University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine: How to Accepted

Mission Statement

"Our mission is to conduct and stimulate research, education, and health promotion programs aimed at enhancing the health and well-being of agricultural, rural and remote populations."

Admissions Statistics and Eligibility

Overall Admissions Rate: 12.50%

Average MCAT: 511

Average GPA: 87.12%

Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine overall acceptance rate:

Eligibility

You must be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada to be eligible to apply. Just like the rest of Canadian medical schools, the University of Saskatchewan gives preference to in-province applicants. To be considered a Saskatchewan resident you must have resided in the province for three years immediately preceding August 1st of the year in which you’re seeking admission. Another way to qualify is to have previously lived in Saskatchewan for an accumulated period of 15 years. If you have lived in Saskatchewan for 15 years, but not in the three years preceding your application, you will receive a credit of one year toward the three-year requirement for every five years of residency in the province, i.e. if you have lived in Saskatchewan for a year before application, and 10 to 14 years before that, that fulfills the three-year residency requirement. To prove your status, you must provide all the following documents:

1. A valid Saskatchewan Government Health Card

2. An official letter from Saskatchewan Health Services showing the years of coverage

3. Proof of employment in the province

You can also qualify as an in-province applicant if you have served in the Armed Forces of Canada or the RCMP, if your spouse, parent, or guardian is a member of these institutions, or if you have moved to Saskatchewan due to being reassigned. If any of these apply to you, you must have physically resided in Saskatchewan for at least 12 months consecutively preceding October 1st of the year of application. If you’re a resident of Yukon, Northwest Territories, or Nunavut, you can apply as a Saskatchewan resident. Proper documentation must be presented to prove your residency.

The Indigenous Admissions Program (IAP) at The University of Saskatchewan medical school reserves 10 of the first-year seats for persons of Canadian Indigenous descent. Applicants from Indigenous ancestry, including from outside of Saskatchewan, are first considered through the regular Saskatchewan resident admission rank number (ARN), and if unsuccessful in getting a regular offered seat, they will be considered through IAP. If you're an Indigenous applicant, you must identify yourself in the application for admissions and submit proof of Indigenous ancestry. The following documents are accepted as proof:

1. Status or Treaty cards
2. Métis Membership card
3. Nunavut Trust Service Card
4. Inuit roll number.

The University of Saskatchewan also implemented the Diversity and Social Accountability Admissions Program (DSAAP) for Saskatchewan Residents. It provides 6 seats to students from lower-income families. To qualify, you will need to document that your five-year average gross family income was below the threshold of $80,000. You must fill out a questionnaire and be required to provide names and contact information of two references.

Five seats are available for out-of-province applicants. You must be a Canadian citizen or hold a Canadian Permanent Residency status for a minimum of three years. To learn more about eligibility requirements for these programs, visit the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine website.

Available Programs

Do you need help deciding whether the MD-PhD or MD is right for you? Check out our video:

Tuition and Funding Opportunities

The total medical school tuition for in-province and out-of-province students is $20,517 per year. Housing, living expenses, and other licensing or clerkship fees are not included in that amount. Your annual budget will differ based on your medical school year. While pre-clerkship years (1 and 2) are less expensive, the last two years of the program will require licensing exam fees, residency preparation expenses, as well as costs associated with electives and rotations outside of Saskatoon. Travel expenses will certainly vary and will depend on the clinical experiences chosen, student interest group involvement, conference attendance, and personal travel. 

Funding Opportunities

Continuing Awards

To be considered for the College of Medicine Fall Awards Application, you need to complete and submit the application form through PAWS (personalized access webservice at the University of Saskatchewan). The deadline is August 31 in the year of application. To access the application form, you must log into the Scholarships and Bursaries channel in PAWS, choose “Apply for awards”, and select the Fall Awards Application for your application cycle from the Current Students drop-down menu.

Scholarships and Bursaries

To access the College of Medicine Bursaries, you must log into the Scholarships and Bursaries channel in PAWS, click on “Apply for awards”, and select College of Medicine Bursaries for your application cycle from the Current Students drop-down menu. The deadline for application is November 1 in the year of application.

Graduation Awards

To be considered for the competitive College of Medicine Grad Awards, you must complete the appropriate application form found in Scholarships and Bursaries channel in PAWS. You must submit it through PAWS no later than April 16 of the year of graduation. To access the application, log into the Scholarships and Bursaries channel in PAWS, click on the "Apply for awards" button, select the College of Medicine Grad Awards Application from the Current Students drop-down menu.

Make sure to research external medical school scholarships to help you alleviate the costs of medical school.

Application Procedures, Fees, and Deadlines

Unlike with the medical schools in Ontario, there is no application service through which you students can apply to the University of Saskatchewan. Your application form must be submitted online directly to the university. The form is usually made available to students in early August. Once you have submitted your application, it is not possible to log in and update information or check the status of your application. Updates to the information in the application, if they are of critical importance to the application, must be emailed to the Admissions Office. There is a non-refundable application fee of CAD$75 that must be paid by credit card or by sending a cheque.

If you’re invited to the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI), there is an additional non-refundable fee of $150.00, which must be paid at the time of accepting the MMI invitation. The deadline to submit both the application and the initial application fee is October 1 of the year of application at 4:00 PM (Saskatchewan time). Late submission of either the application or the fee, for any reason, will result in your application not being accepted. Deadlines may vary every year, so make sure you check for the exact submission date on the program’s website the year you’re applying. Transcripts and any other documents required for application (e.g., proof of residency) must be submitted by mid-October. Your MCAT scores must be submitted to the program during a specific time, usually between mid-October and late October of the year of application. Only scores released during the stated time period will be considered. During the application cycle, missing a deadline or responding to an incorrect email address in the submission of required admission-related materials or responses may result in your application being coded inactive. 

Admissions Requirements and Selection Factors

Admissions requirements for Saskatchewan resident applicants (in-province or IP), including Indigenous Admissions Program (IAP) and Diversity and Social Accountability Admissions Program (DSAAP):

• 4-year baccalaureate degree must be completed before entering Medicine
• 80% minimum University Academic Average (UAA)
• The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is required of all applicants. Only the most recent MCAT is considered. In-province applicants must score above the 24th percentile (score above 492) to be invited to interviews.

Admissions requirements for Out-of-Province resident applicants (OP):

• 4-year baccalaureate degree must be completed before entering Medicine
• 80% minimum University Academic Average (UAA)
• Only the most recent MCAT scores are considered. To apply, you must score in the 80th percentile for the test sum score and each of the four section scores. You must score in the 97th percentile with a minimum CARS score at the 95th percentile (519 and above) to be invited to an interview.

GPA minimums for USask medical school applicants:

Transcripts and Course Prerequisites

You must graduate from a Bachelor’s degree or expect to graduate in the summer before you enter the MD program. Your degree does not have to be in science and there are no strict medical school prerequisites. However, the program strongly suggests that its applicants should pursue undergraduate level courses in Biology, Biochemistry, Physics, English, Psychology, and Statistics.

You must submit official transcripts from all universities and post-secondary institutions you have ever attended, including exchange and study abroad programs. Official transcripts in sealed and stamped envelopes must be sent by your home institutions to the University of Saskatchewan. The interim transcripts must be received by October of the year of application, while the final official transcripts must be received by June of the year of entrance. You do not need to send in official hard copies of your transcripts if you are currently attending or have ever attended the University of Saskatchewan or the University of Regina. In the case of the former, the program will access your transcripts electronically; in the case of the latter, you will provide your University of Regina student number to allow the program to access your transcripts.

University Academic Average (UAA)

The University of Saskatchewan does not have a unique grade point average calculation system; your percentage grades will be used to calculate your average. In-province students must have at least a 75% average, while out-of-province students must have at least an 85% average. Your average will be calculated based on grades reported on the official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you attended, including exchange programs. If you repeat a class, both grades will both be counted if they fall within the courses used to calculate your average. USask will provide you with a grade conversion chart to convert your letter grades into percentages. The University of Saskatchewan uses a variety of classes to calculate your UAA, including pass/fail courses, distance education (online courses), advanced placement (AP), and international baccalaureate (IB) courses, and even graduate courses. While the University of Saskatchewan does not date undergraduate courses of in-province applicants, out-of-province applicants' four-year degree must be completed by the end of April before entry to the MD and within five years after starting university.

If you do not meet the most recent accepted GPA average set by the previous year's matriculants, you will need to work to improve your grades to have a chance of acceptance. Remember, your grades are the most important indicator of your academic abilities and your transcripts are the most important record of your academic success. The University of Saskatchewan medical school notes that grade consistency will be taken into consideration by the admissions committee. Make sure that your transcripts do not demonstrate a discrepancy in grades or irregular academic records, i.e. grades declining over time or grades fluctuating over a wide range. Academic inconsistency does not make a good impression. If you need to improve your grades, work hard to achieve high scores in classes. You might need to get extra help with courses you find particularly challenging. Scheduling study sessions with a partner may give you the motivation to complete your assignments and go over challenging concepts together. You can also ask for help from your instructors and teaching assistants. Make sure to visit their office hours and ask if you can do anything for extra credit. You will boost your UAA if you take courses in disciplines you like and excel in. And be sure to create a study schedule and stick to it - good study habits go a long way. If you're still not sure about your chances of acceptance, check out our blog on how to get into medical school with a low GPA.

MCAT

The University of Saskatchewan medical school does not accept MCAT scores older than 3 years before the date of application. The most recent scores will be used for consideration by the admissions committee. You must request from AAMC that your MCAT scores are released to the University of Saskatchewan specifically. There is a discrepancy between the MCAT scores required from in-province and out-of-province applicants. While non-Saskatchewan residents must score in the 80th percentile (over 509 or above) to stay in the competition, in-province applicants must score above the 24th percentile (score above 492). Each year the MD program also sets the minimum section percentile score cut-off for both in-province and out-of-province students. The competition for interviews is especially fierce for out-of-province applicants: to be invited to an interview, you must score in the 97th percentile with a minimum CARS score at the 95th percentile (519 and above).

Now, these are attainable scores if you study hard and prepare for the MCAT ahead of time. Most importantly, you need to know what is a good MCAT score, take a look at the best MCAT study schedule, and know when to start studying for the MCAT. You will need to know everything there is to know about this exam: its components, study strategies, what to expect on the test day, and so on. If you have already taken the MCAT but you are unsatisfied with your score, you should consider retaking the test to improve your result. Before taking the test again, study and prepare rigorously. Take several practice tests to make sure you consistently score well (at least 90%). There is no point in sitting the test again if you see no improvement when you take the MCAT diagnostic test. Give yourself ample time to prepare for the test and use MCAT CARS practice passages and other practice materials to get ready. Remember, the University of Saskatchewan will only use your latest score in your application, so make sure you feel ready when you take or re-sit the exam. If you’re still wondering “When should I take the MCAT?”, take a look at our blog to get some answers. If you want to avoid taking the MCAT altogether, look at a list of medical schools that don’t require MCAT.

Written Components

The University of Saskatchewan medical school also has a written application component. Applicants must write two medical school personal statements as part of their secondary application. Each essay must be no longer than 750 words each, 12-point Times New Roman font, double spaced with 1" x 1" margins. The two questions that students need to answer will be posted on the online application when it opens in early August. Students should be prepared to talk about why they have chosen the University of Saskatchewan and the field of medicine as the school explains that the purpose of this application component is to give the applicants a chance to share aspects of their personal background, relevant experiences, and motivation to attend medical school in Saskatchewan.

Your personal statements are going to play a key role in the admission committee's decision, so you want to make sure that you're giving yourself enough time to brainstorm, research, write and edit the essays. It is also a good idea to look at different medical school essay examples. For instance, reviewing AMCAS personal statement examples can be useful to you. Even though they are written for a specific application platform, they will still give you an idea of what is expected from your personal statement in terms of structure and content. That is why we've also included a sample medical school personal statement below, which answers one of the most common medical school essay questions "Why do you want to be a doctor?"

Check out this infographic for a quick recap of USask selection factors:

Interview Process

The Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) weekend is held at the university in March each year. This interview format helps the admissions committee to assess candidates’ personal qualities and attributes. You must present yourself as a mature and unbiased professional. MMI questions are meant to assess your ability to be objective, analytical, and non-judgmental. To get ready for your interview, learn about 7 different types of MMI questions and start practicing by going through MMI questions. You can also check out some common medical school interview questions to get you ready. Keep in mind the CanMEDS roles as you prepare for your interview.

Your MMI performance will have a great effect on your chances of getting an offer. For residents of Saskatchewan and Indigenous applicants, the MMI makes up 50% of their total ranking, while the MCAT score makes up 20% and the calculated UAA makes up 30%. Out-of-province applicant’s chances of admission rely solely on their MMI performance. Their ranking will be based 100% on their interview performance.

What determines matriculants' total ranking at USask medical school?

References

The University of Saskatchewan medical school does not accept traditional medical school recommendation letters. All references are contacted by phone and asked specific questions about your candidacy for medical school. In your application, you must provide the names of three referees who can speak to your personal attributes and suitability to study and practice medicine. Your recommenders should be professionals with whom you worked and who know you well. Specifically, if you have participated in or have completed an undergraduate or graduate research course or project, your immediate supervisor must be used as a reference. If you are using employers or volunteer supervisors as references, they should be from the most recent positions you held. Be sure to notify your references well in advance that you would like to put down their names and contact information in your application. Ask them if they agree to be your recommenders and ensure that they would show you strong support. Once they agree, make sure you have their most up-to-date, correct information to put in your application. Your referees must be willing to accept a 10-to 15-minute phone call from the program during April and early May.

In your application you must provide the following information about each of your referees:

1. First and last name
2. Position
3. Full details of how each reference has supervised you, i.e. their role in relation to you in an employment, research, or volunteer setting
4. Length of time known
5. Email
6. Daytime telephone

You can update your references’ contact information, but you cannot change a reference after October 1st of the year of application.

Acceptance Information

If you are offered admission, you must pay a non-refundable deposit of $1,800.00 (part of your tuition) by the deadline date of the acceptance of the offer. That is, candidates who withdraw their admission acceptance after paying the fee will forfeit this deposit.

If you are rejected, you will have a chance to appeal the adcoms’ decision. You will have 5 business days from the date a negative application decision is emailed to launch an appeal of that decision. If you appeal, your appeal must include the Appeal Form. The Appeal Form and any attachments must be submitted by email at [email protected]. The appeal form and supporting documentation must be received on or before the deadline. Appeals are to be addressed to the Chair of the Admissions Appeals Committee, c/o Admissions Office.

Contact Information

Admissions website

Admissions email: [email protected]

FAQs

To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

BeMo Academic Consulting

Want more free tips? Subscribe to our channels for more free and useful content!

TikTok

YouTube

Instagram

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

LinkedIn

Twitter