Academic Requirements

There are four absolute requirements for eligibility to apply to the program:

• By May of the year of entry, applicants must have completed a minimum of three years of undergraduate university degree-level work (30 half-year credits or 15 full-year credits or a combination). There is no requirement that applicants carry a full course load. Those applying in the third year of their undergraduate education (prior to completion of 30 half-year credits) are given offers conditional upon completion of the minimum number of credits and a final year GPA of 3.00 on the 4.00 scale and are required to submit their final undergraduate transcript with course codes and grades to McMaster by June 30^th of the year of entry, as evidence that this requirement has been met;

• By the October deadline, applicants must have achieved an overall OMSAS converted average of 3.00 on the 4.00 point scale.

• All applicants to the UGME are required to write the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) prior to, and within five years of the year of application and applicants must release their scores to OMSAS by the MCAT score release deadline as stated by OMSAS. Any test written in 2018 or later is valid for the application cycle ending October 2, 2023.

For further information visit our MCAT page.

• All applicants to the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University will be required to complete a 90-minute computer-based test, called Casper, as part of the selection process. Casper, the Computer-based Assessment for Sampling Personal characteristics, is a web-based assessment of interpersonal skills and decision-making, to be completed at a computer. Successful completion of Casper is required to maintain applicant eligibility. Casper assesses for non-cognitive skills and interpersonal characteristics that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program and will complement the other tools we use for applicant screening. In implementing Casper, we are trying to further enhance fairness and objectivity in our selection process. Applicants must sign up for the Casper test

For more information see our CASPER page.

Criteria of Evaluation

Only degree courses taken at an accredited university will be considered. To satisfy the minimum requirements, academic credentials obtained from a Canadian University must be from an institution with academic standards and performance consistent with those of member institutions of the Council of Ontario Universities (COU). The applicant must be able to demonstrate a high level of academic achievement consistently throughout their undergraduate career.

An applicant who has completed a diploma at a CEGEP (Province of Quebec) receives one year of credit toward the minimum requirements for application.  Those applicants must have completed at least two years (20 half-year credits) of undergraduate university degree-level work by May of the year of entry.

Applicants who have satisfactorily completed the requirements for a baccalaureate degree in less than three years by the time of the application deadline, and who meet the “3.00” average requirement, are also eligible.

An overall simple average will be calculated using the grades from all undergraduate degree-level courses ever taken (with the exception of credits taken on an exchange outside of Canada/USA). Work of different years is treated equally. This average is calculated by the applicant on the OMSAS Academic Record Form and verified on the OMSAS Verification Report which is sent to applicants. McMaster University may also review and revise this average. The marks from supplementary and summer courses will be included in the GPA calculation.

Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit Courses

Courses for which a “Pass” or “Credit” grade is assigned are counted for credit, but will not be included in the GPA calculation. For those attending a program where “pass” or “credit” courses exist, please note that in order for the GPA to be evaluated, independent grades from a minimum of 5 half-year or 5 full-year courses in total, are required, without which the application will not be considered.

Students with disabilities are encouraged to apply to the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine if they have the skills and abilities to meet the requirements of the medical degree. Applicants must confirm they can meet the technical standards outlined in the Essential Skills and Abilities Required for Entry to a Medical Degree Program.

Unknown, undiagnosed, and/or unaccommodated disabilities may result in grades that disadvantage applicants unfairly. If you have an unaccommodated disability, you may request additional consideration in the undergraduate UGME admission process if you:

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

This request applies only to the initial assessment of your OMSAS application and pertains only to the treatment of the applicant’s grades (GPA). Supporting documentation is required. Accommodations for MCAT and/or Casper are considered by AAMC and Altus Assessments respectively and are not granted by the McMaster UGME.

More information about the process and documentation required to make a request for Disability-Based Consideration in the Admissions Process will be found on the Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS) website at www.ouac.on.ca/omsas

To be granted admission, you must be proficient in spoken and written English. All application materials must be submitted in English, otherwise, the application will not proceed further in the admission process.

If English is not your first language, you must satisfy McMaster’s English Language Proficiency requirements, found at: https://future.mcmaster.ca/english-proficiency/

Applicants should understand that where it is discovered that any application information is false or misleading or has been concealed or withheld, the application will be deemed to be invalid. This will result in its immediate rejection. If the student has already been admitted and registered, withdrawal from the university may be required. The MD Admissions Committee will normally not allow the applicant to reapply to the Medical Program for 7 years.