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Lancaster Medicine Interview Questions
This article was updated in December 2023 with the latest information, and we will continue to regularly update it!
Lancaster’s medical school is relatively small, which means the Medicine programme has a robust student-focused environment. Students get plenty of guidance during the transition to university and clinical training. Lancaster Medical School is one of the UK’s smallest medical schools, enrolling just over 125 students every year.
For more general information about the Lancaster University Medical School, have a look at this: Lancaster University Medical School
In this guide we provide an expert insight into past Lancaster MMI stations, the Lancaster University Medicine interview day and tips for converting your Lancaster University Medical School interview into an offer!
How Is Lancaster Interviewing for 2024 Entry?
What is the Lancaster Medicine Interview style?
Lancaster MMI interviews involve three mini MMI circuits. The first circuit will have 6 stations, each lasting 5 minutes long. The second circuit will require candidates to undertake stations where they will have 5 minutes to read and 5 minutes to answer questions. The last circuit will be a 15 minute discussion and you will be given three minutes to read a text beforehand.
The interviews will be held in person, with the option of an online interview for international candidates.
What are the Lancaster MMI Dates?
Medicine interviews at Lancaster will most likely take place between January and February 2024.
What are the common topics covered at the Lancaster Medical School interview?
- Suitability for course teaching style
- Teamwork and leadership
- NHS knowledge
- Realistic understanding of the career
- Work experience reflection
How many people were interviewed at Lancaster?
- Home Students: For 2022 entry, a total of 752 students applied from the UK, and 511 (68%) were interviewed.
- International Students: For the 2021 entry (latest available data) 256 international students applied for medicine at Lancaster, and only 28 (10%) received an interview invitation.
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How many interviewed applicants received an offer from Lancaster?
- Home Students: After 511 students were interviewed for 2022 entry medicine at Lancaster, 274 have received an offer (53% of those interviewed and 36% of all students who applied).
- International Students: After 28 international students were interviewed for 2021 entry medicine at Lancaster, 10 have been offered a place (35% of those interviewed and 4% of all who applied).
Make sure you read the official Lancaster University Medical School overview to understand what you would be getting into: Lancaster Official Page
At Medic Mind we’ve helped many students secure offers from Lancaster and other medical schools. If you’re applying to Lancaster, we can do a high quality 1-1 mock with you with a Lancaster tutor and realistic stations uniquely for Lancaster.
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List of Recent Lancaster Medicine Interview Stations
| Theme | Lancaster Example Questions |
|---|---|
| Motivation for Medicine | Why Medicine? |
| Work Experience | Reflection on work experience Did anything put you off Medicine? |
| Communication & Role-Play | Speaking to actors acting as patients, public, etc. Need to show the ability to keep a conversation flowing |
| Personality & Skills | Data interpretation, e.g. graphs, charts Ability to describe images Good qualities What you need to improve on Problem solving skills may be tested |
| NHS Hot Topics | Knowledge on current topics, e.g. IVF Problems in the NHS |
| Medical Ethics | Scenarios in which you need to prioritise something over another thing and give reasoning Current ethical issues included so some background knowledge is needed |
| Other | Skills/qualities needed to be a doctor |
If you wish to practice Lancaster University MMI mocks, here are some sample questions:
- Why do you think you will make a good doctor?
- Which skills do you want to improve whilst at Medical School?
- When did you see a good display of teamwork during your work experience?
- Describe what is in this photo to this person.
- Listen to this person speak about their health condition and learn more about it.
- How would you choose if someone should receive IVF treatment?
- Discuss one major issue within the NHS and suggest how it could be made better.
- Your friend needs help with an essay due tomorrow but your boss has asked you to come in to cover someone who is sick.
- Which option would you choose and why?
- Discuss your views on the concept of ‘designer babies’
A Lancaster Medical Student’s Perspective
Name 3 Reasons why you picked Lancaster
- Reason 1 – PBL problem based learning. At Lancaster, the core curriculum is delivered through PBL in Years 1-4. I enjoy being and working in teams I feel like we really help each other in learning the content and we can work together to help understand difficult content. It helps develops our independence in learning without being soon fed information solely through lectures. This is an important skills as a doctor and being able to work in a team to discuss a patient case. I’m years 3 and 4 we actually start to use real life clinical patient cases where we use our own histories and knowledge to understand the case. This is similar and good preparation for MTD meetings where there discuss about patent. Cases.
- Reason 2 – Early clinical exposure – we get exposure right from year 1 with GP community placements and start with hospital placements in year 2. We have 4 partners: including the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI), Furness General Hospital (FGH) in Barrow, Royal Blackburn Hospital and, Blackpool Victoria Hospital. I feel it provides us with necessary clinical skills to be a good doctor learning the hidden medical school curriculum things that we would not be taught in lectures but only learn from experience and exposure.
- Reason 3 –It’s a small medical school even though it is growing each year it is still smaller than most medical schools . It feels like a community where we all help each other. We also have more teacher to student support due to and small amount of student. As medical school get stressful at time it allows us to all get the support and help we need.
What makes Lancaster unique to other medical schools?
Lancaster is a rural area and the location makes it good to make a difference to the people in this area. Most residents are of low socioeconomic backgrounds and present with loads of diseases related to malnutrition, drinking, obesity and smoking. Having a role in this helps improve the overall public health of the county to prevent people for secondary related diseases like CHD and cancers. It also has ethical based coursework in year 3 which is a project which is best for people who enjoy writing up essays.
Insider Guide: Lancaster Medicine Interview Day
How did the Lancaster Medical School Interview day work?
A timetable and links to your interview will be sent to you a week before your MMI. You’re advised to join the link a few minutes before your session is due to begin. Once admitted into the meeting, there will be a brief sound check and room inspection to check no one else is present in your room.
How do I move between stations for the Lancaster University Medicine Interview?
At the end of each interview you should hang up the call, then click the link for the next call where you’ll wait in the waiting room until you’re invited into the meeting by the next interviewer?
What were the Lancaster University Medicine interview examiners like?
They were all friendly and supportive, both in the PBL simulation and MMIs. They had encouraging body language and made me feel at ease which helped me perform well in the interview. The examiners didn’t really cut me off but there was always a 1 minute warning beep.
Did the Lancaster University MMI interviewers ask a lot of follow up questions?
The examiners had a set list of questions in most of the booths but in some stations, the conversation flowed more freely, especially in role play stations.
What were the Lancaster University Medicine interview examiners like?
They were all friendly and supportive, both in the PBL simulation and MMIs. They had encouraging body language and made me feel at ease which helped me perform well in the interview. The examiners didn’t really cut me off but there was always a 1 minute warning beep.
Did the Lancaster University MMI interviewers ask a lot of follow up questions?
The examiners had a set list of questions in most of the booths but in some stations, the conversation flowed more freely, especially in role play stations.
What device should I use for the Lancaster University MMI interview?
If your interview is online, the interviewer will complete a remote room inspection, which will involve you showing your whole room. It’s therefore advised to use a laptop or plug-in webcam so you can lift your device to show everywhere.
How long did it take you to hear back after your Lancaster Medical School interview?
10 to 12 weeks, but this varies between candidates.
Top Tips for Lancaster Medicine Interview
1. Go to an interview preparation day if you can.
There is nothing quite like getting real simulated experience of the MMI and it made me much more comfortable on the day. If this isn’t possible, practise with your family and friends as much as you can.
2. Do some research on current topics and ethical issues and think about your own opinions and views on them, so that you aren’t totally put on the spot in your interview.
Check out the following links for advice on how to answer ethics and NHS questions: Medical Ethics & NHS Hot Topics
3. Practise introducing yourself and shaking the hand of anyone who is going to simulate an interview with you before they start questioning you, to turn this into a habit for the real day.
4. Focus on maintaining good eye contact and body language throughout your interview. This will give off a good impression to the examiners and it could ease your nerves too!
5. Think about what you might want to ask any current medical students on the day if they’re around to answer your questions – these guys are the experts of what you’re signing yourself up for!
6. Make sure you know your work experience inside out. They will ask you for references for your work experience and will ask you where have you demonstrated certain skills of a good doctor. This could be communication, teamwork, or even empathy. Make sure you have examples and use the STARR format to reflect on the end!
7. Make sure you can communicate effectively there will be a couple of role play stations and stations where you need to explain a certain task or piece of data. Make sure you can be logical and show initiative to be able to get the certain task done simply and effectively.
8. Brush up on your ethics! You will have at least 1 station to explain your thoughts about a certain ethical scenario or your decisions about something. Make you show empathy as well as using the pillars throughout you answer. Remember there is no right or wrong answer you just need to articulate your opinion and argue both sides for and against.
Covid – 2024 Changes for the Lancaster Medicine Interview
Is the Lancaster University Medical School Interview different this year?
For 2024 entry, the interviews will be held in person.
For some guidance on taking online Medicine interviews, have a look at this useful document from the Medical Schools Council
Where can I find more information about the changes?
Full details of the changes for 2024 entry interviews can be found here: 2024 Entry Interviews
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Frequently Asked Question
→What is the Lancaster Medicine Interview?
The Lancaster Medicine Interview is an important part of the selection process for prospective medical students at Lancaster University. The interview assesses applicants’ personal and professional attributes, knowledge of medicine, and their suitability for the programme.
→What is the format of the Lancaster Medicine Interview?
The Lancaster Medicine Interview typically consists of several stations, each lasting for a set amount of time. The stations may include traditional interviews, role-playing scenarios, group discussions, and problem-solving exercises.
→How can I prepare for the Lancaster Medicine Interview?
Applicants can prepare for the Lancaster Medicine Interview by researching the university and the medical programme, practising their communication skills, and reviewing common medical interview questions. Applicants may also want to seek advice from their teachers, careers advisors, or other medical professionals.
→What are some common Lancaster Medicine Interview questions?
Common Lancaster Medicine Interview questions include: Why do you want to study medicine? What are your strengths and weaknesses? How do you handle stress and pressure? What do you know about current healthcare issues? Can you provide an example of a time when you showed leadership or teamwork skills?
→What are the Lancaster Medicine Interviewers looking for?
The Lancaster Medicine Interviewers are looking for applicants who have a genuine interest in medicine, who can communicate effectively, and who demonstrate empathy, resilience, and critical thinking skills.
→What happens if I am offered a place on the Lancaster Medicine Programme?
If an applicant is offered a place on the Lancaster Medicine Programme, they will need to accept the offer and meet any conditions of the offer, such as obtaining specific grades or completing certain requirements.
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