University of Toronto
OwlMD Guide
Overview
Campus Info
2 campuses and 4 academies:
- Downtown Toronto Campus (230 students/year): FitzGerald Academy, Peters-Boyd Academy, Wightman-Berris Academy
- Mississauga Campus (59 students/year): Mississauga Academy of Medicine
Application Requirements
Academic Requirements
Minimum undergrad cumulative GPA of 3.6 (3.8+ competitive) with at least 125 in each MCAT section, plus allowance for 124 in one section.
For MD/PhD: Minimum undergrad cumulative GPA of 3.3 (3.7+ competitive) with at least 125 in each MCAT section, plus allowance for 124 in one section.
For both MD and MD/PhD, UofT only looks at your most recent MCAT score.
Past years have been rumoured to have an internal cGPA cutoff of 3.89.
For detailed statistics on past admissions, visit the University of Toronto MD Admission Stats
Prerequisites
At least two full-course equivalents in life sciences, plus one in social sciences, humanities, or a language.
For undergraduate admission, you need completion of at least three years (15 full course equivalents) of study by the time you receive your offer in June.
Essays
You are required to submit two original brief personal essays, each answering a specific question related to the Faculty's mission and values. The Temerty Faculty of Medicine's mission statement embodies social responsibility, and the Faculty's values are reflective of this responsibility. Each brief personal essay must be 250 words or less (titles, references, or verifiers are not included in the word count). We evaluate brief personal essays independently of all other materials submitted within your application.
2025-2026 Essay Prompts (250 words each):
Question 1:
Describe a time when you received feedback that stands out in your memory. Why did it stand out from other feedback experiences? What did you do with the feedback and how did it influence your use of feedback, if at all?
Question 2:
Describe a meaningful learning experience that occurred outside of a formal educational context (e.g., community service, employment, or extracurricular setting). What concepts or skills did you find particularly challenging to learn? What resources did you use to assist this learning? How did this experience impact your approach to learning, if at all?
2024-2025 Essay Prompts (Previous Year)
2024-2025 Essay Prompts (250 words each):
Question 1:
In what way(s) are you a product of the world around you? How has it, or how will it, impact your journey in medicine?
Question 2:
Investor and philanthropist Charlie Munger is known for saying: "We all are learning, modifying, or destroying ideas all the time. Rapid destruction of your ideas when the time is right is one of the most valuable qualities you can acquire. You must force yourself to consider arguments on the other side." Explore how this may affect a career in medicine.
Past Essay Prompts (Pre-2024-2025)
- The use of artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to replace or assist humans in our daily lives. The basis of artificial intelligence are the complex algorithms that drive the technology. In your opinion, what values, ethical and societal implications should be considered when developing such algorithms for assessing applicants to medical school?
- The Russian poet Marina Tsvetaeva said: "it isn't that you need time to think, you need time to feel." How does this statement connect with your future career in the field of medicine?
- The COVID-19 pandemic imposed obligatory changes in all our lives. What have you learned and how has this changed you as a person? Are there ways that you adapted that you would keep going forward?
- What is the purpose of a mentoring relationship? What are the 3 most important elements of a mentoring relationship? Discuss a mentoring situation that you experienced in relation to these qualities
- Privilege and oppression – what do these concepts mean to you?
- Describe what you view as the biggest benefits and the biggest challenges in how we communicate with one another since the introduction of social media?
- Dr. Danielle Ofri contends that "the single most powerful diagnostic tool remains the doctor/patient conversation, which can uncover the lion's share of illnesses. But often the difference between what patients say and what doctors hear is vast". Discuss and propose a solution.
- Provide an example of a time when undertaking critical analysis changed the way you considered an issue.
- Discuss the role of listening in cross-cultural communication to better understand the perspectives of people of different backgrounds.
- How have you used your resilience and coping mechanisms to make the most informed and rational decisions when faced with difficult circumstances?
- What type of feedback do you prefer to enhance your learning in and outside of academic environments? Why?
- "Reducing the economic gap may be impossible without also addressing the gap in empathy." ― Daniel Goleman. Why is this the case? How might healthcare professionals advocate to help reduce these gaps?
- Uncomfortable conversations, although difficult and even hostile at times, are not necessarily unsafe ones. Do you agree or disagree? Discuss a time where you had to partake in such an uncomfortable conversation and how you handled it.
- There are many relationships that have an inherent power imbalance, such as teacher/student, physician/patient, or police officer/citizen. Describe a situation where you have experienced a power imbalance and what it taught you.
- Failure is an essential part of the learning process. Discuss a recent setback you experienced and overcame. What resources and/or tools helped you overcome this failure?
- Tell us about a time when you had to work with instructions/information that were in conflict with your core values.
- Connectors, according to Malcolm Gladwell, are the people in a community who know a large number of people and who are in the habit of making introductions that bring groups of people together for a common function or purpose. Gladwell attributes the social success of "Connectors" to the fact that "their ability to span many different worlds is a function of something intrinsic to their personality, some combination of curiosity, self-confidence, sociability, and energy." Tell us about such a time in your life you were a connector. Did it come naturally to you, and if not, how did you overcome your hesitations?
- Presenting one's opinion in the media can be dangerous. In today's world, instant responses via mainline media and social media can be harsh, critical and hurtful. Social media shouting at each other seems to have become the norm, rather than a thoughtful, respectful conversation. As a leader of a social advocacy group, you have to make an announcement that you know will be unpopular with some members of your group and/or members of the larger community. How would you handle an ensuing social media storm?
- Describe an instance where you were obliged to take a course or other educational activity that you would not normally have taken. What did you learn from that experience?
- In Hope in the Dark, Rebecca Solnit writes, "Hope locates itself in the premises that we don't know what will happen and that in the spaciousness of uncertainty is room to act… It's the belief that what we do matters even though how and when it may matter, who and what it may impact, are not things we can know beforehand." How can you relate Solnit's quote to your life experiences?
- A recent UN News post states, "Unreliable and false information is spreading around the world to such an extent, that some commentators are now referring to the new avalanche of misinformation that's accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic as a 'disinfodemic'." What would you do to address the increasing 'disinfodemic'?
- Physician and author Abraham Verghese argues that the most important innovation to come in the medical profession in the next 10 years is human touch. Discuss.
- How does technology impact interactions and/or collaborative relationships among healthcare professionals?
- Describe an example of injustice that matters to you. How would a career in medicine allow you to better advocate in similar circumstances?
- What is your preferred style of learning? How has this impacted your educational development?
- Health care today combines both technical and personal aspects of care. Describe how you envision the balance of technology and compassion in physician‐patient relationships?
- Describe an experience you had working on a committee or group with members from diverse backgrounds. How was the leader of the group chosen? Is there an essential characteristic for leaders of such groups? Why?
- Please describe an experience, an event or an encounter with an individual or group which led to your directly intervening to help others or to taking some action.
- Describe someone who you have interacted with who you feel is a talented teacher. What characteristics does this person embody and how have you tried to adopt these qualities through your own actions?
ABS Statement
You are also required to write a third essay (500 words or less) expanding on one of your EC entries:
"Write about an impactful experience from your Autobiographical Sketch that demonstrates your personal growth, character, and values. How did this experience prepare you for medical school?"
This statement does not rotate or change yearly, unlike the two other prompts.
What They're Looking For
What They're Looking For (unofficial):
- UofT is one of the only schools that heavily weighs reference letters.
- GPA is extremely important—see the admission averages for the past couple of years.
- For your ABS, highlight the CanMEDS framework in your activities. Research experience, publications, abstracts, conferences, etc. are viewed highly.
- See Non-Academic Requirements for more information.
Interview Process
After Submitting OMSAS
Waiting for interview results will likely feel like it takes forever. But don't worry, it will come and the decision is out of your hands. :)
Having a friend who is also applying can help relieve the stress because you can talk to each other relatably. If you are the only one you know applying don't worry, just trust that you aren't alone. Do your own thing and results will come soon (hopefully with great results)!
Interview Dates
Important Note about Interview Waves:
Typically interviews are done in 3 waves. I have heard that 20% of invites are sent in wave 1, 40% of invites are sent in wave 2, and another 40% are sent in wave 3.
2025-2026 Interview Dates:
- Sunday, February 8, 2026
- Saturday, March 7, 2026
- Sunday, March 22, 2026
Interview invitations are sent on a rolling basis between January and March as file reviews are completed. The date you receive an invitation is not related to your ranking—it reflects when your file reviewers completed their task.
2024-2025 Interview Dates
- Sunday, February 9, 2025 (invites sent on January 14, 2025)
- Saturday, March 15, 2025 (invites sent on February 24, 2025)
- Sunday, March 23, 2025 (invites sent on March 10, 2025)
- MD/PhD: February ?, 2025 (date pending)
2023-2024 Interview Dates
- Monday, February 11, 2024 (invites sent on January 22, 2024)
- Saturday, March 16, 2024 (invites sent on February 26, 2024)
- Sunday, March 24, 2024 (invites sent on March 6, 2024)
- MD/PhD: February 25, 2024
2022-2023 Interview Dates
- Saturday, February 12, 2023 (invites sent on January 20, 2023)
- Friday, March 19, 2023 (invites sent on February 24, 2023)
- Friday, April 1, 2023 (invites sent on March 13, 2023)
- MD/PhD: February 11, 2023
The Interview
For more information about the interview process, visit the UofT Interviewing page .