You can apply if you have completed 2 years of full-time studies in a program leading to a university bachelor’s degree and are currently enrolled as a 3rd year full-time undergraduate student.

You must complete all admission requirements by June 1 preceding admission into the MD Program.

You are eligible to apply if you have completed at least 3 years of full-time studies in an undergraduate program leading to a university bachelor’s degree.

The 3 years of full-time studies do not necessarily need to be consecutive nor be in the same bachelor’s degree program.

For example, if at the time of application, you have completed an undergraduate degree plus 2 years toward a second bachelor’s degree, you are eligible to apply provided that:

• At least 3 of your undergraduate years of study were completed as full-time.
• You have completed all admission requirements by June 1 preceding admission into the MD Program.

If you are registered in a co-operative education program (co-op), you are eligible to apply if you meet the admission requirements.

To satisfy the 3 years of full-time studies requirement, each completed year of study must have at least 2 academic terms per trimester (fall, winter and spring-summer).

Any academic year where you completed 2 work terms will not count as part of the 3 required years of full-time studies and, therefore, the grades obtained during the academic term will not be used in the cGPA calculation.

Course sequence

Example 1

If your co-op program followed the calendar below, you can apply for admission after the second year, provided that your third year is completed by the end of the winter term and that all 3 years of study have been full-time.

Example 2

If your co-op program followed the calendar below, you can apply for admission after completing your fourth year, provided that your fifth year is completed by the end of the winter term and that all 3 years of study have been full-time.

We do not accept applications directly from CEGEP or community college.

College diplomas (CEGEP or community college) are recognized as equivalent to 1 year of postsecondary university studies.To satisfy the three years of full-time requirement, you must also have completed 2 years of full-time studies (minimum of 5 courses per term each year) in an undergraduate program leading to a university bachelor’s degree.

Prerequisite courses equivalencies

*Both these courses must be completed to meet the requirements of the general chemistry prerequisite.

Note: Only the above CEGEP or college courses will be recognized as equivalencies to the science prerequisites, provided you obtained a minimum grade of 70%.

If you have completed these science courses at the CEGEP or college level, you must also take, in a recognized university, the following additional prerequisite courses:

• 6 units (credits) in humanities/social sciences;
• 3 units (credits) in biochemistry; and
• 3 units (credits) in statistics.

Courses in humanities, social sciences, biochemistry and statistics taken at the CEGEP or college level are not accepted.

If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident applicant and have completed postsecondary studies outside of Canada and the United States, you must have your international transcripts assessed by World Education Services (WES).

If you completed 3 years of full-time studies in an undergraduate program leading to a university bachelor’s degree in Canada or the United States after your international studies, the international grades will not be used in calculating the cGPA. In this case, a WES evaluation is not required; however, the transcript must be sent directly from the foreign university to OMSAS by the application deadline.

Note: A WES evaluation is not required for studies completed as an exchange program.

The evaluation must include a program equivalency conversion, an overall GPA conversion and a course-by-course conversion. We will consider your application only if the WES evaluation is provided.

The WES evaluation greatly facilitates the consideration of your application; however, the Admissions Committee reserves the right to apply its own conversion.

If you are a graduate candidate who is registered in (or has recently completed) a master’s or doctoral degree, you can apply to the MD Program provided you meet the admission requirements.

Your application will be assessed on the same basis as all other applications, namely:

• Eligibility criteria (citizenship, full-time study and prerequisite courses)
• Academic parameters (cGPA)
• Non-academic parameters (Confidential Assessment Forms [CAFs], Casper, ABS and interview).

Note: The cGPA is calculated based on the last 3 years of full-time undergraduate studies. Although the cGPA does not include grades from graduate studies (master’s, doctoral degree), they will be considered as part of the final comprehensive file review to ensure academic excellence is maintained.

As a graduate applicant, you must have completed all your course work and your grades must be included in your official transcript, due on June 30 prior to entering the MD Program. You cannot be registered into 2 programs at the same time.

Admission for special or mature students, as described in the University of Ottawa general admission requirements, does not apply to the Faculty of Medicine.

If applying to medical school is a significant financial burden to you, consider applying to the Medical School Application Fee Waiver Program. This program subsidizes the costs for up to 3 Ontario medical schools for the 2024–2025 application cycle (from $100 to $380 in total) as well as the $220 OMSAS processing fee. Applications open on June 27, 2024 (11:59 p.m.) and close on August 22, 2024 (11:59 p.m.). To assess your eligibility and apply, visit the Application Guide.

If you have any questions, please contact the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada. For resources to support your application process, you can connect with the Price of a Dream via email or Instagram (@priceofadream_md).

If you have an unaccommodated disability, you may request additional consideration in the undergraduate MD program admission process if you:

• were not aware that you had a disability; or
• were not appropriately accommodated for a documented disability during your undergraduate and/or graduate studies.

This request applies only to the initial assessment of your OMSAS application.

Supporting Documentation

You must submit the following supporting documentation by the application deadline:

Documentation From the Accessibility Services Office

If you were registered with and received accommodation from the accessibility services office at your university (or other educational institution), you must submit a report from the accessibility services office that:

• confirms your registration for academic accommodations;
• supports the need for accommodation; and
• lists the accommodation given and its duration.

No diagnosis is needed.

Letter From a Regulated Health Practitioner

You must submit a letter from a regulated health practitioner who is licensed to diagnose. The letter must be dated and:

• include the health practitioner’s professional credentials (must be clearly stated);
• support the need for accommodation;
• specify the accommodation required;
• provide the date of diagnosis; and
• outline the underlying functional impairment and restrictions.

The following types of regulated health practitioners may provide a letter to support your request:

• Physician (family physician or specialist)
• Nurse practitioner
• Psychologist
• Dentist
• Physiotherapist
• Occupational therapist
• Speech and language pathologist
• Audiologist
• Optometrist
• Social worker
• Other regulated health practitioner who is licensed to diagnose

Disability-based Consideration Request Form

You must submit a Disability-based Consideration Request Form [PDF] that includes:

• the nature of your disability and its impact on your learning.
• the academic consideration you are requesting, including any semester(s) or year(s) your disability was not accommodated.
• the accommodation you applied for, and if received, the type of accommodation you received or the reason you did not request or receive accommodation.
• the courses, if any, you completed after you received accommodation.
• how you overcame your challenges and your plan to be successful in the study and practice of medicine.

Use Secure Application Messaging (SAM) in your OMSAS application to upload all supporting documentation for your request.

The University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine Admissions Committee may request additional information or documentation upon review of your request.

Individual applicants, their family members, delegates, and friends, are not to contact the dean of the Faculty of Medicine, the vice-dean of Undergraduate Medical Education or the vice-dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, directly or indirectly via telephone, mail, email social media or in person, regarding the application process or their application. To do so will be considered a breach of professionalism and any such contact or overtures will be noted and may jeopardize the individual’s application.

The MD Program of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS). This body is responsible for accrediting medical programs in Canada. The Admissions Office strictly adheres to the following CACMS standard:

“10.2 Final Authority of Admission Committee—The final responsibility for accepting students to a medical education program rests with a formally constituted admission committee. The authority and composition of the committee and the rules for its operation, including voting privileges and the definition of a quorum, are specified in bylaws or other medical school policies. Faculty members constitute the majority of voting members at all meetings. The selection of individual medical students for admission is not influenced by any political or financial factors.”

We may, at our discretion, refuse to accept future applications to the MD Program from a candidate who has submitted a false, misleading or fraudulent application in the past to any medical school.

In order to foster constructive communication and maintain a safe and respectful space, inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated and will therefore not receive a response.

The Faculty of Medicine does not tolerate any form of verbal abuse, harassment or intimidation of its staff. This includes the following:

• Using language that is aggressive, unpleasant and/or vulgar
• Making direct or indirect threats
• Communicating too frequently and/or at inappropriate times
• Refusing to accept the responses provided

Abusive, aggressive, threatening or vexatious emails are a minority, but the University of Ottawa employees sometimes find themselves in a position where they need to end communication with the complainant.

Applications for transfer will be accepted only from Canadian schools and only under exceptional circumstances, provided you have met our admission standards, that the school’s curriculum to date is compatible with our own and only if space is available. In addition, you may need to attend an interview.

Transfers Into the University of Ottawa’s MD Program

Transfers into the MD Program will only be considered under exceptional circumstances, and in consultation with the vice-dean of Undergraduate Medical Education of the Faculty of Medicine, subject to space availability, and if in full compliance with all of the following criteria. Transfers will only be considered into year 3 of the four-year undergraduate medical program.

The applicant must:

1. be registered full-time as an undergraduate medical student in a Canadian university offering an accredited and comparable 4-year medical program;
2. initiate the request at least one year prior to the desired year of transfer;
3. have successfully completed year 2 at the time of transfer;
4. be in good academic standing and have a satisfactory overall record at the home institution;
5. meet the general admission requirements of the Faculty;
6. not be on leave from the home institution.

It is your responsibility to ensure that all necessary documentation from the home institution reaches the University of Ottawa along with the request for transfer.

Transfers within the Faculty of Medicine

• Francophone and Anglophone streams: Transfers between streams are not permitted.
• MD Program and MD/PhD Program: Once an offer of admission to either of these programs is accepted, transfers to the other program will not be permitted.

The OMSAS Application Guide refers to the importance of OMSAS receiving the application materials and required documentation by the published deadlines.

You must ensure that OMSAS receives your transcripts by the stated deadline so that the file can be reviewed in sufficient time to allow any errors or omissions to be addressed.

If your transcript issues are not resolved before our selection process begins, it will not be possible to insert the file into our process and we may disqualify your application.

Because of the nature of selection procedures, deadlines are strictly enforced. You must provide all relevant documentation by the specified deadlines.

If you fail to comply with the instructions or meet the deadlines, your application will be disqualified.

Note: The Admissions Office will make no exceptions to the above policies.

The initial application review is based on:

• Eligibility criteria (citizenship, full-time study and prerequisite courses);
• Academic requirements (cGPA);
• Non-academic requirements (Casper).

These criteria are further defined in the Admissions Requirements.

Candidates who do not meet the minimum requirements do not advance in the process.

Following this review, the Admissions Committee will assess the ABS and verify the CAFs of candidates who meet the minimum requirements.

Based on the cGPA, Casper and ABS scores, an excellence list is generated to determine which candidates are invited to an interview.

Approximately 50% of the seats are reserved for regional candidates.

As long as the criteria for eligibility are met, we do not give preference to the discipline of the academic program taken at a university.

Age, gender, race, religion and socioeconomic status play no part in the selection process, unless it is specified in the criteria for designated seats.

Other factors being equal, we will give preference to candidates who have an active knowledge of both official languages (English and French).

Applicants submitting fraudulent applications may be subject to prosecution.

You will not be admitted without an interview. We usually hold interviews from February to March. We base invitations for interviews on the file assessment process of academic and non-academic criteria.

If you require accommodations for your interview, you must inform the Admissions Office ([email protected]) immediately upon receiving your invitation. Failure to do so may result in accommodation not being put in place. Consultation with the Academic Accommodation Service will be organized to discuss your request and you will be required to provide supporting documentation.

Note: Interviews for the 2025 admission cycle will take place in February and March, and the letters to confirm the status of applications will be sent by email around the last week of January 2025.

Our interviews will be conducted between February 18 and March 7, 2025.

Given the important weight of interview performance for admission to our MD Program, your application will be rejected if you have been interviewed 3 times. This policy applies to all applications, regardless of the language stream or pathway selected.

No feedback will be provided regarding the assessment of your file. Our decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

FAQ

Which undergraduate program will give me the best chance of being accepted into your MD Program?

We strive for diversity; therefore, all undergraduate programs leading to a university bachelor’s degree are welcome. All applications are assessed the same way. There is no special weight or preference given to any particular undergraduate university degree.

Following the interview, we prepare preliminary rank order lists based on the interview performance (a poor interview performance may not be ranked). In the event of ties in the final scores, we will give priority to the candidates with the highest file score.

The Admissions Committee may take other factors into consideration when ranking each candidate on the excellence list for the offers.

All offers of admission are conditional and are subject to the following conditions.

• The success of the current academic year, including having maintained your average (this applies to all levels of study, undergraduate, graduate, or professional studies, whether full-time or part-time). The cumulative grade point average (cGPA) will be recalculated for applicants who are currently completing their undergraduate studies to ensure that their cGPA is not below the established threshold. Although the cGPA only includes grades from the undergraduate studies, grades from higher levels of education (masters, doctorate, and professional studies) will be taken into consideration during the final evaluation to ensure that academic excellence has been maintained.
• Satisfactory completion of all admission requirements by June 1, 2025 (this includes having completed all courses at the graduate level (master, doctoral or professional studies).
• Official transcript of your marks sent to OMSAS no later than June 30, 2025.
• Satisfactory completion of all clinical placement requirements.
• Proof of citizenship (copy only).
• Ability to meet the standards as stated in the document Essential Skills and Abilities Required for Entry to a Medical Degree Program.

Important: The University may revoke the offer of admission if you fail to meet any admission requirements or any one of the conditions mentioned.

In view of the increasing use of information technology, students admitted to the MD Program are expected to be computer literate and are required to use a laptop in class from day one. Students enrolled must purchase their own laptop and ensure that it meets the requirements mandated by the Faculty. We will provide further information in the offer of admission package.

The institutional fee for the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine is $130 and is deductible from tuition fees when you are admitted.

A deposit fee of $1,000 must accompany an offer of admission acceptance. The deposit is deducted from your tuition fees when you are admitted.

Once admitted in the first year of the MD Program, you cannot be enrolled in any other college or university program (full-time or part time). Under very exceptional circumstances, permission may be granted by the vice-dean of Undergraduate Medical Education.

Request for deferred registration is only considered under extenuating circumstances. The Admissions Office, in consultation with the vice-dean, may grant or refuse requests for deferral.

If you wish to submit a request for deferral, you must accept the offer of admission and send us a detailed letter explaining the reasons for your request. The letter must be received no later than June 30, 2025.

Requests for deferral will only be considered if the candidate satisfies all the admission requirements for the initial intended year of entry into the MD Program.

If another medical school admits you and allows you to defer your registration, you will not be considered for admission to the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ottawa, as long as you maintain your deferred registration.

To obtain details on the clinical placement requirements, please consult the Program Requirement and Program Deadlines on the Faculty of Medicine Clinical Placement Risk Management (FoM CPRM) website.

An instruction package will accompany your offer letter with information on the clinical placement requirements. These include:

• Police Vulnerable Sector Check
• Immunization
• Basic Life Support Provider Certification

Police Vulnerable Sector Check

The vulnerable sector check (VSC) is mandatory for clinical placements. It includes a search for police involvement by the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) and a search to see if a person has a criminal record suspension (pardon) related to sexual offences. The University reserves the right to revoke admission offers and/or registration at any time based on the results of the VSC. For further details, please consult the Program Requirements on the FoM CPRM website.

Immunization

Clinical placements are an essential component of the MD Program. As a health care professional, you have an obligation to protect your patients, colleagues and yourself from infections that can be transmitted in health care practice settings. Immunization requirements are mandatory and must be fulfilled before entering a clinical setting.

Tetanus/Diphtheria

• Proof of a childhood immunization record or adult primary series (at least 3 doses) is mandatory.
• Proof of a booster received within the last 10 years.

Tetanus/Diphtheria/Acellular Pertussis (Tdap)

• Proof of one dose of Tdap vaccine is mandatory if not previously received in adulthood (18 years of age and older)

Polio

• Proof of a childhood immunization record or adult primary series (at least 3 doses) is mandatory.

Tuberculosis

• Proof of a baseline two-step tuberculin skin test (TST) is mandatory in addition to a yearly one-step TST.
• Students with a history of positive TST must provide a chest x-ray report done after the positive TST. Future TST is not required but the Tuberculosis Signs and Symptoms Self-Declaration Form [PDF] must be completed on an annual basis.
• TST is recommended 3 months of returning from travel to any endemic area.

Varicella/Zoster

• Laboratory evidence of immunity or
• Documentation of a diagnosis by a health care provider of varicella/herpes zoster that is laboratory confirmed or
• Documentation of 2 doses of a varicella vaccine.
• Vaccination series is required if there is no proof of immunity.

MMR

• Measles: proof of 2 vaccine doses or laboratory evidence of immunity.
• Mumps: proof of 2 vaccine doses or laboratory evidence of immunity.
• Rubella: proof of one vaccine dose or laboratory evidence of immunity.

Hepatitis B

• Documented evidence of a complete primary series of hepatitis B immunization.
• Serology for hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs titer) AND hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).
• Booster(s) required if hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs titer) is negative.
• Post-vaccination hepatitis B surface antibody serology (anti-HBs titer) is mandatory one month later.

Influenza

• Documented evidence of seasonal flu vaccine for the academic year. This is a mandatory annual requirement.

COVID-19

• Documented evidence of a complete primary series of COVID-19 immunization.

Basic Life Support Provider Certification

Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is an annual requirement for the MD Program. Your BLS certification must always remain valid. Annual renewal is required regardless of the expiry date listed on your certification card.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation BLS training course is the only certification accepted.