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UK Medical Schools That Use Panel Interviews

2027 Entry · 7 schools

Panel interviews are a single-room format where 2-4 interviewers (typically a clinician, an academic and a current medical student) ask a structured sequence of questions over 20-40 minutes. The format suits applicants who think in joined-up arguments rather than discrete capsules.

What to expect at a panel interview

You enter a single room and sit opposite a panel of 2-4 interviewers. The lead interviewer typically opens with a motivation question, and each panellist takes turns over the next 20-40 minutes asking questions on different themes — academic interest, work experience reflection, ethics, NHS knowledge, personal qualities. Some schools include a structured task (data interpretation, ethical scenario reading, an article to discuss). Discussion is more conversational than MMI but still scored against a fixed mark scheme.

Typical structure

  • 2-4 interviewers in a single room, typically clinician + academic + medical student
  • 20-40 minute total duration, structured around 4-6 themes
  • Themes: motivation, academic interest, work experience, ethics, NHS hot topics, personal qualities
  • Some schools include a 5-10 minute pre-reading task discussed during the interview
  • Scoring uses a fixed mark scheme but allows more conversational follow-up than MMI

What assessors look for

Panel interviewers value coherence — your answers should build on each other across the 20-40 minutes, demonstrating consistent values and growing self-insight. Where MMI rewards quick capsule answers, panel rewards the ability to develop a thread under follow-up questioning. Strong candidates pause briefly before answering, link new content back to previously-mentioned experiences, and engage all panellists with eye contact rather than just the lead questioner.

UK medical schools that use the Panel

7 UK medical schools use the Panel for 2027 Entry. Click a school for the full how-to-get-in guide including UCAT cut-offs, NGMP TrueScore prediction, and Panel-specific interview prep.

Frequently asked questions

How many UK medical schools use panel interviews?
A minority — roughly 10-12 of 46 UK medical schools — use panel interviews as their primary or sole interview format. Several schools (Oxford, Cambridge) blend panel with college-specific traditional interviews.
How long is a panel interview?
Most panel interviews run 20-40 minutes. The longer end (35-40 min) is typical at Oxford college interviews and at schools that include a pre-reading task.
Who sits on the panel?
Panels typically have 2-4 members: a clinician (often a consultant), an academic (a senior researcher or admissions tutor), and a current medical student. Some schools include an HR/widening-participation lead.
Should I make eye contact with the questioner only, or the whole panel?
Address the questioner directly when answering, but include the whole panel with brief glances every 20-30 seconds. Panellists score independently — engaging only with the lead can cost you with the others.
Are panel interviews easier than MMI?
Neither is objectively easier. Panel rewards depth and coherence; MMI rewards breadth and quick recovery. Strong communicators with rich personal narratives tend to find panel more natural; methodical thinkers with strong ethics knowledge tend to find MMI more natural.
How should I prepare for panel interviews?
Plan ~30-50 hours: rehearse a 90-second motivation answer and 5-7 reflective experience stories, study the panel-school admissions reports / blogs for question patterns, do at least 3 full mock interviews with feedback. Our panel-interview prep programme covers all of this.

Master the Panel with NextGenMedPrep

Structured prep, mock circuits with current medical-student tutors, and a question bank covering every common station type.

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Reviewed by Isaac Butler-King, medical student at the University of Glasgow. Last reviewed: 14 May 2026