Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Eligible candidates in the current assessment cycle will be invited to participate in the Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI), an objective structured clinical exam. Participation in the MMI is mandatory for all candidates competing for CaRMS R-1 positions for IMGs in Alberta.
Candidates who are eligible for the current assessment cycle will be invited to participate in the Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI).
All candidates who wish to compete for CaRMS R-1 positions for IMGs in Alberta must take the MMI. MMI are held virtually. Please refer to Important Dates and Deadlines for timeline of current cycle.
The MMI is designed to assess personal qualities through the seven CanMEDS competencies, developed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) and the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC).
The MMI has been modeled on the Objective Structured Clinical Examination that is commonly used by Health Sciences Programs to evaluate student competence. It consists of a series of short carefully timed interview stations in an attempt to draw multiple samples of a candidate’s ability to think on their feet, critically appraise information, effectively communicate their ideas, and demonstrate their insight into unique and complex clinical scenarios.
The MMI is offered in Calgary once a year in the Fall.
About the MMI Process
As the performance of an individual is highly variable across situations, an evaluation that uses multiple scenarios is a more sound psychometric approach with a strong basis in educational and evaluation theory. This is advantageous for the candidate. If a candidate has trouble in one scenario they can recover with an excellent performance in another situation. Also, individuals with diverse backgrounds have a more equitable opportunity to demonstrate the quality of their educational and personal backgrounds.
Candidates have reached this stage of the process because they have completed a number of assessments testing their clinical knowledge. The MMI assesses the candidate’s ability to apply general knowledge to issues relevant to the culture and society in which they will be practicing.
Equally important, is the candidate’s ability to communicate and defend their personal opinions. Recognize that there are no right answers for many of the scenarios that candidates will see. They are simply asked to adopt a position and defend any ideas they put forward, or discuss the issues raised in the scenarios. Interviewers will challenge the candidate to express their ideas clearly and rigorously.
Candidates will be presented with eight stations (including one role-play station), each designed to assess their responses to specific scenarios. Each scenario or station is 9 minutes in total, with 3 minutes to review the scenario and 6 minutes to discuss the scenario with an interviewer. Each mini-interview takes place with an interviewer present.
Each scenario will focus on one or more of the CanMEDS competencies or roles:
- Communicator
- Collaborator
- Manager or Leader
- Health Advocate
- Scholar
- Professional
Prepare your response:
- Consider how the scenario relates to current issues and events relevant in Canadian culture and society and demonstrate this knowledge during the interview.
- Do not summarize the scenario, the Interviewer is well acquainted with the scenario and is more interested in your response.
- Do not focus on the definitions of the CanMEDS roles, but rather their applicability in the context of the station.
- Take your time, breathe deeply, and maintain composure.
Invited applicants will receive an invitation from Kira Talent to participate in an orientation to the virtual platform.
Sample Station #1
Candidate Information
You are taking care of an inpatient with progressive interstitial fibrosis who is admitted with escalating oxygen requirements and shortness of breath. He had quit smoking recently but requires 6 months of abstinence from smoking to be considered for transplantation. When you meet with him, he returns from being off unit and smells of smoke. On gentle probing, he admits to smoking.
How would you proceed with this situation?
Sample Station #2
Candidate Information
A 24 year old single mother gave birth to a male infant at 25 weeks gestation. The infant’s neonatal medical issues are now resolved, apart from being sent home on oxygen, expensive medications, and specialized formula. The infant also requires frequent visits to specialty clinics, the family doctor and pediatrician.
At the most recent visit with the family doctor, the mother expressed concerns that she is struggling financially to cover the cost of the formula, transportation costs to her appointments, and purchasing medications, and is also having difficulty coping with the care required for her infant.
How would you help this parent?
Interviewers will score three domains:
- Communication skills displayed during this station.
- Candidate’s ability to address the objectives of this station.
- Overall rating.
The candidate’s score will be reported directly to the residency programs to which they apply. Candidates will not receive a copy of their result. Each candidate’s score will be the standardized score for all stations, reported as a Z-score or variance from the mean. In other words, a candidate’s score will be assigned a number, either positive or negative, indicating how many standard deviations the candidate’s performance was either above or below their cohort’s mean.
Candidates will be evaluated at the level of a recent medical graduate from a Canadian medical school.
Eligible candidates’ scores will be reported directly to the residency programs to which they apply. Candidates will not receive a copy of their results.
The result is valid only for the cycle in which it was taken.
Understanding Your Results
In 2015, the AIMG Program changed its method of reporting MMI results to help residency programs more easily compare an applicant’s results to that of others in the same cycle (cohort). AIMG applicants must participate in the MMI annually in order for their results to be compared to their current cohort’s results.
MMI results are provided as a standardized score or z-score to reflect how an applicant performed in comparison to the mean (or average) score of all the applicants in that year’s MMI. A z-score more clearly indicates how an individual compares to their cohort than a raw test score.
If an individual’s raw score was above the mean, their z-score will be positive. If an individual’s raw score was below the mean, their z-score will be negative. Typically 68% of individuals will have a score between -1 and 1.
As the MMI is a comparative assessment, AIMG has moved away from raw score reporting and now reports standardized scores only. These are the only scores shared with program directors.
Attire
Business attire (no lab coat). Wear what you would wear to a residency interview.
Washroom Breaks
Candidates are encouraged to use the washroom prior to registering. There are no scheduled washroom breaks once you have been signed-in.
Arrival And Departure
Please refer to Kira Talent invitation letter for details on exam enrollment and registration times. Additional time will not be given to any candidate who logs into their scheduled exam late. No exceptions will be considered.
Available Seats
Candidates must confirm participation for the MMI in the invitation that is emailed approximately 2-4 weeks prior to exam dates. Any requests for a specific date should be sent to the AIMG Program prior to the MMI invitation date where the Program will make every effort to accommodate all candidates for the MMI. However, in the event that the number of candidates eligible to take the MMI is greater than the number of seats available, candidates will be ranked by their MCCQE Part 1 score and higher ranked candidates will be invited to participate in the MMI.
Preparing For MMI
The AIMG Program does not assist candidates with MMI preparation. Other agencies may provide these services.