Deconstructing the UCAT
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The final component of your medical application is the MMI (Multiple Mini Interviews). At the University of Auckland, the MMI is worth 25% of your application. This interview process for UoA is very similar to Australian medical schools - so information in this blog is also likely transferrable.
At Otago University there is no interview for medicine, however, if you’re pursuing Dentistry at Otago there is an MMI Interview exactly like the UoA interview.
Tackling the MMI Timing
The interview comprises 8 different stations, each lasting 10 minutes. That makes the entire interview last up to 1 hour and 20 minutes - so brace yourself!
The First Two Minutes:
The first two minutes are spent outside the interview room, where you will be given a question prompt, e.g., Why do you want to be a doctor? You can use this time to formulate a response and collect your thoughts before beginning the interview.
The Next Six Minutes:
This is when the real interview process begins. The interviewer is likely to ask a couple of follow up questions, so do not force yourself to waffle for the entire time. Even engaging in a more conversational way can make the interview feel less rigid.
The Final Two Minutes:
This is arguably the most critical part of your interview. Most students fall into the trap of relaxing once the six minutes is ‘over’, but the final section is where you can separate yourself from the rest. Here is your opportunity to critically reflect on your performance. You should say what you thought did well, and also what you could have done better. If you run out of time to say something important, then this is when you can add it on. Examiners are looking for people who can reflect on their actions - something that doctors have to do every day when managing patients. Learning from your past mistakes or experiences is a vital method of building your knowledge.
How I Aced the MMI
From experience, I highly recommend even a few hours of 1:1 private tutoring for your interview. Your tutor will know which topics to stay away from and provide guidance on what should be discussed. Having some anecdotes from your life already prepared will mean that you are not scrambling to think of an experience that fits the question.
One of the eight stations is a dedicated “acting station”. Your prompt will outline a scenario that often involves you defusing a stressful or angry situation. This situation does not have to do with a medical environment (in fact, most are typical stressful encounters you may face in the real world). The best way to practice for the acting station is by practice!
MedView offers an in-person workshop in early November which simulates the environment and potential questions you will face in the interview. The interview is a great place to show who you are, and why you would make a great doctor. In your grades and the UCAT, you only appear as a statistic, but in the interview, you can demonstrate your personality and beneficial characteristics and traits. A good doctor is not just knowledgeable - they know how to communicate and relate to other people.
