Medical School Interview – A Free Guide to Medicine Interviews

Congratulations! You’ve submitted your UCAS application and completed your personal statement, the next step is preparing for medical school interviews.

These usually take the form of MMIs or more traditional panel interviews.

As part of the process, medical schools will assess the interpersonal skills that are key for medicine and also verify and expand on what you have put in your UCAS application.

We have compiled a step-by-step guide to help you through all aspects of your medicine interview.

Want to learn interview strategy from doctors? Book a space on our Medical Interview Course!

*Update: Please note that events for 2019 and early 2020 are over.  We will update this page as soon as we have information on our events later in 2020. * 

Looking for example questions? See over 100 medical school interview questions and answer guides in our FREE Interview Question Bank 

Types Of Medical School Interview

Not all types of medicine interview are the same, medical schools utilise different kinds of interviews to evaluate their candidates.

During your application process you may encounter one or all of the types of medical interview.

The three main types of medicine interview are:

• Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) – MMIs are now used by a large number of medical schools. They require candidates to face a series of ‘stations’, each testing for different qualities. These might involve interacting with patients, tackling ethical scenarios or problem-solving.
• Traditional Interviews – The traditional interview format involves being asked questions about your application and reasons for wanting to study medicine by either one person or a panel.
• Group Interviews – Similar to a traditional interview, the difference is that you will be in a group setting and are likely to be given a topic to discuss with your group in front of the interviewers before moving on to a panel interview.

We have created a separate section specifically on Oxbridge interviews, as it differs from other universities and can seem intimidating to students.

As well as understanding what each type of interview involves, you need to make yourself aware of which medical school uses which type of interview.

Medical School Interview Questions

Your medical school interview will cover a broad range of topics. From explaining your background and motivation to study medicine, to commenting on current NHS hot topics, you can expect to cover a lot of ground in the topics you discuss throughout.

You can also expect questions on: depth and breadth of interest, knowledge of medical school, creativity and imagination, medical ethics, empathy, personal insight, teamwork and work experience.

Have a look at our Medicine Interview Questions page to read over 100 sample question and answer guides, created by successful past medical school applicants.

Medical Ethics

Medical ethics are a common feature of medical school interviews, but it’s something that many aspiring medics find challenging.

Our Medical Ethics scenario page includes: the four pillars of medical ethics, how to apply these to ethical scenarios, how not to answer medical ethics questions and whether you should offer a conclusion in your answer.

NHS Hot Topics 2019/20

If you’ve already made a start with preparation for your medical interviews, you’ll know that it’s important to understand what medical issues are important right now.

Find out what the current NHS hot topics are, what you could be asked about them, how to keep up to date with hot topic developments and where you can find out more about issues.

Medicine Interview Preparation

Medical school interviews are always a challenge. There are different aspects to the multiple interview formats, so it can be hard to know where to start.

Our dedicated preparation page will guide you through how to prepare for different styles of medical interviews, the topics that could come up and how long interviews typically last.

You can also find out which interview format different medical schools use and the key skills and qualities the interviewers are looking for.

Medicine Interview Dates

Waiting for interview offers from medical schools can be a nerve-wracking and stressful time. You want to find out as soon as possible but you’re still waiting to hear the outcome of your initial application.

We’ve compiled information on when each different school interviews students, as well as when they send out interview offers.

School by School Interview Tips 2019/20

Find out the best tips for interviewing at every different medical school in the UK.

From the type of interview format each school uses, to what to wear, you’ll find the tips you need to help you succeed at your medicine interview.

Find out more about The Medic Portal and how we support students with their medicine interviews on our About Us page