Edmonton, AB
Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 16% 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
7.4
Good
Generally favorable experience overall, applicants reported positive interactions with some minor issues noted.
Based on 148 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 (68%)
Negatively (16%)
No change (16%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (19%)
Good (54%)
Average (23%)
Poor (4%)
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview experience positive, with interviewers described as friendly and trying to keep candidates relaxed. Some mentioned feeling nervous initially but gradually becoming more comfortable during the interview process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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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.
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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
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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!
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Pretty good (for a first time interviewee)
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The med students were helpful and outgoing. They made me feel a lot more relaxed.
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
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Length:
45 Minutes Average
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Number:
3 Interviews Average
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Interview Type (Interaction):
32% One-on-One
68% Group Interview
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File Type:
92% Open-File
8% Closed-File
UOA-FOM-COMP interviews are an average of 45 minutes, with an average of 3 interviews. 32% of interviews are one-on-one, and 8% are closed-file.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about handling stress, personal experiences with healthcare scenarios like blood transfusions, motivations for pursuing medicine, volunteer activities, and ethical dilemmas such as abortion requests. Many respondents mentioned facing a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format where specific question topics were kept confidential, possibly under a nondisclosure agreement, with questions revolving around personal attributes, career motivations, and ethical scenarios in healthcare settings.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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10 MMI stations - topics confidential. 10 minutes per station.
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What's special about you/life story...
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- Spirituality in Medicine, alternative medicine
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How do you handle stress?
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You show up at work, and the building has burned down. How do you spend your unexpected day off?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry discussed a wide range of topics, including opinions on societal issues, personal values, and ethical dilemmas. The variety of questions ranged from discussing the impact of the oil boom in Alberta to sharing thoughts on topics like capital punishment, euthanasia, and alternative medicine, reflecting the diverse nature of interview inquiries.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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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).
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Based on your teaching of young children tell us how you would gauge a child/adolescents maturity level in a clinical setting.
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Do you think that capital punishment should be used in Canada?
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How can my basic science research be used in a clinical setting today?
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What is the craziest thing you've done?
How did you prepare for the interview?
Many applicants prepared for the interview by reviewing medical ethics, current events, and their application materials, while also engaging in introspection and practicing with mock interviews. They also sought feedback from friends, med students, doctors, and online resources to enhance their readiness for the interview process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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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).
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Read ethics book, interview feedback, talked to a friend who is in the MD program here.
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Read up on current events, medical ethics, attended community lectures, spoke with med students and doctors, practiced with friends and family.
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Nothing. 21 years of living (Looked up Canada health care stuff but wasn't even asked about it).
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I talked to a u of a student.
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry discussed scenarios involving compassion fatigue, ethics, difficult patient decisions, professionalism challenges, and personal integrity. The interviews may have been in an MMI format with nondisclosure agreements, with questions focusing on ethical dilemmas, personal experiences, healthcare funding, and professionalism in various scenarios.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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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....)
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See above, and ''what are your views on the role of spirituality and alternative medicines in the medical field'' (I'm not religious).
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The parents of a child with a sever disability want to stop treatment. How do you respond?
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Define ethics (I felt it was one of those words where you know what it means but its hard to define).
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You catch a classmate cheating. What do you do?
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness, warmth, and hospitality of interviewers and current medical students, as well as the engaging environment during the interview process. Additionally, the top positive aspects highlighted were the exceptional facilities, enthusiastic and supportive community, and the stress-free and accommodating atmosphere created by the admissions staff and student volunteers.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The friendliness of the interviewers, the warmth and hospitality of the first year med students, as well as their encouragement.
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Facilities are awesome, and the med students were generally nice. Good video presentation by the students.
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How friendly and open everyone was.
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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.
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The university hospital.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed negative feedback regarding disorganized or unenthusiastic tour guides, lack of engagement or special treatment for applicants, tense or uninviting environments, and insufficient information sessions or tours. Suggestions included improving tour organization, providing more engaging and informative experiences for applicants, and creating a more welcoming and supportive atmosphere during interviews.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Nothing
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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.
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Nothing.
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Nothing much really. Didn't like the room where all the interviewees sit just prior to the interview but that has more to do with nerves.
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The pizza was pretty bad.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the relaxed atmosphere of the interview, the specific interview format, the location of the best parking, and the small interview room setup. They also mentioned being surprised by the lack of ethics questions and the importance of managing nerves during the interview process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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There are lots of one-way streets in Edmonton
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Nothing really, I go to the school already, there were no huge surprises.
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How relaxed the interview was.
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That I wouldn't have a med student on my panel (I had two docs and a proff).
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Where the best parking is located.
🤝 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 moderately friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was moderately responsive.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
No responses
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
Airports Used
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YEG
100% interviewees used YEG (YEG).
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by automobile to the interview.
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12% Airplane
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52% Automobile
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12% Train or Subway
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24% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Campus Towers (average ranking 10/10), with some staying at Coast Edmonton Plaza (average rating 8/10). (Top 3 displayed)
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Campus Towers
10/10
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Coast Edmonton Plaza
8/10
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Holiday Inn Express
8/10
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
Student (100%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Enthusiastic (70%)
Neutral (30%)
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