Canada Medical School Chance Predictor

How to Use the Canada Medical School Chance Predictor

Our Canada Medical School Chance Predictor was developed to determine which of the 17 medical schools in Canada are most suitable for your academic statistics. And while your GPA and MCAT score are important, keep in mind that many of the schools have official and unofficial quotas when it comes to provincial borders. Populate the fields with your current statistics and choose your province of residence to learn your admissions chances!

***Use the OMSAS GPA conversion calculator to best estimate your GPA if your school does not provide GPA on a 4.0 scale. For Ontario med schools, use our Ontario med school chance predictor. To calculate your chances of acceptances to US med schools, use our MD chance calculator for US school.

What your chances mean:

GPA:

MCAT Scores:

Learn more about what it takes to get into med school in Canada compared to the US

Medical school admissions in Canada

Contrary to belief, it is challenging to get into medical school in Canada. Overall, med school acceptance rates in Canada are under 20% compared to around 40% in the US. This is because there are comparatively fewer medical schools in Canada, the admissions requirements are quite high and many of the spots in each school’s programs are reserved for in-province applicants. This means that it is a challenge for any applicant to get into medical school in Canada, but it can be especially challenging for out-of-province applicants, international students and students from the US to get in.

Even the most qualified of med school applicants sometimes get rejected from Canadian med schools, so it a necessity to have the strongest application possible, high scores and to stand out from the crowd, since med schools in Canada receive thousands of applications every year. For this reason preparation is essential, and many students use professional help such as a medical school consultant. To help you decide which medical schools to apply to, whether you meet or exceed requirements and how to improve your chances of admission, use the Canada med school chance predictor below!

How to improve your chances of getting into med school

Even if you don’t quite meet admission requirements for the med school you want to apply to, or you meet requirements and want to increase your competitive edge, there is still hope. Getting into med school in Canada is difficult, but not impossible, and there are strategies and tips you can use to better your chances. It’s still possible to get into medical school with a low GPA or a low MCAT score, since there are options for you to boost your academic performance. If your non-academic requirements are lacking, there are plenty of ways to build these up, too.

Minimum medical school GPA requirements in Canada are around 3.0 on the 4.0 GPA scale, but to be considered competitive you’ll need a GPA of 3.8 or above. Similarly, you’ll want to earn an MCAT score above 515 to be considered in the top pool of applicants. Non-academic medical school requirements can be just as rigorous, as you’ll be evaluated on the quality and diversity of your extracurricular activities, how well you do in the medical school interview and your reference letters.

Applying to med school in Canada as a US student? Watch this video to learn about US friendly Canadian med schools.

Next, we’ll look at some ways you can increase your chances of getting accepted to medical school in Canada.

Special admissions pools

Medical schools in Canada reserve a certain number of seats for in-province applicants, but they may also reserve some seats for Canadian Indigenous students and students from select provinces. Memorial medical school in Newfoundland reserves seats for applicants from Prince Edward Island and Nunavut, as well as Indigenous students. The University of Manitoba medical school also has a separate admissions pool for Indigenous applicants, and is considered to have one of the best diversity initiatives in medical schools in North America. These admission pools are often separate from the general admission pool, meaning you have a better chance of getting accepted if you qualify. Keep in mind the application process or requirements may look a bit different, and you’ll need to be certain that you qualify for the alternate admissions program at any of these schools.

If you’re not choosy about where you want to attend medical school, your chances are best at any medical school in your home province. Admissions requirements for most in-province applicants are relaxed, and there are more spots available to you. All of the medical schools in Canada offer a top-tier education and diverse education and professional opportunities, so if you don’t have a strong preference for one, your chances are best at the medical school closest to home.

Prerequisite courses

Many prerequisite courses for medical school are listed on their websites along with recommended or suggested courses for applicants to take. Scoring high grades in all your prerequisite courses will contribute favorably to your GPA but adding a few of the recommended courses won’t hurt either, especially if they can boost your GPA closer to 4.0. If you have a weak grade in any of your prerequisites consider your options for retaking the course. Exceeding the GPA requirements for med schools in Canada can balance out other weak spots in your application, so it’s a good idea to do what you can to keep your GPA very high.

MCAT and CASPer

Some medical schools in Ontario and Quebec are among the list of medical schools that don’t require the MCAT to be admitted, but a strong MCAT score can still add to your chances. While the MCAT is intimidating, you can use professional MCAT prep to help you study for and ace this exam.

For MCAT takers who have a less than competitive score, you can retake the MCAT to improve your shot of getting ahead of the competition.

Similarly, some medical schools in Canada will require applicants to take the CASPer test. CASPer prep and practice CASPer questions are a good way to prepare for this one. Get to know the CASper test question categories and types and practice with each. Your score on CASPer will factor into your application, so its essential to do well.

Reference letters

Medical schools in Canada will ask for up to three reference letters, or medical school recommendation letters, from their applicants. Picking the right referees can make the difference between acceptance and rejection to medical schools, so take the time to decide on your strongest referees amongst your professors, employers, and supervisors. It’s highly recommended to submit at least one reference letter from a physician you’ve shadowed or worked with. Shadowing hours are a big plus on your application, too, so be sure to gain at least one shadowing experience. If you’ve never done so before, learn how to ask to shadow a doctor.

Activities and Extracurriculars

The activities and extracurriculars section of your med school application encompasses a wide variety of items. It includes your hobbies and interests outside of medicine, as well as your shadowing hours for medical school and relevant work experience. You’ve likely already encountered this type of application section when applying to university, but for medical school you’ll want to tailor it specifically to the school you’re applying to. Direct experience in the medical field, shadowing experience or any clinical experiences should all be front and center. Hobbies, volunteerism and work experience which demonstrates leadership, aligns with CanMEDS roles or otherwise demonstrates your diversity and non-academic aptitudes should also be included. For international or US students, showing you have electives and clinical experience can really strengthen your candidacy, especially if you have experience in a Canadian clinical setting and have an understanding of the Canadian health care system. This is a section where you can differentiate yourself from the pool of applicants who, like you, all have high GPAs and MCAT scores. Show the admissions committee who you are and what you’re passionate about.

Admissions interview

If your application is strong enough, you’ll be selected for an admissions interview. Medical school interview prep in Canada is incredibly important as this is the final hurdle to get accepted into medical school in Canada. Some Canadian med schools use the traditional panel interview format or one-on-one interview, but most use the multiple mini interview (MMI) format developed by McMaster University in Canada. To prepare for your MMI interview, mock interviews will be essential. MMI interview coaching can be a useful tool for this. The multiple mini interview will help you close the deal and get accepted, so its arguably the most important part of your entire application. Check out the rest of BeMo’s The Admission Experts blog for more MMI interview tips and sample answers.

Canadian medical school acceptance strategies

For the best chance of getting accepted to a medical school in Canada, you’ll need to bring your best to all of the above application requirements. You’ll need to not just meet but exceed expectations wherever possible to put yourself on top of the list of candidates. Applying to medical school is a lengthy, costly process and getting accepted the first time you apply is challenging, but you can avoid having to reapply by dodging common mistakes, such as the top medical school interview mistakes.

Below we’ll look at some strategies for getting accepted at Canadian medical schools.

Applying to med school in Canada as an international student? Watch this video to learn what you need to know!

Other things to consider about medical school

Getting accepted to medical school in Canada is a huge success, but there are some things to consider making not just your admission to med school successful but your future as a med school student.

Medical school tuition can be a big hurdle to medical school applicants even if they are accepted and might influence their final decision to enroll. Fortunately, Canada has some of the medical schools with the best financial aid programs, and there are many medical school scholarships available to students in Canada.

Another deciding factor for med school applicants may be the available education opportunities at certain medical schools or the possibility of residency training. Again, Canada’s medical schools have some of the best match rates for residency programs, and most offer MD-PhD joint programs at their institutions.

These factors may or may not influence your choice of medical school, but they may determine your success in enrolling in medical school once you’ve been accepted and whether you get accepted to the program that’s right for you.

FAQs

To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

BeMo Academic Consulting 

Disclaimer: Please note that, although the Canada Medical School Chance Predictor has been designed with the utmost attention to detail and accuracy, BeMo Academic Consulting Inc. ("BeMo") cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that might arise during the use of the calculator. Although all steps have been taken to ensure that the calculator is as accurate as possible, students are ultimately responsible for cross-referencing their results with the school’s admissions websites to ensure absolute accuracy. BeMo Academic Consulting Inc. is in no way or shape responsible for any action or inaction taken on the part of students as a result of using the Canada Medical School Chance Predictor. 

Additionally, please note that there are many factors that cannot be assessed in this calculator, such as reference letters, written applications, CASPer (if applicable), interview performance, strengths and weaknesses of other applicants, etc. by each school. Moreover, note that you must check to make sure you have all the required coursework for each school, and if you have any questions, contact the admissions office directly.  

BeMo does not endorse nor affiliate with any universities or college or test administrators and vice versa. Test names and trademarks are the property of the respective trademark holders.

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