Leicester University Medicine Interview Questions
This article was updated in September 2024 with the latest information, and we will continue to regularly update it!
In this guide we provide an expert insight into past University of Leicester Multiple Mini-Interviews (MMI) stations, the University of Leicester medicine interview day and tips for converting your University of Leicester interview into an offer!
How Is Leicester Interviewing for 2025 Entry?
What is the University of Leicester medicine interview style?
Leicester has returned to face-to-face interviews for the 2025 entry for home fee status applicants and online for international fee status applicants. The multiple-mini-interview will consist of 7 stations, each running for about 10 minutes. All the timings will be done by the interviewers. Each station will have clear instructions outside which you will get time to read. One station will be a simple numeracy station, where you will not require any medical knowledge, nor need a calculator.
What to expect on the day of the interview?
The day starts on reporting to the George Davis Centre (GDC) reception with plenty of time before the interview starts. The applicants will be met by a member of our team. As it is a secure building, applicants will need to provide a form of photo ID upon arrival. You will be taken to a room with the other candidates being interviewed.
Half of the applicants will then go on a campus tour with one of the university’s current students, where you will have the opportunity to talk to them about the course, plus see some of the facilities (teaching permitting). You will then have your multiple-mini interview. The other half of you will do your interview, then have a tour.
When are the University of Leicester medicine interview dates?
Interviews will normally take place between December and February. The dates of interviews for the 2025 entry cycle are as follows:
- 9 – 18 December 2024
- 6 – 14 January 2025
- 27 – 29 January 2025
These are subject to change if necessary. If you cannot attend any of the dates available, contact the Medical Admissions Team on +44 (0)116 252 2969 as soon as possible after receiving your invitation to interview. However, they may not be able to offer any alternative dates, nor be able to reschedule.
What are the common topics for the Leicester Medicine Interview?
They use the multiple mini-interview (MMI) style – consisting of a number of individual mini-interviews (or ‘stations’) which assesses an applicant’s:
- Motivation to study medicine and genuine interest in the medical profession
- Insight into your own strengths and weaknesses
- Ability to reflect on your own work
- Personal organisation
- Problem solving
- Ability to deal with uncertainty
- Ability to manage risk and deal effectively with problems
- Ability to take responsibility for your own actions
- Conscientiousness
- Insight into your own health
- Communication skills, including reading, writing, listening and speaking
- Teamwork abilities
- Ability to treat people with compassion, respect and dignity
- Resilience and the ability to deal with difficult situations
- Empathy and the ability to care for others
- Honesty
- Emotional intelligence
- Ethical judgement
At Medic Mind we’ve helped many students secure offers from Leicester and other medical schools. If you’re applying to Leicester, we can do a high quality 1-1 mock with you with an Leicester tutor and realistic stations uniquely for Leicester.
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How is each station scored?
Each station will be scored and an applicant will be ranked on the basis of the total scores. Where two or more applicants are equally ranked, all aspects of the application may be used as a tie-breaker.
What to bring to the interview?
You will need to bring a photo ID. You may keep a reusable bottle of water with you, along with a notepad and pencil if you wish. You will be asked to leave your mobile phone in a secure room.
How many interviewed applicants received an offer from University of Leicester?
The number of offers likely to be made will be determined prior to each admissions cycle following a review of the previous year. Last year, there were 3,658 applications and 1,351 interviews were held. 538 offers were made for 290 places.
How long will the interview take?
The actual interview will take about 70-80 minutes.
List of Recent University of Leicester Medicine Interview Topics
| Theme | Leicester Example Questions |
|---|---|
| Data Interpretation & Numerical Analysis | Simple calculations |
| Video Observation | Evaluate clinical and communication skills Why is teamwork important? |
| Communication & Role-Play | Guide an individual/actor through a simple task Be encouraging |
| Motivation for Medicine | What challenges do doctors face? What motivates you to study medicine? |
| Personal Qualities | What are your strengths? Give examples of when personal qualities of yours have influenced the outcome of a situation |
| Video Observation 2 | Why is the role of a GP important? Discuss the GMC Guidelines and Duties of a Doctor |
| Article Evaluation | NHS Hot Topics Wider Reading |
| Communication & Role-Play 2 | Demonstrate empathy |
If you would like to practice for the Leicester Medicine Interview, have a go at the following questions and check out our video on approaching MMI role plays here
- When should problems in a healthcare setting be reported to a higher authority?
- Why is confidentiality important? (You can also check out our interview video on confidentiality here
- A patient is prescribed 50mg, tablets are 12.5mg each: how many tablets will you give?
- A drug is available as 20mg/5ml: your patient’s prescription is for 40mg, how many ml will be given?
- Talk about something you’ve recently read that is related to medicine
A Leicester Medical Student’s Perspective
Name 3 Reasons why you picked Leicester
Reason 1 – The course structure
Leicester’s course structure is really organised because it allows integration of key baseline knowledge during your first few years and then integrate it into clinical years during the third to fifth years. Unlike other universities, they incorporate clinical knowledge in the first and second years through bedside teaching, cadaver dissections, and interactive group work. The modules effectively prepare students for their clinical years, which begin with general specialties and then focus on specific areas in the fourth year. This allows students to spend a lot of time on specialty wards compared to other universities, where placements are often limited to just a week or two.
Reason 2 – The environment
Leicester university has a really lovely modern medical school building separate from the main campus which provides a strong sense of community among students in the programme. There are also medical-specific societies that cater to their unique schedules. Plus, the city centre always has something exciting to do with their vast number of food places and activities.
Reason 3 – The teaching.
Leicester has a brilliant set of professors, clinical health care professionals and clinical teaching fellows which are very skilled in explaining the difficult concepts in simple terms. They are always very welcoming and approachable if the student has any questions or needs more help with the concept. The feedback that they receive from the students on a regular basis also gets acted on very quickly. In general, the staff at Leicester has always been really helpful in both academic and non-academic issues.
What makes Leicester unique to other medical schools?
Leicester stands out with its dedicated dissection room, heavily utilised in the first year. Before dissection sessions, we receive pre-reading materials and a workbook filled with essential notes. We then engage in lectures, group work, and finally dissect the relevant body part on cadavers. This approach allows us, students, to reinforce their understanding of anatomy through multiple learning methods.
Moreover, Leicester recognises the emotional challenges of medical school. Their “Health Enhancement Programme” teaches research-backed strategies for managing mental health and promotes healthy habits like meditation. Additionally, students can choose their clinical partners during their placements, making the experience more enjoyable and supportive during challenging times.
Insider Guide: University of Leicester Medicine Interview Day
How did you use the information provided at each University of Leicester MMI stations?
I picked out the key points of the scenario and thought about what skills or knowledge they want me to demonstrate. I just kept thinking – they want me to pass the interview so I calmed myself and tried to be as confident as possible. I linked the scenarios they gave me to key medical principles such as ethics or the GMC guidelines.
Here’s an article on some model answers involving Medical Ethics.
What were the University of Leicester MMI examiners like? Did the University of Leicester medicine interviewers ask a lot of follow up questions?
All the Leicester medicine interviewers were quite friendly – when I was stuck, they were helpful in asking follow up questions. Some of the role play stations were less friendly because they wanted to see how I act in a situation that’s unfamiliar or awkward. Follow up questions varied depending on the station. Some interviewers stuck to the questions on the instruction sheet outside the cubicle. It also depended on how well I answered them. When I covered all the points, I noticed that they did not ask any follow up questions.
Was there any guidance with timing at the University of Leicester medicine interview?
Some examiners cut me off if I begin to repeat myself or when they get all they want for that question – and then move on to the next. Although it can be a bit disconcerting to be cut off, it’s probably because I’ve answered the questions well and they wanted me to move on. I tried my best to allow the examiner to direct the interview in the way they feel is best to get the most from the interview.
What were the role-play stations like during the medicine interview at Leicester University?
There were two role-play MMI stations assessing different skills. The actors responded well to my attempt at building rapport and trying to find a solution. The most useful approach for me was to take it slowly and build an introduction (depending on my role) before steering the conversation towards the relevant issue. I did my best to demonstrate empathy and prepared myself to show off those acting skills!
What were the other Leicester MMI stations like?
The ethical questions were relatively straightforward – they sometimes used a video or an article to highlight a scenario, after which they asked questions about it. I remembered to relate all my answers back to the GMC guidelines, the Duties of a Doctor and the pillars of medical ethics. It’s also good to mention some relevant current events that can be used to emphasise my point, but I only did it when it was relevant! As for the personality station, they asked questions about how I’ve developed my personal qualities. They did want examples but I was mindful of time constraints. For the data interpretation stations, they gave an article to read. I approached this by keeping the key points in my head and made sure I can briefly summarise the article, as well as think of the wider impacts on healthcare and society.
How long did it take you to hear back after your Leicester University medicine interview?
It took a couple of months before I heard back. I received my offer around April.
Top Tips for Leicester Medicine Interview
Pre-interview Preparation
You must complete your consent form and upload your GCSE or equivalent certificates to your portal. You can more details here
On interview day (on-campus)
If you wish to stay the night before or after, be sure to book an accommodation close to the university ahead of time. You can book a special price at the University’s College Court which is an easy 30-minute walk away and has car parking on site. Please email [email protected] and quote the reference CCMED2024. (Special room rate of £32.00 + VAT on a bed and breakfast basis for single occupancy (double occupancy is an additional £21.00 + VAT per night)) There are also other accommodation options in the city centre itself.
For transportation arrangements, if you are arriving by car, parking at the University is in their multi-storey car park (LE2 7TF). Full details of car park prices can be found on our website. George Davis Centre is about a 15-minute walk from the car park.
If you’re arriving by train, the George Davis Centre is about a 15-minute walk from the train station, located on London Road.
If you are a blue badge holder or require accessible parking, please get in touch with the university at [email protected] and they will make sure you have access to suitable parking.
On interview day (online)
Ensure you will have access to the following: a device with good internet connection, a camera* and microphone, Google Chrome web browser (or Safari if iPhone or iPad but Chrome for Mac computers and laptops), and a room where you will be undisturbed. Your camera must be on for the duration of the interview so please make sure you have a reliable camera before the day of the interview.
Leicester released a video to learn about Blackboard Collaborate and more about the interviews. Please make sure to watch the video and read the online interview instructions and details before the interview.
MMI Interview Tips
- Be prepared. Read, read and read the instructions for MMI so you know what to expect and how it will run. Please make sure that you have your photographic ID with you.
- Practise questions. If possible, do roleplay practise on answering questions with a teacher or sensible adult to give you feedback on your performance. Make sure you are in the best condition to perform well which you can do by sleeping early and making sure you have eaten before the interview. Book an Online MMI Mock with a Leicester Tutor here.
- First impressions matter. Be polite and courteous at all times. Ensure you are dressed smartly and professionally. Remember to dress like you would like to see your Doctor dressed.
- Be aware of body language. Smile! Don’t be too fidgety and try to stay natural. Maintaining eye contact is also a good habit.
- Take your time. Remember to breathe. Try not to rush your answers. Speak clearly and concisely while your reasoning and thoughts. A good trick is to ask the interviewer to repeat the question whilst you think about the answer, if you prefer not to sit in silence.
- Always answer the question you have been asked. When under pressure or you have rehearsed too much, it can be easy to not answer the question being asked and maybe use a response you have prepared ‘more or less’ on that topic. Listen carefully and read all instructions so you know exactly what is being asked of you. The university is not expecting you to know anything about medicine yet. That is why you are applying to medical school – to learn.
- If you have a bad station, continue. Remember, every station is considered independently so if a station hasn’t gone as well as you may have hoped, dust it off and move on. Usually, it hasn’t gone as bad as you think and you don’t want it to affect the performance on your other stations. Keep your enthusiasm up all throughout.
- Be yourself. They want to know more about you, your goals and aspirations and your achievements. They don’t want all the applicants to be all the same – so be yourself and make it an absolute priority to show them the best of you. You have worked hard to get to this point. You got this!
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Frequently Asked Question
→What are the types of interview questions asked at the Leicester University Medicine Interview?
The Leicester University Medicine Interview consists of both traditional and MMI (multiple mini-interview) format questions. The traditional questions may include questions about an applicant’s motivation to study medicine, personal experiences, and ethical considerations. The MMI format may include scenario-based questions, communication and teamwork skills, and problem-solving questions.
→Can you provide sample interview questions that are normally asked during the interview at Leicester University Medicine?
- Why do you want to do medicine?
- Why Leicester?
- What made you choose medicine, rather than other options?
- What did you want to do before medicine?
- What subjects did you study?
- What happens once you’ve graduated?
- What can you bring to the University?
→Who conducts the Leicester University Medicine Interview?
The interview panel typically consists of academic staff, clinicians, and medical students from the University of Leicester.
→ Can I bring a guardian to the Leicester University Medicine Interview?
You may bring one person with you. They can wait in the GDC café where there will be free WiFi available; or they may choose to explore the campus.
→How are interviews sent to the Leicester University Medicine Interview?
Invitations are sent by email. We advise you to regularly check your junk folder as such emails sometimes find their way there. We don’t want you missing out on an interview because of this!
→ What happens after the Leicester University Medicine Interview?
After the interview, the interview panel will make a recommendation to the admissions committee, who will then consider the applicant’s performance in the interview and other aspects of the application before making a final decision on admission.
→When are offers made after the interview?
Offers will be made once all the interviews have been conducted. These will go out in batches, starting in mid-March. Then the university will see how many people accept their offer. This determines how many more offers they can make, and so the process will go on up to the UCAS deadline for decisions of 16 May.
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