Eligibility Requirements for Undergraduate Medicine
If there is any discrepancy between the information presented here and that presented at mcgill.ca/medadmissions, the latter will prevail.
Undergraduate Degree
Undergraduate Degree
For Applicants in the University Categories
These requirements apply to applicants who apply holding university degrees in either the Quebec resident, Out-of-Province Canadian, or International categories. Candidates should refer to their respective applicant category (as defined in Applicant Categories and Special Admissions Pathways 鈥� Underrepresented Groups).
The degree used as the basis of admission must be successfully completed by July 31 of the year of entry to the M.D.,C.M. program. This degree must be a Bachelor's degree and meet the following conditions:
Basis of Admission (Undergraduate) Degree
A 120-credit (four-year) or equivalent bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in any discipline. Applicants who have successfully obtained a Diploma of Collegial Studies (Dipl么me d'茅tudes coll茅giales; 鈥淒EC鈥�) in a pre-university program can apply with a 90-credit program from a Quebec university.
The undergraduate program must have been undertaken on a full-time basis and should be completed in the time prescribed by the program. A full course load (e.g. 12-15 credits) per semester and completion within the time prescribed by the program is expected; however, applicants with some part-time semesters, who have taken up to one additional year to complete a bachelor's degree remain eligible; the final assessment based on individual circumstances remains the responsibility of the Undergraduate Medical Admissions Office. A full course load (as defined by the institution awarding the degree) is expected in regular sessions. Summer or other interim sessions are acceptable, assuming a full-time registration in regular sessions. The MDCM Admissions Committee expects a minimum of 60 consecutive graded credits at the time of application.
Second Bachelor's Degree
Candidates holding or currently pursuing a second bachelor's degree may use the second degree as the basis of admission degree if:
- The first degree completed meets the above requirements;
- A minimum of 45 new, consecutive graded credits are earned by the application deadline. The remaining 15 (or more) credits must be completed, and the degree conferred, by July 31 of the year of entry to medical school, and must be at a comparable level of performance; and
- The second degree demonstrates a stronger academic performance.
All Bachelor Degrees
Students from all academic backgrounds are encouraged to consider medicine as a career. Prospective applicants should pursue courses of study, whether in the natural or social sciences or the humanities, which appeal to them and which have as their aim a broad education and intellectual training rather than merely anticipating the medical curriculum. Candidates admitted to the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences have degrees in various disciplines, the MDCM Admissions Committee seeks academically well-rounded candidates and ensures, by way of the basic science prerequisites, that all students have an adequate preparation in science.
The Undergraduate Medical Admissions Office does not consider degrees without a marking or grading system; narrative transcripts are not accepted.
Special consideration for Winter 2020 term
The Winter 2020 term is excluded from assessment for all candidates, without exception, due to the global disruption to academic programs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Grade point average calculations and full-time study assessments will not include this term. See Undergraduate Degree Requirements for details about the number of consecutive credits required for degrees that span the Winter 2020 term.
Eligibility for Atypical Degrees
- Degrees that combine credits from multiple institutions, degrees where some credits come from pre-university studies: Half (50%) of the credits for the degree must be completed at granting institution. This can include colleges which are authorized in their jurisdiction to grant bachelor鈥檚 degrees. This is the standard 鈥渞esidency requirement"* for an institution to grant a degree at most Canadian universities, including 91社区.
- Degrees that grant credit for prior non-credit training or experience: Prior learning credit based on informal learning (also known as Reconnaissance des acquis extrascolaires in Qu茅bec), i.e. transfer credit that does not come from prior academic credited courses, cannot comprise more than 10% of the degree (e.g. 12 credits of 120).
* 鈥淩esidency requirement鈥� refers to the minimum number of courses or credits (or percentage of the program) a student must complete at an institution to graduate from that institution. Please consult your academic advisor or your institution's registrar office for information about your degree requirements.
