Leeds Medicine Interview Questions
This article was updated in December 2023 with the latest information, and we will continue to regularly update it!
For more general information about the University of Leeds Medical School, click here: Leeds Medical School
In this guide we provide an expert insight into past Leeds MMI stations, the University of Leeds Medicine interview day and tips for converting your University of Leeds Medical School interview into an offer!
How Is Leeds Interviewing for 2024 Entry?
What is the Leeds Medicine Interview style?
For 2023/24 interviews, Leeds will be conducting their interviews face-to-face. Normally their in-person MMI involves 8 stations, with 7 being interview stations and 1 being a role play station. Each interview station lasts for 7 minutes with a 1 minute preparation time outside the station to read information relating to the topic.
What are the University of Leeds MMI Dates?
Interview invitations at Leeds are usually sent out on a rolling basis from early December until early February. The first interviews at Leeds begin in December and continue until the beginning of February.
What are the common topics covered at the Leeds Medical School interview?
- Ethical reasoning
- Self evaluation
- Communication skills
- Problem solving
- Discussion around your BMAT essay
How many people were interviewed at Leeds?
In 2021/22, Leeds Medical School interviewed 1056 students. University of Leeds Medical School interviewed 940 out of 1980 who were invited to a medicine interview at Leeds. That forms around 47% of all students who applied and this percentage have been similar to previous years.
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How many interviewed applicants received an offer from Leeds?
For 2022 entry, 940 out of 1980 who applied were invited to a medicine interview at Leeds. That forms around 47% of all students who applied and this percentage have been similar to previous years.
At Medic Mind we’ve helped many students secure offers from Leeds and other medical schools. If you’re applying to Leeds, we can do a high quality 1-1 mock with you with a Leeds tutor and realistic stations uniquely for Leeds.
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List of Recent Leeds Medicine Interview Stations
| Theme | Leeds Example Questions |
|---|---|
| Motivation for Medicine | Any experiences of doubts about Medicine Any negative experiences/thoughts of Medicine as a degree choice Reasons for choosing Medicine Need to show a good understanding of what Medicine entails |
| Work Experience | Reflection on past work experience, usually with follow up questions |
| Communication & Role-Play | Role play in various settings, e.g. hospitals, daily life Role play with person with pre-existing conditions Showing empathy for health conditions or grief Communicating with different types of people, e.g. members of public, friends, healthcare professionals Understanding of communication techniques needed for different people |
| Personality & Skills | Analysis of newspaper article (medical news) Examples of showing good qualities, e.g. teamwork, leadership, communication |
| NHS Hot Topics | May be given newspaper articles Some knowledge of hot topics required |
| Medical Ethics | Doctors being paid to go to conferences held by medical companies, e.g. medical technology, pharmaceuticals Situational judgement, similar to UCAT questions |
| Other | Analysis of BMAT essay |
If you wish to practice University of Leeds MMI mocks, here are some sample questions:
- Find a news article about diabetes in the UK and discuss how this impacts the NHS.
- Speak to an actor, who is worried about attending a GP appointment.
- Give an example of a time where you showed good time management skills.
- Describe a time where your intention to study Medicine was challenged. How did you feel?
- Read this article on the incidence of obesity. What are your thoughts?
- What has maintained your drive to study Medicine, despite any challenges? (explain these challenges)
- Is it ethical for medical technology businesses to publish biased research to aid sales?
- A fellow medical student has repeatedly missed group meetings for an assessment due to “illness”, but you know they are lying as they have been going out and posting photos on Instagram. What is an appropriate response?
- When have you utilised your team working skills and did you face any challenges during this example?
- Describe how you would communicate with a patient who is worried about an upcoming surgery.
- What action would be best to take if you saw your colleague stealing medication from the hospital on your night shift?
A good understanding of the course at Leeds could really help with your Leeds Medical School interview, so make sure you have a good read of this page before attending: Leeds Course
A Leeds Medical Student’s Perspective
Name 3 Reasons why you picked Leeds
- Leeds has a long history as a medical school and is well established within the medical community. This means that the teaching is of a really high quality, from pre-clinical years to placement. Whilst making sure that you have the theoretical knowledge you need, Leeds is very focused on producing well-prepared FY1s so practical teaching starts early and innovative teaching programmes such as RRAPID make sure you feel comfortable putting your theory into practice. It is a really supportive learning environment with very experienced staff.
- The hospitals in Leeds are huge and cover a massive amount of specialties, which means that placements are varied and you see tons of interesting stuff in amazing hospitals without having to travel too far within Yorkshire. Leeds is a major transplant centre for liver and kidney which is just one of the interesting specialties you can see here but not everywhere else. Being in such good hospitals sets you up well for the future as a doctor.
- Leeds is a great city with loads to do. The city centre has great shopping and nightlife, and being in a good location in yorkshire means days out in lovely places like harrogate and york are really easy. The city is big enough to be fun and interesting, but not so big as to be intimidating. You feel at home really quickly in leeds and everyone is really friendly.
What makes Leeds unique to other medical schools?
Leeds has such a good teaching programme which actually prepares you for life as a junior doctor. Some universities focus very heavily on the science side which is of course important, but can neglect practical and personal skills- feeling prepared and ready to be a doctor is the most important thing, which is what leeds is really good at. Senior doctors frequently commend on how leeds FY1s perform brilliantly, and this is due to the fantastic course. Early placements in first year mean you are exposed to patients from the start, and can start building your skills.
Insider Guide: Leeds Medicine Interview Day
How should I dress for the University of Leeds Medical School Interview?
The dress code is ‘smart’, for example, what you would wear for a job interview.
Who is assessing my interview for the University of Leeds MMI Circuit?
The assessors are a combination of both doctors, academic staff as well as current medical students.
Will I receive feedback on my interview?
Any unsuccessful candidates will receive feedback around communications and station-skills.
What were the Leeds Medicine interview examiners like?
The examiners were a mixture of personalities. Older interviewers tended to be more cold and unemotional, whereas the younger students came across as kinder.
Did the University of Leeds MMI interviewers ask a lot of follow up questions?
The main question for the time given is the one written on the instructions, but depending on the station, the interviewer may ask one or more follow up questions, based on what you’ve said at that station so far.
How long is the actual Leeds MMI?
Once started, the interview takes just under an hour. The timings for 2023/24 entry haven’t yet been released by Leeds.
How long did it take you to hear back after your University of Leeds Medical School interview?
About 6 weeks, but of course this can vary from one applicant to another.
Top Tips for the Leeds Medicine Interview
1. Prepare but don’t over-prepare.
You want to have plenty to say, but you don’t want your answers to sound robotic and disingenuous.
Have a look at our interview blog posts to find some tips for answering questions: Interview Achieves
2. Read through your BMAT essay.
They may ask you what you would change, why you chose the topic and they might even want you to expand on something you’ve written about, so make sure you’re prepared for this!
3. Read over your personal statement
Ensure that you’re familiar with what you wrote in your personal statement as it can potentially be used in a station, so you want to ensure that you’re able to expand on what you’ve written.
4. Be yourself, or at least the best version of yourself.
Interviewers are trained to spot when a candidate is trying to play a role so don’t try and be a person that you think the interviewers want you to be. And don’t lie.
5. Run role play scenarios with your friends, family or teachers.
You may not be used to this style of questioning, so practice it with them to try it out. Some candidates are caught off guard by these or do not take them seriously, which is very bad, as these are a great station to showcase your personality and qualities!
6. Be yourself (professionally)- Leeds is not looking for ‘medicine robots’ who have rehearsed answers and are trying to be the perfect medical student. Making sure your personality shines through is very important as they want a wide range of people on the course; not all branches of medicine are the same, and each one needs a different type of person. Show the interviewer what you are like as a person, as well as showcasing your knowledge and professionalism. Being genuine and friendly will go a long way!
7. Don’t rush into your answers- you will have been able to read the station brief before starting the station to prepare your answer but don’t feel the need to go in all guns blazing when the interviewer asks you a question. Take a second or two to consider what they have said and gather your thoughts so you feel prepared and don’t lose your train of thought. Its always better to take an extra few seconds to prepare yourself rather than get flustered halfway through your answer.
8. Try not to panic! The interview is 8 stations so if you can stay calm then you’ll make it through perfectly. Medical students like myself often help out with interviews as well junior doctors who are former students, so you will see friendly faces who know exactly what you’re going through. Whilst the questions may be tricky, the staff at Leeds genuinely do not want you to fail, and they’re not trying to catch you out! If you do find yourself getting flustered, take a few seconds and a sip of water and you’ll be back on track.
Covid – 2023/24 Changes for the Leeds Medicine Interview
Is the University of Leeds MMI different this year?
Leeds are currently preparing a few different ways on holding their Medicine interviews, and this will be dependent on the Covid guidelines. They have assured applicants that whether they can come in person or have to be online, no one will miss out on their chance of having their interview. They haven’t yet released how their interviews will take place yet.
If your interview is going to be online, read through this useful document from the Medical Schools Council to help you prepare: Medical School Council
Where can I find more information about the changes for the Leeds Medical School interview?
More details of the changes for 2024 entry interviews can be found here: 2024 Entry Interviews
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FAQs
The Leeds Medicine Interview typically takes the form of a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI), which involves a series of stations or mini-interviews. Each mini-interview is designed to assess a different skill or quality, such as problem-solving, ethical reasoning, teamwork, and communication.
The questions asked in the Leeds Medicine Interview are designed to assess the candidate’s suitability for studying medicine. The questions may include scenarios related to patient care, ethical dilemmas, and health policy. Candidates may also be asked to reflect on their own experiences and qualities, such as their motivation for studying medicine, their communication skills, and their ability to work in a team.
There are several ways to prepare for the Leeds Medicine Interview, including practising with sample MMI questions, reading about current issues in healthcare, and reflecting on your own experiences and qualities. You can also attend interview preparation sessions offered by the University of Leeds, speak to current medical students or doctors, and consider enrolling in an interview preparation course.
The length of the Leeds Medicine Interview can vary depending on the number of mini-interview stations and the number of candidates being interviewed. Typically, the interview lasts between 45 minutes to one hour.
After the Leeds Medicine Interview, the interviewers will consider your overall application, including your academic achievements, personal statement, and references, as well as your performance in the interview. Based on these factors, the admissions committee will make a decision on whether to offer you a place to study medicine at the University of Leeds.
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