Manitoba Pharmacy Interview Prep Guide (2025-2026)

The University of Manitoba’s PharmD program emphasizes both strong academic preparation and key personal attributes in its admissions process. Its interview and selection format has evolved to include the Casper situational judgement test as a major component, assessing qualities like ethics, communication and empathy blackstonetutors.com umanitoba.ca. The College’s mission prioritizes patient-centered care, community engagement, and collaboration, which is reflected in a curriculum rich with experiential learning and research opportunities umanitoba.ca umanitoba.ca. Applicants are expected to be aware of important pharmacy practice issues in Manitoba and Canada – for example, pharmacists’ expanding scope and efforts to improve medication access doctorsmanitoba.ca reuters.com. Non-academic factors such as leadership, service, and interpersonal skills are significant in selection (evaluated via Casper and, historically, interviews) umanitoba.ca news.umanitoba.ca. The program is aligned with national competency frameworks (e.g. AFPC outcomes) that stress communication, teamwork, professionalism and health advocacy news.umanitoba.ca, which correspond to common themes in interview scenarios. Finally, the admissions timeline for 2025-2026 spans from a March 2025 application deadline to final offers released in June 2025 umanitoba.ca umanitoba.ca.

In recent years, the College of Pharmacy has leaned heavily on the Casper test for candidate evaluation, with indications that Casper may serve in place of a traditional in-person interview blackstonetutors.com. Historically, when interviews were conducted, the format was a panel interview lasting around 30–40 minutes, often involving about four interviewers interviewing the candidate studentdoctor.net studentdoctor.net. These were open-file interviews, meaning the interviewers had access to the applicant’s file and could ask about one’s academic and personal background studentdoctor.net. The style was described as relatively high-stress and sometimes featured a conversational, “group” dynamic (multiple interviewers engaging with the applicant) rather than a strict Q&A format. With 55 seats available and a competitive applicant pool, being selected for an interview historically implied a strong chance of admission – roughly half of those interviewed might receive offers – though the exact post-interview acceptance rate varies by year and the use of Casper has changed the process umanitoba.ca blackstonetutors.com.

The College of Pharmacy’s mission centers on educating pharmacists who will advance patient health and serve community needs in Manitoba and beyond. There is a strong emphasis on patient-centred care and collaboration with other health professionals, reflecting values of teamwork and interprofessional practice umanitoba.ca. The program fosters a culture of innovation and research – students are encouraged to engage in research projects and evidence-based practice to improve pharmacy care blackstonetutors.com. Equally important is the college’s commitment to social accountability and inclusivity: the PharmD program aims to increase Indigenous representation in the profession and improve health outcomes in Indigenous communities blackstonetutors.com. These mission-driven values (community engagement, cultural competence, collaboration, and innovation) are often implicitly sought in applicants; being mindful of them helps candidates frame their experiences in ways that resonate with the school’s core ideals during an interview.

The University of Manitoba offers a four-year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) professional program, which admits 55 students each year umanitoba.ca. Admission requires at least 48 credit hours of pre-professional university coursework (roughly two years of prerequisites) and a minimum adjusted GPA of 3.0 umanitoba.ca. The PharmD curriculum is noted for its community-based and experiential focus: starting in first year, students participate in practice experiences across community pharmacies, hospitals, and unique settings like telepharmacy and ambulatory care clinics blackstonetutors.com. There is a strong interprofessional component, as pharmacy students learn alongside other health sciences students to build teamwork skills umanitoba.ca. In the final year, students undertake extensive clinical rotations (including an elective rotation) and complete a Pharmacy Research Project, which adds a scholarly component to their training umanitoba.ca umanitoba.ca. The College is housed at the Bannatyne campus (the health sciences campus), providing access to state-of-the-art patient care and simulation labs for hands-on learning. Graduates of the program are prepared for diverse career paths – not only in community and hospital pharmacy practice, but also in areas like regulatory affairs, public health, research, and academia umanitoba.ca.

These distinctive program features can inform the questions applicants choose to ask interviewers. Demonstrating knowledge and curiosity about the program shows engagement. For example, a candidate might ask about how the experiential rotations are assigned across urban, rural, and telepharmacy settings in Manitoba blackstonetutors.com, or inquire about opportunities to participate in research and how the Pharmacy Research Project is mentored umanitoba.ca. Applicants could also ask about the college’s interprofessional education experiences or community outreach initiatives, linking their questions to the program’s stated strengths. By asking informed questions, candidates underscore their genuine interest in the University of Manitoba’s PharmD program and its values.

Pharmacy applicants should be aware of healthcare policy issues and trends that impact pharmacists at the university, provincial, and national level. Some relevant policy topics include:

• Expansion of Pharmacist Scope of Practice: Manitoba, like many provinces, has been expanding pharmacists’ roles. Recent changes allow pharmacists to prescribe for minor ailments and certain medications (e.g. hormonal birth control and HIV prevention/treatment), to order lab tests, and to administer a broader range of vaccines doctorsmanitoba.ca doctorsmanitoba.ca. Understanding this scope expansion – and the associated debates about healthcare collaboration and safety – is important, as it directly relates to how pharmacists practice and what may come up in interviews.
• National Pharmacare and Medication Access: There is ongoing discussion in Canada about a national pharmacare program to ensure universal prescription drug coverage. For instance, the federal government has introduced plans to cover essential medications like birth control and insulin as a start to national pharmacare reuters.com. Being informed about how such policies could affect patients and the role of pharmacists (e.g. helping patients navigate drug coverage) can be useful, especially if interview questions touch on healthcare system issues or equity in access to medications.
• Indigenous Health and Reconciliation in Healthcare: The University of Manitoba and the province have a strong focus on addressing Indigenous health disparities. The College’s commitment to increasing Indigenous representation in pharmacy and improving health outcomes for Indigenous communities ties into broader reconciliation efforts blackstonetutors.com. Applicants should be mindful of cultural safety and initiatives like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action in healthcare, as these set the context for delivering respectful, inclusive care in Manitoba.
• Rural Healthcare Access: Manitoba has a significant rural population, and many small communities face challenges in accessing timely healthcare. Pharmacists often serve as frontline healthcare providers in rural areas. Awareness of this issue – for example, recognizing that some Manitobans must wait long periods to see a doctor, which pharmacists could help mitigate news.umanitoba.ca – shows an understanding of the local healthcare landscape. Interview discussions might explore how pharmacists can improve rural health outcomes or how the PharmD program prepares students for practice in underserved areas.

Beyond academic performance, the College of Pharmacy weighs several non-academic factors in selecting students. The Casper test is a key tool used to evaluate an applicant’s personal and professional attributes – it assesses interpersonal skills, ethical decision-making, empathy, communication, and other “soft” skills that are crucial for pharmacists umanitoba.ca. Essentially, the traits measured by Casper align with what the program looks for in future pharmacy professionals: collaboration, integrity, compassion, problem-solving ability, and resilience, among others blackstonetutors.com. While the application doesn’t require essays or reference letters detailing extracurricular activities, candidates’ backgrounds in areas like leadership, volunteer service, or research can still come through during the selection process. In fact, the college explicitly fosters leadership development in its students (leadership is identified as a core competency in pharmacy training) news.umanitoba.ca, so demonstrating leadership experience or potential can strengthen an applicant’s alignment with the program’s values. Overall, facets such as community involvement, cultural competence, and strong communication skills are part of the holistic picture – these may be evident in how applicants present themselves in an interview or how they respond to situational questions on Casper.

The PharmD program at UManitoba is guided by nationally recognized competency frameworks for pharmacy professionals. Chief among these is the Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada (AFPC) Educational Outcomes framework, which outlines the key roles and abilities a pharmacy graduate should possess news.umanitoba.ca. This framework is analogous to the medical field’s CanMEDS roles, and includes competencies such as being a Care Provider (expert in medication therapy), Communicator, Collaborator, Leader (manager), Health Advocate, Scholar, and Professional. The College of Pharmacy integrates these competencies into its curriculum and assessments – for example, the emphasis on leadership skills in the program ties directly to the “Leader” role in the AFPC outcomes news.umanitoba.ca. Additionally, pharmacy training in Manitoba aligns with the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) competencies for entry-to-practice pharmacists, ensuring that graduates meet all professional standards required for licensing. Awareness of these frameworks can aid interview preparation: many interview or Casper scenarios are designed to probe an applicant’s strength in these areas (e.g. teamwork scenarios relate to the Collaborator role, and ethics questions relate to the Professional role). Recognizing the qualities each role entails can help applicants understand the rationale behind certain interview questions and what the interviewers might be looking for in responses.

Although the University of Manitoba now relies on Casper, in the past when traditional interviews were held, certain question themes tended to recur. These themes mirror the competencies and values sought in candidates:

• Ethical and professional dilemmas: Interviewers often presented scenarios that required the applicant to navigate an ethical issue or professional conflict. For example, a question might involve a patient safety dilemma or a challenge in honesty/integrity, to see how the candidate applies ethical principles (tying into professionalism and ethics) blackstonetutors.com.
• Communication and empathy: Many questions gauged how well an applicant could communicate complex information or show empathy. This could include, for instance, explaining a medication regimen to a confused patient or handling a sensitive interaction. Such prompts test clarity of communication, listening skills, and compassion (core traits for a pharmacist) blackstonetutors.com.
• Teamwork and collaboration: Candidates might be asked about experiences working in a team or how they would handle a conflict with a colleague. These questions, whether behavioral ("Tell me about a time...") or situational, assess collaboration skills, respect for others, and the ability to work effectively in a group – reflecting the importance of teamwork in healthcare blackstonetutors.com.
• Motivation and self-awareness: Interviewers typically explore an applicant’s personal motivations and reflective abilities. Common themes include “Why do you want to be a pharmacist?” or “What strengths and weaknesses would you bring to our program?” as well as scenarios that test resilience (e.g. describing a failure or challenge overcome). These questions allow the school to gauge an applicant’s genuine interest in pharmacy, commitment to self-improvement, and alignment with the program’s mission blackstonetutors.com.
• Problem-solving and current issues: Some interview stations or questions focus on problem-solving under pressure or opinions on healthcare topics. For instance, an applicant might be asked how they would approach a public health problem like medication non-adherence, or their view on a policy such as pharmacists prescribing medications. These prompts assess critical thinking, awareness of the pharmacist’s role in the healthcare system, and the ability to articulate informed viewpoints.

For those applying to the PharmD program in the 2025-2026 cycle (for Fall 2025 entry), it’s crucial to keep track of the following deadlines and milestones:

• March 1, 2025 – Application Deadline: This is the final date to submit the application and pay the application fee for Fall 2025 admission umanitoba.ca.
• March 5, 2025 – Last CASPer Test Date: Applicants must complete the Casper situational judgement test by this date (it is the last eligible Casper sitting for the 2025-2026 cycle) umanitoba.ca.
• March 15, 2025 – Document Submission Deadline: All supporting documents are due by this date. This includes official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions, proof of current course registration (if completing prerequisites), and any required proof of Indigenous status, English language proficiency, or Canadian residency/citizenship umanitoba.ca.
• April 1, 2025 – Casper Score Receipt: This is the date by which the University must receive applicants’ Casper scores. (Since Casper results take time to be processed, applicants should have taken the test by the earlier March 5 deadline so that their scores reach the admissions office by April 1) umanitoba.ca.
• June 1, 2025 – Final Transcript Deadline: Applicants finishing courses in the 2024-2025 academic year must ensure final official transcripts (with winter term grades) arrive by early June umanitoba.ca. All grade updates, deferred exam results, and appeals must be resolved by this date as well.
• Late June 2025 – Admission Decisions: The College of Pharmacy releases its admission offers in late June umanitoba.ca. Decisions (acceptances, waitlist offers, or rejections) are posted to applicants’ online portals. Those admitted will be given a short window to accept the offer and submit a deposit, so it’s important to check emails/portals frequently around this time.

In summary, preparing for the University of Manitoba’s College of Pharmacy admission process involves a multifaceted approach. Candidates should familiarize themselves with the program’s interview format – notably the reliance on Casper and how any personal interviews might be structured – and be ready to exemplify the school’s core values of patient-centric care, community service, and collaboration. Understanding the program’s unique attributes (such as its extensive experiential learning and research components) and staying informed on relevant healthcare policies will enable applicants to engage in thoughtful discussion and ask insightful questions. Additionally, reflecting on one’s own experiences in light of the competencies and qualities the college seeks (communication, ethics, teamwork, leadership, etc.) will help in presenting a well-rounded application. By approaching the interview and selection process with this knowledge and self-awareness, prospective students can convey their fit for the University of Manitoba’s PharmD program with confidence.