McMaster Medical School Requirements and Acceptance Rate

The Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University is one of 17 medical schools in Canada. It is known for being one of two 3-year long medical programs as well as pioneering both the CASPer and Mulitple-Mini-Interview Assessments.

In 2021, the McMaster medical school acceptance rate was 3.49%. Of the 5,868 undergraduate students that applied, only 205 were admitted into the program.

The medical school requirements for McMaster, including admission statistics, are categorized below in the priority of what an applicant must submit to be considered:

Academic

  1. Pre-requisite courses
  2. Minimum number of years of undergraduate study required
  3. GPA

Non-Academic 

  1. Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
  2. CASPer Test
  3. Interview

McMaster Medical School Requirements: Prerequisite Courses

Unlike many medical schools requirements in Canada, McMaster University does not require any prerequisite courses. Additionally, there are no requirements for students to carry a full course load during any year of study. All applicants must have completed at least 3 years of undergraduate study by the proposed year of entry and are required to submit a final transcript to McMaster as proof that this requirement has been met.

McMaster Med Requirements: GPA Calculation and Requirements

Minimum GPA to ApplyAverage GPA of accepted applicantsLowest GPA Admitted
3.03.883.00-3.49

When calculating your GPA a simple average of all undergraduate degree courses will be taken. There are no exceptions or weighted GPA options for this university.

Courses for which a “Pass” or “Credit” grade is assigned are counted for credit, but will not be included in the GPA calculation

McMaster Medical School Requirements: MCAT and CASPer 

MCAT and CASPer Overview:

CASPer RequiredMCAT RequiredMCAT Scores Considered
✓✓Most Recent CARS

MCAT Admission Score Statistics:

C/P ScoreCARS ScoreB/B Score P/S Score
Minimum Score AdmittedNA123-125NANA
Average Score AcceptedNA129NANA

CASPer Test: The Canadian Professional Health Sciences test must be taken by November of the year of application submission. Only the 90-minute situational judgement test is required. The CASPer snapshot will not be taken into consideration by the admissions committee.

Medical College Admission Test: The MCAT must be taken and released to McMaster University by the OMSAS November 6th deadline. Any test that is written in 2016 or later is valid for the application cycle ending October 1, 2021. Only the Critical Analysis and Reasoning Section of the MCAT will be taken into consideration. All other scores will have no effect on admission.

Autobiographical Sketch and Personal Statements:

McMaster Medical School does not have any requirements for applicants to complete any OMSAS autobiographical sketches (ABS), personal statements, or supplementary applications. Anything completed on the OMSAS portal will have no effect on interview invites.

McMaster Medical School Interview:

MandatoryBy InvitationNumber of Applicants InvitedEntering Class Size
✓✓600205

Shortlisted candidates will be required to partake in an MMI interview with the McMaster admissions team. Interview decisions will be made based on the following weighting formula:

  • 32% Undergraduate Grade Point Average
  • 32% MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Score
  • 32% CASPer Score
  • 4% Graduate degree bonus (1% Master’s/4% PhD)

During the MMI, applicants will move between interview “stations” in a circuit. The stations deal with a variety of issues, which may include but are not limited to, communication, collaboration, ethics, health policy, critical thinking, awareness of social health issues in Canada and personal qualities. Applicants are not assessed on their scientific knowledge. You can read more about the McMaster MMI process here.

The MMI interview process for McMaster University is highly secretive and applicants are not allowed to disclose what types of activities or discussions they had. If you are looking for interview practice check out our posts on both MMI Practice Questions and Standard Interview Practice Questions.

McMaster Med Offers of Admission Decision:

McMaster Medical School’s offers for admission will be based upon a mix of academic achievement, MCAT scores, and results of the interview process. The following weighting formula will be used when determining offers of admissions:

  • 70% Multiple Mini Interview Score
  • 15% Undergraduate Grade Point Average
  • 15% MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Score

Requirements for other Medical Schools in Canada:

If you would like an in-depth analysis of the medical school requirements for other universities in Canada click here. Or if you want information on a specific university click on any of the following links:

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