Medical School Interviews 2026!

What are medical schools looking for at interview?

Dr Joss Digweed - tutor and ex-medical school interviewer

So, you’ve got a medical school interview - congrats!

First things first: take a moment to congratulate yourself. Seriously. No matter what happens next, you’ve already smashed the UCAT, spent hours volunteering, completing work experience, writing a great personal statement, and most likely nailed your exams - all while balancing school, extracurriculars, and a social life. That’s huge and whatever happens next, you’ve shown the grit and determination to excel in whatever you end up doing.

You should feel incredibly proud that a medical school has read your application and decided they want to get to know you better. Make no mistake - yes, they’re looking for that final spark to push you over the line - but admissions tutors are busy. They don’t interview people they don’t think have a real shot. You’ve already impressed them. Now it’s just about getting through this final hurdle.

Who we are

Having sat on interview panels at multiple medical schools (and more recently being on the other side of the table for specialty applications!), we at AuroraMedics have spent a lot of time thinking about what makes a great interview performance. We’ve pulled together resources on our website for 2026 interviewees to explore - and after hours of tutoring students, we’ve noticed the same themes and mistakes cropping up again and again.

On this page, you’ll find links to common questions you might face in both panel and MMI interviews (PBL content inbound!). But before we get into that, let’s cover the basics - what actually impresses in an interview, and what doesn’t?

The basics…

Having sat on interview panels as senior medical students and now as doctors, I can tell you interview days are long. On a typical day, a single panel or MMI station might see 50+ candidates, and after a while, they can start to blend together.

The candidates who genuinely stand out are the ones who bring energy into the room. They smile, they’re enthusiastic, but they’re still professional. Of course, it’s nerve-wracking but the ones who can channel that nervous energy into authentic enthusiasm and a genuine interest in medicine and people are the ones we remember.

We’re not looking for ready-made doctors. We’re looking for people who are curious, thoughtful, and a pleasure to teach - people who one day will go on to become compassionate, reflective, and resilient doctors.

Keep it natural

There’s no single formula for success, but a few things are worth keeping in mind:

• Avoid sounding over-rehearsed or robotic. Some preparation is essential - you should absolutely have thought about big questions like “Why Medicine?” but don’t memorise a script. A natural, confident delivery with genuine enthusiasm will take you further than a perfect paragraph.
  

• Don’t be afraid of small talk. Honestly, it’s part of the job. As doctors, we spend our days chatting with patients about everything from their chickens to the latest Skyscanner deals - and yes, even “Can you believe they voted Joe Marler off on Celebrity Traitors?” Small talk builds rapport, puts people at ease, and shows interviewers that you can stay calm, personable, and human under pressure. From personal experience a relaxed but engaged candidate is a joy to interview but please keep it brief and appropriate - a couples of lines about the weather or wifi problems is a safer bet.
  

• Be human. You’re not expected to sound flawless. Especially with ethical or scenario-based questions, it’s completely fine to think out loud and even change your mind midway - as long as you explain your reasoning. That actually shows maturity and critical thinking. In fact, changing your mind when new evidence comes up is one of the most valuable habits you can develop. It shows you’re aware of confirmation bias - the natural tendency to look only for information that supports what you already believe. It’s something that can seriously trip doctors up. For instance, if you think a patient has appendicitis, you might subconsciously focus only on the symptoms that fit, and ignore evidence pointing to something else, like a UTI or gastroenteritis. Interviewers love candidates who can show awareness of this - it proves you think like a future clinician, not just a textbook student.

• Don’t be too human… Sorry. At the end of the day, this is still a professional interview, and in trying to build rapport with interviewers, some candidates can drift a bit too far into over-familiarity. It’s great to come across as friendly and relaxed, but don’t forget where you are. Remember, there’ll almost always be a senior member of the medical school on the panel - think of how you’d speak to a headteacher and aim for that same level of respectful professionalism. And especially in MMI interviews, be aware that the examiner might be instructed to stay silent once you’ve finished your part of the station. If you finish early, it’s fine to make a little small talk to keep yourself relaxed - but test the waters first. If it’s clear they’re not up for chatting, just leave it there.

• Mistakes happen, just ask your parents - everyone’s had a bad interview at some point. It’s part of the process. But here’s the thing: while mistakes are best avoided, it’s seriously impressive to watch a candidate get flustered, lose their train of thought, and then take a breath, regroup, and steer the interview back on track. That shows calmness under pressure and genuine resilience - traits that make great doctors. If you slip up, don’t panic. Apologise briefly if needed, clarify your point / ask if it’s okay to start again, or just move on. The beauty of the MMI format is that each station is a fresh start - the only way it follows you is if you let it. In a panel interview, it’s much the same: stay composed. You can say something like, “Sorry, that wasn’t very clear - would you mind if I rephrased that?” Or if you’d rather, just move on with confidence. And if you walk out thinking the whole thing was a disaster - it almost never is. Interviews feel ten times worse from your side of the table. All you can do is wait, reflect, and carry what you’ve learned into the next one.

Final thoughts

You’ve already done the hard part. You’ve impressed the admissions team enough to earn an interview - now it’s time to show them who you are. Be enthusiastic, reflective, and genuine. For more tips and tricks for specific types of questions and MMI stations use the links above. Remember, the best candidates don’t perform - they connect.

You’ve got this.