Independent practice prompts
Which medical physics interview questions can you practise?
Use these independently written practice prompts to explain your own reasoning aloud. They are not official NSHCS questions and are not recalled from a real interview.
Science and uncertaintyExplain a principle, a measurement limit and how you would test an assumption.
Safety and judgementShow how you would pause, escalate, document and learn when something may be unsafe.
People and valuesUse genuine examples of communication, teamwork, leadership and reflection.
How would you explain the science?
- Independently written prompt: Explain one medical imaging principle to a patient, then to a physicist.
- Independently written prompt: A quality-control result changes unexpectedly. How would you investigate it?
- Independently written prompt: How would you describe optimisation when image quality and radiation dose compete?
- Independently written prompt: Give an example of uncertainty that could change a clinical or technical decision.
How would you handle safety and judgement?
- Independently written prompt: You are asked to continue a task but one check is outside tolerance. What do you do?
- Independently written prompt: A colleague challenges your calculation. How do you respond?
- Independently written prompt: How would you distinguish an isolated error from a system problem?
- Independently written prompt: When should a trainee escalate rather than solve a problem alone?
How would you show motivation and teamwork?
- Independently written prompt: Why does this specific specialty fit your interests and evidence?
- Independently written prompt: Describe a time you changed your explanation for a different audience.
- Independently written prompt: Tell us about a team disagreement and what you learned.
- Independently written prompt: Describe a time feedback changed how you worked.
How should you use these prompts?
Choose one at random, answer aloud, then review whether you stated the problem, assumptions, action, safety or patient impact, and learning. Do not memorise a model script.
Add realistic conditions
Can you answer clearly without reading?
Use the 2026 format and conduct rules to make your rehearsal closer to the real constraint, then check future guidance for changes.
Sources and review date
Last reviewed: 13 July 2026