You’ve made it to the interview stage of your PA school journey—huge congrats! 🎉 But now you’re faced with the big question: What kind of interview are you walking into? Are you about to face the MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) or the more traditional panel interview? Knowing what to expect can make a world of difference in how you prepare and how confident you feel on the big day. Let’s break down the differences between these two interview formats and dive into some tips to help you shine in either scenario.

What’s the Deal with MMI?

First up, let’s talk about the MMI. If you’re new to the term, MMI stands for Multiple Mini Interview. Think of it like speed dating—but instead of trying to impress a potential partner, you’re impressing a series of interviewers with your PA knowledge, problem-solving skills, and overall awesomeness. 🕒

Here’s how it works:

• Multiple Stations: In an MMI, you’ll rotate through a series of stations (usually 6-10), with each station presenting a different scenario or question. You’ll have a few minutes to read the prompt, think it over, and then a few more minutes to discuss your response with the interviewer at that station.
• Variety of Scenarios: The scenarios can range from ethical dilemmas to healthcare-related questions, or even role-playing exercises where you might have to deliver difficult news to a “patient.” The goal is to see how you think on your feet, communicate, and handle pressure.
• No Right or Wrong Answers: What’s great about the MMI is that there’s often no single “correct” answer. Interviewers are more interested in how you approach the problem, your reasoning and critical thinking, and how well you articulate your thoughts.

What’s a Traditional Interview Like?

On the flip side, you’ve got the traditional interview—more along the lines of what you might picture when you think of an interview.

• Panel Style or 1:1: In a traditional interview, you’ll usually sit down with a panel of interviewers (often 2-4 people) or 1:1. You will be asked questions about your experience, your motivation to become a PA, and how you’ve prepared for this career path.
• More Personal Questions: Traditional interviews often dig into your personal experiences. You might be asked to talk about your clinical experience, your volunteer work, or a time when you had to overcome a challenge. They want to get a sense of who you are as a person and how your past experiences have shaped your journey to becoming a PA.
• Follow-Up Questions: Unlike the MMI, where you move quickly from one scenario to the next, traditional interviews allow for follow-up questions. This can be great because it gives you the chance to expand on your answers and show even more of your personality and thinking process.

How to Prepare for Each

Preparing for an MMI:

1. Practice Scenarios: Since MMIs can cover a wide range of topics, practice with different scenarios. You can find practice questions online. The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll be thinking on your feet.
2. Work on Time Management: You’ll have limited time at each station, so practice organizing your thoughts quickly and delivering your answer concisely.
3. Stay Calm Under Pressure: MMIs are designed to put you under a bit of stress. Focus on staying calm, thinking clearly, and not rushing your answers.
4. Ethical Frameworks: Brush up on basic ethical frameworks and medical ethics. You don’t need to be an expert, but having a structured way to approach ethical dilemmas will help.

Preparing for a Traditional Interview:

1. Know Your Application Inside and Out: Be ready to discuss any aspect of your application—whether it’s your personal statement, clinical experience, or volunteer work. They might ask you to elaborate on something you wrote, so be prepared to dive deep.
2. Practice Common Questions: Traditional interviews often have some go-to questions like “Why do you want to be a PA?” or “What’s your biggest strength?” Practicing these can help you feel more confident and articulate during the real thing.
3. Have Examples Ready: Think of specific examples from your past experiences that highlight your skills, compassion, and dedication to becoming a PA. The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is a great way to structure your answers.
4. Be Yourself: It’s cliché, but true. Traditional interviews give you a chance to show your personality. Don’t be afraid to let your passion and enthusiasm shine through.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re walking into an MMI or a traditional interview, remember this: The interviewers want you to succeed. They’ve already seen your application and know you’re qualified—now they want to see who you are beyond the paper. So, take a deep breath, prepare as best as you can, and go in with the confidence that you’ve got this!

And, no matter what type of interview you face, just remember that every step you take is bringing you closer to your dream of becoming a PA. You’ve worked hard to get here, and you’re more than capable of knocking this out of the park. Also, strongly consider doing a mock interview to make sure you are prepared to present your strongest answers. Good luck—you’ve got this! 🎉