Ask Admissions: How to Master Medical

School Interviews

AAMC Ask Admissions WebinarJuly 2016

Housekeeping

• You will not hear audio until the webinar begins

• Send any technical problems to AAMC Meetings using the Chat Panel

• Submit your questions via the Q&A Panel and send to “All Panelists”

• A recording of this presentation will be available on www.aamc.org/studentsin about 2 weeks

Today’s Panelists

Aaron Saguil, MD, MPHAssociate Dean for Admissions & RecruitmentUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Stella Yee, MEdDirector of AdmissionsUniversity of Washington School of Medicine

Brenda Armstrong, MDAssociate Dean for AdmissionsDuke University School of Medicine

Resources from the AAMC

www.aamc.org/students

Resources from the AAMC

35 Questions (aamc.org/35questions)

• Developed by the AAMC’s Organization of Student Representatives, this is a selection of questions medical students say they wished they had asked during interview day

• Keep track of the questions you have for each school, by using the worksheet found by clicking here.

www.aamc.org/students

Traditional Interviews

Aaron Saguil, MD, MPH

LTC(P), MC, USA

Associate Dean, Recruitment and Admissions

aaron.saguil@usuhs.edu

Awesome! I got the

interview—now what?!?

• Research school thoroughly

• Know the mission and vision

• Know your application

• Anticipate their questions

• Prepare your questions

• Rehearse with convincing interviewers

On interview day…

• Wear conservative business attire

• Arrive plenty early

• Be courteous to everyone

• Your “interview” starts with first contact

• Get to know your fellow interviewees

• Lots of firm handshakes and direct eye

contact

The traditional format

• USUHS uses a “traditional format”

• Two one-on-one interviews

• 30 min in length

• Interviewers not provided MCAT/GPA

• Interviewers are assessing fit for school

For those still in

undergraduate studies

Explain how college experiences fit into

medical aspirations

• Clinical experience

• Volunteer experience

• Academics

• Research

• Other extracurricular activities

For those removed from

undergraduate studies

Explain how why medicine and why now?

• Clinical experience

• Volunteer experience

• Work experiences

• Undergraduate/postgrad academics

After the interview

• Thank you notes are welcome

• If a school is your first choice, let them

know

• Gauge how often you should stay in

touch

• Be prompt in all informational and follow

up requests

Why does USU use a

traditional format interview?

• Unique academic program

• Service commitment vice tuition

• Joining two professions simultaneously

• Local and global practice expectations

Use the Q&A panel to submit

your questions!

PANEL INTERVIEW

University of Washington School of Medicine

Stella V. Yee, M.Ed.

Director of Admissions

stellay@uw.edu

UWSOM INTERVIEWS

Panel interviews

3 Interviewers to

1 applicant

30 minutes

All interviewers except

for one blinded to MCAT

and GPA

WHY PANEL INTERVIEWS?

• Minimize interviewer

bias

• Increase reliability of

evaluations

• Interviewers bring

different perspectives

and experiences

Questions to explore:

How well you know yourself

Evidence of curiosity

Empathy

Understanding what you are getting into

Motivation

Role Play Scenario

Communication skill

Problem solving skill

Empathy

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

18

“I’m an obese teenager. As my

doctor, can you write me a

note to get out of P.E.?”

ROLE PLAY EXAMPLE

19

Define the problem

What do you know?

What do you need to know?

How are you going to gather information?

What will you do with information?

Common Mistakes

• Describe what you would do

in the role play

• Rush to the solution

• Make assumptions

• Pass judgement

• Be rigid

Best Practices• Get into the role play (don’t

transition in and out- ask

questions before)

• Show your thought process

(think out loud)

• Demonstrate active listening

• Support solutions with

information gathered

• Alternative solutions

ROLE PLAYS: IT’S ALL ABOUT THE

APPROACH

GENERAL ADVICE

When using patient examples, don’t repeat the examples from your application. We already know those. Suggests limited experience

Be spontaneous. Don’t try to tell us what you think we want to hear. Being prepared and being rehearsed are different.

Long vs short answers (broad brush strokes vs pointillism)

Prepare points you want to make and share them at the end of the interview.

Don’t ask questions because you think you are supposed to.

Use the Q&A panel to submit

your questions!

Multiple Mini-Interview

(MMI) Training for Medical

School Admissions

Duke University School of MedicineOffice of Medical School Admissions

Duke University School of MedicineThe MMI Interview

MMI: How it Works Ten Applicants/session

Held on Mondays (2-Ten person sessions) and Thursday/Friday (2-Ten person sessions)

One room/scenario

One rater/room for standard MMI scenarios

“Team room” =1-2 raters/room, 2 applicants/scenario

Applicants have 2 minutes to review the scenario before entering the room

Copy of scenario in the room

Writing Station (10 minutes to write in response to a prompt)

Applicants have 8 minutes to discuss scenario with “rater”

Team room= 5minutes to work toward completion of a task/3 minutes to discuss

Applicants rotate to the next station after time up

Raters score their applicants at the end of each interview and may revise at the completion of their full interview session

Standardized rating scale (1-5) on IPAD with limited text box for any explanation, comments

Duke University School of MedicineThe MMI Interview

• MMI at DukeMed Applicants do a two hour circuit of 8-10 mini

interview stations, rotating from station to station Interviewers serve as anonymous “raters” in the

MMI format

No access to student application prior to MMI

Queries for ethical reasoning, critical thinking skills, oral/written presentation skills, emotional IQ, problem solving/critical thinking skills, using standardized scenarios

Multiple raters minimize the impact of individual bias

NOT knowledge based; applicants articulate their beliefs and judgment

What MMI Does

Multiple raters neutralize bias

Structure: Consistency increases fairness

No defined “right” or “wrong” answers:

applicants defend their beliefs and judgments

Rating scales are numeric so assessment

is quantitative

Can address school-specific needs

What it Can Test

Leadership

Problem Solving

ProfessionalismInterpersonal

Skills

Cooperation

Time Management

Communication

Ethics

Innovation

How MMI Works

Scenario

Description

~10 Applicants

8-10 Prepared Scenarios

Room for each scenario

One or more dedicated

raters per room

Applicants have a few minutes to

review scenario before entering

Copy of scenario in room

Applicants rotate to next

station after time is up

Raters score their applicants at end

of each mini-interview

How Does It Work?

Station 1

Station 2

Station 3

Station 4

Station 5

Station 6

Station 7

Station 8

Station 9

Station 10

We start here

And we

end here

In Multiple

Mini

Interviews

(MMI)

applicants do

a two hour

circuit of 8-

10 mini

interview

stations,

rotating

from station

to station.

Duke University School of MedicineThe MMI Interview at DukeMed

QUALITIES ASSESSED AT INTERVIEW

Ethical/Moral Judgment

Oral/Written communications skills

Critical thinking/problem-solving skills

Self-Awareness

Conflict Resolutions

Emotional intelligence

Professionalism

Ability to give and take instructions in the solving of a

common problem/leadership style

Duke University School of MedicineInterview Evaluation

Interview Evaluation narrative/notes can

provide SHORT comment/assessment of:

Humanism

Understanding of Self and Others

Personal Qualities

Interpersonal, written and oral communication

skills

Leadership style

Ability to work as part of a team

Current Selection Process

Applicants Offered Acceptance

Traditional Interviews

Duke Supplemental

Application

AMCAS Application

Filtering Based on

Quantitative:

MCAT,

GPA

Qualitative:

Experience,

Recommendations,

Essays

Two traditional

interviews

COA makes Final

Decision

Benefits of MMI

Predicting Student

Performance

• Studies demonstrate multiple assessments by multiple raters are more reliable

• More examiners provide fewer idiosyncrasies

Address Multiple Domains

• Knowledge of Health Care System

• Critical Thinking

• Public Policy

Address Critical

“Soft-Skills”

• Communications

• Teamwork

• Ethics

• Emotional Maturity and Handling Stress

Informed

Assessment

MMI at Duke Med

Scenario Details

Discussion-based scenario, e.g. ethical

dilemma

Applicant addresses topic or

question

Standard

Two applicants in one room with backs to each other with one

rater

Applicants solve a problem together, one giving and one

receiving instructions, not facing each other

Teamwork

MMI at DukeMed

Sample Scenarios: Teamwork

Teamwork:

Models,

Puzzles

Two applicants will be present at the station.

One applicant is asked to perform a complex

task, such as assembling or pairing a model.

The other applicant is given directions for

dealing with the model or is responsible for

instructing the applicant on how to assemble

or repair it.

The assessor is there to observe teamwork and

communication between the two.

MMI at DukeMedSample Scenarios: Ethical Decision-Making

Ethical

Decision-

Making

Recently in Congress, there has been discussion

concerning the issue of deterrent fees for all

individuals on either Medicare and Medicaid (a

small charge, say $20, which everyone who

initiates a visit to a health professional would

have to pay for every contact) as a way to control

health care costs. The assumption is that this will

deter people from visiting their doctor for

unnecessary reasons. Consider the broad

implication of this policy for health and health

care costs. For example, do you think the

approach will save health care costs? At what

expense? Discuss this issue with your

interviewer.

Duke University School of MedicineMMI at DukeMed

What Information does the “rater” have:

Each “rater” will have one scenario for all 10 interviewees with whom he/she will speak

All Information is blinded for GPA, Transcript and MCAT scores

All interviews conducted in the Duke Simulation Center

All stations will have audio/video surveillance

9th and 10th interview rooms will include a “traditional” format interview (1) and a writing station (1)

The writing station(s) will be proctored

How to Approach A Station

The Rater’s impression of:

- Applicant”s Interpersonal Skills/Non-verbal Communication

- Their interest in the situation/dilemma

- Ability to address multiple perspectives

- How well he/she communicates ideas;

- Not: Clinical

- Not: Objective

- Not: Test of specific knowledge

- Not: Your agreement with the student’s viewpoint

- Exception: Lack of empathy, caring, or patient-centric perspective

The Applicant Experience

Applicants made aware of what to expect during an MMI session when they are offered an interview

Applicants told they have a chance to make 6-8 first good impressions

Given a sample scenario prior to their visit

Provided scenario outside of session station and a copy in session room

Applicant Time Management

Applicants have two minutes to review the scenario in front of a station and will be told when to enter a room

Applicants can take longer than the time allocated to think about the scenario. However it will reduce their time available for discussion

The mini-interview will take 8 minutes. No more time will be given

A bell/alarm will ring to indicate when applicants move to the next station

Duke MMI: Exit Data

Applicant Exit surveys

Anonymous, confidential exit surveys sent to all interviewed

applicants (n=763)

Return rate: 751/763 (98.4%)

The MMI Interview format is fair to all applicant: Agree 92.8%

The MMI interview format allowed me to demonstrate my

strengths: Agree 82.4%

I enjoyed participating in the MMI interview format: Agree 89.5%

The MMI interview format was stressful: Agree 57.8%

I believe that the MMI Interview format is an effective tool for

evaluating an applicant’s non-academic aptitude: Agree 86.4%

Rate your interview experience as a whole: 92.2% Above avg-

Excellent

Use the Q&A panel to submit

your questions!

Thank you for attending!

@AAMCPreMed

/AAMCPreMed

A recording of this presentation will be

available soon on the AAMC Student Hub

www.aamc.org/students