Is it worth having mock interviews for medicine and dentistry?
Preparing for the interview can be one of the most nerve-wracking experiences in your journey to becoming a doctor or a dentist. This is your opportunity to impress and secure that offer, and for many students, it could be your only chance. With so much on the line, many students wonder whether investing time and money into mock interviews is truly beneficial. So, whether face-to-face or online, is it worth having mock interviews for medicine or dentistry? The answer is a resounding yes—and here’s why.
The competitive nature of medical and dental school admissions
Medical and dental school admissions are notoriously competitive. In the UK, the number of applicants far outweighs the number of available places. This means that while your UCAT/BMAT score, predicted grades, references, and personal statement might get you in the door, the interview is often the deciding factor that sets you apart from other candidates. Medical and dental school interviews are designed to assess your communication skills, professionalism, ethical judgment, empathy, and ability to think critically under pressure. I have found from years of experience that for many students, this is the most daunting part of the application process.
The benefits of mock interviews
Mock interviews offer a simulated experience of the real thing, allowing you to refine your responses, body language, and overall presentation. Here are some key benefits of mock interviews for medical or dental school:
1. Familiarity with the interview format
Medical and dental school interviews often follow specific formats—whether it's the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) or traditional panel interviews. Each of these formats requires distinct strategies and preparation. Participating in mock interviews familiarizes you with the style and structure of the interview, allowing you to practice your responses to common questions.
For instance, MMIs are a series of short, scenario-based stations that assess your problem-solving, interpersonal skills, and ethical reasoning. Practicing mock MMIs helps you develop quick, coherent answers and adapt to time pressure. Traditional panel interviews, on the other hand, may involve more in-depth personal and ethical questions. A mock panel interview gives you a chance to practice speaking to a group, making eye contact, and answering questions concisely.
2. Constructive feedback for improvement
One of the biggest advantages of mock interviews is the opportunity to receive feedback from experienced interviewers; their insights can be invaluable. They can pinpoint areas where you may be underperforming, such as failing to explain your reasoning or not providing enough examples in your answers.
For example, you might think you are giving clear responses, but a mock interviewer may point out that you're talking too much or straying off-topic. You might be surprised to learn that your posture or the tone of your voice could also be factors influencing the interviewer's perception of you. Constructive feedback can help you fine-tune your approach and boost your confidence.
3. Building confidence and reducing interview anxiety
Interview anxiety is a common issue for many students, especially those applying to high-pressure programs like medicine. Mock interviews help alleviate this anxiety by allowing you to practice in a low-stakes, controlled environment. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become with the format, the questions, and the overall process. It’s also an excellent way to desensitize yourself to the nervousness that can occur when facing a panel of experienced interviewers.
Mock interviews also give you a chance to improve your verbal and non-verbal communication skills. You’ll have the opportunity to work on your tone, pace, and body language, making sure you come across as confident and professional.
4. Mastering the art of reflection
Medical and dental schools often look for candidates who can reflect on their experiences, learn from them, and apply that learning to future situations. Mock interviews allow you to practice reflecting on key moments in your life—whether they’re personal experiences, work, or volunteer activities—and articulating them in a way that demonstrates self-awareness, maturity, and critical thinking.
You’ll also be able to practice answering challenging questions, such as "Why do you want to be a doctor/dentist?" or "What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?" By rehearsing these questions in a mock interview, you can refine your ability to answer them thoughtfully and without hesitation.
5. Simulating high-pressure situations
Medical and dental school interviews often involve a time crunch and the need to think on your feet. Mock interviews simulate this pressure and teach you how to handle unexpected questions, interruptions, or challenging scenarios. With each mock interview, you’ll become more adept at staying calm under pressure and delivering your best performance, even when faced with questions you might not have anticipated.
6. Personalizing your approach
Mock interviews can also help you personalize your approach to medical school interviews. Through mock sessions, you’ll identify which responses feel authentic to you and which ones need further refinement. Being genuine is key in an interview. If you're simply giving rote answers or regurgitating what you think the interviewer wants to hear, it could backfire. Mock interviews help you craft responses that truly reflect your motivations, experiences, and aspirations, allowing you to shine as an individual.
Mock interviews are undeniably a valuable part of preparing for medical school. They offer a unique opportunity to practice in a realistic, low-pressure setting, receive valuable feedback, and hone your skills before the actual interview. By investing time and energy into mock interviews, you’re giving yourself the best possible chance to perform confidently, effectively, and authentically. As the saying goes, "Practice makes perfect," and in the highly competitive world of medical school admissions, mock interviews could be the key to turning your dream of becoming a doctor or a dentist into a reality.
Contact Jude to arrange a face-to-face or online mock interview to help you prepare for that all important day.
How to achieve an A * in biology
Achieving an A* in A-level Biology requires you knowing all the specification content, using effective study strategies to ensure you are exam-ready in good time. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you succeed:
1. Understand the Exam Specification
Knowing what you need to know is key to success. Obtain the specification for your exam board and become familiar with it as early as you can in your A level course.
Pay close attention to command words like "describe," "explain," and "evaluate” and know what is required in answers to these types of questions.
Look at the maths requirements and make sure your maths is up to scratch.
2. Master the Content
Invest in textbooks recommended by your exam board. Use concise guides like CGP for quick revision.
We all learn in different ways. Use online resources like Khan Academy, YouTube channels (like "Amoeba Sisters") and revision websites (like "S-cool" or "Physics and Maths Tutor"). I highly recommend the “SnapRevise” series for A level biology.
Write concise, well-organized notes using bullet points, diagrams, and flowcharts.
Remember you need to understand, so don’t just memorize. Many of the A level questions require application of knowledge, not just recall.
3. Practice Exam Techniques
Download and complete ALL the past papers for your exam board. This is so important!
Mark schemes are pure gold! Look carefully and make sure you know not just why you were wrong but also why you were correct.
Simulate exam conditions by doing timed papers to build confidence and manage time effectively during the real exam.
If maths, stats, genetic crossed or Hardy-Weinberg aren’t your thing, leave these questions to the end or you can waste precious time.
Look at the mark allocation carefully. Don’t stay on a question too long. You can always go back to it at the end.
4. Create a Study Plan to get yourself Exam Ready
Plan your revision by creating a revision timetable that covers all topics well before the exam. Avoid leaving everything until the last minute Allocate time for each topic and ensure all are covered before the exam.
Make a table with each topic to be learned in the first column and with other columns for: Revised; Past paper questions done and a final column where you could use traffic light colouring scheme: red-I need to work on this; orange-I’m almost there; green-I’m exam ready!
Explain difficult concepts to your mates. The best way to learn is to try and explain.
5. Focus on Practical Work
Biology is a practical subject. Pay attention to the required practicals and know the methodologies, results, and conclusions.
Make sure you know the key terms such as variables, controls, and why and how statistical tests are used in biology.
6. Take Care of You!
Don’t spend hours and hours revising a topic you find difficult. Ask your teacher, ChatGPT, your tutor or your mates to explain, or find an on-demand tutor who can give you a one-off focused tutorial to allow you to tick off that horrible topic!
If revision isn’t working, stop. You’ll learn twice as much tomorrow when you’re in a more focused mood.
Remember to rest and exercise. Ensure adequate sleep, especially before exams.
And finally, consider finding yourself an experienced biology tutor who can not only help you understand key concepts but also help with exam technique and build your confidence. Stay disciplined, practice often, and focus on understanding the material and exam strategies. With hard work and the right approach, you can achieve that A*!
Contact Jude to help you gain that A* in biology.
How to find a biology tutor ‘near me’
You are ready to take the plunge and find a biology tutor to help you get that grade. Whether you choose in person, online or a hybrid of the two, many students prefer to engage the services of a tutor who lives nearby. There are several reasons why:
A tutor who lives locally is likely to already tutored students in your area, so may know the teaching methods and approaches your school or college takes.
Even if the tutoring is online, you can have a meet-up in real life to see if the tutor-student combination is likely to work.
It just feels right!
Here’s a guide to help you find the best biology tutor in your area.
1. Word of mouth.
Never underestimate the power of word of mouth. Ask friends, classmates, or teachers if they know any good biology tutors in your area. Personal recommendations can often lead you to highly qualified tutors with great reputations who might not advertise widely (because they don’t need to).
2. Tutoring agencies and tutoring businesses
Online platforms allow you to filter tutors based not just on their geographical location but also on their experience, hourly rate, and student reviews. Some agencies offer tutoring in person, online or both. New regulations mean that tutoring agencies legally have to tell you how much of the hourly rate goes to the tutor whereas tutoring businesses don’t. Make sure you know what you are paying for. If you ask around, you may find the same tutor another way and avoid the hefty additional commission fees.
3. Community boards
It may be old-fashioned but I still get students each year who have found my details on my local village shop community board. I have also acquired students indirectly via other tutors’ adverts who have been asked if they can recommend a biology tutor in the local area.
4. Social media
If you're searching for a local biology tutor, social media offers a convenient and often effective way to find qualified tutors who can meet your needs. Facebook; LinkedIn; X, Nextdoor and Insta are all good places to start your search.
5. Google
Simply Google ‘Biology Tutors near me’. It works! Google will search your location and find in person and online tutors who operate near to where you live. These registered businesses will also give you access to student and parent reviews.
6. Local tutor networks
Many tutors are part of local WhatsApp, Facebook or other types of tutoring networks and can put you in touch with other experienced tutors. I am a member of such groups, including a group of tutors local to my area, and one a national group with tutors of many subjects who I can recommend. You don't need to be local. They all teach online too. Just ask!
Contact Jude for all your biology tutoring needs.
Is a tutor worth it for A level biology?
There are many and varied reasons why students, or their parents, feel the need to engage a tutor’s services at some time during GCSE, A level of IB courses. Whether you too would benefit for a one-to one biology tutor will depend on your individual circumstances, but if you learn better with personalized explanations, or if you feel your teacher can’t give you the individual attention you need, a tutor can fill that gap.
Here are some reasons why a biology tutor might just be able to provide that extra bit of help you need to reach your goals.
I understand the topics, I get good marks in homework but I do badly in exams
If you find that changing how you study isn’t improving your grades, a tutor can help you find more effective strategies. If you struggle with exam technique or underperform in timed conditions, a tutor can help you maximize your marks by helping you understand how to approach different types of questions.
I need an A or an A* in biology
If you’re aiming for top grades (A or A*), a tutor for your desired university course (especially in competitive fields like medicine, dentistry, pharmacy or veterinary medicine), a tutor can ensure you’re fully prepared and help push you beyond what is covered in class to help you secure that grade.
I struggle with specific topics.
If you find certain topics consistently challenging, despite being a conscientious student who works hard in lessons and is a good self-studier, a tutor can be at hand to help clarify difficult concepts.
Remember you’re not alone. As an experienced tutor, I know the problem topics that students ask for help with are the same year on year. If you’re an A level biology student, these topics may resonate with you: tissue fluid; immunology; biological molecules; maths questions; gas exchange, succession, statistics; oxygen dissociation curves; cardiac cycle; plant transport. I could go on. If there are particular areas in biology that consistently confuse you, a tutor can provide focused help with these tricky areas.
I just need a bit of guidance from time to time.
If you’re keeping up most of the time and end of term tests are going well, you may not need regular tutorials but instead might benefit on occasion from one-on-one guidance, explanations, and personalized feedback. A few sessions with a tutor before exams or key transfer tests, or finding a tutor who provides a tutor-on-demand service could well be the way forward for you.
I need to re-sit my biology A level.
Exam results day can feel like the end of the world you don’t achieve the grade you were predicted, you know you deserve or that you needed for that all important university place. Re-sitting can be a challenging time even if you are highly motivated and a good self-studier. An experienced tutor at your side can be the support you need to help you understand and reflect on your result, provide personalized focused help and help you regain the confidence you need to achieve and reach your potential next time around.
All my friends have tutors!
With tutoring becoming more and more popular, many parents believe they would be putting their child at a disadvantage by not getting them a tutor. And they’re probably right. One year I was tutoring over a third of a class of 30 students at the same local sixth form. ‘It’s ok, I have biologywithjude’ was what they used to say to each other after a particularly challenging topic had been covered in class!
Remember, good tutors get booked up very quickly. If you think you could benefit from regular, occasional or on-demand biology tuition, or would like to try one or a few tutoring sessions to see if it makes a difference in your understanding, performance and confidence, contact Jude and I’ll do my best to help.
How to write the AQA biology A level essay. Do’s and don’ts.
Paper 3 is 30% of the AQA Biology A level and 25 marks of the 78 available for this paper are available for the last question; the essay. This means the essay is worth 9.6% of the A level. With this high mark allocation, it’s no wonder the essay is the part of the A level all students are nervous about the most; and for neurodiverse, especially dyslexic students, it can be a serious contributor to pre-exam anxiety.
Practice makes perfect
Overstretched teachers simply don’t have the time to give as much attention to the essay as they would like. To mark a whole class-worth of essays is resource expensive. My teacher friends tell me it takes them up to 30 min to mark each essay, and with class sizes of up to 30 students, that’s up to 15 hours marking. And that’s just for one essay per student. Some schools and colleges use peer-marking. My students tell me they don’t like this. A tutor can help you write the biology AQA essay by giving guidance and importantly, marking several essays or essay plans and giving critical feedback before Paper 3.
How to write a biology essay
A successful essay pulls together topics from different areas of the specification, and uses them to illustrate an underlying theme. You need to include around several topics, this means a minimum of 4, so it makes sense to choose the essay title and topics you are confident about writing about, even if they are not the most interesting ones. The best way to start is to write, draw or mind-map, a quick plan or even a picture. This gives you ‘headings’ that you can then populate with appropriate content once you get going. Do include examples and evidence to back up your statements.
Keep focused
Don’t get involved writing about what you find interesting. It’s easy to end up down a rabbit hole and you’ll be wasting your time. Refer back to the title every few minutes, are you still on theme? And if you’re wondering, the answer is no. The anonymous exam marker won’t appreciate your genius if they have to spend more time on your essay than someone else’s. Remember, examiners are paid by the hour!
If you could benefit from help with the AQA essay, contact Jude for your one-to-one AQA essay writing brainstorming session and essay marking service.
Why you should choose biology A level.
Between them, at A level my two children gained 6 grade A/A*s in biology (of course), physics, maths, English Literature and English Language, and also threw in a couple of Bs at AS in history and chemistry into the mix. A huge credit to them, the excellent comprehensive school they attended, and the excellent tutors they had on occasion, including an on-demand biology tutor (me of course) who helped them on their way. Both went on to study at Russell Group universities getting great degrees and Masters. Both now are part of the UK’s work force in great jobs: one works in SEO, the other in comms and beer brewing. Jobs that no-one would have predicted they would do when they had just finished their GCSEs (and in the case of SEO, I’m not even sure it was a thing!)
Choose A level subjects carefully
When students choose their A level subjects, they are 16. It’s a risky time. Choosing the ‘wrong’ subjects can impact on not just their success or enjoyment of years 12 and 13, but can also reduce their choice of potential career, or make the route to that dream job more challenging. The key, whether or not you know what you want to be in your future career, is choosing robust subject choices at A level, and, if you chose to go to university, applying to as ‘good’ a university as you can and choosing a reputable undergraduate course.
Biology A level is favoured by universities
There’s no hiding: biology A level is tough. However, biology along with other analytical subjects such as the other sciences and maths, English, languages and history are known to facilitate (meaning are favoured by) the admissions process at some universities.. Choose A level carefully especially if you are aiming high.
If some subjects facilitate the admissions process, presumably others hinder it.
My children’s career successes in areas seemingly unrelated to their degree choices illustrate the importance of analytical brain training and transferrable skills for the job market, and choice of A level. Biology is one of the goodies.
If you have chosen biology A level, contact Jude to help you achieve your grades and get to your first choice university.
Which A level biology exam board is the easiest?
AQA, OCR, EDEXCEL, WJEC, EDUQAS. Why are there so many? Which is the easiest? As a new tutor, should I try and teach all or focus on just one? These are just some of the questions I am often asked by students, parents and wannabe tutors.
Which exam board is the most popular?
In a previous life as a medical research scientist, my days were data driven. Observing, recording and analysing formed a big part of my (working) life. It seems that old habits die hard; recording and data crunching is something I haven’t been able to let go of. My tutoring spreadsheets span many years listing the exam boards, the grades needed and the grades my students achieved. I also have notes on the course each student went on to study, and where they went, those I helped with personal statements and interviews, and whether they got offers. Being a bit of a data nerd, I recently felt the urge to do something with the information I have accumulated. Needless to say, in person tuition was the norm until recently so the data are skewed to my local catchment area of West Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire, but I thought it might be interesting for wannabe tutors to glance at one tutor’s experience of the scope of what to expect when taking up tutoring.
Choose one exam board when you start tutoring, AQA is the most popular
These are the A level (and IB) exam boards and specifications I, as a biology tutor, have had to get my head around over the years. In the early days I, like any sensible tutor would I am sure agree, chose to focus on just one or two exam boards until confident in increasing my teaching repertoire. As any experienced tutor knows, each awarding body is unique in focus and approach, in type of questions and mark schemes, even what appears (at first) to be the same question. At A level biology, in terms of mark schemes, one size doesn’t fit all.
In case you’re curious, all my students thought their exam board was the hardest, and I agree absolutely with each and every one of them!
Pie chart: A level and IB: exam boards taught.
Interested in becoming a tutor yourself? Contact Jude and I’ll help you find your tutoring feet.
How to become a biology tutor
I was making provisional enquires at a local tutoring agency earlier this year and, after submitting a short resume of my tutoring credentials along with personal examples of how to tutor biology, I was amused (maybe) to be told ‘I don’t think I can use you’. While I am very comfortable with the idea that I may not be a fit for a particular tutoring agency, I have tutored biology for over 20 years, I have tutored over 250 GCSE, A level and IB students, I have had 100% positive feedback from students and parents alike, I am DBS checked,. I was intrigued as to what it was that made me unsuccessful on this occasion. This experience got me wondering about tutoring agencies’ attitudes to their tutors.
1. Agencies charge fees (and sometime poach)
Prior to being able to share this anecdote, my personal experience of tutoring agencies has been overwhelmingly positive. Having had reason to approach agencies over the years on occasion be it when my number of personal recommendations has waned, or my financial needs increased, I have worked with a few lovely and supportive national and local agencies. However, here’s the but. I have also been approached by agencies who have found my details on other sites, and by agencies who charge a hefty commission fee on top of the modest fee offered to the tutor; in one case, I discovered the agency fee was the same as the tutor fee. Can that be right?
2. Choosing the right tutoring agency to join
On reflecting on this, I began to wonder if it is possible that my overall positive relationship with agencies is biased, a consequence of selective sampling of the tutoring agencies that I have been lucky enough to work with. Could my experience be atypical? I took a look back at the agencies I have worked with (including one for over 20 years, one for a few months) and I see that by chance or design, I have only approached those who have a robust selection process: stringent interview criteria, do background checks and who have safeguarding policies integral to their business models. And, are open to both parents and tutors as to how the tutoring fee is divided up.
3. New rules for tutoring agencies: transparency within the tutoring sector
There have been recent changes in the law regarding the conduct of tutoring agencies and tutoring businesses which will inevitably result in increased transparency within the sector. This can only be positive for our industry.
Ever felt like you’re being used?
Interested in becoming a tutor yourself? Contact Jude for further information.
Tutoring at short notice. Is there a demand for tutoring on-demand?
It all begins with an idea.
In a society where on-demand services are both the norm and expected, is there a need for the tutoring business to raise to the challenge of providing on-demand tutoring? Is this even feasible?
1. Don’t tutors need time to prep?
Many personal tutors may well shudder at the mere thought of teaching on-demand. How can I deliver quality teaching without the luxury of having time to prepare? How on-demand is on-demand? As tutors we are all well aware (even though our students and their parents may not be) that preparing before each and every tutorial is integral to what we do. Be it for a tutorial on a new subject, for a different awarding body or new specification objectives, or simply the routine tweaking of a slide set for online teaching for each particular student. It all takes time. And often lots of it.
2. On-demand tutoring is only for very experienced tutors.
Can I deliver a tutorial this afternoon? In an hour? Now? Really?
As a university teacher as well as a secondary education biology tutor, teaching on-demand is not such an alien idea to me. Within the university sector, doors are always open, students pop by as and when demanding your time (in the nicest possible way). Knowing your stuff and thinking on your feet is second nature. I’m not a school teacher, but I suspect this norm may well resonate with many of my fellow science tutors who are, or have been, in the classroom.
I believe there is a place in the tutoring world for such a service. But with an important caveat. This is only an option for those tutors who have the knowledge base, the resources at hand, and the experience to deliver quality on-demand teaching at short notice in different ways to different students. The key is being able to tune in quickly to a new student. This can only come form experience. Heaps of it.
On-demand tutoring could become the norm in personal tutoring and future-proofing is maybe something we may need to embrace.
For on-demand, exam technique, exam preparation or regular tuition sessions, contact Jude for further information.