UdeM Med Interview Prep Guide (2025-2026)

The Université de Montréal Faculty of Medicine is known for its holistic admissions process and strong francophone environment. Applicants invited to interview face a multiple mini-interview (MMI) format that assesses their personal qualities via scenario-based stations medecine.umontreal.ca rather than academic knowledge. The Faculty’s mission of advancing medical education and research to improve healthcare medecine.umontreal.ca, along with its core values of excellence, humanism, creativity, courage, and collaboration medecine.umontreal.ca, permeate the program and selection process. The Doctor of Medicine program is delivered in French and features innovative team-based learning and early clinical exposure, supported by one of Canada’s largest medical teaching networks. In preparation for interviews, candidates should stay informed about relevant healthcare policies (locally and nationally) and be aware of the non-academic competencies that the school prioritizes. Past interview questions at UdeM have spanned applicants’ motivations, ethical dilemmas, and healthcare system issues, reflecting the program’s values and the competencies it seeks. Key application dates and deadlines for the 2025–2026 cycle are also outlined to help applicants stay on track.

Université de Montréal conducts its medical school interviews in a Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) format (called mini-entrevues multiples or MEM in French) medecine.umontreal.ca. Candidates rotate through a series of short stations, each involving a scenario or question prompt, with a brief period to read the prompt followed by an interaction or discussion with an evaluator medecine.umontreal.ca. These stations are designed to evaluate traits and decision-making skills through situational questions, not to test medical knowledge medecine.umontreal.ca. The interview is held in French, aligning with the program’s language of instruction (proof of French proficiency is required for admission) medecine.umontreal.ca. Typically, interviewers have limited prior information about the applicant (a “closed-file” approach), focusing on responses and behaviors in the moment rather than on the written application. In recent years, UdeM’s interviews have been coordinated jointly with Université Laval, with in-person MEM sessions scheduled on the same late-April weekend for both schools medecine.umontreal.ca. (For example, interviews for the 2026 intake are set for April 25–26, 2026.) Some categories of candidates (such as certain out-of-province or international applicants) complete their MMIs virtually via Université de Sherbrooke around the same period medecine.umontreal.ca. The interview atmosphere is generally professional yet collegial – many candidates report moderate stress levels and the importance of communicating clearly and authentically. Post-interview, selection is highly competitive: only about one out of every three interviewees is ultimately offered admission, since roughly three candidates are interviewed per available seat medecine.umontreal.ca.

Founded in 1843, the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Medicine embraces a mission as an “institution d’avant-garde” – a forward-thinking institution – with a dual focus on education and research aimed at advancing knowledge and improving healthcare outcomes medecine.umontreal.ca. This encompasses not only training competent physicians and conducting research, but also a strong element of social responsibility to address societal health needs. The Faculty has articulated five fundamental values that shape its culture and decisions: Excellence, Humanism, Creativity, Courage, and Collaboration medecine.umontreal.ca. These core values guide daily interactions within the faculty community and are intended to inspire future physicians to uphold the highest standards. Importantly, the Faculty explicitly states that its values inform the admissions process and recruitment, helping to shape the selection of students who embody these ideals medecine.umontreal.ca. An applicant who understands UdeM’s mission and values can more effectively demonstrate their fit with the program – for instance, by reflecting on experiences that show a commitment to humanistic care, collaboration, or courage in the face of challenges.

The Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) program at Université de Montréal is a rigorous four-year program (200 credits) at the undergraduate/first-professional level admission.umontreal.ca. For students coming directly from CEGEP (Quebec’s college system) or from international education, an additional one-year preparatory program is required prior to entering the four-year M.D. curriculum admission.umontreal.ca. Thus, most incoming CEGEP students complete a 1-year preparatory year followed by the 4-year medical curriculum, whereas applicants who already hold a relevant university degree may enter directly into first year. The program is delivered entirely in French, and all applicants must demonstrate French language proficiency as a condition of admission medecine.umontreal.ca (though knowledge of English is noted as an asset for reading medical literature). Below are some key features and facts about the UdeM medical program:

• Curriculum Structure: The first 2 years (pre-clinical) are largely small-group and team-based. UdeM uses an apprentissage par équipe (team-based learning) model, with problem-based learning elements in small groups instead of traditional lectures medecine.umontreal.ca. Students also participate in simulation workshops and a course series on professional identity, while spending two half-days per week in health care settings for early clinical exposure during these pre-clinical years medecine.umontreal.ca.
• Clerkship (Years 3–4): The final two years constitute the externat (clerkship) which is a full-time sequence of clinical rotations. UdeM students rotate through a wide range of medical disciplines across approximately 15 affiliated hospitals and clinical sites in Montreal and beyond medecine.umontreal.ca. Core rotations are mandatory (covering fields like internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics-gynecology, psychiatry, etc.), and there are also elective rotations allowing students to explore areas of interest.
• Teaching Network: Université de Montréal boasts the largest medical teaching network in Quebec, with 17 affiliated healthcare institutions used for clinical education admission.umontreal.ca. This extensive network provides diverse clinical exposure in urban tertiary centers (e.g., CHUM, Sainte-Justine) as well as community hospitals. The Faculty comprises 15 departments and 3 schools, with over 700 professors and more than 6,000 students across all its programs admission.umontreal.ca (including medicine, biomedical sciences, etc.).
• Campus Locations: The M.D. program is offered at two sites – the main campus in Montreal and a satellite campus in Mauricie (Trois-Rivières). It is the same program delivered on both sites, and students are assigned to a campus upon admission (there is one unified ranking list for admission) medecine.umontreal.ca. UdeM typically asks admitted candidates to state a campus preference during the process, but the curriculum and degree are identical. Switching campuses later is not permitted except under extraordinary circumstances admission.umontreal.ca.
• Class Size: UdeM has one of the largest medical school cohorts in Canada. For the 2025 admission cycle, the regular quota was 390 new students (including both those starting in preparatory year and those entering first year) admission.umontreal.ca. The majority (~70%) of those admitted come via the CEGEP pathway (entering preparatory year) admission.umontreal.ca. The remainder are admitted directly into first year (having already completed an undergraduate degree), along with a handful of seats reserved for specific categories (international students, New Brunswick francophone students, Canadian Forces, etc.) admission.umontreal.ca admission.umontreal.ca.
• Educational Approach: The program emphasizes not just scientific and clinical knowledge, but also the development of professional competencies and a humanistic approach to medicine. Early exposure to patients, team collaboration, and reflective practice are woven into the curriculum from the beginning. The Faculty encourages students to maintain a balanced life and a broad educational background admission.umontreal.ca, reflecting its belief that well-rounded physicians are better equipped to serve society.

These distinctive aspects of UdeM’s program can provide great talking points during an interview. Applicants who are well-versed in the program’s structure and opportunities can formulate insightful questions for their interviewers, demonstrating genuine interest and initiative.

• How is the team-based learning approach implemented in the pre-clinical curriculum, and how do students balance it with independent study?
• What kind of clinical exposure do medical students get in their early years through the weekly hospital sessions, and how are those experiences structured or supervised?
• If assigned to the Mauricie campus, what opportunities and learning environment can a student expect, and how does it compare with the Montreal campus experience?
• Are there opportunities for research or electives (for example, international rotations or research projects) during the program, and how do students typically integrate those with their medical studies?

The interview may include discussion of current issues or policies in healthcare. It’s important for candidates to be aware of topics that are particularly relevant to UdeM’s mission, the Quebec context, and the Canadian healthcare system. Here are a few policy-related themes that could be pertinent:

• Diversity and Inclusion in Admissions: UdeM and other Canadian medical schools are striving to improve representation of underrepresented groups in medicine. For example, UdeM has dedicated admission pathways for certain Indigenous (Premières Nations and Inuit) and Black communities applicants admission.umontreal.ca. This reflects a broader policy emphasis on equity, diversity, and inclusion – a topic an interviewer might raise in terms of why diversity in healthcare matters or how the school supports it.
• Serving Underserved Populations: Medical schools in Quebec emphasize social accountability. One concrete policy at UdeM is a bonus to the academic score (CRC) for applicants from remote or underserved regions of Quebec admission.umontreal.ca, aimed at addressing physician shortages in rural areas. Interview questions might touch on access-to-care issues, asking how future physicians should serve marginalized communities or what responsibilities medical schools have to the population’s needs.
• Quebec Healthcare System Reforms: Candidates should be aware of major healthcare developments in the province. Recently, Quebec passed Bill 15 (2023), a sweeping reform that will centralize healthcare administration under a new agency (Santé Québec) to create a “more accessible and efficient healthcare network” qcna.qc.ca. Discussion might arise around the challenges that spurred this reform – such as long wait times, distribution of health professionals, management inefficiencies – and what it means for physicians and patients. Understanding debates around such reforms, even at a high level, will show awareness of the regional healthcare context.
• National Health Policy Debates: On a Canada-wide scale, issues like the sustainability of the universal healthcare system and recent changes in medical legislation are relevant. For instance, Canada’s expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) to include patients with certain non-terminal conditions has stirred ethical and policy debate reuters.com. A well-prepared candidate could be asked about their perspective on balancing patient autonomy with protections for vulnerable populations, or other national discussions (e.g., addressing physician shortages, mental health care, public vs. private healthcare funding). Being conversant with such Canadian healthcare issues demonstrates a broader awareness of the environment in which one will practice.

Like all medical schools, UdeM looks beyond academics to find candidates who possess the personal attributes and virtues suited to a career in medicine. The Faculty explicitly aims to identify qualities and aptitudes deemed essential for success in the program and the medical profession medecine.umontreal.ca. These include motivation, empathy, social awareness (conscience sociale), balance in life, authenticity, open-mindedness, leadership, good judgment, adaptability, and strong interpersonal skills (such as teamwork, communication, and self-reflection) medecine.umontreal.ca. UdeM employs specific tools in the selection process to evaluate these non-academic criteria. All applicants must take the CASPer online situational judgment test, which is used as part of the pre-interview screening (weighted about 40% in the formula for interview invitations) medecine.umontreal.ca. The CASPer presents ethical and personal dilemma scenarios to gauge qualities like ethics, empathy, and problem-solving. Furthermore, the MMI interviews themselves are designed to assess these attributes in person medecine.umontreal.ca medecine.umontreal.ca – each station gives applicants a chance to demonstrate qualities such as communication, compassion, integrity, and reasoning in action. While UdeM’s admission process does not require essays or reference letters for most candidates, a strong record of extracurricular involvement can indirectly bolster one’s profile. Experiences in leadership roles, community service, research, or other meaningful activities often help applicants develop and exemplify the very competencies UdeM is seeking. Candidates should be ready to discuss their non-academic experiences and what they have learned from them, as these can illustrate attributes like teamwork, resilience, or commitment to service in a concrete way.

Université de Montréal’s medical program is aligned with the national standards of medical education in Canada, which emphasize a comprehensive set of physician competencies. Notably, Canadian medical training is often framed by the CanMEDS competency framework developed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. CanMEDS identifies seven core roles that physicians must fulfill: Medical Expert, Communicator, Collaborator, Leader, Health Advocate, Scholar, and Professional canmeds.royalcollege.ca. UdeM’s curriculum and educational objectives reflect these competencies. For example, the program explicitly prepares students to be professionals and humanists, as well as effective communicators and collaborators within multidisciplinary teams admission.umontreal.ca – themes that correspond to several CanMEDS roles. Throughout the curriculum, students engage in activities that foster these roles: from developing clinical expertise and scientific inquiry (Medical Expert, Scholar) to working in teams and communities (Collaborator, Health Advocate) and demonstrating ethics and accountability (Professional). UdeM’s program is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) in cooperation with the U.S. LCME, which ensures that the curriculum meets the rigorous standards and competency outcomes expected nationally admission.umontreal.ca. In practical terms, this means graduates are equipped not only with medical knowledge, but with the communication skills, ethical grounding, and collaborative training needed for modern practice. Being aware of these frameworks can help applicants understand why certain qualities and topics (e.g. teamwork, ethics, health systems) are emphasized during the interview – they tie into the kind of competent physician UdeM aims to produce.

Although specific interview questions are often confidential (and applicants sign non-disclosure agreements), those who have gone through UdeM’s process have reported common themes in the types of questions and scenarios presented. The questions tend to be diverse, covering personal, ethical, and policy dimensions. Here are some thematic areas that have emerged frequently in past interview feedback:

• Motivation & Fit: UdeM interviewers often explore an applicant’s personal motivation for a career in medicine and their fit for the school. Candidates have frequently been asked some variation of “Tell us about yourself” or “Why do you want to be a doctor, and why at UdeM?” studentdoctor.net. Expect to articulate your reasons for pursuing medicine, your understanding of the career, and what draws you specifically to Université de Montréal’s program.
• Ethical & Professional Dilemmas: Many stations pose ethical or professional scenarios to gauge your judgment and values. Past candidates have faced questions about handling medical errors, dealing with a difficult team member, defining empathy in a clinical context, or maintaining professionalism under pressure studentdoctor.net. These scenarios test your ability to reason through moral challenges and put patient welfare first. It’s important in such questions to demonstrate integrity, empathy, and sound ethical reasoning rather than a “correct” answer.
• Healthcare System & Societal Issues: Interviewers may also assess your awareness of broader issues in healthcare. Some reported questions have asked how one might improve a aspect of the healthcare system or probed opinions on topical debates. For example, an applicant was asked whether they participate in political demonstrations studentdoctor.net, opening a discussion on civic engagement and how socio-political factors relate to healthcare. Others have been prompted with public health scenarios or policy decisions, to evaluate one’s understanding of healthcare beyond the exam room. In responding, showing a balanced perspective – recognizing challenges, stakeholders, and the role of physicians in society – can be valuable.
• Personal Background & Adaptability: UdeM’s interviews don’t shy away from getting to know the person behind the application. You might be asked about your hobbies, interests, or life experiences outside of academics studentdoctor.net, as a way to reveal your personality, balance, and what you will bring to the medical school community. If you’re not originally from a French-speaking background, you should also be prepared for a question about how you will adapt to training in French studentdoctor.net – a chance to demonstrate your commitment to mastering the language and integrating into Quebec’s cultural context. Being honest and reflective about your personal journey (while steering clear of anything too unprofessional) helps convey self-awareness and resilience.
• Teamwork & Collaboration: In some years, UdeM’s interview process has included a group task or discussion as one of the stations. Applicants were put together to work through a problem, and then might be asked individually to reflect on the group dynamics or what was being assessed in that exercise studentdoctor.net. This format evaluates how you communicate and cooperate in a team setting – qualities essential to medical practice. Even if a formal group station isn’t present every year, teamwork is a recurring theme (often probed in scenarios where you must interact with others). Demonstrating respect, active listening, and the ability to lead or compromise when appropriate can leave a strong impression.

The admissions cycle for entry in Fall 2026 (the 2025–2026 application cycle) has several important dates and deadlines. Staying on top of these timelines is crucial for a successful application. Below is an overview of key milestones for UdeM Medicine admissions:

• Application Opening: The online application typically opens in mid-August 2025 for those aiming to join the M.D. program in Fall 2026. At this time, applicants can begin their application on the UdeM admission portal and start preparing required documents or prerequisites.
• Application Deadline (University Applicants): November 1, 2025 is the likely deadline for candidates applying from a university background (e.g., those who have completed or are completing an undergraduate degree) ulaval.ca. This deadline also generally applies to out-of-province and international applicants. By this date, applicants should have submitted their application and also provided proof of French proficiency. (Notably, UdeM set November 15, 2025 as the cutoff for meeting the French language requirement for Fall 2026 programs like medicine francais.umontreal.ca, meaning any required French tests or certificates must be completed by then.)
• Application Deadline (CEGEP Applicants): March 1, 2026 (approximately) is the usual deadline for Quebec collégial (CEGEP) students who are applying in their final year of college. This later deadline accommodates the academic calendar for CEGEP students, since they apply in the winter of the year they will begin the program. (Quebec’s centralized system historically uses March 1 as the cutoff for fall admission to most undergraduate programs, including medicine, for college students.)
• CASPer Test: All applicants must take the CASPer test as part of their application, and it must be completed by the specified date for UdeM (often by mid-fall for university applicants, and by early spring for CEGEP applicants, aligning with their application deadlines). CASPer test results are only valid for the current cycle and cannot be reused for a future application admission.umontreal.ca. Applicants need to register for CASPer separately and request that results be sent to UdeM. It’s advisable to check UdeM’s admission site for the exact last test date acceptable – missing the CASPer requirement results in an automatic disqualification of the application.
• Interview Invitations: Late March 2026 – Invitations to interview are sent out about a month before the interviews. UdeM usually releases interview decisions in the second half of March. For example, for 2026 interviews, candidates are instructed to check their email (including spam folder) regularly starting March 24, 2026 for a potential invitation medecine.umontreal.ca. Interestingly, because the MEM are coordinated with Laval, the invite may come from Laval’s system on behalf of both schools. Interview slots fill quickly, so invited candidates must promptly confirm attendance and pay the interview fee (UdeM charges around $288 for the MEM, as noted in the admissions info) medecine.umontreal.ca.
• Interview Dates: April 25–26, 2026 – The MMI interviews for UdeM (and Université Laval) will be held on that weekend in April medecine.umontreal.ca. Invited applicants will be assigned to either the Saturday or Sunday session. These interviews are conducted in-person (after a few years of virtual interviews during the pandemic) on the university campuses. Note that for certain special categories of applicants – such as New Brunswick residents under the interprovincial agreement and international students – virtual MEM sessions are organized a bit earlier in April (e.g., on April 14, 15, 20, 21 for 2026 via University of Sherbrooke’s platform) medecine.umontreal.ca. Attendance at the interview is mandatory for all invited candidates; UdeM’s policy is that failure to attend (except for extraordinary, pre-approved circumstances) means elimination from the admissions process medecine.umontreal.ca.
• Admission Offers: Early May 2026 – After interviews are completed, the admissions committee finalizes decisions relatively quickly. UdeM evaluates interview performance and ranks candidates accordingly; final admission decisions are based entirely on the MEM interview score for those who reached this stage medecine.umontreal.ca. Offers of admission typically begin rolling out by the first or second week of May 2026. All four Quebec medical faculties coordinate via an inter-faculty committee, so each candidate will receive at most one offer among the French-language schools. UdeM had 390 seats in its 2025 incoming class admission.umontreal.ca, so a similar number of offers (plus waitlist offers) will be made for 2026. Offers continue to be made off the waitlist until the class is full (so some candidates may get an offer in June or even July).
• Acceptance and Deposit: Admitted students are usually given a short window (a couple of weeks or less) to accept the offer and confirm their spot. Along with the acceptance, UdeM requires a deposit (and possibly a confirmation of campus placement). It’s critical to meet the response deadline in the offer letter – failing to accept and pay the deposit on time will result in the offer being withdrawn medecine.umontreal.ca. Candidates who get multiple offers (for instance, UdeM and another school) are expected to quickly decide and decline any extra offers, as a courtesy to those on waitlists medecine.umontreal.ca. UdeM’s admissions instructions emphasize professionalism in this process.
• Matriculation: August 2026 – The new cohort of medical students begins their studies. Prior to starting, all incoming students must complete certain requirements (for example, submitting proof of required immunizations and basic life support certification) admission.umontreal.ca. Orientation activities and a white coat ceremony typically take place around this time. Those entering the préparation médicale (prep year) will spend the 2026–2027 academic year completing preparatory coursework, while those admitted directly to first year will begin the medical curriculum. In either case, by fall 2027 all students will be together in the medical program curriculum. The cycle then concludes and the next (2026–2027) application cycle will begin for the following year’s class.

In summary, successful preparation for the UdeM Faculty of Medicine interview involves a combination of self-reflection, knowledge of the program, and awareness of the broader context of medicine. This guide has synthesized the interview format (a French-language MMI emphasizing personal qualities), the school’s mission and values (which highlight excellence, humanism, and social responsibility), and key program details (from the team-based learning curriculum to the extensive clinical network). It has also touched on relevant healthcare policy issues in Quebec and Canada, the non-academic traits UdeM prioritizes, and the common themes in past interview questions. Being mindful of these elements – and keeping track of important deadlines – will help applicants approach the interview with confidence. Ultimately, demonstrating that you understand UdeM’s ethos and showing your authentic self within that context is the best way to make a positive impression. Bonne chance!