MMI Interview: Acting Station Stories?

[mafunk]

Who has had the experience of going through an MMI interview with an 'acting station'? If so, what was the scenario you were presented with? Can you reflect on your experience?

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[halethsonofhama]

They are certainly interesting. I would imagine all acting stations are essentially trying to see if you can fake empathy/concern/understanding. I didn't know exactly how to behave for my scenario but I just had fun with it and I guess I turned out alright. Just know that it may or may not be a medical scenario.

I would recommend taking a year off before applying and taking a dramatic acting course and also intern at the groundlings if you can manage.

 

[dbeast]

The acting stations aren't that bad... You should be more concerned about the hot coal walking station.

 

[halethsonofhama]

The acting stations aren't that bad... You should be more concerned about the hot coal walking station.

What I thought was interesting was the station in which I was asked to act like I was walking on hot coal.

Luckily I just finished the coal walking station and my feet were still buring so I didn't really have to act.

 

[dbeast]

What I thought was interesting was the station in which I was asked to act like I was walking on hot coal.

Luckily I just finished the coal walking station and my feet were still buring so I didn't really have to act.

The worst part was that the "bucket of cold water for your feet" station was like 3 stops later. WTF!

 

[obgyny]

The acting stations aren't that bad... You should be more concerned about the hot coal walking station.

Yeah... MMI was quite interesting... I personally preferred the traditional one-on-one interviews since you get the chance to talk about your own experiences.

When I first heard there were going to be "Acting Stations," I was like 😱, this is going to be awkward... but actually the actors were quite convincing! There were moments I was so wrapped up in it, I forgot I was being interviewed.

We're not supposed to give you the details of the scenarios. As someone said in another thread, the first rule of MMI is that you do not talk about MMI! You'll just have to experience it for yourself...

But really, I felt like there was nothing I could've done to prepare for it ahead of time. I think I could've been less nervous though, it was also my first interview!

 

[rHinO1]

The actor stations were easier than the "We want you to talk for 10 minutes, but we will not respond to anything you say" stations. At least the acting stations give you something to respond to.

 

[bobow98]

Remember to bring a bottle of water. (7 min of nonstop talking + 1 min rest) x 6 = a very dry throat.

 

[MediCynical]

Yeah... MMI was quite interesting... I personally preferred the traditional one-on-one interviews since you get the chance to talk about your own experiences....

...But really, I felt like there was nothing I could've done to prepare for it ahead of time. I think I could've been less nervous though, it was also my first interview!

Agree on both accounts. I was not a big fan of the MMI, but then again it was my first interview, as well. I didn't feel that I got a sufficient chance to 'sell myself', which was huge in other interviews and I felt was a huge strong point for me. However, as said, there is really nothing you can do to prepare besides looking up practice questions on the internet and talking about them in a stream of consciousness manner for extended periods of time.

Remember to bring a bottle of water. (7 min of nonstop talking + 1 min rest) x 6 = a very dry throat.

this is crucial. I went through 90% of my water in the first 20 minutes, then nursed the remaining inch for like 40 minutes

 

[motomed]

I didn't really like the acting station. The actor doing the scenario with me wasn't much better at acting that I was, and I hate acting. besides that, I was basically asked to convince the person of something that in real life I would have had little interest in convincing them of.

other than that MMI's have been the easiest interviews I've had. they were actually fun. I have no idea what the school gains from them other than a very narrow profile of how you react and converse. and I guess you're screwed if you can't quickly get your nerves in check. I suppose that's not bad though, seeing as most traditional interviews boil down to a popularity contest. The MMI proponents will tell you that traditional interviews are highly variable in terms of scoring and predictive of basically nothing. I think you'll see more and more med schools moving to MMI's or some other form of highly structured interviewing.

 

[obgyny]

At least at the school I interviewed at, the interviewers were allowed to ask you followup questions. But you have to initiate the conversation first and give your thoughts. One of the weird parts is that they are instructed to keep a poker face while you are talking, that way they won't give you any hints if you're in right direction or not. Most people did this, but a few would nod and smile as answered.

I remember this one guy in particular seemed highly unamused (I kept reminding myself that they do it on purpose, it doesn't necessarily mean anything), but it's hard to keep talking when their faces look like this: or .

I understand the whole "it's more objective" argument, but I don't know... I feel like you don't really get a chance to show them who you are (and isn't that the point of interviews anyway?).

Does anyone know of any studies that indicate MMI is a better predictor of your performance in med school/as a physician?

 

[Pons Asinorum]

Does anyone know of any studies that indicate MMI is a better predictor of your performance in med school/as a physician?

A couple of these...

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q...predictor&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart

 

[rHinO1]

At least at the school I interviewed at, the interviewers were allowed to ask you followup questions. But you have to initiate the conversation first and give your thoughts. One of the weird parts is that they are instructed to keep a poker face while you are talking, that way they won't give you any hints if you're in right direction or not. Most people did this, but a few would nod and smile as answered.

I remember this one guy in particular seemed highly unamused (I kept reminding myself that they do it on purpose, it doesn't necessarily mean anything), but it's hard to keep talking when their faces look like this: or .

I understand the whole "it's more objective" argument, but I don't know... I feel like you don't really get a chance to show them who you are (and isn't that the point of interviews anyway?).

Does anyone know of any studies that indicate MMI is a better predictor of your performance in med school/as a physician?

I interviewed, and was accepted, at the school you are talking about. I think the "traditional" interview was actually the meeting with the Dean. Although, I do see where you are coming from regarding the lack of opportunity to present your application. Then again, there wasn't any interview where I felt I got to discuss everything I wanted to cover.

 

[obgyny]

I interviewed, and was accepted, at the school you are talking about. I think the "traditional" interview was actually the meeting with the Dean. Although, I do see where you are coming from regarding the lack of opportunity to present your application. Then again, there wasn't any interview where I felt I got to discuss everything I wanted to cover.

That's true. During the faculty interview at UCI, my faculty interviewer talked about himself for almost the entire hour, I barely got the chance to say anything about myself before he would interrupt me. I didn't want to be rude, so I just nodded and smiled the whole time. At the end, he said, "I feel like I've really gotten to know you."

But it worked out in the end: accepted 😀.

 

[mafunk]

I barely got the chance to say anything about myself before he would interrupt me...., so I just nodded and smiled the whole time. At the end, he said, "I feel like I've really gotten to know you." .

Yup, people like you best when you listen to them. Once I spent two hours listening to someone talk on the phone. I only said, "uh huh... oh really.... etc" At the end of the conversation the person was very happy because she felt like she had gotten to know me really well.

 

[scarshapedstar]

This sounds a little too much like Scientology.

 

[motomed]

That's true. During the faculty interview at UCI, my faculty interviewer talked about himself for almost the entire hour, I barely got the chance to say anything about myself before he would interrupt me. I didn't want to be rude, so I just nodded and smiled the whole time. At the end, he said, "I feel like I've really gotten to know you."

But it worked out in the end: accepted 😀.

happy it worked out for you, but this would be an example of why schools are moving away from the traditional interview style in favor of something a little more structured.

 

[Seven of Nine]

Yup, people like you best when you listen to them. Once I spent two hours listening to someone talk on the phone. I only said, "uh huh... oh really.... etc" At the end of the conversation the person was very happy because she felt like she had gotten to know me really well.

qft.