Which interview format/structure do you prefer?

[gatoradedrinker]

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Which interview format/structure do you prefer?

Also, feel free to comment as to why you feel that way.

Definitions:
1:1 : just you and the interviewer
Multiple 1:1s : 2, sometimes 3 One on One interviews with different people. Usually one after another.
Panel: one interviewee and multiple interviewers
Group: multiple interviewers and interviewees at same time

Open File: interviewer can see everything
Semi-Open File: interviewer can only see a portion of your app (for instance, personal statement)
Closed File: interview knows nothing about you

MMI - Multiple Mini Interviews: Interviewee spends a limited amount of time at each station. Each station focuses on a different question(s). Stations are manned by different interviewers. Each of them score you based on your answers.

 

[mikecougarmd]

I say a single 1 on 1 open file interview is my choice. Only 1 of my 5 interviews was that format. Otherwise there were 3 with a faculty member then a student and the last with 3 faculty at once.

I can see that it might be nice to have two people to advocate for your on the adcom with multiple interviewers, but I preferred to just get it over with!

I feel it's more to my advantage to spend more time with one person having an in depth interview rather than doing multiple short interviews where all that gets covered is the basics of ECs and "why medicine?"

 

[gatoradedrinker]

crap... i forgot to include an answer choice in the poll... darn thing won't let me edit it.

11) Group Interview

 

[DrYoda]

I like multiple 1:1s, that way your interview assesment is more than just one person's thoughts.

 

[Siverhideo1985]

Whoever thought it was a good idea to leave my future up to a single person?

I really liked the multiple 1:1 interviews.

 

[nina7123]

Who voted MMI? Seriously?

Oh no is MMI really bad?? I have an upcoming interview that is MMI

 

[Typical Premed]

Where do you have your MMI? I have 2 MMIs coming up.

Oh no is MMI really bad?? I have an upcoming interview that is MMI

 

[AdmiralChz]

Never heard of MMI - sounds like a bad version of speed dating.

 

[Typical Premed]

The MMI was invented at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada in 2004. Since then nearly every Canadian med school has switched to this format. It appears to be the wave of the future as there are several papers published which prove the increased reliability and predictive validity of the MMI format compared to normal interviews.

 

[gatoradedrinker]

bump

 

[Spiker]

Lol i am going to refuse to apply to any med school with MMI or Group x.x

 

[DrWookie]

The MMI was invented at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada in 2004. Since then nearly every Canadian med school has switched to this format. It appears to be the wave of the future as there are several papers published which prove the increased reliability and predictive validity of the MMI format compared to normal interviews.

Since when does Canada start anything that's the "wave of the future"? 😀 (just kidding of course...)


I hit 1on1 open but I realized I wanted to hit multiple 1on1s. I like 1on1 because you get a chance to really talk to the person, whereas in a group/panel it is WAY more formal and a lot harder to interact because you have multiple people you have to interact with. I also prefer ~1 hour interviews, as opposed to some places that are like 20 minutes.

I had one group interview on my interview trail (Northwestern) and it was just stupid. Now I'm not saying group interviews are all bad, but in this one there was no reason to have a group interview until the last 20 minutes. The first hour+ was basically the interviewers taking turn asking 1 on 1 questions while every else just sat there. Only in the last 20 minutes did they actually have us interact in any way. It was really silly.

 

[efitzpat]

The MMI was invented at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada in 2004. Since then nearly every Canadian med school has switched to this format. It appears to be the wave of the future as there are several papers published which prove the increased reliability and predictive validity of the MMI format compared to normal interviews.

I had one MMI at Cincinnati. I liked the interview, it was fun, but I hated not being able to talk to any faculty. THey were super uptight about it (don't move, don't talk, don't make noise, don't say anything about it, etc) and I felt like I didn't get a feel for the school at all. If they do MMI, they need to supplement something so that the interviewees can talk with people at the school.

 

[DrYoda]

I had one MMI at Cincinnati. I liked the interview, it was fun, but I hated not being able to talk to any faculty. THey were super uptight about it (don't move, don't talk, don't make noise, don't say anything about it, etc) and I felt like I didn't get a feel for the school at all. If they do MMI, they need to supplement something so that the interviewees can talk with people at the school.

That's why I didn't care for the MMI format. I felt more like I was on the price is right than at a professional school interview.

 

[student1799]

I definitely prefer 1:1's, but I'm on the fence as to whether I prefer one or two different people. I've only had one school where I interviewed with a single person, but that particular interview was amazing, because I happened to get an incredibly nice, thoughtful person who had spent a lot of time reading my file. We ended up talking for an hour and a half, and I practically wanted to go out and have a beer with this guy afterwards, I liked him so much.

At most other schools, I've had 2 separate 1:1's. I think I did well with this format at most schools, but at one school I had a real stiff for one of the interviews who was really hard to talk to. I think this hurt my chances at the school (I was waitlisted), whereas if it had been the second guy alone, I bet I would have gotten in.

I had one panel interview, which I believe went fairly well, but it's definitely harder to make a personal connection with people on a panel. I've never had an MMI interview, but from what I've read about them, I think it would be horrible. I have a pretty unusual background and life story, and it's pretty much impossible to get into all that when you're limited to just a few minutes with each person. Similar to what someone else posted, it would feel more like a quiz show to me than an interview.

I think closed-file interviews are a waste of time. Yes, you can talk to the person without their being influenced by your stats, but the committee is sure as hell going to see them when they vote on you. The way I see it, it's better to discuss any issues with your stats in the interview, so you can present your side of it, rather than not discussing them and having them kill your chances at the committee level.