Kent and Medway (KMMS) Medicine Interview

Why KMMS specifically?

Reference the school's mission to serve Kent and Medway, the newer programme, the small cohort feel, and the clinical placement network across Kent Trusts. Avoid generic answers.

KMMS was founded partly to address workforce needs in Kent. How do you respond to that mission?

Engage honestly. Show awareness of regional inequalities in healthcare access. Discuss whether you would consider working in the region post-qualification (no commitment expected, but genuine engagement matters).

A patient asks why they have to wait so long for a specialist appointment. How do you respond?

Honesty about system pressures, acknowledgement of their frustration, no false reassurance, signpost what they can do in the meantime.

A teenager has been brought in by their parent for a treatment they refuse. The teenager is 16. What do you consider?

Capacity is presumed from 16 in England for consent. Confidentiality. Best-interest considerations. Family dynamics. Reference Gillick competence for under-16s contextually.

A friend is upset because they have been bullied online and asks for advice. Listen and respond.

Acknowledge feelings first. Do not minimise. Signpost concrete support (school, parents, online safety resources, professional help if needed). Avoid lecturing.

Here is a graph showing GP-to-population ratios across English regions. What do you observe about Kent?

Describe before interpreting. Note that Kent historically sits below the national average. Discuss possible drivers and consequences thoughtfully.

Tell me about a time you supported someone going through a difficult period.

Specific example. Focus on what you did and what you learned about your own limits.

Is it ever acceptable to lie to a patient to spare them distress?

Engage with truth-telling, the harm of paternalism, but also acknowledge the realities of breaking bad news sensitively. Reference shared decision-making and patient autonomy.

KMMS is a new school. Does that concern you?

Honest engagement — acknowledge the unknowns but show you have researched the GMC oversight, the partner universities' track records, and the advantages of being in a newer programme.

Tell me about a topic from your studies that you would like to explore further in medicine.

Specifics. Why it matters, what questions remain, and how it connects to clinical practice.

A patient is unhappy with the care they received from another clinician. Listen and respond.

Listen fully. Avoid defending or blaming colleagues. Explain the complaints process. Acknowledge their concerns are legitimate.

What personal values matter most to you, and how do they fit with medicine?

Honest, specific values. Connect to the realities of clinical practice — not just inspirational platitudes. KMMS values authenticity.

Should patients have access to their full medical record online?

Engage with autonomy, health literacy, potential harms of unmediated access (test results, mental health notes), and the trajectory toward open records in NHS England.

Describe a time you had to give honest feedback to someone you respected.

Specific example. Show you can balance honesty with respect, and that you understand the value of constructive criticism.

What does professional integrity mean to you?

Move beyond the dictionary definition. Discuss honesty about errors, conflicts of interest, duty of candour, and personal accountability.