Hospital Staff Pharmacist Interview

[Darkminun]

Hello everyone, long time lurker here and finally got the nerve to seek advice. I've tried to look for previous threads on the matter but have fallen short. I'm a recent grad and just landed a staff pharm interview. I was looking for any tips, recommendations, and advice in terms of what to expect for the interview process. Would they give case based questions where I would have to analyze patient info? I'm nervous and excited at the same time so any help would be greatly appreciated.

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[mustang sally]

This is really going to depend on the hospital and who is interviewing you.

From the few staffing interviews I've been on, I would say be prepared to answer behavioral type of questions e.g. How do you respond to conflict? etc. or else questions that start with "Tell me about a time when…". Other interviews were more conversational in nature with the interviewers just discussing the job with me. I have been asked clinical questions in interviews, but they were pretty basic questions that any pharmacist should be able to answer if he/she plans to work in a hospital. The only time I have seen cases and extensive clinical questioning was during residency interviews. Also, it's probably wise to have an answer prepared for any common interview questions like "Why should we hire you?" or "What is your biggest weakness?". Be confident and sell yourself!

Now as the person doing the interviewing, I sometimes like to ask some really random questions just to see how the person will react (you get thrown into weird situations as a pharmacist, so it's good to see how the person reacts to the unexpected). And please, please, please, when we ask at the end if you have any questions, do not say no. Make something up if you have to.

 

[tcasey]

Every hospital is going to be different -- but I can tell you about my experience at a major university hospital

It started with about 5 minutes of small talk with the pharmacy director and pharmacy manager. Just talking about the job and life in general. Then they gave a bunch of behavioral questions. They were these lengthy, complex situations that had nothing to do with pharmacy, but they asked how I would respond in each situation. Some of the questions were actually kinda hard to answer, but it's okay to ask them for a second to think about it. They admitted the interview format was kinda weird, but they said that this was the way most places were interviewing now. Your place may be completely different, but it would probably be good to practice some of those behavioral type questions. At the end they opened it up for questions for about 10 minutes, then gave me a tour of the pharmacy, then it was over. Be sure you have 2-3 questions prepared for the end, then come up with a couple during the interview that flow naturally with the conversation. I wouldn't expect many clinical questions -- for a staff job, most of the specific skills needed can be taught on the job, they just wanna make sure you're competent and reliable and most of all someone that they would enjoy working with.

 

[Dred Pirate]

I do interviews for our hospital. Behavioral questiosn are common. I will also ask about your experience, especially if I think you may be lacking in the "techincal skills" - ie making TPN, IV, etc. I will ask for examples of your interventions, examples of bad experiences with MD's and how you dealt with it, and also about a mistake you made as a pharmacist and what did you learn from it?

good luck and let us know how it goes

 

[Darkminun]

Thanks so much for the input mustang sally, tcasey, and Dred Pirate. I'm taking it back to my university interview days and practicing questions, talking in the mirror and just writing down points to discuss.

I was told I would be interviewed by the director and/or possibly a clinical pharm so while I'm definitely going to prepare for the behavioral type questions, I'm nervous because aside from TPN/IV calculations I've never really handled IV meds.

Mustang sally and Dred Pirate (and everyone else of course) if I could pry a bit, what were some things that turned you off to potential candidates for the positions during the interview? I'm going to do my research and have questions for my interviewers but have you encountered anything off putting that made you know you wouldn't want to work with/hire that person?

 

[Sparda29]

For staff pharmacist positions, they pretty much just asked me if I knew how to make IVs, comfortable handling narcotics, comfortable handling chemo, know how to read medical orders, when can I start. Pretty much just describing the position and if I'm interested.

 

[mustang sally]

Mustang sally and Dred Pirate (and everyone else of course) if I could pry a bit, what were some things that turned you off to potential candidates for the positions during the interview? I'm going to do my research and have questions for my interviewers but have you encountered anything off putting that made you know you wouldn't want to work with/hire that person?

Some of the things that turned me off during my most recent round of interviews:

a) The way the person was dressed. Yes, it may sound petty and I realize that for females there are tons of cute clothing options but I really feel like you should dress professionally for an interview. You can always show off more of your fashion sense after you're hired. For males, well, it really shouldn't be that difficult to dress for an interview.
b) As I mentioned before, the passive interview candidate who asks no questions!
c) An interview candidate who talks a lot about retail or otherwise sounds like he/she would rather be in retail (or sounds more interested in working at another hospital, for that matter)
d) We usually have a catered meal or snack that my director orders. I didn't really care for it when one interviewee took nothing (after it was obviously ordered for this sole purpose).

I think a lot of turn offs for me are just people violating general interview etiquette. The ideal candidate in my mind is polished, confident but not arrogant, and is someone who will be easy to work with.

 

[Sparda29]

Some of the things that turned me off during my most recent round of interviews:

a) The way the person was dressed. Yes, it may sound petty and I realize that for females there are tons of cute clothing options but I really feel like you should dress professionally for an interview. You can always show off more of your fashion sense after you're hired. For males, well, it really shouldn't be that difficult to dress for an interview.
b) As I mentioned before, the passive interview candidate who asks no questions!
c) An interview candidate who talks a lot about retail or otherwise sounds like he/she would rather be in retail (or sounds more interested in working at another hospital, for that matter)
d) We usually have a catered meal or snack that my director orders. I didn't really care for it when one interviewee took nothing (after it was obviously ordered for this sole purpose).

I think a lot of turn offs for me are just people violating general interview etiquette. The ideal candidate in my mind is polished, confident but not arrogant, and is someone who will be easy to work with.

B - What if the you answered all the candidates questions before they got a chance to ask. I usually just keep a checklist in the folder where I have my resumes and whatnot, and when they ask me if I have any questions, I just go through it. If I see all my questions have been answered, I'd just say, "hmm nope nope looks like you answered all my questions".
D - Something I would do. If I was offered something like coffee, tea, juice, I'd take it. No way am I taking any solid food other than a cookie or something. I'm way too messy of an eater. I'd end up with food stains all over my suit.

I do the same thing on first dates, I barely eat or eat something that's guaranteed not to get messy. Dates after it's been decided that it's bf-gf, it's time for bbq wings.

 

[mustang sally]

There is always something you can ask to show your interest in a position. I have had a lot of candidates ask me what it is about my job that keeps me here-seems like a pretty good question for a potential new hire to ask!

As for the food thing, you could always just take something for the road if there's no way to choke it down/dietary restrictions/whatever and just say thank you to the director or whoever for the food. Anyway, I think for social situations involving food (whether it's dates or otherwise) it's more awkward if the person sits there and doesn't eat anything.

 

[Sparda29]

There is always something you can ask to show your interest in a position. I have had a lot of candidates ask me what it is about my job that keeps me here-seems like a pretty good question for a potential new hire to ask!

As for the food thing, you could always just take something for the road if there's no way to choke it down/dietary restrictions/whatever and just say thank you to the director or whoever for the food. Anyway, I think for social situations involving food (whether it's dates or otherwise) it's more awkward if the person sits there and doesn't eat anything.

I'm always awkward when I go to a "nice" restaurant where you're expected to eat/dress a certain way.

Take me to a burger joint or a wings bar and I'll be very comfortable.

 

[BidingMyTime]

I would think with the increasing occurance of food allergies (not to mention possible religious dietary restrictions), it is not fair to judge someone for not eating your food. The polite interviewee is probably not going to say, "I'm allergic to nuts" or "I'm Hindu and only eat strictly vegan"(and since they don't know how the food was prepared, they can't know if its OK for them to eat or not (even if it looks OK), they will probably just say "thank you, but I'm not hungry." Really, what someone eats for nutrition, really has no bearing on their ability to do the job (at least in pharmacy, not like you are hiring someone to taste food for quality control or something.) Although I do think it is nice of you to offer your interviewees food, only once on a hospital interview was I offered food, and I was taken to the cafeteria where I could choose whatever I wanted (and they had quite a varied choice, so that seems to be a better way to do it, then the person can order whatever they need)

Back to the OP, for staff hospital interviews, I have never been asked specific clinical questions, only about my experience in dealing with certain things (like, "how much experience have you had with aminoglycoside dosing?") If you are licensed, most directors are going to assume you have the requisite knowledge, they are going to be more interested in your experience in applying that knowledge.

 

[Dred Pirate]

turn offs - speaking in generalizations - give me specific examples
even if you don't have hospital experience, be able to turn things around and how they would relate to hosptial experience.
Be confident, speak up, don't mumble, look me in the eye
Don't ever appear that anyone or anything (specifically techs, or cetain work) is below you, that will get you eliminated in a heart beat. I once was in an interview where the pharamcist several times said he "deosn't do that work" referring to tech work, one of the managers just got up and left

 

[Sparda29]

turn offs - speaking in generalizations - give me specific examples
even if you don't have hospital experience, be able to turn things around and how they would relate to hosptial experience.
Be confident, speak up, don't mumble, look me in the eye
Don't ever appear that anyone or anything (specifically techs, or cetain work) is below you, that will get you eliminated in a heart beat. I once was in an interview where the pharamcist several times said he "deosn't do that work" referring to tech work, one of the managers just got up and left

Yep, only do that after you get the job.

For real though, why is it that at some hospitals, the technicians simply don't fill the labels that print out or answer the phones.

 

[Dred Pirate]

Yep, only do that after you get the job.

For real though, why is it that at some hospitals, the technicians simply don't fill the labels that print out or answer the phones.

ya - anywhere you work you are gonna have lazy incompetent people - but rph's and techs. I treat all people the same, maybe that is why at my hospital, my techs work harder for me than they do the Rph's that refuse to answer the phone when the techs are busting their arse? I think it is funny that if I call from the 5th floor and ask them to run something up they will drop what they do and do it, but if one of the other pharmacists do, they say they are too busy.

 

[sakigt]

If the techs are running around like crazy and youre posting on SDN fill the durn bag.

If youve got a lazy tech on your hand youve got to address it. Not sure why hospital (especially central) Pharmacists refuse to do this. You dont have to be nasty about it. Granted I dont work central very often, but when I do the workflow is smooth (if I do say so myself). I think its because the techs see me get up to check stuff stat, tube the stuff that needs to go, and answer the phone. If theyre chillin and my hair is on fire and the phone is ringing I have no problem hollaring: "Hey, can you grab that for me, Im working on something." Or if a stat med needs to go up and an IV med needs to be made at the same time, Ill push the tech out of the door and compound it myself.

PS: I find Pharmacists who dont want to do tech work are the ones uncomfortable doing it.............

 

[PharmDerp]

Not to hijack the post, but has anyone gone to a staff pharmacist interview and been asked why he/she did not decide to pursue a residency? I have found all these responses helpful in preparing for an interview but I'm afraid the director or interviewer might scoff at me since I didn't go for a residency considering thats where almost all graduating students are usually geared toward if they want to even step foot in a hospital.

 

[Sparda29]

Not to hijack the post, but has anyone gone to a staff pharmacist interview and been asked why he/she did not decide to pursue a residency? I have found all these responses helpful in preparing for an interview but I'm afraid the director or interviewer might scoff at me since I didn't go for a residency considering thats where almost all graduating students are usually geared toward if they want to even step foot in a hospital.

I straight up said it was a waste of time and money and I couldn't afford to spend a year making half salary. And that if I had done a residency, I wouldn't be applying for this job but for the clinical coordinator job instead.

Note: I was already a shoo-in at this interview since I had a direct recommendation to hire from someone who knew the director. Whole interview was just a formality.

 

[PharmDerp]

I straight up said it was a waste of time and money and I couldn't afford to spend a year making half salary. And that if I had done a residency, I wouldn't be applying for this job but for the clinical coordinator job instead.

Note: I was already a shoo-in at this interview since I had a direct recommendation to hire from someone who knew the director. Whole interview was just a formality.

Well I guess for someone not as fortunate enough to be a shoo-in, how could you explain/answer that question without slighting the clinical pharmacist that could be interviewing you? Financial problems? Wasn't a fit for residency? Tired of school/presentations? Wanted to just get out there and start working already? Everything just doesn't seem like an acceptable response

 

[njac]

I recently interviewed for a per diem staffing job where half the interview was clinical on the spot questions - tpa for stroke, heparin gtt dosing, tpn macros, amino glycoside kinetics.

But I think because it's per diem they don't want to have to train for any of those things, and expect you to come in being solid clinical and just needing to be trained on operations.

(I got the job.)

 

[Sparda29]

Well I guess for someone not as fortunate enough to be a shoo-in, how could you explain/answer that question without slighting the clinical pharmacist that could be interviewing you? Financial problems? Wasn't a fit for residency? Tired of school/presentations? Wanted to just get out there and start working already? Everything just doesn't seem like an acceptable response

Just say you can't afford a year of working at half-salary for almost double the hours.

 

[Dred Pirate]

I straight up said it was a waste of time and money and I couldn't afford to spend a year making half salary. And that if I had done a residency, I wouldn't be applying for this job but for the clinical coordinator job instead.

Note: I was already a shoo-in at this interview since I had a direct recommendation to hire from someone who knew the director. Whole interview was just a formality.

if you said the second line you would have been removed from consideration - just saying (unless you were interviewing with someone that already knew you) - although not sure if things are different in NY - but noone - even the director's best friend is a sho-in where I work

 

[Dred Pirate]

That and I would say that I got a job offer at a hospital before the match so I decided to work so I could afford to live and pay off my loans

this is likely the best answer - be honest, but not condescending.

 

[Sparda29]

if you said the second line you would have been removed from consideration - just saying (unless you were interviewing with someone that already knew you) - although not sure if things are different in NY - but noone - even the director's best friend is a sho-in where I work

Yeah, it was pretty ballsy.

 

[Darkminun]

Hey everyone I've been reading through the advice, although I'm probably going to stay away from anything too ballsy, and just wanted to drop by because the butterflies are beginning to build. I'll update regardless of the outcome but thanks for all the responses.

I'm preparing for behavioral questions and looking over my resume. I went over Vanco/AMG dosing, stroke guidelines, and some anticoag based on njac's response. I looked over the hospitals website, JCAHO, and HCAPS principles.

What else you guys would suggest to glance over?

 

[gwarm01]

My interview didn't cover anything that specific. It was mainly staff management questions, a little bit of "what would you do if..", and seeing how comfortable I was with the environment. I think they mainly wanted to make sure I wasn't a crazy person.

 

[Darkminun]

So I just had my interview and it consisted of them explaining the job criterion followed with opening up the floor to get to know me better. Like you all said, it was behavioral questions, some questions on my experience and how I would certain situations should they arise. I felt pretty good about my answers and hoped I impressed them enough at the time, but being able to stew on it last night I keep thinking that I could have said x better or omg I forgot to mention y which now has me spiraled into a whirlwind depression. I'm just going to stop thinking about it until I hear back because I'd rather not go insane. They'll be interviewing for the next 3 weeks so that's around my time frame but I feel like I'm definitely at a disadvantage if anyone with more than 1 yr experience will interview. Hopefully they'll prefer to mold a fresh face than take a seasoned vet but I find this unlikely. I'll be holding my breath til then.

 

[Darkminun]

Update: After sending out thank you's for the interview, the DOP replied back that they were still actively interviewing for the position. Does that mean I'm most likely out of the runnings?

 

[mustang sally]

Update: After sending out thank you's for the interview, the DOP replied back that they were still actively interviewing for the position. Does that mean I'm most likely out of the runnings?

It's hard to say but you did mention above that they said they would be interviewing for the next 3 weeks. So maybe they are just considering all of their options before they make a decision.