Panel Interviews

What is a panel interview?

A panel interview is the traditional medical school interview format. A candidate sits before a panel of two or three interviewers, typically including an academic, a clinician and sometimes a medical student or patient representative. The interview lasts between twenty and forty minutes and covers a broad range of topics.

Unlike the MMI, there are no separate stations or rotating assessors. The same panel observes and scores the entire interview, which allows for a more developed, conversational discussion but means that first impressions carry more weight.

How it differs from the MMI

The MMI distributes risk across multiple independent assessors; the panel format concentrates it. A poor opening at a panel interview affects the assessors' perception of everything that follows. Conversely, a strong performance early in a panel interview can positively shape how later answers are received.

Panel interviews tend to allow more opportunity for follow-up questions and extended discussion. An assessor who is interested in a particular line of response can pursue it, which means candidates need to be prepared for deeper probing on any topic they raise.

What a panel interview typically covers

Panel interviews usually open with motivation questions before moving to experience-based questions, ethical scenarios and discussions of current medical issues. Towards the end, panels often ask about the candidate's understanding of the medical profession and their awareness of the challenges doctors face.

• Why medicine or dentistry, and why this university?
• What have you learned from your work experience?
• A discussion of one or two ethical dilemmas
• Questions about NHS structure or current healthcare issues
• What qualities a good doctor needs
• Questions about academic interests and wider activities

What to expect on the day

Panel interviews are usually held on campus. Candidates are sometimes shown around the medical school before their interview, which gives you an opportunity to compose yourself and to ask any remaining questions about the course.

Dress formally and arrive with time to spare. The panel will typically introduce themselves at the start. Some panels begin with a straightforward question to settle the candidate; others open directly with a scenario or a challenging question about the candidate's application.

Preparation

For panel interviews, preparation depth matters more than breadth. You will need to speak at length about your motivations, your experiences and your understanding of medicine, so thin or generalised answers become obvious. Work through your reflections, know your personal statement thoroughly and be ready to expand on anything you have written.

Practise answering questions aloud to a family member, teacher or friend acting as a panel. The goal is to become comfortable with extended speaking, with silence while you think and with follow-up questions that push you beyond your prepared answers.