Free practice questions for the Chester medicine interview, with the interview format taken from the university's own admissions pages.
Chester interviews take the form of six Multiple Mini Interviews and last about an hour and a half in total. Each station is scored by two trained assessors, drawn from medical professionals, academics, current students and lay people, and the stations are designed to assess you against the GMC's Good Medical Practice guidance. Chester does not publish station timings or whether the circuit runs on campus or online, so check your invitation before you plan your travel. After the MMIs, each candidate's score profile is reviewed to decide who gets an offer.
Original MedicHut practice questions. Real interviews may differ.
You have already completed an undergraduate degree. You are now applying for a demanding graduate entry medicine programme.
Please tell us about your motivation for this transition. In your answer, you should cover:
1. What specific experiences led you to choose medicine rather than continuing in your original field?
2. How you have ensured that this is the right career path for you.
Follow-up:
"Many graduates find the intensity of medical training overwhelming compared to their first degree. How will you manage this shift in workload?"
Applying for graduate entry medicine involves a significant commitment of time and resources to retrain.
Talk us through your decision to apply during this cycle. Please include:
1. Why you feel now is the appropriate time in your life to start this journey.
2. The practical steps you have taken to prepare for a return to full-time education.
Follow-up:
"What would you do if you were not offered a place this year? Would you apply again or pursue a different path?"
Every graduate brings a unique set of skills from their previous studies or career.
Reflect on your first degree and explain how it has prepared you for a career as a doctor. You should discuss:
1. The specific academic or practical skills you developed.
2. How these skills directly apply to studying medicine and working in the NHS.
Follow-up:
"Imagine you are paired on a placement with a medical student who has a completely different academic background to yours. How would you ensure you work together effectively?"
Moving from an established career or previous degree into the role of a medical student can present several challenges.
Please discuss the difficulties you anticipate facing during this transition. Consider:
1. The shift in professional status and responsibilities.
2. The impact on your personal life and routine.
3. How you plan to overcome these hurdles.
Follow-up:
"You are on a clinical placement and a senior doctor assumes you are a fully qualified colleague because of your age and previous experience. How would you handle this situation?"
The NHS relies on a large multidisciplinary team. Roles such as nurses, physician associates, and paramedics all play vital parts in patient care.
Explain your specific motivation for becoming a doctor. Please address:
1. The differences in responsibility between a doctor and other healthcare professionals.
2. What specific aspects of a doctor's role appeal to you.
Follow-up:
"A patient tells you they prefer seeing the physician associate because they feel they are listened to more carefully. How would you respond to this as a medical student?"
Applying to graduate entry medicine is highly competitive and many strong candidates are unsuccessful on their first attempt.
How would you respond if you did not receive an offer for medicine this year?
Please outline:
1. Your immediate practical steps.
2. How you would maintain your motivation.
3. What alternative plans you might consider in the meantime.
"If a colleague told you they were giving up on medicine after one rejection, what advice would you give them?"
You have chosen to apply for the graduate entry MB ChB programme at the University of Chester.
What specific aspects of this course attracted you?
Please cover:
1. The teaching methods used on the programme.
2. How the structure suits your learning style as a graduate.
3. What you hope to contribute to the medical school community.
"If you received offers from three different graduate medical schools, how would you make your final decision?"
The University of Chester is one of the newer medical schools in the UK. Studying at a recently established institution offers a different experience compared to an older medical school.
Discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages of joining a newer medical school.
What specific challenges might a student face in this environment, and how would you overcome them?
"Some patients might say they prefer doctors trained at older, traditional universities. How would you respond to this view?"
Medical schools train future doctors to serve the populations in their local region. As a student at Chester, you will spend time on clinical placements across Cheshire and the wider area.
Please discuss:
1. Your understanding of the demographic challenges in this region.
2. How local healthcare needs might shape your experience on clinical placements.
3. Why it is important for medical students to understand the local community.
"How do the health needs of a rural population differ from those of an inner-city population?"
Graduate entry medicine is an intensive four-year course. Many students relocate for their studies and move away from their established support networks of friends and family.
How do you plan to manage the demands of an accelerated medical degree?
Please outline:
1. Your strategies for maintaining a healthy balance between study and rest.
2. How you will build a new support network in Chester.
3. How you recognise when you are becoming overwhelmed.
"You notice that a fellow graduate student is missing lectures and looks exhausted. They tell you they are struggling with being so far from home. What would you do?"
You are shadowing a doctor in a general practice clinic. A patient attends with multiple complex issues, and the consultation runs significantly over time. The doctor manages the situation calmly and the patient leaves satisfied, but the clinic is now running late.
1. What elements of good medical practice did the doctor demonstrate?
2. Reflect on a similar situation from your own work experience where you saw a clinician handle a difficult scenario well.
3. Why is it important to reflect on good practice, as well as mistakes?
"How should a doctor balance the needs of a complex patient with the needs of other patients in the waiting room?"
"What would you say to the next patient who has been waiting 30 minutes past their appointment time?"
During a medical school open day, an aspiring student says: 'I want to be a doctor because I want to cure patients and save lives every day.'
Reflecting on your own work experience and insight into the profession:
1. How does this statement compare to the everyday reality of being a doctor?
2. What are the more common, routine responsibilities you observed?
3. How do doctors handle situations where a patient cannot be cured?
"What was the most challenging aspect of a doctor's role that you witnessed?"
"How has seeing the reality of the job affected your motivation to study graduate entry medicine?"
A first-year medical student returning from their first clinical placement says to you: 'I was surprised by how much time doctors spend on computers, rather than talking to patients.'
Reflecting on your own clinical or care experience:
1. Did you observe something similar, or was there another aspect of healthcare delivery that surprised you?
2. Why is administrative work a necessary part of modern medical practice?
3. How did your work experience challenge your previous assumptions about the medical profession?
"Why is it important for medical professionals to regularly challenge their own assumptions?"
"If you find yourself overwhelmed by administrative tasks as a junior doctor, how will you manage your workload?"
You are volunteering on a hospital ward. You notice a patient who has received successful medical treatment for a physical condition, but they appear dissatisfied and upset. They tell you they feel ignored by the medical team.
Thinking about your own work experience and interactions with patients:
1. What factors, beyond clinical outcomes, do patients typically value most?
2. Why might a gap exist between a successful clinical outcome and a patient's satisfaction?
3. How can healthcare professionals ensure they meet these broader patient needs?
"Can you give an example from your own experience where a patient's primary concern was not their physical health?"
"What would you do if a patient told you they felt ignored by the senior doctor?"
A junior doctor is preparing to discharge an elderly patient. The medical notes show the patient is medically fit to leave the hospital. However, a ward nurse and an occupational therapist raise concerns that the patient will not be able to manage safely at home.
Reflecting on your own work experience:
1. What does this scenario show about the limitations of looking only at medical fitness?
2. Describe a time you saw different professionals working together to make a clinical decision.
3. How should the junior doctor respond to the concerns raised by the wider team?
"What could happen if the doctor ignores the advice of the occupational therapist?"
"How do you resolve a situation where team members disagree on the best plan for a patient?"
The GMC's Good Medical Practice outlines the professional values and behaviours expected of doctors in the UK.
1. Which of these qualities do you feel is the most important for a medical student to develop?
2. Provide an example from your own experience where you have demonstrated this quality.
Follow-up:
"If a colleague felt you were failing to uphold this standard on a clinical placement, how would you want them to approach you?"
Reflect on a time during your previous studies or employment where you made a significant mistake.
Please discuss:
1. What the mistake was and how it happened.
2. The immediate steps you took to address the situation.
3. What you learned and how you have changed your practice since.
Follow-up:
"How would you react if a senior colleague publicly blamed you for a mistake that was actually their fault?"
You are in your second year of the graduate entry medicine programme. You have upcoming exams, a demanding clinical placement, and personal commitments at home. You notice that you are feeling constantly exhausted and are struggling to concentrate on the wards.
1. How would you manage this situation right now?
2. What proactive steps do you currently take to maintain your physical and mental health during stressful periods?
Follow-up:
"Your clinical supervisor notices you look tired and asks if you are fit to be on the ward today. What do you say to them?"
Self-awareness is a key component of being a safe and effective medical practitioner.
1. What would a peer or former colleague identify as your biggest weakness?
2. How does this weakness affect your daily work or studies?
3. What active steps are you taking to improve in this area?
Follow-up:
"Can a weakness ever be an advantage in a clinical setting? Please explain your reasoning."
Probity is a core principle of Good Medical Practice. Think about a time in your previous career, education, or volunteering where you had to maintain your integrity in a difficult situation.
1. Describe the situation and why it might have been easier to be dishonest.
2. What actions did you take?
3. How did the outcome affect your relationship with the people involved?
Follow-ups:
"A fellow medical student tells you they forged a doctor's signature on their placement attendance form because they had to leave early for a family emergency. What do you do?"
"Why is probity so crucial for the medical profession specifically?"
Think of a time during your previous degree or employment when you were part of a team that was not working well together.
1. Briefly outline the situation and the reasons for the team's difficulties.
2. Explain what steps you took to try and improve the situation.
3. Discuss what you learned about effective teamwork from this experience.
Follow-ups:
"If you could go back and change one thing about your own behaviour in that situation, what would it be?"
"How would you handle a situation where a clinical team's poor performance was directly affecting patient care?"
As a graduate entry medical student, you will work alongside NHS professionals with years of clinical experience. Reflect on a time from your past employment or studies when you were required to lead a group of people who were more experienced than you.
1. Describe the context and your specific role as a leader.
2. Explain the challenges you faced in gaining their trust and cooperation.
3. Detail how you adapted your leadership style to suit the situation.
Follow-up:
"What would you do if a highly experienced team member outright refused to follow your instructions?"
You are working on a group presentation with three other medical students. You notice that one colleague consistently leaves the library early. They expect the rest of the group to finish their tasks. The deadline is approaching in two days.
1. How would you approach your colleague about this issue?
2. What factors should you consider before speaking to them?
3. How would you ensure the project is completed on time without damaging the team dynamic?
Follow-ups:
"Your colleague tells you they have been leaving early because they are struggling with their mental health. How does this change your approach?"
"At what point would you escalate this issue to a university tutor?"
You are on a clinical placement on a busy hospital ward. The multidisciplinary team is under a lot of pressure due to staff shortages. A consultant praises a junior nurse for being a vital team player.
1. What specific behaviours make someone a good team member in a high-pressure clinical environment?
2. How does effective teamwork directly impact patient safety?
3. Give an example of how a medical student can positively contribute to a busy ward team.
Follow-up:
"A senior doctor asks you to complete a clinical task that you have not been trained to do. They state they are too busy to do it themselves. What would you do?"
You are a medical student on clinical placement. A patient approaches the clinic reception desk. They are visibly angry and complain loudly that their appointment has just been cancelled for the third time. They demand to see a doctor immediately.
1. What would be your immediate priorities in managing this situation?
2. How would you structure your conversation to help calm the patient down?
3. What specific communication skills would you use to show empathy while remaining professional?
Follow-up:
"The patient refuses to calm down and begins shouting at other people in the waiting room. What is your next step?"
You are a medical student. You agreed to attend a close friend's birthday dinner tonight. A colleague at the hospital calls to say they are unwell. You are asked to cover their evening shift at short notice to ensure a local charity clinic can remain open.
1. How will you explain this to your friend?
2. What factors do you need to consider before making the phone call?
3. How can you ensure the friendship is not damaged?
Follow-up:
"Your friend says: 'You always put work first. I booked this table months ago and you promised you would come.'"
You are speaking to a patient who has recently been prescribed medication for high blood pressure. They tell you they have stopped taking the tablets. They explain they read a blog post online claiming the medication causes serious long term organ damage.
1. How would you structure this conversation?
2. What are your immediate priorities when responding to the patient?
3. How do you address their concerns without being dismissive?
Follow-up:
"The patient says: 'The person who wrote the blog is a qualified nutritionist. Why should I trust your prescription over their advice?'"
You are taking part in a communication skills exercise. You must instruct a colleague on how to make a standard cup of tea. You are not allowed to use your hands or physically point to any objects.
1. How will you break down the task into clear steps?
2. What assumptions about the listener's knowledge do you need to avoid?
3. Why is this type of exercise relevant to clinical practice?
Follow-up:
"The colleague says: 'I poured the boiling water into the cup, but I forgot to put the tea bag in first. What do I do now?'"
You have just finished explaining a new asthma management plan to a patient. The plan involves taking two different inhalers at specific times of the day. The patient nods politely but looks slightly confused.
1. How would you check that the patient has fully understood the new plan?
2. What specific communication techniques could you use in this situation?
3. Why is it important to confirm understanding before the patient leaves the clinic?
Follow-ups:
"The patient says: 'I think I get it. I just take them both when I feel out of breath, right?'"
"How would you respond if the patient feels embarrassed about not understanding?"
You are scrolling through a social media app. You see that a fellow medical student has posted a selfie taken in a hospital ward. In the background of the photo, you can clearly see a patient in a bed and a white board displaying several names.
1. What are the ethical issues raised by this social media post?
2. What steps would you take immediately after seeing the photo?
3. Which GMC guidelines apply to this situation?
Follow-ups:
"The student tells you: 'My profile is private and only my friends can see it, so there is no breach of confidentiality.'"
"What would you do if the student refuses to delete the photograph?"
You are a medical student on a ward. An elderly patient has just been diagnosed with a chronic illness. The patient's adult daughter is waiting in the corridor. The patient tells you: "Please do not tell my daughter about the diagnosis. She has enough on her plate at work."
1. How would you respond to this patient?
2. What ethical principles are most relevant in this situation?
3. Are there any circumstances where a doctor might breach patient confidentiality?
Follow-up:
"The daughter approaches you in the corridor and says: 'I know my dad got his test results today. What did the doctor say?' What exactly do you say to her?"
You are a junior doctor arriving for a morning shift at a general practice. You are in the staff room with a senior GP partner. They are about to start their morning clinic. You notice a strong smell of alcohol on their breath, and they appear slightly unsteady on their feet.
1. What are your immediate priorities in this situation?
2. How would you approach the senior GP partner?
3. What professional guidance from the GMC applies here?
Follow-ups:
"The senior GP tells you that they had a few drinks last night but feel completely fine to see patients. What do you do next?"
"Why is it sometimes difficult for junior staff to raise concerns about a senior colleague?"
A local NHS trust is considering a new policy to manage surgical waiting lists. Under this policy, patients who actively smoke will be placed in a lower priority group for routine joint replacement surgery compared to non-smokers.
1. What are the arguments in favour of this policy?
2. What are the arguments against this policy?
3. How do the ethical principles of justice and autonomy apply here?
Follow-ups:
"A patient says: 'I pay my taxes, so I should get the exact same treatment as a non-smoker.' How would you respond?"
"If a patient's smoking significantly increases their risk of severe complications during surgery, does this change your view?"
You are observing a GP clinic. A 15-year-old girl attends the appointment alone. She asks the doctor for a prescription for the contraceptive pill. She is very clear that she does not want her parents to find out.
1. What factors must the doctor consider before prescribing the medication?
2. How should the doctor assess whether the patient can consent to the treatment?
3. What steps should the doctor take if they believe the patient is at risk of harm?
Follow-ups:
"The patient says: 'If you will not give me the pill without telling my parents, I will just buy something online.' How does this affect your assessment?"
"What framework do doctors in the UK use to assess the capacity of a young person in this exact situation?"
You are attending a medical school interview. The panel presents you with a short summary of current NHS pressures. It highlights an ageing population, staffing shortages, and long waiting lists for routine operations.
1. In your view, which of these issues represents the biggest challenge to the NHS today?
2. How does this specific challenge affect patient care on a day-to-day basis?
3. What realistic steps could the healthcare system take to address the issue you selected?
Follow-ups:
"A panel member asks: 'If you had a limited budget, would you spend it on training more doctors or upgrading hospital equipment?' What would you choose and why?"
"How might the challenge you chose impact your daily life as a future trainee doctor?"
A local NHS trust is considering using a new artificial intelligence system to help prioritise patient referrals. The software analyses GP referral letters and flags patients it determines need urgent care.
1. What are the potential benefits of using artificial intelligence in this way?
2. What risks or ethical concerns might arise from relying on this technology?
3. What steps should the trust take to ensure patient safety when introducing this system?
Follow-ups:
"A doctor notices that the AI system keeps downgrading referrals for patients from a specific demographic group. How should they respond to this?"
"How might the use of AI change the relationship between doctors and patients?"
You are working in a GP practice located in an area with high levels of poverty. You notice that many patients from a specific neighbourhood regularly present with severe respiratory issues. They also frequently struggle to attend their follow-up appointments.
1. What factors might be contributing to these health inequalities?
2. How can healthcare professionals support patients who face barriers to accessing care?
3. What role does the NHS have in addressing the wider determinants of health?
Follow-up:
"A colleague says: 'It is the patient's responsibility to attend their appointments.' How would you discuss this statement with them?"
A busy outpatient clinic has recorded a high number of missed appointments over the last month. A local newspaper suggests that the NHS should introduce a financial penalty for patients who fail to attend without cancelling in advance.
1. What are the main arguments in favour of charging patients for missed appointments?
2. What are the potential negative consequences of this policy?
3. What alternative strategies could the clinic use to reduce missed appointments?
Follow-up:
"A patient tells you they missed their appointment because they could not afford the bus fare to the hospital. How does this influence your view on the proposed fine?"
As a graduate entry applicant, you bring academic experience from your previous degree. Medical practice relies heavily on research and evidence-based medicine.
1. Describe a specific research project or academic assignment you completed during your previous studies.
2. What challenges did you face when gathering or analysing your data?
3. How did this project prepare you for the academic demands of a medical degree?
Follow-up:
"Research can often produce unexpected results. Can you give an example of a time when your findings did not match your initial expectations?"
A patient attends a GP appointment and brings a cutting from a national newspaper. The article claims that a new herbal supplement can cure a chronic joint condition in just a few weeks. The patient wants to stop their prescribed medication and start taking the supplement immediately.
1. How would you explore the patient's reasons for wanting to change their treatment?
2. What steps would you take to evaluate the reliability of the claims made in the newspaper article?
3. How would you explain the concept of evidence-based medicine to the patient in plain English?
Follow-ups:
"The patient says: 'The article quotes a doctor who says it works, so it must be true.' How do you respond?"
"What might be the risks of the patient stopping their prescribed medication without clinical supervision?"
You are a foundation doctor on a busy hospital ward. A senior doctor mentions that they spend several hours a month reading new medical journals and attending training courses. They have been a consultant for 15 years.
1. Why is continuing professional development essential for all doctors?
2. What potential risks might arise if a clinician stopped updating their knowledge?
3. How would you plan to maintain your own learning while working full-time in the NHS?
Follow-up:
"A colleague tells you they are too exhausted from clinical shifts to read academic papers. How would you respond?"
A patient attends a GP clinic with a mild viral sore throat. They ask for antibiotics because the pills helped them recover faster last year. The GP explains that prescribing antibiotics unnecessarily contributes to antimicrobial resistance.
1. How would you explain the concept of antimicrobial resistance to this patient?
2. What are the wider impacts of this issue on the NHS?
3. What steps can healthcare professionals take to help reduce the spread of resistant infections?
Follow-up:
"The patient becomes frustrated and says they will just buy antibiotics online instead. How would you handle this?"
A GP practice manager shares a small dataset with you. Over the last month, the clinic recorded 10 missed appointments on Tuesdays, 12 on Wednesdays, 9 on Thursdays, and 11 on Fridays. However, there were 45 missed appointments on Mondays.
1. How would you investigate the reasons behind this high number on Mondays?
2. What potential factors could explain this pattern?
3. What solutions might you propose to the practice manager?
Follow-up:
"You discover that the local bus service no longer runs on Monday mornings. How does this change your approach?"
You are a medical student on a hospital placement. You have three things to deal with in the next hour:
A. Take a routine blood sample from a patient waiting to go home.
B. Submit a short reflection for your university portfolio.
C. Fetch some patient notes for a consultant starting a ward round.
1. Put these tasks in order of priority.
2. Explain the reasoning behind your choices.
3. What factors do you consider when balancing clinical tasks and university deadlines?
Follow-up:
"You go to fetch the notes, but the ward clerk tells you they are missing. What happens to your priorities?"
A doctor is discussing a new preventative medication with a patient. The trial data shows that without the drug, 2 in 100 people will have a stroke over five years. With the drug, 1 in 100 people will have a stroke. The medication has some mild side effects.
1. How would you explain these figures to the patient?
2. What is the difference between relative risk and absolute risk in this scenario?
3. Why is it important for doctors to present data clearly to patients?
Follow-up:
"The patient says: 'So this drug halves my risk of a stroke. I definitely need it.' How do you ensure they have understood the full context before they decide?"
You are helping a GP practice manager plan a local health campaign with a very limited budget.
The manager shows you a small dataset from the last quarter:
- 15% of patients aged 65 and over missed their winter flu vaccine.
- 30% of young adults reported high stress levels in a routine survey.
1. How would you use this information to decide where to focus the campaign?
2. What other data or factors would you need to consider before making a final decision?
3. How would you measure the success of the campaign once it has launched?
"The manager suggests spending the entire budget on printing posters for the waiting room. How would you evaluate this idea?"
"If you could only choose one group to target, how would you justify your choice?"
Receiving constructive criticism is a vital part of professional development in any healthcare setting. Think about a time during your previous degree or employment when you received feedback that significantly changed how you work.
1. Briefly describe the situation and the feedback you received.
2. How did you react to this feedback initially?
3. What specific changes did you make to your practice or behaviour as a result?
"Why can it sometimes be difficult for professionals to accept constructive criticism?"
"How would you approach giving difficult feedback to a colleague who is underperforming?"
Prior to applying for graduate entry medicine, candidates often have a specific view of what a career in medicine involves. Work experience or volunteering often changes these initial perceptions.
1. Describe a belief or assumption you held about the medical profession before your work experience.
2. What specific event or interaction challenged this belief?
3. How has this new understanding prepared you for the realities of being a doctor?
"A fellow applicant tells you that work experience is only useful for learning about clinical procedures. How would you respond?"
Medical students and doctors frequently encounter situations where they feel they lack the knowledge or skills to proceed safely. Think of a time in your previous career, studies, or personal life when you felt completely out of your depth.
1. What was the situation and why did you feel unprepared?
2. What immediate actions did you take to manage the situation?
3. What did you learn about your own limitations from this experience?
"As a medical student, what would you do if a senior doctor asked you to perform a procedure you had never done before?"
"How do you distinguish between stepping out of your comfort zone to learn and acting unsafely?"
The GMC requires doctors to reflect on their practice and continuously improve. As a graduate entry medical student, you will be expected to monitor your own progress towards becoming a competent and safe doctor.
1. What indicators would you use to assess your own professional development?
2. How would you balance your own self-assessment with external feedback from colleagues and patients?
3. What steps would you take if you realised your standards were slipping?
"Is it possible for a doctor to have excellent clinical outcomes but still be considered a poor doctor by their patients?"
"How might the definition of a 'good doctor' change over the course of a long medical career?"
Chester uses this format for medicine: Six station MMI. There are 6 stations.
Interview timing for Chester: Dates are confirmed in your interview invitation. Always check the university's own admissions pages for this year's dates.
Chester assesses: GMC Good Medical Practice.
No. They are 50 original MedicHut practice questions, written to match Chester's published interview format. Universities do not share their real questions, so your interview may differ.
Yes. Every question is free to practise, with no sign-up needed. You can make a free account to save your notes.
Chester medical school guide: entry requirements and interview advice
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