Master 25 MMI scenarios covering ethics, critical thinking, and communication skills for your medical school interview.
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Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.
Medical schools love to pose a question or two about policies that impact medicine. The legalization of marijuana is a hot topic item that can provoke a variety of opinions. While the interviewer is looking for your personal views, they also need to know that candidates understand the impact legalization has on the medical field and its potential implications.

Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.
It's important to understand that this is an opinionated question, but it requires you to speak from a medical perspective. As you answer, know that it is okay to highlight both the positives and negatives of the substance while also taking your stance.

Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.
How you structure your answer to a question like this during the allotted time in an MMI interview is up to you, but you want to be sure to hit on certain points. First, stress that you are aware that almost half of the United States has legalized recreational use of marijuana. Then be sure to delve into the medical research that you are aware of and know that this can highlight both the health risks and benefits that have been proven through studies. Lastly, state your opinion, but avoid taking too hard of a stance one way or the other. You don't want to be too off-putting to the evaluator at this MMI station.

Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.
"All over the globe, countries continue to lighten their stance on what was once considered a harmful narcotic. Many countries continue to legalize while others continue to punish users to the fullest extent. In the US, it's interesting to see state after state legalize and expunge prior criminal cases against it. I think this trend will continue, given the tax benefits the legalizing states like Colorado are seeing. I feel it should be treated the same as alcohol is treated. Having a legal age of consumption, like 18 or 21, is very important to ensure that adults are the only ones using. I think that education on the proper ways to use is also crucial, along with teaching about the side effects that can impair. Studies have found that THC can be very beneficial in the treatment of pain, cancer chemotherapy treatments, and neurological disorders. On the other hand, the known harmful effects of smoking remain. It is a fascinating topic, and I look forward to being a part of that in the future."

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Written by Ryan Brunner
25 Questions & Answers • Medical School MMI

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