What is the MMI and How Can You Prepare For Them?

MMI stands for “Multiple Mini Interview,” a station-based interview format widely used by universities to assess applicants’ suitability for healthcare roles. It provides a fair and comprehensive assessment of the non-academic skills needed to succeed within a healthcare career. (The Medic Portal, 2015)

How Do MMIs Work?

1. Stations:

Candidates rotate through multiple stations, each lasting 5–10 minutes. The number and duration of stations vary by institution.

2. Scenarios:

At each station, candidates respond to a prompt or scenario.

These may include:

o Ethical dilemmas

o Role-playing

o Problem-solving exercises

These scenarios mirror real-world situations in healthcare settings.

3. Assessors:

Each station has a trained assessor who scores candidates using predefined criteria. Scores are independent to reduce bias.

4. Question Types:

Common question types include:

o Ethical scenarios (e.g., managing patient confidentiality).

o Teamwork challenges (e.g., resolving conflicts within a medical team).

o Personal reflections (e.g., why you want to pursue a career in medicine).

o Role-play exercises (e.g., breaking bad news to a patient).

o Logical reasoning (e.g., dosage calculations).

Key Resources for Preparation

• GMC’s Good Medical Practice: A guide to professional standards in healthcare.

• NHS Constitution and Core Values: Understand the principles that underpin healthcare in the UK.

• NHS Long Term Plan: Gain insight into future healthcare priorities.

• News Websites and Medical Journals: Stay informed about current issues in healthcare.

Useful Mnemonics

Mnemonics can help you structure your answers effectively and ensure clarity under pressure. Here are some useful ones:

1. CAMP (Clinical, Academic, Management, Personal)Use CAMP to organise responses to questions like “What is the role of a nurse?” Cover aspects such as teaching, work-life balance, and patient care.

2. SPIES (Seek Information, Patient Safety, Initiative, Escalate, Support) Ideal for addressing challenging scenarios or interpersonal conflicts:

• Seek Information: Gather all relevant facts before making judgments.

• Patient Safety: Prioritise safety, acting promptly if it is compromised.

• Initiative: Decide on the best course of action within your role.

• Escalate: If necessary, involve a senior colleague.

• Support: Address underlying issues and provide ongoing support.

3. SPIKES (Setting, Perspective, Invitation, Knowledge, Emotion, Support) This mnemonic is designed for delivering bad news with empathy:

• Setting: Ensure a private, comfortable environment.

• Perspective: Understand the recipient’s viewpoint.

• Invitation: Prepare them to receive the news.

• Knowledge: Deliver information in clear, manageable chunks.

• Emotion: Allow space for their emotional response.

• Support: Summarise and offer resources for ongoing help.

4. STARR (Situation, Task, Action, Result, Reflect)For behavioural questions like “Tell me about a time you demonstrated leadership,” STARR helps you structure a clear and reflective response.

5. ICE (Ideas, Concerns, Expectations)

This is useful for advising patients or peers:

• Ideas: Understand their perspective.

• Concerns: Explore underlying worries.

• Expectations: Clarify what they hope to achieve.

How to Choose a Medical School?

Consider these factors when discussing why you chose a particular institution:

• Course structure and curriculum.

• Opportunities for clinical skills and patient contact.

• Societies, pastoral support, and extracurricular activities.

• Location, facilities, and campus life.

General Tips for MMI Success

• Practice Verbally: Rehearse answers aloud with a timer. Recording yourself or practicing with others can help you identify areas for improvement.

• Start Early: There is no limit to interview preparation—begin as soon as possible.

• Seek Feedback: Constructive criticism from peers or mentors can refine your responses.

Checklist for MMI Preparation:

1. Understand Yourself and Your Motives for the Career:

o Why medicine? – What initially sparked your interest and how has this developed?

o What are your strengths and weaknesses? – How have you shown examples of each?

o What qualities make you suited for a healthcare career?- Which experiences have allowed you to see both positives and negatives of the career?

• Master Key Concepts:

o The four pillars of medical ethics (Autonomy, Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, Justice).

o Confidentiality and when it can be breached.

o Informed consent, capacity, and competence.

2. Stay Informed:

o Keep up with NHS hot topics within your specific career. (e.g. assisted dying for medicine).

3. Practice Scenarios:

o Role-playing scenarios such as breaking bad news or resolving conflicts.o Data interpretation, including graphs and medical calculations.

Key Messages:

Each interview is a learning opportunity. Approach the process with a growth mindset, focusing on how you can improve with each attempt. Remember to:

• Avoid dwelling on mistakes—learn from them instead – keep a tracker of mistakes and think about how you can improve in the future.

• Respect confidentiality agreements and maintain integrity throughout the process (this involves not sharing interview questions with others).

Good luck with your preparation!

Written by Alice

Moderated by Adelene