Question Bank

Moral & Ethical Judgement – Questions

  1. Describe a time where you witnessed someone do something unethical or immoral. What did you do and what would you do differently if you could do it again?  
  2. Decision making for water fluoridation has recently shifted from the  local council to the DHB. There is some opposition from the public. What do you think about this?  
  3. You are the owner of a pharmacy. You notice that one of your customers keeps coming to your pharmacy for anti-constipation pills (laxatives). You know that these pills can cause harmful effects if abused as ‘slimming aids’. What would you say to the customer? 
  4. You are a GP and a friend (with a medical condition) wants a prescription medication, because she knows that the medication works and is too busy to see her own doctor. What do you do? 
  5. A 16 year old male patient comes into your clinic, after finding out he had a positive HIV test as a result of having sexual intercourse with men. His homophobic, conservative parents are with him and are demanding that you, as the healthcare professional tell them about what’s happening with their son. What do you do as the healthcare professional?
  6. What are the PROs and CONs of placebo treatments? Would you ever prescribe them?
  7. You catch your friend cheating during one of the pre-med exams.  What do you do?

NZ Health Issues – Questions

  1. What is your opinion on the implementation of pepi pods?
  2. What do you think about the retirement age being raised?
  3. Think about a problem where the old solution didn’t work and you  came up with a new one. What did you change and why? 
  4. Children are coming to schools hungry in the morning. You are the minister and have to come up with a proposal for a solution.
  5. You are presented with a list of NZ’s ranking in a number of factors for the Social Progress  Index, e.g. housing, suicide, greenhouse emissions, obesity. NZ  ranked quite low on most of these factors. Should we be satisfied?
  6. Binge drinking is a big issue in NZ. How would you manage this?
  7. Discuss alcohol advertising in sport. What is your opinion on it? 
  8. What changes would you make to the MBChB/BOptom/BPharm entry criteria? 
  9. What would you say to people who believe that it is the parent’s  responsibility to ensure children do not get sick?
  10. What is your opinion on the lockdown approach to COVID-19 in NZ? 
  11. Should the vaccination for COVID-19 be compulsory?
  12. Suicides in NZ are predominantly male, why do you think this is the case? How can these rates be lowered? 
  13. Describe challenges faced by people living in rural areas. How do you  think they affect health outcomes? What strategies could  be put in place to mitigate these challenges?

Problem Solving Framework – Questions

  1. Discuss a health issue you would prioritise if you were the Minister of Health, and what strategies you would use.
  2. Medical professionals have a terrible record of washing their hands. Please describe some initiatives you would put in place to improve this.

Ethnicity – Questions

  1. What do you think of the Te Reo Māori language week? 
  2. The University is giving preferential entry to health students who are  willing to work in rural areas for two years after they graduate. This  is to try and get more people to work in the rural areas. What do you think?
  3. How would you make Māori and Pasifika (alternate question: LGBT, women, minorities) students feel more comfortable  at university?
  4. In Māori culture, as part of the Pōwhiri, only men can sit in the front  2 rows. Discuss whether this should be considered sexist, and whether it is compatible with “modern” values. 
  5. Why does the University provide programmes such as RRAS  and MAPAS? Do you agree with these programmes? Do you think  these programmes are effective? How could they be improved?
  6. The Maihi Karauna (The Crown’s strategy to revitalise Māori Language) set the goal of one million New Zealanders having the ability to speak basic Te Reo Māori by 2023. Is this a realistic goal?
  7. Should Te Reo Māori be compulsory in primary schools? 
  8. Māori are disproportionately affected in health outcomes compared to non-Māori. For example, Māori men mortality rates for lung cancer are nearly 3 times those of non-Māori men. Please explain this trend.
  9. Your patient, who has cancer, wants to try traditional Māori medicine.  How do you respond?

Professionalism and Experience – Questions

  1. A patient has sent you an unprofessional email. How do you manage  this situation? Would you include anyone else from the practise? 
  2. Talk about an event that has majorly affected your outlook on life. On reflection, do you think there is anything you would have done  differently? What core values did this event form or change? 
  3. What does it mean to be a good team member? What makes a good team leader?
  4. Describe a time you were team leader and had to resolve a  conflict. 
  5. What is one of your extra-curricular activities, and how would this  help/hinder you in a medical career? 
  6. Describe a time you were incorrectly judged or wrongly accused.
  7. What is something that you are not happy with about yourself?
  8. How are you creative? 
  9. Describe a time you felt you had been judged unfairly or critically.  How did you respond?
  10. Who is someone you look up to and why? Given you  idolise this person, what have you done to live up to their example?
  11. Describe a time when you had to apologise to someone. How did  your apology change your relationship with them? 
  12. What do you prefer: working in a team or working alone? 
  13. Give an example of a stressful situation you have found yourself in and what are some methods you used to overcome it?