Another interview format that many candidates find challenging is the behavioural event interview (BEI). These questions typically start with “Tell me about a time…” or “Give me an example of when…”, and are based on the idea that past behaviour is the best predictor of future performance.
They are used across all levels of medical recruitment, from junior medical officer through to advanced training and consultant roles. While they can feel unpredictable, strong performance in these questions is usually the result of deliberate preparation.
What interviewers are really assessing
Although BEI questions appear simple, panels are assessing far more than the story itself. They are looking for evidence of how you think, act, and reflect in practice.
In particular, strong responses demonstrate:
Clinical judgement and decision-making
Professional behaviours, including communication and teamwork
Accountability and ownership of outcomes
Insight and reflection
A well-structured answer shows not just what you did, but why you did it and what you learnt.
A practical approach
Most candidates find it difficult to generate strong examples on the spot. A more effective approach is to prepare in advance using three steps: plan, prepare, and practise.
Plan
Start by identifying the key competency areas relevant to the role. These are usually outlined in the job description, key selection criteria, or college framework.
Across medical interviews, common themes include:
Managing conflict or difficult interactions
Responding to clinical errors or near-misses
Leadership and initiative
Working under pressure
Communication with patients and families
Teamwork within a multidisciplinary environment
Having at least one well-developed example for each of these areas provides a strong foundation.
Prepare
Once you have identified the key areas, develop a bank of examples that demonstrate your experience. A structured framework such as STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or CAR (Challenge, Action, Result) can help you organise your response and stay focused.
To strengthen your answers, aim to go beyond basic description:
Link your actions to impact, particularly in relation to patient care, team function, or service delivery
Show judgement by briefly acknowledging alternative approaches and why you chose your path
Include reflection, highlighting what you learnt or what you would do differently
Rather than relying on a single example per competency, build a small bank that you can adapt across different scenarios and perspectives.
Practice
Practice is where preparation becomes performance. Speaking your responses out loud is essential for building clarity and confidence.
As a general guide, aim to keep responses to around two minutes, with a clear structure:
Brief context (situation and task)
Focus on your actions
Conclude with a clear outcome
To refine your delivery, it can be useful to:
Record yourself and assess clarity, structure, and confidence
Practice under time pressure or with interruptions
Rehearse adapting the same example to different questions
This helps you become both structured and flexible in your responses.
What strong responses sound like
Strong responses are typically easy to follow and clearly structured. They focus on your individual actions and decision-making, while demonstrating insight and linking to meaningful outcomes.
Common pitfalls include:
Spending too long describing the situation
Speaking in general terms rather than specific actions
Overusing “we” instead of clearly articulating your role
Failing to demonstrate reflection or learning
A final tip
High-performing candidates rarely rely on a large number of examples. Instead, they focus on a small number of strong, well-developed scenarios that can be adapted across multiple questions. This allows for greater depth, flexibility, and confidence during the interview.
Final points
When answering BEI questions:
Use real examples rather than hypothetical scenarios
Use “I” to clearly demonstrate your contribution
Focus on both your actions and your thinking
If you have prepared in a structured way, you will already be ahead of many candidates.
For those wanting to refine further, AMA Victoria offers targeted interview coaching that can help strengthen your responses, provide individualised feedback, and build confidence performing under pressure. Learn more about our offerings here.
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