You get along great, are in some of the same classes, and watch the same TV shows. But Sean seems to have more spare time than you do. In fact, he regularly gives you a hard time when you try and stay in to study. He thinks you work too hard and should go to more parties. His motto is “who needs an A when you just need to pass.” Sean has just returned from class and wants you to forget about studying for tomorrow’s midterm and go out for wings. Role play a conversation with Sean.
- Victoria has known Leanne since 3rd grade. She has covered for Leanne several times, saying that they are having a sleep-over when in fact Leanne has been staying with her boyfriend. Victoria no longer wants to lie and feels used in this situation. Role-play a conversation between Victoria and Leanne, you are Victoria.
Quotations
- “We need to practice the art of listening, which is more that simply hearing. Listening, in communication, is an openness of heart which makes possible that closeness without which genuine spiritual encounter cannot occur. Listening helps us to find the right gesture and word which shows that we are more than simply bystanders.”
How does this quote by Pope Francis resonate with you?
- “Genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”
How are Thomas Edison’s words speaking to you?
- Danielle Ofri contends that “the single most powerful diagnostic tool remains the doctor/patient conversation, which can uncover the lion’s share of illness. But often the difference between what patients say and what doctors hear is vast.”
Discuss what you feel Dr. Ofri is saying and propose a solution.
- “If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.”
This is an interesting quote by the late Steve Jobs. How does it resonate with you?
Indigenous Questions
- Research among allied health professionals already working in Indigenous health shows a willingness to work in the field, yet at the same time, many have expressed fear of offending and inadequate practical knowledge. What do you think non- Indigenous health care providers need to know in order to provide culturally safe care?
- How has colonization affected your family, ancestors, and journey so far.
- How would you lobby or promote the importance of Indigenous health to the government and relevant stakeholders?
- Do you feel that Jordan’s Principle has been a huge success for Indigenous children and if not, what suggestions would you make to improve it?
Social Issues Questions
- Due to the opioid crisis in your province, your government is thinking of opening supervised injection sites. According to the public health agency, supervised injection sites are an evidence-based way to deal with addictions and drug overdose. These sites are meant to provide a safe place for drug users. What policies must be put in place to ensure the safe and effective operation of a supervised injection site?
- Is there anything, no matter how small, that you are willing to commit to doing to end racism that you are not already doing?
- Your best friend tells you he is a compulsive gambler. He has lost all his money and he asks you for a loan in order to buy food, to pay back his loan sharks and then use the rest to try to win it all back. Discuss the broad implications of gambling on society.
- Unemployment is commonly believed to be functional for society. Explain how this problem may be so. Do you agree that unemployment is functional?
Rural Questions
- You are a new (fill in your discipline, e.g., doctor) working in a (fill in your discipline, e.g., medical) clinic in a rural community in your province. What are some of the challenges that you might face? What are your strategies to cope with these challenges?
- Some of the major challenges in rural health include drug abuse, alcohol abuse and mental health. These have the potential to be fatal and have a particularly prevalent affect on the youth within rural communities. What are the factors that are associated with understanding this problem?
- Almost 18% of Canada’s population live in rural or remote areas, many in geographical isolation from others. This results in a lack of proper healthcare for citizens in rural and remote areas. Why do you believe doctors and other healthcare workers are so unwilling to go and help in rural and remote areas? How can we change the mindset of doctors and other healthcare workers to consider working in rural and remote areas?
- Due to the shortage of doctors in rural and Indigenous communities, it has been suggested that graduate medical programs preferentially admit students who are willing to commit to a 1-year tenure in an under-serviced rural area upon completion of Residency. Consider and comment on the broad implications of this policy for health and health care costs.
