Since the COVID-19 pandemic, medical schools are shifting towards virtual interviews through online video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Teams. Online interviews require you to apply your skills differently than in-person interviews.
This guide will walk you through our top tips to prepare for your virtual interviews, from what to expect in your MMI interview to the optimal computer and device setups. Find out how to boost your chances of receiving a medical school offer in your virtual interview below!
Check out whether the universities you’ve applied to use online interviews in our specific medical school advice guide!
Through our own experiences and expert doctor team, we’ve written these tips to help you succeed in your MMI preparation for your medical school interviews.
Needing some more support? Why not check out our medicine interview tutoring or 1:1 mock interviews with our experts?
Top 10 Tips For Online MMI Interviews Summary
Know How Your Online Interview Will Run
Practice Using The Interview Platform They Will Be Using
Perfect Your Body Language
Put Away Any Notes You Have
Hone Your Computer Set-Up
Prepare Your Internet Connection
Expect Lag In Your Virtual Interview
Practice With A Mock Virtual Medical School Interview
Login Earlier Than Necessary To Ensure All Is Okay!
The University Are There To Help You
1. Know How Your Online Interview Will Run
The last thing you want on the day of your virtual MMI interview is to be confused with the format of the day, and not know what’s happening. Luckily this can be prevented through preparation!
The best preparation for this is through information given to you by the medical school itself. Read through any briefing material about how the day will run, and what is expected of you.
Synchronous Virtual MMI Interviews
Synchronous interviews are similar to the format you will be familiar with, where each virtual MMI station is formed from a virtual room on the video platform.
This room will contain an interviewer and relevant staff, such as roleplayers. Either the interviewers or yourself will be moved between virtual rooms at the end of each station, for the next station to begin.
Alternatively, you may stay in one virtual room with a panel of interviewers who will assess all of the stations of your MMI interview.
Asynchronous Virtual MMI Interviews
Asynchronous interviews do not have interviewers assessing you live, rather your answers to each station are recorded via webcam.
The information for each station and the associated questions will be presented on screen to you. These are then assessed by an interviewer over the following weeks.
👉🏻 Read more about the medical school you’ve applied to in our Ultimate Medical School Guide
2. Practice Using The Interview Platform They Will Be Using
Different medical schools will use different online conferencing platforms, and unfortunately, these have different interfaces to each other and can be confusing to use!
The most common interview platforms that medical schools use in 2024 include:
Zoom
Microsoft Teams
Blackboard for Collaboration
Skype for Business
Although some of the above can work through your internet browser, we recommend downloading their apps before your interview, as these are more reliable.
Spend a few minutes using the software, and get to know where the most important buttons are for yourself, such as mute, camera on/off, microphone and audio settings.
If the university you’ve applied to offers any training or briefing on how to use the platform, ensure that you utilise this.
Zoom Medicine Interviews
Many medical schools in the past have used Zoom for their interviews. This includes Bristol, Brunel, Exeter, Glasgow, Plymouth and Sheffield (but may not do the same this year).
Here is some useful information on using Zoom:
What is Zoom? Cloud-based video and audio conferencing tool with recording ability.
How Do You Join Meetings? Requires an invitation with a unique 9-11 digit meeting ID.
How To Prepare For a Zoom Interview? Advisable to download the Zoom app on a computer device before the meeting.
Do I Need To Download The App: Option to join through a Chrome web browser using the meeting ID.
Practice Option: Test meeting available for users to familiarise themselves with Zoom's features.
MS Teams Medical School Interviews
Many medical schools in the past have used MS Teams for their interviews. This includes Keele, Aston and Nottingham (but may not do the same this year).
How Do I Access MS Teams? You can either download the MS Teams app, or via your web browser
Do I Need To Login? Possible for non-account holders, subject to the organiser's settings.
How Do I Join A Meeting? Through the invitation, there will be an option to Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Blackboard Collaborate Medicine Interviews
This is software, that to our knowledge, has only recently been used by Dundee Medical School.
Once you click on the link that the moderator sends, you will be asked to type your name in (type your full name) and then you can join a session.
👉🏻 Read more: Online MMI Roleplay Stations Advice
3. Perfect Your Body Language
Even in an online MMI interview, positive body language is vital and can make or break your interview. Students often make the mistake of thinking that interviewers can see less than they can, and forget to sit up straight and professionally.
Along with our body language tips from our in-person MMI guide, we recommend practising maintaining eye contact with your camera.
With your computer screen showing the interviewer's face, it can be difficult to remember that maintaining eye contact will require you to look at your webcam’s lens.
If you do not do this, it will look like you're making eye contact slightly lower than is ideal.
Try positioning your camera close to the screen, at eye level if possible. If not, we recommend using a brightly coloured sticker around your camera lens to remind yourself where you should be looking!
Combine this with your active listening techniques and warm smiles to portray your interest and enthusiasm to your interviewer.
👉🏻 Read more: Data Interpretation MMI Stations
4. Put Away Any Notes You Have
It may be tempting to use notes in your online MMI interview, especially if it has been announced as an open-book interview. Whilst a post-it note reminder of mnemonics or key ideas may be useful, we highly dissuade students from using sheets of notes during their interview!
Interviewers can see when you’re looking down and reading notes, and it may suggest to them that you’re underprepared for your interview. Reading your notes after being asked a question will eat into the time you have to communicate your answer, and this could lead to you running out of time in your MMI station.
These concerns can be overcome by thorough preparation, such that you are confident with NHS hot topics and medical ethics that you don’t require notes to help you!
👉🏻 Read more: Top MMI Interview Tips
5. Hone Your Computer Set-Up
For an online MMI interview, you will need:
A computer, laptop, tablet or phone capable of running the interview platform software
A microphone & maybe some headphones
A stable internet connection
If you are struggling to acquire any of the above, it may be worth contacting your school or local library to see if they can lend you this equipment.
We recommend using a device or external webcam with reasonable quality. The quality found on laptops or phones may be satisfactory, but it’s worth considering that interviewers need to be able to see your facial expressions during the interview!
Likewise, the audio quality of your microphone should be reasonable enough for your interviewers to hear you clearly, with minimal static noise, and over or under-sensitivity.
We recommend setting up your camera at a distance which allows your head and neck to be seen in the interview. This will help convey your body language to your interviewers and will improve your chances of success.
Ensure the background of your video is tidy and professional. We recommend using the blur background filter if this is not possible.
👉🏻 Read more: NHS Core Values
6. Prepare Your Internet Connection
Wi-fi issues are one of the biggest concerns of medical school applicants facing their online MMI interviews.
Online conferencing platforms require a strong and stable internet connection to perform at their best.
You can check whether your internet connection is strong enough for your interview through websites such as SpeedTest to check your internet speed.
Most video conference websites require a minimum upload speed of 1.5mbps, however, from experience, we recommend a speed of at least 5mbps for MMI interviews.
If possible, we recommend connecting to your wi-fi router with an ethernet cable, to give you a more stable internet connection.
👉🏻 Read more: Medicine Interview Questions Guide
7. Expect Lag In Your Virtual Interview
Unfortunately, internet connections aren’t always predictable, and unfortunately during your MMI interview, you may experience some lag.
You need to prepare yourself to deal with this and be comfortable with coping with it on the spot.
Your interviewers will understand connection issues, and if you miss part of the question they’ve asked due to your internet cutting out, it is perfectly acceptable to ask your interviewer to repeat the question.
Likewise, if the interviewer misses part of your answer to the question, you need to demonstrate patience. Ask them at what point the internet cut out, and simply repeat your answer from that point onwards.
8. Practice With A Mock Virtual Medical School Interview
Nothing can prepare you better for a virtual interview than practising!
Run a mock interview with your friends or family using the online interview platform.
We recommend using the record function, to record yourself during the interview to revisit afterwards.
Some students notice patterns in their speaking, behaviour or body language on the recordings, which they were unaware of before! This is a great way to prepare for your virtual medical school interview.
👉🏻 Consider a mock interview with our expert mentors
9. Login Earlier Than Necessary To Ensure All Is Okay!
When arriving at a virtual MMI interview, it is preferable to log on earlier rather than later. If early, you will be placed in a virtual waiting room, and when the interview begins, you will be let into the main interview room.
If interviewers are waiting for you in the main interview room, it will reflect poorly on your professional conduct and may suggest that you are unreliable and unorganised.
With online video conference software, sometimes updates are required before joining a meeting. Therefore we recommend joining your interview at least 5 minutes before the start time, to ensure that any updates required can be completed before your interview starts!
👉🏻 Read more about the professional standards: Good Medical Practice 2024
10. The University Are There To Help You
If you have any problems in the process of preparing or setting up for your virtual MMI interview, it may be necessary to contact the medical school to which you have applied.
Medical schools may be able to offer resources, advice or equipment to help you complete your interview if brought to their attention in advance.
This will be more beneficial than raising concerns after your interview - as the med school has a chance of fixing this during the interview.
👉🏻 Read more: Medicine Interview Topics
Online Medicine Mini Multiple Interview Frequently Asked Questions
What is an MMI interview for medicine?
An MMI (multiple mini-interview) is a type of admissions interview used by many UK medical schools. It consists of several short, structured interview stations assessing skills like communication, ethics, and critical thinking.
How do online virtual MMI interviews work?
Virtual MMIs are conducted via video conferencing platforms like Zoom. Applicants rotate between virtual stations containing interviewers and roleplayers. Timing is managed by software prompts through the virtual interview.
What technology is required for online medicine interviews in the UK?
You'll need a strong internet connection, a quality webcam, a microphone, and a laptop/desktop able to run the conferencing software for virtual MMIs during the video call.
How should you prepare for remote MMI interviews?
Thoroughly research likely stations and practice responses. Run mock interviews on the virtual platform to get comfortable with the video settings and timing.
What are some tips for displaying positive body language in a remote MMI?
Maintain eye contact with the webcam, sit up straight, nod and smile appropriately. Avoid excessive fidgeting visible on camera.
Why should you avoid relying on notes during a virtual MMI station?
Looking down frequently at notes suggests under preparation. It also eats into the limited time available to deliver responses.
How can you ensure a strong internet connection for remote interviews?
Connect your device directly to the router with ethernet if possible. Test your speed on SpeedTest and upgrade if below 5mbps upload.
What should you do if lag occurs during a virtual MMI station?
Politely ask the interviewer to repeat part of the question you missed. If they miss your answer, offer to restate the section where the internet cut out.
How can mock interviews help prepare for online MMIs?
Practising via the conferencing platform helps identify technical issues and patterns in behaviour or speaking habits through recordings.
When should you arrive for a virtual MMI interview session?
Aim to log in at least 5 minutes early in case any software updates need to be installed before entering the online interview rooms.
