Preparing for the King's College London medicine interview

How King's decides who to interview

The page says there is no minimum UCAT score and that applicants ranked highest are then assessed against the programme's entry requirements, including GCSEs, predicted or achieved A-levels, the personal statement and academic reference. It says the personal statement is one of several factors and that King's looks for evidence of commitment to and a realistic appreciation of the academic, physical and emotional demands of a medicine career, and expects some work experience in a caring environment or clinical observation, or if that is not possible, work where you interact with the public, such as in a pharmacy, checkout or restaurant.

What the interview is built to test

The page lists the attributes the interview assesses: communication skills, ethical reasoning, understanding of current and relevant healthcare issues, motivation for studying Medicine and overall suitability for the programme and the profession. That mix is a good guide to practice. You need ethics and communication skills, a reasoned view on current NHS issues, and a clear, honest account of why medicine.

Decisions and timing

King's says you should not expect a final decision straight after interview, and that it aims to notify all applicants of final decisions by the end of May at the latest. The "fit-to-sit" policy means that if something goes wrong during your interview you should tell the admissions team as soon as possible, but you cannot rely on it being taken into account.

How to prepare for the King's interview

• Practise ethical reasoning out loud. Use consent, confidentiality, capacity and fairness, and say what you would do and why.
• Keep up with NHS news. King's names understanding of current healthcare issues, so follow a reliable source and form a view on two or three topics.
• Be ready for one question per station. The Healthcare Entry FAQ says each station has a different interviewer asking one question, so practise short, complete answers.
• Prepare your work experience reflection. Be able to say what you saw or did, and what it taught you about the job.
• Test your remote setup. The cycle is remote, so check sound, lighting and background in advance.

King's practice questions (written by us, not King's College London)

King's does not publish its stations. We wrote these around the attributes its page lists. Aim for two to three minutes each.

1. A patient with a learning disability is brought to a clinic by a carer, and the carer answers every question. How would you respond?
2. Should patients who miss many appointments be charged a fee? Give both sides.
3. What do you understand by informed consent, and when might it be difficult to obtain?
4. Describe a recent healthcare issue you have followed and your view on it.
5. You see a colleague using their phone to take a photo of a patient's notes. What do you do?
6. What does good communication look like when someone is distressed?
7. Tell me about a time you had to work with someone you found difficult.
8. Why medicine rather than another healthcare profession?
9. How could the NHS use technology to help patients without increasing inequality?
10. What would you do if a patient said they trusted an alternative remedy more than your advice?

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

A drill for short remote stations

1. Run seven stations on video with a partner asking one question each and no follow-up.
2. Take a two-minute news story about the NHS and give a balanced view, then a personal view.
3. Rehearse one ethics case using consent, confidentiality or capacity, and name the strongest counterpoint.
4. Record two answers and watch for long openings that delay your point.
5. Practise a calm reset between stations: one breath, then straight into the next answer.

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.

King's interview FAQ

Is the King's interview an MMI?

King's FAQ for its Healthcare Entry Medicine route says interviews will likely be online as an MMI with around seven stations. The main Medicine page says interviews are remote this cycle but does not give the station count, so confirm with your invitation.

When are interviews?

Usually between December and April, with invitations on a rolling basis from December.

How does King's use the UCAT?

Applications are ranked using UCAT performance, GCSE grades and widening participation indicators. The overall UCAT score is used and the SJT is not taken into account for shortlisting. There is no minimum UCAT score.

Does King's need work experience?

It would normally expect some in a caring environment or clinical observation. If that is not possible it looks for work where you interact with the public.

When will I find out?

Not straight after interview. King's aims to notify all applicants of final decisions by the end of May at the latest.

Can King's account for something going wrong in my interview?

It operates a fit-to-sit policy and cannot take mitigating circumstances into account for interview performance. Tell the admissions team as soon as possible if something happens.

Applying to other London schools too? See our guides to the UCL Medical School, Imperial College School of Medicine and St George's, University of London interviews, or our medical school interview prep page.

Sources: King's Medicine MBBS entry requirements, King's Healthcare Entry Medicine FAQ, King's Medicine MBBS course page.

Confetto isn't affiliated with King's College London. 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.