If you are applying to medical schools in Ontario, then our Ontario Medical School Chance Predictor is your best tool to plan where you have the best prospect of acceptance. Use our calculator to plan your applications and budget! Then, take a look at the tips and strategies that we’ve provided to guide you as you decide which schools to apply to and prepare for your medical school applications.
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How to Use the Ontario Medical School Chance Predictor:
Our calculator is designed to help you determine in which of the Ontario medical schools you have the best acceptance chance based on your academic stats. Populate the available fields with your statistics (GPA and MCAT scores), hit "Submit", and let the Ontario Medical School Chance Predictor reveal which of the medical schools would be the best fit for you!
*Use the OMSAS GPA conversion calculator to get your OMSAS GPA. To calculate your chances for all Canadian med schools, use our Canadian med school chance predictor. To calculate your chances of acceptances to US med schools, use our MD chance calculator for US school.
**Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University considers the GPA of your two best full-time undergraduate years.
*** University of Ottawa assesses GPA based on your most recent three years of full-time undergraduate studies.
What your chances mean:
GPA:
MCAT Scores:
How competitive are medical schools in Ontario?
To put it simply: Very competitive! Ontario is home to six of the 17 medical schools in Canada, and they are not the easiest medical schools to get into. To give you an idea of what to expect, take a look at the average overall acceptance rates for each of the medical schools in question.
Here is the thing, it is very possible for you to be one of the lucky few that get into these medical school programs, but it will take some elbow grease. You will need to prepare a compelling medical school application that stands out, ace your exams, and prepare extensively for the medical school interviews. Below are some tips that can help you do just that:
Choose your schools strategically
One of the most common reasons why students face med school rejection is that they do not apply to the right schools. Too often, students are busy trying to figure out how many medical schools to apply to and focusing on preparing their different application components. They do not realize that one of the most critical steps in the application prep process is finding the right schools for them.
The right med schools aren't just those that have good ranking or happen to be in the city you want to live in. While it's important to select medical schools that offer the MD program you want and fit your other needs, it is just as important to choose med schools for which you have a strategic advantage as an applicant.
Whether you know for sure that you want to attend one of the universities of Ontario for med school, or you're interested in applying to a specific medical school, we highly recommend that you take some time to do the following:
A quick example for context:
Let's say that you took a look at your medical school resume, transcripts, MCAT scores, etc., and followed the steps outlined above. And you realized that your being bilingual and having tons of clinical experience in rural communities could work in your favor, but that although your MCAT score is decent, you did not do very well on CARS, and you are applying from outside the province.
In that case, applying to McMaster is probably not a good idea since 90% of the spots in this class are reserved for in-province applicants, and they only consider the MCAT CARS score in the admissions process. You would have a far better chance of getting into the Northern Ontario School of Medicine because this school values experience in rural communities and gives you several opportunities to discuss these experiences and elaborate on the transferable skills you picked up along the way.
Ace the MCAT
The University of Ottawa and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine are the only two medical schools that don't require the MCAT in Ontario. First, if you did not get a good MCAT score, you should strongly consider applying to those schools, provided that you meet the rest of the admissions requirements. The other medical schools in the province require students to take the MCAT and release their scores to the school by a specific deadline. Make sure you verify this information very early on in your MCAT prep.
You should also verify the specific requirements and the weight that the MCAT score carries for each of your chosen Ontario medical schools. Each school has its own way of evaluating students' MCAT scores and overall academic profiles. For example, the University of Toronto medical school requires MCAT scores to ensure that students meet the minimum 125 for each section, but they do not use the scores comparatively - meaning that they do not compare applicants' MCAT scores as a factor for admissions.
If you have decided to apply to one of the four schools that require the MCAT, you should keep in mind that if your GPA is on the lower end of acceptability, your MCAT will play a more significant role in admissions committees' decisions and vice versa. As each school is different, what is considered a good MCAT score will vary depending on the institution you are applying to. We recommend looking at the admissions statistics and class profiles of the most recent matriculants of your chosen schools and aiming for a score that is equivalent to or higher than the average score in the class. To do that, you must take your MCAT prep very seriously. We recommend taking an MCAT diagnostic test and using the results to create a detailed MCAT study schedule.
You should plan to cover different content areas and practice with sample MCAT biology questions, physics equations, chemistry questions, and psychology questions. You should also work on your MCAT CARS strategy, as it is one of the most challenging sections of the exam. If you are unsure where, how, or when to start studying for the MCAT or are not very pleased with your diagnostic test results, we recommend working with an MCAT tutor. In addition to helping you review content and practice questions, they can provide you with the tools and strategies you need to significantly improve your score.
Want to know how to create a high-yield MCAT study schedule? This video can help:
Prepare for your interviews
The last phase of the admissions process to Ontario medical schools is the medical school interview. Most schools describe their interview format on their admissions website, thus giving you a chance to adequately prepare for your interview well in advance. The schools in this province use different interview formats that usually require extra preparation compared to a traditional interview. For example, the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine has created its own interview format - the Modified Personal Interview(MPI). The table below shows the different interview types used by Ontario medical schools:
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) are pretty popular with medical schools in Canada. If you are not familiar with this interview format, you should definitely take some time to learn more about it before you officially begin your med school interview prep. In addition to understanding the format of this type of interview, you need to understand a few things about it in order to prepare. The first thing is that the MMI is a situational judgment test (SJT), and contrary to popular belief, you can actually prepare for those in advance. The truth is that while there are no "correct" answers to Multiple Mini Interview prompts, some responses are stronger than others, which brings us to our next point.
You need to understand that MMIs are designed to help schools identify and assess your soft skills - this includes your level of professionalism, adherence to ethics, communication skills, etc. These are skills that can not only be worked on and improved upon, but most importantly, you can learn to demonstrate and communicate your mastery of them. If you're not sure where to start, you should consider enrolling in an MMI prep course or working with a consultant for some MMI coaching.
Whether your chosen schools choose the MMI format or panel interview, we recommend participating in at least a few mock medical school interviews so that you can familiarize yourself with the format and common medical school interview questions. It would be best if you also prepared for the possibility of a video interview since, in light of recent events, many schools are now conducting their interviews virtually.
Because the medical school interview is usually the last step of the selection phase and the only one that involves speaking directly with the applicants, it offers interviewers the best opportunity to assess your aptitude in the CANmeds roles. While no medical school will expect you to have complete mastery over these roles at this stage, they will want to see some aptitude for at least a few of them. Therefore, you should take some time to learn these roles and think through the key experiences, personal strengths, and ambitions that show your aptitude for them so that you can highlight them during your interview.
Need a quick reminder of what the CANmed roles are? Check out this infographic:
Conclusion
Applying to medical schools in Ontario can be daunting because of the complex application process and the competitive admissions statistics, but you have to remember that every year, there are many students who do get one of those coveted acceptance letters. You can be one of those students! You simply need the proper preparation, information, and focus. Take the time to research the admissions requirements and processes of every university you’re applying to, stay organized so that you don’t miss key deadlines, and prepare adequately for each stage of your application. And if you want to maximize your chances of admission by getting additional support, you can reach out to a medical school admissions tutor.
FAQs
1. How many medical schools are there in the province of Ontario?
There are six schools in Ontario that offer MD programs.
2. How hard is it to get into Ontario medical schools?
There are six medical schools in the province, and they all have overall acceptance rates of less than 10%. In other words, for every 100 students who apply, ten or fewer students actually matriculate to that school.
3. Do I have to apply to Ontario medical schools through OMSAS?
Unless you are an international student, you do! The Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS) is the centralized application service for applicants to all 6 Ontario medical schools.
4. Do Ontario medical schools accept US students?
Out of 17 Canadian medical schools, only 7 accept US students, and two of them are in Ontario: McMaster University Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine and University of Toronto Temerty Faculty of Medicine.
5. Which Ontario medical school is the hardest school to get into?
Queen's University has an average acceptance rate of 1.8%, the lowest in the entire country.
6. Can I get into medical school in Ontario with a low GPA?
It is possible but also very difficult. Your academic background is very important to medical schools in Ontario, so you will need an impressive MCAT score and an essay that is truly compelling!
7. What’s a good MCAT score for applicants to medical schools in Ontario?
There is no one competitive score for all medical schools in Ontario because they all have different requirements and some even weigh each section of the MCAT differently. We recommend looking at the most recently admitted class’ profiles of your chosen schools and aiming for an MCAT score that is above the average score in that class.
8. What can I do to improve my medical school application?
The key to making your application stand out is in the written application components like your personal statement or the OMSAS sketch. However, there isn’t one specific answer to this question because what will strengthen your application isn’t necessarily what will work for another student. If you want to learn how to maximize your chances of admission, you should consider working with a medical school application tutor. They can look at your profile and consider your goals and background when they provide you with personalized feedback for your application.
To your success,
Your friends at BeMo
BeMo Academic Consulting
Disclaimer: Please note that, although the Ontario 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 Ontario 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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