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Interviews (UK)›Core questions

Core questions

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

A decagon diagram or 10 separate boxes titled 'Core questions' divided into 10 equal segments each representing one of the core/pairs of core questions below (some are in pairs as a slightly different worded version was needed for dentistry, and they had to be selected from a list we already have): Why do you want to study medicine? Why do you want to study dentistry? In what way have you shown your commitment to studying medicine? What steps have you taken to confirm that you want to be a dentist? Have you considered studying nursing instead of medicine? Did you ever consider medical school instead? What did you learn from your work experience? What qualities do you think a good doctor possesses? What qualities do you think a good dentist possesses? How do you cope with stress? Tell me about a situation where you have shown leadership skills. What would you do as a junior doctor, if your on-call registrar shows up to work drunk and you are the only other doctor on the ward? No-one else is available to help. How would you respond if a member of your team was being uncooperative? Should the Health Service fund the treatment of self-inflicted diseases? What are the biggest challenges facing the health service? Each segment features a simple, modern icon aligned with the theme.

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

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

A decagon-shaped graphic/ 10 boxes titled “Types of Interview Questions”, divided into 10 labelled sections, each representing a distinct category of question commonly asked in medical and dental school interviews. The categories shown are: 1. Medicine Questions – assessing insight into the medical profession 2. Dentistry Questions – assessing insight into the dental profession 3. Motivation Questions – exploring why the applicant chose this career 4. Clinical Experience Questions – examining exposure to real healthcare environments 5. Personal Qualities Questions – evaluating attributes such as empathy, teamwork, resilience 6. Ethics Questions – testing moral reasoning and understanding of ethical principles 7. Hot Topics Questions – exploring awareness of current issues in healthcare 8. Situational Judgement Questions – assessing decision-making in hypothetical scenarios 9. Roleplay Questions – testing communication, empathy, and interpersonal skills 10. Curveball Questions – unexpected questions designed to assess adaptability and how applicants think under pressure Each section includes a simple icon that visually represents the type of question
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An infographic titled 'WHAT MAKES A GOOD DOCTOR?' featuring a central figure in a doctor's coat surrounded by ten qualities: Leadership, Teamwork, Ethical integrity, Professionalism, Empathy, Effective communication, Medical knowledge and competency, Adaptability, Resilience, and Advocacy. The image is created by Medify.
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A diagram titled 'What Makes a Good Dentist?' featuring a central illustration of a dentist holding a tooth, surrounded by various qualities such as teamwork, ethical integrity, patience, leadership, resilience, comfort with patient proximity, manual dexterity, attention to detail, clinical knowledge and competency, and effective communication.
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An infographic titled 'What Can I Learn from Work Experiences?' featuring eight key learning areas: Patient care, First-hand professional insights, Multidisciplinary collaboration, Ethics & professionalism, Importance of time management, Emotional development, Rewards and challenges, and Suitability for your chosen career. Each area is represented with relevant icons.
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An artistic depiction of a grand library interior with tall windows and wooden bookshelves. To the right, text outlines reasons to choose this university: 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), Personal connection (e.g. inspired by alumni).
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An infographic titled 'What are some key challenges facing the NHS and dental services today?' It lists immediate care issues such as access issues, health inequalities, and backlogs from COVID-19. It also highlights workforce and resources challenges like workforce pressures, funding constraints, and under-resourcing in mental health services. Additionally, it addresses systemic pressures including rising demand, outsourcing concerns and privatization, and the ageing population and systemic disease.
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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.

A painting of a person sitting at a desk covered with papers, looking thoughtful. The text on the image reads: 'AVOID COMMON PITFALLS' with a checklist titled 'Do' that includes the following points: '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?”' Additionally, it includes points like 'Demonstrate understanding of your chosen career', 'Demonstrate commitment to the university', 'Summarise key points at the end', 'Link your response back to medicine', and 'Prepare for follow-up questions'.
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