Hi everyone,
For those who have interviewed here, do you have any tips for the MMI? What is the MMI structure of this school?
Are there actors? Or are there faculty members who ask questions? Is it booth formatted or do we walk into private rooms?
As it's getting closer, the more nervous I'm getting. I don't know how else to prepare for the interview!!! Help!
I have not interviewed at this school yet, but I wanted to mention that oftentimes programs make you sign an agreement to not share certain aspects of the experience with anyone else. I think content is the main concern there, but it’s good to be careful! Overall, if you’re prepared in terms of the broad content area that may be discussed and in the realm of interpersonal skills, small variations in structure (like whether there are roleplaying scenarios or just discussions) probably shouldn’t phase you. Just my 2 cents.
Anyhow, I have done 3 MMIs now, and I’ve found this guy’s videos extremely relevant and helpful. I recommend watching a couple to get a good sense of how he approaches the problems then for the next videos pausing and writing down or stating your own thought process. When you feel comfortable, you can just pause the video right after the scenario is described, time yourself at 6-8 minutes, and record yourself giving a well-reasoned and compassionate response, then follow up with watching the video. If you came to one of the recommended responses or used a similar thought process, you’re probably in great shape!
I think I pretty much watched them all using this strategy, and I did find that the thought process and focusing on some of the values he brings up (autonomy, competency, etc.) helps immensely with feeling prepared and comfortable for most MMI interview questions. I literally found myself grinning after reading some scenarios because I felt so comfortable with the content after watching the videos, and I got to focus on readying myself for the social interaction. Recording yourself should also help with soft skills, which matter for any interview type/scenario.
Watch some videos on basic interview etiquette (good posture, good eye contact, introducing yourself and asking their name, strong but not overly jumpy handshake—moderately firm grip with a single shake—not interrupting, smiling throughout) and watch some videos on active listening techniques. I took counseling classes in college and found that a lot of the techniques for conveying care, human interest, and professionalism apply in just about any professional setting.
For any interview, know your application well. Read your AMCAS, TMDSAS, etc. application and your transcripts over, and anticipate some related questions. Any gaps in your education or moments of weakness? Be prepared to discuss those with insight and humble confidence. Know what you liked about different courses, even courses seemingly unrelated to medicine. Be able to discuss your hobbies and how you take care of yourself. Be able to remark on each of your activities and what you learned from them as well as challenges you faced. Look up some wildcard questions (“What kind of soda would you be and why?”—Asked during an interview unrelated to medicine, so I can share that with you) and become comfortable thinking about things like that. Be able to list 3 strengths and 3 weaknesses (nothing too extreme that would make you a bad physician, but an actual weakness—mine have been stubbornness and ease of boredom—and discuss how you make a point to combat it in your behavior if not your initial impulses) and apply one of those to various question types.
Definitely know your specific reasons for being interested in the program. Rereading your secondary application essays may help with this, but do some more research, too. I have made interview prep documents for each of my II schools and listed unique advantages of hypothetically attending each institution. Location is fine, but that shouldn’t be your main reason for interest in the program. You should know why it’s a good “fit” for you in terms of the way they have organized their program and what opportunities they offer. Maybe you really like the Pass/Fail grading policy because you feel it facilitates cameraderie between students, and you thrive in mutually encouraging team environments. Maybe you have an interest in several ongoing research projects at the school, community service opportunities, or clerkship (normally 3rd/4th year clinical rotation) sites. Find out what makes the school special to you and why you could be special to the school.
Finally, if you run across a topic you know nothing about (say, the specifics of Trumpcare—it’s kept going through change after change, so I doubt you’ll have to know much about it, but I can’t remark on whether I’ve been asked about it so far), you can always ask more questions. Of course, read about medically relevant news as well as culturally and politically relevant news, because really anything is on the table as long as it can help the interviewers get a sense of your logical reasoning abilities, communication skills, understanding of ethics, and empathy. Supposedly you aren’t being tested on your science knowledge, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to know the names of common medications, basics about healthcare policy, recent research developments, etc.
Best of luck! This is your time to shine. It’s okay to be nervous, but just remember how awesome it is that you’ve made it this far.
... preferably an II, but the silence is killing me.
