About Queen’s School of Medicine MD Programs
We aspire to be leaders in training future physicians who foster outstanding interprofessional care and challenge the norms of care delivery to effectively serve our region.
As educational leaders delivering an innovative, interprofessional curriculum, we train compassionate, resilient physicians to the highest calibre, who will help change the future of healthcare in their communities. We train physicians who are prepared to address health equity and access issues, and champion the needs of equity-deserving groups through practice informed by the principles of generalism and interprofessional collaboration.
Queen’s School of Medicine offers a 4-year program that leads to a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. This program must meet all the requirements for accreditation and prepare graduates for post-graduate training leading to licensure and certification.
Its special strengths are related to the opportunities for close, personal interactions between students and faculty members and for students to obtain particularly relevant, extensive, hands-on clinical experience under supervision, especially in ambulatory settings.
Queen’s also offers students many opportunities for clinical placements with regional partners to experience health care delivery in a variety of community settings. There is great potential for students to benefit from the integration of the clinical and basic sciences in the curriculum and from increased collaboration in education among the clinical disciplines.
Program Information
The goal of the medical curriculum is to produce physicians who have a wide understanding of the content and context of medicine and the knowledge, skills and attitudes to enter any post-graduate training program. The curriculum will foster the development of lifelong learning skills necessary for effective practice.
Since 2023, Queen’s School of Medicine has offered 2 separate training programs: Our longstanding Kingston Campus MD Program and our innovative Durham Campus Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine Program (MDFM).
We admit up to 140 Canadian citizens, permanent residents (landed immigrants) or protected persons (Convention refugees) within the meaning of subsection 95 (1 and 2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) of Canada annually to first year.
- 114 seats are located at our Kington Campus.
- 20 seats are for the MDFM located at our Durham Campus.
- Up to an additional 6 supernumerary seats are located at our Kingston Campus for Canadian Forces Members through the Military Medical Training Program (MMTP).
Kingston Campus MD Program
The program provides opportunities for close, personal interactions between students and faculty members. It allows students to obtain relevant, extensive, hands-on clinical experience under supervision, especially:
- in ambulatory settings embedded in the curriculum and
- increased collaboration in education among the clinical disciplines.
The program also offers students many opportunities for clinical placements with our regional partners to experience health care delivery in a variety of community settings. There is great potential for students to benefit from the integration of both clinical and basic sciences.
The 4-year MD program is structured in sequential terms that will allow students to progress from scientific foundational knowledge through to clinical foundations of the human systems and, finally, in clinical engagement during a 2-year clinical rotation series, including electives for students to explore areas of interest.
The pre-clerkship experience comprises the first 2 years at Queen’s and is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed for clinical experiences in clerkship and residency through an in-person curriculum. The curriculum is designed to combine teaching on foundational basic science knowledge and principles of physician roles, along with clinical teaching, both in the classroom and in clinical skills.
In addition to attending large-group, classroom-based sessions, students will work closely with tutors in small groups and will learn in a variety of settings, including:
- laboratories,
- clinical skills centres,
- the simulation laboratory and
- in hospital and community settings.
At the end of the first year, students participate in Community Week at regional sites in Ontario, where they work with family physicians and other health professionals.
The clerkship experience at Queen’s provides students with a wide breadth of clinical experiences to prepare them for future practice. Encompassing the final 2 years of medical school training, it is a blend of clinical rotations in core disciplines, classroom-based consolidation experiences and elective opportunities.
Students will engage in both block-based clinical rotations in core disciplines, and longitudinal generalist community block, which include core Family Medicine in one of our regional partnering community sites. There will also be dedicated weeks of classroom-based consolidation experiences, protected time for elective opportunities and a Transition to Residency curriculum in the spring of fourth year.
The clerkship portion of the MD program component is delivered in a regional format and students are expected to spend anywhere from one-third to three-quarters of their time outside of Kingston at regional sites across Ontario.
Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine Program (MDFM)
The MDFM is designed for students who know they want to become family physicians.
Queen’s University’s School of Medicine has partnered with Lakeridge Health for many years, creating a satellite campus to train future physicians. Building on this long-standing partnership, Queen’s University and Lakeridge Health will help address the primary care physician shortage in Southeastern Ontario. This program is based at the Queen’s regional campus at Lakeridge Health in Durham Region.
Queen’s University students will undergo classroom training at Lakeridge Health LHEARN Centre and engage in workplace experiences embedded in communities across the region. This area stretches from Oshawa to Peterborough to Perth, Smiths Falls and Brockville.
This new training model will develop community-focused family doctors who are specialized in offering comprehensive care to a wide variety of patients. This program differs substantially from the standard MD program in design, curricular delivery, purpose of electives and freedom from the need for post-graduate residency matching. For these reasons, offers of admission are binding to the assigned program and campus.
The program, which is directed toward training in community-based family medicine, will have several unique features:
- A deliberate family medicine focus that guides the overall curricular design and delivery.
- A small class size that allows for individual attention and close connections with faculty and student colleagues.
- A prominent presence of practicing family physicians as teachers, curricular leads and student mentors.
- Early and frequent clinical placements intended to introduce students to the practice of family medicine in parallel and integrated with their didactic learning and skill development.
- An emphasis on the unique role of family physicians in our communities, including professional roles, social accountability, social determinants of health and health care advocacy.
- Orientation to the various clinical profiles available within family medicine, including enhanced skill development in topics such as: Addictions, anaesthesia, elderly care, emergency medicine, palliative care, sports medicine and women’s health, including intrapartum obstetrics.
Graduates of the MD portion of this program will be well prepared to enter the Family Medicine Residency program. Transition to family medicine training occurs under the authority and recommendation of the Queen’s Family Medicine Residency Program Committee, once post-graduate entry requirements are met. This includes being eligible for educational license, as per the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
Under the authority of the Post Graduate Family Medicine Training program, eligible students in year 3 will receive a conditional offer on successfully completing the MD program. Once that offer is accepted, students can transition into Queen’s Family Medicine Residency program without entering the CaRMS matching process.
Durham region is home to the Queen’s-Bowmanville-Oshawa-Lakeridge (QBOL) Family Medicine Residency program, which is 1 of the 4 highly acclaimed Queen’s University Family Medicine Postgraduate program sites (the others of which are located in Kingston and the Thousand Islands, Belleville-Quinte, Peterborough-Kawartha).
Admission Requirements
It is your responsibility to ensure that OMSAS receives all the required application components by the specified deadlines. Deadlines are strictly enforced, and no exceptions will be made.
Each application pathway has its own supplemental document requirements. Review these additional items and submit the appropriate documentation for consideration by the deadline.
The Admissions Committee is unable to review and evaluate application documents that are not written in English. This will deem your application incomplete.
A lack of appropriate documentation by the application deadline will deem your application ineligible.
Academic Requirements
Course Credits
To be eligible, you must have a minimum of 15 full courses or 30 half courses (or in combination) at the undergraduate level in a university program by June 30 of the year of entry.
These credits must be achieved by the end of the academic year (September to April) in the year the application is submitted. This would typically equate to a total OMSAS course load weighting of 30 (refer to the OMSAS course weight table).
Only undergraduate university credit courses that meet Queen’s University Basis of Admission for Advanced Study are considered in the GPA.
At the time of application: Applicants must have completed a minimum 20 half or 10 full courses (or in combination) of the 30 half courses or 15 full courses at the undergraduate level in a university program, as described by the OMSAS course weight table.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
The minimum GPA to apply is 3.0 on the 4.0 scale, according to the Undergraduate Grade Conversion Table.
Admission to the MD program is competitive. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance.
The Admissions Committee will use only a cumulative GPA when assessing your application. This generally includes all full-time, part-time, summer or supplemental courses taken at the undergraduate university level and all courses, regardless of a first or second undergraduate degree or year of study in an unclassified program.
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. This also includes International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced Placement (AP) transcripts if you would like these courses to be considered.
You must submit a separate transcript even if your home school transcript shows an exchange or transfer course, regardless of whether the course of study is relevant to your application.
OMSAS will ask you to verify your application data in Document Tracking in the OMSAS application.
Your application will be disqualified if you fail to meet all transcript requirements and deadlines.
Full Course Load and Prerequisite Courses
Queen’s School of Medicine does not have any requirements related to carrying a full course load or prerequisite courses.
We encourage you to consider all undergraduate programs available and to embark on the course of study you have the greatest interest in, and that would prepare you for an alternative career, should you not gain a place in medicine.
Credit/No Credit Courses
Based on the OMSAS course weighting, to be eligible for a GPA calculation, an applicant can have no more than 2 credit/no credit academic components (e.g., course, practicum, lab, experiential learning) from September to April and 2 credit/no credit academic components from May to August, per year, listed on their transcript for anything (i.e., a course that has an OMSAS half-year/semester weight of 1).
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Courses
- Exchange programs and courses
- Practicums
- Labs
- Experiential learning
If the structure of your program does not allow for this, then you must submit official documentation from the institution as to why you do not have a choice to select a numerical or alpha grade. This will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
This treatment of credit/no credit courses will take effect for any courses taken in fall 2022 and onward.
Transfer Credits
Transfer credits, such as IB, AP, CEGEP programs, college courses and exchange credits, that appear on your university transcript are not included in your GPA calculation but are considered in the credit requirement totals, provided all other requirements are met.
For transfer credits to be considered in the credit requirement totals, applicants must provide an official transcript with numerical grades from the institution where the courses were taken (including secondary school).
If you completed an exchange program, the courses taken will usually be listed on your home university transcript. If the credits listed on your home university transcript are credit/no credit or pass/fail, you must also provide the transcript issued to you directly by the exchange institution. This transcript needs to reflect your numerical or alpha grades for the courses taken.
If your exchange transcript grade on the exchange institution transcript is credit/no credit or pass/fail, refer to Credit/No Credit Course.
If the exchange is longer than 1 semester (i.e., more than 6 months) then you are required to provide a course-by-course World Education Services (WES) evaluation.
International Grades
Applicants attending university outside of Canada must have their academic credentials and foreign transcripts assessed for Canadian equivalency by World Education Services (WES).
Refer to Transfer Credits for information about exchange programs.
A course-by-course WES evaluation with an overall GPA is required. If a WES evaluation includes a copy of your official transcript, you are not required to request a transcript from your registrar. WES must send your WES report and a copy of your verified transcript directly to OMSAS by the application deadline.
The cumulative GPA for candidates who submit WES evaluations will be reviewed and calculated on an individual basis.
No adjustments are made based on course load or course levels.
MCAT
You must write the MCAT prior to the OMSAS application deadline. It is your responsibility to release all MCAT scores to OMSAS and ensure that OMSAS has received them by the stipulated deadline. OMSAS will report your scores to Queen’s University.
You must meet all the minimum MCAT thresholds (the total and each section) set by the Admissions Committee to be considered. These thresholds are determined annually for each application cycle and category, and for the total score.
The minimum thresholds for the mainstream MD, MD Family Medicine, MD/PhD and MMTP streams are:
- Total score: 500
- Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: 125
- Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: 125
- Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behaviour: 125
- Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: 125
Notes:
- The Queen’s School of Medicine imposes no restrictions on the number of times that you may take the test.
- If you have written the test multiple times, you must ensure that all test results are released to OMSAS by the specified date.
- All MCAT scores will then be reported by OMSAS to Queen’s University.
- Test results are valid from any test written within 5 years of the application deadline.
- Applications will be assessed based on the scores from your test results that meet our minimum thresholds. This means that all thresholds must be achieved in 1 test. We will not combine scores from different tests.
- Applicants who have submitted their MCAT score(s) with a previous application will need to re-submit their scores for the current application cycle to be eligible. It is your responsibility to ensure that these scores are received by OMSAS for the current application by the deadline.
Non-academic Requirements
Citizenship and Resident Status
Applicants must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident (landed immigrant) of Canada or a protected person (Convention refugee) within the meaning of subsection 95(1 and 2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) at the application deadline to be eligible to apply to our program.
Permanent residents (landed immigrants) must submit a copy of the front and back of their current permanent resident card to OMSAS by the application deadline.
Protected person (convention refugee) must submit a valid photo ID and a copy of the Notice of Decision from the Immigration and Refugee Board. Applicants with pending decisions from the Immigration and Refugee Board at the time of the application deadline will not be eligible.
Applicants will be required to make an attestation as to whether they are an Ontario resident based on this definition in their application.
Proficiency in the English Language
The MD program is conducted in English, as a proficiency in English is a prerequisite for admission.
All application materials must be submitted in English, otherwise your application will not proceed further in the admission process.
Applicants whose first languages do not include English will be required to obtain satisfactory standing in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) proficiency test as part of the application process.
The Queen’s School of Medicine requires the following minimum TOEFL scores:
- TOEFL Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT): 100
- TOEFL Paper-based Tests: 100
Applicants may submit unofficial TOEFL results through Secure Applicant Messaging (SAM); however, official TOEFL results must be shared with us directly through TOEFL.
To distribute your results to Queen’s University:
- Use Institution Code 0949 for Queen’s University and select “Undergraduate Organization” as the department from the list.
- Once you distribute your Official Score Report through TOEFL, email your full name, date of birth and registration number to [email protected] so that we can retrieve your results.
If English is not your first language but you have recently studied for at least 1 complete year at a university where English is the official language of instruction, you may be exempt from the English-language proficiency test. An applicant requesting a waiver of the test for this reason should do so in writing and submit it with their OMSAS application using SAM in their application. The MD program Admissions Committee will make determinations in these cases.
Casper
Applicants to all of the pathways and programs (Kingston MD Campus, MDFM Durham Campus, MD/PhD, MMTP, BSAP, SAAP) offered at Queen’s University are required to complete Casper to be eligible for admission, with the exception of applicants to the Indigenous Student Admissions Pathway.
Applicants to the Indigenous Student Admissions Pathway must meet the identity requirements, otherwise Casper is required.
Casper is an online test that assesses the personal and professional characteristics we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. It is a complement to the other tools that we use for applicant screening. In implementing Casper, we are trying to further enhance fairness and objectivity in our selection process.
Register Your Casper Account
Go to Acuity Insights and sign up for the CSP-10211 – Canada Casper 2 version of Casper using a piece of government-issued photo ID and your OMSAS Reference Number for the current admission cycle.
Select a Casper Date
You will be provided with a limited number of testing dates and times. These are the only testing dates available for your Casper. There will be no additional tests scheduled. This includes if you have issues on the last testing date. Be sure to use an email address that you check regularly and that you have used for your OMSAS application; there may be updates to the test schedule.
- Exceptions will not be provided for applicants who are unable to take Casper during one of the available test dates.
- To account for identity verification and payment processing timelines, ensure that you register for your test at least 3 days before your preferred test date and time. We do not recommend last-minute bookings.
Select Queen’s University for Distribution Before the Posted Distribution Deadline
Likely, there will be no additional tests scheduled, but the most up-to-date information can be found by browsing the Test Dates and Times.
Casper Inquiries
Direct any inquiries about Casper to the chat bubble on the Acuity Insights website.
Additional Notes
- Casper scores are only available for 1 application cycle and the test is only offered on a select number of days. Applicants who have already taken the test in previous years are expected to re-take it.
- We will not provide exceptions for applicants who are unable to take Casper during one of the available test dates.
- If you are applying to another university or program that requires you to write the Casper assessment in French, you will need to write it again in English for this application.
- If you are writing a different version of the Casper assessment (other than CSP-10211 – Canada Casper 2 for your OMSAS application), you will also need to complete the CSP-10211 – Canada Casper 2 version for this application.
- There is a separate fee for Casper that you must pay directly to Acuity Insights. This fee is not included in the OMSAS or Queen’s application fees.
- If you take Casper during this cycle but before you have your OMSAS Reference Number for the current application cycle, you will need to enter a placeholder OMSAS Reference Number of 000000 until you have received your OMSAS Reference Number for this year’s application. Then you must go back into Casper, update your OMSAS Reference Number and request that your score be distributed to Queen’s.
- It is your responsibility to provide the correct information to Casper that correlates with your current OMSAS application. If you do not follow these instructions, then your Casper score may not get linked to your application and will be considered incomplete.
We are not responsible for Casper scores that are not linked to an application due to incorrect or mismatched information.
Accommodations for Casper
If you require testing accommodations, you will need to submit the Accommodations Request Form to Acuity, signed by you and your qualified professional.
Early-phase Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)
This asynchronous assessment is collaboratively developed by several Ontario medical schools and evaluates skills that are essential for success in the MD program, including critical thinking, decision making, communication, interpersonal skills, compassion and teamwork.
Applicants will respond to prompts by recording video responses directly on the platform.
While other medical school(s) will also be using the early-phase MMI, the information in this Guide is how Queen’s University will be using the early-phase MMI.
We implemented an early-phase MMI, as we would like all of our applicants to have the opportunity to participate and respond to our selected interview questions as part of their application.
All applicants to Queen’s University are required to complete an early-phase MMI, in addition to Casper, through the Acuity Insights platform to be considered for admission.
All applicants who successfully submit an application to Queen’s University MD programs will be contacted in early October, shortly after the OMSAS application deadline, with instructions on how to schedule their early-phase MMI.
Only applicants who have successfully submitted an application to the MD programs will be eligible to select a testing date.
You may complete the early-phase MMI from any location, as long as you have a quiet, private space that is free from disruptions and meet the required technical specifications.
To take the early-phase MMI, you must use a computer with a webcam, audio capabilities and a reliable internet connection on your selected test date.
You can direct any inquiries about the platform by using the chat feature on the Acuity Insights website.
Applicant Responsibilities
It is the applicant’s responsibility to complete the early-phase MMI on one of the available testing dates and provide the correct information to the MMI that correlates with their current OMSAS application.
- MMI scores are only valid for 1 application cycle, and the test is only offered on a select number of days. Applicants who have already taken the test in previous years are expected to re-take it.
- If you are applying to another university or program that requires you to write the MMI assessment in French, you will need to write it again in English on a different test date for this application.
- There is a separate fee for the MMI assessment that must be paid, by the applicant, directly to Acuity Insights. This fee is not included in the OMSAS/Queen’s application fee.
If you do not follow the instructions then your MMI assessment may not get linked to your application and your application will be considered incomplete.
We are not responsible for assessments that are not linked to an application due to incorrect or mismatched information.
Accommodations for the Early-phase MMI
If you require testing accommodations for the MMI you will need to submit the Accommodations Request Form to Acuity signed by you and your qualified professional by September 1, 2026.
Autobiographical Sketch (ABS)
Queen’s School of Medicine uses the detailed ABS as part of the application evaluation. This submission provides our assessors with a snapshot of your personal experiences and achievements.
We consider all of the categories in the ABS.
You will also be prompted to identify the top 3 activities you believe are most important for your application in the Employment, Volunteer Activities and Extracurricular Activities categories (maximum of 9 in total). Do not list high school activities that were not continued into your postsecondary education in your top 3 activities, as we do not consider them.
You must list:
- the activity and location.
- the company or institution where it took place. Do not use acronyms.
- the year(s) in your education the activity occurred (i.e., first-year undergraduate, summer between second- and third-year undergraduate, graduate, post-graduate).
- the length of time for each activity. When you indicate the number of hours, specify if it is 1 time per week, per month or per year.
- when it occurred (i.e., full-time or part-time, during the summer or academic year) and how you calculated the hours.
- a brief description of the activity, which can be in point form.
Notes:
- Putting your activities in chronological order, starting with most recent, is extremely helpful.
- The Admissions Committee will not review activities from high school. If you started an activity in high school and continued in postsecondary education, only the time starting at postsecondary is reviewed.
- There is room in the form to provide information for up to 32 items. You are not required to fill all available spots.
- Submissions are assessed based on the quality of the listed items and the characteristics they represent (not the number of items listed).
We cannot provide you with specific feedback regarding what activities you should include on your ABS. Inquiries of this nature will be referred to this page.
Verifiers
Each activity must have a verifier. You must provide current contact information for the verifier, including their title, physical address, email address (company or institution email preferred), telephone number and relation to you. Avoid using individuals such as family members. We do not consider them to be objective.
The verifier should be an independent third party who can validate your activity in a non-biased fashion. You will need to make that determination.
We cannot provide you with specific feedback regarding whom you should use as a verifier or for which type of verifier. Inquiries of this nature will be referred to this page.
It is your responsibility to notify verifiers that the Admissions Office may contact them at any time to request verification, including possibly asking them for evaluations or letters of support. Non-verifiable activities could adversely impact your file assessment.
Confidential Assessment Forms and References
You must ask 3 different individuals (we refer to them as referees) to provide a reference on your behalf. Forms from non-objective references will not be considered and may jeopardize your application.
Applicants must provide the following and use their best judgement when selecting referees. We do not provide guidance in selecting referees.
- 1 academic or employment-related referee
- 1 non-academic referee
- 1 referee of your choosing
You should choose referees who can evaluate you in a non-biased fashion, avoiding family members, family friends, neighbours, acquaintances, friends or spiritual advisors. We do not consider them to be objective. Ideally, applicants should choose referees from different areas who can collectively address qualities and attributes in both academic and various non-academic domains.
Select referees who have extensive personal knowledge of you and can answer the Confidential Assessment Form questions.
The Admissions Committee advises against choosing referees who have known you for less than 6 months. You should ask your referee to provide examples of the characteristics they are being asked to comment on.
We cannot provide you with specific feedback regarding whom you should use as a referee or for which type of referee. Inquiries of this nature will be referred to this page.
If an applicant has fewer than 3 forms submitted by the deadline, their application will not be considered.
All of the Confidential Assessment Forms must be completed in English. Confidential Assessment Forms submitted in any other language will deem your application incomplete. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure their referees are aware of this requirement.
Admission Categories
Programs
Admission to the Kingston Campus MD Program
Applications to Queen’s School of Medicine will be considered for the Kingston Campus MD Program unless a specialized program is selected in the application.
Admission to the Durham Campus MDFM Program
This program is for applicants who can see themselves having a fulfilling career in family medicine and know they want to become family practitioners.
You must indicate your intention to apply to this program in your OMSAS application. By selecting this option, you are indicating that this is your first choice.
- You will only be considered for this program in the initial threshold review.
- Your application will be moved to the MD Kingston Campus Program for consideration only if you are invited to an MDFM interview and are unsuccessful in receiving an offer for this program.
If you select MDFM but do not submit all the required documents for the MDFM application, your file will be moved to the MD stream for the initial threshold review.
Assessment of your application for the MD Kingston Campus Program will be identical to all other applications to this program and will in no way be influenced by the fact that you indicated interest in the MD Family Medicine Program.
You will not be considered simultaneously for both the MDFM and the MD Kingston Campus Program.
If you are offered a position in the MDFM and decline, you will not be considered for the Kingston Campus MD program.
Admission to the Kingston Campus Combined MD/PhD or MD/MSc Programs
The combined MD/PhD or MD/MSc programs at Queen’s University are offered jointly by the School of Medicine and the School of Graduate Studies at the Kingston Campus.
We generally have up to 4 spots available in this combined program for students who wish to combine their medical training with advanced research training.
The combined MD/PhD and MD/Master’s programs provide benefits to both scholarship and the professional development of physician-scientists by allowing better integration of clinical and research training experiences.
Applicants applying to this combined program must meet the criteria for both the Graduate Studies and the MD program.
You must indicate your intention to apply to this program in your OMSAS application. By selecting this option, you are indicating that this is your first choice.
- You will only be considered for this program in the initial threshold review.
- Your application will be moved to the MD Kingston Campus Program for consideration only if you are invited to an MD/PhD or MD/Master’s program interview and are unsuccessful in receiving an offer for this program.
If you select the MD/PhD or MD/Master’s program in your application, but do not submit all the required documents to be considered for this program, your file will be moved to the MD stream for the initial threshold review.
If you are offered a position in the MD/PhD or MD/MSc programs and decline, you will not be considered for the Kingston Campus MD program or the Durham MDFM.
Pathways
Selecting a pathway that you are ineligible for may deem your application ineligible overall.
Indigenous Applicants: Indigenous Student Admissions Pathway (ISAP)
The Admissions Committee recognizes the critical shortage of Indigenous physicians in Canada, and the need for more Indigenous physicians to address the health care needs of Indigenous people and serve as role models for medical learners.
The Committee has developed an alternative process for assessing Indigenous candidates. We have reserved a minimum of 4 seats for qualified Indigenous applicants per year to the MD Kingston Campus program by this alternative process.
Candidates interested in the MDFM can also apply through this pathway and indicate that the Lakeridge program is their first choice. There are no set seats for Indigenous applicants at the Lakeridge campus.
You must apply through OMSAS and indicate that you are applying as an Indigenous applicant.
Applicants applying to this pathway must provide proof of ancestry and submit a supplementary personal essay in the School Submissions section of their OMSAS application. If you have Indigenous ancestry but are early in your journey connecting with your culture, you are encouraged to reflect on whether this is the most appropriate path for you to take for medical school admission.
Your essay should describe how your lived experiences as a member of Indigenous communities influenced your personal growth, educational path and desire to pursue a career in medicine. Your essay will not be scored, but it will assist in determining your suitability under this stream.
A priority will be made to have Indigenous community members assist with the review and interview for applicants qualifying under this pathway.
Additionally, Queen’s University has formal partnerships with the Community of Support and Mushkiki Miikaan, both of which offer free support and resources to prospective medical school applicants.
Black Student Admissions Pathway (BSAP)
We recognize the shortage of Black physicians in Canada and the need for more Black physicians to further the healthcare needs of Black people and communities, and to serve as role models for current and future medical learners.
The BSAP is an optional application pathway for applicants who self-identify as:
- Black African,
- Black Caribbean,
- Black North American or
- multi-racial applicants who have and identify with their Black ancestry.
Black applicants may also choose to apply through the mainstream admission pathway. Unless otherwise stated, the BSAP is available to applicants applying to any programs and pathways listed on our website.
The BSAP does not have a designated quota for admission.
Applicants applying to this pathway must submit a supplementary personal essay in the School Submissions section of their OMSAS application.
Your essay should describe how your lived experiences as a member of Black communities influenced your personal growth, educational path and desire to pursue a career in medicine. Your essay will not be scored, but it will assist in determining your suitability under this stream.
A priority will be made to have Black faculty, resident and/or student members assist with the review and interview for applicants qualifying under this pathway.
Additionally, Queen’s University has formal partnerships with the Community of Support, which offers free support and resources to prospective medical school applicants.
Canadian Armed Forces Applicants: Military Medical Training Program (MMTP) Pathway
Queen’s University MD program has completed arrangements with the Department of National Defence (DND) to create up to 6 additional supernumerary training positions in the Queen’s Medical Doctorate Program at the Kingston Campus. Canadian Forces Staff who are supported by the DND are eligible to apply for these positions and offers of admission will be made to those who qualify.
To be eligible for subsidization under the MMTP, you must already be a Regular Force (full-time) member of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), be fully qualified in your current occupation and have worked for 1 year in that occupation before the MMTP Competition closes. If you are currently a civilian, you are not eligible for subsidization under the MMTP.
Social Accountability Admissions Pathway (SAAP)
To address social accountability, we have reserved a select number of Queen’s University MMI internal evaluations for eligible applicants applying to the SAAP. The goal of this initiative is to reduce barriers for applicants from a low socioeconomic status (LSES) and provide access and opportunity, recognizing the cost of medical school applications and the pursuit of higher education.
Queen’s University has reserved 8% of the available Queen’s University internal MMI evaluations for the Kingston Campus and the Lakeridge Campus for applicants from a LSES.
If you wish to be considered for the Queen’s University SAAP MMI internal evaluations, you must:
- apply for the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) Ontario Medical School Application Fee Waiver Program and in the application, select “yes” to share your eligibility status with Queen’s University, and
- indicate your interest by selecting the Queen’s Social Accountability Admissions Pathway in the OMSAS application.
Steps 1 and 2 must be completed to be considered.
Eligibility for this pathway will be based on your eligibility for the AFMC Ontario Medical School Fee Waiver Program. There are no exceptions.
The deadline to apply to the AFMC Ontario Medical School Fee Waiver Program is typically in August.
If you apply to the SAAP, then Queen’s will share your personal information (i.e., your name) with the AFMC. Based on their assessment criteria, the AFMC will inform Queen’s of your eligibility status for the fee waiver program. Only SAAP applicants deemed eligible by the AFMC will be considered for LSES Queen’s University internal MMI evaluation.
Eligibility is not determined by who was awarded an AFMC Ontario Medical School Application Fee Waiver. All applicants who select the SAAP, participate in the fee waiver program and are deemed eligible by the AFMC can be considered under this pathway.
The Admissions Committee at the Queen’s School of Medicine will not receive your financial information. We will only receive information about your eligibility for the fee waiver program.
Applicants will be required to meet the same minimum threshold requirements as our mainstream. Applicants who meet the minimum thresholds for GPA, MCAT and Casper and do not get selected for a Queen’s University internal MMI evaluation in the Qualified Applicant Randomization Selection (QARS) process but are deemed eligible for the fee waiver program, will be considered for the 8% of the Queen’s University internal MMI evaluation spots reserved for LSES applicants.
This is done separately for the MD and MDFM programs and applies to all applicable pathways.
Additionally, Queen’s University has formal partnerships with the Community of Support, which offers free support and resources to prospective medical school applicants.
Admission Policies and Procedures
Equity, diversity and inclusion are among the priorities for our Admissions Committee and are guiding principles for our process.
It is your responsibility to ensure that OMSAS receives all the required application components by the specified deadlines for your application to be considered.
Casper and the early-phase MMI assessment results must also be submitted by our program’s Casper and the early-phase MMI submission deadline, as listed on the Acuity Insights website.
Late submissions will not be considered. Addendums, supplemental materials or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Applications are not carried over from previous cycles. Applicants who have previously applied must re-submit all application requirements each cycle to be considered. If application issues are not resolved before our selection process begins, it will not be possible to insert the file into our process.
Due to the nature of our admission process, deadlines are strictly enforced. No exceptions.
Selection Process
The Qualified Applicant Randomization Selection (QARS) Process
For the 2026-2027 application cycle, applicants who submit a complete application and meet the following criteria will be considered for random selection for a further Queen’s University internal evaluation of their MMI:
- Minimum GPA threshold: 3.0
- Minimum MCAT Threshold:
- Total Score: 500
- Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: 125
- Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: 125
- Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behaviour: 125
- Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: 125
- Casper threshold is determined annually and is not disclosed.
- The completion of the early-phase MMI.
- Applications must be complete and submitted by the specified OMSAS deadlines.
Queen’s University will determine the number of spots available for an internal MMI evaluation. 90% of these spots will be allotted to applicants who are ordinarily resident in Ontario (as per the Ontario government’s definition, as listed in the OMSAS application and based on the completed self-attestation).
There is no weighting applied to the threshold criteria for the QARS selection. You will be considered for admission only if you are selected for an interview.
You are in either the MD or the MDFM QARS process, not both. If you do not have the required supplemental materials for MDFM by the deadline, you will be moved to MD and be evaluated under that process instead.
Both the MD and MDFM QARS run at the same time.
QARS for the Socioeconomic Accountability Admissions Pathway (SAAP)
Applicants who meet the minimum thresholds for GPA, MCAT and Casper, and are not selected for a further Queen’s University internal MMI evaluation spots in the QARS process but are deemed eligible for the fee waiver program, will be considered for the 8% of internal MMI evaluation spots reserved for SAAP applicants.
This is done through our randomization selection process, is completed separately for the MD and MDFM programs and applies to all applicable pathways.
Queen’s University will determine the number of internal MMI evaluation spaces available and may adjust these at any point in the process. If you qualify for the OMSAS fee waiver and are entered into the SAAP process, you will be considered for admission only if you are selected for an interview.
QARS for the Combined MD/PhD or MD/MSc Program
Applicants must meet the criteria of the Graduate Study program and the minimum thresholds for the MD program for GPA, MCAT and Casper.
These applicants will not be subject to a random selection process. The results of the Graduate Study assessment will be used to determine the candidates selected for a Queen’s University internal MMI evaluation space.
Applicants are only entered into QARS if they meet the MD program thresholds but do not meet the Graduate Study requirements for interview.
QARS for the Indigenous Student Admissions Pathway (ISAP)
Applicants must meet minimum thresholds for GPA and MCAT as indicated under ISAP. If there are more applicants than available Queen’s University internal MMI evaluation spaces, all eligible ISAP applicants will be entered into a random selection process to determine eligibility to proceed to an internal MMI evaluation space and panel interview.
You will be considered for admission only if you are selected for an interview.
QARS For the Black Student Admissions Pathway (BSAP)
Applicants must meet minimum thresholds for GPA, MCAT and Casper. There are no set MMI evaluation spaces or panel seats for this stream.
All applicants to the BSAP will be entered into QARS for either the Kingston campus or the Durham campus, according to whichever program is selected by the applicant.
QARS for the Medical Military Training Program (MMTP) Pathway
Applicants must meet minimum GPA, MCAT and Casper thresholds. If there are more applicants than available Queen’s University internal MMI evaluation spaces for the MMTP program, all MMTP applicants will be entered into a random selection process to determine eligibility to proceed to an internal MMI evaluation and panel interview.
You will be considered for admission only if you are selected for an interview.
Early-phase MMI
The goal of using the MMI is to assess the non-cognitive qualities of an applicant more effectively, which could include empathy, critical thinking, ethical decision making and communication skills.
The early-phase MMI will be conducted virtually and include an initial external assessment prior to QARS. Applicants selected through the QARS process will have their MMI independently evaluated by the Queen’s University MD program.
Secondary MMI
If required, we will run an additional virtual MMI in January for applicants selected through QARS. All applicants will be notified in December as to whether we are running a secondary MMI.
File Review
An initial file review will occur for all applicants to determine eligibility. A further detailed file review, including any supplemental information for various streams or pathways, will take place during the panel interview phase.
Panel Interview
A select number of applicants will then be invited for a virtual synchronous panel interview. Historically, these interviews occur between February and March.
If you have been invited for a panel interview and require accommodation, you must email the Admissions Office at the time you accept your interview and we will provide you with further directions.
All applicants invited to the interview will be required to sign a Confidentiality Non-Disclosure Statement to ensure the integrity and security of the interview process. Any violation of the signed statement or failure to sign will result in removal from the admission process.
At this time, all interviews will be conducted virtually for this admission cycle.
Policies
Communication Protocol
We communicate with our applicants using the email address provided in your OMSAS application. As such, it is your responsibility to monitor your email and all associated email folders (inbox, spam, junk, etc.) during the application process. This includes ensuring that email inboxes are not full and can receive incoming mail. We are not responsible for any correspondence that is not answered by the stipulated deadlines.
Applicants, prospective applicants or other individuals with inquiries about our program are expected to conduct themselves throughout their interaction with our office and/or the application process in a manner that is respectful to the community, our faculty and our staff.
Admission With Advanced Standing
Due to the unique structure of the medical curriculum, you will not be considered for admission with advanced standing in any MD courses.
All applicants must complete the application process, and all students must complete each component of the program curriculum to be eligible to receive an MD degree.
Applicants Currently or Previously Registered in a Canadian Medical School
Applicants will be deemed ineligible for admission into the Queen’s School of Medicine program if they:
- are a current student, past student or graduate of an undergraduate medical education program at a Canadian medical school and/or
- have been required to withdraw from an MD program (to be assessed on a case‐by‐case basis).
Graduate Applicants
Applicants currently in a graduate program will be required to meet the same minimum thresholds as undergraduate applicants.
Graduate students, as deemed by our Graduate Applicant Policy, who receive a conditional offer of admission must complete all graduate requirements by August 1 of the year of admission.
Review our Graduate Applicant Policy on our Committees & Policies page to determine if you are considered a graduate applicant for your application.
False Application Information
If it is discovered that any application information is false or misleading, concealed or withheld, the application will be disqualified, or, if discovered after an offer of admission has been sent, that offer will be withdrawn.
If falsified information is discovered after you are admitted into the MD program, you will be required to withdraw.
Queen’s School of Medicine may, at its 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.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use is Not Permitted in Admissions
Using generative AI writing tools, such as but not limited to ChatGPT, to obtain responses is not permitted at any stage of assessment for Queen’s MD Program Admissions, as components of the application are intended to be reflective.
If it is discovered that any AI writing tools or equivalent have been used for any component of an application or at any point during the admission process, the application will be disqualified. If it is discovered after an offer of admission has been sent, that offer will be withdrawn.
If these circumstances are discovered after you are admitted into the MD program, you will be required to withdraw from the program.
Queen’s School of Medicine may, at its 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.
Information for Successful Applicants
Offers of Admission
Queen’s School of Medicine coordinates the first round of offers with all Ontario medical schools. Therefore, applicants who are invited to panel interviews will receive an email indicating their status in May. MD/PhD and MD/Master’s emails are typically sent in March and MMTP emails are typically sent in April.
Offers are binding to the site and program indicated in the offer letter. No exceptions.
All offers are conditional based on the candidate fulfilling the offer requirements by the stipulated deadlines. Further information will be included in the offer letter.
Upon accepting your offer, conditions will include:
- Paying the deposit
- Maintaining an academic standing that is acceptable to the Admissions Committee
- Completing the required credits
- Providing an official transcript
- Submitting a graduate completion letter (if applicable)
- Providing evidence of citizenship
- Providing a Police Records Check
- Submitting immunization screening forms
- Meeting the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada 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.
Additional Information
Notice of Collection of Personal Information
Queen’s University collects information you provide to OMSAS/OUAC as part of your application to our medical program.
This includes the following personal information:
- name,
- home or mailing address,
- telephone number,
- email address,
- date of birth,
- gender identity,
- legal status in Canada and
- academic history.
Personal information is collected under the authority of the Queen’s University Royal Charter, 1841, as amended, and will be used for the purpose of administering the admission, registration, university-related student activities, financial assistance and reporting to government.
The University will use your personal information as necessary for the purpose of administering the admission process, registration, university-related student activities, financial assistance and reporting to the government. Personal information collected through OMSAS/OUAC will only be accessed by authorized faculty and staff. The information will be protected in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Questions regarding the collection or use of this personal information should be directed to Undergraduate Medical Education Admissions at: [email protected].
Important Notice for Applicants
Admission procedures are reviewed annually, and requirements from previous years may not apply. Queen’s University reserves the right to change admission requirements at any time, without notice.
Submission deadlines are final, and the instructions provided in the OMSAS application and application guide must be followed for your application to be considered.
When you submit an application to the Queen’s University MD Program, you accept the current admission policies and procedures, as well as the methods by which the applicants are selected.
Contact Information
MD Program Admissions Office
School of Medicine
Queen’s University
80 Barrie Street
Kingston ON K7L 3N6
Fax: 613‑533‑3190
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 613‑533‑3307