Log in
Interviews ANZ›Core questions

Core questions

Explore commonly asked questions and how best to tackle them, with detailed walkthroughs to guide you to success.
4 min

On this page

Regardless of the interview format or style, there are some core questions that get asked in almost every interview.

These questions will focus on drawing out key traits of a good doctor.

It’s important to consider these in depth beforehand. This will show interviewers that you are taking the process seriously and will help you become more familiar with your motivations and goals.

The image titled 'CORE QUESTIONS' contains a grid of nine questions, each accompanied by an icon: 1. 'Why do you want to study medicine/dentistry?' with a doctor and a dentist icon. 2. 'In what way have you shown your commitment to studying medicine/dentistry?' with a shield and check mark icon. 3. 'Have you considered studying nursing instead of medicine? Did you ever consider medical school instead?' with a person holding a question mark icon. 4. 'What did you learn from your work experience?' with two people icon. 5. 'What qualities do you think a good doctor/dentist possesses?' with a star icon. 6. 'How do you cope with stress?' with a meditating person icon. 7. 'Tell me about a situation where you have shown leadership skills.' with a star icon. 8. 'How would you respond if a member of your team was being uncooperative?' with an exclamation mark in a triangle icon. 9. 'Should the Health Service fund the treatment of self-inflicted diseases?' with a cigarette icon. 10. 'What are the biggest challenges facing the health service?' with a question mark icon. The image is © Medify.

Like these six examples, core questions aim to determine your compatibility with and commitment to medicine.

Add to favourites

Frequently asked questions in medical and dental school interviews typically fall into three main categories.

The image is titled 'Essential Question Categories' and is divided into three sections: Career, University, and You. In the Career section, there are four icons with labels: a person with 'Day-to-day realities,' mountains with a flag labeled 'Challenges & rewards,' scales labeled 'Ethics,' and a flame labeled 'Hot topics.' The University section has three icons: a map labeled 'Location,' books labeled 'Programme,' and a building labeled 'Unique features.' The You section includes four icons: sparkles labeled 'Skills,' a clipboard labeled 'Attributes,' a trophy labeled 'Achievements,' and a person at a podium labeled 'Experiences.' The bottom of the image has a copyright notice from Medify.
Add to favourites
A diagram titled 'What Makes a Good Doctor?' featuring a central image of a doctor, connected by lines to various icons and text labels arranged in a circle. The icons and labels are: Teamwork (handshake icon), Leadership (star icon), Advocacy (megaphone icon), Resilience (flexed arm icon), Adaptability (circular arrow icon), Medical knowledge and competency (book icon), Effective communication (chat bubble icon), Empathy (hands holding a heart icon), Professionalism (stethoscope icon), and Ethical integrity (shield icon). © Medify at the bottom.
Add to favourites
A central illustration of a dentist surrounded by various qualities that make a good dentist. The qualities are arranged in a circular pattern around the dentist and include: Teamwork (illustrated with a handshake), Ethical integrity (shield with a check mark), Patience (hourglass), Leadership (star), Effective communication (speech bubble), Clinical knowledge and competency (books), Attention to detail (magnifying glass on document), Resilience (arm flexing), Comfort with patient proximity (two people), and Manual dexterity (hand with a tool). At the top, the text reads, 'WHAT MAKES A GOOD DENTIST?'
Add to favourites
A graphic titled 'What can I learn from work experiences?' featuring eight labeled sections with icons. Top row, from left to right: 'Patient care' with an icon of hands holding a heart, 'First-hand professional insights' with an icon of a person with a speech bubble, 'Multidisciplinary collaboration' with icons of three people in professional attire, and 'Ethics & professionalism' with a check mark icon. Bottom row, from left to right: 'Importance of time management' with a stopwatch icon, 'Emotional development' with an icon of a head with a brain, 'Rewards and challenges' with a trophy icon, and 'Suitability for your chosen career' with an icon of a clipboard with a checklist. The bottom center contains the © Medify logo.
Add to favourites
The image is divided into two sections. The left side shows an interior view of a grand library with high arched windows, wooden bookshelves lining the walls, and long wooden tables with books. Sunlight streams through the windows, casting a warm glow. The right side features a list titled 'WHY THIS UNIVERSITY?' with six icons and corresponding text. The items listed are: Location, Programme structure, Student support, Mission and values, Training opportunities (e.g., early clinical exposure), Unique features (e.g., research, simulation centres or anatomy labs), and Personal connection (e.g., inspired by alumni). Each item is accompanied by a relevant icon. The bottom of the image has the text '© Medify'.
Add to favourites
An infographic titled 'What are some key challenges facing our health services today?' divided into three categories: 'Immediate care issues,' 'Workforce & resources,' and 'Systemic pressures.' Under 'Immediate care issues,' there are three points: 'Access issues' with a lock and key icon, 'Health inequalities' with a scales icon, and 'Backlogs from COVID-19' with a calendar icon. Under 'Workforce & resources,' there are three points: 'Workforce pressures' with a stressed face icon, 'Funding constraints' with a stack of coins icon, and 'Under-resourcing in mental health services' with a brain icon. Under 'Systemic pressures,' there are three points: 'Rising demand' with an upward graph icon, 'Outsourcing concerns & privatisation' with a hospital icon, and 'Ageing population & systemic disease' with an elderly person icon. At the bottom, there is a © Medify logo.
Add to favourites

Aim for natural, genuine answers. These are the most convincing and will impress interviewers.

To deliver great answers, consider some simple steps that can help you strengthen your responses and ensure you come across well during your interview.

Image titled 'Avoid Common Pitfalls' featuring a painting of a person sitting at a desk, writing with papers scattered around. The text below the painting lists tips: 'Be honest and realistic', 'Make your response personal', 'Structure your response effectively, using the PEE or STARR methods', 'Reflect on your experiences, motivations and key traits', 'Evidence your response with your own experiences or research', 'Ask yourself prompting questions, like, “Why not research or nursing?” and, “What is life as a doctor like?”', 'Demonstrate understanding of your chosen career', 'Demonstrate commitment to the university', 'Summarise key points at the end', 'Link your response back to medicine', 'Prepare for follow-up questions'. © Medify.
Add to favourites