Idaho State University College of Pharmacy Interview Practice Questions

Tell me about yourself.

Why pharmacy?

Why Idaho State University College of Pharmacy?

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?

What ethical obligations do pharmacists have when Idaho's new PBM regulations appear to be ineffective at preventing harmful practices?

What attracted you specifically to Idaho State University College of Pharmacy's Doctor of Pharmacy program?

Should Idaho pharmacists support standardized prescribing requirements that may improve safety but could burden rural providers with limited resources?

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 ISU College of Pharmacy's emphasis on rural and underserved healthcare align with your career goals?

How should Idaho pharmacists respond to the geographic isolation of rural patients who cannot easily access alternative pharmacies when local ones close?

Why did you choose your undergraduate institution?

How should Idaho address the potential conflict between maintaining pharmacy access in rural communities and enforcing strict regulatory compliance standards?

What was one personally touching volunteer experience you had?

If you could choose one superpower what would it be?

What do you know about our integrated curriculum that combines classroom learning with early clinical experiences?

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

What specialty are you interested in?

What ethical considerations should guide Idaho pharmacists when patients cannot afford medications due to insurance coverage gaps following Medicaid redeterminations?

Tell me about a time you failed.

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

How would living and studying in Pocatello impact your pharmacy education experience?

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 aspects of ISU College of Pharmacy's mission to serve Idaho and the Intermountain West resonate with you?

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

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 do you plan to contribute to the close-knit community atmosphere at ISU College of Pharmacy?

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

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 ISU's focus on training pharmacists for community and hospital pharmacy practice?

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

How does ISU College of Pharmacy's smaller class size and low student-to-faculty ratio appeal to your learning style?

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 do you know about our Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences that begin in the first year?

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

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 would you take advantage of ISU College of Pharmacy's research opportunities in areas like drug discovery and pharmaceutical sciences?

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

What is your greatest accomplishment?

What is the biggest problem in healthcare today?

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?

How would you fix the healthcare system?

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 Idaho State University College of Pharmacy's values?

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

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 Pocatello?

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

What negative feedback have you received?

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

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

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 role should technology and AI play in the future of 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.

Should healthcare professionals be required to receive certain vaccinations?

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

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

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

What are your weaknesses?

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

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

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

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

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

What community service activities have you done?

Can compassion be taught?

What do you do for fun?

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

Describe a time working with someone you did not like.

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

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

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

What do you think are important qualities for a pharmacist?

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

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

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?

Who is your role model?

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 regret?

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?

What makes you special?

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 your biggest fear?

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?

Tell me about your lowest grade.

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?

What is one of your strengths in a leadership role?

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?

What is your learning style?

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 do you study?

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

How might the transition to pharmacy school affect you.

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?

How will you handle burnout and being overwhelmed?

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

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