Admissions News and Announcements
Join us on September 26, 2023 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm (Saskatchewan Time) for our annual Admissions Presentation! Learn about the MD program and the admissions process from members of the UGME office, faculty and medical students. This session provides admissions information for entry in fall 2024.
Registration is NOT required for this presentation. Below is a link to the zoom. A waiting room will be available at 5:30pm (Saskatchewan time), however, you will not be admitted to the meeting until the start time of 6:00pm.
Meeting ID: 946 8140 0315
Passcode: 03693873
Please contact the College of Medicine's Admissions Team if you encounter any difficulties joining the Admissions Presentation.
The College of Medicine is pleased to announce the expansion of the Undergraduate Medical Doctor (MD) program by adding four seats to the upcoming fall 2023 intake of medical students. This will increase the total number of seats from 100 to 104.
As a college, we are excited and highly supportive of these seat expansions in our MD program. The team supporting the MD program in the college is working hard to ensure we are well-positioned to provide the high standard of medical education we already deliver here to these additional and very welcome learners in our program.
Beginning in the 2023 application cycle, the following changes to the MD program admissions process will impact applicants:
- Changes to MCAT requirements for the next application cycle (2023 application for 2024 admission to the USask MD Program)
Please note the following changes will come into effect for the upcoming application cycle (2023 application for 2024 admission to the USask MD Program).
- minimum required score will be a total score of 492 with minimum section scores of 123 in all sections, except one section may be 122
- earliest MCAT writing accepted is January 1, 2019
- latest MCAT writing accepted is September 2, 2023
- deadline for release of MCAT scores to the USask College of Medicine is October 1, 2023
- we will use the best score at one sitting
- Changes to MCAT processing for 2023/24 application cycle:
The College of Medicine has received confirmation from the AAMC regarding changes to MCAT processing times for the upcoming 2023/24 admissions cycle. The AAMC has committed to a 4-week turnaround on MCAT results for the August 31, September 1 and September 2 Canadian test dates.
For details regarding this change and available times, please visit the AAMC Website.
What does this change mean for applicants in the 2023/24 application cycle?
The College of Medicine will now accept writings up to September 2nd for the 2023/24 application cycle. This means there are an additional three writing times available for applicants completing the MCAT.
This change also means applicants will receive their MCAT scores prior to the application deadline of October 1st.
For a course to be considered towards meeting this requirement, the course must be listed on our approved list of courses. It is imperative that applicants review the list of approved courses to ensure that they have met the requirement. Note: As courses are reviewed and approved, they will be added to this list.
If an applicant has completed already or has plans to take a course that is not on the list, they need to immediately email med.admissions@usask.ca clearly outlining course details (institution, course number, course description, start date, and a link to the course syllabus) prior to the application deadline to ensure approval of the course.
For applicants that have completed their undergraduate degree and are enrolled in a graduate program or are not attending a post-secondary institution, a certificate of successful completion from the Indigenous Canada course offered by the University of Alberta OR Building an Awareness of Cultural Humility course offered by the University of Saskatchewan will meet the prerequisite requirement for the 2024 application cycle. Please note that the above-mentioned courses may have limited start dates and a formal certificate confirming successful completion will be required.
The Price of a Dream (POD) program was developed by the National POD Team alongside the AFMC and participating universities to address the personal and systemic financial barriers individuals face when applying to medical school. The $150 application fee and the $75 interview fee associated with a medical school application are waived through the POD program for successful applicants for the upcoming 2023-2024 application cycle to the USask College of Medicine!
The application portal is now available for the upcoming 2023/2024 application cycle.
The University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine has expanded its teaching and learning presence in Regina. The Regina campus now offers the complete MD program. Learn more
Regina General Hospital
The College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan does not accept students wishing to transfer from another medical school into our program.
A Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada currently enrolled in another medical school who wishes to attend the College of Medicine MUST apply through the regular admissions process. Our admissions requirements and policies can be found in the Applicant Information document.
In compliance with the university-level Articulation and Transfer Credit Policy, the College of Medicine reserves the right to approve or deny requests for transfer credit or advanced standing in the Undergraduate Medical Education program (see https://medicine.usask.ca/policies/transfer-student-policy.php). Requests for transfer credit or advanced standing will only be considered on a case-by-case basis post-admission to the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program at the University of Saskatchewan. The process to determine transfer credit(s) may result in a cost incurred by the student.
We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds. In order to do this, we will request information from our applicants that allow us to learn more about how your lived experiences have impacted your ability to enter medical school. We believe in equity, diversity and inclusivity and will strive to have a medical school class that is reflective of the socio-economic cultural diversity of the province.
The University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine values future medical students that have a strong connection to Saskatchewan. We do not have any specific residency requirements, but we take into account many factors that have been linked to future Saskatchewan-based practice. These factors and the algorithm used to inform us of this will not be publicly released and may change over time. Our goal is to have the vast majority of our incoming class have a strong desire to serve the residents of Saskatchewan in the future.
Admissions Information Session
Join us on September 26, 2023 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm (Saskatchewan Time) for our annual Admissions Presentation! Learn about the MD program and the admissions process from members of the UGME office, faculty and medical students. This session provides admissions information for entry in fall 2024.
Registration is NOT required for this presentation. Below is a link to the zoom. A waiting room will be available at 5:30pm (Saskatchewan time), however, you will not be admitted to the meeting until the start time of 6:00pm.
Meeting ID: 946 8140 0315
Passcode: 03693873
Please contact the College of Medicine's Admissions Team if you encounter any difficulties joining the Admissions Presentation.
Applicant Information
The Unofficial Guide to Canadian Medical School is general advice for applicants about the medical admissions process.
For general information regarding requirements for medical school, visit the links provided. For students interested in applying for the 2023 Application Cycle, updated Applicant Information Documents were posted on July 1, 2023. Applications for entry to Medicine will open in early August, with the deadline to apply being October 1, 2023.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity
Through the pathway, Métis, Inuit and First Nations people can apply for admission to the Medical Doctor (MD) program of study. Up to Twenty seats in the MD degree program each year are specifically designated for Métis, Inuit and First Nations people.
Student Supports
Below are some of the awards and programs available to support students interested in applying to the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan.
The Price of a Dream (POD) program was developed by the National POD Team alongside the AFMC and participating universities to address the personal and systemic financial barriers individuals face when applying to medical school. The $150 application fee and the $75 interview fee associated with a medical school application are waived through the POD program for successful applicants for the upcoming 2023-2024 application cycle to the USask College of Medicine!
The application portal is now available for the upcoming 2023/2024 application cycle.
FAQs
Can I book an appointment to meet with an advisor? No, we do not take appointments nor do we offer advising. All communication with the Admissions Office must be done via email.
What is the application deadline? October 1, 2023.
When does the application open? The online application opens in early August.
Are non-academic activities considered? No, a record of volunteer activities is not considered. However, a supervisor from a volunteer experience can be used as one of your references.
Do you accept International students? No, applicants must have lived in Canada for at least three years prior to August 1 of the year in which admission is being sought and must be a Canadian citizen or have Permanent Resident status by the application deadline.
Can I transfer into the MD program from another medical school? No, the College of Medicine does not accept transfer students from another medical school. All applicants must follow the complete admissions process. Please see the Transfer Student Policy in the Applicant Information Document.
Which degree should I get to be eligible to apply for Medicine or which degree looks best on an application? Any four-year baccalaureate degree from an accredited degree-granting institution will be accepted. No degree holds more weight than another.
How is a withdrawn course on my transcript treated? A withdrawn course noted on a transcript has no bearing on an application.
What prerequisite courses do I need to take? There are no high school or university level prerequisite courses required for the 2023 application cycle. Beginning in the 2024 application cycle (for 2025 admission), applicants must have an Indigenous studies prerequisite.
How is a repeated course calculated? An initial course and a repeated course will both be counted if they fall within the courses used to calculate the UAA (see the Applicant Information Document).
Are summer courses counted? It does not matter what time of year courses are taken as long as the degree is awarded in the required timeframe as outlined in the Applicant Information Document.
Do you accept online courses? Up to 60 credit units of distance education are allowed. Courses that were required to be presented remotely due to COVID-19 that were normally presented in a face-to-face format, will be excluded from the 60 CU maximum.
Will my UAA be rounded up? We round to two decimal places. (Example: 89.23795% will be rounded to 89.24%)
What if my school uses letter grading? Calculation of the university academic average (UAA) is done in percentages (%). Where transcripts have results other than %, conversion to % will be done. For more information go to Conversion Scale.
Do I need to carry a full course load? Applicants are highly encouraged to take a full course load (30 CU) for at least one year within the last three years of study to demonstrate their ability to withstand the rigors of our medical program.
If I take extra classes to increase my average will they count towards my UAA? No, courses taken after the awarding of a degree will not count towards your UAA unless they result in an additional degree being awarded prior to application.
Do you accept WES or IQAS evaluations? No.
Are pass/fail courses considered in the UAA calculation? Up to 60 credit units are considered. See Applicant Information document for more details.
Is a Master’s degree or PhD considered? Yes, please see Graduate Students in the Academic Requirements section of the Applicant Information document for more information.
Will my foreign degree be acceptable? Any inquiry pertaining to the review and evaluation of a foreign transcript (not including American institutions) must be accompanied by a valid MCAT result (test written no earlier than January 2019). The review may take weeks to process so the transcripts must be received at least two months prior to the application deadline.
How will the new UAA be calculated? Please see the Applicant Information Document for a complete breakdown of how UAA will be calculated.
Can I apply if I am new to Canada? Applicants must have lived in Canada for at least three years prior to August 1 of the year in which admission is being sought. All applicants must be a Canadian citizen or have Permanent Resident status by the application deadline.
What is the last MCAT testing date you will accept? The last available writing of the MCAT for application in 2023 for entry 2024 is September 2, 2023. An MCAT test taken after September 2, 2023 will not be considered. You must request that all of your MCAT results be released electronically, specifically to the University of Saskatchewan, College of Medicine, via the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) MCAT Test Site. Results must be released to the College of Medicine prior to the October 1, 2023 application deadline.
What is the minimum MCAT score requirement? The following scoring requirements have come into effect for the upcoming application cycle (2023 application for 2024 admission to the USask MD Program).
- minimum required score will be a total score of 492 with minimum section scores of 123 in all sections, except one section may be 122
- earliest MCAT writing accepted is January 1, 2019
- latest MCAT writing accepted is September 2, 2023
- deadline for release of MCAT scores to the USask College of Medicine is October 1, 2023
- we will use the best score at one sitting
If I have written more than one MCAT, which score is used? We will use the best score at one sitting
Will the office confirm with me when they have received my transcripts? No. You must upload a copy of your official transcript(s) to your application. You will be notified through your application when official transcripts are required to be sent.
Do I need to submit a transcript from a foreign school even if I only attended one semester there? Yes, you must upload a copy of your official transcript(s) to your application. You will be notified through your application when official transcripts are required to be sent.
If I received transfer credits on a transcript from another institution I attended, do I still need to submit the transcript for the institution I was granted transfer credit for? Yes.
Do applicants who re-apply need to submit transcripts again? Yes, all transcripts (other than USask transcripts) will need to be uploaded to the application system each new application cycle.
After I submit my application, can I log back in to make changes? No, once you have submitted the application you cannot log back in and make any changes. Any changes to the information you have provided in your application will need to be emailed to the Admissions Office at med.admissions@usask.ca.
How can I upload my documents? Once you have submitted your application and paid the application fee, you can then log back into your account to upload your required documents in the Supplemental Items section.
How can I track the status of my application? You may log into your application to track the status of your application and to see if you have any outstanding documentation.
What do I do if I lost/forgot my password and am unable to log in to complete my application? Follow the prompts on the application site for login issues.
How will the Admissions Office communicate with me throughout the application cycle? All communication from the Admissions Office will be sent via email.
Do my referees need to submit a letter? No, we do not accept reference letters.
Will the Admissions Office approve my referees prior to submitting them? No, we will not confirm suitability of specific referees. It is up to the applicant to determine which referees would be most appropriate based on the criteria we have outlined in the Applicant Information Document.
When will my references be contacted? In March an email will be sent to referees to schedule a 10 – 15 minute phone call during the months of March and April. The number of references contacted is at the discretion of the Admissions Office.
Do I have to take the CASPer test? Yes, this is a requirement that all applicants must complete in order for their application to be considered.
How is the CASPer score used in the application process? The score is used as one of the criteria to determine if an applicant will receive an interview offer.
What is the deadline to take the CASPer test for application to the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine? Once the test dates and score distribution deadlines have been set for an application to the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine, the information will be available on the https://acuityinsights.app/ website.
Is the extension to the CASPer test Duet required? Our program will NOT be requiring applicants to complete Duet for this admissions cycle (for entry 2024).
Contact Us
Questions?
Email: med.admissions@usask.ca
Box 17, Health Sciences Building
University of Saskatchewan
107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon
SK, S7N 5E5