Interview Preparation

[MeGoodManIThink]

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Hi Guys,

I'm knew to the forum so bear with me. I have my first MMI interview in a few weeks and wanted to know how I should prepare.

So far, I have read through multiple healthcare books (familiar with ACA now) and all my past research and AMCAS application. What else should I be doing that will prepare me besides mock interviews?

Thanks!

 

[NickNaylor]

My general interviewing recommendations (caveat - I'm not at all familiar with MMI, so this stuff may or may not be applicable to you):

-For your activities/ECs, have an explanation for why you did that activity, what you got out of it, and, if possible, how you think that activity has either 1) made you interested in medicine or 2) developed skills you think might be useful as a physician

-Be at least somewhat familiar with the BASICS of the healthcare system in the US and the basics of the ACA (which you seem to have, but even the Wiki pages for those topics is sufficient IMO)

-Be prepared for ethics-type questions - this really doesn't require much preparation other than knowing your own values and being able to defend a (reasonable) position logically and rationally

Obviously that's not going to cover everything and random/off-the-wall questions should still be expected, but that will at least put you in a good spot for a majority of questions at a majority of interviews.

Good luck.

 

[MeGoodManIThink]

thanks drizzy!

 

[IncognitoGuy]

Something that has been helpful for me is to jot down some anecdotes that are memorable or display some skill from an EC. Doing so has allowed me to have a skeleton way to work them into conversation/responses, instead of kind of grasping for examples when I need to present one.

For your research, be prepared to walk them through what you've done - perhaps your methods, a general overview of your research and in some cases, what results you have and how you're interpreting them.

Also, it is not uncommon to run into behavioral questions ("Tell me about a time..", "Have you ever..", etc.). So look up some questions and have a general idea of the things you want to emphasize and perhaps also prepare some base answers that you can mold for each separate interview.

 

[Double A]

i don't recommend approaching this like an exam. just read through your application and think through the things that you've done. be aware that the interviewer may ask you some difficult questions and that the goal is to appear levelheaded. you will feel best about an interview experience when you and the interviewer had a nice, adult conversation - not a rehearsed q & a session.

 

[iBear]

I did an MMI earlier this season, and hilariously, one of my interviewers ended up asking how I prepared for it.

I agree with NickNaylor in that you should be prepared for ethics questions, but don't sweat if you don't know all of the rules behind the situation. They're not there to see if you know the 'right answer,' per se. They just want to see that you stay calm and try your best. For MMI, it really does pay to just know your application well, why you did things you did, and to be able to articulate that the best way you can.

At least the school I interviewed at seemed to have a strong idea of what they wanted in their future students, and I think that with MMI, you either fit that idea... or you don't. If you've been invited to interview, they probably already see some of that in you, so just focus on being yourself.

... Unless yourself is a nervous wreck. Then be a calmer version of yourself. 👍

 

[MeGoodManIThink]

thanks for all the helpful comments! I will take all that into consideration.

 

[TheShaker]

Sorry to jump into your question OP, but can you guys tell me what else about the healthcare system we should read up on? I understand that the ACA is a given but I'm not sure what else to try to learn about.

 

[kpcrew]

This might be useful:

http://studentdoctor.net/schools/?view=medical
http://studentdoctor.net/2011/01/the-multiple-mini-interview-for-medical-school-admissions/

Sorry to jump into your question OP, but can you guys tell me what else about the healthcare system we should read up on? I understand that the ACA is a given but I'm not sure what else to try to learn about.

the way different countries do health care (single payer vs universal with their pros and cons), how medicare works, the role of insurance companies, the difference between HMOs and PPOs, "how would you reform our healthcare system?", the role of PAs and DNPs and how you know you want to be a physician as opposed to another healthcare professional

just some ideas