How the MMI differs between Australian medical schools

1. How the MMI differs between Australian medical schools

2. What types of stations can I expect on the MMI? • Ethical scenarios • These stations present you with a scenario and ask you what you would do in that situation. • The scenario may specify that you are a doctor, a medical student, or just yourself, and the situation can seem run-of-the-mill (e.g. a friend in need) or have a clinical flavour (e.g. a doctor/patient interaction). • You are usually provided with an initial question followed up by a series of additional ones that ask you to look at the situation in a different way or alter the information provided.

3. What types of stations can I expect on the MMI? • Motivation to study medicine • You know this one: why do you want to be a doctor? You know that it takes a long time to become a doctor in Australia, and it's definitely not an easy journey, so you need a solid motivation to keep you going. • Try explaining that in 5 minutes while sounding genuine, informed, intelligent and motivated but not arrogant, naive, boring or flippant. • You also need to be able to tackle tricky follow-up questions that generally aim to challenge stereotypes and test that you have actually thought a lot about this decision (while not sounding too rehearsed!).

4. What types of stations can I expect on the MMI? • De-tech questions • These are the stations that ask you to explain a scientific word or concept in lay terms - e.g. cell, nucleus. • This is an important skill to develop as a doctor as doctors need to be able to explain complex diagnoses and treatment plans to patients.

5. What types of stations can I expect on the MMI? • Health knowledge • These stations are designed to test your understanding of (often complex) health issues in Australia. • You are not expected to solve all of the nation’s problems, but you are expected to demonstrate insight into the issues, and this is impossible without some background knowledge. So, start reading.

6. What types of stations can I expect on the MMI? • Behavioural questions • Anyone who has gone for a job interview will be familiar with these questions, which address various personal qualities. • They are best answered with the STAR technique (situation, task, action, response) so add this to your list of things to Google.

7. What types of stations can I expect on the MMI? • Practical tasks/puzzles • You either love these or hate them. The candidate is asked to give instructions to either the interviewer or another candidate (if it’s the latter, the roles are reversed so that this forms a two-part station) and have them complete a task (e.g. origami folding, rope tying, arranging blocks). • It sounds easy but if you come across one of these stations unexpectedly it can be incredibly unnerving. • Remember that actually solving the task is not the most important goal here, but rather demonstrating that you are able to communicate well and work together.

8. What types of stations can I expect on the MMI? • Group work • This one is an ANU special that precedes the MMI. Candidates are divided into groups and given a problem to solve (e.g. resource allocation, public policy proposal). • So, ask your ANU friends (or find anyone who has done an assessment centre interview for a Big 4) and they will be a fountain of knowledge! • As with practical tasks/puzzles, remember that you will be mostly assessed on your teamwork and communication abilities, not on your ability to complete the task.

9. Further Materials • Australian Medical Schools: General Overview • Australian Graduate Medical Schools - Admission Requirements • Medical Pathways in Australia • Free GAMSAT Practice Questions and Materials • GAMSAT Results: The Definitive Guide • Don’t forget to tune in to our GAMSAT To Med School Podcast! Listen as our experienced GAMSAT tutors explore diverse topics about everything from the GAMSAT exam to their journeys through medical school: https://gradready.com.au/gamsat-podcast