Pharmacy interviews
Find out everything you need to know about your Pharmacy interview.
If you've applied for MPharm Pharmacy, you're in the right place.
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Find out everything you need to know about your Pharmacy interview.
If you've applied for MPharm Pharmacy, you're in the right place.
Congratulations on being invited for an interview, we are really looking forward to meeting you.
We aim to make our Pharmacy interviews as relaxed as possible, as it’s our opportunity to learn more about you and your interest in Pharmacy. It’s also a chance for you to see our fantastic facilities and ask any questions you might have about the University, your chosen course or the application process.
We often have Student Ambassadors in attendance as well, who are there to share their experiences and to support you on the day. If you haven’t already, you’ll soon receive an email containing your interview date and time. We'll aim to provide you with an interview date as soon as possible, however this can take up to three weeks during holiday and busy periods. You'll also receive a text message as a reminder – if you have updated your number or are unsure if you have used the correct number, please contact us as soon as possible and we can update your record.
We would advise you to research some recent discussions surrounding healthcare. We would also encourage you to research Pharmacy at Sunderland. As our course is accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), we would also suggest that you visit the GPhC website to learn more.
You may want to consider the rationale for choosing this career and how your personality lends itself to this occupation. Reflect on what attracted you to the profession and show you have researched into the career, and you understand the role. You'll need to back up your answers with personal experiences. This can come from various roles, such as delivering care in a professional environment, voluntary, caring for family members, or volunteering with youth groups.
For more hints and tips about how to prepare, read our article about interviews for healthcare degrees.
You do not need to bring anything with you for your interview. A pen and a calculator will be provided for you for your numeracy and literacy test (see below for more information).
You are welcome to bring a notebook to prepare for your interview, however you will not be allowed to refer to this during your interview. You can bring beverages with you, however we ask they are in a closed container.
Please dress smartly to your interview, but ensure that you are comfortable.
Your Pharmacy interview will take place at our City Campus, in the John Dawson Sciences Complex.
You can reach us by car, bus, train or Metro. In your confirmation email, you'll receive a free parking permit. Please note a parking space is not guaranteed. Alternative car parks can be found on the Sunderland City Council website.
If you are travelling by Metro, the nearest station is University for City Campus.
Did you know that we offer a travel bursary to support you with travel expenses? If you are based in the UK and live more than 20 miles away from the University, you could claim back up to £100 depending on your location. For further details including eligibility read our Terms and Conditions or contact us on travel.bursary@sunderland.ac.uk.
View our AccessAble accessibility guides for support with planning your journey.
Please allow the full afternoon for your interview. Parents and supporters are welcome to join you on the day and can participate in the course overview and tour.
You’ll meet a member of the interview team and a Student Ambassador in the John Dawson Sciences Complex foyer. We'll escort you to your interview where you'll meet the Admissions Tutor and have a course overview.
You'll participate in a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI), which will consist of three situational judgement scenarios where you are assessed on how you would react in a certain situation. Each scenario station will last approximately seven minutes. They are one-to-one but assessed by two members of the pharmacy academic team and a Patient, Carer and Public Involvement (PCPI) participant. The MMI aims to identify personal and professional attributes rather than academic ability, which are equally important in a future pharmacist.
You'll also be required to take a numeracy assessment, where you'll have 30 minutes to answer 10 questions (you will be allowed a calculator which we will provide). The assessment will include some chemistry-based numeracy questions.
Your interview will conclude with a facilities tour.
We strongly encourage you to attend your on-campus interview, as this is your chance to experience the campus and meet us in person. However, we do offer a limited number of online interviews. These are for students that have extenuating circumstances or live a substantial distance from the University and are unable to travel to the campus. Online interviews are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Online interviews will take place on Microsoft Teams. The day before your interview you'll be emailed a link to complete an online numeracy and literacy assessment (if your interview is on a Monday, this will be sent the previous Friday). You must complete this before your interview. You'll participate in an MMI and will be interviewed one-to-one by a member of the pharmacy academic team.
We'll email you with the outcome of your interview and you'll also be able to view this decision on your myApplication portal and UCAS Hub.
Any offer will be subject to Fitness to Practise, DBS and if applicable, academic conditions.
If you have a query about your application, please contact studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk.
If you have any questions about your Pharmacy interview, please contact us at applicant.interviews@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3374.