List of Medical Schools in Canada : All 19 Schools + Admission Stats

List of Medical Schools in Canada

Canada has 19 medical schools recognized by the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC). These universities offer MD or equivalent medical degrees, but they have different admissions requirements, selection processes, and applicant preferences.

The list includes every school, organized by province, along with its location, minimum academic requirements, MCAT policy, and CASPer requirements.

The information comes from published requirements for the 2027 entry cycle where available. Keep in mind that minimum requirements are eligibility thresholds. You should not read them as competitive applicant averages. GPA scales also vary, especially in Quebec, where schools use academic performance indicators such as the cote R or university-based academic ratings.

For more information about how competitive each program is, including admissions statistics where available, see our guide to medical school acceptance rates in Canada.

British Columbia

University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine

• Location: Vancouver, with distributed MD training sites throughout British Columbia
• Minimum academic average: 75% on 100% scale (85% for Out-of-Province Students) for full file review; 70% baseline application minimum
• MCAT: Required; minimum total score of 496
• CASPer: Not Required
• Important consideration: Applicants must meet the university’s credit and coursework requirements. BC residents receive substantial admissions preference.
• Official admissions requirements: https://mdprogram.med.ubc.ca/admissions/

Simon Fraser University School of Medicine

• Location: Surrey
• Minimum academic requirements: Three academic eligibility options, each with its own requirements. The combined GPA-and-MCAT pathway uses a minimum adjusted GPA of 3.67 on a 4.33 scale and an MCAT total score of 505
• MCAT: Required for the MCAT-only and combined pathways; not required for the GPA-only pathway.
• CASPer: Not Required
• Important consideration: SFU emphasizes community-based primary care, social accountability, and experience relevant to British Columbia.
• Official admissions requirements: https://www.sfu.ca/medicine/admissions/

SFU welcomed its first 48 MD students in August 2026. For their first intake cycle, the university received 1,864 applications and invited 205 applicants to interview. They plan to intake 64 students in August 2027.

The program offers an accelerated 3-year curriculum.

Alberta

University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry

• Location: Edmonton
• Minimum GPA: 3.30 for Alberta residents; 3.50 for non-Alberta applicants, on a 4.0 scale.
• MCAT: Required
• CASPer: Not Required
• Important consideration: For Fall 2027, 85% of available places are reserved for Alberta residents, with a change to 90% announced for Fall 2028.
• Official admissions requirements: https://www.ualberta.ca/en/medicine/programs/md/admissions/index.html

The University of Alberta removed CASPer from its MD admissions requirements effective July 1, 2025.

Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary

• Location: Calgary
• Minimum GPA: 3.20 for Alberta residents; 3.80 for non-Alberta applicants.
• MCAT: Required. Non-Alberta applicants must meet a minimum CARS score of 128; Alberta residents are not subject to that CARS cutoff.
• CASPer: Not Required
• Important consideration: Calgary offers a 3-year MD programme and strongly prioritizes eligible Alberta applicants.
• Official admissions requirements: https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/mdprogram/future-students/admissions

Saskatchewan

University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine

• Location: Saskatoon, with medical education and clinical training opportunities in Regina and other Saskatchewan communities
• Minimum academic average: 80% University Academic Average
• MCAT: Required. For 2027 entry, the minimum is 492 overall, subject to section-score requirements.
• CASPer: Required
• Important considerations: Saskatchewan and rural connectedness, as well as applicant-stream eligibility, influence selection
• Official admissions requirements: https://medicine.usask.ca/admission-to-the-md-program/how-to-apply.php

The school’s assessment includes academic performance, interviews, and non-academic factors. Applicants should also check the Indigenous Studies prerequisite.

Manitoba

University of Manitoba Max Rady College of Medicine

• Location: Winnipeg
• Minimum adjusted GPA: 3.30 on Manitoba’s 4.5-point scale
• MCAT: Required
• CASPer: Required across applicant pools, although its role in selection varies by stream.
• Important considerations: The Manitoba, out-of-province, and Canadian Indigenous applicant pools have different evaluation procedures.
• Official admissions requirements: https://umanitoba.ca/explore/undergraduate-admissions/requirements/medicine

The published enrolment profile for students that entered in 2023 (the Class of 2027) reports a median adjusted GPA of 4.28 and median MCAT of 514.

Ontario

Ontario has seven medical schools, all of which accept applications through the Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS). If you are applying to medical school in Ontario, our OMSAS guide explains how the centralized application works, including academic records, references, application materials, and deadlines.

Applicants should pay particular attention to the province’s residency requirements and each university’s additional eligibility criteria. For a more detailed regional comparison, see our guide to medical schools in Ontario.

Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine (McMaster University)

• Location: Hamilton, with regional campuses in Niagara and Waterloo
• Minimum GPA: 3.00 on the OMSAS scale
• MCAT: Required; only the CARS section is used in the admissions evaluation.
• CASPer: Required
• Important consideration: McMaster offers a 3-year MD programme with an emphasis on self-directed and problem-based learning.
• Official admissions requirements: https://ugme.healthsci.mcmaster.ca/admissions/

McMaster received 5,797 applications for 2026 entry and lists a target class size of 217 for 2027.

Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM)

• Location: Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with distributed clinical training throughout Northern Ontario
• Minimum GPA: 3.00 on a 4.0 scale
• MCAT: Not Required
• CASPer: Not Required
• Important consideration: Selection emphasizes Northern Ontario, rural and remote communities, and the school’s social accountability mandate.
• Official admissions requirements: https://www.nosm.ca/nosm-university-admissions-learner-recruitment/ume-program-md-degree-admissions/application-information-requirements/

University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine

• Location: Ottawa
• Minimum CGPA: 3.5 on the OMSAS scale, calculated using the school’s specified academic-year rules.
• MCAT: Not Required
• CASPer: Not listed for the standard 2027-entry selection process; an early-phase MMI assessment is used instead.
• Important consideration: Applicants must meet specific prerequisite-course and geographical eligibility requirements.
• Official admissions requirements: https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-medicine/undergraduate-medical-education/application-process

The university offers English and French medical education streams.

Queen's University Faculty of Health Sciences

• Location: Kingston
• Minimum GPA: 3.00 on the OMSAS scale
• MCAT: Required; for 2027 entry, the minimum is 500 overall and 125 in each section
• CASPer: Required
• Important consideration: Queen’s uses a qualified-applicant randomization process for applicants who satisfy its published screening requirements, including required assessments.
• Official admissions requirements: https://meds.queensu.ca/academics/undergraduate/admissions

Queen’s reports 5,235 applicants for 2026 and a target class size of 145 for 2027. They also operate distinct admissions pathways, which applicants should assess separately.

Toronto Metropolitan University School of Medicine

• Location: Brampton
• Minimum GPA: 3.50 on the OMSAS scale
• MCAT: Not Required
• CASPer: Not Required
• Important consideration: TMU emphasizes community engagement, primary care, social accountability, and dedicated admissions pathways.
• Official admissions requirements: https://www.torontomu.ca/school-of-medicine/programs/md/md-admissions/how-to-apply/

TMU welcomed its inaugural class in 2025. For 2026, it received 6,015 applications; its 2027 target class size is 94.

University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine

• Location: Toronto and Mississauga
• Minimum GPA: 3.60 on the OMSAS scale
• MCAT: Required, with section-specific minimums
• CASPer: Not Required
• Important consideration: They assess academic achievement alongside essays, the autobiographical sketch, references, and interviews.
• Official admissions requirements: https://applymd.utoronto.ca/how-apply

Toronto reports 4,871 applications for 2026 entry and a target class size of 289 for 2027. Applicants must also satisfy specific university-level coursework requirements.

Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Western University)

• Location: London and Windsor
• Minimum GPA: 3.70 in each of two qualifying undergraduate years, subject to the school’s course-load and progression rules.
• MCAT: Required; section thresholds and pathway adjustments apply.
• CASPer: Not Required
• Important consideration: Western evaluates applicants’ experiences and attributes through its autobiographical sketch and interviews.
• Official admissions requirements: https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/med-dent-admissions/medicine/

Western reports 3,815 applicants for 2026 and a target class size of 187 for 2027.

Quebec

McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

• Location: Montreal, with a French-language clinical education campus in the Outaouais region.
• GPA: Applicant-category-specific. For 2027, a degree GPA of 3.50 or higher is considered competitive for Quebec university applicants, with lower figures considered in exceptional circumstances.
• MCAT: Not Required for any applicant category.
• CASPer: Required
• Important consideration: McGill offers an MDCM degree and has distinct Quebec, Canadian out-of-province, and international applicant categories.
• Official admissions requirements: https://www.mcgill.ca/medadmissions/applying/application-process

For Fall 2027, McGill anticipates up to five places in the Canadian out-of-province category and one international place. Applicants must also review French-language proficiency requirements relevant to clinical training.

Université de Montréal Faculté de Médecine

• Location: Montreal, with additional medical education sites.
• Academic requirements: Depend on applicant category and programme pathway; R-score and other academic ratings are used instead of one universal GPA cutoff.
• MCAT: Not Required
• CASPer: Required
• Important consideration: French-language proficiency and applicant-category eligibility are central to admission.
• Official admissions requirements: https://medecine.umontreal.ca/etudes/etudes-en-medecine/doctorat-en-medecine/admission/

For most regular applicant categories, Université de Montréal requires a minimum academic performance rating of 33.000 during initial selection. This refers to the Quebec college performance rating (CRC, or R-score) or the university admission rating (CRA), depending on the applicant's educational background. These ratings are not equivalent to a GPA on a 4.0 scale. Different thresholds may apply to certain admission pathways, and meeting the minimum does not guarantee admission.

Université Laval Faculté de Médecine

• Location: Quebec City, with regional medical education opportunities.
• Academic requirements: Category-specific, based on recognized academic qualifications and performance ratings.
• MCAT: Not Required
• CASPer: Required, subject to applicable programme and applicant-category rules.
• Important consideration: The programme is taught in French and has specific requirements for different admission categories.
• Official admissions requirements: https://www.fmed.ulaval.ca/etudes/doctorat-en-medecine/

The university publishes separate CASPer dates and admissions procedures for university-level and CEGEP applicants. Applicants should use the requirements for their own category rather than treating one published R-score as a universal threshold.

Université de Sherbrooke Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé

• Location: Sherbrooke, with additional distributed training sites in Quebec and New Brunswick.
• Academic requirements: Vary by applicant group, with college and university performance assessed through different academic ratings.
• MCAT: Not Required
• CASPer: Required for most applicant categories, with specified exceptions.
• Important consideration: French proficiency, programme-site preferences, and applicant category are important.
• Official admissions requirements: https://www.usherbrooke.ca/etudes-medecine/programmes-detudes/doctorat-en-medecine/admission/

For 2027 entry, Sherbrooke has updated several selection procedures, including the weighting assigned to multiple mini-interviews for applicable groups.

Nova Scotia

Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine

• Location: Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia, and Saint John, New Brunswick, with additional clinical training sites throughout the Maritime provinces.
• Minimum GPA: 3.30 for eligible Maritime applicants, with applicant-category-specific rules.
• MCAT: Required
• CASPer: Required
• Important consideration: Dalhousie places particular emphasis on Maritime residency and eligible applicant pathways.
• Official admissions requirements: https://medicine.dal.ca/departments/core-units/admissions.html

For the current admission arrangements, the six general out-of-province positions at the Halifax campus are no longer available through the regular general pool. Those positions are limited to designated Indigenous and Black learner admissions pathways. Applicants from outside the Maritimes must therefore examine eligibility carefully before applying.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty of Medicine

• Location: St. John’s, with a regional campus at the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown.
• GPA: No single published minimum that applies uniformly to every applicant category.
• MCAT: Required
• CASPer: Required
• Important consideration: Admission is strongly influenced by applicant residency category and the programme’s regional responsibilities.
• Official admissions requirements: https://www.mun.ca/medicine/admissions/

 Memorial's regional campus at UPEI began teaching its first cohort in August 2025. It currently offers 20 places annually for qualifying PEI residents or eligible Indigenous applicants. These students complete Memorial University's MD programme; the regional campus is not counted as a separate, independent Canadian medical school.

What the Admissions Statistics Tell Us

Some schools publish detailed applicant and class statistics, while others release only selected figures. The following Ontario figures are useful examples of the level of competition, although they must not be interpreted as acceptance rates.

Source: OUAC/OMSAS 2027 Program Requirements Overview. Applicants are reported for 2026; target places are for 2027. The Ottawa target excludes its French-language stream. The source does not permit calculation of a comparable schoolwide acceptance rate from these two columns.

Want more detailed historical comparisons? Consult our Canadian medical school acceptance rates guide.

New Medical Schools and Regional Campuses in Canada

Canada's medical-school landscape has changed in recent years. Toronto Metropolitan University began admitting students in 2025, and Simon Fraser University followed in 2026. Both schools are included in the national count of 19 faculties, but their accreditation status differs from that of longer-established medical schools.

The Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) currently lists 17 programmes in its accredited category and two newer programmes—TMU and SFU—with preliminary accreditation. Preliminary accreditation is a recognized accreditation status, but it is not equivalent to the status of an established programme that has completed the full accreditation process. The accredited category includes McGill, which CACMS currently identifies as accredited with probation.

What About York University and UPEI?

York University is developing a new medical school in Ontario, with its first MD class planned for 2028, subject to the necessary accreditation approvals. The programme currently holds candidate status and is therefore not included among Canada's 19 recognized medical schools. For the latest developments, see our guide to the York University School of Medicine, including its proposed curriculum, admissions plans, and accreditation progress.

The University of Prince Edward Island appears separately with applicant status as it pursues an independent medical programme. Meanwhile, the operating MD campus in Charlottetown remains part of Memorial University's Faculty of Medicine. Its students are admitted through Memorial, so this campus does not create a 20th independent school.

How to Compare Canadian Medical Schools

The admissions requirements above provide a starting point, but a strong application strategy requires more than checking whether your GPA meets a school's minimum. Your goal should be to compare your profile to the average accepted profile so you can get a sense of how competitive you would be. Compare your GPA and MCAT scores, residency status, and other specific factors. Also be sure to compare the experiences you have had with the school’s mission and values to see how well you fit with their culture.

Compare Your GPA and Academic Eligibility

Different schools have different ways of calculating academic performance. A 3.7 GPA might satisfy Western's published minimum, but Western requires that level of performance in two qualifying undergraduate years. McMaster, by contrast, uses a different GPA calculation and has a minimum of 3.0. Most importantly, the minimum does not tell you what GPA will make you competitive. Whenever possible, compare your GPA with the average accepted GPAs so that you are comparing yourself with applicants the school has actually accepted. That will give you a more accurate understanding of your competitiveness.

Quebec programmes may use R-scores and other academic performance ratings rather than the same GPA scales used elsewhere in Canada. SFU is another example of why applicants need to examine the underlying requirements: its three academic pathways allow candidates to qualify using GPA, MCAT, or a combination, but each route has its own thresholds for eligibility.

Prerequisite courses require similar attention. Some Canadian schools have specific science or humanities requirements, while others have considerably more flexibility.

Our MD expert Dr. Jaime Cazes advises applicants to confirm course eligibility rather than assuming that a course with a familiar title satisfies a prerequisite:

“Check EACH school’s requirements and see if you have courses or pre-reqs that fill those. You should regularly touch base with admissions at each school to verify that a course you are completing actually fills a pre-req before you do it.” - Dr. Jaime Cazes, MD, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine

Compare MCAT and CASPer Requirements

Canadian medical schools differ substantially in how they use admissions tests.

McMaster considers the MCAT's CARS section rather than all four sections for selection. Calgary applies a CARS cutoff to out-of-province applicants. Schools such as Ottawa and NOSM do not require the MCAT, while SFU makes the test part of two academic qualification pathways but not the GPA-only route. If your target schools require the exam, preparing for the MCAT starts with understanding their score requirements.

CASPer requirements also vary. McMaster and Queen's require it, whereas the University of Alberta discontinued the requirement in 2025. Applicants who need to take the assessment can use CASPer sample questions to become familiar with the test.

Applicants to the University of Ottawa's 2027-entry programme complete an early-phase multiple mini-interview (MMI) assessment through Acuity Insights rather than CASPer.

Even when two schools use the same assessment, they may assign it different roles in screening or selection.

Check Provincial Residency, Language, and Applicant Streams

Ontario's medical schools have a provincial requirement reserving at least 95% of annual admissions for Ontario residents. Some schools may also have geographical priorities of their own. The University of Ottawa, for example, reserves approximately 70% of its places for eligible regional candidates.

Other schools emphasize provincial or regional relationships through their admissions policies. Dalhousie prioritizes the Maritimes, UBC gives significant preference to BC residents, and NOSM considers an applicant's connections to Northern, rural, and remote communities.

Applicants should also examine designated admission pathways, where applicable. Indigenous, Black, rural, military, and other pathways may have distinct eligibility criteria, required documentation, or selection procedures. Eligibility for a pathway means that you are eligible to apply; it does not guarantee that you will be a competitive candidate.

For international applicants, available options are much more limited. Our guide to Canadian medical schools that accept US students examines the relevant schools and restrictions in greater detail.

Compare More Than Acceptance Rates

A school with a relatively high published acceptance rate is not necessarily more accessible to you. Its acceptance percentage might be due to a restricted applicant pool, strong provincial preferences, a particular definition of admission, or other reasons.

Compare several factors together:

The strongest school list includes programmes where you are eligible, academically competitive, and genuinely interested in the education and training they provide.

How to Choose a Medical School in Canada

Admissions statistics are useful, but they should not determine your entire school list. You will spend three or four demanding years in medical school, often away from familiar surroundings, and the programme you select will influence your education, professional opportunities, and daily life.

Dr. Jaime Cazes, a graduate of the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine, explains why location came first in his own decision-making:

“The first thing I looked for in a medical school was location...to be quite honest, school acceptance rates did not impact my choice of where to apply. In Canada, there are so few medical schools that it really is just a numbers game to some extent. [You should] apply broadly [as applying selectively] only hinders you.” - Dr. Jaime Cazes, MD, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine

Applying broadly can make sense, but there are practical limits. Applicants should concentrate on schools where they satisfy eligibility requirements, have a viable academic profile, and would genuinely consider accepting an offer.

Consider the Curriculum and Learning Environment

Canadian medical schools are not interchangeable. McMaster and Calgary offer accelerated three-year programmes, and SFU has introduced its own three-year model. Most other Canadian MD programmes take four years.

Teaching methods differ as well. Some programmes place particular emphasis on problem-based learning, others on research, community engagement, or distributed clinical training. The right choice depends partly on how you learn and the kind of medical education you want.

Dr. Cazes also considered the educational environment:

“Ultimately, you are going to be investing significant amounts of money, time, and energy into this program. You want to make sure that it is best suited to how you learn”.- Dr. Jaime Cazes, MD, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine

Applicants interested in particular specialties, research areas, or patient populations should investigate the opportunities offered at each school. The programme's location, affiliated hospitals, clinical placements, and student support services are all worth considering.

Consider the Community and Your Life Outside Medicine

Medical school places substantial demands on students. Access to family and friends, housing costs, transportation, climate, and opportunities outside the classroom can affect your experience.

Distributed programmes deserve particular attention. A university may admit students through one medical school while assigning them to different campuses or training communities. Applicants should find out when and how these placements are determined.

Lastly, Dr. Cazes recounts that he “wanted to see if the school would support and foster my extracurricular activities and hobbies,” so he also explored the various student clubs, research opportunities, and postgraduate match rates the school offered.

A well-researched school list also gives you a stronger basis for responding to admissions questions about your educational interests, experiences, and reasons for choosing a programme.

For an overview of the considerations involved in preparing for Canadian medical-school admissions, see our video on getting into medical school in Canada.

How to Apply to Medical Schools in Canada

Once you have selected the schools that interest you, the next step is to understand their application systems and timelines. Canadian medical schools do not all use the same admissions portal, and submitting one application does not automatically apply you to every school in the country.

Applying Through OMSAS

All seven Ontario medical schools use the Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS). Applicants can select multiple Ontario schools within the same application, but each university retains its own eligibility requirements, supporting documents, selection criteria, and interview process.

A typical OMSAS application involves entering academic information and experiences, arranging transcripts, completing the autobiographical sketch, obtaining references, and providing any required MCAT scores. Certain schools also require additional essays, assessments, or pathway documentation.

For fall 2027 entry, the OMSAS application deadline was October 1, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Applicants were also required to arrange the submission of supporting materials by the applicable deadlines. The next application cycle will have its own published dates.

Our complete guide to OMSAS explains how the centralized application works and what applicants need to prepare.

Applying Outside Ontario

Medical schools outside Ontario use institution-specific admissions systems, with separate requirements and deadlines. Applicants considering several provinces may therefore need to prepare multiple applications.

Before submitting, confirm each school's eligibility rules, academic calculation method, testing requirements, documents, and selection pathway. In particular, note the distinctions between:

• Standard and designated applicant pathways: Some schools require additional materials for Indigenous, rural, regional, military, or other applicant categories.
• Academic and testing deadlines: MCAT scores, CASPer results, transcripts, and other assessments may have deadlines that differ from the main application deadline.
• Campus and programme preferences: Distributed programmes may ask applicants to indicate preferred sites or determine placements through a separate process.

For applicants interested in Quebec, language of instruction and applicant category can be just as important as grades. A school may have separate routes for CEGEP applicants, university graduates, Canadians from other provinces, and international applicants.

Preparing a Strong Application

Once you have established eligibility, your application should give admissions committees a clear picture of your experiences, judgment, motivation, and suitability for their programme.

Admissions essays and autobiographical statements benefit from concrete examples that show what you learned and how you contributed. Reference letters are most valuable when referees know your work well enough to describe specific qualities and accomplishments.

Interview preparation should reflect the actual format used by your target schools. Multiple mini-interviews, traditional interviews, and asynchronous assessments test overlapping skills but require different forms of practice.

A coordinated preparation plan can help applicants manage these differences without submitting the same generic materials to every university.

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Disclaimer: Although we have made every effort to provide the most accurate information, admissions information changes frequently. Therefore, we encourage you to verify these details with the official university admissions office. You are responsible for your own results. BeMo does not endorse nor affiliate with any official universities, colleges, or test administrators and vice versa. If you see an error here, please notify us with the updated information, and we’ll send you a FREE copy of a BeMo ebook of your choosing! You can receive our Ultimate Guide to Med School Admissions, our Ultimate Guide to MMI Prep, our Ultimate Guide to Medical School Personal Statements & Secondary Essays, or our Ultimate Guide to CASPer Prep! Please email us at [email protected] with any corrections, and we’ll arrange to send you your free ebook upon confirming the information.