Medicine

This intensive four-year program is designed to develop knowledgeable, compassionate, collaborative, reflective, and professional physicians committed to quality health care and lifelong learning.

Our innovative curriculum combines lectures and laboratory instruction with small-group case studies, problem-based learning, and preceptor-guided clinical skill sessions, providing a well-rounded degree that emphasizes education, research, and patient care.

You’ll spend years 1 and 2 building your foundational knowledge and skills while gaining progressive clinical exposure, culminating in immersive clinical training in years 3 and 4.

The MD Program is broad and deep, with an expansive yet highly structured curriculum and numerous opportunities for research and specialization.

Why study Medicine at the University of Alberta?

Established in 1913, the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta is one of Canada’s premier health science institutes, with an international reputation for medical education and research and state-of-the-art teaching and clinical facilities.

As part of the largest teaching hospital in Western Canada, we are able to offer more than 50 residency programs, including Family Medicine, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Neurology, and Cardiology.

For more information please visit the MD Program webpage.

POSSIBLE CAREERS

Megan, from Wainwright, is a Medicine student, mental health advocate, and volunteer. As an undergrad, Megan spent four summers in Ecuador working with a non-profit, shadowing physicians and volunteering with rural housing construction. Now, she's back at the U of A to complete her degree.

Program Requirements

Non-Direct Entry

This program does not allow admission directly from high school. See requirements below for more details.

You must be a Canadian citizen or a Permanent Resident of Canada.

All applicants to the Doctor of Medicine Program must be registered in a baccalaureate degree from a program recognized by the University of Alberta and obtain their degree the year admission is sought or already have completed their degree program. We have no preference for which institution you attend nor which degree program you complete, provided that the institution and program you choose is recognized by the University of Alberta; you should be pursuing your own interests while fulfilling the requirements of your degree program. The MD Program does not require any specific pre-requisite courses. Applicants must have a minimum of 60 transferable units of course weight (ucw).

To be eligible to apply, a minimum GPA of 3.30 is required for Alberta residents and 3.50 for Non-Alberta residents.

Applicants are required to write the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). To be eligible to apply, a minimum score of 124 in all categories is required for Alberta residents; for Non-Alberta residents applicants must have a 128 in CARS and 124 in CPBS, BBFL, and PSBB.

Applicants are required to complete the Secondary Medicine Application. It is comprised of reference letters, personal activities, and additional information.

Applicants who successfully complete both applications and meet all minimum requirements will be required to do additional testing.

Based on selection criteria, competitive applicants will be selected to participate in an interview for admission into the University of Alberta Doctor of Medicine Program.

Note: Applicants to the Doctor of Medicine program must apply using the online application.


Alberta Grade 12 Preparation: It is recommended that students have the following Grade 12 subjects: English Language Arts 30-1, Biology 30, Chemistry 30, Mathematics 30-1 and Physics 30.

Additional Requirements:

    1. Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) - All applicants must know their MCAT scores prior to the application deadline of October 1. If an applicant has written the MCAT more than once, applicants should submit MCAT scores from the most successful sitting. Scores from the new MCAT2015 exam will only be considered and have been written within the last five years prior to the application deadline. See University of Alberta Calendar for more information.
    2. Letters of reference
    3. Additional Testing
    4. Interview
    5. Spoken English language proficiency

    Required From Accepted Applicants:

      1. Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector Check(PIC)
      2. Medical Testing and Immunization Records
      3. Basic Life Support
      4. N95 Fit Testing

      For more information on the admission requirements for the Doctor of Medicine Program, see Applying to Medicine.

      English language proficiency/spoken English requirement

      Because the U of A wants you to succeed, our admissions policy ensures that all students, regardless of citizenship, have the language skills they need to understand, participate and learn in our classes. The primary language of instruction in our classes, with the exception of those at the Faculté Saint-Jean, is English. For more information on the English Language Proficiency policy refer to the U of A Calendar. Information on writing ELP examinations is also available.

      Indigenous Applicants

      At the U of A, we are committed to encouraging Indigenous Students in their work towards a degree. Indigenous students have been under-represented in higher education in Canada, thus our policy is aimed at increasing opportunity, with the goal of our Aboriginal student population being representative of the public we serve. For more information on Admission of Indigenous Students refer to the U of A Calendar.

      Deadline

      Fall application

      Domestic: December 1, 2024
      International: December 1, 2024

      For a complete listing of application and document deadlines refer to the University Calendar.

      For additional information and the most up-to-date admission requirements, please see admission requirements by faculty in the University Calendar.