University of New South Wales Medicine Interview Questions

The University of New South Wales (UNWS) was created in 1949 and is one of the founding members of the Group of Eight, a coalition of Australia’s most research intensive universities. The UNSW Medical School offers an undergraduate Bachelor Medical Science route as well as a postgraduate route into Medicine. 

The interview at the UNSW Medical School takes the format of a structured panel conducted by academic staff, medical practitioners and community representatives.

In this guide, we provide expert insight into past UNSW medicine interview questions, the UNSW Medicine interview day, and tips for converting your UNSW Medicine Interview into an offer! If you’re interested in getting a head start, keep reading.

What is the UNSW Medicine Interview style?

The medicine interview at UNSW is a structured panel of around 2 examiners, which will include a member of the faculty, as well as potentially a medical practitioner or community representative. 

Questions will assess your motivation for studying medicine and for studying at UNSW specifically, empathy, communication, teamwork and critical thinking in relation to a current issue or debate in the field. 

When are the UNSW Medicine Interviews held?

Interviews for the 2023 intake will take place from December 2022 to February 2023. For a full list of important dates, visit this page.

What are some common topics covered in the UNSW Medicine Interview?

• Motivation for Medicine
• Personality (relevant qualities and traits)
• Work experience
• Application of ethics to given scenarios
• An understanding of the Australian healthcare system
• Global health developments

To learn more about the UNSW Medicine courses in general, have a look at their official page: UNSW | Medicine

If you wish to practice Queensland Medicine Interview mocks, here are some sample questions:

• Why medicine?
• Which specialities are you currently interested in? Are there any specialities you wouldn’t want to go into?
• Describe to me a friend you have that is very different to you? How do you maintain this relationship in spite of your differences? 
• Tell me about a time where you experienced failure
• Tell me about a time you worked in a team
• What issue in global medicine do you think is the most pressing currently?

Insider Guide: A UNSW Medicine Student’s Perspective 

UNSW Medicine Interview Day

*The information below is based on the experience of a current UNSW medical student who undertook a remote interview in 2019.

How does the UNSW Medicine Interview Day work?

The interview at UNSW is structured as an informal conversation, with a list of pre-determined questions focused on the candidates motivations, skills, and thinking process rather than specific medical knowledge. 

For the 2023 intake, it is yet to be confirmed if interviews will be in person or online. In 2019, interviews took place remotely.

What do you have to bring for the UNSW Medicine Interview?

Any materials that you need to bring and the dress code should be specified in your interview offer.

Does the UNSW Medicine interview require any pre-reading?

There is no set pre-reading for the UNSW Medicine interview, but it may be useful to familiarize yourself with the Australian healthcare system and some current Australian and global health developments in the news.

What are the UNSW MMI examiners like?

The UNSW Medicine examiners are typically very friendly and will discuss any concerns before your interview begins. The aim of the interview is to get to know you as a person and prospective student, rather than to test specific medical or scientific knowledge. 

Do the UNSW interviewers ask a lot of follow up questions?

The UNSW Medicine examiners may ask a few follow up questions to get a bit more detail from your answer and expand your thinking. Other than these follow up questions, the examiners will follow a predetermined list of questions.

Your answers will also be timed, so it is important to be aware of the length of your answers and look out for any cues from the examiners that you may be overrunning. 

How long is the actual UNSW Interview?

The actual interview is approximately 30 minutes.

How long does it take you to hear back after your UNSW Medicine Interview? 

You may hear back as early as a few days after the interview. However, this may vary year to year so it’s a good idea to ask the examiners when you can expect to hear back at the end of your interview.

Top Tips for the UNSW Medicine Interview – From a Current Student!

• Be yourself, and be honest in your answers
• Have a list of examples ready that can be used to answer a variety of different questions
• Read your application/personal statement as part of your preparation – they may ask you questions based on what you wrote
• Prepare some bullet points for the most common interview questions, such as why you want to study medicine, and relevant work experience
• If they ask you a question you don’t know the answer to, don’t panic! They will be interested in your thinking process rather than proof of pre-existing knowledge, so just give it a go and explain your thinking step-by-step out loud

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