Western Medical School Requirements and Acceptance Rate

The Western University School of Medicine is one of 17 medical schools in Canada. Western University also holds one of the two dental schools in Canada along with the University of Toronto.

In 2021, the Western medical school acceptance rate was 7.08%. Of the 2,415 undergraduate students that applied, only 171 were admitted into the program.

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

Academic

Pre-requisite courses
Minimum number of years of undergraduate study required
GPA

Non-Academic

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
CASPer Test
Autobiographical Sketch / Supplementary Application
Letters of Reference
Interview

Western Medical School Requirements: Prerequisite Courses

Unlike many medical schools requirements in Canada, Western University does not require any prerequisite courses. Applicants are required to have completed 4 years of full-time undergraduate study leading to a bachelor’s degree by the proposed year of entry. At least two of those years must be completed with a full-course load of five courses each semester. Additionally, these years must have at least three full-course equivalents that are at the academic level of study.

Western Med Requirements: GPA Calculation and Requirements

Minimum GPA to Apply	Average GPA of accepted applicants	Lowest GPA Admitted
3.7	3.87	NR

When calculating your GPA a weighted GPA will be automatically calculated by the admissions team. Your two best years of undergraduate study, not including summer courses, will be included in this calculation as long as they meet the following criteria:

These two years contain at least five full or equivalent courses completed during the September to April academic year.
These two years must have at least three full-course equivalents that are at the academic level of study
A maximum of one “Pass” or “Credit” course is present in the year of study

UWO Medical School Requirements: MCAT and CASPer

MCAT and CASPer Overview:

CASPer Required	MCAT Required	MCAT Scores Considered
X	✓	Most Recent Score

MCAT Admission Score Statistics:

	C/P Score	CARS Score	B/B Score	P/S Score
Minimum Score Admitted	NR	NR	NR	NR
Average Score Accepted	128	127	126	NR

NR means not released by the University

CASPer Test: The Canadian Professional Health Sciences test is not required by this University.

Medical College Admission Test: The MCAT must be taken and released to Western by the OMSAS November 6th deadline. Any test that is written within 5 years of the application deadline is valid for the application cycle. Although Western does not indicate this on their website, many applicants believe that P/S score is not weighted in the admissions decision process. When making an admission decision your most recent MCAT score is reviewed. For those looking for MCAT prep courses, we recommend those offered by the Princeton Review. They are a reputable long standing company that offers a variety of different course options to meet individual needs.

Autobiographical Sketch and Personal Statements:

Although this has not been confirmed by the University many applicants believe that Western’s Medical School acceptances are highly weighted towards extracurriculars. Applicants who meet the GPA and MCAT minimums will proceed through one of the most lengthy non-academic assessments of any medical school application in Canada. It will consist of the following components.

Autiobiographical Sketches

Western will take into account an applicant’s OMSAS autobiographical sketches (ABS). The purpose of the ABS is to get a brief understanding of who the applicant is as a person and what they have learned from their experiences that would make them a better physician. Western will look at all 32 activities submitted to the ABS, completed since the age of 16, in the following categories:

Employment
Volunteering
Extracuricular Activites
Awards/Accomplishments
Research
Other

You will be required to provide verifiers for all activities listed. They may be contacted to elaborate on or confirm that certain events you described took place.

Top Life Activities/Experiences

In addition to the ABS, applicants are required to write various written pieces (a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 8) that highlight their top life experiences that relate to each of Schulich Medicine’s four core values:

Teamwork and Leadership
Respect for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Social Accountability and Social Responsibility
Self-directed Learning, Problem-solving and Critical Inquiry

According to Western, a strong applicant is expected to write 2 essays up to 2400 characters each for each of these values. Western is one of the only Canadian medical schools that allows applicants to write in such detail. Despite this, it is always important to be concise and to the point to mitigate reviewer fatigue.

Each experience must also include a list of four different objective verifiers that may be contacted to elaborate on or confirm that certain events you described took place.

Western Medical School Reference Letters:

Three letters of recommendation are required by applicants. Applicants are not allowed to use family members, friends/colleagues of family members, neighbours, or someone who may be perceived as your peer as a referee. Additionally, the references must meet the following criteria:

One academic/employment-related reference
One non-academic reference
One reference of your choosing

Your references will be asked the following questions:

Would this applicant make a good physician?
Rate the applicant on their communication skills
Rate the applicant on their problem-solving skills
Rate the applicant on their professionalism (e.g., commitment to ethical practice, standards of behaviour and accountability to others)
Rate the applicant on their empathy (e.g., demonstrating consideration of others’ perspectives)
Identify and comment on 1 area of improvement for the applicant
Share any other information you feel may be relevant to a medical school’s admissions committee.

UWO Medical School Interview:

Mandatory	By Invitation	Number of Applicants Invited	Entering Class Size
✓	✓	485	171

Shortlisted candidates will be required to partake in a panel interview. Interviews are structured and standardized, 45-minutes duration, with a three-person panel consisting of a physician, a community member, and a senior medical student. If you are looking for interview practice check out our posts on both MMI Practice Questions and Standard Interview Practice Questions.

Western Med Offers of Admission Decision:

Western’s Medical School’s offers for admission will be based upon a mix of academic achievement, supplemental application, and results of the interview process. The University of Western does not disclose any information about how each of the admission requirements is combined in the decision-making process. However, it is believed that your extracurricular activities are more heavily weighted than GPA and MCAT scores in the decision-making process.

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: