Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy Interview Practice Questions

Tell me about yourself.

Why pharmacy?

Why Rutgers Ernest Mario School 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 responsibilities do New Jersey pharmacists have when required to report medication adherence and outcomes data to state health authorities for public health surveillance

What attracts you specifically to Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy's PharmD program over other pharmacy schools?

How should New Jersey regulate the 124 pharmacies currently engaged in remote prescription processing pilot programs, balancing operational flexibility with patient safety oversight

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 our school's emphasis on interprofessional education align with your career goals?

Should New Jersey pharmacies be required to dispense emergency contraception despite pharmacist moral objections, given the state law requiring pharmacy practice sites to fill lawful prescriptions without undue delay

Why did you choose your undergraduate institution?

Should New Jersey expand the pharmacist-to-pharmacy technician supervision ratio beyond the current limit of two technicians per pharmacist, given workforce shortages and expanding scope of practice

What was one personally touching volunteer experience you had?

If you could choose one superpower what would it be?

What aspects of our experiential learning program and clinical rotations appeal to you most?

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 New Jersey to implement a flat cap on out-of-pocket expenses for essential emergency medications like EpiPens, asthma inhalers, and insulin while potentially increasing costs for other medications

Tell me about a time you failed.

Should New Jersey require pharmacists to participate in the state's prescription drug monitoring program beyond current mandates, including real-time alerts for potential opioid abuse patterns

How would you take advantage of our school's research opportunities and pharmaceutical industry connections?

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?

How should New Jersey pharmacists navigate ethical conflicts when PBM reimbursement practices threaten pharmacy viability while maintaining professional obligations to patient care

What do you know about our school's focus on medication therapy management and patient care?

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

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 studying pharmacy in New Jersey's pharmaceutical corridor influence your decision to attend here?

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

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

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

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

What is the difference between sympathy and empathy?

Which of our specialized tracks or certificate programs interests you and why?

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

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

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

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

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

How would you contribute to the diversity and community at our Piscataway campus?

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.

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

What appeals to you about our school's integration of technology and innovation in pharmacy education?

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

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 our school's mission to advance health through pharmaceutical sciences align with your personal values?

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

What is your greatest accomplishment?

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

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

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

What is the biggest problem in healthcare today?

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?

Is healthcare a right or a privilege?

What are Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy's values?

How would you fix the healthcare system?

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 New Brunswick?

What controversial healthcare topic are you passionate about?

What negative feedback have you received?

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

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

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

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

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?

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

Do you consider yourself culturally competent?

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

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?

What do you think about stem cell research?

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

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

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?

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

What are your strengths?

Should healthcare professionals be required to receive certain vaccinations?

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?

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

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

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

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

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

What community service activities have you done?

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

What do you do for fun?

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

Describe a time working with someone you did not like.

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

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

Can compassion be taught?

What do you think are important qualities for a pharmacist?

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

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

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

Who is your role model?

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 is your biggest regret?

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

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?