17 Public Health Assistant Interview Questions and Answers

Public health assistants are responsible for a wide range of tasks in the public health field. They may work in hospitals, clinics, or government agencies, and their duties can include everything from conducting research to providing patient care.

Before you can start working as a public health assistant, you will need to go through a job interview. One way to prepare for this important meeting is to learn how to answer public health assistant interview questions.

Employers will be looking for public health assistants who are compassionate, reliable, detail-oriented, and able to work independently. You should also be familiar with the public health field and have some experience working with the public. A public health assistant interview is your chance to show that you have the skills and experience the employer is looking for. To help you get ready, we have put together a list of public health assistant interview questions and answers.

Are you comfortable working with people from all walks of life?

Public health professionals often work with people from all backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses. Employers ask this question to make sure you have the interpersonal skills necessary for working in public health. In your answer, explain that you are willing to learn about different cultures and lifestyles. Explain that you want to help everyone achieve their best health outcomes.

Example: “I am definitely comfortable working with people of all walks of life. I grew up in a small town where we had a lot of diversity. My parents taught me how important it is to respect other people’s differences. As someone who has always been interested in science, I find it fascinating to learn about new ways of thinking. I would love to be able to use my skills as an assistant to help people get the care they need.”

What are some of the most important skills for a public health assistant to have?

This question can help the interviewer determine if you have the skills and abilities to succeed in this role. When answering, it can be helpful to mention a few of your strongest skills and how they relate to public health.

Example: “I think communication is one of the most important skills for a public health assistant to have because we work with many different people from all backgrounds. I am also highly organized, which helps me keep track of all the information I need to complete my tasks on time. Another skill that’s important for this position is problem-solving, as there are often situations where I need to find solutions to issues or challenges.”

How would you handle a situation where you have to enforce a regulation that some people may not like?

This question can help an interviewer assess your ability to work with the public and enforce regulations. Use examples from past experience in which you helped people understand why a regulation was necessary, how it benefited them or how they could comply with it.

Example: “In my last role as a public health assistant, I had to inform parents that their children would not be allowed to attend school if they were unvaccinated. Some parents did not want to comply because of personal beliefs, but I explained that we needed to keep everyone safe by preventing the spread of disease. In the end, most families agreed to vaccinate their children.”

What is your experience with public health records management?

This question can help the interviewer determine your experience with public health records management and how you might fit into their organization. Use examples from your past work to highlight your skills in organizing, filing and maintaining important documents.

Example: “In my last position as a public health assistant, I was responsible for managing all of our department’s electronic and paper files. This included scanning documents, creating folders and subfolders within our database and ensuring that we had backups of all of our data. In addition, I also managed our department’s inventory of supplies and equipment, which helped us stay on track with ordering new items when necessary.”

Provide an example of a time when you had to educate the public about a health issue.

Public health assistants often have to educate the public about important health issues. Employers ask this question to make sure you are comfortable with public speaking and can effectively communicate information to large groups of people. When preparing your answer, think of a time when you had to give a presentation or talk in front of a group. Explain what you did to prepare for the event and how it went.

Example: “In my last position as a public health assistant, I was responsible for educating high school students about the dangers of vaping. I gave a presentation on the topic at our local high school. I started by showing them some statistics about teen vaping and then explained why vaping is so dangerous. After that, I showed them different types of vape devices and talked about which ones were most popular among teens. The students seemed engaged throughout the entire presentation, and many even asked questions at the end.”

If you had to choose one area of public health to focus on, what would it be and why?

This question is a great way to see how passionate you are about public health and the specific areas it covers. When answering this question, try to show your knowledge of the different aspects of public health and why they’re important.

Example: “I would choose mental health because I think it’s so important that everyone has access to care when they need it. In my last role, we worked on creating a program for our county that provided free counseling services to anyone who needed them. It was really rewarding to work with others to make such an impact in our community.”

What would you do if you saw an employee engaging in a behavior that could negatively impact their health, such as smoking or eating unhealthy food at their desk?

An employer may ask this question to assess your ability to help others make healthy choices. In your answer, try to show that you are willing to speak up and offer advice or resources to support a colleague’s health goals.

Example: “If I saw an employee engaging in unhealthy behaviors at their desk, I would first approach them privately to let them know that I noticed what they were doing and that I care about their well-being. Then, I would share some tips for making healthier food choices or how to quit smoking. If the person was interested in learning more, I would offer to connect them with our wellness program.”

How well do you perform under pressure?

Public health assistants often work in high-pressure environments. Employers ask this question to make sure you can handle the stress of working in public health. In your answer, explain how you manage pressure and give an example of a time when you performed well under pressure.

Example: “I perform very well under pressure. I have worked in several fast-paced environments before, including as a medical assistant at my previous job. There were many times where we had multiple patients coming in at once, which created a lot of stress. However, I always remained calm and focused on helping each patient. I would prioritize who needed help first and then move onto the next person. This helped me ensure that everyone was taken care of.”

Do you have experience working with public health data? If so, what is your process for reviewing and analyzing data?

The interviewer may ask this question to assess your experience with public health data and how you use it in your work. Use your answer to highlight any relevant skills or experiences that relate to the job description, such as working with spreadsheets and databases.

Example: “I have worked with public health data for several years now, so I am familiar with many of the different types of data available. When reviewing data, I first make sure to understand what each piece of information means. Then, I compare the data points to see if there are any trends or patterns. If I notice anything interesting, I will investigate further to determine whether it is a legitimate concern.”

When performing public health outreach, how do you decide who to target and why?

This question can help the interviewer assess your decision-making skills and ability to prioritize outreach efforts. Your answer should include a specific example of how you used your critical thinking skills to target a group or community for public health outreach.

Example: “In my last role, I helped develop an outreach campaign that focused on educating parents about childhood obesity. We decided to focus our efforts on reaching mothers because they are often the primary caregivers in their households. This strategy allowed us to reach more people than if we had targeted both parents and children. In this case, it was important to focus on one demographic so we could provide them with the most relevant information.”

We want to improve our employee wellness program. What strategies would you suggest to help us do so?

Employers may ask this question to see if you have experience with employee wellness programs. They want to know that you can help them improve their current program or create a new one. In your answer, explain what strategies you would use and how they could benefit the company.

Example: “I think it’s important for employers to offer an employee wellness program because it helps employees stay healthy while also saving the employer money. I would suggest offering free gym memberships to all employees so they can work out during lunch breaks. This strategy is beneficial because it encourages employees to get more exercise and reduces the number of sick days they take.”

Describe your experience with public health education. What is the most effective way you’ve found to educate people about a new public health issue?

The interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your experience with public health education and how you approach it. Use examples from previous work or school experiences to describe the process of educating others about a new topic in public health.

Example: “In my last position, I worked on an outreach team that focused on educating people about the importance of vaccinations. We used social media as our primary method of communication because it was accessible for many different age groups. We also created pamphlets and posters that we displayed at local events and businesses.”

What makes you the best candidate for this public health assistant position?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your qualifications and how you feel you can contribute to their organization. Before your interview, make a list of all the skills and experiences that make you an ideal candidate for this role. Focus on highlighting your most relevant abilities and explaining why they are beneficial to this position.

Example: “I am passionate about public health and committed to helping others live healthier lives. I have experience working in a similar role at my current job, where I helped create educational materials for community outreach programs. In this role, I learned how to communicate with diverse populations and developed strong research and writing skills. These skills make me the best candidate for this position because I know I can help your team achieve its goals.”

Which public health fields interest you the most and why?

This question can help the interviewer determine your level of interest in public health and how you might fit into their department. Your answer should include a brief description of each field, including why it interests you and what skills or experiences you have that make you qualified for the role.

Example: “I’m interested in epidemiology because I enjoy researching data and analyzing information to find patterns. In my last position, I was responsible for collecting and organizing data from surveys and other sources, which helped me develop strong research and organizational skills. I also like community outreach because I enjoy working with people and helping them understand important issues. I’ve volunteered at several events where I talked to attendees about common illnesses and ways they could prevent them.”

What do you think is the most important role that public health assistants play in the overall public health system?

This question helps employers determine how much you know about the role of public health assistants in the overall system. It also shows them that you understand what’s important to the department and are willing to prioritize it. When answering this question, try to show your understanding of the importance of public health assistants by explaining why their work is so vital to the success of a public health department.

Example: “I think the most important role that public health assistants play in the overall public health system is providing support for frontline workers. Public health professionals often have very busy schedules, which can make it difficult to complete all of their daily tasks. Assistants help fill in some of these gaps by taking on smaller projects or assisting with more routine tasks. This frees up time for frontline workers to focus on more complex issues.”

How often do you think public health professionals should update their knowledge on current issues in public health?

This question can help interviewers understand how you approach your own professional development. Your answer should show that you are committed to staying up-to-date on current public health issues and trends. You can also mention any specific resources or training programs you use to stay informed about the latest developments in public health.

Example: “I think it’s important for public health professionals to keep their knowledge of current issues up-to-date. I try to read at least one article a week related to public health, and I have recently started taking online courses through the CDC to learn more about emerging diseases and other public health concerns.”

There is a new disease that is spreading rapidly throughout the country. How would you go about preventing an outbreak in your community?

This question is a great way to test your problem-solving skills and ability to work under pressure. When answering this question, it can be helpful to think of a time when you had to solve a problem quickly and efficiently.

Example: “In my last role as an assistant public health officer, there was a new disease that was spreading rapidly throughout the country. I worked with the public health officer to create a plan for how we would prevent an outbreak in our community. We decided to hold a town hall meeting where we could educate the community on the symptoms of the disease and what they should do if they suspected someone had the illness. This helped us greatly because it allowed us to get ahead of the situation before anyone got sick.”