Should all prospective medical students be interviewed? No

There is no perfect way to select a student for medical school. This fact is evidenced by the admissions processes for medicine in the UK, where more than 23 000 people apply for 7000 places. Each university selects its medical students in a different way, which indicates that there is no “gold standard” for selecting future doctors.

Over the past few years, several universities have migrated to the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) technique for selection. This entails a series of short, structured interview stations used to assess non-cognitive qualities, including empathy and communication skills. The multiple assessments of applicants by different observers across different domains increase the reliability of the tool. Before each mini interview station, candidates receive a question or scenario and have a short time to prepare an answer. On entering the interview room, the candidate has a short exchange with an interviewer. At the end of each mini