Multiple Mini Interviews — understand the format, master the stations, and walk in prepared.
An MMI typically consists of 6–12 stations arranged in a circuit. You spend 5–10 minutes at each station, then a bell or buzzer signals you to move to the next. A new assessor meets you at each one.
Before each station, you'll have 1–2 minutes reading time to review the brief on the door. Use this time to organise your thoughts — not to memorise a script.
The biggest MMI advantage: A poor performance at one station does not carry over to the next. Every station is a fresh start with a new assessor.
6–12 stations per circuit
5–10 minutes each
1–2 minutes per station
One new assessor per station
Defined competency rubric
Bell or buzzer between stations
You are given a scenario (e.g. breaking bad news, dealing with a distressed colleague) and must interact with an actor or assessor playing a role. Focus on active listening, empathy, and clear communication.
Tip: Don't rush. Listen before you speak. Use the person's name. Acknowledge emotions before moving to solutions.
A scenario presents a moral conflict. You must reason through competing values — patient autonomy, beneficence, justice, non-maleficence — and reach a balanced position.
Tip: Use the four pillars of medical ethics (BABB) as a framework. Acknowledge complexity — there is rarely a single "right" answer.
Why medicine? Why this school? Tell me about a challenge you've overcome. Straightforward but requires genuine self-awareness and specific examples.
Tip: Use specific, personal examples. Avoid clichés like "I want to help people." Demonstrate genuine reflection.
You're given a graph, table, or written data to analyse and explain. Tests scientific literacy and ability to communicate findings to a non-expert.
Tip: Label axes first, note trends, consider limitations. Speak through your reasoning aloud.
Some schools include a written station — summarising information, making an argument, or completing a task in writing. Rare but possible.
Tip: Structure clearly: introduction, 2–3 points, conclusion. Legible handwriting matters.
Multiple candidates discuss a topic together while assessors observe. Assessed on contribution quality, listening, building on others' points.
Tip: Make at least 2–3 substantive contributions. Include others. Don't dominate — or disappear.
Use the relevant framework (ethics: BABB; communication: listen first, acknowledge, respond; motivation: specific example with reflection). Practice your answer aloud under a timed 7-minute limit.
Use the relevant framework (ethics: BABB; communication: listen first, acknowledge, respond; motivation: specific example with reflection). Practice your answer aloud under a timed 7-minute limit.
Use the relevant framework (ethics: BABB; communication: listen first, acknowledge, respond; motivation: specific example with reflection). Practice your answer aloud under a timed 7-minute limit.
Use the relevant framework (ethics: BABB; communication: listen first, acknowledge, respond; motivation: specific example with reflection). Practice your answer aloud under a timed 7-minute limit.
Use the relevant framework (ethics: BABB; communication: listen first, acknowledge, respond; motivation: specific example with reflection). Practice your answer aloud under a timed 7-minute limit.
Use the relevant framework (ethics: BABB; communication: listen first, acknowledge, respond; motivation: specific example with reflection). Practice your answer aloud under a timed 7-minute limit.
Use the relevant framework (ethics: BABB; communication: listen first, acknowledge, respond; motivation: specific example with reflection). Practice your answer aloud under a timed 7-minute limit.
Use the relevant framework (ethics: BABB; communication: listen first, acknowledge, respond; motivation: specific example with reflection). Practice your answer aloud under a timed 7-minute limit.
Each station has a specific rubric tied to the competency being assessed. Assessors mark you on a Likert scale (e.g. 1–7 or 1–10). Your final MMI score is the aggregate of all station scores.
Global scores matter too. Most MMIs include a "global impression" rating at each station — this reflects the assessor's overall sense of you as a future doctor, beyond the specific rubric.
Autonomy, Beneficence, Non-maleficence, Justice. These underpin almost every ethical question. Know how to apply them — not just recite them.
This document defines the standards expected of UK doctors. Interviewers often test whether your values align with it.
Read The BMJ, HSJ, or even the BBC health section weekly. Know the key issues: workforce shortages, waiting lists, mental health provision, integrated care systems.
MMI performance degrades without spoken practice. Simulate stations with a friend, family member, or a timer. Record yourself. It's uncomfortable but transformative.
Some schools and tutoring services offer full mock MMI circuits. If you can access one, do it. Even self-organised mocks with friends are valuable.
Don't say "I observed an empathetic doctor." Say "I watched Dr. X sit at eye level with an elderly patient who was frightened, and explain her diagnosis slowly, checking understanding at each step. That showed me what compassionate communication looks like in practice."