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Medicine interviews, 2027 entry
Dundee Medicine Interview Questions (2027 Entry)
How the University of Dundee School of Medicine interviews in January 2027, why it is a group discussion and not an MMI, what its two stages involve, and 58 practice questions grouped by the four things Dundee says it assesses, with model answers.
Reviewed by Dr Akash Gandhi, NHS GP and a Cambridge and UCL graduate (GMC register) · Checked against Dundee's official pages: 24 October 2026
Dundee medicine interviews, 2027 entry
Dundee medicine interviews for 2027 entry are held in January 2027, in person at Ninewells, with an online option for international applicants. They are not MMIs: a 30-minute group discussion with five other applicants, observed by an assessor, then a conversation led by a second assessor. For 2023 entry, 67% of home interviewees received an offer.
- When
- January 2027; Dundee does not publish individual datesUniversity of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry)
- Where, UK applicants
- In person at the School of Medicine, Ninewells campus, DundeeUniversity of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry)
- International applicants
- Option of a remote interview online, on Blackboard CollaborateUniversity of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry)
- Format
- Not an MMI: a Preparation stage (observed group discussion) then an Assessor Discussion StageUniversity of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry)
- Group
- You and five other applicants discuss one scenario, with broad bullet points to guide youUniversity of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry)
- Length
- 1 hour 40 minutes including registration and a welcome; the group discussion is about 30 minutesUniversity of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry)
- Assessed
- Communicating effectively, working within a group, your personal values and your professionalismUniversity of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry)
- Invitations
- By email (not UCAS), released in phases, with at least two weeks' notice where possibleUniversity of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry)
- Post-interview success, home, 2023 entry
- 67% (515 offers from 763 interviewed)Admissions statistics as published on our Dundee profile, from the University of Dundee's medicine admissions statistics page (2023 entry)
- Post-interview success, international, 2023 entry
- 68% (55 offers from 81 interviewed)Admissions statistics as published on our Dundee profile, from the University of Dundee's medicine admissions statistics page (2023 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 Dundee interview for medicine?
Dundee does not use multiple mini interviews. Its interview has two parts, and you do both with the same group. In the Preparation stage, you and five other applicants discuss a specific scenario for around 30 minutes. You are given some broad points to help structure the discussion, and an assessor watches without interacting with the group.
In the Assessor Discussion Stage, your group moves to another room and meets a different assessor, who directs the conversation, framed around some of the bullet points you were given. Dundee does not publish how long this second stage lasts on its own. The whole visit takes 1 hour and 40 minutes, including registration and a welcome, and there is an optional tour and question session of about 30 minutes at the end.
The interviewers are staff and students from the School of Medicine. Dundee says it understands interviews are stressful, and that if you seem flustered the staff will be supportive and try to put you at ease.
Preparing for a group format
Most interview advice is written for MMIs, where you are alone with one interviewer. At Dundee you are assessed while talking with five other applicants, so practise in a group: with friends, at school, or with anyone who will play the part of other candidates. Our MMI preparation guide is still useful for the content of answers, but the skills marked here are listening, building on others and moving a group forward.
Source: University of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry)
When are Dundee medicine interviews for 2027 entry?
| Applicants | When | Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| UK | January 2027 | In person, School of Medicine, Ninewells campus |
| International | January 2027 | Option of a remote interview on Blackboard Collaborate |
Dundee holds its in-person and online interviews in January and asks applicants not to plan holidays then. It publishes the month only, not individual dates. Invitations go to the email address on your application, not through UCAS, and are released in phases depending on when your application is assessed. Where possible, Dundee gives at least two weeks' notice.
Dundee does not publish the date the first invitations go out. Keep an eye on your email, including the spam folder, through the autumn and winter, and compare Dundee's month with your other schools in our UK medical school interview dates table.
Source: University of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry); University of Dundee, How to apply for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry (UCAS deadline 15 October 2026))
How does Dundee decide who to interview?
Every applicant must sit the UCAT in the year of application, Dundee says there is no minimum cut-off score, and academic ability is considered as part of selection before the interview. How applications are scored, the contextual criteria and past UCAT figures are on our Dundee medical school profile, which is the page for that question.
Source: University of Dundee, Medicine MBChB entry requirements (September 2027 entry); University of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry)
What does Dundee assess at interview?
Dundee's interview page lists four things the interview assesses, alongside the academic ability already considered in selection:
- Your ability to communicate effectively.
- Your ability to work within a group setting.
- Your personal values.
- Your professionalism.
Dundee says the most important skills a doctor must have are communication skills and team-working, which is why the whole interview is built around a group. Its course pages add what it hopes its graduates become: confident doctors with a flexible, patient-centred style of care, and what it calls empathetic healers.
The six themes below follow those four areas, plus one theme for each of the two stages and one for your reasons for choosing Dundee. The questions are practice questions written by TheUKCATPeople from Dundee's published guidance and course pages. They are not real or leaked Dundee scenarios, and nothing here comes from students reporting what they were asked. For a wider bank, see our 360+ practice interview questions.
Source: University of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry); University of Dundee, Medicine MBChB course overview (September 2027 entry); University of Dundee, Medicine MBChB teaching and assessment (September 2027 entry)
Dundee medicine interview questions, by theme
Grouped by what Dundee says it assesses. Each question has a note on what a strong answer covers, and the Dundee-specific ones have a full model answer. These are practice questions written by TheUKCATPeople from Dundee's published guidance, not real or leaked questions.
- Communicating effectively (1 to 10)
- Working within a group: the Preparation stage (11 to 20)
- The Assessor Discussion Stage: thinking through a scenario (21 to 29)
- Your personal values (30 to 39)
- Professionalism (40 to 49)
- Why medicine, and why Dundee (50 to 58)
Communicating effectively
What Dundee says: Dundee's interview assesses "your ability to communicate effectively", and the university calls communication one of the most important skills for a doctor. University of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB
At Dundee your communication is judged while you talk to other applicants as well as to an assessor. Speak clearly and to the whole group, keep each contribution short enough that others can respond, and show you have heard the person before you. These questions practise both kinds of talking.
- 1
In a group discussion, how do you make sure your point is heard without talking over anyone?
What to cover: Describe practical habits: waiting for a natural pause, linking your point to what was just said, and keeping it brief. Then give an example from a team or class where you did it.
- 2
Someone in your group keeps saying very little. What do you do?
What to cover: Invite them in by name with an open question, such as asking what they think of a point already made, and then listen to the answer. Bringing others in is a strength the assessor can see.
- 3
Explain to a 12-year-old what happens when they go to a GP appointment.
What to cover: Use short words, describe it in the order it happens, and check they have understood. Mention that they can ask questions and say if something worries them.
- 4
Tell me about a time you explained something difficult to someone. How did you know they understood?
What to cover: Give one real example and then describe the check: asking them to say it back, or watching them do the task. Asking "does that make sense?" is not a check.
- 5
What makes someone a good listener?
What to cover: Describe the behaviour: letting the person finish, asking open questions, summarising what you heard and noticing what is not said. Then give a moment when you did it, or failed to.
- 6
A patient on a ward you are visiting as a student says nobody has told them what is happening. What do you say?
What to cover: Acknowledge how worrying that is, ask what they already know, and be clear that you cannot give medical information yourself. Offer to find the nurse or doctor who can, and come back.
- 7
How would you adapt a conversation with someone whose first language is not English?
What to cover: Talk about professional interpreters, why family members are a poor substitute, short sentences and checking understanding. Mention written information in other languages.
- 8
Dundee lets its students talk to patients on the wards from the first year. What would you find hardest about that, and how would you prepare?
What to cover: Choose something real, such as starting a conversation with a stranger who is unwell, and say what you have already done that helps, such as volunteering or caring work.
- 9
How do you disagree with someone politely in a discussion?
What to cover: Acknowledge the strength of their point first, then give your reason and evidence. Show you are open to changing your mind if their next point is better.
- 10
At the end of a group discussion, you are asked to summarise what the group decided. How do you do it well?
What to cover: Give the main conclusion first, then the two or three reasons, and name any point the group did not agree on. A fair summary includes views that were not your own.
Model answer
Dundee lets its students talk to patients on the wards from the first year. What would you find hardest about that, and how would you prepare?
I think the hardest part would be knowing how to start. A patient in hospital is often tired, in pain or worried, and I would be a student with nothing to offer them medically. I would worry about intruding, and about saying something clumsy.
I have had a small version of this already. When I volunteered at a care home, I found the first conversations awkward until I learned to introduce myself properly, ask whether it was a good time, and let the resident lead. Some wanted to talk about their families, some wanted to be left alone, and both were fine.
To prepare, I would use the history-taking teaching Dundee starts in first year, so I have a structure to fall back on. And I would always ask the nurse in charge which patients are happy to talk, so that the patient's wishes come before my learning.
Go deeper: Empathy and sympathy at interview
Working within a group: the Preparation stage
What Dundee says: Dundee assesses "your ability to work within a group setting". In the Preparation stage you and five other applicants discuss a specific scenario for around 30 minutes, using broad points for structure, while an assessor observes without interacting. University of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB
The assessor in the Preparation stage watches how the group works and what you do within it. Dominating is as unhelpful as staying silent. The applicants who do well tend to keep the group on the task, use the bullet points they were given, build on other people's ideas and make sure the quieter members are heard. Practise these with a timer and five friends if you can.
- 11
Your group has 30 minutes to discuss a scenario and three bullet points to cover. Ten minutes in, you are still on the first point. What do you do?
What to cover: Point out the time politely, suggest a quick summary of the first point and a move to the next. Keeping the group on task is a visible contribution.
- 12
One applicant in your group disagrees with everyone and will not let the point go. What do you do?
What to cover: Acknowledge their view, ask them for their reasons, and then suggest the group notes the disagreement and moves on. Stay calm and fair to them.
- 13
Practice scenario: a GP surgery can offer only a few same-day appointments each morning. Points to discuss: who should get them, how to decide fairly, and what else could help.
What to cover: Talk about clinical need over first come first served, the role of triage, and other routes such as pharmacists. Practise bringing other people's points together.
- 14
Practice scenario: a town wants to cut teenage vaping. Points to discuss: why it matters, who should act, and what would work.
What to cover: Use evidence where you have it, separate health from regulation, and think about schools, shops and families. Our tobacco and vapes guide has background.
- 15
Tell me about a time you worked in a team that did not get on. What was your part in fixing it?
What to cover: Focus on what you did: what you noticed, what you said and what changed. Blaming others, however fair, leaves no time to show insight.
- 16
What roles do people take in a group discussion, and which do you usually take?
What to cover: Name a few roles, such as the person who starts, the one who summarises, the one who questions. Say which role you usually take and how you would adapt it.
- 17
Two members of your group start a side conversation and the discussion splits. What do you do?
What to cover: Bring the group back together by summarising both threads and asking everyone to decide which to take first. Keep it friendly; nobody needs to be told off.
- 18
Why do you think Dundee assesses applicants in a group?
What to cover: Link it to the job: doctors work in teams with nurses, pharmacists and others all day. Dundee itself calls communication and teamwork the most important skills for a doctor.
- 19
You realise halfway through that you have been talking much more than anyone else. What do you do?
What to cover: Stop, and invite others in with a question. Noticing your own effect on a group, and changing it, is exactly what an observer wants to see.
- 20
How would you contribute to a group if you knew nothing about the scenario topic?
What to cover: Ask good questions, connect others' points, think about who the scenario affects and how, and keep the group on the bullet points. You do not need facts to help a group reason well.
Model answer
Why do you think Dundee assesses applicants in a group?
Because medicine is a team job, and a group discussion shows things a one-to-one interview cannot. A doctor on a ward spends the day working with nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists and other doctors, often deciding things together under time pressure. How you behave when other people have ideas is a big part of being safe.
In a group the assessor can see whether you listen, whether you build on what others say or just wait for your turn, and whether you notice someone who has not spoken. Those are hard to fake for 30 minutes, and they matter to patients, because poor communication between team members is behind many errors.
I also think it is fairer in one way. Some people talk well about teamwork but are less good at doing it. Here you are doing it in front of the assessor. I have found from my Duke of Edinburgh expedition that the person who helps the group decide is not always the loudest one, and I would want to be that person.
Go deeper: The multidisciplinary team
The Assessor Discussion Stage: thinking through a scenario
What Dundee says: In the Assessor Discussion Stage, Dundee says your group moves to another room and meets a different assessor, who "will direct the conversation, framed around some of the bullet points provided". University of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB
In the second stage a new assessor leads the conversation, using the bullet points from your scenario. Expect to be asked what you think and why, and to have your reasoning tested with a follow-up. These practice prompts are in that style: a scenario, then the questions an assessor might steer you through. Dundee does not publish its scenario topics.
- 21
Following on from a group discussion about missed GP appointments: what do you think causes people to miss them, and what would you try first?
What to cover: Give more than one cause, such as work, transport, anxiety or reminders, and pick one fix you could test. Say how you would know if it worked.
- 22
The assessor asks: what did your group disagree about, and what is your own view?
What to cover: Summarise the disagreement fairly, then give your view with a reason. Being able to report others' arguments accurately is part of the mark.
- 23
A scenario about a new health app for patients: who benefits, who might be left out, and what risks are there?
What to cover: Think about older patients, people without smartphones, and privacy of health data. Our telemedicine guide covers the trade-offs.
- 24
A scenario about loneliness in older people living alone: why is it a health issue, and what can services do?
What to cover: Link loneliness to physical and mental health, then discuss community groups and social prescribing. See our social prescribing guide.
- 25
The assessor challenges a point you made earlier. How do you respond?
What to cover: Listen, take the challenge seriously, and either explain your reasoning more clearly or change your mind with a reason. Neither digging in nor folding at once looks good.
- 26
A scenario about antibiotic use: why might a patient ask for antibiotics they do not need, and how should a doctor respond?
What to cover: Explain resistance simply, then the conversation: listen to the worry, explain, offer what will help. Our antimicrobial resistance guide has the background.
- 27
A scenario about a hospital with long waits in A&E: what might be causing them, inside and outside the hospital?
What to cover: Think about the whole system: delayed discharge to social care, GP access and staffing. Our ageing population and social care guide explains the link.
- 28
What would you need to know before deciding how a health board should spend a fixed budget?
What to cover: Talk about need, evidence of what works, fairness between groups and the views of patients. Our guide to QALYs shows one way it is done.
- 29
The health systems of Scotland and England are run separately. Does that matter to patients?
What to cover: Explain that health is devolved and that some policies differ, then discuss both sides: local decisions versus differences in care. Our UK healthcare systems guide sets out the differences.
Model answer
A scenario about loneliness in older people living alone: why is it a health issue, and what can services do?
Loneliness is a health issue because it affects both mental and physical health. Someone who is isolated is more likely to be low in mood, less likely to eat well or keep active, and less likely to notice or report when they are becoming unwell. It also means nobody is around to spot a fall or a change.
Services can do a fair amount without a prescription. A GP practice can ask about it, and use social prescribing to link people to lunch clubs, walking groups or befriending schemes. Pharmacists and district nurses see people regularly and can notice who is struggling. Charities and councils often run the groups themselves.
If I were taking this back to the group's bullet points, I would say the first step is finding the people, because the loneliest are often the hardest to reach. I would ask who in the community already sees them, such as carers or the pharmacy, and start there.
Go deeper: Medicine interview hot topics
Interview preparation
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Your personal values
What Dundee says: Dundee's interview assesses "your personal values". Its School of Medicine describes its purpose as training skilled medical professionals and empathetic healers. University of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB
Values show in what you do when something is difficult, so the strongest answers use your own experience. In a group they also show in how you treat the other applicants. Know which values matter most to you and have an example ready for each, then practise the dilemmas below out loud.
- 30
Which personal value matters most to you, and when was it tested?
What to cover: Name one value and give a specific moment when holding to it cost you something. The cost is what makes the example convincing.
- 31
What does compassion look like on a busy ward?
What to cover: Make it concrete: introducing yourself, explaining what you are about to do, keeping someone covered, sitting down to talk. Small acts are what patients remember.
- 32
Tell me about a mistake you made and what you did next.
What to cover: Choose a real mistake with a consequence. Spend most of the time on owning it, putting it right and changing how you work.
- 33
A friend asks you to sign them in to a lecture they are skipping. What do you do?
What to cover: Say no kindly and explain why: it is dishonest, and attendance records matter on a professional course. Offer to share your notes instead.
- 34
Should doctors treat every patient the same?
What to cover: Distinguish equal respect from identical treatment: fairness sometimes means more time or support for some patients. Give an example such as an interpreter or a longer appointment.
- 35
A patient with capacity refuses a treatment you think they need. What should happen?
What to cover: Check capacity and understanding, explore their reasons, offer alternatives and respect the decision. Our capacity guide explains the test.
- 36
A 15-year-old asks a GP for contraception and does not want her parents told. What are the issues?
What to cover: Consider whether she understands the decision, her right to confidentiality and any signs that she is at risk. Then say how a doctor might encourage her to involve a trusted adult without insisting on it.
- 37
Is it ever right to break a patient's confidentiality?
What to cover: Explain why confidentiality matters, then the exceptions such as a serious risk of harm to others. Our confidentiality guide covers where the line sits.
- 38
What would you do if you saw another applicant on interview day being treated rudely by someone?
What to cover: Say you would check they were all right and, if it was serious, tell a member of staff. Kindness to people who cannot help you is a value assessors notice.
- 39
Dundee asks applicants not to share the interview topics with anyone. Why does that matter?
What to cover: Talk about fairness to everyone who has not interviewed yet, and integrity when nobody is checking. Then say plainly that you would keep to it.
Model answer
Dundee asks applicants not to share the interview topics with anyone. Why does that matter?
It matters because the interview is only fair if everyone meets the scenario fresh. Dundee interviews in sets through January, so anything I posted or told a friend could reach someone interviewing after me, and give them an advantage over people who had no idea. Some of those people might lose a place because of it.
It is also a small test of the kind of person I am. Nobody would know if I quietly told a friend. But doctors are trusted with information all the time, and the habit of keeping things confidential when nobody is checking is the same habit that protects patients.
So I would not share the topics, online or in person. If a friend asked, I would tell them how I prepared in general and wish them luck, which is the help that is fair to give.
Go deeper: The four pillars of medical ethics
Professionalism
What Dundee says: Dundee's interview assesses "your professionalism". On the course, students reflect on their progress each year in a professional portfolio, showing they have developed core skills and professional practice. University of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB
Professionalism starts before the interview: replying to the invitation, bringing the right photo ID, arriving on time, and how you treat the other five applicants. In the discussion, it means taking responsibility, admitting your limits and putting patient safety first. Dundee's course asks students to reflect on their professional practice every year, so expect reflective questions too.
- 40
What does professionalism mean for a first-year medical student?
What to cover: Talk about reliability, honesty, confidentiality, how you treat people and looking after your health. The GMC expects this from students from day one.
- 41
You notice a fellow student posting about a patient on social media, without a name but with details. What do you do?
What to cover: Treat it as a confidentiality breach. Speak to them first and ask them to remove it, then raise it with staff if they refuse.
- 42
You smell alcohol on a doctor's breath at the start of a shift. What do you do?
What to cover: Patient safety comes first, so act today: speak to them if safe, and tell a senior. Our whistleblowing guide covers raising concerns.
- 43
You are running late for your Dundee interview. What do you do?
What to cover: Email the admissions contact as soon as you know, as Dundee asks, with an accurate arrival time. Then plan so it cannot happen: travel the day before if you are far away.
- 44
Dundee students keep a professional portfolio and reflect on their progress every year. What does reflection mean to you?
What to cover: Describe it as looking back at what happened, what you felt, what you learned and what you will do differently. Give one example of reflecting on something yourself.
- 45
How do you look after your own wellbeing under pressure, and why does it matter for patients?
What to cover: Describe what you actually do and when it was tested. Then link it to safety: tired or unwell doctors make more errors, and asking for help is a professional duty.
- 46
A patient asks for your personal phone number so they can stay in touch after your placement. What do you say?
What to cover: Decline kindly and explain why boundaries protect both of you. Tell them how to contact the practice or ward instead.
- 47
Should a medical student ever perform a task they have not been trained for, if a doctor asks them to?
What to cover: No: explain that you would say you are not trained and ask for supervision. Knowing your limits is part of keeping patients safe.
- 48
Tell me about a time you took responsibility for something that went wrong in a team.
What to cover: Choose an example where you owned your part without blaming others, and say what you changed afterwards.
- 49
Why do doctors need to keep learning after they qualify?
What to cover: Talk about new evidence, guidelines and treatments, and the GMC's revalidation of doctors. Our medical training pathway guide sets out the years after the degree.
Model answer
Dundee students keep a professional portfolio and reflect on their progress every year. What does reflection mean to you?
To me reflection means stopping after something has happened and asking what went on, why, and what I would do differently. Writing down what happened is the easy part; the useful part is the change at the end.
An example: I tutored a younger student in maths, and for the first few weeks they made no progress. When I thought about it, I realised I was explaining the way I had been taught, and they were nodding along without following. I started asking them to do a question first and explain their thinking, and that showed me where they were stuck.
That is the habit I would bring to the portfolio at Dundee. On placements there will be conversations that go badly or skills I struggle with, and writing about them openly, then trying something different next time, is how I would improve. I think it is also how doctors stay safe over a long career.
Go deeper: The GMC guide for interviews
Why medicine, and why Dundee
What Dundee says: Dundee's interview page does not list motivation as a separate area. Its course page says the School encourages students to become a "doctor from day one", with an open-door policy on the wards and history-taking and clinical examination from first year. University of Dundee, Medicine MBChB course overview
Dundee's published areas are about how you communicate and behave, but your reasons for choosing medicine and Dundee are a natural thing to talk about in any discussion. Know the course: the spiral curriculum, early patient contact, most teaching at Ninewells Hospital, full-body dissection and the simulation facilities are all on the university's own pages.
- 50
Why do you want to be a doctor, and how have you tested that idea?
What to cover: Give your starting point in a sentence, then spend most of the answer on how you checked it: the placement, volunteering or conversation that could have put you off and did not.
- 51
Why Dundee?
What to cover: Choose two things the Dundee course actually does, such as early ward access or full-body dissection, and explain why they suit you. A ranking tells the interviewer nothing about you.
- 52
Dundee teaches in a spiral curriculum, coming back to topics as you progress. How do you think that would suit the way you learn?
What to cover: Explain what a spiral curriculum is in a sentence, then link it to how you learn. Our guide to medical school teaching styles compares the approaches.
- 53
Dundee uses full-body dissection with Thiel-embalmed cadavers. What do you think you would learn from dissection that a textbook cannot teach?
What to cover: Talk about variation between real bodies, how structures relate in three dimensions, and the respect owed to people who donated their bodies.
- 54
What have you done to find out what a doctor's working life is like?
What to cover: Talk about conversations with doctors, reading about training and any caring work where you were useful. Show you know about shifts, exams after graduation and the emotional load.
- 55
Why medicine and not nursing or another healthcare career?
What to cover: Speak about other roles with respect, then give a reason about the doctor's role in particular, such as diagnosis and carrying clinical responsibility.
- 56
Dundee has simulation facilities, including an Immersion Room for emergency care. Why is simulation useful in medical training?
What to cover: Explain that it lets students practise rare or high-pressure situations safely and repeat them, with feedback, before they meet them with real patients.
- 57
What do you think will be hardest about moving from school to a medical degree?
What to cover: Choose something real, such as the volume of independent study or living away from home, and say what you have started doing about it.
- 58
What have you read or listened to about medicine that changed your mind about something?
What to cover: Name one thing, what it argued and what you now think. Our medicine reading list is a place to start.
Model answer
Why Dundee?
The main reason is how early the clinical side starts. Dundee talks about being a doctor from day one: students can go onto the wards and talk to patients from the first year, and history-taking and examination are taught from the start. I learned most at my care home placement from talking to the residents, so a course built around patient contact suits me.
The second is anatomy. Dundee uses full-body dissection with Thiel-embalmed cadavers, which keep realistic tissue and joint movement. I learn best with my hands and in three dimensions, and I think dissection would make the anatomy stick in a way diagrams do not.
And I like the size of the School and that most teaching happens at Ninewells Hospital, with lecturers who are practising clinicians. Getting to know the people teaching me matters to me, and I would also like to take the chance to intercalate after third year.
Go deeper: How to answer "Why medicine?"
What happens on the day, and what should I bring?
- Where: in-person interviews are at the School of Medicine on the Ninewells campus. International applicants who choose the online option receive a Blackboard Collaborate link in their confirmation email.
- Timing: the interview lasts 1 hour and 40 minutes, including registration and a welcome. An optional tour and question session of about 30 minutes follows.
- Photo ID: your identity is checked before the interview, in person and online. The ID must be issued by a government agency or professional body, show your name and date of birth and a clear photo of your face. Dundee lists a full or provisional photocard driving licence, a passport, a national ID card and a Young Scot card as examples.
- Dress smartly. Dundee says school uniform is acceptable.
- Running late: email the admissions contact in your invitation as soon as possible.
- Nerves: Dundee says it understands interviews are stressful, and that staff will be supportive and try to put you at ease if you seem flustered.
Source: University of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry)
Keeping the scenarios confidential
Dundee asks applicants not to discuss the specific topics or tasks with other applicants, with friends or online, because keeping them confidential protects the fairness of the process. This is one reason the scenarios on this page are written from Dundee's published guidance and nothing else.
Source: University of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry)
What happens after the Dundee interview?
Dundee communicates some early decisions after each set of interviews, but most applicants hear after all interviews have finished. Final decisions are made by the UCAS decision date and sent through UCAS and to the email address on your application. Dundee does not publish how the interview is weighed against academic achievement when offers are made.
For 2023 entry, 515 of the 763 home applicants interviewed received an offer (67%), and 55 of 81 international interviewees (68%). These are Dundee's own published admissions statistics, as shown on our Dundee profile. An offer is conditional on meeting the academic conditions by 31 August and on a satisfactory disclosure check.
Source: University of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry); University of Dundee, How to apply for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry (UCAS deadline 15 October 2026)); University of Dundee, Medicine MBChB entry requirements (September 2027 entry); Admissions statistics as published on our Dundee profile, from the University of Dundee's medicine admissions statistics page (2023 entry)
Practise a Dundee-style interview
A timed mock in the format Dundee uses, built from the themes Dundee publishes. Record yourself, then mark it against the pointers above.
Common mistakes at the Dundee interview
- 1
Preparing only for an MMI
Dundee's interview is a group discussion followed by an assessor-led conversation with your group. Practise talking in a group of six against a 30-minute timer, not only one-to-one answers.
- 2
Dominating the group
Talking most is not the same as contributing most. The assessor is watching whether you listen, build on others and help the group reach the bullet points.
- 3
Staying silent
If you say nothing, there is nothing to assess. Make an early contribution, even a question or a summary, so you are part of the discussion from the start.
- 4
Ignoring the bullet points
Dundee gives broad points to structure the discussion, and the second assessor frames the conversation around them. Keep the group on them and refer back to them.
- 5
Forgetting photo ID, even online
Identity is checked before in-person and online interviews. Pack an accepted photo ID the night before, or have it beside you for an online interview.
- 6
Booking a January holiday
Dundee interviews in January and asks applicants not to plan holidays then. Keep the month free until you hear.
- 7
Sharing the scenario afterwards
Dundee asks applicants not to discuss the topics or tasks with anyone, including online. Keep to it.
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FAQs
Dundee medicine interview: common questions
Does Dundee interview for medicine?
Yes. The application procedure for Dundee's MBChB includes an interview, held in January, made up of an observed group discussion and an assessor-led discussion with your group.
UK applicants attend in person at the Ninewells campus, and international applicants can choose a remote interview online.
When are Dundee medicine interviews for 2027 entry?
In January 2027. Dundee publishes the month only, not individual dates, and asks applicants not to plan holidays in January.
Compare Dundee with your other schools in our UK medical school interview dates table.
When will I hear whether I have a Dundee medicine interview?
Dundee does not publish a date: invitations are emailed in phases as applications are assessed, with at least two weeks' notice where possible. They go to the email address on your application, not through UCAS, so check your spam folder too.
Are Dundee medicine interviews online or in person?
UK applicants interview in person at the School of Medicine on the Ninewells campus, and international applicants have the option of a remote interview online on Blackboard Collaborate.
Dundee says requests from UK applicants to interview online are reviewed case by case, and some flexibility may be allowed in specific circumstances.
How many parts are in the Dundee medicine interview, and how long is it?
Two parts, and the visit lasts 1 hour 40 minutes including registration and a welcome. In the Preparation stage you discuss a scenario with five other applicants for about 30 minutes while an assessor observes; in the Assessor Discussion Stage your group meets a different assessor, who directs the conversation.
Dundee does not use the word stations and does not publish the length of the second stage on its own. An optional tour of about 30 minutes follows.
Is the Dundee medicine interview an MMI?
No. Dundee interviews applicants in groups of six, with an observed group discussion followed by an assessor-led discussion, instead of a circuit of one-to-one stations.
Practise talking in a group. The content in our MMI preparation guide still helps, but the format is different.
What does Dundee look for at interview?
Four things: your ability to communicate effectively, your ability to work within a group setting, your personal values and your professionalism. Dundee calls communication and teamwork the most important skills for a doctor.
How does Dundee choose who to interview for medicine?
Every applicant must sit the UCAT, with no minimum cut-off score, and Dundee considers academic ability as part of selection before inviting applicants to interview. How applications are scored is on our Dundee medical school profile.
How competitive is the Dundee medicine interview?
For 2023 entry, 67% of home applicants interviewed received an offer (515 of 763), and 68% of international interviewees (55 of 81).
The figures are Dundee's own published admissions statistics, shown on our Dundee profile. They are the most recent year Dundee has published.
Are international applicants interviewed differently at Dundee?
International applicants can choose a remote interview online on Blackboard Collaborate, with the link sent in the confirmation email; UK applicants attend in person. Dundee does not say the online format differs from the in-person one, and the same photo ID check applies.
Our virtual interview tips cover camera, sound and pacing for an online interview.
When will I hear from Dundee after my interview?
Most applicants hear after all the January interviews have finished, though Dundee makes some early decisions after each set of interviews. Final decisions are made by the UCAS decision date and sent through UCAS and by email.
Can I reschedule a Dundee medicine interview?
Dundee does not publish a rescheduling policy, so contact the admissions email in your invitation as soon as you know of a clash. Because interviews are only held in January, keep the whole month free.
If you are running late on the day, Dundee asks you to email the admissions contact as soon as possible.
Where these facts come from
- University of Dundee, Interview for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry)
- University of Dundee, Medicine MBChB course overview (September 2027 entry)
- University of Dundee, Medicine MBChB entry requirements (September 2027 entry)
- University of Dundee, Medicine MBChB teaching and assessment (September 2027 entry)
- University of Dundee, How to apply for Medicine MBChB (September 2027 entry (UCAS deadline 15 October 2026))
- Admissions statistics as published on our Dundee profile, from the University of Dundee's medicine admissions statistics page (2023 entry)
Last checked: 24 October 2026. Universities change interview arrangements during the cycle, so confirm on Dundee's own page before you travel or book. The questions above are practice questions written by TheUKCATPeople from Dundee's published guidance; they are not real or leaked interview questions.
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