The Top 20 Epic Project Manager Interview Questions To Prepare For

Getting hired as an Epic Project Manager is no easy feat With competition fiercer than ever, you need to be fully prepared to ace those interview questions and stand out from the crowd As someone who has gone through my fair share of PM interviews at Epic, I want to share the inside scoop on some of the most common and tricky questions they will likely throw your way.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll provide examples of the top 20 Epic Project Manager interview questions along with tips on how to craft winning answers. Whether you’re fresh out of college or an experienced PM gunning for your next big role, these are the hard-hitting questions you need to be ready for. Let’s dive in!

1. Walk Me Through Your Experience Managing Epic Implementations

This is likely to be one of the very first questions they ask you. They want to understand the full scope of your hands-on experience managing Epic EMR rollouts Be prepared to provide specific examples of projects you led from kickoff to go-live. Discuss key milestones, challenges faced, and successes achieved.

PAY ATTENTION TO:

• The number of Epic implementations you’ve managed from start to finish
• The types of projects – new installs, upgrades, application consolidations etc.
• The sizes of the projects – how many hospitals/clinics, applications, end users etc.

Example: “As an Epic PM for the past 5 years, I’ve successfully led 3 full-scale Epic implementations from project kickoffs through go-live, supporting organizations ranging from 250 to 1000 physicians. Most recently, I managed a 550-bed hospital through their upgrade from Epic 2017 to Epic 2022 which spanned 18 months and touched over 2500 end users. We finished 2 weeks ahead of schedule and under budget by 5%.”

2. How Do You Handle Managing Multiple Projects and Priorities?

Juggling multiple complex Epic projects is par for the course. Interviewers want to know that you have the organizational skills and experience to handle competing deliverables and priorities. Discuss your approach to prioritization, scheduling, and communication when managing multiple projects and teams.

PAY ATTENTION TO:

• Your process for assessing priority when schedules conflict
• How you stay on top of project status across multiple teams
• Strategies for clear communication on responsibilities

Example: “With my experience managing several projects concurrently, I’ve developed processes to keep priorities aligned across my portfolio. I maintain detailed project plans and checklists so I can quickly identify upcoming milestones and re-prioritize if needed. I host weekly status calls with all project teams and leadership to discuss any roadblocks. I also send out weekly email updates on deliverable status and next steps to ensure clarity.”

3. Tell Me About a Time You Ran Into a Major Issue on an Epic Project. How Did You Resolve It?

Things will inevitably go wrong on large, complex Epic rollouts. Interviewers want to assess how you handle yourself under pressure when unforeseen challenges arise. Be ready to walk through a specific example of how you course-corrected after running into a roadblock on one of your projects.

PAY ATTENTION TO:

• Keeping a cool head under pressure
• Performing root cause analysis
• Developing a systematic plan to resolve the issue
• Partnering with Epic, leadership and project team

Example: “On one rollout, we suddenly lost our project manager three months before Go-Live, right as we entered end user training and dress rehearsals. I immediately partnered with Epic and executive leadership to redistribute the PM’s responsibilities and refine the schedule. I worked with our training lead to add supplemental classes and identify at-risk users needing extra support. We extended timelines by two weeks and brought on temporary staff. Despite the challenges, we pulled together as a team and successfully went live with no issues due to the vacancy.”

4. How Do You Handle Last Minute Scope Change Requests?

In healthcare IT projects, shifting priorities and late-breaking needs can often lead to last minute scope change requests right before go-live. The interviewer is assessing your ability to manage these curveballs while keeping the project on track. Discuss strategies around change control, stakeholder communications and contingency planning.

PAY ATTENTION TO:

• Your change control and governance process
• How you manage expectations with stakeholders
• Contingency plans for high risk changes

Example: “I know last minute requests are inevitable, so I prepare for them. I work closely with governance early on to define change control processes. If late requests do arise, I partner with Epic and leadership to evaluate impact and prioritize appropriately. I’m transparent with stakeholders if new requests may jeopardize quality or timelines. I also build in contingency buffers for high risk areas, allowing flexibility for some late changes if needed while ensuring overall project success.”

5. How Do You Go About Building Strong Relationships with Both Technical and Clinical Stakeholders?

Epic PMs need to build connections and credibility across a diverse array of people – from IT staff to physicians. Provide examples of how you form trusted partnerships with both technical teams and end-user groups. Share tactics you’ve used to understand pain points and create buy-in.

PAY ATTENTION TO:

• Where you focus relationship building efforts
• How you identify paint points across different stakeholders
• Strategies for creating engagement and shared vision

Example: “Strong partnerships across stakeholder groups is crucial for Epic success. I make relationship building a priority from day one, especially with department leads and super users who serve as advocates. I work to understand their priorities and pain points. With clinical teams, I attend rounds to observe workflows. For IT, I take the time to understand existing technical constraints. I use this insight to craft rollout plans that speak to each group’s needs, creating a shared roadmap and vision for success.”

6. Tell Me About a Time You Had to Push Back on Stakeholder Requests. How Did You Handle This Diplomatically?

Healthcare organizations often have many competing priorities pulling them in different directions when it comes to new technologies and workflows. As the PM, interviewers want to see how you can thoughtfully say “no” to unreasonable asks while maintaining positive relationships. Provide a scenario where you had to walk this tightrope.

PAY ATTENTION TO:

• How you set and manage expectations
• Your approach to saying “no” tactfully
• Keeping relationships intact

Example: “During one build, leadership requested a highly customized workflow in a short timeframe. After conducting analysis, I determined it would require extensive development and testing that could jeopardize go-live. I partnered closely with them to explain the level of effort required, risks to the schedule, and need to re-evaluate priorities. By framing it as a collaborative decision, I was able to redirect their request to a future enhancement. While difficult conversations can be uncomfortable, I always aim to approach them from a transparent, partnership mindset.”

7. Tell Me About Your Leadership Style and How You Flex It Across Different Audiences

Epic PMs need to drive results by leading diverse groups – from executives to IT analysts to doctors. Discuss your personal leadership style and how you adapt it to motivate and connect with different audiences. Share examples of how you “flex” your approach based on the group you are working with to drive engagement.

PAY ATTENTION TO:

• Your personal leadership style and values
• The approaches you adapt for different groups
• Examples applying tailored leadership for each audience

Example: “My leadership style centers around servant leadership – empowering others to achieve shared goals through support and encouragement. With executives, I flex to be more high-level and metrics-driven, showcasing our progress through KPIs and results. With my project team members, I focus on removing roadblocks, providing one-on-one mentoring, and celebrating group wins. For IT, I really listen to their constraints and hands-on needs. With doctors, I make face time and understand how workflows will impact their day-to-day practice.”

8. What is Your Approach to Project Planning and Creating a Detailed Workplan?

Epic PMs live and die by their project plan. Be ready to discuss your approach to building comprehensive workplans that accurately reflect all required milestones and deliverables required for a successful implementation. Share examples of tools you leverage and key elements you always incorporate.

PAY ATTENTION TO:

• Specific planning processes, tools used
• Key milestones, deliverables, resources built into your plans
• Approaches to estimating timelines accurately

Example: “Effective project planning is crucial for Epic implementations to stay on track. I always start by outlining major milestones, deliverables and resources needed, capturing these in SharePoint. I break down workstreams into granular subtasks in MS Project, with assigned resources and timelines. I meet with workstream leads to validate estimations, building in buffers. I use past projects to estimate time needed accurately. I closely monitor progress, updating the plan frequently to reflect latest timeframes for leadership visibility.”

9. How Do You Coordinate and Communicate with the India Offshore Team on an Epic Implementation?

Given Epic’s extensive use of offshore development support, you need a strategy for clear coordination with remote India teams. Discuss tactics and tools you leverage to drive productivity and seamless collaboration across time zones and distance.

PAY ATTENTION TO:

• Communication modes, meeting strategies for remote teams