The University of Ottawa reviews the information in this document annually and reserves the right to change these requirements, without notice, when circumstances dictate.
For updated information, consult the Faculty of Medicine website.
About the Undergraduate Medical Education Program at the University of Ottawa
Established in 1945, the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Medicine is the first medical school in North America that offers its program in both English and French. Our highly regarded curriculum focuses on developing the key competencies necessary for our students to become leaders in health care delivery.
Program Information
The program leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree (MD) includes 147 weeks of instruction (72 weeks of which are devoted to clinical work) scheduled over 4 calendar years.
Pre-clerkship is devoted to the teaching and learning of biomedical sciences, whereas clerkship is devoted to clinical work. During their medical studies, students must demonstrate the intelligence, integrity and personal and emotional characteristics deemed necessary to become competent physicians. Their behaviour must be consistent with the Faculty’s standards of ethical and professional behaviour.
Applicants select their language of study during the application process.
On average, 168 students are enrolled each new academic year, composed of roughly 120 in the anglophone stream and 48 in the francophone stream.
In view of the increasing use of information technology, students admitted to the program are expected to be computer literate and are required to use a laptop in class from day one. Students enrolled in the MD Program must purchase their own laptop and ensure that it meets the requirements mandated by our medical eCurriculum.
We will provide further information in the offer of admission package.
NEW Initiative for the 2024 Admissions Cycle
The MD Program will be increasing the number of regional candidates admitted to better respond to the needs of the population it serves.
Residence Requirements
A regional candidate is defined as a Canadian citizen or permanent resident (landed immigrant) who completed high school in one of the following areas:
- Rural National Capital Region
- Eastern & Central Prescott and Russell United Counties
- Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Counties
- South Leeds and Grenville United Counties
- Rideau Lakes area
- Renfrew County and Lanark Highlands Township
- Ottawa
- Rockland
- Russell
- Hawkesbury
- Cornwall
- Carleton Place
- Perth
- Smiths Falls
- Merrickville
- Brockville
The postal code of the candidate’s home address when they attended high school will be used to determine the residency status.
Admission Requirements
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is not an admission requirement for the medical program at the University of Ottawa.
Academic Requirements
Full-time Requirement
We accept applications from students in good standing who will have successfully completed at least 3 years of full-time studies (5 courses per term each year) in any undergraduate program leading to a university bachelor’s degree.
- Any academic year comprised of 4 courses per term will be recognized as full-time, provided that the missing courses (credits) to fulfill the full-time (5 courses per term) requirement is completed within another academic year or as summer course(s).
- Note: An academic year consists of 2 regular terms – fall and winter (September to April).
- Any year with fewer than 4 courses per term will not count as a full-time year of study.
- A full-time spring-summer term does not replace a term of studies within an academic year (except for co-op programs).
- Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and transfer credits cannot be used to satisfy the full-time studies requirement.
- We will not recognize full-time studies completed by distance education, since the spirit of the full-time studies requirement is to be able to assess and compare how applicants succeed in a full-time course load and to predict their performance and ability to cope with the rigorous demands of the medical program.
- Note: We do not include studies leading to a diploma or certificate, or to MD degrees.
Furthermore, the Admissions Committee reserves the right to assess:
- the level of difficulty of the courses,
- the pertinence of the courses for future medical studies at the University of Ottawa and
- the performance you achieve in these courses.
We generally consider professional degrees earned at Canadian institutions as undergraduate degrees.
We do not pre-assess files; we will assess applications individually during the evaluation process once you submit your application to OMSAS.
Do I Qualify?
I am applying as a third-year student
You can apply as a third-year student if you were full-time during your first 2 years of undergraduate studies, and you are currently registered in your third year of full-time undergraduate bachelor’s degree studies.
You must complete all admission requirements, including the prerequisite courses, by the beginning of June preceding admission into the MD Program.
I am applying with 3 years of undergraduate studies (or more)
You are eligible to apply if you have completed at least 3 years of full-time studies in an undergraduate program or if you already have a university bachelor’s degree (or more).
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 undergraduate 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, including prerequisite courses, by the beginning of June preceding admission into the MD Program.
I am applying as a co-op student
If you are registered in a co-operative education program (co-op), you are eligible to apply if you meet the prerequisites.
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 prerequisite years of full-time studies and, therefore, the grades obtained during the academic term will not be used in the cumulative grade point average (cGPA) calculation.
I am applying as a student from a CEGEP or a community college
We do not accept applications directly from CEGEP or community college.
If you have a college diploma from a general and vocational college in Quebec (CEGEP), 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, including the necessary prerequisite courses.
The same policy applies if you completed studies at a community college. College (or CEGEP) studies will be recognized as equivalent to 1 year of postsecondary university studies, provided that you obtained a diploma.
I am applying with international studies
Whether you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident applicant, you must have your international transcripts (transcripts from outside Canada and the United States) assessed by World Education Services (WES) if you do not meet the minimum eligibility requirements using your Canadian or US data.
If you have a foreign university education and meet the minimum eligibility requirements with Canadian or US undergraduate university degree-level 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.
I am applying as a graduate applicant (master’s and/or PhD)
If you are a graduate candidate who is registered in (or has recently completed) a master’s or doctoral degree, you are allowed to apply to the MD Program provided you meet the admission requirements, including the prerequisite courses.
Your application will be assessed on the same basis as all other applications, namely:
- cGPA,
- Casper,
- Confidential Assessment Forms (CAFs),
- Autobiographical Sketch (ABS) and
- interview performance.
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 final official transcript, due on June 30, prior to entering the MD Program. Students are not allowed to be registered into 2 programs at the same time.
Other Academic Requirements
Cumulative Grade Point Average (cGPA)
The required minimum cGPA is 3.50 on the 4.0 OMSAS scale.
While this meets the minimum criterion for admission consideration, be aware that, given the rising level of competition for a limited number of positions, a significantly higher cGPA would provide you with a better chance of admission.
Admission to the MD program is competitive; possessing the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance.
When assessing excellence in marks for admission to the MD Program, we will use the cGPA based on the applicant’s most recent 3 years of full-time (5 courses per term per year) undergraduate studies completed toward a bachelor’s university degree. The cGPA will include all full-time courses taken during the regular academic year (fall and winter terms) and individual courses taken during the spring-summer term during that period.
A year with fewer than 4 courses per term is not considered full-time and will not be included in the calculation of the cGPA.
Marks obtained in an academic year where a candidate has completed a term (or full year) abroad as part of an exchange program will not be included in the cGPA calculation.
We will not include individual grades received for course work taken as part of a graduate degree in the cGPA calculation.
Any additional university courses or studies outside that period will be considered during the final comprehensive file review, despite not being included in the cGPA calculation, to ensure academic excellence is maintained.
For the academic year to count toward the cGPA calculation, a maximum of 1 pass/fail graded course per term may have been completed in accordance with the full-time requirement. Therefore, an academic year in which more than 1 pass/fail graded course was taken in 1 term is not considered in the cGPA calculation.
Prerequisite Courses
Specific prerequisite courses must be completed with a minimum grade of 3.0 on the OMSAS scale.
You may complete missing prerequisite courses during the academic year preceding admission to the MD Program. However, you must complete all courses by the end of the winter term (January-April) before entering medical school.
Course Requirements
- 6 units in Humanities/Social Sciences
- You may fulfill the Humanities/Social Sciences requirements with any courses that are not science-based. These include, but are not limited to: Sociology, Psychology, Math, Religion, Administration, English Literature, English Writing, etc.
- We will not accept any second language courses toward the Humanities/Social Sciences requirements.
- 6 units in Biology (We also accept Anatomy and Physiology courses.)
- 3 units in Organic Chemistry
- Examples of topics covered in the course may include: Classification, identification and structural characterization of organic compounds, the mechanisms of organic reactions, basic principles of organic stereochemistry, properties and preparation of hydrocarbons, halogen derivatives, alcohols, ethers and selected polymers.
- 3 units in General Chemistry
- Examples of topics covered in the course may include: Chemical bonding, molecular geometry, chemical equations and quantitative relations, kinetics and equilibrium, redox reactions, electrochemistry, ionic equilibria, acids and bases in solution.
- 3 units in Biochemistry
- Examples of topics covered in the course may include: The chemistry and biological properties of amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, carbohydrates and vitamins.
- 3 units in Statistics
- Examples of topics covered in the course may include: A concise survey of probability, theory of statistical inference, point and interval estimation, tests of hypotheses, introduction to analysis of continuous variables, sampling distribution, quantitative analysis, regression analysis, use of statistical software.
Notes:
- Units are equivalent to credits.
- 3 units are equivalent to a 1-term course, and 6 units are equivalent to either 1 full-year course or 2 term-long courses.
- We will accept courses where the course title or course content includes topics related to the category required. For example, we will accept any Introduction to Chemistry or General Chemistry for the 3 units of General Chemistry.
- Having more courses in 1 category does not compensate for missing courses in other categories. For example: Having 6 units of Organic Chemistry does not compensate for the missing units in General Chemistry or vice versa.
- Prerequisite courses will not be validated in advance; they will be assessed as part of the application evaluation process.
Laboratory Requirement
You must demonstrate an exposure to laboratory work. You must have a laboratory component in 2 of the science courses from the categories listed or have completed 1 exclusive laboratory course equivalent to 6 units.
The 3 years of full-time undergraduate study and the prerequisite courses must be completed prior to the beginning of June preceding admission into the MD Program.
Prerequisite courses with the minimum grade of 3.0 on the OMSAS scale completed outside of the most recent 3 years of studies will count toward fulfilling the prerequisite units; however, the grades will not count toward the cGPA.
Non-academic Requirements
Citizenship
We will not accept applications from applicants who are not Canadian citizens or Canadian permanent residents (landed immigrants), except for eligible children of University of Ottawa alumni who have completed studies at the Faculty of Medicine.
You must forward proof of permanent resident (landed immigrant) status to OMSAS at the time you submit your application.
Autobiographical Sketch (ABS)
Within the application, you must complete the detailed ABS, which provides information that allows an assessor to judge the scope of your activities.
It is in your interest to be complete, yet brief and to the point, and be specific in the time of completion (academic or non-academic) and number of hours. Answers in point form are easier to peruse. You are not writing a personal letter. We want to know what you have done in your life so far, why you did it and what you have gained from it as a person and as a future physician.
We are unable to advise you on the ABS, as we want to see how applicants choose to present their information. It is the applicant’s responsibility to use their best judgment.
You will be prompted to identify the top 3 activities in each category (maximum of 18 in total) that you feel have best prepared you to apply to medicine.
Verifiers
You must provide a verifier for each activity listed on your detailed ABS. We are unable to guide you in selecting your verifiers. It is recommended to avoid using a friend or family member as a verifier.
You must comply with the instructions provided or your application will be disqualified.
We randomly contact verifiers. We may, at our discretion, refuse to invite you for an interview if you submit a false, misleading or fraudulent ABS. This standard also applies to the names of the verifiers.
Confidential Assessment Forms (CAFs)
Your referees now complete references online using CAFs.
In order for referees to provide uniform information that admissions committees are specifically looking for from the reference process, each of your referees will be asked to fill out a CAF. It is your responsibility to inform your referees that they must fill out the CAF, and that additional letters of reference are not accepted.
Selecting Your Referees
You are required to ask 3 people to provide a reference on your behalf:
- 1 academic- or employment-related referee,
- 1 non-academic referee and
- 1 referee of your choosing.
Select referees who have extensive personal knowledge of you and, as a result, are in a position to answer the CAF questions.
Note: We will not accept CAFs from family members.
CAF Questions
On the CAF, your references will be asked to respond to the following:
- Would this applicant make a good physician?
- Rate the applicant on each of the following attributes:
- Communication skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Professionalism (e.g., commitment to ethical practice, standards of behaviour and accountability to others)
- Empathy (e.g., demonstrating consideration of others’ perspectives)
- Identify and comment on 1 area of improvement for the applicant.
- Share any other information you feel may be relevant to a medical school’s admissions committee.
CAFs Deadline
References are due by the OMSAS application deadline along with the remainder of your application.
Requests for references should be sent to your referees by September 15 to allow enough time for them to complete their online reference by the deadline.
Casper
All applicants to the MD and MD/PhD Program at the University of Ottawa are required to complete Casper through the Acuity Insights platform to be eligible for admission. Applicants are only required to do Casper (Duet is not required).
Casper assesses the non-cognitive skills and interpersonal characteristics we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. It also complements our other applicant screening tools.
To take Casper, you must have access to a computer with audio capabilities, equipped with a webcam and a reliable internet connection on your selected test date. Casper can be taken anywhere that you can satisfy these requirements.
You do not need to study for Casper, although you may want to familiarize yourself with the Casper test structure and ensure you have a quiet environment to take the test in.
Casper Registration and Test Dates
- Sign up for a Casper account.
- Register for the CSP-10201 – Canadian Professional Health Sciences version of Casper using a piece of government-issued photo ID.
- Select a testing date and time. You will be provided with a limited number of dates and times based on the admission timeline and requirements. There will be no additional tests scheduled.
Notes:
- You must complete Casper in the language of instruction you selected when submitting your application to the University of Ottawa. If you fail to complete Casper in the language you chose to apply in, your application will be disqualified.
- Casper scores are available for only 1 application cycle and the test is offered only on a selected number of days. Applicants who have already taken the test in previous years are expected to retake it.
- If you have written Casper in the summer (August or September) for other schools, you are not required to rewrite the test, unless you are applying for a different language stream.
- Once you submit your application and have received your OUAC/OMSAS Reference Number, you must remember to log into your Acuity Insights account and request that your results be sent to the University of Ottawa before the posted deadline.
- Exceptions will not be provided for applicants who are unable to take Casper during one of the available test dates.
- There is a separate fee for Casper that you must pay directly to Acuity Insights. This fee is not included in the OMSAS/Ottawa’s application fees.
Direct any inquiries about your Casper test to the Acuity Insights Support Team using the chat bubble located on the Acuity Insights website.
If you require testing accommodations for the Casper test, you will need to submit the Accommodations Request Form (PDF) signed by you and your qualified professional at least 4 weeks before your desired test date.
Language Proficiency
The University of Ottawa offers its medical program in both official languages in a faculty where both the francophone and anglophone teaching activities correlate. These teaching activities enhance the development of linguistic skills in both French and English.
Choice of Language of Instruction
When applying for admission to the MD Program, you must choose a language stream. You can apply to the English or French stream regardless of your mother tongue or the first language you learned.
We conduct interviews in the language of instruction you chose in your application. We will scrutinize the proficiency skills in your chosen language at the time of your interview, as the spirit of this policy is to allow you to complete your medical studies in the language of your choice.
The Admissions Committee reserves the right to assess your written language proficiency skills, if required.
Once you submit your application and/or are admitted, you cannot switch from one language stream to the other.
French stream applicants: Refer to the language requirements in the French version of the Application Guide [French link].
Bilingualism
A bilingual applicant is one who speaks both of Canada’s official languages: English and French.
If you claim bilingual status, we will assess your ability to have a functional conversation in both languages at the time of the interview.
Transcripts
Official transcripts are required for each university, college, CEGEP, junior college, graduate school or other postsecondary institution you currently attend, previously attended or withdrew from. You must submit a separate transcript even if your home school transcript shows an exchange or transfer course, and regardless of whether the course of study is relevant to your application.
This includes transcripts for:
- Work taken on Letter of Permission
- Transfer credit
- Exchange program credit
- IB or AP transcripts if the courses are prerequisites
To be official, transcripts must meet these criteria:
- Be sent directly from the registrar’s office to OMSAS (we will not accept transcripts sent by you).
- Be either:
- printed on the institution’s official transcript paper or be imprinted with the school’s seal and/or bear the appropriate signatures or
- sent electronically, where that procedure is established.
Note: It is not possible for OMSAS to notify you of any outstanding transcripts before the application deadline. Therefore, it is your responsibility to ensure that OMSAS receives all transcripts and registrar statements by the application deadline.
Admission Categories
These pathways are in addition to our regular English and French streams.
Black Student Application Program (BSAP)
The BSAP is an optional application pathway for applicants who self-identify as Black and:
- African,
- Caribbean,
- North American or
- multiracial students who have and identify with their Black ancestry.
This application program aims to increase and support Black medical student representation at the University of Ottawa.
The BSAP does not have a designated quota for admission. It reflects the Faculty of Medicine’s strong commitment to diversity.
To apply to this program, you must meet the same minimum academic and non-academic requirements and follow the same application procedures as all other applicants. In addition, you must:
- self-identify as Black and apply to the BSAP stream in your OMSAS application and
- provide a letter of intent highlighting why you have chosen to apply through this program. Your letter must be 500 words (or less) and must be submitted via the OMSAS application.
Canadian Armed Forces Candidates
If you are a current member of the Canadian Armed Forces (Regular Force) and interested in the Military Medical Training Program (MMTP), you can obtain more information by consulting the Specialist Officer Training page on the Director Military Careers Policy and Grievances’ intranet website.
If you apply through the MMTP, you should meet all application admission requirements, including the prerequisite courses. The Admissions Committee may grant flexibility for prerequisites when a combination of training and occupational experience warrants it.
You must complete the OMSAS application and follow the same application procedures as all other applicants. The application fees and institutional levy will apply, and you must follow the same method of payment as all other applicants.
For additional information regarding the MMTP application process, contact your local Personnel Selection Office.
For additional information regarding medical officer recruitment, roles, responsibilities and prospective military service in health services, we strongly encourage you to send an email to:
CFHSAttractionCell-CelluledattractionSSFC@forces.gc.ca.
Combined Program for Degrees in Medicine and Philosophy (MD/PhD)
If you apply for consideration to the MD/PhD Program, you must submit the following supplemental documents:
- A letter of interest that focuses on the reasons for pursuing the combined MD/PhD Program and states your area of research interest,
- 2 letters of reference that attest to graduate research potential (additional to the 3 confidential assessment forms requested by the MD Program) and
- your curriculum vitae (CV).
You must use 1 of the following options to submit your additional documents:
- Upload them using Secure Application Messaging (SAM) in your OMSAS application.
- Send them by email to the Admissions Office.
Your letter of interest and CV can be sent using 1 of these options. However, the 2 letters of reference can only be sent by the referee via email to the Admissions Office.
Students admitted to the combined MD/PhD Program must complete their PhD in 1 of the following graduate programs:
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine
- Human and Molecular Genetics
- Microbiology and Immunology
- Neuroscience
Indigenous Program (First Nations, Inuit and Métis Candidates)
We have established a dedicated selection process for candidates of Indigenous ancestry as part of our mission to improve access to better health care for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and to better serve society’s needs.
First Nations, Inuit or Métis candidates who meet the stipulated admission requirements will compete for a designated number of positions. Currently, we reserve up to 7 seats through this admission process and students will compete for a position within this cohort only.
Admission bursaries and other financial assistance may be available for successful applicants, depending on the availability of funding. We invite you to self‑identify on your admission application if you are First Nations, Inuit or Métis.
If you self-identify as First Nation, Inuit or Métis on your application, you must provide:
- Proof of Indigenous ancestry, as per the University of Ottawa’s policy on Eligibility for Focused Admissions, Scholarships and Bursaries for First Nations, Inuit and Métis people [PDF].
- Note: Some applications for proof of Indigenous ancestry may take 6 to 12 months or more to process.
- A letter that declares Indigenous ancestry and provides specific information about your First Nation, treaty organization, or community or organization affiliation. In your letter, you should request consideration under the alternative process and expand on your academic and personal background, and reasons and motivation for wishing to become a physician.
- A letter of recommendation from your First Nation, band council, tribal council, treaty organization, or community or organizational affiliation.
To learn more about our additional supports for Indigenous applicants, email the Indigenous Program Coordinator.
Francophone Candidates Outside Ontario and Quebec – The Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS)
Note: This pathway is offered only in French.
Through the mandate of the Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS) [French link], francophone minority students in Canada who originate from provinces other than Ontario and Quebec have access to postsecondary studies leading to practice in the healthcare field. We admit these students over and above the quota set by the Government of Ontario for our Faculty.
Admission to the medical program of studies is possible if you meet all the admission requirements.
If you apply through the CNFS program, you will be subject to the same application process, application and institutional fees, methods of payment and selection procedures as other applicants.
You must send an introduction letter directly to the Faculty of Medicine to indicate that you applied for admission with the CNFS through OMSAS. You must email your letter to the Admissions Office.
Government of Nunavut Admissions Stream
The Government of Nunavut Admissions Stream was created to respond specifically to the underrepresentation of Inuit and Nunavummiut physicians in the Nunavut health care workforce. As part of this stream, the Government of Nunavut will fully fund a minimum of 1 position for a Nunavummiut student. This stream does not have a designated quota for admission.
Application Process
If interested, you may apply for admission to the MD Program through OMSAS.
If applying to this stream, you must do the following by the OMSAS application deadline:
- Submit the additional required documents.
- Meet all conditions of the application and admission process.
- Indicate your choice of language of instruction in your application. You may choose to enroll in the anglophone or francophone stream.
All eligible applicants are entitled to apply for support from the Government of Nunavut to assist with travel and application costs. Email Dr. Francois de Wet for more information.
Government of Nunavut Admissions Stream Pathways
The Government of Nunavut Admissions Stream has 2 pathways for admission:
1. Nunavut Inuit Applicants
You must submit the following additional documents with your OMSAS application:
- A letter of intent (250 words or less) highlighting why you have chosen to apply through this stream. Specifically, this letter should include:
- a request for consideration under the alternative admission process,
- a description of your connection to the community,
- details on your academic and personal background and
- an explanation of your reasons and motivation for wishing to become a physician.
- A letter of recommendation from a community organization, educational institution, Inuit organization or hamlet that affirms your connection to the community.
- A certified copy of an Inuit enrolment card issued by Nunavut, as per the University of Ottawa’s policy on Eligibility for Focused Admissions, Scholarships and Bursaries for First Nations, Inuit and Métis people [PDF].
Nunavut Inuit applicants are eligible for enhanced application support and, if admitted, for additional ongoing educational support through Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and Makigiaqta Inuit Training Corporation. Email the Makigiaqta Inuit Training Corporation for more information.
2. Nunavummiut (Non-Inuit) Applicants
You must submit the following additional documents with your OMSAS application:
- A letter of intent (250 words or less) highlighting why you have chosen to apply through this stream. Specifically, this letter should include:
- a request for consideration under the alternative admission process,
- a description of your connection to the Nunavut community, as well as your status as a resident of the Territory,
- details on your academic and personal background and
- an explanation of your reasons and motivation for wishing to become a physician, including how you intend to give back to the Nunavut community.
Successful Nunavummiut students may be eligible for financial support for educational needs through the Government of Nunavut.
Social Accountability Initiative
In the spirit of social accountability and responsibility, and to devise appropriate strategic objectives and commit the necessary resources to address the current socioeconomic disparity in medical school admission, we have created 2 low socioeconomic status (LSES) reserved seats.
This initiative is a first step in an attempt to decrease barriers, offer fairness and provide all candidates with equal access opportunity.
If you wish to be considered for the reserved LSES seats, you must submit additional documents, including the Social Accountability Initiative Form [PDF].
Admission Policies and Procedures
Deferred Registration
Once admitted in the first year, you may submit a request for deferred registration. We may grant this deferral under limited and special circumstances. The Admissions Office, in consultation with the vice-dean, may grant or refuse the request 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 reason(s) for your request. The letter must be received no later than June 30, 2024.
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.
Non-eligible Candidates
You will not be eligible if you previously registered in, and withdrew or were excluded from, a medical program leading to an MD degree.
We may consider exceptions for exceptional or medical circumstances.
False Admission Information
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.
Student Transfers
Transfers within University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine programs: MD Program and MD/PhD Program
Once you accept an offer of admission to either of these programs, a transfer to the other program will not be permitted.
Incomplete Applications
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.
Selection Process
Overview
The selection criteria are based on:
- Eligibility criteria (citizenship, full-time study and prerequisite courses)
- Academic parameters (cGPA)
- Non-academic parameters (CAFs, Casper, ABS and interview)
These criteria are further defined in the Admission Requirements.
Note: Priority will be given to 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 recognized 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).
Interview
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.
Candidates who require accommodations for their interview must email the Admissions Office at least 2 weeks prior to interview day.
Because of the important weight attached to the interview performance within our selection process, we will not consider further applications to the MD Program from candidates in previous years who have had 3 interviews.
This policy applies to all applications regardless of the category applied for.
Unsuccessful Applications
No feedback will be provided to applicants regarding the assessment of their file. Our decisions are final and cannot be appealed.
Information for Successful Applicants
Offers of Admission
Following the interview, we prepare preliminary rank order lists based on the academic and non-academic assessment (a poor interview may not be ranked). In the event of ties in the final scores, we will give priority to the candidates with the highest cGPA.
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:
- You must provide an official final transcript from the registrar of your university by the end of June 2024.
- You must successfully complete your current academic year.
- This applies to all levels of study and undergraduate, graduate or professional degrees, whether they are full-time or part-time.
- The cGPA will be recalculated for candidates who were completing undergraduate studies during the application year to ensure their cGPA does not fall below the minimum cut-off established.
- Although the cGPA only includes marks from the undergraduate level of study, upper-level marks will be considered to ensure academic excellence is maintained.
- You must provide the completed immunization form, a certified police vulnerable sector check and a basic life support (BLS) for healthcare professionals proof of certification by August 1, 2024.
- You must complete all admission requirements by June 30, 2024 (this includes all graduate course work).
- You must provide proof of citizenship (copy only).
- You must demonstrate the ability to meet the standards for entry into the medical degree program, as stated in the Essential Skills and Abilities Required for Entry to a Medical Degree Program.
The University may revoke the offer of admission if you fail to meet any admission requirements or any one of the conditions mentioned.
Institutional Fees
The institutional fee for the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine is $125 and is deductible from tuition fees when you are admitted.
Deposit
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.
Requirements for Registration
An instruction package will accompany your offer letter with information on the clinical placement requirements. These include:
Police Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC)
The VSC is mandatory for student placements. It includes a record check by the Canadian Police Information Centre plus a check to see if a person has a record suspension (pardon) for sexual offences. The University reserves the right to revoke admission offers and/or registration at any time based on the results of the VSC.
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.
Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification
BLS certification is an annual requirement for the MD Program. Your BLS certification must remain valid at all times. 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.
More about clinical placement requirements (BLS certification, immunization record and vulnerable sector check).
Contact Information
Admissions
Faculty of Medicine
University of Ottawa
451 Smyth Road, Room 2044
Ottawa ON K1H 8M5
Canada
Email: admissmd@uottawa.ca