Interviews for Medical School
It is likely that you will take part in an interview for medical school, and preparation is essential. Find out more about interviews for medical school.
The medical school interview process varies between institutions. Some medical schools don't interview. Some interview a few candidates and some interview everyone.
Medical schools use different kinds of interviews to evaluate candidates.
They want to see evidence that you:
- are able to make quick, rational decisions
- can communicate information clearly under pressure
- have an understanding of the issues surrounding a career in medicine
During your application, you may encounter one or all the following types of medical interview.
The majority of UK medical schools use Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs). They involve moving around ‘stations’ with different assessors at each.
Station assessments can involve discussing personal statements and experience. This is like a more traditional interview. You will also have practical activities, such as interacting with an actor who might be acting out a clinical or ethical scenario. You may need to solve a problem or carry out a reading task.
You are usually briefed before the MMI on what to expect and given an opportunity to ask questions. The medical school's website may have information is available about each station. You could also contact the medical school to ask.
MMIs are a real test of your communication and interpersonal skills. You need to make a good impression at every station.
More information
The traditional interview involves questions about your application. They will ask your reasons for wanting to study medicine.
On average, the interviews last about 20–30 minutes and there will usually be a panel of two or three assessors. They may or may not have seen your application.
The interviewers may not all be medics. They may include lay members, university staff and current medical students. It’s important to pay attention to all panel members.
Each assessor will grade your performance and complete an assessment form. These grades are used as the basis for the decision-making process for actual offers.
More information
- targetjobs gives more advice on handling panel interviews.
These are like a traditional and panel interviews. The difference is that you will be in a group setting. You are likely to have a topic to discuss with your group in front of the interviewers. You will then move on to the traditional interview.
More information
- See our interviews page for more information on group interviews.
If you applied for both an accelerated and an undergraduate medicine course at Newcastle, you might have one interview for both courses. This can result in two offers.
The interviewers might decide that you are unsuited to the demands of the accelerated course. They may though, still consider you for the undergraduate programme.
The interview selectors come from a diverse variety of backgrounds and experience. They could be NHS health professionals, current intercalating students or lay people. Selectors receive interview training before the interviews as well as equality and diversity training.
The interview process is different for applicants who are home and those who are international (for fees purposes). However, the same competencies, aptitude and qualities are assessed in both types of interviews.
Home applicants from the UK
For home applicants the interview is usually a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format. This involves separate stations. Applicants meet are assessed and graded by different selectors. These are the competencies they are looking for:
- integrity
- communication
- empathy and self-awareness
- motivation and commitment to be a doctor
- compatibility with the MBBS programme
- teamwork (including leadership)
- personal organisation
- persistence and resilience
Each station session is seven minutes long. There is an extra two-minute ice breaker question in the first station. One of the stations involves a role-play scenario.
International applicants
International applicants are assessed at a panel interview involving two selectors . For convenience, this can be carried out via Zoom in the applicant's home country.
If international applicants prefer to visit the university, they can have their panel interview on campus. The competencies above are assessed and graded by selectors during interview.
Find out more about Newcastle’s selection process.
Interviews at Oxford and Cambridge (an ‘Oxbridge interview’) are very different. They focus on how you think, your scientific knowledge and your problem solving. They especially want to see how you respond when you don’t immediately know the answer. Find example typical ‘Oxbridge’ questions at The Medic Portal.
More information
The Medical Schools Council – has information about the types of interview used by UK medical schools.
Many institutions will offer advice on their own selection and interview process. Sometimes this is very in-depth, including previous questions asked, others give little detail.
The type of interview may also differ for UK and international applicants.
Check the course website for the course you are applying to for specific information.
More information
- The Medical School Council lists the UK's medical schools.
- Tips for specific medical school interviews – from the medicportal
Preparing for your interview
We recommend the following when preparing for your medical school interview:
- review your personal statement
- reflect - what did you do or observe during your work experience or shadowing experience? Think about the most interesting, unexpected, worst and best things that you observed. What did you learn from them? Have you applied anything you've learned?
- find out what you can about the format. Research possible questions and think about how you would answer them
- avoid using very technical terms. You may have more clinical knowledge that those assessing you. Interviews are conducted by a range of professionals and you may not only be interviewed by a doctor. Your interviewers could be careers professional, actors, professional support staff, and teaching staff. This is particularly so in MMIs
- be aware of your body language and non-verbal communication
- plan your journey to the interview or check your technology for an online interview
- decide what you are going to wear. Some medical schools have guidance about how they expect you to dress for interview. We have Make it Happen funding available if you need help with the cost of an interview outfit
Many medical schools ask ethical questions.
Ethical medical school questions get you to apply your ethics to a situation. They assess the moral considerations doctors apply when making medical decisions.
Ethical questions can be very difficult as there is no one right answer. These are our tips for answering ethical questions:
- use evidence or explanation to back up your answers
- explain your thought processes
- don’t assume prior knowledge on the interviewers’ part. Not all interviewers will be medics
- show awareness and recognition of different viewpoints
- don’t avoid making a decision or choice. Have an opinion
The following resources give typical medical school interview questions and advice on answering:
The Medic Portal guidance on interviews and example questions database includes:
- MMI questions,
- NHS Hot Topics
- Ethics
- Healthcareers.nhs.uk - has example questions and what to expect on the interview day
- Medical Schools Council - advice on what to expect at interview and videos of example questions. Also offer PDF information sheet (PDF: 238 KB)
For more advice see Interviews and Assessment Centres.
Resources for your interview research
You might find the following useful for your interview preparation research:
- The Medical Schools Council - lists the key skills and attributes needed to study medicine.
- Values of the NHS Constitution - if you are applying for NHS-funded University courses you will need to understand NHS values. Be prepared to talk about how you would show these in your everyday work.
- General Medical Council - protect patient safety and improve medical education and practice across the UK
- Healthcareers.nhs.uk - NHS careers site
- British Medical Journal – medical news and opinion
- The Lancet – medical news and comment
- GMC outcomes for medical students - the knowledge, skills, and behaviours that UK medical graduates must show
- Good Medical Practice – guidance on ethics
- Thestudentroom.co.uk – feedback and questions from others applying to Medical School
- Life of a medic - blog giving personal insight into life as a medical student
Interview practice
If you have a medical school interview lined up , we may be able to offer an interview coaching session. Go to MyCareer to book an appointment.
We can help you to prepare for your interview. We can also book your interview coaching session if there is availability.
If no interview coaching sessions are available you can book a guidance appointment on MyCareer. Here you can practise answering typical medical school interview questions with a careers consultant.
Shortlist.Me video interviewing software has a practise medical school interview
It has questions you typically face during an interview for medicine. It focusses on developing your communication skills and an effective interview structure.
To access Shortlist.Me, log in to MyCareer and click on the Resources tab in the top right-hand corner. Find out more at Practise your interview.
Contact us if you need reasonable adjustments to complete your video interview. If you have have problems accessing Shortlist.Me please get in touch.
For more advice see Interviews and Assessment Centres.
The Careers Service has rooms available for telephone or video interviews. These are subject to availability.
Rooms in King’s Gate are available Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 17:00 only.
If you need a room, call into the Careers Service, Level 1, King’s Gate to arrange one. Otherwise you can contact us, providing as much detail as possible.