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Overview of the University of Toronto MD Program

The University of Toronto (UofT) MD program ,known as the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, is highly competitive and renowned for its rigorous academic curriculum and comprehensive training. As one of Canada’s leading medical schools, it attracts top-tier students from across the country and around the world. The program follows the CanMEDs competency framework, focusing on developing well-rounded physicians who excel in their clinical skills, professionalism, and leadership abilities. With a strong emphasis on research, innovation, and community engagement, the UofT MD program offers a unique learning experience that prepares students for a successful career in medicine.

You can see how competitive you need to be for UofT by checking out the acceptance statistics here.

Through the famous UofT MD essays in the OMSAS application, the program is able to identify the most competitive applicants that meet its requirements. For this reason, it is absolutely essential that your essays stand out and leave a lasting impact. Here are our top tips on how to write essays that help you stand out during the application cycle, and can help you score an interview invitation

Understanding the Role of Essays in the Application Process

The University of Toronto’s MD program places great importance on the non-academic qualities and experiences of applicants. As part of the OMSAS application process, candidates are required to submit an Autobiographical Sketch (ABS) Statement and Brief Personal Essays (BPE). These essays offer an opportunity for applicants to showcase their non-academic experiences, personal growth, and soft skills.

The ABS Statement prompt is the same every year, and is as follows:

“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 allows the applicant to highlight the breadth and depth of their involvement in one specific extracurricular activity. This essay is limited to 500 words, which provides an opportunity to expand and elaborate on an important and formative experience that contributed to your journey to medical school.

On the other hand, Brief Personal Essays (BPEs) delve deeper into specific themes and prompts. The word count for each Brief Personal Essay is limited to 250 words. The prompts for this year’s OMSAS application are the following:

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?

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.

How The Answers Are Marked

Before beginning to write your essays, it is important to understand how they are marked. The evaluation process for the UofT MD essays takes into consideration four clusters based on the CanMED roles.

Source: Royal College

The first cluster focuses on professionalism, which includes qualities like maturity, reliability, perseverance, and responsibility. The second cluster focuses on communication, collaboration, teamwork, time management, and leadership. The third cluster is about advocacy, community service, and social responsibility. The fourth cluster revolves around being a scholar, which entails demonstrating academic standing, achievements in leadership, research, and social responsibility.

Source: UofT Med

In addition to these clusters, the UofT MD essays are also evaluated for flow, grammar, spelling, and overall interest. It is crucial to make your essay captivating and impactful to stand out among the thousands of essays that are submitted every application cycle. A good introduction and an intriguing story can go a long way in capturing the attention of the reviewers and helping you stand out.

We advise against writing a “basic” essay that fails to differentiate itself. Remember that each reviewer reads numerous essays, so it is essential to make yours memorable. By addressing the assigned prompts creatively and showing a strong connection to the CanMED roles, you can increase your chances of a successful application.

💡Pro Tip: During the brainstorming process, we recommend using a spreadsheet that has a checklist with the four UofT MD clusters as you are reviewing your essays. This way, you can check off each cluster as it is touched on in the UofT MD essays.

Crafting an Impactful Essay

From the introduction to the conclusion, it is important that every single word in your essay is thoughtfully written because every word matters in your OMSAS application.

Creating a Compelling Introduction

A strong introduction can make all the difference in captivating the reviewer’s attention. It sets the tone for your essay and can leave a lasting impression. Here are our top tips and strategies for ensuring that your 2025 UofT MD essays have the “WOW” factor.

One approach is to start with a quote that relates to the prompt. For example, in response to a question about resilience, you could begin with a powerful quote from a renowned author or a public speaker that connects well with the topic and with your experience. Alternatively, you could start with a quote that challenges the reader’s perspective and brings something new to the essay.

Another strategy is to introduce a captivating anecdote or personal experience that highlights your passion for medicine and connects to the essay prompt. This can create an immediate emotional connection with the reader and engage them from the start. For instance, in response to a question asking about mentorship, you could share a personal experience related to a mentoring relationship and speak about the personal impacts that it had on you before pivoting to the main content of the essay.

Remember, a compelling introduction should not only grab the reviewer’s attention but also provide a glimpse of your unique perspective and set the stage for the rest of your essay. Don’t overlook the importance of your introduction. Take the time to brainstorm, experiment with different approaches, and ensure your UofT MD essay introduction truly has that “WOW” factor.

Incorporating A Good Personal Story/Anecdote

The BPE and ABS statement both require the incorporation of a strong personal story/anecdote within the text. It’s definitely easier to include an example within the ABS statement but the stories can still be integrated into the BPEs as well. By incorporating a personal story, you can demonstrate your critical thinking skills and provide a unique perspective to the reader, leaving a lasting impact.

Similarly, when writing the ABS statement, use storytelling to convey your personal growth and how it relates to your journey towards becoming a medical professional. Highlight experiences, challenges, and achievements that have shaped your character and passion for medicine.

In both UofT MD essays categories, constantly think of the CanMEDS and UofT’s MD Program clusters to showcase your understanding of the medical profession within the and demonstrate how your stories/anecdotes align with their values. Remember to keep your essays concise and focused, highlighting the most impactful aspects of your story.

💡Pro Tip: If you are struggling to find a good experience for the UofT MD essays, try to think of impactful experiences in your life. These can include moments of triumph, challenges overcome, or significant personal insights that have shaped your journey towards medicine. In your brainstorming phase, we suggest creating a list of these experiences, and seeing which of them relate best to the essay questions. These personal anecdotes will help your essays leave a more lasting impression on the reviewer. 

BPE Specific Tips

The BPE component of the UofT MD essays consists of two questions that require thoughtful and reflective responses. Here are some tips for answering each of the questions:

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?

Consider your family background, cultural heritage, education, and significant life events. Identify specific instances where these elements have influenced your decision to pursue medicine. For example, discuss how growing up in a diverse community taught you the importance of empathy and understanding different perspectives, or how personal experiences with healthcare inspired a commitment to improving patient outcomes. Highlight any challenges you’ve faced and how they have built resilience and determination in you. Connect these reflections to your future aspirations in medicine, illustrating how your unique background equips you to contribute meaningfully to the field and address healthcare disparities. Use specific anecdotes to provide depth and authenticity to your narrative.

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.

 When addressing how Charlie Munger’s philosophy on learning and idea destruction can impact a career in medicine, perhaps consider emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and adaptability. Reflect on how the rapid evolution of medical knowledge and practices requires physicians to regularly reassess and update their understanding. You might discuss the necessity of staying open to new evidence and being willing to abandon outdated or disproven ideas to provide the best patient care. It could be valuable to consider the importance of listening to diverse perspectives, especially when diagnosing and treating patients, as this can lead to more comprehensive and effective solutions. Providing examples, such as the shift from traditional to evidence-based practices or the integration of new technologies in medical treatments, might illustrate how embracing change can lead to improved outcomes. Emphasize that fostering a mindset of critical thinking and openness to change not only enhances personal growth but also contributes to advancements in medicine, ultimately benefiting patients and the healthcare system as a whole.

It is important to make sure that both essays combined cover all four UofT MD clusters! This is why it’s important to keep the CanMEDs/clusters in mind when brainstorming ideas for the essays from the very beginning.

ABS Statement Specific Tips

Here are our best tips for writing your ABS statement.

1. Demonstrate personal growth in your essay. This can be achieved by highlighting experiences within the ABS activity that have challenged you or helped you develop new skills and perspectives.

2. Keep the clusters in mind. Ideally, your chosen experience should align with all four of the UofT MD clusters. However, if your experience doesn’t fit all four clusters, that’s okay. The important thing to remember is that the UofT MD clusters represent qualities of a good MD candidate, so try to pick an experience that highlights attributes that make you a well-rounded candidate. You will likely hit the majority of the clusters when you pick the right experience.  

3. Stay humble. While it’s essential to present yourself in a positive light, it’s equally important to remain humble. Be genuine and avoid exaggerating your accomplishments or experiences. The admissions committee is looking for applicants who are self-aware and can reflect on their experiences in a thoughtful manner.

By demonstrating personal growth and aligning with UofT MD clusters in the ABS statement, you’ll increase your chances of standing out as a strong candidate from all OMSAS applicants for the MD program.

How To Conclude The UofT MD Essay

Your conclusion is the final statement and should leave the rater with a lasting impression. This is your last opportunity to showcase yourself in this essay and it is therefore extremely important to craft a strong concluding statement. Remember, your word count is limited, so you will likely be left with a sentence or two to get your message across. The final statement should provide a succinct summary of your main points while also leaving an impact on the rater. While relating the conclusion to medicine and being a doctor can be advantageous, it is not a necessity. What matters most is showcasing your unique perspective and demonstrating your potential as a future doctor.

Finalizing Your MD Application Essay

Ideally, the UofT MD essays writing process should take place over the span of 4-6 weeks as you’ll need ample time for brainstorming and writing, and most importantly – editing!

Giving Yourself Enough Time to Revise and Edit Your Writing

Revision and editing are vital to crafting an impactful personal essay. By setting aside sufficient time for this process, you can carefully review each sentence and paragraph, making necessary changes to improve the flow and coherence of your ideas. This ensures that your essay is easy to understand and conveys your message effectively.

Additionally, allowing ample time for multiple rounds of editing enables you to identify and correct any grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors. By thoroughly reviewing your essay, you can ensure that it is free from mistakes, showcasing your attention to detail and professionalism.

Seeking feedback from mentors or admissions consultants is also beneficial. They can provide valuable insights, helping you further refine your essay and make it more compelling. Their perspectives can point out areas that require improvement or highlight any weaknesses in your content.

💡Pro Tip: Overused buzzwords in essays include “collaborate”, “persevere” and “advocate”. Try to brainstorm ways of demonstrating these qualities without explicitly writing them out. Reviewers often roll their eyes when seeing the word “collaborate” overused!

Seeking Professional Feedback from an Admissions Consultant or Mentor

When it comes to crafting your UofT MD essays, seeking professional feedback from an admissions consultant or mentor can be invaluable. These experts have a deep understanding of the admissions process, including the specific OMSAS requirements as well as what a good UofT MD essay look like.

Admissions consultants can provide valuable insights and guidance, helping you highlight your strengths and address any weaknesses in your application. They can offer a fresh perspective on your essays, ensuring they effectively convey your motivations, experiences, and goals.

When choosing the right consultant or mentor, consider their expertise and experience in the medical school admissions process. Look for those who have a track record of success with OMSAS schools, such as current medical students or medical residents. It’s also important to find someone who is responsive and can provide personalized feedback tailored to your unique circumstances.

Remember, seeking professional feedback should complement your own efforts in crafting an authentic and compelling application. Ultimately, the goal is to present a comprehensive and well-rounded picture of yourself in your ABS Statement and BPEs of the UofT MD essays. With the right guidance, you can confidently showcase your qualifications and stand out as a strong candidate in the OMSAS application for University of Toronto MD program.

To find the best admissions consultant for you to help you craft an application with strong UofT MD essays that get you interviews, search our database of experienced consultants! .