You’ll need to be ready for MMI quirky questions and answers if you’re preparing for your multiple mini-interview. Be it in dentistry, pharmacy, physical therapy, residency, premed, or any other field, quirky questions will be part of your MMI as one of the different types of MMI questions asked during these situational judgment tests (SJT). MMI quirky questions test a candidate’s creative and critical thinking abilities, which are essential for a physician to have.
In this article, we’ll look at why these questions are asked and present some sample MMI quirky questions and answers. We’ll also provide tips on how to frame your response so that you score high in your interview.
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Given the number of medical schools that use MMI, it is essential to prepare for this type of interview. MMIs consist of seven different types of questions, including scenario-based, policy-based, personal, acting, quirky, writing, and collaborative questions. In this article, we focus on the quirky ones.
Quirky MMI questions can be broadly categorized under two types: “if you could do/go/be/have questions and quote-based questions. These are the most common types of questions asked and preparing for them will help you answer other types of weird or intimidating medical school interview questions as well.
Want to know the hardest MMI questions and learn how to prepare for them? Watch this video:
MMI Quirky Questions and Answers
Quirky MMI questions that start with “if you could do/go/be/have …”
Quirky MMI questions that start with “if you could do/go/be/have …” present a weird hypothetical. This will force you to imagine yourself in that situation and come up with an explanation that should be cohesive, logical, and show qualities that are essential to studying and practicing medicine.
Question 1. If you could wake up anywhere tomorrow and do anything, where would you go and what would you do?
Sample Answer: If I could wake up anywhere tomorrow, I would choose to wake up in a town in the mountains for two reasons: the tranquility and the opportunity to help people in remote villages. Away from the commotion of city life, I would bask in the calm and peaceful environment that the mountains offer. I would enjoy the change of pace and chance to re-establish contact with nature in the fresh air and picturesque surroundings.
I would start my day with a hike and take in some sun. If I had my dog Max with me, we would try to go as far as possible until we both run out of energy and then lay down a sheet to relax and enjoy the view.
My goal since high school has been to run a clinic in a remote village in the mountains and help people who do not have the easiest access to medicine. Having visited such remote locations a few times in my career, I realize that villages like these lack the regular and convenient access to doctors, medications, and treatments, let alone surgeries.
I would spend time with the neighborhood residents and try to set up my practice, with the aim of bringing better medical care to that village. This would be a wonderful chance for me to give back to the community and use my medical expertise to assist those in need. It would be a purposeful way for me to spend my time and help other people.
Question 2. If you could be any animal, which animal would you be and why?
Sample Answer: That’s an interesting question! If I could be any animal, I would want to be a dolphin. Along with the ability to explore the vast oceans, dolphins are renowned for their high level of intelligence, their capacity for problem-solving, and their social nature. They can perform complex tasks and engage in a variety of vocal interactions with one another thanks to their complex nervous systems and high brain-to-body ratios.
These qualities fit with my love of science and medicine. One of the most significant and rewarding fields of study, in my opinion, is that of understanding how the brain functions and applying that knowledge to better people’s lives. I would have the chance to see firsthand how an intelligent, complex organism functions and engages with its surroundings if I were a dolphin.
And of course, as a dolphin, I would be able to explore the vast and varied environment that is the ocean, which has always fascinated me. The ocean is a special and vital component of our planet, supporting an incredible variety of species and ecosystems, and I would take advantage of the opportunity to see things that have never been seen by a human being before.
In conclusion, having the chance to be a dolphin and explore a distinct and fascinating environment would allow me to combine my passion for exploration, science, and medicine.
Question 3. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
Sample Answer: Having the ability to read people’s minds would be the ideal superpower for me. As a physician, it would help me understand my patients better and provide the right care and treatment. I could directly address a patient's thoughts and worries by having the ability to comprehend them, thus reassuring and supporting them. This superpower would also make it easier to communicate clearly in a medical setting, which is crucial to ensuring accurate diagnoses and successful treatments.
Furthermore, the ability to read my patients’ minds would give me a unique advantage in my field, as I would be able to identify and address potential health issues before they become serious. For example, if, for some reason, a patient is hesitant to share their concerns or symptoms, I would be able to read their mind and help them early on.
So, I believe that having the power to read people’s minds would significantly improve my capacity to treat my patients with compassion and effectiveness, and I am convinced that this superpower would support me in achieving my goal of becoming a successful and sympathetic doctor.
Want to learn about 10 common residency interview questions? Watch this video:
Quirky quote-based MMI questions
Quote-based MMI questions present you with a quote, typically from a notable historical figure, and ask you to interpret and give your opinion on it. The idea behind these questions is to see how the candidate interprets the quote, relates it to their own life, and if possible, to the particular field of medicine.
Question 4. “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” - Desmond Tutu
Sample Answer: Desmond Tutu emphasized how important it is to acknowledge and support one another, in order to be truly human, when he said, “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” With this, he contends that humanity is a quality that is shared and connected across all beings and does not exist in a vacuum. He emphasizes how important it is for each of us to be a part of a larger community and how our well-being is correlated with the well-being of others.
As a medical student, I find this quotation which emphasizes the importance of sympathy, compassion, and solidarity, to be especially relevant in the practice of medicine. To treat patients as effectively as possible, doctors must be able to relate to, comprehend, and understand them. Additionally, they must be able to experience their pain and see the world from their point of view. This necessitates having a keen empathy for the patient and wanting to help them both as a person and as a medical professional.
Additionally, providing health care involves identifying and addressing the social and emotional factors that have an impact on a person’s health in addition to treating their physical symptoms. This entails identifying and addressing the social determinants of health that can result in poor health outcomes, such as poverty, discrimination, and a lack of access to health care.
Lastly, this quote also serves as a reminder that, as a medical student and aspiring health care provider, my job necessitates working in conjunction with other health care specialists, such as nurses, social workers, and others, to provide patients with the best care possible. Collaboration, teamwork, and shared decision making are crucial in the health care sector, and it’s important to understand that working together yields greater results than working independently.
Question 5. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Sample Answer: The quote “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,” attributed to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., emphasizes the significance of speaking out and acting on the issues that matter to us. When we choose to keep quiet about significant issues, Dr. King contends, we are essentially allowing our lives to end because we are not achieving our full potential or having a positive impact on the world.
This quote has particular relevance to me as a medical student because health care is not just about diagnosing and treating illness; it is also about advocating for the health and well-being of our patients and communities. This means drawing attention to issues such as public health policies, access to care, social determinants of health, and more, that have a significant impact on health outcomes. It also serves as a reminder that health care providers have a responsibility to use their platform and voice to advocate for what’s right, even if it may sometimes mean going against the norm.
Dr. King fought for what was right, he fought for equality and respect. He was the voice for the voiceless, and this quote pushes us to do just that. In our daily lives, we should stand up against injustice, fight oppression, and help people in need.
What is the Purpose of MMI Quirky Questions?
Why are MMI quirky questions important? These types of questions are personal, but they are not as straightforward as the dedicated MMI personal questions and answers. Nevertheless, they are designed to test your strengths, weaknesses, and values, along with your creative and critical thinking. These questions are weird and tricky, so you will have to think on your feet. And that’s exactly what the interviewer wants to see. You will have a limited amount of time to respond, so there will be added pressure on top of having to think outside the box.
How to Answer MMI Quirky Questions
To answer a quirky question, start with what the prompt means to you, what emotions or memories it invokes. Then, try to connect the situation to yourself and think of what qualities, traits, or skills you can extract from the situation that align with the program. Next, explain how these qualities are essential for your field of medicine. Note that you will have to tailor your strategy depending on the question and your field.
General Tips to Prepare for Quirky MMI Questions
Understanding what MMI quirky questions are will help you better prepare for your interview. You can prepare for your MMI in many different ways: An MMI prep book provides students with great information on multiple mini interviews, with tips, sample questions, and detailed answers. After going through the MMI quirky questions and answers mentioned above, you can try to answer the same questions on your own. You can also practice with sample MMI questions and common medical school interview questions to get an idea of the variety of questions that can be asked. Additionally, to get a complete idea of the different MMI stations, we recommend reviewing MMI writing station examples as well as MMI policy questions and answers and familiarizing yourself with what these stations entail.
Importantly, you could engage an MMI interview tutor, as working with a professional can have many benefits, not just in the short term as you prepare for your medical school admissions interviews, but in the long term, too, as you build the necessary and critical professional skillset.
FAQs
1. Why do MMIs have quirky questions? They don’t seem related to the field of medicine.
Even though MMI quirky questions are not directly related to medicine, they are designed to test attributes and values of a candidate that are essential for studying and practicing medicine. They force the candidate to think creatively, critically, and under the pressure of a time limit.
2. What are the different types of questions that can be asked in an MMI?
There are seven different types of MMI questions, including scenario-based, policy, personal, acting, quirky, writing, and collaborative questions.
3. Do I need to prepare for quirky MMI questions? They seem very random.
Preparing for MMI quirky questions and answers will help you answer these types of questions with confidence and a logical flow. If you use the strategies mentioned here, you will know how to approach, interpret, and then respond to these questions. So yes, we recommend you prepare for the quirky questions of an MMI.
4. How can I prepare for quirky MMI questions?
You can prepare for quirky MMI questions by familiarizing yourself with the MMI quirky questions and answers mentioned here. You can try to come up with multiple answers to these questions as well. Using full-length mock MMIs is a great way to get ahead of the competition.
5. How long does it take to prepare for MMI?
If you are wondering how long it takes to prepare for the MMI, we recommend about 8 to 10 weeks. CASPer test & multiple mini interview (MMI) seem to be highly coachable, and we have found that our students improve their MMI scores by 27% after 8–10 weeks of practice.
6. How much time should I spend in responding to MMI quirky questions?
We recommend keeping your answer clear and concise, which is why you should try to wrap up in 4 minutes. Even though you will have more time, you don’t necessarily have to use all of it.
7. What programs use MMI?
A wide variety of professional programs, such as veterinary medicine, pharmacy, residency, premed, dentistry, and nursing across the United States, Canada, UK, Australia, Europe, and Hong Kong use MMIs.
8. What if I haven’t heard the quote before when answering quote-based quirky MMI questions?
Don’t worry, the interviewer does not want to know what the exact meaning of the quote is as per the author. They want to see how you interpret the quote and how you can relate it to yourself and your field of medicine. So, you don’t need to be familiar with the quotes to answer quote-based quirky MMI questions.
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