Exeter University Medicine Interview Questions (2025 entry)

About Exeter Medical School (2025 Edition)

Exeter is defined by early clinical contact, friendly and supportive staff and the characteristic friendly atmosphere of a small Med School. Exeter are very keen on the holistic approach.

The problem-based syllabus helps you anchor medical knowledge learnt in lectures, whilst preparing you to treat your own patients as an F1.

Placements can be in a massive variety of settings, from GP surgeries to chiropractors and funeral directors!

University of Exeter Interview Information

😊 How does University of Exeter select candidates for interviews?

GCSEs: The university requires a grade B/6 or above in English Language.

A-Levels: A*AA with at least an A grade in Chemistry and Biology

The university will assign 'an Exeter Score' (see table below) to candidates based off their academic achievements and UCAT decile, with academic achievements accounting for 75% of its weighting. The Exeter score is used to decide who receives interview invitations.

Personal Statement: This is not used for shortlisting candidates, however personal statements may be referenced in interviews so it is advised to keep a copy for the interview.

UCAT: Exeter requires all applicants to sit the UCAT and each person is assigned a score based on their decile (see table below) which accounts for the other 25% of the Exeter Score weighting.

The UCAT may also be used to shortlist applicants for a place offer should there be a large number of candidates deemed eligible for offers following the interview stage.

🧬 What is the interview format?

The interview style will be Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) and may take place either in person or online. It is essential to bring valid photographic ID for the interview!

There will be 5 different stations lasting 3-5 minutes each and a different assessor at each station. Candidates have 1 minute at each station to prepare.

📆 When will you get interview invitations?

Based on previous years, Exeter typically sends out their invitations between November and March

👩‍💼 When are the interviews usually held?

Interviews are usually held between December and January but the period may be extended with larger applicant numbers.

📝 What are the main topics I will be asked at the interview?

The MMIs have been designed to determine whether applicants have the non-academic qualities required to become a successful doctor such as communication skills, reflectiveness and empathy. They also asses a candidate's insight into strengths and weaknesses and motivation to study medicine.

☑️ How will my interview be marked?

The interview will be marked based on how well the candidate is able to demonstrate the qualities/skills that is being tested in each station.

The University of Exeter states that they are committed to recruiting students using "the values based on NHS Constitution and the qualities outlining the personal and professional attributes of doctors in the General Medical Council document, Good Medical Practice". It is worth reading these resources and getting acquainted with them in preparation for your interview.

A fixed number of offers are made to those deemed suitable by the interview panel.

🏠 How many applicants are there per interview (Home)?

The most recent cycle the University of Exeter has released data for is the 2023 entry.

In that cycle, the university received 2296 applications and gave out 451 invitations to Home students – 5.09 applications per interview place (19.6 % chance).

🌎 How many applicants are there per interview (International)?

The most recent cycle the University of Exeter has released data for is the 2023 entry.

In that cycle, the university received 307 applications and gave out 19 invitations to International students – 16 applications per interview (6.19 % chance).

✨How likely is it that I will be given an offer after an interview?

Offers are only made once all interviews have taken place. They are typically made late February/early March.

In the 2022/2023 admission cycle, they gave out 253 offers from 447 interviews for Home students – 1.77 candidates per offer (56.6% chance).

In the 2022/2023, they gave out <5 offers from 19 interviews for International students – 3.75 candidates per offer (26.3% chance).

• Check the Exeter Medical School website and email info.stlukes@exeter.ac.uk if you have any specific questions!
  

• Read GMC's Good Medical Practice in action.

  
  

• Practice with family and friends as much as you can and reflect on how your work experience and skills could be valuable in your role as a medical student and future doctor.
  

• Make full use of time between each station – this is there to help you prepare and focus for the next station, so make sure you don’t waste time thinking about a previous station.

• In a role play scenario, think about how you would approach the situation in real life and try to demonstrate attributes such as clear communication.

  
  

• And finally, relax and be yourself.

Check out our Medicine Interview Course!

Example Interview Questions

🔥 Motivation Interview Questions

• Why medicine?

• Why Exeter?

• Why do you think you are suited to Medicine?

• Why do you want to gain acceptance to this particular medical school?

• Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

• What would you do if you were not accepted to medical school?

⚖️ Medical Ethics Interview Questions

• You might get some ethics scenarios and be asked your opinion/ what you would do

• What do you do in a situation where a 15-year-old teenager is asking for birth control?

• Tell me about the Terri Schiavo case and what do you think about it?

• What is your stance on euthanasia, abortion, stem cell research or Jehovah Witness?

🤯 Values and Skills Interview Questions

• What are your biggest strengths/weaknesses?

• What are some ways in which you relax after a stressful day?

• Tell me about a challenge in your life and how you overcame it?

• How do your peers describe you?

• How do you handle stress?

• What do you do in your spare time?

• What book have you recently read? What did you learn?

• Looking over your application, I see you have received an under performing grade? Explain?

• Who is the most influential person in your life? And why?

• What are the qualities that make a good doctor and do you have them?

🏥 Work Experience Interview Questions

• Describe your work experience and what you have learnt from it

• What exposure do you have to medicine? Tell me about a clinical experience

📰 NHS Interview Questions

• Current/ past issues in the NHS

• What are some downfalls of the NHS?

• What are the current challenges in current health care and what can we do to improve it?

• How do you feel about 'Doctor Compensation'?

🎭 Roleplay Interview Questions

• A woman has just been told that her 4th round of IVF has failed. Break this news to her gently.

🏛️ Science/Medical Questions

• What is the Hippocratic Oath?

• What do you like most/ least about medicine?

• What role does research play in medicine? Have you engaged in any research projects? Tell me about them?

Exeter provides clinical contact through community placements from day one, which many students find particularly useful and motivating, since they can better understand how medical knowledge learnt in lectures is applied to real life patients. Special Study Units are 3 -week blocks delivered twice a year, during which students carry out research in a selected field related to medicine and also enjoy a break from the core medical syllabus. Intercalating is also an option, with Exeter offering a wide range of degrees and masters.

Exeter provides the perfect mix of city life, country side and beaches! Exeter's beaches are just a 15 minutes train journey away and Dartmoor National Park 30 minutes away. First year students have the opportunity of living close to the medicine or on the main campus - regardless, they often live with a mix of medics and non-medics, which enables them to form friendships outside of their course. Exeter also provides a wide range of student societies, ranging from Medics Hockey, to medical specialties societies, to Taylor Swift society! Most medics spend at least a year of their degree at the beautiful Truro campus, and that gives them the chance to explore the beaches of Cornwall, surf and exercise outdoors, as well as a nice break from the city life!

It is very easy to get to know people and make friends at Exeter. There are societies for all hobbies and interests, and they are all amazing at organising drinking and non-drinking events! The sports clubs and facilities provided by the uni enable you to reach you full sporting potential, regardless of your level. It is common for medics to have friends from other courses, since it is so easy to meet others, even outside of the medicine campus. Medical students and others living around St. Luke’s tend to form a close and tightly-knit community which makes the social life even better. The self-directed nature of the course makes it easier to plan a social life around it.

Exeter Medsoc (as well as many other medical societies at Exeter) are brilliant at organising social and academic events! Ranging from the Medics Winter and Summer balls, themed socials every 3 weeks, conferences and movie nights, to weekly revision lectures, there is always something to get involved with. UEMS is a small med school, and hence it is very easy to get to know your whole year and meet people outside of your cohort - Exeter Med School really is one big family!

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