Applicant Demographics and Multiple Mini Interview Performance at a Medical School Over 5 Years

Abstract

Importance Multiple mini interview (MMI) is a widely used component of holistic evaluation for medical school admissions; limited studies have evaluated performance of MMI based on applicant sociodemographic characteristics. Objective To evaluate differences in MMI performance by medical school applicants of various racial and ethnic groups based on age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cross-sectional study of applicants who participated in MMI from 2020 to 2024 at a large, public medical school in the US. Exposure Participation in MMI. Main Outcomes and Measures Compared differences in MMI performance based on sociodemographic characteristics by racial and ethnic groups. Performed t tests to conduct bivariate comparisons of scores across various groups. Performed multiple linear regression to analyze how independent demographic variables were associated with MMI scores. Results There were 3447 applicants who participated in MMI (56 [2%] American Indian or Alaskan Native; 853 [25%] Asian; 650 [19%] Black or African American; 660 [19%] Hispanic or Latino; 31 [1%] Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; 1502 [44%] White; 1968 [57%] aged 23 and younger; 1798 [52%] women; and 1198 [35%] with disadvantaged status). The mean (SD) MMI score was 3.77 (0.43) on a scale of 1 to 5 for 3447 applicants. Black or African American (mean [SD] MMI, 3.85 [0.44]; [data]; P