MMI, Panel or Both: What Should You Expect?

Medical schools can use different interview formats, and understanding which one you’ll face is an important part of your preparation. Some universities use Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs), some use panel interviews, and some may combine elements of both.

While the skills being assessed can overlap, the experience can feel quite different depending on the format.

Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)

An MMI is made up of a series of short interview stations. Each station typically focuses on a particular skill, topic or scenario, and you will usually move between stations throughout the interview.

You might be given a question to answer, an ethical scenario to discuss, a role-play task, a communication exercise or a problem to work through.

What to expect:

• You’ll move between several different stations.
• Each station is usually relatively short and may have a different interviewer or assessment task.
• You may receive instructions or a scenario before entering a station.
• You’ll need to quickly understand what is being asked and respond appropriately.
• Some stations may involve follow-up questions, while others may be more structured.
• You may have very limited time to prepare or think before responding.
• You will often start each station as a fresh opportunity, meaning one difficult station doesn't have to affect the next.

What does this mean for your preparation?

MMI preparation is about becoming comfortable with a wide range of topics and scenarios rather than memorising specific answers. You need to be able to think on your feet, communicate clearly and adapt quickly.

Practising under timed conditions can be particularly useful, as you may need to move from discussing an ethical scenario in one station to completing a role-play or answering a motivation question in the next.

Panel Interviews

A panel interview is usually a longer conversation involving two or more interviewers. Rather than moving between separate stations, you'll generally remain with the same panel throughout the interview.

The panel may include academics, doctors, admissions staff or other members of the university.

You could be asked about your motivation for medicine, work experience, ethical issues, healthcare topics, personal qualities or your reasons for choosing the university.

What to expect:

• You’ll usually speak to multiple interviewers at the same time.
• The interview is likely to feel more like a conversation than a series of separate stations.
• Questions may be followed by additional or probing questions.
• Interviewers may ask you to expand on something you've said.
• You may have more time to develop your answers.
• The conversation can move between different topics during the interview.
• You may need to respond to several interviewers, rather than focusing on just one person.

What does this mean for your preparation?

Panel interviews require you to be comfortable developing your answers and responding naturally to follow-up questions.

It's important to understand your own experiences and opinions rather than memorising prepared responses. If an interviewer asks, "Can you tell us more about that?" or challenges your initial answer, you need to be able to explain your thinking and consider a different perspective.

Practising longer conversations and mock panel interviews can help you become comfortable with this format.

When a University Uses Both

Some medical schools may combine MMI and panel-style elements as part of their interview process.

This could mean completing several MMI stations followed by a panel interview, or having a format where some elements of the assessment are conducted through stations while others involve a longer discussion.

What to expect:

You may need to switch between very different styles of interview. For example, you could spend a few minutes completing an MMI station before moving to another scenario, and then later take part in a longer conversation with a panel.

This means you'll need to be prepared for both:

Short, focused responses
You may have limited time to understand a scenario and demonstrate a particular skill.

Longer, developed answers
You may need to discuss your experiences or opinions in greater depth and respond to follow-up questions.

Different interviewers and situations
You may encounter several different people throughout the process, each assessing different aspects of your performance.

Changing topics quickly
You might move from an ethical scenario to a communication task and then into questions about your motivation for medicine.

How should you prepare?

If your university uses more than one format, don't prepare for only one style of interview.

Build a strong understanding of the key interview topics and skills, then practise applying them in different ways. Practise short, timed MMI stations as well as longer conversations where you need to explain and defend your ideas.

Most importantly, check the latest information provided directly by your medical school. Interview formats, timings and assessment methods can change between application cycles, so make sure you understand exactly what your university expects before your interview.

Whatever the format, the aim of your preparation should be the same: to understand what is being assessed, practise responding effectively and develop the confidence to handle questions y