Medical Oncology ST3 Interview Question Bank

The Medibuddy Medical Oncology ST3 Question Bank includes over 60 scenarios that closely mirror the real interview, each with a model answer written/edited by high-scoring candidates who sat the Medical Oncology ST3 interview in 2026.

However, knowing a strong answer isn't the same as delivering it well under pressure, which is why we provide:

Study Groups with candidates across the country
Unlimited Live Mocks with real people
Peer Feedback on your mocks from a wide range of candidates

10 years’ experience preparing doctors for interviews

Users of the Medibuddy Medical Oncology ST3 Revision Platform have secured some of the most competitive training jobs in recent rounds. Ask around, there's a good chance the trainees in the year above you used us too.

Always up to date

Did you know the interviews change every year? That's why we review and update every Question Bank on the platform twice a year, so you know you're always practising with scenarios based on the latest interview structure.

Network and practise real interview scenarios with other candidates

Question Bank

See every scenario, and how to answer it well

Over 60 scenarios across both interview stations, which tell you exactly how to respond to each question.

Study Groups

Connect with candidates across the country

Most people only ever practise with one or two friends. Study Groups connect you with candidates right across the country sitting the same Medical Oncology ST3 interview.

Live MocksBeta

Practise interview technique with different candidates

Arrange or get matched on demand with other candidates and run real scenarios out loud under interview conditions. Those who practise with the widest range of people tend to score the highest.

Peer FeedbackBeta

Reviewed by candidates across the platform

Submit your recorded mocks to candidates across the platform and get honest, varied feedback. Reviewing other people's mocks teaches you just as much.

The question bank, and other candidates to practise with, all in one platform.

What candidates say

Scored well, secured their post

A few of the candidates who prepared with us for the Medical Oncology ST3 interview.

Verified candidateInterviewed 2026

"The clinical scenarios were pitched exactly right. Having a structure ready meant I could work through an oncological emergency calmly under pressure."

Secured first-choice deanery

Verified candidateInterviewed 2026

"Practising the research and suitability questions out loud with other candidates was the single most useful thing I did before the day."

Ranked highly

Part 1 • See the questions

The Medibuddy 2027 Medical Oncology ST3 Question Bank

The interview has two stations with four questions and takes about 30 minutes, so you have a limited window to deliver the high-scoring answers you need to do well. That means every point has to land, and knowing how to structure each answer is essential. That's why each of our 60-plus scenarios comes with a model answer, written by candidates who scored highly in the 2026 Medical Oncology ST3 interview, so you know exactly how to approach every question the interviewers throw your way.

What's inside

What's included in the Medical Oncology ST3 Question Bank

There's nothing worse than getting to the interview and being handed a scenario you've never seen before. The panel can draw on clinical, ethical, suitability and research themes across both stations, so the safest approach is to revise across all of them. We provide scenarios for every part of the interview, including the common ones and the more unusual cases that have come up before, so you don't get caught out.

Clinical Scenarios

Oncological presentations and emergencies where you play the registrar, each with a worked answer showing how to structure your response.

Ethics, Professionalism & Governance

Questions based on GMC principles, covering consent, capacity, patient safety and professional conduct, with structured model answers so you can reason through them on the day.

Suitability & Commitment

Your chance to build on your application and show your motivation for medical oncology and why you're suited to ST3, with example questions and model answers.

Research & Academic Medicine

A discussion of research and academic medicine, covering the costs, challenges and benefits of research, with model answers so you can speak about it with confidence.

Reflecting how medical oncology is really assessed

Our scenarios and model answers are written to reflect the current interview structure.

Try it

Try an example Medical Oncology ST3 question

You are the on-call oncology registrar. The emergency department refers a 55-year-old woman with known metastatic breast cancer. Over the past week she has developed worsening back pain, lower limb weakness and urinary incontinence.

How would you approach this?

Question

What is your initial assessment and differential?

Example answer

I would first exclude anything hyperacute with an A to E assessment, then take a focused history and a neurological examination of motor and sensory function, reflexes and sphincter function.

My main concern is malignant spinal cord compression, and I would treat her as having an unstable spine until an MRI and spinal stability are documented.
My differential also includes vertebral metastases, a spinal epidural abscess, a spinal haematoma, and degenerative causes such as a herniated disc or spinal stenosis.
I would review her cancer type and treatment history to gauge the likelihood of metastatic involvement.

Question

What investigations would you order?

Example answer

An urgent MRI of the whole spine to confirm the diagnosis and define the level and extent of any compression.
Bloods including full blood count, electrolytes, renal function, coagulation and inflammatory markers, to help exclude infection or other systemic causes.
A group and save, with crossmatch, in case intervention is needed.

Question

What immediate management would you start while awaiting definitive results?

Example answer

If MSCC is suspected, I would not wait for imaging to begin supportive treatment.

Start high-dose corticosteroids (dexamethasone) to reduce cord oedema, with a PPI for gastric protection.
Provide analgesia, including opioids if needed, and supportive measures: bed rest with spinal precautions, VTE prophylaxis, and bowel and bladder care.
Arrange urgent review by neurosurgery and clinical oncology to plan definitive treatment, surgical decompression or radiotherapy, once the MRI confirms the diagnosis and local policy is followed.

Question

What would your longer-term management involve?

Example answer

The focus shifts to treating the underlying malignancy and supporting her recovery.

Systemic therapy tailored to her breast cancer, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy or hormonal therapy.
Palliative radiotherapy if not already given, to control local disease and relieve symptoms.
Regular follow-up with neurological assessment and imaging to monitor for recurrence.
Rehabilitation to improve mobility and function, alongside psychosocial support.

Question

How would you communicate the findings and plan to her and her family?

Example answer

I would explain the findings and suspected diagnosis clearly and empathetically, making sure they understand the urgency.

Outline the immediate and longer-term options, discussing the benefits and risks of surgery, radiotherapy and systemic treatment.
Set realistic expectations about the recovery process, possible outcomes and the importance of rehabilitation.
Address their concerns and provide reassurance and emotional support throughout.

Question

What oncological factors guide surgical decompression, and what if the primary were unknown?

Example answer

For surgery, I would weigh several factors:

The tumour type: surgery is favoured for radioresistant tumours such as renal cell carcinoma, melanoma and sarcoma.
The metastatic burden, with oligometastatic disease more suitable, a life expectancy of at least three months, prior radiotherapy failure or recurrence, and whether systemic therapy can control the disease.

If the primary were unknown, I would work it up thoroughly: a CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis or a PET-CT, tumour markers, and a biopsy discussed with neurosurgery. I would assess her performance status, and if lymphoma were suspected I would avoid steroids until a biopsy is taken. This all needs an MDT approach with oncology, radiology and pathology.

That's one scenario. There are over 60 more.

Actively maintained

How we keep our Question Banks up to date

The Medical Oncology ST3 interview changes from year to year, and the biggest fear for any candidate is getting to interview day and realising you've revised with a question bank that's totally outdated.

That's why we review and update every Question Bank twice a year, so you know you're revising with scenarios that are likely to come up. We do this in April after the previous year's interviews, and again in the autumn when the new recruitment guidance is published.

Updated for 2027 interviews

5 new clinical scenarios added.

12 scenarios updated: 10 clinical, 1 in Ethics, Professionalism and Governance, and 1 in Academic and Research.

Updated for 2027 Interviews

Part 2 • Practise them live

The only interview resource where you can practise live with other candidates from across the country

Our Medical Oncology ST3 Question Bank tells you exactly how to answer real interview scenarios. But how you practise with them will determine how many marks you score. Simply reading answers off a screen won't prepare you for the intense scrutiny you'll face in the interview. And only practising with the same few colleagues or friends limits the amount of feedback you'll get. Medibuddy gives you unique access to Medical Oncology ST3 candidates across the country, so you can learn from a variety of perspectives and hear a far wider range of feedback than your own circle could ever give you.

Study Groups

When you prepare in isolation, you're relying on your own interpretation of the interview process, which is one of the quickest ways to get found out on the day. Study Groups connect you with other doctors across the country who are also applying to Medical Oncology ST3, so you can engage and network with people preparing for the same interview as you. Everyone brings different experience from different hospitals and deaneries, meaning you won't ever miss out on the key bits of information that could swing the interview in your favour.

Live MocksBeta

Candidates who don't take part in mocks often struggle to adapt to the pressure of the interview. Your knowledge might be correct, but without convincing delivery the interviewers will score you poorly. The best way to improve your delivery is to take part in as many live mocks as possible, which is why we haven't put a cap on how many you can do. We also know how difficult it can be to organise mocks with other people, so all you have to do is join the waiting room and we'll match you with a different Medical Oncology ST3 candidate each time. Take turns as both the interviewer and candidate on real Question Bank scenarios, so you can see exactly how other candidates perform in real time, while refining your own interview technique.

Peer FeedbackBeta

Preparing alone means you won't know how you're coming across during the interview. And preparing with the same few candidates means you'll miss opportunities to improve, which is why it's so important to get as many opinions as possible on your performance. With Medibuddy, you can record a mock and submit it for feedback from other candidates on the platform, so you receive a wider range of feedback and refine your answers with each person you practise with. Reviewing other people's mocks is just as valuable, as it shows you how strong candidates handle the same scenarios, which is one of the fastest ways to improve.

Pick your plan

Choose the Revision Platform, the Knowledge Course, or both

The Revision Platform gives you access to the Question Bank and the chance to practise alongside other candidates, providing the foundation for your interview preparation. However, when you're doing well, interviewers will often throw in curve-ball questions to test the depth of your clinical knowledge. If you can't answer these questions, you won't get the top marks and your final ranking will suffer. The thing is, you can only answer them well if you really understand the topics, which is why we recommend adding our Medical Oncology ST3 Knowledge Course to your subscription (£44.99 saved if you buy both together).

What the Medical Oncology ST3 Knowledge Course covers

Cancer Biology and General Principles

Radiotherapy Basics

Breast Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Cancer

Head and Neck Cancers

Oncological Emergencies

Every lecture covers:

Core clinical understanding

Presentation and recognition

Investigation and management principles

Safety considerations and complications

"The presentations were excellent for the purpose of interview preparation. The sessions covered the clinical aspects of the conditions covered."

More about the Medical Oncology ST3 Knowledge Course

	Medical Oncology ST3 Revision Platform	Medical Oncology ST3 Knowledge Course	Best value • save £44.99Medical Oncology ST3 Bundle
Question Bank: 60+ unique scenarios across both stations
Clinical, ethics, professionalism & governance and research scenarios
Study Groups & Live Mocks with other candidates
Peer Feedback: give and receive feedback from a wide range of candidates
7 video lectures, around 4 hours of clinical teaching
Oncology topics taught in depth
Prepared for curve-ball clinical follow-ups
	Buy • £144.99	Buy • £89.99	Buy • £189.99

Instant access on web and the Medibuddy app. The Revision Platform and the Bundle both include Study Groups, Live Mocks and Peer Feedback.

The interview

What to expect from the Medical Oncology ST3 interview

Medical oncology is a competitive specialty, and strong applicants are often separated by narrow margins at interview.

Station 1

Clinical Scenario

You’re given a brief clinical scenario and questioned on your next steps, including potential treatments and how you would communicate. Start with a safe, systematic approach before moving to more specialist management, and be ready to explain when you would escalate.

Station 1