Kent and Medway (KMMS) Medical School Interview Questions — 2026 Entry
✅ Turn practice into performance. Our doctor-led mock MMI mirrors real stations—communication, ethics, prioritisation, data interpretation—assessed by experienced tutors and former assessors. Gain confidence and a personalised action plan. Click here to secure your spot—strict 10 places per circuit.
🎓 Introduction: Why KMMS?
Kent & Medway Medical School (KMMS) selects future doctors using an evidence-based, values-focused process that blends contextualised academics, UCAT (with emphasis on SJT), and a multi-station interview with a distinctive long group exercise. (This guide draws directly on KMMS’s official Admissions Policy and Entry Requirements pages and signposts them where used.)
✅ How KMMS decides who to call for an interview
KMMS uses a multi-stage process:
Minimum requirements & UCAT threshold (including rejection for UCAT SJT Band 4; threshold varies by cycle).
Stage 2: Contextualisation & holistic review — the most selective stage. KMMS contextualises your academic results against your school’s average performance (e.g., GCSE Attainment 8 vs your school; for post-A-level, % achieving AAB+). Personal statement, reference quality, and recent people-focused experience are reviewed for those close to the cut-off. Graduates/overseas may be asked to sit an additional test (historically CASPer).
Interview invitations are issued via the applicant portal (KentVision/UCAS).
KMMS explicitly states it won’t just privilege the highest UCAT/grades; the aim is to select diverse, values-aligned candidates, with SJT given extra weight.
🗂️ How KMMS interviews (2026 entry)
KMMS uses MMIs: six 7-minute stations plus a long 40–45-minute group station. Assessors include KMMS teaching staff, external stakeholders, and NHS service users. You’re scored at each station; KMMS selects mainly by highest average, but strong performance at a specific station can be escalated in decision discussions.
Practical takeaways for 2026: Expect a 6-station circuit (short stations) + one extended group task, values-anchored marking, and a broad assessor panel connected to real NHS practice.
🧭 Interview style at a glance
Format: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) + long group station
Each station: ~7 minutes
Group task: ~40–45 minutes
Themes assessed: professionalism, empathy, ethics, problem solving, judgment, communication, integrity, resilience, teamwork/leadership—aligned to GMC/MSC guidance and KMMS graduate attributes.
🗓️ When are KMMS interviews held?
First round: Typically December–January (Dec/Jan)
KMMS notes subsequent rounds may occur (e.g., June/July) when needed.
These timings come directly from the KMMS Admissions Policy.
Some third-party sites list specific December dates for home applicants (e.g., mid-December on the Canterbury campus) and online interviews for some international candidates; treat exact dates as indicative and always confirm via your applicant portal/KMMS.
🧠 What topics are covered?
KMMS shares an indicative competency map for the MMI circuit. Example domains include:
Professional knowledge, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, compassion, empathy/empowerment, conscientiousness, honesty, morality/ethics, ethical reasoning, integrity, respectfulness, resilience, leadership/followership, teamwork, communication.
📊 How many applicants receive an interview? How many receive an offer?
KMMS explains that UK medical schools typically receive ~10× applications per place and interview roughly ~2× candidates per place. (This is sector context KMMS provides.)
As a recent cycle snapshot (informational, not a guarantee): for 2022 entry, 404 candidates were interviewed and ~207 offers were made (~52% post-interview offer rate). (External summary.)
📬 When are offers released?
After the first MMI round (Dec/Jan), formal offers are sent via UCAS in batches, no later than the UCAS May decision deadline.
Further offers may follow subsequent MMI rounds (e.g., June/July).
🧪 KMMS station types & 100+ practice prompts (KMMS-style)
Below are KMMS-aligned practice ideas (built from KMMS’s published competencies and structure). These are examples—not real stations—designed to help you rehearse like KMMS.
1) Professionalism & honesty (Question)
A colleague posts patient-identifiable info on social media—what do you do and why?
You realise you made an error on a drug chart; outline your next steps and principles involved.
Define professionalism in the NHS and give a time you demonstrated it.
2) Problem-solving & critical thinking (Problem)
You’re handed A&E triage data to prioritise—talk through your approach.
Clinic capacity has dropped 30% due to staff sickness—how would you re-design the rota fairly?
A community clinic reports rising DNAs—generate root causes and quick wins.
3) Judgment, personality & emotional intelligence (video SJT)
After viewing a short clip of a distressed relative on a ward, prioritise 5 actions and justify.
Choose the most and least appropriate responses to a teammate’s insensitive remark; explain your rationale.
A peer persistently interrupts during a group task—how do you respond in the moment?
4) Empathy, respect, compassion (Role-play)
Break difficult news about delaying a non-urgent procedure; show empathy and check understanding.
A carer is frustrated about discharge planning—negotiate next steps collaboratively.
A patient with language barriers is anxious about consent; demonstrate how you’d ensure validity.
5) Conscientiousness, resilience, manual/quant skills (Task)
Interpret a prescribing chart with deliberate anomalies; identify and mitigate risks.
Explain a vaccine leaflet to a layperson and check comprehension.
You’re given a basic fine-motor task (e.g., assembling a device with instructions); narrate your safe approach.
6) Ethics, morality & ethical reasoning (Scenario)
COVID backlogs: who should be prioritised for theatre and why?
A friend asks you to falsify a placement timesheet—analyse ethically and professionally.
Discuss autonomy vs beneficence when a capacitous patient refuses a beneficial treatment.
7) Leadership, followership & teamwork (Group activity ~40–45 min)
As a group, design a weekend urgent-care pathway for a rural community; agree on metrics of success.
Rank health interventions for a £1m budget; reach consensus and justify.
Plan a student wellbeing initiative balancing evidence, cost, and inclusivity.
Want structured practice that mirrors KMMS? Book our Medical School Interview Course — taught by NHS doctors who teach at 3 UK Medical Schools: https://bluepeanut.com/medical-school-interview
Try full MMI mock circuits (including KMMS-style group tasks): https://bluepeanut.com/mmi-courses
💬 Student comments & lived experience (indicative)
On predictability: “Nobody knows what KMMS do,” reflecting its distinctive contextualisation approach—focus on authenticity and values, not pre-learnt scripts.
Various forums note December interview windows for home candidates and remote options for some international applicants in recent cycles; always check your portal for official details.
🧷 Quick facts (official sources)
UCAT: required; Band 4 SJT = rejection; overall UCAT threshold varies each cycle; SJT weighted more than other UCAT components at shortlisting.
Selection emphasises contextualisation vs absolute grades; work experience is considered for insight and reflection, not hours logged.
MMI structure: 6 × 7-min stations + 40–45-min group station; assessors include NHS users; scored but not ranked; high outlier performance can be discussed.
Offers: batches via UCAS after Dec/Jan round; can follow later rounds (e.g., June/July); by May UCAS deadline, most decisions finalised.
🏆 Top tips to ace KMMS (doctor-led)
Think “values + evidence”. KMMS maps stations to GMC/MSC values. For each answer: principle → action → reflection → patient impact.
Lean into SJT-style judgment. Practise prioritising safe, patient-centred actions; justify with NHS values and duty of candour.
Group station = gold. Show listening, structure, timekeeping, and shared decision-making. Rotate roles (chair, scribe, summariser) naturally.
Be contextual-aware. KMMS sees the story behind your stats. Be ready to discuss your school context, experience, and growth.
Use frameworks, not scripts. For ethics: Four Principles; for reflections: STAR/ABCDE; for data tasks: Identify → Interpret → Implications → Next steps.
Role-play polish. Build rapport (name, empathy, agenda-setting), chunk-and-check, signpost, summarise.
Micro-skills matter. Calm body language, plain English, teach-back, and safety-first decisions.
Know the course. KMMS is a collaboration between University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University—read the official pages before interview.
Timelines. Expect Dec/Jan 1st-round interviews, with offers issued in UCAS batches and later rounds possible; avoid speculation and check your portal.
Simulate the format. Practise 6 short stations + one long group task under time—then get feedback.
Book our Medical School Interview Course (doctor-led, KMMS-style drills): https://bluepeanut.com/medical-school-interview
Join an MMI Mock Circuit (ethical scenarios, data, role-play, group station): https://bluepeanut.com/mmi-courses
📚 Sources (we used the medical school website wherever possible)
KMMS Admissions Policy (Effective Sept 2024; governs 2025–26 cycle) — format, selection, timelines, competencies. Kent and Medway Medical School
KMMS Entry Requirements 2026 — high-level selection principles & process. Kent and Medway Medical School
KMMS news (widening participation/approach). Kent and Medway Medical School
🚀 Ready to practise the KMMS way?
🎯 Book our Medical School Interview Course — taught by NHS doctors who teach at 3 UK Medical Schools → https://bluepeanut.com/medical-school-interview
🧩 Want the KMMS-style group task experience? Try our MMI mock circuits → https://bluepeanut.com/mmi-courses
Good luck—be authentic, be values-driven, and show KMMS the doctor you’re becoming. 💙🩺
