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Medicine interviews, 2027 entry
Hull York Medical School (HYMS) Medicine Interview Questions (2027 Entry)
How Hull York Medical School (HYMS) runs its multiple mini interviews: the group exercise, mini-interviews, student station and video scenario station, each December and January, in person at Hull or York for Home applicants and online for overseas. Then 58 practice questions grouped by the nine areas HYMS scores, with model answers.
Reviewed by Dr Akash Gandhi, NHS GP and a Cambridge and UCL graduate (GMC register) · Checked against HYMS's official pages: 24 October 2026
HYMS medicine interviews, 2027 entry
Hull York Medical School (HYMS) interviews for 2027 entry are multiple mini interviews held each December and January: a group exercise, two mini-interviews, a student station and a video scenario station, scored out of 90. Home applicants interview in person at Hull or York; overseas applicants online. For 2025 entry, 88% of interview candidates received an offer.
- When
- Each December and January (the usual pattern; no 2027 dates published)University's usual pattern, no year givenHull York Medical School, How to apply to medical school: a step-by-step guide (2027 entry)
- Format
- Multiple mini interviews (MMIs), scored out of 90 pointsConfirmed for 2027 entryHull York Medical School, Interviews (2027 entry)
- Home applicants
- In person at the University of Hull and University of York campuses; online interviews are not offered to Home candidatesConfirmed for 2027 entryHull York Medical School, Interviews (2027 entry)
- Stations, in person
- Group exercise (22 points), two mini-interviews and a student station (17 each), individual scenario station (17)Confirmed for 2027 entryHull York Medical School, Interviews (2027 entry)
- Overseas applicants
- Online: three mini-interviews, a student station, an individual scenario station and a group exercise, 15 points eachConfirmed for 2027 entryHull York Medical School, Interviews (2027 entry)
- Thinking time
- Five minutes before each in-person mini-interview and the student station; two minutes onlineConfirmed for 2027 entryHull York Medical School, Interviews (2027 entry)
- Knowledge tested
- None: HYMS says you will not be tested on medical knowledgeConfirmed for 2027 entryHull York Medical School, Interviews (2027 entry)
- How offers are made
- Ranked on interview score plus up to 10 contextual points (UK school leavers), after all interviews; offers by the end of MarchConfirmed for 2027 entryHull York Medical School, Selection procedure (2027 entry (key facts for 2025 entry))
- Post-interview success, 2025 entry
- 88% (796 offers from 904 interview candidates, all fee statuses)Published admissions figuresAdmissions statistics as published on our Hull York profile, from the HYMS selection procedure key facts (2025 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 Hull York Medical School interview for medicine?
Hull York Medical School interviews with multiple mini interviews (MMIs), a series of short interview stations. Interview panels include health professionals, academic staff and senior medical students, as well as people from outside the medical profession. HYMS says you will not be tested on your medical knowledge. For 2027 entry, Home fee status candidates interview in person at the University of Hull and University of York campuses, and overseas fee status candidates interview online. HYMS does not offer online interviews to Home candidates.
| Station | Points | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Group exercise | 22 | Up to 10 candidates, chaired by a problem-based learning (PBL) tutor; the tutor and an observing medical student score each candidate, and a Student Ambassador acts as scribe |
| Mini-interview 1 | 17 | Two questions, two interviewers; the first question is given before you enter, with five minutes' thinking time |
| Mini-interview 2 | 17 | As above |
| Student station | 17 | As above, with senior Hull York medical students as the interviewers |
| Individual scenario station | 17 | A pre-recorded video of a character talking to you; you respond at two points and at the end, then answer follow-up questions; over-ear headphones |
| Station | Points | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Mini-interviews 1 to 3 | 15 each | One question each; each virtual room has two interviewers and two stations; first question given before entering, with two minutes' thinking time |
| Student station | 15 | As above, with senior Hull York medical students as the interviewers |
| Individual scenario station | 15 | A pre-recorded video, responding at two points and at the end, then follow-up questions |
| Group exercise | 15 | Up to six candidates, chaired by a PBL tutor |
Each interviewer scores you independently, and the whole MMI is scored out of 90 points in both formats. New to the MMI format? Our MMI preparation guide covers the circuit, so this page stays on what is specific to Hull York.
Source: Hull York Medical School, Interviews (2027 entry); Hull York Medical School, Selection procedure (2027 entry (key facts for 2025 entry))
When are Hull York medicine interviews for 2027 entry?
Hull York Medical School says it runs its MMIs each December and January. That is its standing pattern, not a set of confirmed 2027 dates: HYMS has not published interview dates for 2027 entry, and it does not publish when invitations are sent. After the 15 October deadline it scores every application and invites applicants to interview in ranked order; the UCAT points are added once results reach universities in November.
Return the Additional Information form by 30 October 2026
Every Hull York applicant must complete the Additional Information form sent to their UCAS email shortly after the deadline, and return it by 30 October 2026. HYMS says failure to return it results in automatic rejection, so no interview. Fast-track eligibility is confirmed through a separate online form with the same 30 October deadline.
Compare Hull York's window with your other choices in our UK medical school interview dates table.
Source: Hull York Medical School, How to apply to medical school: a step-by-step guide (2027 entry); Hull York Medical School, Selection procedure (2027 entry (key facts for 2025 entry))
How does Hull York decide who to interview?
Hull York ranks applicants on points for their best GCSEs, their UCAT total and situational judgement band, and contextual information for UK school leavers, and invites the top-scoring applicants with no fixed score; the personal statement is not scored but is read for borderline candidates, and some widening participation applicants have a fast track to interview. The points, deciles and fast-track criteria are on our Hull York medical school profile, which is the page for that question.
Source: Hull York Medical School, Selection procedure (2027 entry (key facts for 2025 entry))
What does Hull York assess at interview?
Across the whole MMI, Hull York says it observes and scores you in nine areas:
- Your ability to work collaboratively in a group.
- Insight into a medical career.
- Your understanding of the values in the NHS Constitution.
- Motivation for a medical career.
- Your awareness and understanding of current medical issues.
- Your communication skills.
- Your understanding of and motivation for the Hull York Medical School MB BS course.
- Your personal qualities, such as empathy, tolerance of ambiguity and resilience.
- Your ability to think critically.
HYMS also says you will be asked about your experience, and that your personal statement is likely to prove useful preparation for interview questions. The seven themes below follow the nine areas, with motivation and insight together and values with personal qualities. The questions are practice questions written by TheUKCATPeople from Hull York's published guidance. They are not real or leaked HYMS questions, and nothing here comes from students reporting what they were asked.
Source: Hull York Medical School, Interviews (2027 entry); Hull York Medical School, Selection procedure (2027 entry (key facts for 2025 entry))
HYMS medicine interview questions, by theme
Grouped by what HYMS says it assesses. Each question has a note on what a strong answer covers, and the HYMS-specific ones have a full model answer. These are practice questions written by TheUKCATPeople from HYMS's published guidance, not real or leaked questions.
- Motivation for and insight into a medical career (1 to 9)
- The Hull York MB BS course (10 to 17)
- NHS Constitution values and personal qualities (18 to 26)
- Current medical and ethical issues (27 to 35)
- Critical thinking and problem solving (36 to 43)
- Working collaboratively in a group (44 to 51)
- Communication and the individual scenario station (52 to 58)
Motivation for and insight into a medical career
What HYMS says: Hull York scores your motivation for a medical career and your insight into a medical career, and says its mini-interviews and student station explore your insight into a career in medicine and becoming a medical student. Hull York Medical School, Interviews
Hull York advises applicants to have a range of work experience in health or social care, or in roles with person-facing interactions, and says you will be asked about it. Clinical experience is not essential: a café job, a care home or a school can all show you what working with people involves. The interviewers want to hear what you learned, about the job and about yourself.
- 1
Why do you want to be a doctor?
What to cover: Give the starting point in a sentence, then spend the time on how you tested the idea and what you saw that confirmed it. A specific moment beats a general wish to help people.
- 2
What has your work experience taught you about the realities of being a doctor?
What to cover: Name one setting, one thing you saw and what it showed you about the job, including the hard parts. HYMS counts care, service and person-facing roles, so use what you have.
- 3
What do you think is the hardest part of a doctor's job?
What to cover: Choose something real, such as uncertainty, breaking bad news or long hours, and show how you have seen it or prepared for it.
- 4
Why medicine and not another healthcare profession?
What to cover: Speak about other professions with respect and accuracy, then give a reason about the doctor's role in particular. Our guide to the multidisciplinary team helps.
- 5
What does a doctor's training look like after medical school, and how do you feel about it?
What to cover: Outline foundation training, specialty training and the exams along the way, then show you have weighed the length of it. Our training pathway guide sets it out.
- 6
Tell me about a time you worked with the public. What did it teach you that would help you as a doctor?
What to cover: Choose a person-facing role and a moment where you had to adapt to someone. Link it to a quality a doctor needs, such as patience or clarity.
- 7
What would you say to a friend who wants to do medicine because of the salary and status?
What to cover: Be kind, but explain what the job actually demands and why motivation needs to survive the hard years. Show you have thought about your own reasons too.
- 8
What do you expect to find hardest in your first year as a medical student?
What to cover: Name something real, such as independent study or managing your time, and what you have already done about it. This is a natural student station question.
- 9
How do you know medicine is right for you, and not an idea you settled on at school?
What to cover: Show how you tested the idea over time: different settings, conversations with doctors, and something that could have put you off but did not.
Model answer
What has your work experience taught you about the realities of being a doctor?
The experience that taught me most was not in a hospital. For a year I have volunteered on Saturday mornings at a care home, helping at breakfast and sitting with residents. I saw a GP visit one resident who was becoming more confused, and the GP spent most of the visit talking to the carers and the resident's daughter, not examining anyone.
It showed me that much of a doctor's job is gathering information from people who know the patient, and making decisions when the picture is unclear. The GP said she would try one change and review it the next week. I had expected doctors to have answers on the spot, and I learned that careful waiting is sometimes the right answer.
It also showed me the hard parts. The daughter was upset and wanted something done straight away, and the GP had to explain why she was not starting a new medicine. I came away knowing that I would need patience and good communication as much as knowledge, and that I want to develop both.
Go deeper: How to answer "Why medicine?"
The Hull York MB BS course
What HYMS says: Hull York scores your understanding of and motivation for the Hull York Medical School MB BS course. Hull York Medical School, Interviews
Because HYMS scores your understanding of its own course, know it properly: problem-based learning in small groups with a clinician tutor in years 1 and 2, clinical placements from the first year, a home campus at Hull or York allocated at random, placements across the region from year 3, the optional Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship in year 4, the Scholarship and Special Interest Programme and a six-week elective.
- 10
Why Hull York Medical School?
What to cover: Choose two features of the course, such as PBL with a clinician tutor or placements from the first year, and explain why they suit you. A ranking or a nice city tells the interviewer nothing about you.
- 11
What is problem-based learning, and why do you think it would suit you?
What to cover: Describe the cycle: a hypothetical patient case, deciding what you need to learn, self-directed study, then sharing it back with the group. Give evidence that you learn well this way.
- 12
What might be the downsides of problem-based learning for you?
What to cover: Name one, such as uncertainty about how much to study, and say how you would manage it. It shows you have thought about the course, not only its selling points.
- 13
You will be allocated to Hull or York at random. How do you feel about that?
What to cover: Show that you would be happy at either campus, and that the curriculum and teaching are the same at both. A strong preference for one city is a weak answer.
- 14
Hull York places students in rural, coastal and urban communities. What would you expect to learn from that?
What to cover: Talk about different patient groups and health needs, such as older coastal populations or isolated rural patients, and why breadth makes a better doctor.
- 15
In year 4 some students choose a Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship, following the same patients over a year. What appeals to you about that, or not?
What to cover: Discuss continuity of care and seeing the whole patient journey across GP and hospital. Either answer is fine if your reasons are clear.
- 16
At Hull York your PBL facilitator acts as your main pastoral contact. Why might that be useful?
What to cover: Talk about having someone who knows you well, sees how you are coping and can spot problems early. Then say how you would use that support.
- 17
What do you know about the Scholarship and Special Interest Programme, and what might you do in it?
What to cover: Explain that it is research-related study for developing as an independent scholar, then name an area you would like to explore and why.
Model answer
Why Hull York Medical School?
The first reason is problem-based learning with a clinician as the tutor. In years 1 and 2 at Hull York, a small group works through hypothetical patient cases, decides what it needs to learn, and comes back to share it. I led a study group for my chemistry A level and learned more from explaining things to others than from my notes, so I think PBL would bring out the best in me. Having a doctor as the tutor means the science is always tied to a patient.
The second is how early and how widely I would see patients. Placements start in the first year, and from year 3 they run across the region, from Hull and York to coastal and rural areas such as Scarborough. I grew up in a seaside town where many people are older and live far from a hospital, and I want to learn medicine in places like that.
And I like the option of the Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship in year 4. Following the same patients for a whole year, in general practice and hospital, is the closest thing to seeing how care actually feels from the patient's side.
Go deeper: PBL and other teaching styles
NHS Constitution values and personal qualities
What HYMS says: Hull York scores your understanding of the values in the NHS Constitution and your personal qualities, such as empathy, tolerance of ambiguity and resilience. Its mini-interviews explore your personal qualities and commitment to NHS core values. Hull York Medical School, Interviews
Naming the values is easy; the marks come from examples of living them. Hull York also names three personal qualities directly: empathy, tolerance of ambiguity and resilience. Tolerance of ambiguity means staying calm and making sensible decisions when the answer is not clear, which is a daily part of medicine.
- 18
Which NHS Constitution value matters most to you, and when have you shown it?
What to cover: Choose one value and give a specific example from your own life. Then say what it looks like for a doctor.
- 19
What does tolerance of ambiguity mean, and why does a doctor need it?
What to cover: Explain making decisions without complete information, such as symptoms that fit several conditions. Give a time you coped with uncertainty yourself.
- 20
Tell me about a setback. How did you respond?
What to cover: Choose a real setback, spend most of the time on what you did next and what you learned, and show resilience as recovery, not as never struggling.
- 21
What is the difference between empathy and sympathy?
What to cover: Empathy is understanding how someone feels from their point of view; sympathy is feeling sorry for them. Our empathy guide has examples.
- 22
"Everyone counts" is an NHS value. What does it mean for a doctor deciding how to spend limited time?
What to cover: Discuss fairness, prioritising by need, and not overlooking quieter patients. Make it practical.
- 23
Tell me about a mistake you made and what you did about it.
What to cover: Own it, explain what you did to put it right, and what you changed. Medicine depends on people who admit errors early.
- 24
How do you look after yourself under pressure?
What to cover: Describe what you actually do and a time it was tested. Link it to patient safety and to asking for help early.
- 25
What does respect and dignity look like when caring for someone who is very unwell?
What to cover: Give practical examples: privacy, explaining what you are doing, using their name and involving them in decisions.
- 26
When have you had to keep going with something that felt uncertain or unclear?
What to cover: Use an example where the outcome was not obvious, describe how you managed the uncertainty and what you would do again.
Model answer
What does tolerance of ambiguity mean, and why does a doctor need it?
It means being able to work and make sensible decisions when the answer is not clear, without either freezing or pretending to be certain. In medicine that happens all the time: a child with a fever might have a minor virus or something serious, and the first examination often cannot tell you which.
A doctor who cannot tolerate ambiguity tends to order every test, which wastes resources and can cause harm, or to jump to a conclusion too early. A good doctor makes the safest plan with what is known, explains the uncertainty to the patient, and arranges what will happen if things change, which doctors call safety-netting.
I had a small version of this as a sports coach for under-tens. When a child fell awkwardly I could not know whether the ankle was broken. I stopped them playing, called the parent, explained what I had seen and what signs to watch for, and suggested getting it checked. I would rather manage uncertainty openly than hide it.
Go deeper: The six NHS core values
Interview preparation
1-1 interview coaching and mock interviews for HYMS, 2027 entry
Our 1-1 medicine interview tutoring is online and your tutor is matched to Hull York, so every mock runs in the multiple mini interview (MMI) format Hull York uses, with written feedback after each one.
We cover every UK medical school and last year our students were offered places at every one, including Hull York.
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Current medical and ethical issues
What HYMS says: Hull York scores your awareness and understanding of current medical issues, and says its mini-interviews explore your understanding of current medical and ethical issues. Hull York Medical School, Interviews
With five minutes to think before an in-person mini-interview, you have time to plan a structured answer, so the marks go to depth. Pick four or five current issues and know them well: what is happening, why it matters to patients, and what a doctor can do. For ethics, our guide to answering ethics questions gives you a structure.
- 27
Which story about the NHS or health in the news recently caught your attention, and why?
What to cover: Choose one you can explain in detail, give the facts accurately and link it to patients. If you cannot go deeper than the headline, choose another.
- 28
Why is it hard for patients in coastal and rural areas to get healthcare, and what could help?
What to cover: Talk about distance, transport, staff shortages and older populations, then practical ideas such as remote consultations. Hull York's own region includes both.
- 29
What are the arguments for and against legalising assisted dying?
What to cover: Set out autonomy and relief of suffering against protection of vulnerable people and the doctor's role. Our assisted dying guide covers the UK debate.
- 30
What are the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence in the NHS?
What to cover: Give one real benefit, such as faster scan reading, and one real risk, such as bias or unclear responsibility. Our AI in medicine guide has examples.
- 31
Why are some resident doctors leaving the NHS, and does it matter?
What to cover: Discuss pay, rotas, training bottlenecks and burnout with balance, then what it means for patients. Our resident doctors guide has the evidence.
- 32
Why is antibiotic resistance a threat, and what can a new doctor do about it?
What to cover: Explain how resistance develops, then practical steps such as prescribing only when needed. See our antimicrobial resistance guide.
- 33
A patient with capacity refuses a blood transfusion that could save their life. What should the doctor do?
What to cover: Check capacity and understanding, explore their reasons and alternatives, record everything, then respect the decision. Our Jehovah's Witness guide covers the case.
- 34
Should weight-loss injections be available on the NHS to anyone who wants them?
What to cover: Weigh benefits to health against cost, supply, side effects and fairness, and come to a view. Our weight-loss injections guide has background.
- 35
Why do people in the poorest areas live fewer years in good health, and what can doctors do?
What to cover: Explain the social causes and the doctor's part, from referrals to advocacy. Our health inequalities guide covers the Marmot evidence.
Model answer
Why is it hard for patients in coastal and rural areas to get healthcare, and what could help?
There are a few reasons that add up. Coastal towns often have older populations with more long-term illness, so the need is higher. It is harder to recruit and keep doctors and nurses there, so services are stretched. And in rural areas, distance and poor public transport mean that an appointment can take half a day, which is hard for older people or those without a car.
Some things help. Remote consultations can save long journeys for follow-up appointments, although they do not suit everyone, especially people without good internet or who need examining. Community services, such as pharmacists and community nurses, can bring care closer to home. And training doctors in these areas makes it more likely that some will stay to work there.
That last point is one reason I am interested in Hull York. Its placements run across the region, including coastal and rural areas, so students learn about these patients' needs first-hand and see what good care looks like where it is hardest to provide.
Go deeper: Medicine interview hot topics
Critical thinking and problem solving
What HYMS says: Hull York scores your ability to think critically, and says its mini-interviews explore your critical thinking and problem solving skills. Hull York Medical School, Interviews
Critical thinking means weighing evidence, spotting assumptions and reaching a reasoned conclusion you can defend. In a mini-interview, say your reasoning out loud: what you know, what you are assuming, what else could explain it, and what you would check. The interviewers may ask you to expand, so be ready to defend or adjust your view.
- 36
A newspaper says a new supplement halves the risk of dementia. What questions would you ask before believing it?
What to cover: Ask about the type of study, how many people, who funded it, whether it showed cause or only association, and whether others have repeated it.
- 37
A hospital has better survival rates than its neighbour. Does that make it the better hospital?
What to cover: Consider that the patients may differ, that one hospital may take sicker patients, and how outcomes were measured. Reach a careful conclusion.
- 38
Your PBL group cannot agree on the answer to a case. How do you decide who is right?
What to cover: Go back to the evidence: check the sources, ask the tutor, and accept that some questions have no single answer. Explain how you keep the group working.
- 39
Should the NHS fund a treatment that works for only a small number of patients but is very expensive?
What to cover: Weigh benefit to individuals against what else the money could do. Our QALYs guide explains how the NHS makes these decisions.
- 40
A friend says their headache went after they took a herbal remedy, so it must work. What do you think?
What to cover: Explain that headaches often go away on their own, the placebo effect, and why we need controlled trials. Be respectful, not dismissive.
- 41
How would you decide whether to believe information you find about a health condition online?
What to cover: Talk about checking the source, its evidence, its date and whether it is selling something. Mention NHS and other trusted sources.
- 42
Is it better to have a test that catches every case of a disease or one that never gives a false alarm?
What to cover: Explain the trade-off between missing disease and over-diagnosing, and show that the right answer depends on the disease and what happens next.
- 43
What is the strongest argument against your own view on a medical issue you care about?
What to cover: Choose an issue, state the opposing argument fairly and at its strongest, then explain why you still hold your view, or whether it has changed.
Model answer
A newspaper says a new supplement halves the risk of dementia. What questions would you ask before believing it?
First, what kind of study was it? If researchers simply noticed that people who took the supplement got dementia less often, that is an association. Those people might also exercise more or eat better, and that could explain the difference. A randomised controlled trial, where people are allocated to the supplement or a placebo by chance, would be much stronger evidence.
Second, how big and how long was it, and who took part? A small study over two years cannot tell us much about a disease that develops over decades. I would also want to know whether 'halves the risk' means from two in a hundred to one in a hundred, which is a much smaller real effect than it sounds.
Finally, who paid for the study, and has anyone repeated it? If the company selling the supplement funded a single study, I would wait for independent research before advising anyone to take it. I would still take the question seriously, because dementia matters so much to families.
Go deeper: Data interpretation in the MMI
Working collaboratively in a group
What HYMS says: Hull York scores your ability to work collaboratively in a group. Its group exercise looks at how you work within a team: your ability to work collaboratively, how well you contribute relevant information to a group discussion, and whether you can articulate your thoughts effectively and clearly. Hull York Medical School, Interviews
The group exercise carries the most points in the in-person MMI, 22 of 90. It is chaired by an experienced PBL tutor who guides the group through the PBL process, and you are scored on your participation and contribution, not your medical knowledge. Practise with friends on a short patient scenario: help the group find what it needs to learn, build on other people's points, and bring in anyone who is quiet.
- 44
Group practice task: a 70-year-old woman living alone has had two falls this month. What does the group need to find out?
What to cover: Contribute questions about her health, her home, her support and her wishes, and build on others' points. In PBL the aim is to identify what to learn, not to diagnose.
- 45
Group practice task: a teenager has missed several weeks of school with headaches. List the possible issues and agree what to explore first.
What to cover: Cover physical, emotional and social causes, help the group prioritise, and summarise where you have got to.
- 46
What makes a good team member in a group discussion?
What to cover: Talk about listening, contributing relevant points, building on others' ideas and making space for quieter people. Give an example from your own experience.
- 47
In a group discussion, one person is dominating. What do you do?
What to cover: Acknowledge their point, then invite others in by name or with a question. Do it politely: the assessors are watching how you treat everyone.
- 48
Tell me about a time you worked in a team that achieved something you could not have done alone.
What to cover: Describe your role precisely and what others brought. Show that you valued their contributions.
- 49
What would you do if you disagreed with the rest of your group?
What to cover: Explain your reasoning clearly and calmly, listen to theirs, and be willing to change your mind if the evidence supports it.
- 50
How do you contribute to a group when you do not know much about the topic?
What to cover: Ask good questions, summarise what has been said, keep track of what the group needs to find out, and help organise. Knowledge is not what is scored.
- 51
Why do you think Hull York teaches in small groups?
What to cover: Link it to the teamwork doctors need, learning to explain your thinking, and discussing the social and ethical sides of a case. HYMS says PBL teaches you to communicate in a group and work as a team to tackle problems.
Model answer
In a group discussion, one person is dominating. What do you do?
First I would make sure I am listening properly, because the person talking a lot often has useful points. I would acknowledge one of them, something like, "That's a good point about her medication. Can we add it to our list?" That keeps them on side and moves the discussion along.
Then I would bring others in. I might say, "We haven't heard from Priya yet. What do you think about her home situation?" or ask the whole group a question that opens a new area. In a PBL-style exercise the tutor is chairing, so I would not take over, but I can still help share the discussion out.
If the problem continued, I would try summarising where the group has got to and asking what we still need to find out. That gives everyone a fresh way in. What I would avoid is competing with the person by talking louder, because then two people are dominating and the group is no better off.
Go deeper: MMI preparation guide
Communication and the individual scenario station
What HYMS says: Hull York scores your communication skills. Its individual scenario station assesses how you would react and respond in a given situation: you watch a pre-recorded video of a character talking directly to you and respond at two points and at the end, then answer follow-up questions. Hull York Medical School, Interviews
In the scenario station you speak to a character on a screen, not a live actor, so you cannot read their reactions as you go. HYMS says you are not asked to problem solve and medical knowledge is not tested: the station is about how you respond to a person. Practise answering out loud to a video or a friend reading a script, and focus on acknowledging feelings, staying calm and being clear about what you would do. If you need adjustments to hear or see the video, contact admissions before your interview.
- 52
Scenario practice: a friend on video tells you they are thinking of dropping out of sixth form. Respond.
What to cover: Acknowledge how they feel, ask what has happened, and avoid jumping to advice. Mention who else could help, such as a teacher or tutor.
- 53
Scenario practice: a customer at your part-time job is shouting that their order is wrong. Respond.
What to cover: Stay calm, apologise for the problem, find out exactly what is wrong and say what you will do. Show you are listening, not defending yourself.
- 54
Scenario practice: a teammate tells you they have been feeling low for weeks and asks you not to tell anyone. Respond.
What to cover: Listen, take it seriously and encourage them to talk to their GP or a trusted adult. Be clear that you could not keep it secret if you thought they were at risk.
- 55
Scenario practice: an elderly neighbour says they have stopped taking a medicine because it makes them feel sick. Respond.
What to cover: Show concern, ask what happened, and encourage them to speak to their GP or pharmacist before stopping anything else. Offer practical help.
- 56
Scenario practice: a classmate admits they copied your homework and the teacher has noticed. Respond.
What to cover: Stay calm, explain how it affects you both, and encourage them to tell the teacher the truth. Show you will be truthful too.
- 57
How do you show someone you are listening when you cannot see their reaction?
What to cover: Talk about summarising what they said, responding to their feelings and asking open questions. This is exactly the skill a video scenario tests.
- 58
Tell me about a difficult conversation you have had. What did you do well and what would you change?
What to cover: Choose a real conversation, describe what made it hard and reflect on it with insight, not a polished story.
Model answer
Scenario practice: a teammate tells you they have been feeling low for weeks and asks you not to tell anyone. Respond.
"Thank you for telling me. That must have taken a lot, and I'm really glad you did. Can you tell me a bit more about how you've been feeling? Has something happened, or has it built up?" I would let them talk without rushing to fix it, because the first thing they need is to feel heard.
Then I would gently ask whether they have had any thoughts of harming themselves, because that changes what I need to do. If they had, I would tell them I care about them too much to keep that to myself, and that we need to get help today, with them if possible.
If they are not at risk, I would encourage them to speak to their GP or a teacher they trust, and offer to go with them or help them make the appointment. I would say I will keep it between us for now, but be clear that if I became worried about their safety I would need to tell someone. And I would check in with them again in a few days.
Go deeper: MMI role-play stations
How Hull York decides offers after the interview
After the interviews, Hull York adds your overall interview score to up to 10 contextual admissions points, which are factored by interview performance and apply to UK school leavers only. Online interviews, which are for international applicants, include no contextual points. Applicants are then ranked by total score, and offers are made after all interviews are completed, by the end of March. Because offers follow the ranking, HYMS says the cut-off changes each year and it cannot define a minimum acceptable score.
For 2025 entry, Hull York invited 904 interview candidates for Medicine and made 796 offers (88%), with home and international applicants counted together; HYMS does not split the figure by fee status. Your offer states your home campus, Hull or York, allocated at random; some groups, such as students living within 30 miles who will stay at home, international fee payers and care-experienced students, can ask for a specific campus using a form available after the interview. Offer-holders are invited to an Offer Holder Day at their campus.
HYMS reserves the right to alter its process if considered necessary. It does not publish a date for its decisions beyond the end of March, a waiting list arrangement or how interview feedback is given.
Source: Hull York Medical School, Selection procedure (2027 entry (key facts for 2025 entry)); Hull York Medical School, How to apply to medical school: a step-by-step guide (2027 entry); Hull York Medical School, Campus allocation (no year stated (request form closed for the 2026 intake)); Admissions statistics as published on our Hull York profile, from the HYMS selection procedure key facts (2025 entry)
What happens on the day, and how to prepare
- Where: Home candidates interview in person at the University of Hull or University of York campus; your invitation tells you which. Overseas candidates interview online.
- Thinking time: in person, you get the first question of each mini-interview and the student station before you enter, with five minutes to think; online, two minutes. Use it to plan a beginning, middle and end.
- The scenario station: you watch a video wearing over-ear headphones. If you need a reasonable adjustment for it, contact the admissions team as soon as possible before your interview.
- Adjustments: Hull York says it will ask invited applicants whether any reasonable adjustments are needed, so tell them then.
- Students: current medical students help run the day, sit on the student station and observe the group exercise. HYMS says the day is also your chance to meet them and ask what studying there is like.
- Online: if you are interviewing from overseas, test your connection, camera and sound, and find a quiet room. Our online interview tips cover the set-up.
Source: Hull York Medical School, Interviews (2027 entry); Hull York Medical School, Applicants with a disability or health condition (no year stated)
Practise a HYMS-style interview
A timed mock in the format HYMS uses, built from the themes HYMS publishes. Record yourself, then mark it against the pointers above.
Common mistakes at the HYMS interview
- 1
Missing the Additional Information form
Every applicant must return it by 30 October 2026. HYMS rejects applications automatically without it, before interviews are even considered.
- 2
Staying quiet in the group exercise
It is worth the most points in person. You are scored on participation and contribution, so speak early, build on others' points and help the group move forward.
- 3
Dominating the group exercise
Collaboration is what is scored. Talking over people or pushing your own answer loses marks however good the points are.
- 4
Treating the scenario station as a puzzle
HYMS says you are not asked to problem solve there. Respond to the person on the screen: acknowledge how they feel and say what you would do.
- 5
Not knowing the course
Understanding of the Hull York MB BS course is a scored area. Know PBL, early placements, random campus allocation and the regional placements.
- 6
Revising medical science
HYMS says you will not be tested on medical knowledge. Put the time into practising answers out loud and reading about current issues.
How we can help
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FAQs
HYMS medicine interview: common questions
Does Hull York interview for medicine?
Yes: Hull York Medical School (HYMS) interviews medicine applicants by multiple mini interviews each December and January. Applications are scored and ranked after the October deadline, and the top-scoring applicants are invited.
When are Hull York medicine interviews for 2027 entry?
Hull York runs its MMIs each December and January; it has not published specific dates for 2027 entry.
That is the school's standing pattern, not a booking. Compare every school's window in our interview dates table.
When will I hear whether I have a Hull York medicine interview?
Hull York does not publish a date for interview invitations; it scores applications after the 15 October deadline, adds UCAT points once results are released in November, and invites the top-ranked applicants for interviews in December and January.
Return the Additional Information form by 30 October 2026 first: without it, HYMS rejects the application automatically.
Are Hull York medicine interviews online or in person?
Home fee status applicants interview in person at the University of Hull and University of York campuses, and overseas fee status applicants interview online. HYMS does not offer online interviews to Home candidates.
How many stations are in the Hull York MMI, and how long is it?
The in-person MMI has five stations: a group exercise, two mini-interviews, a student station and an individual scenario station, scored out of 90 points. The online MMI has six: three mini-interviews, a student station, a scenario station and a group exercise.
Hull York does not publish how long the MMI lasts. You get five minutes' thinking time before each in-person mini-interview and the student station, and two minutes online.
What does Hull York look for at interview?
Hull York scores nine areas: working collaboratively in a group, insight into a medical career, the NHS Constitution values, motivation for medicine, awareness of current medical issues, communication, understanding of its MB BS course, personal qualities such as empathy, tolerance of ambiguity and resilience, and critical thinking.
It does not test medical knowledge. The themes on this page follow those areas.
How does Hull York choose who to interview for medicine?
Hull York ranks applicants on points for GCSEs, the UCAT and its situational judgement band, plus contextual points for UK school leavers, and invites the top scorers; the personal statement is not scored. The points and the fast-track criteria are on our Hull York medical school profile.
How competitive is the Hull York medicine interview?
For 2025 entry, 88% of Hull York's medicine interview candidates received an offer: 796 offers from 904 interview candidates, home and international together.
HYMS does not split the figure by fee status. Offers go to the highest-ranked interviewees, so the interview itself decides the outcome, with contextual points added for UK school leavers.
Are international applicants interviewed differently at Hull York?
Yes: overseas fee status applicants interview online, with a different station mix: three mini-interviews of one question each, a student station, a scenario station and a group exercise of up to six, each worth 15 points.
The thinking time online is two minutes, and online interviews include no contextual points. HYMS offers up to 11 places to international students each year, and the application process is otherwise the same as for Home students.
When will I hear from Hull York after my interview?
Hull York makes offers after all interviews are finished, by the end of March.
Applicants are ranked by total score, so decisions do not come straight after your interview. Your offer states your home campus, Hull or York, and offer-holders are invited to an Offer Holder Day.
Can I reschedule a Hull York medicine interview?
Hull York does not publish a rescheduling policy for medicine interviews.
If you cannot attend the slot you are offered, contact the admissions team straight away using the details in your invitation. For adjustments, HYMS says it asks invited applicants what they need, and asks that scenario-station adjustments be requested as early as possible.
What is the Hull York group exercise?
The group exercise is a discussion of up to 10 candidates in person, or up to six online, chaired by a problem-based learning tutor who guides the group through the PBL process.
The tutor and an observing medical student score each candidate on participation and contribution, not medical knowledge. In person it is worth 22 of the 90 points, the most of any station.
Where these facts come from
- Hull York Medical School, Interviews (2027 entry)
- Hull York Medical School, Selection procedure (2027 entry (key facts for 2025 entry))
- Hull York Medical School, How to apply to medical school: a step-by-step guide (2027 entry)
- Hull York Medical School, Campus allocation (no year stated (request form closed for the 2026 intake))
- Hull York Medical School, Problem based learning (no year stated)
- Hull York Medical School, Clinical placements (no year stated)
- Hull York Medical School, Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (no year stated)
- Hull York Medical School, International students (no year stated)
- Hull York Medical School, Applicants with a disability or health condition (no year stated)
- Admissions statistics as published on our Hull York profile, from the HYMS selection procedure key facts (2025 entry)
Last checked: 24 October 2026. Universities change interview arrangements during the cycle, so confirm on HYMS's own page before you travel or book. The questions above are practice questions written by TheUKCATPeople from HYMS's published guidance; they are not real or leaked interview questions.
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