Medical interview formats by employer type

The "medical interview" isn't one thing. The format, panel composition, and what they weight all change based on who's hiring. This page is general guidance based on chairing 1,000+ medical interview panels.

For interview question practice see Where can I find interview questions?. For deeper preparation, see Coaching series.

NSW Health (and many AU public hospitals)

Format: Structured panel interview, scored against published selection criteria. Panel size: 3–4 typically — chair, clinical lead, HR/operational rep, sometimes a consumer representative. Length: 30–45 minutes.

What they weight

1. Direct evidence against each selection criterion ("describe a time when...")
2. Patient safety and clinical governance examples
3. Communication and team dynamics
4. Demonstrated understanding of the role and the local service

What candidates miss

• Treating selection-criteria questions as conversational — they're scored line by line. Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) structure.
• Not researching the specific service, only the hospital generically.
• Generic answers — every candidate has "good communication skills". What's your specific evidence?

Queensland Health

Similar structured format, often with online application + structured interview + reference checks. Selection criteria are typically published in the position description and need to be addressed in writing and in the interview.

Private hospitals / private practice / VMO appointments

Less standardised. Often a panel of one or two senior consultants from the relevant department, sometimes with the medical director or the practice owner. Length and structure vary widely.

What they weight

1. Cultural fit with the existing department
2. Volume / referral patterns / commercial considerations (relevant for VMO positions)
3. Specific clinical skills relevant to the case mix
4. Reputation and references in the local network

What candidates miss

• Underestimating the referral-network dimension — established relationships often matter as much as clinical skill
• Treating it like a public hospital interview when it isn't

Specialist college selection (e.g. RACS SET, RANZCP, RACP)

College selection is competitive and heavily structured. Format varies by college:

• RACP — typically a structured interview after CV / referee scoring
• RACS SET — structured interview after academic and referee scoring; multi-station format for some streams
• RANZCP — multi-station / multiple mini-interviews in some pathways
• RACGP / ACRRM — multi-stage selection including assessment of communication, suitability, and motivation

Each college publishes its selection methodology. Review it before preparing.

What candidates miss

• Not preparing for the specific format (e.g. doing 1-hour interview prep when the college runs 8-station MMI)
• Not having concrete examples from training that map to each domain
• Underestimating how heavily non-clinical dimensions are weighted

IMG / Specialist Pathway interviews

Many IMG candidates encounter both:

1. The employer interview for a supervised position (formats above), and
2. The college comparability interview as part of the Specialist Pathway — focused on how your training and experience map to AU specialist standards

The two have different goals and need separate preparation.

How AdvanceMed helps

• Mock interviews tailored to the specific format you'll face (panel, MMI, multi-station)
• Selection-criteria coaching with STAR-format example development
• Post-interview debriefs to retune for the next round if needed

See Coaching series and Cover letters and selection criteria.