How long are mmi interviews?
The MMI, or multiple mini-interview, consists of a series of short interview stations that are independent of one another. Together, the 6–10 stations assess your capabilities in the following areas:
Crucially, you should think of the MMI interview as a way of assessing your thought processes and situational aptitude rather than content knowledge. In other words, you will not be asked to diagnose a patient based on symptoms or solve a medical mystery.
Different medical schools offer different numbers of stations and the questions they ask vary. You might find as few as 6 or as many as 10 stations. In general, you can count on most of the following information to be consistent across schools.
We’ll go in-depth into the nature of each type of station later on, but here’s a high-level summary to get you started. Each MMI station generally involves a chance to prepare for two minutes by reading the question/scenario. Once you enter the room where the station takes place, you’ll have eight minutes to provide your answer to the question or scenario to an interviewer/evaluator.
Some schools offer a break station where you will have ten minutes to relax in between interview stations. The entire process typically takes around two hours, but may take less time depending on how many stations there are.
(COVID-19 note: Many MMIs will be conducted in the format of an asynchronous video interview (AVI). This simply means you and your interviewer need not do the interview live. For instance, you might be asked to record your answers to predetermined questions.)
Before you learn how to prepare for MMI interviews, you should understand why the MMI has come about, and why it’s increasingly popular. Many schools, such as Duke School of Medicine, UCSD School of Medicine, and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, have transitioned to MMI-only interview formats or a hybrid format with both MMI and traditional, one-on-one interviews.
There are a few reasons for this shift:
Are you preparing for your med school and wondering how MMI interviews work? Read on to learn more about multiple medical schools interviews and what you need to do to ace yours.
Typically, interviews are conducted over a period of nearly two hours. Each mini interview includes a two-minute prep period before engaging in a conversation that lasts between five to eight minutes. “The MMI is a showcase of attributes that align with our institution's mission.
