Background
As the only College of Pharmacy in New Mexico, UNM has built strong relationships with the local community who make up a significant portion of its 250 enrolled students. Although small, UNM boasts a diverse student body, with many first-generation students enrolled in the pharmacy program. Prioritizing student experience alongside quality education, UNM Pharmacy offers students warm campus environments, tight-knit classrooms, and a hands-on learning process.
Challenge
Grappling with gaps on interview day
Assessing its applicants in the MMI style, interview days were traditionally a significant undertaking at UNM Pharmacy. An all-day event which lasted around 6 hours, applicants would come to campus to watch presentations, participate in a traditional two-on-one interview, and take part in a 5-station MMI and 30-minute writing exercise. The scale and complexity of this process placed a large burden on the admissions team, requiring hours of work organizing and scheduling — time that was too frequently wasted due to last-minute cancellations from applicants.
“Kira gave us a way to evolve our process, allowing us to maintain the core components that are important to our mission and vision as a school, while continuing to offer applicants a more convenient experience.”
- Krystal Ward, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at UNM College of PharmacySolution
The flexibility to deliver interviews the way you want
Transitioning to an asynchronous MMI in Kira Talent, UNM Pharmacy quickly saw the value in having applicants and reviewers complete the assessments on their own time. The convenience of the virtual format makes the admissions process more accessible to a diverse applicant pool and removing the time constraints ensures that reviewers are more willing to volunteer year after year.
By conducting the MMI online and keeping their two-on-one interviews in person, UNM Pharmacy has taken the stress and administrative burden off of the in-person events. With the MMI and written assessment delivered online and due one week before the in-person interview, UNM is able to weed out applicants who aren't serious about the program.
Results
UNM saves time to reinvest in engaged applicants
UNM Pharmacy estimates that the admissions team saves over 50 hours per cycle with Kira Talent.
“When I consider the time it took for our team to set up a traditional MMI and manage all of the stations, that 50 hours is honestly a lowball estimate,” shared Krystal Ward, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at UNM College of Pharmacy. “Having dedicated assistance from Kira has saved us easily another 50 hours in applicant and tech support alone.”
Having applicants complete the virtual MMI beforehand has also resulted in a 100% attendance rate for the in-person interviews, meaning zero no-shows, no gaps in the interview day, and no last-minute rescheduling hassle for the admissions team.
