MMI Interviews
A Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) is a type of interview used by an increasing number of medical schools. Since it is a fairly new format, it can catch a lot of students off guard, as well as posing a challenge for teachers who are unsure how to prepare their pupils.
Instead of sitting opposite a panel of interviewers, you’ll be taking part in a series of exchanges that test your ability to make ethical judgements and solve problems.
This page answers the following questions about MMI Interviews:
- What is an MMI Interview?
- Which schools use MMIs?
- What kind of stations can I expect at my MMI Interview?
- What do admission staff look for during MMI Interviews?
- How can I prepare for MMI Interviews?
- How can I stand out at my MMI Interview?
- Can you give some scenario examples for MMI Interviews?
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What Is An MMI Interview?
MMI interviews consist of several short practical assessments, usually less than 10 minutes each. You’ll be presented with a scenario before each mini interview, so you will have a bit of time to prepare an answer.
Then you’ll either be asked a question by an interviewer, or have to engage in a role-play scenario with an actor whilst an interviewer watches.
Here are the key things you need to know about MMIs:
- MMI interviews will probably take about 2 hours
- Each mini interview will usually take no longer than 10 minutes
- Most universities will have around 10 MMI ‘stations’
Which Schools Use MMIs?
There are a range of medical schools that use the MMI – you can see these below, as well as information on which stations each school has used in previous years.
| Medical School | What have the stations involved in previous years? |
| Aberdeen | Problem solving; insight into careers in medicine; work experience. |
| Birmingham | Data interpretation (calculation and patient scenario); motivation and insight into medicine; dealing with personal and ethical challenges; interactive task; debate task; ethics. |
| Brighton and Sussex | Ethical scenarios; NHS hot topics; insight into health of the local area; teamwork; personal attributes. |
| Bristol | Teamwork; roleplay; why Medicine?; why Bristol?; calculation; ethics; interpretation of an image. |
| Cardiff | Teamwork; empathy; ethical scenarios. |
| Dundee | Unspecified |
| Exeter | Communication skills, reflectiveness and empathy required to become successful doctor; role-play.
|
| Hull York | Teamwork (your ability to contribute relevant information to group discussion and how effectively you articulate your own thoughts in a group setting); insight into a medical career; understanding of the values in the NHS constitution; motivation for a medical career; your awareness and understanding of current medical issues; your communication skills; your understanding of and motivation for the Hull York Medical School MBBS course; your personal qualities such as empathy, tolerance of ambiguity and resilience; your ability to think critically. |
| Keele | Caring nature; communication skills; empathy and insight; ethical awareness; responsibility; motivation and awareness of the challenges of being a doctor; resilience. |
| King's College London | Communication skills; personality-based attributes (for example, kindness, compassion and empathy, respect for the individual, privacy and dignity, advocacy, decision-making, team working and integrity); ability to evaluate scientific information; topical medical issues; ethical scenarios. |
| Lancaster | Work experience; suitability for medicine; motivation for medicine; teamwork; suitability for problem-based learning curriculum; tasks such as reading a short paragraph or watching a short video clip, taking notes and discussing. |
| Leeds | Ethical scenarios; self-evaluation; communication skills; problem solving; role play; discussion of information on UCAS form. |
| Leicester | Verbal communication; written communication; listening; compassion, respect and dignity; emotional intelligence; problem solving; motivation; ethical judgement. |
| Liverpool | Knowledge of modern medical practise, medical ethics, teamwork; numeracy; communication skills. |
| Manchester | Communication; motivation for medicine; work experience; contemporary aspects of medicine and NHS hot topics; ethical scenarios. |
| Newcastle | Preparation and motivation for medical school; effective learning skills; team working; personal qualities and resilience; interpersonal and communication skills; empathy, sensitivity and integrity. |
| Norwich (UEA) | Decision making; teamwork; personal attributes (a caring and supportive attitude, an empathetic and caring approach); insight into Medicine as a career and personal suitability for the profession; honesty, integrity, and personal effectiveness. |
| Nottingham | Ethical scenarios; work experience; role play. |
| Queen's Belfast | Empathy; problem-solving; moral reasoning; communication skills. |
| Sheffield | Communication skills; depth and breadth of interests (achievements in specific fields); evidence of commitment for caring; knowledge of and interest in study in Sheffield; medical work experience/Extended Project Qualification; motivation for medicine; understanding the nature of medicine; values and attitudes; outside interests. |
| St Andrews | Knowledge of medicine as a career, appreciating the realities of working in a caring profession; communication and interpersonal skills; role play; ethical scenarios. |
| St George's | Academic ability and intellect; empathy; initiative and resilience; communication skills; organisation and problem solving; teamwork; insight and integrity; effective learning style. |
| Warwick | Team working; insight; resilience; communication; empathy; respect and dignity. |
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What Kind Of Stations Can I Expect At My MMI Interview?
MMI interviews could take a variety of forms. It varies from school to school – and you can see some guidance on this in the table above. You might face some of the following:
- You will be presented with a set of instructions that describe a situation involving an ethical scenario, which you will then be asked to discuss or try and solve
- You will be given a scenario involving an actor — for example, you might have to break some bad news to them or gather specific information
- You may be given a task involving teamwork with other applicants
- There might be a station where you are asked a traditional interview question or given a reading comprehension exercise
- You are given a sheet of data and asked to provide analysis of it (you may find it useful to read our blog on MMI Stations: Calculation and Data Interpretation to prepare for these stations)
What Do Admission Staff Look For During MMI Interviews?
MMI interviews are about showing your interviewer what you’re capable of doing, rather than just telling them.
Interviewers want to know that you’ve got what it takes to be a medical practitioner — not just the grades and know-how, but the right attitude and skills as well.
They will be testing your ability to make ethical and informed decisions, as well as your critical thinking and communication skills. They will also be interested in your knowledge of current healthcare and social issues – our new NHS Hot Topics 2018-19 page details a handful of key medical news stories from this year, including Brexit’s impact on healthcare and artificial intelligence in Medicine.
If you’ve got this far, it’s likely that you already possess these qualities and will make a great doctor one day. The trick is to try and develop your ability to formulate logical, well thought-out responses within a short time frame.
How Can I Prepare For My MMI Interview?
MMI interviews can be daunting, especially for students who are used to working hard for exams and traditional interviews.
The right kind of preparation will make all the difference. We’ve put together a list of things you can do to make sure that you shine at your interview:
- Know what to expect. Find out everything you can about the MMI process at the medical school at which you are interviewing.
- Use your work experience. Lean on the experience logged in your personal portfolio and use specific examples when giving a response.
- Make sure you understand key ethical concepts relating to medicine, like the 4 pillars and patient confidentiality.
- Know what it takes to be a good doctor. Make a list of qualities and practice demonstrating them in your responses.
- Keep up to date with medical news, and check out our NHS Hot Topics 2018-19 page. Questions may be inspired by stories or debates in the media.
- Practice giving 8-minute presentations in response to common MMI questions. This will help with time management on the day.
- Book an MMI Course. Though you can rehearse certain scenarios, MMI interviews are a lot harder to practice at school or at home, so it’s worth attending our MMI course.
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How Can I Stand Out At My MMI Interview?
As well as being well prepared, bear in mind these tips on how to approach your MMI on the day:
Do:
- Be confident. You’ve got every reason to be!
- Be sensitive and compassionate. MMIs are designed to test your communication skills.
- Listen carefully to the question. Your interviewer will often provide cues or prompts designed to direct you, and give you key bits of information.
- Ask if you need clarification, rather than trying to answer a question you haven’t fully understood.
Don’t:
- Second-guess the answer. There are often no right answers – it’s your explanation that they’re interested in.
- Be tempted to prepare answers in advance. It’s much better to carefully think through the question or scenario you’re presented with.
Can You Give Some Example MMI Interview Scenarios?
Of course! Here are some to get you started:
Station 1: An actor plays the role of your elderly neighbour. You have just accidentally run over your neighbour’s cat whilst reversing your car. You have 5 minutes to break the bad news to her.
This role-play tests insight, integrity, communication skills and empathy.
Station 2: You are given details of 15 individuals, including their age, sex and occupation. A nuclear attack is imminent and you are only allowed to save 5 of them from destruction. Which ones and why?
A prioritisation exercise. The emphasis is on problem solving and rational thinking under pressure.
Station 3: Without using your hands, explain how to tie shoe laces.
Tests verbal communication skills, the ability to break down the task into a series of small steps and your ability to check that the interlocutor is understanding what you are saying.
Want more examples? Check out our MMI questions and answer guides on our Interview Question Bank!
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