Bristol medicine interviews use Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) as part of their selection process, so if you are invited for interview we have the tips on what you’ll have to do.
Anyone Bristol invites for an MMI is expected to complete a form relating to work experience before their interview. This may then be discussed.
Try to remember all the relevant experience you have that shows your commitment and suitability to medicine and include this in the form. This may be clinical experience or it may be voluntary work, for example, in a care home.
Bristol encourages you to try and have at least two weeks of work experience to gain a proper understanding of the medical career. Be ready to discuss your experiences at interview and what you have learnt from them, if asked.
It is really important before any interview that you make sure you know information about the course and what/how you will be studying. Bristol use a case-based learning approach combined with practicals and lectures to teach medicine.
Also, Bristol pride themselves on having early clinical experience in different environments. I would recommend that you try and think about your suitability for the course at Bristol and how you’d benefit from their teaching methods.
A Bristol medicine interview includes a circuit of 7 stations, each lasting 6 minutes – 5 minutes for the task and 1 minute reading time. Make sure you are comfortable answering questions or carrying out discussions for 5 minutes and can give sufficient information in this relatively short time frame.
Also, I would really advise you to utilise the 1 minute reading time, to move on from your previous station and to focus on the next station.
You will need to bring photo ID on the day of your interview, so make sure you have this to avoid any added stress on the day. Also, check any information given to you by Bristol about the interview to ensure you are prepared on the day.
MMIs (or any interviews) can feel incredibly daunting but remember everyone is in the same situation and will be feeling just as nervous as you are. Your interviewers want to try and get to know you as best as possible, so try and relax in your MMI as much as you can.
I found there are often no right or wrong answers to questions, as long as you can justify your answer then it is fine, and interviewers want to see your thought process and how you work.
Bristol have a very useful document here about how to prepare for their interviews.
I would strongly recommend reading this in advance of your Bristol medicine interview to help with your preparation. One of the things they advise is to think of obvious questions and practise answers to these.
For example, why do you want to study medicine? I found having a rough idea of how you would answer these questions is a really good idea and can put you at ease if these questions then do come up at your MMI.
Words: Rachael Foulsham
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