Preparing for medical school requires more than strong academics—it demands the ability to think critically, communicate clearly, and navigate complex, real-time scenarios. That’s exactly what students had the opportunity to practice at this year’s Multi-Mini Interview (MMI) Mock Interview event, hosted by the Johns Hopkins Life Design Lab.
Now in its second year, the program continues to grow in both scale and impact, offering students a realistic, supportive environment to prepare for one of the most challenging components of the medical school application process.
A Collaborative Effort Across Hopkins
This year’s event was made possible through strong cross-campus collaboration. The Life Design Lab was proud to partner with teams from:
- KSAS Academic Advising
- Second Year Experience
- Pre-Professional Advising
- Scholars & Fellows
- JUMP
We were especially grateful to Daveena Colwell and the Pre-Professional Advising team for sharing their subject matter expertise and helping to prepare interviewers for the experience.
This level of collaboration reflects a shared commitment across the university to support students pursuing careers in medicine—particularly at such a pivotal stage in their journey.
As Daveena shared:
“Hosting the mock MMI provides JHU students with the opportunity to practice responding to prompts and build their interviewing skills with immediate feedback they can use in the moment. Pre-health students are a large population of the student body and having advisors and educators from different departments across the University brings together the Hopkins community to provide support at a pivotal time for many of the students we all serve.”
Why MMI Preparation Matters
MMI interviews are a critical part of the medical school admissions process. Unlike traditional interviews, they require students to rotate through multiple timed stations, responding to prompts that test ethical reasoning, communication, and adaptability.
As Ashley noted:
“MMI interviews are a critical part of the medical school application process, asking students to think in real time and engage thoughtfully with complex, often ambiguous scenarios. Getting early exposure to this format can make a meaningful difference in how prepared and confident students feel going into the cycle.”
By simulating this environment, the mock interview program gives students the opportunity to practice under realistic conditions while receiving immediate, actionable feedback—something that can be difficult to access otherwise.
Measurable Impact
The outcomes from this year’s program highlight just how valuable this experience is for students:
- 87% of respondents reported increased confidence in their medical school interviewing skills
- Students also indicated a clearer understanding of how to improve their performance
- The program received a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 88, indicating that students are highly likely to recommend the experience to their peers
While qualitative feedback from this year is still being collected, reflections from previous participants echo these results:
“I really appreciated this opportunity! It took off a lot of stress regarding the upcoming interviewing process.” – Okura Yamato
“Honestly this was such a good resource. I had absolutely no clue what to expect from these interviews, and the process makes me confident in my ability to prepare and present myself well… the value in simply being able to practice the techniques cannot be overstated.” – Alfredo Hernandez
Looking Ahead
The continued success of the MMI Mock Interview program is a testament to what’s possible when departments come together around a shared goal. By combining expertise, resources, and a commitment to student success, this initiative is helping pre-health students approach the medical school application process with greater clarity and confidence.
As we look ahead, we’re excited to build on this momentum—expanding opportunities for students and continuing to strengthen partnerships across the Hopkins community.
Because when it comes to preparing future physicians, practice, support, and collaboration make all the difference.
