Preparing for the Modified Personal Interview (MPI) at the University of Toronto

Securing an interview at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine is a major milestone—and preparing thoughtfully for its Modified Personal Interview (MPI) can set you apart. U of T uses a distinctive, semi-structured one-on-one format that blends standardized evaluation with personalized conversation. Success hinges on self-awareness and clear communication, but equally on your literacy in Ontario’s healthcare landscape, current policy debates, and social issues shaping care in Toronto and across the province.

This guide distills what the MPI entails and how to present your strongest case. You’ll find context on Ontario Health Teams, Bill 60, long-term care reforms, healthcare workforce challenges, the opioid crisis, equity and reconciliation priorities, digital health, environmental health, funding negotiations, and more. You’ll also get practice questions, a preparation checklist, and a concise set of takeaways to focus your prep.

The Modified Personal Interview (MPI) at the University of Toronto Interview: Format and Experience

The University of Toronto's Faculty of Medicine utilizes a unique interview format known as the Modified Personal Interview (MPI). While distinct to U of T, the MPI shares similarities with the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format used at a number of medical schools. It is designed to assess a wide range of attributes and skills that are essential for success in medical school and the medical profession.

• One-on-One Format: Each interview is conducted one-on-one with a different interviewer to provide diverse perspectives.
• Semi-Structured Approach: The interviews follow a semi-structured format, allowing for both standardized assessment and personalized interaction.
• MMI Adjacency: The MPI echoes MMI strengths—multiple encounters and focused prompts—while maintaining the continuity of a personal conversation.

Expect discussions that invite ethical analysis, interprofessional thinking, and nuanced perspectives on health systems. In practice, U of T interviewers often probe how you reason through complex issues, communicate clearly, and connect patient care to policy, equity, and community realities in Ontario.

Mission & Culture Fit

U of T’s interview approach signals what the school values: readiness to serve diverse communities, commitment to universal and patient-centered care, and the ability to engage constructively with policy and system-level challenges. Applicants stand out when they demonstrate knowledge of Ontario’s healthcare structures and convey how they will contribute to high-quality, equitable care within them.

Narratives grounded in teamwork, adaptability, and advocacy resonate—especially where you connect your experiences to the needs of Toronto and Ontario. Discussing culturally safe care, harm reduction, Indigenous reconciliation, and mental health integration shows alignment with the school and the community it serves. The MPI rewards applicants who can translate principles into action: collaborating across sectors, weighing trade-offs, and staying focused on outcomes for patients and populations.

Local Healthcare Landscape & Policy Signals

Ontario’s policy environment is evolving quickly. Understanding the big shifts—and their implications for care—helps you anchor your answers in reality:

• Ontario Health Teams (OHTs): Launched in 2019 to integrate care providers—including hospitals, physicians, mental health services, and home care—into one coordinated team per region. As of 2023, there are over 50 OHTs approved, covering 92% of the province's population. OHTs are leveraging virtual care and shared electronic health records to enhance patient experience. Early reports indicate improved management of chronic diseases and reduced emergency department visits.
• Bill 60: Your Health Act, 2023: Introduced to expand private delivery of public healthcare services by allowing private clinics to perform certain surgeries and diagnostic tests covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). It aims to reduce surgical backlogs exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Critics raise equity concerns about a two-tiered system and question oversight and quality assurance in private facilities.
• Long-Term Care Reforms: LTC homes faced severe COVID-19 outbreaks, revealing systemic issues. Bill 37: Providing More Care, Protecting Seniors, and Building More Beds Act (2021) mandates increased direct care hours per resident to four hours per day by 2025 and introduces harsher penalties for non-compliance.
• Workforce Well-Being: A 2022 survey indicated over 70% of nurses reported burnout, with many considering leaving the profession. The repeal of Bill 124—which capped public sector wage increases—allows for better compensation, alongside investment in wellness programs for healthcare workers.
• Healthcare Funding: The 2023 Ontario Budget allocated $75 billion to healthcare, focusing on hospital infrastructure, mental health, and long-term care. Ongoing Canada Health Transfer (CHT) negotiations highlight federal-provincial dynamics; Ontario advocates for a significant boost in CHT without conditions.

Tie these signals to practical implications: team-based care within OHTs, ethical considerations around access and equity under Bill 60, accountability in LTC, and sustainability through workforce support and targeted investments.

Current Events & Social Issues to Watch

The MPI often invites you to connect clinical aspirations with real-world context. Several ongoing issues in Ontario warrant careful attention:

COVID-19 Pandemic Aftermath. Ontario’s LTC sector experienced devastating outbreaks, prompting reforms via Bill 37 to increase direct care hours per resident to four hours per day by 2025 and to strengthen accountability. Healthcare worker burnout remains a pressing concern; over 70% of nurses reported burnout in a 2022 survey. Policy responses include the repeal of Bill 124 to enable wage increases and investment in mental health supports for healthcare workers. Reflect on how policy can address systemic vulnerabilities revealed by the pandemic while supporting the workforce that sustains patient care.

Opioid Crisis Intensification. In 2022, Ontario reported over 2,500 opioid-related deaths, with a significant concentration in urban centers like Toronto. Illicit fentanyl is involved in a majority of overdose deaths. Innovative responses include safer supply programs providing prescribed opioids to reduce reliance on toxic street drugs. Toronto’s Drug Strategy includes decriminalization efforts; the city has formally requested federal exemption to decriminalize personal possession of all drugs. Harm reduction, evidence-based policy, and interdisciplinary collaboration are central to this discussion.

Systemic Racism and Health Equity. Racialized communities in Toronto have experienced disproportionate burdens, with Toronto Public Health data showing infection rates five times higher than non-racialized groups during COVID-19. Broader disparities encompass higher rates of chronic illness, mental health challenges, and reduced access to quality care. Policy responses include Ontario’s Anti-Racism Directorate and race-based data collection to inform targeted interventions. Effective interview answers often highlight cultural competency, advocacy, and accountability.

Indigenous Health and Reconciliation. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action emphasize closing health gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. The discovery of unmarked graves at former residential school sites across Canada has intensified calls for action. Initiatives such as Anishnawbe Health Toronto—a new Indigenous-led health center integrating traditional healing with Western medicine—and the Ontario Indigenous Children and Youth Strategy point to pathways for culturally appropriate services. Cultural safety and active engagement with reconciliation are critical themes.

Practice Questions to Expect

1. Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) aim to integrate services across providers. How would you contribute to interprofessional collaboration in an OHT while ensuring patient-centered continuity of care?
2. Bill 60 expands private delivery of publicly funded services. Weigh potential benefits (e.g., reduced surgical backlogs) against risks to equity and access. How would you approach this ethically as a future physician?
3. After COVID-19, Ontario mandated four hours of direct care per LTC resident by 2025 (Bill 37). What challenges and trade-offs do you anticipate in implementing this standard, and how should clinicians respond?
4. Toronto has requested a federal exemption to decriminalize personal possession of all drugs in response to the opioid crisis. Discuss harm reduction strategies, including safer supply programs, and the physician's role in interdisciplinary solutions.
5. Toronto Public Health reported COVID-19 infection rates five times higher in racialized communities. Describe concrete ways you would practice cultural competency and advocate for health equity in your future clinical setting.

Preparation Checklist

Use these targeted steps to align your preparation with the MPI’s expectations—and leverage Confetto’s strengths:

• Run AI-powered MPI simulations that rotate one-on-one interviewers and semi-structured prompts to mirror U of T’s format.
• Drill policy scenarios (OHTs, Bill 60, LTC reforms, CHT negotiations) with Confetto’s scenario library and receive instant feedback on ethical reasoning and policy literacy.
• Practice community-centered cases (opioid crisis, youth mental health, Indigenous health, environmental health) and use analytics to identify gaps in cultural safety, advocacy, and systems thinking.
• Record and review mock responses to refine structure, clarity, and reflection; Confetto’s analytics flag overuse of jargon and prompt stronger patient-centered framing.
• Calibrate timing and composure under pressure with adaptive difficulty rounds that mimic semi-structured follow-ups and probing questions.

FAQ

How is the MPI different from an MMI?

The MPI is U of T’s distinctive twist on interview assessment. Like an MMI, it offers multiple encounters and focused prompts, but each conversation is one-on-one and semi-structured. This blends standardized evaluation with personalized interaction, allowing interviewers to probe more deeply into your reasoning while maintaining comparability across applicants.

How much Ontario-specific policy knowledge should I bring into my answers?

Demonstrating knowledge of Ontario’s healthcare landscape can help you stand out. Be conversant with Ontario Health Teams (launched in 2019; over 50 approved as of 2023, covering 92% of the population), Bill 60: Your Health Act, 2023, LTC reforms under Bill 37, the repeal of Bill 124 and workforce well-being initiatives, as well as the opioid crisis, digital health coverage under OHIP, and the 2023 Ontario Budget’s $75 billion allocation to healthcare.

Do I need to take a firm stance on controversial policies like Bill 60?

You should show balanced ethical analysis. Weigh potential benefits, such as reduced wait times, against risks to equity, access, and quality assurance. Emphasize principles of universal healthcare while remaining open to innovative solutions to systemic challenges.

Which local issues in Toronto and Ontario are most relevant for discussion?

Stay sharp on the COVID-19 aftermath (LTC reforms and workforce burnout), opioid crisis trends (over 2,500 deaths in 2022; fentanyl involvement; safer supply; decriminalization request), systemic racism and health equity (five-times-higher infection rates in racialized communities), Indigenous health and reconciliation (TRC Calls to Action; Anishnawbe Health Toronto; Ontario Indigenous Children and Youth Strategy), youth mental health pressures, and environmental health initiatives like TransformTO.

Key Takeaways

• The MPI is one-on-one and semi-structured, similar in spirit to an MMI but designed for deeper, personalized assessment across multiple interviews.
• Master Ontario’s policy context: OHTs, Bill 60, LTC reforms, funding dynamics, digital health coverage, and workforce well-being efforts.
• Engage meaningfully with current issues: opioid crisis, COVID-19 fallout, equity and reconciliation, youth mental health, and environmental health impacts.
• Use ethical reasoning, cultural safety, and systems thinking to connect patient care with community needs and policy realities.
• Practice with MPI-style simulations and analytics to sharpen clarity, structure, and advocacy in high-stakes conversations.

Call to Action

Ready to turn insight into impact? Prepare with Confetto’s AI-powered MPI simulations, scenario drilling, and analytics tailored to U of T. Build fluency in Ontario’s policy landscape, practice nuanced ethical analysis, and refine your voice so you walk into the University of Toronto interview confident, clear, and clinic-ready.