Medical School Interview Questions

Are you looking to pursue a medical career?

The number of applications for medical places far outstrips the number of places on offer, and since most candidates will have excellent academic qualifications, your interview will be of crucial importance to your success in gaining a place. You should thoroughly prepare for your medical school interview by reading widely and considering your views on a range of issues.

Subject specific medical school interview questions

Many potential students have an unrealistic view of medical school and the realities of life as a doctor. Your university will want to ensure you thoroughly understand the subject by asking questions such as:

Why have you chosen medicine?
What branch of medicine would you like to specialise in?
How long do you think it will take until you can call yourself a doctor?
What will be the hardest challenge along the way?
What medical journals do you read?
What do you think of the current set up of the NHS?
Where do you think medicine will be in 50 years time?
What work experience have you had in medicine?
Did this experience change your idea of what medicine entails?

Personal medical school interview questions

There is much more to medicine than the pure science of treating patients. You will need skills such as sympathy and empathy to develop a good ‘bedside manner’. Your university will want to see if you have these skills to back up your intellectual prowess by asking you about yourself.

Describe an occasion when you have shown empathy
How would you like your patients to describe you?
What interests do you have beyond medicine?
What skills do you have that would help you as a doctor?
What personal weakness could stop you from becoming a doctor and what are you doing to deal with this weakness?
After years of hard study, you will still be the bottom of the pile. How will you deal with this?
Should doctors listen to nurses’ medical opinions?
On whom would you model your approach to medicine? Who are your role models for medical practice?

Ethical medical school interview questions

There are countless ethical questions surrounding modern medicine, and you will have to deal with these almost every day. Here are some of the questions you may be asked at interview:

What do you think about the proposed NHS reforms?
Should rich people be allowed to jump the queue by going private?
Should doctors be allowed to go on strike?
Is it right to keep people alive if they have a poor quality of life?
If a person wants to end their life, shouldn’t doctors be able to help?
What are the risks of legalising euthanasia?
Should a cancer patient be able to refuse treatment that could extend their life but would reduce its quality?
How would you change the health service in the UK?
Should animals be used for drug tests?
Do complementary and alternative treatments have any role in healthcare?