Plastic Surgeon Interview Questions

The goal for a successful interview for a Plastic Surgeon is to showcase their technical expertise in cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries, demonstrate their ability to understand and meet the individualized needs of each patient, and display their strong communication and collaborative skills with other medical professionals.

Situational interview questions

• Imagine a patient comes to you with severe disfigurement due to a previous botched surgery performed by another surgeon. How would you approach the situation and develop a treatment plan to correct the problem?
• Suppose a patient presents with a complicated asymmetry in their facial features. How would you analyze the situation and develop a customized surgical approach to achieve a balanced and aesthetically pleasing outcome?
• Let’s say a patient is struggling with an unknown and undiagnosed condition that is affecting the appearance of their skin. How would you approach identifying the underlying issue and develop a treatment plan to alleviate the symptoms?
• Suppose you encounter a difficult patient who is unhappy with the results of their surgery and is demanding a refund. How would you handle the situation professionally and maintain an honest and ethical relationship with the patient?
• Imagine a patient presents with a rare condition that causes excessive growth of tissue in the face. How would you approach the situation, communicate effectively with the patient, and develop a treatment plan that addresses their concerns and expectations?

Soft skills interview questions

• How do you approach communication with patients who may be nervous or hesitant about undergoing a cosmetic surgery procedure?
• Tell me about a time when you had to navigate a difficult conversation with a patient or their family member. How did you handle the situation?
• How do you prioritize empathy and patient-centered care in your practice?
• Describe a situation where you had to work with a team of healthcare professionals with varying opinions and personalities. How did you navigate any conflicts or disagreements that arose?
• What steps do you take to ensure that your patients feel comfortable and informed throughout the entirety of their surgical journey?

Role-specific interview questions

• What inspired you to pursue plastic surgery as a career and what do you love most about it?
• What types of procedures do you specialize in and what are the challenges that you commonly face in performing those procedures?
• Can you describe a time when you had to deal with a complication during a plastic surgery procedure and how did you handle it?
• As a plastic surgeon, how do you stay current with advancements in your field and what technologies or techniques are you excited about?
• How important is patient care and communication in plastic surgery and what steps do you take to ensure that patients are comfortable and informed throughout the process?

STAR interview questions

1. Situation: Describe a time when you had to reconstruct a patient’s face following a traumatic injury.

Task: What were your responsibilities in this situation?

Action: Walk me through the steps you took during this reconstructive surgery.

Result: What were the results of the surgery? How did the patient’s quality of life improve after the surgery?

2. Situation: Tell me about a time when a patient came to you with unrealistic expectations for their plastic surgery.

Task: How did you manage their expectations?

Action: What steps did you take to ensure the patient understood the limitations of plastic surgery?

Result: How did the patient react to the discussion and what was the outcome of the surgery?

3. Situation: Can you describe a time when you had to correct a previous surgeon’s work?

Task: What was your role in the corrective surgery?

Action: What steps did you take to address the previous surgeon’s work?

Result: What was the outcome of the surgery? How did the patient respond to your corrective measures?

4. Situation: Tell me about a time when a patient was not satisfied with the results of their plastic surgery.

Task: How did you handle the patient’s dissatisfaction?

Action: What steps did you take to address the patient’s concerns?

Result: How did the patient respond to your actions? Were you able to address their concerns and improve their satisfaction?

5. Situation: Describe a time when a patient was apprehensive about undergoing plastic surgery.

Task: What was your role in helping the patient overcome their apprehension?

Action: What steps did you take to ensure the patient was comfortable with proceeding with the surgery?

Result: What was the outcome of the surgery? How did the patient react to the experience?