"Enter the room and…" Not every school that utilizes the MMI will use role-play. But if they do, you could be presented with scenarios—in an in-person interview, it is sometimes taped to the door of a room—in which you must enter the room and speak to the actor inside as if they were your patient, a patient's family member, your colleague, or a close friend. An interviewer might be in the room watching, or there might be a camera in the room catching your big debut. (Since more schools have moved to doing interviews remotely, the “room” might be on Zoom or Kira.) Time yourself doing these practice prompts. In addition to other MMI prep, if you’re working with Apply Point, your AP advisor can act as a patient and give you notes at the end of the session.
You're not always going to "win" these scenarios. Your fake patient could continue to push back against your advice, etc. The point here is to show your empathy, thought process, and—this is the part people mess up—your ability to listen. Ask your partner questions about their thoughts, fears, or concerns. Don't give a soliloquy. Yes, this is your interview but in real life, these interactions would be conversations. Encourage an exchange. And don't be afraid to be quiet sometimes.
Think about how you'd handle these scenarios:
A patient is refusing a treatment that would prolong his life because of its side effects. The patient's family passionately wants him to submit to treatment. Speak to this family.
A physician’s assistant in your gynecology practice has repeatedly misgendered a trans patient. Your patient is upset. Talk to this PA.
Your patient is terminally ill. Tell them.
A hostile patient is demanding an opioid prescription for a supposed back injury—his X-ray does not show such an injury. Talk to this patient.
Your best friend has been struggling with depression and is self-medicating with alcohol. Talk to her.
You overhear a colleague using a racial stereotype when talking about a patient. Enter the room and talk to him.
Your patient wants to hold off on starting a cancer treatment plan until after a family vacation in three months. Her condition is advanced, and you don’t think she should do this. Talk to this patient.
“Teach Me How to Tie a Shoe.”
Another potential task you might do with an actor or interviewer is walk them through a process step-by-step. One example is telling someone how to tie a shoe. Now that you’ve thought about that for a sec, you see how this might be difficult, right? Be patient with the other person and
yourself. Choose your words carefully and if you make a mistake, backtrack without panic. The point of a task like this is to test your communication skills. Are you being clear? Are you being comprehensive? Are you asking your partner what they want to know more about? Are you keeping a calm tone the way we’d want a doctor to when they’re explaining a complex treatment plan?
Related:
The Med School’s MMI Interview: Moral & Ethical Situations
The Med School’s MMI Interview: Healthcare Policy Questions
The Med School’s MMI Interview: Teamwork Activities
The Med School’s MMI Interview: Writing and Picture Stations
The Med School’s MMI Interview: Final Thoughts