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

List of Medical Schools in Canada

There are 19 medical schools in Canada. Below is the most up-to-date and complete list of all currently active MD programs, including newly established and recently launched schools.

Use this list to quickly compare GPA requirements, MCAT policies, CASPer requirements, and acceptance rates across Canadian medical schools.

University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry

• Minimum GPA: 3.3 (3.5 for Out-of-Province Students)
• MCAT Required: Yes
• CASPer Required: Yes
• Acceptance Rate: 10.3%

Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary

• Minimum GPA: 3.2 (3.8 for Out-of-Province Students)
• MCAT Required: Yes
• CASPer Required: No
• Acceptance Rate: 12.3%

University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine

• Minimum GPA: 75% on 100% scale (85% for Out-of-Province Students)
• MCAT Required: Yes
• CASPer Required: No
• Acceptance Rate: 13.6%

University of Manitoba Max Rady College of Medicine

• Minimum GPA: 3.3 on 4.5 scale
• MCAT Required: Yes
• CASPer Required: Yes
• Acceptance Rate: 14.7%

Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty of Medicine

• Minimum GPA: No minimum (3.5 average)
• MCAT Required: Yes
• CASPer Required: Yes
• Acceptance Rate: 17.1%
• Regional campus at UPEI (20 seats reserved for PEI residents; accredited through Memorial University)

Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine

• Minimum GPA: 3.3
• MCAT Required: Yes
• CASPer Required: Yes
• Acceptance Rate: 9.7%

Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine (McMaster University)

• Minimum GPA: 3.0 on OMSAS scale
• MCAT Required: Yes
• CASPer Required: Yes
• Acceptance Rate: 6.4%

Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM)

• Minimum GPA: 3.0
• MCAT Required: No
• CASPer Required: No
• Acceptance Rate: Not reported

University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine

• Minimum GPA: 3.5 on OMSAS scale
• MCAT Required: No
• CASPer Required: No
• Acceptance Rate: Not reported

Queen's University Faculty of Health Sciences

• Minimum GPA: 3.0
• MCAT Required: Yes
• CASPer Required: Yes
• Acceptance Rate: 4.8%

University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine

• Minimum GPA: 3.6 on OMSAS scale
• MCAT Required: Yes
• CASPer Required: No
• Acceptance Rate: Not reported

Toronto Metropolitan University School of Medicine

• First cohort admitted for the 2025-2026 academic year
• Minimum GPA: 3.5 on OMSAS scale
• MCAT Required: No
• CASPer Required: No
• Acceptance Rate: No data yet

Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry (Western University)

• Minimum GPA: 3.7
• MCAT Required: Yes
• CASPer Required: No
• Acceptance Rate: Not reported

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

• Minimum GPA: N/A
• MCAT Required: No
• CASPer Required: Yes
• Acceptance Rate: 18.5%

Université de Montréal Faculté de Médecine

• Minimum GPA: N/A
• MCAT Required: No
• CASPer Required: Yes
• Acceptance Rate: 23%

Université Laval Faculté de Médecine

• Minimum GPA: 33 R-score
• MCAT Required: No
• CASPer Required: Yes
• Acceptance Rate: 22.7%

McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

• Minimum GPA: 3.5
• MCAT Required: No
• CASPer Required: Yes
• Acceptance Rate: 11.9%

University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine

• Minimum GPA: 80% university academic average
• MCAT Required: Yes
• CASPer Required: Yes
• Acceptance Rate: 14.2%

Simon Fraser University School of Medicine

• First cohort begins August 2026 (applications currently open)
• Minimum GPA: 3.67 on 4.33 scale (other options available)
• MCAT Required: Yes (other options available)
• CASPer Required: No
• Acceptance Rate: No data yet

Admissions data is based on publicly available university information and updated annually.

Check out our Canada Medical School Chance Predictor to see where you have the best chances of acceptance!

How to Choose a Medical School in Canada According to a Canadian MD

“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

Medical school acceptance rates in Canada are generally around or below 15%, so Canadian med schools are highly selective and competitive. However, you can use the admission statistics above to carefully evaluate where you might be an ideal candidate and therefore have a greater chance of success getting into medical school. However, in our experience, medical school acceptance rates are not how most Canadian MDs choose their program.

In addition to location, which Dr. Cazes views as essential for both quality of life and access to academic, professional, and personal support, he also evaluated each program’s academic rigor and teaching methodology:

“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

Medical school acceptance rates in Canada are typically under 15%

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. After he did his research, Dr. Cazes found that knowing more about student life at the school gave him the opportunity to “talk about these passions during [his] medical school interviews.”

If you plan to apply to medical school in Canada, you’ll need to be selective in choosing your schools. When deciding which medical schools in Canada you’d like to apply to, consider the following criteria:

Want to get into medical school in Canada? Watch this video!

How to Get into Medical Schools in Canada

Getting into medical schools in Canada is highly competitive, so your strategy should focus on meeting each school’s academic thresholds while building a strong overall application. Use the list above to identify where your GPA, MCAT score, and experiences are most competitive, then tailor your application accordingly.

1. Complete All Prerequisite Courses

Not all Canadian medical schools have the same prerequisite requirements, so it’s essential to check each program individually. Some schools require specific coursework in sciences or humanities, while others are more flexible.

As our MD expert Dr. Jaime Cazes advises:

“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

You can review detailed medical school prerequisites and requirements for each program before finalizing your list.

2. Maintain a Competitive GPA

GPA is one of the most important factors in Canadian medical school admissions. While minimum thresholds exist, most accepted students have significantly higher GPAs.

Because GPA evaluation varies by school, you should always compare your academic performance against the averages listed above and prioritize schools where you are most competitive.

Learn more about medical school GPA requirements and how they are calculated.

Check out our OMSAS GPA Calculator to assess your GPA!

3. Prepare for the MCAT

Many Canadian medical schools require the MCAT, though some place more emphasis on specific sections (for instance, McMaster only considers the CARS section), while others do not require the exam at all.

Your goal should be to meet or exceed each school’s minimum thresholds rather than relying on an exceptionally high score alone.

If you are preparing for the exam, review our guide on how to study for the MCAT to improve your results.

4. Build Strong Activities and Experiences

In addition to academics, medical schools evaluate your extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and professional experiences. For instance, some Ontario medical schools that use the OMSAS application require the inclusion of the OMSAS autobiographical sketch. Having a solid list of experiences will help to write an impressive sketch. Focus on long-term, meaningful involvement rather than short-term or superficial activities.

Admissions committees look for applicants who demonstrate commitment, reflection, and genuine interest in medicine.

5. Write Top-Notch Admission Essays 

Most Canadian medical schools require short, targeted essays rather than a single long personal statement. For instance, the University of Toronto requires responses to two Brief Personal Essay prompts. These responses should be concise and specific, and they should directly answer each prompt.

Strong essays often use real experiences and clear examples to demonstrate motivation, character, and fit.

6. Score High on Your CASPer

Many Canadian medical schools require the CASPer test as part of their screening process. While it is not the sole deciding factor, strong performance can influence interview decisions.

Practicing sample questions and reviewing CASPer prep strategies can help you improve your performance.

7. Ask for Strong Reference Letters

Most applications require medical school recommendation letters from academic or professional contacts. Choose referees who know you well and can provide specific, detailed examples of your strengths and character. Here's what our MD expert Dr. Neel Mistry had to say about writing recommendation letters for premeds who volunteer at his hospital:

"I would prefer to be approached in a polite and friendly manner. The student should highlight why I would make a good referee and provide tangible examples where they went above and beyond in patient care that would warrant a letter of recommendation (LOR)." - Dr. Neel Mistry, MD

8. Perform Well in Your Medical School Interviews

If invited, the interview is your final opportunity to demonstrate your communication skills, judgment, and fit for the program. Formats may include traditional interviews or MMIs, depending on the school.

Preparing with realistic practice questions and structured responses is key to performing well. Be sure to check which format the schools you are applying to use (traditional, MMI, or others).

Here's a recap of the requirements for medical schools in Canada:

2 Quick Tips for Increasing Your Acceptance Chances at Medical Schools in Canada

With so much information to consider, you must be wondering how to make your medical school application stand out and what you can do in your interview to leave the admissions committee with no question as to your candidacy. So here are our expert tips on how to increase your chances of acceptance to medical schools in Canada.

#1 Consider Location and School Preferences

Many medical schools in Canada give preference to certain groups of people based on provincial borders, locations, residency status, language, and so on. You must carefully plan where you have the most chance based not only on your academic and non-academic achievements, but also on your location, residency status, language, and so on. To stand out in your application and to have a greater chance of getting that interview invite, you must show the schools you are applying to that you are from a candidate group they prefer.

For example, if you are applying to NOSM and you cannot show any connection to rural or remote areas, if you have never even visited the Canadian north, and if you are not Francophone, then you will have very little chance of acceptance, even if you have amazing grades and impressive experiences.

If we look at the Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine, you will see how important it is for the admissions committee to see that you have genuine commitment and connection to the Canadian Maritimes. Your application essays must demonstrate that you understand the location and the culture you will be studying and working in, so keep this in mind if you choose to apply to Dalhousie. Can you demonstrate a real connection to Nova Scotia? Or maybe another Canadian Maritime province, such as New Brunswick or Prince Edward Island? If not, you might not have the best chance of getting accepted.

If you are applying to any of the schools in Quebec or the French language admissions stream at select medical schools in Ontario, you will need to demonstrate proficiency in the French language. As part of the admissions requirements, you may be asked to submit a French language test or proof of bilingualism.

If you are interested in applying from the US, see our guide to Canadian medical schools that accept US students.

#2 Explore Alternative Admission Streams at Canadian Med Schools

Indigenous applicants to Canadian medical schools have the option of applying through separate applicant pools in the Indigenous applicant admission stream. Of course, this stream has separate admission requirements including, but not limited to, submitting a medical school personal statement, letters of reference, proof of Indigenous status in Canada, and more. Many medical schools reserve seats specifically for Indigenous students and other underrepresented populations, so this can significantly sway the chances of acceptance in your favor if you meet the requirements.

Black and Indigenous applicants to Canadian medical schools can also apply through special programs, such as the Queen’s Accelerated Route to Medical School (QuARMS) program. This is specifically designed to allow Black and Indigenous applicants a pathway to medical school. Other MD programs in Canada have diversity initiatives to encourage underrepresented applicants to apply. The Max Rady College of Medicine, for instance, has one of the best diversity initiatives in medical schools in Canada.

If you are a member of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and are interested in becoming a military doctor, medical schools in Canada have MD programs specifically designed for military doctor education and even reserve seats for CAF members.

How to Apply to Medical Schools in Canada

Medical schools in every province, except Ontario, utilize school-specific application services, making it crucial to double- and triple-check the medical school application timelines and requirements for the schools to which you’re applying.

Medical schools in Ontario utilize the centralized Ontario Medical School Application System (OMSAS) system, which makes applying to the six medical programs in the province somewhat easier. OMSAS is the medical school-specific arm of the Ontario University Application Centre (OUAC), so if you’ve already applied to undergraduate schools in Ontario prior to medical school, you’ll have some familiarity with the overall structure and interface OMSAS uses. Understandably though, OMSAS features a slew of unique application dimensions, featured in the infographic below.

Looking for more info on OMSAS? Check out our infographic below:

BeMo Medical School Admissions Consulting Reviews

Applying to medical schools in Canada? We've helped thousands of students get accepted! Check out some BeMo reviews from past students:

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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.