Practise a station
Pick a station type, then draw a station. Use the 1-minute reading time to plan with a framework, then talk out loud for 5 minutes. Record yourself on your phone if you can, and jot notes afterwards to bring to your 1:1.
Framework hint
What interviewers look for
Possible follow-up questions
Check your answer
Station timer
Many UK medical school MMI stations last 5 to 7 minutes, often with a minute or two to read the prompt. Aim to cover your main points early, leaving time for follow-up questions.
Frameworks to shape your answers
These are scaffolds, not scripts. Know the steps well enough that you can use them without sounding like you're ticking boxes. Interviewers want a conversation, not a recital.
MMI station bank
The types of station you might meet at UK medical schools. Select "Practise" to open a station with the timer. A green tick shows the stations you've saved an answer for.
Interview day
What to do before and on the day, and how to bring your best energy into the room.
Energy and presence
- Switch on as you walk in. Feel how you feel, but bring that energy in positively. Tired or nervous is normal; flat is what to avoid.
- Make it a conversation, not a recital. Look up, smile, vary your tone.
- Be memorable in your first sentence and on the way out.
- It's fine to say "That's a hard question, let me think for a moment."
Getting ready
- Practise out loud: in the mirror, into your phone, with family and friends. Writing answers is not the same as saying them.
- Have 5 or 6 stories ready from work experience, volunteering and school that you can adapt to different questions.
- Read health news weekly (for example BBC Health, BMJ news, The King's Fund and the Nuffield Trust) and form a view.
- Re-read your personal statement and know each school's course style (for example PBL, integrated or traditional).
Must-know topics
- The four pillars of medical ethics: beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, justice.
- Consent and capacity: the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and Gillick competence for under-16s.
- Confidentiality and when it can be broken; the duty of candour when things go wrong.
- The GMC's Good Medical Practice, the NHS's founding principles, and who's who in the multidisciplinary team.
Invitations and timing
- Most medical school interviews take place between December and March.
- How much notice you get varies by school, so keep checking your email, including junk.
- No news is not bad news. If you haven't heard, you're still in the mix. UCAS Hub updates when a school decides.
Know your format
- Most UK medical schools use MMIs (several short stations); some, such as Oxford and Cambridge, use panel-style interviews. Check each school's "how we select" page for this year's format, number of stations, and whether it's in person or online.
- For online interviews: test your camera and connection, have a quiet room, and plan what you'll do if the tech fails. Stay calm and polite; it's a test too.
On the day
- Eat breakfast, sleep well the night before, arrive early.
- Each station is a fresh start. Leave a bad one at the door.
- In role-plays, treat the actor as a real patient or relative.
- If you go blank, use your framework to restart: "Let me think about who is affected here..."
My answers
Your saved practice notes and self-ratings. They're stored only in this browser on this device, so copy them before switching devices or clearing your browser. Bring them to your 1:1.