Educational Requirements

Undergraduate degree requirements

• The basis of admission degree is a 120 credit (4-year) or equivalent Bachelor's degree from a recognized, accredited institution, in any discipline OR a 90-credit program from a Quebec university where the applicant obtained a diploma of college studies (Diplôme d'études collégiales; "DEC") in a pre-university program.
• The Winter 2020 term is excluded from assessment for all candidates who are applying with a Bachelor's degree or equivalent, or with a Diplôme d'études collégiales; DEC or equivalent in a pre-university program.
• Minimum of 60 consecutive graded credits complete at the time of application. Performance in courses not yet completed at the time of application must be comparable to the level of performance seen in the academic records submitted at the time of application. A marked decline in academic performance in the final term(s) may lead to withdrawal of an offer of admission.
• A full course load (e.g. 12-15 credits) per semester and completion within the time prescribed by the program is expected, however, applicants with some part-time semesters, who have taken up to 1 additional year to complete a bachelors’ degree remain eligible; the final assessment based on individual circumstances remains the responsibility of Admissions. Summer or other interim sessions are acceptable, however they should not take away from regular sessions.
• For a degree not impacted by the Winter 2020 Pandemic, the Admissions Committee expects a minimum of 60 consecutive graded credits at the time of application; this enables a more complete basis for the assessment of your academic performance. For a degree impacted by the Winter 2020 Pandemic, a minimum of 45 consecutive graded credits on transcript; normally would have had at least 60 graded credits but the Winter 2020 semester was Pass/Fail, or had to withdraw from some courses. 2019-2020 full year courses are not counted in the GPA. Candidates who have fewer than 45 graded credits after the exclusion of 2019-2020 full year courses should submit a letter of extenuating circumstances. Please view the policy: covid-19_2021_accomodations_en.pdf
• A-Levels (et al.) / French Baccalaureate (Bacc Français, et al.) /  International Baccalaureate (IBO) are not eligible substitutes for a Bachelor’s degree.

Eligibility for atypical degrees:

1. Require degrees to contain 50% credits completed at granting institution (can include colleges which are authorized in their jurisdiction to grant bachelor’s degrees). This is the standard “residency requirement”* for an institution to grant a degree at most Canadian universities, including McGill. It may affect Thompson Rivers Open Learning or Athabasca University generalist degrees, which are more flexible.
2. Prior learning credit based on informal learning (also known as Reconnaissance des acquis extrascolaires in Québec), i.e. transfer credit that does not come from prior academic credited courses, cannot comprise more than 10% of the degree (e.g. 12 credits of 120).
   
   *“Residency requirement” refers to the minimum number of courses or credits (or percentage of the program) a student must complete at an institution to graduate from that institution.

Second / alternate degree requirements

• Applicants may be considered on the basis of a second, subsequent undergraduate degree (minimum 60 credits).
• 45 consecutive graded credits (in a second/alternate bachelor's degree program) must be completed by the November 1 application deadline, for a degree not impacted by the Winter 2020 Pandemic. The remaining 15 (or more) credits must be completed by July 31 of the year of entry to medical school, and these must be at a level comparable to that which appears in the academic records submitted at the time of application. A marked decline in academic performance in the final term(s) may lead to withdrawal of an offer of admission.
• For a degree that is impacted by the Winter 2020 Pandemic, a minimum of 30 consecutive graded credits on transcript. Normally would have had at least 45 graded credits but the Winter 2020 semester was Pass/Fail, or had to withdraw from some courses. Please view the policy: covid-19_2021_accomodations_en.pdf Please note that the second degree must be conferred before the start of medical studies.

Requirements for IMG Program (MDCM with Advanced Standing)

• Medical degree from an an accredited, World Health Organization-recognized institution outside Canada or the United (as listed in the Avicenna Directory for Medicine). Applicants must be in good standing.
• Results of the MCCQE-part 1 exam from the Medical Council of Canada. USMLE or ECSMG results are not accepted.
• Degree equivalency from the Collège des médecins du Québec (requires additional MCC exams).
• Medical Student Performance Record (MSPR) or "dean's letter" together with the official medical school academic transcript.

Requirements for international medical graduates applying to first year of MDCM (without advanced standing)

Candidates from all residency cohorts with a degree from a recognized international medical school may apply to the first year of the MDCM program. Educational requirements are the same as for the advanced standing program, with the exception of Degree equivalency from the College des médecins du Québec, which is not required for this pathway.

Note: Canadian citizens or landed immigrants who are international medical graduates and residents of Quebec, who have completed the equivalence requirements, and have received a letter of attestation to this effect from the Collège des médecins du Québec should contact the Postgraduate Medical Education office.

Applicants to the Med-P Qualifying Year must: