The Multiple Mini Interview, or MMI, has become a popular interview format for medical schools and direct medical programs (BS/MD and BS/DO) and can be one of the hardest formats for students to prepare for. However, it is an effective way for the admissions panel to learn more about you and your values.

Students waiting for a multiple mini interview to start.

During a Multiple Mini Interview, you will be participating in various short problem-based stations. Each station will typically last for five minutes, and many times there will be a series of six to 10 interview stations. Sometimes the medical school will partition the auditorium into individual stations, whereas other times students will go into private classrooms to answer the prompts. You have two minutes to read the prompt beforehand and formulate your answer.

At each station, you will have to answer a variety of questions, often related to ethical dilemmas, dealing with difficult situations, and doctor-patient interactions. The students are sometimes tested on how to navigate issues that anyone might encounter in their everyday life. In addition, you should have some general knowledge about issues that a medical doctor might encounter regarding patient confidentiality and cultural competence.

The MMI format is unique because the applicant is given multiple opportunities throughout the interview to display their skills and values. Because each station has a different admissions committee member, the opinions of each interviewee carry equal weight. Therefore, if you feel like you didnt perform as well in one particular session, you have an opportunity to do better in the next. You essentially have the ability to make numerous first impressions throughout the process.

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is one school that uses the MMI format to interview their direct medical students. VCU uses this type of interview to get to know the students better and because they feel that it puts less pressure on students than the traditional interview format. The interviewers never know the credentials of the applicants, and the scores that they give the students are based solely on the performance at each individual station.

According toMcMaster University, where the MMI was created, it was designed to provide students with diverse backgrounds the chance to convey their academic and personal experiences. Because it is impossible to give each potential doctor a trial run in a clinic to better understand their suitability for the medical field, the MMI format was designed to help the candidate paint a picture of themselves and who they will be as a physician. With that in mind, the medical school can better understand how the candidate would react in a clinical setting based on their responses.

Women speaking at a multiple mini interview

The students have already proven that they are academically qualified, so the MMI will not test specific knowledge of a particular subject. Instead, students are assessed on their ability to communicate and defend their personal opinions. There are no right answers for many of these situations, so the key is to define your position and then defend it.

There is no way you can pre-design answers for the majority of the MMI questions. However, what you can do is go through as many MMI prep questions as possible to better understand your own morals, opinions, biases and views on major public issues.

In general, there are four basic categories that you will encounter during an MMI interview. The first and most common is when the interviewee is presented with a scenario and then must answer specific questions.

The second category is a role-play situation, where the student must interact with an actor. The interviewer observes the situation. The third type of scenario the student will likely see is the simple tasks. Two applicants will come together in this scenario, and one student must perform a task with the second student guiding the first student.

The final category mirrors a traditional interview format, with one student and one interviewer. You might be asked more basic questions about your own experiences and aspirations.

What can be so off-putting about an MMI interview is the lack of interaction between the applicant and the interviewer. Often times, once the student gives his answer, the interviewer will not make a reaction and will try to stay neutral. As soon as the time at the station is over, the applicant must quickly switch gears and move to the next station. There is little time for small talk or conversation.

Station 1:You have just run over your neighbors dog on accident when backing your car out of the driveway. You have five minutes to tell him the news.

What this scenario tests: Your integrity, communication skills and empathy towards others.

Station 2:You are given the age, sex, and occupation of 15 individuals. A bomb is about to go off, and you can only save five of them. Which ones do you save and why?

What this scenario tests: Your ability to prioritize, think under pressure and solve problems.

Station 3:Explain how to tie shoelaces. However, you may not use your hands to describe or make any gestures.

What this scenario tests: Your verbal communication skills, ability to break down a task into actionable, smaller steps and your ability to give clear instructions.

Station 4:In 2015, a hospital put in place an influenza control policy which required all hospital staff members to either wear a mask during flu season or get the flu vacation. If you are on a committee deciding whether enacting a mandatory flu vaccination policy for all people working with patients in the healthcare industry in New York, what would you research before making a recommendation?

What this scenario tests: Your ability to think critically and analytically, your consideration of multiple perspectives and an understanding of ethical principles related to this issue.

Station 5:What experiences have you had that lead you to believe you would be a good physician? What insights did you gain from your experiences?

What this scenario tests: The thought you have put into the necessary qualities of a physician and your ability to support your claim with past experiences.

Student at a multiple mini interview

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What Pre-Med Students Can Expect From The MMI Interview - Forbes