Toronto, ON
Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 12% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did okay.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
7.8
Good
Generally favorable experience overall, applicants reported positive interactions with some minor issues noted.
Based on 97 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional
8–8.9 Very Good
7–7.9 Good
6–6.9 Mixed
< 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
Positively (62%)
Negatively (14%)
No change (24%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (23%)
Good (46%)
Average (23%)
Bad (8%)
What are your general comments?
The most common feedback and suggestions shared by applicants were that the interview experience was generally positive, with a conversational and relaxed atmosphere. Many applicants appreciated the straightforward questions and friendly interviewers, while some noted variations in the level of stress and organization during the interview day.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Just remember, the interview is worth only 20%, so if you have a high GPA, just don't say anything that'll get you flagged and you'll be fine.
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I'm not supposed to disclose the specific questions (due to the confidentiality agreement), but the interview was really conversational and not stressful. I've heard otherwise from people who interviewed in previous years, so I was a bit apprehensive at first, but the questions were quite straightforward and there wasn't really anything tricky. The faculty member who interviewed me was actually the author of a medical ethics book (I only found out just before my interview), so I did get a few ethics questions, but they were straightforward. Just remember to put the needs of the patient first and you'll do fine!
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Arrived and recieved interview time and names of interviewers, presentation by students/faculty and then had an interview! Lunch and tours of the medical campus followed.
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Stressful when it shouldn't have been.
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Not too bad. Asked a lot of questions from my essay and sketch. Definitely know what you said, and be able to expand on your items.
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
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Length:
45 Minutes Average
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Number:
2.1 Interviews Average
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Interview Type (Interaction):
54% One-on-One
46% Group Interview
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File Type:
93% Open-File
7% Closed-File
UTORONTO-FOM-COMP interviews are an average of 45 minutes, with an average of 2.1 interviews. 54% of interviews are one-on-one, and 7% are closed-file.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools revolve around applicants' accomplishments, ethical scenarios, knowledge of their application, research interests, and personal attributes like role models and experiences. Some respondents mentioned an MMI format, indicating questions tailored to their application and a possible nondisclosure agreement due to the nature of the interview process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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As mentioned by others, a lot of the questions are tailored towards your sketch and/or essay. A general question, though, was what is your most proud accomplishment?
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Most tailored to application. Some questions to clarify things in my essay.
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Question about ethics (what would you do in a hypothetical situation) - but very straightforward
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Cannot disclose. Wouldn't help anyway because they were mostly tailored to my file. Know your application well.
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Sketch
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine discussed various topics such as hero figures, stress management, personal values, ethical dilemmas, and self-reflection. The interview format seemed to be an MMI, with respondents mentioning nondisclosure agreements limiting the details they could provide about specific questions asked.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Who is your hero?
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Cannot disclose because of confidentiality agreement. All very much tailored to my own file.
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Cannot disclose. Know sketch extremely well, including extrapolations of all activities, examples.
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We're under a gag order from UofT. Suffice it to say that if you get the wrong interviewer, accept my most heartfelt sympathies...
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How do you handle stress?
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by reviewing their application materials, practicing with mock interviews, reading about healthcare systems and ethics, and staying updated on current events. They emphasized introspection, reflecting on personal motivations for pursuing medicine, and familiarizing themselves with the school's mission and curriculum.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Practiced with med students/doctors.
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Re-read my OMSAS app. Used the interview feedback here.
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I didn't prepare much...just read my file and did some thinking about how I would answer some standard interview questions
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Looked over my application, read health news, learned about canadian HC system, read bioethics book ''Doing Right'', mock interviews, previous interviews
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Attempted practice interviews with friends, which were nothing like the real thing.
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics including personal attributes, ethical dilemmas, scenarios involving patient interactions, healthcare systems comparison, and career motivations. Some respondents mentioned scenarios related to grants allocation, informing patients about terminal illnesses, and handling differing viewpoints on sensitive issues like abortion. Additionally, references to an MMI format and nondisclosure agreements were made, indicating a structured interview format where specific questions may not be disclosed.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Very straight forward interview, nothing TOO difficult.. one question asked about how my best friend would describe me.
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Nothing particularly difficult
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How will you deal with being around unhealthy people all the time?
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If all your interests lie in research, why do you want to study medicine as well?
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were consistently impressed by the friendly and relaxed atmosphere of the interviews, the genuine interest shown by interviewers, and the engaging and conversational interview style. Additionally, the positive experiences shared by current students, the facilities, and the well-organized interview day were key factors that left a strong impression on applicants.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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I'm from the area and I went to UofT and I already love it so nothing really affected me positively or negatively.
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Very friendly, laid-back interview.
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UofT is the only medical school in Canada where students do their own dissections in anatomy lab (the dissections are only optional at other schools). This is definitely a positive for me, because I learn better by going through the process myself.
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The interviews were very relaxed and interviewers were friendly and seemed genuinely interested in finding out who I am. I had fun! I like how the interviewers hung around to have lunch with us. The lunch was the yummiest out of all of my interviews.
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The curriculum and facilities
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed negative feedback about disorganized tours, lack of interaction with students, and unimpressive facilities during their visit to the medical school. Suggestions included improving tour organization, providing more opportunities for student interaction, and updating facilities to create a more welcoming environment for prospective students.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Tour was poorly organized and short.
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First year classes run 9-5 on some days. Also, it gets cold in Toronto in the winter.
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There were not many students around to talk to.
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Students were poorly organized. Relatively few showed up (interview was a sunday at 7am which might explain it). I go to this school for undergrad and could have given a much better tour than the guide.
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There were not very many students around to talk to (apparently they had exams the next day). It would have been nice to hear about their different experiences/perspectives.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly shared that they wished they had known the interview format to be more conversational and less adversarial, and that preparation should focus on being oneself and thinking through responses rather than trying to memorize information. They also noted the importance of being relaxed and personable during the interview process, while some mentioned the benefits of knowing the faculty ahead of time for potential discussion points. Additionally, applicants highlighted the research-oriented nature of the program at UofT and the friendly atmosphere during the interviews.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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I wish I had prepared in more detail. Once we were granted interviews, the admissions lady told is no way of really preparing, just be yourself.. I more or less did that, except I reviewed my essay and sketch and did a few mocks, but I never memorized anything and I found myself rambling sometimes because I didn't have a coherent sentence to articulate..
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No need to be stressed!
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Relax. Think a little about the question before you respond. Don't be nervous, just enjoy it.
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That my interviewers would be adversarial the whole way through.
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Knowing the faculty interviewing you ahead of time would let you read over their papers, which might impress them more during the interview.
🤝 Campus and Facilities ▼
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How would you rate the Location and Cultural Life?
0 = Low, 10 = High
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
No responses
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
Airports Used
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YYZ
100% interviewees used YYZ (YYZ).
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by train or subway to the interview.
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8% Airplane
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23% Automobile
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54% Train or Subway
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15% Other
What was the cost and time spent traveling?
Cost: Low Cost to High Cost
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are in state students.
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
Admissions staff (4%)
Student (96%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Enthusiastic (70%)
Neutral (30%)
All Responses
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