Exploring an interest in medicine and healthcare
An interest in medicine often begins well before any formal preparation, and the earliest stage is frequently the most valuable: developing an understanding of what the profession involves, what medical training entails, and how the day-to-day realities of the work compare with one's expectations.
This stage is also an appropriate point at which to consider the broader landscape of healthcare. Many professions contribute to patient care, and an understanding of those professions can help a student identify the career that aligns most closely with their interests and goals — whether that is medicine or another field. Pathways aims to support this exploration without presupposing any particular outcome.
Course selection
Secondary school. Course selection in secondary school generally serves to keep options open for the range of post-secondary programs a student may wish to consider. Students are encouraged to consult their school's guidance resources and the admission requirements of the undergraduate programs that interest them.
Undergraduate study. There is no single required "premed" program in Canada, and medical schools admit students from a wide range of academic disciplines. Some medical schools specify prerequisite courses; others do not. Students may wish to consider how prerequisite courses, where applicable, can be accommodated within a program of study they find engaging and are likely to succeed in. Prerequisite requirements should be confirmed directly with each school.
Understanding how medical schools differ
Canadian medical schools set their own admission requirements independently. Areas in which schools commonly differ include whether a completed degree is required, which prerequisite courses (if any) are specified, how academic performance is assessed, whether the MCAT or CASPer is required, and whether preference is given to applicants from particular regions or backgrounds.
Pathways can help students become familiar with the general landscape and, importantly, with where current requirements can be verified. The AFMC Admission Requirements Guide and each school's admissions website remain the authoritative sources.
Extracurricular involvement
Medical school applications typically invite applicants to describe experiences and activities outside of academic study. These may include community involvement, employment, leadership roles, athletics, creative pursuits, caregiving responsibilities, and other activities meaningful to the applicant.
Pathways can offer perspective on the range of activities students commonly engage in and on approaches to reflecting on one's own experiences. Pathways does not advise on which activities may be favourably regarded by any institution, and does not have insight into how such experiences are evaluated.
Research
Some students pursue research involvement during their undergraduate studies. Pathways can describe what research participation generally entails for a student — for example, assisting in a laboratory, contributing to a clinical or community-based project, or completing a supervised thesis — and how students typically go about identifying such opportunities.
Research involvement is not a stated requirement of all Canadian medical schools. Students are encouraged to consult each school's published requirements and to consider research, where they pursue it, as an opportunity for learning in its own right.
Standardized assessments
Many, though not all, Canadian medical schools require one or more standardized assessments. The two most common are the MCAT, a multiple-choice examination administered by the AAMC, and CASPer, an online situational-judgement assessment administered by Acuity Insights. Whether either is required depends on the individual school and can change between cycles.
Pathways provides general information on both assessments, together with study tips, general advice, and recommended resources, on the following pages:
Interviews
Applicants who progress in the selection process are generally invited to interview. Formats vary between schools and may include multiple mini-interviews (MMI), panel interviews, one-to-one interviews, and recorded or asynchronous formats. Schools publish information about their own formats.
Pathways can discuss interview formats in general terms and the kinds of preparation students commonly undertake, such as reflecting on their experiences and practising clear communication. Pathways mentors do not have access to interview content or evaluation criteria and will not speculate about them.
Costs and financial considerations
Applying to medical school involves costs, which may include application service fees, individual school fees, assessment registration fees, and interview-related expenses. Fee assistance programs exist — the AAMC, for example, offers a Fee Assistance Program for the MCAT to eligible applicants — and some schools consider financial circumstances in their processes. Students facing financial constraints are encouraged to raise them in a mentorship session.
Paid admissions consulting or preparation services are not a requirement of the application process. Official resources, information sessions offered by medical schools, and no-cost mentorship such as that offered by Pathways are available to all students.
Last reviewed: September 2026 · Sources: AFMC ↗ · OUAC / OMSAS ↗ · AAMC ↗ · Acuity Insights ↗