Preparing for the University of Laval interview

Securing an interview at Université Laval’s Faculty of Medicine means you’re one step closer to joining a program deeply rooted in Québec’s francophone identity and its evolving healthcare landscape. 

To excel, you’ll need more than textbook answers—you’ll need to demonstrate fluency in Québec’s unique policy challenges, social dynamics, and recent health crises. Here’s how to prepare like a local.

1. The Laval MMI: Structure, Themes, and Key Expectations

Université Laval uses a classic MMI format with 6–8 stations, each 8–10 minutes long. Stations assess:

• Ethical Dilemmas (e.g., vaccine hesitancy in rural Québec)

• Role-Playing (e.g., calming an angry patient frustrated by RAMQ wait times)

• Collaboration (e.g., resolving conflicts in a team designing a rural clinic)

• Critical Analysis (e.g., interpreting data on Québec’s opioid mortality rates)

Unique to Laval: Stations often integrate Québec-specific scenarios, like language barriers (Bill 96) or debates over private clinics. While conducted in English, cultural fluency in Québec’s francophone identity is critical.

Insider Tip: Laval’s MMI emphasizes ethical reasoning frameworks. Practice structuring responses using CEPA (Context, Ethical considerations, Perspectives, Action)—a model praised by shemmassianconsulting.com.

2. Québec’s Healthcare Policy: A System in Crisis, A Province in Reform

1. Bill 15 Overhaul (2023–2024)

Québec’s largest healthcare reform in decades merges 32 regional agencies into Santé Québec, a centralized body aiming to reduce wait times (e.g., 18-month waits for MRIs in Montérégie). Laval researchers are studying its impact on rural telemedicine—cite their work on the Bas-Saint-Laurent telehealth pilot.

2. Private vs. Public Care Debates

Québec’s Supreme Court challenge to uphold private clinics (e.g., Chaoulli v. Québec) remains contentious. Discuss how hybrid models could address ER overcrowding (e.g., Hôpital de Saint-Mary’s 24-hour closures in 2023).

3. Language & Care Equity

Bill 96’s French-language requirements complicate care for anglophone/allophone patients. Laval’s Med-ULg Interpreting Initiative trains students to bridge gaps—mention this as a model.

Tip: Link policy critiques to Laval’s rural medicine programs. Example: “Santé Québec’s centralized structure could strain CLSCs in Abitibi-Témiscamingue without Laval’s residency partnerships.”

3. Current Events & Social Issues: The Québec Lens

Local Flashpoints

• Opioid Crisis in Montréal: Overdose deaths rose 25% in 2024, concentrated in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. Laval’s PROTECT Study tests supervised injection sites—note their harm reduction focus.

• MAID Expansion: Québec leads Canada in Medical Assistance in Dying requests. Discuss ethical dilemmas in psychiatric MAID cases, referencing Laval ethicist Dr. Marie-Ève Bouthillier’s research.

• Climate Health: Wildfire smoke (2023 Chibougamau evacuations) worsened pediatric asthma. Laval’s CHU de Québec partners with Cree communities on air quality monitoring.

National Issues with Québec Stakes

• Indigenous Health: Nunavik’s Inuit face TB rates 300x higher than non-Indigenous Canadians. Laval’s Nuna-Medic Program deploys students to Puvirnituq—highlight this if interested in Indigenous health.

• Aging Population: 30% of Québecers will be over 60 by 2030. Link Laval’s geriatrics research to home-care innovations like CHSLD 2.0.

Tip: Use Québec-specific terms (e.g., CLSC for local clinics, RAMQ for health insurance) to show cultural fluency.

4. The 5 Questions University of Laval is most likely to ask during your medical school interview

1. “A parent in rural Abitibi refuses to vaccinate their child due to misinformation. How do you respond?”

2. “A patient blames long wait times on immigrants. Resolve this conflict.”

3. “Your team disagrees on allocating funds to a Montréal clinic vs. a Nunavik mobile unit. Find consensus.”

4. “Interpret this graph on Québec’s rising diabetes rates. Propose a policy solution.”

5. “Should Québec expand private clinics to reduce surgical wait times? Defend your stance.”