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Canadian Medical Schools

In Canada, a medical school is a faculty or school of a university that trains would-be medical doctors and physician assistants usually offering a 3- or 4-year Doctor of Medicine (M.D. or M.D.C.M.) degree and 2 year Physician Assistant degrees. Although presently most students enter medicine having previously earned another degree, the M.D. is technically considered an undergraduate degree in Canada.

List of all the Canadian medical schools (links to official websites):

University of Alberta | University of Calgary | University of British Columbia | University of Manitoba | Memorial University of Newfoundland | Dalhousie University | McMaster University | Northern Ontario School of Medicine | Queen's University | University of Western Ontario | University of Ottawa | University of Toronto | Laval University | McGill University | University of Montreal | Sherbrooke University | University of Saskatchewan

Canadian Medical School GPA and MCAT Scores

There are 17 M.D. schools in Canada: 14 English M.D. schools, 3 French M.D. schools (Laval, Montreal, Sherbrooke), and 1 M.D. school with bilingual instruction (Ottawa).

2 of the 17 programs are 3 year M.D. curriculums (Calgary, McMaster).

English M.D. Schools:

University of British Columbia:
Vancouver, British Columbia
Prereqs: 1 year of English, Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry
AP/IB: Can claim for Biology, Chemistry, and English w/ high exam mark
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $15,457 for Canadian residents; $208-865 incidental fees
Canadian citizens/permanent residents only

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Overall Entering Class Mark: 84.98%
Average Entering Class MCAT: 10.61Q
Entering Class Size: 256 (244 B.C. Residents/12 Out-of-Province)

Application Open: June 1, 2011
Application Deadline: Everything by September 1, 2011
Application Fee: $105 for BC residents; $135 for BC residents w/ out-of-province transcripts; $185 for everyone else

University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
Prereqs: 1 year of General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biology, Physics, English. ½ year of Statistics, Biochemistry.
AP/IB: Can claim for some credit for General Chemistry, Biology, Physics, English and Statistics.
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $11,714 for Canadian residents; $1043 incidental fees
Canadian citizens/permanent residents only

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Overall Entering Class GPA: 3.86/3.92
Average Entering Class MCAT: 10.98Q/11.37R
Entering Class Size: 167 (137 Alberta Residents/25 Out-of-Province/5 Aboriginal)

Application Open: July 15, 2011
Application Deadline: Everything by November 1, 2011
Application Fee: $75 for former/current UofA students; $115 for everyone else

University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta
Prereqs: None, although recommended courses are provided.
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $14,600 for Canadian residents; $793 incidental fees
Canadian citizens/permanent residents only

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average GPA (of best two completed years): 3.82
Average Overall Entering Class GPA: 3.68
Average Entering Class MCAT: 10.71Q
Entering Class Size: 170 (145 Alberta Residents/25 Out-of-Province and Aboriginal)

Application Open: July 15, 2011
Application Deadline: Everything by October 15, 2011
Application Fee: $150 by October 15, 2011

University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Prereqs: 1 year of Biochemistry
3 full-year courses in humanities/social sciences.
AP/IB: Accepted with high exam mark.
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $7,499 for Canadian residents; $984 incidental fees
Canadian citizens/permanent residents only

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Overall Entering Class GPA: 4.16 on a 4.50 scale
Average Entering Class MCAT: 11Q
Entering Class Size: 110 (10% Out-of-Province)

Application Open: August, 2011
Application Deadline: Everything by October 9, 2011
Application Fee: $95 by October 9, 2011

University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Prereqs: Only if attending USask. or URegina and applying through “Prerequisite Course Path”
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $12,276 for Canadian residents; $697 incidental fees
Canadian citizens/permanent residents only

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Entering Class Mark: 89.01% (best two-year average)
Average Entering Class MCAT: Pass/Fail (minimum 26N w/ scores of 8+ in each section)
Entering Class Size: 84 (67 General/7 Aboriginal/8 Out-Of-Province)

Application Open: August 15, 2011
Application Deadline: Everything by October 15, 2011
Application Fee: $75 by October 15, 2011

Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Prereqs: 1 year of English
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $6250 for Canadian residents; $30,000 for visa students; $1140 incidental fees

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Entering Class GPA: 3.70
Average Entering Class MCAT: 10Q
Entering Class Size: 64 (46 Newfoundland/10 New Brunswick/4 P.E.I./4 Out-Of-Province)

Application Open: July, 2011
Application Deadline: Everything by October 15, 2011
Application Fee: $75 by October 15, 2011

Dalhouse University
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Prereqs: None
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $13,818 for Canadian residents; $21,078 for visa students; $908 incidental fees

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Entering Class GPA: 3.80
Average Entering Class MCAT: 29Q
Entering Class Size: 109 (100 Maritime Residents/9 Out-of-Province)

Application Open: July 1, 2011
Application Deadline: Application and fee by August 15, 2011. Transcripts and supplemental information due September 1, 2011. MCAT Scores due September 7, 2011
Application Fee: $70 by August 15, 2011

McGill University
Montreal, Quebec
Prereqs: 1 year Biology, General Chemistry and Physics. ½ year of Organic Chemistry. All require laboratory components (in general, all schools require labs where appropriate).
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $4,825 for Quebec residents; $13,224 for other Canadian residents; $37,705 for visa students; $2,553 incidental fees

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Entering Class GPA: 3.80
Average Entering Class MCAT: 10.7Q
Entering Class Size: 175 (162 Quebec residents/13 Out-of-Province)

Application Open: September 1, 2011
Application Deadline: Application and all supporting documents by January 15, 2012 for Quebec residents; all other applicants have to submit everything by November 15, 2011.
Application Fee: $85 upon completion of application

University of Ottawa
Ottawa, Ontario
Prereqs: 1 year Biology w/ lab, Humanities/Social Sciences. 2 years total from: i) Biochemistry w/o lab; ii) General Chemistry w/ lab; iii) Organic Chemistry w/ lab
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $18,117 for Canadian residents; $902 incidental fees
Canadian citizens/permanent residents only

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Entering Class GPA: 3.87 (weighted last 3 years of study)
Average Entering Class MCAT: N/A
Entering Class Size: 164 (145 General/7 Aboriginal/8 “Consortium national de formation en sante”/4 MMTP-Canadian Forces)

Queen’s University
Kingston, Ontario
Prereqs: 1 year Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Humanities/Social Sciences.
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $18,228 for Canadian residents; $912 incidental fees
Canadian citizens/permanent residents only

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Entering Class GPA: 3.7+
Average Entering Class MCAT: Unknown
Entering Class Size: 100 (96 General/4 Aboriginal)

University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario
Prereqs: 2 years total in any life science. 1 year in Humanities/Social Sciences/Second Language
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $18,424 for Canadian residents; $51,051 for visa students; $1,509 incidental fees

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Entering Class GPA: 3.88
Average Entering Class MCAT: 11R
Entering Class Size: 259 (244 General/7 Foreign/8 MD-PhD program)

McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario
Prereqs: None
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $20,831 for Canadian residents; $108,546 for visa students; $737 incidental fees

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Entering Class GPA: 3.82
Average Entering Class MCAT-VR: 10.86 (only VR score considered)
Entering Class Size: 203

University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario
Prereqs: None
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $17,722 for Canadian residents; $973 incidental fees
Canadian citizens/permanent residents only

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Entering Class GPA: Unknown (min. 3.7+ of best two years)
Average Entering Class MCAT: Unknown (min. 30O combined)
Entering Class Size: 171 (161 General/3 Aboriginal/3 MD-PhD program/3 MD-BESc program/1 oral maxillofacial surgery program)

Northern Ontario School of Medicine
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Prereqs: None, although evidence of a broad undergraduate education including courses in the sciences and arts/humanities/social sciences are expected
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $17,700 for Canadian residents; $1750-2050 incidental fees
Canadian citizens/permanent residents only; favours applicants from rural and remote regions

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Entering Class GPA: 3.66
Average Entering Class MCAT: N/A
Entering Class Size: 64 (62 General/2 Aboriginal)

French M.D. Schools:

Laval University
Quebec City, Quebec
Prereqs: 2 courses each: biology & mathematics; 3 courses each: chemistry & physics
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $3,240 for Quebec residents; $8,879 for other Canadian residents; $25,317 for visa students; $714 incidental fees

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Entering Class GPA: Unknown
Average Entering Class MCAT: N/A
Entering Class Size: 227+ (221 Quebec Residents/8 MD-Phd/4 Aboriginal/6 Canadian Forces)
Includes students accepted out of high school

Application Open: October 1, 2011
Application Deadline: Application by February 1, 2012. Everything else by March 1, 2012
Application Fee: $42

Université de Sherbrooke
Sherbrooke, Quebec
Prereqs: 2 courses each: biology & mathematics; 3 courses each: chemistry & physics
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $3,170 for Quebec residents; $9,494 for other Canadian residents; $25,582 for visa students; $1,081 incidental fees

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Entering Class GPA: Unknown; likely very high (letters of ref. not required)
Average Entering Class MCAT: N/A
Entering Class Size: 207 (197 Quebec Residents/4 Aboriginal/6 Canadian Forces)
Includes students accepted out of high school

Application Open: TBD
Application Deadline: Application by January 15, 2012. Everything else by March 1, 2012
Application Fee: $70

Université de Montréal
Montreal, Quebec
Prereqs: 2 courses each: biology & mathematics; 3 courses each: chemistry & physics
2010/11 1st Year Tuition: $3,102 for Quebec residents; $8,501 for other Canadian residents; $24,239 for visa students; $1,355 incidental fees

Selected Statistics from 2010:
Average Entering Class GPA: Unknown; likely very high
Average Entering Class MCAT: N/A
Entering Class Size: 295 (285 Quebec Residents/4 Aboriginal/6 Canadian Forces)
Includes students accepted out of high school (213 out of 295 are Med-P)

Application Open: September 1, 2011
Application Deadline: Application by January 15, 2012. Everything else by March 1, 2012
Application Fee: $80 for application. $100 for supplemental

Learn more at our free Medical School Seminar in Toronto

See Rankings for US Medical Schools

Ontario Medical Schools (6 in total)

• Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine (McMaster University)
• Northern Ontario School of Medicine
• University of Ottawa
• Queen’s University
• University of Toronto
• Schulich School of Medicine (The University of Western Ontario)

Things to Consider

Eligibility

• Location of residence – country, province/state
• Prerequisite requirements – particularly courses and course load
• GPA and MCAT score cutoffs
• MCAT test expiration (e.g., scores older than 3 years)

Application competitiveness

• GPA and MCAT scores
• Location of residence: In-state/province preferences, rural areas
• Your experience and its strength of correlation with the school’s mission

Personal preferences

• Location of the school
• Affiliation with hospitals
• Number of years of study

Grade conversation table: OMSAS PDF

There are a number of combined and/or accelerated MD programs in the U.S. Consult with your student advisor or an Ivy Global representative for more information.

Tips & Advice:
Email: use an address that is professional but also navigable (e.g., U of T Alumni email hosted by Gmail). Over the course of the 6 month application cycle, there will be many emails to keep track of, so being able to easily retrieve information from a particular email (e.g., ID and password) is helpful.

Maclean's Medical School Rankings

* indicates a tie

20th Annual University Rankings (Nov 2010)

Rank	School	Last Year's Rank
1	McGill	(1)
2	Toronto	(2)
3	UBC	(4)
4	Alberta	(5)
5	Queen's	(3)
6	McMaster	(6)
7	Dalhousie	(7*)
8	Calgary	(7*)
9	Western	(9*)
10	Saskatchewan	(9*)
11	Ottawa	(9*)
12	Laval	(12)
13	Montreal	(13*)
14	Sherbrooke	(13*)
15	Manitoba	(15)

19th Annual University Rankings (Nov 2009)

Rank	School	Last Year
1	McGill	(1)
2	Toronto	(2*)
3	Queen's	(2*)
4	UBC	(4)
5	Alberta	(5)
6	McMaster	(6)
*7	Calgary	(7)
*7	Dalhousie	(8)
*9	Ottawa	(10*)
*9	Saskatchewan	(9)
*9	Western	(10*)
12	Laval	(12)
*13	Montreal	(13)
*13	Sherbrooke	(14)
15	Manitoba	(15)