Medical Interviews
Standing out in your final hurdle
The interview process can be the only chance for the medical school of your choice to get to know you better after reading your personal statement. It will be a rewarding process for those who have prepared well, or may be a doom for those who played a game a bluff in their personal statements. Nevertheless, as a prospective medical student who has little to no experience in the medical field, the process can be a daunting task. Many students are extremely motivated to take the necessary steps to prepare for the interviews. However, due to the lack of guidance, one might find it very difficult and overwhelming (or clueless!). With an excellent network of medical students who had successfully passed their interviews, UniApps is taking this initiative to guide prospective medical students in their interview preparation.
Before preparing for any kind of interviews, one should know the interview formats well (It’s not wise for soldiers to go for a war without knowing the battlefield!). There are three main systems currently being adopted by medical schools, the ‘traditional’ system, multiple mini-interviews (MMI), and the Oxbridge interview. Nowadays, MMI is getting more popular and therefore implemented by many medical schools in the UK.
Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) is an interview system used to assess many different qualities expected of a medical student. It is conducted by having a few stations (usually rooms) next to each other, with each room evaluating different aspect/criteria such as personal statement, critical thinking, extra-curricular activities, and healthcare systems (i.e Roles of the NHS, NICE etc.). Some medical schools are known to have up to 10 stations during the interview. There are a few pros and cons of this system from an interviewee’s viewpoint. One of the main advantages of this system is that the interviewees are able to start afresh in the next station if they do not do well in a previous one without the risk of having a lasting negative impression from an interviewer. However, as there are multiple stations assessing many different things, it may be a daunting task for students to prepare for the interview. Thus, one is expected to do a lot of reading and preparation beforehand (Please refer to UniApps Interview handbook for full guidance).
The ‘traditional’ interview system usually takes place for about 30-40 minutes. It may be conducted by a single or multiple interviewers. Due to logistic purposes, most interviews located away from the home country (UK) are conducted this way as it may not be feasible to have rooms/stations as in multiple mini interviews. Hence, do visit the university website for an update on this matter. Generally, the traditional interview system emphasises on the personal statement and tend to be more ‘personal’. However, since there is no fixed system in place, it might be unpredictable. Based on experience, if you prepare well for the multiple mini interviews, the traditional interview system should not be a big issue.
First Impression Can Work Wonders
Last but not least is the ‘Oxbridge’ interview system. Many students are already aware of the fact that Oxbridge interviews tend be very scientific. Thus, in addition to other ‘usual’ interview preparations, one has to ensure he/she has strong scientific knowledge with excellent critical thinking skills. Despite intimidating as it sounds, the interviewers are well aware of the level of knowledge expected from a pre-U student. Hence, most of the questions asked are based on pre-existing knowledge from O-Level (or SPM) with emphasis on the application of simple scientific concepts and logical thinking. Nevertheless, you must not neglect the importance of your personal statement and demonstrate the qualities of a good doctor you possess.
Regardless of the type of interviews, it is important to remember that preparation is the key to everything! Putting your exam grades aside, the interview might be the only thing between you and your medical degree. Preparing for interviews does not simply involve equipping yourself with necessary knowledge and facts, but it also takes a lot of practice. Thus, our team at UniApps is offering you an opportunity to take your first big step in your interview preparation. We are organising online mock interviews with medical students who have successfully received their offers and currently pursuing their medical degree at top universities of their choice in the UK. In addition, we are also offering a handbook containing important facts and guides which are proven to be useful for the interviews.