Last updated: March 2026 | Applicable: 2026 Entry
Hull York Medical School (HYMS) is a unique institution — a joint medical school between the University of Hull and the University of York, running a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum that produces doctors well-suited to generalist, patient-centred practice. HYMS selects candidates carefully, and its interview process reflects its educational values: teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and a genuine commitment to medicine and the NHS.
What makes HYMS especially distinctive is its two-track interview format: home and EU candidates attend in-person at Hull or York, while overseas applicants complete interviews online via Zoom. This guide covers both formats in full, as well as how shortlisting works, what is assessed, and how to prepare effectively.
Admissions Test Requirement: UCAT
HYMS uses the UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) as part of its admissions and shortlisting process. The UCAT consists of three cognitive subtests — Verbal Reasoning (VR), Decision Making (DM), and Quantitative Reasoning (QR) — plus the Situational Judgement Test (SJT). From 2025 onwards, Abstract Reasoning was removed, bringing the maximum total cognitive score to 2700 (down from 3600).
Both the cognitive UCAT total and the SJT band are used by HYMS in shortlisting.
| Subtest | Questions | Time | Score Range | |---|---|---|---| | Verbal Reasoning (VR) | 44 | 22 min | 300–900 | | Decision Making (DM) | 35 | 37 min | 300–900 | | Quantitative Reasoning (QR) | 36 | 26 min | 300–900 | | Total Cognitive | 115 | 85 min | 900–2700 | | Situational Judgement (SJT) | 69 | 26 min | Bands 1–4 |
The 2025 national mean was 1891 across 41,354 candidates. For a competitive school like HYMS, aiming for above the 60th percentile (approximately 1950+) gives you a stronger position.
SJT Bands 1 and 2 are considered good to excellent. Around 60% of test-takers achieve these bands. Band 3 or 4 may disadvantage your shortlisting chances.
How HYMS Shortlists for Interview
HYMS uses a points-based shortlisting system that ranks applicants by a combined score drawn from two sources:
GCSE Score (up to 35 points)
Your GCSE grades are converted to points. HYMS looks at your best results, with higher points awarded for stronger grades in relevant subjects — particularly Sciences, English, and Mathematics. The maximum GCSE contribution to your shortlisting score is 35 points.
UCAT Score (up to 35 points)
Your total cognitive UCAT score is converted to a points score, with the maximum contribution also being 35 points. This means your UCAT score carries equal weight to your entire GCSE academic profile — making it a critical part of your application.
> Important: Your UCAT and GCSE scores are combined to rank all applicants. Those with the highest combined scores are invited to interview. Neither component alone is sufficient — a very high UCAT cannot fully compensate for a weak academic record, and vice versa.
HYMS also considers the SJT band as part of its holistic review, and your personal statement and reference are read — though the primary ranking mechanism is the numerical combined score.
Interview Format: Two Tracks
HYMS runs two different interview formats depending on your applicant category. Both are forms of MMI (Multiple Mini Interview), but the structure, scoring, and logistics differ.
Track 1: Home and EU Candidates — In-Person MMI
For home and EU candidates, HYMS holds in-person interviews at either the University of Hull or the University of York. For 2026 entry, these took place in January 2026.
This is a full-day event that includes multiple types of assessment. The format reflects HYMS's PBL-oriented approach — you're not just assessed on individual knowledge, but on how you think, collaborate, and communicate.
Station Overview (Home/EU Format)
| Component | Format | Points Available | |---|---|---| | Group Exercise | Up to 10 candidates, facilitated by PBL tutors | Up to 22 points | | Mini-Interview Stations | 2 questions per station, 2 interviewers | Up to 17 points per station | | Student Station | Interview with a student panel | 17 points | | Scenario Station | Clinical/ethical scenario discussion | 17 points |
Thinking Time
Before each station, you are given 5 minutes of thinking time. Use this well — it is a structured opportunity to organise your thoughts, identify the key issues in a scenario, and plan your response. Rushing into an answer without using this time is a missed opportunity.
Group Exercise (up to 22 points)
The group exercise is one of HYMS's most distinctive assessment components. You will join a group of up to 10 candidates, facilitated by trained PBL (Problem-Based Learning) tutors. The group is given a task or problem to discuss collaboratively.
What are assessors looking for here?
- Teamwork: Do you contribute meaningfully without dominating? - Communication: Can you articulate your ideas clearly and build on others' contributions? - Listening: Do you actively engage with what others say, or just wait for your turn to speak? - Leadership and facilitation: Can you help move the group forward constructively? - Professional values: Do you show respect, inclusivity, and good humour under mild pressure?
The group exercise is worth up to 22 points — significantly more than any individual mini-interview station. This tells you something about what HYMS values: medicine is a collaborative profession, and they want to see that quality in action from day one.
> Tip: The biggest mistake in a group exercise is either total passivity (barely speaking) or over-dominance (interrupting, talking over others, treating it as a solo performance). Aim to be the person who synthesises ideas, asks good questions, and helps the group reach agreement.
Mini-Interview Stations (up to 17 points each)
In the mini-interview stations, you will face 2 questions assessed by 2 interviewers. The questions may be linked or stand-alone. This format gives you more time per station than a single-question setup — which means depth of answer is expected, not just breadth.
Each station is worth up to 17 points, scored independently by the two interviewers whose marks are combined.
These stations typically explore:
- Your motivation for medicine and HYMS specifically - Insight from work experience or healthcare encounters - Your understanding of NHS values and how they apply in practice - How you handle ethical tensions or difficult interpersonal situations - Qualities and personal attributes relevant to a medical career
Student Station (17 points)
The student station is run by current HYMS medical students (not faculty). This is an intentionally less formal atmosphere — but it is still assessed and scored.
Students will ask questions about your reasons for choosing HYMS, what you know about the PBL curriculum, what you hope to get from your student experience, and how you'd contribute to the university community. Being genuinely enthusiastic about HYMS's specific approach (rather than giving generic medical school answers) makes a real difference here.
Be honest, warm, and conversational. Students can often tell when candidates are performing rather than being authentic.
Scenario Station (17 points)
The scenario station presents you with a clinical, ethical, or professional situation. You are not expected to have clinical knowledge — HYMS doesn't expect applicants to know how to manage a patient medically. What they assess is:
- How you identify and articulate the key issues - How you reason through competing considerations - Whether you demonstrate insight into professional values - How you communicate your thinking under mild pressure
Scenarios might involve: a colleague acting inappropriately, a patient in distress with a communication barrier, a resource allocation dilemma, or a situation requiring compassion and boundaries.
Track 2: Overseas Candidates — Online MMI via Zoom
Overseas applicants complete their interviews online via Zoom. The structure is similar in spirit to the home format, but adapted for online delivery and smaller cohort sizes.
Station Overview (Overseas Format)
| Component | Format | Points Available | |---|---|---| | Mini-Interview 1 | Individual station | 15 points | | Mini-Interview 2 | Individual station | 15 points | | Mini-Interview 3 | Individual station | 15 points | | Student Station | Interview with student panel | 15 points | | Scenario Station | Clinical/ethical scenario | 15 points | | Group Exercise | Smaller group (up to 6 candidates) | 15 points |
Each station in the overseas format is worth 15 points, giving a consistent scoring structure across all components. The group exercise runs with a smaller group of up to 6 candidates (compared to up to 10 for home candidates), accommodating the online format.
Preparing for the Online Format
If you're an overseas applicant completing the interview via Zoom:
- Test your technology in advance — camera, microphone, internet connection, and the Zoom platform itself - Choose a clean, quiet, well-lit background - Practise speaking to a camera; it is genuinely different from face-to-face conversation - The group exercise online requires extra deliberate effort to avoid talking over others — use clear signals like "I'd like to add..." or "Building on what X said..."
What HYMS Assesses: Core Competencies
Across both formats, HYMS interviewers are assessing candidates against a consistent set of competencies that reflect the school's educational values and the requirements of medical training:
Teamwork and Collaboration
HYMS's PBL curriculum is fundamentally built on learning in small groups. They need to know you can work effectively with peers, tutors, and eventually colleagues — contributing, listening, and building shared understanding.Medical Career Insight
Do you understand what being a doctor involves day-to-day? Have your work experience placements genuinely shaped your thinking? HYMS wants candidates who have engaged thoughtfully with healthcare, not just collected hours.NHS Values
The NHS operates according to core values: working together for patients, respect and dignity, commitment to quality of care, compassion, improving lives, and everyone counts. These aren't just slogans — HYMS expects you to understand them and demonstrate that they resonate with who you are.Motivation for Medicine and HYMS
Why medicine — and why HYMS specifically? Generic answers about "wanting to help people" are not sufficient. Candidates who perform well can articulate what draws them to medicine's particular intellectual and interpersonal demands, and why the HYMS PBL approach appeals to them.Current Medical Issues
HYMS expects candidates to be informed about the healthcare landscape. This means following NHS developments, understanding pressures on the health system, and being able to discuss issues like mental health provision, workforce shortages, health inequalities, or access to care.Communication Skills
Both spoken clarity and active listening are assessed throughout. Can you explain a complex idea simply? Can you respond thoughtfully to what others actually say, rather than delivering a prepared speech regardless of context?Personal Qualities
Empathy, resilience, integrity, curiosity, and self-awareness are all relevant. You need to demonstrate — through concrete examples — that you have qualities that will sustain you through a demanding medical career.Critical Thinking
In scenarios and mini-interview questions, HYMS wants to see that you can analyse a situation from multiple angles, identify what is at stake, and reason toward a considered position. Superficial or one-dimensional responses will be noticed.Example Question Themes
Preparing across these themes will ensure you are ready for the range of topics that can appear across HYMS stations:
1. Motivation for medicine — What specifically draws you to a medical career rather than another healthcare role? 2. Why HYMS? — What do you know about the PBL curriculum and why does it suit your learning style? 3. Work experience reflection — Tell me about a patient interaction or clinical moment that stayed with you. 4. NHS values in practice — Give an example of a time you demonstrated one of the NHS core values. 5. Teamwork example — Describe a time you worked in a team. What was your contribution and what did you learn? 6. Ethical scenario — A patient refuses a blood transfusion on religious grounds. How do you approach this? 7. Current NHS issues — What do you think is the most pressing challenge facing the NHS right now? 8. Health inequalities — Why do you think some communities have worse health outcomes than others? 9. Professional behaviour — You witness a fellow student at your medical school behaving unprofessionally. What do you do? 10. Resilience and coping — Tell me about a time you faced a significant setback. How did you respond? 11. Communication challenge — Describe a time when communicating something difficult was required. What did you do? 12. Qualities of a good doctor — Which qualities do you think are most important in a clinician, and why? 13. End-of-life care — What challenges do you think arise when caring for a patient who is dying? 14. Mental health in medicine — How do you think the NHS should improve mental health provision? 15. Group exercise topic — e.g., Discuss: Should the NHS fund cosmetic surgery? (Any discursive medical/social topic is possible)
Tips for Success at HYMS
1. Research the PBL Curriculum Specifically
HYMS's PBL approach means students learn through case-based discussion rather than traditional lectures. You should be able to explain — genuinely — why this appeals to you. Visit the HYMS website, read about the curriculum structure, and be able to discuss it with enthusiasm. "I like learning by doing" is a start; "I've read about your year-one patient cases and the way you integrate clinical and basic science from the beginning" is much better.2. Prioritise the Group Exercise
Many candidates underestimate the group exercise. It is worth the most points in the home format (22 points) and is still present in the overseas format. Practise participating in discussions — contribute substantively, listen actively, and practise facilitating without dominating. Our Live Medicine Interview Course includes group exercise practice with structured feedback.3. Use Your Five Minutes of Thinking Time
Before each station, you have five minutes to organise your thoughts. Don't waste this — use it systematically. For an ethical scenario: identify the ethical principles in play, think about all stakeholders, consider what the professional guidance would suggest. For a personal question: identify your best example, structure it, and decide what your key learning point is.4. Know the NHS Values — Really Know Them
The six NHS values appear directly or indirectly in many HYMS questions. The values are: (1) Working together for patients, (2) Respect and dignity, (3) Commitment to quality of care, (4) Compassion, (5) Improving lives, (6) Everyone counts. Don't recite them — show that you understand what they mean in practice and that they reflect your own values.5. Be Authentic at the Student Station
The student station is relaxed by design — but it is still scored. Students who interview you are specifically looking for genuine enthusiasm, realistic self-awareness, and personality. Be yourself. Forced formality or over-rehearsed answers tend to feel uncomfortable in this setting.6. Practise Full Mock MMIs
There is no substitute for practising under conditions that mirror the actual interview. Our Mock MMI Circuit replicates the MMI format with real scenarios, trained assessors, and written feedback — giving you both the experience of performing under pressure and the specific direction to improve.7. Prepare Examples in Advance
Across the stations, you will almost certainly be asked for examples from your life — work experience, teamwork, challenges, achievements. Prepare 5–6 strong examples in advance that you can adapt to different questions. Use the STAR structure (Situation, Task, Action, Result) as a loose framework, but don't let it make your answers sound robotic.Key Dates and Logistics
- Home/EU Interviews: January 2026 (in-person at Hull or York) - Overseas Interviews: Online via Zoom (dates communicated individually) - UCAS Application Deadline: 15 October 2025 - UCAT Test Window: July–October 2025
For the most current and authoritative information on dates, shortlisting criteria, and format details, always refer directly to the official HYMS interviews page.
Summary
| Feature | Home/EU | Overseas | |---|---|---| | Admissions Test | UCAT (cognitive + SJT) | UCAT (cognitive + SJT) | | Interview Format | In-person MMI at Hull or York | Online MMI via Zoom | | Group Exercise | Up to 10 candidates, 22 points | Up to 6 candidates, 15 points | | Mini-Interview Stations | 2 questions each, 17 points each | 3 stations, 15 points each | | Student Station | 17 points | 15 points | | Scenario Station | 17 points | 15 points | | Thinking Time | 5 minutes before each station | 5 minutes before each station | | Shortlisting | GCSEs (up to 35 pts) + UCAT (up to 35 pts) | GCSEs (up to 35 pts) + UCAT (up to 35 pts) | | Interview Month | January 2026 | Online (dates vary) |
HYMS interviews are demanding precisely because they test what PBL-based medical training requires: the ability to think collaboratively, communicate clearly under pressure, and engage with complexity rather than retreat to prepared answers. Candidates who prepare thoroughly — and who show genuine enthusiasm for HYMS's particular approach to medical education — have a significant advantage.
Good luck — we hope to see you at Hull or York.
Last verified by Dr Dibah Jiva — March 2026
Official source: Hull York Medical School — Medicine Interviews