Medical School Acceptance Rates in Canada

Medical School Acceptance Rates in Canada

Below is a comparison of acceptance rates and average admission statistics of the current entering classes at Canadian medical schools based on publicly available information from AFMC and official Canadian medical school admissions pages. Requirements and averages may change between admission cycles.

Applicants looking for a broader overview can also review our complete list of medical schools in Canada before building their school list.

Canadian medical schools report GPA statistics differently depending on the institution and may use GPA scales, percentages, adjusted GPAs, or weighted academic averages. Section-specific MCAT thresholds may also depend on the institution.

Picking the Right Medical Schools: In-Province vs Out-of-Province

Many applicants assume that Canadian medical schools focus primarily on academics. While academics remain extremely important, as reflected by the average GPA and MCAT scores in the table above, strong applicants with stellar academics can still face med school rejection from Canadian universities. Residency status is another major factor affecting admissions competitiveness. 

The number of seats available for medical schools in Canada is determined by provincial governments based on healthcare needs, educational resources, and physician workforce planning. Because many provinces continue to face physician shortages, most medical schools prioritize applicants who want to study, train, and practice in their home provinces.

Your residency status, i.e., being an in-province (IP) or out-of-province (OOP) applicant, is therefore a crucial factor that admission committees will consider. Applying to a medical school in your home province can improve your chances of admission. The provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta are the only ones in the country with several universities that offer medical programs, giving residents of those provinces a few more options for applying to medical school.

Important Canadian medical school admissions considerations:

Additionally, if you are going to be an out-of-province applicant, then it is important to understand the admission statistics of the province that you have in mind. Out-of-province applicants may face lower acceptance rates when applying to medical schools in Quebec, while prairie provinces also heavily favor in-province applicants. As a result, schools like the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine can be quite competitive for non-Saskatchewan applicants.

How Acceptance Rates Should Shape Your Medical School Application Strategy

Even for in-province applicants, medical school acceptance rates in Canada remain extremely competitive. Schools like McGill and the University of British Columbia (UBC) receive thousands of applications for a limited number of seats each year, so many well-qualified applicants are rejected despite strong GPAs and MCAT scores.

Acceptance rates also don’t tell the full story because Canadian medical schools evaluate applicants differently based on additional factors, for instance, residency status. For this reason, if you want to get admission to a medical school in Canada, you’ll need to research each of these factors as well as the program's mission statement and initiatives, and maybe determine which of the easiest medical schools to get into would fit your profile.

“From a Canadian perspective, acceptance rates alone should not determine where you apply. Because there are relatively few medical schools in Canada, applicants often improve their chances by applying broadly to programs where they meet the eligibility criteria. I have also seen applicants with perfect GPAs and MCAT scores get rejected, while others with lower statistics are accepted, which shows there is no simple formula for admission.” — Dr. Neel Mistry, MD, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine

Competitive GPA and MCAT scores remain important at most Canadian medical schools, especially because programs often use academic cutoffs during their admissions process. Meeting the minimum requirements is rarely enough

To stand out, your GPA and MCAT must exceed the school’s expectations. Medical schools use these academic parameters to assess your intellectual ability and readiness for medical school. You need to remember that most medical schools in Canada have a cut-off for GPAs and MCAT scores, which means that the other applicants that you are competing against have also met this minimum requirement. If you want the admissions committee to pay attention to you, you need to go above and beyond with your academics and MCAT prep. If you are building a broader school list, you can also review med schools that don't require the MCAT.

“Because there are relatively few medical schools in Canada, admissions can feel like a numbers game, especially as competitive GPAs continue to rise. While GPA often carries more weight over time, MCAT scores usually function more as a cutoff unless applicants score exceptionally well. Admissions policies also vary significantly between schools, particularly when it comes to GPA calculations and MCAT requirements.” — Dr. Jaime Cazes, MD, former University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine admissions officer

To ensure that your GPA is as competitive as possible, pay attention to your cumulative GPA during your undergrad and use high-yield study techniques. It is also imperative that you give yourself enough time to study for the MCAT. We recommend that you verify the current MCAT test dates and release dates to determine when you should take the MCAT and create an MCAT study schedule at least six months ahead of your chosen test day. To maximize your chances of getting into med schools in Canada, consider investing in medical school admissions help.

This video explains key MCAT preparation considerations:

Exceeding minimum GPA and MCAT requirements is one part of building a competitive application. Applicants must also consider how non-academic assessments, interview performance, and school selection may affect their overall competitiveness to improve their chances of getting admitted to a medical school in Canada.

CASPer Performance and Competitiveness

CASPer is an online situational judgment test that has become an important admissions factor for many Canadian programs, including McMaster and Memorial medical schools. As part of the multi-level assessment called Altus Insights, the test is tailored to assess applicants' soft skills, including professionalism, communication, ethics, and interpersonal judgment.

Several medical schools that require CASPer use the exam alongside academic and non-academic metrics, when selecting which applicants to invite for interviews. Some schools place greater emphasis on CASPer performance or apply minimum score thresholds, while others use it as one factor within a broader admissions review. Certain programs may also give additional consideration to applicants with exceptionally high CASPer scores. 

“Brushing up on the basics and principles of medical ethics is a great way to prepare for MMI/CASPer ethics stations. There is a great book by Dr. Philip C. Hebert called “Doing Right” that was fantastic for reviewing medical cases and ethics. One tip of advice is that you should try to see each situation from all sides. Most ethical questions do not just have one right answer and one 'right' side. Try to show that you are considering each situation from all sides.” – Dr. Jaime Cazes, MD.

While the CASPer evaluates non-academic traits, applicants should still prepare by familiarizing themselves with its format and question styles before their test day. For applicants applying to Canadian medical schools that require CASPer, our guides on how to prepare for CASPer and CASPer test questions explain what to expect on the exam. Applicants seeking more structured support may also benefit from a CASPer prep program before the admissions cycle begins.

Understanding the CanMEDS Framework

Although medical school applicants are not expected to demonstrate every CanMEDS role before admission, Canadian medical schools are still looking for experiences that reflect qualities such as leadership, communication, professionalism, advocacy, and scholarship. Activities included in your medical school resume or OMSAS Autobiographical Sketch (for Ontario applicants) must reflect a solid understanding of these competencies through research, volunteering, clinical exposure, and other long-term commitments.

Not sure what the seven CanMEDS roles are? Check out this infographic:

Experiences such as virtual shadowing or clinical research opportunities for premedical students build exposure to the medical field while also strengthening competencies associated with the CanMEDS framework, particularly scholarship and professional development.

Choosing the Right Referees

Medical schools in Canada often require applicants to submit medical school recommendation letters, although requirements vary by program. Some institutions request strictly academic references, while others may want two academic references and one personal reference or vice versa. Requests for required letters of recommendation also differ by admissions stage. The University of Manitoba Max Rady College of Medicine, for instance, only requests references from applicants invited to interview.

Whether you’ve received a submission request or not, secure your referees as early as possible. Contacting your referees well before the application deadlines gives them time to write meaningfully about their academic ability, professionalism, and interpersonal skills. Early outreach also leaves room to adjust if a referee becomes unavailable or is unable to provide a strong reference. Applicants who are unsure how to select the best referees and ask for reference letters for their med school applications can review our in-depth guide before requesting letters.

Below are a few general guidelines to keep in mind when requesting references:

Language Proficiency and Competitiveness

Fluency in English is required by most Canadian medical schools, but some programs in Quebec also require applicants to be proficient in French for clinical training and patient communication. Bilingualism may be advantageous in schools serving Francophone communities or in bilingual clinical environments, such as those in Ontario and New Brunswick. Even if you plan on studying in English, being bilingual or multilingual will help you stand out from the crowded pool of applicants, especially at programs that value communication in diverse clinical settings.

Interview Performance

Canadian medical schools may use several interview formats, including traditional panel interviews, MMI, and virtual interviews. Regardless of the format, you must prepare for medical school interviews, as they are an important step in the admissions process. 

Information about the interviewing format is available on most schools' websites, so make sure you verify this information while preparing your medical school application, allowing you to prepare for your interviews well in advance.  Many students find that medical school interview prep is invaluable at this stage of their admissions process:

"There's just so much advice coming around and so many resources of what you can do and just hundreds and hundreds of pages of scenarios to go through ... I'd only had a couple months really to practice [and] at the interview stage I really wanted, I knew I needed some extra support and help." – Sherry, former BeMo student

Interviews are often your chance to show the admissions committee that you are the same strong candidate they liked on paper and convince them that you have the soft skills and aptitude needed to succeed in medical school and as a physician. The school’s admissions committee will be asking questions to assess communication skills and professionalism during the interview, so it helps to practice medical school interview questions ahead of time.

Reviewing common medical school interview questions, learning how to structure your answers, and participating in mock medical school interviews in advance can help you become comfortable with different interview formats and communication expectations. If you want personalized feedback, you may consider working with a medical school admissions tutor, as they can provide guidance, tips, and interview answering strategies to boost your performance. 

Not sure how to prepare for your medical school interviews? This video can help:

Conclusion 

Getting into medical school in Canada is not easy. Still, if you give yourself enough time to prepare your application and seek help from experts when you need guidance, you can improve your competitiveness for admission to a Canadian medical school. Make sure you take the time to research the schools you're applying to, prepare for CASPer, and build extracurricular, clinical, and volunteer experiences that reflect CanMEDS roles. If you do that and follow the other tips outlined in this guide, you’re well on your way to getting into medical school in Canada.

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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 content [at] bemoacademicconsulting.com with any corrections, and we’ll arrange to send you your free ebook upon confirming the information.