Maimonides Medical Center, located in Brooklyn, New York, is one of the largest independent teaching hospitals in the United States. With a long and storied history dating back to 1911, Maimonides has grown into a healthcare powerhouse renowned for its cutting-edge specialty programs, patient-centric care, and continued commitment to innovation.
Securing an interview at Maimonides is a major accomplishment, but preparation is key for transforming that opportunity into a job offer. The interview questions are designed to thoroughly assess a candidate’s clinical expertise critical thinking communication skills, and alignment with the organization’s values.
Understanding the types of questions you may face and how to tackle them effectively can give you a distinct edge over the competition. In this comprehensive guide, we provide tips, examples, and insights to help you put your best foot forward and land your dream job at Maimonides Medical Center.
Overview of Maimonides Medical Center’s Hiring Process
The hiring process at Maimonides typically begins with submitting an application online via LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Indeed, or the hospital’s career page. Selected applicants will be invited for a phone or video screening interview, which may be conducted by a recruiter or hiring manager.
This preliminary interview usually lasts 15-30 minutes and focuses on your skills, experience, career goals, and fit with the available role. Strong candidates will be scheduled for one or more in-person interviews. For clinical roles, expect to be interviewed by the nurse manager or other team members. The process can involve multiple interviews over several weeks.
The in-person interviews go deeper into your technical abilities, bedside manner communication style and approach to patient care. You may be asked to provide a skills demonstration or participate in scenario-based questions. Some tips for success
- Thoroughly research the role, department, and Maimonides’ values beforehand
- Review your application and resume – be ready to expand on any point
- Prepare stories and examples that showcase your qualifications
- Bring copies of your license, certifications, letters of recommendation
- Dress professionally, show confidence and enthusiasm
With preparation and practice, you can confidently tackle the interview and convey why you are the ideal candidate for Maimonides Medical Center.
Common Interview Questions at Maimonides Medical Center
Let’s explore some of the most frequently asked interview questions at Maimonides along with advice for crafting strong responses:
Tell me about yourself and why you want to work here.
This common opening question allows you to share your career story and enthusiasm for the role and Maimonides. Structure your answer chronologically, highlighting relevant experiences, achievements, and skills. Explain why you want to work at Maimonides specifically, demonstrating knowledge of their mission, values, and culture. Focus on how your background makes you a great fit.
Example response: “I am an RN with over 5 years of experience in pediatric intensive care. In my current role at XYZ Hospital, I manage care for critically ill children, collaborating closely with families and a multidisciplinary team. I am drawn to Maimonides because of your excellence in compassionate care and innovation in the pediatric specialty. Your participation in groundbreaking clinical trials aligns with my passion for continuously improving patient outcomes through evidence-based practice. With my background in pediatric critical care and family education, I am confident I could make meaningful contributions to your organization.”
Why do you want to leave your current position?
This question aims to uncover any potential red flags about your reasons for leaving. Focus your answer on seeking career growth and how Maimonides offers that opportunity. You can mention disliking aspects of your current role but keep it professional.
Example response: “I have tremendous respect for my current employer, and I am grateful for the experiences I have gained there. However, I am looking to take on greater leadership responsibilities and engage with pioneering treatments, like those being done at Maimonides. This opportunity aligns very well with my long-term career goals of managing a dedicated pediatric unit and taking an active role in advancing evidence-based care through research. I am committed to making a positive impact on patient lives, and Maimonides’ culture of compassionate, innovative care resonates with me.”
How do you handle a difficult patient?
This behavioral question tests your temperament, empathy, and conflict resolution skills. Share an example situation where you turned a difficult interaction into a positive outcome. Emphasize listening, finding common ground, and maintaining patience and professionalism.
Example response: “When handling challenging patients, I focus first on listening attentively to understand their perspective and the root of their frustration. I express empathy for their situation while remaining calm and professional. For example, I once cared for a patient who was upset about the strict hospital diet. I acknowledged their feelings and explored the reasons behind their unhappiness. Together we found acceptable adjustments that worked within their medical needs. This open communication allowed me to gain their trust and maintain a respectful relationship despite the initial tension. It is so important to find that common ground.”
How do you stay up-to-date on medical knowledge and best practices?
Lifelong learning is imperative for any healthcare professional. Demonstrate your commitment to continuous education by sharing the strategies you use to stay current, such as attending conferences, taking courses, reading journals, and networking with peers. Highlight how you integrate new knowledge to improve your work.
Example response: “I make learning and development a priority throughout my career. I maintain active memberships with several key professional organizations which provide access to the latest research and best practices. I attend local and national conferences in my specialty areas as often as I can. At work, I volunteer for projects that expose me to new technologies and care guidelines. I also set aside time each week to read medical journals and listen to reputable podcasts. Most importantly, I implement what I learn by updating my practice, treatments, and patient education approaches to align with evidence-based medicine.”
Tell me about a time you worked successfully as part of an interdisciplinary team.
This question gauges your ability to collaborate and make meaningful contributions to a healthcare team. Describe a specific example where you partnered with other disciplines to achieve optimal patient outcomes. Highlight your communication, leadership, and conflict resolution skills.
Example response: “In my last role, I was part of an amazing interdisciplinary team that entirely transformed our approach to family-centered rounds. I worked closely with physicians, social workers, case managers, and nurse educators to redesign the rounding process to better engage patients and families in care decisions. We employed Lean methodologies to identify inefficiencies and pilot new workflows. I also created comprehensive education materials for patients and families. This collaborative effort resulted in improved patient satisfaction, shorter lengths of stay, and stronger inter-departmental communication. It was extremely rewarding to see how our team’s diverse perspectives and cooperation directly translated into better care.”
How would you handle an ethical dilemma about patient care or safety?
This scenario question evaluates your integrity, critical thinking, and ethics knowledge. Illustrate the steps you would take to resolve the issue in alignment with laws, policies, and your moral compass. Emphasize patient well-being, communication, and proper reporting.
Example response: “If faced with an ethical dilemma, I would immediately consult hospital protocols and notify my manager to discuss the situation. I would thoroughly review the case details and evaluate the options, considering the clinical evidence and how each choice affects the patient’s rights, safety, and care plan. If a consensus could not be reached, I would request an ethics consult or committee review. My goal would be reaching the most ethical conclusion through open communication, proper reporting channels, and guidance from healthcare ethics best practices.”
What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
This classic question allows you to highlight your top strengths relevant to the job while demonstrating self-awareness. For weaknesses, choose something minor that you have been actively improving through professional development.
Example response: “My greatest strengths align well with the position. I am an extremely compassionate nurse – I form positive connections with patients and go above and beyond to provide an exceptional care experience. I am also a very dedicated, organized, and detail-oriented person. Weaknesses are areas for growth, and early in my career, I struggled with delegation. However, by consciously observing my senior nurses and learning effective communication strategies, I have significantly improved my ability to leverage the talents of my team members.”
Do you have any questions for me?
Always close with 1-2 thoughtful questions for your interviewers. This demonstrates your engagement and interest in the role. Focus on big-picture topics like leadership approach, new initiatives, or workplace culture. Avoid questions about things you should know already, like basic job duties.
Example questions:
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“How would you describe the culture at Maimonides?”
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“What qualities make someone successful in this role?”
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“What exciting projects or expansions are on the horizon that I could contribute to?”
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“What are you most proud of about the nursing team?”
Thorough preparation is the key to interview success. By understanding Maimonides’ priorities and culture and practicing responses to likely questions, you can highlight your fit for the organization. Be confident in the exceptional care and compassion you
A Brief Guide to Your Virtual Interview
What should I do to prepare for my interview? Please watch our awesome program videos and peruse our webpage and social media! This will help you get to know us better. You can find the links to the videos on our website under the tab “Zoom series.” You can also find us on Instagram @maimoem and Twitter @Maimonides_EM.
Where should I hold this interview? Pick a place with a plain background that isn’t near a window or shining light. Make sure to do it in a place with a stable internet connection. Turn off other devices and streaming so that you have as much bandwidth as possible. Ensure that the environment is quiet and that you have as much privacy as possible. We get it, we’re all at home with family, pets, and noisy roommates. It won’t be perfect and that’s okay.
What should I wear? You do NOT need to wear a suit. We probably won’t be. We suggest wearing something comfortable, but still professional, such as a collared shirt or a blouse. You’re shooting for a “professional working from home” look, which is what we’re basically going for too.
What should I bring? What should I bring? I’m not going anywhere! No, but you might get thirsty or tired during the day. Bring a glass of water, a coffee, kombucha or whatever keeps you comfortable. Consider headphones with a microphone if you have them. It dramatically improves the sound quality of the interview. I always recommending trying out all equipment for a test drive before the day of.
What questions will they ask me? They will likely ask about how I got into medical school, how I became interested in emergency medicine, and any important life events I should talk about. Pets, hobbies, and favorite TV shows are also all fair game.
Dr. It’s always Cueva’s question, “Tell me something about yourself that you didn’t put on your ERAS application.”
One of the people interviewing you will also be a “D” Tell me about a problem you had to solve on your way to where you are now. Please feel free to include as much or as little personal details as you’d like. We are interested in how you dealt with the challenge. (2)As you may know, we take care of an extremely diverse patient population with patients from all backgrounds. We would like to know more about how you’ve dealt with diversity and how it may have changed your life. You may define diversity however you’d like.
We think its only fair to give you the questions in advance!
What should I do after my interview? Thank you for taking the time to learn about our residency program and us. We also believe that you are likely thankful for the chance to have interviewed with us. There! Weve all felt and expressed our mutual gratitude. We DO NOT want a formal thank-you note after the interview, so DO NOT send one. Well be much happier knowing that youre off enjoying the afternoon instead of slaving over your email.
The below information may be helpful someday when interviews return to in-person.
