MMI role play stations
How you listen, show you care and stay calm with someone, played by an actor, who is upset, confused or angry.
The structure of a strong answer
Answer a station out loud, then tick what your answer had.
Ideas to use where they fit
- Breaking difficult news
- Prepare a private setting, find out what they already understand, ask how much they want to know, give a warning that difficult news is coming, then pause and respond to their feelings before agreeing next steps.
- Apologising when something went wrong
- Say sorry plainly, explain what happened as far as you know, and say what will be done next. This is the duty of candour in practice.
- Confidentiality
- Check who you are speaking to before sharing anything about someone else. A relative or friend is not told a patient's information without the patient's consent.
- Silence
- A pause after hard news gives the person room. You do not have to fill it.
A free role play station, timed, with feedback on what you said.
Start the free stationWhat costs marks
- Rushing to fix the problem before you have listened.
- Using jargon.
- Arguing with the actor, or getting defensive.
5 medical schools list this in what their interview assesses
- University of Birmingham, Medicine, Home applicants (MMI)
A mix of interview, role play and calculation.
- Imperial College London (MMI)
Teamwork and leadership, motivation, the role of a doctor, empathy and breaking bad news, ethical and values scenarios, data interpretation.
- Kent and Medway Medical School (MMI)
Previous station types: data handling, problem analysis, situational judgement, role play, a task and values.
- Newcastle University, Medicine, Home applicants (MMI)
Interview questions and role play; the SJT counts as much as one station.
- University of Sunderland (MMI)
May include one-to-one interviews, role play and data analysis.