Scenario Role-Play MMI Questions

Scenario role-play MMI questions give you a specific role, such as a pharmacy assistant, resident advisor, or team captain, and ask you to interact with a counterpart, often an actor or the interviewer, who is playing an upset, confused, or resistant person. They appear in most Australian MMIs because they let examiners observe real communication skills under mild pressure, rather than just hearing a candidate describe what they would say.

The scenarios below are original Deepmock stations built around the roles and situations that come up most often in Australian interviews. Deepmock students have completed 10,000+ mock MMI stations across 1,200+ scenarios, and role-play stations are consistently where rehearsed content falls apart fastest, because the counterpart reacts differently each time.

You do not need to resolve the situation perfectly or make the other person entirely happy. Examiners are watching whether you listen before responding, show genuine empathy, stay calm under pushback, and communicate clearly rather than defensively.

Practice questions

1. 1. You are a pharmacy assistant. A customer is angry that their regular medication is out of stock and accuses the pharmacy of not caring about patients. Respond to them in character.

   What examiners look for: Assessors watch whether the candidate acknowledges the customer's frustration before problem-solving, rather than jumping straight to logistics. Strong performances stay calm, avoid becoming defensive, and offer a concrete next step.

2. 2. You are a university student mentoring a first-year student who has just failed an important assessment and is talking about dropping out. Have this conversation with them.

   What examiners look for: Assessors look for genuine listening and validation of distress before offering advice or reassurance. They want candidates to avoid minimising the student's feelings or rushing to fix the problem too quickly.

3. 3. You are a gym receptionist. A member wants to cancel their membership immediately, citing a clause they believe entitles them to a full refund which does not exist in the contract. Handle the conversation.

   What examiners look for: Assessors watch how the candidate delivers unwelcome factual information without being dismissive or overly apologetic. They reward clear, respectful explanation paired with genuine attempts to find a workable outcome.

4. 4. You are a team captain. A teammate who has missed several training sessions without explanation confronts you, upset that they have been left out of the starting lineup. Respond in role.

   What examiners look for: Assessors assess whether the candidate can be honest about the reasoning behind the decision while remaining supportive of the teammate. They want candidates to avoid both harsh confrontation and avoiding the issue entirely.

5. 5. You are a volunteer at a community health information stall. A visitor is convinced, based on something they read online, that a common vaccine causes serious harm. Talk with them.

   What examiners look for: Assessors look for respectful, non-judgemental engagement with a mistaken belief, rather than lecturing or dismissing the visitor. Strong candidates ask questions to understand the concern before gently sharing information.

6. 6. You are a resident advisor in student accommodation. Two housemates come to you separately, each accusing the other of being inconsiderate about noise and cleanliness. Speak with one of them now.

   What examiners look for: Assessors watch for fairness and active listening without immediately taking sides. They want candidates to acknowledge the resident's frustration while keeping the conversation constructive and forward-looking.

7. 7. You are a retail employee. A customer returns a clearly used item well past the return period and becomes insistent, even raising their voice slightly, when told the policy does not allow a refund. Handle this.

   What examiners look for: Assessors assess composure under mild provocation and the ability to hold a boundary respectfully. They reward candidates who remain polite and clear rather than either capitulating immediately or escalating the tension.

8. 8. You are a peer tutor. A student you are tutoring admits they copied part of their assignment from a friend and is now worried about being caught. Respond to them.

   What examiners look for: Assessors look for a response that takes the issue seriously without being punitive or judgemental in tone. They want candidates to guide the student toward appropriate next steps rather than either ignoring it or overreacting.

9. 9. You are a barista at a busy cafe. A customer complains loudly that their order is wrong for the second time this week, and other customers are starting to notice. Respond in character.

   What examiners look for: Assessors watch how the candidate manages a public complaint calmly, balancing genuine apology with maintaining composure in front of an audience. They reward clear, brief communication over lengthy justification.

10. 10. You are a sports coach. A parent approaches you, upset that their child has not been selected for an upcoming competition, and questions your judgement as a coach. Respond to them.

    What examiners look for: Assessors assess whether the candidate can explain a decision honestly while remaining respectful of the parent's concern for their child. They want candidates to avoid being defensive or dismissive of the parent's perspective.

11. 11. You are a call centre worker for a utility company. A customer is distressed that their power was disconnected due to an unpaid bill they say they never received. Handle the call.

    What examiners look for: Assessors look for empathy toward the customer's stress alongside clear, honest explanation of the situation and possible next steps. They reward candidates who avoid making promises outside their authority to keep.

12. 12. You are a student club president. A committee member feels excluded from recent decisions and confronts you about it after a meeting. Respond to them.

    What examiners look for: Assessors watch for genuine acknowledgement of the member's feelings rather than immediate justification of the process. They want candidates to propose a specific way to involve the member going forward.

13. 13. You are a receptionist at a medical clinic. A patient is anxious and frustrated because their appointment is running forty minutes late and they have somewhere else to be. Respond to them.

    What examiners look for: Assessors assess whether the candidate acknowledges the patient's time pressure and anxiety before explaining the delay. They reward calm, honest communication and a clear offer of options rather than vague reassurance.

14. 14. You are a housemate. Another housemate confronts you, believing you ate food from the fridge that belonged to them, which you did not do. Respond in character.

    What examiners look for: Assessors look for calm, non-defensive communication when wrongly accused, along with genuine effort to resolve the misunderstanding. They want candidates to avoid becoming hostile even though the accusation is unfair.

15. 15. You are a workplace supervisor. An employee tells you they feel they have been passed over for a promotion unfairly compared to a colleague. Have this conversation with them.

    What examiners look for: Assessors watch for honest, respectful engagement with a sensitive workplace grievance rather than deflecting or over-promising. Strong candidates validate the concern while being careful not to disparage the other colleague.

16. 16. You are a driving instructor. A nervous learner driver has just made a mistake that frightened them and now wants to stop the lesson entirely. Respond to them.

    What examiners look for: Assessors assess whether the candidate can reassure genuine fear without dismissing it, while gently encouraging the learner to continue if appropriate. They reward patience and calm tone over pushing the person too hard.

17. 17. You are a customer service representative for an airline. A passenger whose flight has been cancelled is distressed about missing an important family event and demands an immediate solution. Handle the interaction.

    What examiners look for: Assessors look for genuine empathy for the passenger's situation combined with clear, honest communication about what can and cannot be done. They want candidates to avoid over-promising just to end the conversation quickly.

18. 18. You are a school peer support leader. A younger student confides in you that they are being excluded by their friendship group but asks you not to tell any teachers. Respond to them.

    What examiners look for: Assessors watch for a careful balance between respecting the student's trust and recognising when adult involvement may be needed for their wellbeing. They reward honest, age-appropriate communication about limits of confidentiality.