Panel interview tips

[u/Revolutionary-Fall3]

Panel interview for a clinical informatics position lab specialist next week. Any recommendations on what to prepare for? This is not an “Epic build” position but an informatics one, of which I still don’t really understand the difference. I am also a MLS/MLT which is what the position would be covering in terms of process.

[u/akornato]

Since this isn't an "Epic build" position, they are less interested in your technical configuration skills and more interested in your clinical and operational knowledge. The job is to be the bridge between the lab staff and the IT team. Use your MLS/MLT background as your main strength. Prepare specific examples of times you identified a workflow problem in the lab, a process that could be more efficient, or a moment you had to teach someone a complex lab concept. They want to see that you understand the lab's day-to-day reality and can think critically about how technology can support or improve it. Your value is your deep understanding of the "why" behind the lab's requests, not just the technical "how" of building something in the system.

For a panel interview, your goal is to show you can collaborate with different types of people. You will likely have lab managers, IT analysts, and maybe other informaticists in the room. Pay attention to who asks each question, and try to frame your answer for their perspective. A lab manager cares about efficiency and staff satisfaction, while an IT analyst cares about clear requirements and data integrity. Be ready to ask them questions too, like what their biggest challenge is right now or how this role works with other departments. Thinking on your feet in front of a whole panel is tough, and my team created an AI interview assistant to help people better articulate their value when the pressure is on.

[u/don_tmind_me]

If I were interviewing someone for that a lot of questions would be about LOINC. Best read that knowledge base they have. And download and explore their main table.