The Lancaster Medical School interview format

Lancaster Medical School uses a multiple mini interview (MMI) for its MBChB (A100). Its how to apply page says applicants complete a number of different stations that assess skills, values and attributes needed to study and practise medicine. Each station is assessed by a trained interviewer, including university staff, NHS clinicians, GPs, patient and public representatives and medical students.

Applicants are ranked on their overall MMI score, the combined station scores, and offers go to the highest scoring applicants. No offers are made without attending an interview. Lancaster says invitations go to those who meet requirements and score competitively on the UCAT, and the MMIs are held in January and February. Lancaster's course page says no applicant is offered a place without being interviewed in person. The how to apply page does not publish the number of stations or their length.

Item	What Lancaster says
Format	In-person MMI with several stations; number and length not published on the page
Assessors	Trained interviewers: university staff, NHS clinicians, GPs, patient and public representatives, medical students
Scoring	Overall MMI score from combined station scores; offers to the highest scoring
Timeline	MMIs held in January and February
Selection for interview	Applicants meeting academic requirements ranked by overall UCAT score; SJT band 4 not considered
Personal statement	Required but not scored or ranked; used to prepare interview questions
Work experience	Not prioritised; online research and virtual work experience are as valuable as in-person shadowing
Typical offer	AAA; contextually lowered offer of ABB after a successful interview for widening participation applicants

What Lancaster says to cover in your personal statement

Although Lancaster does not score the statement, its page says the statement is mainly a way to prepare for interview questions and should show who you are, what you have done to explore medicine as a career, what you have learned about being a doctor, why you are suited to the profession and your commitment to helping others. That gives you a ready-made list of MMI themes.

What the course emphasises

Lancaster's course page says clinical and community placements range from small rural GP practices to urban hospitals and deprived coastal communities. It describes core curriculum themes including epidemiology and evidence-based medicine, psychology and sociology of health and illness, professionalism and professional life skills, and medical ethics and law. Teaching includes case-based learning, small groups and communication skills from the first year. Ideas from these themes make a stronger "why Lancaster" answer than general praise.

Widening participation

Lancaster says it takes a holistic approach, with borderline candidates who meet widening participation criteria possibly invited using a lower threshold. Candidates successful at interview may be considered for a contextually lowered offer of ABB. Applicants complete an Initial Applicant Survey so the school has contextual information.

How to prepare for the Lancaster interview

Prepare for varied stations. Lancaster does not publish station types, so practise role play, ethics, teamwork and motivation questions.
Use your personal statement as a prompt list. The school says it is mainly for preparing for interview, so be ready to talk about every claim in it.
Know the themes of the course. Be able to say something thoughtful about epidemiology, health inequalities and ethics.
Treat virtual experience as equal. If you have done virtual work experience or research, be able to explain what you learned.
Plan the timing. The MMIs are held in January and February, so keep those weeks as clear as you can.

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

Lancaster does not publish its stations. We wrote these around the themes on its pages. Aim for about two to three minutes each.

What have you done to explore a career in medicine, and what did it teach you?
A patient from a rural community has to travel two hours for each appointment. What might you do?
Describe a time you helped someone and what you learned about yourself.
A doctor hears a colleague blame a patient for their illness. What do you say?
Why does evidence matter in deciding which treatments to use?
Role-play: a friend says they are failing a course and does not want to tell their parents. Respond.
How does where a person lives affect their health?
What is a time you had to be resilient, and how did you know you were coping?
Should patients have a right to refuse a treatment that would save their life? Discuss.
Why Lancaster, and what would you want from placements in different settings?

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

A drill for an MMI with unknown stations

Run eight stations of about five minutes with mixed types: motivation, ethics, role play, teamwork.
Print your personal statement and underline every claim you must be able to explain in an interview.
Ask a partner to play a patient or friend and give you one difficult role play.
Prepare a two-minute answer on health inequality using one example you can describe.
Record two stations and give yourself one improvement for each.

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.

Lancaster interview FAQ

Is the Lancaster interview an MMI?

Yes. Lancaster says applicants complete a number of stations, each assessed by a trained interviewer.

Who interviews me?

University staff, NHS clinicians, GPs, patient and public representatives and medical students.

When are interviews?

January and February.

Is the interview online or in person?

In person, according to Lancaster's course page. Your invitation will confirm the details.

Does Lancaster score the personal statement?

No. It is required but not scored or ranked at any stage; the interview is used to learn more about you.

How does UCAT affect selection?

Applicants meeting academic requirements are ranked by overall UCAT score for invitation, and applicants with an SJT band 4 are not considered.

Applying to other North West schools too? See our guides to the Keele University School of Medicine, UCLan School of Medicine and Dentistry and University of Liverpool School of Medicine interviews, or our medical school interview prep page.

Sources: Lancaster Medical School how to apply, Lancaster MBChB A100 2027.

Confetto isn't affiliated with Lancaster 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.