Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)

The School of Physical Therapy adopted a new interview method for admissions beginning in March, 2007. The Multi Mini Interview (MMI) serves the same purpose in the selection of applicants to the Physical Therapy program as the previously used panel interview. The MMI evaluates personal characteristics important for success in the health sciences including critical thinking, ethical decision making, self-evaluation and communication. This interview method provides an opportunity for applicants to apply general knowledge and personal experiences to issues relevant to the society in which they live and the health care systems in which they hope to work.

During the course of the interview each applicant moves from one interview station to another. At each station, an applicant interacts with, or is observed by a different evaluator for approximately 8 minutes. Because each station is an independent experience, an applicant has the opportunity to make several first impressions rather than just one, and to recover from a less than optimal performance at one station by moving on to a new station and a different evaluator. The length of the interview time may be anywhere from 70 to 100 minutes, depending on the number of stations chosen for the interview format for any given year. The number of stations may range from 7 to 10. 

To commence the interview process, each applicant is positioned in front of a station door on which instructions, or a scenario and questions, are posted. After two minutes, a buzzer sounds. This is the applicant’s cue to enter the room.  A second buzzer will sound at the end of the allotted time for the encounter and the applicant moves to the next station.

All applicants attending interviews will be required to sign a Confidentiality Agreement and Data Release Form to ensure the security of interview scenarios and to allow use of interview data for research purposes. No applicant’s identity will be revealed in any presentation or publication of interview data.

Applicants offered interviews should note that, the MMI will be scheduled only once per year. Rescheduling, regardless of the reason, cannot be accommodated.