Early-phase MMI common mistakes

What are the most common early-phase MMI mistakes?

The most costly early-phase MMI mistakes are booking late, a poor audio setup, rehearsed scripts, ignoring the question asked, and treating the camera as a wall. Each is preventable. Acuity advises registering at least 3 days before your date.

Key facts

✓Acuity advises registering at least 3 days before your preferred date and warns against last-minute bookings.
✓Acuity lists 8 stations with a rest station in the middle, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
✓Ottawa states the early-phase MMI evaluates critical thinking, decision making, communication, interpersonal skills, compassion and teamwork.
✓Arvin Ardakani, a final-year medical student, coaches recorded MMIs and panel interviews for medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, nursing and other pre-health applicants, as well as residency applicants, through ExperienceMED.

Arvin Ardakani teaching a live CASPer and interview preparation class to a room of pre-health applicants

Arvin Ardakani teaching a live class

The costly early-phase MMI mistakes are all preventable: booking late, poor audio, memorised scripts, answering a different question from the one asked, and speaking to the camera as if it were a wall. Acuity advises registering at least 3 days before your preferred date and warns against last-minute bookings. The rest are habits you can fix in a week of recorded practice.

Mistake 1: booking late

Acuity states identity verification and payment processing take time. See Early-phase MMI dates.

Mistake 2: bad audio

A rater hears you before they judge you. Test with headphones. See Early-phase MMI tech setup.

Mistake 3: reciting

Scripts sound recited. Arvin Ardakani teaches applicants a structure and then has them vary the content on every attempt.

Mistake 4: all setup, no decision

Spend about a quarter of your time on the situation and the rest on what you would do and why. That is where critical thinking and decision making are scored.

Mistake 5: ignoring the people involved

Name every person affected and say something specific about each. Compassion and interpersonal skills are on Ottawa’s list.

Mistake 6: running out of energy

The sitting is about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Practise four stations in a row.

Mistake 7: skipping feedback

Recording is not enough. Someone who marks honestly should review it. Arvin Ardakani marks recorded answers personally and mentors applicants at every step through ExperienceMED, with direct WhatsApp access: book an interview session.

See How to prepare for the early-phase MMI in one week for a plan and Ottawa medicine interview format.

Related: Ottawa medicine interview format, How to prepare for the early-phase MMI in one week, What to wear and where to look in the early-phase MMI. Arvin Ardakani marks recorded answers personally and mentors applicants at every step through ExperienceMED, with direct WhatsApp access: book an interview session.

Last reviewed 10 October 2026. Written by the ExperienceMED team. Reviewed by Arvin Ardakani, final-year medical student, 4th quartile on CASPer four times.

Frequently asked

What is the biggest mistake?

Answering a different question from the one asked. A recording cannot be redirected, so read the prompt carefully and answer it first.

Is it bad to sound rehearsed?

Yes. A memorised script sounds flat on camera. Rehearse a structure, not sentences.

What mistake does Arvin Ardakani see most often?

Arvin Ardakani sees applicants spend two minutes describing a situation and thirty seconds deciding what to do, when the decision is the answer.

By the ExperienceMED team. Reviewed by Arvin Ardakani, final-year medical student, 4x 4th-quartile CASPer scorer.

Updated 2026-10-10

What are the most common early-phase MMI mistakes?

Key facts

Mistake 1: booking late

Mistake 2: bad audio

Mistake 3: reciting

Mistake 4: all setup, no decision

Mistake 5: ignoring the people involved

Mistake 6: running out of energy

Mistake 7: skipping feedback

Sources

Frequently asked

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