How is the early-phase MMI different from Casper video responses?

Casper and the early-phase MMI are separate assessments from the same company, Acuity Insights, and both use recorded video responses. The early-phase MMI lasts about 1 hour and 15 minutes across 8 stations with a rest station in the middle. Acuity states Queen’s applicants must also take Casper, so they record for both in one cycle.

What do they share?

Both are recorded without a person in the room. Both reward structure, specifics and a steady delivery to the camera. If you have practised Casper video answers, your camera comfort carries over.

What differs?

Casper is built from short scenarios and is scored for personal and professional attributes. The early-phase MMI is an interview-style assessment in 8 stations, and Ottawa lists what it evaluates: critical thinking, decision making, communication, interpersonal skills, compassion and teamwork. See what the 2026 Casper format looks like for Casper’s own structure.

How should you prepare for both?

Keep one habit across both: decide, then justify. Arvin Ardakani teaches CASPer and interviews through the same discipline, then adjusts the timing for each. Do not copy Casper timings into early-phase practice, because Acuity does not publish per-response timing for the early-phase MMI on the dates page.

What happens after the early-phase MMI?

The early-phase MMI for 2027 entry ran on 16, 18 and 19 October 2026, and Acuity has not posted dates for the next cycle. At Ottawa, interview invitations come from a rank-order list built from CGPA, early-phase MMI score and Autobiographical Sketch score, and interviews are typically held between February and March: a semi-structured panel interview of about 40 minutes. For that stage, read the Ottawa medicine interview format and see the Interview program. Applying next cycle? Everything on this page still applies: applicants are contacted in early October, shortly after the OMSAS deadline.

Related: Ottawa medicine interview format, The Queen’s early-phase MMI, What is the early-phase MMI?. Arvin Ardakani marks recorded answers personally and mentors applicants at every step through ExperienceMED, with direct WhatsApp access: book an interview session.