University of Manitoba Max Rady College of Medicine: How to Get in

Mission Statement

• To develop, deliver and evaluate high quality educational programs for undergraduate and postgraduate students of medicine and medical rehabilitation, for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in basic medical sciences and for physicians to practice.
• To conduct research and other scholarly inquiry into the basic and applied medical sciences.
• To provide advice, disseminate information to health professions and plan for the development and delivery of health care services and to help improve health status and service delivery to the Province of Manitoba and the wider community.

Admissions Statistics and Eligibility

Overall admissions rate: 10%

Average MCAT score: 514

Average GPA: 4.28

Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba

University of Manitoba Max Rady College of Medicine overall acceptance rate:

Eligibility

Only Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada are eligible to apply to the only medical school in Manitoba. International students, including American applicants, are not accepted into the MD program. If English is not your primary language, you must demonstrate English language proficiency. To do this, you can choose to write one of the tests listed on the admissions website here.

The Max Rady College of Medicine divides all applicants into 4 pools:

Out-of-province residents make up only 5% of matriculants at the Max Rady School of Medicine:

Available Programs

MD

Max Rady medical school aims to develop and deliver a high-quality educational curriculum for the MD program. The mission and objectives of the program were developed using the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada CanMEDS competency framework. Within the spiral scaffold curriculum structure of the MD program, students will be able to take a variety of electives. The Electives Program is an opportunity for students to pursue self-directed study in an area of their interest. You may want to pursue electives at Max Rady, affiliated clinical sites, or in other medical schools in Canada. You can even pursue international electives offered through the University of Manitoba, Max Rady College of Medicine in Kenya, Philippines, Haiti, Japan, and China.

Bachelor of Science in Medicine (B.Sc.)

The B.Sc. (Med.) program gives you an opportunity to engage in original research, either in basic medical sciences or clinical or community health, under the supervision of a member of the Medical Faculty (or a faculty member from an approved institution). The aim of the program is to provide the opportunity to:

• Develop skills at research design, hypothesis testing, critical evaluation of data and effective communication of results.
• Discover whether you would like to continue as a researcher, either through continuing into a formal graduate program during or after medical school or as a clinician researcher/scientist.

Clinical Component: As part of the B.Sc. (Med.) Program, you may choose to partake in a clinical setting/exposure as well. If you choose to do this, you are entitled to a minimum of 48 hours of in-clinic exposure over the 2 summers of the B.Sc. (Med.) Program. The clinical setting is to be agreed upon by both the trainee and supervisor. The clinical exposure may be of greater than 48 hours for the entire program, but must not interfere with the proposed research project. For trainees working with basic scientists who do not provide clinical care, a clinical setting with a clinical colleague with a similar area of study can be organized, or, alternatively, the trainee can contact a representative from the B.Sc. (Med.) Program for additional guidance on possible clinic settings.

MED Summer Research Program

The Med summer research program is offered by the Office of Graduate and Advanced Degree Education in Medicine, within the Max Rady College of Medicine. The specific aim of the program is to develop student skills within the following areas: experimental design, hypothesis testing, critical evaluation of data and effective communication of results. This is a non-degree course but will be recorded on your transcript. Max Rady College of Medicine students who have successfully completed their first or second year in medicine are eligible to apply. Students must be in good academic standing in the regular medical program in order to enroll in the program. There are no registration fees accessed by this program, although the university may assess some institutional fees. A call for applications will be circulated annually. Abstracts from potential supervisors will be posted on the website and students will be notified via email. Students are encouraged to source and contact potential supervisors who have not posted abstracts.

MD/MSc and MD-PhD programs

These combined programs are designed to produce academic clinician scientists who are interested in a career that combines both research and clinical medicine, providing them advanced clinical and research skills. There are 2 ways to apply to the MD/PhD or MD/MSc program. Students can either apply to the program if they are admitted medical students who want to pursue graduate studies before third year of medicine or if they are current graduate students who have been accepted into medical school. Students wishing to apply should contact the Advanced Degrees in Medicine Program Director early in the process. Acceptance will minimally require:

1) Identification of a supervisor

2) Interview with the Program Admissions and Advisory Committee (PAAC) and their recommendation for acceptance, and

3) Acceptance by the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

MD Curriculum

The overarching principles of Max Rady MD curriculum entail a fully integrated spiral scaffold curriculum throughout the four years of medical education. The curriculum emphasizes person to community centered approach. The Pre-Clerkship modules, the Human Biology, Health & Disease Modules are based upon organ systems, and are not departmentally based. The educational strategies involve a progressive increase in interactive and self-directing learning with continued development beyond the initial introduction. After the first 4 weeks of basic science foundation relevant to the study of medicine, the following 62 weeks (separated by breaks) provide a system-based, spiral, scaffold, integrated approach to normal and abnormal function.

There are 9 system-based units each with 2 separate courses per system scaffolding from the application of basic science to normal function evolving to clinical practice. Clinical practice starts with an introduction to Infectious Disease and Therapeutics. Year 2 concludes with a 9-week Consolidation Module to ensure all the content from the previous modules and longitudinal courses is assimilated. All individual courses will have a separate evaluation each requiring a minimum mastery with scaffold content. Clerkship curriculum is meant to facilitate the integrated 4-year scaffold curriculum ensuring the clerkship curriculum is connected with the principles of the new Pre-Clerkship curriculum. You can learn more about individual pre-clerkship and clerkship courses here.

Application Timeline

To start your application, you will need to fill out an online application form on the University of Manitoba website. The application fee is $100. Be aware that all correspondence, including interview invitations and offer of admissions, will be sent via email and posted to your application portal. Do not call the admissions office regarding your application. Make sure your email account remains current and will accept emails from the University of Manitoba. Check your filters. The deadlines may vary based on the year of application, so make sure to check the school's website for updated deadlines. Here is the general timeline:

Tuition and Funding Opportunities

The annual medical school tuition cost at the University of Manitoba is CAD$11,300. However, the actual cost of your first year of study at the University of Manitoba will greatly depend on many variables. You must consider the costs for textbooks and supplies, $1,500-$2,000, rent and utilities, around $1300, and other expenses like food, clothes, and entertainment, which can range between $400 and $700 per month. Other tuition and school fees may apply, including $210 for the U-Pass, which grants you access to all transportation means within the city of Winnipeg.

Funding Opportunities

Student Loans

If you’re looking for student loans, you can start by checking out the Canada/Provincial Student Financial Assistance. Student loan documents that require completion from the University of Manitoba, may be brought to 260 Brodie Centre – 727 McDermot Avenue for:

• confirmation of enrollment
• official's signature
• correction of dates

Note: Awards UGME (Undergraduate Medical Education) no longer signs Government Student loans documents, but students may drop off forms at the front desk reception in 260 Brodie Centre - 727 McDermot Avenue to be forwarded to Financial Aid & Awards office.

University of Manitoba Bursaries

Fall/Winter Bursaries

There are a number of bursary opportunities and medical school scholarships available to UofM students, each having set criteria and processing requirements. There are two main Bursary opportunities available for qualifying MD students offered annually:

1. University of Manitoba General Bursary Application

2. Max Rady College of Medicine Bursary program

The University of Manitoba General Bursary application and the Max Rady College of Medicine Bursary applications are accessible through an online process only. You can apply for Fall/Winter Bursaries as of the month of August annually.

Important note:

Documentation (Proof of Government Aid) is required by the October 1 bursary application deadline. Apply for your Government Student Loan early (June/July/mid- August) to be sure your documentation is available by the bursary deadline.

For out-of-province students: Once you have received your Government Notice of Assessment, immediately forward a copy to the Financial Aid & Awards Office, 422 University Centre, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2.

MD students should complete the General and Supplementary applications to be considered for both General University of Manitoba Bursary funding and Max Rady College of Medicine funding. Review eligibility requirements and apply for any other Special Bursary opportunities you are eligible for consideration through the Aurora web portal.

Admissions Requirements and Selection Factors

Max Rady College of Medicine applies a formula to calculate the ranking of each applicant. This ranking helps to determine which applicants are invited to an interview, and subsequently, which applicants get the offer of admission. All eligible applicants to the Canadian Indigenous Applicant Pool will be offered an interview. However, for all other applicants, the adcoms will calculate a composite score to determine an applicant’s ranking for the interview. The formula is:

(20% AGPA + 50% MCAT + 30% CASPer) X (rural coefficient if >0) X (academic co-efficient if >0) X (socioeconomic and cultural diversity co-efficient if >0)

As you can see from the formula, your AGPA counts for 20% of your ranking. Your MCAT score counts for 50% of your ranking composite and your CASPer score counts for 30%. Additionally, your rural coefficient, your academic coefficient, and socioeconomic and cultural diversity coefficient will be counted towards your ranking.

Breakdown of application components that determine interview invites at the Max Rady School of Medicine:

Recommended Courses

There are some general medical school prerequisites you should know about before you apply to most MD programs, including the University of Manitoba medical school. Max Rady College of Medicine requires you to complete a Bachelor’s degree by June 30th of the year of entrance. Your degree does not have to be in science. However, you are recommended to have background in the following disciplines:

• Biology
• Microbiology
• Chemistry
• Organic chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Physics
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Research methods

These disciplines prepare you for the rigorous medical school curriculum and the MCAT exam.

MCAT

Your MCAT must be written within 3 years before the year of application. Though the overall MCAT average score for matriculants is around 514, your MCAT score must be at least 515 if you are an out-of-province applicant, otherwise you will be eliminated from the competition. If you submit multiple MCAT scores, the admissions committee will use the score that will most advantage you in calculating the composite score for the selection purposes. MCAT scores are used in the interview selection process and in choosing candidates for the offer of admission. You are responsible for submitting your MCAT scores to the school by the indicated deadline. Scores are released by logging onto the MCAT Thx System on the AAMC website.

According to Max Rady College of Medicine, the MCAT counts for 50% of your ranking composite that gets you an interview. This is why you need to take the MCAT very seriously. Your MCAT score demonstrates your knowledge in science and non-science disciplines, and since this MD program does not have strict science course prerequisites, this is a rare indicator of your readiness to pursue a medical degree. You will also notice that Max Rady College of Medicine will choose your highest MCAT score in calculating your composite if you sit the exam multiple times. So, whether you are getting ready to take the MCAT exam or you are planning to take it again, you must know what a good MCAT score is and when to start studying for the MCAT. Preparing for the MCAT is a strenuous and time-consuming process, do not take it lightly and leave it to the last minute. Make sure you know everything there is to know about this exam: its components, study strategies, what to expect on the test day, and so on. To get ready, take the MCAT diagnostic test to know your baseline. Create an MCAT study schedule to address areas of knowledge you struggle with. Take several practice tests to make sure your study plan is working and that you are improving. If you score consistently well (at least 90%), consider taking the real test. If you are still not sure when you should take the MCAT, check out our blog. If you’re getting ready to take the test, make sure you know the MCAT test dates and release dates.

Want to learn about the best MCAT study schedule? Check out our video:

Transcripts and the Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA)

You will need to submit your official interim and official final transcripts to show all completed course work and current registration. You must submit transcripts from all universities and colleges you attended, including exchange programs, transfers, and letters of permission. Student copies and photocopies will not be accepted. Your official transcripts must be mailed to the university in a sealed and stamped envelope to:

Admissions Office

424 University Centre

The University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Canada

R3T 2N2

Your coursework will be used to calculate your Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA). According to the program’s formula, AGPA counts for 20% of your ranking. If you are an in-province applicant, your average must be at least 3.30 to be considered for the program. Applicants in the out-of-province pool must have at least 3.95 average to stay in the competition. Your AGPA is calculated based on your undergraduate university degree courses, including the courses you took in spring and summer semesters and during part-time studies. Only grades in courses that are completed by the time of application will be used to calculate your average, regardless of the year in which the course was taken. If you have retaken a course, the initial and subsequent grades will be considered in the calculation. Calculation of AGPA will not include courses completed after the application deadline. Graduate program courses are not included in the calculation. International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) courses may be included in the calculation if you submit the official IB and AP transcripts by the deadline. The University of Manitoba will drop your lowest credit hours if you have completed above 90 undergraduate credit hours.

Max Rady College of Medicine assigns grades on a 4.5 scale and will convert grades from other institutions to figure out your standing. As I have mentioned, some of your lowest undergraduate grades will be dropped from the AGPA calculation if you have completed 90 or more undergraduate credit hours. The University of Manitoba assigns 6 credit hours to a full course, which normally lasts two terms. They assign 3 credit hours to a half course, typically one term. Credit hours will be assigned based on this scale to determine the number of credit hours completed, and the number of credit hours that will be dropped from the calculation of the AGPA. Of course, your academic history will have a great impact on your chances to get into medical school. Not only do the adcoms get to see your academic history, but they also get to see your academic improvement, stamina, and your dedication. If you're really worried about the effect your GPA might have on your med school application, check out our blog for some ideas on how to get into medical school with a low GPA. There are ways you can increase your GPA and you’re encouraged to do so. First of all, retake classes you did poorly in. Max Rady College of Medicine will use both of your grades, the old and the new, which means they will note your hard work and improvement. You can organize your timetable to take courses that will increase your AGPA, i.e. courses in disciplines you typically ace. Seek help from your instructors and teaching assistants (TAs) in disciples you find difficult. Most instructors and TAs have office hours, so be sure to visit them and get help with challenging assignments and concepts. There are also some other strategies you can adopt. Try scheduling study sessions with peers and classmates. You may find that scheduling study sessions helps you complete your assignments on time. If you’re still struggling, you might want to hire a tutor to get your grades up.

CASPer

The CASPer score is not used in the selection of applicants from the Canadian Indigenous applicant pool. However, as applicants from this pool may also be considered in the general applicant pools, they must write the CASPer as it will be used in the selection in these general pools. Once the reserved spots for Indigenous applicants are filled, any other applicants are considered as part of the in- or out-of-province pools and their CASPer is considered. So, it’s in the interest of all applicants to ace CASPer. You must write your CASPer test in English. If you’re an applicant to the Manitoba applicant pool or the out-of-province applicant pool, you must achieve a threshold CASPer score greater than 1.5 standard deviations below the mean of your respective applicant pool to maintain your eligibility for the program.

The CASPer test is an online situational judgment test. Although it is still a debated application requirement, the majority of medical schools in Canada have implemented this test to evaluate applicants’ non-cognitive skills. While your AGPA and MCAT demonstrate your academic prowess and knowledge of the necessary disciplines, the CASPer test is meant to showcase your levels of reasoning and judgment, as well as your interpersonal skills. The combination of evaluating your knowledge and your personal character is meant to enhance fairness and objectivity in the selection process. During CASPer, you are shown 12 scenarios dealing with real-life situations, and subsequently, you are asked 3 follow-up questions based on the scenario you observed. You are given 5 minutes to answer the three questions. You are scored on a scale of 1 to 9. The CASPer questions and scenarios are meant to assess your ability to identify pressing issues and resolve them maturely and professionally. CASPer scenarios aim to assess your ability to be objective, non-assumptive, professional, tactful, analytical, empathetic, compassionate, and most importantly, non-judgmental. You must demonstrate that you can consider a problem from multiple perspectives and come to a non-biased resolution. Ultimately, the CASPer test assesses your moral and ethical values. You might think that it’s impossible to prepare yourself for this kind of testing, but there are things you can do to get ready. In answering CASPer questions, you must be prepared to identify the most pressing issue and the most vulnerable party. Think of them when you design your answer. Consider all possible sides of the conflict/scenario and always remain non-judgmental. You will be scored based on how un-biased you can remain. To get an idea of what to expect from this test, check out our CASPer questions. If you’re still wondering how to ensure you score high in your CASPer test, contact us to get some help.

Other Selection Factors

The University of Manitoba is dedicated to enhancing the diversity of its matriculants by recognizing the applicants' diverse backgrounds including ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, geographic origin, and socioeconomic status. All eligible applicants are invited to complete a supplementary questionnaire to identify the relevant characteristics or attributes. The adcoms evaluate diverse attributes in these three domains:

1. Family history
2. Economic information
3. Other socio-cultural attributes

These characteristics may contribute to a numerical coefficient which will be used in calculating your composite score. In other words, your answers to this supplementary questionnaire do more than just tell the University about your background; they actually affect your chances of getting invited for interviews and the ranking of students for offers of admission. 

We highly recommend filling out this secondary questionnaire and providing as much information about your background as possible. Often, students are hesitant to fill it out because they look at it like an adversity essay, but that is not the case. It's important to understand that the University of Manitoba does not request this information so that they can learn about what you have had to overcome as a minority and give you a score based on how much you have been through or how well you represent a particular group of people. 

Instead, the admissions committee simply wants to know about your background because the school understands that in order to serve the complex and diverse health care needs of Canadians, there is a need for diversity in the field of medicine, and that starts with medical school matriculants. So, don't try to tell the admissions committee what you think they want to hear. Simply tell your story and answer the questions honestly in a way that highlights your specific background. 

Another coefficient that can affect your composite score and ranking is your exposure to rural life and work experiences. You will be asked to fill out a supplementary questionnaire to talk about these three domains: your rural "roots", rural work experience, and rural volunteer or leadership experience. Your advanced academic attributes can also influence your ranking. If you have completed a PhD, published peer-reviewed publications, and have previous academic appointments in research or professional streams, make sure to include them in the application. To include peer-reviewed publications, you must have a minimum of 5 at the time of applications and you must be listed as a 1st or 2nd author. The University of Manitoba identifies an academic appointment as someone responsible for academic programs, has a high level of authority and advanced knowledge in the field, i.e. Associate Professor or Assistant Professor or Lecturer.

Interview Process

Max Rady College of Medicine uses the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format for all applicants. You are required to travel to campus to participate in the interview, otherwise you will not be considered for admission. To be considered for admission, you must achieve a passing mark in 9 of the 11 MMI stations, a total score greater than two standard deviations below the mean, and a mean score acceptable to the Admissions Committee established annually based on the applicant cohort. If you do not meet these expectations in the MMI interview, you will not be considered for admissions regardless of your MCAT and AGPA. To get ready, make sure you know different types of MMI questions and that you practice for your interview using these MMI questions.

As an applicant who declares First Nations, Metis, and Inuit heritage, and who meets the eligibility requirements for AGPA and MCAT, you will be invited to participate in MMI and a panel interview. Those applicants who participate in the panel interview will be ranked in the Canadian Indigenous Applicant Pool, as well as the applicable Manitoba and Out-of-Province applicant pools. You will be required to submit additional autobiographical information ahead of your panel interview. Check out these panel interview questions to get ready!

Letters of Reference

Medical school recommendation letters are only required of applicants who are invited for interviews. You will need three referees. When you receive the invitation to the interview, make sure to submit referee contact information by the indicated deadline using the online application system. Let your recommenders know that they will be contacted by the University of Manitoba medical school. If the program does not receive your letters of reference, your application will be disqualified from the competition.

Although the letters are not required until the interview stage, make sure you select and ask your writers before you submit your application. Your references will need to address specific questions regarding your application, so it will be difficult to prepare a full letter. However, your referee must be ready to speak to your best attributes, qualities, achievements, and experiences. They must present your candidacy in a favorable light and speak to your suitability for the study and practice of medicine. You should know that the reference letters will not contribute to your composite score if you're an applicant to the Manitoba and Out-of-Province applicant pools. These letters will be simply used to verify your suitability for the program. However, if you're an applicant to the Canadian Indigenous Applicant Pool, your references will contribute to the composite score.

Acceptance and Waitlist Information

Once the medical school makes a decision regarding your candidacy, you will receive an email notifying you to log into the application portal to view the decision. Students that are offered admission will be required to confirm their acceptance. If you do not accept the offer by the deadline date indicated in the letter, your offer will expire and you will need to contact the admissions office to discuss the possibility of an extension. The admissions committee will send offers of admission to successful applicants by mid May of the year of entrance. Applicants may be placed on a waiting list in May and individuals will be selected from that list as vacancies become available. The last date of selection from the waiting list is in mid August. Applicants who are deemed unlikely to be offered admission will be notified in May. Applicants offered admission will have 5 business days to respond and will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of $500.00 to indicate their acceptance of the offer.

Contact Information

Admissions Website

Admissions Email: [email protected]

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BeMo Academic Consulting

Disclaimer: BeMo does not endorse or affiliate with any universities, colleges, or official test administrators. The content has been developed based on the most recent publicly available data provided from the official university website. However, you should always check the statistics/requirements with the official school website for the most up to date information. You are responsible for your own results. 

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