BS/MD And Medical Schools That Use The Multiple Mini Interview

By Brandie Erickson • August 25, 2023 • BS/MD Admissions Consulting Interview Prep Press

 

The MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) is a common interview type that medical schools and direct medical programs (BS/MD) use to evaluate candidates.

 

This dynamic interview process allows evaluators to judge the candidates as they respond to a series of role-playing scenarios, ethical dilemmas, or personal challenge questions. Typically, the interviewee will be given two minutes to read the MMI prompt and formulate their strategy. They are then given 5-10 minutes to respond to the scenario.

 

As the interviewee reads the prompt, they shouldn’t just be thinking about what the prompt says, but also what is unsaid. It’s essential to think critically about what questions might pop up and how they might influence your response to the scenario. Candidates are evaluated on their ability to think through the scenarios logically and consider all sides of the situation.

 

What makes MMI so intimidating is that there often is no one right answer—the candidate could respond to the scenario in many different ways. As long as the interviewee expresses these other avenues out loud to the evaluator, it can showcase their ability to be flexible, correctly read difficult situations, and address challenging questions. While there is no one correct answer, there are wrong answers. Suppose a scenario is testing interviewees on a moral or ethical dilemma, and they don’t display honesty, professionalism, empathy, or integrity in their answers. In that case, it is a clear sign to the medical school or BS/MD program that the student isn’t a good fit for their program.
 
 

The Difference Between BS/MD Vs. Medical School MMI Interviews

 

Pre-med students will have more years of experience compared to a high school student. They might have been able to work as scribes, medical assistants, or research assistants. These extra years of experience mean that their medical knowledge and grasp of medical ethics should be much stronger. Therefore, the level of technical expertise expected will be deeper for a medical school applicant versus a BS/MD applicant.

Common MMI topics that a medical school applicant might encounter:

  • Vaccines
  • Terminal illness
  • Ethical dilemmas
  • Cultural competency
  • Cheating or stealing
  • Teamwork
  • Medicaid vs. Medicaid
  • Current topics/issues in the healthcare field
  • End-of-life care
  • Abortion
  • Safe injection programs
  • Personal experience/challenge questions
  • Wildcard questions (for example, having to explain how to tie a shoe without using your hands
 
Because a BS/MD applicant won’t have that same level of experience, they may not encounter any questions requiring medical knowledge, or at least fewer questions. The common MMI topics that a BS/MD applicant might encounter:
 
  • Cheating or stealing
  • Teamwork
  • Ethical dilemmas
  • Current topics/issues in the healthcare field
  • Personal experience/challenge questions
  • Wildcard questions
 
You can read the full article and see the list of Medical schools that use the MMI Interview here.
 
Want to know more or need help preparing for MMI interviews? Contact us today to schedule a free consultation!