DownloadThe best MMI preparation is little and often, out loud. Here is a four-week plan you can compress if your interview is sooner.
Week 1: know your material
- Re-read your personal statement and note every line an interviewer could ask about.
- Pick three or four experiences you will use again and again, and write what each taught you.
- Learn the station types: motivation, ethics, the NHS, communication, role-play, teamwork, data and personal attributes.
- Say your answer to “Why medicine?” (or dentistry, or pharmacy) out loud every day.
Week 2: a structure for every station
- Learn a structure for each station type. Our guide to MMI questions and answers has one for each.
- Practise one or two stations a day, out loud and timed.
- Read up on ethics basics: the four principles, capacity, consent and confidentiality.
Week 3: follow-ups and feedback
- Practise with someone, or something, that asks follow-up questions.
- After each station, check what you missed and try it again straight away.
- Focus on your weakest station type.
Week 4: run the day
- Run at least one full mock: several stations back to back, with reading time.
- Practise switching cleanly from one station to the next.
- Keep sessions short in the final days. Sleep matters more than one more station.
On the day
- Use the reading time to plan your first sentence.
- If a station goes badly, let it go. Every station is marked separately.
- Listen to the question you are actually asked.
Frequently asked questions
How early should I start preparing for an MMI?
A few weeks of regular practice is a good target. Start with your own examples and station structures, then move on to timed practice with follow-up questions and a full mock.
How many stations should I practise a day?
One or two done properly, out loud and reviewed, are worth more than many rushed ones.