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Valuable MMI Tips and Advice


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Do not PM me. I wont answer them. Also do not ask for specific MMI advice as this goes against the confidentiality agreement we all have to sign. With that being said here is some valuable MMI advice that helped me get into UBC.

 

  • Read up on the social determinants of health. Know the different determinants and why they are social determinants. It’s a short read and a great way to strengthen your MMI responses. Here is the link: http://thecanadianfacts.org/the_canadian_facts.pdf

 

  • Always try to think about marginalized populations when developing a response to MMI questions. It’s really easy to see how a particular policy may affect you or someone you know, but difficult to think about those that are most affected.

 

  • Try to consider cultural and religious values of other people when developing your response (e.g., indigenous peoples). Culturally competency and sensitivity is very important and a great way to strengthen your response. 

 

  • For the acting station, the best advice I can give is to be non-judgemental. Everything from your body language, tone of voice, to the word choice you use should not be judgemental in any way. The most important part of the acting station is to FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS THEY GIVE YOU! 

 

  • Before coming into the interview make sure to think about a few stories and experiences that have shaped who you are. Incorporate these into your answers whenever you can. They are are a great way to distinguish yourself from other applicants. The more powerful and moving your personal story, the better.

 

  • Take a stance. It’s easy to explore multiple sides of an issue, but that makes you wish washy. Take a stance and be able to back up your view.

 

  • Don’t use up all 7 minutes to answer a question during the MMI. This is a big mistake. You are often given multiple prompt questions so give yourself the opportunity to answer those. It will help develop and strengthen your response. Therefore keep your initial response before preppy questions to about 3 to 4 minutes. 

 

  • Be relaxed, but punctual. If you look nervous and anxious it will show. Train yourself to look calm and collected. In addition, watch your posture. Don’t slouch. Sit up straight. Don’t wave your hands around like a maniac. These seem obvious but in the moment many applicants don’t pay attention to these non-verbal cues.

 

  • Don’t rephrase the question. So many people do this and you look stupid. If I ask you what your favourite video game is in casual conversation, you don’t respond by saying “you asked me what my favourite video game is. My favourite video game is...”.
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  • Final point... practice practice practice and don’t seek out professional interview prep from places like MD Consultants or by a user that goes by JJ or JJay on Facebook (Young Asian resident that claims he got into 5 medical schools). It’s a complete scam. These companies and individuals charge enormous sums of money for outdated and ineffective advice. Don’t take my word for it. Ask anyone who has paid JJay and you’ll find out it’s a sham. If you pay for this service you’re a fool who is shelling out big money for no reason. He preys on the desperate. Don’t fall for the trap. Everything you need to succeed is free. 

 

Best of luck.

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@ScrewJJay thank you for the advice! it is much appreciated. 

regarding the final point... I can't speak for JJay or MD Consultants as I am not familiar with them... BUT as a candidate who wasn't confident in my interview skills, I did seek professional help from a company (I won't name publicly so as not to promote them here) but I found them to be extremely beneficial in terms of their methodical approaches and strategies to answering questions, as well as in getting my confidence up prior to my interviews. 

nonetheless, there is no way you won't overpay for these services... they definitely are overpriced, but on the other hand why take a risk when you have an interview in hand?

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The only thing  I would add to the OP is that you don't lose marks if you talk for seven minutes and don't reach the prompt questions.  A lot of great candidates already address these questions in their initial response.  The marking scheme is actually very simple and based on your overall response.  It has nothing to do with leaving time for the prompt questions.  Having said that, a lot of candidates tend to blabber and repeat themselves in their answers, the prompt questions help steer the candidates in the right direction.

As an aside, I also used a professional company which I found helpful.  It gave me some new approaches to questions and a good strategy for tackling answers.  Yes, they are a complete rip off.

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