Introduction

When you first start to prepare for your interview, it can be tricky knowing where to begin.

Take the time to plan out key areas for revision and practice. This forms the basis of a personalised preparation plan, which will help you prepare well for your interview.

Consider the knowledge, skills and practical information you’ll need to prepare effectively for your interview. Practise soft skills and interview techniques beforehand to enhance your performance on the day.

The first step in preparing for your interview is to develop a personalised preparation plan. This is based on your learning style, key topics you want to brush up on, and the time available before your interview.

Adhering to your preparation plan will give you the best chance of easing nerves, impressing interviewers and, ultimately, securing a place.

Over-rehearsing your responses can make the interview feel robotic and less engaging for interviewers. Memorising also restricts your ability to adapt responses and think on your feet.

It’s better to draft bullet-point responses to common questions, rather than writing out responses word for word. Practise giving responses based on your bullet points in recordings and mock interviews.

Speak freely and draw on experiences as necessary.

Allow yourself to be present and engaged. Remaining attentive, thoughtful and spontaneous under pressure will impress interviewers more than just giving the ‘right answers’.

Trust that your preparation will serve you well, and be ready to tailor your responses to the medical school you’re interviewing at.

For example, if the university uses case-based learning (CBL), you could steer a response to show that you’d do well with this approach. You could say, ‘As a practical and reflective learner who enjoys working with others, I feel that I would thrive with case-based learning at this medical school.’

Speaking freely during your interview allows you to give more thoughtful and engaging responses.

Practise this skill in advance by following the steps in our to-do list below. The more you practise, the more natural this skill will become.