Experience vs. Hypothetical - More MMI questions

[interviewee42014]

All -

 

After watching the "sample interview" on the UofC med website, I have a few reflections and questions.

 

In the sample interview, the interviewee kept her response entirely hypothetical and fictional.

 

Is this the recommended approach to the MMI scenarios?

 

I think that I might have drawn from some personal experience in that situation. I expect that it is important to keep any personal anecdotes very brief, however I feel that personal experience might add value to some of the provided scenarios.

 

Is it better to include or avoid personal experience/anecdotes?

 

Also, in the sample interview, I found that the interviewee spoke non-stop for ~5minutes. To me, it was a bit of a "ramble", and I would have liked to see a bit more give and take between the interviewer and interviewee. Perhaps my approach is wrong.

 

Is it expected that we talk non-stop about the scenario until we feel that we have fully addressed the scenario? Or, should the interview be more of a dialogue between both participants, with the obvious caveat that the prospective student does most of the talking?

 

This is my first time through the MMI process, so I greatly appreciate your careful consideration.

[future_doc]

I have never applied @ U/C. My experrience, being a baseline for whom I have become, was used carefully to advantage. As for give and take, perhaps yes but be preapred to give your complete answer witout interruption. Good luck.

[*Pixie*]

I think its inevitable for people to approach questions differently. Some might answer it fully in 6 min, some might focus on only a few things and maybe use 3-4 min. In my personal opinion, the most important thing is to do what feels right to you. Its not a competition of who knows most. Instead, they want to see who the applicants are in reality. Being your smart, considerate, charming self (harder than it sounds) will make you stand apart from someone who is hiding behind a "perfect" answer... How can you solve an ethical dilemma in 8 minutes anyway???!!!

 

Also, if you browse last year interview threads, you will find that many people that got accepted emphasized "being your best self" was their key to success at the interview.

 

Anyway, I am in the same boat as you.

[thatonekid]

When watching the video, I also thought that I would have included a personal experience. You have to remember that the video was just a fake example and UofC has said it isn't necessarily the best or worst way to approach an MMI.

 

As for the "give and take between the interviewer and interviewee" as you put it, I think an important thing to remember is that the MMI is set up in a standardized way, unlike a traditional interview. I think this set up limits the amount of give and take. The interviewer has a set of follow up questions that they're allowed to ask, so I'm not expecting them to deviate from that. I think it's reasonable to expect the interviewee to go in, answer the question/prompt until they feel they've said all they need to, and then answer the specific follow up questions.

[NewfieMike]

if I think of something relevant outside of the scenario that will help, I'll say it.

 

But I imagine that a lot of the stations are going to be pretty abstract, where personal experience is gonna be pretty limited.

[medtech]

ya I think MMIs are meant to be less bias than traditional interviews. Thus the questions are more based on your problem solving skills that day, rather than on how much medical or background knowledge you know

[bloh]

Also, in the sample interview, I found that the interviewee spoke non-stop for ~5minutes. To me, it was a bit of a "ramble", and I would have liked to see a bit more give and take between the interviewer and interviewee. Perhaps my approach is wrong.

 

Is it expected that we talk non-stop about the scenario until we feel that we have fully addressed the scenario? Or, should the interview be more of a dialogue between both participants, with the obvious caveat that the prospective student does most of the talking?

 

This is my first time through the MMI process, so I greatly appreciate your careful consideration.

 

There will be no dialogue at all unless you stop speaking after which the interviewer will offer follow-up questions. For all intents and purposes, you are speaking to a wall.

 

If you've already answered the follow-up question during your initial ramble (it happens often), say so and perhaps briefly summarize the answer again.