The Aston Medical School interview format

Aston Medical School says its multiple mini interview (MMI) is a compulsory, crucial part of its application process, and that all its MMIs are held online. Its MMI advice page says you will meet several stations, each designed to test a different attribute. Some stations may require you to interact with actors, or you may read a scenario and discuss it with the assessor. You are scored at each station and then an overall score is calculated.

Aston explains that medical schools traditionally used panel interviews and moved to MMIs because they let candidates show a wider range of skills, and a station that does not suit you can be offset at others. The page does not publish the number of stations or their length, so rely on your invitation. Aston says you are not tested on medical knowledge and that scenarios take into account the typical age and experience of applicants.

Item	What Aston says
Format	Compulsory online MMI with several stations
Station types	Interaction with actors, or reading a scenario and discussing it with the assessor
Number and length	Not published on the MMI page
Timing	Normally between December and March; invited applicants choose from several dates
Qualities looked for	Oral and written communication, listening, empathy, compassion, respect and dignity, emotional intelligence, problem solving, motivation, teamwork, leading and following, knowing your limitations and when to ask for help
UCAT	All applicants take the UCAT in 2026 for 2027 entry
Overseas applicants	From 2027 entry, overseas applicants will not receive academic scores and are ranked for the MMI on UCAT total score only
Offer	Minimum A*AA with Chemistry and Biology

How Aston describes what it wants

The MMI page says Aston is looking for well-rounded individuals who can cope with an intense course and who have the attributes of a safe, competent, caring doctor. It says it consulted doctors, healthcare workers, academics, students and patients, and also used the GMC's guidelines, to decide the qualities to assess. That list (communication, listening, empathy, emotional intelligence, problem solving, motivation, teamwork, leading and following, knowing your limits and professionalism) is the best guide to what your stations test.

Personal statement and application

Aston's UCAS advice page says the personal statement should show why you want to study medicine, and suggests structuring it with motivation, academic achievements and work experience, and what makes you stand out. It also says the UCAS deadline for equal consideration is normally 15 or 16 October in the year before you start. Because the MMI stations test the qualities listed above rather than your statement, prepare broadly as well as being ready to explain what you wrote.

Where Aston's curriculum fits

Aston's course page says its patient-centred curriculum is taught over five years in two phases, starting with the fundamentals of body structure, infection and pathological processes with clinical relevance, and with patient contact from the start. It says that since the GMC added Aston to its list of bodies that can award UK medical degrees in 2023, graduating students receive an Aston degree. A thoughtful "why Aston" answer links your interests to that early patient contact.

How to prepare for the Aston interview

Prepare for actors. Practise a role play where you listen first and show empathy before you give information.
Rehearse on camera. All Aston MMIs are online, so check lighting, sound and background in advance.
Cover each quality. Choose a real example for listening, teamwork, leading and following, and knowing your limitations.
Do not try to show medical knowledge. Aston says it is not tested, so show reasoning and values.
Be flexible with dates. Invited applicants choose from several dates and are then allocated a time.

Aston practice questions (written by us, not Aston University)

Aston does not publish its stations. We wrote these around the qualities on its MMI page. Aim for about two to three minutes each.

Role-play: you are a student volunteer and a visitor says they are lost in the hospital and angry about parking. Respond.
Tell us about a time you were a follower rather than a leader, and why that was the right choice.
When would a doctor need to ask for help, and how would you do it without losing confidence?
A friend asks you to proofread their application, and you see it contains something untrue. What do you do?
What do you think listening well looks like in a short appointment?
How would you explain what a blood test is for to a child?
You are working in a team and one member does most of the talking. What would you do?
Should medical students be taught to use AI tools when writing notes? Discuss.
A neighbour asks you for medical advice on a sore throat. How do you respond?
Why do you want to study medicine, and what will keep you going when it is hard?

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

A drill for an online MMI

Run six stations on video: two role plays, two scenario discussions, two motivation questions.
Pick one quality per station and name it in your own notes after you finish.
Ask your partner to play a distressed patient and stay in character for four minutes.
Check your camera, sound and lighting before every practice, so the setup stops being a variable.
Record two stations and note how often you looked at the camera.

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.

Aston interview FAQ

Is the Aston interview an MMI?

Yes. Aston says MMIs are a compulsory part of its process and are held online.

How many stations are there?

The MMI page does not say. Your invitation will give details.

When are the interviews?

Normally between December and March in your year of application.

Do I need the UCAT?

Yes. All applicants take the UCAT in 2026 for 2027 entry.

Does Aston test medical knowledge?

No. It says you are not tested on medical knowledge.

Is there anything different for overseas applicants?

From 2027 entry, overseas applicants will not receive academic scores and will be ranked for MMI on UCAT total score only.

Applying to other West Midlands schools too? See our guides to the University of Birmingham Medical School, Warwick Medical School graduate entry and Keele University School of Medicine interviews, or our medical school interview prep page.

Sources: Aston MMI advice, Aston UCAS and personal statement advice, Aston Medicine MBChB.

Confetto isn't affiliated with Aston 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.