Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 16% 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 inquiries about conflict resolution, reasons for choosing medicine, handling ethical dilemmas like patient confidentiality and treatment choices, opinions on healthcare systems, personal attributes that contribute to being a good physician, and scenarios involving patient care preferences and cultural/religious considerations. Many respondents mentioned Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format questions, indicating a structured interview process with confidential station topics and possibly subject to a nondisclosure agreement.
10 MMI stations - topics confidential. 10 minutes per station.
Why medicine, how do you rank yourself among the other applicants, lots of ''tell me about your experiences'' type questions (I have an unusual background)
Complications arose, would you perform hysterectomy if you knew couple was trying to have children? What would you do if saw coworker steal medication? What would you do if saw classmate cheat on exam?
In addition to the ones mentioned above. What would you do if 13 y/o wanted an abortion? 18 y/o? Would you perform one personally? Would you tell parents... etc. etc. etc.
if a person came and asked you for a prescription for viagra but admitted that it was needed only when he was taking cocaine, what would your response be?
-Why medicine?
-Strength/Weaknesses
-10 yr old jehova witness comes in and their parents don't want a blood transfusion
-Public vs Two-tier system
-AIDS drugs in Africa, and what should be done so they can afford the drugs
-How would I balance a medical career and my social/family life
what if your colleague/supervisor was abusing a drug, what if your patient was abusing a drug (double doctoring), what if your patient was selling a drug
what kind of doctor do you want to be, what role will you take as a physician, what role are physicians taking in future, most important attribute of a physician
Whats the biggest problem in our health care system?
What's the role of the physician- should he/she be responsible for education of the patient?
Why not nursing?
You're an emergency doc and you've got a conscious, sound-minded 14 year-old Jehovah's Witness girl with two broken femurs who will certainly die unless you give her a transfusion, which she is adamently refusing. You cannot reach her parents. What do you do?
If I couldn't get into medicine (ever!) what would I do (not just if I didn't get in this year...this threw me for a loop too!). What kind of research am I interested in? Explain my research project in layman's terms.
What experiences lead me to where I am now? Where do I see myself 5 or 6 years from now (threw me for a bit of loop since I had prepared for the 10 year question but not this one!)?
Can you think of a situation you were in that resulted in your displaying the qualities of a physician, a situation where you didn't, and what you learned from it?
A senior citizen is suffering from terminal cancer and is in continuous, searing agony despite being given high doses of painkillers. He asks you, his primary doctor, to euthanize him, saying: "I've lived a life of dignity; I want to die with dignity." What would you do and why?
You are on duty in the ER when an unconscious 5 year old girl is brought in. It's clear that she needs an immediate blood transfusion to survive, but her Jehovah's Witness parents are adamantly against it. What would you do and why?
What is your greatest success? What area of medicine are you interested in? What will you do if you don't get in? What would you do as the health minister? What do you like/not like about your family doctor?
What is the most difficult ethical dilemma you may face as a physician and why? What do you think about the recent human embryonic cloning in S. Korea? Tell us about your research. What's your outlook on the treatment for spinal cord injury?
What would you do if you were accepted to all the medical schools you applied to? What would you do if you didn't get into any of the schools you applied to?
Students said the most interesting question asked at University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry discussed a wide range of topics, including opinions on capital punishment, the use of basic science research in clinical settings, personal motivations, and ethical dilemmas like euthanasia and alternative medicine. While there were diverse questions, some responses hinted at an MMI format with nondisclosure agreements possibly in place, as seen in mentions of the non-disclosure of specific questions or scenarios.
Is the oil boom good for Alberta? (I wasn't able to give a good answer for this, but I've been thinking about it ever since, lol).
Why do you think about the Canadian Men's Hockey Team losing in the Olympics, while the Women's Hockey Team won the gold. (I loved this question, because I was randomly thinking about the other day)
Whatis your opinion on euthanasia? Person has cancer and wants to die but you won't let him so he asks to be referred to a different doctor who will (In Oregon, euthanasia is legal and doctors actually do it). What would you do?
Should it be mandatory for med students to first have a Bachelor's degree? The question is pertinent because U of A med currently accepts applicants as young as those fresh out of their second undergraduate year.
If my mom needed treatment and could get it faster by paying, therefore budding to the front of the line, would I pay...and then grilling me on my answer
Students said the most difficult question asked at University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry discussed a wide range of scenarios, including ethical dilemmas like responding to parents wanting to stop treatment for a severely disabled child, addressing the shortage of doctors in abortion clinics, and handling situations involving cheating or physician misconduct. Some respondents mentioned questions related to personal experiences, such as coping with emotional pain, defining ethics, and discussing their views on spirituality and alternative medicines, while others noted inquiries about professionalism, teamwork, and healthcare funding allocations.
Have you ever experienced compassion fatigue? ... (I think that I dodged the question by saying that I've never dealt with dying people. The truth is, one can suffer from compassion fatigue from all kinds of problems with patients/clients, not just death. I realize now that I should have recognized this! I probably have suffered from compassion fatigue a little bit. I think I answered some of my questions too quickly without giving them enough thought....)
You're the head of a department and having difficulty recruiting physicians. A good physician who is a friend of yours works in your department, but there are complaints from other staff about verbal abuse...how do you handle the situation?
An ethics questions about choosing between going to see a rare surgery in my field of choice performed by a surgeon I wanted to impress, and attending to a child who needed to be admitted (there was a second part to the question about another resident who didnt show up for work)
"Based on your experiences working internationally in the health care field. What discrepancies did you observe between the system of health care in the developing countries and the Canadian health care system?"
If your defensive partner in your hockey game starts to slack when you're down in the game, how do you motivate him... pressure for what exactly you would say
You attend a conference where your undergraduate professor is also present. You don't know him personally but he asks you to join him for a drink in a room. How would you respond to that? Would you say that's sexual harrassment? Would you report it?
How would I determine where to allocate funding for healthcare research? How would I determine between funding cancer research (the faculty member was an oncologist) and funding AIDS?
What would you do if you saw a friend cheating on an exam? (this question per se wasn't hard, but they grilled me for ten minutes trying to get me to change my answer).
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
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 moderately friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was moderately responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by engaging in introspection, reviewing ethics and current events, practicing with friends or mentors, and reading medical ethics materials. They also utilized resources such as mock interviews, interview feedback websites, and discussions with medical professionals to refine their responses and gain insights into the interview process.
I did not have my password for U of A webmail, so I actually did not even know I had an interview until Feb 14th (when the package came in the mail), 1 week before my interview. Needless to say, I was working everyday until just a couple days before...... (I took a few days off work so that I could do some introspection and review some basic ethics).
Practice interviews with med students and used this site for practice questions. Also did a prep interview with a Career Counseler which was okay. Read the newspaper, watched the news and kept rehearsing answers to Q's.
I kept up to date with current events, health care issues, read up on ethics, but mostly reviewed my application and noted the key points I wanted to highlight during the interview.
Did a lot of introspection, try to be honest with myself (I kept on thinking about what the interviewer would want to hear). Mock interviews with friends. SDN interview feedback. Read up on health care private vs. public. Current events.
Watched the news on CBC every night, read the Maclean's and The Economist on a weekly basis, reviewed my application, lots of introspection, brushed up on medical ethics and Canadian health politics
Spent time thinking about my life, strengths, weaknesses, experiences etc. Practiced answering sample questions (but no scripted answers). Read past interview feedback. Talked to friends who have had interviews.
Applicants were consistently impressed by the friendliness of interviewers and current medical students, the welcoming atmosphere, and the high-quality facilities. Many noted the relaxed interview environment, enthusiastic student body, and supportive staff, creating a positive impression of the school.
The friendliness of the interviewers, the warmth and hospitality of the first year med students, as well as their encouragement.
The Med students made an effort to talk to you and make you feel comfortable and relaxed. They genuinely seemed to be happy with the school and were great at selling the UofA as the best school in Canada.
The friendly environment, and lack of stress in the interview. Also one of the interviewer's was a neuro-surgeon, and was more than happy to discuss several important issues in the field.
Lots of new buildings going up, and the ones that are there are for the most part absolutely beautiful. Interviewers were extremely friendly and easy to talk with.
The admissions staff was incredible. They were socializing with all of the interviewees and did much to take all the stress away while you were waiting to be called in.
I felt the interviewers just wanted to get to know me; they weren't trying to "trick" me. They asked some follow-up questions for clarification, but I never felt they were "attacking" me.
The interviewers were really friendly, and made me very comfortable. The med student was especially supportive during the interview. The first year med student I billeted with was really friendly and helpful. He gave me some really useful interview tips. Everyone I met during the visit was very nice, supportive and didn't have an attitude.
The school was GREAT! Very bright and sunny, lots of facilities, nice hospital, good location of University in Edmonton. The students on hand for questions and tours were great too.
Applicants commonly reported negative impressions related to unenthusiastic tour guides, lack of organization in tours and interviews, uninformative or tense environments, and a general lack of engagement and warmth from interviewers, suggesting a need for more structured and welcoming experiences during the application process. Suggestions included improving tour planning, providing more information sessions, ensuring interviewers are punctual and friendly, and creating a more positive and informative overall experience for applicants.
My tour guides were very unenthusiastic, for our tour we saw the library and the entrance to the emergency room... thats IT. It was rather unimpressive in that sense, they didn't seem to care too much, but other people had great tours, guess I just got unlucky.
The first year med students couldn't even bother to make a new video/presentation. I also had one interviewer less than I was supposed to, no explanations
Not much, only thing was that when you come in early, its hard to meet people unless you approach them or sit at a table where someone else is sitting and start talking, but after that its all good.
While my tour guide was enthusiastic, he seemed disorganized in terms of what we should see and when. Since my day started with the tour, it wasn't the best first impression of the school.
There was little done in terms of describing the medical program, the positives of attending this school, the overall student life, etc. Interviewees basically waited for their interviews, then went on a short tour, and that was it.
Many applicants wished they had known how relaxed the interviews would be, with a focus on ethics questions rather than personal experiences. They also highlighted the importance of managing nervousness and being prepared for the interview format, as well as practical details like parking locations and interview room setup.
1) The set-up of the interview room is surprising, its a really small table, with the interviewers all sitting on one side of the table, and you sit at one, so you gotta move your head back and forth to make eye contact, and the interviewers are really close (but makes you comfortable that they arent "high" above you.
2) No matter how much you say you arent going to be nervous, its just a natural thing, and you have to try to calm yourself down so you can focus on the interview.
I thought the UofA was renowned for 'stress interviews' and pressuring you to decide something then hammering you on it. They certainly didn't do that; very calm and comfortable interview/interviewers
It was my second interview in two years at that school so there weren't any unexpected surprises, though I did expect 3 interviewers instead of 2. But nothing really mindblowing.
Know yourself and your own motivations before you do too much studying about ethics, health care etc. I didn't get asked any real ethics scenarios, nor current events.
Applicants generally found the interview experience positive and less stressful than expected, with interviewers being friendly and aiming to keep them relaxed. Some common feedback includes the desire to have more time to think before speaking, feeling nervous initially but gradually becoming more relaxed, and finding the interview process to be more like a conversation rather than a formal interrogation.
An over-all positive experience. I do wish I had taken more time to think about each question before speaking though. Perhaps my answers were not articulated as well as they could have been.
Interviewers tried very hard to keep me relaxed, which I appreciated a lot. They asked some hard questions, with some minor grilling/clarification questions after, but at no point did I feel really uncomfortable. The hardest part was answering questions which I didn't have strong opinions about ie alternative meds, or spirituality in medicine
The overall experience was very positive. The med students were great at keeping us calm and informing us about the school. The other people being interviewed were also very friendly and liked to talk. The hardest part is not knowing how well you did in the interview and having to wait so long to find out!
Was excellent. Advice for applicants = relax and be your self. Be proud that you have made it this far in your pre-medical careers and use this interview as an opporunity to show us why you deserve to be a doctor!! Good Luck
AMAZING! Adrenaline is pumping, and its just the greatest feeling when you leave the room and you are pleased with the way things went (although you'll still feel nervous for a little while for no reason)
Interviewers were pleasant and amiable. I felt intimidated and had difficulty phrasing my responses eloquently. If I had been better prepared I would have enjoyed the experience.
Even if you think you did badly, you probably didn't. So try not to be so hard on yourself afterwards. The interviewers were friendly for the most part, even laughing at my attempted jokes.
The interview process can be nerve wracking but props to the U of A for minimizing the stress the way they did. This school was the best interview I had, mostly because of how courteous everyone was and how comfortable they made me feel sitting in that chair.
Unlike my U of C interview, there were two docs and a med student that interviewed me. They were very friendly and straightforward, maintained eye contact, asked specified and relevant questions, and responded with nods and comments like 'ok' and 'good'. They definitely emphasized the ethical questions, but covered quite a bit of material for 40 minutes. The time went by at warp speed.
I was EXTREMELY nervous but the interviewers seemed to understand this. Some ethics and teamwork-related questions. Didn't really get asked any questions directly related to my application/things I had put on the application.
It was okay. I didn't get a chance to bring up some of things that I wanted to bring up (e.g. volunteer work that I started after submitting my application). I didn't feel like the questions they asked allowed much of my personality to show through (plus I was really nervous!). Waaay too many questions about health care and gov't policy and research which are two least interesting areas for me to talk about. The interviewers were polite and said right at the beginning that they wanted to keep it relaxed and informal which was nice since I knew what to expect. I didn't get any ethics questions which is surprising for the U of A.
I was relatively calm while waiting for the interview. My interviewers were very easy to talk to and didn't want to 'drill me' at all. Two of my three interviewers didn't seem hesitant to give me facial-expression feedback to my answers (whether it was by smiling, nodding, or even laughing at a bit of humour I managed to end with). The third interviewer seemed more dominant and gave me the impression he tried to rush me out of the room. Though on the whole It was hardly a nerve-racking experience and they made it quite clear that they genuinely wanted to get to know the person behind the application as opposed to deliberately putting me in a stressful situation.
I was a nervous wreck for this first-time interview. In the beginning I had a difficult time communicating my thoughts. But I gradually became more relaxed and started being myself. Overall an intimidating yet a very good experience.
A great experience. The interviewers were extremely friendly; they understood my initial nervousness and were even courteous enough to laugh at my poorly attempted jokes.
No unexpected questions at all. It was my first interview and upon leaving I felt I hadn't presented myself as well as I could have, but I guess it was good enough..
This was my first interview so I didn't know what to expect. It turned out to be very interactive and more like a drawn out conversation. I would answer a question, and then an interviewer would ask me about some details, or move on to a related question. I actually enjoyed the interview because it felt really personal, and the interviewers seemed to care what I had to say. Overall, a very positive experience.
There was a faculty memember, a 3rd year student, and a lady on the polic commision (lay interviewer). The student was trying to be really tough--but the others were really good.
Not a walk in the park, but definitely a good experience overall. It wasn't too too stressful, and once we got to talking about things, I eased up quite a bit.
There weren't any out of the blue questions, and I didn't get to tell any jokes, or tell them what kind of vegetable I would want to be, oh well, they were quite a serious bunch.