Medicine admissions update

Does uOttawa Medicine Require CASPer in 2027?

For 2027 entry, uOttawa's current standard admissions pages do not list CASPer. They instead require an Acuity-hosted early-phase multiple mini interview. This is a separate asynchronous video assessment, not the standard CASPer test. Applicants who successfully submit through OMSAS are contacted in early October to schedule it.

What is uOttawa Medicine's current 2027 requirement?

The OMSAS uOttawa guide, last updated August 25, 2026, says all applicants must complete an early-phase MMI through Acuity Insights to be considered for admission. uOttawa's own application-process page also lists early-phase MMI under its non-academic requirements. Neither current standard page lists CASPer.

This differs from prior cycles and from older summaries that still say uOttawa requires CASPer. Requirements that change by cycle should be checked at the source, not copied from a previous application. Our broader Canadian medical-school requirement guide applies the same cycle-specific rule across schools.

Is the early-phase MMI the same as CASPer?

No. Both products are hosted through Acuity and both use recorded video, but they are different assessments. Standard 2026-27 CASPer has 11 scenarios split between video and typed responses. The current early-phase MMI page describes an approximately 75-minute recorded video interview with eight stations and a rest station.

Do not assume a CASPer answer timer, question count, or typed-answer strategy applies to this interview. Acuity calls the early-phase MMI format tentative and says successful applicants will receive more detail in October. Our CASPer vs MMI guide explains the general skill overlap, but the booking invitation is the source for this assessment's final mechanics.

uOttawa early-phase MMI dates, booking, and cost

The OMSAS deadline is October 1, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. ET. Applicants who successfully submit to uOttawa are contacted in early October with scheduling instructions. Only submitted applicants may select a date.

Acuity currently lists three sittings: October 16 at 6:00 p.m. EDT, October 18 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, and October 19 at 6:00 p.m. EDT. It says to register at least three days before the preferred sitting. The listed uOttawa assessment and distribution price is $18 CAD. Confirm the year, time zone, price, and availability inside your invitation because the operator says details may change.

1. Submit the uOttawa MD application through OMSAS by the deadline.
2. Watch the application email address in early October, including spam.
3. Open the official Acuity scheduling instructions in that message.
4. Select the correct uOttawa language stream and available date.
5. Register at least three days before the sitting, earlier if possible.
6. Save the confirmation and complete the required technology check.

What format and equipment should you expect?

Acuity currently describes the early-phase MMI as asynchronous, so there is no live interviewer in each station. You record video responses directly in the platform. The tentative structure is eight interview stations, a rest station in the middle, and about 1 hour and 15 minutes in total.

uOttawa requires a computer with a webcam, audio capabilities, and a reliable internet connection. Complete the assessment in a quiet, private space without disruptions. If you need accommodations for the early-phase MMI only, Acuity currently asks for the form and supporting documents at least two weeks before the interview.

The language rule can determine eligibility

uOttawa offers English and French MD streams. Acuity says the early-phase MMI must be completed in the same language as the stream selected in the application. English-stream applicants use English; French-stream applicants use French. Completing the wrong language version results in disqualification.

Treat the language choice as an application identity check, not a preference you can change at the last minute. Transfers between the English and French streams are not permitted. If your scheduling page conflicts with your application, stop and contact admissions before completing the assessment.

How does uOttawa use the early-phase MMI score?

uOttawa uses the early-phase MMI at the pre-interview stage. Its current process says applicants first need to meet the initial academic and non-academic requirements. The Admissions Committee then evaluates the Autobiographical Sketch and verifies references.

Interview invitations are determined from a rank-order list using three components: CGPA, early-phase MMI score, and ABS score. The reviewed page does not publish a percentage weight or score cutoff for the early-phase MMI. A result therefore cannot be translated into a guaranteed interview claim.

Why pathway applicants should get written confirmation

The current OMSAS and uOttawa standard pages say all applicants must complete the early-phase MMI. A separate uOttawa pathways page still contains legacy language about CASPer exemptions and requirements for Indigenous and Government of Nunavut candidates. Those instructions do not align cleanly with the new standard requirement.

We cannot safely infer whether the old exemption transfers to the new assessment. If you apply through either pathway, email uOttawa admissions with your exact route and ask whether you must complete the early-phase MMI. Keep the written answer with your application records.

How to prepare for the uOttawa early-phase MMI

Start with the final instructions uOttawa sends, then train for clear recorded reasoning. CASPer practice can transfer skills such as stakeholder awareness, uncertainty, empathy, and justified action, but CasperCoach is not an exact early-phase MMI simulator.

1. Read the invitation first. Copy the final station count, timing, language, and technology rules.
2. Build a flexible reasoning structure. Identify the issue, missing facts, affected people, options, action, and follow-up.
3. Record without retakes. Practise answering unfamiliar prompts clearly in one continuous take.
4. Review substance and delivery. Check whether the response is specific, balanced, audible, and easy to follow.
5. Simulate the full run. Use the real computer, webcam, microphone, room, and internet connection.

Common uOttawa 2027 mistakes to avoid

• Following an old CASPer list. Use the current 2027 OMSAS and uOttawa pages.
• Treating the early-phase MMI as renamed CASPer. It is a separate assessment with a different format.
• Waiting for an invitation before submitting OMSAS. Only successfully submitted applicants may schedule.
• Booking the wrong language. The interview language must match the chosen uOttawa stream.
• Assuming tentative details are final. Recheck the October invitation and live booking page.
• Guessing a pathway exemption. Ask uOttawa to resolve the conflicting official wording in writing.