High School to Medical School: A Comprehensive Timeline


  • High school: Grades 10-12
    Get involved!
    Look for extracurricular activities, community services, and leadership opportunities that can foster your own personal growth. These opportunities will help you develop your teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills which are all essential for your journey to medical school! Examples: • School clubs (such as science/STEM, debate, or student council) • Volunteering (such as hospital, nursing/retirement homes, or local charities) • Outreach Programs (such as summer camps!) • Tutoring/Mentorship • Sports or athletics • Music and arts When it is time to submit your medical school application, you will need to submit an Autobiographical Sketch (ABS) which lists all your extracurricular involvements since the age of 16. Learn more this application requirement on our Autobiographical Sketch page under the Resources tab.
  • Grade 12
    Apply to a University undergraduate program
    It is important that you choose a university program that you are truly interested in. Whether you are deciding on a science degree (e.g. life , health, biomedical sciences) or non-science degree (e.g. business, social sciences, humanities) depends on your interests and the medical school you will be applying to. Undergraduate programs typically take 4 years to complete as a full-time student (5 courses per semester). You will spend many hours studying and being tested on that topic. The grades you recieve in these classes will ultimately be used to calculate your Grade Point Average (G.P.A.) to determine if you meet the minimum requirements to apply to a medical school program. In Ontario, you can complete an undergraduate university bachelor's degree in any discipline to apply to medical school. However, note that some medical schools may require you to complete prerequisitie courses before you apply (See: University of Ottawa, University of Toronto).
  • undergraduate
    Learn more about the medical school application process.
    Applying to medical school is definitely a process! There are many components required to put together a complete application depending on the school your interested in. Take this time to explore different programs and what they offer (See: Indigenous Application Streams). You can also get ahead by exploring and registering for medical school application support programs (See: Resources). For a medical school application timeline (including general deadlines), check out our Application Timeline page under our Key Info tab.
  • Undergraduate: Year 1 and beyond
    Stay involved & study hard!
    Remember that your extracurricular activities serve to support your personal and academic growth. These activities can also help you stand out as a potential candidate because of the interest you have for these activities and the experiences you gain by being involved. There are many ways to get involved in the undergraduate level from joining clubs, sports teams, and volunteering. Here you will also start to get exposed to research opportunities that will allow you to gain research experience, present in meetings or lectures, and even attend research conferences! If your lab's research is promising, it may even lead you to become an author on a research paper.
  • undergraduate: year 3 and beyond
    Complete the minimum academic requirements for medical school programs.
    Each medical school program has minimum academic requirements to be eligible to apply. Programs requiring at least 3 years of undergraduate studies: • Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine (McMaster University) • University of Ottawa • Queen's University • University of Toronto • Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry (Western University) Programs requiring a 4-year undergraduate degree: • NOSM University • Toronto Metropolitan University

  • Prepare your medical school application.
    Each medical school program has unique non-academic and academic application requirements. Based on these requirements you may choose to write the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) or the Casper Test. There are many resources that can help you prepare for these exams as well as your medical school application (See: Resources). These resources can look like information sessions, workshops (MCAT, ABS, letters/essays), prep sessions (interviews), and support programs offered at your university or the university you are applying to!

  • Apply to a medical school program!
    Once you ensure that you meet the minimum academic requirements and completed all necessary non-academic requirements, you can apply to an Ontario medical school program through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC). There you can select medicine programs which will re-direct you to the Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS). Through OMSAS, you will be able to upload all required documentation and apply to the medical school program(s) of interest. While there is a cost to applying, OMSAS offers a waive fee programs for those who are eligible! (See: Scholarships & Finances).
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Thank-you to the Government of Ontario. This initiative is funded by the Indigenous Targeted Initiative Fund (ITIF) provided by the Ontario Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security.