Cardiothoracic Surgeon Interview Questions & Answers


A Cardiothoracic Surgeon is a doctor that performs surgical procedures inside the chest (thorax). Cardiothoracic Surgeons work with the heart, lungs, esophagus, and other chest regions.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Cardiothoracic Surgeon or an employer preparing to interview candidates for Cardiothoracic Surgeon position, these Cardiothoracic Surgeon interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.

Cardiothoracic Surgeon Interview Questions

Below are a list of some skill-based Cardiothoracic Surgeon interview questions.

  1. Why did you decide to specialize in cardiothoracic surgery?
  2. Can you tell us about your work history as a cardiothoracic surgeon?
  3. What are the most common procedures you perform as a cardiothoracic surgeon?
  4. How would you describe the relationship between cardiothoracic surgeons and interventional cardiologists?
  5. What is the most challenging part of being a cardiothoracic surgeon?
  6. How do you ensure that you stay up-to-date with developments in your field?
  7. Provide an example of a time when you had to perform an emergency surgery.
  8. How often do you perform follow-up appointments with patients?
  9. There is a risk that a patient may develop a complication during surgery. How would you handle this?
  10. How would you communicate bad news to a patient with lung cancer?
  11. If a patient needed both a valve replacement and a lung resection, which surgery would you perform first?
  12. What would you do if you and your team made a mistake during surgery?
  13. How well do you communicate with other medical professionals, such as nurses and X-ray technicians?
  14. Do you have experience performing open-heart surgery on children?
  15. When performing a lung resection, do you prefer to remove the entire lobe or just part of it?
  16. We want to improve our patient recovery times. What strategies would you use to do this?
  17. Describe your process for preparing a patient for open-heart surgery.
  18. Describe your process for preparing a patient for lung resection.
  19. What is the greatest challenge you have faced during surgery? How did you overcome it?
  20. How do you deal with pressure?
  21. What makes you stand out from other cardiothoracic surgeons?
  22. What do you do if a patient refuses to undergo a life-saving procedure?
  23. What do you think is the most important aspect of post-operative care?

Cardiothoracic Surgeon Interview Questions and Answers

Every interview is different and the questions may vary. However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.

Below are some common questions you'd expect during Cardiothoracic Surgeon interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.

  1. What is Your Greatest Weakness?
  2. What is Your Salary Expectation?
  3. Tell Me About Yourself
  4. Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
  5. Are You a Leader or a Follower?
  6. What is Your Greatest Strength?
  7. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
  8. Why Should We Hire You?
  9. What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?
  10. Why Do You Want This Job?