Ace Your Pharmacy Interview Questions With These Expert Tips

100 Pharmacy Interview Questions

Keep scrolling to check out our expert answers to the first 5 questions AND strategies you can use to successfully answer any pharmacy interview question!

1. Tell me about yourself
2. Why do you want to be a pharmacist?
3. Scenario - Selling syringes without a prescription
4. Scenario - Ethical sources of funding
5. Scenario - Alternative medicine 
6. How do you handle adversity?
7. How do you plan to finance your pharmacy school education?
8. What will you do if you're not accepted into pharmacy school?
9. When did you first decide to pursue pharmacy as a career?
10. How do you study?
11. How do you manage your time?
12. Why did you choose ______ as your major?
13. What characteristics does a good pharmacist possess?
14. What current event in pharmacy have you heard about or been following?
15. What are the advantages and limitations that you see going into pharmacy?
16. What type of person irritates you most?
17. What type of person do you like being with?
18. Are there any questions you'd like to ask me?
19. Why should we pick you instead of someone else?
20. What was the most difficult period in your life?
21. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
22. What can you contribute as a student to the school of pharmacy?
23. What do you think makes a good pharmacist?
24. Have you applied to other pharmacy schools?
25. Have you ever seen academic dishonesty?
26. If you woke up tomorrow and pharmacy was no longer a profession, what would you do?
27. Where do you see yourself in five years?
28. How will you give back to the pharmacy profession?
29. If you've struggled in a class, what did you do to improve?
30. If you applied as an out-of-state applicant, why didn't you apply to a pharmacy school within your home state?
31. Do you prefer frequent change or a structured routine in your daily work?
32. How do you perform under pressure?
33. How would you describe your listening skills?
34. What situations have placed you interacting with the public?
35. Do you like to confront conflict or avoid it?
36. Is your GPA an accurate reflection of your academic ability?
37. If you had to do it over again, what changes would you make as a college student?
38. How do you measure personal success?
39. What motivates you?
40. What have you done to prepare for pharmacy school?
41. What changes would you like to see made in the current healthcare delivery system?
42. Do you think robots will take over the role of pharmacists?
43. What are the challenges that a pharmacist will face?
44. Which area of pharmacy interests you the most?
45. Define professionalism.
46. If a friend of yours started dating a patient that you knew to be HIV positive, what would you do?
47. Describe your related experience.
48. What made you first decide on pharmacy as a profession?
49. How did you choose your undergraduate school and major?
50. Have you participated in any research? What was your role?
51. What criteria are you using to evaluate potential pharmacy schools?
52. If you observed a fellow student cheating, what would you do?
53. What resources do you read to keep current on trends in healthcare and pharmacy?
54. What can you contribute to our pharmacy school?
55. What regrets do you have about your college education?
56. When was the last time you made a decision that backfired?
57. Give an example of a project or situation that demanded attention to detail.
58. What do you like best about the pre-pharmacy courses you've taken?
59. What do you like the least about pre-pharmacy courses you've taken?
60. What is the most valuable criticism you've received?
61. Discuss an instance when you felt the most pressured and stressed in school.
62. What is your most significant work-related accomplishment?
63. How would you define success?
64. Why should you be admitted to our school?
65. Why do you want to be part of a community?
66. What are the pharmacists' roles as members of the healthcare team?
67. Tell me about your favorite extracurricular activities?
68. How do your experiences prepare you for the role of a pharmacist?
69. What is a negative aspect about yourself?
70. Who is your greatest role model?
71. What do you do in your free time?
72. Give us an example of your leadership abilities
73. Describe the importance of understanding diversity as a pharmacist
74. What is the most positive aspect about pharmacy?
75. Give us an example of when you used your creativity to solve a problem.
76. How do you ensure patient confidentiality in a busy pharmacy setting?
77. Tell us about a job situation where you were a member of a team and had information and resources that would be beneficial to others.
78. Tell us about a time you encountered a conflict at work.
79. Your family has a history of diabetes and high cholesterol. Your older sibling has decided to rely solely on wearable technology and apps to monitor their health. How do you respond?
80. You are a pharmacist and a young female approaches you, requesting emergency contraceptives. She seems agitated. What do you do?
81. What is your ideal vacation?
82. Tell me about a book you have recently read. Why did you read it, and would you recommend it to others?
83. Describe how you prioritize tasks.
84. Describe a time when you had to mediate someone else’s frustration.
85. What are your thoughts on the rise of telepharmacy? What are its benefits and its limitations?
86. Discuss your thoughts on the arms race of drug pricing. What policies do you know of that address it?
87. You are a newly hired pharmacist and notice on your second day that one of the senior pharmacists incorrectly enters information to your electronic system. You point out the mistake, and although they correct the error, they respond with “This new system they put in just keeps doing that!”, even though it was clearly their mistake. How do you respond?
88. How would you describe to an alien your job as a pharmacist?
89. Would you rather serve as a retail or hospital pharmacist, and why?
90. Describe a time when you had to teach someone else a complex topic. How did you approach the subject? Were you successful?
91. What is an aspect about pharmacy that you did not initially know about prior to college? When/how did you learn about that, and how has it affected you?
92. You are a pharmacist at the end of your shift, and your co-workers have already left. You still have several tasks remaining, but not enough time to complete them all. Furthermore, you cannot stay late because you have an important event to attend after work. What do you do?
93. Tell us about a time you helped someone who was grieving.
94. You’re approached by the uncle of one of your patients asking for information on her birth control. How do you proceed?
95. Give examples of times when you worked on a team and things went well, and another time when things did not. What was your specific role in each situation, and what did you learn from those experiences?
96. Describe a time when you had to organize something that was disorganized.
97. Tell us about a time when you helped someone who was confused.
98. What is your most significant non-work-related accomplishment?
99. What is the difference between accuracy and precision? Do you value one over the other? Why or why not?
100. Describe a situation where you had to make a difficult ethical decision. What was the outcome, and how did you feel about your decision?

Sample Pharmacy Interview Questions and Expert Responses

Pharmacy Interview Question #1: "Tell Me About Yourself."

"Tell me about yourself" is a common but tricky pharmacy school interview question. Here are five practical tips to help you answer this question with clarity and confidence:

• Tell a story, don’t recite a list. Instead of just listing your accomplishments or activities, focus on telling a story that highlights your best qualities. Share experiences that show your passion for pharmacy, and why you’re a great fit for this field.
• Keep it short and sweet. Aim for about 3 minutes. That’s enough time to make your point without losing the interviewers’ attention. Practice until you can deliver it smoothly without sounding like you’ve memorized a script.
• Align your answer with the school’s values. Do a bit of research on the pharmacy school’s mission and values, and show how your experiences align with what they’re looking for.
• Pick three key qualities that represent you. Focus on these qualities—whether it’s leadership, empathy, or problem-solving—and back them up with specific examples.
• Be genuine. While it’s important to be prepared, remember to be yourself. The interviewers want to see the real you and understand what drives your passion for pharmacy.

Pharmacy Interview Question #2: "Why Do You Want to Be a Pharmacist?"

When you’re asked why you want to be a pharmacist, the key is to show your genuine passion for the field.

Click here to read our expert response.

Here’s how to make your answer stand out:

• Talk about what truly draws you to pharmacy. Instead of focusing on things like salary, explain what excites you about the work itself. Maybe you’re inspired by the chance to make a real difference in people’s lives through medication and healthcare.
• Explain which of the various roles pharmacists play that you are most excited about.
• If you have experience in research or healthcare settings, share how those experiences have shaped your interest in pharmacy.
• Highlight your commitment to patient care, giving examples of times you’ve seen or experienced the positive effects of good pharmacy care. Explain how this has fueled your desire to provide that level of care yourself.

Check out our video for how to address an ethical dilemma in the news

Pharmacy Interview Question #3: Scenario - Selling Syringes Without a Prescription

Here’s a scenario pharmacy interview question you might encounter:

You are a pharmacist at a small, independent pharmacy. A patient approaches your counter and requests needles and syringes. They do not present a prescription, and based on the records you can access, they are not receiving treatment for diabetes. Do you sell the syringes or not?

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Click here to read our full expert response to this pharmacy interview question.

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This question is designed to test how you handle complex, ethical dilemmas. This framework will help you answer this question and others like it:

This method also works for pharmacy interview questions like 45, 51, 79, 86, 91, and 99 from the earlier list. These scenarios often deal with ethical dilemmas or difficult decision-making, where gathering the right information, focusing on harm reduction, offering support or resources, and ensuring proper documentation and follow-up are essential.

Pharmacy Interview Question #4: Scenario - Ethical Sources of Funding

Here is an ethical dilemma of a different kind, wherein the fate of your business may be tied up in the path you choose:

You are the CEO of a large pharmacy chain that is struggling to generate funds. You are approached by a famous fast food company that is willing to meet all of your financial demands in exchange for opening a chain store in a few of your pharmacies. What will you do?

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Click here to read our expert response to this pharmacy school interview question.

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Here’s a practical approach you can use for this question and others like it:

1.      Assess the Offer

• “I would start by evaluating the fast food company’s brand. If they’re known for unhealthy food, consider the impact on my pharmacy’s reputation and mission. My priority is patient health, so partnering with a company that promotes unhealthy eating could conflict with my core values.”

2.      Explore Alternatives

• “If the fast food chain offers healthy options, like a smoothie bar or nutritious meals, this could align with my health-focused mission. Such a partnership might enhance patient convenience and promote healthier choices.”

3.      Evaluate Financial Options

• “Before making a decision, I would review my current financial situation. Have I explored all cost-saving measures, such as going paperless or optimizing energy use? I would also look into grants or business loans that might provide financial relief without compromising my values.”

4.      Consult Your Board and/or Stakeholders

• “I would present the proposal and findings to the Board of Directors and other stakeholders, to gather their input on both the fast food offer and other potential financial strategies.”

5.      Make a Decision

• “If the fast food company offers unhealthy options, I would decline the proposal to stay true to my mission. Instead, I would seek partnerships with companies that align with health and wellness. Also, I would continue to explore other financial strategies to improve the situation without compromising on values.”

You can apply this approach to other pharmacy interview questions, such as 5, 7, 13, 14, 26, 40, 42, 72, 73, and 84. These questions often require careful consideration of ethical challenges or making tough decisions. The key steps involve assessing the situation, thinking about alternatives, weighing options, consulting with others, and then deciding.

Pharmacy Interview Question #5: Scenario - Alternative Medicine 

A member of your family decides to depend solely on alternative medicine for the treatment of their significant illness. What would you do?

Click here to read our expert response to this pharmacy interview question.

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This question, and similar ones, requires a thoughtful approach that combines your medical background with compassion and curiosity.

1.      Understand Their Perspective

• “I would start by having a private, empathetic conversation with the family member. My focus would be on listening to their reasons for choosing alternative medicine over conventional treatments.”

2.      Acknowledge Valid Concerns

• “If financial constraints are driving their choice, I would explore options for reducing the cost of conventional treatments, including offering to help them investigate these options, showing support while seeking solutions.”

3.      Address Trust Issues

• “If their choice stems from a lack of trust in traditional medicine, I would work diligently to understand the root cause. If appropriate, I would suggest reputable healthcare professionals or facilities that could rebuild their trust.”

4.      Evaluate the Evidence

• “For those who feel alternative medicine is effective, I would discuss what specific treatments they’re using, inquiring about the ingredients and their potential effects. It’s important to respect their experiences while providing evidence-based information.”

5.      Communicate with Compassion

• “If the alternative treatment is for a life-threatening condition, I would gently present evidence-based information and discuss potential risks. I would offer resources and articles that support conventional treatments but with sensitivity and care. My emphasis would be that my only goal is to ensure their safety and well-being.”

You can use a similar strategy to answer pharmacy interview questions 9, 10, 12, 31, 32, 38, 69, 70, 78, and 83. These questions involve understanding perspectives, addressing concerns, evaluating options, and communicating with compassion.

FAQs

To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

BeMo Academic Consulting 

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