UCLAN has not released information into the public domain on the ratio of applicants to interviews. However, you should be aware that they offer only around 15 places to domestic applicants, with preference given to those who live in the North West of England. This is versus around 100 places for international students.
The UCLAN interview normally consists of eight stations, with each station of seven minutes’ duration. You will spend two minutes reading a prompt or scenario, and then five minutes talking with your assessor. The assessor might be a doctor, lecturer, student, patient or an actor hired for the interview. You will be categorised as having automatically failed if you do not achieve a pass in six out of the eight stations. Interviews at UCLAN take place at the end of March for UK students, or from December through to June for international applicants.
UCLAN will use your transferable skills statement as part of their MMI – it will likely be used as the foundation of one of the statements. You should therefore ensure that you have read over and reflected on your statement adequately. You will likely be asked to give details of the experiences that you outlined.
500+ Questions, Model Answers with Expert Techniques & Simulated Interview Circuits
Mock Interviews, Personalised Feedback & Support From Your Own Interview Specialist.
20+ Interview Stations & Expert Feedback. Taught By Medical School Interview Specialists.
You should read the General Medical Council’s ‘Good Medical Practice’ document, which provides an overview of the attributes that you will be assessed on during your UCLAN interview. UCLAN are particularly looking for your reasons for studying Medicine, your understanding of the role of a doctor, your work experience or caring experience, your work vs life balance (showing that you are able to maintain a variety of interests outside of your academic work), your initiative and enterprise (your ability to be a self-starter who looks to establish or start things for themselves), and your team working and communication skills.
You should reflect on each of the above categories, especially those that are less typical. In particular, consider how you are able to show initiative – as a new medical school, it is likely to be especially important to the UCLAN admissions team that their students are able to push the school forward.
You should also look to keep up to date with medical and healthcare news, and ensure that you are able to discuss ethical dilemmas with the appropriate grasp of the principle ethical pillars.
Initiative and Enterprise
Tell me about a club, team or activity that you started yourself.
What do you think ‘having initiative’ means? How can you show that you have initiative?
Why do you think it is important to us that our students are enterprising and show initiative?
How have you pushed yourself to go beyond the core structure of your classes at school?
Learn the best interview strategies and practice with past interview questions & model answers.
Team Working & Communication
Tell me about the importance of being able to communicate with a wide range of people.
Tell me about a time when your ability to communicate was crucial in your success, or the success of your team.
Tell me about someone that you found it tough to communicate with.
Who do doctors have to communicate with, apart from their patients?
What are the main attributes of a good team player?
What are the principal attributes of a good leader?
Motivation for Medicine
Why do you want to be a doctor?
Why are you interested in Medicine rather than Dentistry or Veterinary Medicine?
Why are you interested in Medicine rather than Nursing?
How have you educated yourself on what a career in Medicine is likely to entail?
Tell me about the challenges you expect to face during your medical career.
What do you think will be the most rewarding part of Medicine for you?
What have you found most surprising about Medicine from your experience and research so far?
Work/Life Balance
What sports do you enjoy playing?
Do you play a musical instrument or take part in music in another way?
How do you balance your work and your life outside of work?
How do you think you will deal with stress during your medical studies and during the career that follows?
Have you ever found yourself struggling to balance your school work with your personal life?
