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 2^nd 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 score prior to the application deadline of October 1^st.

NOTICE:  Proposed upcoming changes to MCAT requirements to start for the next application cycle (2023 application for 2024 admission to the USask MD Program) 

The following changes have been recommended by the Admissions Committee and are pending approval by the College of Medicine Faculty Council.  A notice of motion will go forward to Faculty Council on March 29, 2023 and a vote on the motion will take place on May 31.  The final decision of Faculty Council will be posted on the admissions webpage June 1. Applicants should plan their writing accordingly.

The proposed changes to MCAT requirements for all applicants are as follows:

• 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 considered is January 1, 2019
• latest MCAT writing considered is September 2, 2023
• deadline for release of MCAT scores to the USask College of Medicine is October 1, 2023
• best score at one sitting will be considered

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!

For more information, visit:

• https://www.priceofadream.com/
• Or Follow Price of a Dream on Twitter or Instagram

The application portal is now available for the upcoming 2023/2024 application cycle. Use the following link to apply: https://www.cognitoforms.com/AFMC3/SaskatchewanFeeWaiverProgram

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us mdpriceofadream@gmail.com

The College of Medicine has made important changes to the MD program admissions process. These changes will be in effect for the 2022 application cycle and will impact students who are applying for entry in the 2023-24 academic year.

• MD Program Admission Changes Overview

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

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.

The multiple mini interview (MMI) is a series of short structured interviews used to assess the personal traits that we are looking for in our applicants to the MD program.

Each mini interview provides an applicant with two minutes to read a question/scenario and mentally prepare before entering the interview room (may be in-person or virtual). Upon entering, the applicant has eight minutes of dialogue with one assessor (or, in some cases, a third party as the assessor observes).

At the conclusion of the interview, the applicant moves to the next scenario and the assessor completes the evaluation form. This pattern is repeated through a circuit of multiple stations, with the typical MMI taking approximately 60-120 minutes, depending on the number of stations included.

The MMI was developed at McMaster University and its medical school has been using it as a criterion for selecting students since 2004. Multiple studies have demonstrated that the MMI has better reliability than a traditional panel interview or other measures of personal traits and the MMI has been shown to be a valid measure of future success in medical school. Today, the majority of Canadian medical schools use the applicant’s performance in their respective MMIs to inform their admissions decisions.

The MMI gives the Admissions Committee a measure of an applicant’s personal traits that cannot be assessed by their academic performance alone. Having future medical practitioners with desirable personal traits is very important to the College of Medicine and for our society as a whole.

Here are some of the strengths of the MMI compared to other measures of personal traits:

• Provides multiple opportunities for a diverse applicant pool to demonstrate their abilities and personal traits
• Dilutes the effects of chance and assessor bias
• More standardized delivery — all applicants respond to the same questions and assessors all receive the same background information a priori
• Stations can be designed with a great deal of flexibility in order to assess applicants for personal traits desired by the medical school
• Applicants can recover from a challenging station by moving onto a new station with a different assessor
• Studies show that the MMI is a better predictor of medical school performance compared to other measures of personal traits (autobiographical submissions, panel interview, simulated tutorial)

Personal traits and abilities, such as communication skills, maturity, professionalism and an ability to think on their feet will be assessed during all of the MMI stations.

Station scenarios are structured specifically to assess numerous different domains, including:

• an applicant’s non-academic achievements and life experiences
• ethical and critical decision-making abilities
• abilities to complete a task and follow directions
• knowledge of the health-care system and determinants of health in the local or global context
• commitment to helping others
• discussions about social accountability and desire and motivations to study and pursue a career in medicine

Background knowledge in basic or clinical sciences is no more useful than knowledge in other disciplines.

The MMI scenarios are designed specifically to generate general discussion and do not have any “correct” answers per se.

Applicants will be asked to respond to a scenario, communicate their understanding of the scenario, discuss the issues raised in the scenario, express personal thoughts and opinions, highlight previous life experiences pertaining to the scenario and defend any ideas they put forward.

To generate further discussion, our assessors may probe deeper by asking additional questions or clarify points that are made. We are interested in a genuine and rich dialogue with the applicant that allows us to get to know them best.

Applicants who are offered admission must pay a non-refundable deposit of 10 per cent of the tuition by the deadline date of the acceptance of the offer.

Candidates who withdraw their admission acceptance after paying the deposit will forfeit the 10 per cent deposit.

• USask Tuition

All applicants offered admission will be required to submit a criminal record check including vulnerable sector screening to the College of Medicine by the first day of orientation of the year of entry.

All applicants should familiarize themselves with the Criminal Record Check Policy and Procedures. Results will be shared, including sharing a copy of the documentation, with: (i) the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan and (ii) other medical and/or educational institutions as required. In the event that an applicant is found to be ineligible for an educational license, the offer of admission will be revoked.

Applicants to the College of Medicine will be required to answer the following questions on the application form and provide detailed information for any question(s) answered “Yes”:

• Have you ever been suspended, disqualified, censured, or had any disciplinary action taken against you as a member of any profession?
• Have you at any time been (i) charged with an academic or non-academic offence by a post-secondary institution or (ii) suspended, expelled, required to discontinue, or otherwise disciplined (including being denied readmission) for any academic or non-academic offence by a post-secondary institution (including in either (i) or (ii) being cited for any professionalism issues at any time)?
• Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence (this includes any offence for which pardon has been received)?
• Have you been arrested or charged with any criminal offence, in Canada or elsewhere?
• To the best of your current knowledge and belief, are you currently under investigation for possible criminal conduct, in Canada or elsewhere?

If you are a future applicant considering application to the USask College of Medicine and answer “yes” to any of the preceding questions, it is recommended that you contact the Admissions Office to have an informal review of the details of your background completed to determine future possible concerns with regard to admission or licensure as a medical student.

To view the current College of Medicine Technical Standards, please visit our Policy Page.

• Admission Statistics

>NOTE:  Applicants will have 5 business days from the date a negative application decision is emailed to launch an appeal of that decision.

>The Admissions Appeals Committee will hear and decide upon applicant appeals of decisions made by the Admissions Committee. If you appeal, your appeal must include the Appeal Form (below) which you have filled out and signed. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the University of Saskatchewan Admissions Office not being open, the Appeal Form and any attachments must be submitted by email at med.admissions@usask.ca. The appeal form and supporting documentation must be received on or before the deadline. Appeals are to be addressed to the Chair of the Admissions Appeals Committee, c/o Admissions Office.

As outlined in the Policy on Admission to Degree Programs - Admission Decisions - Appeal of Admission Decisions, ratified by University Council on May 1st, 2012 - “Grounds for an admission appeal shall be limited to: (1) unit procedural errors, (2) evidence that the information used in the assessment of the decision was wrong or incomplete, or (3) evidence that the assessment was not made according to the published admission qualifications and selection criteria. A failure by the applicant to provide accurate and complete information in accordance with the established admission qualifications and selection criteria shall not be grounds for an appeal. The decision of the Appeals Committee is final and no further appeal procedure will be entertained.” Any appeal launched must specify the ground(s) the appeal is based on.

• Admission Appeal Form

College of Medicine students are required to own a laptop computer and use it for some College of Medicine exams. The laptop computer used for exams must meet the criteria listed under the Minimum System Requirements here https://examsoft.com/resources/examplify-minimum-system-requirements#mac  with the additional institutional stipulation that it cannot be an iPad, nor a Surface product, nor computer using Windows S versions. Students are required to have the laptop computer set up and maintained to deliver computer-based exams without conflict from other software on the computer and work with Medicine IT to ensure this standard is maintained.  Students that currently own a Microsoft Surface product, are required to contact MedIT (medicine.itu@usask.ca) to address hardware concerns.

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, 2022.

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 2022 application cycle. Beginning in the 2024 application cycle, 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 New University Academic Average (UAA) Calculation section.

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 changes may be made to MCAT requirements prior to the 2023 Admissions cycle? The proposed changes to MCAT requirements for all applicants are as follows:

• 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 considered is January 1, 2019
• latest MCAT writing considered is September 2, 2023
• deadline for release of MCAT scores to the USask College of Medicine is October 1, 2023
• best score at one sitting will be considered

These proposed changes have been recommended by the Admissions Committee and are pending approval by the College of Medicine Faculty Council. A notice of motion will go forward to Faculty Council on March 29, 2023 and a vote on the motion will take place on May 31. The final decision of Faculty Council will be posted on the admissions webpage June 1. Applicants should plan their writing accordingly.

What is the last MCAT testing date you will accept? The MCAT must be written prior to the application deadline.

What is the minimum MCAT score requirement? For each application cycle, the Admissions Committee will review all of the MCAT scores and set the minimum overall scores and MCAT section scores, for the current cycle. For application in 2022 for entry 2023, no minimum MCAT section or total score will be required. However, it is important to note that for the last three admissions cycles, the Admissions Committee removed applicants from further consideration for an interview offer if their total MCAT score was less than 492 and/or their minimum section score(s) were less than BBFL 123; CARS 122; CPBS 123; PSBB 123.

If I have written more than one MCAT, which score is used? Only the most recent MCAT score is used.

Am I required to release my scores during the dates listed on the website even if I have already released them? Yes! Only scores released during the stated time period outlined in the Applicant Information document will be considered.

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.

Can I mail my official transcripts myself? Official transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to our office. Transcripts that have passed through an applicant’s hand are deemed to be unofficial and will not be accepted even if they are sealed.

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 deposit, 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 www.TakeAltus.com website.

Is the extension to the CASPer test SnapShot required? Our program will NOT be requiring applicants to complete Snapshot for this admissions cycle (for entry 2023).