McGill Interview Prep Guide (2025-2026)

McGill’s undergraduate medicine program uses a Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) format for candidate selection mcgill.ca. In a typical MMI, applicants rotate through a circuit of 7–10 stations, each lasting about 7 minutes (with one longer station about double in length) mcgill.ca. Station formats vary – some are discussion-based with an interviewer, others are task-oriented or involve role-play scenarios (with an observer or actor), reflecting the program’s goal to evaluate interpersonal and problem-solving skills mcgill.ca mcgill.ca. McGill’s MMI is closed-file, meaning interviewers do not review academic transcripts or CVs during the stations – the focus is on qualities not evident on paper mcgill.ca. The tone is professional but often conversational within each scenario, as candidates interact with interviewers or actors to address prompts. Notably, interviews are conducted virtually (via video) in recent cycles and are offered in both English and French to accommodate the bilingual context of McGill mcgill.ca mcgill.ca.

The post-interview acceptance rate at McGill reflects its competitiveness. Roughly 40–45% of Quebec resident applicants who reach the interview stage end up receiving an offer of admission mcgill.ca. For example, in a recent cycle 343 Quebec university-category candidates were interviewed for about 149 seats (≈43%) mcgill.ca. In contrast, out-of-province candidates face tougher odds – about 26 were interviewed for 5 seats (~19% admitted) in that same cycle mcgill.ca. International applicants are few and far between (e.g. 9 interviewed for 1 seat) mcgill.ca. These figures highlight that while doing well in the interview is crucial for all, Quebec residents have a significantly higher yield post-interview than those applying from outside Quebec. Understanding this context can help applicants gauge the stakes and underscores the importance of thorough preparation for the MMI.

McGill’s Faculty of Medicine’s mission centers on excellence in education, research, and service to the community mcgill.ca. The school strives to train physicians who are lifelong learners and innovators, and to advance medical knowledge while remaining closely engaged with the communities they serve. Its core values underscore a strong sense of professionalism and social responsibility. The faculty emphasizes values such as excellence, compassion, mutual respect, innovation, life-long learning, social responsibility, and inclusiveness mcgill.ca. These guiding principles are not just institutional rhetoric – they translate into the kind of students McGill seeks. Interviewers will be looking for evidence of these values in applicants’ attitudes and experiences (for example, compassion and respect in ethical scenarios, or a commitment to learning and service), so understanding McGill’s mission and values provides a backdrop for what traits to convey during interviews.

McGill’s Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery (M.D.,C.M.) program is a four-year medical curriculum that grants the historic MDCM degree (reflecting McGill’s status as Canada’s first medical faculty) mcgill.ca. The program is offered across two campuses: the traditional Montreal campus (a larger, English-instruction setting) and the newer Campus Outaouais in Gatineau (a smaller cohort with French-instruction) mcgill.ca mcgill.ca. Since 2020, the Outaouais campus has welcomed around 24–38 students each year in state-of-the-art facilities in partnership with local institutions, providing a more personalized learning environment for those in the French stream mcgill.ca. The Montreal campus hosts the majority of students (for instance, in the inaugural Outaouais year, 178 students studied in Montreal vs. 24 in Gatineau) healthenews.mcgill.ca. Both campuses follow the same curriculum and lead to the same degree, and students have access to equivalent electives and opportunities, with clinical rotations available at a network of teaching hospitals that are bilingual or francophone in Montreal and across the McGill RUISSS territory mcgill.ca mcgill.ca.

The MDCM program is known for its innovative curriculum and extensive clinical exposure. McGill implemented a renewed curriculum in 2013 that increased the integration of clinical experiences earlier in training and emphasized active learning and modern pedagogy mcgill.ca. Students spend a significant portion of their program in clinical clerkships; in fact, McGill’s program structure includes more clerkship time (hands-on clinical training) than many other Canadian medical schools healthenews.mcgill.ca. Another hallmark is the focus on “Physicianship” – an approach that stresses the professional and humanistic roles of a doctor. For example, each first-year student is paired with an experienced clinician-mentor through the Osler Fellowship program, reinforcing the values of compassionate care and professionalism from day one. The program also offers joint degrees (such as the MD-PhD for those interested in research) and a unique Med-P pathway, which allows select CEGEP (pre-university college) students to enter a five-year combined program (one year of preparatory coursework followed by the four-year MDCM) mcgill.ca. These features of McGill’s program – from its bilingual campuses and mentorship opportunities to its strong research and clinical training orientation – provide rich material for discussion during interviews and can spark thoughtful questions from candidates.

Potential Questions to Ask at the Interview

• The program is offered on two campuses – Montreal and Outaouais. How do the learning experiences and community environments differ between the larger Montreal campus and the smaller cohort in Gatineau? mcgill.ca
• McGill’s curriculum places an emphasis on early clinical exposure and longer clerkships. How does this increased hands-on training benefit students, and how are students supported during these intensive clinical semesters? healthenews.mcgill.ca
• Are there opportunities for medical students to engage in research or scholarly projects during the MDCM program, and how does the faculty support those who are interested in academic medicine or physician-scientist careers?
• McGill highlights its Physicianship component and mentorship (such as the Osler Fellows). Could you elaborate on how the mentorship and professionalism training are integrated into the student experience, and how they impact student development?
• Social accountability and community involvement are important at McGill. In what ways can students get involved in serving the community or working with underserved populations during their time in the program?

McGill’s location in Quebec and its role as a medical institution mean that certain healthcare policies and issues carry particular relevance. Interview scenarios often touch on contemporary social or policy debates. Below are some topics (spanning the institutional, provincial, and national levels) that are pertinent to McGill’s context and could arise in discussions:

• Physician distribution and rural health: Quebec has faced physician shortages in certain regions – the very reason McGill opened Campus Outaouais was to address the chronic doctor shortage in the Outaouais region mcgillnews.mcgill.ca. Policies or scenarios about encouraging physicians to practice in under-served areas (rural medicine incentives, return-of-service agreements, etc.) can be relevant. An applicant should be aware of how training programs like McGill’s respond to regional healthcare needs by producing doctors for those communities.
• Bilingual healthcare and language policy: Practicing medicine in Quebec often requires navigating language barriers. McGill’s is the only medical school in the province that provides instruction in English (Montreal campus) and in French (Outaouais campus) mcgill.ca mcgill.ca. Interview questions might explore issues like communication with patients of different linguistic backgrounds or the impact of Quebec language laws (such as Bill 96, which promotes French usage) on healthcare delivery. Demonstrating awareness of the importance of language and cultural sensitivity in care – especially in a bilingual setting – would be important in the McGill context.
• Diversity and inclusion in medicine: Canadian medical schools are increasingly addressing the need for greater representation of marginalized groups in the profession. McGill has taken concrete steps, such as a Black Candidate pathway (which led to 60 Black applicants being interviewed and 23 admitted in a recent cycle) mcgill.ca and a dedicated Indigenous admissions pathway with supernumerary seats for First Nations and Inuit students mcgill.ca. An interview could probe your thoughts on why diversity in healthcare matters or how physicians can serve diverse communities. Being informed about initiatives like McGill’s indigenous health curriculum or efforts to combat disparities could be useful.
• Healthcare system and ethics debates: Broader Canadian healthcare issues are fair game, and McGill’s interviews have been known to include policy-oriented ethics scenarios. For instance, Quebec’s government once proposed a special tax on unvaccinated individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic to offset healthcare costs axios.com – a scenario that raises questions about public health policy and individual rights. Another national debate is Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD): Canada’s laws around assisted dying have evolved (recently expanding to include certain non-terminal conditions), prompting discussions about ethics and patient autonomy. Candidates should be ready to discuss such issues by balancing legal, ethical, and compassionate perspectives, as these are the kind of complex real-world dilemmas future physicians will face.

Like other top medical schools, McGill looks beyond academics to evaluate the personal qualities and experiences of its applicants. The Admissions Committee explicitly assesses a range of non-academic attributes to gauge an applicant’s suitability for the medical profession mcgill.ca. These qualities are examined through the CV (Curriculum Vitae) you submit, the CASPer situational judgment test results, and of course the MMI interview stations mcgill.ca. McGill has outlined several key non-academic criteria it values:

• Compassion, empathy, and caring for others mcgill.ca
• Insight, sound judgment, and common sense mcgill.ca
• Integrity and honesty mcgill.ca
• Adaptability, tolerance, and flexibility in the face of change mcgill.ca
• Creativity and innovation mcgill.ca
• Respect for others (colleagues, patients, diverse populations) mcgill.ca
• Intellectual curiosity and a desire for learning mcgill.ca
• Reliability and dependability mcgill.ca
• Responsibility and teamwork skills mcgill.ca
• Ability to manage conflict or stress effectively mcgill.ca
• Leadership and initiative mcgill.ca
• Self-confidence and assurance in the face of ambiguity mcgill.ca
• Community involvement and social activism mcgill.ca
• Professionalism and respect for the public at large mcgill.ca

McGill is deliberate about seeking these traits in future physicians. The MMI scenarios and other assessment tools are designed to draw out evidence of empathy, ethics, communication, teamwork and so on. For example, a role-play station may test your empathy and adaptability, while the CASPer exam captures your judgment and integrity in hypothetical situations. In preparation, applicants should reflect on experiences where they demonstrated these qualities, because having concrete examples in mind can help one convey authenticity and self-awareness during interview responses. Understanding which qualities McGill prioritizes can also guide how you present yourself – the goal is to show that you embody the professionalism, compassion, and social responsibility that align with McGill’s values and the CanMEDS physician competencies.

McGill’s medical curriculum and its evaluation methods (including interviews) are built around established physician competency frameworks. Chief among these is the CanMEDS roles framework, developed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, which defines the key competencies physicians need mcgill.ca. McGill explicitly references CanMEDS in its program objectives and interview design – stations are crafted to probe roles like communication, collaboration, ethics and health advocacy mcgill.ca. The CanMEDS model identifies physicians as being not only Medical Experts, but also Communicators, Collaborators, Leaders, Health Advocates, Scholars, and Professionals. Interview scenarios at McGill often map to these roles: for example, a teamwork exercise examines the Collaborator and Leader aspects, while an ethical dilemma or a question about healthcare challenges taps into the Professional and Health Advocate roles.

In addition, McGill uses its own concept of Physicianship as a cornerstone of the program. Physicianship, unique to McGill’s curriculum, encapsulates the twin roles of the doctor as healer and professional mcgill.ca. The emphasis on identity formation in the curriculum means that McGill expects its students (and applicants) to appreciate qualities like empathy, integrity, and duty as central to being a physician mcgill.ca. In the interview setting, this could translate to an expectation that candidates demonstrate both the humanistic side of medicine (healer – e.g., compassionate listener, ethical decision-maker) and the professional side (accountability, reliability, understanding of a physician’s societal obligations). Knowing that McGill’s selection process is aligned with CanMEDS and its Physicianship framework, applicants should be prepared to showcase a well-rounded competency profile – showing not just scientific knowledge or intellectual ability, but qualities of a communicator, team member, advocate, and ethical professional.

While McGill does not release its interview questions publicly (and applicants must agree not to disclose them), reports from past candidates and third-party sources reveal some recurring themes. Being aware of these thematic areas can help you focus your preparation on the kinds of scenarios and discussions that are likely to occur. Common themes include:

• Ethical dilemmas: Many MMI stations in the past have posed ethical problems with no clear right answer. Scenarios have included situations like a physician offering treatments with no scientific merit or handling end-of-life decisions blackstonetutors.com blackstonetutors.com. The interviewer expects you to discuss multiple perspectives and demonstrate moral reasoning consistent with compassion and professional ethics.
• Personal motivation and self-reflection: McGill interviewers often explore your personal reasons for pursuing medicine and your understanding of the profession. For example, candidates have been asked questions about why they want to be a physician, what specialty interests them, or to reflect on their biggest challenges and growth experiences blackstonetutors.com blackstonetutors.com. These prompts test your self-awareness, drive, and commitment, so be ready to articulate your motivations and values (beyond what was in your application essays).
• Teamwork and leadership experiences: Given the importance of collaboration in healthcare, past interviews have included questions about working in teams or resolving conflicts. You might be asked to describe a group situation where you took on a leadership role or how you handled a team member not doing their share blackstonetutors.com. Such questions probe skills in communication, conflict resolution, and the ability to reflect on interpersonal dynamics – key attributes of the Collaborator and Leader roles in CanMEDS.
• Healthcare policy and social issues: Some stations have touched on issues in the healthcare system or societal challenges. McGill’s MMI has integrated prompts about things like resource allocation (for instance, opinions on insurance not covering certain procedures, as in a scenario about elective circumcisions and public health insurance limits) blackstonetutors.com or public health mandates. They might also bring up current issues such as vaccination policies, healthcare access inequities, or other dilemmas that require balancing individual rights with community well-being. Demonstrating an informed, thoughtful perspective on Canadian healthcare and social policies can be advantageous.
• Communication and empathy scenarios: McGill’s interview circuit typically includes some form of role-play or interpersonal interaction station. You could encounter an actor portraying a patient or peer, requiring you to exercise empathy, listening, and communication skills under pressure. For example, scenarios might involve delivering bad news, supporting someone in distress, or navigating a culturally sensitive conversation. These stations assess your poise and compassion in one-on-one interactions. (McGill has noted that while MMI stations may venture into sensitive personal themes, they are not testing medical knowledge or clinical skills mcgill.ca, but rather how you connect and respond as a person.) Successfully handling these will reflect the qualities of a good Communicator and empathic healer.

Staying on top of the application timeline is an important part of interview preparation – you need to know what to expect and when, so you can plan accordingly. For the cohort aiming to enter McGill in Fall 2026 (the 2025–2026 application cycle), the key dates are as follows:

• Application deadline: November 1, 2025 – All application materials for the MDCM program (and joint MDCM-PhD) must be submitted by this date mcgill.ca. (The online application portal typically opens in early September, so applicants have roughly two months to apply.)
• Interview invitations: Late January 2026 – McGill’s admissions office will send out interview invitations around January 26, 2026 mcgill.ca. You’ll be notified via email/portal if selected. This is a target date, so a few days of variation is possible, but historically by the end of January, candidates know if they’re invited to interview.
• Interview dates: February 17–20, 2026 – The MDCM interviews are scheduled in this window mcgill.ca. Interviews are held virtually over Zoom, and invited applicants will be assigned specific sessions within these dates. It’s critical to keep these days open and be prepared with the necessary technology and environment for an online MMI. (If you’ve applied to the joint MD-PhD, you may have additional interview components around the same time.)
• Admission offers: April 1, 2026 – The first round of offers of admission is expected to be released by early April mcgill.ca. McGill typically posts decisions on the applicant portal and via email. If you interviewed, you will find out whether you’ve been accepted, waitlisted, or not accepted around this date. (Quebec universities often have a common notification date, and April 1 is the target for McGill’s MD program.)
• Med-P timeline: Note that applicants to the Med-P (preparatory year) program follow a different timeline. For Med-P, the application deadline is March 1, 2026, invitations to interview go out by end of March, and interviews take place in late April 2026 mcgill.ca. Offers for Med-P are expected by mid-May 2026. This later timeline reflects the fact that Med-P candidates are finishing CEGEP in the spring. Ensure you’re following the correct dates for your pathway (Med-P vs. university-level entry) to avoid confusion.

Preparing for the McGill Faculty of Medicine interview involves a multi-faceted approach. You’ll want to be thoroughly familiar with the MMI format and what it demands, understand McGill’s mission, values, and expectations, and be conversant with the key features of the program that make it unique. Awareness of the broader healthcare context in Quebec and Canada – including current policy debates and community health needs – will allow you to engage thoughtfully with scenario questions. It’s also crucial to reflect on your own experiences in light of the non-academic criteria and CanMEDS competencies that McGill is looking for. By reviewing the common themes from past interviews, you can practice formulating your ideas on ethics, teamwork, communication, and personal motivations within a medical context. Finally, keep the logistics in mind: know the timeline, and be ready well in advance of your interview date. In summary, if you align your preparation with McGill’s core values (excellence, compassion, professionalism) mcgill.ca and practice articulating how you embody the qualities of a future physician, you will be well-positioned to approach the 2025–2026 interviews with confidence.