Practice Interview Question Thread

[DrDrLMG!]

thanks! i was kinda asking about the time frame of questions ie are we given any planning time during the *8 minutes* to answer all 4 parts of the question? or do we go straight on

You get two minutes reading time before you enter the room/get let into the zoom station. There can be follow up questions that you get asked on the spot, mid-station.

 

[tommy987]

Hey guys, I just attempted this question, its one of my first attempts at a question like this, and I'd just like to add I'm not super familiar with confidentiality laws so my answer just could be straight up wrong. Any feedback is appreciated, thanks! Took me about 6.5 minutes.

Josh is a 29 year old patient who is a regular patient of yours. Josh was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS 3 years ago, and today he has come in for his regular GP checks. Upon questioning you find out that Josh has been sexually active with someone approximately 6 months ago. He has also confessed that he has not told his partner that he is HIV positive and has also confessed to not using contraception too. You insist that Josh should take better precaution during intercourse by using protection but completely ignores your advice saying that protection ruins the “experience” for him.


1. What should you , as the GP do next

My next step would be to let him know of the ramifications of his actions, and the possible health effects HIV/AIDS could have when untreated in order to try and encourage him to be more careful in the future. As a result, I would strongly encourage Josh to let his sexual partners know that he has HIV/AIDS. This is because he has had unprotected sexual intercourse with these partners, meaning there is a high risk of transmission. However, them being unaware of this could mean that they don’t seek testing or treatment from a long period of time which could lead to further complications. If they were to test positive, being able to treat them as soon as possible would allow for minimisation of risks surrounding the disease compared to them not knowing they have it. I understand this could be a confronting situation for him so I would try to reassure him that doing so is the right move. If he does choose to tell them, I would offer any assistance in disclosing this to his partners if he wasn’t comfortable doing this himself, such as an anonymous text to get tested.

2. Should Josh’s partner be notified of his HIV/AIDS status? Discuss

I do believe his partners should be notified of his HIV/AIDS status, however as his doctor I’m bound by confidentiality and maintaining trust with Josh. This is why I would strongly encourage Josh to tell them himself or through an anonymous message. If they are notified of the potential danger, they could get tested, and if positive receive treatment as soon as possible.

3. Confidentiality is an important aspect of maintaining the therapeutic relationship between patient and doctor. What are the possible ramifications associated with the breaking of confidentiality.

The biggest ramification is the loss of trust between patient and doctor. Because as a doctor I represent the medical field as a whole, a bad experience with one doctor could lead to a distrust of all doctors. The patient could also tell other people about this leading to some of the wider community not trusting the medical system. As a result, many people could avoid seeking medical attention when needed and because of this suffering from avoidable complications from treatable diseases. This is why maintaining confidentiality is critical in ensuring the community trusts medical professionals and thus seek treatment when needed.

4. List some situations, where you think confidentiality should be broken (if any).

I think confidentiality should only be broken in limited situations in order to maintain trust in the medical system. The main type of situation where confidentiality should be broken is a situation where a patient is a risk of harming themselves or others. If, as a doctor, I believe a patient will do this I believe it is in the best interest of everybody involved to notify the party which can handle the situation best.

5. You find out that Josh’s partner who he had the relationship with is HIV positive as well. She breaks down in front of you. What should you do next?

I would make sure that the environment around us is suitable, such as making sure it’s quiet and away from others and also provide Josh’s girlfriend with tissues and water. I would give her time and silence if that’s what she needs, and also try to comfort her best as possible whether that be by having open body language or putting a hand on her shoulder. I would also apologise to her and let her know that the situation isn’t her fault. When she is ready, I would try to answer all her questions and concerns. I would do my best to explain to her that HIV isn’t the near death sentence it was thirty years ago, and that there are a lot of treatments available to minimise symptoms and allow her to live as close to a normal life as possible.

 

[K_B]

Does anybody have any tips for Panel Interview preparation. And also is a panel interview more conversational than an MMI, since I'm presuming that you don't get an allocated thinking time...

 

[SLP]

Does anybody have any tips for Panel Interview preparation. And also is a panel interview more conversational than an MMI, since I'm presuming that you don't get an allocated thinking time...

Panel interview questions are definitely personal questions, and so, in that regard, can be thought of as more relaxed and less structured compared to MMI interviews, which tend to have 4-5 fixed questions which you answer in 8-10 minutes. But keep in mind that in an MMI interview, they can also ask you panel type questions (which test your passion for the course, interpersonal traits, etc).

 

[K_B]

Panel interview questions are definitely personal questions, and so, in that regard, can be thought of as more relaxed and less structured compared to MMI interviews, which tend to have 4-5 fixed questions which you answer in 8-10 minutes. But keep in mind that in an MMI interview, they can also ask you panel type questions (which test your passion for the course, interpersonal traits, etc).

Thanks for that

 

[SLP]

Thanks for that

The other thing to remember is that with panel type questions, it's definitely important to have a structure or bullet points as part of your answers. I'm not saying to memorise it word to word, as they can easily find out if you are doing so. But even if it's like a small plan, where you have an intro, body and conclusion and you have key points in mind, that can help you to formulate a solid answer. Questions like 'why med/dent', 'why not another healthcare role', 'why this university', 'what qualities do you have' can definitely be prepared for by doing some research as well. Especially with the question 'why not another healthcare role', it's crucial that you know the role of other allied healthcare professionals like nurses, paramedics, dieticians, pharmacists (which you may need to research or even better, talk to people you know in these roles).

 

[Beepbop]

allied healthcare professionals like nurses, paramedics, dieticians, pharmacists (which you may need to research or even better, talk to people you know in these roles).

And lab staff. Everyone forgets the lab staff.

 

[SLP]

And lab staff. Everyone forgets the lab staff.

Oh yes of course. Completely forgot about that

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Hey guys, I just attempted this question, its one of my first attempts at a question like this, and I'd just like to add I'm not super familiar with confidentiality laws so my answer just could be straight up wrong. Any feedback is appreciated, thanks! Took me about 6.5 minutes.

Josh is a 29 year old patient who is a regular patient of yours. Josh was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS 3 years ago, and today he has come in for his regular GP checks. Upon questioning you find out that Josh has been sexually active with someone approximately 6 months ago. He has also confessed that he has not told his partner that he is HIV positive and has also confessed to not using contraception too. You insist that Josh should take better precaution during intercourse by using protection but completely ignores your advice saying that protection ruins the “experience” for him.


1. What should you , as the GP do next

My next step would be to let him know of the ramifications of his actions, and the possible health effects HIV/AIDS could have when untreated in order to try and encourage him to be more careful in the future. As a result, I would strongly encourage Josh to let his sexual partners know that he has HIV/AIDS. This is because he has had unprotected sexual intercourse with these partners, meaning there is a high risk of transmission. However, them being unaware of this could mean that they don’t seek testing or treatment from a long period of time which could lead to further complications. If they were to test positive, being able to treat them as soon as possible would allow for minimisation of risks surrounding the disease compared to them not knowing they have it. I understand this could be a confronting situation for him so I would try to reassure him that doing so is the right move. If he does choose to tell them, I would offer any assistance in disclosing this to his partners if he wasn’t comfortable doing this himself, such as an anonymous text to get tested.

2. Should Josh’s partner be notified of his HIV/AIDS status? Discuss

I do believe his partners should be notified of his HIV/AIDS status, however as his doctor I’m bound by confidentiality and maintaining trust with Josh. This is why I would strongly encourage Josh to tell them himself or through an anonymous message. If they are notified of the potential danger, they could get tested, and if positive receive treatment as soon as possible.

3. Confidentiality is an important aspect of maintaining the therapeutic relationship between patient and doctor. What are the possible ramifications associated with the breaking of confidentiality.

The biggest ramification is the loss of trust between patient and doctor. Because as a doctor I represent the medical field as a whole, a bad experience with one doctor could lead to a distrust of all doctors. The patient could also tell other people about this leading to some of the wider community not trusting the medical system. As a result, many people could avoid seeking medical attention when needed and because of this suffering from avoidable complications from treatable diseases. This is why maintaining confidentiality is critical in ensuring the community trusts medical professionals and thus seek treatment when needed.

4. List some situations, where you think confidentiality should be broken (if any).

I think confidentiality should only be broken in limited situations in order to maintain trust in the medical system. The main type of situation where confidentiality should be broken is a situation where a patient is a risk of harming themselves or others. If, as a doctor, I believe a patient will do this I believe it is in the best interest of everybody involved to notify the party which can handle the situation best.

5. You find out that Josh’s partner who he had the relationship with is HIV positive as well. She breaks down in front of you. What should you do next?

I would make sure that the environment around us is suitable, such as making sure it’s quiet and away from others and also provide Josh’s girlfriend with tissues and water. I would give her time and silence if that’s what she needs, and also try to comfort her best as possible whether that be by having open body language or putting a hand on her shoulder. I would also apologise to her and let her know that the situation isn’t her fault. When she is ready, I would try to answer all her questions and concerns. I would do my best to explain to her that HIV isn’t the near death sentence it was thirty years ago, and that there are a lot of treatments available to minimise symptoms and allow her to live as close to a normal life as possible.

Your answers to this question prompted me to go on a bit of a search for clarification of the actual reporting requirements (if there are any), and it was quite interesting reading, thank you for that! Apparently there are different rules in different states, ie. in Tas you (the patient) have to disclose (legally) your HIV status to all sexual partners, and in NSW you have to do it (again legally) before the sex takes place, whereas in Victoria there are no requirements. Public health acts in many states also make comment about reckless transmission of notifiable infectious diseases (including HIV), which is where Josh would fall foul of the law if it ever came to that. Interesting!

Regardless, that's not really what the question was asking, as you're in the shoes of the doctor, not the patient, so I got a bit off track!

A good tip for safe answering of point 4 is to know which situations you are mandated to break confidentiality in. That way you can start with those things and then add anything further where it's a little more grey (such as subjectively determining risk to self or others in an adult). The no-brainer for mandatory reporting is child abuse or neglect, always mention that one.

Encouraging use of anonymous messaging services is a good idea for point one. Well done. You could even suggest you'd help Josh do it right then on the spot/in that consultation.

For ramifications of breaking confidentiality, I'd be systematic in your approach and talk 1. about Josh specifically 2. about the broader community that Josh might communicate within and their relationships with doctors and 3. large scale ramifications of loss of trust in the medical profession. Just to keep it tidy.

I hope that helps

 

[tommy987]

Your answers to this question prompted me to go on a bit of a search for clarification of the actual reporting requirements (if there are any), and it was quite interesting reading, thank you for that! Apparently there are different rules in different states, ie. in Tas you (the patient) have to disclose (legally) your HIV status to all sexual partners, and in NSW you have to do it (again legally) before the sex takes place, whereas in Victoria there are no requirements. Public health acts in many states also make comment about reckless transmission of notifiable infectious diseases (including HIV), which is where Josh would fall foul of the law if it ever came to that. Interesting!

Regardless, that's not really what the question was asking, as you're in the shoes of the doctor, not the patient, so I got a bit off track!

A good tip for safe answering of point 4 is to know which situations you are mandated to break confidentiality in. That way you can start with those things and then add anything further where it's a little more grey (such as subjectively determining risk to self or others in an adult). The no-brainer for mandatory reporting is child abuse or neglect, always mention that one.

Encouraging use of anonymous messaging services is a good idea for point one. Well done. You could even suggest you'd help Josh do it right then on the spot/in that consultation.

For ramifications of breaking confidentiality, I'd be systematic in your approach and talk 1. about Josh specifically 2. about the broader community that Josh might communicate within and their relationships with doctors and 3. large scale ramifications of loss of trust in the medical profession. Just to keep it tidy.

I hope that helps

Thank you for the feedback! I did some research into confidentiality and found that it varies across a lot of states in certain situations e.g. in Queensland AMAQ have said that it's a doctors responsibility to report underage sex even if it's between two 15 year olds where as in NSW its based on your discretion e.g. is there a power dynamic in the relationship. Another thing I couldn't really answer was whether as a doctor I would have to report something like a patient telling me they stole a car, or whether confidentiality must remain in that situation.

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Thank you for the feedback! I did some research into confidentiality and found that it varies across a lot of states in certain situations e.g. in Queensland AMAQ have said that it's a doctors responsibility to report underage sex even if it's between two 15 year olds where as in NSW its based on your discretion e.g. is there a power dynamic in the relationship. Another thing I couldn't really answer was whether as a doctor I would have to report something like a patient telling me they stole a car, or whether confidentiality must remain in that situation.

Where I am at least, there's no duty to report criminal activity like stealing. Again, it's probably one of those situations that varies slightly from state to state and, in all honesty, I'd imaging beyond the setting of an MMI at that level of detail.

 

[Emerald2002]

Anyone know how long our answers should be for panel interview? For example how long should I speak in my answer for why dont you want to do nursing?

 

[SLP]

So for UNSW, from a recent webinar they held, the guest speaker, who did an online panel interview last year, said that the interview will be 50 minutes, with around 15-20 questions they will ask you. So it comes down to around 2.5 to 3 minutes per question. Obviously, some questions will inherently require more time (like why medicine) so if you can accommodate for that by shortening your responses to other questions, then you can get all the questions in.

 

[chezpopcorn]

For UNSW, it's actually closer to one minute per question (the interview invite email last year specified 30-40 minutes + in reality it was closer to 30). The interview is divided into thematic sections and at the beginning of each section, the interviewers will specify the number of questions and amount of time (e.g. 5 questions for 5 minutes, 3 questions for 3 minutes).

 

[Emerald2002]

For UNSW, it's actually closer to one minute per question (the interview invite email last year specified 30-40 minutes + in reality it was closer to 30). The interview is divided into thematic sections and at the beginning of each section, the interviewers will specify the number of questions and amount of time (e.g. 5 questions for 5 minutes, 3 questions for 3 minutes).

More thinking about Adelaide 15 minute interview

 

[ucatboy]

More thinking about Adelaide 15 minute interview

For that specific "why not x" question, I think a 30s-1m response would suffice. Just make your reasons clear and succinct, the longer you go for the more you put yourself at risk of accidentally denigrating the other profession. One of your interviewers may well be a nurse in the community.

 

[Purplefolly]

interview is divided into thematic sections

Hi there, can you explain what this means please? Is it like the MMIs then? Does the panel stop/start as they move between "sections"? Does each "section" have a "topic"? I'm a little confused - first time coming across this. Thanks.

 

[cocodreams]

Hello! Just had a go at an MMI question and I would greatly appreciate some feedback on this I didn't quite time myself because I am focusing more on the content right now.

A 63-year-old man who is a lifelong smoker and a 23-year-old pregnant lady both need dental implants, but there is only one set of dental implants. Who should get the dental implants?

- My decision will not be based upon the patient's personal background or any pre-conceived notions or bias. It will be based on the severity and urgency of the condition, as well as age.
- Firstly, the severity of the condition is to be considered. The person that is experiencing more pain while possibly eating or is having troubling ingesting should be prioritised. This doesn't only cause them pain, but can present side-effects in the form of indigestion or not receiving proper nutrition which can possibly hinder the person's ability to engage in other tasks. For example, if the 23 y.o pregnant lady isn't able to eat a sufficient amount of food or is experiencing great pain (on top of her pregnancy), then it can have a domino effect on the foetus inside her who also needs nutrition.
- Secondly, age is another important factor. For example, due to his age, the 63 year old man has used his set of teeth for a longer period and may have a weaker set of teeth or possibly more missing teeth compared to the lady, thus it would be important to prioritise him.
- Thirdly, it would be important to conduct clinical examinations to determine whether there are possibly any other underlying or additional issues regarding the missing tooth/teeth and one person may be suffering from more dental issues than the other
- My decision on who to the give the dental implant will be made based on severity, age and underlying issues. The person suffering from the issue of missing tooth/teeth to a greater degree, will be prioritised

----
In these types of questions, is it necessary to give a solid answer on who actually receives it? Also, I know we can't assume, but is it still safe to state how one's age could mean that their teeth are weaker?

 

[SLP]

Hello! Just had a go at an MMI question and I would greatly appreciate some feedback on this I didn't quite time myself because I am focusing more on the content right now.

A 63-year-old man who is a lifelong smoker and a 23-year-old pregnant lady both need dental implants, but there is only one set of dental implants. Who should get the dental implants?

- My decision will not be based upon the patient's personal background or any pre-conceived notions or bias. It will be based on the severity and urgency of the condition, as well as age.
- Firstly, the severity of the condition is to be considered. The person that is experiencing more pain while possibly eating or is having troubling ingesting should be prioritised. This doesn't only cause them pain, but can present side-effects in the form of indigestion or not receiving proper nutrition which can possibly hinder the person's ability to engage in other tasks. For example, if the 23 y.o pregnant lady isn't able to eat a sufficient amount of food or is experiencing great pain (on top of her pregnancy), then it can have a domino effect on the foetus inside her who also needs nutrition.
- Secondly, age is another important factor. For example, due to his age, the 63 year old man has used his set of teeth for a longer period and may have a weaker set of teeth or possibly more missing teeth compared to the lady, thus it would be important to prioritise him.
- Thirdly, it would be important to conduct clinical examinations to determine whether there are possibly any other underlying or additional issues regarding the missing tooth/teeth and one person may be suffering from more dental issues than the other
- My decision on who to the give the dental implant will be made based on severity, age and underlying issues. The person suffering from the issue of missing tooth/teeth to a greater degree, will be prioritised

----
In these types of questions, is it necessary to give a solid answer on who actually receives it? Also, I know we can't assume, but is it still safe to state how one's age could mean that their teeth are weaker?

I've done similar questions but more medicine aligned (so would have been an organ transplant; heart or liver, for e.g). I think your answer is fine and does mention the key considerations which would be made (severity, age and underlying issues). Something else which I find helpful to add is to check whether each patient is an appropriate match for the dental implants, as each patient will have a different mouth structure and other factors to consider, like their gums and how their mouth will respond to it. With your doubt on whether to give a solid answer, I don't think you would have to (the interviewer could ask it in a follow-up question, at which stage you would be required to choose someone), but other people may have other viewpoints on this.

 

[cocodreams]

I've done similar questions but more medicine aligned (so would have been an organ transplant; heart or liver, for e.g). I think your answer is fine and does mention the key considerations which would be made (severity, age and underlying issues). Something else which I find helpful to add is to check whether each patient is an appropriate match for the dental implants, as each patient will have a different mouth structure and other factors to consider, like their gums and how their mouth will respond to it. With your doubt on whether to give a solid answer, I don't think you would have to (the interviewer could ask it in a follow-up question, at which stage you would be required to choose someone), but other people may have other viewpoints on this.

The point about the mouth structure is really good and definitely makes it more specific and easier to narrow down on who gets the implant. Thanks for the feedback!