Medical school interviews aren’t just about why you want to be a doctor - they’re also about showing that you understand the foundations of modern medicine. Two areas that frequently catch applicants off guard are research methodology and drug calculations. These topics might feel intimidating at first, but with a clear framework and some focused practice, they become a real opportunity to stand out.

Below, I’ve outlined the core concepts you should feel confident discussing or applying in your interview. This will help you in developing a clear, practical understanding that you can explain thoughtfully under pressure.

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Research underpins evidence-based medicine, which is the backbone of safe and effective clinical practice. As a future doctor, interviewers want to see that you appreciate how research informs guidelines, treatments, and decision-making at the bedside. Being able to confidently discuss research shows that you can think critically, appreciate uncertainty in medicine and understand how evidence shapes clinical care.

Research Methodology

Type

• This refers to whether the data is qualitative or quantitative
• Qualitative data is typically more subjective and explores experiences or opinions
• Quantitative data is more objective and numerical - this can be further divided into discrete and continuous data

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Time

• This refers to whether the study is prospective or retrospective
• Prospective research looks forward, collecting new data over time
  • In theory, this makes it more accurate
  • However, it often requires extensive ethical approval and planning
• Retrospective research looks backwards, using existing data
  • This can be quicker and more practical
  • But it may be affected by recall bias or outdated information
• In practice, prospective and retrospective research often complement each other, each offering valuable insights.

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Person

• This refers to the study population.
• Who is being studied?
• Are they representative of the wider population?
• Is a pilot study used to test feasibility and reduce wasted time and resources?

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Setting

• This refers to where the research takes place.
• Laboratory settings are highly controlled
• Clinical or real-world settings allow behaviours and outcomes to be observed more naturally
• Each setting has strengths and limitations, and recognising this shows maturity in your thinking.

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Key Research Definitions to Know

There are a few core terms that you need to be aware of, as they can come up in your interview or can impress interviewers when used correctly.

• Power calculation: determines the number of participants needed to reliably detect a true effect
• P-value: indicates whether results are statistically significant
  • Often linked to statistical principles used in psychology and medical research
• Confidence interval (CI): a range within which the true value is likely to lie
  • Commonly expressed as a 95% confidence interval

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Hierarchy of Evidence

• Different research designs sit within a hierarchy of evidence, often visualised as an evidence pyramid
• Systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials typically sit at the top
• Being able to explain why some evidence is stronger than others is a powerful interview skill

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Some universities assess numerical and calculation skills directly during interviews. These may include:

• Dosage calculations
• Concentration and volume calculations
• Unit conversions
• Percentage concentration problems

In real clinical practice, these skills are essential for patient safety, which is exactly why medical schools take them seriously.

Common Drug Calculation Styles

• Working out the volume of solution needed to give the required dose of a drug
  • One way to tackle these types of questions is to set up simple equations where x is the variable you are trying to find
• Working with percentage concentrations to determine the correct dosing
  • You can then use this information to work out the volume of a solution you need to give for the correct dose
• Concentration, volume and mass calculations
  • It is important that you can rearrange the equation volume = mass/concentration
• IV drip rate questions

This information will provide you with the strong foundational knowledge needed to tackle drug calculation questions. However, my advice would be to try some practice questions on the different styles of drug calculations to ensure you feel fully confident in all the question types.

Medical school interviews aren’t about knowing everything already. They’re about demonstrating curiosity, critical thinking, and an awareness of the responsibility that comes with patient care. Build a solid grasp of these fundamentals, and you’ll approach your interview with clarity and confidence.

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Interviews can feel tough, but they are a skill and definitely something you can improve on, with practice! But it is important that you practice the right skills. So to help you with your interview preparation, I’ve created several different interview resources that you can use no matter which part of your interview preparation you are struggling with.

If you are struggling with the large amount of content medicine interviews have, then check out my medicine interview document. This document has 50+ pages of all the medicine interview content, ranging from the ethics and principles to NHS hot topics and research skills. All the notes are written in an active recall format, so you can actually work smarter for your interview preparation. And with over 30+ NHS hot topics and 100+practice MMI and interview questions, this can be your complete toolkit to help you prepare for your interviews strategically.

For more personalised advice, email me at loveleenj241@gmail.com for 1-2-1 interview tutoring or to book a mock interview in the style of a particular university. This is really helpful for in-depth feedback or if you have certain questions and topics you want to go over!

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If you’re doing GCSE or A-level Biology or Chemistry and feel like you need that extra boost to secure those top grades, you’re in the right place! I offer tutoring that’s genuinely made a difference - my students have jumped from a grade 4 to an 8, and others have gone on to absolutely smash an A* in their exams. My classes stay intentionally small so I can really focus on you and what you need, but that also means spaces disappear pretty quickly. If you want to grab a spot before they’re gone, drop me an email at loveleenj241@gmail.com and let’s get you working towards that dream grade.

As someone who received 4/4 offers and was in the first batch of offer holders at both King’s College London and the University of Birmingham, I’ve poured everything I know into creating the best possible interview resources, so you can achieve your dream of studying medicine. If you want to get your medicine offers, check out my interview resources on my website!

Additionally, you can check out my website for resources such as the A* AQA A-level psychology notes and my notes templated designed in an active recall format.

📸Here are the links to each of my social media pages, so make sure you follow! In all, I detail the advice and tips you need to help make your application to medicine so much easier! If you ever need any help, feel free to reach out to me at loveleenj241@gmail.com