Multiple mini interviews

What to Expect in Your MMI: The Writing Station

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

The Writing Station

Not every school’s MMI will have a writing station, but the ones that do will present you with their prompt (or two and you can pick one) and a time limit. That could be eight minutes, it could be 30. The previously mentioned categories cover the type of material you might be presented with at the writing station—it could be a scenario, policy, or personal question. The only thing that makes this station different is that it is testing your written communication skills.

As we have said throughout this guide, focus on clarity in your writing. If you complete your answer, don’t feel the need to add more. You’re allowed to be done early. You might find that you run out of time and that you’re cut off before you complete your response. That’s a shame—but it happens. Don’t dwell on it. The content you have hopefully expresses some strong reasoning, etc. You likely did just fine.

What to Expect in Your MMI: Teamwork Activities

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

Teamwork Activities

Some schools will assess you in teamwork activities that you complete with another applicant. The pair of you might be asked to create an action plan together or one of you may act as an instructor and the other as a doer. (And then that gets flipped in a second exercise.)

An interviewer might ask you to build something with Lego blocks or do a puzzle together within a short timeframe. Only one of you can see a picture of the finished product, and the other person must listen to verbal instructions to assemble it. Medicine is intensely collaborative, so as silly as it seems to build a primary-colored train together, this activity will show some important communication skills. (And because more medical schools are shifting towards small group learning experiences—they want to see how you'd behave in them.)

Other schools may ask you and a larger team to find a solution to a problem or create a plan for a future program together. Things can get a little more heated here because opinions play more of a role. The most important thing to remember is that your teammates are not your competition, they are your colleagues. You won't impress your interviewers by bulldozing the other applicants and dominating the session.

Of course, you want to speak up, express your thoughts and opinions, and show leadership—but you must have a team in order to lead. Introduce yourself to your new teammates; try to remember their names and drop those names in when building upon something someone else has said. Empowering your teammates is a big deal. If you notice someone being left out of the conversation, be the person who asks, "What do you think, Tony?”

You don't have to compliment your teammates’ every suggestion but at least know what they've said so that you're always adding to it—not repeating it. If you're blocking out what a teammate is saying because you're waiting for your turn to speak, you will not do well in this team activity.

What if I don't finish?

That's okay! This isn't really about building the Lego train. You might be paired with a partner who is so nervous that they can't focus. If you're the instructor in this activity, keep your cool and show patience with your partner. Search for new ways of explaining the same concept. If you are the doer, ask thoughtful questions. This is going to reflect well on you, finished project or not.

What to Expect in Your MMI: “Teach Me How to Tie a Shoe.”

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

“Teach Me How to Tie a Shoe.”

Another potential task you might do with an actor or interviewer is walk them through a process step-by-step. One example is telling someone how to tie a shoe. Now that you’ve thought about that for a sec, you see how this might be difficult, right? Be patient with the other person and yourself. Choose your words carefully and if you make a mistake, backtrack without panic. The point of a task like this is to test your communication skills. Are you being clear? Are you being comprehensive? Are you asking your partner what they want to know more about? Are you keeping a calm tone the way we’d want a doctor to when they’re explaining a complex treatment plan?

What to Expect in Your MMI: Role-Playing Scenarios

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

Role-Playing Scenarios

"Enter the room and…" Not every school that utilizes the MMI will use role-play. But if they do, you could be presented with scenarios—in an in-person interview, it is sometimes taped to the door of a room—in which you must enter the room and speak to the actor inside as if they were your patient, a patient's family member, your colleague, or a close friend. An interviewer might be in the room watching, or there might be a camera in the room catching your big debut. (Since more schools have moved to doing interviews remotely, the “room” might be on Zoom or Kira.) Time yourself doing these practice prompts. In addition to other MMI prep, an AP advisor can act as a patient and give you notes at the end of the session.

You're not always going to "win" these scenarios. Your fake patient could continue to push back against your advice, etc. The point here is to show your empathy, thought process, and—this is the part people mess up—your ability to listen. Ask your partner questions about their thoughts, fears, or concerns. Don't give a soliloquy. Yes, this is your interview but in real life, these interactions would be conversations. Encourage an exchange. And don't be afraid to shut up sometimes.

Think about how you'd handle these scenarios:

  • A patient is refusing a treatment that would prolong his life because of its side effects. The patient's family passionately wants him to submit to treatment. Speak to this family.

  • A physician’s assistant in your gynecology practice has repeatedly misgendered a trans patient. Your patient is upset. Talk to this PA.

  • Your patient is terminally ill. Tell them.

  • A hostile patient is demanding an opioid prescription for a supposed back injury—his X-ray does not show such an injury. Talk to this patient.

  • Your best friend has been struggling with depression and is self-medicating with alcohol. Talk to her.

  • You overhear a colleague using a racial stereotype when talking about a patient. Enter the room and talk to him.

  • Your patient wants to hold off on starting a cancer treatment plan until after a family vacation in three months. Her condition is advanced, and you don’t think she should do this. Talk to this patient.

What to Expect in Your MMI: The Picture Station

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

The Picture Station

It’s possible that your MMI will include a picture station, where you are presented with an image and asked to describe it. The image could show something emotionally evocative or medicine-related or look like a vacation photo. Like most MMI stations, this one tests your communication skills. The most important thing to do here is to deliver a comprehensive response. Don’t just share what is in the image, share how the image is presented. (“On the right side…”) If the image is related to a current event or medical task, share what you know about it. If the picture makes you feel a certain emotion, share that too.

What to Expect in Your MMI: Healthcare Policy Questions

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

Healthcare Policy Questions

A blunt quiz show question on healthcare today may be in the mix. Something like: "What is an HMO?" As we mentioned in the chapter’s intro, while interviewers will never ask you to diagnose anything, they will try to find out how much you know about the world of healthcare. How well read are you? How informed? The only way to answer a question like this is to be informed. So, know some basics.

And follow the news: Is there an antibiotic shortage? Is there a controversial new Alzheimer’s treatment? Did research scientists recently grow a human nose on a pig’s back? You don’t have to have read every behind-a-paywall study that has been written in the last two years, but certainly be up on the stuff that’s in the mainstream media.

An interviewer may ask for your opinion on hot-button issues in healthcare. Think: "What are your thoughts on stem cell research?" If you don’t have an opinion on a topic because you don’t know much about it, acknowledge that it is an important or controversial topic, then pivot to something relevant that you know about in-depth. Something like: "I have not done a ton of reading on stem cell research. But because of my clinical research position, I have worked with a novel treatment and believe that…" will have to do.

Here are some other questions to ponder:

  • What would you say is the biggest challenge facing medicine today? Why?

  • Do you think doctors are paid too much?

  • What are your thoughts on predictive and pre-symptomatic genetic testing?

What to Expect in Your MMI: Small But Giant Prompts

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

Small But Giant Prompts

Not every MMI prompt will be hypothetical-scenario-based. Some will be like those comically brief traditional interview questions encouraging huge, important answers. Yes, "Why our school?" could rear its head again. To answer this, connect the dots between your past experiences and current interests, with what is happening at the school, what resources they have, etc. Be ready for “Tell me about a time that you failed” and “Tell me about a time when you had a conflict” again too.

Related: What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: "Tell Me About A Time When..."

What to Expect in Your MMI: Critical Thinking Scenarios

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

Critical Thinking Scenarios

Here’s the thing: Every question you’re asked in an MMI is going to require critical thinking and explaining your thought process. We’re simply adding this short selection of questions that obviously require critical thinking so that you can more consciously practice meeting those goals.

  • A patient with breast cancer is curious about Eastern Medicine, particularly acupuncture. How would you discuss this topic with her?

  • How would you handle multiple patients leaving negative reviews about you online?

  • What should be the primary focus of medicine—preventing or treating disease?

  • What is responsible conduct in medical research?

What to Expect in Your MMI: Moral & Ethical Scenarios (Part 3)

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

Other Probing Moral and Ethical Prompts.

Consider how you would respond to these additional Moral and Ethical prompts:

  • You’re a year-three medical student. A classmate tells you he plans on cheating on your next exam. What do you do?

  • Is it ever okay to lie to a patient? To a patient's family?

  • Your cousin was injured in a car accident. Her doctor declined to prescribe her prescription pain medication, telling her to take over-the-counter meds instead. She seems to be in a lot of pain—and she has never abused substances. Do you prescribe her a medication?

  • A patient has tested positive for an STI and indicates that he will not be telling his partner about it. His partner is also your patient. What do you do?

  • You catch a colleague sleeping on the job. Do you address this? How?

  • A patient covered in bruises confesses that they're being abused by their partner but insists that they have things under control now. What do you do?

  • A meteor is about to hit Earth. You can save five people. Who do you choose?

When Morality and Ethics Collide.

There are times when your personal beliefs may conflict with your ability to provide a legal medical procedure, such as abortion or physician-assisted death. So, what then? You can be a conscientious objector. But that doesn’t preclude you from providing your patient with information on a doctor who would not have the same objections that you do. Would you do that? Walk the interviewer through your thought process and proposed actions.

Conversely, you might find that a patient's or patient’s family’s strong beliefs conflict with your goals as a doctor. “Our applicants struggled with one scenario we presented in the past in which a patient in a coma requires a blood transfusion,” shares one admissions team member. “The patient is a Jehovah’s Witness, and some members—including this patient’s outspoken family—believe their religion forbids blood transfusions. So, what do you do as the patient’s physician? I would struggle with that scenario too.” Your response to this is personal. We just want to set you up for the possibility of such a question and encourage you to break down your reasoning when responding, even if you cannot come to a conclusion that you feel is 100% the right move.

What to Expect in Your MMI: Moral & Ethical Scenarios (Part 2)

Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But familiarizing yourself with the various types of MMI questions and practicing responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time.

Moral and Ethical Scenarios.

Think about how you would answer this ethical question: A minor teenage patient asks you for a prescription for birth control pills—and doesn't want their parents to know about it. How would you handle this request?

Here's an example of a response to this question:

"If there are neither state laws limiting my ability nor significant health risks present, I would give my teenage patient a prescription for birth control without their parents’ knowledge. I would not tell their parents because the teen is my patient and deserves doctor-patient confidentiality. But there are things I would want to discuss before providing this prescription.

I would first provide my patient with information on all their birth control options. I'd advise my patient to use condoms as a secondary form of contraception to prevent STIs and ask them what they know about STIs.

Next, I'd want to establish that they want to have sex and that this isn't a case of a partner pressuring them to have sex. If the latter is true, it wouldn't determine whether I'd prescribe birth control, but it would influence our conversation, as I'd want to take care of my patient's mental health as well as their physical health. I'd also ask about their partner's (or partners’) age. Many age of consent laws have a close-in-age exemption, but some do not. I’d inform my patient if that was the case in our state, just so they’re aware of certain risks. If my patient revealed that they were already sexually active with a partner who was older than 18, I'd refer to my state's age of consent. I am required by law to report any suspected child abuse. I would also direct my patient to information on predatory behaviors.

If their partner was their same age, I likely would not weigh in on a 16- or 17-year-old’s choices beyond asking the aforementioned questions and providing helpful resources. But I might respectfully discourage a younger patient from having sex in the same way that I'd encourage a young patient to take care of their still maturing body and mind in other ways. (I know I'd advise my 14-year-old cousin or niece to consider waiting to have sex.) But again, I would still give a prescription to any patient that I legally can prescribe to, whether I was a family doctor or practicing at a sexual health center."

This is not a gut reaction—it's thoughtful, it's careful. This response considers legality—that's important. It involves a thorough conversation between doctor and patient. Wanting to connect shows empathy and asking the patient questions and providing answers to questions that they have or haven’t asked shows strong communication skills. The answer also expresses the respondent's personal beliefs; they would advise a 14-year-old relative to think more before having sex at such a young age. You might think this info has no place in the answer, but the interviewer wants to hear your internal monologue, not only what you'd say aloud to the patient. What matters most is that your resulting action is based on facts and that you showed your patient respect, not harsh judgment. You may not agree with this sample answer—but you should understand why it's a strong one.

What to Expect in Your MMI: Moral & Ethical Scenarios (Part 1)

Schools' MMI questions are randomized and confidential. (You might have to sign a confidentiality agreement before a Multiple Mini Interview.) Over the next week, we will offer examples of the kinds of MMI questions a school might ask. Memorizing a ton of sample questions isn’t the way to go. But practicing the various types of MMI responses will help you make cogent statements that express desirable qualities within a set time. Having an Apply Point consultant administer a mock MMI will add the bonus of thoughtful feedback.

Moral and Ethical Scenarios.

These prompts are the ones that terrify applicants. They feel so high stakes. For example: Decide which of these two patients gets an organ transplant. Geez Louise.

Many MMI questions—especially the ones about morals and ethics—may omit details you might've considered when contemplating your answer. Fill in those blanks and consider them still because your answer could be conditional from an ethical or legal standpoint. "Conditional" does not mean wishy-washy but rather "If X factor is present, then my answer is Y."

Think about how you would answer this ethical question: A minor teenage patient asks you for a prescription for birth control pills—and doesn't want their parents to know about it. How would you handle this request?

You might reflexively have an answer to this—but pause and consider potential conditional factors, even if you ultimately dismiss them. Beyond answering your patient's request, what else might you discuss with your patient? You might ponder these questions:

  • Are there legal matters to consider?

  • Are there health risks to consider?

  • Is your patient sexually active already or considering becoming sexually active?

  • Is your patient 13 or 17?

  • Will your patient be using a second form of protection to prevent STIs?

  • Are they being pressured into a sexual relationship?

  • Is there anything you should know about their partner/partners—like how old they are?

  • If those things were not factors in your decision making, why not?

Check back tomorrow for a sample response to this question.

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Final Thoughts

Small But Giant Prompts. Not every MMI prompt will be hypothetical-scenario-based. Some will be like those comically brief traditional interview questions encouraging huge, important answers. Yes, "Why our school?" could rear its head again. To answer this, connect the dots between your past experiences and current interests, with what is happening at the school, what resources they have, etc. Be ready for “Tell me about a time that you failed” and “Tell me about a time when you had a conflict” again too. Review your secondary essay responses and go right ahead and reuse any applicable content. Those were your experiences and your takeaways, after all. There's no need to invent a whole new self.  

Critical thinking. Every question you’re asked in an MMI is going to require critical thinking and explaining your thought process. We’re simply adding this short selection of questions that obviously require critical thinking so that you can more consciously practice meeting those goals. 

  • A patient with breast cancer is curious about Eastern Medicine, particularly acupuncture. How would you discuss this topic with her? 

  • How would you handle multiple patients leaving negative reviews about you online? 

  • What should be the primary focus of medicine—preventing or treating disease? 

  • What is responsible conduct in medical research?

On Blowing It at an MMI Station. You obviously want to do well at all these stations. But what if you blow one of them big-time? Welp, take a deep breath and move on. At your next station, you’ll be assessed by a new interviewer who has no idea what just happened. If you come in strong at other stations, having one fumble will not lose you the game. Your score is cumulative, with each station being worth between one and 10 points. And it is relative. Your performance will be compared to other applicants’. (Maybe the other applicants bombed too!) You almost certainly will make a mistake at some point—probably right out of the gate. “There is research on it—the first response is shakiest no matter what competency is being tested,” said a test facilitator. “Most applicants will get better at this in a matter of minutes. And by mid-interview season, they’ll be a pro.”

Related:

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Moral & Ethical Situations

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Healthcare Policy Questions

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Role Playing Scenarios

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Teamwork Activities

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Writing and Picture Stations

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Writing and Picture Stations

The Picture Station. It’s possible that your MMI will include a picture station, where you are presented with an image and asked to describe it. The image could show something emotionally evocative or medicine-related or look like a vacation photo. Like most MMI stations, this one tests your communication   skills. The most important thing to do here is to deliver a comprehensive response. Don’t just share what is in the image, share how the image is presented. (“On the right side…”) If the image is related to a current event or medical task, share what you know about it. If the picture makes you feel a certain emotion, share that too.

The Writing Station. Not every school will have a writing station, but the ones that do will present you with their prompt (or two and you can pick one) and a time limit. That could be eight minutes, it could be 30.  Our previous blog posts cover the type of material you might be presented with at the writing station—it could be a scenario, policy, or personal question. The only thing that makes this station different is that it is testing your written communication skills.

As we have often said, you’ll want to focus on clarity in your writing. If you complete your answer, don’t feel the need to add more. You’re allowed to be done early. You might find that you run out of time and that you’re cut off before you complete your response. That’s a shame—but it happens. Don’t dwell on it. The content you have hopefully expresses some strong reasoning, etc. You likely did just fine.

Related:

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Moral & Ethical Situations

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Healthcare Policy Questions

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Role Playing Scenarios

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Teamwork Activities

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Final Thoughts

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Teamwork Activities

Medicine is a team sport. To gauge your collaboration skills, some schools will assess you in teamwork activities that you complete with another applicant. The pair of you might be asked to create an action plan together or one of you may act as an instructor and the other as a doer. (And then that gets flipped in a second exercise.)

An interviewer might ask you to build something with Lego blocks or do a puzzle together within a short timeframe. Only one of you can see a picture of the finished product, and the other person must listen to verbal instructions to assemble it. Medicine is intensely collaborative, so as silly as it seems to build a primary-colored train together, this activity will show some important communication skills. (And because more medical schools are shifting towards small group learning experiences—they want to see how you'd behave in them.)

Other schools may ask you and a larger team to find a solution to a problem or create a plan for a future program together. Things can get a little more heated here because opinions play more of a role. The most important thing to remember is that your teammates are not your competition, they are your colleagues. Listening to and empowering your teammates is a big deal. If you notice someone being left out of the conversation, be the person who asks, "What do you think, Tony?” If you're blocking out what a teammate is saying because you're waiting for your turn to speak, you will not do well in this team activity.

What if I don't finish?

That's okay! This isn't really about building the Lego train. You might be paired with a complete dud of a partner, someone who is so nervous that they can't focus. If you're the instructor in this activity, keep your cool and show patience with your partner. Search for new ways of explaining the same concept. If you are the doer, ask thoughtful questions. This is going to reflect well on you, finished project or not.

Related:

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Moral & Ethical Situations

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Healthcare Policy Questions

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Role Playing Scenarios

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Writing and Picture Stations

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Final Thoughts

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Role Playing Scenarios

"Enter the room and…" Not every school that utilizes the MMI will use role-play. But if they do, you could be presented with scenarios—in an in-person interview, it is sometimes taped to the door of a room—in which you must enter the room and speak to the actor inside as if they were your patient, a patient's family member, your colleague, or a close friend. An interviewer might be in the room watching, or there might be a camera in the room catching your big debut. (Since more schools have moved to doing interviews remotely, the “room” might be on Zoom or Kira.) Time yourself doing these practice prompts. In addition to other MMI prep, if you’re working with Apply Point, your AP advisor can act as a patient and give you notes at the end of the session.

You're not always going to "win" these scenarios. Your fake patient could continue to push back against your advice, etc. The point here is to show your empathy, thought process, and—this is the part people mess up—your ability to listen. Ask your partner questions about their thoughts, fears, or concerns. Don't give a soliloquy. Yes, this is your interview but in real life, these interactions would be conversations. Encourage an exchange. And don't be afraid to be quiet sometimes.

Think about how you'd handle these scenarios:

  • A patient is refusing a treatment that would prolong his life because of its side effects. The patient's family passionately wants him to submit to treatment. Speak to this family.

  • A physician’s assistant in your gynecology practice has repeatedly misgendered a trans patient. Your patient is upset. Talk to this PA.

  • Your patient is terminally ill. Tell them.

  • A hostile patient is demanding an opioid prescription for a supposed back injury—his X-ray does not show such an injury. Talk to this patient.

  • Your best friend has been struggling with depression and is self-medicating with alcohol. Talk to her.

  • You overhear a colleague using a racial stereotype when talking about a patient. Enter the room and talk to him.

  • Your patient wants to hold off on starting a cancer treatment plan until after a family vacation in three months. Her condition is advanced, and you don’t think she should do this. Talk to this patient.

“Teach Me How to Tie a Shoe.”

Another potential task you might do with an actor or interviewer is walk them through a process step-by-step. One example is telling someone how to tie a shoe. Now that you’ve thought about that for a sec, you see how this might be difficult, right? Be patient with the other person and

yourself. Choose your words carefully and if you make a mistake, backtrack without panic. The point of a task like this is to test your communication skills. Are you being clear? Are you being comprehensive? Are you asking your partner what they want to know more about? Are you keeping a calm tone the way we’d want a doctor to when they’re explaining a complex treatment plan?

Related:

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Moral & Ethical Situations

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Healthcare Policy Questions

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Teamwork Activities

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Writing and Picture Stations

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Final Thoughts


The Med School’s MMI Interview: Healthcare Policy Questions

As you move through the MMI stations, a blunt quiz show question on healthcare today may be in the mix. Something like: "What is an HMO?" While interviewers will never ask you to diagnose anything, they will try to find out how much you know about the world of healthcare. How well read are you? How informed? The only way to answer a question like this is to be informed. So, know some basics.

And follow the news: Is there an antibiotic shortage? Is there a controversial new Alzheimer’s treatment? Did research scientists recently grow a human nose on a pig’s back? You don’t have to have read every behind-a-paywall study that has been written in the last two years, but certainly be up on the stuff that’s in the mainstream media. The New York Times is great for current events related to health care, as are MedPage Today, MedScape, and Stat News. We also recommend that you set up Google alerts for key phrases related to healthcare and/or your research interests and desired specialty to ensure you’re up to date.

An interviewer may ask for your opinion on hot-button issues in healthcare. Think: "What are your thoughts on stem cell research?" If you don’t have an opinion on a topic because you don’t know much about it, acknowledge that it is an important or controversial topic, then pivot to something relevant that you know about in-depth. Something like: "I have not done a ton of reading on stem cell research. But because of my clinical research position, I have worked with a novel treatment and believe that…" will have to do. 

Here are some other Healthcare Policy Questions to ponder: 

  • What would you say is the biggest challenge facing medicine today? Why? 

  • Do you think doctors are paid too much? 

  • What are your thoughts on predictive and presymptomatic genetic testing?

Related:

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Moral & Ethical Situations

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Role Playing Scenarios

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Teamwork Activities

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Writing and Picture Stations

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Final Thoughts

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Moral & Ethical Situations

In an MMI interview, the Moral & Ethical Situation prompts are the ones that terrify applicants. They feel so high stakes. For example: Decide which of these two patients gets an organ transplant. Geez Louise.

Many MMI questions—especially the ones about morals and ethics—may omit details you might've considered when contemplating your answer. Fill in those blanks and consider them still because your answer could be conditional from an ethical or legal standpoint. "Conditional" does not mean wishy-washy but rather "If X factor is present, then my answer is Y."

Think about how you would answer this ethical question: A minor teenage patient asks you for a prescription for birth control pills—and doesn't want their parents to know about it. How would you handle this request?

You might reflexively have an answer to this—but pause and consider potential conditional factors, even if you ultimately dismiss them. Beyond answering your patient's request, what else might you discuss with your patient? You might ponder these questions:

  • Are there legal matters to consider?

  • Are there health risks to consider?

  • Is your patient sexually active already or considering becoming sexually active?

  • Is your patient 13 or 17?

  • Will your patient be using a second form of protection to prevent STIs?

  • Are they being pressured into a sexual relationship?

  • Is there anything you should know about their partner/partners—like how old they are?

  • If those things were not factors in your decision-making, why not?

Here's an example of a response to this question:

"If there are neither state laws limiting my ability nor significant health risks present, I would give my teenage patient a prescription for birth control without their parents’ knowledge. I would not tell their parents because the teen is my patient and deserves doctor-patient confidentiality. But there are things I would want to discuss before providing this prescription.

I would first provide my patient with information on all their birth control options. I'd advise my patient to use condoms as a secondary form of contraception to prevent STIs and ask them what they know about STIs.

Next, I'd want to establish that they want to have sex and that this isn't a case of a partner pressuring them to have sex. If the latter is true, it wouldn't determine whether I'd prescribe birth control, but it would influence our conversation, as I'd want to take care of my patient's mental health as well as their physical health. I'd also ask about their partner's (or partners’) age. Many age of consent laws have a close-in-age exemption, but some do not. I’d inform my patient if that was the case in our state, just so they’re aware of certain risks. If my patient revealed that they were already sexually active with a partner who was older than 18, I'd refer to my state's age of consent. I am required by law to report any suspected child abuse. I would also direct my patient to information on predatory behaviors.

If their partner was their same age, I likely would not weigh in on a 16- or 17-year-old’s choices beyond asking the aforementioned questions and providing helpful resources. But I might respectfully discourage a younger patient from having sex in the same way that I'd encourage a young patient to take care of their still maturing body and mind in other ways. (I know I'd advise my 14-year-old cousin or niece to consider waiting to have sex.) But again, I would still give a prescription to any patient that I legally can prescribe to, whether I was a family doctor or practicing at a sexual health center."

This is not a gut reaction—it's thoughtful, it's careful. This response considers legality—that's important. It involves a thorough conversation between doctor and patient. Wanting to connect shows empathy and asking the patient questions and providing answers to questions that they have or haven’t asked shows strong communication skills. The answer also expresses the respondent's personal beliefs; they would advise a 14-year-old relative to think more before having sex at such a young age. You might think this info has no place in the answer, but the interviewer wants to hear your internal monologue, not only what you'd say aloud to the patient. What matters most is that your resulting action is based on facts and that you showed your patient respect, not harsh judgment. You may not agree with this sample answer—but you should understand why it's a strong one.

Related:

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Healthcare Policy Questions

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Role Playing Scenarios

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Teamwork Activities

The Med School’s MMI Interview: Writing and Picture Stations

The Medical School Interview: Preparing for the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)

More medical schools, including those at Duke, NYU, University of Massachusetts, and Rutgers, are using the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) to evaluate applicants. This is because it is an effective way to evaluate an applicant’s ability to process a complex scenario or issue under pressure and use critical thinking, teamwork, and communication skills to provide a response. It also reduces interviewer bias by allowing prospective students the opportunity for numerous interactions, which decreases the relative importance of any one interviewer’s opinion. 

Multiple Mini Interviews typically consist of between six and ten interview stations, with some schools including rest stations in between. Interviewees are provided with a question prompt or scenario and are given a short period of time to think, before they are asked to engage with the interviewer for a five- to eight-minute response. The questions may ask the applicant to collaborate with other interviewees, act out a scenario, respond to an ethical dilemma, write an essay, or elaborate on a past clinical experience. Whatever the format, interviewers are looking for applicants to showcase a strong sense of ethics and the ability to see multiple viewpoints. 

To prepare for an MMI, you should review dozens of practice prompts. While there is no way to predict the exact questions you will be asked, if you practice, you will gain comfort processing a prompt, assessing a situation quickly, applying one of our many frameworks in your response, and you will come into your MMI interview day feeling confident and prepared.  

We also recommend that you...

Stay informed. Read newspapers and health journals every single day to ensure that you’re up to date on key topics in medical ethics and healthcare policy. Write down the topic areas that you encounter frequently and take an informed position. Practice speaking on your position(s), out loud, with an eight-minute time limit.

Participate in Mock Interviews. Mock MMI interviews will give you a realistic interview experience after which you can gather candid feedback. Record these meetings and critique your responses, focusing on how well you verbalized your thought process and supported your viewpoint. You should also take note of how adequately you made use of the available time. 

And on Interview Day…

  • Use your time carefully. Do not rush. During the two minutes of preparatory time, outline your response and the general timing you’d like to abide by to make each of your key points. 

  • If the question allows you to make a counter-argument, do so, and share why you opted for the conclusion you did. If it is an ethical or values-based question, be sure to point out areas of nuance.

  • Start fresh. Regardless of how well or poorly you did at the last station, leave it behind and focus entirely on current prompt. 

Related:

The Medical School Interview

Your medical school interview will be the most influential component of your application. It is your chance to showcase your personality, drive, and commitment to a medical career as well as those characteristics that will benefit your medical school class and future patients.

Scheduling the Interview

Most medical schools have rolling admissions so we recommend scheduling your interview as early as possible in the interview season, which runs from the fall to the spring. Before solidifying your travel plans, you should also contact nearby schools to which you’ve applied and let them know you have an interview in the area in case they have availability. This serves the dual purpose of letting the other school know that you are “in demand,” while also showcasing your strong interest in their program.

What are the Interviewers Looking for?

Most medical schools will offer prospective students one or two 30-minute interviews with faculty members or students. The interviewers are looking to assess your interpersonal traits, commitment to and aptitude for medicine, potential contributions to the school/community, and to discuss and resolve any red flags in your academic and/or professional record. They will also want to ensure that your interview is consistent with your application.

Interview Types

The Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) 

The MMI is growing in popularity within the United States and consists of multiple “stations” through which each applicant rotates. At each station, you are given a scenario, asked to role-play, or asked to do a team exercise. You are provided a couple of minutes to read each exercise and prepare, then you must have a discussion with the interviewers and/or perform the team task. 

The scenarios are designed to evaluate your ability to critically assess a situation under pressure by presenting a dilemma to which you must respond. Be sure to carefully consider the various sides of the issue and address them all. Role playing exercises specifically evaluate your communication skills, while team tasks assess your leadership and collaboration potential. Some stations may be clinically based while others are not. 

The Traditional One-on-One Interview 

This interview type is the most common and focuses on behavioral-style interview questions such as: 

  • Tell me about yourself.

  • Why School X?

  • Talk to me about a time that you challenged the group consensus. 

  • What has been your most meaningful clinical experience to date?  Why? 

  • What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

  • Tell me about your biggest failure.

In an “Open File” interview, the interviewer will have access to your submission materials, but don’t assume that your interviewer knows anything about you as he/she may not have had time to review your file. In a “Closed File” interview, the interviewer will have limited access to your application. 

The Group Interview 

This situation involves several interviewers and interviewees. The objective is to see how you interact with and respond to others. Be sure to listen attentively to everyone’s answers and showcase your ability to be a team player. 

The Panel Interview 

Typically, the panel includes multiple interviewers with just one interviewee. Their questions will likely be a mix of MMI-style and behavioral-style.

Apply Point’s Tips for Success

  • Outline the key points and experiences you would like to discuss within the behavioral interview and take responsibility for bringing up these points. It is most helpful to review all of your application materials again, and highlight those stories that will showcase your abilities and strengths in the areas of leadership, problem solving, teamwork, and empathy, as well as those experiences that reinforced your commitment to the study of medicine. 

  • Nearly every response to a behavioral interview question should have a story, even those that don’t ask you to recall a specific situation—Questions such as: What is your greatest strength?  Or what is your leadership style? Give one or two strengths, and then tell a story that will SHOW the interviewer that strength in action on a group project. A good story woven into every response will make your interview more compelling and memorable to the interviewer. 

  • Speak about any recent accomplishments or events not included in your application. Continue to improve your candidacy even after you’ve submitted your application.

  • Be proactive about bringing up red flags or weaknesses in your application. Address these head-on during the interview because they will inevitably come up within the admissions committee’s discussions. Rather than make excuses, talk about what you’ve learned and how you will continue to improve moving forward.

  • Practice delivering your responses to interview questions aloud, and be sure to limit most responses (to behavioral interview questions) to between two and three minutes. Ask us for a list of MMI and behavioral interview questions so you can practice and prepare for both types. 

  • At the end of the interview, thank your interviewer, reiterate to them if their program is your first choice, and send a hand-written thank you note.

Related:

  

The Multiple Mini Interview: Preparation and Day-of Tips for Success

Each year, an increasing number of U.S. medical schools are using the Multiple Mini Interview, an interview type focused on obtaining a deeper understanding of how a student processes information under pressure and uses critical thinking skills to derive an answer. The unique format allows prospective students multiple opportunities to make a “first impression” and reduces interviewer bias because of the recurrence of opportunities for a student to think through and address various types of questions.   

Multiple Mini Interviews typically consist of between four and ten interview stations, some with rest stations included in between. At the stations, interviewees are provided with a question prompt and a couple of minutes to think through the situation, then they’re asked to respond within a five to eight-minute period. The requested response could take various forms including collaborating with other prospective students, acting out a scenario, responding to an ethical or policy scenario, writing an essay, or providing a behavioral interview response. Whatever the format, applicants’ responses must showcase critical thinking skills, strong sense of ethics, and ability to see multiple viewpoints.

Preparation for the MMI should be focused on increasing your comfort level in reading a prompt and analyzing the question quickly so that you can articulate a thorough and comprehensive response. The MMI does not aim to assess your knowledge of specific topic areas, but rather is a format designed to extract a more genuine version of you.

We recommend you consider the following as you prepare for the interview:

  • Don’t forget the goal. As you practice your MMI responses, be sure that you’re integrating qualities into your answers that demonstrate intellectual curiosity, empathy, humility, professionalism, commitment to medicine and research, and tenacity. MMI questions are designed to reveal an authentic version of you, so as you prepare, make sure that you’re highlighting those qualities that will make you an excellent medical student and doctor.
  • Get current. Familiarize yourself with policy and ethical issues in healthcare by reading about current events. Write down key topic areas you encounter frequently and take informed positions. Practice describing your position, out loud, with an eight-minute time limit.
  • Practice your pace. If possible, participate in mock MMI interviews to get a more realistic interview experience and gather candid feedback. If you do not have someone to provide a mock interview, review sample MMI questions and record and time your responses. Critique your responses, focusing on how well you verbalized your thought process and supported your viewpoint, as well as, how adequately you made use of the time available. While this exercise may feel uncomfortable at first, it will be helpful to get used to working within the time constraints of the interview.  And viewing a recording will help you to hear/see what improvements you need to make.

On the day of the interview:

  • Read each prompt carefully and think through all aspects of the response. If the question allows you to make a counter-argument, do so, and share why you opted for the conclusion you did. If it is an ethical or values-based question, be sure to point out areas of nuance.
  • Make eye contact, look friendly, speak clearly and use every station as an opportunity to showcase your professionalism. If you start to stumble or get frustrated, take a deep breath or sip of water and compose yourself before continuing.
  • Use your time carefully; during the two minutes of preparatory time, outline your response and the general timing you’d like to abide by to make each of your key points.
  • Start fresh at each station; regardless of how well or poorly you did in the last mini interview, leave it behind and focus entirely on the prompt at hand.
  • For introverts, the MMI can be particularly challenging. Be sure to give yourself some quiet time prior to the MMI to gather your energy.

Your story set apart.