Canada

Applications high, success rates low: the stats tell the story

Plus, average GPA and test scores and which schools require the MCAT

Gaining admission to medical school is a competitive process. In the table below, Success Rate indicates the percentage of applicants who received at least one offer of admission. Note that success rates for in-province applicants are generally higher than for out-of-province, because most medical schools reserve nearly all of their seats for local students. The grade point average (GPA)—or R score in Quebec’s CEGEP system—shows the average for successful applicants. The medical college admission test (MCAT) is a standardized test required for admission at many faculties.

Total Applicants
Total Admitted

Success Rate (%)
In-Province

Success Rate (%)
Rest of Canada

Success Rate (%)

Inter-national

Average
GPA

(4.0 scale)

Average MCAT
Alberta 1,149 156 29.4 9.9 16.7 3.8 10.71
UBC 1,809 254 22.1 8 0 3.71* 10.6
Calgary 1,410 145 29.7 12 50 3.61 10.51
Dalhousie 692 110 38.4† 13.7 54.5 3.7 10
Laval 1,816 164 21.4 10 12.8 R score 33.3 (CEGEP)
R score 30.9 (university)
Not required
Not required
Manitoba 948 106 35.9 5.7 0 4.16
(4.5 scale)
10.57
McGill (5-yr) 440 88 23.9 N/A N/A N/A Not required
(4-yr)
1,024 164 33.7 5.3 11.5 3.8* 10.9
McMaster 4,733 181 6.5 2.8 2.7 3.89* Not required
Memorial 704 67 30.8 5.7 29.4 3.8 10
Montréal (5-yr) 1,627 207 24.8 3.8 0 N/A Not required
(4-yr)
690 71 12 6.7 0 N/A Not required
Ottawa 3,269 145 7.2 3.8 0 3.87* Not required
Northern Ontario** 1,892 58 4.3 1.7 0 3.72* Not required
Queen’s†† 2,200 95 8 7.2 0 N/A N/A
Saskatchewan 591 84 35.9 7.6 0 89.3%* 9.64
Sherbrooke 1,892 204 20.4 30.6 1.3 N/A Not required
Toronto 2,731 222 11.5 8.8 2 3.88 11
Western 1,803 147 12.9 4.1 5.9 N/A N/A

Statistics on applicants, admissions and success rates are for 2008-2009. MCAT scores are for students entering in fall 2009. GPA scores are for students entering in 2010, except those flagged with an asterisk, which are from 2009. ††All figures for Queen’s are from 2006-2007. †Includes all Maritime provinces. **Located at Lakehead and Laurentian universities. Note: higher international success rates at some universities may be misleading, given that at some institutions the number includes students who applied for positions available under contract with foreign governments or educational institutions.

Source: Office of Research and Information Services, Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada; MCAT scores obtained directly from Canadian medical schools.

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