University of Chester (Graduate Entry Medicine) — Medical School Interview Questions & Complete Guide for 2026 Entry
Introduction
The University of Chester’s Graduate Entry Medicine (MBChB, A101) is a four-year programme open to graduates from any discipline. As a new UK medical school, Chester is progressing through the GMC approval process, with Warwick Medical School serving as the contingency partner. It welcomed its first cohort in September 2024.
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How Chester decides who to invite to interview
Chester shortlists graduates who meet minimum academic and experience requirements and a threshold in an admissions test. Specifically, UCAS lists:
Degree: at least a 2:1 Bachelor’s (or a 2:2 + Master’s).
Admissions test: minimum threshold in UCAT, GAMSAT or MCAT (UCAT considered on overall and Verbal Reasoning subscores).
Work experience: 70 hours in a healthcare or allied setting within the last three years.
English (if required): IELTS 7.0 (limits on bands at 6.0/6.5).
What this means for you: If you meet the degree and work-experience bar, your test performance (especially UCAT VR) is pivotal for interview selection.
How Chester interviews for 2026 entry
Format: Six-station interview, i.e., an MMI-style circuit. UCAS explicitly confirms that shortlisted applicants “must attend and perform to a required level in a six-station interview.”
What’s assessed: Stations are designed to test values and behaviours aligned with GMC Good medical practice (2024) (professionalism, communication, decision-making, teamwork, and patient-centred care).
Delivery & scoring: The University’s course page (summarised in search text) describes ~90 minutes total, six MMIs, each observed and scored by trained assessors; station details change annually while mapping to GMC standards.
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When are Chester interviews held?
For the most recent cycle, interview activity clustered in December (international interviews first, followed by UK interviews, per student reports). Exact dates vary each year and are communicated via your applicant portal.
General UCAS dates to keep in mind for 2026 entry (Medicine deadline: 15 October 2025):
15 Oct 2025: Medicine application deadline.
Adviser timeline for decisions: UCAS has an advisory 31 March milestone and reject-by-default (RBD) 13 May 2026, encouraging earlier decisions across providers. (Institutions can still release offers earlier/later within UCAS rules.)
What topics are covered in a Chester medical interview?
Expect stations built around GMC Good Medical Practice (2024): professionalism, patient safety, communication, teamwork, leadership, openness, and equality, diversity & inclusion. Typical MMI themes include:
Motivation & insight into medicine and the realities of training/work.
Ethics & law: consent, capacity, confidentiality, resource allocation, candour.
Communication/Role-play: breaking bad news, dealing with complaints or conflict.
Teamwork & leadership scenarios; situational judgement.
Numeracy/data interpretation (basic calculations or interpreting a simple chart).
NHS knowledge & health policy awareness at a sixth-form appropriate level.
How many applicants receive an interview, and how many receive an offer?
Chester has not published interview or offer statistics for 2026 entry. For context, a University of Chester official rep shared that there were ~50 home places for the inaugural 2024 intake; the current capacity and split may evolve as the programme scales. (No official 2026 interview/offer ratios are published at the time of writing.)
Sector-wide, Medicine remains competitive (e.g., ~23–24k UK applicants in recent cycles across all schools), but per-school interview and offer ratios vary and are often not publicly reported.
Example Chester-style MMI stations & questions
Chester’s exact stations change annually and aren’t released. Based on UCAS’s six-station MMI confirmation and the GMC’s competency framework, here’s a realistic practice set calibrated to GEM level:
Motivation & Insight
What draws you to a graduate-entry route specifically, and what compromises have you planned for?
Tell us about a time you persisted through a steep learning curve; what did you change?
Communication / Role-play
Scenario: A simulated patient isn’t eligible for a requested test. Explain why, check understanding, and agree a plan.
Observer prompt: Assess structure, empathy, signposting, and safety-netting.
Ethics & Professionalism
A colleague posts a photo from the ward on social media. Discuss confidentiality, professional boundaries, and duty to act.
When might disclosure without consent be justified?
Data Interpretation & Numeracy
Interpret an A&E flow chart showing wait times by triage category; prioritise two service changes.
Calculate a simple fluid replacement over 4 hours from given rates (no complex pharm required).
Teamwork & Leadership
You’re coordinating volunteers at a vaccination clinic; two team members clash. How do you resolve and keep the throughput safe?
Describe a time you influenced a group without authority.
Resilience & Reflection
What personal systems will you use to manage GEM intensity (placements + exams)?
Reflect on a mistake in any setting: what did you learn, and how will you prevent recurrence?
Why these? They align with the Good Medical Practice (2024) domains and the broad station purposes that medical schools commonly use.
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When are offers released?
Offer timing varies by provider; many medical schools release in waves after interviews conclude. UCAS has 2026 cycle guardrails (e.g., RBD 13 May 2026; reply dates depend on when you receive your final decision — e.g., 6 May 2026 if all decisions arrive by 31 March). Always follow the deadlines on your personal UCAS Hub.
Student comments & insights (informal)
A first-year Chester medical student noted international interviews were scheduled first, then domestic interviews soon after, in the same interview window. Treat this as anecdotal guidance — always defer to official emails/portal updates.
(If you’re reading this and have interviewed at Chester recently, share your experience; we’ll keep this guide updated.)
Top tips for acing the Chester MMI
Hit the threshold, then differentiate. Once you clear the degree/test/work-experience bar, it’s your communication, ethics, and reflection that win points. Align your answers to GMC Good Medical Practice (2024).
Practise 6-station pacing. Build stamina for ~90 minutes of rotating stations, with concise, structured responses (SPIKES/CALMER for tough conversations; ABCDE for safety-first thinking).
Know the NHS at a sixth-form level. Be prepared to discuss primary versus secondary care, demand versus capacity, digital health, and patient safety.
Reflect, don’t recite. Link experiences (your 70 hours of exposure) to patient-centred insights and what you’ll do differently next time.
Role-play deliberately. Practise signposting, checking understanding, and safety-netting under time pressure.
Simulate the pressure. Do timed mocks with real examiners and feedback.
FAQ
Does Chester accept non-science degrees?
Yes. The programme is open to students from any discipline (with degree class requirements).
Which admissions tests are accepted?
UCAT, GAMSAT or MCAT; UCAT is considered on both overall and Verbal Reasoning thresholds.
How many interview stations are there?
Six. UCAS confirms a six-station interview for shortlisted candidates.
Is the interview an MMI?
Chester’s course information describes a six-station MMI lasting approximately 90 minutes, mapped to GMC standards (with specific content shifting each year).
When do interviews happen?
Recent cycles placed them around December (exact dates vary and are communicated directly).
When will I hear about offers?
Timing varies; UCAS cycle rules include RBD 13 May 2026 and reply-by dates based on when you receive your final decision (e.g., 6 May 2026 if all decisions arrive by 31 March). Check your UCAS Hub.
How many people get interviewed/offers?
Chester has not published 2026 ratios. For context, an official University rep mentioned ~50 home places for the inaugural 2024 intake.
What’s the interview content based on?
Values and behaviours aligned to GMC Good Medical Practice (2024) and Outcomes for Graduates.
Final word
Chester’s six-station MMI rewards candidates who communicate clearly, reason ethically, and reflect maturely on real-world exposure. Combine targeted content prep with timed MMI practice so your first “real” circuit isn’t on interview day.
Next steps:
Book the Blue Peanut Medical School Interview Course (perfect for polishing structure and ethics).
Add a Blue Peanut MMI Mock Circuit to rehearse a Chester-style six-station circuit with examiner scoring and feedback.
