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This position has closed. Northwestern Medicine removed this listing from their careers page on Oct 1, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Physician Assistant or Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (with RNFA) - ENT/Otolaryngology, Full-time, Days

Northwestern Medicine · Lake Forest, IL · Full time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 22, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 30, 2026

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a physician about a patient's care. What did you do?

What they are checking: Whether they can hold a clinical position without damaging the working relationship they depend on.

This position covers both Lake Forest and Grayslake. How have you handled working across sites before?

What they are checking: Whether they have thought about the practical reality of two locations, including the drive.

Tell me about a case where you caught something the initial assessment missed.

What they are checking: Independent clinical judgment, which is what an APP is hired for rather than following a plan.

The call rotation is shared among all the APPs. Tell me about a time you carried more than your share, or asked someone else to.

What they are checking: How they behave inside a team where fairness is felt rather than measured.

What are you hoping to learn in this role that you cannot learn where you are now?

What they are checking: Whether they chose this job specifically or are simply moving on from the last one.

What would you do

You are called for an ED consult while you are running behind in clinic. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: How they triage competing demands, which this role will present most weeks.

How do you handle postoperative calls from anxious patients, especially on a call weekend?

What they are checking: Bedside judgment under fatigue, and whether they know when a phone call needs to become a visit.

How do you keep your documentation current when the day runs long?

What they are checking: A practical habit that determines whether the team trusts their notes, and whether they will burn out.

What do you do when a patient wants a procedure you do not think they need?

What they are checking: Whether they can hold a clinical line kindly, which ENT sees constantly.

About the work

This role splits between clinic, inpatient consults, and first assisting in the OR. Tell me about your experience across all three.

What they are checking: Whether they have genuinely worked a hybrid practice or are strongest in one setting and hoping the rest is teachable.

Tell me about your RNFA experience. What procedures have you first assisted on, and with how much independence?

What they are checking: The posting names RNFA specifically. This checks the credential is real and current, not historic.

Walk me through how you would evaluate a new patient presenting with hoarseness that has lasted three months.

What they are checking: Clinical reasoning in ENT specifically, and whether they know what cannot be missed.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Northwestern Medicine from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

Northwestern Medicine has an exciting opportunity for either a motivated Physician Assistant or Acute Care Nurse Practitioner to work with our ENT/Otolaryngology team. This position offers a hybrid practice model that includes both outpatient clinic responsibilities and inpatient care. The APP will conduct clinic visits, including new patient evaluations, follow-up appointments, and postoperative care. Provide inpatient and emergency department consultations and first assist in the operating room as needed. Schedule: 4 ten-hour shifts - Flexibility to offer 5 eight-hour shifts if preferred. • Full-time • Participation in a shared call coverage rotation among all APPs, Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Locations: Lake Forest and Grayslake Essential Functions: • Demonstrates clinical expertise and expanded knowledge through patient care activities which may include diagnosis and management of a wide range of health problems. • Responsible for health outcome of an assigned patient population. • Confers with collaborating physician and other health professionals in area of clinical expertise. • Develops appropriate educational systems for patients, families and staff in areas of expertise. • Mentors graduate students in aspects of advanced practice and patient care. • Actively participates in quality improvement and/or research pertinent to area of expertise. Responsibilities : • Conducts comprehensive appraisals of patients' health status by taking health histories and performing physical examinations in clinical area. • Provides direct clinical care to patients. • Prescribes/orders medications, therapies; orders/interprets laboratory tests, x-rays and procedures according to clinical privileges. • Evaluates patients to determine their need for further health care. • Provides comprehensive teaching to patients and families. • Documents in the medical record all care and education provided and/or procedures performed for which the Licensed Advanced Practice Provider is responsible. • Refers to other disciplines as appropriate. • Consultant to other disciplines in areas of expertise. • Integrates research based knowledge and clinical expertise in decision making. • Exemplifies a professional image in appearance, manner and presentation. • Advocate for patients, families, coworkers, and the community. • Maintains certifications and continuing education as required for licensure and privileging. • Serves as a patient advocate and role model for "Patients First". • Participates in unit/departmental/divisional or hospital committees/task forces as appropriate. • Provides comprehensive teaching strategies for patients and their families. • Develops and participates in programs to meet continuing education needs of staff. • Serves as a role model and preceptor to students. • Provides formal education to both internal and external groups pertinent to area of specialty. • Participates in quality improvement and/or research initiatives for specific patient population as appropriate. AA/EOE Minorities/Women/Disabled/Veterans. VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Required : • Master’s degree from an accredited school/college of nursing OR master's degree from an accredited Physician Assistant Program • Acute care certification required for APRNs (inpatient experience as an NP will be considered in lieu of acute care certification) • First Assist Certification for all APRNs • Current license as a Registered Nurse in the State of Illinois. Current license as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in the State of Illinois. Certification as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse by a national certifying body as approved by the Illinois Department of Regulation APRN Board. Once licensed may apply for a controlled substance license and DEA number OR Master’s degree from an accredited Physician Assistant Program/Current license as a Physician Assistant in the State of Illinois. Once licensed may apply for a controlled substance license and DEA number • Privileged and credentialed through the Northwestern Medicine Medical Staff Office (MSO) • Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation – BLS, issued by the American Heart Association Preferred: • 1 year of APP experience Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status. Background Check Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Artificial Intelligence Disclosure Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. Benefits We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Click on or copy and paste URL to your browser to view detailed benefits information NorthwesternMedicine Career Page https://jobs.nm.org/benefits Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings. If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception : New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.

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