​Interview Format
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The University of Aberdeen uses the multiple mini interview (MMI) format. The interview has seven stations, each taking seven minutes to complete. There is a two-minute break between stations to allow candidates to move between them and to provide sufficient time for reading the instructions at the next station.   The majority of stations have one interviewer, although, in some instances where role-play is used, there is a helper (usually a senior medical student) or actor present. Candidates are scored in each of the following areas:

• Ability to express ideas freely and coherently
• How well they use their existing knowledge to formulate answers to unknown areas
• Their ability to follow a reasoned argument and to formulate an opinion
• The degree to which they are prepared for questions
• Their ability to discuss different aspects (advantages & disadvantages) of a problem/situation
• The degree of motivation, commitment, reflection and sensitivity demonstrated

Each station will also independently score communication and interpersonal skills.

​COVID-19 Update for 2021 Entry
Interviews will be conducted between November and the end of March using the MMI format. For the 2021 intake, all interviews will be conducted online. Candidates will be emailed an invite to interview and given the details to book the most convenient slot available. The MMI will last around one hour and involve stations of 7 minutes duration.

Before the Interview
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The MMI format requires the candidate to impress a larger number of people in a short time frame. Therefore, it is essential that you approach each station as a fresh opportunity to impress the interviewer, even if the previous station did not go as well as it could have. Using the two minutes between each station to recollect your thoughts and compose yourself before you begin the next interview is highly recommended.

• Research the unique aspects of Aberdeen, specifically their curriculum relating to remote and rural options and how this would suit you. There is a shortage of medical practitioners in rural settings, so if this type of career is appealing to you, plan to communicate this in your interview.
• Review the General Medical Council’s role and the main points of the Good Medical Practice Guidance Book. This includes knowledge of the variety of career pathways available in medicine. Ensure that you can talk about potential career paths you would like to pursue as a doctor.
• Reflect on your work experience, the skills you have learnt and how these will relate your eventual career as a doctor.
• Regularly read your personal statement and ensure that you know it well. You need to be able to summarise it, as well as highlight and elaborate on any point in it.
• Be aware of any current medical issues in the media, as well as issues pertinent to NHS Scotland.

During the Interview

Many of the questions that come up in the interview will not have a ‘correct’ answer. In these cases, the interviewers are often scrutinising your ability to reflect upon and discuss the diverse aspects of a problem. It is essential to verbalise your thought process by painting a picture of the issue, before making your position or opinion clear to the interviewer. In doing this, you are demonstrating that you can consider multiple viewpoints as well as your own (something that you will regularly face in medicine).

Recent MMI Stations

​General/Personal Statement Station: This station will involve typical interview questions regarding the attributes you possess such as your ability to work as a member of a team, your ability to take responsibility for your actions, honesty and be self-reflective:

1. How do you cope with stressful situations/studying/exams?
2. What do you think are your worst qualities/weaknesses?
3. What do you think are your best qualities/strengths?
4. How would you cope being older than your peers (for mature students)?
5. How would your best friend/parents/colleagues describe you?
6. What would you do if a member of your team wasn’t pulling their weight?
   1. What would you do if they did it again?
   2. Would you involve a 3rd party?
7. What personal qualities do have you to offer?
8. Are you a leader or a follower?
9. Do you have any leadership experience?
10. Is anyone else in your family a doctor?
11. What careers do your parents have?
12. Are you the 1st of your siblings to go to University?
13. How are you going to finance medical school?
14. How did your work experience make your choice to study medicine stronger?

Motivation and Insight into Medicine: This station will not only examine your motivation to study medicine but also your genuine interest in the medical profession and medical based topics. It may lead to questions along the lines of:

1. Why medicine/why do you want to be a doctor?
2. What first made you realise you wanted to be a doctor?
3. Have you considered any other career paths prior to medicine?
4. Why are you considering Aberdeen?
5. What appeals to you about the course at Aberdeen?
6. What would you do if you didn’t get into medical school this year?
7. How will you adjust to University life?
8. How did you go about finding out about a career in medicine?
9. Have you considered a gap year/what are the advantages of having a gap year?
10. What do you want out of life other than being a doctor/are you considering any other professions?
11. What area of medicine do you see yourself in and how long will it take you to get there?
12. What are the main qualities of a doctor/build your ideal doctor/what qualities do you have which means you would make a good candidate?
13. What makes good teamwork/How do you fit into a medical team?
14. Besides communication skills, what other skills must a doctor possess?
15. Can you learn communication skills/how have you developed your communication skills?
16. What would you prefer in a doctor – Good communication skills and bad clinical skills or good clinical skills and bad communication skills?
17. How did your GP possess good communication skills?
18. Should there be a leader in a team?
19. How doctor should treat patients?
20. What do patients expect from their doctor?
21. How long do you think it takes to become a consultant surgeon?
22. Where do you see medicine going in the future?

MMI Aberdeen Role play Station: The candidate is given a scenario and is asked to work with the actor/helper to attempt to reach a solution. Specific Role Play Station examples and model answers can be found in the Online MMI Question Bank.

The General Medical Council (GMC): This station involves questions around the role of the GMC, the Good Medical Practice Guidance Book and why there are standard regulations for medical schools. It may also require the candidate to have knowledge of specific career paths e.g. becoming a GP/Consultant.

The Remote and Rural option offered by the university: This station probes the candidate’s awareness of Aberdeen-specific aspects of the curriculum such as the remote and rural option offered by the university. This may include comparisons between rural and urban practice, issues faced by rural GP’s, and the Regent and Student Pairing Schemes offered by the university.

Science/Medicine Station: A selection of recently asked questions in this station include:

1. What problems exist in the NHS other than lack of funding/how could these issues be fixed?
2. Why does one measure blood pressure, and what does it reflect?
3. Have you ever measured blood pressure, how?
4. A patient is lying in bed, his pulse is racing and his blood pressure is difficult to take, what’s wrong with him and how would you treat him?