Memorial Interview Prep Guide (2025-2026)

Memorial University’s School of Pharmacy in Newfoundland offers a highly hands-on, accredited PharmD program with a holistic admissions process. This guide provides a synthesis of key aspects to help applicants prepare for the interview and understand the program’s context. It covers the interview format (currently a virtual, asynchronous process mun.ca), the school’s mission and values, an overview of the PharmD program and its unique features, and relevant healthcare policy topics in Newfoundland and Canada. The guide also outlines the non-academic qualities Memorial looks for, the competency frameworks that shape the curriculum, common themes from past interview questions, and the important timelines and deadlines for the 2025–2026 application cycle. Together, these sections highlight what Memorial values in applicants and how the program aligns with broader professional expectations.

Memorial’s pharmacy admissions interview is conducted in a structured format designed to assess personal qualities beyond academics. In recent years the interview has shifted to a virtual, asynchronous format mun.ca: applicants complete an online interview task (e.g. recorded video responses) within a given timeframe rather than a live session. Previously, the school used in-person panel interviews – typically with a three-member panel of faculty and pharmacists – combined with a written exercise to evaluate non-academic skills mun.ca. The style of questioning remains behavioral, meaning candidates are asked to discuss real past experiences (for example, describing a time they solved a challenging problem mun.ca). Interviewers are generally not privy to the applicant’s academic file during the interview (a “closed-file” approach is common) studentdoctor.net, focusing instead on spontaneous responses. Admissions are competitive: historically around 96 candidates were invited to interview for approximately 40 seats mun.ca, suggesting roughly 40–50% of interviewees might ultimately be offered admission. Understanding this format helps applicants anticipate the interview setting and the importance of showcasing personal competencies.

The School of Pharmacy’s mission centers on training the next generation of pharmacists to ensure safe and effective medication therapy for patients and to lead in a complex healthcare environment mun.ca. Memorial prides itself on being a small school that works closely with students, fostering qualities like creativity, confidence, and discovery mun.ca. The core values explicitly embraced by the school include excellence, integrity, collaboration, leadership, inclusion & equity, care & well-being, achievement, service, and sustainability mun.ca. These guiding values are at the heart of the school’s culture and education. In practical terms, this means the program and its faculty emphasize ethical behavior, community engagement, teamwork, and lifelong learning. For interview preparation, understanding the mission and values is important – the questions and evaluation criteria will likely reflect these priorities, as the school seeks students who align with its commitment to integrity, service, and professional excellence.

Memorial University offers an Entry-to-Practice Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program known for its personal, hands-on learning environment mun.ca. The program spans five years (after prerequisite courses) and is designed to produce practice-ready pharmacists. Each cohort is small – usually around 40 students – with reserved seats for Newfoundland and Labrador residents (the majority of spots), a seat for an Indigenous applicant from NL, and a handful of seats for out-of-province or international students mun.ca. This small class size allows for close mentorship and a tight-knit community of learners. The curriculum was redesigned beginning in 2017 to meet evolving healthcare needs mun.ca, with a significant emphasis on experiential education throughout the program.

• Extensive experiential learning: A total of 44 weeks of pharmacy practice experience are embedded in the curriculum mun.ca. Students undertake early practice experiences during the program and spend the entire final year in advanced pharmacy practice rotations (in community, hospital, and other settings), gaining real-world skills.
• Hands-on and innovative training: Memorial’s program is known as “Canada’s most hands-on pharmacy program” mun.ca. It features practical learning opportunities like the Medication Therapy Services Clinic, where students learn collaboratively by working alongside other health professionals in managing patient medication therapy mun.ca.
• Program outcomes: The PharmD program boasts a 100% employment rate for its graduates mun.ca. Graduating from Memorial prepares students to become licensed pharmacists across Canada and to work in diverse settings (community pharmacies, hospitals, industry, etc.), reflecting the strong reputation and comprehensive training of the school.
• Class composition: Typically 40 students are admitted each fall. Approximately 34 seats are for Newfoundland and Labrador residents, 1 seat is designated for an Indigenous applicant from NL, and 5 seats for out-of-province or international candidates mun.ca. This ensures the program primarily serves the province’s needs while still attracting a mix of students.

These program features not only define the student experience but also offer great talking points for applicants during interviews. For example, candidates might inquire about the structure of clinical rotations or how the small class size enhances learning and support – showing interest in what makes Memorial’s PharmD unique. Understanding the program’s design and outcomes will help applicants demonstrate that they are informed and enthusiastic about what Memorial has to offer.

Pharmacy education and practice do not exist in a vacuum; being aware of current healthcare policy issues can enrich an applicant’s perspective. In Newfoundland and Labrador (as in many parts of Canada), there have been significant developments expanding the role of pharmacists in healthcare. Memorial’s curriculum and outlook are likely influenced by these trends, and such topics can arise in discussion or inspire thoughtful questions during an interview.

• Expanded scope of pharmacist practice in NL: The provincial government, in collaboration with the Newfoundland and Labrador Pharmacy Board, has recently expanded what pharmacists are authorized to do. As of 2023, pharmacists in NL can extend prescriptions up to 12 months (up from 90 days) and prescribe for a broader range of minor ailments (now 33 conditions in total) including issues like conjunctivitis, shingles, and uncomplicated UTIs gov.nl.ca. This expansion of scope is aimed at improving access to care and positions pharmacists as more integral primary care providers. Memorial’s program likely prepares students for these enhanced responsibilities by training them in prescribing and patient assessment skills.
• National pharmacare and healthcare policy: At the federal level, Canada is moving toward a national prescription drug coverage plan (often called “Pharmacare”). In early 2024, the government introduced a plan to begin covering certain essential medications (like insulin and contraceptives) as a step toward broader pharmacare reuters.com. This ongoing policy discussion is highly relevant to the pharmacy field, as it could change how patients access medications and how pharmacists practice (for example, pharmacists may play a role in implementing formulary or cost-optimization programs). Memorial’s faculty and students are likely aware of such developments, and an informed candidate could discuss how a national pharmacare program might impact pharmacy practice.
• Public health and emerging issues: Memorial’s School of Pharmacy engages with current public health issues, evidenced by events like the “Evidence-to-Policy” symposium and research by its faculty. For instance, faculty have examined the impacts of cannabis legalization on youth in Newfoundland and Labrador mun.ca – a topic at the intersection of public policy and pharmacy. Other issues, such as the opioid crisis, rural healthcare access, and pharmacists’ role in vaccination campaigns, are also relevant in the region. Understanding these contexts can help applicants frame their motivation for pharmacy and recognize the broader social responsibilities of the profession.

Being conversant with these policy and healthcare topics can show interviewers that an applicant is engaged with the profession’s current challenges and directions. While specific policy questions may not always come up, Memorial’s focus on patient-centered care and community health means that an informed perspective is beneficial. Applicants might find opportunities during the interview or in their own questions to reference how these trends (like expanded scope or pharmacare) underscore their enthusiasm for pharmacy and their readiness to contribute to a changing healthcare landscape.

Admission to Memorial’s PharmD program considers more than just grades – strong academics are essential, but non-academic factors play a substantial role mun.ca. The primary tool for assessing these factors is the admissions interview and associated application materials, where candidates convey their personal qualities, experiences, and motivations. Memorial looks for well-rounded individuals who exhibit leadership potential, community service involvement, communication skills, and other attributes that predict success as a pharmacist. In fact, the Dean of the School has emphasized traits such as empathy, teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving ability, and diligence as being crucial for future pharmacists mun.ca.

The behavioral interview format is intentionally designed to elicit evidence of these qualities. Candidates are typically asked to draw on real-life experiences – for example, “Tell us about a time when you had to solve a challenging problem” mun.ca – which allows them to demonstrate characteristics like perseverance, ethical judgment, or teamwork. Experiences in volunteering, leadership roles (such as student organizations or sports teams), work (especially healthcare or customer service experience), or research projects can all serve as rich material to showcase one’s non-academic strengths. Memorial’s core values of service, leadership, and collaboration mun.ca suggest that an applicant who has actively engaged in their community or shown initiative in helping others will have an opportunity to shine in the admission process. Ultimately, beyond meeting the minimum academic criteria, successful applicants distinguish themselves by the personal qualities and insights they bring, aligning with the school’s values and the social contract of the pharmacy profession.

Memorial’s PharmD curriculum is built to align with national competency frameworks and standards for pharmacy education. The program is fully accredited by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) mun.ca, which ensures it meets or exceeds the quality standards expected in Canada. Additionally, the School of Pharmacy, like all Canadian pharmacy schools, follows the educational outcomes defined by the Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada (AFPC). The AFPC’s 2017 Educational Outcomes framework identifies a set of key roles that new pharmacists must be able to fulfill: at the core is the Care Provider role (medication therapy expert providing patient care), supported by roles such as Communicator, Collaborator, Leader-Manager, Health Advocate, Scholar, and Professional afpc.info. Memorial’s program integrates these competencies throughout its coursework and experiential training.

For interview preparation, it’s useful to recognize that the qualities interviewers look for correspond to these competency roles. For example, when you describe a teamwork experience, you are illustrating the Collaborator role; when you talk about a time you educated someone or learned something new, you’re touching on the Scholar role; handling an ethical dilemma might demonstrate Professionalism or Health Advocate qualities. The emphasis Memorial places on communication, leadership, and empathy in its values and training mun.ca mirrors these competencies. Therefore, familiarity with the competency framework can reassure applicants that the interview questions (and the program expectations) are grounded in a consistent set of professional attributes that successful pharmacists exhibit. Showing awareness of these expected competencies – implicitly through one’s answers or even explicitly if appropriate – can underline an applicant’s readiness for the program’s demands.

Based on past applicant reports and the School’s stated approach, Memorial’s interview questions tend to focus on personal experiences and reflections that reveal character and interpersonal skills. The dominant theme is behavioral questions – prompts that start with “Tell me about a time when…” – covering various scenarios relevant to healthcare and teamwork. For example, candidates have been asked to describe times when they handled a challenging problem or conflict (to assess problem-solving and resilience) mun.ca. One of the more challenging questions reported was, “Describe a time when you spoke up for others,” which probes an applicant’s courage and advocacy for others studentdoctor.net. This indicates that themes of ethics and standing up for what is right can be part of the interview.

Common threads among past questions likely include teamwork and collaboration (e.g. resolving a group disagreement or working as part of a team), leadership and initiative (stepping up to take responsibility), communication skills (maybe discussing a time you educated someone or had to convey bad news tactfully), and empathy or service (helping someone in need or volunteering experiences). Applicants might also encounter questions about handling failure or stress – for instance, how they managed a mistake or balanced competing priorities – as these speak to adaptability and professionalism. All these themes align with the qualities Memorial seeks in future pharmacists. While specific questions can vary, understanding these thematic areas can help candidates reflect on relevant stories from their own lives that highlight the desired competencies. Importantly, because the interview is open-ended in this behavioral style, it gives applicants the chance to showcase their genuine experiences and personal growth.

The admissions cycle for Memorial’s PharmD program follows a clear annual schedule. Keeping track of these dates is crucial to ensure you don’t miss any requirements. Below are the key timelines for the 2025–2026 application cycle (for entry into the Fall 2026 PharmD class):

• Mid–late October 2025: Application for Admission opens. Prospective students can access the online application forms for the next admissions cycle around this time mun.ca.
• February 1, 2026: Application deadline. All entry-to-PharmD program applications for Fall 2026 must be submitted by this date mun.ca.
• February 15, 2026: Transcript deadline. All official post-secondary transcripts (for institutions other than Memorial University) must be received by the Registrar by this date mun.ca. If an applicant is taking Winter 2026 courses at another institution, proof of enrollment must be provided and final grades will need to follow by May.
• Mid–late February 2026: Interviews conducted. Eligible applicants will be invited to complete the asynchronous online interview in this window (typically an email with instructions is sent, and applicants have about a week to submit their recorded responses) mun.ca.
• May 1, 2026: Final grades deadline. For those registered in Winter semester courses (especially at institutions outside MUN), official final transcripts must be submitted by May 1 mun.ca to ensure the application remains in consideration. This allows the admissions committee to finalize academic scores with all up-to-date grades.
• Mid-June 2026: Admission offers released. By mid-June, the School of Pharmacy sends out offers of admission via email to selected candidates mun.ca. Applicants who are not admitted are either notified of their waitlist status or informed that their application was not successful at this time.
• Mid-July 2026: Program registration begins. Admitted students will start registering for their first semester courses around mid-July mun.ca, and the faculty will provide orientation information leading up to the start of classes in September.

Staying on top of these deadlines is part of professional preparation. Memorial’s process, as outlined above, moves quickly from the application deadline to interviews within a few weeks, and then to final decisions by early summer. Applicants should be prepared to respond to an interview invitation in February and ensure all academic prerequisites are completed by the spring. By understanding the timeline, you can manage your preparation and expectations – for instance, knowing when you might hear back about interviews and offers – which reduces stress and lets you focus on putting forward your best application and interview performance.

In summary, thorough interview preparation for the Memorial University School of Pharmacy involves a blend of self-reflection, research, and awareness of the program’s values and context. This guide has highlighted the interview format and what to expect, the mission and values that underpin the school’s approach, key facts about the PharmD program, and the broader policy environment in which pharmacists in Newfoundland and Canada operate. It also examined the non-academic traits Memorial prioritizes, the competency frameworks shaping pharmacy education, common themes in interview questions, and all the important dates for the upcoming admissions cycle. By internalizing these insights, applicants can better appreciate what Memorial is looking for in its future students – individuals who are not only academically capable but also compassionate, ethical, collaborative, and attuned to the evolving field of pharmacy. Understanding these elements will help you approach the interview with confidence, genuine enthusiasm, and a clear sense of alignment with Memorial’s pharmacy program.