Preparing for Your Medical School Interview at Queen's University

Queen's University School of Medicine is known for rigorous, human-centered training and a strong commitment to innovation. If you’re interviewing here, you’re stepping into a program that leads in Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME), interprofessional collaboration, and research that bridges lab findings to patient care. Success requires more than polished delivery: it demands a real understanding of Ontario’s healthcare system, national policy debates, and the social issues shaping care across Canada.

This guide explains the interview format, clarifies Queen’s mission and culture, and synthesizes key provincial and national health issues you should know. You’ll also find practice questions, a preparation checklist tied to Confetto’s tools, and FAQs to ensure your MMI preparation is targeted, current, and confident.

The Queen's University Medical School Interview: Format and Experience

Queen's University School of Medicine conducts its medical school interviews using the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format. Applicants rotate through a series of short, timed stations—usually about eight to ten stations, each lasting approximately eight minutes. At each station, you’ll encounter scenarios or questions designed to assess communication skills, ethical reasoning, empathy, and problem-solving abilities.

Interviewers may include faculty members, medical students, or community representatives, offering a diverse range of perspectives. The structure is fast-paced and holistic; you’re evaluated repeatedly across independent stations, which favors consistent professionalism, reflective thinking, and composure under time pressure. Expect scenarios that test your ability to reason ethically, communicate clearly, and address systemic issues with nuance and compassion.

• Format highlights:
  • Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) with about eight to ten stations
  • Approximately eight minutes per station
  • Interviewers include faculty, medical students, and community representatives
  • Core competencies assessed: communication skills, ethical reasoning, empathy, and problem-solving abilities

Mission & Culture Fit

Queen’s emphasizes excellence and leadership in medical education, reflecting a clear educational philosophy that values individualized growth, early clinical experience, and lifelong learning. The school is a leader in implementing Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME), which prioritizes individualized learning, early clinical exposure, and continuous assessment. This structure rewards self-directed learners who seek feedback, act on it, and show steady progression in core competencies.

Interprofessional Education is another pillar. At Queen’s, collaboration across healthcare disciplines is encouraged to promote teamwork and improve patient outcomes. In your interview, be prepared to show how you communicate across roles, respect diverse expertise, and contribute constructively to team-based care.

Research and Global Health also anchor Queen’s identity. Translational Research bridges laboratory discoveries with clinical applications, particularly in areas like cancer research, neuroscience, and cardiovascular health. Global Health Initiatives—through partnerships and programs—aim to improve health outcomes internationally and address global health challenges. If you’ve engaged in research, global health, or quality improvement, connect those experiences to Queen’s emphasis on impact beyond the classroom.

How to bring this into the MMI: Express enthusiasm for Queen’s educational philosophy and how it aligns with your learning style and career goals. Highlight experiences that demonstrate leadership, innovation, and a commitment to advancing medical education and practice. When discussing teamwork or patient care, ground your reflections in interprofessional collaboration and patient-centered outcomes—core to Queen’s culture.

Local Healthcare Landscape & Policy Signals

Showing fluency with Ontario’s evolving care models signals maturity, credibility, and readiness to train in a system focused on integration and equity. Two areas to emphasize are Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) and primary care reform.

Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) are designed as an integrated care model. Their purpose is to provide seamless, patient-centered care by connecting healthcare providers across sectors—hospitals, primary care, mental health services, and community organizations. Province-wide implementation has seen over 50 OHTs approved across Ontario, working to reduce fragmentation and improve health outcomes. Practically, OHTs aim to improve coordination and continuity, while encouraging patient involvement in care decisions to promote adherence and satisfaction.

Primary care reform has advanced through Family Health Teams (FHTs). This team-based approach combines physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, and other professionals to provide comprehensive care, with an explicit focus on accessibility across the province. FHTs reflect the interprofessional ethos Queen’s values, making them a natural reference point when you discuss team-based problem-solving and holistic patient care.

In your answers, connect your collaborative experiences to integrated care models, highlight adaptability in diverse team settings, and frame patient-centered decision-making as a North Star for resource coordination and equity.

• Key signals:
  • Over 50 OHTs approved across Ontario
  • Family Health Teams (FHTs) combine multiple professionals for comprehensive, accessible primary care

Current Events & Social Issues to Watch

Interviewers expect you to situate patient encounters within broader public health realities. Be ready to discuss COVID-19, the opioid crisis, systemic racism, and mental health, including what was learned and how physicians can respond.

COVID-19 Pandemic Response prompted extensive public health measures—mask mandates, lockdowns, and vaccination campaigns—to control the spread. The vaccination rollout prioritized high-risk populations to drive immunity. Challenges included strain on ICU capacity, PPE shortages, and healthcare worker burnout, alongside equity issues that magnified disparities among marginalized communities. Strong answers will show how the pandemic highlighted resilience, adaptability, leadership, and the need for clear communication and equitable public health strategies.

The Opioid Crisis in Ontario has featured rising overdose deaths, exacerbated by the pandemic, and intensified by fentanyl and other potent synthetic opioids. Government initiatives have focused on harm reduction strategies—expansion of supervised consumption sites, naloxone distribution programs, and opioid agonist therapies—alongside public awareness campaigns to destigmatize addiction and promote treatment services. Frame addiction as a health issue, emphasize non-judgmental, compassionate care, and recognize physicians’ role in advocating for policy effectiveness and resource access.

Systemic Racism and Health Equity remain national concerns. Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities experience disparities in health outcomes and reduced access to quality care. The pandemic’s impact on marginalized populations reflects socio-economic determinants and long-standing barriers. Calls to action include the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which emphasizes addressing health disparities affecting Indigenous peoples, and anti-racism initiatives designed to reduce systemic barriers within the healthcare system. Demonstrate cultural competence and active allyship—how you listen, adapt care, and work to dismantle systemic racism.

Mental Health Awareness is another sustained priority. National trends show increasing prevalence of mental health issues, particularly among youth and healthcare workers, and challenges meeting the demand for services across Canada. Government responses include investments in mental health to expand services and support innovation in care delivery. The Bell Let's Talk Campaign has helped reduce stigma and encourage open conversations. Strong interview responses integrate mental health into whole-person care and recognize the need for improved access, prevention, and continuity.

Practice Questions to Expect

1. Queen’s is a leader in Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME). Describe a time you used feedback to improve a clinical or community-facing skill, and how you assessed your progress over time.
2. Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) aim to provide seamless, patient-centered care across sectors. How would you approach care coordination for a patient with complex needs spanning hospital, primary care, and community services?
3. Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic, what lessons in leadership, equity, and communication should shape your practice as a physician?
4. Ontario’s opioid crisis has intensified due to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. How would you balance harm reduction, compassionate care, and advocacy in a patient case?
5. How do you navigate ethical complexity in national policy debates such as Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) after Bill C-7 (2021), especially regarding autonomy and safeguards?

Preparation Checklist

Use these steps to focus your prep and let Confetto amplify your practice:

• Run AI-powered MMI simulations that mirror eight to ten stations at approximately eight minutes each, with prompts targeting communication, ethical reasoning, empathy, and problem-solving abilities.
• Drill scenario types on COVID-19, the opioid crisis, systemic racism, and mental health, using Confetto’s bank of cases to practice structured, compassionate responses.
• Use analytics to track performance by competency (e.g., ethical clarity, collaboration language, patient-centered framing), aligned with CBME expectations.
• Refresh your knowledge on Ontario Health Teams (OHTs), Family Health Teams (FHTs), and provincial policies via Confetto’s curated policy briefs and quick-reference notes.
• Record and review responses to refine clarity, tone, and timing; leverage feedback loops to practice continuous improvement—just as CBME requires.

FAQ

How many stations are in the Queen’s MMI, and how long is each one?

Queen’s typically runs about eight to ten stations, with each station lasting approximately eight minutes. Expect quick transitions and consistent evaluation across independent scenarios.

Who will be interviewing me during the MMI?

Interviewers may include faculty members, medical students, or community representatives. This diversity ensures multiple perspectives on your communication, empathy, ethical reasoning, and problem-solving abilities.

Do I need to know Ontario-specific policy details for the interview?

You should have a working understanding of Ontario’s healthcare landscape, especially Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) and Family Health Teams (FHTs), as well as current provincial and national issues. Specific numbers beyond what’s provided here are not required, but the ability to connect policy to patient care is essential.

How should I approach sensitive topics like MAiD or privatization debates?

Demonstrate ethical nuance and respect for diverse perspectives. In discussions about Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) after Bill C-7 (2021), emphasize compassion, autonomy, and thorough assessment. For privatization vs. public healthcare debates, weigh equity and access considerations and articulate how universal care principles guide your thinking.

Key Takeaways

• Queen’s uses a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) with about eight to ten stations of approximately eight minutes each, assessing communication, ethical reasoning, empathy, and problem-solving abilities.
• Align with Queen’s mission: highlight CBME readiness, interprofessional collaboration, and impact through translational research and global health initiatives.
• Understand Ontario’s integrated care models—over 50 OHTs and team-based FHTs—and connect them to patient-centered coordination and access.
• Be fluent on current issues: COVID-19 lessons, the opioid crisis and harm reduction, systemic racism and the TRC, and mental health investments and stigma reduction.
• Navigate national policy debates thoughtfully, including privatization vs. public healthcare, the Cambie Surgeries Corporation Case, and MAiD post–Bill C-7 (2021).

Call to Action

Ready to ace your Queen’s MMI? Use Confetto to simulate realistic stations, drill high-yield scenarios on Ontario policy and Canadian health issues, and get analytics that sharpen CBME-aligned competencies. Start practicing now to turn mission fit, policy fluency, and ethical clarity into confident, memorable interview performances.