Ace Your Gynecology Interview
Master clinical, behavioral, and management questions with expert model answers and practice tools.
- Real‑world clinical scenario questions
- Behavioral STAR responses tailored to obstetrics‑gynecology
- Competency weighting for focused preparation
- Ready‑to‑use practice pack with timed rounds
Clinical Knowledge
A 38‑year‑old woman presented with menorrhagia lasting 6 months, resulting in hemoglobin of 9 g/dL.
My goal was to identify the underlying cause, stabilize her anemia, and provide a long‑term treatment plan.
I ordered a CBC, ferritin, thyroid panel, and pelvic ultrasound; ruled out fibroids and coagulopathy; started oral iron and scheduled a hormonal IUD for bleeding control; discussed surgical options if needed.
Her hemoglobin rose to 11.5 g/dL within 4 weeks, bleeding reduced by 70%, and she elected to continue the IUD with follow‑up in 3 months.
- What alternative medical therapies could you consider?
- How would you counsel a patient desiring future fertility?
- Clarity of diagnostic pathway
- Appropriate use of investigations
- Evidence‑based treatment choice
- Patient‑centered communication
- Skipping labs or imaging
- Ignoring patient preferences
- Obtain detailed history and labs
- Rule out structural and systemic causes
- Stabilize anemia with iron
- Offer medical (hormonal IUD) and discuss surgical options
- Follow‑up and reassess
A 29‑year‑old G2P1 at 32 weeks gestation presented with a sudden decrease in perceived fetal movements over the past 12 hours.
Ensure fetal well‑being, identify any compromise, and intervene appropriately.
I performed an immediate bedside cardiotocography (CTG), instructed the mother on kick counts, arranged an ultrasound for biophysical profile, and coordinated with the obstetric team for possible admission.
CTG showed reassuring patterns; biophysical profile was 8/10; the patient was reassured, educated on daily kick counts, and scheduled for routine follow‑up.
- If the CTG had shown decelerations, what would be your next step?
- How do you counsel patients about kick‑count thresholds?
- Prompt recognition of potential fetal distress
- Appropriate use of monitoring tools
- Clear communication with patient
- Timely escalation
- Delaying CTG or ultrasound
- Providing vague reassurance without objective data
- Immediate CTG assessment
- Reinforce kick‑count method
- Obtain ultrasound/Biophysical profile
- Determine need for admission or delivery
- Provide education and follow‑up
A 45‑year‑old woman with multiple intramural fibroids causing pelvic pressure and heavy bleeding sought definitive treatment.
Provide balanced counseling to help her choose between hysterectomy and uterine‑sparing procedures.
I reviewed her imaging, discussed symptom severity, fertility desires, and comorbidities; explained hysterectomy outcomes, recovery, and loss of fertility; presented myomectomy, uterine artery embolization, and MRI‑guided focused ultrasound as alternatives, outlining success rates, risks, and recovery times; used decision‑aid charts and answered her questions.
She opted for laparoscopic myomectomy, understanding the benefits and potential need for future surgery; postoperative recovery was uneventful, and symptoms improved markedly at 6‑month follow‑up.
- How would you modify counseling for a patient desiring future pregnancy?
- What follow‑up plan would you set after a myomectomy?
- Depth of risk‑benefit discussion
- Patient‑centered communication
- Use of decision aids
- Documentation of shared decision
- Bias toward one option without justification
- Ignoring patient’s fertility wishes
- Review imaging and symptom burden
- Assess reproductive goals and health status
- Detail hysterectomy pros/cons
- Detail uterine‑sparing options pros/cons
- Use visual aids/decision tools
- Address questions and document shared decision
Patient Care & Communication
A 33‑year‑old woman with a 2‑year history of trying to conceive presented with bilateral tubal blockage on hysterosalpingography.
Communicate the diagnosis sensitively and discuss next steps.
I scheduled a private, uninterrupted session, used clear but compassionate language, confirmed her understanding, explored her emotions, and introduced assisted reproductive technologies as options, providing brochures and referrals to a fertility specialist.
She expressed gratitude for the honesty, felt supported, and scheduled a follow‑up with the fertility clinic within two weeks.
- How do you handle a patient who reacts with anger or denial?
- What documentation is essential after such a conversation?
- Empathy and active listening
- Clarity of information
- Offering realistic options
- Documentation of discussion
- Using overly technical language
- Minimizing patient feelings
- Private setting, no interruptions
- Clear, jargon‑free explanation
- Acknowledge emotions and allow space
- Introduce next‑step options
- Provide resources and referrals
A 28‑year‑old Muslim woman declined a recommended cervical biopsy due to concerns about modesty and religious permissibility.
Respect her beliefs while ensuring appropriate care and informed decision‑making.
I listened to her concerns, explained the medical necessity, offered a female provider, discussed possible alternatives, and involved a hospital chaplain to address religious questions, ultimately reaching a mutually acceptable plan.
She consented to a less invasive colposcopic evaluation performed by a female clinician, preserving her comfort and achieving diagnostic clarity.
- If the patient still refused, what would be your next step?
- How do you document cultural considerations?
- Cultural sensitivity
- Patient autonomy
- Clear explanation of risks/benefits
- Collaboration with support services
- Pressuring the patient
- Disregarding cultural concerns
- Listen without judgment
- Explain medical rationale
- Offer gender‑concordant provider
- Involve spiritual support
- Explore acceptable alternatives
During a multidisciplinary meeting, a senior obstetrician challenged my recommendation for early delivery in a 34‑week pregnancy complicated by severe preeclampsia.
Resolve the disagreement while maintaining patient safety and team cohesion.
I presented the latest ACOG guidelines, shared the patient’s lab trends, invited the colleague to discuss his concerns, and proposed a joint monitoring plan with clear criteria for delivery; we documented the consensus and communicated the plan to the patient.
The team agreed on the joint plan, the patient was delivered at 35 weeks with a healthy neonate, and the professional relationship remained collaborative.
- How would you proceed if the colleague persisted in opposing the plan?
- What steps ensure the patient is fully informed of the team’s decision?
- Evidence‑based justification
- Collaborative communication
- Patient‑centered focus
- Documentation of agreement
- Escalating conflict without resolution
- Ignoring guideline recommendations
- Reference evidence‑based guidelines
- Share objective data
- Invite colleague’s perspective
- Find common ground with a joint plan
- Document consensus
Practice Management
In my role as a staff gynecologist, staying updated is essential for safe practice.
Implement a systematic approach to continuous learning.
I subscribe to ACOG updates, attend quarterly CME webinars, participate in journal clubs, and allocate weekly time for reading key articles; I also share summaries with the department.
My knowledge remains current, reflected in improved patient outcomes and positive peer feedback during annual reviews.
- What resources do you find most reliable for guideline updates?
- How do you integrate new evidence into existing protocols?
- Proactive learning habits
- Use of reputable sources
- Knowledge dissemination
- Relying on non‑peer‑reviewed sources
- Subscribe to professional societies
- Attend CME events
- Participate in journal clubs
- Schedule dedicated reading time
- Share insights with team
In a high‑volume women's health clinic, I manage ~25 patients per day using Epic EMR.
Maintain thorough, accurate documentation without compromising patient flow.
I use pre‑visit templates, dictate notes with voice recognition, employ checklists for key elements (e.g., Pap results, contraceptive counseling), and perform a quick end‑of‑day review to correct any gaps.
Documentation errors dropped by 30% over six months, and billing compliance improved, leading to higher reimbursement rates.
- How do you handle EMR downtime?
- What strategies do you use to avoid copy‑and‑paste errors?
- Efficiency without sacrificing detail
- Use of best practices for EMR
- Excessive reliance on copy‑paste
- Utilize templates and checklists
- Leverage voice dictation
- Allocate time for end‑of‑day review
- Conduct periodic audits
Our department’s patient satisfaction scores were below the hospital average, particularly regarding wait times and communication.
Develop and execute a plan to enhance the patient experience.
I introduced a triage nurse to streamline intake, implemented a real‑time wait‑time display in the lobby, trained staff in empathetic communication scripts, and created post‑visit follow‑up calls to address concerns.
Within six months, overall satisfaction rose by 15 points, with notable improvements in perceived wait time and provider communication.
- How would you measure the impact of each intervention?
- What role does patient feedback play in continuous improvement?
- Data‑driven approach
- Patient‑centered interventions
- Measurable outcomes
- Implementing changes without staff buy‑in
- Assess baseline metrics
- Introduce triage and wait‑time transparency
- Train staff in communication skills
- Implement post‑visit follow‑up
- Monitor and adjust based on feedback
- obstetrics
- gynecologic surgery
- patient counseling
- EMR
- ACOG guidelines
- fertility management
- prenatal care