Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 22% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview mixed with a moderate stress level, and felt they did okay.
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include discussing self-directed and problem-based learning, volunteering experiences, personal motivations for pursuing medicine, ethical dilemmas, time management skills, and scenarios involving role-playing and decision-making. Some respondents mentioned an MMI format with a nondisclosure agreement, interactive activities with other applicants, and scenarios with actors to test handling high-stress situations.
I signed a confidentiality agreement stipulating that I would not disclose any questions.
Sorry, can't disclose! Prepare like you would for any other interview. Practice ethical questions, or situational (what would you do if...) type of questions, looking at both sides (all possible points), and come to a conclusion at the end. If you run out of ideas, they will ask follow-up questions to help you along.
Cannot disclose. However, know yourself well and have a familiarity with difficult ethical issues. Always address both sides, but in the end, make a decision and stick with it.
Expect to act out a full scenario with an actor that tests how you handle a difficult, high-stress situation. This can be very intense as the actors are trained and prepared to challenge you!
Sorry, I wouldn't be respecting the process if I provided any questions. Just a word of advice though, the practice MMI questions you find on the net are not the same as the questions asked at Mac. They are great practice...but the questions you will get will be like nothing you can find on the net. TRUST ME!
I'm holding a picture made up of felt shapes and I have to describe it to my partner so she can recreate the picture without having seen it. AFterwards we discuss our progress.
It's the end of the world and you can save 2 people (from a given list of 10) who would you choose and why? What sort of information about these people might change your mind?
Why medicine and not law?---seriously!!!!!! One interviewer just would not let go of this line of questioning. Obviously, I was not answering the question very well (&*$^%)
Students said most interesting question asked at McMaster University Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine discussed were related to an MMI format where respondents may have been subject to a nondisclosure agreement. Common themes included ethical scenarios, communication challenges, teamwork assessments, and personal values regarding healthcare, with specific questions touching on responding to medical errors, delivering difficult news to patients, and balancing international health initiatives with domestic healthcare needs.
I'm under some sort of gag-order. In any case, the questions were interesting, albeit better suited to applicants to the Nicollo Machiavelli School of Public Policy.
You voiced your interest in international health...Would you feel guilty for going overseas to provide health care while many of your fellow Canadians are waiting months and months in long queues to be seen by a doctor?
Students said the most difficult question asked at McMaster University Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including ethical dilemmas, self-evaluation, implications of medical programs, conflict resolution scenarios, and personal values. Some respondents mentioned a nondisclosure agreement, hinting at an MMI format where specific questions were confidential and challenging to articulate without revealing details due to the agreement.
can't give specific question..but hardest for me to articulate involve the Health care system as a whole.. I don't read a lot of newspapers or watch the news...
Which celebrity do you see as a role model?
...this was a hard one for me because I wasn't expecting it and frankly, I don't view any celebrities as a role model.
Most respondents rate the school location as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
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.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by reading about medical ethics, practicing with mock interviews, reviewing ethical scenarios, keeping up with current events, and reflecting on personal experiences. The key suggestion shared by applicants is to focus on introspection, understanding personal motivations for pursuing medicine, and being prepared to discuss interests and passions during the interview.
Reading up on medical ethics; soul-searching about what I wanted from life, career goals, motives.
Confidentiality agreements and respect for the school prevent disclosure.
However, most of their questions test your ability to reason and think on the spot.
Read the CMAJ's Bioethics for Clinicians Series, the Romanow Report, and the University of Michigan's guide to ethical questions.
MMI practice... read the newspaper and listen to the news on t.v.(forced myself)... read articles, spoke with people to improve my communication skills
I probably over prepared. I read lots. What helped me the most for my interview at Mac was intorpective thought. Why medicine, why now, how do I deal with conflict etc.
I read & re-read my autobiographical submission over and over again. I also thought of potential questions they might ask me and brainstormed ways to answer those. The most important thing is to know yourself well. Know what you want and why you want it. You may not be able to answer every question perfectly but that's ok. The interviewers know you're not perfect and the whole point of the interview is not to show that you're perfect. Show the human side of yourself. Be ready to talk about your interests, passions, and the things that motivate you in your pursuit of medicine.
Applicants were consistently impressed by the welcoming and supportive atmosphere created by students, faculty, and staff at the interview process, as well as the organization and efficiency of the MMI format. They appreciated the friendliness of interviewers, the involvement of current students, the quality of facilities, and the provision of food throughout the day. Suggestions included focusing on being oneself during the interview and emphasizing the positive aspects of the applicant's personality and learning style.
The efforts by students and faculty to create a positive atmosphere. The objectivity of the interview (MMI format, many interviewers & averaging of responses)
How nice all the staff, interviewers, and students were! The students were very involved in the process, and I felt at ease the whole day. They also fed us a lot of food!
Everything! From the moment you walk in, people are there to guide you. Nutritious food was served all day (breakfast, lunch, and snack during the MMI). The facilities were beautiful, students friendly, and presentations were all very well done.
Learning about the teaching methods made me really enthusiastic about the program. Also, Student leaders were very willing to tell us more about the program.
Despite relocation to a different venue last minute and the ice storm, the Mac staff did a great job of organizing the day. The students were VERY nice and helpfull. Great food, lots of support.
The student's were amazing. The interviewers were really sweet and made me comfortable. The facilities were sweet (there's this room that looks like it's right out of dead poets society- it's really cool)
the med students (nice and helpful). The other methods of evaluation: evaluating the short film and discussing issues with other group members was actually fun.
The whole interview process was very organized. The coordinators were very punctual. And the friendliness of the interviewers and student hosts was incredible. They really tried their best to make me feel comfortable. Realize that the interviewers are not actively searching only for your flaws and weaknesses. They really do want to get to know you, to see if your personality and learning style is a good fit for the Mac program.
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the long and disorganized interview process, including waiting times, lack of breaks, and scheduling errors. Suggestions include improving organization, providing more structured breaks, and addressing issues promptly to enhance the overall experience for candidates.
Awful campus. It's a licensing body, not a school (curriculum review made that clear). A clean-cut all-American/Canadian lad/gal of the traditional stream of neurotic premeds (such as I) will not fit in there.
im a northern gal.. driving in the big city is a challenge for me (got lost twice on way to interview.. got there after 1 hour of driving around when my hotel was about 10 minutes from the school)
Nothing major. I just wanted to give some feedback about the MMI, but they didn't ask us to fill feedback form. Also, one of the interviewer asked to entre the room before the 2 min time.
Ummmm, many people would have perceived the day as being negative and very poorly organized (e.g. 3 scheduling errors were made on my already re-scheduled interview) BUT I was fine with it. There were no school tours so McMaster remains a bit of a mystery. It was a long day (8 hours) so yeah, it was a bit painful (too much adrenaline for TOO long) but whatever....
Applicants commonly expressed that they wished they had known ahead of time the duration of the day, that it is impossible to fully prepare for the MMI, to relax and be themselves, and that interview times may be rescheduled. They also noted that the MMI can be fun and that creative answers and thinking are valued by the admissions committee.
Applicants generally found the interview day at the school to be enjoyable, informative, and less stressful than expected. They appreciated the opportunity to interact with other candidates, the engaging interview process, and the efforts made by the school to create a positive and welcoming environment.
The interview day solidified my desire to attend the school
It was an interesting day, interesting experience. I didn't get asked any ethical questions or any current events, just stuff about me. Meeting all the other premeds relieved a lot of built up stress!! I was given time at the end to ask questions and tell them something I didn't get a chance to.
Arrived and there was time to mingle with other interviewees and med students. We had a short introduction and then were brought to locations for the MMI. After the MMI, there was a great lunch and then student video and tours.
After the first MMI, it was pretty non stressful. Beforehand, mingling with all the other applicants was fun. Eat something prior..it's a long interview.
I felt good about my answers. I also liked that the questions dealt with several issues, so a qausi-complete character-assessment could be made. the Autobiographical sketch component was awful though.
very positive experience.. although its really hard to assess how I did.. this adds to the stress while waiting. I enjoyed the onsite ABS and the MMI process.. high quality of students, staff and facilities.
Mac was great. I came out of there really energized. They could perhaps improve the process by incorporating more personal questions "tell me about yourself"...I found that very little was asked about my experiences and interests and most was about how much I know or how I think/act etc.
I had a great time. Yes, it was stressfull, but the stress was completely self-imposed. All involved did everything they could to make it a fun and stress free day. Kudos and thanks to Mac.
Very positive, friendly, non-confrontational. Please understand that this process is very subjective (I heard a LOT of criticisms and complaints post-interview among interviewees). I suggest you keep such comments to yourself.
I was contemplating not even showing up for the interview. I'm more traditional and I thought mac would be too progressive and airy-fairy for me. but I learned a lot about the program that I hadn't known before hand (e.g horizontal electives) and the fact is that their program works (i.e. 95%+ pass rate on licensing exam, graduates get competitive residency placements). It's an awesome school and I'd be happy to go there.
I had a very positive interview experience. The people at Mac really succeeded in keeping me comfortable and relaxed. Mac's interview process is very unique to the school and it can be intense and nerve-wracking if you don't know what to expect. So do your research! Find out ahead of time what will happen during the different segments of the interview. That's why I did and so I felt extremely comfortable during my time there. Most of the interviewers were quite nice and supportive. I didn't feel like they were out to grill me or stump me. They really wanted to pick my brain and find out who I really am. One of my interviewers came across as being very disinterested in what I had to say. She was scrawling notes on her notepad the whole time I was talking and she didn't really give me much eye contact. If that happens to you, don't be shaken by it. Just maintain eye contact with the other 2 interviewers in the rooom and remain confident. I know this is a cliche but I think this is the best word of advice anyone ever gave me: BE YOURSELF!!! Show them who you really are. Don't be afraid to talk about your weaknesses and struggles but put a positive spin on things and talk about the lessons you've learned from those life experiences.