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

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.

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. Ontario approved 54 OHTs by late 2022 and brought the total to 58 in January 2024; its Ontario Health Teams page now describes 58 teams providing full provincial coverage. OHTs are still maturing, and evidence on outcomes is evolving.
• Bill 60: Your Health Act, 2023: Received royal assent on May 18, 2023. It replaced the Independent Health Facilities Act with a new framework that expands the surgeries and procedures that can be delivered in community surgical and diagnostic centers, with public payment through 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 (royal assent December 9, 2021) legislates an average of four hours of direct care per resident per day, to be reached by March 31, 2025.
• Workforce Well-Being: Burnout among health workers, including nurses, is a widely reported concern. Ontario repealed Bill 124, which had capped public sector wage increases at one per cent a year, on February 23, 2024, after two court losses.
• Healthcare Funding: Health spending is a large share of Ontario’s budget, and federal-provincial arrangements such as the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) shape what the province can fund. Check current budget figures before quoting any number.

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, which legislates an average of four hours of direct care per resident per day by March 31, 2025.

Healthcare worker burnout remains a pressing concern, and the repeal of Bill 124 in February 2024 removed a cap on public sector wage increases.

Reflect on how policy can address systemic vulnerabilities revealed by the pandemic while supporting the workforce that sustains patient care.

Opioid crisis intensification

The Ontario Drug Policy Research Network reported 2,534 opioid-related toxicity deaths in Ontario in 2022.

Responses debated in Ontario include safer supply programs providing prescribed opioids to reduce reliance on toxic street drugs.

Toronto Public Health asked Health Canada in January 2022 for an exemption to decriminalize personal possession of drugs, and the federal government later refused the request.

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 that racialized communities carried a disproportionate share of COVID-19 infections.

Race-based data collection can help identify gaps and 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.

Indigenous-led organizations such as Anishnawbe Health Toronto point to pathways for culturally appropriate services. Cultural safety and active engagement with reconciliation are critical themes.

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

• MPI simulations. Run AI-powered MPI-style simulations with structured prompts to practice U of T’s format.
• Policy scenarios. Drill policy scenarios (OHTs, Bill 60, LTC reforms, health funding) with Confetto’s scenario library and receive instant feedback on ethical reasoning and policy literacy.
• Community cases. 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. Record and review mock responses to refine structure, clarity, and reflection; Confetto’s analytics flag overuse of jargon and prompt stronger patient-centered framing.
• Timing. Calibrate timing and composure under pressure with timed rounds that mimic the vMPI’s 30-second read time and five-minute responses.

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 independent encounters and focused prompts, but it consists of four interviews (recorded virtually in 2025-2026, up to five minutes each) rather than a long circuit of stations.

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; 58 teams now cover the province), Bill 60: Your Health Act, 2023, LTC reforms under Bill 37, the repeal of Bill 124 and workforce well-being, as well as the opioid crisis and health funding.

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 (2,534 opioid-related deaths in Ontario in 2022; safer supply; Toronto’s decriminalization request, which was refused), systemic racism and health equity (disproportionate COVID-19 burden in racialized communities), Indigenous health and reconciliation (TRC Calls to Action; Anishnawbe Health Toronto), youth mental health pressures, and environmental health.

• Format. The MPI consists of four independent interviews, similar in spirit to an MMI, and was delivered virtually with recorded responses in 2025-2026.
• Policy context. Master Ontario’s policy context: OHTs, Bill 60, LTC reforms, health funding, and workforce well-being.
• Current issues. Engage meaningfully with current issues: opioid crisis, COVID-19 fallout, equity and reconciliation, youth mental health, and environmental health impacts.
• Reasoning. Use ethical reasoning, cultural safety, and systems thinking to connect patient care with community needs and policy realities.
• Practice. Practice with MPI-style simulations and analytics to sharpen clarity, structure, and advocacy in high-stakes conversations.

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.