Hiring a physician, especially in today’s competitive market, can be a daunting task.
After all, not only do they need to be clinically sound, but they also need to be self-starting, forward thinkers who will assimilate well within your organization culture. A thorough interview can be the difference between hiring a productive physician who will contribute to your organization for years to come and a knee-jerk hire who, ultimately, ends up contributing to your turnover statistics. To make more informed hiring decisions, consider asking provider candidates the following questions during interviews:
- Why did you choose medicine and/or this specialty? Where do you see your career in five years?
- Which individuals have most influenced your patient care style?
- On a daily basis, what motivates you? What discourages you?
- How would your patients and support staff describe you?
- Can you share a time when you were criticized? How did you respond and what action did you take?
- What kinds of patients do you find the most challenging and why? How do you manage those patients?
- When was the last time you encountered conflict? How did you work through the situation?
- What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last 12 months and why?
- What are the life/work balance priorities that are important to you and how have you maintained this balance?
- What evaluation format has worked well for you and why?
These questions will provide a range of behavioral indicators about the candidate—from how they handle conflict to how they prioritize and compartmentalize their personal and professional lives. In many cases, the questions also act as a springboard for extended discussions during which you can learn even more about the candidate. The more insight you can obtain to inform your decision, the more likely it is that both you—and your final hire—will be pleased with the decision to work together.
