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Interview of domestic applicants

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Selection of applicants for interview

Applicants who meet the minimum GPA and GAMSAT requirements will be considered for interview. Applicants will be selected for interview based on their Overall GAMSAT score. Each years cut off score is determined once all applications have been received by the Sydney Medical School (see the Admissions Test section for further details).

Interview dates

Applicants selected for interview are required to travel, at their own expense, to the venue in order to attend an interview as part of the selection process. Please note that no alternative interview dates and/or interview methods will be scheduled. For 2013 entry, it is expected that interviews for domestic applicants will be held 13th - 15th August and then 20th to 22nd August 2012 (subject to change). Further information will be available in the coming weeks.

Interviews via Skype

Domestic applicants who are eligible for an interview are required to attend an interview in person. Under exceptional circumstances, however, domestic applicants may attend an interview via Skype. Exceptional circumstances may include:

  • Obligatory attendance at an overseas tertiary institution during the interview period
  • Overseas travel for business purposes
  • Severe illness preventing travel

Note: Convenience and/or personal travel plans will be not considered.

Applicants are required to submit a written request including the Sydney Student application ID, reason(s) and supporting document(s) via an online form by no later than 1 June 2012. Requests will be considered by the Admissions Committee on a case by case basis. Applicants will be informed of the outcome by mid-June 2012.

Interview Booking and Administration Fee

In 2012 there will be a non-refundable $100 (incl. GST) Interview Booking and Administration Fee for domestic applicants to attend an interview. The rate of the interview booking fee is subject to change. Applicants who are eligible to attend the interview, which form part of the admission process for Sydney Medical School and Faculty of Dentistry, will be notified by email.

A login name and password will be provided and will allow you to select an interview time and date. Online payment via credit card (AMEX, Visa or Mastercard) will be required within 24 hours of booking to secure the interview.

Interview details

Interviews will be conducted in conjunction with the Faculty of Dentistry. Applicants who have applied to both Medicine and Dentistry will be required to attend one interview only. Interview results will be considered by both Faculties.

Applicants will be required to register online to select their interview schedule within a week. Because the interviews involve many other people, applicants must attend on the date and time specified. When making an online interview booking, applicants are also required to select their Offer preferences and Clinical School preferences.

Correspondence will be sent via email ONLY. Some email messages/attachments may not be accepted or may be flagged as spam by some email providers (e.g. Hotmail or Yahoo). Applicants are advised not to provide a Hotmail, Yahoo or similar address for the purposes of admission and are responsible for any delays caused by the above problem.
Neither the University of Sydney nor Sydney Medical School will be held responsible for unread email communication.

Applicants must bring on the day of interview:

  1. The confirmation of interview email to participate in the interview, which must be presented to Faculty staff
  2. Proof of Australian residency or Australian/NZ citizenship AND photo and signature-bearing identification. For example:

a) A valid passport

OR

b) Birth/Citizenship certificate and current Australian driver's licence*

* Note: An Australian driver’s licence alone is insufficient to prove residency/citizenship.
If an applicant does not provide the required document(s), the Medical School reserves the right to postpone or cancel the interview.

No references, resumes, portfolios or similar documents are to be submitted with applications or brought to the interview.

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The interview process

The interview process is designed to assess suitability based on qualities important for success in the Medical Program, including:

  • good communication skills
  • a sense of caring, empathy and sensitivity
  • an ability to make effective decisions
  • an ability to contribute as a member of a team
  • an appreciation of the place of medicine in the wider context of healing
  • a sense of vocation, motivation and commitment within the context of medicine

The Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) aims to broadly sample the candidate's competencies in order to gain a more accurate picture of the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. This is done by having several brief interviews with different interviewers.

The MMI will last 81 minutes and will consist of 9 different stations. At each station the applicant will have 7 minutes to discuss a scenario or question with a single interviewer. There will be 2 minutes at the end of each station for applicants to prepare for the next station.

Interviewers will not be provided with any information (including GAMSAT and GPA scores) about applicants.

View a presentation on the MMI and an MMI demonstration here.

The interviewers

All interviewers are volunteers who have completed a training program either by written instructions or face-to-face training sessions.

They are recruited from the following groups:

  • Academic, clinical academic, and staff of Sydney Medical School or the Faculty of Dentistry
  • Senior students and graduates from the Medical Program or Bachelor of Dentistry program
  • Persons drawn from the wider community.


The interviewers will optimally consist of 4 or 5 of each gender and at least 50% staff (academic, clinical and otherwise) of Sydney Medical School and the Faculty of Dentistry.

All interviewers are required to sign a copy of the Confidentiality Agreement (PDF).

Quality assurance and evaluation

The interview process will be subjected annually to detailed evaluation in which the interview and the reliability of rating are reviewed. After the interview, applicants are asked to complete a one-page questionnaire, which is used by the Admissions Committee solely to review and evaluate the interview process. These questionnaires are confidential and are reviewed only by the Admissions Committee.

In some interviews, a silent, trained observer may be present to provide written comment to the Admissions Committee regarding the process and conduct of the interview. All observers have undergone full interviewer training.
Observers take no part in the interview or rating of applicants.

All interviewers and observers are asked to complete a questionnaire on aspects of each interview, and these are reviewed in confidence by the Admissions Committee only.

Appeals

An applicant who believes their performance at interview has been compromised by serious illness or misadventure may appeal in writing, providing supporting documentation, within two days of the interview.
The Committee Executive shall determine if any further action is required and its decision will be final.

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