Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions Traditional Program Interview Practice Questions

Tell me about yourself.

Why pharmacy?

Why Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions Traditional Program?

What challenges do you anticipate in pharmacy school?

How would you respond to corporate pressure to maximize revenue through prescription volume?

What clinical experiences have you had?

Is it ethically acceptable for Nebraska pharmacies to refuse to stock certain medications due to storage costs or low demand, knowing this forces rural patients to travel long distances for essential prescriptions

What attracted you specifically to Creighton's Jesuit educational philosophy and how does it align with your personal values?

How should Nebraska balance patient privacy concerns with the need for pharmacy data sharing to prevent medication errors in communities where patients frequently travel between providers

What are you reading right now?

If you could have dinner with anyone, who and why?

Tell me about your research.

What would you do if insurance denies a necessary medication and the patient cannot afford it?

How does Creighton's emphasis on service learning and community engagement fit with your career goals?

Should Nebraska pharmacists be required to provide medication delivery services to homebound patients in rural areas, even when this service operates at a financial loss

Why did you choose your undergraduate institution?

Should Nebraska require pharmacy benefit managers to reimburse rural pharmacies at rates that ensure their financial sustainability

What was one personally touching volunteer experience you had?

If you could choose one superpower what would it be?

What aspects of Creighton's interprofessional education model appeal to you as a future pharmacist?

How would you respond when management pressures you to meet quotas that compromise patient care?

What specialty are you interested in?

Is it ethical for Nebraska pharmacies to charge different dispensing fees based on geographic location to account for higher operational costs in rural areas

Tell me about a time you failed.

With Nebraska's aging rural population requiring more medications, how should the state address the workforce shortage of pharmacists willing to practice in small communities

How would you contribute to Creighton's mission of forming students into men and women for and with others?

Teach me something.

How do you work in groups?

What would you do if a prescription seems dangerously high-dose and the prescriber is dismissive?

What was your most challenging experience?

Do pharmacists have an ethical obligation to help uninsured patients access medications or find alternatives when insurance coverage is denied or exhausted?

What do you know about Creighton's longitudinal curriculum structure and how does it match your learning preferences?

Should Nebraska allow pharmacists to prescribe and dispense certain routine medications without physician consultation to improve rural access to care

What do your parents do?

What is your favorite movie?

Tell me about a time you experienced a team conflict and how you resolved it.

How would you handle insurance denial of an expensive medication when a cheaper alternative exists?

How does living and studying in Omaha, Nebraska fit into your personal and professional plans?

What are pharmacists' ethical obligations when corporate pharmacy policies create productivity pressures that may compromise patient safety?

How would you keep yourself up-to-date on pharmacy education once you begin practicing?

Should prescription drug coverage be included comprehensively in Medicare and Medicaid with lower out-of-pocket costs?

Tell me about a time you changed your mind after learning new information.

What is the difference between sympathy and empathy?

What interests you about Creighton's focus on developing students as whole persons, not just healthcare professionals?

What would you do if you discover a colleague is diverting controlled substances?

What is one thing you want to highlight about your application?

Is it ethically acceptable for pharmacists to participate in pharmaceutical company promotional programs when patients may not fully understand medication risks?

Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a teammate, supervisor, or friend.

Should there be federal regulations limiting corporate ownership and control of retail pharmacies?

How would you engage with Creighton's emphasis on social justice and advocacy in pharmacy practice?

What would you do if you won the lottery tomorrow?

What is your worst habit?

What would you do if a parent refuses to vaccinate their child due to misinformation?

Tell me about a time you had to advocate for someone who wasn’t being heard.

What are pharmacists' ethical obligations when patients cannot afford prescribed medications and request less expensive alternatives?

What draws you to Creighton's smaller class sizes and close faculty-student relationships?

Should pharmacy education be more affordable or include tuition forgiveness programs to reduce barriers to entering the profession?

How would your friends describe you?

If your life were a movie, what would the theme?

Tell me about a time when you were impacted by miscommunication.

What would you do if you caught a classmate cheating?

How does Creighton's integration of faith, reason, and service align with your vision of being a pharmacist?

Is it ethically problematic for pharmacists to participate in discount prescription programs that may create quality or safety concerns?

What is your greatest accomplishment?

Should there be stronger federal regulations on pharmacy benefit managers and prescription insurance practices to protect patients?

Tell me about a time you exhibited leadership.

If you could instantly master one skill, what would it be?

What do you think makes our program unique?

What do you do if a colleague has a substance abuse problem?

How do you handle failure?

Is healthcare a right or a privilege?

Describe a situation where you made a mistake that affected others. What did you do?

Should the US substantially expand community health center pharmacy services to provide more affordable medications?

How do you relate to our mission?

If you were a fruit, which one would you be and why?

Where do you plan to practice?

What would you do if someone in a group project falsified data?

Tell me about a time when you had to explain a complex scientific concept to someone without a science background. How did you approach it?

What controversial healthcare topic are you passionate about?

What are Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions Traditional Program's values?

What is the biggest problem in healthcare today?

What are your values?

How many golf balls fit in an airplane?

Describe a situation where you had to navigate cultural differences in a team or work environment.

What would you do if a group member isn't doing their part?

Why do you want to go to school in Omaha?

Should healthcare institutions implement mandatory unconscious bias training for all staff and students?

What negative feedback have you received?

How would you fix the healthcare system?

Describe a time when you identified an unfair policy or practice and took action to address it.

What would you do if a patient refused treatment?

What ethical issues do you think will impact you as a pharmacist?

Should patients have the right to request a healthcare provider of a specific gender, race, or cultural background?

Describe a time you had to respect someone's autonomy even when you disagreed with their choice

Do you think pharmaceutical companies should be allowed to advertise drugs to consumers?

What does “success” look like to you?

What would you do if a patient's family requests you not tell the patient about their diagnosis?

Tell me about a time when you recognized a personal limitation or weakness that was affecting your performance. What did you do about it?

What do you think about stem cell research?

Do you consider yourself culturally competent?

What are your thoughts on the role of private vs. public healthcare?

Describe a moment when you connected with someone who was going through a difficult time.

What would you do if a coworker is taking credit for your work on a group project.

How willl you contribute to the diversity of our school?

Who should receive an organ transplant: a convicted felon or an uninsured mother?

Describe a situation where you had to maintain professionalism under difficult or frustrating circumstances.

Do you believe diversity is important in a healthcare setting? Why or why not?

How do you handle stress?

What would you do if a team member isn’t contributing on a group project?

What is an ethical dilemma you have faced?

Do you think it's ever ethical to lie to a patient?

What are your strengths?

What role should technology and AI play in the future of healthcare?

Walk me through a period when you were overwhelmed with responsibilities. How did you use to get through it?

What would you do if a colleague comes to work smelling of alcohol?

What are your weaknesses?

As AI becomes better at diagnosis than human doctors, should we rely more on AI decision-making?

What was the most difficult decision you have ever had to make?

Should healthcare professionals be required to receive certain vaccinations?

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

What would you do if a teenager confides they're being abused at home but begs you not to tell anyone?

What community service activities have you done?

Should people with unhealthy lifestyles (e.g., smokers, heavy drinkers) have reduced access to certain treatments?

What do you do for fun?

What would you do if your employer forced you to work over Thanksgiving weekend, interfering with your family plans?

Describe a time working with someone you did not like.

Can compassion be taught?

Tell me about a skill or knowledge area where you've shown significant improvement over time. What was your learning process?

What would you do if a colleague of yours made a mistake and doesn't want to tell the patient?

What do you think are important qualities for a pharmacist?

Should healthcare workers strike if working conditions are unsafe for them or their patients?

What are three words people who know you would use to describe you?

You're at a party and a friend insists on driving herself home, even though she has been drinking. What do you do?

Who is your role model?

Should students from disadvantaged backgrounds receive preferential admission to health professions programs?

What is your biggest regret?

While volunteering at a community center, a family refuses to vaccinate their children due to religious beliefs. The father quietly tells you he disagrees but fears community backlash if he consents. What do you do?

What makes you special?

You’re working in a research lab when you discover that your supervisor has failed to report a conflict of interest—he’s consulting for the company funding the study. You depend on him for a strong reference for grad school. What do you do?

What is your biggest fear?

A colleague you respect makes a dismissive comment toward a patient from a marginalized background. You know confronting them could damage your working relationship. What do you do?

Tell me about your lowest grade.

A grateful patient leaves a $100 gift card and a thank-you note at the front desk addressed specifically to you. What do you do?

What is one of your strengths in a leadership role?

You’re walking out of a coffee shop when you notice someone drop their wallet. You pick it up and realize there’s a large amount of cash inside, but no ID. You also notice the person quickly leaving in a taxi before you can call out. What do you do?

What is your learning style?

Your roommate confides in you that they have been struggling with depression and occasionally use prescription medication that was not prescribed to them. They ask you not to tell anyone. How do you respond?

How do you study?

You’re catching a ride home from a friend who begins texting while driving. When you ask them to stop, they brush you off and say, “Relax, I do this all the time.” How do you respond?

How might the transition to pharmacy school affect you.

A close friend in your study group admits they copied answers from another student on a recent exam but asks you not to tell anyone. How do you respond?

How will you handle burnout and being overwhelmed?

You see a friend post misleading health information on social media that’s getting lots of attention. How do you handle it?

What will you do if you do not get into pharmacy school?

You accidentally receive an email from your supervisor that contains private performance evaluations, including criticism of a close friend. Later that day, your friend mentions feeling anxious about whether management trusts them. What do you do?

A patient you've been working with for months asks you out on a date. How do you handle this?