About Nottingham Medical School
Nottingham Medical School has over 50 years of training world-class doctors and offers students from all backgrounds many opportunities to enter the world of medicine.
The school isn’t just based in Nottingham; campuses in both Lincoln and Derby add the possibility of experiencing two cities all whilst studying at the same university!
They aim to combine modern developments in learning, such as early patient contact, with traditional teaching methods e.g. anatomy sessions.
Nottingham Interview information
😊 How does Nottingham University select candidates for interviews?
GCESs/ A Level: For interview selection Nottingham university does not take A level predicted grade into account. GCSE grades and UCAT scores will be used to select candidates for interviews. For GCSE you need a minimum of 6 at level 7(A) including both chemistry and biology in addition to a minimum of a 6 (B) in Maths and English.
What will not be accepted as a GCSE is applied science, short course GCSEs, and functional skills for English and maths. Additionally GCSE resits are not accepted.
All your grades and scores will be translated using a point system with 152 points being the maximum you can achieve. Below are the tables demonstrating the point system taken from the official university of Nottingham website
UCAT: The university of Nottingham places high weight on verbal reasoning and SJT. when calculating your score using the tables make sure to double the score for VR only.
In total if you have over 125 points you have a good chance of receiving an interview invite. Applicants with band 4 will be automatically rejected.
🧬 What is the interview format?
The MMI style interview is the same as the Nottingham medicine interview. 8 stations lasting 5 minutes each with 2 of them involving role play.
For the 2023 entry, interviews are expected to be online using Microsoft teams.
The interview will consist of six stations with at least one being a role play scenario. The interview will last at least an hour.
The interview works to assess qualities that are important for the practice of medicine these include but not limited to
Good communication skills
Teamwork
Respect for patients and others within the team and the contribution of those working in professions allied to medicine.
📆 When will you get interview invitations?
Interview invitations are sent out from the end of October to march. They are held on rolling basis and happen between December and march.
📝 What are the main topics I will be asked at the interview?
University of Nottingham holds MMI style interviews with 6 stations each with 5 minutes of speaking time. One station is guaranteed to be a role play and one is regarding your extracurricular where your personal statement might be used.
E.g of role play scenarios could be breaking bad news, having difficult conversations with colleagues/ friends or explaining to a patient and as a result tests need to be repeated.
For the extracurricular station they might ask questions along the lines of :
You mentioned that you enjoy x hobby could you teach me something about it?
How will your extracurricular help you be a better doctor? (i.e transferable skills)
Are there any extracurricular activities that a medical professional should not participate in?
Other stations might test the following personal attributes :
Communication skills :
Give instructions on how to carry out a task without touching.
Debate scenario.
Professionalism:
What are some roles that all healthcare professionals should stick to?
Is it ever acceptable to lie to a patient?
Teamwork:
What is your understanding of an MDT team and what is their role?
Tell me about a situation where you worked within a team?
☑️ How will my interview be marked?
You'll be expected to have:
good communication and listening skills
an understanding of professional issues such as teamwork
respect for patients and the contribution of those working in professions allied to medicine.
The interviewers are trained interviewers: clinicians, academics and a lay person.
🏠How many applicants are there per interview (Home)?
1686 applicants, 1238 were interviewed- 73% of UK students who applied received an interview. 1.4 applicants per interview spot.
🌎 How many applicants are there per interview (International)?
237 applicants, 95 were interviewed- 40% of international students who applied received an interview. 2.5 candidates per interview spot.
✨How likely is it that I will be given an offer after an interview?
For UK students: 1238 interviews, 542 offers were made. 44% chance of receiving an offer after an interview.
For international students: 95 interviews, 46 offers were made. 48% of receiving an offer after an interview.
What to expect on interview day?
For virtual interviews, the interview has two interviewers on the panel, lasts between 30 and 40 minutes and includes questions on four scenarios one of which was a role play.
For in-person interviews, the students are provided with 1 minute between stations to exit the station, and read the instructions outside the next station. At the first station all applicants will be read the same “ice-breaker” question and given 2 minutes to answer. The tour happens afterwards and there are student ambassadors on hand to assist and ask questions before and after. Arrive in good time and remember all the necessary documentation and identification.
You will receive more information about the interview day if you are invited for an interview.
The dress code is as usual for an interview- smart.
Examiner review
The examiners are mostly friendly however, some examiners might have a blank neutral face and might act indifferent and cold. They do this not because your answers are wrong but to put you under a stress test while you are answering to see if you crack under pressure. Most of the Nottingham medicine stations had fixed follow up questions but they were not disclosed during the reading time or in the instructions. So you can expect them all to be surprise questions even though they are fixed and not based on what you say in your previous answer.
What to expect after the interview?
Usually takes a couple of months, around February and March, to hear. Check the spam email box just in case!
Be yourself! The interviews are not designed to catch you or test your academic knowledge.
Read up on the website about what to expect from the interview and think about what qualities you want to try and portray to the interviewer during your interview.
Read up on the pillars of medicine and basic medical ethics as well as being familiar with the GMC's Outcome for Graduates.
Make sure you are strong on ethical scenarios and your motivation to study medicine answers.
Practise with friends and family to make sure you are confident and secure in your answers.
Nottingham places a huge emphasis on work experience. Not all candidates could obtain experience in a clinical setting; the University is more concerned about what the candidate has learnt from whatever role(s) they have undergone.
A useful resource to consult when preparing for interviews is BMA Ethics. The resource succinctly covers ethical principles which will be useful for any interview, regardless of interview.
The first station also has an additional three minutes to let you answer a couple of ice-breaker questions. This is a great opportunity to really get into the flow of things and start your interview positively.
Check out our medicine interview course
Example interview questions
🔥 Motivation Interview Questions
What have you done to find out about medicine as a career/ Who have you talked to about doing medicine and what did you learn from them?
What do you think you might like best about medicine as a career?
What do you feel are likely to be the worst things about being a doctor?
When and Why did you decide you wanted to be a doctor?
What would you do if you don't get into medical school this year?
What contribution would you make to university life?
⚖️Medical Ethics Interview Questions
A scenario around a situation on placement that raises numerous ethical issues. Questions are then asked about identifying these ethical issues and what would the candidate do next? During an A-level examination, you saw your friend cheating. What would you do after the exam? What if he tells you that he is did this because he wants to meet his grades in order to get into medicine? What would happen to the relationship between you and your friend as a result? Discuss the ethics around your patient refusing further treatment.
🤯Values and Skills Interview Questions
What qualities will make you a good doctor?
We all know exams are stressful. How did you manage when you were taking your GCSEs?
What do you do when you have 3 or 4 things to do that are all urgent?
What do you do to relax?
How do you cope in situations where there is not enough time to finish a task?
Have you dealt with a difficult situation?
Could you tell me about a time where you lead a team in a stressful/difficult situation? How did you deal with this?
I see you play sport/ do Duke of Ed/ play in the orchestra (or similar)- why is this important?
How do you balance work and all your outside activities?
I see you were Director/ Manager in your Young Enterprise company. How did you go about performing this role?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
How do you deal with conflict?
🏥 Work Experience Interview Questions
What difference did your work experience make to you?
When you visited a hospital what did you see that caused you to think about the challenging aspects of a medical career?
Tell me about a patient who interested you whom you met during your work experienc
📰 NHS Interview Questions
Discuss NHS waiting times
If you were Secretary of State for Health, what changes would you make?
How should doctors tackle the problem of obesity on a national level?
🎭 Roleplay Interview Questions
Tell your friend that you can’t come to her 18th birthday party.
🏛️ Ethics Interview Questions
If the parents of your patient (who is a child) denied treatment of radiotherapy for that child, what would you do to convince them otherwise?
In a scenario, where your schedule is fully packed, and yet you need to see more patients, what would you do?
Can a doctor withhold information about a patient who has broken the law?
With the current organ shortage in the UK, should we legalise the sale of organs?
Is human cloning acceptable under any circumstances?
If you had £100,000 to spend, would you give it to a 3 year old needing a heart transplant or 100 older patients needing hip replacements?
Whether you’re on the graduate entry medicine (GEM) or the traditional 5-year program, Nottingham offers early clinical exposure; GEMs will get to go on GP visits from their first module. The GEM program is one of the most advanced in the country and offers you the chance to learn using problem-based learning, or PBL. Additionally, Nottingham is one of the only universities to offer medicine to non-science graduates. If you choose to study medicine at either the Nottingham or Lincoln campus, you will gain an extra degree (BMedSci) without the need to study for an additional year.
Nottingham is ranked in the top 10 best cities to live for students in the UK. The University Park campus is one of the most recognizable campuses in the country, famous for its large lake that you can row across! The hustle and bustle of Nottingham reflect the wide variety of bars, restaurants, and shops. For the more nature-loving people, Nottingham is only a 40-minute drive from the Peak District, and Sherwood Forest. There’s an abundance of societies to get involved in on all campuses; whilst Nottingham is the main hub for societies, many others are based in Derby to accommodate to students based there. Societies range from the Surgical Society, to Medics Musical for more creative students, and so many more!
UoN is an inclusive university, allowing medics to live with non-medics in first year! For students based in Derby, Derby University offers medical students university-owned accommodation, and groups graduate medics together in the same flats to allow for support. Additionally, Derby has its own satellite union,made up of fellow students, so students feel as though they are part of a “local” community. Nottingham itself boasts world-class facilities, including sporting arenas which have trained gold-medaled Olympians. The University also has several networks, including but not limited to BME, International, and LGBTQ+, so students feel supported throughout their time at university (and can mix with students from different courses), all whilst having the opportunity to promoting change and equality.
Nottingham MedSoc has a huge presence on the main Nottingham campuses. MedSoc oversees a wealth of societies that students can get involved in. They also offer a lot of welfare support, from Medic Parents and a MedSoc supporter, to supporting Nightline, a student-run, anonymous, confidential, non-directive listening and information service, contactable during term. It should be noted that MedSoc doesn’t have same presence in the Derby and Lincoln campuses, but hopefully in subsequent years, this can be improved. More information can be found on https://www.nottsmedsoc.co.uk/welfare or on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Nottsmedsoc).
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