Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) Interview Questions & Answers

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Last updated 24 October 2026 · Created by a practising NHS doctor · Independent of the NHS

Quick answer

What questions are asked in an NHS Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) interview?

NHS Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) interviews usually mix values-based questions with scenarios specific to the role. Typical themes include motivation for PHEM, scene safety and triage, pre-hospital anaesthesia, catastrophic haemorrhage, traumatic cardiac arrest and head injury. Every interview panel writes its own questions, so practise the themes rather than memorising answers. The 8 free questions on this page cover a spread of them.

 

At a glance

• Role: Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) (NHS Medical and Dental)

• Questions: 40 original practice questions, each with a full model answer

• Free to read: the first 8 questions and answers on this page

• Full bank: £4.99, 12 months of access, no subscription

• Independent: not affiliated with or endorsed by the NHS

 

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These are original practice questions written to reflect how NHS interviews are run. They are not leaked or official questions, and Healthcare Interview Prep is independent of the NHS.

 

 

Free NHS interview questions and model answers

 

 

Question 1: Why do you want to work in pre-hospital emergency medicine, and why with our service in particular?

Motivation question  ·  Motivation

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants a genuine, specific reason for choosing PHEM and evidence that you understand the reality of the work: low volume but high acuity, a lot of decision making about whether to intervene, close teamwork with paramedics and real emotional load. They are also checking you have researched this service and its model.

 

Model answer

My interest started as an emergency medicine registrar on a night shift when the air ambulance brought in a young motorcyclist with a severe chest injury. What struck me was not only that he had been anaesthetised and had his chest decompressed at the roadside, it was the handover. The doctor and the critical care paramedic gave a calm, structured handover in about a minute, the trauma team was ready, and he was in CT very quickly. It felt like hospital critical care had been moved forward in time to where the patient was. I asked about observer shifts the following week.

Those observer shifts changed my picture of the job. I had assumed it was mostly about procedures. In reality most of the important decisions were about whether to intervene at all, where to take the patient and how to keep the scene safe, and the most valuable thing the team brought was clear, structured thinking under pressure. I also saw how much the doctor relied on the paramedic's scene craft, and that suited me, because I enjoy small teams where everyone's role is clear and people challenge each other openly.

As for this service, I know you cover a large rural area as well as two cities, so long transport times and the choice between the major trauma centre and a local trauma unit come up often. I read your most recent annual report and was interested in your work on carrying blood products and in the monthly case review that is open to land ambulance crews. That openness to learning across the whole system is something I want to be part of.

I am also realistic. The case mix includes children, deaths at scene and long quiet stretches, and the jobs that stay with you are not always the dramatic ones. I have spoken to trainees here about that and I value that you run structured debriefs and peer support. I want to do this work for a long time, so I want to do it somewhere that looks after its people.

 

Why this answer works

This answer works because it opens with a specific moment, shows that observer shifts gave the candidate a realistic view of PHEM beyond procedures, and links the motivation to concrete features of the service. It also names the emotional side of the work without drama. Replace the clinical moment, the service details and the research you did with your own.

 

Key points to include

• A specific, personal moment that sparked your interest
• Evidence you understand PHEM is mostly decision making, not just procedures
• Research into this service: geography, case mix, governance, partnerships
• Value placed on teamwork with paramedics and critical care paramedics
• Realistic view of emotional load and how you will sustain yourself

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Talking only about adrenaline, helicopters or 'the exciting jobs'
• An answer that would fit any air ambulance or any specialty
• No mention of the paramedic and multi-agency team
• Ignoring the emotional and physical demands of the role

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Working together for patients; Improving lives. GMC Good Medical Practice: Knowledge, skills and development.

 

Further reading

• NHS Constitution for England
• GMC Good Medical Practice
• Intercollegiate Board for Training in Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (IBTPHEM) PHEM curriculum

 

 

Question 2: What would your first actions be if you were the first critical care team to arrive at a road traffic collision with several casualties?

Scenario question  ·  Scene safety and triage

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is assessing whether you prioritise safety and scene assessment before individual patients, use a structured approach such as METHANE and a recognised triage method, communicate early with control and other agencies, and avoid tunnel vision on the first or most dramatic casualty.

 

Model answer

Before I even get out of the vehicle or aircraft, my first job is safety. I would be looking at where we have parked, traffic management, fuel leaks, unstable vehicles and anything else that could hurt us. I would confirm with the fire service and police whether the scene is safe to enter and wear the right protective kit. Our team is no use to anyone if one of us becomes a casualty.

Next I would take a step back to get an overview rather than going straight to the nearest patient. I would agree quickly with the critical care paramedic who does what: in our team the paramedic often does the walk round and triage while I liaise with the ambulance crews on scene, or the other way round, but we say it out loud. I would make sure a METHANE report has gone to ambulance control so they know how many casualties there are, the hazards, access and what resources are needed. If the numbers suggest a major incident, I would say so early rather than late.

Then triage. I would use the triage sieve our service uses to identify who needs life saving intervention now, such as catastrophic bleeding or an obstructed airway, and make sure those interventions happen first, even if it is a simple tourniquet applied by a land crew. I would resist being drawn into a long, complex intervention on one patient while others have not been assessed. Once everyone has been seen, the team can be allocated to the sickest patients.

On a recent job with three vehicles involved, the most obviously injured driver was trapped and screaming, but our walk round found a quiet passenger on the verge with a falling level of consciousness who was in fact the priority. That taught me how easily noise drives attention. Throughout, I keep communicating with the ambulance and fire commanders, I agree destinations with control so that one hospital is not overwhelmed, and afterwards we debrief as a team.

 

Why this answer works

This answer works because it follows the order a panel expects: personal and team safety, overview, communication with control using METHANE, then triage and life saving interventions, with a real example of a quiet patient being missed by noise. Replace the example with a scene you have attended or observed, and use the triage tool your service actually uses.

 

Key points to include

• Safety first: self, team, scene, then casualties
• Step back for an overview before treating anyone
• Early METHANE report and request for resources
• Structured triage and immediate life saving interventions first
• Clear role allocation with the critical care paramedic
• Ongoing liaison with fire, police and ambulance commanders

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Rushing to the first or noisiest patient
• Forgetting to send a situation report to ambulance control
• Starting a prolonged intervention before everyone is triaged
• Not mentioning other emergency services or scene hazards

 

NHS values and standards

Working together for patients; Commitment to quality of care; Everyone counts. GMC Good Medical Practice: Patients, partnership and communication.

 

Further reading

• JESIP Joint Doctrine: The Interoperability Framework
• NICE guideline NG39 Major trauma: assessment and initial management
• Major Incident Medical Management and Support (MIMMS), Advanced Life Support Group

 

 

Question 3: How do you decide whether to carry out pre-hospital emergency anaesthesia at the roadside rather than transferring the patient first?

Clinical question  ·  Pre-hospital anaesthesia

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to hear a principled, safety focused approach: clear indications, weighing the risks of anaesthesia in the field against the risks of delay, the environment, the team's competence, the standard operating procedure and checklist, and the expected transport time. They are looking for judgement rather than enthusiasm for intervention.

 

Model answer

For me the question is never simply whether a patient meets an indication. It is whether anaesthesia here and now gives this patient a better chance than getting them to hospital as they are. I think about it in three parts: the patient, the environment and the team.

On the patient side, the common reasons are an airway that cannot be maintained or protected, failing ventilation or oxygenation despite simpler measures, a reduced level of consciousness with agitation that is making the patient unsafe or untransportable, and the need to provide humane care for someone with severe injuries. I would also think about what the anaesthetic will do to their physiology, for example someone who is already shocked, and whether we can resuscitate before or alongside induction.

Then the environment and logistics. If the hospital is a short drive away and the airway is being maintained with basic manoeuvres, it may be safer to move. If the transfer is long, by air, or the patient is likely to deteriorate en route where intervention is much harder, then doing it in a controlled way on the ground is often the safer choice. I want a clear 360 degree access, adequate light and space, and I will move the patient to the back of an ambulance or a better spot if that is possible without delay.

Finally the team and the process. Our service uses a standard operating procedure with a challenge and response checklist, defined roles and a plan for a failed airway agreed out loud before we start. I would never skip the checklist because a job feels urgent; in fact that is when it matters most. On a recent case with a long transfer time and a patient whose airway was deteriorating, the paramedic and I agreed the plan, ran the checklist and talked through the failed airway plan. It went smoothly, and in the debrief we agreed the pause had made us faster, not slower.

 

Why this answer works

This answer works because it frames the decision as a balance of risks, considers patient, environment and team, and shows respect for the SOP and checklist rather than individual heroics. It stays at principle level with no doses or numbers. Swap in a case from your own practice and use the indications in your service's SOP.

 

Key points to include

• Balance risk of intervention against risk of delay
• Indications: airway, ventilation, conscious level, humane care
• Consider physiology and resuscitate before or alongside induction
• Environment: access, space, light, transport time and mode
• Team: SOP, challenge and response checklist, roles, failed airway plan

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating roadside anaesthesia as a default or a skill to practise
• Ignoring transport time and environment
• Skipping or abbreviating the checklist under pressure
• Quoting drug doses or regimens rather than principles

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Respect and dignity; Working together for patients. GMC Good Medical Practice: Domain 1, knowledge, skills and development.

 

Further reading

• Association of Anaesthetists safety guidance on pre-hospital anaesthesia
• NICE guideline NG39 Major trauma: assessment and initial management
• Intercollegiate Board for Training in Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (IBTPHEM) PHEM curriculum

 

 

Question 4: How do you protect a patient's dignity and privacy when you are treating them in a public place with bystanders watching?

Values question  ·  Respect and dignity

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is assessing whether you treat dignity and privacy as part of clinical care even in chaotic public settings. They want practical steps such as screening, managing bystanders and phones, explaining to the patient, and working with police, plus an understanding of the long term impact on patients and families.

 

Model answer

I think dignity matters even more at the roadside than in hospital, because the patient has no control over where they are, they may be partly undressed for assessment and there is often a crowd. People can remember being exposed in public long after their injuries heal, and families can be hurt by images shared online.

Practically, the first thing I do is talk to the patient, even if their conscious level is reduced. I tell them who I am, that we are going to look after them and that we will need to cut clothing to check for injuries. I expose only what I need to and cover them again with a blanket as soon as I can, which also helps keep them warm.

Then I think about the environment. I ask police or fire colleagues to move bystanders back and, where available, use screens or position vehicles to block the view. If people are filming, I ask politely but firmly that they stop, or ask police to deal with it so that I can stay with the patient. As soon as it is clinically safe I move the patient into the back of the ambulance for anything more intimate, such as a full secondary survey or a procedure.

I remember a job in a busy town centre where a young woman had collapsed after being assaulted. A small crowd had gathered and several people had their phones out. The critical care paramedic and I asked a police officer to clear the area and two fire colleagues held up a blanket while we assessed her. I explained everything to her as we went, and once she was in the ambulance she said that what she had been most afraid of was people seeing her like that. It reminded me that privacy is part of the treatment.

I also make sure our own team does not compromise privacy, so no casual conversation about the patient in public and no photographs except those taken under our service policy for clinical purposes.

 

Why this answer works

This answer works because it explains why dignity matters in pre-hospital care, gives practical steps that a panel can picture, and grounds them in a believable example with multi-agency help. It also closes on the team's own conduct. Use your own example and mention the screening equipment and photography policy your service actually has.

 

Key points to include

• Talk to the patient and explain, whatever their conscious level
• Expose only what is needed and cover promptly
• Use police, fire and screens to manage bystanders and filming
• Move into the ambulance for intimate examinations when safe
• Follow service policy on clinical photography and discussion in public

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating dignity as secondary to 'getting the job done'
• Confronting bystanders yourself and leaving the patient
• Forgetting that unconscious patients still deserve explanation
• Ignoring the team's own behaviour and conversations at scene

 

NHS values and standards

Respect and dignity; Compassion; Everyone counts. GMC Good Medical Practice: Patients, partnership and communication.

 

Further reading

• NHS Constitution for England
• GMC Good Medical Practice
• GMC Confidentiality: good practice in handling patient information

Found these useful? The other 32 questions cover the rest of the role, each with a full model answer. Unlock all 40 for £4.99.

 

 

Question 5: Can you tell us about a time you worked closely with a paramedic or critical care paramedic who had more pre-hospital experience than you?

Competency question  ·  Teamwork

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is assessing how you work in the doctor and paramedic model: whether you value paramedic expertise, share decision making, communicate clearly and handle hierarchy well. They want to see humility combined with the confidence to take clinical responsibility when it is needed.

 

Model answer

When I started my PHEM training, I was paired for several months with a critical care paramedic who had worked on the service for many years. I was an experienced emergency medicine registrar, but on scene I was the novice, and I had to work out quickly how to use that well rather than pretend otherwise.

The situation that stands out was a farm accident in winter. A man had been crushed by machinery in a field some distance from the road. My instinct was to go straight to him and start assessing. My colleague stopped me and pointed out that the machinery was still unstable and that the farmer's son was about to try to move it. She asked the fire service to make it safe and coordinated our access route and the vehicle that would get him back to the aircraft, which I had not even started to think about.

My action was to let her lead the scene management while I focused on the patient once it was safe. We agreed out loud that she would run the logistics and I would lead the clinical care, and we kept checking in with each other. When it came to the decision about anaesthesia, she gave me her view on the difficulty of moving him across the field, and we decided together to do it in the back of the land ambulance rather than in the mud.

The result was a well organised extraction and a safe anaesthetic, and the patient survived to rehabilitation. In the debrief I told her plainly what I had learnt about scene craft, and she told me she had valued my approach to the decision. Since then I always start a shift by agreeing with my paramedic colleague how we will divide roles and that either of us can call a stop. I think the doctor and paramedic model works best when each person's expertise is used and nobody's ego gets in the way.

 

Why this answer works

This STAR answer works because it shows genuine humility, a concrete learning point about scene craft and a clear division of roles without abdicating clinical responsibility. It also ends with a change in the candidate's routine practice. Replace the farm job with your own example, ideally one where you learnt something from a paramedic colleague.

 

Key points to include

• Recognise and use paramedic expertise, especially scene craft
• Agree roles explicitly: logistics and scene versus clinical lead
• Shared decision making on key choices
• Either team member can call a stop
• Give and receive feedback in the debrief
• A lasting change in your practice

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Implying the doctor is automatically in charge of everything
• Sounding dismissive or patronising about paramedics
• Telling a story where you simply deferred and took no responsibility
• No clear outcome or learning

 

NHS values and standards

Working together for patients; Respect and dignity; Commitment to quality of care. GMC Good Medical Practice: Colleagues, culture and safety.

 

Further reading

• GMC Good Medical Practice
• HCPC Standards of proficiency: Paramedics
• Human Factors in Healthcare: a concordat from the National Quality Board

 

 

Question 6: During a pre-hospital anaesthetic, a colleague suggests skipping parts of the checklist because the patient is deteriorating quickly. What would you do?

Scenario question  ·  Raising concerns

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is assessing your commitment to standard operating procedures and checklists under time pressure, your ability to challenge respectfully in the moment using clear language, and how you follow up afterwards through debrief and governance without blame.

 

Model answer

Checklists exist precisely for the moments when everyone feels the pressure to rush, so my default would be to run it. In the moment, I would say something short and clear such as: 'I hear you, he is getting worse, but let's do the checklist quickly and properly. It will take less than a minute.' Using a calm tone matters, because the colleague is usually acting out of concern for the patient, not carelessness.

If the patient were deteriorating so fast that I felt a pause was genuinely unsafe, for example an airway that was obstructing, I would deal with the immediate threat first using basic manoeuvres or adjuncts, then return to the checklist before induction. What I would not do is abandon the process altogether. In our service, the checklist is read out by one person and answered by the others, which keeps it fast and makes it a team activity rather than a test of one person.

If the colleague continued to push, I would be explicit that as the doctor leading the anaesthetic I was not prepared to proceed without it. Most services have agreed language that anyone can use to stop the process, and I would use it, just as I would want anyone to use it with me.

Afterwards I would raise it in the hot debrief in a non-judgemental way, asking what made it feel necessary to skip steps. Sometimes that reveals a real problem, for example the checklist being too long for a specific situation or equipment being hard to access, and that is useful feedback for the governance lead. If it seemed to be a pattern of behaviour rather than a one off, I would discuss it with the clinical lead, and if a near miss had occurred I would report it through our incident reporting system so the service could learn from it.

I have been in a similar situation as a registrar in the emergency department, and the person who had wanted to rush thanked me later. That made me more confident to hold the line.

 

Why this answer works

This answer works because it shows a clear, respectful challenge in the moment, a realistic exception for an immediate airway threat, and appropriate follow up through debrief and governance rather than blame. Adapt the wording to the stop language your service uses and use your own example of holding to a safety process.

 

Key points to include

• Run the checklist: it is designed for time pressure
• Challenge calmly and briefly, assume good intent
• Manage any immediate threat with simple measures, then complete the checklist
• Use agreed stop language if needed
• Debrief openly and feed issues into governance
• Report near misses through the incident system

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Agreeing to skip it because the patient is sick
• Making it a personal confrontation at scene
• Letting it go without discussion afterwards
• Escalating punitively without first understanding why it happened

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Working together for patients; Respect and dignity. GMC Good Medical Practice: Colleagues, culture and safety.

 

Further reading

• Association of Anaesthetists safety guidance on pre-hospital anaesthesia
• NHS Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF)
• GMC Raising and acting on concerns about patient safety

 

 

Question 7: How would you approach a patient in traumatic cardiac arrest at the scene?

Clinical question  ·  Traumatic cardiac arrest

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to hear that you understand traumatic cardiac arrest is different from medical arrest: the priority is rapidly treating reversible causes such as hypovolaemia, hypoxia, tension pneumothorax and cardiac tamponade, within a structured, well led team. They also want judgement about futility and the needs of the scene.

 

Model answer

The key principle for me is that traumatic cardiac arrest is not managed like a medical arrest. Chest compressions alone will not fix the underlying problem, so the priority is to identify and treat the reversible causes as quickly as possible, in parallel, while someone else maintains basic life support.

On arrival I would check scene safety and quickly gather the mechanism and time since the arrest from the crew. I would take the lead, allocate tasks and say the plan aloud so the team share a mental model. I tend to work through the causes that are commonly taught for traumatic arrest: hypovolaemia, oxygenation, tension pneumothorax and tamponade. That means controlling external haemorrhage and applying a pelvic binder where indicated, securing the airway and ventilation, decompressing the chest where needed according to our SOP, and giving blood products if our service carries them.

I also think about whether this is a situation where the service's standard operating procedure supports a more advanced procedure, for example in penetrating chest trauma with suspected tamponade. That decision depends on the time since arrest, our training, the SOP and the team's readiness, and I would be clear and decisive either way rather than drift.

Just as important is recognising when to stop. If the injuries are clearly incompatible with life, or there is no response to correcting the reversible causes, I would bring the team together, ask if anyone has concerns, and make the decision openly. I would then think about the police, because many of these scenes need to be preserved, and about any family or witnesses present.

On a recent job with a stabbing, we did the interventions within a few minutes of arrival and achieved a return of circulation. He went straight to the major trauma centre with a pre-alert. Afterwards we debriefed, including with the police officers who had started CPR, because they had been through a lot as well.

 

Why this answer works

This answer works because it states the core principle early, uses a recognised framework for reversible causes, mentions advanced interventions only within SOP and training, and covers stopping resuscitation, scene preservation and team welfare. It avoids doses and numeric thresholds. Use your service's own SOP and an example from your experience.

 

Key points to include

• Traumatic arrest is not a medical arrest: treat reversible causes
• Hypovolaemia, oxygenation, tension pneumothorax, tamponade
• Parallel activity with clear leadership and shared plan
• Advanced procedures only within SOP, training and time window
• Clear, shared decision to stop when futile
• Scene preservation, family and responder welfare

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Focusing on compressions and drugs as in medical arrest
• Doing procedures beyond your SOP or training
• Drifting with no decision to escalate or stop
• Forgetting the police role and scene preservation

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Working together for patients; Compassion. GMC Good Medical Practice: Knowledge, skills and development.

 

Further reading

• Resuscitation Council UK Guidelines: Adult advanced life support (special circumstances)
• NICE guideline NG39 Major trauma: assessment and initial management
• JRCALC Clinical Guidelines

 

 

Question 8: Can you tell us about a time you had to make a difficult clinical decision under pressure with incomplete information?

Competency question  ·  Decision making

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is assessing your decision making under uncertainty, a constant feature of PHEM. They want to see how you gather what information you can, weigh risks, involve the team, commit to a plan, communicate it, and review it as new information arrives, plus honest reflection on the outcome.

 

Model answer

The example I would give is a night job to a man in his seventies found at the bottom of a flight of stairs at home. The land crew had called for us because his conscious level was dropping. There was no history from family, he was on medication that suggested he was anticoagulated but we could not confirm it, and the nearest major trauma centre was a long road transfer while the local hospital was close but did not have neurosurgery.

My task was to decide on three things quickly: whether to anaesthetise him, where to take him and how. I did not have his baseline function, his wishes, or a clear picture of his injuries.

I gathered what I could in a few minutes. His neighbour told us he lived independently and drove. The paramedic checked his medication box and found a direct oral anticoagulant. On examination he had a large scalp haematoma and one pupil was sluggish. I talked through the options with the critical care paramedic, saying out loud what we knew and what we did not. We agreed the likeliest picture was a significant head injury on anticoagulation, that he was deteriorating and that the right place was the major trauma centre. Given the transfer time, we decided to anaesthetise him on scene with our checklist. I called the trauma centre early so that reversal and imaging could be ready, and documented the information gaps clearly.

He had a subdural haematoma and was operated on that night. In the debrief I reflected that I had been tempted to take him to the closer hospital to save time, and that verbalising the uncertainty with my colleague helped me see the bigger picture. I also learnt to ask about advance care plans early, because if he had had one, it could have changed our decision completely. Since then I use a quick structured summary of what I know, what I do not know and what I am going to do, which helps the whole team follow my reasoning.

 

Why this answer works

This STAR answer works because it shows real uncertainty, a structured way of gathering information, shared decision making and a clear commitment to a plan, with honest reflection about what could have changed it. It stays at principle level. Use your own example and be honest about what you would do differently.

 

Key points to include

• Be clear about what you knew and did not know
• Gather information quickly from all sources
• Talk the options through with the team
• Commit to a decision and communicate early with the receiving hospital
• Document the uncertainty
• Reflect honestly and describe a change in practice

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Choosing an example with no real uncertainty
• Making it sound like a solo heroic decision
• No outcome or reflection
• Ignoring patient wishes and ceilings of care

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Working together for patients; Respect and dignity. GMC Good Medical Practice: Knowledge, skills and development.

 

Further reading

• NICE guideline NG232 Head injury: assessment and early management
• GMC Good Medical Practice
• GMC Decision making and consent

 

 

Ready for the other 32?

You have seen how the model answers work. Unlock the full Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) bank to practise every theme the panel might ask about, with the mistakes to avoid spelled out for each one.

 

 

 

About this NHS interview question bank

To prepare for a pre-hospital emergency medicine interview, practise talking through real scenes out loud: a multi-casualty collision and scene safety, the decision to anaesthetise at the roadside, catastrophic haemorrhage, traumatic cardiac arrest, severe head injury, entrapment with the fire service, destination choice within the trauma network and a structured ATMIST handover. Panels for PHEM training and consultant posts will also explore how you work with critical care paramedics and pilots, raise concerns about checklists, lead debriefs, support team wellbeing and maintain rare skills, so prepare honest examples that show calm judgement and teamwork.

This bank is written for doctors applying for pre-hospital emergency medicine posts: PHEM subspecialty trainees at ST3 and above, air ambulance and HEMS doctors, and consultants joining a pre-hospital critical care service. Each of the 40 questions includes a first-person model answer, what the panel is assessing, key points, common mistakes, linked NHS values and further reading. Themes include scene safety and triage, roadside anaesthesia at principle level, major trauma and haemorrhage, head injury, paediatric trauma, major incidents and JESIP, multi-agency working, capacity and advance care plans, safeguarding, aviation safety, human factors, debriefing, wellbeing, clinical governance, teaching and revalidation across organisations.

 

What this question bank covers

• Motivation for PHEM
• Scene safety and triage
• Pre-hospital anaesthesia
• Catastrophic haemorrhage
• Traumatic cardiac arrest
• Head injury
• Paediatric trauma
• Major incidents and JESIP
• Entrapment and extrication
• Destination and trauma networks
• Handover and ATMIST
• Capacity and advance care plans
• Safeguarding
• Aviation and operational safety
• Human factors
• Debriefing and wellbeing
• Clinical governance and teaching
• Revalidation and professional standards

 

 

Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) NHS interview: frequently asked questions

 

What questions are asked in an NHS Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) interview?

NHS Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) interviews usually mix values-based questions with scenarios specific to the role. Typical themes include motivation for PHEM, scene safety and triage, pre-hospital anaesthesia, catastrophic haemorrhage, traumatic cardiac arrest and head injury. Every interview panel writes its own questions, so practise the themes rather than memorising answers. The 8 free questions on this page cover a spread of them.

 

What band is an NHS Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) job?

The questions on this page are pitched mainly at PHEM subspecialty trainee (ST3 and above) to Consultant posts. The band for any job depends on the trust and the responsibilities of the post, so always check the advert and job description. Higher bands bring more questions on leadership, supervising others and improving the service.

 

How should I prepare for an NHS Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) interview?

Read the job description and person specification closely, then prepare five or six real examples you can tell using the STAR method (situation, task, action, result). Revise GMC Good Medical Practice (or the GDC Standards for dental roles), consent and capacity, safeguarding, the duty of candour and patient safety. Research the trust's own values and the service you would join, and practise your answers out loud before the day.

 

Which NHS values and standards should I mention in a Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) interview?

Link your examples to the NHS values from the NHS Constitution, such as compassion, respect and dignity, and working together for patients. For this role, panels will also expect you to understand GMC Good Medical Practice (or the GDC Standards for dental roles), consent and capacity, safeguarding, the duty of candour and patient safety. Show these through what you actually did rather than reciting lists.

 

Are these real NHS Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) interview questions?

No. They are original practice questions written to reflect how NHS Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) interviews are typically run. Healthcare Interview Prep is independent and not affiliated with the NHS, and nobody can promise which questions you will be asked. Use the model answers to learn structure and content, then build answers from your own experience.

 

What do I get if I unlock the full Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) question bank?

You get all 40 Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) practice questions. Each one has what the panel is assessing, a model answer, why the answer works, key points to include, common mistakes and the NHS values it links to. It is a one-off payment of £4.99 for 12 months' access, with no subscription.

Read the full NHS Medical and Dental interview guide →