Quality over volume
- One clear idea with a reason beats five half ideas
- Speak early so you are part of the discussion
- If you have a good idea, say it
KMMS questions · 2027 entry
The KMMS group station
Previous KMMS MMIs included a 40-minute group station where each candidate is assessed individually. This guide covers what assessors watch for, how to plan the 40 minutes, the skills to build and how to practise them.
Short answer
Previous KMMS MMIs included a 40-minute group station.
A handful of candidates work on a task together while you are each assessed as an individual. It is not about talking the most. It is about helping the group reach a good answer.
KMMS does not guarantee the same format for 2027, so follow your official invitation. For the full picture, see our KMMS Medicine 2027 guide.
What assessors are watching
An assessor can only mark what they see and hear. Make your good qualities visible.
Build on others
- Use people’s names when you respond
- Refer back to what someone said earlier
- Ask a follow-up question before disagreeing
Notice who is quiet
- Invite them in with a specific question
- Give credit when their idea is used
- Slow the group down if someone is lost
Keep the group on track
- Suggest a plan in the first minutes
- Offer time checks
- Summarise decisions out loud
Handle disagreement well
- Disagree with the idea, not the person
- Change your mind openly when persuaded
- Stay calm if someone dominates
Keep the goal in view
- Re-read the brief if the group drifts
- Weigh options against the task
- Think about fairness and safety
How to use the 40 minutes
The exact task will vary. This rough shape works for most group tasks.
- First 5 minutes
Understand and plan
- Read the brief carefully
- Check the goal: “So we need to decide…?”
- Suggest a rough plan and time checks
- Next 25 minutes
Explore options
- Share ideas and the reasons behind them
- Weigh each option against the goal
- Bring in anyone who has not spoken
- Last 10 minutes
Decide and summarise
- Start narrowing down in good time
- Summarise what you agreed and why
- Name any disagreement fairly
The soft skills behind a strong group station
These take months to build, not a night. Start now and they will help in every MMI station, not just the group one.
Speaking up on the spot
Why it matters
There is no preparation time in a group task. If you freeze, the moment passes and the assessor sees nothing.
Build it
- Join a debate club or Model United Nations
- Answer first in class discussions
- Read out loud to family or younger children
Practise it
Pick a news headline, set a 60-second timer and explain it out loud. Record it and listen back once.
Active listening
Why it matters
The best contributions build on what others have said. Listening is what makes your ideas relevant.
Build it
- Volunteering where you mostly listen, such as a hospice or care home
- A part-time job with customers
- Befriending or mentoring younger students
Practise it
In your next conversation, sum up what the other person said before you reply: “So you’re saying…”.
Explaining your reasoning
Why it matters
Assessors mark why you think something, not just what you think. A reason turns an opinion into a contribution.
Build it
- Essay subjects and an EPQ
- Debating both sides of a motion
- Explaining homework to a friend
Practise it
Answer everyday questions with a point, a reason and an example, out loud, in under 30 seconds.
Leading without dominating
Why it matters
Medicine is teamwork. Helping the group work well shows maturity that talking the most never can.
Build it
- Sports captaincy or coaching
- Duke of Edinburgh expeditions
- Scouts, Guides or St John Ambulance cadets
Practise it
In your next group project, be the person who keeps time and summarises rather than the one who talks most.
Handling disagreement
Why it matters
Respectful challenge keeps patients safe. Assessors want to see you disagree without damaging the group.
Build it
- Debating
- Student council or committee work
- Customer-facing work where people complain
Practise it
Use the pattern: “I see why you’d say that. My worry is… What if we…?”
Staying calm under pressure
Why it matters
One clumsy moment in 40 minutes will not sink you. Panicking about it might.
Build it
- Public speaking or school assemblies
- Music exams, drama or sport
- First aid training
Practise it
Learn box breathing (in 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4) and use it before every practice task.
How the skills work together
Each skill makes the others easier.
- Listening feeds speaking. When you really listen, you always have something relevant to add, so speaking up gets easier.
- Confidence makes room for others. It takes confidence to pause the group and ask a quiet person what they think.
- Calm lets you change your mind. If you are not anxious about “winning”, you can say “that’s a better idea than mine” and look stronger for it.
- Reasoning makes disagreement safe. Disagreeing with a clear reason sounds thoughtful, not rude.
Phrases that help
Use your own words. These show the kind of thing that moves a group forward.
- “Shall we spend a minute agreeing what a good answer looks like?”
- “Building on what Priya said…”
- “We haven’t heard from you yet. What do you think?”
- “I see it a bit differently, and here’s why…”
- “Can we check we all agree before we move on?”
- “We’ve got ten minutes left. Shall we start narrowing down?”
- “Let me try to summarise where we’ve got to.”
- “That’s a better idea than mine. Let’s go with it.”
Common group station mistakes
- Talking the mostFewer, better contributions
- Staying silent to be safeOne clear idea early on
- Declaring yourself leaderOffer a plan instead of a title
- Arguing to winAim for the best group decision
- Ignoring the briefRe-read the goal when the group drifts
- Forgetting the clockOffer time checks and start narrowing down
- Repeating others’ ideas as your ownCredit them by name
How to practise before the day
Run a mock group task
Get three or four friends together. Pick any topic you can discuss, set a 20-minute timer and aim to agree one decision as a group.
Add an observer
Rotate one person out to watch. They count interruptions, invitations and summaries, then give feedback.
Practise with strangers
Real groups are people you have never met. School societies and online study groups help you get used to that.
Watch yourself back
With everyone’s permission, record a practice. Notice how often you listen, speak and bring others in.
Get real team experience
Volunteering, sport and Duke of Edinburgh give you teamwork stories for other stations and for your personal statement.
Practise with us
We run one-to-one and group mocks, so you can practise with other applicants under a timer. See our KMMS MMI mock interview. Interview in a few days? Start with last-minute MMI prep.
KMMS MMI practice
Group skills get better with practice.
We practise them with you.
Book a free first session with a KMMS medical student.
Can you:
- listen properly?
- invite others in?
- summarise clearly?
- disagree politely?
Keep reading
Sources and further reading
- Kent and Medway Medical School: entry requirements 2027
- NHS Health Careers: the NHS values
- St John Ambulance: volunteering
KMMS details come from Kent and Medway Medical School’s own admissions information, last checked September 2026. KMMS can change its requirements, UCAT threshold, interview format and dates, so always check the official KMMS pages.