Brunel’s Medicine programme offers a modern curriculum with a unique team-based teaching style, but it also comes with unique challenges when it comes to admission preparation.
Each year, around 500 candidates – including a large number from abroad – are invited to a structured MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) designed to assess the skills, values, and attributes expected of future doctors.
In this guide, we explore the different types of Brunel Medicine interview questions you’re likely to encounter – all of which are carefully mapped to the values outlined in the GMC’s Good Medical Practice. Whether you’re facing ethical dilemmas, communication role-plays, or questions about your motivation for Medicine, our breakdown will help you approach each station with clarity and confidence.
If you’re unsure about what Brunel expects from applicants to its MBBS programme, we recommend starting with our comprehensive guide: Brunel Medicine Entry Requirements – Full Guide.
Brunel MMI Format
- 6 MMI stations (typically 5 minutes each)
- Typically delivered online, via Zoom
- Based on GMC’s Good Medical Practice
- 1 minute to read the prompt, 2 minutes to plan
Like many other medical schools, Brunel University uses the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) to assess its applicants’ academic and professional potential. The format consists of multiple short interviews, each assessing a different key domain outlined in the Good Medical Practice, allowing the university to evaluate candidates across a broad range of attributes.
Brunel’s MMI consists of six individual stations, each lasting around five minutes, with short breaks in between. Every station is designed to test one of these core attributes through a specific task or question. Unlike traditional panel interviews, MMIs aim to reduce bias by having different assessors score each station, giving applicants multiple opportunities to showcase their abilities. Your overall score is calculated by combining the individual scores from each station.
The main difference between an MMI and a traditional interview is the delivery – MMIs are typically conducted online, so being comfortable in front of the camera is very important (interview preparation tips are discussed further in a later section).
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Good Medical Practice
For those unfamiliar, the Good Medical Practice is a set of professional standards published by the General Medical Council (GMC), outlining the core duties and ethical expectations of all doctors practising in the UK. These standards focus on four key domains:
- Knowledge, skills and development
- Patients, partnership and communication
- Colleagues, culture, and safety
- Trust and professionalism
Each station in the Brunel MMI is designed to assess one or more of these areas. This means you could be asked to demonstrate your ability to communicate under pressure, make ethical decisions, or reflect on teamwork experiences – all through realistic scenarios.
Let’s explore the types of questions and example prompts you might encounter in each domain.
Brunel Medicine Interview Questions By GMC Domain
The questions you’ll be asked during your interview at Brunel University for its Medicine programme will be based on the GMC’s Good Medical Practice.
Domain 1: Knowledge, Skills And Development
This domain focuses on lifelong learning and professional competence. Good doctors are safe, up to date, reflective, and willing to grow. They are aware of the limits of their competence, work within them, and seek feedback and improvement opportunities. This includes staying current with clinical guidelines, engaging in quality assurance, reflecting on personal biases, and using resources effectively and sustainably.
- Tell us about a time you had to learn a new skill quickly. How did you approach it?
- (Assesses adaptability, self-motivation, and commitment to lifelong learning)
- You are asked to treat a patient using a method you're unfamiliar with. What do you do?
- (Tests recognition of limitations, patient safety, and willingness to seek support)
- What steps would you take to ensure you remain up to date as a doctor?
- (Evaluates planning for CPD, use of guidelines, and awareness of professional responsibilities)
- How do you manage constructive criticism or feedback?
- (Explores ability to reflect, develop insight, and grow professionally)
- How would you respond if asked to provide a remote consultation, but you felt in-person care would be safer?
- (Assesses judgement, safety awareness, and communication with patients)
Domain 2: Patients, Partnership, And Communication
This domain centres on treating patients as individuals – with compassion, dignity, and respect. Good medical professionals form strong, trusting partnerships with patients through clear communication, active listening, shared decision-making, and sensitive handling of information.
Brunel’s medical programme places strong emphasis on person-centred care, and this domain reflects that priority.
The GMC stresses the importance of listening attentively, recognising patients as individuals, and treating them with dignity, kindness, and respect – regardless of their background or health status.
- How would you explain a serious diagnosis to a patient?
- (Assesses compassion, clarity, and ability to deliver bad news respectfully)
- What would you do if a patient refused a treatment you believed was in their best interest?
- (Assesses respect for autonomy and understanding of consent)
- A patient becomes distressed during a consultation. What do you do?
- (Evaluates kindness, attentiveness, and ability to respond to emotional needs)
- Should patients always be told the full truth, even if it may cause distress?
- (Tests balance between honesty, sensitivity, and duty of care)
- How would you handle a situation where a patient’s family demands information the patient hasn’t consented to share?
- (Assesses understanding of confidentiality and legal responsibilities)
Tip: Be ready to show how you would put patients first, even when it’s challenging. Think in terms of empathy, fairness, consent, and shared decision-making. You might also be given a scenario involving someone who is vulnerable, distressed, or nearing end-of-life care – these situations test your sensitivity and your ability to uphold ethical standards.
Domain 3: Colleagues, Culture, And Safety
This domain focuses on the values and behaviours that foster a respectful, fair, and supportive healthcare environment. Medical professionals are expected to communicate effectively with colleagues, contribute positively to workplace culture, ensure safe delegation, and handle concerns or risks to patient safety with integrity. Applicants should demonstrate emotional intelligence, leadership potential, and a strong understanding of teamwork, bias, and professional responsibility.
- A colleague is being spoken to disrespectfully by another team member. What do you do?
- (Tests respect for colleagues, intervention in toxic culture, and professional courage)
- How would you respond if you noticed a colleague struggling with performance due to a personal issue?
- (Explores compassion, patient safety balance, and duty to support)
- You’re asked to perform a clinical task you’re not confident with. How do you respond?
- (Assesses safe delegation, honesty, and prioritisation of patient care)
- Describe a time you contributed to a team’s success or improved team morale.
- (Looks for teamworking skills, empathy, and self-awareness)
Domain 4: Trust and Professionalism
This domain focuses on the fundamental trust that underpins the doctor-patient relationship and the wider trust society places in the medical profession. Applicants must show that they understand the importance of honesty, integrity, confidentiality, maintaining professional boundaries, managing conflicts of interest, and behaving responsibly both in public and private settings, including on social media. Upholding professionalism is crucial to safeguarding patient welfare and maintaining public confidence.
- Describe a situation where you had to admit you made a mistake. How did you handle it?
- (Assesses honesty, maturity, and willingness to learn from errors)
- If you were asked to treat a close friend or family member, how would you respond?
- (Explores boundaries, objectivity, and ethical decision-making)
- You witness a peer being offered a gift from a grateful patient. Should they accept it? Why or why not?
- (Evaluates understanding of conflicts of interest and professional judgement)
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Other Brunel Medicine Interview Questions
In addition to domain-specific scenarios, you may also be asked more traditional interview questions during your Brunel Medicine MMI or in other parts of the admissions process. These aim to assess your motivation, insight, and communication skills on a broader level. Examples include:
- Why do you want to study Medicine?
- Why have you chosen Brunel University specifically?
- What qualities make a good doctor, and how do you demonstrate them?
- What do you think will be the biggest challenges for doctors in the future?
These types of questions give you the chance to reflect on your personal journey, values, and understanding of the medical profession. Preparing well-thought-out, sincere answers to these can help you make a strong impression.
Brunel Medicine Interview Questions – Summary Table
Brunel MMI Preparation - 4 Essential Tips
Preparing for Brunel University’s online MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) involves more than just rehearsing answers – it’s about demonstrating self-awareness, authentic motivation, and the values expected of a future doctor. Here’s how to stand out for the right reasons:
1. Be Comfortable Speaking On Camera
Brunel’s MMIs are conducted online, which means your ability to engage effectively through a screen is key. You may only have a minute to read a scenario and a couple more to respond – so clarity and composure matter.
Tips:
- Practice answering questions while looking directly into your webcam, rather than at your own image or notes.
- Record yourself during mock interviews and review your body language, tone, and pace.
- Simulate interview conditions – same lighting, device, and setup – to reduce surprises on the day.
2. Understand The GMC’s Good Medical Practice
Familiarising yourself with this framework will help you understand why a certain question is being asked and how your response will be assessed. Avoid generic answers. Instead, try to align your responses to the values behind each domain
We strongly recommend reviewing your own activities and experiences through this lens.
3. Connect Answers To Your Personal Experiences
Brunel values applicants who can reflect honestly and critically. Rather than memorising model answers, focus on authentic examples that show growth, compassion, or resilience.
These could be drawn from:
- Volunteering or work experience in healthcare settings
- Team activities (sports, debate clubs, group projects)
- Part-time jobs, caregiving roles, or shadowing opportunities
Use frameworks like STARR (Situation, Task, Action, Result, Reflection) to structure your responses and demonstrate insight.
4. Think Ethically And Holistically
Brunel’s MMIs may include ethical dilemmas. There are rarely “right” or “wrong” answers – instead, assessors are interested in your reasoning process, empathy, and ability to see multiple perspectives.
Before giving your opinion:
- Acknowledge the complexity of the situation
- Consider patient autonomy, confidentiality, fairness, and safety
- Show maturity in recognising trade-offs and uncertainties
5. Practice Timing and Structured Thinking
With only a minute to read and around 2-5 minutes to respond, concise and structured thinking is essential.
- Use short pauses to gather your thoughts before answering
- Practise summarising complex scenarios clearly
- Develop the habit of closing your answer with a brief reflection or takeaway message
Next Steps For Your Brunel Medicine Application
By reading this article, you’ve taken the next important step toward securing your place at Brunel Medical School – understanding what to expect and how to prepare effectively for the MMI.
At UniAdmissions, we specialise in supporting students applying to the UK’s most competitive medical programmes through our expert-led Full-Blue Medicine Programme. From MMI preparation and Personal Statement reviews to UCAT strategy and mock interviews, our comprehensive support is designed to help you stand out in every aspect of your application.
If you’d like to further strengthen your overall application, book a free consultation with one of our friendly admissions consultants. Together, we’ll review your current position, identify your strengths and areas for improvement, and provide tailored advice to help you maximise your chances of success.
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