Communication Skills

What communication stations test

Communication skills stations in MMIs assess how well a candidate interacts with another person under structured conditions. Unlike knowledge-based stations, there is no correct answer to prepare; the assessor is evaluating the quality of the interaction itself.

The attributes being assessed typically include: active listening, empathy, clarity of explanation, appropriate pacing, sensitivity to non-verbal cues and the ability to respond to the emotional content of a conversation, not just its factual content.

Active listening and empathy

Active listening means engaging with what someone is actually saying, not waiting for your turn to speak. In a communication station, this involves using verbal and non-verbal signals that show you are following the conversation: eye contact, acknowledgement of what has been said and asking questions that build on the person's last response rather than following a predetermined script.

Empathy in a clinical context does not mean sharing someone's feelings; it means demonstrating that you have understood and taken them seriously. A response that begins by acknowledging how a person must be feeling before moving to information or problem-solving is more effective than one that leads immediately with facts.

Role-play scenarios

Role-play communication stations typically involve an actor playing a patient, relative or colleague. Common scenarios include: explaining a diagnosis to a worried patient, speaking to a distressed family member, delivering difficult news or managing a conflict with a colleague.

Preparation for these stations requires practice out loud, not just in your head. Work through scenarios with a friend or family member acting as the other person. Ask for honest feedback on whether you came across as listening, whether you adjusted your language appropriately and whether the person felt heard.

Common mistakes

Candidates who have prepared by reading about communication but not practised it aloud tend to make the same patterns of mistakes: speaking too quickly, not pausing after difficult information to check understanding, failing to respond to emotional cues and defaulting to information-delivery when the scenario calls for support first.

• Interrupting before the other person has finished speaking
• Asking closed questions when open questions would elicit more useful information
• Rushing past an emotional moment to get to the practical information
• Failing to check understanding before moving on
• Using medical or technical language with a patient or lay person
• Looking down at the prompt card rather than maintaining engagement