Yet Another Acronym, the MMI join our lengthy list of medical terminology
Did you know that the new kid on the medical school interview block, the medical mini interview (affectionately referred to as medical speed dating!), was modelled on the OSCE by McMaster University in Canada. Pioneered by McMaster in 2002, the initial research indicated that the MMI was more psychometrically reliable in assessing the traits deemed suitable for potential medics, than its predecessors. Perhaps surprisingly, research on more traditional interviews had established that interviewers rarely altered their scores after the first five minutes. So in this case, the old adage really is true! McMaster researchers found that situational interviews rather than personal, and increasing the number of encounters for each interviewee, would provide a much more robust and reliable individual character assessment.
Briefly the MMI consists of a series of short, timed interview stations which will illustrate how candidates are able to think on their feet, communicate their ideas and thoughts, and demonstrate that they have thought about some of the issues that are critical to medicine. The ability to think clearly and rationally without the luxury of time is crucial in this type of format, particularly as there are often no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers for many of the scenarios being explored. In situations such as this vital skills of communication and social interaction are laid bare, and the response of the interviewee and interaction with their interviewer will define non-cognitive competence fully.
Questions can take many forms and it is important to reflect on the information they are trying to elicit from you. Think about the qualities that can be demonstrated. In fact, the initial response given by an applicant is not key. More significant is how a candidate responds when someone disagrees with them, or those who don’t listen, or are unable to accept the opinion of others. There are some very simple things one can think about to prepare for this type of interview (or other types of interview as well). The qualities being assessed, and the ability to demonstrate them is vital. The factors taken into account when responding are significant, as is the thinking process when resolving problems or issues. Finally, being able to factor in answers that will demonstrate individual suitability for medicine should be part of the overall process.