Medicine @ Trinity, Oxford in 2016

Interview format

2x 1 hr interviews, 3 hrs apart

Interview content

Interview 1: blood pH and equilibrium, structure of course; Interview 2: personal statement, ethics of consent case in news

Best preparation

Practice papers / questions, mock interviews, GMC guidelines

Advice in hindsight

-

Final thoughts

Try to stay calm; say if you're not sure.

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: BMAT

Number of interviews: 2

Skype interview: No

Time between each interview: 3 hours

Length of interviews: 1 hour each

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

My first interview was based on academics. We spoke about the control of blood pH and equilibrium. Then I was questioned on different conditions caused by pH imbalance. I was also asked about the structure of the course.

My second interview was based on my personal statement and application. Then, we spoke about the ethics of a case of consent that had recently featured heavily in the news.

I was obviously very nervous but made sure I spoke through my working and took my time. They really do just want to see how you think. The first interview was pretty scary, in a small office with 4 tutors, whereas the second one was a lot more relaxed, with only 2 tutors.

How did you prepare?

I did practice papers, used a BMAT book, read advice on websites, revised content, and found that UKCAT revision also helped.

To prepare for interview, try and get as many practice interviews as possible. It doesn’t necessarily even matter if these are about your subject or in the style of an Oxbridge interview, just get comfortable with talking to strangers. As a medical applicant, I also made sure I was well versed with GMC guidelines.

What advice do you have for future applicants?

Looking back, what advice would you give to your past self?

Just try and stay calm and if you don’t know something don’t be afraid to say you aren’t sure! They don’t expect you to know everything and are happy to provide hints to help you, just like they do in real tutorials. They really are just looking for someone who’s thinking style will suit their teaching.