Interviews
On this page:
Interview advice
Practice questions
Hints and tips
Interview advice
Look into different types and styles of interview at different universities, indeed some medical schools don't interview anyone, some interview a few and some interview everyone! I wouldn't choose a university on the fact that it doesn't interview. At medical school you'll have to do lots of presentations, so you may as well get used it! Interviews can last from 10 minutes to 30 minutes (and maybe longer!). However on average it'll be about 20 minutes. There will usually be a panel of assessors, which may include consultants, general practitioners, university academic staff and medical students.
We cannot stress enough how important it is to prepare yourself for that oh so important interview. Despite what you may think, your skills can improve massively with practice, and I am definitely talking from personal experience. Along with improved communication skills, confidence also often increases which may just give you the edge over that nervous wreck sitting next to you in the waiting room. Even if the questions you use for your practice interviews aren't the same as those in the real thing, it teaches you a framework for answering any question that you may get thrown at you. Preparation is especially important as more interviews are now assessed objectively (i.e. they are marked using defined criteria).
Interviews are not just chances for sadistic medics to take out on unsuspecting prospective medical students, although sometimes it can seem that way! They do have a point to them! They are useful tools to see if you are capable of making quick and rational decisions that you can explain clearly under quite a lot of pressure, or to see how much you have thought about all of the issues surrounding a medical career. They can see whether someone is able to communicate far better than a personal statement. The point is not to revise the whole of chemistry, biology, the history of the NHS and the whole of medical ethics, but to see whether you can handle questions under pressure.
Practising
Practice with anyone: parents, teachers, siblings, friends, pets (I was joking about that last one)! They really don't have to know the first thing about medicine, they are invaluable in informing you about your body language, eye contact, and any nervous ticks that you never knew you had! If possible you can also record your practise interview onto a video or cassette, which may help. You can check you progress and watch whether you come across well to the interview panel. Some people go for private interview help and pay quite a lot of money for not a lot of time. Although the feedback from what I've heard has been good, you can often get adequate help from a teacher and the list of questions below. However, practising can only help you so much.
The interviewers will never ask you every question you will have practised; therefore you should be ready for anything. Also, you don't want to sound as though you're reading from a script and sounding over rehearsed. Here is an interesting thread on sounding over rehearsed from newmediamedicine.com (link opens in new window).
Your UCAS form
Before your interview, scrutinise your UCAS form and be expected to be asked questions on ANYTHING YOU HAVE PUT DOWN - if you lie on it then you've got a good chance of being found out (although some medical students have admitted to elaborating the truth!!) You can turn the interview around to your advantage if you are well practiced. Talk about what you had gained from your experiences mentioned on your UCAS form rather than just reeling a list off of what surgical procedures you have seen. You could also try to link your experiences to something you have read about in journals/newspapers recently if you're feeling really clever.
Medical issues and ethical questions
Get up to date on current medical issues - read the science/medicine supplements in the broadsheet newspapers and try looking at websites such as the Student BMJ (more info). Also think about the ethical consequences of any medical stories with a moral theme. Think through the pros and cons of the common ethical dilemmas such as abortion, euthanasia and child consent. It is important to give an honest but balanced answer to ethical questions. Doctors have to be able to weigh up the good and bad consequences of their actions on a daily basis and you may need to demonstrate this skill in an interview.
This site is useful for ethical info: UK Ethics Clinical Network (link opens in new window).
The tough question
If you get a question where you haven't the foggiest of the answer, it would probably look better if you just admit that you don't know than go waffling about something completely irrelevant for the next half an hour. If you manage to get some brownie points later in the interview then the assessors will probably forget about the first incident.
The obvious question
Nearly all medical schools will ask the question "Why do you want to be a doctor". Think about this carefully and make sure the answer is an honest answer, and not from someone else. People often get really hung up on this question and try to avoid the cliche answers. However, if your reason is the cliche, then there's nothing you can do about it - just go with it! Here is a useful thread from newmediamedicine.com (link opens in new window).
Body language
Body language is very important in interviews. Try to be relaxed - don't slouch on the chair, but don't figit too much or look rigid. Try not to adopt a defensive posture e.g. by crossing your arms. There are many theories about body language and how it can be perceived, but don't go over the top. Put your hands on your lap and make hand movements when trying to express yourself (but don't go too over the top). Don't be too relaxed (e.g. putting one foot on the other knee). Keep eye contact with the interviewers and last of all-please, please, please remember to smile!!!!! I've done my fair share of interviewing and it really makes the whole atmosphere so much better if a candidate comes in looking happy and gives the impression that they are enjoying the interview. Here is a useful thread from newmediamedicine.com (link opens in new window).
Entering and leaving the room
Walk in confidently, with your head up high (remember you're not marching though!). Say hello, smile and make eye contact with each interviewer. Shake their hands if they offer. They should invite you to sit down and then they will introduce themselves. When you leave, thank them for their time, smile again and say goodbye. They will be discussing you when you leave the room, so it's good to leave a good lasting impression.
What to wear
For boys this means shirt and tie, clean shoes, black socks and look clean! The 'scruffy' look may be in at your school, but it certainly isn't at a medical interview! If you have a suit then you may want to wear that, but it's not essential. For girls, it's a bit more difficult. Generally you need to look smart. Skirt/trousers and a blouse/top. Don't show any cleavage, midriff or underwear. If you're unsure, go for the safe option. Remember if you're going to become a doctor you should dress in a professional way. On a personal note, I'd always say not to wear anything outrageous e.g. brightly coloured tie, as instead of making you stand out it'll make you look like a pratt!
When will it be?
Interviews can be from anytime from November until April, so don't panic if all of your friends are going for interview and you haven't heard back yet!
The NHS 
Some interviewers may like to ask you about the NHS. I was lucky I didn't get asked on this, and even now wouldn't know the answers! A good place to start is the NHS Gateway (link opens in new window) and the BBC Health website (link opens in new window).
"Do you have any questions for us?"
There is conflicting advice about what to do about this question. If you genuinely don't have any questions to ask, then say something along the lines of "all of my questions have been answered by reading the prospectus, and speaking to medical students". Don't ask any old question for the sake of it; that may make you seem stupid! However, if the interviewers invite you to ask a question and you have one, then ask it! The interviewers will not mind you asking a question!
What to take to interviews
If the university wants you to take anything then they will tell you. Some universities like to see GCSE certificates and passports. Some people like to take their Record of Achievement as proof of what they've done. Take things to keep you occupied during the train journey or in the waiting room e.g. a magazine or your personal statement. A bottle of water always comes in handy for 'dry mouth syndrome'!
Medicine in the news
If you want to be a doctor you should have an interest in medicine. Quite often interviewers will ask questions along the lines of "have you read anything in the news recently about medicine?" In order to be prepared you need to do some reading! Don't go overboard on this. Interviewers don't expect you to recite the latest piece of research on some obscure condition. Keep it simple, both for you and the interviewers; don't try to be too clever - if the interviewers think you're being cocky, they'll ask you a really complicated question and you'll look stupid! When I applied (only four years ago) I didn't have internet access, so I had to look at the newspapers. I collected various cuttings and re-read them on the train to my interviews! The best thing that you can do now is use the internet. Here are some useful websites, which are updated regularly and provide a good, comprehensive round up of the latest news in the world of medicine (links open in new window):
Bright Journals Library
BBC Health
Student BMJ (British Medical Journal)
National Library for Health
Guardian Medicine
Medcical news today
I personally wouldn't do much more than the above, unless you're really interested. Remember if you bring up an ethical problem, be prepared to be asked on it!
Practice questions
This is a list of questions all of which have been asked at interviews in the past compiled by a group of medical students. They are certainly not exhaustive, but exist to give you a guide of the sorts of things that you could be asked about.
Why do you want to be a doctor? (link opens in new window)
What is the format of a good team?
Do you read any medical publications?
Would you prescribe the oral contraceptive pill to a 14-year-old girl that is sleeping with her boyfriend?
How do you see Britain's healthcare system in 20 years time?
If you had £1 billion to spend on a certain aspect on healthcare, what would you spend it on?
Tell me about any medical advances you have read about recently.
What are the good and bad points about being a doctor?
How would you balance your outside interests with studying a degree?
What are the qualities of a good doctor?
Which quality is the most important?
What single healthcare intervention could change the health of the population the most?
Name a sector of society which has poor access to healthcare?
What have you gained from your work experience/hobbies/community work?
What qualities do you have that mean that you will be a good doctor?
How do you cope with stress?
What are your best and worst qualities?
When you graduate, what will you be remembered for by your peers?
What did you do in your year out?
What areas of responsibility do you have?
How would you deal with angry/distressed patients?
Were you scared of doctors when you were young?
What do you think about abortion/euthanasia etc?
What qualities do you think colleagues appreciate in a doctor?
How many hours do you think a junior doctor works?
How is the NHS structured?
What is the difference between primary and hospital care?
Why is medical research is important?
What is the postcode lottery?
What makes you angry?
Can you describe a situation that has been stressful?
How do you deal with stress?
If complains were made about you as a doctor, how would you respond?
Do you think that doctors need to ask for consent when taking organs from a dead person?
Where would you draw the line?
What if it was only a small blood sample?
What do you think you will find most difficult about a career in medicine?
Give an example of when you have worked in a team, and why is teamwork important Who works as part of a team with doctors?
What have been the most significant advances in medicine over the past 10/20/50 years?
Why don't you want to be a nurse? (link opens in new window)
How have you found out that medicine is the correct career for you?
What aspects of the course here appeal to you?
For more useful practise interview questions, visit this thread from newmediamedicine.com and also this one. Admissions forum (links open in new window) also have a useful inverview section.
Back to topHints and tips
- Smile at your interview
- Get involved in local community projects - assessors are much more impressed by long term commitment than a week in the summer holidays
- Be yourself
- Dress smartly for your interview (an opinion is formed of you within 5 seconds of you entering room)
- Read the broadsheet newspapers and make a scrapbook of then relevant medical cuttings- this is perfect thing to read on the train down to your interviews
- Have as many practice interviews as you possibly can
- Make sure you maintain good eye contact and a relaxed body language during your interview
- Research into what a career in medicine involves (it's not all like ER!) (see what is medicine?)
- Look into the different interview styles of different universities (either through their websites or some of the forums out there (see links). Some universities like to ask questions about your A. Levels and are quite academic, whereas most others use the interview for what it is for and not to assess your knowledge, but assess whether you're appropriate for a degree in medicine.
- Be prepared! Medical schools can give anything from a week to a month's notice for interviews.
- Interviewers should not ask you about any other institutions or courses you may have applied to. If they do you can either be honest or say you'd rather not say. Afterwards it's important that you let the most senior admissions tutor know what has happened.
- Keep up to date on medical stories in the press, interviewers often question your interest in medicine.
- Although it can be a disadvantage to be too extravagant and over the top, you should try and make a happy medium between this and withdrawn. Interviewers want to see that you have a passion for studying medicine.
- You must do your best to attend the interview. By this I mean only ask to re-schedule if you have something that is impossible to get out of. Interviews take a lot of organising; some medical schools are fine with changing the dates and some medical schools are less willing.
- When you are invited into the interview room, take your lead from the lead interviewer. Shake the interviewers' hands and take a seat when invited to.
- If you are a re-sit candidate and get asked why you didn't get any offers or didn't get the grades, then be honest. Don't blame it on your teachers or school for bad advice - this makes you sound a bit immature and petty. After all all of the information is out there somewhere!
- Before your interview, read through that universities website and prospectus, as you can always get asked 'why this university?' Also, you'll look silly if you ask a question about the university which can easily be found on their website.
- Communication is vital during the interview. Make sure you speak clearly and coherently. Don't put on a ridiculous accent, just speak how you normally do.
- Although wearing a suit jacket is not essential, it can be useful for hiding those embarrassing sweat marks!
- Some universities ask questions based on your A. Level subjects. This mainly applies to the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, but be prepared, especially if you bring it up!
- If you do not hear something an interviewer asks, then ask them to repeat it.
- At any point that you get rejected, the medical school can give you feedback if you write to them.
- People often struggle with ethical questions, take a look at this thread from newmediamedicine.com (link opens in new window) to help you out.
- If you get a really difficult question, then remain calm. Perhaps ask the interviewer to re-phrase it. Think, take your time and be honest.
