The Anglia Ruskin University School of Medicine interview format

Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) invites shortlisted applicants to an in-person interview at its School of Medicine in Chelmsford. Its interview page says it uses multiple mini interviews (MMIs) with six mini-interviews (stations), each seven minutes, with two minutes to read instructions outside each station. The whole process should last around an hour. You are offered a notepad and pen, and you leave the notes with the team afterwards.

There is typically one interviewer per station, but be prepared for more than one, because some stations involve actors. Interviewers include Medicine course team members, healthcare professionals, doctors, senior medical students and service users. ARU says stations can be seen as independent, so you have six fresh starts, and offers are based solely on MMI ranking.

Item	What ARU says
Format	In-person MMI at the School of Medicine in Chelmsford
Stations	Six, each 7 minutes with 2 minutes of reading instructions outside; about an hour in total
Dates for 2027 entry	7 to 11 December and 7 to 13 January (Medicine with Gateway Year on 14 January)
Scoring	Three domains per station, each out of 5: quality of answer, demonstration of skills and qualities, communication; maximum 15 per station and 90 in total
Areas tested	Interpersonal and communication skills including empathy, teamwork and leadership, preparation and motivation, critical thinking, ethical and moral reasoning, integrity
Selection for interview	Applicants ranked by UCAT score (including any uplifts) and a number invited, provided they meet academic requirements
Decision	By the end of March 2027 via UCAS Hub; offers based solely on MMI ranking; no feedback
Typical offer	AAA at A level including Chemistry or Biology

How ARU marks the MMI

The page says each station is scored in three domains: quality of answer, demonstration of skills and qualities, and communication. Each domain is marked out of five, so a station is worth 15 and the six stations 90 in total. That tells you the balance: the content of your answer is only one third of the score. Showing the skills (listening, empathy, reasoning) and communicating clearly count as much.

Stems and timing

You have two minutes outside each station to read a short stem of fewer than 100 words, and ARU says each station is designed to be completed in less than the seven minutes allocated. Because you spend seven minutes inside, expect to finish early at times. ARU adds that it does not give extra time to applicants who would otherwise receive it elsewhere, and that those with access requirements should tell the admissions team at least 10 working days before the interview.

East of England and the personal statement

ARU says it aspires to recruit promising and motivated students from the East of England region and allocates shortlisting points for the region. It does not use the personal statement directly in selection, but says to be prepared to discuss it at the MMIs, including your motivation, your understanding of the role and responsibilities of a doctor, and your work experience.

How to prepare for the Anglia Ruskin interview

Practise reading a stem fast. You get two minutes for under 100 words, so practise extracting the issue, the people involved and your first move.
Mark yourself on the three domains. After each practice, ask whether your answer was good, whether you showed the skill, and whether you communicated clearly.
Be ready for actors. Practise a role play where you listen before you advise.
Use the notepad. Practise writing three words as prompts, not a script.
Plan your travel. There is no car parking on site at Chelmsford, so plan transport and arrive early.

Anglia Ruskin practice questions (written by us, not Anglia Ruskin University)

ARU does not publish its stations. We wrote these around the areas it lists. Treat each as a seven-minute station after a two-minute read.

Role-play: a patient's family member is worried and asks you to explain why a test has been delayed. Respond.
A fellow student always arrives late to group study sessions. How do you raise it?
Why is integrity important for a doctor, and when has it been tested for you?
A patient says they cannot afford their prescriptions and has stopped taking them. What do you do?
You are leading a small team and one member disagrees with your plan. What next?
Why should the NHS invest in prevention as well as treatment?
Tell me about a time you made a decision using limited information.
A colleague has been working very long hours and seems exhausted. What would you do?
A patient refuses to see a student. How do you respond?
Why do you want to be a doctor in the East of England?

For a wider set, see our practice questions with answers guide and our MMI practice and preparation guide.

A drill for a six-station circuit

Run six stations with a 2-minute stem and a 7-minute station each, with a partner marking from 1 to 5 on three domains.
Use short stems of under 100 words, written by your partner, and talk from the first moment.
Make two stations role plays with an actor-style partner.
Finish one station early on purpose and practise a clean ending.
Review your scores and pick the weakest domain to improve in the next run.

If you don't have a practice partner, Confetto's AI mock interviews ask follow-up questions based on what you actually said and give rubric-based feedback afterward. The question bank has over 500 questions, and you can start with a 7-day free trial.

Anglia Ruskin interview FAQ

Is the ARU interview an MMI?

Yes. ARU uses multiple mini interviews with six stations.

Is it online?

No. ARU invites shortlisted applicants to an interview in person at its School of Medicine.

How long is each station?

Seven minutes, with two minutes reading instructions outside, and the whole process should last around an hour.

How is it scored?

Three domains per station, each out of five, so 15 per station and 90 in total.

What are the 2027 dates?

7 to 11 December and 7 to 13 January, with Medicine with Gateway Year interviews on 14 January.

Do I get feedback?

ARU says it does not provide feedback.

Applying to other schools in the East and South East too? See our guides to the Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia, Kent and Medway Medical School and Brighton and Sussex Medical School interviews, or our medical school interview prep page.

Sources: ARU medicine interviews, ARU Medicine MBChB.

Confetto isn't affiliated with Anglia Ruskin University. Everything here about the school comes from its public admissions pages, checked in October 2026. Formats can change between cycles, so go by your invitation email.