What are medical interviews?

The medical interviews are an increasingly important part of the selection process for medical places. They are often weighted equally with a student’s ATAR and UCAT results, and in some cases, are considered a stronger indicator of the personal qualities, communication skills and critical thinking required in the medical profession.

Given the growing trend of added complexity in medical school admissions, it is not uncommon to see academically strong students being unable to secure a place in medical school due to poor interview performance.

The format of the medical interviews depend on each university, but generally fall under either the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) or traditional panel formats. Scroll to the bottom for a summary.

MMI (Multiple Mini Interview)

The MMI format involves a series of consecutive ‘stations’. Each station tends to focus on several themes, and the candidate may have between 6-8 minutes to answer questions, in addition to 2 minutes of reading time. The candidate then moves to the next station, completing the remainder of the circuit in this fashion. Some stations may require students to speak about a certain topic, while others may place them in hypothetical scenarios to see how they behave. Common themes include rural and indigenous health, and ethical decision making. Candidates are usually graded by one examiner per station and may occasionally deal with a simulated patient or other actor, depending on the university.

Panel Interview

The traditional panel interview format involves a more relaxed environment without the same time pressure of MMIs. Candidates usually speak to the same set of examiners for the duration of the interview, although in some cases it may be split between 2 separate panels. The size of the panel may vary between universities, but typically involves 3 interviewers who come from specific backgrounds. For example, there may be a medical professional, an academic, and a member of the community.

The panel format often involves ‘getting to know you’ questions. Questions tend to be asked one by one by each examiner, and there is usually no allocated reading time. That being said, interviewers commonly allow candidates a few moments to gather their thoughts and think about the scenario before speaking. However, there is a fine balance between rushing into a station and taking up an awkward amount of time in silence. The themes of questions in a panel interview can be similar to the ones asked in the MMI format, however the particular way they are asked can vary between the styles.

The challenge with the panel format is that it can be difficult to recover from making a bad impression, although it is definitely possible! However, it is important to keep in mind that interviewers understand the stressful nature of a high-stakes medical interview and will therefore try to keep an open mind. One advantage of the panel format is that once a good impression is made, it can keep a candidate riding on that confidence. There is also more time for a candidate to feel comfortable with the panel, which can help in building rapport. This can really benefit some candidates!

Summary