Panel Interviews
for Medicine & Dentistry
A panel interview is a conversation with a small group of interviewers rather than a circuit of one-assessor stations. For 2027 entry, 7 UK medical schools and 5 dental schools use a panel-style format; most of the rest run MMIs.
- Medical schools using a panel
- 7 of 51
- Dental schools using a panel
- 5 of 16
- Panel size
- Usually 2–3 interviewers
- Panel size
- 2–4 interviewers
- Length
- Mostly 15–30 min
- Length
- 15–60 min
Photo: Clem_nat · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped
Photo: Ydam / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: Jonathan Hutchins / Geograph Britain and Ireland · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Photo: Paul the Archivist / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Sarah Cossom · CC BY-SA 3.0 · cropped
Photo: Paul the Archivist · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Suicasmo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Chanpeter · CC BY-SA 4.0
What is a panel interview?
What sets a panel apart is the follow-up. Your answer becomes the next question: why that example, what you would change, what if one detail were different. A rehearsed first answer gets you started; the follow-ups show whether you understand what you said.
Most panels are two or threetwo to four people, drawn from academic staff, clinicians, current students and, at some schools, trained lay members of the public. Many run online, and several add a set task: a pre-read case, a presentation or a group exercise.
For 2027 entry, 7 UK medical schools use a panel-style interview: see the list.
For 2027 entry, 5 UK dental schools use a panel interview: see the list.
What happens in the room
Every school sets its own format, but the same building blocks recur. This is what the panel schools publish about theirs.
Who sits on the panel
Glasgow uses the same two interviewers for both parts. Queen Mary uses two senior academic or clinical staff, sometimes with a lay selector. Keele draws on university staff, senior medical students, local clinicians and lay interviewers.
Newcastle uses two selectors, who may come from dental or non-dental, clinical or non-clinical backgrounds. King's uses a panel of two; Sheffield two academics and a senior dental student; Queen Mary two senior staff, a dental student and sometimes a lay selector. Bristol used four assessors for 2026 entry.
Structured or semi-structured
In a structured interview every candidate gets the same questions and the same mark scheme. A semi-structured panel has set themes and core questions but follows up on what you say.
For 2026 entry Bristol ran a structured interview in which two panels of three assessors each marked three stations. Keele runs two short structured interviews, and Glasgow's 30 minutes follow a fixed two-part shape.
Newcastle and Sheffield both describe semi-structured interviews; Bristol calls its format a structured interview.
How you are scored
Glasgow's offer decision rests solely on interview performance. Keele also decides on the interview, using UCAT where scores tie. Southampton offers on the whole selection day, interview and group task together, with UCAT as a tie-break. Queen Mary can weigh your interview score alongside other factors, including the UCAT situational judgement test.
At Newcastle each selector grades you independently against set criteria across six domains, and the interview score alone decides offers. Sheffield scores three interview areas. Bristol's assessors complete score sheets, but the criteria are not published.
Panel interview vs MMI
Both test the same qualities. What changes is how many people you meet and how far each answer can be pushed.
| What differs | Panel interview | MMI |
|---|---|---|
| Assessors | A small panel, usually 2–32–4 people | New assessors at each station |
| Follow-ups | Build on your last answer | Each station starts afresh |
| Weak answer | Usually heard by the people marking the rest | Stays in its station |
| Rapport | Build it once, with several people | Rebuild it at every station |
Eight themes panels ask about
Each theme matches an area at least one panel school says it assesses.
“Why medicine, why not nursing or another health professional course?”
“Why dentistry rather than medicine?”
Give reasons you can back with something you have seen or done, and show you understand the hard parts of a doctor's job. Queen Mary scores the 'reality of a career in medicine', not enthusiasm alone.
Give reasons you can back with something you have seen or done. Queen Mary scores the 'reality of a career in dentistry' and Sheffield 'career exploration', so show what you have learnt about the daily work.
“Describe a moment on a placement or in volunteering when communication went well, or badly. What would you do differently?”
“What did you notice about how the dentist managed an anxious patient?”
Pick one specific moment, say what you noticed, and spend most of the answer on what it taught you. Panels want reflection, not a list of places you went.
Pick one specific moment, say what you noticed, and spend most of the answer on what it taught you about patient care. Panels want reflection, not a list of practices you visited.
“You mention this experience in your statement. What did you actually do, and what changed as a result?”
Know every line well enough to be pushed on it: a follow-up will test whether the experience was as deep as it reads.
Know every line well enough to be pushed on it. Queen Mary's panel has your UCAS application and may ask about anything in it, so a follow-up will test whether the experience was as deep as it reads.
“Are you a leader or a follower?”
Don't pick a side for its own sake. Show you can do both, with an example of each, and say what you did: 'I', not 'we'.
Don't pick a side for its own sake. Show you can do both, with an example of each, and say what you did: 'I', not 'we'. Dental care is team care, from nurses to technicians.
“What's the biggest mistake you have ever made?”
Choose a real mistake, own it without excuses, and spend most of the time on what you changed afterwards. Queen Mary scores 'initiative, resilience and maturity'.
Choose a real mistake, own it without excuses, and spend most of the time on what you changed afterwards. Newcastle scores 'personal qualities and resilience'.
“Should someone that has smoked for the last 20 years be entitled to free health care?”
“A patient asks for a purely cosmetic procedure you think is not in their interest. How do you respond?”
Name the principles that pull against each other, weigh them, then commit to a reasoned view. The five steps in the next section work for any scenario.
Put the patient's interests first: explore why they want it, explain risks and alternatives, and make sure consent is valid. The GDC's principles give you the language.
“Other than a lack of funds, what are the current issues within the NHS?”
“Why do some people struggle to get an NHS dentist, and what could help?”
Explain two or three issues properly and stay balanced. England's 10 Year Health Plan (July 2025) sets three shifts: hospital to community, analogue to digital, sickness to prevention. NHS Scotland is run separately, which matters at Glasgow.
Describe the problem from the patient's side, name more than one cause and stay balanced. Avoid quoting figures you cannot source; the panel will ask where they came from.
“What interests you about our curriculum?”
“Why do you want to study dentistry here?”
Know how the course is taught and what sets it apart, and link it to how you learn best. Glasgow tells applicants to refer to its undergraduate medical curriculum.
Sheffield scores 'commitment to Sheffield' as one of only three interview areas, and King's asks how you would contribute to the university. Know the course and why it suits you.
Some questions come from the University of Southampton careers service's list; the rest are practice prompts matched to what panel schools say they assess. NHS plan: GOV.UK, 10 Year Health Plan for England.
How to structure your answers
Panels follow up, so a clear structure matters more than a polished script. Two shapes cover most questions.
STARR for questions about your experience
- Situation: set the scene in a sentence or two.
- Task: what you were responsible for.
- Action: what you did. This is the longest part, and it is 'I', not 'we'.
- Result: what happened, honestly.
- Reflection: what you learnt and what you would do differently next time.
Based on the University of Reading's STAR guidance, which adds reflection as the second R.
Worked example
“Tell us about a time a team you were part of disagreed.”
- Situation
- Four of us were running a charity quiz in Year 12. A week before, two of the team wanted to cancel because ticket sales were low.
- Task
- I was responsible for publicity, so the decision rested partly on my part of the plan.
- Action
- I asked each person what was worrying them, then suggested a three-day sales target before we decided. I moved the publicity to where students and parents would see it, and checked in with the two who wanted to cancel each day.
- Result
- We reached the target and went ahead, and the two who had doubts ran the evening.
- Reflection
- I learnt to deal with the worry behind a disagreement before arguing about the plan. Next time I would agree a go or no-go point at the start, so nobody feels overruled.
Ethics questions: five steps
- Name the dilemma: say whose interests pull against each other.
- Find the gaps: say what you would need to know first, such as the patient's age, capacity and wishes.
- Weigh the options: the patient's interests, autonomy and consent, fairness and safety.
- Commit to a view: give your answer and the reason for it.
- Escalate if needed: say when you would ask for help, and from whom.
Free PDF
Take this guide offline: the free panel interview guide (PDF)
A printable companion to this page that you can annotate while you rehearse.
- Handling a panel of several interviewers
- Structuring answers to common panel questions
- Handling follow-up questions consistently
- Presence and composure on the day
Get instant access to your free guide
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Which UK schools use a panel interview?
Each name links to that school's interview guide. Oxford and Cambridge have their own guide.
| School | Format | Length | Where | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barts and The London (Queen Mary) | Online panel, 2–3 interviewers | Not published | Online | Jan – Feb 2027 |
| Bristol Six stations, three per panel; on Zoom last cycle | Structured interview, two panels of three | About 30 min | Not yet announced | Dec 2025 – Feb 2026 Last cycle |
| Dundee Six applicants discuss a scenario together | Two-part group interview | 1 h 40 min with welcome | In person online if international | Jan 2027 |
| Glasgow Offer decision rests on the interview alone | Online panel, 2 interviewers | 30 min | Online | Late Nov 2026 – Mar 2027 |
| Keele | Two interviews, 2 interviewers each | 15 min each | Online | Dec 2026 – Mar/Apr 2027 |
| Southampton Interview draws on your personal statement | Selection day: interview + group task | Not published | In person | Jan – Feb 2027 |
| Worcester Medical School Graduate entry (4-year) | Two panel interviews + Casper test | Not published | Not yet announced | Not published |
| School | Format | Length | Where | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol 2026 tasks: a presentation and a pasta model | Structured interview, 4 assessors | About 45–60 min | Online | Late Dec 2026 – Mar 2027 |
| King's College London (KCL) Previously an in-person MMI | Online panel, 2 interviewers | Not published | Online | Dec 2026 – Mar 2027 |
| Newcastle Offer rests on the interview score alone | Online panel, 2 selectors | About 20 min | Online | Feb – Mar 2027 |
| Queen Mary (QMUL) Panel includes a dental student | Online panel, 3–4 interviewers | Not published | Online | Jan – Feb 2027 |
| Sheffield Panel includes a senior dental student | Selection day: panel + group task | Interview up to 15 min | In person | Not published |
What each school says its interview covers
- Barts and The London (Queen Mary)
- Motivation and the reality of medicine
- Initiative, resilience and maturity
- Teamwork
- Organisation and problem solving
- Contribution to university life
- Communication
- Glasgow
- Motivation to be a doctor
- Teamwork
- Communication
- An ethical scenario
Panel A covers the first two, Panel B the rest; you choose one of two short scenarios
- Keele
- Professionalism, from the GMC's guidance for students
- A short case
One interview on each
- Southampton
- Self-motivation and resilience
- Reflection on life experiences
- Communication
- Interacting well with others
- NHS Constitution values
Bristol, Dundee and Worcester Medical School do not publish the areas their interviews cover.
- King's College London (KCL)
- Communication
- Social and ethical issues
- General suitability
- Contribution to the university
- Newcastle
- Preparation and motivation
- Effective learning
- Team working
- Personal qualities and resilience
- Interpersonal and communication skills
- Empathy, sensitivity, integrity and professionalism
- Queen Mary (QMUL)
- Motivation and the reality of dentistry
- Initiative, resilience and maturity
- Teamwork
- Organisation and problem solving
- Contribution to university life
- Communication
- Sheffield
- Career exploration
- Personal qualities and communication skills
- Commitment to Sheffield
A separate group task is scored on respect, teamwork and communication
Bristol does not publish the areas its interview covers.
Online panels: set-up and rules
3 of the 7 medical panel schools interview online for 2027 entry, and Dundee interviews international applicants online. The rules are strict, and the set-up is part of the impression you make.
4 of the 5 dental panel schools interview online for 2027 entry. The rules are strict, and the set-up is part of the impression you make.
Set up the room
The Medical Schools Council asks you to face the camera, clearly lit with your face out of shadow, against a quiet, neutral background, and to be alone in the room. Any device with a camera and microphone will do; if home is not quiet, ask your school or college for a room.
No notes, phones or AI
Glasgow bans AI software, smartphones, other electronic devices and written resources during its interview, and does not record it. Expect the same rules anywhere.
Bristol's rules for 2026 entry banned devices, AI programs such as ChatGPT, books and pre-prepared notes. Expect the same rules anywhere.
Several faces on one screen
Look at the camera lens while you answer, not at the faces. Address the person who asked, and bring the others in when you build on their point. Pause for a beat before answering to allow for lag.
If something goes wrong
If your connection fails or you feel unwell, tell the school straight away, before or during the interview. A problem raised only after the outcome is much harder for a school to act on.
Newcastle checks photo ID at the start and will finish or rearrange an interview if the call fails. But Newcastle and King's both treat attending as confirming you are fit to be interviewed, so raise illness or problems before you start, not afterwards.
Your preparation plan
Some tasks arrive only days before the interview, so start before the invitation does.
Map the themes and build your examples
List what each of your schools says its interview covers (the list above) and find experiences that cover every area, with more than one example for each.
Read the GMC's guidance for medical students and the values in the NHS Constitution.
Read the GDC's nine principles and learn how NHS dentistry works from a patient's point of view.
Confirm the format and start any set task
The invitation confirms the format. Southampton invites home applicants two to three weeks before the selection day; Keele's case comes with the invitation, typically one to two days before. Book your slot early.
The invitation confirms the format and any set task, so start the task the day it arrives. King's gives at least two weeks' notice. Book your slot early.
Mock panels that push back
Practise with two or three interviewers who ask follow-ups, including someone non-clinical. Do one short ethics scenario a day: read it, take a position, then talk it through out loud.
Rehearse on the real platform
Do a full run on the platform in your invitation (Keele uses Microsoft Teams) with the camera, light and background you will use. Re-read your statement.
Do a full run on the platform in your invitation (Bristol used Zoom for 2026 entry) with the camera, light and background you will use. Re-read your statement.
Arrive early, alone and unaided
Have photo ID ready, clear the desk of notes and devices, and log in early. Southampton's selection day, and Dundee's for home applicants, are in person: plan the journey.
Have photo ID ready, clear the desk of notes and devices, and log in early. Sheffield's selection day is in person only: plan the journey.
Six mistakes that cost marks
Panel interview FAQs
Sources
School details come from each university's own admissions pages. Your invitation always has the final word.
Rehearse with a panel that pushes back
Book a mock panel with a tutor who asks the follow-ups, or practise any time with the AI interviewer in panel mode.