Prepare for Your University Interview

Your interview preparation should reflect where you're applying.

Every medical school has its own admissions process, interview format and approach to assessing candidates. While many of the skills you'll need are transferable, understanding the specific format used by your university can help you prepare more effectively.

Know what your university expects

Start by finding out:

• What type of interview does your university use?
• How many stations or interviewers are involved?
• How long is the interview?
• What types of questions or tasks could you encounter?
• Which skills and attributes are assessed?
• Is there anything specific you need to prepare?
• Will the interview be online or in person?

Medical Schools Council guidance highlights that interview formats can vary considerably, including MMIs, panel interviews, assessment centres and online or asynchronous interviews.

Your university's own admissions information should always be your first point of reference, as formats and requirements can change between application cycles.

Tailor your preparation

Once you understand the format, you can make your preparation more targeted.

For an MMI, you may want to focus on moving quickly between different station types and becoming comfortable with timed scenarios.

For a panel interview, you may need to practise sustaining a conversation, handling follow-up questions and developing your answers in greater depth.

If your university includes role-play, data interpretation, teamwork or other practical tasks, make sure these form part of your preparation rather than focusing only on traditional interview questions.

Explore university-specific questions

Some questions are relevant to almost every medical school, while others may be particularly useful to practise for the university you're applying to.

These could include:

Why this university?
What attracts you to the course, teaching style or opportunities available?

What do you know about our course?
Can you demonstrate that you've researched the programme beyond simply knowing its location or reputation?

How does our teaching style suit you?
Can you explain why the way the course is delivered appeals to you?

How would you approach our interview format?
Are you prepared for the particular stations, structure or assessment style you may encounter?

Research should help you develop genuine answers rather than memorising a list of facts.

Don't prepare for one university in isolation

If you're interviewing at multiple medical schools, you don't need to start your preparation from scratch for each one.

Many core skills — communication, reflection, ethical reasoning, motivation and professionalism — are transferable.

The key is to combine your core interview preparation with university-specific practice where it will make the biggest difference.

Get targeted support

Our university-specific interview preparation can help you focus your practice around the medical schools you're applying to, including the format, question styles and skills you may need to demonstrate.

Whether you're looking for a dedicated university-specific session, 1-to-1 support or additional practice resources, you can choose the level of preparation that works for you.

Know your interview. Tailor your preparation. Walk in ready.