Pathways in Healthcare
No-cost mentorship and career guidance for students interested in medicine and healthcare, with a particular focus on the steps leading up to a medical school application in Canada.
Request Mentorship
Requesting a mentorship session
Mentorship requests are received by email. There is no application form and no cost. Pathways will respond to arrange a suitable time.
Please include the following- Your full name
- Your age, current level of study (secondary school or post-secondary), and year
- The topics you would like to discuss — for example, course selection, extracurricular involvement, the MCAT, CASPer, or exploring your interest in medicine and healthcare
- Whether you would prefer an individual session or a group session
- Your general availability
Sessions are offered by volunteers and are subject to availability. Submitting a request does not confirm a session.
Volunteer as a Mentor
Expressing interest in volunteering
Pathways welcomes expressions of interest from individuals in medicine and other healthcare professions who would like to contribute their time and perspective to students.
To express interest- Prospective mentors must be 18 years of age or older
- Please attach a CV or résumé, where available
- Include a brief letter outlining your background and your interest in volunteering as a mentor
Mentorship is voluntary and unpaid. Pathways will follow up by email to discuss potential involvement.
Mentorship for the road ahead
Pathways in Healthcare connects high school and university students in Ontario with mentors who have recently navigated the path toward medical school. Sessions are virtual, flexible, and offered at no cost, in both individual and group formats.
What Pathways offers
- A general orientation to the medical school application process in Canada
- Discussion of course selection at the secondary and undergraduate levels
- An overview of how requirements may differ between medical schools, and where to verify them
- Perspective on extracurricular involvement and research as a student
- Study tips, general advice, and recommended resources for the MCAT and CASPer
- Support in exploring an interest in medicine and in healthcare more broadly
What Pathways does not offer
- Admissions consulting, or advice intended to secure admission to any program
- Writing, editing, or reviewing of application materials
- Insight into admissions criteria, evaluation, or decisions at any institution
- Confirmation of current requirements — these must be verified with each school
- Predictions regarding competitiveness or likelihood of admission
- Medical, legal, financial, or mental health advice
Resources for prospective applicants
Preparing to Apply
A broad view of the stages that typically precede a medical school application in Canada, from early exploration through to the application itself.
Read the overview → AssessmentThe MCAT
The structure, scoring, and timing of the MCAT, together with general preparation guidance and official resources.
Learn about the MCAT → AssessmentCASPer
What CASPer assesses, the current format, and an approach to preparation grounded in the official practice materials.
Learn about CASPer →A broader view of healthcare
Medicine is one of many professions within healthcare. Pathways encourages students to develop an understanding of the wider landscape as part of an informed decision, and aims to support students in exploring the healthcare careers that align with their interests and goals.
Expanded information on individual professions is forthcoming.
Mentorship adapted to individual circumstances
Pathways in Healthcare welcomes students from all backgrounds and recognizes that access to guidance is not equally distributed. Students who are the first in their family to pursue post-secondary education, who come from lower-income households, or who belong to communities underrepresented in medicine and healthcare are particularly encouraged to reach out. Mentorship is adapted to each student's circumstances, and students are invited to share any barriers they may be facing so that sessions can be shaped accordingly.
Read moreGet in touch
Sessions are scheduled around student availability and conducted virtually — by video call, telephone, or another suitable format.
Request Mentorship
Requesting a mentorship session
Mentorship requests are received by email. There is no application form and no cost. Pathways will respond to arrange a suitable time.
Please include the following- Your full name
- Your age, current level of study (secondary school or post-secondary), and year
- The topics you would like to discuss — for example, course selection, extracurricular involvement, the MCAT, CASPer, or exploring your interest in medicine and healthcare
- Whether you would prefer an individual session or a group session
- Your general availability
Sessions are offered by volunteers and are subject to availability. Submitting a request does not confirm a session.
Volunteer as a Mentor
Expressing interest in volunteering
Pathways welcomes expressions of interest from individuals in medicine and other healthcare professions who would like to contribute their time and perspective to students.
To express interest- Prospective mentors must be 18 years of age or older
- Please attach a CV or résumé, where available
- Include a brief letter outlining your background and your interest in volunteering as a mentor
Mentorship is voluntary and unpaid. Pathways will follow up by email to discuss potential involvement.