Interviews for medical school are broadly split into two very different formats. The traditional, panel based interviews and Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) type interviews.

Panel Interviews

Panel interviews generally involve between two and four panel members quizzing you for 20 minutes to half an hour.  Panel members will range from senior doctors and nurses to junior doctors and sometimes even medical students themselves. Panel interviews will focus on your motivation for studying medicine, your reason for choosing that university and your specific qualities that make you suitable to study medicine.

Multiple Mini Interviews

MMI interviews involve a selection of short, one on one interviews undertaken on a circuit of interview stations. Some of the MMI stations will focus on similar aspects to a panel interview but some stations will be task focused and involve mental maths calculations, role play simulation and ethical discussions. MMI interviews are generally much longer than panel interviews and can last over an hour.

 

MMI interviews are generally considered a fairer assessment of candidates as you are given more opportunity to sell yourself and your overall score will be based on the opinion of a wider group of people. On the other hand, MMI interviews can be more gruelling and require you to stay focused and alert for far longer.

How can I prepare for medical school interviews?

Regardless of where you apply, there are some key tips to help you maximise your changes of acing the interview:

 

• Understand the universities course structure and be able to talk about why you want to attend that specific university.
• Reflect on your work experience. Think of things you saw that you felt were examples of good qualities in a doctor.
• Read the news. The NHS is constantly in the news and being informed about current issues stories will help you demonstrate your interest in being part of the medical profession.
• Read the GMCs “Good medical practice” which outlines the qualities that UK doctors should have.
• Know your ethics. A classic interview question is asking you to evaluate an ethical situation in medicine and so it is essential to know your beneficence form your non-maleficence.

Contact Us

If you have been invited to a medical school interview, pat yourself on the back because many people don’t make it this far. Interviews can be hugely daunting, and it sometimes feels like they could ask you any question under the sun. Luckily, with enough preparation and the right knowledge you will have all the tools you need to show them why you would make a brilliant junior doctor.

 

For any help and support with the application and interview process including arranging mock interviews and practice stations, please contact us.