Free practice questions for the Cardiff medicine interview, with the interview format taken from the university's own admissions pages.
Cardiff uses a Multiple Mini Interview with several short stations covering ethics, understanding of a career in medicine, the NHS, teamwork, self-directed learning, motivation, empathy, resilience and communication. For 2027 entry, interviews are in person for home fee status applicants and online for overseas fee status applicants. You can interview in Welsh, English or bilingually if you choose. Cardiff does not publish a station count or timings.
Original MedicHut practice questions. Real interviews may differ.
1.You overhear another student discussing a patient in a public place. What would you do, and why could this be an issue?
2.You overhear a nurse making derogatory comments about another patient, what would you do?
1. A doctor tells you they have made a mistake with a patient but asks you not to tell anyone. What would you do?
2. A patient refuses a treatment that you believe would benefit them. What ethical principals apply here?
You are working in a sexual health clinic. Your next patient, Jolie, is coming to see you about the results of their STI screen, which shows they have an STI.
Jolie asks you not to tell their partner about the diagnosis because they are embarrassed.
Discuss the ethical issues around patient confidentiality, using the four pillars of medical ethics to structure your answer.
Is it ever acceptable to override a patient's autonomy?
Follow-up: You are working on a children's ward. Your next patient, Amira, is 15 and has been diagnosed with a condition that needs treatment. She tells you she does not want her parents to know and asks you to keep it confidential. What would you do, and what would you need to consider?
You are a first-year medical student. The day before a formative anatomy exam, a friend posts a list of the exact exam questions in a course group chat. They tell the group that a senior student gave the list to them.
1. What immediate actions would you take in this situation?
2. Discuss the ethical issues raised by cheating in medical school.
3. To what extent do you agree that honesty is the most important quality in a doctor?
"Your friend begs you not to report them. They say they will be thrown off the course and their career will be ruined. What would you say to them?"
Cardiff University teaches medicine using the C21 curriculum. This places a strong focus on early clinical exposure across diverse Welsh communities.
1. Why is it valuable for medical students to experience healthcare in varied settings, such as both urban hospitals and rural practices?
2. How do your own learning style and experiences make you well suited to the C21 course?
3. What challenges might a student face when transitioning between different healthcare environments?
"If you were placed in a remote rural clinic where you felt isolated from your peers, how would you ensure you maintain your well-being?"
University life involves academic study alongside active participation in the wider student community. Choosing the right medical school is a highly personal decision.
1. What specific aspects of Cardiff University appeal to you as a place to study medicine?
2. How do you plan to engage with the university community outside of your academic commitments?
3. Why is it important for medical students to maintain interests outside of their degree?
"If you found that the demands of the medical course left you with no time for your extracurricular interests, how would you manage your schedule?"
Choosing where to study medicine is an important decision. Medical schools vary in their teaching methods, location, and student life.
1. What specific aspects of the Cardiff University medical course appeal to you most?
2. How does the teaching style here match your own preferred way of learning?
3. Aside from the academic course, what are you most looking forward to about living and studying in Wales?
"If you find that your preferred learning methods are not working well during your first term, how will you adapt?"
Many UK medical schools use Case-Based Learning and offer early clinical exposure to their students. Think about how these teaching methods suit your learning style.
1. Explain what Case-Based Learning involves.
2. Discuss the skills that students develop through Case-Based Learning.
3. Outline the benefits of meeting patients early in a medical degree.
"Some students find it stressful to meet patients before they have learned the relevant clinical science. How would you prepare yourself for this challenge?"
Cardiff University introduces medical students to clinical practice early on, including community-based placements in your first year. The curriculum also encourages learning alongside students from other healthcare disciplines.
1. Why is early clinical exposure in the community valuable for first-year medical students?
2. What are the benefits of learning alongside dental and healthcare science students?
3. How does this interprofessional approach reflect the realities of modern NHS practice?
Follow-up:
"What challenges might a first-year student face when transitioning directly into community placements, and how would you manage them?"
Role models play a significant part in shaping our career ambitions and professional values. Think of a specific person who has inspired your journey toward becoming a doctor.
1. Briefly describe who this person is and the qualities you admire in them.
2. Explain how their actions have influenced your motivation to study medicine.
3. Discuss how you plan to embody these qualities in your own future career.
"How would you maintain your motivation if you found out that a senior doctor you deeply admired was acting unprofessionally?"
What are you most looking forward to about becoming a doctor?
Consider the following in your answer:
1. A specific aspect of the role that excites you.
2. How your skills and interests align with this.
3. Any challenges you expect to face in this area.
Follow-up:
"If you were told tomorrow that a career in medicine was no longer an option, what alternative career would you choose and why?"
Choosing to study medicine is a major commitment. What steps have you taken to confirm that this is the right career for you?
In your answer, please discuss:
1. The experiences that have informed your decision.
2. A specific moment that solidified your choice.
3. How you have explored the realities of working in the NHS.
Follow-up:
"What is one negative aspect of a medical career that you discovered during your research, and how do you plan to cope with it?"
The role of an NHS doctor involves much more than face-to-face patient care.
1. Outline three non-clinical responsibilities a doctor might have within a hospital or local community.
2. Explain why each of these roles is important for the wider healthcare system.
3. Discuss which of these additional roles you find most appealing for your own future career.
"How would you ensure you balance the demands of clinical work with these additional responsibilities?"
Effective teamwork and leadership are vital components of modern medical practice. Think of a specific occasion where you took on a leadership role within a team.
1. Outline the situation, the goal of the team, and your specific responsibilities as a leader.
2. Describe any challenges you faced in guiding the team and how you overcame them.
3. Explain why strong teamwork is considered essential for patient safety in the NHS.
"If a team member openly criticized your leadership style in front of the rest of the group, how would you handle the situation?"
1. Medicine is a degree that is challenging and demanding. How will you organise your time?
2. A teammate becomes upset during a group task because they feel their ideas are being ignored. What would you do?
Multidisciplinary teamwork is a core element of clinical practice. Think about a specific time during your work experience or volunteering when you observed a team working together in a healthcare or clinical setting.
1. Describe the professionals involved and the situation they were managing.
2. Identify the key skills that made their teamwork effective.
3. Explain how you have applied one of these skills in your own collaborative experiences.
Follow-up:
"Can you think of a time when poor teamwork or miscommunication compromised a goal you were trying to achieve? What did you learn from it?"
Group work often presents unexpected challenges and requires adaptability. Think of a specific occasion when a group task you were involved in did not go as planned.
1. Describe the original plan and why it failed.
2. Explain the actions you personally took to manage the situation.
3. Discuss how you will apply this learning to teamwork in medical school.
Follow-up:
"If a team member became defensive when you tried to discuss the problem with them, what would you do next?"
An elderly patient, Arthur, has been treated in an NHS hospital for a chest infection. He is now medically fit for discharge. He lives alone, struggles with mobility, and cannot safely return home until a local social care package is arranged.
1. What are the immediate impacts on the hospital and other patients if Arthur cannot be discharged promptly?
2. How does a well-funded social care system support the NHS in its daily operations?
3. What steps can doctors take to ensure a safe handover between hospital care and community social care?
"Arthur tells you he is terrified of going home and begs to stay in the hospital for a few more days. What would you say to him?"
You are attending a student conference on the future of healthcare. The keynote speaker asks the audience to consider the current state of the National Health Service.
1. Identify three major challenges currently facing the NHS.
2. Explain the impact each of these challenges has on patient care.
3. Choose one of these issues to prioritise if you were in charge of healthcare policy. How would you begin to address it?
"What is a potential negative consequence of focusing a large amount of funding on your chosen issue?"
A local health board has a limited budget for the upcoming year. They must decide whether to invest extra funds into a new physical rehabilitation centre or a community mental health support service.
1. What factors should the board consider when making this financial decision?
2. Explain why mental health is widely considered to require the same priority as physical health.
3. Discuss how investing in preventative community services might affect NHS hospitals in the long term.
"The board decides to fund the physical rehabilitation centre because it offers faster, measurable results. Do you agree with this justification?"
An NHS trust is planning to redesign its services. They want to manage more elderly patients in community clinics rather than in a large central hospital. You have been asked to review this proposal.
1. What are the potential benefits of moving patient care from hospitals into the community?
2. What challenges might this shift create for local healthcare teams?
3. Explain how an ageing population influences decisions like this across the NHS.
"A patient tells you they feel safer being treated in a large hospital. How would you address their concerns?"
An NHS trust is facing long waiting times for outpatient appointments. The trust board is considering introducing artificial intelligence software to help triage patient referrals and reduce the backlog.
1. What are the potential benefits of integrating AI into the referral process?
2. What concerns or ethical issues might arise from using AI in this way?
3. What other strategies could the trust consider to reduce outpatient waiting times?
Follow-up:
"A patient complains that they want their referral reviewed by a human doctor, not a computer. How should the hospital respond to this concern?"
A local health board in Wales is reviewing its sustainability policies. The board notes that climate change is increasingly affecting public health and that healthcare facilities themselves contribute significantly to carbon emissions.
1. What effects might climate change have on public health in the UK?
2. In what ways do hospitals and clinics currently impact the environment?
3. What practical steps could a local health board take to reduce its environmental footprint without compromising patient care?
Follow-up:
"If a new, highly effective single-use medical device is introduced, but it significantly increases plastic waste, how should the health board decide whether to use it?"
Look at the picture below.
Describe what you can see in as much detail as possible, as if the interviewer cannot see it.
Look at the picture below.
Describe the picture to the interviewer in as much detail as possible.
What struggles might this man face?
Look at the picture below.
Describe the picture in as much detail as possible.
What barriers to healthcare might she face?
Look at the picture below.
Describe the picture in as much detail as possible.
What health challenges might people living in rural communities like this face?
Look at the picture below.
Describe the picture in as much detail as possible.
What pressures might the staff be facing?
Look at the picture below.
Describe the picture in as much detail as possible.
What support might he need from local services?
Imagine you have a simple picture in front of you: a house with a door in the middle, a window either side, a tree on the left and the sun in the top right corner.
Describe it to the interviewer in enough detail that they can draw it without seeing it.
Follow-up: What went well, and what could you have improved?
Medical students and doctors often juggle multiple responsibilities. Think of a specific time when you made a mistake while trying to manage several important tasks at once.
1. Describe the situation and the tasks you were trying to balance.
2. Explain the mistake you made and why it happened.
3. Outline what you learned from this experience regarding prioritisation.
"If you are on a busy hospital ward and a senior doctor gives you a new task while you are already overwhelmed, what steps would you take?"
Describe a specific occasion where you received constructive criticism from a teacher, coach, or supervisor.
1. What was the situation and what feedback were you given?
2. How did you initially feel, and how did you respond?
3. What changes did you make as a result?
"Why can it sometimes be difficult for people to accept feedback on their performance?"
A newly qualified doctor makes a minor error when prescribing a common medication. The hospital pharmacist notices the mistake and corrects it before the patient receives the drug. No harm is done.
1. What steps should the doctor take immediately after being informed of this error?
2. How can reflecting on this event help the doctor improve their future practice?
3. Why is the ability to reflect an essential requirement for doctors in the NHS?
"The doctor feels very guilty and loses confidence. What advice would you give to help them?"
Managing stress and maintaining clear communication are essential skills for medical students and doctors. Think of a specific time when you had to communicate important information while under pressure or feeling stressed.
1. Describe the situation and why it was stressful.
2. Explain how you managed your stress to ensure your communication remained effective.
3. Discuss what you learned about your own coping mechanisms from this experience.
"If you noticed a colleague becoming overwhelmed and communicating poorly with a patient during a busy shift, how would you approach them?"
Look at the picture below.
Describe the picture in as much detail as possible.
What might the patients and staff be feeling?
Medical school and a career as a doctor can be highly demanding. Maintaining a healthy balance is essential.
1. Outline the activities you do to switch off outside of your studies.
2. Explain how these activities help you manage stress.
3. Discuss why having interests outside of medicine is important for your future patients.
"During your foundation years as a junior doctor, you find that long shifts make it impossible to continue your current hobbies. How would you adapt to ensure you still switch off?"
Identify what you consider to be your greatest strength.
Please discuss:
1. What this strength is and how you developed it.
2. A brief example of a time you demonstrated this strength in a real situation.
3. How this specific quality will help you succeed as a medical student at Cardiff University.
Follow-up:
"If you asked a close friend, what would they say is your biggest weakness, and what are you doing to improve it?"
Doctors often need to explain simple but specific physical tasks to patients, such as how to use an asthma inhaler. For this exercise, you must explain a common everyday task.
1. Assume the interviewer does not know how to tie a shoelace.
2. Give clear, step-by-step verbal instructions to teach them this skill.
3. Explain why the ability to break down instructions is important in clinical practice.
"The patient is hard of hearing and cannot easily follow your verbal instructions. How would you adapt your communication style?"
You are volunteering at a community centre. A visitor tells you they want to learn how to make a cup of tea independently but they have never done it before.
1. Explain step by step how to make a cup of tea safely.
2. Discuss how you would check that the visitor has understood your instructions.
3. Why is the ability to break down everyday information important for a medical career?
"The visitor stops you halfway through and says they are confused by the order of the steps. How do you adapt your explanation?"
Delivering difficult feedback is a vital communication skill for doctors. Think of a specific occasion when you had to give someone constructive criticism or feedback they did not want to hear.
1. Describe the situation and the feedback you needed to deliver.
2. Explain how you prepared for and approached the conversation.
3. Reflect on how the person reacted and what you learned from the experience.
"If you had to give that same feedback again today, what would you do differently?"
Doctors frequently need to explain practical tasks clearly to patients. For this exercise, you must teach the interviewer how to wrap a rectangular present. You are not allowed to use your hands to demonstrate.
1. Provide clear verbal instructions on how to wrap the box step by step.
2. Explain how you would check that the interviewer understands your instructions.
3. Discuss why the ability to explain simple processes is a vital skill for doctors.
"The interviewer says they have lost track of your instructions and are holding a messy piece of paper. What is your next step?"
Reflecting on your healthcare work experience or volunteering is essential for understanding the realities of medicine. Think of a specific interaction or event you witnessed that left a lasting impression on you. In your answer, please cover:
1. What the event was and who was involved.
2. Why this specific interaction stood out to you.
3. How witnessing this event has influenced your understanding of the medical profession.
"If you encounter a similar situation as a medical student, how will this experience change the way you act?"
Gaining relevant skills outside of the classroom is important for aspiring medical students. Think of a specific experience, unrelated to your academic studies, that has helped prepare you for a career in medicine.
In your answer, please discuss:
1. What the experience involved and your role in it.
2. The specific skills or insights you gained.
3. How these skills will be useful to you as a medical student and future doctor.
Follow-up:
"What is one area of your personal development that you still need to work on before starting medical school, and how will you address it?"
Tell us about a non-clinical volunteering or work experience role you have undertaken.
Please structure your answer to cover:
1. What the role involved and your main responsibilities.
2. A specific skill you developed during this time.
3. Why this skill is important for a career in medicine.
Follow-up:
"Can you give an example of a time during this role when things did not go to plan, and how you handled it?"
Reflect on your clinical work experience or shadowing. What is the most important thing you learned about the role of a doctor?
Please cover:
1. The setting where you gained this insight.
2. An observation of a healthcare professional that highlighted this lesson.
3. How this changed your perspective on studying medicine.
Follow-up:
"How will you apply this lesson to your first year as a medical student?"
Medicine is a rapidly evolving field. Doctors must keep their scientific knowledge up to date. Think of a recent piece of scientific or medical news that caught your attention.
1. Summarise the key findings or details of this news story.
2. Explain why you found this topic particularly interesting.
3. Discuss how this development could impact future patient care or the NHS.
"What challenges might healthcare professionals face when trying to implement this new scientific development into everyday clinical practice?"
You are observing a GP clinic. A patient, Mr Smith, brings in a newspaper article about a new breakthrough drug for his condition and asks the GP if he can have it.
1. How should the doctor respond to this patient?
2. Why is it important for doctors to stay up to date with scientific developments?
3. How do you personally keep your own scientific knowledge current?
"What would you do if a patient asked about a new treatment that you had never heard of?"
Choose a scientific project, piece of coursework, or research task you completed during your A-levels.
1. Briefly explain the objective of the project.
2. Describe the steps you took to gather and evaluate information.
3. What was the most challenging aspect, and how did you overcome it?
"If you had to do the project again, what would you change about your approach?"
Medicine requires lifelong learning and the ability to grasp complex scientific concepts. Think of a specific scientific topic from your recent studies that you initially found difficult to understand.
1. Explain what the concept is and why you found it challenging.
2. Describe the steps you took to improve your understanding.
3. Discuss how you will apply this approach to your future medical studies.
Follow-up:
"If you were struggling with a core scientific module during your first year of medical school and your usual study methods were not working, what would you do next?"
Cardiff uses this format for medicine: Multiple Mini Interview. Interviews may be in person or online.
Interview timing for Cardiff: Invitations are usually sent by mid-December. Always check the university's own admissions pages for this year's dates.
Cardiff assesses: Ethics, Understanding of a medical career, Teamwork, Self-directed learning, Motivation, Empathy, Resilience, Communication.
No. They are 50 original MedicHut practice questions, written to match Cardiff's published interview format. Universities do not share their real questions, so your interview may differ.
No. Every question is free with no sign-up. A free account just lets you save your notes and progress across devices.
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