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Medicine interviews, 2027 entry
BSMS Medicine Interview Questions (2027 Entry)
How Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) runs its multiple mini interviews for 2027 entry: the choice between an in-person and a Zoom interview, the five ten-minute stations, why your personal statement plays no part, and 56 practice questions grouped by the core values BSMS tells you to prepare against, with model answers.
Reviewed by Dr Akash Gandhi, NHS GP and a Cambridge and UCL graduate (GMC register) · Checked against BSMS's official pages: 26 October 2026
BSMS medicine interviews, 2027 entry
Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) interviews for 2027 entry by multiple mini interview: five ten-minute stations, about an hour in all. UK applicants choose in person in early December 2026 or early January 2027, or Zoom in late January or early February 2027. For 2026 entry, 85% of home applicants invited to interview received an offer.
- 2027 dates
- December 2026 to February 2027: in person in early December or early January, or on Zoom in late January or early FebruaryBrighton and Sussex Medical School, Admissions process (UK and international students) (2027 entry)
- Format
- Multiple mini interviews (MMIs): five stations of ten minutes each, with a short break between stations; roughly one hour in totalBrighton and Sussex Medical School, FAQs: entry requirements (MMI, work experience, personal statement and admissions figures) (2027 entry applications; figures for 2026 entry)
- In person or online
- UK applicants choose. The format, questions and mark schemes are the same either way, and BSMS says neither gives an advantageBrighton and Sussex Medical School, FAQs: entry requirements (MMI, work experience, personal statement and admissions figures) (2027 entry applications; figures for 2026 entry)
- International applicants
- In person, or on Zoom for those unable to attend because of mitigating circumstances; BSMS says international MMIs are held in February and March but may be at other times
- Personal statement
- Not used at any point in the BSMS admissions processBrighton and Sussex Medical School, Admissions process (UK and international students) (2027 entry)
- Prepare against
- The Medical Schools Council's core values and attributes needed to study medicine, which BSMS links for interview preparationBrighton and Sussex Medical School, FAQs: entry requirements (MMI, work experience, personal statement and admissions figures) (2027 entry applications; figures for 2026 entry)
- Bring
- Photo ID that clearly states your name in English, shown at the start of the interviewBrighton and Sussex Medical School, Admissions process (UK and international students) (2027 entry)
- Offers
- Made between January and April, after the Admissions Review Group considers MMI resultsBrighton and Sussex Medical School, Admissions process (UK and international students) (2027 entry)
- Post-interview success, home, 2026 entry
- 85% (607 offers from 715 invited to interview)Admissions statistics as published on our BSMS profile (from BSMS's own admissions FAQs) (2026 entry)
- Post-interview success, international, 2026 entry
- 54% (39 offers from 72 invited to interview)Admissions statistics as published on our BSMS profile (from BSMS's own admissions FAQs) (2026 entry)
Free: The Medicine Interview Guide 2027 (PDF)
An eight-week plan, the frameworks for ethics and role play, five full worked answers with the follow-ups to expect, every school’s interview format, and 20 practice questions with a self-marking sheet. Written by our doctors and dentists.
How does BSMS interview for medicine?
Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS), the joint medical school of the Universities of Brighton and Sussex, interviews with multiple mini interviews (MMIs). The circuit has five stations, each lasting ten minutes, with a short break between stations. You move from one station to the next until you have completed the full circuit, which takes roughly one hour.
You can interview in person or remotely on Zoom, and BSMS is clear that the choice makes no difference to your chances: the format is the same, and the questions and mark schemes are the same across the whole interview period. BSMS leaves it to you to decide which suits you better.
BSMS does not use personal statements at any point in its admissions process, so no station is built around what you wrote. What BSMS does ask is that you reflect on your own experiences against the core values and attributes needed to study medicine, which is where the questions on this page start.
New to the MMI format? Our MMI preparation guide covers how a circuit works in general, so this page stays on what is specific to BSMS.
Source: Brighton and Sussex Medical School, FAQs: entry requirements (MMI, work experience, personal statement and admissions figures) (2027 entry applications; figures for 2026 entry); Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Admissions process (UK and international students) (2027 entry)
When are BSMS medicine interviews for 2027 entry?
| Applicants | When | Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| UK, in person | Early December 2026 or early January 2027 | On campus |
| UK, online | Late January or early February 2027 | Zoom |
| International | February and March 2027, but may be at other times | In person; Zoom for those unable to attend because of mitigating circumstances |
BSMS's admissions page for September 2027 entry says interviews run from December 2026 through to February 2027, and that UK applicants choose between an in-person interview (early December or early January) and a Zoom interview (late January or early February). BSMS does not publish named days. Its general FAQs describe the usual pattern more loosely, as December to March, and its entry requirements page puts international MMIs in February and March.
After you apply, BSMS emails you an invitation to activate the University of Brighton applicant area, and invites you to upload evidence of any contextual data. Joining instructions are sent before your interview: read them fully, because they confirm the documents you need and the location, in person or online. Compare the BSMS window with your other schools in our UK medical school interview dates table.
Source: Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Admissions process (UK and international students) (2027 entry); Brighton and Sussex Medical School, FAQs: entry requirements (MMI, work experience, personal statement and admissions figures) (2027 entry applications; figures for 2026 entry); Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Entry requirements (selection for interview, international applicants) (no year stated; current page)
How does BSMS decide who to interview?
BSMS ranks applicants who meet its academic requirements and score Band 1, 2 or 3 in the UCAT Situational Judgement Test by their UCAT score, and aims to give 30% of its interviews to applicants with contextual data, who are ranked separately. The scores, the contextual criteria and the guaranteed interview schemes are on our BSMS medical school profile, which is the page for that question.
Source: Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Entry requirements (selection for interview, international applicants) (no year stated; current page); Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Admissions process (UK and international students) (2027 entry)
What does BSMS assess at interview?
BSMS gives applicants two pieces of preparation advice. First, reflect on your experiences, considering when you have shown the core values and attributes needed to study medicine, as published by the Medical Schools Council, and why those values matter for doctors. Second, develop a realistic understanding of what it is like to work in medicine.
The Medical Schools Council statement that BSMS links groups those values under four headings taken from the GMC's Good Medical Practice:
- Knowledge, skills and performance: motivation and interest in medicine, insight and reflection, personal organisation, problem solving, dealing with uncertainty, and resilience.
- Safety and quality: managing risk, taking responsibility for your own actions, conscientiousness, and insight into your own health.
- Communication, partnership and teamwork: effective communication and working in a team.
- Maintaining trust: treating people with respect, empathy and the ability to care for others, and honesty.
On work experience, BSMS sets no required amount or type, and says you do not need clinical experience. It does expect you to have a realistic understanding of medicine, to have engaged with a wide range of people, and to show skills such as teamwork, leadership, communication, resilience and empathy, which you can build in a charity shop, a hospitality job, a sports team or an after-school club. BSMS says it is your responsibility to reflect on those experiences and work out why they matter for medicine.
The six themes below follow that guidance: the four headings, then motivation and a realistic view of medicine, and the inequalities and sustainability teaching that runs through the BSMS course. The questions are practice questions written by TheUKCATPeople from what BSMS publishes. They are not real or leaked BSMS questions, and nothing here comes from students reporting what they were asked.
Source: Brighton and Sussex Medical School, FAQs: entry requirements (MMI, work experience, personal statement and admissions figures) (2027 entry applications; figures for 2026 entry); Medical Schools Council, Statement on the core values and attributes needed to study medicine (linked by BSMS for interview preparation) (2018 update)
BSMS medicine interview questions, by theme
Grouped by what BSMS says it assesses. Each question has a note on what a strong answer covers, and the BSMS-specific ones have a full model answer. These are practice questions written by TheUKCATPeople from BSMS's published guidance, not real or leaked questions.
- Motivation and a realistic understanding of medicine (1 to 10)
- Insight, reflection, resilience and dealing with uncertainty (11 to 19)
- Safety, responsibility and looking after yourself (20 to 27)
- Communication, partnership and teamwork (28 to 37)
- Maintaining trust: respect, empathy, honesty and ethics (38 to 47)
- Inequalities, sustainability and the wider NHS (48 to 56)
Motivation and a realistic understanding of medicine
What BSMS says: BSMS recommends that applicants develop a realistic understanding of what it is like to work in medicine, and expects them to have a realistic understanding of medicine and what it means to be a doctor. Brighton and Sussex Medical School, FAQs: entry requirements (MMI, work experience, personal statement and admissions figures)
BSMS does not read your personal statement, so this is your first chance to explain why you want to be a doctor. It asks for a realistic picture of the job, not an inspiring one. Know what the working life involves, where you learned it, and what about the BSMS course suits you, using the course pages themselves.
- 1
Why do you want to be a doctor?
What to cover: Give a short starting point, then spend the time on what you have done to test the idea and what you saw that kept you going. BSMS has no personal statement to fall back on, so the detail has to come from you here.
- 2
Why BSMS?
What to cover: Choose two features of the course and link each to something about you, such as the Time for Dementia visits or the family study in Year 1. Avoid the beach and the city; they say nothing about you as a future doctor.
- 3
BSMS says you do not need clinical work experience. How else have you found out what being a doctor involves?
What to cover: Talk about what you used: virtual work experience, conversations with doctors, caring roles or a job dealing with the public. Then say what each one taught you about the reality of the work.
- 4
What is the hardest part of a doctor's job, in your view, and how do you know?
What to cover: Choose something specific, such as uncertainty, night shifts or giving bad news, and say where you learned it. A source you can name makes the answer believable.
- 5
Tell me about a part-time job or volunteering role and what it has taught you about working in medicine.
What to cover: BSMS names hospitality and charity shop work as valid experience. Describe one real moment, what you did, and link it to a value such as respect or teamwork.
- 6
Medicine at BSMS is a five-year course with around 40-week teaching years from Year 3. How will you keep going?
What to cover: Show you know the workload is heavy, then describe how you already manage pressure and who you would turn to. Each BSMS student has a Clinical Personal Tutor they meet every term.
- 7
Why medicine and not another healthcare profession?
What to cover: Speak about nursing, paramedic or physician associate work accurately and with respect, then give a reason that belongs to the doctor's role, such as diagnosis and carrying overall clinical responsibility.
- 8
In Year 4 at BSMS you complete a year-long Individual Research Project. What would you like to research, and why?
What to cover: Pick an area you can talk about sensibly and explain why it matters to patients. The interviewer is looking for curiosity and a sense of how research changes practice, not expertise.
- 9
What do you expect to be different about being a medical student compared with sixth form?
What to cover: Talk about independent study, small group work, placements and responsibility for your own learning. Show you have started to prepare for it.
- 10
If you do not get a place this year, what will you do?
What to cover: Give a realistic plan: reflect on the application, improve where you can and reapply. BSMS says it actively welcomes reapplicants and sees reapplying as a sign of resilience.
Model answer
Why BSMS?
The first thing is the Time for Dementia programme. As I understand it, BSMS students visit the same person living with dementia and their carer at home over two years. My grandmother had dementia, and the people who helped our family most were the ones who came back and knew us. I want to learn medicine by getting to know one family over time, as well as by seeing patients on a ward.
The second is how early clinical learning starts. In the first two years about a fifth of the learning is clinically based, and in Year 1 students may spend time learning from a family with a new baby. I want to understand how illness and health fit into people's lives before I specialise in treating them.
I also like that the course teaches health inequalities as its own strand, and that each student has a Clinical Personal Tutor every term. I work best when I can talk through what I have learned with someone, and I would use that support.
Go deeper: How to answer "Why medicine?"
Insight, reflection, resilience and dealing with uncertainty
What BSMS says: BSMS asks applicants to reflect on their experiences, considering when they have demonstrated the core values and attributes needed to study medicine. The Medical Schools Council statement it links lists insight and reflection, personal organisation, problem solving, dealing with uncertainty and resilience under knowledge, skills and performance. Brighton and Sussex Medical School, FAQs: entry requirements (MMI, work experience, personal statement and admissions figures)
Reflection is the word BSMS uses most in its advice, and it is what BSMS students do throughout the course, in an e-portfolio and with a personal tutor. A reflective answer describes what happened, what you thought and felt, what you learned and what you now do differently. Practise saying all four parts out loud in under two minutes.
- 11
Tell me about something you have done that did not go well. What would you do differently?
What to cover: Choose a real setback with a consequence. Spend most of the answer on what you learned and how your behaviour changed afterwards.
- 12
BSMS students keep an e-portfolio to reflect on how they are developing. Tell me about an experience you have reflected on and what changed as a result.
What to cover: Walk through what happened, what you noticed about yourself and the specific change you made. The change is the part the interviewer is listening for.
- 13
What is your biggest weakness, and what are you doing about it?
What to cover: Name a real weakness that matters at medical school, such as finding it hard to ask for help, and give the steps you are taking. A weakness disguised as a strength is easy to spot.
- 14
Tell me about a time you had to make a decision without all the information you wanted.
What to cover: Explain what you knew, what you did not, how you decided and what you would check next time. Doctors make decisions under uncertainty every day.
- 15
How do you cope when you are under pressure? Give an example.
What to cover: Describe what you actually do, such as planning, exercise or talking to someone, and a time it was tested. Then say how you would spot that it was no longer working.
- 16
Tell me about a time you received criticism. How did you respond?
What to cover: Show that you listened, separated the feedback from your feelings about it, and used it. Placements at BSMS end with a supervisor's assessment of your professionalism and teamwork.
- 17
How do you organise your time when you have several things due at once?
What to cover: Give your real method and a week it worked. Personal organisation is one of the attributes BSMS points you to.
- 18
What have you learned about yourself from a team you were part of?
What to cover: Pick one insight about how you work with others, such as taking on too much, and an example. Insight into yourself is what makes the answer score.
- 19
Tell me about a time you were out of your comfort zone.
What to cover: Choose a situation that stretched you, such as speaking to a group or meeting people very different from you, and describe what helped you manage it.
Model answer
BSMS students keep an e-portfolio to reflect on how they are developing. Tell me about an experience you have reflected on and what changed as a result.
Last year I worked weekend shifts in a busy café. One Saturday a customer complained loudly that his order was wrong, and I argued back that it was what he had asked for. He left angry, and my manager had a word with me afterwards.
That evening I thought about it properly. I had been right about the order, but I had made it about being right. He was clearly having a bad day, and what he needed was for someone to sort it out calmly. I also noticed that I get defensive when I am tired and busy, which is worth knowing about myself before a career with long shifts.
What changed is that I now acknowledge the problem first and fix it, and only talk about what went wrong once the person feels listened to. A few weeks later a similar complaint ended with the customer thanking me. I think that is what reflection is for: noticing a pattern in yourself and doing something about it.
Go deeper: Medicine work experience guide
Safety, responsibility and looking after yourself
What BSMS says: Under safety and quality, the Medical Schools Council statement that BSMS links lists managing risk and dealing effectively with problems, personal responsibility, conscientiousness and insight into your own health. Medical Schools Council, Statement on the core values and attributes needed to study medicine (linked by BSMS for interview preparation)
These questions test whether you take responsibility, know the limits of your role and act when someone might be at risk. As a student you will rarely be the person who fixes the problem, so a strong answer is usually about noticing, acting promptly and telling the right person. BSMS teaches dealing with error, and quality and safety, in its personal and professional development sessions.
- 20
In Year 1 at BSMS you may spend time learning from a family with a new baby. On one visit, the parent says they have not slept for days and feel they cannot cope. What do you do?
What to cover: Listen and take it seriously, without giving clinical advice. Encourage them to speak to their health visitor or GP, and tell your supervisor if you are worried about the parent's or baby's safety.
- 21
You realise you have made a mistake on a placement task that nobody else has noticed. What do you do?
What to cover: Tell your supervisor straight away and help put it right. Explain why openness about errors protects patients, and why hiding one makes the next mistake more likely.
- 22
A fellow student keeps arriving late to placement and missing sessions. What do you do?
What to cover: Speak to them privately first and find out whether something is wrong. If it continues or patients could be affected, raise it with a tutor.
- 23
Why does a medical student's own health matter to patients?
What to cover: Link tiredness, stress and illness to errors and to infection risk. BSMS asks every student to complete a health questionnaire and screens new students for some infections for this reason.
- 24
You are asked on placement to do something you have not been trained to do. What do you say?
What to cover: Decline politely, explain that you have not been trained, and offer to watch or help. Knowing the limits of your competence is a safety skill.
- 25
Tell me about a time you took responsibility for something that was not strictly your job.
What to cover: Choose an example where you noticed a problem and acted. Say why you stepped in and how you made sure the right person knew.
- 26
You see a fellow student post a photo from a hospital placement online, with a patient's notes visible in the background. What do you do?
What to cover: Treat it as a confidentiality breach. Ask them to remove it at once and tell a tutor if they will not. Our confidentiality guide explains where the line sits.
- 27
BSMS asks applicants to declare any cautions or convictions, and offers depend on a DBS check. Why do medical schools care about this?
What to cover: Talk about patient trust and the safety of vulnerable people. BSMS says a conviction does not automatically rule someone out, but failing to declare one can lead to exclusion.
Model answer
In Year 1 at BSMS you may spend time learning from a family with a new baby. On one visit, the parent says they have not slept for days and feel they cannot cope. What do you do?
First I would stop what I had planned to ask and listen. I would say something like, "That sounds really hard. Can you tell me a bit more about how you've been feeling?" Exhaustion with a new baby is common, but feeling unable to cope can also be a sign of postnatal depression, so I would want to understand how they are, without trying to diagnose anything.
As a first-year student I am not there to give clinical advice, and I would be clear about that. I would encourage them to talk to their health visitor or GP soon, and check whether they have someone who can help at home, such as a partner or family member.
If anything they said made me worried about their safety or the baby's, for example thoughts of harming themselves, I would not keep it to myself. I would tell them kindly that I needed to share it, and contact my supervisor straight away. Afterwards I would talk it through with my tutor, both to check I had done the right thing and because it is a lot to carry as a student.
Go deeper: The GMC guide for interviews
Interview preparation
1-1 interview coaching and mock interviews for BSMS, 2027 entry
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Communication, partnership and teamwork
What BSMS says: Effective communication and teamwork sit under communication, partnership and teamwork in the Medical Schools Council statement BSMS links. BSMS's own work experience guidance names teamwork, leadership and good communication skills among the attributes it expects candidates to show. Brighton and Sussex Medical School, FAQs: entry requirements (MMI, work experience, personal statement and admissions figures)
With ten minutes a station, BSMS gives you longer than most schools to hold a conversation, so a role-play station has room for you to listen properly before you respond. Find out what the person already knows and what worries them, and check they have understood. The BSMS course assesses communication in its own exams, through observed stations with actors playing patients.
- 28
On a Time for Dementia visit, the wife of a man with dementia becomes tearful and says nobody ever asks how she is. Talk to her.
What to cover: Stop and give her your attention. Acknowledge how hard caring is, let her talk, and avoid promising anything you cannot deliver. Our empathy guide covers the difference between empathy and sympathy.
- 29
Explain to a ten-year-old what happens when they have a blood test.
What to cover: Use short words, be truthful that it will hurt a little for a moment, and check they understand. Give them something they can control, such as which arm to use.
- 30
A friend on your course is struggling and has started missing teaching. Talk to them.
What to cover: Open gently, listen more than you speak, and avoid lecturing. Point them to their Clinical Personal Tutor and student support, and check they are safe.
- 31
Your group has to present a case and one member has done none of the work. How do you handle it?
What to cover: Find out why first, then agree a fair share of the remaining work. Raise it with the tutor only if talking to them does not work.
- 32
Tell me about a time you led a group. What did you do well, and what would you change?
What to cover: BSMS names leadership among the attributes it expects. Show how you listened, shared tasks and dealt with a disagreement, then give one thing you would do differently.
- 33
A patient on a placement ward is angry that their operation has been cancelled for the second time. Talk to them.
What to cover: Let them speak, acknowledge their frustration, and do not make excuses. Offer to find someone who can explain what happens next.
- 34
How would you explain a medical term to someone whose first language is not English?
What to cover: Talk about professional interpreters, plain words, short sentences and checking understanding. Explain why a family member is not a substitute for an interpreter.
- 35
What makes a good team member in a hospital?
What to cover: Talk about clear communication, respect for other professions and speaking up about safety. Our guide to the multidisciplinary team explains who does what.
- 36
Tell me about a time you had to work with someone you found difficult.
What to cover: Describe what made it hard without blaming them, what you did to make it work, and what you learned about yourself.
- 37
A visitor stops you in the corridor and asks how their mother in the ward is doing. What do you say?
What to cover: Be kind, but do not share information: you cannot confirm who they are or whether the patient consents. Offer to find the nurse in charge.
Model answer
On a Time for Dementia visit, the wife of a man with dementia becomes tearful and says nobody ever asks how she is. Talk to her.
I would stop what I was doing and turn towards her. "I'm so sorry. It sounds like you've been carrying a lot on your own. Would you like to tell me about it?" Then I would let her talk, without rushing to fix anything, and show I was listening by reflecting back what she said.
Once she had said what she needed to, I would ask what a typical day is like for her and whether anyone helps. I would acknowledge that caring for someone you love as they change is exhausting, and that her feelings make sense.
I would be clear about what I can do as a student. I cannot arrange support myself, but I can ask whether she would like me to mention how she is feeling to the Alzheimer's Society contact who supports the family, and I could suggest she speaks to her GP, who can also look after carers. Before we finished, I would thank her for telling me, and I would include what I learned in my reflective account after the visit.
Go deeper: MMI role-play stations
Maintaining trust: respect, empathy, honesty and ethics
What BSMS says: Under maintaining trust, the Medical Schools Council statement BSMS links lists the ability to treat people with respect, empathy and the ability to care for others, and honesty. BSMS's personal and professional development teaching covers professionalism, ethics, law and cultural humility. Medical Schools Council, Statement on the core values and attributes needed to study medicine (linked by BSMS for interview preparation)
Ethics questions are a test of how you reason and how you treat people. Say whose interests are involved, what matters, what you would do and what would change your mind. BSMS teaches ethics, law and professionalism from Year 1, so the interview expects a sensible beginner, not an expert; our guide to answering ethics questions gives you a structure.
- 38
BSMS teaches students to be active bystanders. On placement, you hear a member of staff make a racist comment about a patient. What do you do?
What to cover: Say how you would respond safely in the moment, check on the patient, and report it to your supervisor. Explain why discrimination affects care, not only feelings.
- 39
A patient with capacity refuses a blood transfusion that doctors think could save their life. What should happen?
What to cover: Check they understand the risks, explore their reasons and offer alternatives. Then respect the decision, because autonomy protects choices doctors disagree with.
- 40
A friend asks you to sign them in to a lecture they are missing. What do you do?
What to cover: Say no, and explain why: it is dishonest and attendance is part of professionalism. Help them catch up some other way.
- 41
Is it ever right to tell a patient a lie?
What to cover: Explain why trust depends on truthfulness, then separate lying from choosing when and how to share difficult news. The GMC expects doctors to be open when things go wrong.
- 42
A 15-year-old asks for contraception and does not want her parents told. What are the issues?
What to cover: Talk about whether she can consent, her right to confidentiality and any signs she is at risk. Our Gillick competence guide sets out the test.
- 43
What does respect mean when a patient's beliefs are very different from yours?
What to cover: Talk about listening, not judging, and adapting care where you can. BSMS teaches cultural humility, which starts from accepting what you do not know about someone's life.
- 44
You notice a doctor you are shadowing smells of alcohol at the start of a shift. What do you do?
What to cover: Patient safety comes first, so act today: speak to a senior. Our whistleblowing guide covers raising concerns.
- 45
Should patients who miss many appointments be charged?
What to cover: Weigh the cost of missed appointments against why people miss them, such as poverty, caring duties or illness. Consider who a charge would hurt most and come to a view.
- 46
What is the difference between empathy and sympathy, and why does it matter for a doctor?
What to cover: Empathy is understanding how someone feels from their point of view; sympathy is feeling sorry for them. Explain how empathy helps a patient feel heard and still lets the doctor make good decisions.
- 47
A patient asks you not to tell their family about their diagnosis, but the family keep asking you. What do you do?
What to cover: Respect the patient's wishes and do not share. Be kind to the family, and gently encourage the patient to think about who they would like to know.
Model answer
BSMS teaches students to be active bystanders. On placement, you hear a member of staff make a racist comment about a patient. What do you do?
First, I would think about the patient. If they might have heard it, I would make sure they were all right and treated with respect, because the harm to them comes first. Depending on the situation, I might say something calm in the moment, such as "I don't think that's fair to say", if I felt it was safe to do so.
Whether or not I spoke up at the time, I would not leave it there. I would tell my supervisor or the nurse in charge what I heard, as factually as I could, and I would also mention it to my Clinical Personal Tutor. Comments like that are offensive, and they can also affect how a patient is treated, for example whether their pain is taken seriously.
I understand BSMS teaches active bystandership through role play for exactly this reason: it is much easier to act if you have practised what to say. As a student I might feel junior and want to stay quiet, but staying quiet tells everyone, including the patient, that the comment was acceptable.
Go deeper: The four pillars of medical ethics
Inequalities, sustainability and the wider NHS
What BSMS says: BSMS says it aims to help students become doctors working in a patient-centred, socially responsible way, teaches an 'Inequalities and Inclusion in Healthcare' strand from Years 1 and 2, and has declared a climate and ecological emergency. It asks applicants for a realistic understanding of medicine. Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Inequalities teaching
BSMS publishes two subjects that run through its course and its research: inequalities in health and the sustainability of healthcare. You do not need to know BSMS's research, but you should be able to talk about both as they affect patients. Add two or three current NHS issues you can explain clearly, using our medicine interview hot topics guide.
- 48
Why should a medical school care about sustainability?
What to cover: Link climate change to health, then healthcare's own footprint. BSMS states the NHS in England produces around 22 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent each year.
- 49
Why do people from some communities have worse health than others, and what can a doctor do about it?
What to cover: Explain the social causes, such as income, housing and education, then a doctor's part, from noticing to referring and advocating. Use one clear example.
- 50
BSMS defines sustainability as environmental, social and financial. What would a sustainable change to a hospital look like?
What to cover: Choose one change, such as reusable equipment where safe, and test it against all three: carbon, the people affected and cost.
- 51
What challenges do people with learning disabilities face when using the NHS?
What to cover: BSMS names people living with disabilities and learning disabilities among the groups its teaching focuses on. Talk about communication, reasonable adjustments and diagnostic overshadowing.
- 52
Why is dementia care a growing challenge for the NHS and social care?
What to cover: Talk about an ageing population, the strain on family carers and the gap between health and social care. BSMS's Time for Dementia programme exists to build understanding of this.
- 53
What are the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence in the NHS?
What to cover: Give one real benefit and one real risk, such as bias in the data or unclear responsibility for mistakes. Our AI in medicine guide has examples.
- 54
Why are NHS waiting lists so long, and what would you change first?
What to cover: Pick one lever, such as diagnostic capacity or care in the community, and give its limits. Our guide to the NHS backlog has the background.
- 55
What is one health story in the news you have followed, and why does it matter to patients?
What to cover: Choose a story you can explain in detail and link it to patients. If you cannot discuss it for two minutes, choose another.
- 56
How can a doctor make sure an autistic patient has a good appointment?
What to cover: Talk about asking what helps, reducing noise and waiting, clear communication and allowing more time. BSMS students take part in Time for Autism in Year 4.
Model answer
Why should a medical school care about sustainability?
Because climate change is a health problem. Heatwaves are dangerous for older people and anyone with heart or lung disease, and air pollution makes asthma and other conditions worse. Whatever specialty a doctor goes into, they will be treating the effects.
Healthcare also adds to the problem. BSMS says the NHS in England produces around 22 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent each year, and it points to the growing use of single-use plastics in healthcare. A medical school trains the people who will make thousands of those choices over a career.
I like that BSMS uses a definition that includes people and money as well as carbon. A greener option is only sustainable if it is safe for patients, fair to the workers who make the products, and affordable for the NHS. So I think the most useful thing a doctor can do is avoid waste in ordinary practice, such as tests and prescriptions that are not needed, which helps patients and the planet at the same time.
Go deeper: Health inequalities and the Marmot review
How is the BSMS MMI scored?
BSMS says that both the questions and the mark schemes are the same across the entire interview period, in person and online, which is why it says neither format gives an advantage. It does not publish its mark schemes or how station scores are combined. MMI results go to the Admissions Review Group, and the admissions board decides who receives an offer.
Source: Brighton and Sussex Medical School, FAQs: entry requirements (MMI, work experience, personal statement and admissions figures) (2027 entry applications; figures for 2026 entry); Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Admissions process (UK and international students) (2027 entry)
What happens on the day, and what should I bring?
- Photo ID: at the beginning of the interview you must present photo ID that clearly states your name in English with a clear photo. BSMS says that without it you will not be interviewed and you risk forfeiting your place.
- Joining instructions: these arrive before your interview and confirm the documents you need and where to go, or how to join online. Read them fully.
- Online: you need a device that can join a Zoom meeting, with a working camera and microphone. BSMS suggests headphones so you can hear the questions clearly, and you can test your equipment with a Zoom test meeting.
- Your room: online candidates are asked to show the interviewers around their room, so set up a quiet space with a clear desk and dress as you would in person. If you do not have a suitable space or equipment, BSMS suggests asking your school or college first.
- Connection problems: BSMS assesses disruption case by case and, where appropriate, offers the chance to sit the full interview again or redo the affected questions.
- What to wear: there is no formal dress code. BSMS reminds you that you are applying for a professional course and says many candidates choose smart-casual. In person, wear smart but comfortable shoes for walking around campus.
Source: Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Admissions process (UK and international students) (2027 entry); Brighton and Sussex Medical School, FAQs: entry requirements (MMI, work experience, personal statement and admissions figures) (2027 entry applications; figures for 2026 entry)
What happens after the BSMS interview?
MMI results are considered by the Admissions Review Group, and offers are made between January and April. BSMS does not publish whether candidates interviewed earlier hear earlier. Offers are conditional on your grades, a satisfactory health assessment and a DBS check, which is carried out in the summer before enrolment.
BSMS publishes its own figures. For 2026 entry, 607 of the 715 home applicants invited to interview received an offer (85%), and 39 of the 72 international applicants (54%). BSMS also made 22 home offers for 2027 entry in that round. BSMS expects 197 places for UK entrants and 10 for international entrants in September 2027.
Source: Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Admissions process (UK and international students) (2027 entry); Brighton and Sussex Medical School, FAQs: entry requirements (MMI, work experience, personal statement and admissions figures) (2027 entry applications; figures for 2026 entry); Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Fitness to practise (no year stated); Admissions statistics as published on our BSMS profile (from BSMS's own admissions FAQs) (2026 entry)
Practise a BSMS-style interview
A timed mock in the format BSMS uses, built from the themes BSMS publishes. Record yourself, then mark it against the pointers above.
Common mistakes at the BSMS interview
- 1
Preparing to talk about your personal statement
BSMS does not use personal statements at any point. Prepare to describe your experiences from scratch, with the detail and reflection a written statement would have carried.
- 2
Listing values without examples
BSMS asks you to reflect on when you have shown the core values. Naming empathy or teamwork scores little; a short, real example of each scores far more.
- 3
Thinking you need hospital experience
BSMS says you do not need clinical experience. A part-time job or volunteering you can reflect on well is worth more than a week of shadowing you cannot discuss.
- 4
Choosing a format to gain an advantage
The questions and mark schemes are the same in person and on Zoom. Pick the format and date that let you perform at your best, and plan your travel or your room accordingly.
- 5
Forgetting your photo ID
Without photo ID that clearly states your name in English, BSMS will not interview you. Have it ready before you leave home or log in.
- 6
Rushing a ten-minute station
Ten minutes is long. If you finish your answer early, expect follow-up questions, and use the time to listen to the role-player and check their understanding.
- 7
Interviewing while unwell and disputing it later
BSMS will not accept disputes about outcomes after the interview day on grounds of illness. If you are unwell, contact the admissions team before the interview.
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FAQs
BSMS medicine interview: common questions
Does BSMS interview for medicine?
Yes. Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) interviews shortlisted applicants by a five-station multiple mini interview, and offers are made after the Admissions Review Group considers the MMI results.
UK applicants can choose to interview in person or on Zoom.
When are BSMS medicine interviews for 2027 entry?
From December 2026 to February 2027. UK applicants choose an in-person interview in early December 2026 or early January 2027, or a Zoom interview in late January or early February 2027.
BSMS does not publish named days, and says international MMIs are held in February and March but may be at other times. Compare other schools in our interview dates table.
When will I hear whether I have a BSMS medicine interview?
BSMS does not publish a date for interview invitations. After you apply, it emails you to activate your University of Brighton applicant area, reviews applications, and sends joining instructions before your interview.
Because UK applicants choose between dates from early December to early February, reply to your invitation promptly.
Are BSMS medicine interviews online or in person?
Both: UK applicants choose between an in-person interview and a Zoom interview, and BSMS says neither gives an advantage because the questions and mark schemes are the same.
International applicants interview in person, or on Zoom if they are unable to attend because of mitigating circumstances.
How many stations are in the BSMS MMI, and how long is it?
Five stations, each lasting ten minutes, with a short break between stations; the full circuit takes roughly one hour. The format is the same in person and online.
What does BSMS look for at interview?
BSMS tells applicants to reflect on when they have shown the core values and attributes needed to study medicine, as published by the Medical Schools Council, and to develop a realistic understanding of what it is like to work in medicine.
Those values include motivation, reflection, resilience, responsibility, communication, teamwork, respect, empathy and honesty.
How does BSMS choose who to interview for medicine?
BSMS ranks applicants who meet its academic requirements and score Band 1, 2 or 3 in the UCAT Situational Judgement Test by UCAT score, and aims to give 30% of interviews to applicants with contextual data, who are ranked separately. The details are on our BSMS medical school profile.
How competitive is the BSMS medicine interview?
For 2026 entry, 85% of home applicants invited to interview received an offer (607 of 715), and 54% of international applicants (39 of 72). BSMS publishes these figures in its own admissions FAQs.
Are international applicants interviewed differently at BSMS?
The MMI is the same, but the timing and delivery differ: BSMS says international MMIs are held in February and March, though they may be at other times, and are in person unless mitigating circumstances prevent you attending, when Zoom is offered.
BSMS expects 10 places for international entrants in September 2027, and international applicants also need the UCAT.
When will I hear from BSMS after my interview?
Between January and April 2027. BSMS says decisions are typically made from January until April, after the Admissions Review Group has considered the MMI results.
Can I reschedule a BSMS medicine interview?
Possibly, if you are unwell: contact the admissions team as soon as possible using the details in your invitation, and BSMS may ask for a doctor's note or other evidence.
BSMS will not accept disputes about admissions outcomes after the interview day on the grounds that you were unwell, so do not interview if you are too ill to perform.
Does BSMS use my personal statement at interview?
No. BSMS does not use personal statements at any point in its admissions process, including the interview.
Prepare instead to talk about your experiences and what they taught you, against the core values BSMS links.
Is a BSMS Zoom interview at a disadvantage compared with in person?
No. BSMS says there is no advantage to either format, because the questions and mark schemes are the same across the whole interview period. Online candidates are asked to show the interviewers around their room, so prepare a quiet space with a clear desk.
Where these facts come from
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Admissions process (UK and international students) (2027 entry)
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, FAQs: entry requirements (MMI, work experience, personal statement and admissions figures) (2027 entry applications; figures for 2026 entry)
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Entry requirements (selection for interview, international applicants) (no year stated; current page)
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Fitness to practise (no year stated)
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Course structure (no year stated; current course)
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Assessments (no year stated)
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Inequalities teaching (no year stated)
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Sustainability (Green Healthcare Hub) (no year stated)
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Time for Dementia: education (no year stated)
- Medical Schools Council, Statement on the core values and attributes needed to study medicine (linked by BSMS for interview preparation) (2018 update)
- Admissions statistics as published on our BSMS profile (from BSMS's own admissions FAQs) (2026 entry)
Update log
- 26 October 2026: Published. Every fact checked against BSMS's own pages.
Last checked: 26 October 2026. Universities change interview arrangements during the cycle, so confirm on BSMS's own page before you travel or book. The questions above are practice questions written by TheUKCATPeople from BSMS's published guidance; they are not real or leaked interview questions.
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