Medical schools in Saskatchewan present excellent opportunities for future physicians and health care professionals for students in Saskatchewan and elsewhere in Canada. The University of Saskatchewan medical school is the only school in the province to offer a 4-year MD program, with a commitment to diversity and educational excellence in medicine. It also has the highest acceptance rate among med school acceptance rates in Canada. Even so, getting into medical school in Saskatchewan is challenging, especially for out-of-province students, for whom the admissions requirements a bit stricter. In this blog, we’ll learn about what kind of applicants are accepted to medical schools in Saskatchewan, admission statistics and requirements for incoming med school applicants and what kind of opportunities premeds can pursue at med school in Saskatchewan.
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Medical Schools in Saskatchewan
The Canadian province of Saskatchewan has only one medical school offering a 4-year MD program for future physicians. The University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine is considered one of the easiest medical school to get into in Canada for its relatively high acceptance rate of 12.5%. The med school has two campuses in Saskatoon and the capital city of Regina. The Regina campus also provides students access to the Regina General Hospital for hands-on learning experiences, as well as the state-of-the-art facility housing the Dilawri Simulation Centre where students can practice clinical medical situations. The University of Saskatchewan med school is also home to the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre and Paqua Hospital which focuses on medical rehabilitation.
The University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine focuses on community health, Indigenous health initiatives, urban and rural health, eco-health and primary health care. The school also supports a number of programs dedicated to furthering immigrant, refugee and global health initiatives. The med school has a special interest in training excellent physicians who will set up practice in the province of Saskatchewan in underserved rural and urban areas. For this reason, the med school has a strong preference for students from Saskatchewan or students coming from the Yukon, Nunavut and Northwest Territories. Students from out-of-province can also apply, but the admission requirements are a bit stricter and only a small number of seats are reserved for them. Admission for in-province students is around 35%, whereas the acceptance rate for out-of-province is less than 7%.
The University of Saskatchewan medical school does not accept international students to its four-year MD program. Students who apply need to have been living in Canada for at least 3 years and have obtained either Canadian citizenship or permanent residency to apply to the medical program. The University of Saskatchewan undergraduate programs are popular for those wondering how to study in Canada as an international student because of the high quality of life in the province and the relatively low tuition rates. International medical graduates (IMGs), however, can find IMG-friendly residency programs in Saskatchewan. Before being able to practice in the province, you will need to complete the necessary licensing through the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan.
The University of Saskatchewan med program also has relatively low medical school tuition at around $20,000 per year. It is also one of the Canadian med schools with the best match rates for residents. This, combined with the variety of programs and excellent academic standards offered by the school, make it a great choice for students in Saskatchewan or any of the Territories.
Indigenous students can apply to the University of Saskatchewan med school through the Indigenous Admission Pathways for a facilitated admissions process. The application for Indigenous students may have additional sections to fill out. The med school has a strong preference for students with rural connections and connections to Saskatchewan, for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous applicants. Applicants are all assessed through a Saskatchewan connectedness index based on their historical or current connections to the province or rural communities.
If you are preparing your med school application and you’re considering applying to the University of Saskatchewan med school, you can also use MSAR to help you decide if this is the best med school for you and how to increase your chances of getting in. Even if you are an out-of-province student, it is still possible to get accepted.
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Special Programs at Medical School in Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan med school has a number of special programs and unique opportunities for its students, particularly for Indigenous or rural-based students. There is a special emphasis on admitting students with rural backgrounds or connections, but the institution has programs focused on preparing doctors to serve in rural and underserved communities around the globe.
Indigenous Health Electives
The University of Saskatchewan med school has introduced electives in Indigenous health in the fourth year of its MD program. The elective course focuses on Indigenous and western health knowledge to provide a foundational understanding of Indigenous health knowledge and practices. It also provides students an opportunity to work with Indigenous community members and clinicians in urban and rural communities. Students may also assist with clinical care in First Nations communities.
Certificate in Global Health
The University of Saskatchewan med school offers a Certificate in Global Health interprofessional program. The program combines an academic course with service learning in underserved community clinics, rural and remote Indigenous communities and international communities. The program provides a unique experience to gain understanding of global health initiatives and healthcare in remote communities in northern Saskatchewan.
Admissions Requirements for Medical Schools in Saskatchewan
Admission requirements for the University of Saskatchewan med school are fairly straightforward, and a bit less competitive than some others on the list of medical schools in Canada. However, there are still a limited number of seats and very few are reserved for out-of-province applicants, so getting accepted is still a challenge. For out-of-province students, it’s a good idea to emphasize any connection you have to rural communities, to Saskatchewan or diversities in your favor. During the admission interview or in your personal statement, be sure to give a compelling reason why you have the University of Saskatchewan and why you want to study to become a doctor in Saskatchewan in particular. These will help you secure one of the limited spots reserved for out-of-province applicants. For Saskatchewan residents, competition is still fierce, so you will need to craft a strong overall application as well and nail the admissions interview.
The school prefers a balance of academic achievements and personal achievements, with a focus on diversity and encouraging underrepresented demographics in medicine to apply. A diversity secondary essay can go a long way towards strengthening your application. If you are an Indigenous student, this is a required part of your application.
There are some unique requirements that are now part of the University of Saskatchewan med school’s application process, but overall the school is searching for diversity, commitment and a passion for rural medicine. Academic requirements include a GPA of at least 2.7 and a high MCAT score. Non-academic requirements include the CASPer test, an MMI interview and some optional application sections. We’ll look at the application components in more detail below.
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Medical Specialties at Saskatchewan Medical Schools
The University of Saskatchewan med school has one of the highest match rates through CaRMS for residents in Canada. If you want to go to medical school in Canada, Saskatchewan offers positions a wide variety of medical disciplines. In particular, Saskatchewan has need of rural care providers and physicians who can set up practice in underserved areas of the province.
Although the University of Saskatchewan med school doesn’t have any direct resident programs, it offers graduate students help with residency matching services and information on available programs through the Postgraduate Medical Education Office. Through this office, students can get assistance with their residency applications or gets answers to their questions such as how many residency programs to apply to or how to choose a medical specialty. There are a number of training sites for residents doctors throughout the province, centered in the major urban areas including Regina, Saskatoon, Swift Current and Prince Albert.
Some residency positions available in Saskatchewan are:
- Family Medicine
- Enhanced Skills – Anesthesia
- Enhanced Skills – Sport & Exercise Medicine
- Enhanced Surgical Skills
- Anesthesiology
- Clinician Investigator Program
- Diagnostic Radiology
- Emergency Medicine
- General Pathology
- Internal Medicine
- Cardiology
- Dermatology
- General Internal Medicine
- Nephrology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Rheumatology
- Neurology
- Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Pediatrics
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
- Public Health & Preventive Medicine
- Psychiatry
- Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Forensic Psychiatry
- Surgery Programs
- General Surgery
- Neurosurgery
- Orthopedic Surgery
Students at the University of Saskatchewan medical school can also study ophthalmology, medical imaging and biomedical sciences. For students who are still wondering how to choose medical school electives, the school offers a huge variety of courses and some unique training, particularly in Indigenous health services.
The medical school also supports a variety of ongoing research projects, particularly into Indigenous health.
Medical schools in Saskatchewan aren’t limited to the MD, as there are many other excellent schools dedicated to other health care professions. Saskatchewan is also home to 3 of the dental schools in Canada, 2 nursing schools, 4 pharmacy programs and a school of veterinary medicine. The University of Saskatchewan veterinary school is among the top of vet school rankings in Canada.
Want to learn more about the top universities in Canada? Here are the Canadian universities rankings.
Conclusion
Like many medical schools in Canada, medical schools in Saskatchewan are more favorable to in-province students. As there is only one medical school serving the entire province, it can be quite competitive to get accepted, and the standards are high. Of course, the education you can receive at the University of Saskatchewan medical school is top-tier and offers some unique learning opportunities, especially in regards to Indigenous health, public health and global health initiatives.
FAQs
1. Does University of Saskatchewan have a medical school?
Yes; the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine offers a four-year MD program and coordinates with residents and affiliated residency programs through the Postgraduate Medical Education office.
2. How hard is it to get into University of Saskatchewan med school?
The University of Saskatchewan medical school is considered the easiest medical school to get into in Canada, with the highest acceptance rate of about 18.6%. It is more challenging for non-residents of Saskatchewan and international students to get accepted.
3. What GPA do I need for medical school in Saskatchewan?
The minimum GPA requirement at the U of S medical school is 2.7. The school converts GPA scores into a score out of 100%, so students need a minimum score of 80% to get accepted.
4. What MCAT score do I need for medical school in Saskatchewan?
In-province applicants need a score of above 492 to be considered eligible for acceptance at the University of Saskatchewan med school. Non-Saskatchewan residents need to score above 509 to be considered.
5. What kind of doctor can I become in Saskatchewan?
The University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine has multiple departments focusing on family medicine, emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, medical imaging, biomedical sciences, pediatrics, pathology, psychiatry and general surgery.
6. What is the acceptance rate at University of Saskatchewan medical school?
The University of Saskatchewan medical school has an acceptance rate of around 18.6%, which is the highest overall medical acceptance rate in Canada.
7. Are medical schools in Saskatchewan good for international students?
Yes; studying Saskatchewan, international students receive health care services funded by the Government of Saskatchewan. The province also boasts a high quality of life for its students, low tuition rates at post-secondary institutions and an affordable cost of living.
8. Do medical schools in Saskatchewan have high match rates?
The University of Saskatchewan medical school has one of the highest CaRMS match rates at around 96%.
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