Imperial Medicine Interview Questions (2027 Entry)

How does Imperial interview for medicine?

Source: Imperial College London, Medicine A100 Admissions FOI FAQs (PDF) (2026 entry); Imperial College School of Medicine, Admissions Process (Multiple Mini Interviews) (no year stated); Imperial College London, Medicine MBBS/BSc course page (2027 entry)

When are Imperial medicine interviews for 2027 entry?

Source: Imperial College School of Medicine, Admissions Timeline (no year stated); Imperial College London, Medicine MBBS/BSc course page (2027 entry)

How does Imperial decide who to interview?

Source: Imperial College London, Medicine MBBS/BSc course page (2027 entry); Imperial College London, Medicine A100 Admissions FOI FAQs (PDF) (2026 entry); Imperial College London, Undergraduate admissions statistics 2021 to 2025 (Excel), Medicine (MBBS 6YFT) (2025 UCAS cycle)

What does Imperial assess at the MMI?

Source: Imperial College School of Medicine, Admissions Process (Multiple Mini Interviews) (no year stated); Imperial College London, Medicine A100 Admissions FOI FAQs (PDF) (2026 entry); Imperial College London, Medicine MBBS/BSc course page (2027 entry); Imperial College School of Medicine, MBBS virtual open day: admissions selection process (no year stated)

Station 1: Commitment to Medicine

What Imperial says: Imperial says Station 1, Commitment to Medicine, asks about your motivation for studying medicine and invites you to discuss your application in more detail, including your understanding of medicine as a career, your extracurricular interests or something from your personal statement. It carries the same weight as each of the other five stations. Imperial College London, Medicine A100 Admissions FOI FAQs (PDF)

This is the only station where the interviewer has your personal statement, so anything you wrote is fair game. Imperial says it wants applicants who understand what a medical career involves, including its challenges, and who still want it. Reread your statement the night before and be ready to go one level deeper on every experience in it.

1. 1

   Why do you want to study medicine?

   What to cover: Start from a real moment, then show how you tested the idea against what doctors actually do. The interviewer is listening for a decision you examined, with the hard parts of the job already in view.

2. 2

   Why Imperial?

   What to cover: Choose two or three things Imperial's course actually does, such as case-based learning, the compulsory BSc year or the general practice apprenticeship in Year 3, and say why each suits you. A ranking tells the interviewer nothing about you.

3. 3

   Pick one thing from your personal statement you would like to tell me more about.

   What to cover: Choose the experience you learnt most from, not the most impressive one, and tell the part you had no room for: what surprised you and what you now do differently because of it.

4. 4

   Imperial's course includes a compulsory BSc year in Year 4. Which pathway interests you, and why?

   What to cover: Name one pathway from Imperial's list, such as Global Health, Remote Medicine or Humanities, Philosophy and Law, and link it to something you have already read or done. Saying you have not decided is fine if you can explain what draws you to two of them.

5. 5

   Imperial looks for a realistic approach to medicine as a career. What part of the job do you expect to like least?

   What to cover: Name something real, such as night shifts, uncertainty or years of exams, describe where you saw it, and say why you still want the job. A candidate who expects to enjoy everything is not believed.

6. 6

   Why medicine and not nursing, physiotherapy or pharmacy?

   What to cover: Show respect for the other professions and some knowledge of what they do, then explain what is specific to the doctor's role that you want: diagnosis, responsibility for the overall plan, the breadth of the training.

7. 7

   What did your work experience or volunteering teach you about the downsides of medicine?

   What to cover: Imperial says it wants you to understand the challenges and want the career anyway. Describe one difficulty you saw, how the staff handled it, and what it told you about yourself.

8. 8

   What do you do outside school, and what has it given you that will matter as a doctor?

   What to cover: Imperial looks for students who have made the most of school or college life. Pick one activity, explain your part in it, and link it to a quality such as commitment, teamwork or resilience without stretching the connection.

9. 9

   A medical story has been in the news this month. Tell me about one and what you think of it.

   What to cover: Imperial says questions could reflect a current news story. Explain the story in two sentences, give a view, and show you can see why someone might disagree. Our NHS hot topics hub is a good place to keep up.

10. 10

    Where do you see yourself fifteen years after starting medical school?

    What to cover: You do not need to name a specialty. Show you know the training path, from foundation years to specialty training, and say what kind of doctor you hope to be. Our guide to the UK medical training pathway sets out the stages.

Go deeper: How to answer "Why medicine?"

Understanding the role of a doctor

What Imperial says: Imperial lists understanding of the role of a doctor among the main MMI topics, and its course page names motivation and understanding of medicine as a career among the interview criteria. Imperial College School of Medicine, Admissions Process (Multiple Mini Interviews)

This station checks that you know what doctors do day to day, not just what they do in a crisis. Use what you saw on work experience, what you have read, and Imperial's own course, which builds behaviour change, research and general practice into the first four years.

11. 11

    What does a doctor spend their day doing that most people outside medicine never see?

    What to cover: Talk about the parts that fill a shift: notes, handovers, phone calls, chasing results, explaining plans to families. Anchor it to something you watched yourself.

12. 12

    Imperial teaches Lifestyle Medicine and Prevention from Year 1. Why should a doctor spend time helping patients change their behaviour?

    What to cover: Link the major causes of illness in the UK to habits such as smoking, diet and inactivity, then explain why advice alone rarely works and why the skill of helping someone change has to be taught.

13. 13

    Why should a doctor who wants to treat patients understand research?

    What to cover: Every treatment you prescribe rests on a study someone had to design and judge. Explain that a clinician who can read evidence protects patients from weak claims, and mention Imperial's compulsory BSc as the place you would learn it.

14. 14

    How does the doctor's role on a ward differ from the nurse's and the pharmacist's?

    What to cover: Describe each role fairly and show how they overlap. Doctors carry responsibility for diagnosis and the overall plan, but they depend on nurses and pharmacists to catch what they miss. Our multidisciplinary team guide explains who does what.

15. 15

    What does the GMC expect of doctors that most employers would not expect of their staff?

    What to cover: Talk about the duty to raise concerns, to be open when things go wrong, and to keep professional standards outside work too. Say why public trust depends on it.

16. 16

    Imperial says it wants students who can manage ambiguity and make decisions on incomplete data. Why does a doctor need that?

    What to cover: Most clinical decisions are made before every result is back. Explain how doctors act safely without certainty: by thinking through the dangerous possibilities first, by planning a review and by asking for help.

17. 17

    In Year 3 Imperial places you in general practice through a community apprenticeship. What does a GP do that a hospital doctor does not?

    What to cover: Talk about continuity, knowing patients and families over years, managing uncertainty with less access to tests, and deciding who needs a hospital. A GP sees illness before it has a label.

18. 18

    How might artificial intelligence change what doctors do over your career?

    What to cover: Give one realistic use, such as reading scans or drafting letters, then say what stays with the doctor: judgement, consent, responsibility and the conversation itself. Our AI in medicine guide has examples.

19. 19

    Imperial lists resilience, including an understanding of your own limits, among the values it looks for. Why does that matter in a doctor?

    What to cover: Tired or unwell doctors make more mistakes, and doctors who hide that they are struggling put patients at risk. Describe how you notice your own limits and where you would go for support.

Go deeper: The GMC and Good Medical Practice for interviews

Teamwork and leadership

What Imperial says: Teamwork and leadership is the first of Imperial's published MMI topics, and its selection criteria include evidence of working as both a leader and a team member, and the ability to multitask. Imperial College School of Medicine, MBBS virtual open day: admissions selection process

Imperial asks for evidence of working as both a leader and a team member, so prepare examples of each. A good answer describes a particular situation, what you did, what happened and what you would do differently. Imperial's own MMI page suggests a structure such as STARR (situation, task, action, result, reflection) for experience questions.

20. 20

    Tell me about a time you led a group. What would the other members say about you?

    What to cover: Describe one situation with a real difficulty in it, what you did about it, and how it turned out. Then give a fair account of how others saw you, including anything you would change.

21. 21

    Describe a time you were part of a team and disagreed with the person in charge.

    What to cover: Show that you raised it at the right time and in the right way, listened to their reasons, and then supported the decision or escalated it if safety was at stake.

22. 22

    Two days before a deadline, one member of your group project has done nothing. What do you do?

    What to cover: Talk to them privately first and find out why; there may be a reason. Then agree what they can still do, rebalance the work, and involve the teacher only if that fails.

23. 23

    Is the doctor always the leader of a clinical team?

    What to cover: No. Leadership moves with the situation: a nurse may lead a resuscitation drill, a physiotherapist a rehabilitation plan. Explain why good teams let the person best placed lead.

24. 24

    Imperial wants students who know their duty to disclose concerns about themselves and others. On placement you notice a member of the team skipping hand hygiene between patients. What do you do?

    What to cover: Patient safety comes first, so you do say something, politely and promptly, to the person or to your supervisor. Explain why a student speaking up still matters.

25. 25

    Tell me about a team you were in that did not work. Why not?

    What to cover: Identify the cause, such as unclear roles or poor communication, own your share of it, and say what you would do differently. Avoid blaming one person for everything.

26. 26

    Describe a time you had several important things to do at once. How did you manage?

    What to cover: Imperial lists the ability to multitask among its criteria. Explain how you decided what came first, what you delegated or dropped, and what you learnt about your own limits.

27. 27

    You and five classmates are organising a charity event. How would you decide who does what?

    What to cover: Talk about finding out what each person is good at and wants to do, agreeing clear roles and deadlines, and checking in. Mention what you would do if someone fell behind.

28. 28

    Imperial considers your likely contribution to university life. What would you bring to Imperial outside your studies?

    What to cover: Name one or two things you already do and would carry on, such as a sport, music or volunteering, and say how you would contribute to that group, not just take part.

Go deeper: The multidisciplinary team, explained

Empathy and breaking bad news

What Imperial says: Imperial lists empathy and breaking bad news among the main MMI topics, and names empathy among the criteria interviewers may consider. Imperial College School of Medicine, Admissions Process (Multiple Mini Interviews)

Imperial names breaking bad news in its station list, so expect to deliver some yourself, probably in an everyday setting with an actor. Interviewers are watching whether you prepare, say the news clearly, pause, and respond to the person's reaction. Our role-play station guide covers the technique.

29. 29

    You were looking after a friend's dog while they were away. It slipped its lead and was hit by a car, and the vet could not save it. Your friend has just arrived to collect it. Tell them.

    What to cover: Find somewhere to sit, give a warning that you have bad news, then say it plainly in a sentence. Stop and let them react before you explain anything, and take responsibility without making the conversation about your guilt.

30. 30

    Tell a patient that their operation has been cancelled for the second time.

    What to cover: Say it early and clearly, apologise once, and acknowledge their frustration. Then move to what you can do: when it will be rebooked, who to contact, and what to do if their symptoms get worse.

31. 31

    You chose the team for a school competition. Tell a friend that they were not picked.

    What to cover: Tell them yourself and in private, give the real reason without listing their faults, and leave room for their disappointment. Offer something concrete, such as a role or the next chance.

32. 32

    What makes news "bad", and what would you do before giving it?

    What to cover: News is bad when it changes how someone sees their future. Before giving it, find out the facts, what the person already knows, and who they want with them. Our empathy and sympathy guide covers the difference it makes.

33. 33

    What is the difference between empathy and sympathy, and why does it matter to a patient?

    What to cover: Empathy is understanding how things are from the other person's position; sympathy is feeling sorry for them. Patients usually want to feel understood more than pitied.

34. 34

    A relative becomes angry while you are explaining some news. How do you respond?

    What to cover: Stay calm, do not argue, and name what you see: "I can see how upsetting this is." Anger is often fear, so ask what is worrying them most, and get help if anyone's safety is at risk.

35. 35

    Describe a time you supported someone who was upset. What did you learn about yourself?

    What to cover: Choose a real moment, describe what you did and what you held back from saying, and reflect on what helped. Small situations with a clear lesson work well.

36. 36

    As a medical student on placement, a patient asks you, "Am I going to die?" What do you say?

    What to cover: Do not guess or brush the question off. Ask what has prompted it, listen, explain that you are a student, and make sure the doctor caring for them comes to talk to them soon.

37. 37

    How would you tell a nervous patient that a procedure will hurt?

    What to cover: Be truthful about it, explain how long it lasts and what will be done to help, and agree a signal for them to pause. Patients trust you more when the warning matches what they feel.

Go deeper: Breaking bad news: the SPIKES framework

Ethics and values-related scenarios

What Imperial says: Imperial lists ethics and values-related scenarios among its main MMI topics, and names evidence of commitment to the values of the NHS Constitution among its interview criteria. Imperial College London, Medicine MBBS/BSc course page

Imperial says there is often no right or wrong answer, and that interviewers are assessing your ability to explain your thinking. If you change your mind halfway through, they consider how well you reflect. Set out what matters, weigh it, reach a view and say what would change it. The four pillars of medical ethics give you a structure.

38. 38

    An adult patient with capacity refuses a blood transfusion that would very probably save their life. What should happen?

    What to cover: Confirm they have capacity and understand the consequences, explore their reasons, offer alternatives, involve senior colleagues and document everything. Then respect the decision. Our capacity guide sets out the test.

39. 39

    A 15-year-old asks a GP for contraception and does not want her parents to know. What are the issues?

    What to cover: Weigh her competence to consent, her right to confidentiality and any sign she is at risk. Our Gillick competence guide explains the test doctors use.

40. 40

    A patient asks you not to tell their family about a serious diagnosis. Later their daughter asks you directly what is wrong. What do you do?

    What to cover: The patient's confidentiality stands. Tell the daughter kindly that you cannot share it, suggest she speaks to her parent, and let the patient know she asked. Our confidentiality guide covers the exceptions.

41. 41

    A fellow medical student signs a friend in to a compulsory teaching session the friend did not attend. What do you do?

    What to cover: Treat it as a probity issue, because it is dishonest. Speak to the student first and ask them to correct it, and tell the course team if they will not. Explain why small dishonesty matters in a future doctor.

42. 42

    Before a shift, you think you smell alcohol on a senior doctor's breath. What do you do?

    What to cover: Patient safety comes first, so it cannot wait. Raise it promptly and discreetly with a senior colleague or the consultant in charge, without accusing anyone publicly, and look after the doctor as a person too.

43. 43

    A patient with a cold insists on antibiotics. How do you handle it?

    What to cover: Listen to why they want them, explain that antibiotics do not treat viruses and carry risks, and offer what will help. Link it to antimicrobial resistance without lecturing.

44. 44

    The NHS Constitution says everyone counts. Should people who smoke wait longer for some operations?

    What to cover: Separate clinical reasons, such as smoking raising surgical risk, from moral judgements about who deserves care. Talk about fairness, the causes of smoking and what a doctor can offer to help someone stop.

45. 45

    Should the NHS fund an expensive new drug that extends life by a few months?

    What to cover: Reason through what else the money could buy, how NICE weighs cost and benefit, and fairness between patients. Our QALYs guide explains the method.

46. 46

    A patient you have looked after offers you an expensive watch as a thank-you. What do you do?

    What to cover: Thank them warmly and decline an expensive gift, because it could affect, or appear to affect, how you treat patients. Small tokens are different; know your organisation's policy.

47. 47

    Imperial lists non-discriminatory among the values it looks for. A patient refuses to be examined by a colleague because of the colleague's ethnicity. What should happen?

    What to cover: Support your colleague, and do not simply comply with a racist request. Explain the position to the patient calmly, involve a senior, and think about the patient's safety and the colleague's wellbeing separately.

Go deeper: How to answer medical ethics questions

Data interpretation

What Imperial says: Imperial lists data interpretation among the main topics its MMI stations ask about. Imperial College School of Medicine, Admissions Process (Multiple Mini Interviews)

Imperial does not publish what its data station looks like, so these questions cover what a clinician has to read: trial results, risk figures, tables and charts. Describe what the data shows in plain words, do any arithmetic out loud, then say what the data cannot tell you. Our guide to reading a medical paper explains the terms.

48. 48

    In a trial, 40 of 1,000 people on placebo had a heart attack, compared with 30 of 1,000 on a new drug. What are the relative and absolute risk reductions, and how many people need to take the drug to prevent one heart attack?

    What to cover: The risk falls from 4% to 3%: a 1% absolute reduction and a 25% relative reduction. The number needed to treat is 1 divided by 0.01, so 100 people.

49. 49

    A screening test is 90% sensitive and 95% specific. In 10,000 people, 1% have the condition. If someone tests positive, how likely are they to have it?

    What to cover: 100 people have the condition and 90 test positive. Of the 9,900 without it, 5% (495) also test positive. So 90 of 585 positives are true, about 15%.

50. 50

    A chart shows vaccination uptake falling over five years while cases of the disease rise. What can you conclude?

    What to cover: Describe the pattern, then say that the two moving together does not prove one caused the other. Ask what else changed, how cases were counted, and whether the trend held across different areas.

51. 51

    Hospital A has a 4% death rate after an operation and hospital B has 2%. Which hospital is better?

    What to cover: You cannot say yet. Ask how sick each hospital's patients were, how many operations each did, and whether the difference is larger than chance would explain.

52. 52

    A headline says a rare side effect has doubled, from 1 in 10,000 to 2 in 10,000. A worried parent asks you about it. What do you say?

    What to cover: Translate it into absolute numbers: one extra case in every 10,000 people. Then compare it with the risk of the illness the medicine prevents, and let them ask questions.

53. 53

    A clinic receives 120 referrals a week but has 100 appointments. What happens to the waiting list over 10 weeks, and what would you look at to fix it?

    What to cover: It grows by 20 a week, so 200 people longer after 10 weeks. Look at whether referrals are appropriate, whether some patients could be seen elsewhere, and whether follow-ups could be reduced, not only at adding appointments.

54. 54

    A small study reports that 15 of 20 patients improved on a new treatment. What would you want to know before believing it?

    What to cover: Ask whether there was a comparison group, whether patients and assessors knew who got the treatment, how improvement was measured, and whether anyone has repeated it in a larger group.

55. 55

    A table shows that people in the most deprived areas of a city live about ten years less than those in the least deprived areas. What might explain it, and what can doctors do?

    What to cover: Talk about smoking, diet, housing, work and access to care, and how they cluster. Doctors can make services easier to reach, spot risks early and speak up for patients; the main causes sit outside the clinic.

56. 56

    A patient's blood pressure readings over two weeks are 152, 138, 145, 160 and 141. Summarise them for a colleague.

    What to cover: Give the range (138 to 160) and the average (147.2), and say whether they are consistently above the target the team is using. Note anything that might explain the variation, such as the time of day.

Go deeper: Data interpretation MMI questions