Free lessons

Free interview lessons

Four short lessons on the methods that come up again and again. Read one, then try it out loud.

The STARR method

A lot of interview questions are really asking for a story: a time you worked in a team, a time you led something, a time something went wrong. STARR gives that story a shape, so you don't ramble and you don't stop too early.

Keep the first two parts short. The interviewers need enough to picture it, not every detail. Most of your time should go on what you did and what you took from it.

Situation:: Where were you and what was going on? One or two sentences.
Task:: What needed to happen, and what was your part in it?
Action:: What did you actually do? Say "I", not "we", so it is clear what was yours.
Result:: What happened because of it?
Reflection:: What you learnt about yourself, what you would do differently, and how that links to the job you are applying for. This is the part most people rush, and it is where an answer stands out.

Try this: Pick one experience and talk it through out loud using all five parts. Then do it again, spending twice as long on the reflection.

Now practise on a real question

"Tell me about a team you were part of that worked well. What was your contribution?"

Practise this question

Answering "Why medicine?" or "Why dentistry?"

This question is not always asked directly. It often turns up in another form, such as what you think the hardest part of the job is, or why not another healthcare career. Either way, the interviewers want to know that you understand what the job is really like, and that the choice is genuinely yours.

Start with something real: a moment, a person or an experience that got you interested. Keep it brief, because it is the start of the answer, not the whole of it. A true story also helps with follow-up questions, since you can answer them from memory.

Then say what you did to find out more, and what about the day-to-day work suits you. Back each reason with something you have actually done or seen.

Some answers are too general to help you. "I want to help people" is true of many jobs. Being good at science is useful, but it is not a reason on its own. If you are asked why this course rather than another healthcare career, give a positive reason for your choice, and never talk the other profession down.

Try this: Write three bullet points for your answer, not a script. Say it out loud from the bullets and keep it to about two minutes.

Now practise on a real question

"When did you first become interested in this career, and what has kept you interested since?"

Practise this question

The four pillars of medical ethics

Ethics stations rarely have one right answer. What the interviewers want to see is that you can spot the issues, look at more than one side, and reach a sensible view. The four pillars give you somewhere to start.

You don't need to name all four in every answer. Use the ones that fit, explain the tension between them, and say what you would do and why. It is fine to say what your view depends on.

Autonomy:: Respecting a person's right to make their own decisions about their care.
Beneficence:: Acting in the patient's best interests.
Non-maleficence:: Avoiding harm, or making sure any harm is outweighed by the benefit.
Justice:: Being fair, including in how limited resources are shared out.

Try this: Take any health news story and talk through which pillars it involves, where they pull against each other, and what you would do.

Now practise on a real question

"A patient refuses an operation that would almost certainly save their life. What do you do?"

Practise this question

Staying calm on the day

Everyone is nervous before an interview, and you won't get rid of it completely. The aim is to keep it under control, so you speak at a steady pace and think clearly.

Don't cram the night before. Look over your bullet points, sort out how you are getting there, eat something you like and get to bed. More rehearsing at that point tends to make you more anxious, not more ready.

On the day, arrive early and dress smartly. If your mind goes blank, it is fine to pause, take a breath and ask for a moment to think. Slowing down reads as calm.

Aim for confident, not arrogant. Confident sounds like "I've prepared and I'll do my best". Treat each interviewer as someone you are having a real conversation with.

Try this: Next time you practise, slow your breathing before you start: breathe in for four, hold for seven, out for eight. Then answer at a pace that feels slightly too slow.

Now practise on a real question

"Tell me about the most pressured situation you have handled."

Practise this question

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