Experience of Establishment of Multiple Mini structure Interview as part of student admission policy at Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, 2011–2012

Abstract

Faculty of Medicine (FOM), King Abdulaziz University (KAU), requested for international recognition by the Laison Committee of Canadian Medical Education (LCME) during the period 2008–2010. Selection of medical students was a must standard in LCME. After obtaining a written permission from higher administration at KAU, a committee for the establishment of multiple-mini-interview (MMI) was formed and they conducted workshops to train faculty members at FOM on such process. The interviews were set up in a manner similar to that of an objective-structured clinical evaluation (OSCE), with the applicant moving from one station to another. The applicant was either asked to discuss a scenario or respond to direct questions. The interviewers used a standardized scoring form to rate candidates. When the data were analyzed, it was found that the performance of men students was insignificantly higher than that of women students in stations concerned with personnel character and professionalism. The performance of women students was significantly higher in all other stations (those considered motivation, morals and bioethics, team work and communication skills and behaviors). The women's overall performance was significantly higher than men.