PROSPECTIVE medical students were invited to take part in a mini-multiple interview (MMI) event at Gobowen's Orthopaedic Hospital recently.

Moreton Hall School invited sixth form students from local schools to take part in its annual MMI event at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH).

The busy evening involved the potential medics being exposed to a wide range of interview styles in preparation for their medical applications.

Dr Ruth Longfellow, consultant anaesthetist and associate medical director at the RJAH; and Hannah Peel, biology teacher at Moreton Hall, got together to bring the sixth form students, twenty four RJAH doctors; and GPs and consultants from other hospitals, together.

The mini interviews encouraged students to demonstrate their communication skills during role play scenarios and were carried out under the tight time pressure that the MMI format imposes on medical applicants.

Hannah Peel said that it was good for students to experience realistic interviews before the real thing.

"As more and more medical schools use this interview style it really helps students to experience this format before their real interviews," she said.

"We are very grateful for the doctors and surgeons who helped run this event, often coming straight from treating patients, to help the next generation of doctors prepare for their medical school applications.

“At Moreton we are especially pleased to be able to include students from so many local schools.

"This year forty-eight students from fifteen local schools attended.”

Moreton Hall sixth form student, Cici Jin, who is applying to medical school this year, found the event very informative and said it filled her with confidence.

“I found the MMI evening really helpful," added Cici. "It made me more aware of some of the current important issues in medicine as well as helping me to give fuller answers at interview and develop my interview skills.

"Attending the MMI has made me much more confident about this type of medical interview.”

Annabella Yang, who is also a potential medic, agreed.

"This is something that I have been worried about and being able to practise it has really helped me," said Annabella.

"It was good that the doctors also gave us feedback so that we will be able to do better in our real MMIs.”