University of Queensland
The UQ Doctor of Medicine MMI: format, weighting and timing (2027 entry)
UQ runs an eight-station Multiple Mini Interview entirely online over Zoom. Each station gives you two minutes to read and seven minutes to answer, and the MMI is worth half your final selection score as well as being a hurdle you have to clear.
UQ interviews Doctor of Medicine applicants with a Multiple Mini Interview of eight assessed stations, held online over Zoom. Each station gives you two minutes to read the scenario in silence, then seven minutes to respond. UQ states that "MMIs are held via video conferencing", and its briefing pack confirms the eight stations and the two plus seven minute structure.
There is no campus option to choose. At our last check UQ published no in-person, Herston or St Lucia alternative for any pathway, so plan for a video interview regardless of where you live.
The MMI matters more at UQ than at many schools. It is worth 50 per cent of the final selection score and it is also a hurdle you must clear before you can be ranked at all.
The format, station by station
| Element | What UQ publishes | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Assessed stations | 8 | PublishedConfirmed |
| Reading time | 2 minutes of silent reading, scenario shown on screen | PublishedConfirmed |
| Response time | 7 minutes, with a warning at the 6 minute mark | PublishedConfirmed |
| Between stations | About 1 minute of transition, staff move you between rooms | PublishedConfirmed |
| Room setup | Each station is a separate virtual Zoom room, and staff move you between rooms. GEMSAS describes each station as having a single interviewer | PublishedConfirmed |
| Total time commitment | Be alone and undisturbed for up to 2 hours | PublishedConfirmed |
| Role-play stations | None. UQ states it does not currently use acting or role-play stations | PublishedConfirmed |
| Delivery | Online via Zoom, for every pathway. No published campus option | PublishedConfirmed |
How much the MMI counts
UQ's Programs and Courses Policy sets out the weighting. It is the same headline split for both main domestic pathways, and the MMI is the largest single component in each.
| Pathway | Weighting | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate entry | GPA 25 per cent, unweighted average GAMSAT or overall MCAT 25 per cent, MMI 50 per cent | Published in policyConfirmed |
| Provisional entry (school leavers) | ATAR 25 per cent, aggregate of the first three UCAT ANZ sections 25 per cent, MMI 50 per cent | Published in policyConfirmed |
| Minimum MMI score | All applicants must reach a minimum MMI score set by the Executive Dean | Rule publishedConfirmed |
| The value of that minimum score | Not released | UQ does not publish the thresholdNot published |
Getting to the interview is a separate calculation. For graduate entry, GEMSAS states that selection for interview is a 50:50 combination of the unweighted average GAMSAT score and the assessed GPA converted to a percentage. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pathway applicants sit the MMI and an additional semi-structured interview with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit, and are selected on that Unit's recommendation rather than the weighted score.
When UQ interviews for 2027 entry
| Pathway | Published timing | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate entry (GEMSAS, domestic) | Interviews scheduled for mid-September 2026 | Month published, no exact datesIndicative window |
| International graduate entry (applying directly to UQ) | Round 1 week beginning 13 July 2026, Round 2 week beginning 14 September 2026 | Weeks publishedConfirmed |
| Provisional entry (school leavers, QTAC) | Invitations mid to late October 2026, interviews mid to late November 2026, offers emailed mid-December 2026 | Periods published, page does not name the entry year for every cohort blockIndicative window |
| Bachelor of Medical Science / Doctor of Medicine direct entry | Interviews mid to late November 2026 | Period published, page does not name an entry yearIndicative window |
Preparing for this specific format
Everything above is UQ's published information. This section is MedCoach's preparation advice, built around the details of this particular format rather than generic interview tips.
Practise to two minutes and seven minutes, not to a vague sense of timing
Two minutes of silent reading is enough to plan properly, and most applicants waste it re-reading the prompt instead. Use it to decide your structure and your first sentence. Seven minutes is a long answer by everyday conversation standards, and it is where unprepared applicants run out of material at four minutes and then repeat themselves.
UQ states that you are not marked on the length of your response, only its quality, and that finishing early does not cost you marks. Take that at face value. A complete, well-reasoned five minute answer beats seven minutes of padding. Practise the ending as deliberately as the opening, so you can stop cleanly rather than trailing off.
Rehearse in the room and on the machine you will use
This is a video interview under exam conditions with an ID check and a camera sweep at station one. Set up the actual space, sit at the actual desk, and use the actual laptop. Check what is behind you, whether your face is lit from the front rather than from a window behind you, and whether your microphone picks up a fan or a hallway.
Because you cannot have any other program open, you also cannot have notes on screen. If your preparation relies on prompts you glance at, it will not survive the real thing.
Build structures, not scripts
With no role-play stations, UQ's MMI is scenario and discussion driven, so what is being assessed is your reasoning, your communication and your judgement. UQ's policy describes the MMI as assessing verbal communication skills, values, personal qualities and interest in a long-term medical career.
A memorised script fails the moment the scenario shifts. A reusable structure does not. Practise moving from the issue, to the people affected, to the competing considerations, to what you would actually do and why, and you will have something that fits almost any station.
If you are also applying through GEMSAS elsewhere, the interview offer and date guide sets out the wider 2027-entry timeline.
Official sources
Every fact above traces to one of these first-party sources. Dates and formats are set by the universities and can change, so check the original page before you rely on it.
- UQ Doctor of Medicine entry interviews
- UQ Doctor of Medicine pre-interview briefing pack (V.1 2026)
- UQ Programs and Courses Policy, Schedule 3: Doctor of Medicine admission
- UQ Doctor of Medicine graduate entry: how to apply
- UQ Doctor of Medicine provisional entry: how to apply
- GEMSAS school page: The University of Queensland
MedCoach is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any university or admissions body. Read how we research and check this information in our editorial standards, which also explains how to send us a correction.