How to Prepare for a Pre-Recorded Medical School Interview

What is a pre-recorded, or asynchronous, interview?

Pre-recorded and asynchronous are two words for the same thing: an interview format where instead of being in a room or on a video call with an interviewer, you film a video of yourself answering questions in advance and that is sent to an interviewer to mark. Asynchronous is a long word which means ‘not at the same time’, reflecting the fact that you answering the questions and the interviewer grading them happen at different times.

However, not all asynchronous interviews are the same. Medical schools may differ in the video upload platform they use and how many ‘takes’ you are allowed to record of the video. Some platforms have a feature where questions pop up on a screen in a secure environment in real time, so you can only record once and can’t prepare for the exact questions in advance. Other platforms might release questions and then give you a fixed period of time (say 1 hour) to record video, allowing multiple takes.

Which medical schools do pre-recorded interviews?

At the current time, not all medical schools have confirmed their interview process for 2027 entry, so it’s worth going back and checking with them before making plans. Medical school interview processes can change year on year (for example, most panel interviews have changed to MMI over the past 5 years) so don’t make assumptions based on previous years. However, it’s helpful to have a guide for how medical schools may choose to interview you, especially if you feel you will do better in certain types of interview.

As you might have guessed, pre-recorded interviews emerged as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as they allowed applicants to interview without travelling. Post-COVID, many medical schools still use some online interviewing, whether asynchronous or live, as it has been shown to work well and reduce the travel and administrative burden for universities. Asynchronous interviews in particular are convenient for interviewees, who can choose when and where to record, and interviewers, who can mark remotely and around other work (which is important when your interviewers are mainly busy doctors!). As a result, several medical schools have continued to use pre-recorded interviews.

Some medical schools that have used asynchronous interview formats are:

• Brunel: Brunel is a new medical school in North West London (near Heathrow) with a large international cohort, who have historically always run a virtual, asynchronous MMI circuit;
• St George’s: SGUL, based in Tooting in South London, has previously offered remote MMIs;
• Imperial: Imperial, which is in West London, has had a split interview process where candidates complete 3 MMI stations as a pre-recorded asynchronous interview and successful applicants are then invited to a final round of in person MMIs.

If you are an international student, medical schools which offer in person interviews to UK-based applicants may also offer online, including asynchronous, interviews to students who cannot easily travel to the UK.

How can I prepare for a pre-recorded interview?

Now you know what a pre-recorded interview is, we’ve put together our top tips for how to prepare for them:

1. Know the format: each medical school will use a different online platform and format, so you should be familiar with each one. The first time you log in should not be to upload your interview!
2. Know your deadline: plan to upload any video content at least two working days before any final deadline – this gives you plenty of time to get in touch with your medical school if there are any upload issues. Take screenshots of your upload screen with the time in as proof in case anything goes wrong.
3. Prepare your space: even if you only have a short window of time to upload a video in and can’t make multiple takes, you can still get your space ready and make practice videos to look at yourself and get feedback on. If you can, record a mock interview video of a similar time on your own laptop as a practice run and send it to a supportive teacher or other professional adult (of course, ask them first!) If you’re going to sit your interview at school or in a local library or other space, ask if you can book the space in advance a few days prior to recording your interview as well to practice.
4. Look your best: we all know that what looks good in person doesn’t always look good online, and vice versa. Make sure your room has good lighting (consider a cheap ring light from Amazon, even) and a professional background. Use the background blur feature. This is a good opportunity to ask for help from any friends who happen to be YouTubers!
5. Consider file space and size: use an internet speed tester to check your upload speed ahead of your interview to make sure you’ll be able to send the file. If your laptop or other device is low on storage, delete some files to make space in advance.

I’ve sent off my video – what next?

Congratulations on completing your interview! Make sure you know what to expect (for example, will you be invited to another, in-person interview?) and by when you should hear back. Resist the temptation to rewatch the video and pick up on tiny mistakes or flaws; you can’t change it after it’s been sent. Have a plan to decompress after the stress of sending the video in, like seeing friends or making time for a hobby or sport you enjoy!