Medicine @ Clare, Cambridge in 2019

Interview format

Biomedical Admissions Test; 2x interviews.

Interview content

Both interviews: questions that developed on a broad theme (e.g. experimental design).

Best preparation

Revising AS/A2 bio and chem, mock interviews.

Final thoughts

Explain your thoughts coherently in the interview. Also, check if your college offers free accommodation for interviewees.

Remember this advice isn't official. There is no guarantee it will reflect your experience because university applications can change between years. Check the official Cambridge and Oxford websites for more accurate information on this year's application format and the required tests.

Also, someone else's experience may not reflect your own. Most interviews are more like conversations than tests and like, any conversation, they are quite interactive.

Interview Format

Test taken: Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT)
Number of interviews: 2
Time between interviews: 2 hours
Length of interviews: 20 minutes
Online interview: No

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

I didn't have any problem sheets. My interviews were mostly based around a single broad subject and then building on it. Themes like experimental design, for example. The interviewers were really nice to be completely fair, but I was really stressed for obvious reasons.

I think my interviews tended to get progressively more difficult. In terms of worrying myths, I guess clothing doesn't matter as much as you think it does. There were people wearing suits, but the Cambridge interview email said wear something you feel comfortable in. Obviously don't walk in with something like ripped jeans, but I wore a plain jumper with some trousers cos wearing a suit would have stressed me out more than necessary.

Also if you're struggling, just breathe. I stuttered a bit, but I asked for a moment to collect my thoughts and it helped a lot.

How did you prepare for your interviews?

I basically revised all of AS biology and chemistry, and A2 was pretty fresh in my head. This is because I had heard that anything on the SAQ (a form you do for Cambridge) was fair game.

In terms of advice, I went to a grammar school so teachers were pretty well-versed in Oxbridge applications. I had one mock interview, which looking back on it was with the best teacher, because she was harsh but fair, and said it as it was. If you're looking for a teacher to do a mock interview, nicer teachers are good, but realistically you want a teacher who will say it like it is.

In terms of the interview, I can't say what exactly came up. What I will say is that knowing the fundamentals of biology and chemistry will stand you in good stead when responding to some of the weirder questions.

If you took a test, how did you prepare?

I basically started by doing practise questions from the BMAT book to get a jist for the style of questions. I then made notes on the science section using the specification which you can find online. Then I did all the practise papers and once I had finished those I started using some similar style questions from other entrance exams such as the TSA, but this was towards the end once I had exhausted a lot of the resources I had.

What advice would you give to future applicants?

Check if your college offers free overnight stays. It's less of a hassle if you go the night before and sleep there. Also just sleep at home after, I had homework for the day after, but it had been a long couple of months so don't be afraid to chill a bit after.

Also in terms of what the interviewers are looking for - they're not looking for someone who can regurgitate scientific jargon, they're looking for someone who can process information and coherently explain their thought patterns.