Sheffield University Medicine Interview Questions (2025 entry)

About Sheffield Medical School (2025 Edition)

One of the most friendly and kindest medical schools in the country, Sheffield integrates teaching, research and the practice of medicine.

The programme takes a patient-centred approach, with focus on common and crucial clinical conditions.

The course is system-based with pre-clinical learning covering each of the basic body systems. Students experience their first clinical placements in first year.

The University has many systems in place to support students too no matter what happens.

Sheffield University interview information

😊How does Sheffield University select candidates for interviews?

Sheffield requires every student to meet the required academic standards and have written a personal statement.

Then, based on their UKCAT scores and ranking the students accordingly, the students are offered the chance to come for an interview.

🧬What is the interview format?

The interview format for Sheffield is an MMI. There are 8 different stations that last for 8 minutes each. Each of the stations are scored out of 5.

📆When will you get interview invitations?

You will get your invites mid-november to December

👩‍💼When are the interviews usually held?

Interviews are held between December and January

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

The interview format is that of an MMI. During the interview, you will be assessed in the following domains:

1. Communication skills

2. Knowledge and interest in being part of sheffield

3. Information processing skills

4. Values and attitudes

5. Motivation for medicine.

☑️How will my interview be marked?

The interviews usually do not have a right or wrong answer. You are assessed based on your ability to be compassionate, caring and ethical.

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

There are 2.01 home applicants per interview

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

There are 2.61 international applicants per interview 

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

69% of the students were offered a place after an interview

• Look at the university website to find out all the details of the course to prepare for any interview questions.
  

• Interviewers are likely going to want to know why you have chosen Sheffield and what interests you about it.
  

• Sheffield medicine interview questions will not be based specifically on your personal statement.
  

• Interviewers will not have read your Personal Statement, but some of the questions asked commonly relate to the sorts of things people typically write about in their UCAS Personal Statement.

Check out our Medicine Interview Course!

Example interview questions

🔥 Motivation Interview Questions

• Why Sheffield?

• Why medicine?

• Tell us three good things about yourself and three bad things.

• What good/bad things would your friends say about you?

• Give me an example of where you had to be caring

• What are you most proud of?

• Why do you want to live in Sheffield for the next five years?

• What appeals to you about the Sheffield Medical School curriculum structure.

• What clubs and societies at the University of Sheffield are you interested in joining?

• How was the tour? What did you like most about the university?

• What would you do if you didn’t get in to medicine this year?

• Have you always wanted to be a doctor or is this something you have decided in recent years?

• Which area of medicine would you like to go into?

🤯Values and Skills Interview Questions

• Can you/how would you maintain a doctor-patient relationship?

• What qualities should a good doctor have? Which of the ones that you have listed do you feel you have? How do you know you have these qualities?

• What do you think of league tables? If you want to be at the top of my league table for surgery what do I do to ensure that?

• What are your hobbies?

• What do you do to relax?

• What’s the best book you have ever read?

• If I gave you a thousand pounds and you had to spend it on YOURSELF in the next hour what would you buy?

• What have you read/seen in the news lately which is outside of the UK/Europe, and has nothing to do with medicine?

🏥 Work Experience Interview Questions

Have you had an experience which made you want to research more about medicine? Tell us about your work experience at… What did you learn from your work experience? What would you change about your work experience at…if you had the chance to repeat it? What experience has your previous employment given you that will be useful in a medical career?

📰Current Affairs Interview Questions

• Values based Recruitment

• Organ donation schemes

• Healthcare spending

• Can you tell me about the importance of IT to healthcare?

• How do you feel about working on human/ animal tissue?

🏨 Teamwork Interview Questions

• Being a doctor requires teamwork, who are the people that doctors have to work with on a daily basis?

📰 NHS Interview Questions

• If you were in charge of controlling MRSA in the NHS, what policies would you implement & what changes would you make?

• Should failing doctors be re-educated or thrown off the register?

• What kinds of diseases do you think have a high prevalence in the South Yorkshire area?

• What is evidence based medicine?

• What are the major problems the NHS has currently?

• Can you tell me about the importance of IT to healthcare?

• What are the bad things about medicine?

• Do you think doctors practice defensive medicine?

• What work have you done that would be of benefit/give you an insight to a career in medicine?

• Do you read any newspapers/medical journals? -Can you tell us about a story you've read recently?

• What do you think the NHS will be like in the future?

🏛️ Ethics Interview Questions

• The law states “that an organ that has been removed from someone's body then it belonged to the government” Give your opinion on this. How would you feel about using it for research?

• How would you deal with a patient with a hereditary form of cancer who was interested in pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, whose father died from the disease?

• What is your opinion on euthanasia? Should it be legalised in the United Kingdom?

Students have the opportunity to develop your clinical competencies from the very start with clinical teaching on wards in hospitals, clinics, lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work, and personal development supported by experienced teachers and personal academic tutors. Full body dissection for anatomy learning is amazing opportunity that can’t be missed. Early Years GP (EYGP) sessions starting in first year are unique to Sheffield. The course is system-based, with pre-clinical learning covering each of the basic body systems. Intercalated degrees are available to all students at either BSc or Masters level.

The main accommodation sites are only a 15 minute walk away from the Medical School and probably a 40 minute walk from the town centre. If walking isn’t your thing, with a student pass you can get a single bus fare anywhere in Sheffield for £1. The university has its own Counselling Service; University ran GP (so you don’t have to worry about finding one) and a great Disability and Dyslexia Support Service. With the Students Union (best SU in the country) and its proximity to the Peak District the opportunities are endless. The university promotes having hobbies outside of the course, to keep students well rounded and happy. Because of this they’ve invested money in creating opportunities and providing students with grants/bursaries and subsidising society events.

Sheffield is a major city with a strong sense of community. It is a cultural centre on the edge of the Peak District national park, one of the UK’s greenest cities. It is famously relaxed and friendly, a major city with a community feel. It is home to more festivals than you can shake a glow-stick at, from music to climbing to documentaries. There are over 350 clubs and societies to get involved with. If there isn’t a club or society for you, then you can start your own. Sheffield’s sport facilities are only a 15 minute walk away from campus. The university promotes having hobbies outside of our course, to keep us well rounded and ultimately happier.

Sheffield MedSoc supports, helps, and encourages medical students to achieve their full potential as doctors of the future. They run various events throughout the academic year including academic and social events. It is the largest and one of the oldest student-run societies at the University of Sheffield. They organise events like Annual Balls, End of Exams social, Freshers Fever Socials and Medics Family Night.

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