Interviews

Interviews, the most important part of your application, it will either make or break you!

There are mainly 2 types:
1.MMI
The Multiple Mini Interview. Some say that it is like speed dating and for me it was all good fun!
I think that the key to doing well for this interview would be:
1.Move on. You will have a lot of time to mull over your performance AFTER your interview, but while you are still doing the interview, just forget about how you did in the previous station, it is for the better
2.Follow instructions. Since there will be a lot of movement, it is very easy for you to feel really lost so it is important that you read whatever instructions you are given and follow them, it won't help if you lose your cool!
3.Don't hesitate. Because you will be under timed conditions, you will have to complete the task/answer the questions the best you can within the given time frame so use the time wisely!

I posted some resources I found/used on TSR (here is the link: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1845730&page=84&p=40978175&highlight=#post40978175)
Also, it might be helpful for you to have some practice using some of the sample questions.
Additionally, here is some advice I gave to someone based on my own personal experience in preparing for such an interview on the different aspects of it:
Roleplay:
there's a variety:
-breaking bad news to people(refer to SPIKES framework- http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.o...t/5/4/302.full, use it as a general kind of method, not just for breaking news on cancer)
-Listening to a troubled person/comforting someone(use these empathetic statements as examples: I can see how upsetting this is for you,I can tell you weren't expecting to hear this,I know this is not good news for you,I'm sorry to have to tell you this,I can understand how you felt this way,I guess anyone might have the same reaction,You are perfectly correct to think that way
-Calming an angered person down(NEVER EVER SAY 'everything will be alright'/'stop crying'/'don't worry' use the same statements as above, always put yourself in their shoes, and keep your eyes on that person
-Handling a person who has a visual/hearing/verbal impairment.(you should/would be given something to help in your communication so use it to your advantage!)

For answering questions and explaining your thoughts, it'll probably be personality questions so you might want to have mock interviews to practise that

Practical tasks, here are a few possible ones:
-Helping a person complete a puzzle/activity(that person may have a physical disadvantage or smth)-for these types of stations, don't just focus on completing the section, if there are people involved, think of the people first. Like, make sure the person is comfortable and involved in the activity, think like a teacher who is taking care of kids in this case, if you get what i mean.
-communicating
you may have to communicate an idea to someone , for example, you look at a drawing and you have to try to get a person who is looking away from you to replicate it
-working with someone
this may be hard, you may have to try to encourage someone to do something /work as a team , or you may even have to act as a mediator

you may also want to do some lateral thinking exercises, just google them and do them, they help open your mind!(:

http://www.medical-interviews.co.uk/Multi-Mini-Interviews-MMI-St-Georges.aspx ---> here are some more examples

2.Panel/discussion
This would usually consist of varying people(eg; admissions tutors/doctors/health care professionals/medical students)
This would be the more 'traditional' interview method, there are many tips and resources you can find for such interviews out there.
Here are some that i used :
 http://www.medical-interviews.co.uk/interview-questions-medical-school-interviews.aspx
http://www.getintomedicine.co.uk/interview.php
http://www.apply2medicine.co.uk/medical-school-application-support/free-resources-1/free-medical-interview-questions.html
http://www.slideserve.com/pollyjose/medical-school-interview-powerpoint
Youtube-Kevin Ahern's guide to acing your medical school interview(AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!)

I think the best way to do well in a panel interview would be to keep calm!The interviewers will definietely understand that you are feeling nervous and they will definitely do their best to calm you down so you have to respond to that too and try to be at ease as the interview goes on!

If you are ever met with a difficult question, a good way of 'buying' time would be to say: "Well, that is an interesting question, could I have some time to think about that?" But don't use that too many times because your interviewers will not be impressed if you seem like you can't think on your feet,

If you are asked an impossibly hard question, try not to let panic be your first response. Always try to keep yourself calm and trat the interview as a learning process and just admit it if you are not sure and then ask for the right question.

Always prepare for questions on your personal statement!

How to handle ethical questions:
1. If the situation is quite long, consider repeating the key points of the given situation to make sure you got everything and also to buy yourself some time
2.Do not start off by giving your view, save that for the last!
3.Consider all aspects of the situation(Who is involved? What are the possible outcomes? etc;)
 Always aim to give a balanced view.It may be useful for you to read up on certain medical ethics.(http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/ethical_guidance.asp would be a useful read)
This website also covers many ethical issues and i personally found it very useful when preparing for my interview:http://medicalschoolinterviewstheknowledge.wordpress.com/

Here are some books which i found particularly useful:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Medical-School-Interviews-Practical-Questions/dp/1905812043/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362258297&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Succeed-Your-Medical-School-Interview/dp/0749461381/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1362258297&sr=8-2
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Medical-School-Interviews-Need-Knowledge/dp/0957290403/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1362258297&sr=8-3

Once again, I have NOT been paid by any company/person to write any of these things, what i wrote was based on my own experience and what i personally found really useful

Feel free to contact me @ lovebullets1995@gmail.com if you have any questions