Selecting the right general surgeon is as much about mindset and composure as it is about clinical skill. The questions below avoid technical “which procedure” prompts and instead probe decision-making, ethics, teamwork, and communication—core traits that separate good surgeons from great ones.
1. Why Situational Questions Matter
- Reveal real behaviour under pressure rather than rehearsed textbook answers.
- Gauge cultural fit with nursing staff, anesthesiology, and administration.
- Surface red flags such as blame-shifting or poor listening early in the process.
2. Situational & Behavioural Questions
| Question | What a strong answer shows |
|---|---|
| Tell us about a time you had to balance surgical urgency with limited operating-room availability. How did you decide which case went first? | Ethical triage, clear communication with stakeholders, respect for policy. |
| Describe a moment when you disagreed with another surgeon’s plan. How did you resolve the conflict? | Collaboration, diplomacy, patient-first mindset. |
| Share an example of delivering bad news to a patient’s family after an unexpected complication. | Empathy, transparency, structured conversation (e.g., SPIKES protocol). |
| Recall a shift when fatigue was affecting your focus. What steps did you take to protect patient safety? | Self-awareness, willingness to seek backup, use of checklists. |
| Explain how you foster psychological safety within the OR team. | Encouraging junior staff to speak up, model humility, debrief culture. |
3. Soft-Skill & Leadership Questions
| Question | Listen for… |
|---|---|
| How do you motivate a stressed OR team during a backlog of emergency cases? | Clear goal setting, humour used appropriately, delegation. |
| Describe a mentoring success story with a junior doctor or scrub nurse. | Coaching style, feedback loop, measurable growth. |
| What steps do you take to stay adaptable to new hospital protocols? | Growth mindset, proactive learning, peer teaching. |
| Can you recall a decision you would make differently today? Why? | Reflection, ownership, continuous improvement. |
4. Ethical & Professionalism Questions
| Question | Ideal themes |
|---|---|
| If you witnessed a colleague cutting corners on sterile technique, what would you do? | Immediate patient-safety intervention, respectful escalation path. |
| How do you maintain confidentiality when high-profile patients are involved? | Strict access controls, minimal disclosure, staff reminders. |
| Describe a situation where you advocated for a patient against administrative pressure. | Courage, evidence-based argument, stakeholder negotiation. |
5. Evaluation Guide
| Score | Indicators |
|---|---|
| 5 – Excellent | Specific story, clear reasoning, outcome data, reflection. |
| 3 – Adequate | General example, some insight, limited follow-up. |
| 1 – Concern | Vague details, blames others, no learning takeaway. |
Tip: use a 1-to-5 rating for Communication, Teamwork, Ethics, and Stress Management after each question.
6. Customising the Template
- Teaching hospitals – add a question on balancing education with OR efficiency.
- Rural facilities – probe resource creativity when subspecialists are hours away.
- High-volume trauma centres – add scenarios on multiple simultaneous emergencies.
7. Sample Follow-Up Email
“Thank you, Dr __, for discussing your approach to conflict resolution in the OR and your emphasis on psychological safety. Our panel will complete evaluations this week and contact you by <date>. Please reach out if you need more information.”
Conclusion
Using situational, soft-skill-centric questions helps recruiters uncover the judgment, empathy, and leadership traits that truly impact patient outcomes. Adapt this general surgeon interview questions template to your facility’s realities, and you’ll quickly identify surgeons who excel under pressure and elevate team performance.