Thunder Bay & Sudbury, ON
Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 26% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did well.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
7.5
Good
Generally favorable experience overall, applicants reported positive interactions with some minor issues noted.
Based on 42 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 (78%)
Negatively (11%)
No change (11%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (56%)
Good (44%)
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview process at NOSM to be less stressful than anticipated, with many emphasizing the importance of being genuine and relaxed during the interview. They appreciated the personalized approach of the interviewers and the opportunity to showcase their personality alongside their qualifications, despite initial concerns about the format.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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I was SUPER stressed before hand, but once you get going the time just flies by.
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Those applying/accepting offers at NOSM must carefully consider the environment as well as the school itself.
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Excellent... (advice) If you make it to the interview it is safe to assume you are smart enough to be there. Just relax and go with the flow. Dont be fake, be real, and honest...
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It's too bad that the Q&A session with the students wasn't before the interviews. It seems like anything (introductions, chit-chat) that is not part of your official answer is not part of the scoring of the interview. You have two minutes to read a senario/question on the door before entering the room to talk at the interviewer. The interviewers are instructed to give almost no feedback. They do have some follow up questions that they may or may not ask you depending on time, you would like to answer follow-up questions or if you had already addressed them in your answer. Eight minutes seems really long for one question, but in practice, it seemed really short and I had no problem talking for almost that lenght of time.
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It was a positive experience. I enjoyed the process and found it 'fun'.
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
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Length:
60 Minutes Average
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Number:
6.4 Interviews Average
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Interview Type (Interaction):
100% One-on-One
0% Group Interview
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File Type:
0% Open-File
100% Closed-File
NOSM-COMP interviews are an average of 60 minutes, with an average of 6.4 interviews. 100% of interviews are one-on-one, and 100% are closed-file.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools seem to focus on understanding applicants' knowledge of the school's curriculum and program requirements, their learning style, and their views on societal and cultural aspects of medicine, often with personal examples. Some respondents mentioned being unable to disclose specific questions due to signing confidentiality agreements, indicating that the interviews may have been conducted in an MMI format where nondisclosure agreements were required.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Cannot disclose due to signing of confidentiality agreement, however all questions were fair game.
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Know NOSM's curriculum, teaching style, general program requirements as they may ask about your learning style, or what you think of specific things (all stuff you can get from their website)
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In 20 years from now, what do you expect to be doing?
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In general: Understand the importance of culture and society in medicine/life, and understand social accountability...all with personal examples
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Unable to say, due to strict confidentiality agreements.
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at Northern Ontario School of Medicine discussed situational medical ethics, personal examples in responses, a diabetic patient turning to faith healing, pros and cons of the MCAT, supporting a depressed or suicidal peer, and linking ethics with current events. The interview format may have been an MMI with respondents possibly under a nondisclosure agreement.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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A situational medical ethics question
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I was surprised at how specific the issues were in the questions (lots of medical ethics).....REALLY make an effort at throwing in personal examples at every station or else the interviewer will not get to know you.
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A diabetic patient stops taking her conventional medication and turns to faith healing. Discuss issues.
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Pro's and con's of the MCAT and why i think NOSM does not utilize it.
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What would I do if a peer in my class seemed depressed or suicidal.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by researching medical ethics, reading relevant literature, staying updated on current health issues, practicing answering questions with a focus on time management, and participating in mock interviews. They also emphasized the importance of understanding the unique aspects of Northern health care and reflecting on personal motivations for pursuing a career in medicine.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Read the school website, read up on Northern health issues, improved familiarity with initiatives in Ontario health care system and how they pertain to rural/remote regions, read "Doing Right" by Hebert.
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Read ''Doing Right''...a medical ethics book, read thestar.com daily, reflected at why I wanted to be an MD.
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CMAJ's Bioethics for Clinicians
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Prepared a series of questions and ethical concepts oriented to medicine, culture, sociology, politics, etc etc...
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Created possible questions that would be typically be asked at a med school interview and added the Northern Ontario twist to each. Mock interview at school. Repeatedly practiced with 8 minute time frame, so that I could pace my answer - fill the time, but answer under time.
What was the most difficult question?
Students said the most difficult question asked at Northern Ontario School of Medicine discussed scenarios related to the Canadian healthcare system, ethical dilemmas in patient care, allocation of healthcare funds, and current issues with the healthcare system. Some responses hinted at a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format with potential nondisclosure agreements in place.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Same as the most interesting question
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A scenario was given and you had to answer how you would deal with it with specific knowledge about the Canadian Health care system....have an idea about what is covered and what is not.
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Debate the positives and negative issues surrounding clean-needle exchange for addicts.
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The ins and outs of providing care for someone doing something you may or may not see as unethical...it may be abortion, steroids, or whatever.
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You are part of a comittee to decide where the money for health care is spent
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the enthusiasm and friendliness of students, faculty, and staff, as well as the organization and efficiency of the whole process. They appreciated the welcoming environment, community involvement, and personalized approach, which made their experience enjoyable and memorable.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The enthusiasm of the students, faculty, administration
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How organized the whole process was. Everything was on time.
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The school, staff, volunteers, they all were inviting and comforting...
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Progress made in the previous two years (they actually have a physical location now), how friendly everyone was.
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How friendly other students were.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed frustration with the high number of interviews conducted for a limited number of spots, concerns about safety and negative perceptions of the city, dissatisfaction with the interview format lacking dialogue, and feedback on disorganization in the interview process and lack of campus facilities being ready. Suggestions included improving interview organization, addressing safety concerns, and enhancing the dialogue in the interview process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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A lot of interviews (400) for only 56 seats.
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That they interviewed 415 people for 56 spots....why the extra 15??
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Although I respect their efforts to promote medicine in Northern Ontario, Thunder Bay is likely the most abysmal city I have visited. Friends comment on how dangerous the city is and how they don't go to campus at night because the campus is surrounded by bush, thus making rapes not uncommon. A gentleman told me to watch my back in fear of getting stabbed by locals. The general environment seemed unwelcoming. One restaurant owner didn't even know Thunder Bay was host to a new medical school!
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The monologue, as opposed to dialogue of the MMI. Would prefer actual conversation.
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I keep forgetting how ugly Sudbury is.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the varying formats of MMI interviews, the rule of discarding the worst answer, the community demographics of the location, restrictions on bringing items to the interview, the inability to ask interviewers questions, and the importance of bringing a pen or pencil.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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How relaxed the whole interview day would be, and how different MMIs can be from school to school.
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I was unaware before the interview that they throw out your worst answer...apparently they said it in the room, but I didn't hear it. Having that knowledge would have allowed me to ''shake off'' my one bad station a little easier.
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How degraded the city was and how a significant part of the community is underprivileged/disenfranchised.
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Nothing, i'm awesome and prepared ahead of time...hahaha
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You can't ask the interviewer any questions/they can't answer any questions about themselves. I wish I could have known what their role/position was (student, resident, community member, staff, faculty). Not new to me, but maybe of note to others: you are not allowed to bring ANYTHING into the interviews with you (no pens, no paper, no water). They provide you with water to bring to the interview with you. If you arrive too early you just end up sitting in a room talking with other nervous interviewees.
🤝 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 unfriendly.
No responses
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was unresponsive.
No responses
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
No responses
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
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 Friends or family or with friends or family.
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
Admissions staff (17%)
Faculty member (17%)
Other (17%)
Student (50%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Enthusiastic (83%)
Neutral (17%)
All Responses
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