MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEW GUIDE — MEDICAL SCHOOLS — INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL SCHOOLS

University College London Medical School Interview

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WRITTEN BY
MEDISTUDENTS TEAM
july 30, 2024

Teaching Overview

Within the first two years, University College London Medical School delivers its curriculum through sequential, integrated, system-based modules, meaning each module will continue to build on previous knowledge and skills. From Year 4 onwards, the focus will be on learning through clinical practice, supported by formal teaching sessions.

The first two years will provide opportunities for meeting patients and health professionals, but your main clinical placements will take place in Year 4 – 6, during which time you’ll undertake the following:

  • Year 4: Three long attachments based in hospitals and associated community and GP settings.
  • Year 5: Three twelve-week clinical placements.
  • Year 6: Longer clinical attachments, including ‘assistantships’, to support your transition into a Foundation Year 1 role.

You can find out more about the course structure and content here.

Teaching Hospitals / Clinical Partnerships

Teaching can take place in the following ‘campuses’:

  • The Bloomsbury campus  — main clinical facilities are at University College Hospital
  • The Royal Free campus – situated at the Royal Free Hospital
  • The Whittington campus – situated at Whittington Hospital

University College London also has links with 'Foundation Trusts, Associated University Hospitals, District General Hospitals, and a range of general practice and community settings', in which your clinical teaching may take place.

Extracurricular / Additional Opportunities

At different stages of the programme, you’ll undertake student selected components, as well as an elective placement within your final year, which will provide opportunities to explore areas of interest and develop your skills.

During your third year, you’ll undertake a compulsory integrated BSc degree, meaning you’ll graduate with a BSc and a MBBS following completion of the programme.

In addition to this, University College London also offers 'highly motivated and especially able students' the opportunity to complete a PhD. The MBPhD programme is usually taken within year 4.

Selling Points

Although University College London does not offer a separate graduate entry programme, if you have a UK Bachelor's degree you will be exempt from the integrated BSc. This means that you will move directly from year 2 to year 4, making the programme five years, rather than six.

Interview Information

University College London uses the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format for its interview. You will be asked a series of structured questions which aim to assess the following:

  • Academic curiosity and interest in healthcare
  • Motivation for and understanding of a career in medicine
  • Problem solving and reasoning ability
  • Professional attitudes and values (for example: flexibility, integrity, empathy, honesty, conscientiousness and compassion)
  • Team work, leadership, resilience and individual strengths
  • Communication skills

You can find more information on what is assessed on their website here.

For 2025 entry, MMIs will take place on campus between December 2024 and March 2025 for 'home' candidates and online between January and February 2025 for 'overseas students'. You can a more detailed breakdown on the interview dates on their website here.

Admissions Exam

Most medical schools require you to pass an admissions exam before you’ll be invited for interview.

Admissions exam for University College London: University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)

The UCAT assesses your characteristics, attitudes and professional behaviours against those required for medical school. The exam is divided into 5 sections: Abstract Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning, Situational Judgement (SJT) and Verbal Reasoning.

University College London select applicants for interview based on their UCAT scores. 

To help you to successfully prepare for all sections, the free Medibuddy UCAT question bank carefully selects questions based on your strengths and weaknesses within the syllabus, to ensure that you’re focusing on areas which will have the biggest impact on your UCAT score.

You can also clearly see in the question bank dashboard the areas you have “mastered” and those which you need to focus more time on.

It’s crucial that you prepare well for all areas to ensure that you get the best UCAT score possible and secure your interview place!

For more information and guidance, see our complete guide to the UCAT and our UCAT preparation tips.

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