by Eve Tranter
Medicine interviews at Oxford are quite different from your other med school interviews so it is really worth spending time on interview prep specifically for Oxford!
Interviews here are heavily based on the science that underpins medicine, so the tutors are trying to see how you solve problems around certain topics. You might discuss something you have never come across before, for example in one of my interviews I was given an article about pluriopotent stem cells- I didn’t really know what they were but I was guided along by the interviewers to help me answer questions. The most important thing is that you show the interviewers your thought process in reaching your answer. The main purpose of the interview is to see how you would interact in an actual tutorial- the tutor wants you to share your thoughts in your path to solving the problem!
Although it’s likely you won’t get asked anything about your personal statement, it is worth reading around the topics you have mentioned. Even if there isn’t a direct question about your personal statement, you will definitely be able to tie in your reading into one of your answers to really demonstrate your enthusiasm for medicine!
Another important thing is to read the GMC ethical guidelines and duties of a doctor documents. Have a look over some ethical considerations, as you will most definitely be asked about medical ethics in at least one of your interviews at each college. At one interview I was given a scenario in which I had to decide which patient to give the proposed treatment to. In another I was given an article about noise in hospitals and was asked to discuss the problems and potential solutions regarding noise in hospitals. Again, it’s really important to tell the tutor the reasoning behind answers that you give. Often with ethics questions (and with most other interview questions!) your reasoning is much more important than the conclusion you draw.
Most importantly, believe in yourself and enjoy the experience! The interviews themselves can be quite intense as you have four interviews in the space of 24 hours, but if you have the opportunity, explore the city. The Covered Market, Radcliffe Camera and University Parks are just a few of my favourite spots. Make the most of the amazing opportunity you have been given - to stay in a beautiful city for 2 nights to be interviewed by tutors that are at the very top of the subject that you want to study for the rest of your life!
Good luck!!