Advice & Insight From Interview Specialists
Firstly, congratulations if you’ve been invited for interview at Nottingham! This means that you’ve been shortlisted for entry; now is your chance to show them why they should want you! Here are some tips to help you to impress your interviewers.
Nottingham uses MMIs (multiple mini interviews), consisting of 8 stations, each lasting 5 minutes. This means that each station is likely to focus on a single task, or a specific aspect of your application. There will be a sign outside the interview station (each MMI will take place in a cubicle) with some information about the station; make sure to read this and start thinking early on. The short interviews mean there is less time for warming up at each station, so it is especially important to go in switched on. Try to practice answering questions or debating a specific issue with a timer set for 5 minutes.
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Nottingham places emphasis on the soft skills of medicine, if you are unsure what this means I suggest reading the GMC’s “good medical practice” (which can be found online). Try to think of an example of a time when you have demonstrated the following skills; personal organisation, empathy, teamwork, stress management, leadership and conflict resolution. Make sure you can talk about these examples and skills, remembering the importance of self- reflection; is there anything you did in these examples that you would now do differently? What did the situation you dealt with teach you that you could apply to life as a medical student; and a doctor? Try to strike a balance between practicing to be prepared, but not sounding overly rehearsed.
Nottingham has 2 role play stations, in one you will have to help an actor complete a task, while the other is a conversation. In these stations you will need to demonstrate the skills of a good doctor; including communication, empathy, patience and compassion. In terms of communication; ask open questions, pay attention to your body language, show that you are listening (such as by nodding or saying yes) and remember to make eye contact. It is difficult to predict the questions that will be asked in these role plays; but the principles above are likely to apply. Stronger candidates will adopt a structured approach such as the BlackStone Tutors 6 Stages of MMI Role Play.
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Nottingham have a fairly specific course, where you complete a BMedSci in your 3rd year, make sure you understand what this entails (lab work and research). The course is mainly clinical case based, so teamwork and problem solving are important; and the university is proud that they still do full body dissection. Other ways to prepare are staying up to date on medical news (especially any ethical debates that are current), reading books by authors such as Atul Gawande and thinking about your work experience and personal statement. For work experience, reflection is again key. What did you admire in the doctors you watched, what did you think and feel about the patients you saw and talked to?
