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

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 < .001), compared with other racial groups, and women (mean [SD] MMI, 3.82 [0.41]; [data]; P < .001), compared with other gender identities, applicants scored higher. White (mean [SD] MMI, 3.74, [0.43]; [data]; P = .001), compared with other racial groups, and disadvantaged (mean [SD] MMI, 3.74 [0.43]; [data]; P = .009), compared with not disadvantaged, applicants scored lower. Younger American Indian or Alaskan Native applicants scored higher compared with other racial groups (coefficient [C] = 0.23; SE, 0.11; P = .045). Men (C = -0.06; SE, 0.03; P = 0.02), compared with other gender identities, and disadvantaged (C = -0.07; SE, 0.03; P = .04), compared with not disadvantaged, Asian applicants scored lower. Younger (C = -0.08; SE, 0.03; P = .03), compared with older applicants, and men (C = -0.09; SE, 0.04; P = .009), compared with other gender identities, Black or African American applicants scored lower. Men (C = -0.97; SE, 0.02; P < .001), compared with other gender identities, and disadvantaged (C = -0.68; SE, 0.02; P = .007), compared with not disadvantaged, White applicants scored lower. Men Hispanic or Latino applicants (C = -0.11; SE, 0.03; P = .002) compared with other ethnicities scored lower. Conclusions and relevance: In this study of MMI performance, there were differences in scores by various sociodemographic groups. These results can add to the current understanding of the use of MMI as one tool in the holistic evaluation of medical school applicants.