What does the multiple mini interview have to offer over the panel interview?

Figures & data

Table 1 Comparison of mean PI and MMI scores with 95% confidence intervals by sex, age, race, and pre-university academic ability (n=131)

	N (%)	Mean PI score (95% CI)	p value	Mean MMI score (95% CI)	p value	Assessed as concern at one station or none N (%)	Assessed as concern at two stations or more N (%)	p value
Male	53 (40.5)	15.6 (14.9–16.3)	0.798	72.6 (69.7–75.5)	0.895	47 (88.7)	6 (11.3)	0.320
Female	78 (59.5)	15.7 (15.1–16.3)		72.4 (70.4–74.4)		73 (93.6)	5 (6.4)
19 and younger	109 (83.2)	15.7 (15.3–16.2)	0.453	72.8 (71.1–74.6)	0.396	99 (90.8)	10 (9.2)	0.475
20 and older	22 (16.8)	15.3 (14.0–16.6)		70.9 (65.9–75.9)		21 (95.5)	1 (4.5)
Chinese	92 (70.2)	15.4 (14.9–16.0)	0.367	71.8 (69.8–73.8)	0.102	81 (88.0)	11 (12.0)	0.165
Malay	12 (9.2)	15.5 (13.3–17.7)		69.2 (62.7–75.8)		12 (100.0)	0
Indian	18 (13.7)	16.3 (15.3–17.4)		76.4 (72.6–80.2)		18 (100.0)	0
Others	9 (6.9)	16.7 (14.4–18.9)		76.1 (70.6–81.6)		9 (100.0)	0
Band 1 – higher academic ability	70 (53.4)	15.7 (15.0–16.3)	0.926	72.4 (70.2–74.6)	0.578	65 (92.9)	5 (7.1)	0.670
Band 2 – moderate academic ability	23 (17.6)	15.8 (14.8–16.9)		74.3 (70.5–78.0)		20 (87.0)	3 (13.0)
Band 3 – lower academic ability	38 (29.0)	15.6 (14.7–16.4)		71.6 (68.1–75.2)		35 (92.1)	3 (7.9)
Sample	131 (100.0)	15.7 (15.2–16.1)		72.5 (70.8–74.1)		120 (91.6)	11 (8.4)

Fig. 1.  Correlation between PI and MMI scores: Pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.438 (p=0.001).

Table 2 Comparison of mean PI and MMI scores (95% CI) by assessment of concern (n=131)

	Mean PI score (95% CI)	p value	Mean MMI score (95% CI)	p value
Assessed as concern at one station or none	15.7 (15.3–16.2)	0.268	73.5 (71.9–75.1)	0.001
Assessed as concern at two stations or more	14.8 (13.3–16.4)		61.7 (55.1–68.4)

Table 3 Number of subjects (%) responding to the acceptability questions on the MMI (n=173)

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
I received adequate information prior to my interview about MMI	11 (6.3)	17 (9.7)	21 (11.9)	62 (35.2)	65 (36.9)
I used information from various sources to prepare myself for the MMI	33 (18.9)	30 (17.1)	54 (30.9)	42 (24.0)	16 (9.1)
The pre-MMI briefing on the day prepared me for the MMI	3 (1.7)	11 (6.3)	43 (24.6)	70 (40.0)	48 (27.4)
The instructions at the MMI stations were clear and easy to understand	1 (0.6)	4 (2.3)	26 (14.8)	91 (51.7)	54 (30.7)
It was clear to me what the MMI was assessing	1 (0.6)	9 (5.1)	31 (17.7)	86 (49.1)	48 (27.4)
I enjoyed the MMI	2 (1.1)	14 (8.0)	41 (23.3)	62 (35.2)	57 (32.4)
I felt stressed before the MMI	30 (17.0)	41 (23.3)	41 (23.3)	40 (22.7)	24 (13.6)
Interviewers or assessors were polite and respectful to me during the MMI		4 (2.3)	15 (8.5)	53 (30.1)	104 (59.1)

Table 4 Comparison of mean scores (95% CI) for questions on acceptability of the MMI by sex and race

	Sex		Race
	Male (n=65)	Female (n=108)	Malay (n=11)	Chinese (n=129)	Indian (n=26)	Others (n=7)
I received adequate information prior to my interview about the MMI	3.62 (3.31–3.92)	4.02 (3.80–4.24)	3.67 (2.84–4.49)	3.83 (3.62–4.04)	4.15 (3.73–4.58)	4.00 (2.69–5.31)
I used information from various sources to prepare myself for the MMI	2.88 (2.55–3.21)	2.87 (2.64–3.10)	2.83 (2.13–3.54)	2.90 (2.68–3.12)	2.88 (2.41–3.36)	2.29 (1.59–2.98)
The pre-MMI briefing on the day prepared me for the MMI	3.78 (3.55–4.01)	3.90 (3.71–4.08)	3.83 (3.24–4.43)	3.81 (3.63–3.98)	4.12 (3.83–4.40)	3.71 (2.69–4.74)
The instructions at the MMI stations were clear and easy to understand	4.17 (4.01–4.33)	4.05 (3.89–4.21)	4.33 (3.92–4.75)	4.05 (3.91–4.18)	4.19 (3.94–4.45)	4.14 (3.15–5.13)
It was clear to me what the MMI was assessing	4.03 (3.85–4.21)	3.94 (3.77–4.12)	4.00 (3.39–4.61)	3.94 (3.79–4.09)	4.19 (3.89–4.49)	3.71 (2.83–4.59)
I enjoyed the MMI	3.98 (3.77–4.20)	3.83 (3.63–4.03)	4.00 (3.34–4.66)	3.91 (3.74–4.08)	3.96 (3.56–4.37)	3.29 (2.26–4.31)
I felt stressed before the MMI	3.11 (2.79–3.42)	2.84 (2.59–3.09)	2.75 (2.03–3.47)	2.99 (2.76–3.22)	2.81 (2.31–3.31)	2.86 (1.22–4.50)
Interviewers or assessors were polite and respectful to me during the MMI	4.48 (4.29–4.66)	4.44 (4.30–4.59)	4.75 (4.46–5.04)	4.39 (4.25–4.53)	4.65 (4.43–4.88)	4.57 (3.84–5.30)