What should I say if at interview they ask me which type of doctor I want to be (e.g. cardiologist, neurosurgeon)?

This is a really common question at a medical school interview and one that you should be ready for - fortunately it's not a difficult one to answer!

The key to answering this question is to recognise that it's a bit of a trick: no univeristy interviewer would expect you to know which type of doctor you want to be. It's not even expected of final year medical students, let alone sixth form applicants! This question assesses your understanding of the scope and breadth of medicine. It also tests your insight into the career of medicine: training is a lengthy process and you need to be open to the experiences available to you as a trainee. It's a great opportunity to show your maturity by not diving straight in with "I'm going to be a neurosurgeon!", but instead offering a polite and considered answer: "I'm really fascinated by the brain; but I am open to all specialties at this point in my career".

Approach to this question:

- Show your maturity: you are too early in your training to put all your eggs in one basket; you haven't been on wards or in clinics enough to judge any specialty; and you are open to the experiences of medical school.

• If there's something that interests you, don't be afraid to say! If you find the heart really interesting, that's fantastic and something you should talk about. It's a great way to bring the conversation back to something you are passionate about. Just draw the line at saying you are definitely going to be a heart surgeon! 

• Try comparing and contrasting two different specialties: for example, how does a Psychiatrist compare to an Orthopaedic surgeon? Do they face similar challenges?

• Do your research and be prepared to show it. Use key phrases like "run-through training", "core medical training", "registrar". NB: if you're going to use a phrase make sure you understand what it means!

The following are really useful and interesting links that discuss some of the good and bad bits of different specialties:

Medical Student Coucil (MSC): https://www.medschools.ac.uk/studying-medicine/after-medical-school/specialties

British Medical Association (BMA): https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/career/studying-medicine/insiders-guide-to-medical-specialties