If your application to study MSc Physician Associate at ARU is successful, we'll invite you to an interview at our Chelmsford campus.
We use MMIs, or Multiple Mini Interviews, for our selection process. It's a style of interview that is popular for medical professionals.
MMIs look for the skills and qualities which are needed to be a competent physician associate. They are designed to gain an insight into your personal qualities and reasoning skills.
Successful physician associates need to be composed in demanding circumstances, to adjust to and perform well in unfamiliar situations, and to listen and communicate effectively – not only with individual service users, but also within a team.
Please note: If you can’t attend your interview day, you need to let us know as soon as possible. Email [email protected].
Prospective students are tested at interview under clinical conditions. This is a competency standard so no adjustments will be given at the interview stations. However, the stems to the questions are less than 100 words to aid disabled students. The physical environment will ensure that the interviews stations are accessible to all students. If you have any specific requirements in relation to the interview process on the day, please contact [email protected] at least five days before your interview.
MMIs consist of a series of six mini interviews ('stations'), each lasting seven minutes.
After completing a ‘station’ you move onto the next and follow a prearranged circuit, until all stations have been completed.
The mini interviews will be carried out by members of our Physician Associate academic team, healthcare professionals, junior doctors and service users.
Usually, there is one interviewer per station, but be prepared for more than one, as some stations may involve ‘actors’, who you’ll interact with. For example, you may be given a scenario to read and then discuss and play a role with the actor in front of an interviewer.
We believe MMIs offer a fair way to assess your thinking and communication skills, and the personal values which will shape the kind of physician associate you’ll become.
MMI questions will test your preparation and motivation to study. The object of the interviews is to assess your ability to respond spontaneously to various scenarios, without coaching. Areas that are tested will include:
You'll be expected to answer questions or respond to scenarios candidly and to the best of your ability. A good place to practise MMI questions is on The Medic Portal website.
Please report to the School of Medicine foyer, Ground Floor, School of Medicine Building where you will be met by one of our colleagues. You can check the interview date and time booked on your Applicant Portal.
Interview days can be nerve wracking and we would encourage you to allow plenty of time to arrive at your interview venue early. Due to the tight schedules we work to, if you are delayed and arrive late, we will not be able to interview you, and are unable to confirm if a new date will be offered.
If someone is going to accompany you to your interview, they will be able to wait for you in our central seating area which has a coffee/canteen outlet.
After your MMI you will meet Student Ambassadors and, if you like, take a tour of the School of Medicine.
At the end of the interview, we'll ask if you have any questions for us, we invite you to use this opportunity to find out if we are right place for you to study.
Interview days can be nerve-wracking, and we encourage you to allow plenty of time for preparation. Due to the tight schedules we work to, if you're delayed, we may not be able to interview you.
You’ll be notified via UCAS of the results of your interview within five working days.
Above all, you need to be certain that this is the profession you want to join. Consider visiting us at an Open Day, if you haven't already. Then commit yourself to learning as much as you can before your interview day.