About
Our M.D. program is designed to ensure that participants graduate with a common foundation of knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes. This general professional education prepares graduates for subsequent education in primary or specialty care areas.
- 4 year degree. This does not include the 4 year baccalaureate degree required prior to admission to the program.
- Full-time program
- You cannot begin this program directly from high school
What you will learn
The undergraduate medical education program in the College of Medicine is a four-year program leading to the Medical Doctor (M.D.) degree. Upon earning the M.D. degree, students are then eligible to apply for postgraduate training in the discipline of their choice.
Years one and two
The first two years of medical education are called pre-clerkship. Students learn basic sciences and how to apply that learning in clinical conditions. They learn how to take medical histories and perform physical exams, first on standardized patients and then on real patients. At the same time, they are introduced to the factors that can affect both people’s health and how they function in society. Students have the opportunity to participate in research and earn Global Health Certification.
Years three and four
After pre-clerkship comes clerkship. During year three, which is the first year of clerkship, students put into practice what they have already learned. They participate in clinical rotations and provide patient care both in hospital and in outpatient clinics. Clinical experiences occur not only in Saskatoon, Regina and Prince Albert, but also in rural and remote communities throughout Saskatchewan. In year four, students have further opportunities to experience different fields of medicine by participating in electives in Saskatchewan and at other medical schools throughout Canada. This prepares them for choosing a residency program at the end of year four.
The Course and Program Catalogue has the complete and official listing of required classes and their descriptions for this program.
Why study here?
Health Sciences Facility
The state of the-art, integrated facility supports and enables collaboration among students, faculty and researchers in all health science disciplines and helps to educate health professionals using a team-centred approach. We have introduced leading teaching concepts, conducted broad research investigations that advance our understanding of health issues and continue to explore how to best provide clinical services that respond to the needs of today’s patients.
Excellence in care
The College of Medicine is committed to incorporating social accountability to direct its clinical activity, advocacy, research and education (CARE) and training activities towards the priority health concerns of local, regional, national and international communities. The college supports a number of programs and initiatives that address community health needs, including Indigenous health, primary health care, urban and rural underserved areas, gender and equity, eco-health, immigrant and refugee health and global health.
Electives in Indigenous health
Electives in Indigenous Health that blend Western and Indigenous knowledge are available in year four. These electives give you the opportunity to work with Elders, Healers or Indigenous communities. You may also go off-site to assist in clinical care in surrounding First Nations communities.
Certificate in Global Health
We offer this accredited program for first-year MD students that focuses on preparation for work with marginalized under-served communities locally and globally. Rich in interactive, experiential, and didactic learning opportunities, this is currently the only undergraduate certificate in Global Health in Canada.
Student groups
Our college has an exceptionally active student body with leadership from the Student Medical Society of Saskatchewan (SMSS). Some examples of other diverse student groups include: Aboriginal Rural and Remote Health Group Living Well: Physician Wellness Initiative Equity, Diversity and Gender Group. In addition, our Pre-Med Club helps students prepare for all aspects of medical school applications.
Indigenous Students
The College of Medicine is committed to increasing the number of Indigenous physicians in Canada and has developed programs and initiatives to encourage and support Indigenous students, including a mentorship program and through our Pathway Support for Indigenous Students to Pursue Medicine awards.
Careers
Residency and career options
After medical school, graduates enter into a residency program. The College of Medicine offers residency programs in primary or specialty care areas. Residency training varies from two years for certification by the College of Family Physicians of Canada to four to six years for certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Following successful completion of residency training leads to careers in many diverse fields including the following:
- Anesthesiology
- Cardiology
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Clinical Investigation
- Emergency Medicine
- Family Medicine
- General Internal Medicine
- General Pathology
- General Surgery
- Internal Medicine
- Medical Imaging
- Nephrology
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Pediatrics
- Physical Medicine and
- Rehabilitation
- Public Health and Preventive
- Medicine
- Psychiatry
- Respiratory Medicine
- Rheumatology
Tuition estimates
Tuition and fees per year
| Tuition | $17,998 |
|---|---|
| Fees | $930 |
| Total | $18,928 |
Tuition estimates reflect a typical amount you could expect to pay per year (2020-2021 rates).
Fees are used to fund specific student benefits, including health, vision and dental coverage, a bus pass, recreational programs and fitness centre access.
Additional estimates of fees and expenses
| Additional Fees or expenses | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student Medical Society Fees | 300.00 | - | - | - |
| College of Physicians & Surgeons Fees | 20.00 | - | - | - |
| SMA-CMA Fees | 17.00 | 17.00 | 17.00 | 17.00 |
| MCCQE Part I | - | - | - | 900.00 |
| CARMs Fee (including travel) | - | - | - | 5,000.00 |
| Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector Check Fee | 70.00 | - | 70.00 | - |
| Books# | 500.00 | 500.00 | 500.00 | 500.00 |
| Equipment (ACLS & Fit Testing) | 250.00 | - | - | - |
| Electives | - | - | - | 8,000.00 |
| Rotations Outside Saskatoon | 300.00 | 600.00 | 1,500.00 | 1,500.00 |
| Travel+ |
NOTE: Housing and living expenses are not included in this table.
#Amount is variable depending on the usage of EBooks, library loans, on-line subscriptions, used books, and purchased textbooks.
+Travel expenses are variable and will depend on, for example, the clinical experiences chosen, student interest group involvement, conference attendance and personal travel.
Preparing for Medicine
High school requirements
There are no specific high school requirements for the Medicine program. However, as a four-year baccalaureate degree (any subject area) is required to apply for admission to Medicine, students should consider their degree interests and research the high school prerequisite requirements for the degree to ensure they have taken the required high school courses to complete the university-level courses.
University requirements
- Read through the Admission information below to see what is needed to be considered for admission.
- While prerequisite courses are not mandatory, applicants are strongly encouraged to complete equivalent/similar courses (introductory level Biochemistry, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Statistics, Sociology and Psychology) to ensure readiness for the basic sciences covered in the first two years of the undergraduate medical curriculum and to prepare for the MCAT as well.
Join a Pre-Med Club
The Pre-Med Club helps students prepare for all aspects of medical school applications. They offer a range of preparatory and informative sessions such as mock MCATs, MCAT info sessions, multiple mini interview (MMI) prep groups, a mock MMI, a medical school applications crash course, a volunteer opportunities info session and much more.
Admission information
1. Residency and citizenship
You must be a Canadian citizen or have Permanent Resident status by the application deadline of October 1. Additionally, you must have lived in Canada for at least three years of your life prior to August 1 of the year in which admission is being sought. Please note, if your Permanent Resident card expires between the application deadline and September 1 of the year of admission, admission to the College will be conditional upon receipt of an updated valid Permanent Resident card.
As the only medical school in Saskatchewan, the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan has a responsibility to serve the residents of the province. Therefore, of the 100 seats available each year:
Saskatchewan residents
95% of first year positions are reserved for Saskatchewan residents. A Saskatchewan resident is defined as someone who has physically resided in Saskatchewan for the three years immediately preceding August 1 of the year they are seeking admission (i.e., August 2018 for August 2021 entry) or have previously lived in Saskatchewan for an accumulated period of 15 years. Exceptions are made for members or family of the Armed Forces of Canada or RCMP. For full details regarding Saskatchewan residency, please refer to the Applicant Information document for Saskatchewan residents.
Yukon, Northwest, or Nunavut territory residents
Using the same criteria above, residents of the territories can apply as Saskatchewan residents.
Indigenous applicants
The College of Medicine Admissions Office is committed to actively recruiting and supporting Indigenous students into medicine, ensuring the best pathway for Indigenous applicants through the Indigenous Admissions Pathway. An important aspect of this is ensuring that doctors are reflective of the communities who they serve. Diversity and equity strengthen the profession of medicine and the quality of care of patients and improves health outcomes.
One of our very important goals in Admissions is to help bring down barriers and offer opportunities and inspiration to Indigenous students to pursue medicine as a career. We want Indigenous applicants to feel supported and encouraged through the application process. Having a strong Indigenous voice in the College of Medicine and future physician work force of this province is very important as we build truth, reconciliation and relationship with Indigenous patients, families and communities.
Currently, the college has ten seats for self-declared First Nations, Metis or Inuit of Canadian decent who are deemed eligible as per our requirements through the Indigenous Admissions Pathway.
Diversity and Social Accountability Admissions Program (DSAAP)
The DSAAP will involve 6 seats.
Non-Saskatchewan resident applicants
A maximum of 5 seats are reserved for non-Saskatchewan residents.
2. Application Requirements
- COMPUTER-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR SAMPLING PERSONAL CHARACTERISITICS (CASPer®): all applicants are required to complete an online assessment, CASPer®. CASPer is an online situational judgement test that assesses for numerous personal and professional characteristics and it will compliment other tools that we use. Altus Assessments has released CASPer Snapshot, an extension of the CASPer test to help aid in the admissions process. Our program will NOT be requiring our applicants to complete Snapshot for this admissions cycle, however, please note that because of its one-time completion, other programs you are applying to may require it. You can learn more about Snapshot at the CASPer site.
- MCAT: you will need to complete the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) before the application deadline and arrange to have all of your scores released to our office during the specified time. See below for more details.
- Four year Baccalaureate Degree Completed by April 30 and Awarded Prior to Entry into Medicine: to apply you need to have completed, or be in your last year, of a four year degree program.
- Admission average: the minimum admission average will change depending on your residency status.
NOTE: For complete information regarding the admissions requirements, please review the Applicant Information document for the pool in which you are eligible to apply.
3. Personal qualities
Personal qualities are assessed by CASPer and then, if invited to participate, by a Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) held in March. Not all candidates will be invited to the interview phase.
Multiple Mini Interview
The 2021 MMI dates are: TBD
4. Additional requirements
Applicants whose primary language is not English may be required to present proof of proficiency in English.
All applicants offered admission will be required to submit a criminal record check including vulnerable sector screening to the College of Medicine by the first day of orientation of the year of entry.
All applicants should familiarize themselves with the Criminal Record Check Policy and Procedures. Results will be shared, including sharing a copy of the documentation, with: (i) the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan and (ii) other medical and/or educational institutions as required. In the event that an applicant is found to be ineligible for an educational license, the offer of admission will be revoked.Applicants to the College of Medicine will be required to answer the following questions on the application form and provide detailed information for any question(s) answered “Yes”:
- Have you ever been suspended, disqualified, censured, or had any disciplinary action taken against you as a member of any profession?
- Have you at any time been (i) subject to allegations of any academic or non-academic offence by a post-secondary institution, (ii) suspended, expelled, required to discontinue, or otherwise disciplined (including being denied readmission) for any academic or non-academic offence by a post-secondary institution, (iii) subject to informal resolution with respect to any academic or non-academic offence by a post-secondary institution, or (iv) cited for any professionalism issues at any time?
- Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence (this includes any offence for which pardon has been received)?
- Have you been arrested or charged with any criminal offence, in Canada or elsewhere?
- To the best of your current knowledge and belief, are you currently under investigation for possible criminal conduct, in Canada or elsewhere?
If you are a future applicant considering application to the U of S College of Medicine and answer “yes” to any of the preceding questions, it is recommended that you contact the Admissions Office to have an informal review of the details of your background completed to determine future possible concerns with regard to admission or licensure as a medical student.
For full details on the Immunization Requirements please view our policy.
MCAT
The AAMC and the Association of Faculties of Medicine in Canada (AFMC) provide a fee assistance program for Canadian examinees who register to test during the 2020 testing year. Canadian examinees who are eligible and qualify, will receive reduced scheduling, rescheduling, and cancellation rates. Learn more about the MCAT Fee Assistance Program for Canadians at aamc.org.
The MCAT must have been written prior to the application deadline of October 1, 2020. You must request that all of your MCAT results be released electronically specifically to the University of Saskatchewan, College of Medicine, via the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) MCAT Test Site and specifically between October 30, 2020 and November 6, 2020. Even if you have released your scores to the University of Saskatchewan, College of Medicine prior to October 30, 2020, you must re-release them during the previously stated time period. In order to capture all possible MCAT results, only scores released to the University of Saskatchewan, College of Medicine, during this time period will be considered.
For application in 2020 for entry fall of 2021, no minimum MCAT section or total score will be required. MCAT scores must be obtained in one sitting prior to the application deadline. The earliest accepted scores for application in 2020 for entry fall of 2021 are from January 2017. Only the most recent MCAT writing will be considered. Confidence bands are not considered and any further AAMC adjustments to scores after our MCAT score release deadline of November 6, 2020, will not be considered. The AAMC site will produce a report for applicants showing when scores are released to the University of Saskatchewan, College of Medicine; therefore, we will not confirm receipt of MCAT scores.
For each application cycle, the Admissions Committee will review all of the MCAT scores and set the minimum overall MCAT score, and MCAT section scores, for the current cycle. In the last admissions cycle for entrance in 2020, the Committee removed applicants from further consideration for an interview offer if their total MCAT score was less than 492. This past year, in addition to the total score cutoff of 492, the Admissions Committee set the minimum section score cutoffs of BBFL 123; CARS 122; CPBS 123; PSBB 123. These cut points are likely to be used again in the upcoming cycle.
While no prerequisite courses are required for admission, to prepare for the MCAT and to ensure readiness for the concepts covered in the first two years of the undergraduate medical curriculum, applicants are strongly encouraged to complete equivalent/similar courses in the following: introductory level Biochemistry, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Statistics, Sociology and Psychology.
Registration for the MCAT is online at www.aamc.org/mcat.
For information regarding acceptable MCAT results for future applications, please see below.
| Admission Cycle | MCAT Accepted |
| Application 2020 for Entry Fall of 2021 | MCAT - January 2017 (earliest accepted) |
| Application 2021 for Entry Fall of 2022 | MCAT - January 2018 (earliest accepted) |
| Application 2022 for Entry Fall of 2023 | MCAT - January 2019 (earliest accepted) |
NOTE: The MCAT must have been written prior to the application deadline of October 1, 2020. You must request that all of your MCAT results be released electronically specifically to the University of Saskatchewan, College of Medicine, via the AAMC MCAT Test Site and specifically between October 30, 2020 and November 6, 2020. Even if you have released your scores to the University of Saskatchewan, College of Medicine prior to October 30, 2020, you must re-release them during the previously stated time period. In order to capture all possible MCAT results, only scores released to the University of Saskatchewan, College of Medicine, during this time period will be considered.
For application in 2020 for entry fall of 2021, MCAT scores must be obtained in one sitting prior to the application deadline. The earliest accepted scores for application 2020 for entry fall of 2021 are from January 2017. Only the most recent MCAT writing will be considered. Confidence band scores are not considered and any further adjustments to scores by the AAMC after our MCAT score release deadline of November 6, 2020, will not be considered. The AAMC site will produce a report for applicants showing when scores are released to the University of Saskatchewan, College of Medicine; therefore, we will not confirm receipt of MCAT scores.
For application in 2020 for entry fall of 2021, non-Saskatchewan resident applicants will be required to have a met a minimum total score of 510 with a minimum score of 127 for each of the four section scores. Only the most recent test will be considered.
While no prerequisite courses are required for admission, to prepare for the MCAT and to ensure readiness for the concepts covered in the first two years of the undergraduate medical curriculum, applicants are strongly encouraged to complete equivalent/similar courses in the following: introductory level Biochemistry, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Statistics, Sociology and Psychology.
Registration for the MCAT is online at www.aamc.org/mcat.
For information regarding acceptable MCAT results for future applications, please see below.
| Admission Cycle | MCAT Accepted |
| Application 2020 for Entry Fall of 2021 | MCAT - January 2017 (earliest accepted) |
| Application 2021 for Entry Fall of 2022 | MCAT - January 2018 (earliest accepted) |
| Application 2022 for Entry Fall of 2023 | MCAT - January 2019 (earliest accepted) |
Applying
Deadlines: Applications open in August 2020 and the deadline to apply is October 1, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. Saskatchewan time for entry in August 2021.
Transcripts and any other documents required for application (e.g., proof of residency) must be postmarked by October 15, 2020 at 4:00 PM (Saskatchewan time).
Please ensure you’ve read the entire Applicant Information document for the pool in which you are eligible to apply prior to applying for admission to the program.
A non-refundable application fee of $150 CDN is required before your application will be processed. For applicants invited to participate in the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI), there is an additional non-refundable fee of $150.00 which must be paid at the time of accepting the MMI invitation.
Please note: the $150 fee is currently under review for a possible reduction given the virtual delivery. An update will be available prior to MMI invitations being sent to applicants.
College info
The four year Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) is offered by the University of Saskatchewan's College of Medicine.
Established first as the School of Medical Sciences in 1926 and later as the College of Medicine in 1953, the College has a full range of academic programming, including the School of Physical Therapy and the Division of Biomedical Sciences. The College of Medicine serves the people of Saskatchewan by producing outstanding clinical practitioners, generating new knowledge and facilitating improved patient outcomes.
Related programs
- Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology
- Biology
- Biomedical Foundations
- Cellular, Physiological, and Pharmacological Sciences
- Nutrition
- Nursing
- Veterinary Medicine
If you are looking for graduate level programs (Master's and PhDs,) please consult our graduate students' website.
Questions?
Email: med.admissions@usask.ca
Admissions College of Medicine
Box 17, Health Sciences Building
University of Saskatchewan
107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon
SK, S7N 5E5