MD Program — McGill University (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)

Program status: Active — CACMS/LCME accredited. One of the oldest medical schools in Canada (founded 1829). Grants the MDCM degree (Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery). Open to all Canadians but extremely competitive for out-of-province applicants — only ~5 seats.

SpaceCat Fit Notes

1. CASPer: Used — 20% of pre-interview score. SpaceCat’s strong CASPer helps but cannot overcome the GPA-dominant formula (70% GPA). The CVMD (10%) is the remaining component.
2. GPA window & upgrading strategy: McGill uses Degree GPA calculated from the bachelor’s degree (minimum 60 consecutive graded credits). This is a cumulative calculation with no recent-years-only window, so upgrading by taking additional courses is not straightforward — a second undergraduate degree (60+ credits) would be needed. Interviewed OOP candidates average 3.97 GPA; below 3.5 is “rarely considered competitive.”
3. Experiential / written advantage: The CVMD (CV supporting document) accounts for 10% of pre-interview assessment. SpaceCat’s shelter work could strengthen this component. Post-interview, the final ranking is 100% MMI — interview performance is everything at the decision stage. However, 7 science prerequisites with labs (Biology x2, Chemistry x2, Organic Chemistry x1, Physics x2) are required and SpaceCat’s BA likely lacks these.

4. Out-of-province: Ontario resident. See Out-of-Province section below for details.

5. Overall assessment: Reach — Only 5 OOP seats with interviewed candidates averaging 3.97 GPA, GPA weighted at 70% pre-interview, 7 science prerequisites likely missing, and $33,283/year OOP tuition. No MCAT required with a Canadian degree is a plus, but the GPA bar and tiny OOP pool make this extremely difficult. Only viable if GPA is near 4.0 and prerequisites can be completed.

Quick Facts

• Institution: McGill University
• Program name: Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery (MDCM)
• Degree granted: MDCM
• City, Province: Montreal, Quebec
• Program type: Standard (4-year)
• Duration: 4 years
• Delivery format: In-person
• Full-time / Part-time: Full-time only
• Language of instruction: English (applications may be submitted in French or English)
• Start date(s): August
• Intake frequency: Annual
• Application deadline(s): November 1, 2025 (for fall 2026 entry) — same deadline for Quebec, out-of-province, and international applicants (McGill General Requirements)
• Application system: McGill’s own online application portal (Minerva) — NOT OMSAS (McGill Admissions)
• Program URL: https://www.mcgill.ca/medadmissions/
• Accredited: Yes — CACMS and LCME accredited

Admission Requirements

GPA

• Minimum GPA: No hard published minimum, but applicants with a Degree GPA below 3.4 are “rarely considered competitive.” Out-of-province applicants should have 3.7+ to be competitive. (McGill Educational Requirements; McGill Out-of-Province)
• Competitive GPA: Successful applicants typically maintain a Degree GPA above 3.5, with averages around 3.8. For out-of-province Canadians, the average GPA of interviewed candidates is 3.97 (from ~338 applicants, ~26 interviewed). For Quebec residents, interview average is 3.89. (McGill Educational Requirements; McGill Out-of-Province)
• GPA calculation: Based on Degree GPA — calculated from the bachelor’s degree. Minimum 60 consecutive graded credits must be completed by application deadline. Winter 2020 term excluded. (McGill Educational Requirements)
• Second degree option: Applicants with a second undergraduate degree need minimum 60 credits (45 graded by November 1). Degree must be conferred before medical studies begin. (McGill Educational Requirements)

MCAT

• Required: No — the MCAT is NOT required for applicants who hold an undergraduate degree from a Canadian university. Only required for applicants with degrees from non-Canadian institutions. (McGill General Requirements; BeMo McGill Guide)
• SpaceCat note: Since SpaceCat holds a BA from Dalhousie (a Canadian university), the MCAT is NOT required for McGill.

CASPer

• Required: Yes — CASPer score must be submitted. CASPer Snapshot is NOT considered. CASPer accounts for 20% of the pre-interview assessment. (McGill Selection Process; McGill General Requirements)

Interview

• Format: Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) — 10 stations (task-oriented, simulation/scenario, or discussion). (BeMo McGill Guide)
• Interview dates (2026 cycle): February 17-20, 2026. (McGill Out-of-Province)
• Post-interview ranking: 100% MMI score — the interview is everything at the final stage. (McGill Selection Process)

Prerequisites (Science)

Seven basic science prerequisites with lab components are required:

(McGill General Requirements; BeMo McGill Guide)

SpaceCat note: With a BA from Dalhousie, SpaceCat likely has NOT completed these science prerequisites. These would need to be taken before applying — 7 courses is a significant additional workload.

Prior Degree Requirement

• 120-credit (4-year) bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution required. Quebec applicants may use a 90-credit degree with a DEC. (McGill Educational Requirements)
• SpaceCat’s BA from Dalhousie satisfies the degree requirement.

Supplementary Requirements

• CV supporting document (CVMD): Required — accounts for 10% of pre-interview assessment. (McGill Selection Process)
• Academic history workbook: Required. (McGill General Requirements)
• Transcripts and supporting documents as specified by applicant category.

How Applications Are Evaluated

Pre-interview (invitation to interview): - 70% Academic evaluation (GPA) - 20% CASPer - 10% CV supporting document (CVMD) - 4-6x the number of available seats are moved to CV review; then interview invitations issued.

Post-interview (final ranking): - 100% MMI score — GPA, CASPer, and CV do not factor into the final ranking.

(McGill Selection Process)

Note: These weightings are “guidelines only and subject to review and change by the MDCM Admissions Committee.” (McGill Selection Process)

Out-of-Province Considerations

• Seats for out-of-province Canadians: Up to 5 seats anticipated for Fall 2026 (from the “up to 10” previously; the 2026 cycle shows up to 5). (McGill Out-of-Province)
• Application volume: ~338 out-of-province applicants; ~26 interviewed; ~5 admitted. Acceptance rate for out-of-province: roughly 0.9-1.5%. (McGill Out-of-Province; BeMo McGill Guide)
• GPA for interviewed out-of-province candidates: Average 3.97. (McGill Out-of-Province)
• Return-of-service obligation: Out-of-province Canadians studying in Quebec must sign a service contract with Quebec’s Ministry of Health, potentially requiring practice in Quebec or facing financial penalties. (McGill Out-of-Province)

Total class seat allocation:

(McGill General Requirements)

Cost

• Tuition — out-of-province Canadian (2025-2026): ~$33,283/year tuition; total fees ~$36,301/year including all compulsory charges. (McGill Student Accounts MDCM; McGill Tuition 2025-26)
• Tuition — Quebec resident: Significantly lower due to provincial subsidies (Quebec regulated tuition). Quebec residents pay a fraction of out-of-province rates.
• Tuition guarantee: Students admitted in a given year are guaranteed the same tuition rate for the program duration (no increases if no break in enrollment). (McGill Student Accounts MDCM)
• Total 4-year cost for out-of-province: ~$133,000-$145,000 (tuition + fees).
• Note: Out-of-province tuition at McGill MDCM ($33,283/year) is significantly higher than many Ontario schools and considerably higher than what Quebec residents pay. This represents a major cost disadvantage for SpaceCat.

Competitiveness

• Cohort size: ~180 students/year (McGill Selection Process)
• Total applications: ~3,000/year; ~500 interviews conducted (McGill Selection Process)
• Out-of-province acceptance rate: ~0.9-1.5% (BeMo McGill Guide)

Information Not Found

No specific gaps identified for this program.