Exeter Medical School Interview Questions (2026 Entry): Format, Timeline, Data & Expert Prep Tips
Introduction
The University of Exeter Medical School (A100 BMBS) runs competitive Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) to assess your readiness for medical training. For 2026 entry, the essentials below are directly sourced from Exeter’s official admissions policy and course pages, with recent student-facing insights where applicable.
Want structured, examiner-style practice for Exeter? Join our focused Medical School Interview Course and book an MMI mock circuit slot at Mock MMI Circuits.
How Exeter decides who to call for an interview
Exeter ranks applicants using an Exeter Score built from your academic profile and admissions test:
Direct school leavers must sit UCAT. Your Exeter Score is weighted 3:1 (academics: UCAT). Applicants with achieved grades receive a +10 point uplift; eligible widening participation applicants receive a +5 point uplift. Tables in the policy show how points fall with each grade drop and UCAT decile.
Non-direct school leavers/Graduates typically sit GAMSAT; an Exeter Score table is used for GAMSAT too (with WP uplift).
Personal statements and references are not used for mitigating circumstances—instead, Exeter has a separate Extenuating Circumstances form with clear deadlines.
Exeter’s course page also confirms that the UCAT is required for A-level applicants and that interviews are offered after sorting by academic profile and overall UCAT score.
How Exeter interviews for 2026 entry
Interview style: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). The official policy states interviews are MMIs and judgments are based on station outcomes. In recent cycles, Exeter noted a 4-station MMI on its interview page (for 2024 entry). Expect MMI again; final station count for 2026 will be confirmed in your invite.
Who’s invited: Exeter anticipates interviewing ~700 home applicants in total each cycle. There are 10 international locations, typically resulting in ~30 international interviews.
Post-interview decisions: Offers are made to candidates deemed suitable on interview performance; if many are tied, UCAT/GAMSAT can be reused as a tiebreaker to decide who receives offers.
What is the interview style?
MMI: short, focused stations sampling a range of attributes (communication, ethics, insight, decision-making, teamwork and professionalism). Exeter’s public interview page referenced 4 stations for a recent cycle; plan for compact, high-tempo stations assessed independently.
When are Exeter Medicine interviews held?
Exeter states that shortlisted applicants are invited to interview between December and March. This aligns with the experiences of applicants in recent years.
What topics are covered?
Exeter does not publish a station-by-station list, but from official and reputable guidance, the MMI typically assesses:
Motivation for Medicine and realistic insight into the course and career
Communication & Empathy (incl. role-plays)
Ethical reasoning & professionalism
Teamwork, prioritisation and resilience
Data/graph interpretation or brief clinical reasoning at a lay level
Reflection on experiences/strengths/weaknesses
(Themes inferred from Exeter’s MMI format and widely reported topics for Exeter MMIs.)
How many applicants receive an interview—and how many receive an offer?
Interviews: Exeter’s policy anticipates ~700 home interviews overall each cycle; international interviews are ~30 for 10 international places.
Offers: A “defined number” of offers is made from those judged suitable at interview; UCAT/GAMSAT may be reused as a tiebreaker if offers are oversubscribed. (Exeter does not publish a fixed interview-to-offer ratio annually.)
As historical context (non-official source), one independent guide reported 654 interviews and 442 offers (≈approximately 68%) to UK applicants for 2022 entry—useful as background, but note that rates vary from year to year.
Example Exeter-style MMI stations & questions
Exeter’s exact stations vary from year to year. Use the bank below to practise Exeter-style tasks that mirror their competencies:
Communication/Breaking bad news (role-play)
A patient actor just received an abnormal blood test letter and is worried it means cancer. Explain what the letter likely means and agree on the next steps.
Empathy & listening
A peer missed several sessions due to caring duties and feels overwhelmed. Explore concerns and signpost support.
Ethics & professionalism
Should medical students be compelled to receive certain vaccinations before placements? Discuss autonomy, public safety, GMC guidance and proportionality.
Prioritisation under pressure
You’re a junior on call receiving four bleeps at once. Triage these scenarios and justify your order.
Teamwork station (non-clinical task)
Build a simple structure with limited instructions while narrating clearly so a blindfolded partner can replicate it.
Data interpretation
Interpret a simple A&E demand chart across weekdays; suggest service improvements while recognising limitations of the data.
Motivation/insight
Why Exeter? Link early clinical exposure, small-group learning and placements across Devon/Cornwall with your learning style and values.
Reflection
Describe a time you received constructive feedback. How did you respond, what changed, and what would you do differently now?
Professional boundaries (scenario)
You see a peer posting a placement selfie with identifiable patient details on social media. How do you respond?
NHS awareness
A local trust faces winter pressures and ambulance handover delays. What factors contribute, and how might primary/community care help?
When are offers released?
Exeter states that decisions following medicine interviews are sent by mid-May (for the cycle in question). Offer timings can vary slightly, but this is the university’s stated timeframe for post-interview decisions.
Top tips for the Exeter MMI
Reverse-engineer the Exeter Score. Use the policy tables to gauge competitiveness (for academics & UCAT for school leavers, and GAMSAT for graduates) and plan your applications strategically.
Practise short, high-yield stations. Recent years have seen the use of compact station lengths—practising concise structures (SPIKES for difficult conversations; four-principles ethics; SBAR for handovers).
Show you fit Exeter’s pedagogy. Emphasise small-group learning, early clinical exposure, placements across Devon & Cornwall, and a patient-centred ethos.
Know when UCAT/GAMSAT matters again. In tie-breaks post-MMI, Exeter can reuse your admissions test to allocate offers—so keep that context in mind if you’re on the margins.
Don’t rely on your personal statement at MMI. Exeter doesn’t consider mitigating circumstances; bring evidence of reflection and insight to the interview itself.
Practise role-plays with feedback. Use examiners/actors where possible to simulate Exeter’s tone and pacing (independent reports describe friendly but focused stations).
Get examiner-written drills plus personalised feedback on the exact competencies Exeter assesses—join our Medical School Interview Course or reserve your spot on a complete MMI mock circuit.
Student comments (what candidates say)
Applicants describe Exeter’s MMIs as “friendly but structured”, with each station scored independently—so one blip isn’t the end; move on quickly. (Paraphrased from school-by-school interview advice for Exeter.)
University communications reiterate that interview format and purpose are explained in advance and decisions are delivered in a professional, transparent way.
(Note: Public “student room” threads exist, but official pages remain your most reliable source. Exeter’s team also posts application guidance on its site.)
Quick facts for 2026 entry at Exeter (A100)
Interviews: MMI, typically December–March.
Numbers: ~700 home interviews; ~30 international interviews for 10 international places.
Shortlisting: Exeter Score (academics & UCAT for school leavers; GAMSAT for non-direct). Academics: UCAT weighted 3:1; achieved grades +10, WP +5.
Decisions: Issued by mid-May. UCAT/GAMSAT may be reused as a tiebreaker for offers.
FAQs
Is UCAT required for Exeter Medicine?
Yes. Direct school leavers must sit UCAT; non-direct/graduate applicants usually sit GAMSAT.
How does Exeter rank applicants for interview?
By an Exeter Score (academics & admissions test). Weighting is 3:1 in favour of academics for school leavers, with potential uplifts for achieved grades and WP.
What is the interview format?
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs). Recent cycles referenced 4 stations, but the exact 2026 details will be provided with your invitation.
When are interviews held?
December–March.
When will I hear back?
Exeter indicates post-interview decisions are sent by mid-May.
How many people get interviewed, and how many get offers?
Around 700 home applicants (plus ~30 international) are interviewed; offers are then made to those meeting the MMI standard, with admissions tests used again if there’s a tie. Annual offer numbers aren’t fixed.
Does the personal statement matter at the University of Exeter?
It’s not used for mitigating circumstances decisions (use Exeter’s Extenuating Circumstances process instead). Interviewers assess you directly at MMI.
What should I emphasise in “Why Exeter?”
Small-group learning, early clinical exposure, placements across Devon & Cornwall, and Exeter’s patient-centred approach.
Final prep call-to-actions
Sharpen your answers with honest examiner feedback on communication, ethics and prioritisation: book the Blue Peanut Medical School Interview Course.
Rehearse under time pressure with complete MMI circuits tailored to Exeter’s style: Blue Peanut MMI Circuits.
This guide reflects public information available as of 1 September 2025. Always check the official Exeter pages for updates specific to your cycle.
