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If you’ve received an interview offer for the medical program at Monash and have no clue how to prepare for it, well, you’ve come to the right place. This handy guide will give you everything you need to know about acing your MMI at Monash University!
Undergraduate
Am I Eligible For A Monash Medicine Offer?
If you are completing year 12 in 2021 (or did so in 2020), you can apply to the Monash medicine program as an undergraduate student. Interviews are offered based on a combination of your UCAT and ATAR results.
What Do The Medical Interviews (MMI) At Monash Look Like?
Monash MMI Stations all focus on assessing an applicant’s:
- Motivation;
- Communication skills;
- Critical thinking;
- Ethical reasoning;
- Empathic reasoning;
- Teamwork and collaboration; and
- Advocacy
If you are lucky enough to receive an undergraduate interview offer, you can expect to be given a choice of 3 potential days for your interview. On the big day, you will have 8 separate MMI stations, each with 2 minutes reading time and 8 minutes to respond.
Monash loves to give students tough ethical scenarios or Australian health topics to discuss. Don’t let the topic throw you off! The key is to demonstrate your thought process, as examiners want to see how you reached your decision as much as the decision itself. On the other hand, Monash medicine MMI’s regularly include the standard ‘why medicine?’ question allowing you to be a little more personal in your answer - avoid going with cliche responses or what you think they want to hear as this is your chance to showcase who you really are.
Important Monash Medicine Dates (for 2022 entry)
The interview offers: Undergraduate interview offers are usually sent in late December, but the date is yet to be confirmed for students applying in 2021.
Interview period: Undergraduate MMI’s will occur between 4, 5, 6 & 7 January 2022 at the Monash Clayton campus and can extend up to 11 January 2022.
Interviews are subject to change due to the COVID-19 situation, and applicants are advised to keep an eye out for updates on the official Monash page.
Interview results: Undergraduate students will receive one VTAC course offered in January, based on their preferencing.
How can I further prepare for my Monash medicine interview?
The key to performing well at interviews is always practice. To impress Monash with your stellar communication skills, you need to be comfortable performing in one-on-one interview scenarios. Specifically, make sure you've done plenty of practice scenarios specific to Monash medicine MMI questions, focusing on how to handle an ethical dilemma, interpersonal conflict, or respond to a public health matter. Also, be sure to have a strong understanding of the Monash course so that you are equipped to answer intelligently if asked 'why Monash?'
Need more information? Check out our Free Undergraduate Medical Interview Atlas!
Postgraduate
Am I Eligible For A Monash Medicine Offer?
Monash University only accepts postgraduate applicants who have completed one of Monash’s undergraduate degrees. GAMSAT scores are no longer part of their admissions criteria.
See our Ultimate Medical Applications Guide for all your application questions!
What Do The Medical Interviews (MMI) At Monash Look Like?
If you are attending a Monash postgraduate interview, there will be 6 stations, each with 2 minutes of reading time and 8 minutes to respond.
These stations usually involve an ethical dilemma, an Australian health topic, or an interpersonal situation. These have a focus on rural health since the first postgraduate year at Monash is based in Churchill. Be sure to come prepared with an understanding of some of the issues that rural communities face! You won’t usually have acting or practical scenarios in a Monash interview, unlike other postgraduate universities. The key to performing well is to demonstrate strong verbal communication skills and clearly explain your thought process in any response.
Important Monash Medicine Dates (for 2022 entry)
The interview offers: Postgraduate interview offers are due to be sent out on Friday 28th August 2020.
Interview period: Postgraduate MMI’s take will commence on 27th September at the Monash Churchill campus.
Interviews are subject to change due to the COVID-19 situation, and applicants are advised to keep an eye out for updates on the official Monash page.
Interview results: Postgraduate applicants will receive an offer via email by the mid-week of December if successful.
How Can I Further Prepare For My Monash Medicine Interview?
- Monash MMI Stations all focus on assessing an applicant’s:
- Motivation
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking
- Ethical reasoning
- Empathic reasoning
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Advocacy
All postgraduate interviews are very university-specific, and this should guide your preparation. Whether it be practicing with friends or in an interview preparation course, be sure to work through plenty of Monash-specific scenarios before the big day. The ethical dilemmas and rural health issues Monash likes to include can be really tough, and it's crucial to be well and truly comfortable handling such questions. To do this, practice explaining your thought process and ensure you account for all aspects of the problem at hand.
Don't forget to familiarise yourself with some rural health content!
Examples For MMI Interview Questions At Monash medicine
Let’s take a quick look at the style of typical stations asked within the Monash MMI.
Monash MMI Example Station 1
You are a medical student, and a specialist asks you to perform an abdominal exam on an already under the anaesthetic patient. You are aware she did not consent to this, but the specialist will be examining your abilities. What would you do?
Follow Up Questions For Station 1:
- What are some of the issues here?
- Should patients in public hospitals have the right to refuse treatment from inexperienced doctors/medical students?
- Would your reaction be different if the examination was more invasive?
Monash MMI Example Station 2
Using IVF to predetermine the sex of your baby is allowed in some places but not in Victoria. Do you think it should be allowed?
Follow Up Questions For Station 2:
- What if a couple carries a genetic disease that is more likely to affect a male child? Should it be allowed then?
- Should people who go overseas to do it be prosecuted when they return home?
- Jan (your sister) has three sons and desperately wants a daughter. She is considering going overseas. What do you do/say?
