Physician interview questions at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
120 verified questions reported by Physician candidates interviewing at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Each one is archetype-tagged so you can see the pattern, slot the right STAR story, and practice out loud against an AI interviewer that pushes back the way a real one would.
Top 25 verified questions
Sorted by quality score (specificity, clarity, practice-worthiness) with a tie-break on most recently observed.
- 1So I see your father is a physician, was there any pressure to choose medicine?behavioral·panel
- 2Describe what you understand about oral bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw.technical·panel
- 3What did you take away from your clinical experience working with special needs patients?behavioral·panel
- 4If you had a class II amalgam patient, how well are you prepared for that?clinical·panel
- 5Why did you apply to University of Pennsylvania?culture·panel
- 6Why are you interested in oral and maxillofacial surgery?behavioral·panel
- 7Would you still do dentistry if it were not profitable?situational·panel
- 8What is one time you were critiqued, and what did you learn from it?behavioral·panel
- 9Describe a moment when you received critical feedback. How did you respond and what did you take away?behavioral·panel
- 10What are some differences you have seen in dentistry as practiced in the US compared to your country?behavioral·panel
- 11What about Penn would be most beneficial for you? What would be the hardest thing about going to Penn?culture·panel
- 12How do you think your work experience will prepare you for dentistry?behavioral·panel
- 13Why go from marine biology to dentistry?behavioral·panel
- 14Describe your experience working with special needs patients and what you learned.behavioral·panel
- 15How would you persuade a young child who is anxious about visiting the dentist?situational·panel
- 16If there was someone in your practice causing problems with patients and staff, how would you react?situational·panel
- 17What do you like or dislike about dentistry regarding specialties?behavioral·panel
- 18Tell me about volunteering at the dental office.behavioral·panel
- 19Why did you choose dentistry?behavioral·panel
- 20Imagine you manage a dental practice and an employee has a poor attitude. How would you address this?situational·panel
- 21What do you do that shows your manual dexterity?behavioral·panel
- 22What was your epiphany in entering the dental profession?behavioral·panel
- 23What would you do if you didn't get into dental school?situational·panel
- 24What motivated you to pursue a career in dentistry?behavioral·panel
- 25Tell me about a time when you felt completely overwhelmed. How did you manage it?behavioral·panel
Common questions
It varies by round — phone screen typically covers 5–8 questions, on-site loops cover 15–25 across multiple interviewers. The full Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Physician loop tends to surface 30+ distinct prompt patterns, which is what we've banked here.
Yes — every question on this page is verified, meaning at least one candidate reported being asked it in a real Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania interview. We don't pad the list with generic prompts that weren't reported.
Pick three to five of the questions below in your weakest archetype, run them through the practice tool out loud, and read the per-answer feedback. Most candidates who get an offer report 8–15 practice sessions in the two weeks before the interview.
The behavioral questions stay roughly the same; what changes is the bar on the answer. At more senior levels, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania expects more concrete business outcomes, more stakeholder management, and more scope in the stories. The technical bar also shifts upward.
Read them. Then practice them.
The list is the start. The reps are what move the score. First sample question is free.