UNSW medicine interview: format and preparation
Check the published guidance for your application pathway, then practise explaining your reasoning, communicating clearly and reflecting on your experience.
Start practising free ->UNSW interview preparation for school leavers
Pathway: Domestic undergraduate general entry. Format: Structured panel with two interviewers.
Pathway and format source: official university guidance, accessed . Check your invitation for individual arrangements.
Practise a conversation with follow-up questions. After a short answer, pause and listen instead of trying to fill a fixed MMI timer.
A practice exercise
Ask a partner to follow your example of teamwork with "What did you personally do?" and "What would the other person say?" Answer from the same real experience, including what you would change.
Keep in mind: Do not treat the domestic UNSW interview as a rotating MMI circuit. A timed practice station can help you organise ideas, but it does not reproduce this panel format.
These are independent practice suggestions, not questions from the university or its marking criteria. You can use experiences from school, work, sport or caring responsibilities; do not invent clinical experience.
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On this page
Published selection and interview guidance
UNSW considers academic results, UCAT ANZ and interview performance. Its domestic interview is structured and conducted by two interviewers; it is not a rotating MMI circuit. Rural, Gateway, Indigenous and lateral-entry schemes have their own requirements.
- Pathway covered
- Domestic undergraduate medicine; general entry
- Entry cycle / source status
- 2027 entry
- Published format
- Structured interview with two interviewers
Official source: UNSW domestic medicine admissions.
Selection facts checked: . This check covers the pathway and interview summary above. Fees, eligibility exceptions and course details must be checked separately. Your university invitation takes precedence for your assessment.
Dan’s general interview preparation advice
The following is independent coaching advice. Adapt it to the published format above: clear reasoning, careful listening and specific reflection are useful across interview formats. These points are not the university’s assessment rubric.
- Reasoning that survives a challenge - you adjust thoughtfully when an interviewer pushes back rather than freezing or stubbornly defending a first answer.
- Genuine, specific motivation grounded in real experiences.
- Clear structure under time pressure - naming the key tension and a sensible course of action.
- Responsive conversation — listen carefully and respond to the question or person in front of you.
Common mistakes we see
- Rehearsed scripts that fall apart at the first follow-up.
- Rushing to a "safe" answer without acknowledging the people affected.
- Talking about empathy instead of showing it.
- Running out of time because the answer had no plan.
About the UNSW Medicine program
UNSW Medicine is a six-year integrated undergraduate program leading to the Bachelor of Medical Studies and Doctor of Medicine (BMed/MD), based at the Kensington campus in Sydney. It is built around an integrated, scenario- and case-based curriculum with small-group learning, lectures and practical classes in the early phase, and increasing clinical placement in teaching hospitals as you progress.
The exact structure (phases, teaching periods and placements) is set by UNSW and can change - confirm the current handbook with the university.
Fees and place type
Fees depend on your applicant status, place type and year of study. Check the university’s current course fee schedule and your offer before budgeting. This interview guide does not provide a current fee estimate.
Research opportunities
UNSW builds research into the degree: students complete a compulsory Independent Learning Project (ILP), with the option of an Honours pathway, giving graduates grounding in research methods relevant to medical practice. There are also broader research and global-health elective opportunities across the faculty.
How to prepare with Key2MD
- 255 MMI stations and 100 CASPer scenarios across ethics, teamwork, communication, professionalism and current health topics.
- Speak, type, or role-play under realistic timing, then review automated feedback against the Key2MD practice criteria.
- Track your progress and see exactly where to improve. Your first AI-marked review is free.
Practise your interview skills
Key2MD offers independent practice and feedback. Its stations and scores do not reproduce this university’s interview, questions or selection rubric.
Start practising free ->Plan your next step
Use these related resources to connect your preparation with your application and interview plans.