Prompt
Your 19-year-old cousin Nadia is in the second year of a biology program and has always said she would become a doctor. Last week she told you privately that she has been accepted into a teaching program and plans to switch next term. She has realized that she loves working with teenagers and dreads the thought of medical school. She has not told her mother, your Aunt Carol, who raised her alone while working two jobs. Aunt Carol often tells relatives that seeing Nadia become a doctor will make every sacrifice worth it. Aunt Carol has invited you over for coffee. The interviewer will play Aunt Carol. She has heard that Nadia's grades have slipped, and she is about to ask you whether Nadia is thinking of giving up on medicine and to help keep her on track. Speak to her.
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After you practice: what this question tests and how to approach it
What this question tests
- Communication
- Empathy and compassion
- Ethical reasoning
How to approach this question
This MMI role-play tests whether you can speak warmly to a worried mother without breaking a confidence that isn't yours to share, and without lying to her. Start by acknowledging Aunt Carol's sacrifices and her worry, and let her talk before you respond. Recognize that Nadia's plans are hers to tell, so look for honest ways to avoid confirming them while encouraging Carol to talk with Nadia directly. Avoid promising to keep Nadia on a path she has chosen to leave. Think about what you can honestly say, such as that you care about Nadia's happiness and that her mother's support matters to her. If the station brings a new decision from Nadia, help her examine her own reasons without deciding for her.
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