This student applied in the 2019/20 application cycle and therefore the selection process at Sheffield may have changed since then. You should read all the information a University sends you about the selection process to get the most up to date details!
Remember to check out the glossary at the bottom of the page for our explanations of all the jargon we medical students like to use!
More about this student
Gender: Man
Ethnicity: White British
I went to a comprehensive school that doesn’t regularly send students to medical school.
Our Summary
Course: Standard Undergraduate
In person MMI interview
Admissions Tests: UCAT
Recommended Resources:
Medscape
Before I made my application…
When did you decide you wanted to apply for medical school?
I wanted to do medicine for a while but I only 100% decided after I received my A level results.
How did you choose what medical schools to apply to?
I chose big city universities who accepted my grades and the UCAT.
What types of work experience did you do?
Hospital shadowing, Care work (e.g. in residential care), Customer service role (paid), Teaching music
How much work experience did you do?
I did 1 week of clinical shadowing, 6 months of care work, and then I worked as a waiter and a teacher for years just to make money, not just specifically for medicine applications.
During the application process…
What admissions test did you sit?
University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT): https://www.ucat.ac.uk/
How did you prepare for your admissions test?
I only used an online resource called Medscape (paid-for) to revise for 4 weeks before. This consisted of practice questions and then timed practice papers.
What type of interview did you do?
MMI: Multiple Mini Interview. This type of interview usually includes several short interviews or ‘stations’ which may involve different types of questions and scenarios. This is different compared to a panel interview, which may cover the same scenarios/types of questions but be a more ‘traditional’ sit-down interview.
How did you prepare for your interview?
I attended a course in London that simulated the MMI panels and gave the videos to revise from e.g. 4 ethical pillars. Otherwise I just revised from home by myself, looking at the GMC guidance and ethical issues surrounding medicine. I also spoke to current students on how they prepared and any advice they had for the interviews.
What happened in your interview?
We were given the questions prior to the interview which gave us time to prepare some answers to the 8 different stations that were given.
We were asked the general questions regarding our interest in medicine, interest in the university itself and interest in our city. The other stations comprised a mix of role playing and ethical dilemmas, as well as a couple of games to test our cognitive abilities.
Glossary
Paid-for resources: Some students choose to pay for courses either online or in person to help them prepare for admissions tests and interviews. There is no evidence that they give you an advantage. There are good, free alternatives for preparation for admissions tests and interviews, and some offer bursaries and discounts to students who come from low income families. Check out our guides and uni websites for more details.
4 Pillars of Medical Ethics: These four pillars guide ideas about medical ethics. Knowing and understanding them can help you prepare for your interview and how you answer questions. Find out more here: Four Pillars
GMC Good Practice Guidance: hese guidelines describe what it means to be a good doctor. These can help guide you during your preparation for your application and how you answer questions in interviews. Find out more here: GMC Good Practice
Insiders/current students: Don’t worry if you don’t know people like this. Most students don’t have friends who have already been through the process or healthcare professionals that they know who might be able to support them. You can meet current medical students to speak to at open days, or via free mentoring schemes, but it’s not a requirement for you to be successful.
Role play: some interviews or interview stations may require you to engage in a bit of role play. You might have to act out being in a scenario where you might have to deliver bad news or a clinical decision.
