Best Recruiting Questions for a Plastic Surgery Practice

Recruiting Questions & Recruitment Tips for Hiring Plastic Surgery Practice Roles

Recruitment is one of the highest-stakes activities for any plastic surgery practice. A single wrong hire can cost between $50,000 and $100,000 in wasted training and early termination during probation. Replacing an experienced team member can be even more costly — lost sales, disrupted patient relationships, and diminished reputation can easily add up to $500,000 to $1 million.
Plastic surgery is both a medical and a service-driven business. Patients expect world-class clinical care combined with an exceptional customer experience. This means your staff need the right skills, the right attitude, and a cultural fit with your practice values. To achieve this, you need a structured recruitment process — and you need to ask the right questions.

What are the Key Roles in a Plastic Surgery Practice?

Every hire plays a critical part in the patient journey. Typical roles include:

Medical Reception / Inbound Enquiries – first impressions and patient communication.
Patient Coordinator – sales, education, hand-holding through big decisions.
Surgery Scheduler – attention to detail and process discipline.
Admin / Bookkeeper – financial accuracy and compliance.
Marketing / Social Media Coordinator – digital savvy, brand alignment.
Practice Nurse / Injecting Nurse / Dermal Clinician – empathy, clinical skills, patient care.
Practice Manager – leadership, accountability, systems, and people management.

Each role demands a balance of technical capability, personality traits, and service orientation. The interview process must bring these out.
In a small or startup practice, many roles are combined and staff need to be multi-skilled.
Read more about the roles & tasks in a plastic surgery practice.

Hiring for Skills or Attitude ? – Recruiting for different practice lifecycle stages

Your hiring priorities can change as your practice evolves:

Startup practices – You need people who already have the skills and experience and can hit the ground running. (You have not yet developed your systems)
Growing practices – You can hire for the right personality and cultural fit, then train for skills. (When you have training systems and practice systems)

Knowing where your practice sits in its lifecycle will shape your criteria and the questions you ask.

Why People Join a Practice — and Why They Leave

Candidates often move for:

Location and travel time
Hours, flexibility, and work-life balance
Better relationships with colleagues and management
Career progression opportunities

The right interview questions help uncover whether these factors could later become deal-breakers in your practice.

The Recruitment Process for Plastic Surgery Practices

A strong recruiting process should include:

Clear selection criteria (essential vs desirable skills)
Honest job previews (avoid over-selling)
Broad advertising to attract talent
Structured interviews with multiple interviewers
Practical tests and psychometric assessments
Reference checks with probing questions
A well-communicated selection decision
Strong induction and onboarding

Each step reduces the risk of an expensive hiring mistake. You ask different questions at each stage of the process.

Realistic Job Previews: Tell the Truth Early

Candidates who thrive in plastic surgery practices usually appreciate honesty about:

The busy, high-pressure environment and commitment required
Long hours and some weekend work when needed
Focus on numbers, KPIs, and accountability
Manual systems and fast-changing technology
Social media and online reputation management
Professional yet family-friendly culture

Transparency early can prevent staff turnover later.

Use Probing Questions for “Digging Deeper” – Learn Behavioural Questioning Techniques

To avoid getting superficial answers, use multi-layered probing:

What happened after that?
What feedback did you receive?
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
How did the patient react?
How did your relationship with your manager or colleague change after that?
What did you learn from that situation?

Probing separates their well-rehearsed answers from real insight.

Screening Candidates and Testing Beyond the Job Interview

Quick phone screen – Test verbal communication and motivation before committing to a full interview.
Sneaky email test – Send supplementary questions and check for accuracy, style, and responsiveness. Check response rates.
Video submissions – Evaluate appearance, confidence, and digital fluency.
Psychometric testing – Identify work style, motivators, and red flags.
Social media review – Assess professionalism and cultural alignment.

Applicant Traits to Look For vs Traits to Avoid

Look for:

Tech-savvy and proactive learners
Service and patient care focus
Structured, disciplined workers
Problem solvers with initiative
Team players with maturity

Avoid:

Burnt-out long-term staff
Work-to-rule mindset (ex Goverment or Union)
Candidates just seeking free surgery or perks
Entrepreneurial candidates with a side business / side hustle
Poorly presented or “fake” appearances

Where to find Candidates – Sources of Great Candidates for Your Practice

For attitude and service: Hospitality, travel management, event staff, banking, customer service, pharmaceutical sales roles, and flight attendants.
For skillset and experience: Plastic surgery practices, cosmetic clinics, Medical clinics, Dermatology practices, cosmetic dental practices, aesthetic and laser clinics.

Creating a More Attractive Workplace

Retention is just as important as recruitment. Practices that succeed often provide:

Structured training weekends
Social activities and team-building
Career progression pathways
Flexible leave and parking support
Clear “no-asshole” culture rules – Read the ‘no assholes’ book by Robert Sutton
Recognition programs for nurses, admin, and patient coordinators

A great culture makes recruitment easier.

Medical Reception / Front Desk Recruitment Questions

How do you manage multiple calls while greeting patients in person?
Tell me about a time you converted an enquiry into an appointment. What worked?
How do you ensure accuracy when entering patient data under pressure?
What steps would you take if you noticed an error in patient records?
How do you handle patients who arrive late or without paperwork?
What systems have you used before, and how quickly do you adapt to new software?
How do you make a nervous or first-time patient feel comfortable when they arrive?
What would you do if two patients became frustrated about waiting times at once?
How do you balance speed with attention to detail at the front desk?
What have you done in the past to improve patient satisfaction in a reception role?

Patient Coordinator Recruitment Questions

How do you build trust with patients making a big financial or surgical decision?
Can you describe a time you guided a patient from enquiry to booking?
What do you say when a patient is hesitant, undecided, or shopping around?
How do you discuss costs with sensitivity, without losing the patient’s trust?
What’s your approach to following up on leads who haven’t booked yet?
How do you manage patients who have unrealistic expectations about results?
Tell me about a time you worked with a difficult or demanding patient — what did you do?
How do you explain surgery timelines and recovery in a way patients understand?
How would you respond if a patient’s family member opposed their decision to book surgery?
What motivates you most — closing the sale, supporting the patient, or both?

Surgery Scheduler Recruitment Questions

Walk me through how you’ve scheduled a complex surgery involving multiple providers.
How do you make sure surgeon, hospital, and anaesthetist availability all align?
What steps do you take to avoid double-bookings or missed theatre slots?
How do you keep patients informed if surgery times change?
Tell me about a time when a last-minute change disrupted the schedule — what did you do?
How do you prioritise patients when there are urgent cases or cancellations?
How do you check accuracy when handling hospital forms or pre-admission paperwork?
What’s your method for tracking surgery deposits and payments alongside scheduling?
How do you handle the stress of managing multiple surgeries in one week?
What role do you play in keeping surgeons and patients updated on timelines?

Admin / Bookkeeper Recruitment Questions

What’s your experience with medical billing, Medicare, and health fund claims?
How do you handle a billing error — with both the patient and the system?
Tell me about a time you found a financial discrepancy others missed.
How do you stay organised with multiple revenue streams (surgery, injectables, skincare)?
What steps do you take to maintain confidentiality with financial records?
How do you communicate finance-related issues to non-finance staff?
Have you worked with medical practice management software before? Which systems?
How do you ensure compliance with tax and health regulations in bookkeeping?
What processes do you use for end-of-month reconciliation?
How would you manage a situation where a patient is disputing their invoice?

Marketing / Social Media Coordinator Recruitment Questions

What’s your process for creating social media content for a medical brand?
Can you share examples of campaigns you’ve run that increased patient enquiries?
How do you handle negative reviews or online criticism of a clinic?
How do you measure success for social campaigns — what metrics do you track?
Tell me about a time you created content that directly led to bookings.
How do you keep up with trends in cosmetic marketing while staying compliant?
What tools do you use for scheduling, analytics, or content creation?
How would you plan a social calendar for both surgery and non-surgical services?
How do you ensure the surgeon’s personal brand aligns with the practice’s online image?
What’s your approach to community engagement (comments, DMs, forums)?

Practice Nurse / Injecting Nurse Recruitment Questions

How do you prepare patients emotionally before surgery?
Tell me about a time you supported a patient who was anxious about recovery.
How do you teach patients about wound care and aftercare instructions?
What would you do if a patient wasn’t following post-op guidelines?
How do you respond when a patient is unhappy with their healing progress?
Have you ever had to manage an adverse event with injectables or surgery? How did you handle it?
How do you balance empathy with professionalism when patients are emotional?
How do you manage infection control and sterilisation protocols?
What’s your experience with injectables, fillers, and energy-based devices?
How do you stay up to date with the latest clinical and aesthetic practices?

Dermal Clinician / Aesthetician Recruitment Questions

How do you assess a patient’s skin to determine the right treatment?
Tell me about a time you had to adjust treatment because of a contraindication.
How do you explain treatment options to a patient with no technical knowledge?
What’s your approach to managing patient expectations for aesthetic treatments?
How do you handle a dissatisfied patient who didn’t see results?
What’s your experience with advanced devices — lasers, RF, or ultrasound?
How do you manage cross-referrals between dermal treatments and surgery?
What advice would you give a patient preparing for surgery to optimise their skin?
How do you upsell or cross-sell treatments in a way that feels ethical and supportive?
How do you maintain patient safety while still achieving great results?

Practice Manager Recruitment Questions

How do you hold staff accountable for KPIs and performance measures?
Tell me about a time you successfully dealt with a difficult surgeon–staff conflict.
How do you prioritise when balancing surgeon needs, patient expectations, and staff wellbeing?
What’s your approach to creating systems and processes in a busy clinic?
How do you identify and fix inefficiencies in a practice workflow?
How do you motivate a team during stressful or high-volume periods?
What’s your process for hiring, onboarding, and training new staff?
How do you build and protect a positive team culture?
What’s your experience with compliance, accreditation, and OHS in a healthcare setting?
Tell me about a time you had to make a tough decision that wasn’t popular — what happened?

Recruiting Question FAQs for Plastic Surgery Practices

Recruitment in a plastic surgery practice is high-stakes. Below is a comprehensive FAQ bank of questions designed to help surgeons and practice managers make smarter hiring decisions.

Candidate Motivation & Career Goals FAQs

Q: How do I uncover a candidate’s real motivations for wanting to work in a plastic surgery practice?
Ask “What are you hoping to get here that you didn’t have in your last role?” or “Why choose aesthetics and surgery over general practice or hospitals?” Their answers will reveal if they’re motivated by patient care and professional growth — or by perks like free surgery.
Q: What are smart questions to uncover long-term commitment?
Try “Where do you see yourself in three years?” and “What would make you stay with us long term?” Follow up with “What would make you leave?”
Q: How do I probe if someone really wants this job and not just any job?
Ask “What is it about our practice that made you apply?” and “What’s the one thing about working here that excites you most?” Generic answers are a warning sign.
Q: Can I test how competitive or ambitious someone is?
Yes — ask “What’s been your proudest professional win so far?” and “How do you measure your own success?”

Patient Care, Empathy & Confidentiality FAQs

Q: What’s a good way to test if someone can handle emotional patients?
Ask “Can you walk me through how you handled an upset patient step by step?” Then probe with “What did you say?” and “What happened next?”
Q: How can I tell if someone has a true patient-care mindset?
Ask “Tell me about a time you went above and beyond for a patient or customer.” Look for enthusiasm and detail in their answer.
Q: How do I spot candidates who might struggle with confidentiality?
Ask “What’s your approach when friends or family ask you about your work?” Candidates who instinctively separate personal and professional boundaries are safer hires.
Q: How do I check if they respect boundaries with patients?
Ask “What would you do if a patient tried to add you on social media or asked for your personal number?”
Q: How can I test their ability to upsell or educate patients ethically?
Ask “Tell me about a time you recommended something additional to a patient or client. How did you explain the value?”

Handling Pressure, Stress & Resilience

Q: How do I test if someone is resilient enough for a high-volume practice?
Ask “Tell me about the busiest day you’ve ever had. How did you stay on top of things?”
Q: How do I identify someone who won’t cope with a fast-paced environment?
Ask “Describe the busiest week you’ve ever had in a clinic or workplace. How did you manage it?”
Q: What should I ask to identify potential burnout risks?
Ask “What type of work drains you most?” and “How do you recover after a tough week?”
Q: How do I assess if they’ll stay calm during surgical complications or emergencies?
Ask “Have you ever been involved in a situation where things went wrong medically? How did you respond?”
Q: Should I ask about how they manage stress outside of work?
Yes — ask “How do you unwind after a stressful week?” Healthy answers usually involve hobbies, exercise, or family.

Organisation, Detail & Problem-Solving

Q: How can I check if someone is really organised and detail-oriented?
Ask “Tell me about a time you made a mistake in scheduling, documentation, or patient care. How did you fix it?”
Q: How do I test problem-solving ability during interviews?
Pose a scenario: “A patient arrives upset because their surgery was delayed by two hours. How would you handle it?”
Q: How do I know if they’ll follow systems rather than make up their own?
Ask “Tell me about a time you had to follow strict procedures. Did you ever feel tempted to shortcut them?”
Q: How do I test how quickly someone learns?
Ask “Tell me about the last new system, device, or treatment you had to learn. How long did it take you to feel confident?”
Q: Can I test initiative?
Yes — ask “Tell me about a time you saw a problem at work that wasn’t technically your job to fix. What did you do?”

Teamwork, Culture & Fit

Q: How do I test cultural alignment with the surgeon’s philosophy?
Ask “What do you think makes a great plastic surgery practice?” and “What values would you want your workplace to stand for?”
Q: How can I test cultural fit in an interview?
Ask “What are three things that make a workplace great for you, and three that make you leave?”
Q: How do I test how well they work in teams?
Ask “Tell me about the best team you’ve been part of. What made it work?” Then contrast with “What made the worst team you worked in so difficult?”
Q: How do I uncover if a candidate will clash with my existing team?
Ask “What type of people do you find hardest to work with?”
Q: What’s a creative way to check cultural fit?
Ask “If you could design the perfect team day for us, what would it look like?”

Red Flags & Difficult Behaviours

Q: How do I spot if someone hates accountability or structured systems?
Ask “Why did you leave your last role?” If they complain about micromanagement or KPIs, it’s a red flag.
Q: What’s the best way to uncover if someone is secretly difficult to manage?
Ask “What did you find most frustrating about your last manager?” and “How did you handle it?”
Q: How do I identify candidates who dislike patient-facing roles?
Ask “How do you feel about spending most of your day face-to-face with patients?”
Q: What’s a way to identify candidates who are overly political or gossipy?
Ask “How do you usually deal with workplace drama or gossip?”
Q: How do I uncover if they’re burnt out from previous roles?
Ask “What kind of work are you hoping to do less of in this role?”

Testing Communication, Ethics & Honesty FAQs

Q: What’s a clever way to test written communication before I hire?
Send a “sneaky email test” with 2–3 questions. Check how fast they respond, how complete their answers are, and how professional their tone is.
Q: How do I test honesty in interviews?
Ask “What’s one weakness that you’re actively working on improving?” Look for authentic, reflective answers.
Q: Should I ask unusual or unexpected questions?
Yes — they reveal personality. Examples:

“What would your best friend say is your most annoying habit?”
“If you had to choose between speed or accuracy at work, which would you pick and why?”
“If you could change one thing about the way medical practices operate, what would it be?”

Q: How do I avoid being fooled by rehearsed answers?
Always ask follow-ups: “What exact words did you use?” “What happened after that?” “How did the patient react?” Rehearsed answers fall apart under probing.

Practical & Logistical Fit

Q: Should I ask about gaps in employment history?
Always — ask “I noticed a gap here. What were you doing during that time?” Clear answers show transparency.
Q: How do I test reliability?
Ask “When was the last time you were late to work or missed a shift? What happened?”
Q: How do I find out if they’ll be flexible with last-minute changes?
Pose a scenario: “You’re about to finish for the day when the surgeon asks you to stay late. What would you do?”
Q: Should I ask about pay expectations and financial literacy?
Yes — ask “What salary range are you expecting?” and “What’s your approach to handling patient payment discussions?”
Q: How do I check if someone has realistic expectations of the job?
Ask “What do you think will be the hardest part of this job for you?” and “What surprises do you expect in the first three months?”

Reference Checks & Verification

Q: Can I uncover hidden red flags during reference checks?
Yes — ask referees “Would you rehire this person?” and “Would you trust them in a high-pressure front-line role again?”
Q: Should I check social media and LinkedIn?
Yes — their LinkedIn is often the most honest CV. Social media checks reveal professionalism and lifestyle fit.
Q: Can I use trial tasks as part of the interview?
Yes — role-play a patient enquiry, ask them to draft an email, or walk through scheduling. It shows skills in action.

Taking Action on Recruitment

Plastic surgery recruitment is too important to leave to gut feel. The right team member can elevate patient experience, boost revenue, and strengthen your brand. The wrong one can cost you hundreds of thousands in lost productivity and patient trust.
By asking structured, probing questions, testing responses with email and video screens, and being honest about your workplace, you can dramatically reduce hiring mistakes. More importantly, you’ll build a team that believes in your vision, supports your patients, and stays with you for the long term.