5 Medical Distant Assistant Interview Questions

You finally received the resumes of your medical distant assistant candidates. They have the skills you look for in a future member of your team so it should be easy to move on with the next step of the selection process, right? If you sit on the fence, then here are some medical distant assistant interview questions for you.

1) What about this position interests you?

This question is a classic, one that you can use to gauge the candidate’s intentions when they applied for the position. What do they find unique in being a medical distant assistant? Watch out for signs of curiosity because these could hint at their willingness to be trained.

Depending on the MVA hopeful’s response, you can follow up with this next question.

2) This position will require no actual or physical interactions with patients. How does that appeal to you?

Most medical distant assistant candidates have had experience working with patients in traditional settings since most of them are registered nurses (RN’s). Becoming a part of your team will take away that personal touch that only physical patient encounters can convey. Do they find the prospect of working in front of the screen instead of directly tending to patients exciting?

When you ask this question, try to learn how much they actually want the position in spite-and not because-of this. After all, who would want a team member who could care less about patient interactions? The point of hiring new staff is not only to increase revenue but, ultimately, to improve the quality of patient care.

Medical distant assistants may not expend much energy by interacting with patients directly. It is therefore imperative that they are able to channel that drive into their immediate roles. A team member who has a firm grasp of their contribution to patient satisfaction is more likely to excel in what they do.

3) What do you do to prepare for learning new skills? What do you do to continually improve?

As the saying goes, the more we learn, the more we realize that there is little that we know. Being aware of this very human limitation fuels the desire to be better. Finally, taking action towards improvement tells of grit and character.

A candidate who acknowledges their incapacity to be great at everything should also leap into action and do something about it. When they fulfill these, you can be confident that they are willing to be trained.

Follow this question with a situational query relating to the training you have planned for them. This will give you an even better insight into how well they fit in your practice.

4) Have you experienced conflict with your colleagues? How did you address the challenge and what did you learn from the experience?

Disagreements at work happen to most, if not all, companies. And yes, even those with the best and happiest team cultures go through fallouts from time to time. Your practice is no exemption. 

Your candidate’s answer to this question will give you a preview of how they are able to maintain harmonious professional relationships. Make sure to ask the follow-up question about their learning. This will help you glean their capacity for growth apropos of their soft skills.

5) What do you see in the future of healthcare?

It is very tempting to go for the classic question, “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” However, asking a candidate their concept of the future of healthcare will not only clue you in on their knowledge of the industry. This will also provide you a glimpse of their ability to think critically and creatively.

See if they can articulate the impact of their job role on healthcare. How do medical distant assistant services, as a whole, fit into the system? If they can tell you these even without prompting, then you have probably found the right candidate for you.

The candidate interview gives you the chance to see how your future MVA’s principles align with yours. This is their opportunity to let you know of their experiences. Approach the task of formulating interview questions with the notion that you need to bring out their preparedness and their personality.